What is this life?

What is this life?
Eiri-Chick- you inspired this one, too, you little devil!
Chapter 19

Ryuichi is the first to awaken. He’s still cuddling very close to Hiro. He checks to see where Shuichi's gone and finds him on the other side of the bed. The sight of the two naked men in his bed causes Ryuichi to harden. He shakes his head. He doesn't want to start the day with the same thing that put him to sleep the night before. But, oh was that a night before! He’s never been so sexually satisfied before. Between the blowjob that Hiro gave him, to watching his companions making love, to him taking Hiro, he’s so ecstatically happy. He feels something else, something he’s never really felt before - he feels love. He gives himself a hug and smiles.

Ryuichi glances over at the clock and sees it's only 8:17a.m. It's still early, but not too early to get some breakfast. He quietly gets up and picks up his robe from the foot of the bed. He puts it on, wraps it around himself and ties the sash. He’s just about to leave the room when he hears.”Where’re you going, Master?”

Ryuichi turns around and greets the smiling face of Hiro. “Breakfast, want anything?


“Yeah, I want something, but it’s not from the kitchen.” He gives a sexy smile to Ryuichi.

Ryuichi turns around and heads back to the bed. He leans over, hands on the bed, and gives Hiro a chaste kiss. “If I give you what you want, we’ill never get any food.” He gives Hiro a quick kiss on his nose and gets up. “And I think after last night, the Master stuff stops.”

Hiro looks at Ryuichi a little perplexed. He remembers having great sex, probably the best in his life. What does Ryuichi mean? His question is answered before he can voice it.

“I love you very much, Hiro, Shuichi too.” He looks longingly into Hiro’s blue-grey eyes. “Last night wasn’t just about the sex. It’s a connection that we all have. I feel it and I’m sure you do too.”

Yes, he feels it too. When he’s with Ryuichi he doesn’t think of him as a Master, or himself as a slave. Hiro gets up on his knees and reaches out and embraces Ryuichi. “I love you, you know. I don’t know when I realized it for the first time. It may have been yesterday in the studio, maybe earlier. All I know is that I don’t want to be away from you.”

Just at that moment, Shuichi awakens. The conversation makes him think. He, too, loves Ryuichi and has for quite some time now. But he also loves Hiro. He rubs his eyes and then looks at the connected couple. The sight is that of two star-crossed lovers is beautiful. He’s a little jealous, though. He rolls over and touches Hiro’s hip.

Hiro loosens his hold on Ryuichi and looks down at the smiling face of his friend. “Morning Shu..”

Shuichi sidles up to Hiro, rises on his knees and gives him a kiss on the cheek. “You guys can’t leave me out of this. I love you both very much.” He waits for some kind of reaction. He knows he just interrupted a private moment, but he wants to be sure that his feelings are known. “Hiro, Ryu..Sir?

Ryuichi looks at Shuichi’s puzzled look and hears some doubt in the voice. “It’s okay Shuichi. I think you can call me by my name now. Things are definitely different than they were.” He reaches out and puts his hand on Shuichi’s neck and gives a little squeeze. He does the same to Hiro. He pulls the two close to him as he crawls onto the bed. “I love you both, very much. I never expected this would happen. I fell in love with Shuichi some time ago. I knew there was something different about the way I felt about you, Hiro. The first time I saw you, back in Turkey, I knew I wanted to be more than some master to a slave. I wanted you”. He stops to see if he’s making any sense to Hiro. “It wasn’t a sexual attraction, although you’re quite beautiful. It was something more…. Spiritual.”

Hiro remembers their first meeting, under very bizaare circumstances. He knew from the start that Ryuichi’s someone special. He just didn’t know how a loving relationship could ever develop. All those days, being fussed over and nursed back to health. That wasn’t just some master protecting his investment. The way Ryuichi would look at him, talking soothing words when he was in pain. Those weren’t things he expected from a master. Masters would get progress reports on the status of their slaves, not be there giving hands on treatment. The way Ryuichi treated him was just the same as the way Shuichi treated him. He knew that Shuichi loves him, but why would an almost stranger do the same.
Maybe he knew then that he was falling for Ryuichi, he just didn’t want to realize it.

Ryuichi is watching Hiro’s face. He knows there’s confusion about his feelings. He also knows that the situation has to change. He can’t be Master to these young men. He loves them, really loves them. He doesn’t want them to ever leave him, but he knows he can’t force them to stay, either. “We need to talk about what’s happening to us. Where do we go from here? Tohma can’t find out how we feel, how I feel.
I know him, he’ll try and change my mind, tell me I don’t feel something that I know I do feel. I want you both here with me, always, but not like it’s been.”

Hiro looks at Shuichi. “You know I love you, right? It’s just I love him, too.”

Shuichi gives a little nod and wraps his arms around Hiro’s chest. He rests his head on Hiro’s shoulder and sighs. “I’ve always loved you, Hiro, but I also love Mas.. Ryuichi. I have for a long time now.” He looks to Ryuichi with love and a bit of distress. “What’re we going to do?”

Ryuichi isn’t sure what to do. If Tohma gets wind of the newest developments here, he’ll do something to break up the happy trio. “Seguchi-san can’t find out about us, not yet. He has to think everything is the way it has been. It won’t be easy to deceive him, especially with Suguru here.” Ryuichi closes his eyes and thinks, “Suguru, what do I do about Suguru?”

At that exact moment there’s a knock on the locked bedroom door. Ryuichi gets up, motions for the young men to put on their robes and goes to unlock the door. When he’s sure his lovers are covered, he opens the door. Tatsuha is standing there. “Tatsuha, what are you doing here?” Now he’s worried that they have been overheard.

“It’s time for breakfast, Sir, and you wanted to be notified when the rest of the equipment for the new studio arrives.” Tatsuha did hear what was said. He knows his employer is in love with Shuichi and Hiro. Inwardly he sighs. If only he’d the heart to tell Ryuichi how he feels about him. “Um, Sir, I have to tell you something. It’s a good thing I’m the one that came, not Suguru. Your room isn’t very soundproof.”

Ryuichi gets panicky. Tatsuha heard what they were saying! “Tatsuha, please, you can’t tell anyone about this. I know you’re Seguchi-sans’s brother-in-law, but please, you must promise me that this stays quiet. If Seguchi-san finds out, their lives will be in danger.” He shoots a stare at Hiro and Shuichi.

Tatsuha takes his hands and places them on Ryuichi’s shoulders. “Please relax. I’m not going to say anything. I care too much for you to want to see you hurt.” Oh no, what did I just say? Recoiling from Ryuichi, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be so forward. It’s just..” Ryuichi cuts him off midsentence with a finger to the lips. (This is getting to be a habit for him, quieting talkative people.)

“It’s alright. I already know. You’ve been here for five years now. I see the way you look at me.” Ryuichi smiles, “I just wasn’t sure if it’s because of my celebrity or not. I guess I just found out. I wish you’d said something earlier.”

He looks around the room. Hiro and Shuichi are speechless. He looks back at Tatsuha. “It seems we have quite a dilemma here. I am surrounded by people that love me and that I love. I’m a very fortunate man. I can’t choose any one of you over the other. I guess we all have to stay together.”

He motions everyone into the outer room. As everyone takes a seat, he ponders the situation. After several moments he finally starts talking. “Ok, we all know what’s going on here. What we have to do is keep this a secret.” He looks to Tatsuha. “How much can we really trust Suguru?”

“I don’t think he can be trusted, not with this. He may not tell Seguchi-san directly, but he’ll tell K-san. He doesn’t keep anything from that man.” Tatsuha looks at Hiro. “He’s the one that told K-san that Sakuma-san was going to rescue you.” Looking back to Ryuichi, “He may have been upset about being kept in the dark about K-san’s plans to help you, but they are lovers. He’s also very protective of his cousin’s interests. He’d ruin everything.”

Ryuichi places his fingers over his mouth and chin, resting his elbow in the other crossed-over palm. He needs to find a way to get Suguru out of the way, at least for a little while. Trying to send Tohma to Beijing again for two weeks just won’t cut it this time. “Where’s Suguru now?”

“Last time I saw him, he said he was going to the market to get you more flowers. Why?” Tatsuha inquires.

“I need to get rid of him, but he can’t know why I want him gone. I need a plan.” He looks at his three soon-to-be accomplices, “Any ideas?”

“K-san may be the one to help with that Sir. He really loves Suguru and Suguru said something about K-san wanting to get married.” Tatsuha chimes in.

Shuichi is confused. “Married, but same sex marriage isn’t legal in Japan.”

Ryuichi gets a smile on his face. “Same sex marriage is legal in America, at least in some states. K-san is still an American citizen. He can go home and get married there. Then the Japanese government can’t stop them.”

“How are you going to talk to K-san? I mean, isn’t he still working for Seguchi-sama?” Hiro questions the advisability of this plan. “And are you certain he’ll want to get married, just to help us out?”

Tatsuha is quick to respond, “Oh he really wants to get married. That’s all Suguru talks about, and he’s coming around to the idea. It’s just the legal issue. If K-san tells him about going to America to do it, he might give in.”

Ryuichi gets a devilish look on his face. “K-san doesn’t have to know why I want them to get married, not the real reason. I will just be playing cupid.” He stops to rethink this. “He isn’t stupid. He may get the idea that I want him gone. I may have to feel him out and see if will go along with his desire to get Suguru as a permanent fixture in his bed. If I have to tell the truth, I’ll take my chances. After Turkey, I think I can trust him a little, at least more than Suguru.”

With that, the three start making a list of things they have to do. All this has to be done very subversively so that Suguru doesn’t know what they’re involved in the plans. Once a basic outline of things-to-do is made, it’s up to each person to do his part. Tatsuha will talk his good friend Suguru into accepting the proposal. Ryuichi has to talk to K-san and update him on what’s going on. He’s been an ally before, and this isn’t anywhere near as underhanded as the last scheme. This one doesn’t even involve Tohma Seguchi. It’s just a little old wedding they will plan with an extended honeymoon, all compliments of Ryuichi Sakuma. Hiro and Shuichi can only be there to watch what happens for the time being.

After all is ready, Ryuichi decides that it is now time to get something to eat. His stomach is empty and he can’t put his plan into motion with a growling stomach. “Let’s eat! Then I’ll go see K-san. The rest of you, just do whatever you normally do. Hiro, you and Shuichi can get the studio set up the rest of the way.” Looking to Hiro, gives a little wink, “Don’t forget to order a new cover for that studio stool!”
TBC