Kumagoro\'s New Shiny

**Typical ic wic warnings—we don’t own Gravi or it’s characters. Please be respectful to our originals and not use them without asking. This fic takes place near the end of Ryuichi’s time in America, shortly before the beginning of the anime.

Major angst warnings—if you’re hoping for a constantly bouncing Ryu-chan, this isn’t the fic to read. -_- This is angst angst angst, so read at your own risk!

//= Thoughts
*= emphasis
::= speaking in Japanese

Watch out for changes from English to Japanese in this chapter! Keep an eye on the ::
**


Kumagoro’s New Shiny
Chapter Eleven

After their burgers, Ryuichi and Jace did some shopping and finally, late that evening, returned home. Jace wasn\'t ashamed to admit that he was exhausted. He was still fitting into the rhythm of the city, and wasn\'t used to being led around. Even by Ryuichi. It was something that...was beginning to get to him, not having the freedom to roam where he wanted.

Jace set his bags down on the sofa and then followed them, stretching out. \"Man, long day.\"

Ryuichi smiled, setting his own things aside as he kicked off his shoes. He followed Jace to the couch, bending down to tug off the boy\'s shoes before crawling onto the sofa with him. \"Mmm, it was long, wasn\'t it....\"

Jace shifted slightly. \"I\'m all sweaty,\" he protested, pushing at Ryuichi\'s shoulders. \"Japan\'s really hot, you know.\"

He giggled. \"Saves you from getting all sweaty as we go,\" he pointed out, leaning in for a kiss.

Jace turned his head away at the last moment, so that Ryuichi\'s lips skated over his cheek. He hummed softly. \"I smell funny.\"

\"Aw poo,\" he muttered. Pouting, Ryuichi finally lowered himself over his lover, nuzzling at his neck. \"You\'re not being any fun,\" he singed quietly.

Jace frowned up at the ceiling and shrugged. \"Just not in the mood, I guess.\" After a moment he began to push at Ryuichi\'s shoulders. \eed eed a shower.\"

Rhi shi sat up, lower lip stuck out and head tilted. \"Ja~ce, you\'re being silly.\" He tickled the boy\'s stomach with a single finger. \"Want me...to come with you?\"

\"No.\" But as soon as Jace said it he knew it hadn\'t come out like he\'d meant it, and he smiled apologetically. \"Sorry. I just...want some time, okay?\" He began to sit up. \"For myself.\"

Ryuichi crawled backwards, scratching his head as he sat on the end of the sofa. Kumagoro was behind him on the table, and he pulled the rabbit into his lap. \"All right. Maybe I\'ll...take a nap or something.\" //Did I do something wrong...?//

And he grabs the rabbit. Jace frowned as he pushed himself up. \"It\'s nothing,\" he assured as he stretched. \"It\'s just...I dunno, getting to me.\" He glanced at Ryuichi hesitantly. //He\'d understand, wouldn\'t he?// \"New place and all.\"

\"Ahh....\" He relaxed a bit, tugging at Kumagoro\'s ears. \"Um...you want me to go out for a bit?\" he asked. \"Have the place to yourself...?\"

\"No, I just….\" Jace sighed, and sat down abruptly on the sofa edge once more. \"I don\'t know my way around,\" he said, not meeting Ryuichi\'s gaze. I don\'t know a full sentence, I don\'t....\" His fingers curled. \"...have any friends, here. It\'s hard.\"

Ryuichi wilted at that. He slowly set Kumagoro aside, reaching out to take Jace\'s hands gently. \"I\'m sorry,\" he murmured. He scooted closer. \"You\'ve been working so hard, and I....\" Ryuichi chuckled without humor as he looked away. \"I\'m stupid.\"

\"It\'s not your fault,\" Jace said, tugging his hands free. Somehow, having Ryuichi be sorry was only making him feel worse. He stood. \"I\'ll...just get used to it.\" Frowning to himself he started toward the bathroom. \"I\'m taking a shower.\"

\"But....\" He stood as well, taking Kumagoro with him as he slowly trailed after. \"Maybe I can get Mr. K to help teach you more Japanese,\" he offered hopefully. \"And once things calm down, I can show you around more, meet people, right?\"

\"More of your rocker friends, right?\" Jace replied, glancing only briefly over his shoulder. \"And I\'ve been learning Japanese. I\'ve got nothing else to do.\" //Stop it--don\'t fuck up like this.// \"I\'m okay.\"

Ryuichi danced in place at the entrance to the hallway, distressed by Jace\'s harsh tone. \"But you\'re still upset,\" he protested. \"And not all of them are rockers....\"

\"I\'m okay,\" Jace said again and, just to keep Ryuichi from following him into the bathroom, he gave him a kiss on the cheek. \"I don\'t want you worrying about me, anyway. I can take care of myself.\"

\"I know, but....\" Ryuichi pouted, hugging Kumagoro to his chest. //I don\'t want you to be upset, least of all with me.// Seeing that Jace wasn\'t going to reassure him, he slowly backed away. \"I\'ll got start dinner,\" he offered instead.

\"Yeah, okay.\" He would have asked what Ryuichi had in mind, but he was sure it would end up being something he couldn\'t pronounce anyway. Jace took a step back; he felt suddenly guilty watching Ryuichi\'s expression, and he offered a mumbled, \"Sorry,\" before slipping into the bathroom.

Ryuichi watched him go, his expressing changing from pouting to blank, fingers curling tightly around his stuffed rabbit. Jace.... Spinning away, he hurried into the kitchen. //I\'ll make spaghetti. Maybe...that will cheer him up a bit.//

---

A few weeks later, they were finally at the concert Ryuichi had been talking about nonstop. Being Ryuichi\'s assistant, Jace was allowed a seat right up near the stage with him, and his spirits were high until...Ryuichi disappeared, and appeared suddenly on stage in place of the main event. And then it was like any of Ryuichi\'s other concerts that he\'d been to--bouncing along with the hundreds ofangeangers around him, wondering how everyone seemed to know thece ece except him.

But when the lead finally showed up--dramatically, at that--Jace had to admit he was somewhat impressed. Though he couldn\'t understand a word of the music the kid bouncing on stage had a contagious energy. Jace could easily see why Ryuichi had spoken so highly of him. For a while, he was really enjoying himself.

After the concert Jace slipped backstage, as he usually did, with the help of Ryuichi\'s pass. He recognized a few of the people milling about--Noriko was flirting with everyone around her, an rec recognized the guitarist from the concert talking to a girl who looked way too serious for her own good. He couldn\'t find Ryuichi, though he heard his voice through the crowds of fans who had somehow managed to get through security. But he soon realized he was closer to a second group of squealing females, and at the center of them stood a very flustered, pink-haired lead singer.

//Well, what the hell.// Grinning to himself, Jace wove his way toward the center of theerinering mass.

\"::What? Oh, through the ceiling, well….::\" Shuichi laughed, scratching at the back of his head nervously. \"::Um, sure it was planned! I wanted it to be dramatic, right? Heh heh.... Oh look! They brought more food!::\" He tried to squirm his way out of the circle, holding tightly to this scarf that one girl seemed determined to choke him with.

Jace finally managed to reach the teen, excited to see they looked about the same age. He snatched the boy\'s arm and began to tug him away, chatting excitedly. \"I\'m going to speak in English really fast,\" he declared briskly. \"And chances are none of the girls here can understand it, but they\'ll think I\'m telling you something very important and interesting, maybe even allowing us to escape. Right, sushi?\"

Shuichi blinked dumbly, stumbling along after the boy. \"::What are you doing? I....::\" When he say the girls had let him go, he tried a smile and a wave. \"::Um, talk to you later!::\" Allowing the boy to get them through the crowd--where\'d he learn to get through them like that?--he pointed towards the far table and the cooler of drinks, hoping the blond would get his meaning.

Jace followed his gesture with a grin. \"Good call.\" He dragged them through a few more groups of people, hopefully so that most of the girls would lose sight of them, and tugged Shuichi behind one of the tall coolers. \"There! We made it!\" He let Shuichi go and offered his hand. \"Hi! Um... ::My name is Jace,::\" he introduced clumsily.

Shuichi grinned, accepting his hand. \"::Shindo Shuichi,::\" he replied, then went on in very accented, halting English. \"You are American?\"

Jace laughed. //Doesn\'t sound like he speaks much, but I guess we\'ll manage.// \"Yes. From New York.\" He cleared his throat. \"::I speak very little Japanese,::\" he said, making a face.

Laughing, Shuichi nodded. \"You are some good,\" he replied. \"Thank you much for rescue.\" He pointed to the girls and made his own face. \"I think soon I be killed.\"

\"::I know!::\" Jace pointed to himself. \"::Ryuichi\'s friend. I...do this lots,::\" he stumbled out. He scratched the back of his head. \"I guess K\'s Japanese is sort of coming in handy.\"

Shuichi brightened excitedly at that. \"::Sakuma-san\'s? Wow!::\" He glanced around, but the man in question couldn\'t be seen. Shuichi grabbed a soda for himself and offered one to Jace. \"You meet Sakuma-san in Nu Yoo-ku?\" he asked with interest.

Jace couldn\'t help but snicker at his pronunciation, even knowing his wasn\'t any better. \"::Yes. I...uh, assistant him lots.::\" //I know that\'s wrong, but K only taught me to introduce myself, not use verbs.// He accepted the soda and took a long gulp. \"::You and him are...::\" He didn\'t know how to say similar, so he held up his index fingers and brought them together, wondering if the pantomime would work.

Shuichi frowned, head tilted as he tried to puzzle out the other\'s words. //Does he mean Sakuma-san and I are....// \"Ah, no,\" he quickly corrected. \"Sakuma-san is friend. I am...have date?\" He scratched his head, not sure how to better explain.

//He\'s with someone?// But Jace chose to ignore that comment, shaking his head. \"Similar,\" he tried in English. \"You look alike.\" He tugged a lof Shf Shuichi\'s hair and poked his bare stomach. \"::You sing good.::\"

\"Aah!\" He blushed and nodded, sudd ple pleased. \"He is my idol,\" he explained. \"I want be idol as Sakuma-san.” Shuichi stepped away from the cooler as a group of crewmembers came for a drink, moving with Jace a bit closer to the wall. //He seems nice. Did he really come back with Sakuma-san from New York?// \"You work for Sakuma-san? You are friends?\"

\"::Yes--good friends.::\" Jace slipped a little closer, r thr the guise of shielding Shuichi from a few searching fans. He grinned. \"::You are cute.::\"

Shuichi straightened, blinking. \"::Cute?::\" //But he looks younger than me.// He made a face. \"Is that correct word?\" he asked, starting to chuckle. \"It is for little kid.\"

\"Oh?\" Jace blushed a little and shook his head. \"::Um...not right? Um...::\" He smirked. \"Sexy?\" he tried again. And then, remembering one of the lyrics from Ryuichi\'s songs, added, \"Sekushi.\"

Shuichi laughed and nodded. \"Better. But maybe \'cute\' be more close to me?\" He tugged at his own hair with a grin. \"I like how you say. \'Sek-shi.\'\"

Jace shook his head. \"I think you\'re very sexy,\" he said, deciding to drop the Japanese for a moment. He set his soda down behind him and reached up to touch Shuichi\'s cheek with chilled fingertips.

//Uh oh.... Is he hitting on me now?// Shuichi grinned sheepishly as he leaned faintly away. \"Um...are you, ah, homo?\" he asked softly, not knowing any other word. //I hope this is just some American thing. Though....//

\"Homo?\" Jace chuckled, and he pressed his hand lightly against Shuichi\'s chest to push him gradually against the wall. \"Yup. Way homo.\" He cocked his head to the side. \"::You?::\"

Chuckling weakly, Shuichi glanced around to see if anyone was watching. //Not that they don\'t all know already, but....// \"I am,\" he admitted, squirming. \"But I...um, have....\" He frowned, unable to come up with the word. \"::Boyfriend?::\" he tried in Japanese hopefully. \"::I have a lover.::\"

Jace\'s eyes thinned slightly--he\'d looked up those words when he\'d first come here, and it made his stomach twist a little. //Ryuichi....// He shook his head. \"::Me, too,::\" he chuckled. He rubbed lightly at Shuichi\'s chest. \"::And?::\"

That made Shuichi frown. //Is he saying he hits on other people even if he\'s with someone?// He straightentakitaking Jace\'s hand with a faint smile. \"::You\'re very nice, and handsome, but I love Yuki.::\" //And after everything that just happened, I couldn\'t....//

Jace stared at him, and though he\'d only caught a few words of what Shuichi said, somehow he understood. And…it suddenly hurt more than it should have, to have been rejected. To realize so sharply what he was doing. //God, I\'m such a....//

Jace pulled back, eyes lowered in embarrassment. \"::Sorry.::\"

Shuichi sighed, and he suddenly moved closer. //He\'s a good guy.// He set an arm around Jace\'s shoulders, ignoring the social laws of boundaries to give him a light hug. \"You want get food?\" he suggested in English. \"We are same age, maybe? I come see you, have food some day?\"

Jace\'s expression hardened, and he pushed Shuichi back. \"::I am a prostitute,::\" he blurted out. That word he had been sure to look up. \"::Ryuichi\'s prostitute.::\" He wasn\'t sure if he just wanted to say it, or...maybe wanted to make Ryuichi look bad. He simply couldn\'t shake the feeling that something was falling apart.

//What?// Shuichi let him go, frowning. //Sakuma-san\'s? But that....// It didn\'t make sense--was Ryuichi the kind of person to do that? \"::Is that true?::\" he asked, concerned, stepping close again so they could keep their voices low.

Jace set his hands on his hips. \"Yeah, it\'s true,\" he said, forgetting his Japanese again. \"He picked me up in New York, and now I\'m here, and he pays me, and we fuck. I\'m his little hooker.\" His expression tightened as he glanced away. //Damnit. Jace, why are you doing this?//

Shuichi wilted a bit--he wouldn\'t have expected Ryuichi of all people.... And though he had just barely kept track of what Jace had said, the hurt tone was clear enough. //But what could I do? If it\'s really Sakuma-san\'s business....// \"::That\'s not right,::\" he said quietly. \"::Even if it\'s Sakuma-san...he shouldn\'t be doing things like that.::\" His hands curled into fists. \"::I should tell him.::\"

Jace watched the crowds milling about--a few were asking for Shuichi, others still trying to push their way towards Ryuichi. For a moment he caught a glimpse of his lover\'s face among them, and it made his heart skip.

\"Fuck it.\" Jace turned back to Shuichi suddenly, and confused as he was the teen was an easy target; Jace tugged him abruptly forward and into a despe kis kiss.

Shuichi jumped in surprise, and for a moment he didn\'t know what to do--no one had ever just jumped him like that. Well, save Yuki when he was in a really, really good mood....

He caught Jace\'s face in both hands, barely managing to break their lips. \"Jasu--\" Shuichi frowned, concerned. //He seemed so upset a moment ago.// \"Why?\"

//Damnit. Fuck it all.// \"Sorry,\" Jace said as he pulled back. He bumped into the drink table behind him, spilling several paper cups. Before he could risk meeting Shuichi\'s gaze he turned, heading swiftly for the door.

Shuichi frowned, and ignoring those that called to him gave chase. \"::Hey!::\" He caught up with Jace just beyond the doors, grabbing his arm and pulling him to a halt. \"Stop. This not right.\" Taking Jace by the shoulders, he turned him around to face him. \"You are mad with Sakuma-san?\"

\"What the fuck do you want?\" Jace pushed him quickly back. He didn\'t know what was going on, only that...he couldn\'t face Ryuichi right now. He wanted to forget about everything. He tried to turn away again. \"Leave me alone.\"

\"No,\" Shuichi insisted. He moved in front of Jace, blocking his escape down the hall rather than grab him again, hands resting on his hips. \"You did kiss me--you will explain.\" //Damn this English, but I doubt he\'ll understand me otherwise.//

Jace glared at him for a moment, trying to decide if it was worth the effort to force his way out. Slowly, a thin, bitter grin fit into his features. \"::Do you have money?::\" he asked coolly.

His eyes narrowed. //I don\'t like this. But what if he\'s serious? I don\'t think Sakuma-san would let someone working for him do this, but if he\'s sleeping with Sakuma-san....// Finger curling, Shuichi nodded slowly. \"I buy coffee after party.\"

Jace stepped closer once more, still grinning. \"::Give me money,::\" he said lowly. He licked his lips. \"::I\'ll be good boy. Right?::\"

Shuichi shook his head. \"::I love Yuki,::\" he reminded. He straightened. \"If you no talk,\" he went on, switching back to English so he would be completely understood. \"I go back. I think I know what you feel, but if you no want talk with me, I can go.\"

Jace\'s expression fell again. \"Not like we can talk like this, anyway,\" he snorted, turning away. \"Not like...I can talk to anyone here.\" Jace shook his head, back down the hall so he wouldn\'t have to pass Shuichi. \"::Go.::\"

\"I can talk,\" he insisted, crossing his arms stubbornly. \"You talk En-gris, I listen. I hear it better than speak.\" //Come on, Jace. I owe Sakuma-san so much, so if I can help one of his friends....//

\"Go away!\" Jace snarled over his shoulder. \"Do you understand that, you goddamn Jap?\" He spotted a door on his left that resembled a bathroom, and he turned swiftly into it, his hands shaking.

Shuichi stood there a long moment, silently fuming. //Fine. Fine then.// He headed down the hall, reentering the party. Ryuichi was closer to the door, and Shuichi was a bit gratified to see him almost looking worried. He caught the elder singer and pulled him slightly away from a group of approaching girls. \"::Your friend is in the bathroom,::\" he reported, and from the flicker of emotion behind the other\'s eyes knew he\'d guessed right. \"::He\'s really upset. You might need to leave him alone.::\"

Ryuichi\'s fingers curled, head tipping down to hide his face beneath a curtain of bangs. He suddenly wished he hadn\'t left Kumagoro in the car--he could use the support at the moment. Shuichi was waiting for a reply, but there really wasn\'t anything he could think of to say. Not when he\'d messed so much up already.

Shuichi watched him a moment anxiously, trying to decide if they could even hope to get a moment of peace back here. \"::Um...Sakuma-san?::\" It probably wasn\'t his place to ask, but...Jace had sort of pulled him into it, and he wanted to help, if he could. //Yuki speaks better English than me. If he could talk to him….// But then he felt guilty for expecting anything of Yuki after everything that had happened, and he shook himself. \"::Is there anything I can do?::\"

Ryuichi shook his head, and after a moment was able to face Shuichi with a small smile. \"::Thanks for telling me, Shuichi. I think it\'s time to go home.::\" His expression grew more sincere as he patted the younger boy on the shoulder. \"::You did really good tonight.::\" Bowing briefly, he turned towards the hall, waving at the few who called to him on his way out.

\"::Sakuma-san...::\" Shuichi\'s shoulders sagged in defeat. //I guess I should just leave them alone. But....// He sighed. \"::Thanks, Sakuma-san::\" he called after him. By then his fans hascovscovered him again, and he did his best to meet them with a smile.

Ryuichi stood outside the bathroom door a long time, head lowered and eyes closed. He wasn\'t sure he wanted to face Jace alone like this; things had seemed so strained between them lately. And every time he tried to reach out, to help, he was rejected. What would be different this time, if Jace really were pulling away from him…?

But he couldn\'t sit there forever, waiting for Jace to come out and find him. Ryuichi took a deep breath, steeling himself, and finally pushed the door open.


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