A/N: Sorry for not updating in so long! I've been working on a smexy lemon for you guys in chapter 5! Anyways this is a lovey-dovey kinda chapter, and neither I nor my bright orange sock own JR!
Chapter 3
Paparazzi
Misaki paced around the luxurious hotel room tugging at his hair, his green eyes glistening with unshed tears. Across from him, Usami sat on a dark leather sofa, watching the television.
"Hello, and welcome to Entertainment Tonight, recently discovered by a photographer for the Riverside Reader in San Antonio, Texas, Sarah Sanderson, has captured a few shocking images of none other than the now worldwide Usami Akihiko with his 'lover' one Misaki Takahashi."
Images flickered across the screen of the two men, the brunette looking somewhat shocked and frightened, while the author just looked slightly confused. Pictures of them kissing and loving on each other, and then, to Misaki's horror, it showed Usami removing the bandage that had been placed on his neck only hours before… with his mouth. Misaki almost collapsed from the embarrassment; he hadn't even mentioned the erotic and certainly aroused look on his own face in the picture.
"W-what are they saying, Usagi-san?" He sounded miserable as the female announcer again took up her commentary. The man just sighed.
"Nothing you want to know." An ashtray was placed on the coffee table in front of him, overflowing with the short cigarette buds as Usami puffed on yet another one. Misaki was too stressed to complain. In all honesty, Usami really wouldn't care if his lover was made public; the only thing he was afraid of was his editor. Surely the ratings on his books would go down, causing Aikawa to flip; in fact, he wouldn't doubt she was on her way to murder him now. That, and for whatever reason, Misaki seemed just as stressed.
The boy groaned and plopped down on the couch, gripping his head in his hands. "You don't think this has reached Japan yet, has it?" he mumbled through his fingers.
"It's probably been shown wherever I'm known." A small whimper came from beside him.
"This sucks, this really really sucks," Misaki groaned. Usami sighed, leaning forward to extinguish his cigarette before pulling the boy into a warm embrace.
"It'll be okay, Misaki, why are you getting so worked up about it?"
"Why?" Misaki looked up into his lover's eyes, a tear falling from the corner of his eye and snaking down the side of his face. "Why? Usagi-san, Nii-san will find out! And all of my classmates and teachers, I can't go back to school! I'll catch a plane to Iceland! I'll become an Eskimo and live all on my own with no one but my pet penguin James!" he exclaimed miserably.
"Misaki, first of all, I think you mean Greenland, and second, you're not going anywhere." The older male stroked the back of the boy's soft, chestnut colored hair as he brushed a tear from beneath his chin. Misaki nuzzled his face into the man's shirt.
"I can't go back." He sniffled.
"Why are you so ashamed? Why don't you want people to know?" Usami whispered.
"I-I'm not ashamed." The brunette clenched the fabric of the rabbit's shirt in his fists.
"Then why?" Misaki buried his face deeper into the man's chest, refusing to speak. "Misaki, look at me." The man placed his finger beneath the other's chin and lifted it so that the bright green eyes could meet his own.
"I-I'm…" His eyes wandered, looking anywhere but at the man who was holding him. "I-I'm scared." The boy's cheeks flushed as he saw the concerned and worried expression that crossed over Usami's features.
"What for?" Misaki abruptly buried his face in the shirt again, giving off a few incoherent mumbles. A puzzled Usami placed a hand in his back.
"What was that?" There was a pause before the brunette spoke again.
"Idshontvertakee"
"Misaki, I can't understand what you're saying if you've got a wad of shirt in your mouth." The boy slowly lifted his head, still staring at Usagi's chest.
"…I don't want to leave," came the soft voice, still slightly muffled. The man's eyes grew wide and he clutched Misaki even closer to his chest.
"Oh Misaki." He smiled. "You'll never have to leave me, I won't let you." The boy snuffled before lifting his head away once more. They gazed into each other's eyes before Misaki took a brave step forward. He leaned in, placing his petal soft lips over the author's own. Shocked, Usami took a second before reacting. Smiling against Misaki's lips, he kissed back, quickly taking dominance. Their eyelids flickered closed as Misaki's face grew steadily redder, their pants the only noise in the otherwise silent hotel room. Breaking apart after several blissful moments of lip locking, they caught their breath.
"You're acting strange." Misaki blushed. His tears had stopped flowing, as they always did when Usami kissed him.
"I just…" He trailed off, looking over the author's shoulder. "I… I don't want to go!" He almost yelled at the man. "I'm not leaving! He can't make me!"
"Who can't?" Usami furrowed his brow. Misaki fidgeted slightly, playing with his fingers before quietly whispering.
"Nii-san. He'll make me go back, I know he will." Usami narrowed his lavender eyes; he wouldn't put it past Takahiro to overreact over his innocent little brother participating in sexual acts with his best friend.
"I'll talk to him, don't worry Misaki." He nodded.
"I'm so sorry," Misaki said.
"You didn't do anything to be sorry for."
"But people will stop reading your stories, and then you won't get paid, and then you'll lose your house, and and…" Misaki started to tear up again. Usami chuckled.
"Misaki, calm yourself. None of that will happen. If you haven't noticed, not everyone is homophobic, and many people support those with same sex lovers." Misaki paused, staring at the back of the couch.
Sighing, he spoke up once more. "I guess there's nothing we can do about it."
"Not really." They sat in silence for a while, Misaki lazily leaning against the author, and the other slowly stroking his loved one's hair. He smirked. "Misaki."
"Hmm?"
"How do you feel about going to see the river now?"
"W-what? But we can't!"
"Why not?" Usami stood up from the sofa, dragging the brunette with him.
"Usagi-san, we can barely get out the door! There're reporters everywhere!"
"And? People already know, there's no point in being secretive anymore. Think about it, I can pleasure you anywhere, anytime, and the press will just eat it up." He spoke in a hushed and seductive tone, Misaki practically glowed, he was blushing so hard.
"And that's supposed to make me feel better?" Usami only chuckled in response.
~FF~
As Misaki had predicted, it was hell trying to get out of the hotel. Large news vans and film crews lined the streets, and as soon as they realized who was stepping out of the large glass doors, they attacked.
"Mr. Usami, would you mind telling us how you met?"
"Mr. Usami, where are you two going?"
"Mr. Usami!"
"Mr. Usami?"
"Mr. Usami!"
Misaki's head swam from all the noise. The flashes of the camera blinded him. He felt a little dizzy and stumbled slightly. Usami caught him, bringing him close.
Somewhere, a fangirl screamed…
Cameras flashed faster, and an immediate chatter erupted around the two. Misaki blushed before scrambling out of the author's hold. He tried to walk ahead of the man before he himself was swamped by people practically begging for an interview.
"Misaki Takahashi, was it?"
"Misaki, are you top or bottom in your relationship? The viewers are dying to know!"
"Misaki, is he forcing you?"
Flustered from the few words Misaki was able to translate in his mind, Misaki sputtered out a few words in broken English.
"I-can't… I don't know… what you are saying." He blushed slightly.
"Misaki!" The sivernette broke through the crowd, gripping the back of his shirt and yanking him out of the circle of reporters. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you? I couldn't see anything; they were like a wall around you." Misaki shook his head, pressing himself close to the author. "Good. Come on, let's get away from here." He grabbed Misaki's hand, dragging him out of sight of the reporters.
~FF~
They walked alongside the river; both bundled up in oversized coats and caps that came low on their brows. Misaki seemed slightly nervous, while Usami just looked irritated. Even in his own country, he hadn't had to hide himself like this. Did Americans have nothing better to do? It was impossible to enjoy some peace with his Misaki when everywhere they went someone would whip out a camera or notebook and start badgering them with questions.
"Usagi-san!" Usami broke himself out of his angered thoughts. "Can we ride one of the riverboats?" His bright green eyes shone with enthusiasm as he watched a brightly painted boat full of people was being poled down the large flow of water. (1)
"You want to ride one of the tourist boats?" He sized up the very unstable looking craft.
"I've never been on a boat before." Misaki marvelled.
"Alright." Pulling out his wallet, along with another cigarette, he walked up to a waiting boat and paid the man at the front. Stepping on, the first thing Misaki noticed was that the boat was around two-thirds of the way full. The long wooden benches were slightly damp and somewhat mouldy looking. Usami came on after him and subtly took his hand and led him to the very back.
"Why here, Usagi-san?"
"Because the guy up there has a really big stick."
Misaki furrowed his brow. "And?"
"You can hurt people with a stick like that." Misaki rolled his eyes at how paranoid his lover was. He attempted to pull his fingers away from the rabbit's, but the man just clung to his hand like it was the only thing keeping him in the boat. Which was probably true; he felt unsafe on the creaky, old, riverboat. Misaki looked up, but the older was looking over to the side of the boat instead.
"Hey Misaki, do you think they have marimo here?"
"Probably not."
"Well then, what would they have?"
"Rats. Really big ones too. I remember when I was little, my aunt came to visit someone here for two whole months, and she told me and Nii-san that there were so many rats she wouldn't have been surprised to wake up and find one crawling around on her bed."(2) The boy explained matter-of-factly while Usami just made a face of disgust.
"Well I don't want rats." The man with the 'really big stick' at the front then began to prattle of the rules in English that Misaki couldn't understand. What he could understand was that it was really hot.It was Christmas time for Pete's sake! He was sweating underneath the heavy jacket, and from the feel of Usami's slick palm, so was his lover.
"Usagi-san?" He leaned in to whisper, so as not to interrupt the man who was now pushing the boat off as he spoke.
"Yes?"
"Are you hot?"
"I don't know, you tell me." He grinned.
"Baka-Usagi!" came his next harsh whisper. He reached up with his free hand to unzip his coat, then to remove his hat. His hair was sweaty and matted and in terrible need of a comb. Usami leaned in even closer, reaching up to ruffle the boy's mop.
"Sex hair." The sly grin was plastered over the author's face.
"What!"
"You have sex hair, Misaki." The brunette was blushing to his toes.
"W-well, you do too!' He reached up to yank the other man's hat off. His lavender eyes travelled up, as if trying to get a glimpse of his messy locks. Misaki chuckled.
"See, told ya! It's all sticking up everywhere!" Usami paused before quietly laughing along.
"I bet you look better with it than I do." Once more he leaned in. The other passengers had disappeared, because right now, with their eyes locked and their noses brushing, they were in their own little world.
"Th-that's not true."
"Is it?"
And then their lips connected, and it was almost like a firework went off in Misaki's brain. Here, on the river, with the stars overhead, and the lights from the riverside shops shining down on them, Misaki knew one thing, No matter who figured out, or who tried to pry them apart, he would always, always, stay by Usagi-san's side forever.
(1)- On the San Antonio Riverwalk, there is a choice of two boats. The boats that are poled around by people, and then the electronic ones that have a motor and stuff. I don't really know the names of these boats, but when I lived there; my friends and I would call these tourist boats. Hence why Usagi calls them tourist boats XD
(2)- When I lived in an apartment complex a little ways away from the river, we were literally stalked by rats it sucked. There are sooooo many on the riverwalk cuz of all the fancy restaurants and garbage.