Facade of the Wolf - Love Mode Fanfic
Author: PlatinumMagic
Beta: No beta sadly. TT_TT
Fandom: Love Mode
Genres: Romance
Pairing: Touma Suzuki X Kashima Shuuhei
Rating: PG13 (simply because it is shounen-ai.)
Warnings: Shounen-ai.
Summary: I think sageofzelda put it best: "We all know that Kashima simply can't be straight...at least not for much longer."
Disclaimer: Love Mode, Kashima and Touma as well as all the others belong to Shimizu Yuki. I can only wish they'd be mine.
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 - Incase your looking for them!
Part Four - The Morning After Glow
Kashima buried his head in the pillow, refusing to open his eyes and feeling the pleasant heaviness of his limbs still unmoved from sleep. The bed around him was warm and had a comforting smell that he couldn't quite place. For the first time in a long time, he felt well rested. He was sorely tempted to stay in the comfort of the silky sheets all day yet something nagged at him. There was something he had to do, somewhere he should be.
Work!
Shuuhei bolted up, twisting around in the mass of bedding. The sun shining in the room told him he was already late for work. Owner was going to be upset, Kashima was never late, and he had so many things that to do today that he had already planned on working late into the evening.
"Kashima-san! Time to wake up!"
Shuuhei looked up as he heard a door open and found himself staring at the bar master with wide eyes.
"Ah, your already awake! Did you sleep well?" Touma asked him, walking across the room and openning the closet door to dig around inside. "Your clothes are being washed right now so you’ll have to wear some of mine. They’re a bit big but it’s only for a short time. Ah, perfect, these should do!" The older man emerged from the closet with a pair of blue jeans and a long sleeved button up white shirt.
"Umm...Touma-san?" Kashima mumbled, his brow furrowed in confusion. "What’s going on?"
The bartender frowned slightly, looking unsure of what to say. With a sigh, Touma sat on the end of the bed, drawing the clothes across his lap. "Last night, when I went to drive you home, you fell asleep in the car. You were fast asleep so I figured it would be better to bring you here instead of waking you - not that I could have, mind you. You didn’t even wake when I hauled you up the stairs."
Kashima blushed, ducking his head. "I’m sorry to have bothered you."
"Don’t worry about it." Touma grinned, handing the clothes to the smaller man as he got up. "Just get dressed and come join me for breakfast."
"Ah! But," Shuuhei stumbled, blushing as he realized for the first time he was bare to the waist. "I can’t stay, I have to get to work as quickly as possible."
Touma turned as he reached the door, a smirk tugging at his lips. "No, you don’t. I called the Owner early this morning and told him you wouldn’t be in today. Naoya-san agreed that you had been working very hard lately, so Owner couldn’t object. Now, get dressed and come eat with me."
Shuuhei stared at the door as it closed behind the older man, feeling as if his brain had stalled. A day off? It seemed like forever since he had one and it left him feeling as if he didn’t know what to do with himself.
Trying to gather his wits, he glanced around the room, actually seeing it for the first time. The walls were white and the floor was golden hardwood which glowed under the light from the window by the bed. The room seemed a tidy place with a few personal touches here and there. There was a black dresser opposite the bed with a dark wooden box for jewerly and a tray of spare change on top. The mirror over it was a frameless oval that reflected his own bedraggled appearance on the high bed. The black nightstand was home to a picture of Touma with five other men smiling happily on a summer day, a clock that glared in green numbers that it was 10:43 in the morning and a wrist watch with a well worn black leather band.
Shuuhei reached out, realizing it was his watch. He strapped it on his wrist and shifted, trying to untangle himself from the black silk sheets. He had never been so thankful to be left alone. His face was burning with embarrassment as he realized that he had taken over Touma’s bed and - to make matters worse - was sleeping nearly nude amongst the expensive bedding.
He didn't remember getting undressed last night. In fact, he didn't remember anything past getting in the Master's car. Which meant that Touma had probably put him to bed. How pathetic, falling asleep like a child, he chastised himself, I shouldn't cause Touma-san such trouble. However, part of him was eternally thankful that Touma-san was the one who had taken care of him. Unlike the Master, some of the hosts who frequented that bar would have much more unseemly ways of handling him. He knew of the hushed conversations that happened when he left a room, discussions of how 'desirable' the B&B's secretary was or how much so-and-so would like to get his hands on him. It was a point of much discomfort for Shuuhei. It wasn't the fact that it was men speaking of him this way, he dealt with gay men all the time after all, he just despised being talked about like a prize winning mare. He knew love existed, had seen it himself in both his older brother's and the Owner's relationships, but he knew that he wouldn't find it in the arms of a host.
He abandoned the bed along with the awkward feelings and started to dress in the clothing that he’d been offered. The jeans were a bit big on his hips but he found his belt laid over the back of a chair so that solved that problem. The shirt however was another matter. Touma was not only a half a head taller but also wider across the shoulders than Shuuhei. This made it so the sleeves dangled past his fingertips and the bottom of the shirt went too far to comfortably tuck it in. It’s only till my clothes are clean, I suppose. He thought, giving up on looking presentable. He’d already made enough of a fool of himself the night before that anything he did to save face now would be null and void anyway. He finished with the shirt and ran a hand through his tousled hair in the mirror, trying to get it into some semblance of order before he went to look for Touma.
* * *
Touma set two glasses of water on the table beside the plates and went to gather the utensils. Forks or chopsticks? He wondered, fingering the silver forks in the drawer. Unable to decide which Kashima preferred he grabbed both and the white cloth napkins that he kept clean and folded for special occasions. He had gone back to grab the mugs from the cupboards when he heard someone enter the kitchen and turned to greet his guest.
Kashima stood in the doorway, the sun from the open windows bringing out the gold tones in his hair. The jeans were too big but the shirt... He groaned inwardly, realizing what he had set him self up for. The overly large shirt was untucked, sleeves rolled up to his elbows and only four buttons done up, showing the younger man’s slender neck and a bit of his collarbones. The secretary was rumpled, sleepy and dressed in Touma’s clothes. It was the prefect ‘morning after’ scene - minus the simple fact that there hadn’t been a ‘night before’ - much to his chagrin.
"This is quite the spread." Kashima commented, eyeing up the contents of the numerous dishes on the table. "You didn’t have to go through all this work for me."
"Nonsense!" He replied, shaking himself out of his reverie in an effort to appear normal. "I do this a couple of times a week. My penchant for gorgeous breakfasts in the mornings hasn’t died since I stopped being a host." He grinned, gesturing for the younger man to take a seat as he turned to get the coffee ready. "I just had to learn to cook for myself instead of letting the B&B’s chefs make it all for me. Although, this is the first time I’ve had a partner for breakfast since my host days so I apologize if everything’s been made solely to my own liking. Coffee?"
"Thanks." Kashima sat across from him, accepting the mug of hot coffee. "Well, it all looks delicious." A slight blush coloured his cheeks as the all too audible sound of his stomach grumbling filled the room.
Touma chuckled, taking his own seat. "That’s proof you’ve been working too hard. Take some time and eat a good meal for a change. After all, you’ve got the day off."
"Itadakimasu." Kashima murmured picking up his chopsticks. "That reminds me..."
So chopsticks it is. He would bet money that Shuuhei came from a more traditional home, Touma decided, sipping his coffee. "Yes?"
"How did you get Owner to agree to give me a day off? I mean, Saturday’s are usually our busiest days and normally it just wouldn’t be possible." The secretary questioned, trying a bite of omelet before moving on to the fish. "By the way, this really is delicious."
"Thank you." Touma beamed, enjoying the praise from the man who helped hire the B&B’s masterful chefs. "I took a page from Kiichi Aoe’s book and called really early this morning. Since you were in the bar so late I figured the Owner’s kitten would be there with him. It didn’t take much to get a grumpy Owner to agree when his little kitty was no doubt urging him back to bed."
He neglected to mention how said kitten was the one to answer the phone. It didn’t take much more than saying that Kashima Shuuhei had collapsed from exhaustion last night and he needed to recuperate under Touma’s care before the kitten had agreed and convinced his lover that Kashima needed the day to rest. He had waited until eight and then called his replacement, telling the younger bartender that there had been a family emergency that he had to handle and wouldn’t be in tonight.
Kashima nearly choked on his food at the older man’s admission. "You called this morning?" He coughed, trying not to imagine how that phone call had went. "Owner is going to have my head after this."
"Don't worry about that!" Touma insisted, setting his fork aside. "Today you are not allowed think of work and I intend to make sure you get the break you deserve. You work far too hard and always for someone else, so today I have the ultimate solution."
The secretary blinked at him, obviously trying to sort his thoughts. After a minute he shook his head slightly and smiled, propping his elbow on the table to rest his head on his palm. "Alright, I’ll play along. Perhaps this will be for the best, a day off certainly is a good idea. So what’s your wonderful plan?"
Touma grinned devilishly, standing and striking his best ‘sexy seme’ pose.
"I’m going to be your host for the day, Shuuhei-san."
A/N: Well, this was kind of a transitional chapter but be ready because the 'date' chapter is next and I promise it'll be good. If you have any thing you want to see them do on their day off just let me know and I'll see what I can add in! The fifth chapter should be up in a week or so, I want to have it done before I leave for Anime North. Thanks for reading and please comment!
Beta: No beta sadly. TT_TT
Fandom: Love Mode
Genres: Romance
Pairing: Touma Suzuki X Kashima Shuuhei
Rating: PG13 (simply because it is shounen-ai.)
Warnings: Shounen-ai.
Summary: I think sageofzelda put it best: "We all know that Kashima simply can't be straight...at least not for much longer."
Disclaimer: Love Mode, Kashima and Touma as well as all the others belong to Shimizu Yuki. I can only wish they'd be mine.
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 - Incase your looking for them!
Part Four - The Morning After Glow
Kashima buried his head in the pillow, refusing to open his eyes and feeling the pleasant heaviness of his limbs still unmoved from sleep. The bed around him was warm and had a comforting smell that he couldn't quite place. For the first time in a long time, he felt well rested. He was sorely tempted to stay in the comfort of the silky sheets all day yet something nagged at him. There was something he had to do, somewhere he should be.
Work!
Shuuhei bolted up, twisting around in the mass of bedding. The sun shining in the room told him he was already late for work. Owner was going to be upset, Kashima was never late, and he had so many things that to do today that he had already planned on working late into the evening.
"Kashima-san! Time to wake up!"
Shuuhei looked up as he heard a door open and found himself staring at the bar master with wide eyes.
"Ah, your already awake! Did you sleep well?" Touma asked him, walking across the room and openning the closet door to dig around inside. "Your clothes are being washed right now so you’ll have to wear some of mine. They’re a bit big but it’s only for a short time. Ah, perfect, these should do!" The older man emerged from the closet with a pair of blue jeans and a long sleeved button up white shirt.
"Umm...Touma-san?" Kashima mumbled, his brow furrowed in confusion. "What’s going on?"
The bartender frowned slightly, looking unsure of what to say. With a sigh, Touma sat on the end of the bed, drawing the clothes across his lap. "Last night, when I went to drive you home, you fell asleep in the car. You were fast asleep so I figured it would be better to bring you here instead of waking you - not that I could have, mind you. You didn’t even wake when I hauled you up the stairs."
Kashima blushed, ducking his head. "I’m sorry to have bothered you."
"Don’t worry about it." Touma grinned, handing the clothes to the smaller man as he got up. "Just get dressed and come join me for breakfast."
"Ah! But," Shuuhei stumbled, blushing as he realized for the first time he was bare to the waist. "I can’t stay, I have to get to work as quickly as possible."
Touma turned as he reached the door, a smirk tugging at his lips. "No, you don’t. I called the Owner early this morning and told him you wouldn’t be in today. Naoya-san agreed that you had been working very hard lately, so Owner couldn’t object. Now, get dressed and come eat with me."
Shuuhei stared at the door as it closed behind the older man, feeling as if his brain had stalled. A day off? It seemed like forever since he had one and it left him feeling as if he didn’t know what to do with himself.
Trying to gather his wits, he glanced around the room, actually seeing it for the first time. The walls were white and the floor was golden hardwood which glowed under the light from the window by the bed. The room seemed a tidy place with a few personal touches here and there. There was a black dresser opposite the bed with a dark wooden box for jewerly and a tray of spare change on top. The mirror over it was a frameless oval that reflected his own bedraggled appearance on the high bed. The black nightstand was home to a picture of Touma with five other men smiling happily on a summer day, a clock that glared in green numbers that it was 10:43 in the morning and a wrist watch with a well worn black leather band.
Shuuhei reached out, realizing it was his watch. He strapped it on his wrist and shifted, trying to untangle himself from the black silk sheets. He had never been so thankful to be left alone. His face was burning with embarrassment as he realized that he had taken over Touma’s bed and - to make matters worse - was sleeping nearly nude amongst the expensive bedding.
He didn't remember getting undressed last night. In fact, he didn't remember anything past getting in the Master's car. Which meant that Touma had probably put him to bed. How pathetic, falling asleep like a child, he chastised himself, I shouldn't cause Touma-san such trouble. However, part of him was eternally thankful that Touma-san was the one who had taken care of him. Unlike the Master, some of the hosts who frequented that bar would have much more unseemly ways of handling him. He knew of the hushed conversations that happened when he left a room, discussions of how 'desirable' the B&B's secretary was or how much so-and-so would like to get his hands on him. It was a point of much discomfort for Shuuhei. It wasn't the fact that it was men speaking of him this way, he dealt with gay men all the time after all, he just despised being talked about like a prize winning mare. He knew love existed, had seen it himself in both his older brother's and the Owner's relationships, but he knew that he wouldn't find it in the arms of a host.
He abandoned the bed along with the awkward feelings and started to dress in the clothing that he’d been offered. The jeans were a bit big on his hips but he found his belt laid over the back of a chair so that solved that problem. The shirt however was another matter. Touma was not only a half a head taller but also wider across the shoulders than Shuuhei. This made it so the sleeves dangled past his fingertips and the bottom of the shirt went too far to comfortably tuck it in. It’s only till my clothes are clean, I suppose. He thought, giving up on looking presentable. He’d already made enough of a fool of himself the night before that anything he did to save face now would be null and void anyway. He finished with the shirt and ran a hand through his tousled hair in the mirror, trying to get it into some semblance of order before he went to look for Touma.
* * *
Touma set two glasses of water on the table beside the plates and went to gather the utensils. Forks or chopsticks? He wondered, fingering the silver forks in the drawer. Unable to decide which Kashima preferred he grabbed both and the white cloth napkins that he kept clean and folded for special occasions. He had gone back to grab the mugs from the cupboards when he heard someone enter the kitchen and turned to greet his guest.
Kashima stood in the doorway, the sun from the open windows bringing out the gold tones in his hair. The jeans were too big but the shirt... He groaned inwardly, realizing what he had set him self up for. The overly large shirt was untucked, sleeves rolled up to his elbows and only four buttons done up, showing the younger man’s slender neck and a bit of his collarbones. The secretary was rumpled, sleepy and dressed in Touma’s clothes. It was the prefect ‘morning after’ scene - minus the simple fact that there hadn’t been a ‘night before’ - much to his chagrin.
"This is quite the spread." Kashima commented, eyeing up the contents of the numerous dishes on the table. "You didn’t have to go through all this work for me."
"Nonsense!" He replied, shaking himself out of his reverie in an effort to appear normal. "I do this a couple of times a week. My penchant for gorgeous breakfasts in the mornings hasn’t died since I stopped being a host." He grinned, gesturing for the younger man to take a seat as he turned to get the coffee ready. "I just had to learn to cook for myself instead of letting the B&B’s chefs make it all for me. Although, this is the first time I’ve had a partner for breakfast since my host days so I apologize if everything’s been made solely to my own liking. Coffee?"
"Thanks." Kashima sat across from him, accepting the mug of hot coffee. "Well, it all looks delicious." A slight blush coloured his cheeks as the all too audible sound of his stomach grumbling filled the room.
Touma chuckled, taking his own seat. "That’s proof you’ve been working too hard. Take some time and eat a good meal for a change. After all, you’ve got the day off."
"Itadakimasu." Kashima murmured picking up his chopsticks. "That reminds me..."
So chopsticks it is. He would bet money that Shuuhei came from a more traditional home, Touma decided, sipping his coffee. "Yes?"
"How did you get Owner to agree to give me a day off? I mean, Saturday’s are usually our busiest days and normally it just wouldn’t be possible." The secretary questioned, trying a bite of omelet before moving on to the fish. "By the way, this really is delicious."
"Thank you." Touma beamed, enjoying the praise from the man who helped hire the B&B’s masterful chefs. "I took a page from Kiichi Aoe’s book and called really early this morning. Since you were in the bar so late I figured the Owner’s kitten would be there with him. It didn’t take much to get a grumpy Owner to agree when his little kitty was no doubt urging him back to bed."
He neglected to mention how said kitten was the one to answer the phone. It didn’t take much more than saying that Kashima Shuuhei had collapsed from exhaustion last night and he needed to recuperate under Touma’s care before the kitten had agreed and convinced his lover that Kashima needed the day to rest. He had waited until eight and then called his replacement, telling the younger bartender that there had been a family emergency that he had to handle and wouldn’t be in tonight.
Kashima nearly choked on his food at the older man’s admission. "You called this morning?" He coughed, trying not to imagine how that phone call had went. "Owner is going to have my head after this."
"Don't worry about that!" Touma insisted, setting his fork aside. "Today you are not allowed think of work and I intend to make sure you get the break you deserve. You work far too hard and always for someone else, so today I have the ultimate solution."
The secretary blinked at him, obviously trying to sort his thoughts. After a minute he shook his head slightly and smiled, propping his elbow on the table to rest his head on his palm. "Alright, I’ll play along. Perhaps this will be for the best, a day off certainly is a good idea. So what’s your wonderful plan?"
Touma grinned devilishly, standing and striking his best ‘sexy seme’ pose.
"I’m going to be your host for the day, Shuuhei-san."
A/N: Well, this was kind of a transitional chapter but be ready because the 'date' chapter is next and I promise it'll be good. If you have any thing you want to see them do on their day off just let me know and I'll see what I can add in! The fifth chapter should be up in a week or so, I want to have it done before I leave for Anime North. Thanks for reading and please comment!