(A/N: I miss writing for this pairing. Inspiration hits me again to write for this ship and provide a new update for this fic. Especially now that August will be coming here soon and it makes me think of Doramitsu ideas that I wanna write right now. Hoping that you enjoy this chapter as much as I did when writing this).
Chapter 3
By: Aztec999
"Bonjour Taka-chan." Hakkai's faux French voicegreeted his line of hearing together with seeing him pulled up his Ray-ban sunglasses over his head.
"Ça va?" Yuzuha greeted along with her natural French accent as the heels of her boots made a clicking sound on the pavement as she walked towards his spot.
One would think they were in some sort of an event or in a runway but with the career as a model and being the manager of the said model, the clothing choices easily influenced you especially if you're in the field of high fashion industry.
"Ça fait longtemps, dis donc." Mitsuya greeted back smoothly and ushered them inside his abode and made them sit in the living room. "You're both early." Mitsuya noted as he switched back to their natural language.
As soon as he received a call from Hakkai the other day that they planned to visit him early next week, which was now today, Mitsuya tried to look his best and struggled to clean the house even though all he wanted to do was just cooped up inside his room and drink all of his troubles away. But nevertheless, another part of him didn't want them to see his own suffering ever since his career ended in Paris and made his way back to Japan. His pride wasn't letting him show on how shitty and vulnerable he was. So, he tried to look a bit fresh and presentable even though his frame looked gaunt and pale since he wasn't eating right on time and didn't go out that much except when he picked up that bike from Draken's shop.
"We did take the earliest flight schedule after we finished our scheduled appearances in some fashion houses last week Taka-chan." Hakkai replied smilingly.
"So, how are you now Mitsuya? You look skinnier than the last time we've met. Have you been eating well?" Yuzuha chimed in as she glanced at him with a concerned expression on her face.
"You need to eat more Taka-chan and take care of your body!" Hakkai exclaimed as he shot him a worried glance over his skinny form.
It just made Mitsuya chuckled mirthlessly, shaking his head fondly. "If I'm still alive here and talking to the both of you then everything is still going well." He replied jokingly.
"How about try going back to the Paris with the both of us? Maybe you can start all over again! I knew some of fashion houses who might need another designer." Hakkai tried to persuade him and lift his spirits up.
"You know how everything goes in Paris Hakkai. Once a fallen star, always a fallen star. Mitsuya doesn't have anything that he can come back in there." Yuzuha interjected.
"Yuzuha! Stop being so harsh!" Hakkai's eyes grew wide at the bluntness of her words.
"But your sister is right Hakkai. That's how everything goes in Paris. One day you're one of the brightest stars and the next day people around don't care about your presence anymore. So, I'm fine here on my own Hakkai." Mitsuya tried to reassure him and smiled even though it didn't reach his eyes.
"Taka-chan…" Hakkai trailed off, unable to say anything worthwhile as a sad look passed over his face.
Yuzuha sighed in defeat and moved towards Mitsuya and sat beside him, patting his shoulder gently. "Are you sure you're going to be okay here? You don't have to cooped yourself up here y'know? Also, both of your sisters are adults now and they can look after themselves and this house. You can take a vacation somewhere in the Europe." She said carefully.
Mitsuya just shook his head in silence. "No. A change of scenery would be nice. And I missed Tokyo to be honest. But thanks for the offer anyway." Mitsuya offered her a small smile.
"If that's what you want…" Yuzuha agreed reluctantly. "Hakkai and I are just one call away and we're still on vacation here in Japan for a few days before we go back to Milan for his scheduled runways."
"Of course. Now, go on and enjoy your limited stay here in Japan before going back to work again. Don't worry about me." Mitsuya forced a cheerful smile on his lips.
"There you are again with that Mitsuya. Y'know you can hang out with us if you feel like needing some company?" Yuzuha admonished him gently, a worried look crossing her features again.
Mitsuya smiled softly at her before he shook his head faintly. "I'll be fine really. Now, both of you get up and enjoy the sights in Tokyo and Shibuya."
Yuzuha smiled in defeat before looking over at Hakkai who still look conflicted yet concerned. In the end, he couldn't anything as he acquiesced with the fallen designer's wishes.
"If you say so Taka-chan. But just letting you know that if you need me or my sister, you can call us, okay?" He got up and so was Yuzuha.
"Of course." Mitsuya hugged them both gently before letting go and ushering them outside his house.
The smile remained on his face as he could still see them in his line of sight.
But it slowly melted away and was replaced by a serenely downcast expression as soon as they were gone.
The temporary feeling of happiness was gone and the void in his heart was back once again when he was left alone inside his house.
Draken placed the wrench on the table and stood up from the ground after fixing one of the engines of their customer's bike.
Today was the usual day of having the normal number of customers in a day, sparing them from the influx of requests that was beyond their control.
It's been a week since his unexpected yet fascinating encounter with the silver haired man who possessed one of the most beautiful yet somber amethyst eyes.
Mitsuya Takashi.
Ever since he got his bike from their shop, he never heard anything from him which was nothing out of the ordinary since he's just one of their customers in their shop with no ties to any of the owners such as him nor to Inupi.
But…
Draken glanced at the pristine white handkerchief lying on the other side of the table as if trying to get his attention once again.
For sure it belongs to the man himself since none of them possessed an elegant looking pocket square like that. The design and fabric itself probably cost more than his one-month earnings in this shop and from a glance alone, even if Mitsuya looked exhausted and gaunt, he still possessed that refined demeanor in him. He seemed an otherworldly guy who doesn't belong in this place or so he thought.
Draken wanted to curse himself for still thinking about the man himself.
If he wanted to get this over with, he needed to return this pocket square to him so that there won't be any remaining ties with them any longer.
Draken decided to take the matters into his hands and made to contact with the male again to return the handkerchief and nothing else.
He tried to convince himself.
Nothing else.
Mitsuya stared at the phone after speaking with Draken, blinking owlishly.
His mind trying to catch up on what happened. The other happened to call him to return one of his handkerchiefs that he was trying to find in his room a few days ago because he purchased it at a boutique in Milan and it had a sentimental value to him.
But now the late realization that he had left it at their shop previously made him want to facepalm himself. God. Was his memory getting spotty? It took Draken to reach out to him just to inform him that he left it at their premises when he was getting his own bike the other week.
For sure, he caused another inconvenience towards him.
And he wanted to make amends on that especially on their first meeting that didn't leave a good impression on the other.
He didn't even apologize to him properly yet.
Without any second thoughts, he proceeded to pick up his phone again and decided to dial a certain number of a café in Tokyo.
He'll make sure that their meeting would be him making amends for the trouble and inconvenience that he'd caused to him.
And nothing else.
Draken arrived 30 minutes earlier than their specified time meeting at the café. He was always early and right on time when meeting up with someone.
But not too early like this.
He merely reasoned within himself that he didn't want to make a bad impression towards the other and think that he was disrespecting the other's time especially that Mitsuya had invited in not just some mere café.
It was the Le Café V, a Louis Vuitton café in Ginza Namiki building at Tokyo.
That's why he didn't want to be late especially Mitsuya made a reservation to the said place and even if he didn't have any fancy clothes for this high-end place, it was a good thing that he at least possessed some normal looking clothes consisted of a dark flannel shirt and a pair of black pants complimented with suede shoes to suit the occasion.
But it didn't make it any less comfortable with him to be surrounded by a highly expensive environment and elegant looking people.
He just didn't want to embarrass himself and Mitsuya who made out of his way to just reserve a table for the two of them to make it up for him and his asshole behavior when they first met.
He knew that the guy was well-off judging from his looks and the way he carried himself but he didn't know that he was this rich.
He probably makes money ten times his career's worth in a year.
Just who was Mitsuya Takashi really? And what was he doing living in the normal, suburban area of Japan?
Draken was still mulling over this when his thoughts got cut off upon hearing the bell chiming of the door that made him look and hitched his breath.
Mitsuya came striding in wearing a pair of dark pants coupled with a simple long white sleeve shirt that had sleeves buttoned up to reveal those pair of sinewy yet smooth ivory arms and with those couple of buttons buttoned down to reveal a short glimpse of his collarbone peaking around his neck.
His silver mullet held a certain gravity and style which emphasized his small yet well chiseled face and his expressive amethyst orbs.
Draken swallowed thickly. How could one have looked so arrestingly beautiful and sleek at the same time? Mitsuya could be wearing a rag but he would still look fresh and gorgeous because of his slender frame and stylish aura. He couldn't take his eyes off him and it was evident because the other customers couldn't help but to steal a glance at the newcomer whose presence was noticeable.
"I'm not late, am I?" Mitsuya's urgent yet soothing voice and quick breathing from running inside jostled Draken out of his thoughts and he tried not to blush at the brief display of stupor and idiocy. He was hoping that Mitsuya wouldn't notice his brief dazzlement towards his presence.
"Of course not. Right on the dot." Draken smiled reassuringly at him and Mitsuya breathed a sigh of relief.
He sat down beside him.
"Here. You kinda left it at the shop. Tried calling you back then but was unattended and tried to drop off at your residence one day but no one's answering." Draken handed him his pocket square which still looked in pristine white and in good condition.
Mitsuya blinked a few times before he looked down on his offered hand and took the handkerchief from his grasp, unable to look him on the eye. "Thanks…" He mumbled.
Draken rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, unable to say anything worthwhile. "Yeah. No worries. It's a precious belonging of our customer after all. Wouldn't want it to get lost or something. So, I guess this is it. Thanks for y'know taking your time to meet me here and take it." He knew he was rambling but for some unknown reason Draken couldn't help himself, just being in the presence of the other made his heart flipped strangely inside his chest and the silence between the two of them was making him nervous.
"Wait! Before you leave… I know that I was kinda an asshole to you but I just wanted to say that I'm sorry back then. I didn't mean to snap at you or some shit… Just having a bad day, I guess." Mitsuya gathered up the courage and looked at his face imploringly.
Draken chuckled lightly, shaking his head faintly. "Nah. That's all good. When you become true to your word to appear at our shop back then to pick up your bike then it's all settled."
"But… I wanted to make it up to you so is it okay if I can treat you with some coffee and drinks in this place?" Mitsuya asked softly, a bit unsure on his words but his eyes held steadfast determination.
And who was Draken to reject an offer from a seraphic beauty such as him?
"Sure." Draken found himself accepting his offer before his mind could ponder over his words.
He firmly told himself that this was not a date.
His mind repeated that mantra several times until it could finally convince himself.
Together they spent talking awkwardly in stilted fashion with the occasional silence from focusing on finishing their drinks and food.
"So, uh, you're a designer, right?" Draken asked and he wanted to punch himself for how obvious that question was.
"Ah yeah. I'm working overseas but I'm just taking a break here. A breath of fresh air I guess." Mitsuya answered casually but he noticed that he wasn't looking directly on his eyes.
Draken decided not to press the issue.
"Fair point. All of us needed to have some break at our lives." Draken agreed.
"Yeah… And since you're a mechanic, do you own that or you're an employee there…?" Mitsuya asked as he tried to divert the topic away from his, not ready yet to divulge any personal matter that was still a sore topic for him.
"Yep. I'm a mechanic. And I'm a co-owner of that one. My business partner is the other guy you've already met, Inupi. We're still a bit new to the industry and still a small scale so that's why it's just the two of us together who mans the shop." Draken answered.
Mitsuya perked at his response, looking at him curiously. "Aside from being skilled, you have a bit of a business minded scope within you. That's interesting." He replied smilingly.
And Draken could probably stare at his smiling face all day and not get bored of it because of how it made him more ethereal and dazzling in his eyes.
He inwardly slapped himself.
For fuck's sake. He's a goddamn adult. Not some pathetic little teenager who's having a crush right now.
What. The. Hell.
His mind came into a screeching halt.
He totally didn't have a crush on him. No. Nope. Nada. Zilch.
"Draken? You okay over there?" Mitsuya tried to snap his fingers in front of him and looked at him with a slight concern over his face.
It made his racing thoughts came into a screeching halt. Draken tried to look calm and placid in front of him but he could feel the tips of his ears tinting in pinkish hues.
"Yeah. 'M fine. Sorry it's just that this frappe just tastes a tad bit great." He slurped on his frappe to emphasize his point.
It made Mitsuya chuckle lightly on his words. "Okay whatever you say. So, as I was saying…"
Draken tried to focus and listen to his words even if he could still hear the loud beat of his heart inside his chest.
Mitsuya was not good for his heart sometimes.
Born and raised by those who praise control of population
Well, everybody's been there and I don't mean on vacation
Draken listened to Mitsuya singing his heart out inside the karaoke bar that they went into. Since there were remaining few hours in the day after their simple hanging out at the café, Draken couldn't for the life of him fathom within himself on the reason why he suggested to Mitsuya to go on karaoke singing in a simple KTV bar with all on him paid of course. Was it the fact that he wanted to return the favor of the other making their day a good time for the both of them?
But right now, looking at him…
…his cheeks flushed, his eyes slightly misty and glazed over.
Mitsuya was partly inebriated and more brazen now from the effects of the alcohol.
First born unicorn
Hardcore soft porn
Dream of Californication
Dream of Californication
Dream of Californication
Dream of Californication
He was slightly surprised when Mitsuya was belting out the chorus of the song and the mere fact that he knew this kind of song. Who knew that he's a fan of Red Hot Chili Peppers as well despite being dapper and cultivated most of the time?
But he was more taken aback when tears started streaming down the other's cheeks. His lavender orbs were glistening with unshed tears.
Mitsuya continued singing passionately before he slumped right down on the couch, laughing and crying at the same time. Draken didn't know how to approach the male now in front of him.
Should he comfort him or ignore the—
"Fuck. I love that song. Makes me think of my youth sometimes. I remembered back on how I even had a sticker of that band posted in my bike when I was a teenager." He rubbed away his tears with the back of his hand before he took another can of beer and took another swig.
"Oi. Stop drinking now when you're obviously drunk." Draken admonished him lightly as he took the now empty can from him.
Mitsuya just giggled at him, cheeks completely flushed as he fell forward on the couch. "M not dhrunk… You ahre…!"
Draken sighed. As much as he enjoyed drinking and singing with Mitsuya in the KTV bar, he needed to be the responsible one now since the other was clearly intoxicated.
"C'mon now… We gotta get out of here before you completely passed out." Draken stood up and tried to make the other get up from the couch and sling one of his arms for support.
"Dhon't wanna go just yet!" He whined childishly as a hiccup slipped past his lips. Nevertheless, he let Draken maneuvered him in standing up and going outside.
Draken was faintly amused at the display of his antics.
Now this was the other side of him when he was drunk.
Interesting.
But no more than second a later that his pleasant thoughts were cut off as Mitsuya suddenly stumbled down into the ground, groaning out in pain and exhaustion.
"For fuck's sake, never drink again like that if you're a lightweight." Draken grumbled as he carried Mitsuya on his back.
At first, he was slinging him on his shoulder and tried to make him walk but it proved to be futile as the silver haired man was almost out like a light and couldn't even stumble a proper, single step without making them fall both down into the ground.
"D'you think that I still have worth as a person?" Mitsuya slurred against his skin and Draken tried not to shiver at the warm breath ghosting around his skin.
"What're you talking about?" Draken groused without any heat to his words as he continued carrying him on his back.
"I have nothing on me now y'know? Jhust lhost the most wonderfhul thing that makes me happy and the childhood dream that I really cherish in my lhife is gone now. Isn't that real shitty?"
Draken's eyes grew wide as he felt his warm tears cascading on the back of his neck.
For the 2nd time, he witnessed Mitsuya crying in front of him. The only difference is that this time there wasn't laughter in his tears. He was crying now out of misery and anguish.
He couldn't speak as he didn't know what to say to him exactly but he knew what he was talking about.
The lost precious thing that you wanted ever since childhood…
…Draken couldn't even know how he would react if he wouldn't be able to fulfill his dream of being racer in the future.
"Mitsuya I—." He stopped midway as he felt his light breathing and small snores against his back.
Draken sighed but carried on, nonetheless.
"I guess you'll be my unexpected visitor for tonight. I'm hoping that you won't be high maintenance and give me a headache the next morning." Draken grumbled but a small part of himself didn't mind about the thought of Mitsuya crashing into his place.
It was a foreign thought and feeling to him since he just met him recently. But Draken didn't dwell onto that yet.
He didn't know what he had gotten himself into and he wasn't about to have a long soliloquy about the matter when he had better things to do anyway.
