Gravitation Fan Fiction ❯ Narcissism ❯ 04 ( Chapter 4 )

My goodness, is this an update? Yeah, sorry about the wait. This chapter is shortish too, so I'm doubly sorry about that. Oh! And to answer a question from before, I'm going to pretend that Shuichi and Ryuichi have different shampoos, especially given that Shuichi was so keen on getting away from imitating Ryuichi in one volume or another. So yes, I'm just going to imagine that Shuichi's all grown up and using his own brand of scented shampoo. Eh heh. In any case, thank you to all of my wonderful reviewers for watching my grammar and keeping this story afloat. It's interesting too, because this chapter was definitely the hardest to write, and I could have gone in two or three completely different directions with it. In any case, enjoy, and I'll continue posting as soon as I can. Now shut me up and on with the show!

 

Chapter 4

 

Tatsuha grabbed me by the arm and forced me across the ice, where we both scrambled like idiots to get over the barrier and into the skate booth. He managed to get inside it with one fluid jump, as though he'd been breaking and entering for years, but I was having trouble, legs flailing wildly as I got stuck halfway over the front of the booth. He looked flushed, and was panting and grinning wildly as he grabbed me around the waist and pulled me inside. We pressed up against the underside of the counter, catching our lost breath, and Tatsuha began pulling off his skates and forcing his shoes back on, lacing the skates as the instructions on the booth directed and shoving them back on their proper shelf. I was feeling slightly overwhelmed, and Tatsuha gave me a searching look before he pulled my skates off for me and put them away with the silence and efficiency of… somebody who's silent and efficient. We both heard the footsteps approach the booth, and I shut my eyes tightly, awaiting the inevitable.

Tatsuha apparently had other plans, however, and he slipped my shoes on and pulled me across the floor of the booth and under the flip out counter. I watched dumbly as flashlight beams cut through the darkness and in our direction, but Tatsuha was faster, and he practically threw me to the ground between the rink seats. From there, he gripped my hand like a vice and inched his way down the aisle. We could hear the policemen talking, but it was distorted in the echo of the rink and their words were lost. Once or twice I caught them saying “intruder,” and “punk kids,” but the beams of light that marked their presence eventually all congregated around the skate booth as they checked for stolen merchandise. Once we reached the end of the long row of seats, Tatsuha led me up an aisle and down the stairwell, where we waited, pressed against each other in between two lockers. Tatsuha breathed a soft “Shit,” that tickled against my ear as we listened to the footsteps coming our way. I felt him inhale sharply, and then we both held our breath as the policemen walked directly in our line of vision. I shut my eyes tightly and Tatsuha moved closer, and we both waited to be found out.

I could practically feel the cops, clear as day, as they walked by us, neatly starched uniforms brushing against the black of Tatsuha's coat.

“Probably just some kids out for a joy ride. Stupid little shits' are probably long gone by now, Johnson.” The first officer adjusted his coat and turned to put his flashlight away.

“Yeah, but it still bugs the hell out of me, you know? Just once I'd like to catch them in the act and throw the book their way.” The second officer looked tense, fists clenching and unclenching.

“Come on, you're only a kid once, right? I'd feel kind of bad if we did catch them. And with the exception of the broken locks, they didn't even do anything. Cash register's clean, and the skate inventory is all there. We were stupid teenagers once, so we should cut them some slack this time.” The first officer put his hands in his coat pockets and jingled his keys.

“Yeah, but they also dragged us out here in the middle of the night for no reason. We've got a lot more important things to do than babysit a bunch of children at a skate rink.”

“Jeeze,” the first officer replied. “Has Helen been on your case again? You haven't been this riled up since she wouldn't let you see the kids last time.”

“I guess,” the second officer grumbled as they disappeared around the corner. “It's not easy…” Anything else the officers said was lost as they made their way out of the building and to their awaiting police cars.

“Tatsuha…” I whispered into his ear. “Do you think they're gone?”

“I saw more than two flashlights. Maybe we should wait here a little longer.” He replied softly.

I shifted uncomfortably as his body pressed closer, and I could feel his every breath on my neck and against my chest; I began counting how many times his chest rose and fell against mine, and I matched his rhythm, breathing in every time he exhaled. It was then that I realized how cold it was, and I was grateful for his presence, even though I still felt slightly uneasy. It was really imperative that I not be arrested, because my previous record spoke for itself and I really didn't want to cause a scandal. Especially one that I was unable to get out of because I was still mad at Tohma. As the minutes slowly dragged on, the adrenaline rush began to wear off and a feeling of lethargy swept over my body. No longer able to hold my position, I leaned forward into Tatsuha's shoulder, and rubbed my cheek against the soft material of his turtleneck. “Mmmm.” I said lazily. “Cotton.”

Tatsuha hissed into my ear, and shivers ran up and down my spine like alternating current. “Are you tired? I didn't think anything could wear you out, but…”

I burrowed into his coat as goosebumps began forming on the exposed flesh of my stomach and neck. “Shouldn't we find a better place to hide?” I mumbled into his collar.

I could feel his smile against my cheek. “No need. I'm pretty sure they've been gone for a good ten minutes now.”

I inhaled deeply and picked up the light scent of his cologne. It reminded me of snowshoes and hot cocoa with tiny little marshmallows floating on top. It wasn't chocolaty, it was just… cool. Like the way the wind bites into your cheeks when it snows, but with a warmth that lingers after you go inside. “Then why are we still hiding?” I asked him, not really expecting an answer.

“I don't know,” he said, obviously amused. “Because it feels nice.”

I smiled up at him, before stepping on his foot. He jumped back with a curse, which was awkward because I was still semi-attached to his coat, and being the graceful ballerina that I am, I managed to trip him, and myself, and send us both to the floor for the eighth or ninth time that night. I picked myself up quickly, brushing off my arms, and Tatsuha stared up at me with a shit-eating grin before helping himself to his feet.

“Ready to go?” he asked cheekily.

I nodded enthusiastically, and we were off, jumping the crowd counter and climbing over the newly locked fence. We helped each other climb; I was more limber than Tatsuha but he was taller, and between the two of us we managed. Except on the way down my sleeve got caught on a stray piece of wire, and as I jumped, it snapped my arm upward and tore the sleeve completely off. I cursed loudly as I watched Tatsuha land with the practiced ease of a gymnast, and I held my arm gingerly, praying that it a) wasn't broken, and b) wasn't bleeding. Of the things I can't stand, blood and broken bones are near the very top of my list, right next to pants that don't fit right in the crotch and fans who think they know my songs better than I do. Tatsuha was by my side almost immediately, looking me over to see if I was all right. As it would turn out, I was only slightly bruised from my spastic landing, and the pain went away after Tatsuha tenderly massaged my arm. He then used the links in the fence as hand holds and retrieved my lost sleeve, before kneeling next to me and handing me my lost arm with a crooked smile.

“It's a damn shame, that was a nice coat.” He said, grinning like a jerk.

I glared. “It was a nice shirt too! Two! I managed to ruin two of my favorite things!”

He leaned back against the fence. “Hey, it's not the end of the world. Now you can just buy something nicer with all that money you have stored away.”

I pouted. “That's not the point. I could care less about buying designer clothes. I just buy what I like. And I liked that shirt. And I loved that coat! Do you know how many years it took me to break that coat in just the way I like it? It's a tragedy! Now I'm going to have to go out and find a coat that fits just right, and then I'm going to have to wear it all the time. And it's uncomfortable wearing coats everywhere, especially when you want to go to sleep. I mean, it's all well and good when you finally find the perfect coat, but it gets really hot in the summer and… and… And it's really cold!”

He laughed. I glared. “What, do you expect me to apologize because you're uncoordinated to the point of bodily harm?” He grinned again. “I can't believe anyone finds you sexy if this is what you're really like.”

I stood up and kicked him in the shin, before I marched off in what I assumed to be the direction of my apartment. He let out a loud curse, before stumbling up off the ground and jogging after me.

“Do you have to walk so fast? Jeeze!” he said, struggling to keep up.

I shoved Kumagoro in his face. “I am not talking to you. Please direct all questions to Mr. Bear and he will take a message. And then he will throw said messages away, because as previously stated, I am not talking to you.”

Tatsuha attempted to rub his aching shin and walk with me at the same time, which ended up being an awkward half-hop, half-jog. I tried to stay angry with him but I couldn't. “You look like a three legged sheep attempting to learn how to tango. By itself. Without an instructor. And having never before seen what the tango actually looks like.” I grumbled, shoving my freezing cold hands into the remnants of my coat and making a poor attempt at staying angry.

He glared, but his eyes betrayed the smile he was attempting to hide. “Oh yeah? Well at least I only look that way when I'm injured.”

I raised my eyebrows at him. “Are you insinuating that I'm uncoordinated?”

“Maybe,” he drawled, and his eyes sparkled in my direction.

“Hm,” I replied snippily, my chattering teeth betraying how cold I'd become. “W-well m-m-m-maybe I d-don't w-want to h-hang out w-with you anymore. If you're just going to keep b-being m-mean. You know, y-you're j-j-just as b-bad as your b-b-br”

Without any warning, Tatsuha took off his long black coat and draped it over my shoulders with a little smile. “Guess I should let up, huh? Wouldn't want to rob my brother of the `Cold Bastard of the Year' award. Especially not when Tohma's been nominated, and I think we all know how competitive Tohma is. I could end up lying dead in a ditch in Bangkok.”

I giggled appreciatively, and leaned against his shoulder, slowing down my pace. “Won't you be cold?” I asked, with no intention of giving him his coat back.

“Yeah,” he murmured soft enough for only me to hear. “But since I'm so manly and strong I figure I'll be alright. Plus, you know, you're so much smaller and more vulnerable than I am,” he slipped an arm around my waist and squeezed, and I instinctively looked around to see if there was anyone nearby, watching us. “It's common courtesy to give up your coat to somebody who's weaker than you are.”

“Oh yeah?” I asked, sensing the challenge in his voice and more than prepared to defend myself. I moved away from his loose embrace and walked backward, facing him but still maneuvering through the crowded sidewalk. “Then here's the deal. I assume you know where my apartment is?”

He nodded once, looking slightly embarrassed, before his eyebrows shot up in wonder as his mind began to think up just what, exactly, I was suggesting. I gave him a wide smile, the type that I give to people just before I'm about to tear them apart. At least I learned something useful from Tohma. He looked ridiculously nervous all of a sudden, and I suddenly held Kumagoro out in front of me, stopping dead in my tracks. He wasn't prepared for my sudden halt, and he collided with the arm holding Kuma-chan. “Now, now, Tatsuha-chan. Don't be a horny little pervert.” I grinned when his eyes widened marginally and his cheeks blossomed pink. Peonies. No, can't think about that now. Tatsuha tried to cover his embarrassment and uncertainty as his face hardened into that shrewd, calculating look that Eiri gives anyone trying to sell him something, but it was clear that he wasn't his brother; where Eiri's features were completely under control, Tatsuha's face radiated a youthful innocence that Eiri's had lost long ago.

“And I know that you've been staying in one of Tohma's buildings, because he told me as much a few months back.” I scrawled my apartment number, and then my phone number, onto a piece of paper I'd found in his coat pocket. “Now give me your address and number.” He did as I asked without batting an eyelash, obviously confused. “Ok!” I clapped my hands twice, shoving the paper he'd given me in my pocket. “Now, I'm going to run to your apartment. And you're going to run to my apartment. And then we're going to leave a message on the opposite answering machine. If I leave you a message first, then we'll go back to our respective apartments and go back to being near strangers, but if you leave me a message first, then you get to decide what to do with me.” As an afterthought, I added “And Kumagoro.”

Tatsuha looked at the paper in his hand. “But isn't your apartment farther than mine from here?”

I smiled a sultry little smile and tossed my hair. “Your legs are longer than mine. Wouldn't be fair. Besides,” I said, allowing my hand to slip inside of my shirt and smooth over my shoulder. “You already said I was small, vulnerable, and weak. You should be gentlemanly enough to give me a head start.” I batted my eyelashes. “Do we have an arrangement, no da?”

He looked at the paper in his hand, expressionless, before he walked over to me and put a hand on my shoulder. “Despite how un-gentlemanly it is to not walk you home, I think I can agree to your terms. However,” he said, moving close enough to kiss. “Whoever told you I was a gentleman,” his lips were millimeters from mine, and my head tilted up unconsciously, eyes falling half closed as I felt his breath against my face. “Was obviously misinformed.” With that he pushed me to the ground before shouting, “Look everyone! It's Sakuma Ryuichi of Nittle Grasper!!” He then took off sprinting down the sidewalk as the ears of every woman in the crowd perked up, and their eyes turned in my direction.

With flailing arms and a loud “Shit!” I detangled myself from the railing I'd been shoved into and ran in the opposite direction, but not before the fans descended. They screeched like harpies for autographs and sobbed into my shirt over the break up of Nittle Grasper, tearing and pulling at me like starved dogs. They soon got out of hand, but once the fighting broke out I was able to duck under the crowd and get out unscathed, losing a shoe in the process. The neon of Tokyo blurred into long streams of color as I tore by, like the streams of red and white car taillights make in the evening. I jumped over railings and shoved through people who were out for a night on the town, shouting “Sorry!” every once in a while but never looking back. Having memorized my destination I took a shortcut through a supermarket to avoid some traffic, jumping over crates of oranges and just barely missing an elderly woman who then proceeded to curse bitterly in my direction. I ran harder than I ever had before, fueled by my own rage at Tatsuha's unsportsmanlike, yet painfully clever answer to having a handicap. I wanted to find him and beat him up for cheating, but at that moment I was focused on one thing and one thing only. Get to the phone.

His apartment building in sight, I ran straight into traffic and jumped over the hood of a car, the driver blaring his horn at my recklessness. I threw open the glass doors of the lobby and ran past the confused doorman, skidding to a halt inside the elevator just as the doors closed. All I could hear was the beating of my heart in my ears and the soft sound of the loudspeaker as it played “Tequila” on loop. The moment the door gave a soft “ding” I was off down the hallway, searching for apartment number 557 like a man possessed. I nearly missed the door, but Kumagoro, in his infinite wisdom, pointed out my error and gave me the key. I jammed it into the lock and turned swiftly, throwing the lights on and realizing that I was looking for a phone in a bachelor pad. I am never, ever going to find anything, am I?

Tossing clothes and shoes and all manner of petrified takeout off of every available surface, I searched desperately for a phone. I thought I'd been victorious when I discovered a small black cell phone cradle, but to no avail; it was empty and the answering machine was sitting ominously next to it, just waiting for me to fail. I searched everywhere, through his kitchen, in his bedroom, and I even went so far as to check the refrigerator. In my frantic search I practically violated the couch, tearing off every pillow and cushion and pawing through every nook and crevice that his phone could possibly be hidden in. Stepping into his bathroom, I went through every drawer, tossing everything from condoms to aftershave into his bathtub, before I decided to give his dresser the same treatment. I dug through his drawers like a dog, and with a loud cry of triumph I found the small black phone buried deep within his underwear drawer. Just as I was about to dial, I heard talking coming from the living room, and curiously I padded in, carefully stepping over CD's and DVD's I'd divested from the bookshelf only minutes before. Mouth agape with horror, I watched as the answering machine finished recording a message from an extremely out-of-breath, but smugly triumphant Tatsuha.

Flopping down on the couch defeated, I dialed my own number after a few minutes of wallowing in my own despair. “Tatsuha,” I began sourly. I could feel his smile like radiation.

“Ryuichi,” he said gleefully.

“Your underwear drawer?!” I hissed spitefully.

He took a deep breath, coughing from exerting himself in such cold weather, and I could hear him chuckling slightly. “Oh, so is that where I put it?”

I hoped my glare would burn him through the phone. “That was totally unfair. And cheap. But mostly completely and utterly-”

“Brilliant,” he breathed softly into the phone. “Ingenious. I would never have been able to get here on time otherwise. But just so you know, I never once underestimated you. You're a difficult man to outrun, Ryuichi.”

“That's because I've been doing it all my life.” I replied softly. “Though I suppose you're just so pleased you've proven how weak I am, huh?” I added quietly, somewhat disgusted with myself, and very, very tired.

“No,” he wheezed back. “I've managed to prove how strong you are. At least now I know what to expect. Well, as much as anyone does, from you.” He laughed softly, and it reminded me of tiny crystal bells. “It's not so great, anyway.”

“What?” I asked, deflated.

“Winning by default. If I hadn't shut the phone in my drawer when Mika kept calling that day I was… otherwise occupied, you would have kicked my ass, wouldn't you have? It's actually kind of embarrassing to lose like that to someone who's so much older than I am. I guess I'm out of shape. Though technically we both cheated, so I'm not sorry.”

I smiled slightly, wondering what would come next. “You were so eager to see me again that you'd lie, cheat, and steal?”

There was a pause. “I pushed an old man into the street. And given that disrespecting the elderly isn't exactly my favorite pastime, that says something, doesn't it? Though I think you're avoiding the real question. Were you so eager to get rid of me that you'd run until your heart nearly burst from the effort?”

I thought for a moment. “My conditions were merely testing you to see how badly you wanted to see me again.”

“And if I'd walked to your apartment and lost the competition by a good thirty minutes?”

I shrugged, adjusting the phone. “Then you would have gone back to Kyoto all by yourself to respect the elderly there, now wouldn't you have?”

“I wonder if that's your real reason, or if you're hiding again. I guess it doesn't really matter though, does it? I fully intend on claiming my prize, provided that I've won whatever little game we were playing back there.” He shifted, and the phone crackled as his breathing made static in the receiver.

“Alright Tatsuha,” I replied breathily. “Now that you have me, what do you intend to do with me?” After all, it had been some time since I'd last been laid, and since I knew Uesugi Tatsuha did not have a reputation for being a chaste little virgin, I fully expected him to return to this apartment and nail me into the wall. It would be easier this way, when I had to leave in the morning. Though by the clock on the wall in the kitchen, it was already technically morning; either way I assumed that whatever awkward relationship we had begun a few hours ago would end as quickly as it had begun. And then I can go back to living in my head, dreaming of things I'll never have.

“And Kumagoro, as per our arrangement. Meet me for dinner on Saturday. I get to pick the place.”

I faltered. “I… excuse me, Saturday?”

His voice had a smile in it again. “Did I stutter? Oh, and you might consider actually wearing clothes this time. Though it is kind of cute how perky your little nipples were through that white ruffley number you painted on tonight. But still, it's too cold to be dressing like that, Ryu-chan. You'll get sick if you go outside with no clothes on.”

I stuttered, “I was not- I mean- I was so wearing- You know what? Forget it. You're just taunting me! Besides which, you liked it, so why bother complaining?” I purred softly. Leaning back into the soft cushions of the couch I'd massacred only moments before, I slid a hand up underneath my shirt. “Tat-chan. Wouldn't you rather come back to your apartment?” And show me some proper idol worship.

I heard him shift in his seat. “Why bother? I'm tired. Besides, your place is nice. Clean. Sterile even.”

“Well compared to what you're used to-” I shot back before I could stop myself.

To my relief, he laughed. “You know what? Forget about eating out Saturday. Why don't you just stop by my place and I'll cook you something? Given that from what I've seen of your barren cabinets, you subsist entirely on sugary cereal and anything that has the word “instant” preceding it, you ought to get a taste of real cooking.”

“I-” I began, lost. Didn't he… didn't he want me? I mean, I was being pretty fucking wanton here. And I knew he could tell, given the nature of our flirting. “But I'm already at your apartment,” I whined. “Don't you want to sleep in your own bed?”

“Nah,” he replied, amusement evident in his voice. “Yours looks pretty nice. Plus I'm tired. And besides, I'm not picky. I figure I'll just crash here for the night and leave tomorrow morning. Got some stuff to do in Kyoto before Saturday.”

“Oh, well, I could just come over then!” Jeeze, way to sound completely desperate.

“Come on, you're exhausted too, I can hear it in your voice. Why not just call it a night at my place? I'm really tired, Ryuichi, and it'd be kind of nice to quit the game while I'm ahead.”

“But-” I began.

“Didn't you say you'd do what I say? Go to sleep, Ryuichi. And have sweet dreams.”

I tried to voice my protest, but the click of the receiver told me that Tatsuha wasn't up for listening. I threw the phone into a pile of clothes in frustration, rubbing at my tired eyes. Guess he's right. I should probably just…sleep.

After searching through some clean smelling clothes I found in a wash basket in his room, I picked out a large white t-shirt to sleep in, hoping that Tatsuha wouldn't mind my borrowing it. At which point I remembered that Tatsuha had turned me down, which left me slightly miffed. I took a shower in his bathroom after unceremoniously dumping all of the personal items I'd put in the bathtub out onto the bathroom floor, and dried off with some large, fluffy green towels. After running a comb through my hair and changing the sheets on his bed, because this was Eiri's supposedly sexually active younger brother, after all, (though by tonight's events, I was beginning to doubt that) I pulled on the t-shirt and slipped under the covers. I fell asleep before I got to say goodnight to Kuma-chan.