Lust
Part Six
Part 6
If I couldn’t see into his apartment I don’t think I would have gotten off the laptop all night, or this morning either just to see if he’d come back online. He didn’t. He did what he said, he went to the bathroom, came out dressed for bed, he always changes in the bathroom, laughing to himself, and then took his blanket downstairs and watched a film that was on the TV. Then got comfy waiting for everyone else to come in.
They did, Bombay nuzzled in under his blanket and told him all about the show. He said he’d just watched TV all night. Not a single mention of me. I still don’t know whether to be flattered or annoyed. He carried Bombay to bed when he fell asleep, where he, I imagine, tucked him in, there are no cameras in those rooms, and then dumped his blanket on the bed, and went back down to talk to the other two. They talked about a lot of things, including Aya’s lack of a long term partner excluding Honjyou, who according to Balinese, doesn’t count, in fact Siberian got some good needling in about him not having any partner. He just smirked at them.
Part of me expected him to say that there was someone just to shut them up, that he was being hunted and was enjoying it for the moment, or that he was hunting and they had nothing to fear. What he did say was "set me up with Sakura again and Youji I’ll rearrange your date planner again, and Siberian I’ll put water in your football, again." I can see the problems those would entail but now I was curious as to who Sakura was.
Even if he wasn’t interested they seemed to think he might be.
Did I possibly have a rival?
Nagi checked in on me when he came home, bawled me out, yes me, for not eating and made me some sandwiches. He even made tea and I listened very politely as he told me all about his concert, and then asked me what I had done. I told him I went on the Internet for a short time and then watched a film on TV, which was mostly true, I had watched Aya watch a film on TV. Nagi might have raised an eyebrow but he didn’t press the issue. He told me that he had had a run in with a certain drummer, that Mastermind called him a shotakon and that Berserker had felt up all the man’s chains and said that pretty chains hurt god and the man had left them alone after that.
It made me almost wish I had brought him along the night before, but if I had then I wouldn’t have had the pleasure of having Aya dance with me. A single member of Schwartz obviously isn’t as much of a threat as all four of us, and besides it had made it, despite all the people backstage, intimate.
Nagi once told me the absolute best way to keep Mastermind out of your head, and you can, if you know what to look for, tell when he’s trying to get entry. Estet taught us to divert our thoughts, to create a smoke screen as it were, Nagi discovered that doggerels distract him and drive him nuts. Humming infuriates him. Whenever I get that tingle I start humming Frere Jacques, which is catchy, and drives him out quicker than a sharp slap around the back of his head. Nagi likes the jingles from adverts. I often find myself humming though to keep my head free, whether or not Mastermind is eavesdropping. It helps to calm me when my eye starts twitching. My eye has started twitching. Whenever I think of Aya in his crashers coat singing to me, my eye starts twitching. I really like the crashers coat.
The twitching isn’t good. I really should see someone about that.
I decided to read a book today, one I have been meaning to read for sometime about business strategies, I have nothing planned so I am going to read this book that applies the ancient war strategies of the Swiss to business.
It doesn’t mean I didn’t turn the TV on to keep an eye on the Kitty in the House now does it. So while I was learning all about the undefeated tactics of the Swiss pikemen I also learnt that Aya was going to the cinema today because they were having a one off showing of a film he wanted to see, and had only got the flier this morning. He does change his plans, but only rarely.
It meant that I was going to change my plans. According to the cinema in question the film started at ten past seven, so I booked a ticket there and then over the phone and did my best to decide what to wear and prayed he didn’t back out.
He didn’t.
He wore jeans and a sweater with a hood because it was getting cold, and didn’t mind my presumption at sitting next to him in the cinema, we were about halfway down, and I must admit I enjoyed the movie, even if he did steal half of my popcorn. He smelt of hand cream and strawberries and there was a hint of roses in his hair. He asked if I was following him. I laughed and asked if he wanted me to be.
He didn’t answer that.
He invited me out for coffee afterwards, saying that he owed me a drink for the beer at the concert, and I agreed. If he had have asked me if I wanted to be tied up in my own intestines, I would have agreed. I couldn’t tell you what film we went to see. I couldn’t tell you the language it was in, I pointed myself at it, and paid attention with every other sense I had.
He told the waitress he took his coffee as black as the devil and as hot as hell. I didn’t groan, I really really wanted to, but I didn’t. I told her I was the same. He raised a scarlet eyebrow at that. I had only meant that I wanted my coffee like that, honest.
He worded it not me.
It’s hard to think when he’s in such close proximity. He smells wonderful. He’s not wearing after-shave but he works with flowers all day. He smells of earth and flowers and strawberries. Two of those smells I can explain. It’s an American style diner we’ve gone to and we’re sat across a table in a booth by the window. It’s clean and bright and reminds me of the years in America training with Rosenkreuz. The waitress brings over two black coffees and puts them down. I wonder if they’re bottomless.
"So," he starts, sipping his coffee, "what did you think of the movie?"
"Derivative." I answer, its a great word for getting you out of trouble.
"Its the one they derive from." He replies, "Yojimbo is a very important film." I notice the word, bodyguard, it is a film I have heard of, and I wonder if my distracted attention counts as having seen it.
"I don’t watch many films." I tell him, That’s the truth.
"Me neither, truth be told, but there are films I love, and Yojimbo’s one of them." I can verify the truth of that. "I’m a reader more than a watcher."
"I like to read," I tell him, but he reads fiction and I don’t.
"Really?" He sounds interested now, "what are you reading?"
I tell him, he moves his chin slightly, "I’ve heard of that, but I wouldn’t trust their acumen, they were undefeated because they chose their battles carefully and they were, in the end undone by a pretty soldier." That catches me unawares, "I used to read a lot of history, I’ll read anything really, but I still research for," he pauses I’m not supposed to know about his side project.
"The stories?" I ask. He nods, surprised I know about them. "I wasn’t too hard to put it together when I found one in one of Nagi’s magazines, you’re very good."
He blushes a little, "thank you." He says, "only Yuushi knows, don’t tell me my pseudonym is too obvious."
"Only if you can see the future." I assure him.
"Thank god," he is obviously relieved, "I’d never get any peace if everyone knew."
"They’re really good why hide them?" I have leant across the table, I’m in control of this conversation and he knows it.
"Writing historical romance," he snorts, "my reputation as the ice cold killer of Weiss would be history." He drinks more of his coffee. "Its hard to take someone seriously when its all about the pirate and his lady love."
"You run yourself down." I tell him, "Some of those books can be really good, and you’ve been published all over the world." That’s true, I know that.
"You’ve done your research." Is that admiration?
"You are Weiss," I tell him quietly as if that is an explanation. "That and it’s cute watching Nagi swoon and clutch the magazine to his chest whilst he has a quiet sob." He smiles at that, "he might just be your biggest fan. He probably has as many of those stories as you do."
"I don’t read them," he says, "I like my fiction darker, more sinister."
"More like you?" I ask.
"I suppose." He has emptied his coffee cup. "It’s strange, I didn’t think I’d like talking to you, but we have more in common than I thought."
"You mean other than the whole assassin thing?" I ask raising an eyebrow.
"I was thinking leader of assassin thing." He replies, "and the control issues we both have." That I can’t argue with, this whole thing is about control. "I didn’t realise that we both liked Kurosawa, or that you had read my work, it’s always nice to meet a fan."
"Nagi’s the fan, not me. I read them because they were there in the bathroom, and there’s not a man in the world that doesn’t get dewy eyed over the idea of the fair maiden being lifted by the dashing pirate and dragged away to the Caribbean to be saved by the also interesting but in a different way naval officer."
He rolls his eyes. "I was thinking of branching out." He said. "Possibly into shonen-ai." That was blatant. We’ve been innocent until now, "or even yaoi."
I didn’t choke on my coffee, I considered it though. "really?" It didn’t come out at all squeaky.
"There’s a huge market for it in America, it was suggested to me, Of course when I mentioned it to Yuushi he sprayed me in coffee." I am so glad that I didn’t, of course, I’m sure my reasons were different. "Most Yaoi is written by women and so with a man’s point of view…" He leaves it open. "I can’t seem to make it work though."
"You and Yuushi must be close," I say doing my best to change the subject, "you mention him a lot."
"He’s my best friend, I suppose." He admits a little ruefully, "we have a history and I can tell him anything, strangely like I can tell you." I can see that that has caught him unaware. "Even about pirates and naval captains."
"I imagine the teasing would be merciless." I say, Schwartz would never dare tease me, although I have been letting Nagi call me Tousan which is slight mockery, the irony is I’m the only real father that Nagi has ever known.
"I would never hear the end of it." He agrees, "It would be ship ahoy, and lo what light through yonder window breaks. I just had to tease Omi when I caught him reading one, and I’ll never live down writing them." He’s calm and content, laughing to himself. I can’t express how happy it makes me to make him laugh. "They’re quick and easy and make a lot of money, and I needed money for my sister."
"How is your sister?" I ask. He tenses slightly. "I have no further interest in her." I tell him, "I would like to know she is well though." That seems to calm him somewhat. I know perfectly well about his sister, for more reasons than just part of my observation of him. Although we have no further interest in her, we may some day in the future.
"She is well." He answers finally, "she is studying to be a nurse in Europe." His voice is clipped and sure. He’s not as open as he was before.
"That’s good to hear." I tell him. I have gone too far, it seems that icy Abyssinian is never to far from the surface. I am struggling to think how I can change the subject.
"It’s nice of you to ask." He says obviously aware of how the tone of the conversation has changed into more familiar territory for the two of us.
"And has Yuushi recovered from all the beer he drank at the concert?"
That seems to lighten the tone somewhat. "He said you drugged him." He says brightly, "that was the only reason he felt so rough yesterday. He only called after four when his head had settled.
"Did you have a hangover?" I ask pushing just a little, knowing full well that he did.
"After all I drank I’d be upset if I hadn’t." He tells me, "it’s like getting your money’s worth, especially at the hotel, I swear they were plying me with liquor and I just don’t know why?"
"You’re very kirei," I say teasing him a little.
He acts mock affronted. "Kirie is a girl word." He says, "kirei, temee." He’s not as offended as he is making out, I can tell that. "Not handsome."
"No," I assure him, "definitely kirei, you’re too fine boned to be handsome, and with that colouring you’re striking, I’ll call that waitress over if you want a second opinion." He is pretty though.
"I’ll call you kirei and see how you like it." He is almost growling, "you’ll be calling me a bishoujo next."
"Oh no," I say, "definitely beseinen." I can flatter, with the best of them, and he is gorgeous, I wonder how I missed it for so long. There is a look of mischief in his eyes.
"For that you can buy me a drink." He threatens throwing money on the counter for the bill. "And no drugging me this time, Schwartz," he offers me his hand to help me out of the booth. I took it and was surprised that although he looks like he is made of marble his skin is actually quite warm.
The bar was around the corner, it was just a local bar with mirrored walls. He doesn’t believe my protestations that I didn’t drug him, I wonder over that but I accept that he doesn’t believe it. Its different to the one he usually attends with Honjyou as it’s full of Sararimen drinking the night away. A few hostesses linger around but take one look at the pair of us, me in a white suit and him in a sports jersey and just leave us alone. This is the kind of bar I would normally attend, not him.
One of the hostesses serves us as a waitress when I put down a solid black credit card on the table to open a tab. He raised his eye at that, I asked if his was white with a laugh. He told me no, it was platinum and it was for the shop really. I asked what name was on the card. He told me that would be telling. Mine did say Mr Bradley Crawford and was from an American bank it was far too easy to defraud.
The girl took it away and swiped it to make sure the credit was good and then brought it back. I hardly ever use it, it’s so much easier to pay for everything in cash, its also a lot harder to trace. I have no doubts Nagi keeps a record of what I spend and what I spend it on so when I upbraid him for buying too many CDs or games. This will give him enough ammunition for three whole games.
I tell him to order anything he wants. He orders a double jack on the rocks with diet pepsi, I order the same. The hostess goes away leaving us to talk. This is an upmarket hostess bar, and the hostesses know enough to know when they’ll get paid for just going away.
The light makes his skin luminescent and the mirrors make it look I am drinking with six of him. His eyes are the colour of lavenders, the kind of eyes that would make a woman an international beauty, especially with that cherry coloured hair part of me wants to be natural. Even in a black sports jersey and jeans he is startlingly beautiful, I called him pretty before and he took offence, I wonder if he’d mind being called beautiful.
"You look more in place here than I do." He says with a laugh looking at the bar covered as it is in sararimen.
"Maybe, but it’s not my kind of place really." I tell him, "I don’t go out drinking like this often, it depends on the company."
"You owe me a drink for calling me pretty."
"Then I don’t want to know what it’ll cost me to call you beautiful."
He shakes his head, "I get enough of that at home, Aya we need you to go in drag because you’re beautiful, even with the Shi ne glare. Aya, this man has a taste for natural red heads in kimonos, and you’re beautiful enough to distract him, Aya all those girls surround the Koneko because you’re beautiful." He mocks it out and I daren’t laugh. Laughing will I think cost an arm and a leg literally, "and when I whinge to Yuushi he just laughs and says, but you are, and now I’m getting it from you." He’s mock pouting.
"You’re so different compared to Abyssinian." I tell him, "he’s all ice and you’re not."
"Its the medication." He tells me. "Kritiker has me taking anti-Abyssinian drugs." He tells me, "twenty milligrams a day." I laugh at what is obviously a joke. "I thought they might put the rest of them on them but no just me."
"I wish we could get some similar for a certain someone." He gets the joke.
"Tut tut," he teases as the girl comes over with a tray and puts them down on the table before walking away doing her very best to swing her hips and make us notice, "you shouldn’t laugh at someone on medication. Especially something as powerful as anti Abyssinians." I have to laugh at that. He is actually very funny when he sets his mind to it. He’s being more open with me than I thought he would be.
"You make it easy to tease you." I tell him.
"Only if I allow it." He says drinking, he is smirking at me over the rim of his glass. "We can be this open because we’re capable of killing each other. I used to dream of killing you."
"I never gave you that much thought." I tell him honestly, "you were always an annoyance."
"Am I annoying you tonight?" He asks.
"No," I tell him honestly, "you haven’t annoyed me in some time, not since, I think, you eliminated Takatori." He raises an eyebrow at that, "we made no secret of the fact we used Weiss as much as Kritiker."
"You are very honest with me." He tells me as he calls over the hostess for more drinks. "I don’t think I expected that."
"It’s not in my nature to lie." I tell him, its not, but that doesn’t mean I don’t lie when it suits my purpose.
"Am I a threat to you?" He is taking advantage of my admission of honesty.
"Do you want to be?" I ask leaning forward and looking at him over the rim of my glasses.
"You look better with glasses." He tells me, "I barely recognised you in contacts." I empty my glass in a single swallow. "Do I make you uncomfortable?" He asks with a very wicked smile. I have to concentrate to stop myself from blushing. He is in complete control, he has managed our meeting with skill and delicacy and I hate to admit it but I am in his hands. "I think I like having such a notorious enemy at my mercy." I won’t give in, I won’t admit defeat, its not in my nature. The hostess has brought over more drinks, this time tequila, the glass rimmed in salt. "Drink up, Schwartz, I have a morning shift tomorrow, so I can’t linger." He downs the tequila in one. "but here." He takes a small pencil from his pocket, "call me, this has been fun."
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