[VF fic] His Man Suoh
Title: His Man Suoh
Characters: Asami, Suoh (unrequited pairing)
Rating: PG-13 (violence, sexual themes)
Spoilers: None
Warning: OC death, but he deserves it; illegal version of MMA-style fights
Disclaimer: Asami and Suoh and their world belong to Yamane-sensei.
Summary: This takes place a couple of years before Takaba comes along. Asami's bored with life and wants an evening out at the fights. He learns that he doesn't know Suoh or maybe even himself as well as he thought.
A/N I have *counts them* eek, 121 partial VF fics on my hard drive and the other day I thought maybe I should maybe finish at least one. I closed my eyes and picked this, then cursed at myself and wondered what I was thinking when I started it because I didn't know how I could resolve it. I ended up rewriting the whole thing while keeping the main idea, and in the end like where it ended up.
I had a soundtrack of Korn songs on while I wrote this. I don't know why but it was just especially easy while it played, particularly Kiss and Here to Stay. The latter is really good to write fights to LOL.
It had been a long day. A long stifling day of endless meetings with old men who thought themselves more powerful than they were. Collectively, they were correct. Individually, they were nothing. By the second half of the day he was fantasizing about driving his fist through their chests and occasionally fucking their secretaries into the wall. That one man young man who insisted on using a paper and pen and kept dropping it when he had to glance Asami's way...
"Suoh..."
"Already got his number, Asami-sama. You want to be dropped off there tonight?"
He thought about it, but he was more in the mood for something different. He needed to get out, alone.
"No. But pick me up and leave the limo behind tonight. Bring the Mercedes."
Alone meant with his faithful bodyguard. He wasn't stupid.
Suoh glanced into the review mirror, briefly making eye contact, a speculative glint there. "OK boss. Going anywhere in particular?"
A lot of questions, but Asami knew he wasn't being nosy. Suoh just liked to be prepared. That was a good trait in a bodyguard. He pulled his cigarettes out and tapped one out of the pack.
"I've not decided. I'm just in a mood, you could say, for something different."
Suoh nodded, but his eyes turned thoughtful before his attention returning to the road. "Mind if I suggest something?"
Asami simply raised his eyebrow in a question and waved his hand in permission. Suoh often suggested things he was surprised to find entertaining. He wasn't the slow clod most people assumed him to be from his appearance. Or rather that he led them to believe he was. Asami was no fool though, and he'd known Suoh for a long time, enough to be aware of his many nuances.
"Heard there were gonna be some good fights down at one of the warehouses on the bay. I was gonna check 'em out after I'd dropped you off. Some foreigners too, different styles. Could be fun. You want in?"
Lit cigarette now dangling from his lips, Asami considered the option, but he really didn't have to for long. Rough crowds, raw, unleashed aggression, so very different from the obsequious idiots he'd dealt with all day. He nodded. "I want in. An excellent suggestion, Suoh. You always seem to understand what I need."
He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, finally looking forward to something today, wondering if his man would respond to his teasing.
It took a moment, but he finally heard a softly growled reply. "I aim to please, Asami-sama."
Asami smiled, satisfied. Suoh's devotion was just another one of his enjoyable little nuances.
---
When Suoh had said "fights", he hadn't meant the fights people could watch on TV- he'd known better. These were the fights that took place in warehouses and underground clubs, places that weren't advertised or found unless you knew the right people. There were no boards with their chairmen, no rules except you paid to watch and left your weapons at the door. The only weapons allowed in the buildings were fists and feet.
And tongues, Asami thought as the crowds parted before Suoh like savanna grasses for a lion. His tongue could cause the death of everyone in the room, and none any the wiser as to why. If anyone knew who he was they didn't let on. It was refreshing. All they knew was that his suit cost more than the rest of their salaries combined. Their eyes tracked him, pretending not to. They knew he either had to be stupid or dangerous beyond belief to show up there looking like that, and with Suoh in front of him they figured dangerous. It didn't stop them from testing him though.
It had been decades since he'd lifted a wallet but the instincts were still there, and not three meters into the room and he felt a hand at his coat trying to do the same to him. He twisted the slim wrist and the young thief struggled against his grip. Another twist got him a cry of pain and a few respectful feet from an audience that was watching very carefully. It was a teen, a boy, not bad but too inexperienced to read that his mark was out of his league.
Suoh had turned and was watching. He knew there was no need to interfere, but it was his role to. "You want me to eliminate him, boss?" he asked, being his menacing best.
Asami kept his face straight.
The kid gasped. "It was an accident! I thought you were someone else! I'm sorry." Tears started in his eyes. "My sister and mom, they haven't had any food in days..."
Suoh broke in, "Kid, you need to learn to lie better. But you won't have to worry about that once I rip out your tongue."
"I'm not lying you giant mountain baboon!"
Suoh's frown deepened.
"Suoh," Asami chided, playing the game. He peeled off a couple of bills. "Clear us a space ringside and I'll forget about it. Run off with my money and I'll let him rip you to pieces."
The kid grabbed the money and carefully moved around front of them, keeping a wary eye on Suoh as he did and started clearing a path.
Suoh grumbled as he fell in beside Asami. "... a big mountain baboon...?"
Asami glanced at him with amused eyes. "But you're my mountain baboon..." He felt like pushing what he'd heard in Suoh's voice earlier. A sudden piercing stare told him he'd hit the mark. He turned his eyes away and enjoyed their little show.
It was a ridiculous pageant, very different from his entrances earlier that day. The young man shoved bodies out of the way as he crossed the floor, people fighting back until they saw Asami and Suoh following. Danger hung off those two like mantles, and men instinctively stepped out of the way, bowing them to a ringside position. There were no seats here. Not even a ring, really, not a formal one at least. But there were places of honor, close to the action, and Asami and Suoh were given one. Their thief then bowed like a courtier and danced away through the crowd before they could stop him.
A fight was already in progress. Two foreigners, a Chinese man who looked like he'd seen better times and a Russian that Asami recognized from earlier days. The man was a vicious fighter to have lasted since then, and he proved it again by taking out the other man in one swift hard blow to his solar plexus, stopping his opponent's heart.
He stood there as the body was dragged away and the crowd cheered him, at least, those who'd bet on him did. One or two of those who'd played the odds on the Chinese man booed until the wild grey eyes fixed on them. Boos died off quickly.
Asami briefly considered hiring the man, then dismissed the thought. He was too uncontrollable. A fighting machine like Suoh, trained to hand, was the most useful. He felt Suoh's warmth at his back and knew only security, never uncertainty. He had no use for a beast that would turn on its owner for any random slight. He'd end up paying a lot and having to put the animal down. It would be a waste of time and money.
Some instinct that allowed the man to get as far as he had made him focus on Asami, as if knowing he was the most dangerous man present.
"You," he said. "I want to fight you." His Japanese was surprisingly good. The whole room fell silent, the men in it wondering if their favorite had signed his death warrant.
Asami didn't even consider it. The man had over 30 kilos of muscle more than he did. His eyes raked the man's body. "If I fought every poodle that nipped at my heels I'd have no time for anything else. Extermination is so much easier." The corner of his eye caught Suoh slipping his hand into his jacket. Suoh could get weapons past anyone. Asami let his hand brush back against his bodyguard, stopping him. Not here with witnesses. Suoh caught it and stilled.
The Russian stepped forward, his fists clenched. "I am no poodle. I'm a wolf. You will know this when my teeth are at your throat."
"If I'd wanted incessant talking," Asami continued, to no one in particular, "I'd have picked up a woman. I thought there were men fighting here tonight, not hostesses?" He turned his head toward Suoh as the crowd tensed, some of them laughing nervously. "I knew we should have flown to Vegas."
"All the talk is coming from you, Asami Ryuichi. But then, from what I hear you may want me to stop your mouth with my cock." Asami froze. The crowd murmured. They may not have known his face, but they all knew his name. This would cause ripples if it weren't handled properly.
Suoh's huge presence stepped between them, his eyes fixed on the foreigner. "Ah, well, now I'm going to have to hurt you. I'd say I want to end this amicably, like gentleman, but that would be a lie, wouldn't it? I'm going to take you to pieces, I'm going to make it hurt, and I'm going to enjoy every moment of it." His typical gang-style patter was gone. He spoke clear and precise Japanese. Asami always thought it funny that the madder Suoh got, the more erudite his speech became. At the moment, he couldn't help feeling a little thrill at the anger being displayed on his behalf
The Russian blinked in surprise, then his mouth shaped into a sneer. "You need your gentleman to fight me, Ryuichi? Okay, I'll kill him, and tonight you'll learn what it's like to be a wolf's bitch."
Suoh spoke mildly. "You'll find that's difficult to do when you're dead." He unbuttoned his suit coat and started removing it.
Asami laid a hand on Suoh's back and felt him stiffen. Suoh was generally slow to anger, but Asami knew he had already reached pissed and was nearing a boil into rage. Sometimes that could win a fight. Most times it just made a man fight stupidly. "Perhaps we should wait until you've cooled down a bit."
Suoh turned his head to look at him, his eyes hard and unyielding. "His punishment needs to be public, and now. Either you do it, or I do. And I'm not going to let you."
Asami knew why he was doing this -- he'd been pushing those buttons all night. But he hadn't wanted it to lead to this. While it was amusing to tease Suoh, there were lines Asami would not cross. "You don't need to do this, Suoh," he said quietly. "We can arrange something more discreet."
Suoh stepped close and bent his head down, his mouth by Asami's ear. "You've been goading me all night and expected me to control myself despite it. Do you or do you not trust me to protect you?" he asked softly but with surprising force.
Asami drew his head back at the blunt confrontation and look up to meet Suoh's eyes, eyes that demanded honesty. It made him uncomfortable, yet he answered with the truth. "You know I do."
"Then allow me to do so."
Asami shrugged, hiding his frustration. "I'm not your mother. Do as you wish." But even as he said it, his mind began racing through the ways to best save Suoh's ass if it was needed. He trusted Suoh to protect him; he didn't trust him to protect himself.
Suoh stripped off his tie, shirt and coat, revealing a hard cut torso, and looked around for a place to put his clothes. He seemed embarrassed to ask Asami to hold them, but Asami reached for them. It was the least he could do. Besides, a weapon was in their folds somewhere. "I'll play your valet this once," Asami said lightly, "though the coat doesn't deserve it. After you win, I'll buy you a suit that fits."
"After I win, Asami-sama, it's not a suit that I want." And Suoh stepped into the ring.
Asami's eyes widened. Had he heard that correctly? Maybe he'd misunderstood. Suoh knew better than that. But as the two men in the center of the room began circling each other, his heart beat a little faster.
They looked matched out there, both larger than were usually seen around here, both graceful despite their sizes, and both with a cunning most people didn't notice until it was too late. Suoh could even fight like an animal when he had to. But Suoh had two advantages over the Russian, an intelligence far deeper than most people expected. And, Asami thought honestly, Suoh had something to protect. That made any man fight harder.
Asami squeezed the coat a little, feeling the small handgun hidden inside. He'd use it if he had to, but for now, he'd trust Suoh.
The Russian growled like a wild cur and charged in low and fast, teeth bared, trying to catch Suoh off guard. But Asami knew how fast Suoh was, and watched with an almost erotic pleasure as his man slipped to the side and easily leveled the other man with a stiff arm at neck level. The Russian went down choking, then rose to his feet a little more wary. This time he hung back a bit, waiting to see what his unexpected opponent would do.
Suoh too stepped back and started pacing back and forth on the balls of his feet, whistling as if to a dog. His eyes were focused yet not, so he could catch every twitch with his peripheral vision. The other charged again, clearly lost in anger, but this time ducking under the arm that Suoh thrust out. Asami laughed at the bluff as Suoh's knee was thrust squarely into the Russian's chest, knocking him down again. But he was up within seconds, and this time he got his arms around Suoh.
He landed blow after punishing blow on Suoh's torso while Suoh unsuccessfully used his feet to try to trip him up. He finally got a knee between them and pushed the Russian back, just far enough. Asami held his breath in anticipation, knowing what was coming. Suoh's leg kicked up and smashed into the side of the man's head. The Russian stumbled to the left. When Suoh's foot hit the ground he pushed off and the other flew up and knocked the man's head again. He fell to all fours but before Suoh could kick him in the stomach he was back up. He was still bent in half, breathing heavily, but he yelled primally and charged blindly, breaking past Suoh's defenses to knock him off his feet.
They fell to the ground, wrestling for dominance, each trying to pin the other, the fight turning into a deadly sinuous dance. But this wasn't a fight that would end in a count out. Being pinned here meant being slowly suffocated as each forced the other's chest and neck to bend into one another, trying to cut off any breathing, then end it all with a final spine-snapping crack.
Asami felt like he was on the ground with them, vying for control. His body was taut with tension, limbs trembling with the effort not to join in. He found himself drawing deep breaths when Suoh could not, as if to share them. He could almost feel the strain of being forced into those positions, his body aching sympathetically as their bodies ground together in such a very sexual way and found himself hardening with need. His hands grasped in imaginary holds, wanting Suoh and the Russian under them.
Then a grip slipped and the two were free and separate, breathing heavily, Asami with them.
The Russian said something only Suoh could hear, but they both glanced at Asami. The look on Suoh's face, a carnal mix of ownership and guilt, rage and gratification, shocked him for a moment sending his mind spinning through things they'd said in the past. Their relationship was spiraling around in his head as he reanalyzed it in seconds, realizing how very wrong he'd been about the form of Suoh's desires.
The men in front of him clashed again, Cyanean rocks thinking they might crush him between them. Only Asami needed no one to save him from such a fate.
He laughed in spite of himself. He'd been bored of civilization and here he was being fought over like a war prize. Be careful what you wish for. Only he was never careful. He wished for it and reveled in it when he got it. Asami slipped another cigarette into his mouth and lit up, drawing deeply and relaxing, looking forward to seeing the end of this because then it would be his turn, and the winner would have to realize his mistake in thinking Asami belonged to anyone.
The end came fairly quickly after that. The Russian wouldn't keep his mouth shut, egging Suoh on, probably some blatantly sexual comments because Suoh's face was almost unrecognizable in his rage. Suoh's head ended up locked in a grip it didn't look like he could break, and Asami started to slip his hand into the jacket for the revolver. He sought Suoh's eyes to reassure him, but when their gazes met Suoh's eyes held him to his promise and Asami hesitated. In silence and from meters away, Suoh demanded his compliance, and he let his empty hand fall into the open. Suoh smiled grimly, a smug look of satisfaction at this simple act of obedience. His muscles suddenly bunched with power and with near-inhuman strength he bent, lifting the other fighter off his feet then twisted and fell, all his weight crushing the other beneath him.
The Russian was stunned, slowly shaking his head but clearly at the end of his strength. Suoh crawled up his body, gasping and spitting words out in perfect yet vulgar Russian. He raised one massive fist and smashed the hammer of it into the face below him. Then did it again with his other fist. And he started into a rhythm, the sounds of smacked flesh and cracking bone soon the only thing heard in the room as the crowd fell silent in the face of Suoh's onslaught.
Asami stood to the side, glad of the jacket he held in front of him. He'd come in his pants.
A voice to Asami's left muttered, "Fuck, someone tell him the guy is dead..."
Asami drew deeply on the cigarette he'd forgotten in his mouth, some post-coital smoke, then crushed the butt of the cigarette into the floor and walked to the center of the space where Suoh still swung away at the body under him, his arms clearly tiring. Watching for a moment, Asami realized there was something deeper going on here, like maybe he wasn't punishing the other any longer but rather himself for what he'd let Asami see.
"Suoh," he said quietly. Suoh froze, still breathing heavily. He slowly raised his eyes to focus only on Asami.
Asami looked down into the soul that was open to him. He'd seen eyes like this before, after long stretches of dominance play. He'd even seen them in the mirror. It was so easy to break someone who had reached this state. The aim here was in not doing it. He had to tread carefully, to reaffirm their bond as he did so. But he also had to make sure Suoh understood.
He held his hand out, not palm up in surrender, not palm down like an insulting offer to a serf to kiss it, but sideways, in friendship.
Suoh stared at the hand for a second, then his eyes calmed and glinted with amusement. He reached up and took it, blood making their grips slippery as he stood, towering over Asami and looking down at him. He wavered slightly, on a cusp of decisions that could change his life.
Asami didn't give him that time to think. "Come," he said, and turned, expecting Suoh to follow. He didn't acknowledge the eyes that narrowed and burned brighter.
The crowd again parted before them as they made their way to the exit, murmurs rising to cheers and deafening yells by the time they hit the door. The fight would be on everyone's tongues by morning.
Asami had loosened his grip as soon as Suoh stood. When they got to the alley where the Mercedes was parked, Suoh grabbed his arm and spun him so his back was to the brick wall there. He stilled, now looking up into his bodyguard's intense eyes, eyes that said he was stronger and could take him should he choose.
Asami tilted his head slightly. "You probably could. Would it be worth it?"
Suoh's head dipped down, but he stopped, his lips scant centimeters away from Asami's. He breathed deeply in, taking in Asami's scent. Asami could feel Suoh trembling through the grip on his arms. His own heart was beating rapidly. He had no idea what would happen and was ecstatic, ready for anything. He raised his chin and looked Suoh square in the eyes, letting him know exactly what the cost would be, daring him to make his choice.
Suoh pushed his full body closer still until there was only the cloth of Asami's suit between their skin, the heat coming off him making Asami wonder if his clothes would ignite. Suoh's hardness was digging into his hip. His own was under control because he'd already had his release, his clothes damp and sticky. They were still for one long moment, then the corner of Suoh's mouth tilted up, a small smile of utterly male satisfaction and arrogance. "You can buy me that suit tonight. And perhaps you should replace your own as well, Asami-sama."
Then he pulled back and simply walked to the car, opening the door and bowing, holding it, the breeze slowly drying his bruised and sweat-covered back.
Asami slowly released a long sigh, letting the wall support him for a second, then levered himself up. His legs were trembling, but he made himself casually stroll the few meters to the car door, where he paused. "I might have allowed you a kiss. But you will never have what you crave from me, Suoh."
Suoh remained in his bow, but glanced up, eyes bright with victory. "How very wrong you are, Asami-sama. I have it already."
Asami stared at him for a second, his mind pulling at threads in disbelief until he finally understood how he'd already been outplayed, that he was being trained to an experienced dom's hand, just one whose desires differed drastically from his own. A lesser man would be outraged. He only laughed. He'd been looking for someone to challenge him, and as Suoh had promised, he'd been given what he needed. The result was even something he could live with. Suoh would learn his mistake soon enough. In the meantime...
He slipped into the back seat of the car, settling into the soft leather. "Call my tailor. Tell him to expect us."
"Of course, Asami-sama. Will there be anything else you need?"
He stared at the back of the blond head, drilling his eyes into it, then he sighed. "If there is, I have no doubt you will try to take care of it."
"Always, Asami-sama."
Asami wiped his blood-covered hands on his silk handkerchief, then rested his chin on one as they pulled into the street. He knew boundaries would have to be set and reset, for himself as much as Suoh, and he knew they would be constantly tested. After all, Suoh had learned from the best.
But Asami was sure of one thing: he wouldn't soon be bored again.
He snorted softly. He was a man of unexpected depths, his Suoh.
~end~
Characters: Asami, Suoh (unrequited pairing)
Rating: PG-13 (violence, sexual themes)
Spoilers: None
Warning: OC death, but he deserves it; illegal version of MMA-style fights
Disclaimer: Asami and Suoh and their world belong to Yamane-sensei.
Summary: This takes place a couple of years before Takaba comes along. Asami's bored with life and wants an evening out at the fights. He learns that he doesn't know Suoh or maybe even himself as well as he thought.
A/N I have *counts them* eek, 121 partial VF fics on my hard drive and the other day I thought maybe I should maybe finish at least one. I closed my eyes and picked this, then cursed at myself and wondered what I was thinking when I started it because I didn't know how I could resolve it. I ended up rewriting the whole thing while keeping the main idea, and in the end like where it ended up.
I had a soundtrack of Korn songs on while I wrote this. I don't know why but it was just especially easy while it played, particularly Kiss and Here to Stay. The latter is really good to write fights to LOL.
It had been a long day. A long stifling day of endless meetings with old men who thought themselves more powerful than they were. Collectively, they were correct. Individually, they were nothing. By the second half of the day he was fantasizing about driving his fist through their chests and occasionally fucking their secretaries into the wall. That one man young man who insisted on using a paper and pen and kept dropping it when he had to glance Asami's way...
"Suoh..."
"Already got his number, Asami-sama. You want to be dropped off there tonight?"
He thought about it, but he was more in the mood for something different. He needed to get out, alone.
"No. But pick me up and leave the limo behind tonight. Bring the Mercedes."
Alone meant with his faithful bodyguard. He wasn't stupid.
Suoh glanced into the review mirror, briefly making eye contact, a speculative glint there. "OK boss. Going anywhere in particular?"
A lot of questions, but Asami knew he wasn't being nosy. Suoh just liked to be prepared. That was a good trait in a bodyguard. He pulled his cigarettes out and tapped one out of the pack.
"I've not decided. I'm just in a mood, you could say, for something different."
Suoh nodded, but his eyes turned thoughtful before his attention returning to the road. "Mind if I suggest something?"
Asami simply raised his eyebrow in a question and waved his hand in permission. Suoh often suggested things he was surprised to find entertaining. He wasn't the slow clod most people assumed him to be from his appearance. Or rather that he led them to believe he was. Asami was no fool though, and he'd known Suoh for a long time, enough to be aware of his many nuances.
"Heard there were gonna be some good fights down at one of the warehouses on the bay. I was gonna check 'em out after I'd dropped you off. Some foreigners too, different styles. Could be fun. You want in?"
Lit cigarette now dangling from his lips, Asami considered the option, but he really didn't have to for long. Rough crowds, raw, unleashed aggression, so very different from the obsequious idiots he'd dealt with all day. He nodded. "I want in. An excellent suggestion, Suoh. You always seem to understand what I need."
He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, finally looking forward to something today, wondering if his man would respond to his teasing.
It took a moment, but he finally heard a softly growled reply. "I aim to please, Asami-sama."
Asami smiled, satisfied. Suoh's devotion was just another one of his enjoyable little nuances.
---
When Suoh had said "fights", he hadn't meant the fights people could watch on TV- he'd known better. These were the fights that took place in warehouses and underground clubs, places that weren't advertised or found unless you knew the right people. There were no boards with their chairmen, no rules except you paid to watch and left your weapons at the door. The only weapons allowed in the buildings were fists and feet.
And tongues, Asami thought as the crowds parted before Suoh like savanna grasses for a lion. His tongue could cause the death of everyone in the room, and none any the wiser as to why. If anyone knew who he was they didn't let on. It was refreshing. All they knew was that his suit cost more than the rest of their salaries combined. Their eyes tracked him, pretending not to. They knew he either had to be stupid or dangerous beyond belief to show up there looking like that, and with Suoh in front of him they figured dangerous. It didn't stop them from testing him though.
It had been decades since he'd lifted a wallet but the instincts were still there, and not three meters into the room and he felt a hand at his coat trying to do the same to him. He twisted the slim wrist and the young thief struggled against his grip. Another twist got him a cry of pain and a few respectful feet from an audience that was watching very carefully. It was a teen, a boy, not bad but too inexperienced to read that his mark was out of his league.
Suoh had turned and was watching. He knew there was no need to interfere, but it was his role to. "You want me to eliminate him, boss?" he asked, being his menacing best.
Asami kept his face straight.
The kid gasped. "It was an accident! I thought you were someone else! I'm sorry." Tears started in his eyes. "My sister and mom, they haven't had any food in days..."
Suoh broke in, "Kid, you need to learn to lie better. But you won't have to worry about that once I rip out your tongue."
"I'm not lying you giant mountain baboon!"
Suoh's frown deepened.
"Suoh," Asami chided, playing the game. He peeled off a couple of bills. "Clear us a space ringside and I'll forget about it. Run off with my money and I'll let him rip you to pieces."
The kid grabbed the money and carefully moved around front of them, keeping a wary eye on Suoh as he did and started clearing a path.
Suoh grumbled as he fell in beside Asami. "... a big mountain baboon...?"
Asami glanced at him with amused eyes. "But you're my mountain baboon..." He felt like pushing what he'd heard in Suoh's voice earlier. A sudden piercing stare told him he'd hit the mark. He turned his eyes away and enjoyed their little show.
It was a ridiculous pageant, very different from his entrances earlier that day. The young man shoved bodies out of the way as he crossed the floor, people fighting back until they saw Asami and Suoh following. Danger hung off those two like mantles, and men instinctively stepped out of the way, bowing them to a ringside position. There were no seats here. Not even a ring, really, not a formal one at least. But there were places of honor, close to the action, and Asami and Suoh were given one. Their thief then bowed like a courtier and danced away through the crowd before they could stop him.
A fight was already in progress. Two foreigners, a Chinese man who looked like he'd seen better times and a Russian that Asami recognized from earlier days. The man was a vicious fighter to have lasted since then, and he proved it again by taking out the other man in one swift hard blow to his solar plexus, stopping his opponent's heart.
He stood there as the body was dragged away and the crowd cheered him, at least, those who'd bet on him did. One or two of those who'd played the odds on the Chinese man booed until the wild grey eyes fixed on them. Boos died off quickly.
Asami briefly considered hiring the man, then dismissed the thought. He was too uncontrollable. A fighting machine like Suoh, trained to hand, was the most useful. He felt Suoh's warmth at his back and knew only security, never uncertainty. He had no use for a beast that would turn on its owner for any random slight. He'd end up paying a lot and having to put the animal down. It would be a waste of time and money.
Some instinct that allowed the man to get as far as he had made him focus on Asami, as if knowing he was the most dangerous man present.
"You," he said. "I want to fight you." His Japanese was surprisingly good. The whole room fell silent, the men in it wondering if their favorite had signed his death warrant.
Asami didn't even consider it. The man had over 30 kilos of muscle more than he did. His eyes raked the man's body. "If I fought every poodle that nipped at my heels I'd have no time for anything else. Extermination is so much easier." The corner of his eye caught Suoh slipping his hand into his jacket. Suoh could get weapons past anyone. Asami let his hand brush back against his bodyguard, stopping him. Not here with witnesses. Suoh caught it and stilled.
The Russian stepped forward, his fists clenched. "I am no poodle. I'm a wolf. You will know this when my teeth are at your throat."
"If I'd wanted incessant talking," Asami continued, to no one in particular, "I'd have picked up a woman. I thought there were men fighting here tonight, not hostesses?" He turned his head toward Suoh as the crowd tensed, some of them laughing nervously. "I knew we should have flown to Vegas."
"All the talk is coming from you, Asami Ryuichi. But then, from what I hear you may want me to stop your mouth with my cock." Asami froze. The crowd murmured. They may not have known his face, but they all knew his name. This would cause ripples if it weren't handled properly.
Suoh's huge presence stepped between them, his eyes fixed on the foreigner. "Ah, well, now I'm going to have to hurt you. I'd say I want to end this amicably, like gentleman, but that would be a lie, wouldn't it? I'm going to take you to pieces, I'm going to make it hurt, and I'm going to enjoy every moment of it." His typical gang-style patter was gone. He spoke clear and precise Japanese. Asami always thought it funny that the madder Suoh got, the more erudite his speech became. At the moment, he couldn't help feeling a little thrill at the anger being displayed on his behalf
The Russian blinked in surprise, then his mouth shaped into a sneer. "You need your gentleman to fight me, Ryuichi? Okay, I'll kill him, and tonight you'll learn what it's like to be a wolf's bitch."
Suoh spoke mildly. "You'll find that's difficult to do when you're dead." He unbuttoned his suit coat and started removing it.
Asami laid a hand on Suoh's back and felt him stiffen. Suoh was generally slow to anger, but Asami knew he had already reached pissed and was nearing a boil into rage. Sometimes that could win a fight. Most times it just made a man fight stupidly. "Perhaps we should wait until you've cooled down a bit."
Suoh turned his head to look at him, his eyes hard and unyielding. "His punishment needs to be public, and now. Either you do it, or I do. And I'm not going to let you."
Asami knew why he was doing this -- he'd been pushing those buttons all night. But he hadn't wanted it to lead to this. While it was amusing to tease Suoh, there were lines Asami would not cross. "You don't need to do this, Suoh," he said quietly. "We can arrange something more discreet."
Suoh stepped close and bent his head down, his mouth by Asami's ear. "You've been goading me all night and expected me to control myself despite it. Do you or do you not trust me to protect you?" he asked softly but with surprising force.
Asami drew his head back at the blunt confrontation and look up to meet Suoh's eyes, eyes that demanded honesty. It made him uncomfortable, yet he answered with the truth. "You know I do."
"Then allow me to do so."
Asami shrugged, hiding his frustration. "I'm not your mother. Do as you wish." But even as he said it, his mind began racing through the ways to best save Suoh's ass if it was needed. He trusted Suoh to protect him; he didn't trust him to protect himself.
Suoh stripped off his tie, shirt and coat, revealing a hard cut torso, and looked around for a place to put his clothes. He seemed embarrassed to ask Asami to hold them, but Asami reached for them. It was the least he could do. Besides, a weapon was in their folds somewhere. "I'll play your valet this once," Asami said lightly, "though the coat doesn't deserve it. After you win, I'll buy you a suit that fits."
"After I win, Asami-sama, it's not a suit that I want." And Suoh stepped into the ring.
Asami's eyes widened. Had he heard that correctly? Maybe he'd misunderstood. Suoh knew better than that. But as the two men in the center of the room began circling each other, his heart beat a little faster.
They looked matched out there, both larger than were usually seen around here, both graceful despite their sizes, and both with a cunning most people didn't notice until it was too late. Suoh could even fight like an animal when he had to. But Suoh had two advantages over the Russian, an intelligence far deeper than most people expected. And, Asami thought honestly, Suoh had something to protect. That made any man fight harder.
Asami squeezed the coat a little, feeling the small handgun hidden inside. He'd use it if he had to, but for now, he'd trust Suoh.
The Russian growled like a wild cur and charged in low and fast, teeth bared, trying to catch Suoh off guard. But Asami knew how fast Suoh was, and watched with an almost erotic pleasure as his man slipped to the side and easily leveled the other man with a stiff arm at neck level. The Russian went down choking, then rose to his feet a little more wary. This time he hung back a bit, waiting to see what his unexpected opponent would do.
Suoh too stepped back and started pacing back and forth on the balls of his feet, whistling as if to a dog. His eyes were focused yet not, so he could catch every twitch with his peripheral vision. The other charged again, clearly lost in anger, but this time ducking under the arm that Suoh thrust out. Asami laughed at the bluff as Suoh's knee was thrust squarely into the Russian's chest, knocking him down again. But he was up within seconds, and this time he got his arms around Suoh.
He landed blow after punishing blow on Suoh's torso while Suoh unsuccessfully used his feet to try to trip him up. He finally got a knee between them and pushed the Russian back, just far enough. Asami held his breath in anticipation, knowing what was coming. Suoh's leg kicked up and smashed into the side of the man's head. The Russian stumbled to the left. When Suoh's foot hit the ground he pushed off and the other flew up and knocked the man's head again. He fell to all fours but before Suoh could kick him in the stomach he was back up. He was still bent in half, breathing heavily, but he yelled primally and charged blindly, breaking past Suoh's defenses to knock him off his feet.
They fell to the ground, wrestling for dominance, each trying to pin the other, the fight turning into a deadly sinuous dance. But this wasn't a fight that would end in a count out. Being pinned here meant being slowly suffocated as each forced the other's chest and neck to bend into one another, trying to cut off any breathing, then end it all with a final spine-snapping crack.
Asami felt like he was on the ground with them, vying for control. His body was taut with tension, limbs trembling with the effort not to join in. He found himself drawing deep breaths when Suoh could not, as if to share them. He could almost feel the strain of being forced into those positions, his body aching sympathetically as their bodies ground together in such a very sexual way and found himself hardening with need. His hands grasped in imaginary holds, wanting Suoh and the Russian under them.
Then a grip slipped and the two were free and separate, breathing heavily, Asami with them.
The Russian said something only Suoh could hear, but they both glanced at Asami. The look on Suoh's face, a carnal mix of ownership and guilt, rage and gratification, shocked him for a moment sending his mind spinning through things they'd said in the past. Their relationship was spiraling around in his head as he reanalyzed it in seconds, realizing how very wrong he'd been about the form of Suoh's desires.
The men in front of him clashed again, Cyanean rocks thinking they might crush him between them. Only Asami needed no one to save him from such a fate.
He laughed in spite of himself. He'd been bored of civilization and here he was being fought over like a war prize. Be careful what you wish for. Only he was never careful. He wished for it and reveled in it when he got it. Asami slipped another cigarette into his mouth and lit up, drawing deeply and relaxing, looking forward to seeing the end of this because then it would be his turn, and the winner would have to realize his mistake in thinking Asami belonged to anyone.
The end came fairly quickly after that. The Russian wouldn't keep his mouth shut, egging Suoh on, probably some blatantly sexual comments because Suoh's face was almost unrecognizable in his rage. Suoh's head ended up locked in a grip it didn't look like he could break, and Asami started to slip his hand into the jacket for the revolver. He sought Suoh's eyes to reassure him, but when their gazes met Suoh's eyes held him to his promise and Asami hesitated. In silence and from meters away, Suoh demanded his compliance, and he let his empty hand fall into the open. Suoh smiled grimly, a smug look of satisfaction at this simple act of obedience. His muscles suddenly bunched with power and with near-inhuman strength he bent, lifting the other fighter off his feet then twisted and fell, all his weight crushing the other beneath him.
The Russian was stunned, slowly shaking his head but clearly at the end of his strength. Suoh crawled up his body, gasping and spitting words out in perfect yet vulgar Russian. He raised one massive fist and smashed the hammer of it into the face below him. Then did it again with his other fist. And he started into a rhythm, the sounds of smacked flesh and cracking bone soon the only thing heard in the room as the crowd fell silent in the face of Suoh's onslaught.
Asami stood to the side, glad of the jacket he held in front of him. He'd come in his pants.
A voice to Asami's left muttered, "Fuck, someone tell him the guy is dead..."
Asami drew deeply on the cigarette he'd forgotten in his mouth, some post-coital smoke, then crushed the butt of the cigarette into the floor and walked to the center of the space where Suoh still swung away at the body under him, his arms clearly tiring. Watching for a moment, Asami realized there was something deeper going on here, like maybe he wasn't punishing the other any longer but rather himself for what he'd let Asami see.
"Suoh," he said quietly. Suoh froze, still breathing heavily. He slowly raised his eyes to focus only on Asami.
Asami looked down into the soul that was open to him. He'd seen eyes like this before, after long stretches of dominance play. He'd even seen them in the mirror. It was so easy to break someone who had reached this state. The aim here was in not doing it. He had to tread carefully, to reaffirm their bond as he did so. But he also had to make sure Suoh understood.
He held his hand out, not palm up in surrender, not palm down like an insulting offer to a serf to kiss it, but sideways, in friendship.
Suoh stared at the hand for a second, then his eyes calmed and glinted with amusement. He reached up and took it, blood making their grips slippery as he stood, towering over Asami and looking down at him. He wavered slightly, on a cusp of decisions that could change his life.
Asami didn't give him that time to think. "Come," he said, and turned, expecting Suoh to follow. He didn't acknowledge the eyes that narrowed and burned brighter.
The crowd again parted before them as they made their way to the exit, murmurs rising to cheers and deafening yells by the time they hit the door. The fight would be on everyone's tongues by morning.
Asami had loosened his grip as soon as Suoh stood. When they got to the alley where the Mercedes was parked, Suoh grabbed his arm and spun him so his back was to the brick wall there. He stilled, now looking up into his bodyguard's intense eyes, eyes that said he was stronger and could take him should he choose.
Asami tilted his head slightly. "You probably could. Would it be worth it?"
Suoh's head dipped down, but he stopped, his lips scant centimeters away from Asami's. He breathed deeply in, taking in Asami's scent. Asami could feel Suoh trembling through the grip on his arms. His own heart was beating rapidly. He had no idea what would happen and was ecstatic, ready for anything. He raised his chin and looked Suoh square in the eyes, letting him know exactly what the cost would be, daring him to make his choice.
Suoh pushed his full body closer still until there was only the cloth of Asami's suit between their skin, the heat coming off him making Asami wonder if his clothes would ignite. Suoh's hardness was digging into his hip. His own was under control because he'd already had his release, his clothes damp and sticky. They were still for one long moment, then the corner of Suoh's mouth tilted up, a small smile of utterly male satisfaction and arrogance. "You can buy me that suit tonight. And perhaps you should replace your own as well, Asami-sama."
Then he pulled back and simply walked to the car, opening the door and bowing, holding it, the breeze slowly drying his bruised and sweat-covered back.
Asami slowly released a long sigh, letting the wall support him for a second, then levered himself up. His legs were trembling, but he made himself casually stroll the few meters to the car door, where he paused. "I might have allowed you a kiss. But you will never have what you crave from me, Suoh."
Suoh remained in his bow, but glanced up, eyes bright with victory. "How very wrong you are, Asami-sama. I have it already."
Asami stared at him for a second, his mind pulling at threads in disbelief until he finally understood how he'd already been outplayed, that he was being trained to an experienced dom's hand, just one whose desires differed drastically from his own. A lesser man would be outraged. He only laughed. He'd been looking for someone to challenge him, and as Suoh had promised, he'd been given what he needed. The result was even something he could live with. Suoh would learn his mistake soon enough. In the meantime...
He slipped into the back seat of the car, settling into the soft leather. "Call my tailor. Tell him to expect us."
"Of course, Asami-sama. Will there be anything else you need?"
He stared at the back of the blond head, drilling his eyes into it, then he sighed. "If there is, I have no doubt you will try to take care of it."
"Always, Asami-sama."
Asami wiped his blood-covered hands on his silk handkerchief, then rested his chin on one as they pulled into the street. He knew boundaries would have to be set and reset, for himself as much as Suoh, and he knew they would be constantly tested. After all, Suoh had learned from the best.
But Asami was sure of one thing: he wouldn't soon be bored again.
He snorted softly. He was a man of unexpected depths, his Suoh.
~end~