Something In-Between

Disclaimer: I do not own Gravitation nor do I make any money from using the characters.

NC-17

If you have time, please review. I really appreciate it. Thank you so much to everyone that has reviewed.

As always, special thanks to Kri and AshCat who keep me in line and stop me from making a complete ass out of myself.


Note: This chapter is the reason this story is rated NC-17 (well, one of the reasons.) In other words, smut ahead.

Something In-Between

Chapter 5
So Alive


I don't know what color your eyes are, baby,
But your hair is long and brown.
Your legs are strong, and you're so, so long.
And you don't come from this town.

My head is full of magic, baby,
And I can't share this with you.
I feel I'm on top again, baby,
That's got everything to do with you.

I'm alive
So alive.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


I can still hear Hiro’s words to me, “We both still have some lingering feelings about other people to sort out before we can consider something new.” How long would I have to wait?

My fingers tangle in my hair, my hands squeeze my head in shear frustration. I swear; I am going crazy by tiny, miniscule increments. This would be the third night in a row that sleep had eluded me. Each time I close my eyes, all I can see is Hiro. His lean frame, his long hair and his shining, silver-grey eyes.

Ever since the night in the alleyway, I have been spellbound with the memory of his lithe, sinewy body pressed against mine, of his knee-weakening scent of fresh ginger and hot leather, of his tantalizing, taste-of-heaven kiss.

Groaning with the memory, I roll to my side and try to ignore my raging hard-on. I glance briefly and dismissively at the bottle of lube on my nightstand. I already know what of waste of time that idea would be. The act of masturbation has proven itself pointless on more than one occasion. Sure, for a fleeting moment I will have some relief, but then, only moments later, I find myself hard and wanting again, even worse than before. It seems that I am doomed to be eternally hard for him.

No one had taken me to such an excruciating level of desire before. I could have sworn I had more control than this. I was in serious need of some relief and I knew that nothing could give it to me. Nothing, other than Hiro himself.

I don’t want to wait. I don’t need to wait. I know what I want now, without a shadow of a doubt. I know that Hiro is what I have been looking for. I should tell him. Should I tell him?

But I don’t want to scare him off.

And so my head spins round and round. I am going stark, raving mad.

The frustration finally gets to me and I get out of bed. I decide I need a very stiff drink.

Pulling on a pair of boxers, I wander into the living room, unlit cigarette hanging out of my mouth. I think I pass Shuichi in the hall, but I’m so distracted I’m not sure. I head for the liquor cabinet and in the dark, I nearly stumble over a pair of feet.

“What are you doing up?” Hiro’s silken voice asks me softly from out of the darkness.

“Interesting choice of words, but accurate, nonetheless,” I answer as I reach for the bourbon and pour myself a glass.

“What do you mean?” he asks.

“Are you teasing me?” I almost snarl as I flop onto the couch next to him.

“Kyosuke…”

Now that my eyes have adjusted to the dim light in the room, I can see his eyes sparkle, reflecting the lights from the city. Gods, he is beautiful, and I can feel my heart beat faster.

“Hiro,” I say breathlessly, “I am very close to losing any kind of restraint around you. I’m not sure you have any idea of what you are doing to me.”

“Kyosuke…”

“Normally, I pride myself on my patience, but with you… I can’t sleep. I can barely eat. You fill my every thought,” I was panting, good gods! Like a dog, I was panting! Loss of control is so humiliating.

“Kyosuke…”

I set my glass down and turn towards him, “I know you think we should wait awhile, and you’re probably right, but I don’t want to wait. You have me completely and …”

I am totally unprepared when he jumps on me. He literally jumps on me. Stoic and stalwart Nakano Hiroshi jumps on me. His long arms wrap around me and he lands, for the most part, in my lap.

“You talk too much,” he says, his voice thick with passion before he presses his lips against mine in a crushing, bruising kiss.

When the kiss ends, I find that I am unable to form any type of coherent speech as all the blood has left my brain in order to race to my groin. All I can do is stare at him in wonder and let my hands touch him tentatively.

“That’s more like it,” he whispers in my ear as he gently repositions himself so that he is straddling me, causing a moan to tear itself from my throat. Moving his head down, he nuzzles my neck, “I’ve been thinking about you, too. I want you, Kyosuke.”

Those words! Oh gods, I fear that I will black out from sensory overload from those words. I allow my hands to travel over his back, memorizing and feeling muscles ripple and flex with each of his movements and shallow breaths. My hands move lower to his slim, enticing hips. My fingers grip at him with a fevered, crazed intensity that I’m sure will leave marks on his lovely skin, as I pull him ruthlessly against my aching groin.

He throws his head back with a loud moan, leaving his creamy white neck vulnerable to my lips and teeth. His taste is of ambrosia as my mouth and my tongue take turns sucking and licking at him. I let my teeth close gently over his pulse point and he shivers against me.

I need more of him. So much more.

“Hiro,” I finally manage to say, “bedroom.”

He nods as he slips off of me and stands in front of me. I should drag us both to the bedroom immediately, but this vision standing right in front of me is too tempting, and I am much too weak to resist my own cravings. I reach out and slowly pull down his boxers, careful of his hard and dripping cock. The boxer’s slide easily off of his hips and pool around his ankles leaving the object of my desire mostly naked.

Hiro’s engorged erection begs to be sucked, and of course, I can do nothing else but oblige.

Sliding to the edge of the couch, I grip his hips again and let my tongue lick the wet, glistening tip, tasting his flavor of bitter honey and salt. I moan from shear longing, from the days that I have been denied this glorious prize.

He moans in return and thrusts against my mouth, “Kyo…”

His voice is sultry with need, so unbelievably sexy that I fear I will come from the sound of his pleading. I let my lips engulf and close very gently around the head of his cock, my tongue lapping at him, teasing him and I find that, surprisingly, I am gaining more control with every whimper and moan I can wring from him.

I want this to last forever.

Long, strong fingers thread themselves through my hair and he attempts to push my head further down his throbbing shaft, “Oh gods, please, Kyo… please!”

How can I deny him?

I swallow his erection down my throat and he cries out, his fingers, his hips, his whole body convulsing as his wish is granted.

“Yessss, Kyo,” is all he says and I feel his cock become impossibly harder. It only takes a few more strokes from me bring him to a twitching, shaking orgasm. His hands grip my shoulders for support as his knees shake visibly and he makes a low, keening moan.

After I have milked him dry, I look up into his half-closed, so-satisfied eyes as I lick my lips in anticipation of more.

Dear gods, he is so hot.

He looks down and smiles sheepishly at me, “Sorry, that was kind of quick, huh?”

I shake my head, “That was delicious. And we have a long night ahead of us, Hiro-kun. I want to hear you make that noise again.”

“I hope we don’t wake up Shu,” he says with trepidation.

Standing, I take his hand and lead him to my bedroom. “It doesn’t matter, Hiro. Nothing will keep me from you now. I’m having you tonight.”

“Kyosuke?” he asks quietly.

I stop in front of my bed as I peel off his t-shirt and my boxers, “Don’t worry, Hiro-kun. I won’t hurt you. That is, unless you ask me to,” I say to him, part in seductive reassurance and part in absolute seriousness.

“Oh, gods,” he says shakily. “How do you know what I’m thinking?”

My head snaps up and I make eye contact with him, searching for signs that he is teasing me, “Hiro? Are you telling me that you are … kinky?”

His fingers dart out and grab my nipple ring and twist with vicious cruelty. When the blinding, sweet pain passes, I find myself leaning over, almost on my knees in front of him. I smile as I struggle back upright; looking into his lust-filled stormy eyes I say, “I’ll take that to mean “yes” to kink. Holy gods, Hiro, you and I are going to have so much fun!”

I push him, rather forcefully, on to the bed.

“There will be no more waiting,” I demand as I crawl towards him on the bed.

Grabbing and uncapping the lubricant on the nightstand, I coat my fingers as I push Hiro’s thighs wide apart. I watch closely as I run my slick fingers over his sac and caress his perineum, he writhes in response. I let my fingers travel further, gently touching and teasing his hole into opening for me. Finally, overcome with lust, my patience at an end, I stab a finger into his entrance.

His hips arch against my hand and he moans, very loudly. “Be quiet,” I hiss at him and not being able to resist using the new knowledge I have about my lover I say, “or I’ll gag you.” My reward is that his next moan is louder. Oh, I would gag him at some point, but right now, what I really need is to be inside him.

I slide a second finger into him and twist my wrist. He bucks into me this time with a raw cry and I lean up and kiss him harshly, pushing my tongue into his mouth as I continue to stretch him, none-to-gently, into readiness. Pulling my fingers from him I snatch up the lube again and coat my own hard cock, groaning with the touch.

He is watching me, his eyes wide, “Kyo, take it easy with that thing, okay? I’m not sure I can ta..”

I ignore him as my hand grips his right ankle and throws it onto my left shoulder, I position my anxious shaft at his slicked-up hole.

“Kyo, I’m serious,” he pants at me, “I don’t think I can take it all!”

“Breath deep, Hiro,” I say as I look into his eyes and start to push into him. “I told you already, nothing is going to stop me now.”

“But…uhh. Oh!”

The head of my cock slides to a halt as the first ring of muscle fights against my invasion. “Come on, Hiro,” I coo at him, “relax. It will be no fun for you if you don’t.”

“You wouldn’t do that! You wouldn’t hurt me,” his eyes sparkle with a teasing challenge. I can feel his erection has returned and it is harder than ever. His body pushes back against me in willing eagerness.

“Oh, yes I would,” I grin at him, as I brutally slam myself all the way into him.

He bucks against me and claws at my back, writhing and crying, speaking in unintelligible half-words, screams, and moans.

An exquisite tautness engulfs me and I moan with a renewed appreciation of his lissome form. I have to pause for a moment in order to calm myself. I look at him closely and see the tears still spilling from his eyes, I have been too wild with him.

Brushing away the tears I ask, “Hiro, are you okay?”

“Oh, yeah,” his breathing is harsh and shallow, “I like it rough.”

Oh… my… god…

Hooking my elbow around his left knee I press into him further, trying to fold him in half with my desire to have him completely.

I want it to last, but I know that this time it won’t. I reassure myself with the knowledge that even if it is quick, I was sure it would not be long before I would find myself buried in him again.

“Hiro…” I say with a strangled cry, as I reached between us to stroke his rigid cock. I was so close already and I really want him to have two.

“Ahhh!” he cries and I feel the warm liquid splash on my hand and stomach.

His cry was it, the license allowing me to unleash myself completely. I growl as I let the animal, the dog that I am, take over and possess that willing, beautiful body beneath me. I thrust into him relentlessly, spreading his thighs wider and angling in deeper.

“Hiro,” is all can manage to moan before I throw back my head and in shuddering, mind-blowing ecstasy, I empty myself into him.

I fall to the side, onto my back, still shaking and breathing harshly. Oh, dear gods, that was good. I close my eyes and reach out to stroke Hiro’s sweat-damp hair but he has already moved.

I open my eyes and watch with increasing interest as my lover leans over my belly and licks his own cum off of my body.

And just like that, my raging hard-on is alive once again.

His tongue laps at me, cleaning me of the sticky fluid. I continue to watch, mesmerized as his wonderfully long tongue dips into my navel. He moves his head to the jagged, ugly scar that marks my stomach and even though it is cum-free, he kisses and licks at the mark lovingly, his tongue following the long, irregular line that is forever carved in me.

And I watch, my desire increasing with every stroke of his tongue. It is so hot.

“You are so hot. I need more,” I announce gruffly as I sit up and roll him onto his stomach.
“I love your slender hips,” I whisper to him as my fingers stroke his sides before gently lifting him to his knees. “And I love your perfect ass,” my hands give him feathery touches before my thumbs part his alabaster cheeks. He squirms in embarrassment as I stare at him. “I love this tiny hole that is my gateway to paradise,” at that moment, I watch my own milky-white cum trickle out of him and make the journey down to his trembling thigh. “And I love that sight,” my voice is low and thick with passion.

The vision is all I can take and I plunge my aching cock into him without any warning. My breath hitches. Gods, he is still so amazingly tight, it feels just like heaven.

His hands tangle in the sheets and he cries out as he attempts to meet my wild thrusts. He, also, has become an animal in heat, whining and begging to be pounded with my every stroke. “Harder!” he demands of me.

I gladly give him what he wants as, once again, I grip his hips and pull his ass tight against me, again and again, filling and hammering him with a bestial, merciless screwing.

His head rests on the bed, his right cheek is pressed into the sheets and his hair fans out around him. His eyes, clouded with lust, watch me with barely tempered desire. He looks like an angel of mercy, offering up his ass as sacrifice in order to sooth my demonic need of him.

“Hiro,” I moan as I reach around to find his penis hard and wet again. My eyes roll back, the stimulation of his erection is not what I needed to help me to stay in control.

I stroke him and he bucks harder against me.

Pulling out of him I roll him onto his back and reenter him without missing a beat. The new position and angle make him nearly scream with pleasure.

I feel his passage constrict even tighter around my yearning cock as his orgasm takes him, almost violently, and he yells with it, thrashing back against my groin. I can’t resist the additional tightness and his so sexy voice and I find that follow him quickly into ecstasy.

I lay next to him as my breathing begins to slow. I complain, “That was supposed to last longer.”

He laughs at me, “Well, I’m glad it didn’t. I’m not sure how much more of you I could have taken tonight. I’ll be very sore in the morning.”

“Good,” I smirk at him.

“So, I guess that means I get to have you when we do this tomorrow.”

“What?” I raise my head to look at him to see if he is teasing me, “You’re kidding, right?”

His sparkling eyes meet mine with that challenging look that I adore, “What do you think?”

“Huh,” I smile as I let my head fall back to the bed. That might not be so bad. In fact… “We’ll see about that, tomorrow.”

My eyes are already closing. I should take a shower. I should change the sheets. But instead, I wrap my arms around Hiro and pull him close, snuggling into him, my nose into his hair. “I’m so tired.”

“Me, too,” he places his hand on my arm and caresses. “I haven’t been able to sleep for three days.”

“You too, huh?” I say, as I slip closer to sleep.

“Yeah,” he says quietly. “Ever since you kissed me in the alleyway.”

I chuckle softly as I snuggle into him some more, “Yeah. That was way hot.”

“I guess I should listen to Shu more often,” he mutters as he drifts off.

Before I can ask him what he means, my eyes also close.


I open my eyes with a start and sit up. I am alone. I look at the clock, it’s late, after 7:00.

Getting up, I feel the flakey mess on my body and on the bedding. Had last night really happened with Hiro, or had it been a really good wet dream? I am rather prone to those, after all.

I take a shower. When I get out, I can smell breakfast. Shuichi must be cooking again.

The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that last night was only a dream. Well, that totally sucks.

I make my way out to the kitchen. I was correct about one assumption; Shuichi is wearing an apron and is attempting to make a semi-traditional English breakfast with banger sausages, tomatoes, and toast. I’m somewhat surprised that he didn’t try to slip some rice in there.

Hiro is sitting at the table reading the newspaper, a cup of coffee in front of him.

I stretch, “Good morning!”

Shuichi looks up from the sausages, “There you are. I was beginning to wonder about you. You’re usually the first one up.”

“Well,” I start as I pour myself a cup of coffee, “I’ve been having trouble sleeping lately. Last night I finally got some… relief.”

Hiro looks up from the paper, his expression unreadable.

My cup of coffee pauses at my lips before I take a drink. I can see the hickey on his neck from across the room.

Not a dream after all. Well, what do you know?

“I’m glad someone got some sleep,” Shuichi says peevishly to us. “Because you guys sure kept me awake.”

“You’re just jealous,” I say to him as I lean on the counter as I recover from the knowledge that last night was real. Suddenly, I am immensely pleased with myself.

“Yeah,” our cook says quietly, “I suppose I am.”

“You are?” My eyes blink with surprise. “But Shu, you made it very clear that you didn’t want either of us. You didn’t expect us to wait around on a losing proposition, did you?”

He leans on the other side of the counter, “That’s not what I meant.”

“So,” Hiro finally speaks as he folds up the newspaper neatly and looks pointedly at Shuichi. “What did you mean?”

“Well, you know, you guys are all in love now and you’ll be all over each other. Don’t get me wrong, I’m really happy for you, but watching you will be hard,” he sits down at the table. “It can’t help but make me feel a little… lonely.”

“Selfish as usual, aren’t you?” I tease him. When he winces at my words, I take the time to look closely at our friend, seeing the evident pain etched on him, “Hey, what’s going on, Shu? I thought you and Yuki were working things out.”

“Yeah, I guess we are,” he says with a sigh. “But I can’t imagine that it will ever work again. We’ve done such horrible things to each other.”

Hiro and I look at each other.

“Shu,” I keep trying, “the photo should be published soon.”

His eyes turn dark and scary and his anger erupts, “I still do not see how you think that’s going to help! Eiri will be furious when he sees that. That is, if he cares at all.”

“Oh, stop it,” Hiro snarls at him. “You know he’ll come. He won’t be able to stop himself. You belong to him, Shu, like it or not. Sooner or later, he always comes to claim you. So quit your whining.”

“Whatever. I don’t want to discuss it anymore,” our flat mate snarls at us ripping off his apron and throwing on the counter. “Let’s eat.”


A few days of bliss pass and then I got a weird feeling. It was as if I knew there was a storm coming. You don’t grow up as the son of a powerful – businessman - without being able to realize when situations were about to unfold.

Something was coming and I wanted to be prepared.

I made my way outside and knocked on my neighbor’s door. The door was opened by a huge Chinese man named, interestingly enough, Tony. “Inoue-san?”

Stepping inside, he closes the door behind me in a rush. “May I help you, Inoue-san?”

Rolling my eyes, I wander into the living room to find a smaller, but much more deadly, Japanese man named Nakamura.

These men are more than my neighbors. They are my bodyguards. Your father doesn’t become a powerful – businessman - without making some deadly enemies. And sometimes, I am made a target. I resisted my father’s precautions for many years, but that was before Lee was killed in front of me and I nearly died myself.

But that is another story.

“Something’s coming,” I say to them.

To anyone else my words would sound like nonsense but the two of them make eye contact and nod. They trust my instincts when it comes to sensing trouble. I have been correct on more occasions than I have been wrong.

As usual, it is that Tony answers, “We understand, Inoue-san. We will be more vigilant.”

Nakamura looks at Tony and the big Chinese man asks, “Is it the blond Japanese man?”

I shake my head, “No, it’s not him. Not yet. He will be here soon, though. Be sure to make all the arrangements to be ready for him.”

“Understood, Inoue-san,” Tony bows.

“Also,” I decide I might as well let them know, “one of my guests, the slender one with the long, dark hair?”

“Ah,” Tony smiles, “you mean Nakano-san?”

“Yes. He is,” I smile back, “special to me.”

“So we hear,” Nakamura’s deep, raspy voice grumbles.

The two of them have my house wired for monitoring purposes. Just in case. When I think about it, that’s probably why I have so few inhibitions, it comes from a lifetime of being watched. I hope Hiro won’t mind when I tell him.

That is, if I tell him. This type of stuff, bodyguards, having your house wired, the constant possibility of being made a target is difficult to explain. It tends to frighten off people I care about. And I really don’t want to frighten off Hiro. I want to keep him.

I look at Tony’s smiling face again and grin at him, “Did you record us?”

He shrugs, “Maybe.”

“No selling it to the tabloids!” I continue to grin, “And, I want a copy.”

He hands me a disc, “I suspected you might, Inoue-san.”

I take the disc and head out the door.

When I step back into my own apartment Hiro is standing at the top of the stairs, “Visiting your “neighbors,” eh?”

What did he know? “Uh, yeah.”

Rolling his eyes he says, “You know, Kyo, I know what they are.”

I take the stairs slowly keeping eye contact with him. I smile, “And what are they, Hiro-kun?”

“Bodyguards.”

“Bodyguards? Really?” I take the last stair and stand beside him. I look around, “Where’s Shu?”

“Don’t worry, he’s in the shower,” Hiro’s eyes are serious as he says, “Your father is Inoue Rynosuke and he is rather notorious. I know the story of how you got this,” he reaches out towards my scar and my hand snatches his wrist before he can touch me.

“Be careful, Hiro-kun,” I say quietly. “Some things are best left unsaid.”

He does not back down from my stare, “Not between us, Kyo. I won’t have it. I want you to know that I am aware of your background and I’m not scared.”

So he did know about me. I panic. Without realizing it, I shift into self-preservation mode. I look down and see that I am griping his wrist so tightly that it has turned white from the pressure. I push him, hard enough that he staggers backwards until his foot tangles with the edge of the couch and he falls to the floor. I am on him before he can move, my knee in his chest and my hand around his throat and I whisper, “You should be scared, Hiro-kun. I am not a man to trifle with and this is not a game.”

His eyes are not afraid, they are angry. “Get off me,” he squeaks at me through his restricted airway.

I shake my head clear of panic as I stand up and release him.

He rubs his throat, “What was that for, you sadistic bastard?”

“You want to know me, don’t you? And what I’m capable of?” I snap at him, still freaked out about him knowing. He will probably not want to be with me now. I just made sure of that.

“That’s not you, that was just some scare tactic,” he glares at me. “Well, fuck you, Kyo!”

What do I do? How do I fix this? “Hiro,” I say quietly as I sit down next to him. “I don’t even know where to begin.”

After a few moments of silence, he is the one to speak first. “So, you’re a gangster, right?”

“What?” I stare at him, that blunt question was not what I was expecting.

“I said, “you’re a gangster.” So what’s it like? Do you ever, you know, torture people? ” His eyes are bright with curiosity. Odd.

“What? I’m not really. I… uh, well,” I was trying to figure out how to answer when Tony materialized next to us. For a big man, he can be very stealthy when he wants to be.

“Inoue-san,” he hisses quietly at me. “You were right. Someone just broke into the back of your house.”

I reach under the couch and pull out my blackjack. With the sap in my hand I say softly, “All right, then. Let’s go see who it is.” [1]

Hiro’s eyes are the size of saucers now. Had he really thought that I was kidding? I look closer at him, no, his eyes are fever-bright with excitement. I touch his cheek lovingly, “I never suspected you were such a freak, Nakano Hiroshi. Praise the gods for that, but you really should stay here.”

“No,” he says, his eyes still shine as he processes the unfolding events, “I’m going, too.”

“Suit yourself, but stay behind me,” I instruct.

I let Tony lead the way, after all, it is his job. Not to mention the fact that Nakamura has probably already taken care of the situation.

We step out to the back porch and sure enough, there is Nakamura and one unconscious human at his feet.

Kneeling down, I roll the prone form onto his back.

Hiro’s breath catches and he whispers, “Ryuichi.”

Well, isn’t this just what I needed?

Two weeks. It had been almost two weeks and I was back to going crazy. Hiro wouldn’t let me make love to him while Sakuma was in the house.

Sakuma wanted to make me crazy. That’s what it was. I would need to kill him. Nakamura would do it for me, I was sure.

No. That wouldn’t work.

Tohma would be here in a few days, and I would get him to take the madman out of my house. Otherwise, well, otherwise I would just screw Hiro in front of his ex-boyfriend.

Ex-boyfriends. I was sick to death of them.

Not to mention that I got the definite feeling that Sakuma was playing with me, which was all the more infuriating.

“Kyo?” Shuichi asked quietly.

“What?” I snapped.

He grinned at me and patted me on the back, “A little tense, aren’t you?”

“I’m sorry for snapping at you. And yes, I am a little… tense.” I smile at the little brat. He is pretty cute and I find that I still have a soft spot for him. Or maybe I should say “hard” spot for him. “Hey, Shu, you aren’t interested are you? I mean, it’s been a while for you, too. We could, you know, ease each other’s pain.”

“Kyosuke!” Hiro’s sharp voice hits me from behind.

I turn my head and look at him innocently, “What? I was just asking…”

After waiting a moment or two, I stand up and stretch, “Hmm, I think I’ll go see what Suguru’s doing.”

Hiro grabs my arm in a viselike grip and I dissolve into laughter. He smiles at me but there is no humor in it, “You shouldn’t tease Suguru like that. He has kind of a thing for you.”

I touch my lover’s cheek, “He has “kind of a thing” for you as well, Hiro-kun.”

“No,” he shakes his head. “No, he doesn’t.”

“Oh, please,” Shuichi snorts. “That guy has been hard for you since he showed up on our doorstep.”

“Didn’t you have a question?” Hiro demands of his friend sharply.

Ah, I think the two weeks are starting to get Hiro as well.

“Oh yeah,” Shuichi grins at us. “Do you know of a Dojo around here? I really need to start working out again. The tour starts soon and I’ll need to be limber and stuff.”

I nod, trying not to think of how amazingly limber he is, “Yeah. Actually, there is one right down the street. Do you want me to take you?”

“No,” he shakes his head, “I think it might be better if I get Ryu out of the house for a while. I’ll have him take me.”

“Oh, Shuichi, I could kiss you,” I lean forward and he places his hand on my forehead, holding me away from him.

“No, thanks,” he sighs. “Eiri is still mad about the last kiss I had with you.”

“Serves him right. And, you have to admit, that was a good one,” I grin in memory.

“Yeah,” he smiles at me and licks his lips, “it was.”

I watch his tongue with interest.

“All right, you two,” Hiro huffs at us, “break it up.”

“He’s jealous,” Shu whispers to me with a grin after Hiro moves to the living room.

“Nah, it’s just the two weeks of no sex,” I answer.

Shuichi is watching Hiro closely and he shakes his head, “I don’t think so. He’s really jealous, Kyo.”

“Tch,” Hiro answers us with a surliness I’ve never seen in him before as he flops on the couch.

It’s true, Hiro is actually fuming. I try and hide the smirk on my lips and I wisely change the subject, “Hey, Shu, what do you thing is Sakuma’s motive here?”

Shuichi meets my stare, “He wants to make sure you’re treating Hiro right.”

“So he is screwing with my head. I thought so,” I sigh.

“Yeah, I think that’s what’s happening,” he laughs. “Don’t worry, I’ll get him out of the house for a while. There’s no sense in all of us in the house being frustrated.”

I smile at the little brat, and ruffle his hair, “Don’t worry, Yuki will come for you soon, Shu.”

“Huh, I’ll believe it when I see it,” he grumbles as he goes in search of the crazy Sakuma.


A week or so later, I am sitting at my table sipping coffee when I look up into the chocolate brown eyes of Sakuma Ryuichi. I find that I am no longer surprised by his impromptu arrivals and I simply ask, “How do you keep getting into my house?”

He smiles at me. Not the child-like smile, but the other one, the evil genius smile, with sharp clarity.

I set my cup down, “I thought Tohma got you a room at the hotel with him and Noriko-san.”

“Yuki-san is coming,” he is still smiling.

Narrowing my eyes I ask, “How do you know?”

He shrugs, “Is it not enough that I know and that I am sharing the information?” He sits down across the table from me.

Nakamura appears in the kitchen.

Sakuma smiles at the deadly man, this time it is the innocent smile, “Hi, Nakamura-san! You were slow this time!”

I can hear the soft growl from my bodyguard.

“It’s okay, Nakamura. I’ll take care of this,” I say in dismissal.

He leaves the room, but I know that the taciturn man has not left the flat. I wonder if Sakuma knows that he is taking some dangerous risks with Nakamura.

Nittle Grasper’s singer leans closer to me, his eyes sparkle with merriment, “I make him really mad.”

Yeah, he knows all right. I can’t stop myself from chuckling. It is a rare creature that can outmaneuver Nakamura. That must drive my bodyguard insane.

“So, Sakuma-san,” I say in seriousness. “Why would you think that I want to know that Yuki-san is coming to London.”

He smiles at me with that lucid look in his eyes again as he leans back, “You’re planning to give him a surprise welcome, correct? Maybe a little – guidance – regarding his treatment of Shuichi?”

How does Sakuma possibly know about that? Only Tony, Nakamura, and I know.

I meet his razor sharp stare and sigh in resignation, “Okay, when?”

“Tomorrow. He’s coming on British Airways in the afternoon.” He continues to stare at me, “He doesn’t travel well. He’ll be… vulnerable.”

Nodding in thought, I pick up my coffee cup again.

“Kyosuke-kun,” he leans forward again, very close, “don’t get too carried away with Yuki-san and make Shu-chan cry.”

“Mmm,” is my answer.

“I know, maybe you should take Hiro-kun along with you to keep you focused,” he points at the kitchen doorway and to Hiro standing there.

I look and this time it is Hiro that has surprised me, “What are you doing here?”

“Listening. Ryu’s right. I think I should go, too.”

“No,” I snap at him.

Ryu stands up and grins at us, his clarity melting away as he holds his stuffed Kumagoro tightly, “See ya!”

Ryuichi scampers out of the room as Hiro and I face each other. This will be a good one as it looks as if he is as determined as I am. We both dig in as we prepare to square off over this issue.

And the fight is on.


TBC


Lyrics for “So Alive” by Daniel Ash (Love and Rockets)


[1] A blackjack is a small, easily-concealed weapon consisting of a leather-wrapped lead weight attached to the end of a leather-wrapped coil-spring or rigid shaft, with a lanyard or strap on the end opposite the weight. Materials other than lead and leather are sometimes used to construct these weapons. Also known as a sap.
Blackjacks are popular due to their low profile and small size, and their potential to inflict enormous damage on human beings.