Chapter 9

"That's some kind of weird sleepover…"

Akihito, Takato and Pjotr were lounging about on throw cushions on the floor of Akihito's small, cluttered alternative digs, whispering. They had lighted a candle, but left the room otherwise dark.

"You sure they can't see that from the outside?"

Akihito shrugged. The lights were still flashing through the night, and they could only imagine what was going on at the pub.

"You know, I think Misha has nothing to worry about", observed Pjotr, glancing at Akihito's bedstead, a mattress on the floor, where Fei was wedged between Mikhail and Alexej. His eyelids had already been drooping when they had lowered him down on the bed, and now he was unconsciously snuggling into both of them, his tousled hair, now freed of the cap that had tossed him into another sphere of life, rubbing into Mikhail's outstretched bare arm…his lips were parted again, a little, and his face, no longer lost or hurt, turned into the blonde young Russian.

Takato raised his eyebrows. "Must really like the way your friend smells…"

"I think our Chinese Helen of Troy likes Misha all right…", agreed Pjotr, fighting off a fleeting notion of what it would be like to dip a finger into those full lips, that soft, sucking orifice… "the warrior face that launched a thousand ships…and once Misha stops behaving like an idiot around him, he may even have a chance to realize it."

Mikhail was asleep too, his body nestling against Fei's, his free arm loosely claiming him. Even Alexej didn't seem to mind having very little space left, adapting comfortably to Fei's backside.

"You know, I'm straight", remarked Takato, "but that guy could tempt a dog…or a god…or both." Suddenly troubled, he added, "and obviously did." He looked at Akihito. "Did you see how mangled he is? Down there, I mean." Akihito nodded. "What do you think of it? Isn't that one of you activist lines, abuse investigation?"

The young Japanese with the shaggy, dyed blonde hair thoughtfully stretched out. Human rights posters could be made out on the walls in the semi dark, now that their eyes had adjusted, and demonstration banners were propped against the walls. Camera equipment was littering almost every free surface. "I've never seen anything quite like that", he said.

Pjotr wondered how old Takato's friend was. In spite of his boyish face and frame he couldn't possibly be as young as he looked.

"And I've seen a lot. I mean I've seen worse…but there is something strange about those scars. Not the random ones. Those look like abuse alright." Akihito hurriedly cast a glance over at the bed, but all three young men were fast asleep, Mikhail and Fei still in each other's arms (Pjotr wondered how Fei would feel about that waking up), Alexej softly snoring. "Who's he, by the way?" Akihito pointed at Alexej.

"Oh, a childhood friend of Misha's and mine, from Moscow", Pjotr paused, assessing the smaller of the two Japanese. About his own height, but that was were the similarities ended … what a delectable, lithe figure, and those large puppy eyes, definitely hip boy wonder vibes here … "Aljosha's into atomic physics or some such stuff and computer sciences. Really clever guy. Doesn't always look it, though…why?"

"Dunno, wonder where I saw him… you are the budding director? Tak told me a Russian at his course had been accepted at the Eisenstein Academy … ", Akihito stifled a yawn. "Sorry, that wasn't about you … maybe we should all take turns sleeping now…"

"Yeah, one of us should stay awake", Takato agreed, "Fei reacted very intensely to the ketamine, and Kirishima warned he may have flashbacks… I'll take the first shift."

He settled himself beside the mattress. "Pjotr, what happened to your friend Mikhail?" The green T-shirt had slid up, showing the lower part of his back. Thankfully it was rather warm in the room, they even had to crack the window a little ("some activist", Takato muttered, "and what about environmental issues?")

"We don't exactly know", Pjotr said. "Misha practically shoves his back into your face, but I don't think he feels as comfortable about his scars as he would like us to believe. He never really told us what happened. I think it has something to do with his uncle Yuri." He sat up, wide awake all of a sudden. "Now wait a minute! Professor Yuri Arbatov…I was so worried about Fei I didn't take any notice at the time!" They looked at each other. "The specialist who was waiting to see Fei…"

- to be continued -