3. Black
The delicious fragrance wafting from the multiple dishes made Doumeki's knees feel weak. He sat at the table and picked his chopsticks, ready to ravish every edible thing that Watanuki placed in front of his eyes.
-Okay, there you are. Worship the magnificence of my fried chicken! Behold how crunchy and golden it is! Hurry up, perform the Gratitute Dance Towards Master Watanuki Kimihiro!
-Idiot. – said Doumeki, his eyes never leaving the food.
-Agh! You don't deserve my food! –shrieked Watanuki, placing the main dish where Doumeki couldn't reach it.
-But I'm hungry – he stated.
-Well, you should be more grateful!
-I am. I'm going to eat it.
-No, you aren't!
Doumeki looked speculatively at Watanuki and edged closer to him. The bespectacled teenager held the food firmly behind his back, which made it necessary to formulate a strategy to get hold of those crunchy pieces of chicken delight.
-What do you want? –Doumeki asked.
-Thank me for the food – although Watanuki was trying to sound angry, his voice betrayed him, suddenly transformed in a trembling mutter.
Doumeki thought about it. Then he swiftly kissed Watanuki in the cheek, taking advantage of the boy's astonishment to get back the dish.
-That's not fair! –snarled Watanuki. His rage attack was interrupted by Doumeki's cell phone ringing. The taller boy answered it.
-Moshi-moshi? Yeah. No problem. Okay.
He hung up and started to eat his food. Watanuki tried not to say anything for a while, but he couldn't help himself.
-Was it something important? –he asked. Doumeki swallowed and answered him during the brief interval between bites.
-Just work.
-Oh – said Watanuki, pretending to be uninterested. "-Of course…" –he thought, remembering the "work" Doumeki had performed this afternoon. A glance at his rival's tanned hands was enough to make him blush violently.
-Do people call you frequently? – asked Watanuki, looking everywhere except at the other teen.
Doumeki made a pause to drink his tea.
-I've just started to work professionally. But I have three or four regular clients.
Watanuki's jaw dropped.
-Wow. That must be hard.
-Not really.
-Well, then I understand why you don't need my money, you have enough income –Watanuki said, his voice heavy with sarcasm. He was getting angrier, and he didn't know why.
Doumeki put his empty dishes aside, looking at Watanuki with the slightest frown on his face.
-Why are you mad?
-I'm not mad!
-Yes, you are.
-Why should I be?!
Watanuki began eating his own food furiously, determined to finish with that dangerous conversation.
00000
Doumeki was considering telling Watanuki the truth immediately, but he had to get Watanuki in a good mood before that. Watanuki already seemed to be getting angry all on his own, and telling him that he had lied to him in order to have sex was just going to add fuel to the fire.
The golden-eyed boy thought about the possible causes for Watanuki's anger. It had all began with that telephone call...
Watanuki was doing the dishes. He was also sighing, feeling stupid and displacing blobs of foam with the force of his breath. What was wrong with him? Of course the asshole had other clients! Of course Watanuki wasn't the only man who had required sexual services from him! After all, Doumeki had probably written that bloody advertisement because he wanted to spread his love-making abilities all over the city!
He sighed again and closed the tap. His sigh turned into a squeak when he felt a soft and slightly wet touch on his nape. Doumeki's long arms hugged him from behind, while he was still brushing his lips against Watanuki's neck.
-Oi –he said. His baritone voice made the smaller teen shiver – Don't be upset.
-I'm not…
-Shut up – cut Doumeki. He kissed Watanuki's neck once more.
Watanuki grabbed the edge of the counter, feeling weak.
-Stop that – moaned the smaller teen, half-pleading.
-I'll stop if you answer my question –Doumeki said, his hands travelling lower.
-O-okay –stammered Watanuki.
-Are you mad at me because you're jealous?
-No… no way! –snapped Watanuki, recovering and moving away from Doumeki's hands – You arrogant bastard! I'm not like your stupid fan girls!
-But you got mad when I received the phone call.
-Maybe I'm mad because you, mister "all-mighty-dude", are actually a slut!
"-That's enough"– thought Doumeki.
-I lied.
Watanuki blinked, his mouth half-open.
-What do you mean? –he asked, but he knew exactly what Doumeki was talking about.
-My advertisement has never been about sex. Your newspaper was mixed-up.
-How… how could it be? Just my paper? That's impossible…
-Where did you get it?
-From Yuu…oh. Okay, that explains everything.
Doumeki wasn't a fearful man. Of course there were frightful things on the outside world that he was afraid of... However, he was a man of action and he just couldn't let those things affect him. If a giant evil spirit appeared in front of his eyes, he sure would feel fear, but he'd quickly discard this terror and stab the damn thing with his arrows.
This time, he didn't know how to react. And Watanuki's wrath was something to be quite afraid of... though on second thought, what scared him the most wasn't Watanuki's anger, but his rejection. Yep, thought Doumeki to himself, that was something he feared.
-You lied to me! –screeched Watanuki. He had never felt as angry and as embarrassed as now – You played dumb to have sex with me!
"-Well – though a tiny part of Watanuki's brain – that's quite flattering"
He silenced that traitorous part of him immediately.
-You wanted it too –said Doumeki.
-Just to prove to myself I'm not a homo!
-And why did you ask me?
-Because you are the most annoying, insufferable and unbearable man I know!
-So you chose me because you wanted to be... traumatized or something?
-Yeah –answer Watanuki, not feeling sure of his own statement – And I think I have accomplished my goal...
-Who's lying now? –asked Doumeki. He was starting to feel angry too. And that was something weird.
-What?!
-You liked it! –Watanuki blinked, startled. Doumeki hadn't screamed, but his voice had been certainly higher than usual.
-Tha-that's… Well, of course I liked it; you used all your nasty techniques in order to turn me into a compliant, willing mass! You only wanted to screw me, so I'm sure you applied all your acting abilities to look like a completely different guy!
-Then you should ask another man, just to make sure –snapped Doumeki, bitterly.
-Maybe I will!
-Then, I'm not needed here anymore –said the taller teen.
And he left, for the first time in his life, in a huff. He thought for a second about slamming the door on his way out. But that, he thought, would be over-dramatic.
00000
Yuuko held out her hand, silently asking Maru or Moro to re-fill her cup. The night was proving to be very boring without Watanuki around. The witch took a sip, playing absently with her long silky hair.
And suddenly, everything changed for the witch's delight.
-Yuuuuukoooooo…! –said Watanuki in a murderous tone. Yuuko just glanced up at him, smiling calmly.
-Hello, Watanuki –she said – I thought you had more important and interesting things to do. But look at you! You have changed all that to visit a poor solitary woman…
-I'm not here to cheer you up! I'm here because I want some explanation about THIS! –he raged, producing the troublesome paper from his coat's inner pocket.
The dimensional witch stared at the newspaper, her brows rising in amusement.
-Oh, that –she said.
-Is that all you have to say?!
-Well, that was just a little joke. Did something bad happen?
All the rage of Watanuki's face turned into a monstrous blush. He mumbled something unintelligible.
-Because –continued Yuuko – This was actually a present for you. I tried to give you the opportunity of making fun of Doumeki. Did he get mad at you?
-Well…
-Did you laugh at him too much and he got offended?
-Not exactly but…
Watanuki was starting to think that coming to Yuuko's asking for explanations had been a bad, bad idea.
-Or maybe… But no, I don't think you… Did you call him?
-I don't know what you're talking about –lied Watanuki – Well, forget this conversation. I'm leaving.
-Wait a minute –said Yuuko, with a mischievous smile – You actually called him, didn't you? – she took another sip of sake – Did you have fun?
-What do you mean? –asked Watanuki, terrified and embarrassed to death.
-Was the sex good with him?
-How dare you?! You are forgetting completely the main point: my innocence was given to that jerk! I-I let that dumbass see parts of me that nobody…
-Well, Watanuki –interrupted Yuuko – as you said, you let him do it.
-But…
-It doesn't seem you cared too much for your "innocence", since you called him and paid him to put an end to it. Or maybe Doumeki was rough? Did he take advantage of you?
-No! –answered Watanuki, indignant.
-Was he clumsy? Maybe he didn't pleasure you properly.
-That's not exactly… well, you know… he is quite skilled –he admitted, his face almost burning from embarrassment.
-Oh… Then there's nothing to regret.
-But he lied to me! He acted as if the advertisement of my newspaper was right just because he wanted to screw me!
Maru and Moro pointed at Watanuki.
-Watanuki is talking naughty! –said Maru.
-Watanuki is talking naughty! –said Moro.
-Watanuki has done the naughty! –said Mokona, bouncing.
-Shut your trap, black nikuman! –screamed Watanuki.
-Silence, girls –chided Yuuko gently – But I still don't understand you. He lied, that's true. But you had already chosen to call him, so you wanted to have sex with him.
-Just to test myself!
-And what was the result of that examination?
Watanuki blinked and blushed.
-I don't know yet.
-Well, I'm going to give you an opportunity to make sure –she said. Her calm voice didn't match with the mischievous glint of her burgundy eyes.
00000
Watanuki glared at the cell phone. He pouted as he took it, frowning while he pressed the buttons. There were just three numbers in Contacts. One was Yuuko's. Another was Himawari's. And the other was…
-Doumeki –said the golden-eyed boy through the line. Watanuki couldn't help but blush at the feeling of that deep voice so close to his ear.
-It's me –he said. Silence. – Watanuki –he clarified.
-I know. What's wrong?
-Nothing. Yuuko has work for us.
More silence.
-We… –he continued – we have to go somewhere and pick up something.
Silence again. Watanuki snapped.
-Aren't you gonna ask me for more details?! You don't even care, don't you?!
-I'd rather hear the details personally. I don't like to talk by phone.
-Oh. Okay, then.
-Besides, I'm still mad at you –added Doumeki.
-No, I'm mad at you! –yelled Watanuki, and then he hung up.
00000
Watanuki fumed, tugging uncomfortably at his too tight shirt. He hadn't worn it since he was twelve, for goodness sake, and still Yuuko had insisted he put it on, dismissing his complaints by means of a couple of careless instructions... Sleeves too short? Then roll them up! Too tight in the chest? Then leave some buttons open! Yeah right, now he felt uncomfortable and a dork in the too-small blue shirt, but he knew better than try to argue with the sleazy woman.
-How is it now? –asked Yuuko through the line. She moved the speaker of her old black telephone to her right ear, waiting for Watanuki's answer.
-Better – he admitted after a while - But I don't have a formal pair of trousers. I just have my uniform slacks and one or two tracksuits.
-Well, I think I can lend you something.
-Are you sure this is completely necessary?
-It is, for a determinate purpose… - she said, vaguely.
Watanuki glanced at his reflection. Well, he thought, getting dressed up shouldn't be such a big deal.
-I'm on my way – he said, feeling suddenly tired.
00000
Doumeki knocked at Yuuko's door. The dimensional witch opened. She was smiling brightly, and she also seemed to be a bit tipsy.
-My, Doumeki-kun, how are you?
-Fine. Is he ready?
-Just a second. He's trying to fix his hair, and getting angrier in the process.
Watanuki went into the hall, looking pissed. His hair was as messy as always.
Doumeki remained silent, not only because of his usual quiet nature, but also because Watanuki was looking incredibly attractive in his current attire.
-What are you looking at? –asked the bespectacled teen, sulking.
Unfortunately, the black jeans Yuuko had lent him were very low-cut, and that combined with the length of his old shirt allowed a quite wide exposition of Watanuki's hips and low stomach.
The black suede jacket he was also wearing was as short as the shirt, and it was doing nothing to help him cover his partial nudity.
Doumeki stared at that stripe of ivory skin, feeling the urge to tug at Watanuki's shirt to cover his hipbones. It was difficult to be angry at him with the vision of his love handles constantly distracting him.
"-It's useless, I can't be upset when he's looking so hot" –he thought, much to his regret. He moved his eyes from Watanuki to Yuuko.
-I think I'm not dressed properly –he said. Compared to Watanuki, his clothes seemed too casual.
-No, you're fine –said Yuuko, admiring the golden-eyed boy's tight jeans and the white t-shirt with musk-green sleeves he had chosen – You look a bit indie-rock, but something's missing… Oh, of course. Maru, bring me that jacket, the one which is inside that old mahogany wardrobe.
-But he's not even wearing shoes! –complained Watanuki, pointing at the black and white All Star Doumeki was wearing.
-The owner of the place you're going to is not too demanding when it comes to clothes –she explained. Watanuki opened his mouth, ready to scream something outraged.
-You never told me that!
-Well, you never asked –answered Yuuko with a radiant smile.
-Do you know the trouble I had to go through to get dressed?! If I had known, I would have just worn my tracksuit!
-But you look great! Doesn't he look incredibly attractive in those clothes, Doumeki-kun?
Watanuki waited for Doumeki's answer in quite a strange silence.
-We're gonna be late –said the amber-eyed teen. Watanuki closed his fists tightly, getting angrier.
-We are waiting for your damned jacket, jerk!
-And speaking of the devil, here it is! –exclaimed Yuuko, cheerily. She was holding a black leather jacket. She handed it to Doumeki – Try it on.
Watanuki opened his mouth to yell that they were going to be late, but quickly lost his train of thought when Doumeki slipped the leather jacket on.
If Doumeki had looked great with that simple t-shirt and the jeans, the leather jacket made him look incredibly handsome. And dangerously sexy.
-Thanks, it's very warm –said the archer, doing up the zipper – Oi, let's go.
-… -said Watanuki. He gulped and tried to speak again – I-I have a name, don't call me "oi"!
-Whatever –said Doumeki, plugging his ears and feeling quiet self-satisfied.
00000
Watanuki was freezing inside his thin suede jacket. Doumeki, on the contrary, seemed to be very comfortable.
"-The bastard..." –thought the blue-eyed boy.
-Were are we going? –asked Doumeki.
-To a club called "Ashura's". Apparently, we have to find a mirror.
Watanuki shivered and thrust his hands deep into the jacket's pockets. A not expected rustling surprised him. He took out a piece of violet paper.
-'My dear workers –he started to read aloud – the place you're going to has a quite special rule related with body language. I recommend you to… ' –he stopped. Doumeki took the letter from Watanuki and continued reading.
-'I recommend you to hold hands just to avoid nuisances'. What does she mean?
-No idea –said Watanuki, grinding his teeth.
They were reaching the club. They could see its purple neon sign.
Doumeki's hand caught Watanuki's when they were just about to come in. The blue-eyed boy snorted, feeling embarrassed.
-Are you going to do everything Yuuko says without questioning it?
-She's always right –answered Doumeki – I'm sure there's a reason for this.
-Yeah, but…
-Don't grumble.
There was a pink sign next to the door.
"Anybody that doesn't hold hands with a partner will be considered prey, and everybody will have the right of hunting him properly"
Watanuki read it twice. Why was the sign only talking about men?
Doumeki gave him the answer as soon as they entered.
-It's a gay bar, moron.
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Glossary:
Moshi-moshi: Japanese words for answering the phone.
Nikuman: Chinese buns made with bread-like dough, filled with pork meat, onion, ginger and other delicious things.
Well, behold the third chapter! I don't know when I'll be able to publish the next (and last) one, so I beg for your patience, dear readers.
Thanks again to Anyjen for being my beta, and to Sambucivox, for supporting this shameful thing I call a fanfic.