[fic] Breath mints - Yugioh, YamixYugi, PG, general, theme 077 (100_chances)
OMG, I'm actually updating? WHAT IS THIS MADNESS.
Theme: 077 - Breath mints; for 100_chances
Author: Chey (duelist_gurl163)
Genre: General
Rating: PG
Pairings: Implied Yami/Yugi
Archive: Here
Warnings: AU, discussion of prostitution
Spoilers: None
Summary: If there was one face from his past Yami hadn't expected to see, it was Yugi's. Especially not under these circumstances.
Disclaimer: Yugioh is still not mine.
Notes: This is the sequel to theme 059 - Umbrella and theme 038 - Wishing fountain.
- - -
A black sedan with darkly tinted windows circled the block twice before slowing down beside the fountain. The driver’s window rolled down. Yami, who had been watching the vehicle on the last two pass-bys, sauntered over.
The driver, wearing a crisp chauffer’s uniform, addressed him before he could speak. “Are you Yami Atemu?”
Yami frowned. A few regulars recognized and asked for him by name, but never a stranger. “Yes.”
“Very well, please get in. My employer desires your company.” There was the click of doors unlocking.
Doing his best to remain nonplussed, Yami opened the back door and slid inside, looking around with approval. The back of the sedan was roomy and comfortable. The driver pulled forward, paying no attention to his passenger, but Yami kept one hand near his messenger bag anyway, within reach of an outside pocket containing a well-sharpened knife. Just because he routinely accepted rides from strangers as part of his job, that didn’t mean he had to be an idiot about it.
He fished in his bag with his free hand for a box of mints, popping one in his mouth and wondering who the driver’s mysterious boss was. Clearly someone who valued anonymity. The sedan rolled through town to a strip of upscale hotels, pulling up at one of the most exclusive. A private driver, a fancy hotel…Yami mentally upped his price. The rich rarely wanted a quick fix of pleasure. If he played his cards right, he could make a full night’s pay off one job.
The driver led him into the lobby and into an elevator up to the top floor. He paused outside a suite to whip out a key card, open the door and say, “My employer awaits you inside.”
“Thanks,” Yami said, walking in.
As he stepped into the suite, he heard a familiar voice call hello. For a moment Yami paused, struggling to place it, before he rounded a corner and saw the man sitting by the writing desk.
“Yugi Mutou?” he asked, jaw dropping.
Yugi smiled. “You remember me.”
It was one of the very few times Yami had ever found himself at a loss for words in the presence of a client.
Now the secrecy made sense.
“Need a drink?” Yugi asked, seeing him going pale.
“Might be nice,” Yami admitted.
Yugi poured two glasses from a bottle in an ice bucket and held one out. He lifted the glass in a quiet toast and took a sip. Yami took a rather larger sip of his own.
“I take it you weren’t expecting me,” Yugi finally said. His eyes drifted down. “Interesting outfit. I assume that’s what you had on under that raincoat you kept so tightly clenched to yourself.”
Yami’s face grew hot. He gulped down the rest of his drink, fortifying himself. “Listen…I’m sorry about what happened,” he said. “I didn’t know there was a photographer-”
“Don’t worry. I didn’t think you had done it on purpose.”
“I hope I didn’t cause you too much trouble.”
Yugi shrugged and set down his glass. “Well, my reputation took quite a hit, my mother nearly had a stroke and I found myself forced to come out before I was quite ready, but otherwise no harm done.”
“Out?” Yami repeated. “So you are…?”
“I knew it would happen eventually,” he said. “But I’d planned to choose the time I came out of the closet, not have it forced upon me in full, front-page color.”
“I’m really sorry, honest.”
“I know.” Yugi smiled, and it held no malice. “Don’t look so worried, I didn’t ask for this meeting to get revenge, I promise.”
Yami gave a small laugh and started to relax. So it wasn’t some sort of revenge set-up. Perhaps Yugi was just looking for company after all and who better than someone he recognized? And on the bright side, he was awfully cute.
“I can still make it up to you,” Yami said, lowering the price again in his mind back to a normal rate. Kyoko would have killed him for wimping out on an obviously rich customer, but as nice as the money would be, he felt he owed Yugi something for the trouble he’d caused.
“Just what I was hoping.” Yugi stood and stretched, then picked up the bottle and asked, “Refresh your drink for you?”
Yami held out his glass and this time he lifted his in a toast back to Yugi. He could feel the alcohol loosening him up. Yugi sipped his own drink politely for a moment before setting the glass down and saying, “I might as well come clean about why I had you brought here. I’m afraid I’ve duped you a bit. I have no need of your service tonight, as satisfying as I’m sure it is.” His eyes lingered on Yami’s leather clothes, twinkling slightly. “I just wanted to talk to you one-on-one, without a lot of people around, and figured this was easier than having a conversation with you through a car window. I was wondering if you were available tomorrow afternoon.”
Yami’s heart sank a little. Back out into the cold then, probably to spend the night with someone far cheaper and far less attractive, he thought glumly. He shuffled through his plans. “I suppose. I have a shift at the restaurant in the morning, but I’m off by three. What do you have in mind?”
“I was wondering if you’d like to go to dinner.”
“Oh, an escort event,” Yami said, feeling both relieved and confused. He liked being an escort, it was ridiculously easy and there was often good food. In his experience it was awfully unusual for men to take male escorts to events though, even if they were gay.
Yugi choked on his drink and started laughing. Yami, disgruntled, frowned at him. “What?”
“I’m not…I’m not asking you to go to an event,” Yugi said, getting his breath back, his cheeks flushed from laughter. “I’m asking you out on a date.”
“…A date.”
“Yes. I was thinking an early dinner, maybe a show.”
Yami shrugged. “It’s the same rate, event or private.” Again Yugi started holding back laughter and Yami began wondering if this was all some sort of joke after all.
“Yami, I’m not asking you on a date I have to pay for.”
“Well I don’t work for free,” he said, feeling almost disappointed now. There were always the sleazes who tried asking him out in hopes of free sex, but he’d thought that Yugi was above that.
“I’m not asking you to work, either,” Yugi said.
Yami blinked. “You’re just…asking me out?”
“Now you’re catching on.”
“I mean it. This has nothing to do with my job? This isn’t some sort of ploy?”
Yugi shook his head. “Nothing at all. Just dinner, maybe a play if you like the theatre.”
“But why?” Yami asked blankly.
“Because I had a good time talking to you last time I was here. And I’ve figured out by now the reason you took off was because you were afraid of hurting my reputation. I appreciated that.” Yugi smiled again. Maybe it was the alcohol talking, but Yami couldn’t help noticing it was really a gorgeous smile.
“I had a good time talking to you, too,” he said, for lack of anything better.
“Good, then chances are another mutually satisfying conversation could take place,” Yugi said, chuckling. “How about it? You can pick the restaurant. I don’t know many around here.”
Yami remained silent as he turned over his options. He hadn’t accepted a date in months. There was no point, there was only one reason someone would ask a streetwalker on a normal date and while Yami might’ve sold his soul, he still had some damn pride.
It was his wish. Yami stared down at his glass. The same wish he’d made, over and over. A chance, just one tiny little chance, he always said that’s all he was asking of the universe.
This could be it. Maybe the universe had finally listened and presented a chance to him after all, wrapped in a smile and the kind of laugh that made his heart pound. Or maybe he was still a sentimental fool even after all these years.
Sentimental fool it is.
“There’s a really good place down the road,” he said. “It’s called L'Osier. How about five-thirty?”
Yugi’s smile broadened. “Sounds great, I’ll make the reservations. If you want to leave your address with the driver when you leave, he’ll pick you up. He’ll also drive you back to where he picked you up tonight. I interrupted your evening to bring you here, it’s only fair I make sure you have a ride back.”
“I’d appreciate that. Thanks for the drinks.”
“You’re welcome.”
Yami smiled a little, picked up his bag and headed for the door. His mind was reeling over what had just happened.
“Oh, hey,” Yugi called after him. Yami stopped.
“Hmn?”
“I almost forgot to ask. Did your wish ever come true? The one you made when we switched coins?”
Yami smiled wider and ducked toward the door to hide it. “I don’t know yet, but…maybe.”
X - X - X
Notes: There actually is a restaurant in Japan called L'Osier. I know nothing about it, but it got good reviews on a website. xD
I'm sorry again for the delay in updates! It's been a month since I posted and for that I apologize. Turns out working two jobs kind of sucks. Plus I've been really distracted by new fanfiction projects. But I will surely see this challenge through! I'm actually very fond of this theme. I love revisiting this 'verse.
Theme: 077 - Breath mints; for 100_chances
Author: Chey (duelist_gurl163)
Genre: General
Rating: PG
Pairings: Implied Yami/Yugi
Archive: Here
Warnings: AU, discussion of prostitution
Spoilers: None
Summary: If there was one face from his past Yami hadn't expected to see, it was Yugi's. Especially not under these circumstances.
Disclaimer: Yugioh is still not mine.
Notes: This is the sequel to theme 059 - Umbrella and theme 038 - Wishing fountain.
- - -
A black sedan with darkly tinted windows circled the block twice before slowing down beside the fountain. The driver’s window rolled down. Yami, who had been watching the vehicle on the last two pass-bys, sauntered over.
The driver, wearing a crisp chauffer’s uniform, addressed him before he could speak. “Are you Yami Atemu?”
Yami frowned. A few regulars recognized and asked for him by name, but never a stranger. “Yes.”
“Very well, please get in. My employer desires your company.” There was the click of doors unlocking.
Doing his best to remain nonplussed, Yami opened the back door and slid inside, looking around with approval. The back of the sedan was roomy and comfortable. The driver pulled forward, paying no attention to his passenger, but Yami kept one hand near his messenger bag anyway, within reach of an outside pocket containing a well-sharpened knife. Just because he routinely accepted rides from strangers as part of his job, that didn’t mean he had to be an idiot about it.
He fished in his bag with his free hand for a box of mints, popping one in his mouth and wondering who the driver’s mysterious boss was. Clearly someone who valued anonymity. The sedan rolled through town to a strip of upscale hotels, pulling up at one of the most exclusive. A private driver, a fancy hotel…Yami mentally upped his price. The rich rarely wanted a quick fix of pleasure. If he played his cards right, he could make a full night’s pay off one job.
The driver led him into the lobby and into an elevator up to the top floor. He paused outside a suite to whip out a key card, open the door and say, “My employer awaits you inside.”
“Thanks,” Yami said, walking in.
As he stepped into the suite, he heard a familiar voice call hello. For a moment Yami paused, struggling to place it, before he rounded a corner and saw the man sitting by the writing desk.
“Yugi Mutou?” he asked, jaw dropping.
Yugi smiled. “You remember me.”
It was one of the very few times Yami had ever found himself at a loss for words in the presence of a client.
Now the secrecy made sense.
“Need a drink?” Yugi asked, seeing him going pale.
“Might be nice,” Yami admitted.
Yugi poured two glasses from a bottle in an ice bucket and held one out. He lifted the glass in a quiet toast and took a sip. Yami took a rather larger sip of his own.
“I take it you weren’t expecting me,” Yugi finally said. His eyes drifted down. “Interesting outfit. I assume that’s what you had on under that raincoat you kept so tightly clenched to yourself.”
Yami’s face grew hot. He gulped down the rest of his drink, fortifying himself. “Listen…I’m sorry about what happened,” he said. “I didn’t know there was a photographer-”
“Don’t worry. I didn’t think you had done it on purpose.”
“I hope I didn’t cause you too much trouble.”
Yugi shrugged and set down his glass. “Well, my reputation took quite a hit, my mother nearly had a stroke and I found myself forced to come out before I was quite ready, but otherwise no harm done.”
“Out?” Yami repeated. “So you are…?”
“I knew it would happen eventually,” he said. “But I’d planned to choose the time I came out of the closet, not have it forced upon me in full, front-page color.”
“I’m really sorry, honest.”
“I know.” Yugi smiled, and it held no malice. “Don’t look so worried, I didn’t ask for this meeting to get revenge, I promise.”
Yami gave a small laugh and started to relax. So it wasn’t some sort of revenge set-up. Perhaps Yugi was just looking for company after all and who better than someone he recognized? And on the bright side, he was awfully cute.
“I can still make it up to you,” Yami said, lowering the price again in his mind back to a normal rate. Kyoko would have killed him for wimping out on an obviously rich customer, but as nice as the money would be, he felt he owed Yugi something for the trouble he’d caused.
“Just what I was hoping.” Yugi stood and stretched, then picked up the bottle and asked, “Refresh your drink for you?”
Yami held out his glass and this time he lifted his in a toast back to Yugi. He could feel the alcohol loosening him up. Yugi sipped his own drink politely for a moment before setting the glass down and saying, “I might as well come clean about why I had you brought here. I’m afraid I’ve duped you a bit. I have no need of your service tonight, as satisfying as I’m sure it is.” His eyes lingered on Yami’s leather clothes, twinkling slightly. “I just wanted to talk to you one-on-one, without a lot of people around, and figured this was easier than having a conversation with you through a car window. I was wondering if you were available tomorrow afternoon.”
Yami’s heart sank a little. Back out into the cold then, probably to spend the night with someone far cheaper and far less attractive, he thought glumly. He shuffled through his plans. “I suppose. I have a shift at the restaurant in the morning, but I’m off by three. What do you have in mind?”
“I was wondering if you’d like to go to dinner.”
“Oh, an escort event,” Yami said, feeling both relieved and confused. He liked being an escort, it was ridiculously easy and there was often good food. In his experience it was awfully unusual for men to take male escorts to events though, even if they were gay.
Yugi choked on his drink and started laughing. Yami, disgruntled, frowned at him. “What?”
“I’m not…I’m not asking you to go to an event,” Yugi said, getting his breath back, his cheeks flushed from laughter. “I’m asking you out on a date.”
“…A date.”
“Yes. I was thinking an early dinner, maybe a show.”
Yami shrugged. “It’s the same rate, event or private.” Again Yugi started holding back laughter and Yami began wondering if this was all some sort of joke after all.
“Yami, I’m not asking you on a date I have to pay for.”
“Well I don’t work for free,” he said, feeling almost disappointed now. There were always the sleazes who tried asking him out in hopes of free sex, but he’d thought that Yugi was above that.
“I’m not asking you to work, either,” Yugi said.
Yami blinked. “You’re just…asking me out?”
“Now you’re catching on.”
“I mean it. This has nothing to do with my job? This isn’t some sort of ploy?”
Yugi shook his head. “Nothing at all. Just dinner, maybe a play if you like the theatre.”
“But why?” Yami asked blankly.
“Because I had a good time talking to you last time I was here. And I’ve figured out by now the reason you took off was because you were afraid of hurting my reputation. I appreciated that.” Yugi smiled again. Maybe it was the alcohol talking, but Yami couldn’t help noticing it was really a gorgeous smile.
“I had a good time talking to you, too,” he said, for lack of anything better.
“Good, then chances are another mutually satisfying conversation could take place,” Yugi said, chuckling. “How about it? You can pick the restaurant. I don’t know many around here.”
Yami remained silent as he turned over his options. He hadn’t accepted a date in months. There was no point, there was only one reason someone would ask a streetwalker on a normal date and while Yami might’ve sold his soul, he still had some damn pride.
It was his wish. Yami stared down at his glass. The same wish he’d made, over and over. A chance, just one tiny little chance, he always said that’s all he was asking of the universe.
This could be it. Maybe the universe had finally listened and presented a chance to him after all, wrapped in a smile and the kind of laugh that made his heart pound. Or maybe he was still a sentimental fool even after all these years.
Sentimental fool it is.
“There’s a really good place down the road,” he said. “It’s called L'Osier. How about five-thirty?”
Yugi’s smile broadened. “Sounds great, I’ll make the reservations. If you want to leave your address with the driver when you leave, he’ll pick you up. He’ll also drive you back to where he picked you up tonight. I interrupted your evening to bring you here, it’s only fair I make sure you have a ride back.”
“I’d appreciate that. Thanks for the drinks.”
“You’re welcome.”
Yami smiled a little, picked up his bag and headed for the door. His mind was reeling over what had just happened.
“Oh, hey,” Yugi called after him. Yami stopped.
“Hmn?”
“I almost forgot to ask. Did your wish ever come true? The one you made when we switched coins?”
Yami smiled wider and ducked toward the door to hide it. “I don’t know yet, but…maybe.”
X - X - X
Notes: There actually is a restaurant in Japan called L'Osier. I know nothing about it, but it got good reviews on a website. xD
I'm sorry again for the delay in updates! It's been a month since I posted and for that I apologize. Turns out working two jobs kind of sucks. Plus I've been really distracted by new fanfiction projects. But I will surely see this challenge through! I'm actually very fond of this theme. I love revisiting this 'verse.