AN: Hello, everybody. Thank you for taking your time and reading this fiction. A special thank you to those who were kind enough to leave a review; I truly appreciate your kind words.
Disclaimer: I do not own Gravitation.
Summery: It's hard to survive in the dark side of the world, in the hands of criminals, gamblers and smugglers, but then again, it's not the roses that have thorns; it's the thorns that have roses, and Yuki is a thorn. Yuki X Shuichi.
Of Thorns and Roses
Chapter Two
Shuichi rested his head on the cool window frame and stared at the world outside. He didn't know where they were going, but he didn't dare to ask. He stared at the blonde man, one hand grasping the starring wheel and the other out of the open window, as if he was trying to catch the wind, and Shuichi wondered what he was thinking about.
He looked down then and stared at his bare, shaved legs, remembering all the humiliation he had gone through an hour ago. He wished his father was here to see him. He wished he was here to see what had become of him, dressed in a female outfit in order to safe his own life.
'They'll give you a better life.' His father had said, tears falling down his wrinkled face as those monsters took his son away, but how could he say that? How could he leave him in the hands of murderers? Didn't he know who these people were? Didn't know what they were capable of?
He just wanted to go back home, back to the farm land, back to his mother, back to-
"Start crying and I'll throw you out the car and leave you on the road to die."
Shuichi glared at the blonde but didn't dare to say anything. He knew the man had a gun, and he also knew he wouldn't hesitate to use it. The young boy wanted to ask where he was taking him at two in the morning but just couldn't open his mouth to talk. It was as if he had left his voice back in that mansion, along with his dignity.
"We're going to Yokohama if you're wondering, and I'm not going to kill you and throw your body in the water if that's what you're afraid of." The blonde said after a few minutes of silence, probably because he had noticed the nervous glances he had been sending the tall man every few seconds. The young boy couldn't deny that the thought had crossed his mind, but really, who could blame him? That man was a monster in the real sense of the word.
He rested his head on the frame one more time, the cold soothing his aching head. He wished he could stop thinking; wished he could stop wondering what was waiting for him. He thought about the past week, the basement, the cold and a shiver ran down his spine. No, he didn't want to go back there. If only he could run away or if the man was merciful enough to leave him somewhere along the road, he could find his way back home, if…
"Hey, wake up." He opened his eyes slowly and looked at the hand touching his shoulder.
"Wha-?"
"You fell asleep." The man stated as he searched his pockets and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, but suddenly seemed to remember something and threw the pack on the dashboard instead.
"Where are we?" He finally dared to ask and awaited the man's reply.
"In a gas station in Tokyo."
"What are we doing here?"
"You'll see." Shuichi scowled at the man but was thankful that he didn't see it. Why did he have to be so frustrating?
"Those men know you?" Shuichi pointed at a group of men standing at a corner who seemed to shoot weary glances at their car every now and then.
"Yes."
"You know them, too?"
"Yes,"
"Are you all waiting for somebody?"
"Stop asking questions!" The blonde finally snapped and Shuichi looked away to hide his scowl. How could he possibly run away from this man?
"Here they are." The older man said and a smirk formed on his lips, a smirk Shuichi didn't like very much. He looked outside to see a few cars getting in the station, seemingly uncaring about other cars standing on their way.
"Why are we here?" He asked the man one more time, running out of patience.
"Street racing of course." The man replied as he unfastened his seat belt. Shuichi let out a yelp of surprise as the man grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at those golden eyes.
"Listen to me; you talk to nobody; you look at nobody; you stay here until I come back like a good boy, or should I say a good girl?" Shuichi wanted to bite that god damn pale hand, but decided against it and hesitantly nodded his head.
He watched the man get out of his car and finally let out a growl. He wanted to tear this dress off, get out of the car and run away back home.
If only it was possible.
The men gathered in the corner didn't look normal. Shuichi didn't know much about cars, but he knew their cars weren't ordinary either, just like the blond man's. He had said something about Skyline GTR, but Shuichi couldn't understand what was so interesting about it, except that he had a feeling he had something like it in a movie on TV.
The man walked back in the car and gave him a fake smile. "So you are a good girl after all. I was half expecting you to try to escape."
"Stop calling me a girl, you murderer!" Shuichi finally shouted, not caring about the consequences, but the man only smirked.
"But it's not my fault you look like one. You even act like a girl on her period." Shuichi looked away, trying not to show how the words had hurt. He growled as the man grabbed the back of his neck, forcing him to stare into those eyes for the second time.
"Call me Yuki in front of those idiots, ant try to act like a girl in front of the man who's moving toward the car, not that it's difficult job for you."The man let go of his neck and Shuichi shut his eyes and took a deep breath.
Shuichi watched as the blonde swiftly rolled down the window and glared at the man leaning on his silver car and grinning down at him.
"Why, Yuki. It's nice to see you back here after so long. We had almost given up on you."
"I never lose the chance of beating you down."
"Why bother lying when we both know you're here 'cause of the deed, hmm?" The man shook a piece of paper in the air, not minding the other man's unimpressed look.
"Then how about you turn around and get lost so I can do my job in peace?"
"Oh, but I just came to pay this cute girl a visit." The man winked and Shuichi and Shuichi helplessly nodded back, all the while aware of the driver's threatening glare on him, daring him to make a mistake.
"Now that you've seen her, you can go away." The blonde attempted to roll the window back up, but the man stopped the movement by resting his elbows on it.
"But you should already know it takes more than bringing a chick here to convince us you're not a fag."
"I have nothing to prove to you idiots. Stay out of my business, Sakuma."
"Don't get moody, Yuki, dear. I'm here to make a deal." The man's smile wasn't a pleasant one, and Shuichi could tell that the blonde was thinking the same, judging by the small frown on his face.
"We already have one. If I win, you hand me the deed back."
"Why do you have to be so boring? Always talking about business! I'm talking about something more…fun." The man stood straight, giving Yuki a wink he did not appreciate.
"If I win, I make out with your whore," He pointed to Shuichi, and he involuntarily swallowed, not liking the idea at all. "Bit if you win, you make out with her," the man paused and smirked, "In public."
Shuichi didn't know what to think of this. Either way wouldn't be pleasant for him, but he prayed to God for the sake of himself and the Blonde that Yuki won the race. If these people found out that he actually had balls…
He almost shuddered at the idea.
"I don't see how me making out with her would be to your advantage." Yuki calmly replied, his face not betraying any kind of emotion.
"Nothing makes me pleased as much as everybody seeing you as the real fairy that you are." Yuki didn't look at the man. He seemed to be contemplating the idea. He finally nodded his head and gave the man another unimpressed look.
"Fine, see you in Yokohama."
"Just so you know, there's no way you'll win." The man's voice faded as Yuki rolled the window back up.
"We'll see about that." The blonde man murmured as he finally started the engine, got out of the gas station and stopped the car in a line next to four other cars. So this was it; they were about to participate in a street racing competition. Shuichi felt his heart beating fast and grabbed the edge of the seat in a tight grip, his knuckles turning white.
"You're not afraid of speed, are you?" He knew the blonde was taunting him, awaiting his reply so he could comment on what a girl he was, so he refused to answer. He looked outside his window instead, staring at the people outside, dancing and making noises, waiting for to race to begin.
'You better be a good driver.' Shuichi thought as he looked at the man smoking next to him, filling the car with the scent of his cigarette.
The sound of a car's horn filled the now almost empty expressway and people began to cheer outside. The second horn sounded and Shuichi knew the race was about to begin. Part of him wanted to open the door and run away while the other part was enjoying all the noises, his heart beating loud and fast in his chest.
One more horn and they were flying; he was ready to swear they were flying, off the street, off the earth, off the universe. He knew he had let out a scream but it seemed it had got lost in the speed of the car. They were moving fast, way too fast, and he closed his eyes, the blurry images outside making him dizzy.
"Enjoy the rainbow bridge." The blonde said and Shuichi opened and eye, daring to look outside. He could see the water below them, making him feel like a seagull, flying above water, the world beneath his feet.
And the car was moving fast, so fast he almost felt numb, but it was beginning to feel good. He looked at other cars outside, the images almost surreal, as if he was somewhere in a fantasy island.
They had left time behind them.
They flew farther and farther away and then he could see sky scrapers in front of them, and he knew they were near, and his heart began to beat faster and faster, threatening him to stop at any moment, and he didn't care, God, he didn't care; he didn't want this to be over.
And there was the line; he could see the line and they were about to pass it and they passed it, and people were screaming and the car began to slow down and it was over, damn, it was finally over.
"Sakuma's going to love this." He heard the blonde say, his voice distant in his ears, mixing with all the buzzing sounds in his head.
"We won?" He asked, his mouth moving, but his voice not reaching his ears. He knew they had won, but he had to ask to make sure. It felt as if the victory was his and he let himself grin. The blonde was staring at him but was man enough no to ask why the hell he felt so happy.
'It's the adrenaline.' Shuichi thought as he rested his hand on his racing heart, feeling it slow down second by second.
The blonde opened his door and the cheers outside filled the car. Shuichi watched as Yuki walked toward the man they had met earlier. He could see the frown on the stranger's face and, somehow, that made him feel even better, but the man was quick to grin, and he whispered something in the blonde's ear. The brown-haired man stepped back then and raised his hands to silent the crowd.
"Listen people, Yuki and I made a deal back in Tokyo." Shuichi paled and rested his head on the chair. He remembered clearly what it was.
"He's brought his chick along." People cheered and whistled, and Shuichi watched Yuki take out his pack of cigarette, and for the first time in his life, Shuichi wished he could have one as well.
"And now he's gonna give us a show." Shuichi could swear girls were blushing from excitement and men were looking in the car, probably wondering who the big brother of a Yakuza family had brought along.
The door opened then, and he looked at Yuki in front of him, standing tall. The blonde grabbed his arm painfully, and Shuichi stood on wobbly legs, trying to smooth the god damn short dress, in fear of not letting anything slip.
"She's kinda cute, didn't know you were into pink though. Her hair goes well with the dress." A man in the crowd snickered and Shuichi loudly swallowed. How this was going to end, he had no idea.
Yuki grabbed his other arm then, in a grip that was surely going to leave a bruise, and threw him on the hood of his car. Shuichi yelped in pain and surprise and stifled a yell of protest as the man grabbed his ankles and yanked him toward him, his legs now dangling off the car on either side of the blonde man.
Yuki grabbed his neck, much like the time he had done it in the car, and brought his face closer to his. Shuichi rested his hands on the man's broad chest, his first instinct to push the man away, but he knew it was going to make things even more difficult, so he clenched his fists then, taking two handfuls of the man's silky shirt he wore under his leather jacket.
"Do it. Come on, do it already." People were screaming in the background, and he could feel the man's hot breath on his face, the smell of his cigarette overwhelming his senses.
'Do it and get it over with.' He thought and then the blonde was doing it, his lips rough and moist against his own, making him taste the god damn lipstick that woman had made him put on.
It wasn't chaste like his first kiss back in his school days, nor was it nice, like the ones he used to share with his neighbor. It was raw and animalistic, tasting of hunger and lust, and worst of all, he was kissing back, almost enjoying the tongue in his mouth, demanding territory.
A hand went through his hair, yanking his head back and he moaned in pain, his neck protesting the action, but Yuki didn't seem to mind. The blonde didn't seem to mind anything at all, his free hand roaming everywhere, touching every place he could reach.
And people were cheering him on, asking him to take her right there, and he thanked god he had balls, or else he would be in a big trouble.
He was out of breath; he knew his face had flushed red, but Yuki didn't seem to want to let him go. His lips were beginning to hurt, but they were moving on their on accord now, enjoying the attention they were receiving.
And then the man let him go, pushing him backwards and letting him fall, his head hitting the hood and making a soft thud, and then the lips were back on his, making sloppy noises and demanding entrance. He knew he was about to support an erection and the thought made him want to push the man away, but the man seemed to think the same thing because he finally let go of him and stood back, letting him come down the hood in a very ungraceful manner.
Shuichi tried to stand straight, but his legs and back wouldn't let him. He knew his lips were probably bruised, he also knew that people were looking at him, especially that cursed man. He could almost feel his anger. It didn't look like he had enjoyed the show as much as others had.
"The show's over. Go back home, losers." Yuki screamed, waving one hand in the air. "I've had enough of you for tonight." He said as he grabbed his arm on more time, dragging him toward the car and throwing him inside.
Stop treating me like an animal.' Shuichi wanted to scream, but he couldn't open his mouth to talk. He wanted to get away from this man, him and the world he seemed to have entered, a world in which he knew he did not belong.
The blonde got in and locked the doors.
'But I'm a prisoner here, and there's no way out.' The sound of the engine filled the silence of the car and he knew they were going back home.
If home was what he could call that place.
"Wake up, you damn brat." Shuichi opened an eye and mumbled an inaudible 'wha?' before the man grabbed his dress and yanked him off his car, making him fall on the ground and yelp in pain.
"Ouch! What did you do that for, you asshole?" The young boy screamed as he looked at his elbow that was now bleeding. "You could have just asked me, you know!"
"Shut up, sissy. I don't wanna hear a word from you tonight. Now stand up."
Shuichi stood up and glared at the man, not caring if it got him mad. He wanted to dare that murderer to walk ten meters, only ten meters, in high heels, but a second look on the man's face made him think twice.
'What is he mad about this time?' He thought as he followed the man back in the mansion. He wanted to protest as the man grabbed his wrist and dragged him along, but he had no energy left to form words; hunger, it seemed, was finally beginning to take its toll on him.
"Hey,…wa… wait! That's the basement you're taking me to!" Shuichi tried to free himself of the man's deadly grip, but the man was too strong and he felt too weak.
"That's right."
"But you promised you wouldn't let me stay there anymore. You lied to me! You can't do this!"
Shuichi watched with wide eyes as the man kicked the door open and threw him inside, cuffing his hands to a pipe near the wall.
"You promised, you liar!" Shuichi felt his heart beating fast with anger and hot tears fell down on his cheeks, leaving a black trail on them.
"Take this as a lesson learned; never trust a yakuza." The man smirked and kneeled down in front of him, taking his chin in his hand.
"Look at you. It's pathetic, though I have to admit the make up looks good on you. You should use it more often."
"You would like it, wouldn't you?" Shuichi knew he was crossing the line, but things couldn't get worse than this, could they? It wasn't like he had anything left to lose.
"That's why you took me with you, isn't it? You're too much of a queer to even be able to kiss a girl properly."
"That may be so," the man whispered and let go of his chin, his hand traveling down and resting on his groin, making him wince, "but I remember you enjoying the kiss quite a bit in front of people. What that makes you then?"
The man stood up, gave him a bitter smile and left the basement, whispering a mocking 'sweet dream' as he locked the door.
In the dark, Shuichi stared at the door; he stared at it for so long that his eyes began to sting and he closed them and tried not to think. He tried not to, but thoughts wouldn't leave him alone. The image of that liar wouldn't leave his mind, making his blood boil in anger and his body twitch in frustration.
Sleep came after a long time, but it was far away from pleasant.
To Be Continued…
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