The Color of Chinese Bellflowers
Chapter nine: Tender Sinful Indulgence
Disclaimer: I do not own Loveless.
A/N: This is an original AU fic. I'm sorry if Ritsuka seems insanely OOC in this story. But, he does have different circumstances than the real Ritsuka since he has no knowlege of Seimei (that you know about X3) and Seimei is obviously alive so this Ritsuka is much less angsty and teenagery. But like the real one, this story version of Ritsuka is still learning that other people care about you and you can care about them. So I try and that's just as good, deshou?
WARNING: almost lemony goodness again, and I DON'T want to raise my rating because of something that isn't going to happen. So you've been warned 0 :3
"I like you very much too." His right ear twitched innocently.
Her cheeks puffed out and she sighed heavily. "I'm not sure you understand though..."
"Understand?"
"Ritsuka, I love you!"
Every sound of the night came to a screeching halt, and a thick layer of silence spread itself over the both of them. Not even the sounds of their hearts beating broke through. He wasn't sure about Yuiko, but he knew for sure that his heart stopped. Even if it was only for a few seconds, it had felt like years. With a jolt the world came back into life and sound, the chirping of the crickets resumed and the ghostly laughter drifting down the streets from parties continued. As if it were working it's hardest to restart, Ritsuka's heart slowly but surely began beating again. When had the color left his face? He couldn't tell. Their eyes acted like repelling magnets, darting away each time they tried to meet.
That's right, Ritsuka recounted. That's how I got in this position.
The cat boy's voice was raspy and struggled to even be heard, "I don't know yet if I can say the same thing to you Yuiko." It was the only thing he could manage to get out.
"That's okay, I was expecting that kind of answer. I just wanted to tell you before I left."
"You're leaving?"
"I'm not a maid anymore, now I'm only a street Yuiko."
He didn't look it but Soubi really had TOO big of a heart.
"W-what?!"
"My owner disowned me! She couldn't afford me and I made no money to pay for myself. She's sending me to a house in the pleasure district."
Ritsuka's face swelled red. "Soubi!" he shouted. Immediately the front door slid open and tall calm Soubi made a silhouette in the doorway. "Yes?"
"You'll do anything to make me happy right?"
"Anything for you, Ritsuka."
"Then Yuiko is our new maid!"
Yuiko's eyes widened, her tail waving in excitement but her voice protested. "No, I can't impose on Mr. Soubi like that!"
Already, Soubi had stepped into the street. Like a true gentlemen he lifted Yuiko's left hand, piercing his gaze in to her eyes. "Welcome to our okiya, new maid Yuiko."
And that is where Ritsuka found himself currently, sitting casually against the wall alongside Youji and Natsuo watching Yuiko scramble about the kitchen. Dressed in plain cotton kimono and without make up, you would have thought that it was just three normal boys sitting there instead of three popular geisha. Kio's kind hearted attempts at teaching her to cook since she arrived seemed to be failing miserably. The three boys talked quietly amongst each other trying not to disturb them, laughing occasionally when Yuiko would drop ingredients on to the floor or spill water on Kio, which happened several times.
"Yuck, I think this is one dinner I can't save." Kio stood back from the monstrosity Yuiko had made which bubbled and gave off smoke as he rubbed the back of his neck in thought.
"I'm so sorry Mr. Kio! I warned you, I can't cook very well."
Kio smiled, "that's ok! How about this plan, we send everyone else out to eat and we stay here to make some practice dishes?" Over the past week or so Kio had shown Yuiko a surprising amount of patience for the usually bed headed young adult.
Yuiko's smile immediately lit up the room twelve shades brighter. "That sounds fun!" Soubi, who had been standing in the corner smoking tossed away his cigarette butt and crossed the room to stand in front of his three geisha. "It would be nice to go eat somewhere else for a change. Shall we go?" Ritsuka stood up, his tail waving and batting the wall behind him eagerly. "Let's go I'm starving!" a loud and unsettling growl raised from his stomach, proving his point. Soubi's gaze turned downwards to the two boys still sitting in the floor. "Are you both coming?"
"Nah!" Natsuo smiled up at him. "Neither of us are very hungry."
Soubi seemed pleased at the thought of having dinner alone with Ritsuka, so he didn't try very hard to convince Youji or Natsuo to come along. "If you two want to try and survive Kio and Yuiko's experiments then go on ahead, I won't. We'll return later tonight." Acting like a gentleman, Soubi held out his elbow. Ritsuka using all the grace of a geisha delicately wrapped elbows with him. When they had left, Youji stared at the space where the two had once stood. "Soubi's a pervert."
Laughter burst into the room from the usual person. "You're a slow learner." Kio commented.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
A soft ambient light lit up the place Soubi had taken Ritsuka. "Are you enjoying yourself?" Soubi watched Ritsuka carefully as the younger one devoured a bowl of rice.
"Yeah. Since Yuiko came I haven't been eating well, so this is the best meal I've had since you took her in." Slowly he forced himself to set down his chopsticks. "And I want to thank you for that."
"There's no need to thank me. It made you happy and that is what is most important to me." Tentatively, Soubi's hands inched further closer towards Ritsuka's where they rested on the table top.
"Why do you say things like that? You shouldn't say things you don't mean." Lately Ritsuka was having trouble shaking the feeling that Soubi wanted him, Natsuo and Youji purely for their business value. But then again why would he have adopted three people, on a whim just because he wanted him to?
"I do mean those things, Ritsuka. I'm sorry, you seem to have a hard time trusting people's intentions. I wish I could change that."
Ritsuka's eyes perked up to meet Soubi's, and they were glued there. He could find no spec, no hint of bad intentions in the older ones eyes. "It's something I don't understand, what makes you want my happiness? It's not necessary to you, and it doesn't get you any money. So, I don't understand."
Soubi chuckled, but in a warm way. "You're so young Ritsuka, I wonder if you don't know?"
"Know what?" His eyebrows knotted together in confusion.
"Don't worry about it, for now. And I realized the other day that I don't know much about you're family. Would you care to tell me? It would make me very happy to learn more about you in that respect."
A sad look settled deep into Ritsuka's features, Soubi could tell that it was something that had weighed heavily on the young teen's mind before. After taking a deep breath, Ritsuka began twiddling his fingers. "I don't remember much. I know I once lived with my family in a house. I was so young though, I don't remember anyone but my mother. And that was only for a short time, afterwards I went to live in a large place with a great number of people. They may have all been my family, or not I'm not sure. But now that I think most of them were children and ... " as Ritsuka trailed on Soubi interrupted him with a realization.
"An orphanage?"
Ritsuka remained silent, staring at the table. He hadn't thought of that before, and when he was there he was too young to know what the place was. It definitely made sense though "Yes, I suppose it was. Now that I think about it. But if that was the case then I have no idea if I have any family left or where they might be." As he finished that sentence, he got an overpowering feeling. The feeling of being alone. That was always present, but now it was much more severe. Soubi picked up on this, and his hands reached out gently grasping Ritsuka's.
"I'm guessing Mieko bought you from there, then?"
He nodded, not wanting to look at Soubi. The older man was too much of a good guesser.
"You're so young Ritsuka, I wonder if you don't know?" he repeated himself from earlier.
"What?" Ritsuka tried his best to look away, but Soubi's strong grip caught a hold of the cat boy's chin and he was forced to look into those piercing eyes.
"I wonder if you don't know that I love you?"
Ritsuka's eyes shot open wide, Yuiko had told him the same thing. Before he could open his mouth to protest Soubi leaned in.
And pressed against Ritsuka's lips the most gentle and loving kiss he'd ever felt.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Silence. It was the only thing Natsuo could hear in the okiya that particular night. Lately, it had been so full of people that there was usually a conversation or Yuiko shouting about random things in to all hours of the night. In a lazy daze he stood in front of his open bedroom window. There were no candles nor lights lit in the room, causing the moonlight drifting through the window to be the only source of light in the room. His eyes fixated themselves on it in wonder. It was a full moon tonight, he was sure of it. Life here at Soubi's okiya was fun, everyone was an ally. There was seemingly no competition between it's three geisha and the maids were treated on an equal level with the owner, something completely unfounded. He wasn't used to the familial feeling, but it was comforting. It felt good. Although, he'd never spoken to Youji about it before he was pretty positive he felt the same way. The two shared a strong, almost psychic bond of empathy. Whatever one felt, so did the other. Absent-mindedly, Natsuo lifted his hand up and pretended to touch the moon. Then, a slightly more tanned hand caressed his that reached for the moon. Right away, he knew it was Youji. The tanned hand gently grabbed Natsuo's alabaster one, and his voice cooed into the redhead's ear. "If I wasn't so sure it was too far away, I'd reach for the moon with you."
Natsuo smiled, "even if it is too far away, you know you'd do it too."
"Mmm, you're probably right." Gently, he turned his counterpart around to face him pushing him slightly to the side. "I don't want to push you out of the window though I do know that." He pressed his other softly against the wall beside the window. "In this light, you're cuter than usual." Natsuo blushed. "Thank you." Youji placed his hands on either side of Natsuo's jaws, and for a long while they stood there. Basking in the rare silence of the night, the mint haired boy's eyes scanned his soul mates face. Taking in every curve, pore, and feature with a small smile. Staring into each others eyes, they sighed. "You're too much for me sometimes, did you know that?" Natsuo asked. Not waiting for an answer, he pushed his lips up to meet the other pair. Their heads tilting slightly to the side, so their noses didn't bump. It was gentle and innocent, like all of their kisses. Youji's hands still cupped Natsuo's face. Natsuo's hands rose to rest onto of the ones on his cheeks. Youji's hands escaped from under his though, so his fingers could trace over the contours of the red heads lips which fell open a tiny fraction. The rosy lips were gently moistened. The thin fingertips left his lips to trail along Natsuo's jaw line, and then traced a swirling pattern along the lobe and shell of Natsuo's right ear. In response, the redhead shivered. Youji grinned secretly in triumph. His fingertips left the delicate ear to drag down his throat, and revisited the contour line of the protruding collar bones he loved so dearly.
He felt the need to move further. Reaching up on himself, he bunched his shoulders and slipped his arms and torso out of the kimono he was wearing. The sash tied tightly kept it from falling off of his lower half. Natsuo's hands reached out greedily, marveling in the flawless skin that was Youji's. The redhead's good eye looked up at Youji's pleadingly. Chuckling, Youji's skilled hands slipped off the top of Natsuo's kimono faster than someone his age should have been able to. Pressing their chests together, Natsuo whispered. "Listen to them." They both paused to listen. Shakily their hearts were beating unevenly, but oddly enough they were in unison. They could feel it, the beating of one another's hearts on their chests. Suddenly, the passion exploded.
Youji pushed his mouth hungrily onto Natsuo's who responded with even more ferocity. Their lips moved wildly, with Natsuo's petite tongue finding it's way into Youji's mouth. Youji let out a groan from his throat, as they massaged each others tongues. Long arms wrapped around one another they tried pulling the other as close as possible. One of Youji's hands strayed to nestle itself deep into the hair on the back of Natsuo's head, his fingers scratching faintly at his scalp. Natsuo took a small and nervous step, using one hand to slide down the blue haired boy's back and firmly grab the flesh of his bottom through the kimono. Youji jumped, appreciating the extra attention. Both of his hands trailed to Natsuo's chest, finding his hardened pink nubs and teasing them. Natsuo's breath hitched, his breathing becoming faster and uneven. His lower stomach began tingling, and he felt a pooling of blood in a place he'd found embarrassing before. Although it didn't go unnoticed. Youji felt the same hardness, and out of instinct began grinding it onto the redheads. Letting out a catlike mewl Natsuo withdrew his tongue from the others mouth and managed to whisper, "please, please." Impatiently, one of his hands traveled to the most sacred of body parts they were grinding and without warning he grabbed Youji through his kimono. Youji gasped, and taking it as a cue Natsuo greedily pushed aside the cloth and grabbed him bare. The blue haired boy let out an almost yelp, "n-no, don't touch t-that..." immediately the redheads hand retreated and Youji pulled back. Both of their faces were flushed red and their lips were swollen from such rough kissing.
Natsuo's ears drooped down by his head in shame, "I'm sorry, I thought-"
"It's ok. I just don't want that just yet." Youji tried to sound as nice as he could, while trying to catch his breath.
"I understand, I'll wait as long as you want me to."
Youji exhaled in relief, with a small smile. "Thank you."
See I said nothing would happen :D And don't worry I haven't forgotten Soubi's little stunt. Until the next chapter mein shokolade bonbons!
PREVIEW FOR CHAPTER TEN - December 21st, 2007
"Ritsuka, come with me." Without waiting for his answer she pulled him up by the hand, sneaking them through the doorway without being noticed which wasn't very hard at all. She pushed the both of them into the roomy hall closet, and shut the door.
"Why're we in the closet, Yuiko?" His mind was too buzzed from the sake to recognize this as a potentially dangerous situation.