A/N from Magic Mind: just want to say thanks to the reviewers, especially the one who voted for Soubi to die in fire.
A/N from BC3: Really, Magic is a sweet person. Lol Just hardcore into her pairing…as am I. Soooo… we're sorry this took so long. Christmas followed by visitations followed by school enrollment.
The good news is that we got totally carried away and the chapter was well over 10,000 words and 30 pages long. So we broke it up into two chapters. Which means the chapter after this is practically completed as of this moment.
Reviews then please! So that we may post it up faster. We're finally getting to the smutty stuff! HUZZAH! :D
(BTW- We wont change the title again. This is it so hopefully it will suffice.)
—-
CHAPTER 3
The hotel stood in grandeur beside an outdoor/indoor cafe and cattycorner to a small park, the structure tall, white, and gleaming beneath the weak December moon. It was edging into the eastern area of the city, but situated more central, which automatically knocked the price per night down a few notches.
Ritsuka stared up at the glowing bronze and green sign fixated over the double entrance. It wasn't the Ritz Carlton, but it was definitely a fine establishment in its own right. He had seen it on the bus ride from yesterday and had a fleeting sense of yearning flitter through him. He was sure it was loaded with deep bathtubs and soft blankets. He knew it was a stupid thing to do, wasting so much money in one night when there were rooms much less expensive to be had. But the thing was he didn't want this money. It felt heavy and dirty in his pocket, like guilt was weighing it down. It wasn't honest money, and Ritsuka couldn't bear to keep it much longer. He briefly entertained the thought of giving it away—surely there was a charity hall somewhere—but decided against it. That would be like giving himself away for free, and Ritsuka would rather be labeled a whore than a slut.
With that oh-so-pleasant thought in mind, Ritsuka marched into the lobby and secured a room. When he had his card key and had made it inside, he took one look around the place and felt instantly that the money had been well-spent.
He took a tour of the balcony, the tiny kitchenette, the lavish bathroom (complete with individually wrapped scented soaps and shampoos) and felt for the first time since running away that he was comfortable.
...physically, anyway. He didn't want to think about the guilt that rested like a bulldozer on his psyche. Or the fear of what it meant for his soul.
A hot bath was what he wanted more than anything, had been what he had wanted since leaving home. This feeling of disgust and emptiness and sin made it sound that much more appealing.
There was a white terrycloth robe laid out on the queen sized bed, the hotel's initial's embroidered in satin on the breast. Having no pajamas, he brought that with him into the bathroom and drew himself a hot bath, frothing over with the cocoa bean bubblebath he had found on the sink counter. He sunk to his nose in the steaming depths with a sigh of relish and let his eyes slip closed. He hadn't felt this warm in so long. He hadn't felt this relaxed either; he was still boneless and spent, and whenever he moved his legs, it stung intimately where Soubi had been.
His eyes opened slowly to stare at the soft yellow light spilling over the room.
Soubi…
Ritsuka saw a flash of pretty violet eyes, could almost taste a hint of mentholated smoke on his lips. Soubi's body had felt good against his, and he, Ritsuka, had felt wanted.
Closing his eyes again, he tried to tell himself that Soubi didn't matter, that he was a mistake, that Ritsuka had only felt drawn to him because that's what the man did; he spun a fancy web of seduction and reeled in his pray, like a talented spider. He was horrible. He was disgraceful. He was despicable. He was…
he was…
He was fun. And charming. And made good company. And felt so warm. And his kisses…
Ritsuka pressed his fingers to his lips, hating himself for wanting to feel it again. What was wrong with him? How could he still feel such a pull toward Soubi when he had blatantly been used by him?
Eventually it became clear that Ritsuka needed to get out of the tub. He was turning into a flushed (and melancholic) prune. After he'd rinsed off and dried himself, he realized that all he had left to wear were his dirty clothes. The thought did nothing to improve his mood about today's events. If anything, it made him long for Soubi to take care of him once more.
Stamping that thought out of his mind, he yanked on the bathrobe once more.
Just then, Ritsuka's stomach gave a thundering rumble.
Oh...right. He hadn't eaten in a while.
There was enough left of his "earnings" to order room service, so he did. A huge cheeseburger, piled high with toppings, and extra french fries on the side. And a thick chocolate milkshake. His mother had been very strict about eating healthily...even given his homelessness and complete uncertainty about his future, Ritsuka took small pleasures in eating junk food now.
Stomach full and feeling sated, all Ritsuka's body craved now was sleep.
The hotel's bed was nothing short of marvelous. Feather pillows...down comforter...crisp, cool sheets and the fresh scent of industrial-strength laundry detergent...Ritsuka shifted around, humming deliciously.
He was dead to the world in two minutes flat.
—-
The next day...conditions in his world went right back to what they had been before: miserable. He was left with precious little money after paying for his hotel room. So little, in fact, that Ritsuka could afford nothing to eat but a package of on-sale snack cakes and out-of-date potato chips. The convenience store that he'd bought them from thankfully offered water from the fountain drinks machine free. Ritsuka drained and then refilled his paper cup four times before he left.
If he went back to Soubi...he could be eating a hot meal at Chai's...building up his money supply...having enough to save, even...
Ritsuka could feel the raincloud of misery floating over his head as though it were something palpable. How could this have happened to him? WHY could this have happened to him? Wasn't he a good child? A good teenager? He'd never back-talked...never stayed out drinking with friends...he'd done well in school...so why had he been born to a mother who hit him? Why had he lost (and SOLD) his virginity to a common pimp?
...not common, really. Soubi wasn't common. He'd made Ritsuka feel important...had helped him out...
Even now...Soubi was willing to take him off the streets and give him a home...a job...
Ritsuka's little rain cloud followed him around all day, even staying with him when he got back to his overpass for the night. The cold, hard, concrete felt even worse tonight, since Ritsuka could now compare it to the plush bed in the hotel. No matter how he twisted and turned, rocks and gravel bore into his sides.
...rough, jagged...
...so cold...
...drifiting...
...swimming...
...Swimming?
Ritsuka's eyes shot open. All around him were puddles - so big that he had become suspended in one. His overpass was flooded and he had been floating in his sleep. He could feel his bangs sticking to his face, all of his clothes nothing more than sopping rags around him.
That little rain cloud was more than a figment of his imagination, after all.
Rivers of water were pouring in through the cracks of the overpass where the walls and top came together. The sound of hard rain was zaa-ing above and around him, punctuated by sporadic bouts of thunder and an instance of illumination from accompanying lightning.
He couldn't stay here. Not only was he feeling spastic from being awaken so suddenly and alarmingly, he could also drown if his hidey-hole filled enough, or freeze to death if he didn't get dry.
Shaking from the cold, he pulled himself out with frozen fingers and set off at a run to the nearest building, Chai's, and took shelter beneath the uniform blue awning. The diner was closed, and, from the looks of things, so was every other building doting that street. It must be terribly late—he doubted the homeless shelter even had a vacancy and quite frankly he was almost certain he'd have a greater chance of falling ill if he holed up there in his current condition than if he simply stood right there on the sidewalk and air-dried.
He knew exactly where he could go, of course; somewhere cozy and warm, with gentle classical floating through the air like a dream and carpet two inches thick.
Soubi wouldn't turn him away. Not like this; not in this weather at this time of night when Ritsuka probably looked exactly like a drowned cat. It didn't mean he had to work for Soubi if Ritsuka went to him. He didn't want to see the smug look on Soubi's face, but…
He had no where else to go.
The nearest bus stop was two streets down, and the rain didn't look as if it was going to let up. In fact, it seemed to be growing steadily worse as Ritsuka looked on, and so he tore down the sidewalk, noticing only vaguely that nearer into town were much more pedestrians and that, yes, the company of strangers made him that much more eager to see Soubi.
He reached the bus stop feeling winded, his lungs burning with every rapid inhale of frigid air. He leaned heavily against the signpost, panting and clutching a stitch in his side. Once he had caught his breath, he was surprised and relieved when he straightened up and saw the bus coming up the street.
Perhaps his luck hadn't run out completely.
—-
The ride to Soubi's apartment complex was extremely quiet. Almost erie. Ritsuka was the only one riding - no surprise at that hour, especially given the awful weather. Ritsuka's seat was soon soaking and slippery with the water transferred by his wet clothes. With every twist and turn that the bus driver made, Ritsuka would slide around a little on his plastic bench. He tried not to let it make him nauseous. He was going to need all his strength to withstand the smirk that Soubi was sure to give him when he showed up there for the night.
A horrifying thought occurred to Ritsuka right then. How was he going to get IN? Soubi's complex was gated on all sides. The last time he had gone there alone, Soubi had had to buzz him up. But how was that going to work now? Surely Soubi would be sleeping at this time of night. And even if he weren't, Ritsuka didn't want to ask him to come up over the intercom. He needed Soubi to SEE him and his soaked clothes and dripping hair. He need to ensure maximum chances of Soubi taking pity on him.
Ritsuka's insides churned along with the rattling of the bus wheels. What was he going to do? There was no back-up plan. This was it. Soubi had to let him stay. Ritsuka couldn't freeze outside tonight and expect to make it to morning.
Probably Soubi would let him come up if Ritsuka said he'd work for him...
but no. No. Ritsuka wasn't...wasn't going to consider that right now.
The bus stopped one street away from Soubi's complex and Ritsuka stepped off of it without any plan of action besides getting to Soubi's door. He truged along through the puddles on the sidewalk, making no effort to avoid them. He was soaked already, after all. What damage more could they do?
Suddenly Ritsuka saw headlights ahead of him, pulling up to the front gate of the complex. After a few moments, the gate creaked open and the car rolled in. The gate had opened slowly...so it must CLOSE slowly...
Ritsuka saw his chance. He rushed ahead, determined to slip past the bars in time. And his luck with the bus must have carried over because he made it! And with time to spare. He smiled to himself in the darkness. That made twice now that things were going his way. He must be on the right path...it must be a sign that Soubi really was the one to go to tonight.
He crept along the stairwell, not wanting to rouse any suspicious neighbors or yappy dogs. The last thing he needed was the police called and then having to wait in suspense until Soubi decided whether or not to claim him. It WAS possible Soubi was upset with him for running out last time. But…no, Soubi didn't seem the type to get angry very easily. If anything he was simply amused and biding his time, SURE Ritsuka would be back.
He realized he had been staring at Soubi's door for a good few minutes now. It wouldn't do any good to delay this. He was still shivering, his eyes were drooping, and just wanted to sleep in a pile of warm blankets.
He rapped the door twice, but it seemed to be too soft. Biting his lip, he tried again, harder.
It wasn't long after that before Ritsuka heard footsteps approaching, and then the door swung open to reveal...
not Soubi.
Instead, there was a youngish, highly-pierced man standing in the doorway. His hair was a vivid shade of green, of all colors. Rather like grass. And the piercings...Ritsuka had never seen so many on one person before. Rings were littered up and down the man's ear lobs and cartilage, crowded closely together. He was taller than Ritsuka, but not as tall as Soubi.
...what was this guy doing here in Soubi's apartment? Was Soubi entertaining someone ELSE right now?
The man just stood there and blinked at Ritsuka for a few moments. "Ummm...hi." he eventually said, awkwardly. Then he turned and shouted into the apartment, "SOUBI! You have a drowned cat on your doorstep!"
Ritsuka's eyes narrowed at that. This guy… he was awfully blunt, wasn't he? Giving him an appraising once-over, Ritsuka noticed he was wearing a dark rose-colored robe, and it didn't appear as if he were sporting anything beneath it. Ritsuka's stomach twisted unpleasantly, and he recognized it instantly as an ice-cold shot of jealousy.
"So… who are you?" the guy asked, still not inviting him in.
"I should be asking YOU the same thing," he snapped. He was suddenly feeling extremely possessive, as if Soubi had betrayed him by allowing this person to be here. It was irrational, but hadn't he just surrendered his innocence to Soubi two nights ago? He felt he deserved a little more respect than this.
Soubi appeared over the man's shoulder, also wearing nothing except a robe, this one a deep midnight blue. Even at this hour, the man was smoking.
"Ritsuka..." he said, in mild surprise. The amused smile was already in place. "What a pleasure to see you. Come in."
Soubi touched his hand to the stranger's elbow, gently easing him out of the way, making way for Ritsuka to pass.
When Ritsuka had stepped across the threshold, Soubi looked him over up and down, inspecting him. Then he said, peaceably, "...towel?"
He produced a white towel from God knew where and Ritsuka snatched it out of his hand with a clipped, "Yeah. Thanks."
"Things between you and the overpass didn't work out so well, I take it?" Soubi asked, watching as Ritsuka toweled off his hair and then wrapped it cape like over his shoulders, still shivering.
First the posters and now this. Ritsuka wasn't sure how Soubi had obtained all this information, and really, he didn't want to know.
"I'd rather not go through all this," He said. Soubi's apartment was deliciously warm, which made him quake in his shoes as his dangerously low body temperature fought to raise back up. "I have nowhere else to go. Will you let me stay for the night?"
The green-haired stranger blinked a few times in rapid succession at this, sputtering.
"Of course," Soubi replied, utterly ignoring him. "It's the least I can do."
Ritsuka inwardly thought that the least Soubi could have done was treat him like a person instead of a piece of meat, but he figured now wasn't the time to make that comment.
"Thanks," he said, rather dryly, and made his way further in, toward the lounge room he had drawn Youji and Natsuo in. He could hear the other boy complaining to Soubi in hushed but outraged tones; the apartment was so quiet Ritsuka could make out every word.
"Send him to stay with the others!"
"I can't turn away a guest," said Soubi, sounding completely unaffected.
"But this is my night! He seems like a sweet kid and everything, but—"
"Don't be so inhospitable," Soubi said. "He's a good kid. You will hardly notice he's here."
Ritsuka couldn't help the loud snort that came out of him at that. He didn't plan on being a polite, quiet little pet. Not when Soubi had treated him like dirt and then invited this green-haired stranger to sleep with him not two days after. They WOULD notice that Ritsuka was there.
"He doesn't SOUND like it," came the stranger's dry voice.
"He'll be fine," came Soubi's voice directly after. Ritsuka could HEAR the smirk in his words.
Soubi and Green Hair came into the lounge then, Soubi outwardly serene, as if soaking wet teenagers turned up on his doorstep every day.
"Ritsuka, can I get you anything? Water? Something to eat?" he asked solicitously.
"No. I'm not hungry." Ritsuka replied, tone as curt and dismissive as he could manage.
His stomach chose that moment to give a ferocious growl.
Soubi chuckled.
"Who is this guy anyway?" said Ritsuka, turning blazing eyes at Soubi. His irritation and jealousy seemed to be mounting higher every moment; he felt like his lungs were tightening, as if the three of them made too many people in the room and there wasn't enough oxygen to sustain them. "And does he have any idea who I am? That I've been here before?"
Most satisfactorily, Soubi seemed thrown off by the angry rising higher in his voice, but it didn't last long enough for Ritsuka's taste. He quickly recovered and laid a hand on the other man's shoulder.
"Do forgive my rudeness," he said. "Neither of you have been properly introduced. Ritsuka, this is Kio. Kio, Ritsuka is the artist who so graciously agreed to sketch Youji and Natsuo."
"And you!" Ritsuka snapped, his glare challenging Soubi to deny it. So this… this was Kio. Ritsuka hadn't expected him to look so… radical. Is this what Soubi liked? He had to dye his hair with Kool-aid and punch holes all over his body to get special treatment from Soubi?
"And I?" prompted Soubi, politely.
Kio's head was turning back and forth between them as though he were watching a tennis match.
"You! You...you brought him here! After we..."
Suddenly Ritsuka realized that he didn't want to talk about it, especially not in front of Kio.
"Nevermind," he concluded. "Forget it. It's not like I care."
Then he planted himself firmly on the lounge and stared defiantly at Soubi. There was nothing that Soubi could say to defend himself. And Ritsuka didn't care anyway. He didn't.
Soubi studied him for a beat or two, then made a thoughtful "hmmm" sound.
"Kio..." he murmured. "Ritsuka is clearly a bit out of sorts tonight. I don't think he's quite up for company at the moment. I'm sorry...you and I can reschedule tomorrow."
Ritsuka didn't think Soubi sounded sorry at all.
"What?" Said Kio, sounding completely distressed now. "Reschedule? I can't reschedule! This isn't fair! I've been waiting for a long time! You can't shoo me out now!"
"Four days, Kio, you haven't been waiting that long." Soubi took hold of Kio's elbow and lead him back toward the front of the apartment. When he spoke again, it was significantly softer, but Ritsuka still caught the words. "You stay with me twice as often as anyone else. You haven't much to complain about."
Ritsuka's fingers curled dangerously into the towel. Youji and Natsuo had told him they thought Soubi cared for Kio more than he let on; Ritsuka felt he let on that he liked Kio far, far too much.
The thought was a hugely unpleasant one. It was made worse by the sounds of rustling clothing now emanating from the foyer. Surely Soubi didn't have the audacity to try something with this Kio person NOW, of all times.
Ritsuka rocketed out of his seat on the lounge. He had to know.
Peeking out from behind the doorway, he saw that Kio had exchanged his robe for a yellow t-shirt and was pulling on a pair of jeans. So the guy had left his clothes in the foyer. Which meant that he'd stripped pretty much instantly after he arrived in Soubi's apartment.
What a slut.
"Make sure the boys aren't still up carousing," Soubi was saying softly to him. "Tomorrow is a busy day for us. We're booked solid."
"Yeah, yeah..." Kio muttered, fastening his jeans and pulling on a jacket.
"Hey...I'll make it up to you." replied Soubi, in a voice even lower still. Ritsuka saw him take Kio's hand and draw him close. Then Soubi paused, as if waiting for something. And a second later, Ritsuka saw that what he was waiting for was for Kio to tilt his head up. And when Kio did, Soubi sealed their mouths together. Soubi kissed Kio softly, almost languidly. Like they had kissed this way a thousand times before and he knew every step of the dance.
Bile rose up in Ritsuka's throat. He wanted to turn away but his feet felt like leaden blocks.
He saw Kio's hand slide into Soubi's long hair, right at the base of Soubi's neck. Soubi's arms were slung low around Kio's waist. His hands were resting just above the curve of Kio's rear.
If Ritsuka didn't know either of them, and was seeing them for the first time, he would have thought that they were high school sweethearts. He admitted to himself, bitterly, that they made a nice picture.
"Such promises," Kio said, when they had finally broken apart. But he sounded much calmer. "And how often do you keep any of them? I'd be stupid to hold my breath."
Soubi pulled away from him completely, and Ritsuka didn't wait for his answer. He slunk back into the furthest recesses of the lounge and curled into the corner of a leather sofa, turning to stair blankly out the double glass doors. It was too dark to see anything but his own reflection; he looked pathetic and small amid his wet clothes and the single towel—now damp—he still clutched between tight fists.
"Why do you have him here so much?" He asked in response, still looking out the window.
"He's not here any longer than he should be." Soubi said, conclusively. "Now then...how can I help you?"
Ritsuka felt the sting of tears prick at his eyeballs. He felt even more frustrated by that answer, and was amazed how easily Soubi could get under his skin.
So why do I like him? He thought, looking down at his shaking hands.
"Ritsuka." Soubi laid a hand on his shoulder.
Like he did to Kio.
Ritsuka shook it off. "I just needed a place to stay. I don't need or want anything else from you. I'll be gone as soon as the rain stops. Now leave me alone. I don't want you to talk to me."
Soubi made another one of those "hmm" sounds.
"Very well." he said. "I'll be in my bedroom, then."
And he left without another word.
The tears glassed over Ritsuka's eyes the moment he heard the click of the bedroom door being closed, somewhere off to the left. He squeezed his eyes closed, and the hot drip of tears rolling down his cheeks sent his rage over the edge.
"Damnit!" He beat the top of the sofa with his towel until it felt like all his energy had drained him, then he sunk face first against the armrest and wept.
He didn't know what he was going to do, and he'd never felt so alone in his life. There was no one here to help him, no one to ask for advice, no one to give him another option. It was only himself and Soubi, the guy he hated and wanted all at once.
Suddenly the image of the beautiful stranger entered Ritsuka's mind. He was there when Ritsuka had needed help, perfectly kind and generous – even though he didn't know Ritsuka from Adam. Ritsuka couldn't imagine himself ever being treated this way if it was that man he'd met at Chai's, instead of Soubi.
Ritsuka could really use the beautiful stranger right now.
He sat up again, furiously swiping at his cheeks and brushing the tears aside. This was all such a mess. If it were anyone but him, Ritsuka would pity them and search his heart for a way to help them. He wished someone were doing that for him at the moment. Soubi certainly wasn't.
But Soubi was there, at least. Even if he WAS a jerk.
Making up his mind on the spot, Ritsuka set off to find the jerk's bedroom.
There were four doors down the hallway: the first on the right a bathroom; the first on the left looked like a study; the third on the left was partially closed, but he couldn't see in; and on the left, the door was closed completely. That one, he figured, had to be Soubi's. He turned the knob slowly, entered, and closed it just as softly behind him.
The moonlight was bleeding through cerulean curtains, and he could just make out a large, four-poster bed in the middle of the room. The lump in the middle had to be the bastard himself, wrapped in a luxurious looking silken blanket. Ritsuka stood motionless for a beat, his heart kicking up nervously. At least the tears had ebbed, and that's all he really cared about. He was so tired… so cold… so… so wet.
He looked down at himself, draped in clothes that were at least no longer dripping, but not suitable to sleep in. He could ask for a T-shirt, but… he didn't want to speak. He didn't want to hear Soubi speak. Seeing no alternative, he stripped himself down to his underwear. They were damp with rainwater, but not horribly so—his pants had soaked in most of it. He draped them over a chair beside the bed and then climbed in, slipping beneath Soubi's blanket and snuggling right up to his chest.
Ritsuka knew that Soubi wasn't asleep yet. In fact, it was so quiet that he could hear the way his breathing was uneven. Ritsuka could FEEL Soubi's eyes on him through the darkness. Soubi didn't speak a word, though. He wasn't protesting.
Ritsuka reached up and pulled one of Soubi's arms around him. Soubi's hands were long-fingered and delicate. Almost feminine. Ritsuka nestled himself cozily into Soubi's chest.
"You know, I don't usually allow this," Soubi finally said. He didn't sound sleepy.
Ritsuka made no effort to move away. "Yeah, I know. Because you're a jerk."
Soubi simply chuckled at that, leaving Ritsuka in his place.
The heat of his body soon calmed Ritsuka's tremors, and the softness of the bed combined with the rhythmic, steady breath of Soubi and his heart beating beneath his fingers, Ritsuka fell easily into a deep, dreamless sleep.
—
Ritsuka was alone when he awoke the following morning, his limbs tangled around the sheets and his face half buried in a pillow that felt like it was stuffed with real feathers. Sunlight filtered in through the slits in the blinds; apparently Soubi hadn't bothered to keep them closed just because he was asleep.
No matter. It hadn't bothered him anyway. Judging from the angle, it was still early morning, but he felt more rested than he had in a while; even his night in the hotel hadn't been as restful. Perhaps it was the comfort he had derived from sleeping in the circle of Soubi's arms. The man was surprisingly tender in his hold.
Ritsuka blinked and turned onto his back, stretching and then freezing mid-yawn. There was a mirror on the ceiling. There was a mirror on the ceiling and it was directly over the bed.
Pervert, Ritsuka thought, but attaching that label to Soubi was becoming such a familiar action that the accusation felt soft and the presence of the mirror barely shocking. He was beginning to understand the almost bipolar way Youji and Natsuo had sounded when speaking about him—fond and disgusted all rolled into one extremely confusing emotion that Ritsuka just wasn't up to wading through at the moment. He was rested and warm and the only nagging sensations messing up his well-rounded feeling of contentment were the need to visit the bathroom and a slight burning in his stomach which threatened every passing moment to evolve into a growl.
As he made his way to the attached bathroom, he wondered if Soubi even had any food in his cupboards or if he simply ate out all the time. He seemed to prefer a cigarette and black coffee at Chai's most mornings, at least.
Soubi's bathroom was even more impressive than his bedroom. There was a built in vanity, double sinks, and a deep tub with massage jets in the corner. His towels were tan with opalescent white threads embroidered with his initials. Everything was impeccably clean, like the rest of his apartment, nothing but a toothbrush holder and a bar of soap residing on the sink counter. The vanity held a wooden boar brush and a bottle of cologne, its diamond body ridged and gleaming beneath the overhead lighting.
Ritsuka's only complaints were the two magazines stationed on top of the toilet tank; the cover of the first showed two baby-faced boys in a rather compromising position inside of a bathtub. Ritsuka could only see the ledge of the other, but was forced to presume it contained similar images as the first and was none too eager to find out.
Well, he thought as he finished up washing his hands with the masculine-smelling soap bar, he had been warned Soubi liked them cute and young.
Now...it was time to get some food into his stomach. Ritsuka ventured out into the hallway, wondering where Soubi's kitchen was. He poked his head around a few corners, finding only spare bedrooms and closets...surely the kitchen would be nearer to the living room, anyway?
Then he smelled the tell-tale acrid smoke of Soubi's cigarettes, wafting in from the end of the hallway. It meant that Soubi was awake and somewhere in the living room, or in rooms beyond. Ritsuka followed his nose, shuffling along the plush carpet. He would make Soubi feed him something - the man owed him more for his offensive treatment of Ritsuka than the holding he'd given the night before.
As reliably as the GPS that Ritsuka's mother used to use for long car rides, the scent led Ritsuka straight into a clean, well-lit kitchen. It had a small island in the center, gleaming stainless-steel appliances, and white cabinets. Ritsuka saw Soubi standing next to the sink, leaning his hip against the counter. There was (surprise, surprise) a cigarette in one of his hands. In the other, a sleek cellular phone was pressed against his ear. Soubi was speaking into it quietly.
Feeling annoyed at this, Ritsuka walked straight up to the island and coughed significantly. He wasn't here for Soubi to ignore.
Soubi covered the mouthpiece with the hand holding his cigarette, turning toward Ritsuka. He huffed out one of his amused chuckles, then reached into a cabinet overhead, rummaging about inside it without so much as a "good morning."
Ritsuka narrowed his eyes, plopping himself into one of the barstools at the island. Did he look funny or something?
But two seconds later, Soubi had placed a bowl in front of him, along with a carton of milk, a spoon, and a box of Cheerios.
"Eat," Soubi said, like he had known all along that Ritsuka would be hungry. Like Ritsuka was easy to predict. Then he lowered his hand from the phone's mouthpiece and turned away, continuing his conversation.
Ritsuka stared at the back of his silver-blond head, not quite glaring, but still not tame enough to be considered neutral. Maybe it was lack of food making him so irritable. He grabbed the cheerios and filled the bowl almost to the brim, letting the tiny O's sprinkle as loudly as possible into the ceramic. Soubi gave no indication that the noise impaired his conversation, which was completely unsatisfying, but Ritsuka's stomach had awakened at the smell and began fussing loudly. He added the milk and began shoveling spoonfuls into his mouth.
"Is that so?" Soubi was asking. "I see. And how is he feeling right now?"
Ritsuka's chewing slowed. He couldn't hear Soubi's soft voice well over his own crunching.
"And how is...yeah, is his fever down? Okay. He needs a doctor's appointment. I'll tell Mr. Yagamuchi that he won't be able to work tomorrow. ...and don't let Youji kiss him. We don't need it to spread. But don't tell him that or he'll do it just to defy me."
Hiding a laugh in his bowl, Ritsuka felt a sudden surge of tenderness toward Soubi. Was he actually worried about his boys? Or was he only concerned about one sick boy infecting the others and not bringing in any cash? Despite his efforts to stop hoping for the best where Soubi was concerned, he couldn't help thinking how rather sweet it would be if Soubi really did care about the welfare of his hookers.
"Yes..." Soubi was going on. "we've been up by at least ten percent since then..." here he paused and chuckled, "Well, we can thank him for abolishing that statute, can't we?"
Ritsuka's tender feelings cooled considerably at that. Soubi's words made it impossible for Ritsuka to forget that his business was ILLEGAL. But...at least Soubi seemed responsible about it...he wasn't in jail, after all. And neither were Youji or Natsuo. Maybe it wouldn't be the WORST thing to do...the benefits were hard to ignore, too.
Like having enough food, and eating it on a regular basis, Ritsuka thought, shoveling more cereal into his mouth.
"No...wait until I get back. Yes. Yes...no, definitely not," Soubi said. "Alright...I'll see you then. Goodbye."
He snapped his phone shut with a satisfying click, setting it aside on the counter. Then he took a long drag from his cigarette, seeming to relish it when he blew out the smoke through his nose rather than his mouth. Ritsuka thought it made Soubi look like a blond dragon.
"Something wrong?" the dragon asked, and Ritsuka realized he was staring. "Didn't you sleep well?"
"Fine," said Ritsuka. "Natsuo's sick?"
"No. Another boy. He's called Kano."
He was tempted to ask exactly how many their were, but Ritsuka found himself too confused by another matter. He paused his chewing, searching Soubi's eyes for any signs that he was joking. When he saw none, Ritsuka swallowed his mouthful. "But why would Youji kiss someone else when he's with—"
"Youji is probably the most promiscuous of the bunch. Kissing, touching, sex… he takes none of it seriously and greatly enjoys all of it."
"And Natsuo doesn't care?"
"Natsuo likes to WATCH." Soubi closed his eyes and inhaled more smoke, then snuffed out the cigarette in an ashtray by his cell phone. "In fact, I think Youji mainly pursues pleasures of the flesh in his spare time for the sake of Natsuo's entertainment."
It was completely sick, Ritsuka mused, but he supposed being hookers they would HAVE to take it lightly. Like a game, maybe, or an idle pastime. If two people as obviously lost in each other as Youji and Natusuo seemed to be could so easily take this on, then maybe it really wasn't as repulsive as it felt to Ritsuka now. Apparently it beat sleeping at the homeless shelter.
Letting his spoon rest against the side of the bowl, he put his hands in his lap, squeezing them between his knees to keep from fidgeting. "When they need a doctor," he said, looking down. "who pays for it?"
"I do," said Soubi at once. "As their 'headmaster,' so to speak, it is my responsibility to keep them healthy and provide them with whatever essentials they may need."
Ritsuka nodded, squeezing his knees against his hands again. "What about if they get...caught? Like...the police?"
Soubi gave him a lopsided smile. "None of my boys has ever been in that position. And I don't expect that they ever will be."
"Why?"
"Well...I have certain understandings with the law enforcement in this area. And the politicians, for that matter. They scratch my back, I scratch theirs. ...so to speak."
Ritsuka wasn't surprised by this answer. It was clear that Soubi wasn't at all worried about going to prison, living in the lap of luxury as he was. And yet...the blatant corruption that made his lifestyle possible...it put a bad taste in Ritsuka's mouth.
"This lifestyle isn't for everyone, of course," said Soubi. He was staring at Ritsuka's mouth, which had worked its way into a troubled frown. "But just as none of my boys have ever been in hot water with the law, none of them have regretted working for me. They are all very well cared for and very happy."
Ritsuka felt his curiosity spiking, and wished it wouldn't. He was suddenly aware that he hadn't bothered to even pull on a shirt before marching out here. But Soubi didn't seem to be eye-raping him, so he cleared his throat and nodded. "What if one of them didn't want to do it anymore?"
"I would let him go, and wish him the best," Soubi said.
"Just like that?" pressed Ritsuka. "You wouldn't try to keep him? Argue with him?"
"No..." Soubi murmured. "The technical term for my profession may be 'pimp' but that doesn't mean I'm also a kidnapper or jailer. My employees choose to work for me. I've never forced anyone into anything. I don't intend to ever start. My boys come to me when they want to, and they can leave when they want to."
Soubi moved to take the seat on the barstool next to Ritsuka, sitting down on it with a steady elegance.
"I have a prosperous business based on providing entertainment, pleasure, and companionship to those who otherwise might not have it. It may not be the peace corps but it's not the slave trade either."
He looked sincere; Soubi had a gleam in his strange violet eyes but it wasn't the hungry sort he had on the day he and Ritsuka had… well… it wasn't like that.
Ritsuka picked up his spoon and resumed eating his much softer cereal. "What if someone can't do it? Like… what if they're not sure what to do once they're with a client?"
Soubi chuckled. "That's not much of a problem. Clients have no trouble saying exactly what they want. Even so, each new boy is always assigned a "big brother," so to speak. It is the big brothers responsibility to show around the newcomer and get him familiar with the ins and outs of the business."
For several bites, Ritsuka contemplated this while Soubi looked on. Finally Ritsuka said, "So, hypothetically… if I wanted to work for you, who would be my big brother?"
Soubi made a thoughtful "hmmm" sound, pausing for a moment, but Ritsuka got the feeling that he already knew the answer to this question. Ritsuka got the feeling that Soubi had picked out his "big brother" long before today.
"I know that you have already met Youji and Natsuo but I don't think I would assign either of them to you. Youji is cheeky and disobedient at times, and Natsuo can be careless about proper procedure. But Kio...Kio is experienced, affable...quite obedient to my wishes...and he's helpful by nature. I think Kio would be your big brother."
A ripple of jealous tore through Ritsuka's stomach, and it made his nose wrinkle in distaste. Kio, obedient to Soubi's wishes? Yeah, Ritsuka was sure he was.
"Wont Kio have a hard time being fair to me once he finds out that we slept together?" He spooned more Cheerios into his mouth and gave Soubi a sideways glance.
Soubi snorted. "That's hardly likely. I often...partake of my employees' skills. Kio knows that. He still maintains friendly relationships with the other boys."
Ritsuka didn't understand how so many people in this organization could be okay with sexual infidelity in their relationships. Well...on second thought, Ritsuka didn't think the organization could function without such attitudes.
"So wait… you just sleep with any one of them you want? Do you MAKE them?"
"I'm not a rapist, Ritsuka." Soubi said mildly, as though he were offended by the question. "I call some of them into my office from time to time. They don't refuse me. I'm not exactly sexually repulsive, as you yourself can vouch for."
Soubi was smirking by the end of his response. Ritsuka blushed down at his breakfast, then lifted the bowl to his lips and drank the milk, pretending Soubi wasn't still looking at him.
"Of course..." he added, "office visits are part of the terms of employment, so a refusal would necessitate at the very least a reduction in work, and at the most, termination."
Ritsuka sputtered and choked on the milk, and Soubi lightly pat his back, his eyes still boring into him.
"Would you like a bath?" he asked, seemingly out of place in the conversation. Or was it? Ritsuka eyes sliced accusatorily up at him, his hand still covering his mouth."I've already put your clothes in the wash and they will have completed their drying cycle in just a few minutes, so you have a fresh change when you get out. Take your time, you can mull things over."
—
If Ritsuka still had any reservations, the bath had all but rinsed them away. He didn't need the whole hour he spent in the frothy bubbles and perfectly warmed water to make up his mind. The way he saw it, he wasn't a virgin anymore anyways. That part was over with, it had been Ritsuka's choice, and it had been with someone he liked (and simultaneously hated, but that was a different issue).
He could go back to his overpass and hope it wasn't flooded, but where would he get in life that way? He would be homeless forever, and he wouldn't go back to his mother. He wouldn't—there was no future there either.
But with Soubi, there was a future. Ritsuka didn't have to do this forever. He could save his earning, go to college, make an honest living. It wasn't his preferred stepping stone, but it was there to take, and Ritsuka felt at this point it would be stupid to turn up his nose at it.
Besides… Soubi had said that if anyone wanted out, they could leave. Ritsuka would give it a go. If it repulsed him, if it scared him, if he couldn't live with himself… he would stop. And that was all there was to it.
Once he had dressed and combed his hair, he found Soubi in the lounge, painting the clouds outside the window, piano music humming quietly around him.
Soubi looked up as he came in, his expression politely expectant. Ritsuka knew that Soubi knew what was coming. There was no point in beating around the bush about it. And besides, if he was going to do this job, he would have to start getting used to being direct.
Without preamble, Ritsuka said, "I'll do it."
Soubi smiled, looking oddly benevolent, and nodded. He set down his paintbrush and brushed his hands against each other briskly.
"Wonderful. Now then. I think it's best that you stay here with me for a few weeks. We need to make sure that you haven't contracted any illnesses from the living out of doors and it would be nice if we could get a little more flesh on your bones."
Ritsuka blinked, then spread his arms and looked down at himself. He wanted to argue, really, defend himself against what he felt was a blatant insult. But as he looked down at himself he couldn't help but agree. He was scrawny and boney and even his ribs were starting to show beneath his skin. He wasn't grossly underweight YET, but he definitely wasn't looking good.
He nodded. "Okay. I'll stay with you. But I… don't really like doctors."
Soubi chuckled. "Does anyone? You won't be needing one unless you're sick...I would insist on healing you if that were the case. Otherwise, just rest and food here and you should be perfectly fine and ready for work. Well...after Kio has his way with you, that is."
Ritsuka gave him a horrified look.
"Not like that," Soubi added. "He'll want to cut your hair, do your nails...generally be a woman about the whole thing."
It was hesitant, but Ritsuka felt the corners of his mouth curve up, and he snorted a soft laugh, looking downward and shaking his head.
"That's it," said Soubi. He opened his arms and beckoned Ritsuka to him, looking like some sort of sinister messiah in his purple robes. "we can be good friends, you and I."
Unable to get the smile off his face, Ritsuka made his way over and clung to the lean curves of Soubi's body.
—
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