mission report for holly_berri
Mission report for holly_berri
Delivered by: ryogrande
Title: Don't Drink the Water
Groups/Pairings: Pin, Kameda, KAT-TUN/NEWS
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: futuristic dystopia, drugs, background character death, mpreg, graphic male/male sex, fluff
Summary: "How peaceful life would be without love... How peaceful, how tranquil. And how dull." ~ Umberto Eco, The Name of the Rose.
Notes: Inspired by a few dystopia classics, notably Equilibrium and Brave New World, but much more light-hearted. The one obligatory Taguchi pun comes from the Japanese word for "strawberry," which is "ichigo." I hope this is extreme enough for you, holly_berri! "Love is incomparable~"
It's a prosperous morning. Yamapi has a bit of a headache from drinking last night, something that glowed several different colors, but it only lasts until he shuffles into the kitchen for banana juice.
The cup is still up to his mouth as he heads toward the shower, passing the lump in his bed and giving it a swift swat on the ass. Whoever it is, he needs to wake up. It's Tax Day.
He finds out the hard way when the toilet flushes and the hot water in his shower runs ice cold. It's the year 3011 and they still haven't managed to prevent the two pipes from crossing. Yamapi shrieks like the extinct female species he's been taught about and narrows his eyes at the familiar snickers on the other side of the shower curtain.
At least now he doesn't have to worry about being late for work, because it's his boss who joins him for a quickie after the water gets hot again.
*
Tax Day is Yamapi's favorite day of the year. It annoys the rest of his department, particularly Ryo, but just about everything annoys the finance manager. That's mostly why Yamapi sleeps with him. Overseeing the government's money is an important job. This is what funds their country, their society, and their paychecks.
The deposits are already rolling in when Yamapi and Ryo teleport into work, and Yamapi rushes to his station to watch the names light up. It's all computerized, although that's a recent development. When Yamapi was first interning here, right after his virtual loading, they still used laser pens to manually check off the names of citizens who paid. Understandably, there was a lot of room for human error back then.
Computers take a lot of the fun away, but the government is more respected. And Yamapi's job is easier, despite his mind racing with budget altercations as the numbers in their account balance go up. Maybe they would have enough to create some more people this year.
More people meant more taxes. Eventually.
"I can practically see yen signs in your eyes," Ryo teases from across the room. "You want a latte?"
Yamapi nods, and Ryo barks for Tegoshi to get them lattes. It's kind of unnecessary to delegate the task to someone else, since there's a machine on each floor built into the wall, but it makes their intern feel important. That kid has ambition. Particularly on his knees, fitting neatly under Yamapi's desk after he brings back the latte and sucking his senior's erection in and out of his mouth with a perfected airtight suction.
Pleasure coils throughout Yamapi's body as the numbers keep rising. It really doesn't get any better than this.
*
Shige's already at their table, dealing out bentos to the finance team as they arrive for lunch. He's not nearly as cheerful as the guy who usually does it.
"What happened to Massu?" Ryo asks with minimal interest; the cheerfulness usually annoyed him, too.
"Died," Shige replies, sounding frustrated about it. "Some freak accident at home. Population control buzzed me at three in the fucking morning to tell me."
"Bummer, man," Yamapi tells him as he digs into his rice. "Bet you have a lot of work now."
"Tell me about it," Shige grumbles. "I hope they replace him fast."
Yamapi glances to Ryo, who's staring at Shige with an expression Yamapi doesn't recognize, but then he snaps out of it and reaches for his bag. "I'm going out for a smoke."
Nobody stops him. The smoking area is on the outskirts of the city, about a mile away from the government offices. Smoking has been prohibited within city limits for centuries. Very few people continue to partake in it for that reason alone, but sometimes it's worth the journey on a particularly stressful workday.
"I'll go with you," Yamapi offers. He has a lot of work to do, but Ryo's his boss. And Yamapi feels like having a cigarillo to commemorate a successful Tax Day.
The walk to the city line is quiet, Ryo and Yamapi easily falling in step with each other. Yamapi doesn't go outside very often anymore; it's much more time-efficient to teleport these days. The tall, monotonous buildings fade into the background as they approach actual nature, green grass and trees blooming strong with cherry blossoms. It's spring, Yamapi realizes. Tax Day is always in the spring.
They share the cigarillo, passing it back and forth like they’re teenagers again. The sun is high in the sky now, shedding warmth on the land and Yamapi smiles at the feeling. It is really a prosperous day after all.
He gets stuck with the butt, but it's not far to the dirt patch at the top of the hill where they usually bury the remainders to biodegrade. The hill oversees the countryside, the nice part that the government maintains, and Yamapi appreciates the view until he notices an outsider littering their property with his filth.
"Hey, you!" he yells, vaguely noticing Ryo stand up from the bench as the Yamapi races down the hill.
The man cringes as he approaches, holding his ankle in obvious pain. His hair is long, scraggly, and his clothes are dirty and torn. Definitely not a citizen.
"You're trespassing," Yamapi tells him sternly, resisting the urge to kick him. He wouldn't want to scuff his shoe.
"You're beautiful," the man replies, and Yamapi twitches. "What's your name?"
"Federal Operating Account Representative Yamashita Tomohisa," Yamapi introduces himself. This illegal doesn't need to know his nickname. "Please remove yourself from government property."
"I'm Akanishi Jin," the man says, using casual language. His voice is deep and husky, seeming to tickle the insides of Yamapi's ears. "And as you can see, I'm injured."
"I've contacted security," Ryo says calmly as he jogs up to them. "Leave him be, Pi."
"Pi?" Jin repeats, and Yamapi frowns at Ryo. "I like that. It's short."
Yamapi stares at this stranger, squatting down to get a closer look. There's something about his face that draws Yamapi's attention, but he doesn't look like anyone he's met before. Soft brown eyes, high cheekbones, thick lips; if Yamapi wasn't looking down at his actual body, he would think it's one of those computer-generated models of perfection advertisers create to market their products.
It's the eyes, Yamapi realizes. Jin's eyes seem so foreign, filled with things Yamapi doesn't understand. As he looks into them, he feels like he wants to learn all about him, his curiosity far surpassing a brief interest. Then Jin smiles at him and a rush of something accumulates in his chest, his hand clutching to his heart on instinct.
"Pi!" Ryo yells, shoving a bottle of water in Yamapi's face. "Drink it. The whole thing."
Jin's face falls into a pout as Yamapi obediently complies. "Fucking robots, all of you," he says. "How can you live like this?"
Upon swallowing, Yamapi tilts his head in confusion, but Ryo dives past him with his hand raised. Jin's neck turns all the way to the other side with the force of Ryo's slap.
"How dare you come onto our land and disrespect our people," Ryo growls. "We should leave you here to rot, but it would destroy our scenery."
"You're missing out," Jin says, directly to Yamapi. "Love is incomparable."
He's staring hard into Yamapi's eyes, but Yamapi's mind has already cleared and he doesn't recognize the word.
*
"I've never met one of those before," Yamapi says happily as they make the trek back to the office. "What are they called again?"
"Crazies," Ryo spits. "Sick, diseased, infected. They've never made it this far before, probably because security is lax today. Since..."
He trails off, and Yamapi waits patiently for him to go on. Then he remembers who makes up the security team. "Oh, since Massu's not here anymore," Yamapi helpfully finishes for him.
Ryo doesn't respond, so Yamapi turns to look at him. His eyes are glossy, his expression unnatural. Suddenly Yamapi is filled with a sudden fear that Ryo might be getting sick like that trespasser they found. He made physical contact with his dirty skin, after all. Yamapi hopes Management won't blame him for this. He'll already have to do Ryo's job if his boss gets deported.
"I'm fine," Ryo says quickly as he wipes his face, and Yamapi wonders what he's talking about. He doesn't recall asking a question that would require that answer. "I'm just... oh, you wouldn't understand."
"Understand?" Yamapi repeats, affronted. "I've been loaded with level two intelligence, just like you. You may have a higher position than me, but that doesn't mean that you know more."
It takes a few steps for Yamapi to notice that Ryo's stopped walking, and when Yamapi spins around to face him in indignance, the latter is staring at him blankly. "Didn't you feel something weird when you were looking at that Akanishi guy?"
"Yeah, I was dehydrated," Yamapi tells him. "I've been so busy that I haven't had anything to drink all day."
"Pi," Ryo says slowly. "Do you know why we can't drink the water here?"
"Because it's unsafe," Yamapi answers. It's what he's always known. He's never had any reason to question it. "The manufactured water is healthier and full of vitamins and minerals."
Ryo nods. "It makes you feel better."
"Yeah," Yamapi agrees. He always feels great after a tall glass of purified water. The medical applications say eight glasses a day is standard.
"It doesn't work on me," Ryo says bluntly, looking ashamed. "At least not completely."
Curiously, Yamapi peers at him. "Are you a crazy?"
"No," Ryo replies, then sighs. "And neither was Akanishi. All of those rumors about outbreak and insanity are made up."
Yamapi shoves his hands in his pockets and feels very, very uncomfortable. Like he could get fired for having this conversation uncomfortable. "I don't get it."
"They're illegal because they refuse to live in our society," Ryo explains, and Yamapi gives him a dirty look because he knows that much. "They claim our water is mind-altering, which it technically is. It prevents emotions that the government declares inappropriate."
"I don't see anything wrong with that," Yamapi mumbles. "If they're inappropriate, we shouldn't have them."
"The illegals disagree," Ryo tells him. "They think the human mind should be left to its own devices. So they live in the rural, unincorporated areas, running their own society and existing how they please."
"What does this have to do with you?" Yamapi asks, his heart racing. He has a very bad feeling that his job is in jeopardy. "Did you used to be one of them or something?"
Ryo laughs. "We were raised in the same youth facility, idiot." He sighs. "But I always knew I was different, feeling things the other kids couldn't. There must have been some kind of glitch when they created me. I never told anyone until right now."
"Could it be..." Yamapi whispers, barely speaking the foreign word that Jin had used so freely: "Love?"
"It's not very strong," Ryo says defensively. "Just when something really big happens, like death. You know... or maybe you don't. When someone close to you dies, it hurts."
"Like a physical hurt?" Yamapi asks. "Like when you bang your knee?"
He frowns as Ryo shakes his head. "It's complicated."
"Sounds like the government was right to prevent us from going through that," Yamapi says. "If it's so negative, then why would we want to feel it?"
"I wish I couldn't feel it," Ryo grumbles. "I don't completely understand it, either. The government did a good job of destroying all of the old texts and electronic media. I'm willing to bet they fabricated history, too."
"Ryo," Yamapi gasps. "You're breaking the law right now. Don't speak ill of the government. It pays you, you traitorous-"
"Okay, okay," Ryo cuts him off. "Just forget I said anything. Let's go back to work."
Yamapi is wary of Ryo for the rest of the day, but nothing else out of the ordinary happens. Then again, he's not paying much attention to his boss either. Himself and his work comes first; that's the only way to get anywhere in life. Ryo's made it this far in his life without arousing suspicion, and it only came up because Yamapi had caught him acting weird.
Still, Yamapi doesn't trust that this won't somehow get him in trouble with the government. He runs several Internet searches when he gets home, but Ryo was right - there's nothing that defines what love is, just that it's crazy. For all he knows, Ryo could be dangerous. Yamapi needs to find out for sure without alerting the authorities; if being associated with him will mean his ass on the line, Yamapi will take the necessary precautions to eliminate him from the equation on his own.
Lucky for him, he knows someone in Crazy Town.
*
It occurs to Yamapi about ten miles past the city line that he's not very smart. Logically, that is; he is level two intelligence, after all. He's used to a peaceful existence, though, and from what the Internet says about these illegals, they can cause each other harm. They have been known to fight, use weapons, and even kill each other in the name of this "love."
Yamapi has his government-issued laser gun in his pants, but he doesn't really know how to use it. He's an accountant, not a guard.
Once he reaches the village, he forgets all about doing battle and stares in amazement at the architecture and landscaping surrounding him. It's nothing like the high-rise buildings and close-cut lawns of his society. The buildings are shaped like domes, with intricate designs on the outside that Yamapi doesn't recognize. His society has no need for art or creative outlets, but he knows they exist. It was one of his virtual downloads.
People bustle around him, going about their daily business. They look like him, but not nearly as professional. There's an air of something different with them, something off. When they talk to each other, they are unnecessarily attentive and overly polite. A pair of men sitting on a bench are staring into each other's eyes with weird looks on their faces, and Yamapi wonders what the hell they could possibly be doing. A staring contest, maybe. How childish.
"You looking for someone, Mister?" someone asks.
The first thing Yamapi notices about this guy is his big nose. The second is that he's not dirty at all - sharply dressed, actually. His sweater has a diamond-shaped pattern on it and Yamapi eyes it in interest. Diamonds make him think of money.
"I'm looking for Akanishi Jin," Yamapi tells him briskly. "Do you know him?"
The man's face relaxes into a smile, and Yamapi thinks it's kind of gross. "Yeah, he's part of my crew. I'll take you to him, Mister -?"
"Yamashita," Yamapi supplies.
"Nakamaru," the other replies, and Yamapi stares at him expectantly.
It takes Nakamaru a second to move, like something about Yamapi's behavior stuns him, but then he spins on his heel and walks the other way. Yamapi follows him through the main part of the village, around a hill, and down a path that seems to split a large field.
"Don't you guys have teleportation?" Yamapi asks after about an hour. He's out of breath and his legs are starting to hurt from the strain.
"Don't need it," Nakamaru answers. "Teleporting takes away our relationships with nature."
Yamapi thinks that's a crock of shit, but he doesn't care enough to express his opinion. Instead he just sticks it out, and thankfully the next group of domes is where they stop.
"Yuichi, what-"
A small man - about Ryo's size - runs toward Nakamaru, stopping short when he sees Yamapi. Instantly his face takes on an expression of rage, and Yamapi tries to remember what color button on his laser gun does what.
"You brought someone from the government here?!" the small man yells, looking like he wants to hit Nakamaru. Yamapi wonders why he doesn't; if he were that angry, he certainly would. "They nearly killed Jin last week and now you're just going to lead them to him?"
Yamapi lifts his hand. "I have no interest in harming Akanishi. I am an accountant."
He's on the receiving end of a critical eye before Nakamaru sighs and elbows the other. "Calm down, Koki. You're so protective of Jin."
"You are, too," the man named Koki grumbles as he gives Yamapi a look like he wouldn't trust him with a hundred-yen piece. "Fine, come in."
Yamapi ducks through the door and pauses at all of the decoration splashing the walls and surfaces. His own apartment has the necessary items and that's it. Black, white, and shades of gray, and his wardrobe was more of the same. He never gave much of a thought about other colors. Where he lives, everyone has black hair and brown eyes. A man sitting on a bright green couch has orange hair.
He also has a very large belly, like he swallowed something big and round. He glares at Yamapi when he catches him staring, but Yamapi doesn't look away.
"Keep him away from Kame," Koki hisses to Nakamaru. "Ueda put him on a new hormone today that makes him bitchy."
"Bitchier than normal?" Nakamaru asks, and Koki nods.
Over on the couch, the man who is undoubtedly Kame hears them and doesn't appear very impressed.
"Pi!" a familiar voice exclaims. "I can't believe you're here!"
Yamapi swivels his head around to see Akanishi Jin wobble out into the main room on a single crutch, looking a lot cleaner than Yamapi had seen him the last time. He may have even been fresh from the shower, with damp hair that curled a bit at the ends and shining skin. Aside from the bandage on his ankle, he appeared completely unharmed by their run-in the other day.
"I'd like a word with you, Akanishi," Yamapi says straightforwardly. "In private."
"My room is back here," Jin tells him, then awkwardly turns on his crutch. He starts to fall, eyes darting to Yamapi as he loses his balance, and Yamapi just watches in annoyance as he falls to the ground. He doesn't have all day.
"You government assholes really are heartless," Koki says as he shoves past Yamapi to help Jin up.
Yamapi blinks at him. "Huh? You have to have a heart to be alive. They haven't figured out a way to replace it yet."
"Don't mind him," Jin says, flashing him a smile while Yamapi becomes even more confused at their strange illegal lingo. "Come with me."
Jin's room is considerably brighter, less colors but more shine. Yamapi takes a seat in the desk chair and Jin falls into his bed, rolling onto his back and grinning up at his uninvited guest. "Now what can I do for you?"
His hair looks enticing splayed out on his gold comforter like that, and Yamapi thinks the questions will have to wait. Sex isn't something he initiates very often - usually it's being done to him - but it's still just as easy to follow his natural instincts as he crawls toward Jin on the bed. Jin's body curls under his and he leans up to meet Yamapi halfway, lips crushing together hard enough to sting as Yamapi advances on him.
An arousing noise sounds from the back of Jin's throat, high-pitched and obscene, and Yamapi kisses him harder as he takes off their clothes. Jin's erection brushes against his and Yamapi groans, an involuntary reaction that he normally finds bothersome because it interferes with his breathing. It's worth it for the stimulation, though; heat and electricity course through his body with every grind, Jin's hands on his bare back pulling him closer.
He doesn't know why Jin keeps kissing on his neck, pressing up against him with his chest as well as his lower half, but it's not enough to hinder his need to fuck. At least the illegals seem to do it the same way.
Yamapi retrieves the lube from his pants before they hit the floor, laser gun and all, and preps Jin enough to suffice. Jin lets out a sharp moan as Yamapi thrusts inside him, but after that Yamapi is solely focused on what it feels like to bury himself over and over again in that tight ass. Nails dig into his back and at first it's distracting, but then it feels good. It brings out a noise Yamapi didn't even know he was capable of making, fucking Jin faster and deeper as those faint moans get him off harder than ever before.
"So much for a word," Jin whispers as he wraps his arms around the man on top of him.
Yamapi would find this unusual closeness odd, but he's already asleep.
*
"What are you thinking, going up onto government property like that?!"
Yamapi's mind spins as he lingers somewhere in his subconscious, hearing snippets of conversation that may or may not actually be taking place.
"... insane," the voice that sounds like Koki continues. "What if he's here to spy... people have no remorse. None."
There is some hissed mumbling, then a loud sigh.
"... not like that. I've been watching him since... had a connection... in his eyes... different."
"I can't believe you," Koki says clearly. "Actually, I can. You're stupid when you're in love."
Jin's voice is strong and defiant. "I guess I am."
Yamapi's not coherent enough to think about what this means; all he knows is that despite the discomfort, this is the best dream he's ever had.
*
It's dark when he wakes, attention peaking in paranoia as he rushes to remember where he is. His body shakes as it all comes gushing back to him - Nakamaru's nose, hours of walking, mind-blowing sex with an illegal - and Yamapi's head weighs down with the reality of it all. He vaguely recalls something tugging at his memory from earlier, but he can't quite place a finger on it.
Then he feels a whole cacophony of emotions he's never felt before, and his entire focus is on finding his travel bag. "Water," he says dryly.
"I'll get you water, but it won't be yours," says a firm voice.
Weakly, Yamapi looks up and focuses on Jin's face, hard and serious for the first time since Yamapi's known him. Which, admittedly, hasn't been very long, but that just makes Yamapi feel worse for reasons he doesn't understand. "What's happening to me?"
Those deep eyes relax, and Jin's smile seems to have a similar effect on Yamapi's nerves. "You're becoming normal."
"Normal?" Yamapi repeats. "I was already normal. You're the one who's not normal. If I don't drink my water, I'll get sick-"
"You're wrong," Jin says sternly. Something flashes in his eyes and Yamapi's body jerks in reaction. "We're the normal ones. You're the brainwashed ones. The results of centuries of personality structuring and chemical balancing. The so-called 'perfect' human race."
Yamapi blinks. "I don't understand."
"All I know is what was passed down from older generations," Jin begins, "since your government keeps raiding us and preventing historical documentation. Almost a millennium ago, the Earth was wiped clean of all human life with exception of a small group of activists who were clearly not pleased with how the race was evolving. They wanted to breed their own society, to start over new and right the wrongs they felt the previous world had done."
Something keeps Yamapi from not arguing, ignoring him, or dismissing the possibility entirely. It's fascinating, actually, and if he thinks about it, he can find logic in Jin's explanation. "Did it work?"
"Not at first," Jin replies. "Your first government was made up of both men and women, and as the Earth repopulated, history was deemed to repeat itself. The successors learned that it was something biological that prevented their distorted version of utopia, and eventually narrowed it down to love."
"Love," Yamapi repeats, the word alone causing a stir in the new openings of his brain. "What is that?"
"It cannot be defined." Jin reaches for his hand. "It has to be felt."
Yamapi stares down at where Jin's stroking his knuckles, coercing open the fists Yamapi hadn't even known he was making as he struggles to offset the flood of emotional cognition. He shivers from the touch, tiny bumps forming on his skin all over. "I'm allergic to this," he exclaims. "You're giving me a rash!"
"It's not a rash," Jin says with a laugh. "They're called goosebumps. You get them when you feel something deep inside your heart. Like what your people have been denied ever since they mandated the water filtration system."
"Inside your heart?" Yamapi asks, confused as he remembers his cardiology loading. "But there are just valves and stuff."
"Stop trying to understand it," Jin says gently. "Just accept it. You feel it now, right?"
"I feel something," Yamapi admits. His body gives another involuntary jerk from the rush of feelings. "I'm scared, Jin."
Jin's fingers lace with his, taking Yamapi's hand in his own, and Yamapi feels better. He finds himself gravitating closer to Jin, his mind racing despite his attempts at following Jin's directions. It becomes easier once he makes contact with Jin's warm body, his head fitting neatly in Jin's lap, and almost instantly there are fingers in his hair, brushing it out of his face and applying gentle pressure on his hairline. He has no basis for comparison, but it is definitely more satisfying than Tax Day.
"The only downfall of this new, loveless world was procreation," Jin goes on, his voice rumbling Yamapi from their closeness. "Before this revolutionary emotion-blocking drug was introduced to the water, men had sex with women to get them pregnant and carry on the human race. But the water made everyone sterile, so they rushed to discover a way to manufacture people without them. Does your government ignore that part of history, too?"
"I guess so," Yamapi answers slowly. "We are just told that women became extinct a long time ago."
"Because the manufactured humans could only be male," Jin explains. "Someone finally figured it out years too late, but the formula they were desperately trying to create to keep everyone from going extinct was giving the new generation YY chromosomes. This prevented any females from being made. This may have even been their intention, no one knows for sure."
Yamapi's head is carefully lifted up as Jin stands.
"Come with me. I want to show you something."
Reluctantly Yamapi stands, his head heavy with all of this new information, and he stumbles out into the main room with Jin. Koki and Nakamaru must have already been asleep, but Kame is still sitting on the couch, now joined by another man with orange hair.
"This is Kame and Ueda," Jin introduces, and Yamapi waves awkwardly. "They're going to recreate the female species."
Ueda's eyes narrow in what Yamapi recognizes as rage, but they relax when he takes in Yamapi's condition. "Just because he's detoxed doesn't mean he won't report us, Jin," he says evenly.
"I trust him," Jin says stubbornly, and all at once Yamapi knows what that means.
He leans closer into Jin's embrace.
Kame regards them fondly, his eyes glistening. "That's so sweet," he says.
A strong feeling overcomes Yamapi then, making him want to walk over to the couch and take the pregnant man in his arms, and this is what Ryo was talking about. He doesn't know what it's called, but he understands now, why Ryo was upset over Massu's death. Thinking about it now, he's a little sad himself. Massu had been a pretty happy guy considering he didn't feel love.
"We come from a long line of geneticists," Ueda explains. "This has been in place for generations, and finally Kazuya and I can execute it. The fetus growing inside him definitely has XX chromosomes."
"What is 'this'?" Yamapi asks curiously. "What do you plan to do with a female?"
"Reverse history," Ueda answers simply. "With a female, our people can start procreating naturally, even if it won't make an impact in our lifetimes. It will be a slow process, but it already took this long to get XY combinations, which both Kazuya and I are."
"Are you going to overthrow the government?" Yamapi doesn't even flinch at the hope in his voice.
Ueda smiles. "In a few hundred years, maybe. Right now we rely on your government to supply our population. We don't have the means or finances to keep creating people like this. We only gain new members every time you deport someone, or when someone sneaks away on their own. They used to toss out the babies that didn't take to the water, which we adopted as our own, but now I think they just kill them."
Yamapi thinks of Ryo and wonders why he got spared. This leads to wondering what he'll do if Yamapi never comes back. Yamapi misses him. A lot.
"Once we can procreate on our own, we can begin the process of going back to the old world," Ueda goes on, welcoming Kame into his embrace as the other man snuggles up to him; Yamapi feels warm at the sight. "But like I said, that won't happen in our lifetimes. What Kazuya and I are doing is a start, though. As long as your government doesn't find out about our child."
"They'll definitely kill her," Kame adds, and Yamapi feels his own vision becoming blurry as Kame clings to Ueda.
The thought alone has Yamapi losing his grasp on reality, his compassion for Kame joined by a torrent of extreme guilt for being a part of that government. All this time he'd thought they were doing good, keeping the world orderly and clean, but that was all a lie.
"I don't feel well," he says apologetically, grabbing for Jin as he slips into unconsciousness once more.
*
Illegal water tastes exactly the same, just void of the elements that shut off part of his personality.
"Thanks," Yamapi says gratefully as Jin comes into focus, staring down at him in worry as he holds the cup to his lips. "It's so much to process at once."
"I've never watched someone detox before," Jin confesses. "From what the elders told me, I was one of the babies they rejected. They told me it's because I am too full of love to have it suppressed."
"I believe that," Yamapi says, the muscles of his face straining as he makes an unfamiliar expression for the first time.
Jin looks like he wants to cry. "You're even more beautiful when you smile."
A surge of heat shoots through Yamapi's veins at the compliment, making his cheeks feel like they're on fire. He doesn't know what to say, but it turns out he doesn't have to say anything as Jin leans in and kisses him. The mere act on its own is nothing like Yamapi knew it to be, lips making physical contact but with tingles and warmth and stars behind his eyes, things Yamapi doesn't understand. And as Jin licks his way into Yamapi's mouth, he's not in a rush to focus on the reasons behind it. All he wants is to feel.
When Jin touches him, an ache joins the usual spike of arousal. That primal need to penetrate is still there, but it's masked by a series of other things, emotions he was denied before. Jin pushes up Yamapi's shirt, fingertips dragging along his side, and that alone has him making another one of those shivers, this time with his whole body. The shirt is pulled off, along with Jin's, and now Yamapi's hands are exploring Jin's torso. His skin is hot to the touch, the muscles quivering under his own fingertips, and Jin makes a noise that sears right through him and makes his toes curl.
Yamapi's breathing quickens, his heartbeat racing, and it's so amazing and exhilarating that he doesn't ever want it to stop. He swallows Jin's moans, losing himself in their heated kiss, and he doesn't realize that he's emitting deep grunts until Jin's hand drops below his belt and he groans low enough to vibrate his throat.
He melts into Jin's touch, the feeling of arousal becoming familiar as Jin strokes his length and kisses him harder. Jin's own erection is grinding into Yamapi's thigh, and Yamapi reaches for it on impulse. Its weight is foreign in his palm and at first he doesn't know what to do, but Jin is whispering words of encouragement and he really likes how Jin's voice feels against his lips.
A thumb sweeps across the head of his cock and Yamapi arches, falling out of their kiss and feeling regretful about it until Jin's mouth latches onto his neck. The sucking and nibbling intensifies the feeling, Jin's moans gaining more depth as he rolls his hips into Yamapi's hand and holds him as close as humanly possible. Finally he kicks the rest of their clothes off like they offended him and straddles Yamapi's lap.
"Hurry," Jin whispers, and Yamapi beams with pride as he accepts the lube pressed into his palm and slicks his fingers.
Jin's body pushes back against him, tightening when it feels good and trembling when it feels even better. It's easier for Yamapi to stretch him, fueled by Jin's noises that regulate his pace. It's natural, one finger joined by two and then three, until Yamapi's simulating sex with them and Jin's whining for more. Jin's the one who applies the lube to Yamapi's cock, which has Yamapi rocking up into Jin's promising touch as he pulls his fingers out, and he would be sad to have the touch suddenly disappear if Jin wasn't hovering over him with very hooded eyes.
Then Yamapi is inside him and he can't begin to understand the emotions that fill him, resigning himself to just go with it and ride the high of this sensual act he's experiencing with Jin. The physical insistence is still there, but it's accompanied by feelings that completely overload his brain, leaving him with just his senses and raw desires.
Each thrust makes his whole body tingle, every single one of Jin's moans intensifies that ache. Yamapi holds him close as they move together, angling his hips to hit Jin in the place that makes him shudder, latch onto Yamapi and gasp into his skin, his pleasure heightening Yamapi's. It's surreal and concrete at the same time, making Yamapi fight to hold back and make it last, wishing it never has to end regardless of how badly he wants to come.
Just when Yamapi starts to lose control, Jin grabs his hand and puts it on his own cock. Instantly Yamapi squeezes him from base to tip, moving in tandem to his thrusting and going faster when Jin starts to cry out and squirm on top of him. His release coats Yamapi's hand as his body clamps down around him, leading Yamapi to push harder and inevitably give in to his own orgasm.
As the sun rises on a brand new day, Yamapi wraps his arms around Jin and kisses him anywhere he can reach. He can't stop smiling, his mind clear and calm. Everything before the previous day seems like another lifetime.
"Do you want your water?" Jin asks carefully, pulling back enough to look at Yamapi with big, hopeful eyes.
In response, Yamapi stands up, puts on his pants, and digs the bottle of drugged water out of his bag. With Jin at his heels, tripping over his own pants, Yamapi walks straight outside and turns the bottle upside down on a wild bush.
Jin's face is the pure definition of love, and it's the first beautiful thing Yamapi has ever seen.
*
Bonus
Kameda Ichiko is born six weeks later, completely healthy and pink-faced as she shrieks at the top of her lungs.
"It's a strawberry turtle!" Doctor Taguchi declares, and even Yamapi rolls his eyes.
"She kind of looks like a strawberry," Jin observes, peering at the baby's scrunched-up face.
"She is not a strawberry," Kame grumbles, flopping his hand in Jin's general direction. He is still heavily medicated from the surgery. "Ichiko."
"Ichiko-chan," Ueda says softly, staring down at his daughter with what Yamapi can only define as love.
"It worked," Yamapi says incredulously. "Does this mean you'll make more females this way?"
"I don't see why not," Koki replies, looking just as amazed as the others. "The more we make, the faster we can populate on our own. When they're old enough, of course."
Ueda narrows his eyes like this will be a very long time.
Jin drapes himself over Yamapi's shoulders, and Yamapi leans back into the touch. "We can go next, if you want," Jin whispers.
Yamapi doesn't have the heart to remind him that they're both YY.
The door carefully opens and closes as Nakamaru returns from town with baby items. He hands the bags to Ueda and nervously approaches Yamapi. "I, um, ran into someone in town who claims to know you. I wasn't going to bring him here, but he passed the emotion tests. Says his name is Nishikido Ryo. Do you know him?"
Yamapi's heart aches at the name. "Yes, of course I know him. He's the one I told you about, who is unaffected by the water. You can trust him."
Nakamaru gives a short nod and disappears. When he comes back, a very prominent face from Yamapi's memories is with him.
"Ryo," he breathes, tears springing to his eyes as he runs out of Jin's arms and into the other's.
He's embraced by laughter, but Ryo doesn't let go. "I thought I would never see you again."
When they break apart, Jin is eyeing Ryo distastefully. Yamapi laughs as he returns to Jin's side. "You are so jealous."
"Am not," Jin replies, grabbing onto Yamapi's hand possessively.
"Trust me, I don't want any of that," Ryo tells him, then smiles awkwardly at the others. "So, do you have room for one more?"
"What happened?" Yamapi asks. "Did you get found out?"
Ryo shrugs. "Tired of pretending. And I might have missed your face, although it's much happier now. Love looks good on you."
Just then, Ichiko cries, and Ryo makes a cute cooing noise as he peers into her incubator. "Aw, congratula- wait, is that a girl?"
Ueda growls at him, but Kame stops him with a light touch to the wrist. "The first girl," Kame says proudly, flashing them all a doped-up grin. "She's going to change the world."
"She already has," Yamapi says gently. "She was made with love."
Jin slides an arm around his waist, pulling him close, and Yamapi thinks that love really is incomparable.
Delivered by: ryogrande
Title: Don't Drink the Water
Groups/Pairings: Pin, Kameda, KAT-TUN/NEWS
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: futuristic dystopia, drugs, background character death, mpreg, graphic male/male sex, fluff
Summary: "How peaceful life would be without love... How peaceful, how tranquil. And how dull." ~ Umberto Eco, The Name of the Rose.
Notes: Inspired by a few dystopia classics, notably Equilibrium and Brave New World, but much more light-hearted. The one obligatory Taguchi pun comes from the Japanese word for "strawberry," which is "ichigo." I hope this is extreme enough for you, holly_berri! "Love is incomparable~"
It's a prosperous morning. Yamapi has a bit of a headache from drinking last night, something that glowed several different colors, but it only lasts until he shuffles into the kitchen for banana juice.
The cup is still up to his mouth as he heads toward the shower, passing the lump in his bed and giving it a swift swat on the ass. Whoever it is, he needs to wake up. It's Tax Day.
He finds out the hard way when the toilet flushes and the hot water in his shower runs ice cold. It's the year 3011 and they still haven't managed to prevent the two pipes from crossing. Yamapi shrieks like the extinct female species he's been taught about and narrows his eyes at the familiar snickers on the other side of the shower curtain.
At least now he doesn't have to worry about being late for work, because it's his boss who joins him for a quickie after the water gets hot again.
*
Tax Day is Yamapi's favorite day of the year. It annoys the rest of his department, particularly Ryo, but just about everything annoys the finance manager. That's mostly why Yamapi sleeps with him. Overseeing the government's money is an important job. This is what funds their country, their society, and their paychecks.
The deposits are already rolling in when Yamapi and Ryo teleport into work, and Yamapi rushes to his station to watch the names light up. It's all computerized, although that's a recent development. When Yamapi was first interning here, right after his virtual loading, they still used laser pens to manually check off the names of citizens who paid. Understandably, there was a lot of room for human error back then.
Computers take a lot of the fun away, but the government is more respected. And Yamapi's job is easier, despite his mind racing with budget altercations as the numbers in their account balance go up. Maybe they would have enough to create some more people this year.
More people meant more taxes. Eventually.
"I can practically see yen signs in your eyes," Ryo teases from across the room. "You want a latte?"
Yamapi nods, and Ryo barks for Tegoshi to get them lattes. It's kind of unnecessary to delegate the task to someone else, since there's a machine on each floor built into the wall, but it makes their intern feel important. That kid has ambition. Particularly on his knees, fitting neatly under Yamapi's desk after he brings back the latte and sucking his senior's erection in and out of his mouth with a perfected airtight suction.
Pleasure coils throughout Yamapi's body as the numbers keep rising. It really doesn't get any better than this.
*
Shige's already at their table, dealing out bentos to the finance team as they arrive for lunch. He's not nearly as cheerful as the guy who usually does it.
"What happened to Massu?" Ryo asks with minimal interest; the cheerfulness usually annoyed him, too.
"Died," Shige replies, sounding frustrated about it. "Some freak accident at home. Population control buzzed me at three in the fucking morning to tell me."
"Bummer, man," Yamapi tells him as he digs into his rice. "Bet you have a lot of work now."
"Tell me about it," Shige grumbles. "I hope they replace him fast."
Yamapi glances to Ryo, who's staring at Shige with an expression Yamapi doesn't recognize, but then he snaps out of it and reaches for his bag. "I'm going out for a smoke."
Nobody stops him. The smoking area is on the outskirts of the city, about a mile away from the government offices. Smoking has been prohibited within city limits for centuries. Very few people continue to partake in it for that reason alone, but sometimes it's worth the journey on a particularly stressful workday.
"I'll go with you," Yamapi offers. He has a lot of work to do, but Ryo's his boss. And Yamapi feels like having a cigarillo to commemorate a successful Tax Day.
The walk to the city line is quiet, Ryo and Yamapi easily falling in step with each other. Yamapi doesn't go outside very often anymore; it's much more time-efficient to teleport these days. The tall, monotonous buildings fade into the background as they approach actual nature, green grass and trees blooming strong with cherry blossoms. It's spring, Yamapi realizes. Tax Day is always in the spring.
They share the cigarillo, passing it back and forth like they’re teenagers again. The sun is high in the sky now, shedding warmth on the land and Yamapi smiles at the feeling. It is really a prosperous day after all.
He gets stuck with the butt, but it's not far to the dirt patch at the top of the hill where they usually bury the remainders to biodegrade. The hill oversees the countryside, the nice part that the government maintains, and Yamapi appreciates the view until he notices an outsider littering their property with his filth.
"Hey, you!" he yells, vaguely noticing Ryo stand up from the bench as the Yamapi races down the hill.
The man cringes as he approaches, holding his ankle in obvious pain. His hair is long, scraggly, and his clothes are dirty and torn. Definitely not a citizen.
"You're trespassing," Yamapi tells him sternly, resisting the urge to kick him. He wouldn't want to scuff his shoe.
"You're beautiful," the man replies, and Yamapi twitches. "What's your name?"
"Federal Operating Account Representative Yamashita Tomohisa," Yamapi introduces himself. This illegal doesn't need to know his nickname. "Please remove yourself from government property."
"I'm Akanishi Jin," the man says, using casual language. His voice is deep and husky, seeming to tickle the insides of Yamapi's ears. "And as you can see, I'm injured."
"I've contacted security," Ryo says calmly as he jogs up to them. "Leave him be, Pi."
"Pi?" Jin repeats, and Yamapi frowns at Ryo. "I like that. It's short."
Yamapi stares at this stranger, squatting down to get a closer look. There's something about his face that draws Yamapi's attention, but he doesn't look like anyone he's met before. Soft brown eyes, high cheekbones, thick lips; if Yamapi wasn't looking down at his actual body, he would think it's one of those computer-generated models of perfection advertisers create to market their products.
It's the eyes, Yamapi realizes. Jin's eyes seem so foreign, filled with things Yamapi doesn't understand. As he looks into them, he feels like he wants to learn all about him, his curiosity far surpassing a brief interest. Then Jin smiles at him and a rush of something accumulates in his chest, his hand clutching to his heart on instinct.
"Pi!" Ryo yells, shoving a bottle of water in Yamapi's face. "Drink it. The whole thing."
Jin's face falls into a pout as Yamapi obediently complies. "Fucking robots, all of you," he says. "How can you live like this?"
Upon swallowing, Yamapi tilts his head in confusion, but Ryo dives past him with his hand raised. Jin's neck turns all the way to the other side with the force of Ryo's slap.
"How dare you come onto our land and disrespect our people," Ryo growls. "We should leave you here to rot, but it would destroy our scenery."
"You're missing out," Jin says, directly to Yamapi. "Love is incomparable."
He's staring hard into Yamapi's eyes, but Yamapi's mind has already cleared and he doesn't recognize the word.
*
"I've never met one of those before," Yamapi says happily as they make the trek back to the office. "What are they called again?"
"Crazies," Ryo spits. "Sick, diseased, infected. They've never made it this far before, probably because security is lax today. Since..."
He trails off, and Yamapi waits patiently for him to go on. Then he remembers who makes up the security team. "Oh, since Massu's not here anymore," Yamapi helpfully finishes for him.
Ryo doesn't respond, so Yamapi turns to look at him. His eyes are glossy, his expression unnatural. Suddenly Yamapi is filled with a sudden fear that Ryo might be getting sick like that trespasser they found. He made physical contact with his dirty skin, after all. Yamapi hopes Management won't blame him for this. He'll already have to do Ryo's job if his boss gets deported.
"I'm fine," Ryo says quickly as he wipes his face, and Yamapi wonders what he's talking about. He doesn't recall asking a question that would require that answer. "I'm just... oh, you wouldn't understand."
"Understand?" Yamapi repeats, affronted. "I've been loaded with level two intelligence, just like you. You may have a higher position than me, but that doesn't mean that you know more."
It takes a few steps for Yamapi to notice that Ryo's stopped walking, and when Yamapi spins around to face him in indignance, the latter is staring at him blankly. "Didn't you feel something weird when you were looking at that Akanishi guy?"
"Yeah, I was dehydrated," Yamapi tells him. "I've been so busy that I haven't had anything to drink all day."
"Pi," Ryo says slowly. "Do you know why we can't drink the water here?"
"Because it's unsafe," Yamapi answers. It's what he's always known. He's never had any reason to question it. "The manufactured water is healthier and full of vitamins and minerals."
Ryo nods. "It makes you feel better."
"Yeah," Yamapi agrees. He always feels great after a tall glass of purified water. The medical applications say eight glasses a day is standard.
"It doesn't work on me," Ryo says bluntly, looking ashamed. "At least not completely."
Curiously, Yamapi peers at him. "Are you a crazy?"
"No," Ryo replies, then sighs. "And neither was Akanishi. All of those rumors about outbreak and insanity are made up."
Yamapi shoves his hands in his pockets and feels very, very uncomfortable. Like he could get fired for having this conversation uncomfortable. "I don't get it."
"They're illegal because they refuse to live in our society," Ryo explains, and Yamapi gives him a dirty look because he knows that much. "They claim our water is mind-altering, which it technically is. It prevents emotions that the government declares inappropriate."
"I don't see anything wrong with that," Yamapi mumbles. "If they're inappropriate, we shouldn't have them."
"The illegals disagree," Ryo tells him. "They think the human mind should be left to its own devices. So they live in the rural, unincorporated areas, running their own society and existing how they please."
"What does this have to do with you?" Yamapi asks, his heart racing. He has a very bad feeling that his job is in jeopardy. "Did you used to be one of them or something?"
Ryo laughs. "We were raised in the same youth facility, idiot." He sighs. "But I always knew I was different, feeling things the other kids couldn't. There must have been some kind of glitch when they created me. I never told anyone until right now."
"Could it be..." Yamapi whispers, barely speaking the foreign word that Jin had used so freely: "Love?"
"It's not very strong," Ryo says defensively. "Just when something really big happens, like death. You know... or maybe you don't. When someone close to you dies, it hurts."
"Like a physical hurt?" Yamapi asks. "Like when you bang your knee?"
He frowns as Ryo shakes his head. "It's complicated."
"Sounds like the government was right to prevent us from going through that," Yamapi says. "If it's so negative, then why would we want to feel it?"
"I wish I couldn't feel it," Ryo grumbles. "I don't completely understand it, either. The government did a good job of destroying all of the old texts and electronic media. I'm willing to bet they fabricated history, too."
"Ryo," Yamapi gasps. "You're breaking the law right now. Don't speak ill of the government. It pays you, you traitorous-"
"Okay, okay," Ryo cuts him off. "Just forget I said anything. Let's go back to work."
Yamapi is wary of Ryo for the rest of the day, but nothing else out of the ordinary happens. Then again, he's not paying much attention to his boss either. Himself and his work comes first; that's the only way to get anywhere in life. Ryo's made it this far in his life without arousing suspicion, and it only came up because Yamapi had caught him acting weird.
Still, Yamapi doesn't trust that this won't somehow get him in trouble with the government. He runs several Internet searches when he gets home, but Ryo was right - there's nothing that defines what love is, just that it's crazy. For all he knows, Ryo could be dangerous. Yamapi needs to find out for sure without alerting the authorities; if being associated with him will mean his ass on the line, Yamapi will take the necessary precautions to eliminate him from the equation on his own.
Lucky for him, he knows someone in Crazy Town.
*
It occurs to Yamapi about ten miles past the city line that he's not very smart. Logically, that is; he is level two intelligence, after all. He's used to a peaceful existence, though, and from what the Internet says about these illegals, they can cause each other harm. They have been known to fight, use weapons, and even kill each other in the name of this "love."
Yamapi has his government-issued laser gun in his pants, but he doesn't really know how to use it. He's an accountant, not a guard.
Once he reaches the village, he forgets all about doing battle and stares in amazement at the architecture and landscaping surrounding him. It's nothing like the high-rise buildings and close-cut lawns of his society. The buildings are shaped like domes, with intricate designs on the outside that Yamapi doesn't recognize. His society has no need for art or creative outlets, but he knows they exist. It was one of his virtual downloads.
People bustle around him, going about their daily business. They look like him, but not nearly as professional. There's an air of something different with them, something off. When they talk to each other, they are unnecessarily attentive and overly polite. A pair of men sitting on a bench are staring into each other's eyes with weird looks on their faces, and Yamapi wonders what the hell they could possibly be doing. A staring contest, maybe. How childish.
"You looking for someone, Mister?" someone asks.
The first thing Yamapi notices about this guy is his big nose. The second is that he's not dirty at all - sharply dressed, actually. His sweater has a diamond-shaped pattern on it and Yamapi eyes it in interest. Diamonds make him think of money.
"I'm looking for Akanishi Jin," Yamapi tells him briskly. "Do you know him?"
The man's face relaxes into a smile, and Yamapi thinks it's kind of gross. "Yeah, he's part of my crew. I'll take you to him, Mister -?"
"Yamashita," Yamapi supplies.
"Nakamaru," the other replies, and Yamapi stares at him expectantly.
It takes Nakamaru a second to move, like something about Yamapi's behavior stuns him, but then he spins on his heel and walks the other way. Yamapi follows him through the main part of the village, around a hill, and down a path that seems to split a large field.
"Don't you guys have teleportation?" Yamapi asks after about an hour. He's out of breath and his legs are starting to hurt from the strain.
"Don't need it," Nakamaru answers. "Teleporting takes away our relationships with nature."
Yamapi thinks that's a crock of shit, but he doesn't care enough to express his opinion. Instead he just sticks it out, and thankfully the next group of domes is where they stop.
"Yuichi, what-"
A small man - about Ryo's size - runs toward Nakamaru, stopping short when he sees Yamapi. Instantly his face takes on an expression of rage, and Yamapi tries to remember what color button on his laser gun does what.
"You brought someone from the government here?!" the small man yells, looking like he wants to hit Nakamaru. Yamapi wonders why he doesn't; if he were that angry, he certainly would. "They nearly killed Jin last week and now you're just going to lead them to him?"
Yamapi lifts his hand. "I have no interest in harming Akanishi. I am an accountant."
He's on the receiving end of a critical eye before Nakamaru sighs and elbows the other. "Calm down, Koki. You're so protective of Jin."
"You are, too," the man named Koki grumbles as he gives Yamapi a look like he wouldn't trust him with a hundred-yen piece. "Fine, come in."
Yamapi ducks through the door and pauses at all of the decoration splashing the walls and surfaces. His own apartment has the necessary items and that's it. Black, white, and shades of gray, and his wardrobe was more of the same. He never gave much of a thought about other colors. Where he lives, everyone has black hair and brown eyes. A man sitting on a bright green couch has orange hair.
He also has a very large belly, like he swallowed something big and round. He glares at Yamapi when he catches him staring, but Yamapi doesn't look away.
"Keep him away from Kame," Koki hisses to Nakamaru. "Ueda put him on a new hormone today that makes him bitchy."
"Bitchier than normal?" Nakamaru asks, and Koki nods.
Over on the couch, the man who is undoubtedly Kame hears them and doesn't appear very impressed.
"Pi!" a familiar voice exclaims. "I can't believe you're here!"
Yamapi swivels his head around to see Akanishi Jin wobble out into the main room on a single crutch, looking a lot cleaner than Yamapi had seen him the last time. He may have even been fresh from the shower, with damp hair that curled a bit at the ends and shining skin. Aside from the bandage on his ankle, he appeared completely unharmed by their run-in the other day.
"I'd like a word with you, Akanishi," Yamapi says straightforwardly. "In private."
"My room is back here," Jin tells him, then awkwardly turns on his crutch. He starts to fall, eyes darting to Yamapi as he loses his balance, and Yamapi just watches in annoyance as he falls to the ground. He doesn't have all day.
"You government assholes really are heartless," Koki says as he shoves past Yamapi to help Jin up.
Yamapi blinks at him. "Huh? You have to have a heart to be alive. They haven't figured out a way to replace it yet."
"Don't mind him," Jin says, flashing him a smile while Yamapi becomes even more confused at their strange illegal lingo. "Come with me."
Jin's room is considerably brighter, less colors but more shine. Yamapi takes a seat in the desk chair and Jin falls into his bed, rolling onto his back and grinning up at his uninvited guest. "Now what can I do for you?"
His hair looks enticing splayed out on his gold comforter like that, and Yamapi thinks the questions will have to wait. Sex isn't something he initiates very often - usually it's being done to him - but it's still just as easy to follow his natural instincts as he crawls toward Jin on the bed. Jin's body curls under his and he leans up to meet Yamapi halfway, lips crushing together hard enough to sting as Yamapi advances on him.
An arousing noise sounds from the back of Jin's throat, high-pitched and obscene, and Yamapi kisses him harder as he takes off their clothes. Jin's erection brushes against his and Yamapi groans, an involuntary reaction that he normally finds bothersome because it interferes with his breathing. It's worth it for the stimulation, though; heat and electricity course through his body with every grind, Jin's hands on his bare back pulling him closer.
He doesn't know why Jin keeps kissing on his neck, pressing up against him with his chest as well as his lower half, but it's not enough to hinder his need to fuck. At least the illegals seem to do it the same way.
Yamapi retrieves the lube from his pants before they hit the floor, laser gun and all, and preps Jin enough to suffice. Jin lets out a sharp moan as Yamapi thrusts inside him, but after that Yamapi is solely focused on what it feels like to bury himself over and over again in that tight ass. Nails dig into his back and at first it's distracting, but then it feels good. It brings out a noise Yamapi didn't even know he was capable of making, fucking Jin faster and deeper as those faint moans get him off harder than ever before.
"So much for a word," Jin whispers as he wraps his arms around the man on top of him.
Yamapi would find this unusual closeness odd, but he's already asleep.
*
"What are you thinking, going up onto government property like that?!"
Yamapi's mind spins as he lingers somewhere in his subconscious, hearing snippets of conversation that may or may not actually be taking place.
"... insane," the voice that sounds like Koki continues. "What if he's here to spy... people have no remorse. None."
There is some hissed mumbling, then a loud sigh.
"... not like that. I've been watching him since... had a connection... in his eyes... different."
"I can't believe you," Koki says clearly. "Actually, I can. You're stupid when you're in love."
Jin's voice is strong and defiant. "I guess I am."
Yamapi's not coherent enough to think about what this means; all he knows is that despite the discomfort, this is the best dream he's ever had.
*
It's dark when he wakes, attention peaking in paranoia as he rushes to remember where he is. His body shakes as it all comes gushing back to him - Nakamaru's nose, hours of walking, mind-blowing sex with an illegal - and Yamapi's head weighs down with the reality of it all. He vaguely recalls something tugging at his memory from earlier, but he can't quite place a finger on it.
Then he feels a whole cacophony of emotions he's never felt before, and his entire focus is on finding his travel bag. "Water," he says dryly.
"I'll get you water, but it won't be yours," says a firm voice.
Weakly, Yamapi looks up and focuses on Jin's face, hard and serious for the first time since Yamapi's known him. Which, admittedly, hasn't been very long, but that just makes Yamapi feel worse for reasons he doesn't understand. "What's happening to me?"
Those deep eyes relax, and Jin's smile seems to have a similar effect on Yamapi's nerves. "You're becoming normal."
"Normal?" Yamapi repeats. "I was already normal. You're the one who's not normal. If I don't drink my water, I'll get sick-"
"You're wrong," Jin says sternly. Something flashes in his eyes and Yamapi's body jerks in reaction. "We're the normal ones. You're the brainwashed ones. The results of centuries of personality structuring and chemical balancing. The so-called 'perfect' human race."
Yamapi blinks. "I don't understand."
"All I know is what was passed down from older generations," Jin begins, "since your government keeps raiding us and preventing historical documentation. Almost a millennium ago, the Earth was wiped clean of all human life with exception of a small group of activists who were clearly not pleased with how the race was evolving. They wanted to breed their own society, to start over new and right the wrongs they felt the previous world had done."
Something keeps Yamapi from not arguing, ignoring him, or dismissing the possibility entirely. It's fascinating, actually, and if he thinks about it, he can find logic in Jin's explanation. "Did it work?"
"Not at first," Jin replies. "Your first government was made up of both men and women, and as the Earth repopulated, history was deemed to repeat itself. The successors learned that it was something biological that prevented their distorted version of utopia, and eventually narrowed it down to love."
"Love," Yamapi repeats, the word alone causing a stir in the new openings of his brain. "What is that?"
"It cannot be defined." Jin reaches for his hand. "It has to be felt."
Yamapi stares down at where Jin's stroking his knuckles, coercing open the fists Yamapi hadn't even known he was making as he struggles to offset the flood of emotional cognition. He shivers from the touch, tiny bumps forming on his skin all over. "I'm allergic to this," he exclaims. "You're giving me a rash!"
"It's not a rash," Jin says with a laugh. "They're called goosebumps. You get them when you feel something deep inside your heart. Like what your people have been denied ever since they mandated the water filtration system."
"Inside your heart?" Yamapi asks, confused as he remembers his cardiology loading. "But there are just valves and stuff."
"Stop trying to understand it," Jin says gently. "Just accept it. You feel it now, right?"
"I feel something," Yamapi admits. His body gives another involuntary jerk from the rush of feelings. "I'm scared, Jin."
Jin's fingers lace with his, taking Yamapi's hand in his own, and Yamapi feels better. He finds himself gravitating closer to Jin, his mind racing despite his attempts at following Jin's directions. It becomes easier once he makes contact with Jin's warm body, his head fitting neatly in Jin's lap, and almost instantly there are fingers in his hair, brushing it out of his face and applying gentle pressure on his hairline. He has no basis for comparison, but it is definitely more satisfying than Tax Day.
"The only downfall of this new, loveless world was procreation," Jin goes on, his voice rumbling Yamapi from their closeness. "Before this revolutionary emotion-blocking drug was introduced to the water, men had sex with women to get them pregnant and carry on the human race. But the water made everyone sterile, so they rushed to discover a way to manufacture people without them. Does your government ignore that part of history, too?"
"I guess so," Yamapi answers slowly. "We are just told that women became extinct a long time ago."
"Because the manufactured humans could only be male," Jin explains. "Someone finally figured it out years too late, but the formula they were desperately trying to create to keep everyone from going extinct was giving the new generation YY chromosomes. This prevented any females from being made. This may have even been their intention, no one knows for sure."
Yamapi's head is carefully lifted up as Jin stands.
"Come with me. I want to show you something."
Reluctantly Yamapi stands, his head heavy with all of this new information, and he stumbles out into the main room with Jin. Koki and Nakamaru must have already been asleep, but Kame is still sitting on the couch, now joined by another man with orange hair.
"This is Kame and Ueda," Jin introduces, and Yamapi waves awkwardly. "They're going to recreate the female species."
Ueda's eyes narrow in what Yamapi recognizes as rage, but they relax when he takes in Yamapi's condition. "Just because he's detoxed doesn't mean he won't report us, Jin," he says evenly.
"I trust him," Jin says stubbornly, and all at once Yamapi knows what that means.
He leans closer into Jin's embrace.
Kame regards them fondly, his eyes glistening. "That's so sweet," he says.
A strong feeling overcomes Yamapi then, making him want to walk over to the couch and take the pregnant man in his arms, and this is what Ryo was talking about. He doesn't know what it's called, but he understands now, why Ryo was upset over Massu's death. Thinking about it now, he's a little sad himself. Massu had been a pretty happy guy considering he didn't feel love.
"We come from a long line of geneticists," Ueda explains. "This has been in place for generations, and finally Kazuya and I can execute it. The fetus growing inside him definitely has XX chromosomes."
"What is 'this'?" Yamapi asks curiously. "What do you plan to do with a female?"
"Reverse history," Ueda answers simply. "With a female, our people can start procreating naturally, even if it won't make an impact in our lifetimes. It will be a slow process, but it already took this long to get XY combinations, which both Kazuya and I are."
"Are you going to overthrow the government?" Yamapi doesn't even flinch at the hope in his voice.
Ueda smiles. "In a few hundred years, maybe. Right now we rely on your government to supply our population. We don't have the means or finances to keep creating people like this. We only gain new members every time you deport someone, or when someone sneaks away on their own. They used to toss out the babies that didn't take to the water, which we adopted as our own, but now I think they just kill them."
Yamapi thinks of Ryo and wonders why he got spared. This leads to wondering what he'll do if Yamapi never comes back. Yamapi misses him. A lot.
"Once we can procreate on our own, we can begin the process of going back to the old world," Ueda goes on, welcoming Kame into his embrace as the other man snuggles up to him; Yamapi feels warm at the sight. "But like I said, that won't happen in our lifetimes. What Kazuya and I are doing is a start, though. As long as your government doesn't find out about our child."
"They'll definitely kill her," Kame adds, and Yamapi feels his own vision becoming blurry as Kame clings to Ueda.
The thought alone has Yamapi losing his grasp on reality, his compassion for Kame joined by a torrent of extreme guilt for being a part of that government. All this time he'd thought they were doing good, keeping the world orderly and clean, but that was all a lie.
"I don't feel well," he says apologetically, grabbing for Jin as he slips into unconsciousness once more.
*
Illegal water tastes exactly the same, just void of the elements that shut off part of his personality.
"Thanks," Yamapi says gratefully as Jin comes into focus, staring down at him in worry as he holds the cup to his lips. "It's so much to process at once."
"I've never watched someone detox before," Jin confesses. "From what the elders told me, I was one of the babies they rejected. They told me it's because I am too full of love to have it suppressed."
"I believe that," Yamapi says, the muscles of his face straining as he makes an unfamiliar expression for the first time.
Jin looks like he wants to cry. "You're even more beautiful when you smile."
A surge of heat shoots through Yamapi's veins at the compliment, making his cheeks feel like they're on fire. He doesn't know what to say, but it turns out he doesn't have to say anything as Jin leans in and kisses him. The mere act on its own is nothing like Yamapi knew it to be, lips making physical contact but with tingles and warmth and stars behind his eyes, things Yamapi doesn't understand. And as Jin licks his way into Yamapi's mouth, he's not in a rush to focus on the reasons behind it. All he wants is to feel.
When Jin touches him, an ache joins the usual spike of arousal. That primal need to penetrate is still there, but it's masked by a series of other things, emotions he was denied before. Jin pushes up Yamapi's shirt, fingertips dragging along his side, and that alone has him making another one of those shivers, this time with his whole body. The shirt is pulled off, along with Jin's, and now Yamapi's hands are exploring Jin's torso. His skin is hot to the touch, the muscles quivering under his own fingertips, and Jin makes a noise that sears right through him and makes his toes curl.
Yamapi's breathing quickens, his heartbeat racing, and it's so amazing and exhilarating that he doesn't ever want it to stop. He swallows Jin's moans, losing himself in their heated kiss, and he doesn't realize that he's emitting deep grunts until Jin's hand drops below his belt and he groans low enough to vibrate his throat.
He melts into Jin's touch, the feeling of arousal becoming familiar as Jin strokes his length and kisses him harder. Jin's own erection is grinding into Yamapi's thigh, and Yamapi reaches for it on impulse. Its weight is foreign in his palm and at first he doesn't know what to do, but Jin is whispering words of encouragement and he really likes how Jin's voice feels against his lips.
A thumb sweeps across the head of his cock and Yamapi arches, falling out of their kiss and feeling regretful about it until Jin's mouth latches onto his neck. The sucking and nibbling intensifies the feeling, Jin's moans gaining more depth as he rolls his hips into Yamapi's hand and holds him as close as humanly possible. Finally he kicks the rest of their clothes off like they offended him and straddles Yamapi's lap.
"Hurry," Jin whispers, and Yamapi beams with pride as he accepts the lube pressed into his palm and slicks his fingers.
Jin's body pushes back against him, tightening when it feels good and trembling when it feels even better. It's easier for Yamapi to stretch him, fueled by Jin's noises that regulate his pace. It's natural, one finger joined by two and then three, until Yamapi's simulating sex with them and Jin's whining for more. Jin's the one who applies the lube to Yamapi's cock, which has Yamapi rocking up into Jin's promising touch as he pulls his fingers out, and he would be sad to have the touch suddenly disappear if Jin wasn't hovering over him with very hooded eyes.
Then Yamapi is inside him and he can't begin to understand the emotions that fill him, resigning himself to just go with it and ride the high of this sensual act he's experiencing with Jin. The physical insistence is still there, but it's accompanied by feelings that completely overload his brain, leaving him with just his senses and raw desires.
Each thrust makes his whole body tingle, every single one of Jin's moans intensifies that ache. Yamapi holds him close as they move together, angling his hips to hit Jin in the place that makes him shudder, latch onto Yamapi and gasp into his skin, his pleasure heightening Yamapi's. It's surreal and concrete at the same time, making Yamapi fight to hold back and make it last, wishing it never has to end regardless of how badly he wants to come.
Just when Yamapi starts to lose control, Jin grabs his hand and puts it on his own cock. Instantly Yamapi squeezes him from base to tip, moving in tandem to his thrusting and going faster when Jin starts to cry out and squirm on top of him. His release coats Yamapi's hand as his body clamps down around him, leading Yamapi to push harder and inevitably give in to his own orgasm.
As the sun rises on a brand new day, Yamapi wraps his arms around Jin and kisses him anywhere he can reach. He can't stop smiling, his mind clear and calm. Everything before the previous day seems like another lifetime.
"Do you want your water?" Jin asks carefully, pulling back enough to look at Yamapi with big, hopeful eyes.
In response, Yamapi stands up, puts on his pants, and digs the bottle of drugged water out of his bag. With Jin at his heels, tripping over his own pants, Yamapi walks straight outside and turns the bottle upside down on a wild bush.
Jin's face is the pure definition of love, and it's the first beautiful thing Yamapi has ever seen.
*
Bonus
Kameda Ichiko is born six weeks later, completely healthy and pink-faced as she shrieks at the top of her lungs.
"It's a strawberry turtle!" Doctor Taguchi declares, and even Yamapi rolls his eyes.
"She kind of looks like a strawberry," Jin observes, peering at the baby's scrunched-up face.
"She is not a strawberry," Kame grumbles, flopping his hand in Jin's general direction. He is still heavily medicated from the surgery. "Ichiko."
"Ichiko-chan," Ueda says softly, staring down at his daughter with what Yamapi can only define as love.
"It worked," Yamapi says incredulously. "Does this mean you'll make more females this way?"
"I don't see why not," Koki replies, looking just as amazed as the others. "The more we make, the faster we can populate on our own. When they're old enough, of course."
Ueda narrows his eyes like this will be a very long time.
Jin drapes himself over Yamapi's shoulders, and Yamapi leans back into the touch. "We can go next, if you want," Jin whispers.
Yamapi doesn't have the heart to remind him that they're both YY.
The door carefully opens and closes as Nakamaru returns from town with baby items. He hands the bags to Ueda and nervously approaches Yamapi. "I, um, ran into someone in town who claims to know you. I wasn't going to bring him here, but he passed the emotion tests. Says his name is Nishikido Ryo. Do you know him?"
Yamapi's heart aches at the name. "Yes, of course I know him. He's the one I told you about, who is unaffected by the water. You can trust him."
Nakamaru gives a short nod and disappears. When he comes back, a very prominent face from Yamapi's memories is with him.
"Ryo," he breathes, tears springing to his eyes as he runs out of Jin's arms and into the other's.
He's embraced by laughter, but Ryo doesn't let go. "I thought I would never see you again."
When they break apart, Jin is eyeing Ryo distastefully. Yamapi laughs as he returns to Jin's side. "You are so jealous."
"Am not," Jin replies, grabbing onto Yamapi's hand possessively.
"Trust me, I don't want any of that," Ryo tells him, then smiles awkwardly at the others. "So, do you have room for one more?"
"What happened?" Yamapi asks. "Did you get found out?"
Ryo shrugs. "Tired of pretending. And I might have missed your face, although it's much happier now. Love looks good on you."
Just then, Ichiko cries, and Ryo makes a cute cooing noise as he peers into her incubator. "Aw, congratula- wait, is that a girl?"
Ueda growls at him, but Kame stops him with a light touch to the wrist. "The first girl," Kame says proudly, flashing them all a doped-up grin. "She's going to change the world."
"She already has," Yamapi says gently. "She was made with love."
Jin slides an arm around his waist, pulling him close, and Yamapi thinks that love really is incomparable.