Amethyst
“Kaoru!”
the squeaky voice bellowed up the stairs and the target of the shout rolled his
eyes. The young man pushed away
from his desk, grabbing his new blazer off the back of his chair as he headed
out into the hall.
“Yes,
mother?” he asked in a cold, slightly bored, tone as he peered down the
curling staircase to where she stood next to the front door in her best sun
dress.
“Your
father and I are ready to go.” He could already see the frown forming on
her thin little lips, the crease eroding away the skin between her eyes. “I thought I told you to dye your
hair before we started meeting the neighbors?”
Kaoru
closed his eyes and counted to five.
“I’m sorry mother.
I will go to the stylists tomorrow.
Perhaps I should remain at home then.”
“You
are going to meet the neighbors.” His father stepped into view in his
grey suit, glaring up at the youth on the stairs. “And you will be a civilized,
Japanese citizen. None of your
foreign nonsense.”
“Yes
sir.” Kaoru pulled on his blazer as he stepped down the stairs.
“Do
you have the gifts, dear?” his father fussed over his tie while his
mother collected the gift baskets off the stair case.
“Here
they are, honey. We should be
going.”
The
pair bustled out the door followed by the purple tinged storm cloud that was
their son.
Kaoru
mused silently about the particular reason for his accompanying his parents on
their escapades to introduce themselves to their new neighbors. His family had moved in a few days
before and had waited for a Sunday, the day most likely for said neighbors to
be at home, before arranging elaborate baskets of fruit and crackers to present
to the households on either side.
He had recently returned to his parents after having spent his first two
years of high school with relatives in the
They
stepped under the elaborate porch of their first target. The large white pillars were drowned in
clinging ivy, the gardens elaborate and well tended. A beautiful red convertible was shining
in the sun next to the garage, something no young boy could ignore, even when
mired in family-driven angst.
Arranging themselves so that his father was in the middle, wife on the
right and son one step back to the left, his father reached out and rang the
bell. Kaoru was surprised by the
haunting melody the doorbell sounded, instead of the common
‘bing-bong’ of so many other houses.
A
loud, deep bark startled the family into jumping a pace away from the door as
footsteps became clearer. The door
opened and a young man with wavy blond hair stood before them with sunglasses
on. He was thin, dressed in simple
black slacks and a partially open white dress shirt. There was a long silence where Kaoru
decided his parents were entirely too shocked. This was obviously not the type of
neighbor they were expecting in this high class neighborhood. “Can I help you?” the blond
asked quietly in a husky, deep voice.
“We’re
your new neighbors, the Nikkura’s.
We’ve brought you a trifling gift.” His father finally found
his voice and moved to hand the basket to the stranger with a deep bow that was
quickly repeated by the family behind him.
.
“Wow.”
The stranger accepted the gift with a pleased smile and a small nod of his head
at their politeness. “Quite
the trifle, thank you very much.”
He set down the basket just inside the door and Kaoru got a look at the
large…husky…that began sniffing its contents. “Yoshiki Hayashi, pleased to meet
you.” And he put out his hand for a shake.
There
was another uncomfortable pause where Kaoru rolled his eyes at his
father’s hesitation. Finally
the elder Nikkura briefly shook hands with Mr. Hayashi and stepped back
again. “This is my wife,
Kayoko.” Kaoru’s father tried to act like he wasn’t
completely uncomfortable as he presented his wife with one hand. “And my son, Kaoru.”
“Kaoru.”
Yoshiki’s smile took on a new lilt that Kaoru translated as extreme
amusement as his parents’ behavior as Kaoru took a step forward to shake
the older man’s hand. Yoshiki
paused, gripping Kaoru’s hand so he couldn’t get away. “What instrument do you
play?” Yoshiki asked abruptly.
Kaoru’s
father gave an angry sputter, stepping forward and elbowing his son away from
the stranger. “My son is
studying to get into Todai, for economics.” He practically growled.
“Oh,
congratulations.” Yoshiki nodded to the elder Nikkura. “You must be very proud. I asked because he has calluses on his
fingers indicating he plays some sort of stringed instrument. Math is, after all, one of the primary
building blocks of music.”
“Do
you live alone, Mr….?” Kaoru’s
mother stepped in to cover up the “Humph” noise her husband made at
their neighbor’s pronouncement.
“Hayashi.”
Yoshiki made a polite cough into his hand before smiling at Kaoru’s
mother. “I have no wife,
unfortunately, and most of my children have homes of their own to look after,
so I live alone.”
The
Nikkura family blinked in unison at the idea of such a young looking man having
a child, let alone several children grown and moved away. Maybe the blond hair dye was to hide his
age?
“Well,
I’m afraid we must be going.” Mr. Nikkura bowed stiffly to Mr.
Hayashi, a much smaller bow than the one he’d introduced his family with,
and led the way back down the driveway.
Kaoru
paused before turning quickly back to find Mr. Hayashi with that same amused
smile watching his parents walk away.
“Forgive their rudeness.” Kaoru gave a short bow and a grin
of his own.
He
nearly yelped when the older man grabbed his wrist and stuffed a business card
in his hand. “Call me and
we’ll compose something.” The older man’s sunglasses slid
down his nose enough for him to wink at the younger man before he returned into
his house.
“Kaoru!”
his mother squeaked unhappily from the end of the driveway.
Sliding
the card into his pocket Kaoru quickly hurried to catch up.
*
“From
the top.” Yoshiki began tapping out the rhythm on his drum set when his
phone began to ring, starling them all.
With a quick apology he hurried to the phone. “Yoshiki here.” Pause. “Kaoru! Yeah, I’m great, how are
you?” Nod of the head. Nod of the head. “Absolutely. I have some friends over right now and
we’re just doing a little jam session. What do you play?” Pause. “By the time you get here
Pata’ll be so plastered you can take his spot then.” Light chuckle. “Yeah, the front door’s
open, come on in.” Another
nod and Yoshiki hung up the phone looking very pleased with himself.
“Will
not.” Pata gave his friend a wink, taking another swig of beer.
“Was
that the little purple haired piece of ass you were telling us about?”
Hakuei draped himself over his Father’s shoulders with a grin.
“You
will not refer to him as a piece of ass while he’s in the house, young
man.” Yoshiki tried to sound authoritative, but the grin on his face made
that a failure. “Seems like a
sweet kid, parents complete tight asses though.”
“Sounds
like most parents these days.” Chisato nodded.
“Fucking
jumping the numbers downstairs.” Chirolyn frowned at the bass in his
hands. “Pisses off the Maker
to no end.”
Yoshiki
frowned at the demon’s unhappy statement, but quickly hid it as the
basement door opened and his neighbor stepped quietly in. “Come in Kaoru, I’ll
introduce you.” He drew the
young man to the center of the room to begin introductions.
*
Thursday
night, study group night, or so Kaoru’s parents believed. As long as his grades kept going up it
didn’t matter what actually happened on such nights. He kept coming over; same night, same
time, and Yoshiki never seemed to turn him away. Yes, they were on a first name basis
now, a fact that for some reason made Kaoru very proud. He’d arrive on the door step, let
himself in, and find the older man in the music room with one instrument or
another. Sometimes members of
Yoshiki’s extended ‘family’ were there to jam with; sometimes
it was just the two of them.
Kaoru
didn’t mind in the slightest when it was just the two of them. During his stay in
Kaoru
stepped into the music room to find Yoshiki by himself at the piano. Yoshiki looked up with a gentle smile
and then moved over so Kaoru could join him. “How is school?” Yoshiki
asked as he led Kaoru through a basic warm up.
“Its
all right…I’m a little concerned though, my parents haven’t
been bothering me about Todai lately.
My mother keeps going next door though, and demanding I go with
her.”
“Who
lives next door?” Yoshiki
glanced at his student.
“The
Yamada’s. They have a
daughter a few years younger than me, angry cattish little thing. Mom’s having me tutor her in
math.”
Yoshiki
was silent for a moment. “So
they haven’t been pushing you to get into University, but they have been
making you spend time with a girl around your age?”
Kaoru’s
mouth dropped open. “They
wouldn’t.”
Yoshiki’s
hands paused and he glanced at his new friend. “Wouldn’t they?”
The
piano gave an angry bang as Kaoru’s forehead landed on the keys. “They would.”
Yoshiki
put an arm around the younger man.
“Hey, it’ll be okay.
If you need a place to run away to, I’m here for you.”
Kaoru
looked up at him. Yoshiki was
smiling at him gently, talented fingers kneading his shoulder in a comforting
manner. Screw the plan.
Although
surprised by the move Yoshiki certainly didn’t object when he found
Kaoru’s lips over his own.
Kaoru really was a great guy, a little cold and aloof at first, but with
parents like that, who could blame him.
They certainly wouldn’t be doing it on the piano bench
though. With a grin he pushed the
younger man away and then took his hand, leading him to somewhere a little more
comfortable.
*
Yoshiki
stood outside watching the moving men as his furniture made its way from inside
his house to inside their truck.
The first truck had already gone on ahead with the boxes of his
belongings. All that was left was
the big stuff.
“What’s
going on?”
Yoshiki
gave a jump at the unexpected voice and turned to look at Kaoru who had appeared
behind him. He was in full school
wardrobe with his backpack over one shoulder. Yoshiki couldn’t help smiling, he
rarely saw the younger man in his school uniform, and it
looked…great…on him.
“My new home is finally ready!” Yoshiki purred. “I can’t wait to show it to
you; it’s built right into the hill side. Huge spacious building, great for family
reunions.”
“You
didn’t tell me you were leaving!” Kaoru looked both shocked and crushed
all in one instant.
“Don’t
act like that.” Yoshiki patted him gently on one shoulder. “I’m still in the city, you
still have my number, and it hasn’t changed. When you need me, you call me, even if
it’s to pick you up for our study sessions, you call me.”
That
cold mask returned to Kaoru’s face and Yoshiki frowned. Shrugging off the
other’s hand the high school student gave an awkward bow and turned to
walk away. Yoshiki opened his mouth
to call the boy back when one of the movers dropped a lamp which smashed into
little bits all over the pavement.
*
“Sugizo…”
Yoshiki walked into the family room to find the pink-haired man seated on his
couch reading the newspaper.
“When I invited you to my house-warming party, I didn’t
think you’d stay for a whole week.”
Sugizo
looked up from the paper.
“Some one had to make sure all the beds work.”
Yoshiki
rolled his eyes and went to start the coffee machine.
“Hey,
Yoshiki, isn’t this that kid you liked so much?”
Yoshiki
hurried over and read over the tiny announcement Sugizo pointed out. “The Nikkura and the Yamada family
are pleased to announce the engagement of their children, Kaoru Nikkura and
Yumiko Yamada. The wedding is to
take place one month from today at the …” Yoshiki growled. “Those…”
“Poor
kid must be furious.” Sugizo
nodded as Yoshiki sputtered angrily and nonsensically.
“He
hasn’t called me since I moved out...” Yoshiki frowned. Both men went eerily still as
Yoshiki’s phone began to ring the familiar tones of the death march. Yoshiki dove for the phone. “Yoshiki here.”
“Your
old house. Now.”
*
When
Yoshiki burst into his old music room and hurried to the young man’s side
he was horrified by the size of the puddle of red surrounding him. He slapped Kaoru’s cheeks gently
to wake him up, putting his other arm around the other’s shoulders. “Kaoru! Wake up!”
The
high school graduate’s eyes opened, clouded and blurry. A sad smile. “Yoshiki.” He
whispered. “You’ve come
to watch me escape?”
“No,
you moron, this is not an escape!” Yoshiki was furious. “You face your problems like a
man!”
A
frown graced Kaoru’s pale lips.
“You’re mad at me.”
“Of
course I’m mad at you!
You’re trying to kill yourself!”
Kaoru
opened and closed his mouth a few times before managing to sputter. “But it’s too
late…”
Yoshiki’s
eyes narrowed. “No…not for you.” Kaoru was too weak to resist when the
older man grabbed his wrist and licked at the deep wound he’d
inflicted. Biting deeply into his
own wrist Yoshiki pressed it to Kaoru’s lips. “Now
drink!”
*
He
was warm, wrapped in soft blankets, arms around a furry little creature,
someone else’s hand playing with his hair. Opening his eyes Kaoru could only see to
the edge of the bed, the darkness engulfing everything beyond. Glancing down he found a beautiful black
lynx kitten curled up against him, looking at him through half opened
eyes. “What did you do to
me?” he whispered, somehow knowing who lay just behind him.
“Gave
you a new life.” Yoshiki confirmed his guess. “You’re safe here, with
me.”
“Promise?”
he glanced over his shoulder with a sleepy grin.
The
candle just on the bedside table made the older vampire’s hair glow as he
looked down at his Son.
“Promise.” He purred, and kissed those full lips.
Amber
Sheena
made her way up the front driveway to the huge house set deep into the
hill. A modest little blue sedan
was parked next to Yoshiki’s convertible in front of the garage
door. A few of the windows on the
house were open and the loud squealing of a guitar reached her ears as she let
herself in.
“Yoshiki?”
she called over the instrument, taking off her shoes and arranging them neatly
away from the door next to the others.
Eventually
she found him locked away in his office.
The moment she let herself in he jumped to his feet with a weary
smile. “Thank you for
coming.”
“No
problem.” She grinned.
“What can I do for you?”
“Please…PLEASE,
take Kaoru to the hospital with you.
He hasn’t left the house in weeks. The Maker knows I love him, but
I’m going to strangle him.”
Yoshiki looked exceptionally desperate and Sheena resisted the urge to
laugh in his pretty face.
“Sure,
Yoshiki. If he’ll
come.”
“I’ll
make him go.” Yoshiki’s face suddenly grew serious as he exited his
office and went to the bottom of the stairs. “Kaoru!” The purple-haired young vampire in
question appeared at the top of the stairs with bored curiosity written across
his expression. “Kaoru, come
downstairs and meet Sheena.”
When the other had complied Yoshiki smiled. “Kaoru, this is Sheena,
she’s a demon. She volunteers
at the Children’s Hospital; I want you to go with her.”
Kaoru
blinked owlishly at the older vampire.
“Why?” he finally managed to ask.
“I
think it would be good for you.” Yoshiki put an arm around the younger
man’s shoulders. “I think
it will help you understand death a little better. Now that you’re going to be alive
for a long time, maybe you should spend some time helping those that
won’t.”
Kaoru
looked suspiciously between Sheena and his Sire. “And how do I do that?”
“You
play guitar, right?” Sheena stepped in gently. “Why don’t you bring along
an acoustic and you can play for the kids?
I’m sure they’ll enjoy it.”
Still
suspicious Kaoru nodded and stepped back upstairs to collect his guitar
case.
‘Thank
you.’ Yoshiki mouthed silently to the she-demon as she followed Kaoru out
the door.
*
“All
right, kids! Kaoru has to go home
now, so say goodbye.” The nurse smiled at the chorus of disappointed
“Awwwww!”’s that erupted from the crowd around the guitarist. Pouting, most of the children got to
their feet and headed back to their respective rooms, others latched onto the
young man and started to cry.
He’d been coming almost daily for weeks and a lot of the children
had become quite attached. Not to
mention the nurses, who tended to hover around the hallway while he played
hoping to catch his eye while he left.
The head nurse didn’t mind; anything that kept the children happy
and entertained was a welcome change to the flurry of hospital life.
“Would
you like me to put them back to bed?” Kaoru grinned up at her, trying to
figure out how to put down his guitar without dislodging his various
cling-ons.
“No,
that’s all right Kaoru; they can’t do this every time you come to
visit.” Putting on her stern
face the head nurse started shooing the children back to their own beds.
Chuckling
at the pouting faces and plaintive looks he received while his biggest fans
left Kaoru replaced his guitar into its case and was about to close it when
someone called his name. Turning he
found one of the younger nurses standing just inside the doorway. She was one of the shyer nurses that
would smile and be on her way, but the children adored her and were often
telling him how he should ask her out.
“Can I help you?” he stood up, turning to face her.
“I
was wondering if you’d do me a favor.” She announced quietly,
stepping forwards.
“There’s an older boy here, at the hospital, and he often
sneaks out of his bed so he can come and listen to you play. Do you think you might sit with him for
a little bit? Play a
little?”
Kaoru’s
expression grew concerned.
“Why doesn’t he come in?”
“He’s
very very shy.” She explained.
“He hardly speaks to anyone, truthfully.”
“I’ll
play for him, if he’d like.”
The
nurse frowned slightly. “He
hasn’t asked, actually, its something I’d like you to try, to see
if he’ll open up to someone.
Do you think you could…just play in his room, as though you were
practicing? See what
happens?”
Kaoru
was certain there was something she wasn’t telling him about this
particular situation but nodded and collected his guitar, prepared to follow
her out.
She
led him to the long-term care wing, to a room down at the end. There was a small common room where
larger groups of relatives could visit the children in a more neutral
surrounding. There were three
large, comfy looking chairs as well as several book cases. As she walked in she was speaking to
him. “You should be all right
to practice in here. The adjoining
rooms only have one occupant and he usually has his headphones on all day
anyways, you won’t bother him.” It was obvious this speech was more for
the unknown pair of ears beyond one of the doors, than for himself but Kaoru
nodded anyways.
“Thank
you very much, I hate to be such trouble, but I think I’m driving my
Father insane, practicing at home all day.”
“No
trouble at all.” The nurse smiled encouragingly and let herself out,
closing the door so only a bit of the hall was visible.
Kaoru
extended his new senses a touch to figure out exactly which room held a beating
heart. Whether from fear or
excitement the heart was racing just a room away, the boy obviously trying to
be as quiet as possible to avoid detection by the stranger. Ignoring him for now Kaoru took out his
guitar, made sure it was in tune, and played quietly to himself. Feeling, somewhat guiltily, like a cat
waiting at the entrance to a mouse hole he played, hoping for some reaction. But one never came.
*
Kaoru
stepped into the empty common room, extending his senses to see if his little
mouse was awake. Indeed he was, and
his weak heart was beating frantically, nervously. It almost seemed worse today than the
first day that Kaoru came to practice near him. Curious, but too patient to be the first
to speak out, Kaoru set down his case and set about taking out his guitar. Only when he was about to check the
tuning did he notice the few papers left out on the chair just next to him. They were a little crumpled, but
obviously laid there with some care.
Glancing at the door to his mouse’s home Kaoru picked up the
sheets.
What
was once simple lined paper had been carefully transformed into music sheets,
the lines and bars carefully drawn across the page. Scanning the notes set between the lines
Kaoru was stunned to find one of the songs he’d been working on written
out. Just below the music, like
choir music, were lyrics in curly dark scroll accompanied by the notes the
singer would use to counterpoint the guitar.
Again
Kaoru restrained himself from storming in and confronting the boy about the
lyrics and music. Instead he tuned
his guitar and got to work using the music he’d been provided. He never thought of his own voice as
melodious, but with a proper audience he could be induced to sing. And since his audience was hiding,
holding his breath, heart beating wildly, Kaoru allowed the notes to
carry. He ran through it two times
slowly, to make sure he could get through it without stopping, and then he went
to full volume, full speed. As the
last few notes hung in the air he looked to the doorway that hid his little
mouse. “Did I do it
right?” he asked, no mistaking who he was talking too.
“It
still doesn’t sound quite right.” A quiet voice replied. “But I’ll keep working on
it.”
Kaoru
smiled, even though he could not see the other, yet. “Why don’t you come out here
and we can work on it together?”
There
was a long moment where Kaoru was afraid he may have frightened the other away,
but finally the door opened and his mouse emerged. Although he didn’t allow it to show
on his face Kaoru was surprised.
This was no boy, as the nurse had made him believe, but a young man,
probably nearing his twenties. He
was thin and ghostly pale, long black hair left loose, partially covering one
amber-colored eye. He was wearing
worn grey jogging pants and a large baggy t-shirt whose decal had long since
faded into obscurity. Simple white
slippers finished his ensemble and Kaoru gestured casually to the chair next to
him.
When
the young man had sat down carefully beside him Kaoru offered a hand. “My name’s
Kaoru.”
The
others fingers were sickly thin and weak when he accepted the hand shake. “Ryutaro.” He nodded,
refusing to meet the others eyes.
*
Ryutaro
awoke, back in his own bed, certain he had been sitting talking to Kaoru only
the moment before. Slowly opening
his eyes he found the purple-haired man standing just beside his bed holding a
glass of water. “What
happened?” Ryutaro tried to push himself into a sitting position
slowly.
“I’m
not sure.” Kaoru admitted.
“We were talking about my new song, next thing I know you’re
falling head first into the floor.”
“Well
you must have caught me because I don’t feel any lumps.” Ryutaro
gave a brief grin after a thorough inspection of his forehead.
“You’d
better watch out, I’m fast.” Before tossing the younger man a
wink.
Ryutaro’s
face went into blank shock before his face fell forwards effectively hiding his
blush behind a curtain of dark hair.
“Sorry about that, it happens sometimes.”
Kaoru
was silent for a moment before he finally hitched himself up to sit just on the
edge of Ryutaro’s bed.
“What do you have, Ryutaro?
That’s the first time I’ve seen you actually act
sick.”
Ryutaro
gave a disgusted bark of laughter.
“I wish I knew.
I’m sure every doctor in this place wishes they could figure it
out, they’d probably get an award.” He looked back up at the older
man, his face hard and angry.
“Endless tests, endless pills and injections. None of it makes me better. I’m a fucking morphine addict at
nineteen.” This pronouncement
was followed by a fit of coughing that had Kaoru grabbing his shoulders, eyes
wide with worry. When the coughing
finally stopped Ryutaro’s hand came away bloody but he merely grabbed a
Kleenex from his beside table and wiped it away. “Sorry, have to stay calm or I
fall apart.”
“Should
I call you a nurse?” Kaoru
found himself at a loss.
Ryutaro
shook his head. “Nothing they
can do…but I should probably rest.”
Kaoru
nodded, setting himself back on the floor to watch Ryutaro slide under the
antiseptic sheets and wriggle into a comfortable position. “I’ll be back tomorrow. We’ll finish what we were working
on.”
Ryutaro
nodded and waved goodbye to the older man.
As Kaoru closed the door behind him Ryutaro closed his eyes. “No you won’t.” he
whispered into the silence.
*
Ryutaro
was lying in bed when Kaoru appeared the next day. Kaoru opened the door, walked in with a
cheery hello and proceeded to empty the messenger bag at his side for the
others perusal. “So I brought
you some actual sheet music so you don’t have to waste time drawing the
lines anymore. I noticed your pen
selection was getting pretty dodgy so I grabbed a new pack. Found this really nice black leather
journal in the gift shop on the way up, and it has this great lock on it so the
nurses won’t be able to read it.
Oh, and there was a sale on chocolate bars so I grabbed a handful of
those. To be honest I have no idea
what you like.”
When
Kaoru looked at Ryutaro he found the other staring at him as though he’d
leaped into the room and hit him with a two by four. “What’s wrong? Is my hair on fire or something?”
Ryutaro
gave a snort and started laughing into his hand while Kaoru beamed at
successfully making the other laugh.
“Now, really.” He grinned when Ryutaro had calmed
himself. “What’s
wrong?”
“I
didn’t think you’d come back.” Ryutaro admitted, looking at the sheets
that covered his thin form in shame.
“Why
would I do that? Just because you
don’t know why you’re sick?” Kaoru raised a dark brow.
“What
good’s a friend if he’s going to die on you at any
moment.” Ryutaro muttered
unhappily.
Kaoru
frowned and grabbed the young man’s shoulders to force him to look at
him. “Are you dead,
Ryutaro?” he demanded.
Ryutaro’s eyes grew wide with fear at the others fearsome
expression. “Are you dead?” he gave the younger man a bit of a
shake.
“No.”
Ryutaro finally managed to squeak.
“Then
stop acting like it.” Kaoru released him and went to grab his guitar. When he turned around again he could
hear the tell tale sounds of weeping and immediately regretted his
actions. Setting his guitar against
the wall he sat on the edge of the bed.
“I’m sorry Ryutaro, that was harsh.” He admitted,
trying not to reach out and grab the younger man, not wanting to freak him out
anymore.
“No,
no.” Ryutaro sniffled, refusing to come out from behind his hair. “You’re right, but I
don’t know what else to do.
Without my parents I can’t even so much as go on a hospital sponsored
trip.”
Kaoru
frowned. “What do you mean ‘without your parents’? You never told me your parents were
dead.”
“They’re
not.” Ryutaro’s voice took on a bitter edge as he grabbed some
Kleenex. “I haven’t
seen them in…six years? They pay
my bills, make sure I have a private room, but that’s as far as it
goes. Feel too guilty to just
disown me or something.”
Kaoru’s
lip curled in disgust. “Your
parents abandoned you?”
Ryutaro
nodded, finally coming out from behind his hair. “Without a legal guardian’s
permission I can barely leave this bed.
The nurses used to try and mail permission forms to my parents for a
signature, but we’d never see the envelopes again.”
“When
was the last time you were off the hospital grounds?”
Ryutaro
hummed for a moment, looking at the ceiling for answers. “My twelfth birthday they took me
to a nice sushi restaurant.”
“And
if you could walk out right now, where would you go?” When Ryutaro looked at the older man to
see if he was serious he was taken aback by the fierce concentration in the
look he was getting.
“To
a karaoke bar. Just a private room,
just you and me.” He finally announced, voice quiet, as if revealing a
secret fantasy.
“Do
you have anything you could wear?” Kaoru looked away now, eyes scanning
back and forth as if making plans.
“Not
really.” Ryutaro admitted.
“What are you up to, Kaoru?
You’ll never get the nurses to agree.”
The
grin on Kaoru’s face was predatory as he replied. “They won’t have
to.”
*
“You’re
here awful late, Kaoru.” The nurses looked up as he passed with plastic
bags in his hands. “Visiting
hours are almost over.”
“I
won’t be long.” Kaoru flashed a winning smile as he headed for
Ryutaro’s room. He found the
younger man seated in bed reading a book when he dumped the plastic bags in his
lap. “Get dressed, our
reservations are for seven.”
“Reservations
for what?” Ryutaro was skeptical as he drew a pair of blue jeans out of
the bag.
“Dinner.”
Kaoru winked. “Hurry up; I’ll wait in the hall.”
When
Ryutaro finally emerged he was dressed in jeans, black Birkenstocks, a red
long-sleeved shirt and a black woolen jacket with a brown faux fur lined
hood. He’d quickly brushed
his hair and was breathing a little heavily.
“Are
you all right?”
Ryutaro
nodded. “I just have to take
it slow. I don’t get out
much.” And he tossed his friend a grin.
“If
you need a break, just tell me, okay?” Kaoru turned serious for a
moment. “I’m not
helping you escape from prison; I’m walking you right out the front
door.”
“And
how exactly are you going to do that?” Ryutaro asked quietly as they
headed casually down the hall way towards the nurses station.
Kaoru
gave a wink. “Watch and see
my skeptical friend.” Ryutaro
stuck close to the other man as they turned the corner to the nurse’s
station. “Have a good
evening, ladies!” Kaoru called out, making Ryutaro cringe.
“Good
night Kaoru.” The ladies replied in monotone, all giving brief, lazy
waves, not even looking up from the paperwork in their hands.
Kaoru
was practically skipping as he led Ryutaro out the front door to the
hospital. It was almost as if the
slightly taller young man hadn’t existed the way the nurses and doctors
acted as they walked by.
“So
where are we going again? And how are we getting there? I don’t have bus fare or
anything.” Ryutaro followed Kaoru into the parking lot, looking around as
though he’d never seen the parking lot before. He winced as a nearby ambulance screamed
to life and headed away, latching onto Kaoru’s sleeve.
“I
borrowed my Father’s car.” Kaoru grinned like a kid in a candy
store as he stopped next to Yoshiki’s red convertible.
“You’re
joking.” Ryutaro seemed almost afraid to touch the vehicle as Kaoru
popped the locks for them both and climbed in.
“Nope,
hop in.”
They
drove with the top down and had a quiet dinner for two in a private booth of
Kaoru’s favorite Italian restaurant.
Kaoru kept things casual, making sure the skinnier man didn’t rush
and had plenty of time to rest.
After dessert he drove them to a karaoke bar that he’d called in a
reservation to. The room was small,
with a big screen television mounted into the wall and a single couch. Kaoru refused to allow the younger man
to stand or dance, telling him if they were going to be out all night he was
going to walk Ryutaro back to his room at the end of it.
“What
do you want to sing next?” Kaoru was casually flipping through the song
listing binder in his lap while Ryutaro sipped the fruity drink Kaoru had picked
out for him.
“I’m
not sure.” Ryutaro slid over so he could look into the binder as well;
extremely aware of how close he was to the other man, hoping the darkness in
the room would hide his blush.
“It’s too bad our songs not on there; it’d be neat to
sing it into a microphone.”
“Are
you getting sleepy? Should I take
you back?” Kaoru asked, concerned.
“No,
I don’t want to go back there.” Ryutaro pouted childishly. “Don’t make me go
Kaoru.” And he put his head on the other’s shoulder.
“They
can take care of you a whole lot better than I ever could.” Kaoru rested
his cheek on top of the others head as he spoke.
“I
don’t know, I don’t think I’ve been his happy in a long
time.” Ryutaro bravely replied.
Carefully
Kaoru reached out and twined his fingers with Ryutaro’s. “Is it me, or finally getting out
that makes you happy?”
“You.”
There was no hesitation. “I
don’t feel like I’m sick when I’m with you.”
Pleased
Kaoru shifted so he could press a quick kiss to the top of Ryutaro’s head.
“You missed.” Ryutaro sat up a bit so he could look at the
other.
“Missed
what?” Kaoru was genuinely confused.
“My
mouth.” Ryutaro gave a coy smile and moved forwards to press his lips
against Kaoru’s.
To
say Kaoru was surprised would have been an understatement, but he was far from
complaining. Listening carefully to
the others excited heart Kaoru taught the younger man that kissing was more
than pressing each others lips together.
When it sounded like Ryutaro’s heart couldn’t take it any
longer he reluctantly broke away, smiling to assure the other that nothing was
wrong. “We should get you
back.”
“Why
did you stop?” Ryutaro asked as though in a daze.
Kaoru
grinned. “Too much excitement
in one night. I won’t loose
you so easily.”
The
trip back to the hospital was quiet.
The trip down the hallways eerie because, again, no one seemed to notice
they were there. Kaoru had to help
him back into his hospital clothing since he was so tired, which involved an
awful lot of chuckling and blushing on both their parts. Back in bed Kaoru found the other looked
so small and unhappy he crawled up beside him to give him one last kiss. “You’ll see me again soon,
you know that.” He whispered.
Ryutaro nodded and watched the other leave. When he door was finally closed it only
took a moment before he was quickly asleep.
*
The
sun was shining in the curtains and Ryutaro muttered unhappily as they stirred
his sleeping brain. The night
before he and Kaoru had gone on another late-night expedition and he was still
tired. Despite his best efforts he
continued to awaken until finally his eyes opened.
There
was someone in the room, an older man with long blond hair. He was seated next to Ryutaro’s
bed, looking out the window.
“Can
I help you?” Ryutaro warily sat up, this man completely unknown to
him.
“Only
in a very minor way.” The man turned to smile at him. “I am Kaoru’s Father, and I
thought I’d better come and meet you.”
*
“I
really must protest.” The doctor was standing at his bedside looking
quite alarmed as Ryutaro packed his meager belongings into the small suitcase
Kaoru had brought for him the day before.
“You are not completely healthy, and well aware that we have all the
available equipment…”
“To
keep me here for the rest of my life not getting any better.” Ryutaro
glared at the doctor as he zipped the case closed. “You cannot help me get better;
you can only sustain me as I am.
Well I’m sick of it.
I’m sick of this place.
I’m checking out…today.” He made his tone final but the doctor
continued to make sputtering noises until Kaoru walked in the door.
“Kaoru!
Surely you can convince him that it is in his best interests to remain here in
the hospital.” The doctor
turned to the purple haired man for support.
“Don’t
look at me. I’m the one
driving him to his new home!” Kaoru chuckled and took a hold of
Ryutaro’s case. “You ready to go?”
“Absolutely.”
Ryutaro shot the doctor one last contempt-filled glance and followed Kaoru out
the door.
Three
nurses watched the two young men as they disappeared down the hall
together.
“Did
you know he was like that?” the one whispered to the nurse that had asked
Kaoru to try and get Ryutaro to open up.
“I
suspected.” She admitted, nodding, a gentle smile on her face.
The
third nurse gave the second a light smack on the shoulder. “You should have told the rest of
us.” She teased.
Kaoru
opened the door so Ryutaro could get in before putting his suitcase away in the
trunk. Getting into the drivers
side Kaoru reached out to squeeze the younger man’s hand. “Let’s get you home.”
He purred, and started the car.
*
Kaoru
groaned as his dream lover lavished wet attention upon his quickly hardening
nipples. He moved his hands up to
play with the silky strands of black hair and felt the other man smile against
his skin. “Ryutaro.” He
murmured into the darkness as his lover dotted kisses across his abdomen.
“Say
it again.” Was the husky response, followed by a teasing lick into
Kaoru’s navel.
“Ryutaro.”
Kaoru smiled himself as the dream slipped away and he found his fingers buried
in the others’ hair.
“Don’t
stop.” Ryutaro began tugging at the others boxers, heart pounding wildly,
nervous and afraid of what he was attempting to do, but excited all the
same.
“Ryutaro.” Kaoru obliged, lifting his hips to allow
the other access. “Ryutaro,
what have you been reading?”
“Girly
smut mangas.” Was the nervously giggled response. “You’d be surprised how much
you can learn from a woman’s fantasy about homosexual men.”
Kaoru
groaned at the teasingly tentative lick to the head of his organ. “Just don’t…”
the sentence was cut off as long shaking fingers began gently massaging his
balls causing a moan.
“Don’t
what?” Ryutaro nuzzled playfully at Kaoru’s cock.
“Don’t
go further than you can handle.”
Ryutaro
smiled and gave a gentle kiss to the inside of Kaoru’s thigh before
delivering a teasing lick up Kaoru’s rapidly swelling cock. Though girls smut manga’s never
really went into detail on what one did with what amounted to a tube of light
on paper, Ryutaro tried his best. Judging from Kaoru’s moans and the
fingers in his hair, he must not have been doing too badly. He listened raptly as Kaoru’s
breathing became more ragged and his body started to quiver.
Suddenly Kaoru arched up and flipped their positions, trapping the
younger man beneath him with a playful growl and a gentle nip at the skin where
Ryutaro’s neck met his shoulder.
“You tell me to stop if you need to, okay?”
“No
fair, I wanted to thank you.” Ryutaro pouted into the darkness, quivering
beneath the other.
“Staying
with me is thanks enough.” Kaoru softly kissed the pout away.
“As
long as I can.” Ryutaro replied when they broke apart.
Smiling
Kaoru returned the favor to his lover’s nipples, loving the panted
whimpers and moans he elicited.
Calloused fingers slid up and down the other’s sides, tickling his
ribcage before sliding beneath the band of his boxer shorts. Ryutaro arched his hips up so Kaoru
could drag the fabric away, painfully slowly, as he kissed at the younger
man’s pale white legs. The
shorts were tossed away without a thought as Kaoru moved up to nuzzle the dark
hair surrounding his lover’s length.
With one hand he encouraged the other to bend one knee up, dotting
kisses of revenge upon Ryutaro’s exposed thigh. One ear open for the younger man’s
frail heart Kaoru licked up him and then deep throated him. He knew Ryutaro had the makings of a
good vocalist, but he was able to prove it as he worked his tongue upon the
other.
His
other hand was absent for a moment as it reached for the top drawer of the bed
side table. A tricky operation one
handed, the other sliding across pale skin, Kaoru got the tube open and managed
to get some of the lube onto his fingers, rubbing them together to warm
it. Ryutaro moaned and arched up
slightly at the first intrusion, causing Kaoru to smile around his shaft. Slowly another digit was added,
carefully searching for the right spot in his inexperienced lover. When he finally brushed it Ryutaro
bucked upwards with another cry and Kaoru reluctantly pulled himself away.
“Don’t
stop. Please don’t
stop.” Ryutaro panted, still shaking nervously, as Kaoru crawled upwards
to kiss him deeply and situate himself properly between the others legs.
“Just
relax.” Kaoru purred in his husky voice waiting for Ryutaro to nod before
he pushed himself inside the pale man beneath him, slowly.
Ryutaro
gave out a breathy gasp at the welcome intrusion, feeling a pain unlike the
kind he’d felt every day for so long. Reaching up he pulled Kaoru tight to
him, nipping the older man’s earlobe to cover a pained whimper.
Kissing
tenderly at the throbbing vein on the others neck Kaoru began to move, slowly
at first, and then angling himself to hit just the right spot within the
other. Wishing he had the
forethought to set up a tape recorder, Kaoru reveled in their music, moving
slowly faster.
“Ryutaro.”
Kaoru breathed into the others ear.
“Stay with me, forever.
Please.”
“Always.”
Ryutaro gasped, arching his head back, feeling Kaoru dot more kisses upon his
pale skin. “I don’t
ever want to leave you, Kaoru.”
Kaoru
could hear it, the change in the heartbeat so close to his own, the fluttering
and fluctuations. He couldn’t
wait any longer, sinking his fangs into the other’s neck he tasted the
sweet hot juice of his lover, swallowing deeply. Ryutaro gave a pained gasped
at the unexpected movement, opening his eyes. When Kaoru released his throat Ryutaro
heard the older man hiss and found a bloody wrist against his lips as Kaoru
continued to thrust into his thin form.
Tentatively at first he licked at the wound, surprised at how much he
enjoyed the coppery flavor.
Kaoru’s pounding grew more persistent, his free hand wrapping
around Ryutaro’s length. With
Ryutaro sucking strongly at his Sire’s wound they both came together,
sharp teeth stained red with each other’s blood.
Gasping
practically into each other’s mouths the two men were ignorant of all but
the white light filling their vision.
Kaoru came back to Earth first, pulling away to dot gentle kisses across
his lover’s face as a small black raven chattered contentedly between
them.
