Sushi Bar
Title: Sushi Bar
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Derek is a lonely sushi chef that needs a little bit of mothering. Good thing Akihito is lonely and has lots of time to spare, right?
Notes: Written April 23rd, 2009. One of the last things I wrote before I stopped writing for about a year or so. I've decided to start sharing some of the work from my past with you guys in light of my future hiatus (which is currently up in the air) just to keep you all entertained. I did a lot of original work as well as fanfiction and I'll be sharing both with you ^^~ Let's take a look to see what's changed over the years, yeah? :')
Derek jerked his head to the side to get his mousy bangs out of his eyes, the steam billowing up into his face and making the sweat drip profusely. It evaporated before it even hit the grill, his gloved hands gripping the spatulas and moving the noodles over the surface and piling them on cooler areas so they wouldn’t burn as he worked on the vegetables. Once again he ticked his head to the side to get his unruly straight hair out of the way, a crease marring his brow as the steam clouded up his features. The order was done in just a few short moments and he placed it on the fancy plate beautifully, like a true artist, and didn’t even look up as the waitress took it and thanked him.
Next was an order of sushi - two, actually. Tempura tuna rolls and the traditional California. He smiled; easy. It was a slow day but he worked with his usual fast pace, with absolute precision. He moved to the sink to wash his hands thoroughly, sudsing up and then rinsing off, shaking his hands dry and leaving them slightly damp as he grabbed the rice and started to press it onto the bamboo mat. The California was the easiest roll to accomplish, he quickly cut it up into eight pieces and set it artistically on a long rectangular plate. Next came the tempura, which was a bit more difficult, but he had that done in minutes as well.
The young man didn’t feel the eyes that were watching his skilled hands the entire time, and as he put the last piece of tempura tuna on the plate and sprinkled it with sesame seeds, he finally smiled. Then came the scoop of wasabi and a few strips of ginger, and he barely had his hand off of the plate before the waitress whisked it away to be served to the lucky customer. His smile quickly faded a bit, and he started his task of cleaning up his area with the sudden death of business.
“You sure know how to handle your sushi,” came a voice off to Derek’s left, making the brunet glance up with bright green eyes, slightly skittish. A tall, slender Asian man was smirking slightly behind dark sunglasses, in a casual black suit seated at the bar.
“Excuse me?” Derek asked, a bit unsure as to whether or not the suited man was talking to him.
The other man nodded, “You make sushi almost as good as a Japanese street vendor.”
“O-Oh,” Derek blushed a bit, the pink tinge dusting his high cheekbones lightly. “Thank you…”
“Nothing to get shy about, kid.” The other man didn’t even have an accent indicating that he was native from Japan. “You should be damn proud. To have hands that talented warrants praise. I bet your boss doesn’t even know how lucky he is to have you.”
Green eyes looked down at the grill that the praised ‘talented hands’ were cleaning, blush still lightly coloring Derek’s cheeks. The young Caucaisian shrugged and shook his head.
“It’s something I picked up from my mom.”
“Ah,” the Japanese man nodded, though Derek couldn’t see it. “She was a fan of Japanese culture?”
“She was Japanese.” Derek supplied, wondering silently to himself why he was indulging a complete stranger. Maybe it was the silent commanding presence of the man; maybe it was because no one usually talked to Derek. Whatever it was, Derek was perfectly content with talking to this man. “I was adopted by her when I was four.”
“How sweet,” the other man commented.
A silence fell over the two of them that Derek wasn’t sure how to fill; he wasn’t much of a conversationalist, but the other man seemed content to continue sipping on the bottle of beer that he was nursing. Derek wouldn’t say that the silence was comfortable or amiable… more agreeable than anything as another order came up and the younger man was soon occupied. The un-named Japanese man ordered another beer in the time it took for Derek to send out the order of yakisoba, and Derek once again started to clean up his area. He glanced over at the Japanese man, but was quickly startled to see piercing blue eyes gazing into his own emerald. The man had taken off his sunglasses and was leaning over the counter, smirking slightly.
His attractiveness was what startled Derek the most, the highness of the man’s cheekbones a stark contrast against his soft, full lips. The blue eyes were what was truly surprising about the man’s features, however, and whether they were natural or not didn’t particularly matter as they looked stunning. Once again a light blush dusted over Derek’s cheeks as he froze in his cleaning movements, his heart rate speeding up considerably as the Japanese man held his gaze strongly. Swallowing thickly, the young American quickly diverted his eyes back to the task at hand and scrubbed at the surface of the grill, picking up the water bottle and squeezing the water onto the hot surface, more steam hissing and rising upwards to block his vision and engulf him in a white fog. When it cleared he chanced a glance over to where the Japanese man was seated only to find an empty beer, a tip, and a business card.
&8&
It was his night off and Derek was sitting in the very place he worked at, drinking a free beer and sitting on a stool at the counter, fingering the card that the Japanese man had left behind. Hell, he didn’t even know if it had been meant for him or the waitress. Come to think of it, he didn’t even know who had waited on the stranger. He didn’t dare ask, because then questions would arise as to why he was interested in the man in the first place. And to say that Derek kept to himself and liked it that way was an understatement. He didn’t let other people dawdle in his business and didn’t do the same to others. It was how he was raised and how he was going to keep.
How easily he’d let himself open up to the Japanese stranger, however, had just been plain odd…
Letting out a sigh and finishing off his beer, he tucked the business card away into the breast pocket of his button-down shirt and glanced around the sushi bar. There were the typical patrons - the upper class white people that came for the high-class taste of sushi; as well as the regulars that were generally interested in the authentic Japanese cuisine; and then there were the business men that came for the sake. A few Asians were scattered here and there out of curiosity alone, but the place was pretty lively for a Friday evening, a night that Derek was glad to have off. Between work and school it was rare that he had any downtime and he was glad that his boss let him have the weekends off to recuperate.
Another beer was placed in front of him, Luscia smiling at him lightly. Luscia moved to America from Russia five years ago to get away from her abusive husband, and had found her niche in the bartending industry quite quickly. Since then she had been lovingly accepted in the sushi bar for her wonderful mixing abilities as well as her general motherly instincts that kept the bar in friendly ordinance.
Thanking her with a nod and a tip of the dark bottle now in his hand, Derek took a swig of the brew and set down the glass bottle on the counter with a light tink, staring at the slightly wet rim but not really looking at it.
“A man that looks at his beer with that much despair has many things dwelling on his mind,” came a voice to Derek’s left, making the American flinch a bit and turn sharply to face the handsome man that belonged to the voice. Sure enough the Japanese man was smiling lightly, beer in hand, sitting casually on the stool next to Derek.
Luscia raised a brow at the Japanese man and smiled appreciatively at the newcomer and then winked at Derek before she moved on to another customer, giving the men their privacy. Derek wished briefly that she hadn’t; now that he didn’t have the protective shield of steam or customers he was out in the open and vulnerable to anything.
But then again, he had been looking at the man’s business card; surely that meant that he had planned on contacting the man? This man next to him, this confident and handsome man that seemed to want something from the young American?
The card... he thought about it sitting innocently in his pocket.
Kobayashi Akihito
Kobayashi Industries
555-0011
This man… Akihito, was obviously a bigwig of some sort. It was obvious with the designer suit, the designer glasses - the perfectly styled yet somehow bed-ruffled hair, the casual yet asture slouch.
And here was Derek; on a good day his hair only curled in two directions, his shirt and sweater managed to have at least one color in common, and his sneakers might be tied. He was clumsy in general and didn’t have any fashion sense nor did he care about his outward appearance in general, mainly caring about work and studies too much to be too bothered with impressing anyone. His boss hired him based on talent, his teachers passed him based on studious behavior. He lived in an apartment by himself and had a cell phone because he could pay the bills, he ate three meals (not necessarily healthy ones) a day because he could still afford to. He could manage the necessities and hadn’t the need to worry about the extras like hair or clothes or the likes. Shower daily, brush your teeth after every meal - of course he knew that, he didn’t want to be repulsive - what if he needed a study buddy or something for an assignment? He didn’t want to be appalling.
When it came to dating he paid no mind to girls or guys. No one showed interest in him. And he was perfectly fine with that.
In fact, Akihito was the first person to actually show interest in Derek; to actually initiate conversation, to actually talk to the American about something other than food or what’s good on the menu. Akihito had asked about his family, learned a few intimate things… and what’s more, Akihito was back. He was sitting right here in front of Derek once more, the same sensual smile on his lips as when he first met the young American.
And Derek had no idea what to do. No steam to hide behind. No grill to clean.
He was a sitting duck.
“Can I buy you another round?” Akihito offered, and Derek glanced down at his bottle, noting with a slight horrification that he had emptied it in the brief moments of musings.
“Er- no, that’s ok, I really shouldn’t-”
Before he could protest another beer was slid over to him by Luscia, who sent another playful wink. Was no one on his side!? Derek sputtered and stumbled over his words lightly, fumbling with his hands as he tried to deny the alcoholic beverage that everyone was so adamant at handing him.
Well, only two people, but still.
“It’s fine, you don’t have to drink it. But it’s there, in case you want it.” Akihito said, crossing his legs loosely and leaning forward a bit. “I left my business card here a few nights ago… but I feel I should formally introduce myself.” His smile was easy, his motions completely casual but entirely sensual. “I am Akihito.” He held out his hand, “and you are?”
Derek stared at Akihito’s smooth hand, one that had never seen a day of hard work in it’s entirety. One that hadn’t been burnt by grease or charred by sunlight or sweat, scarred with calluses. Wouldn’t it be sin or some kind of other contaminant for Derek to shake it? All of a sudden that beer seemed like a wonderful idea.
The American took the beer and downed half of it before he tentatively reached a hand out to take Akihito’s; it was as smooth as it looked, the man’s long fingers wrapping around Derek’s hand in a soft but surprisingly strong grip. They shook gently, each calculating each other’s grip without knowing it, before releasing and returning to their drinks. Derek’s green eyes went downcast, focusing on Akihito’s shiny shoes, the American’s tongue dancing behind his teeth nervously.
“Erm…”
Derek’s head snapped up, afraid that he’d done something to offend the Japanese man.
“You didn’t tell me your name,” Akihito offered a crooked smile as he reached his slender fingers of his free hand up to pull his sunglasses off and set them on the bar, the sound of the frames on the counter a slight distraction as Derek was once again drowning in a sapphire ocean.
“Oh, uhm…” Derek cleared his throat and glanced away. He had never blushed so much around anyone, ever. “It’s Derek…” What was wrong with him? The pit of his stomach was doing flip-flops, it felt like, and as the bit of alcohol coursed through him, he started to curse his body for making him a lightweight.
“Derek.”
Hearing his name roll off of Akihito’s tongue made Derek’s cheeks flare up bright red, and he was thankful for the dark lighting, otherwise he was sure Akihito would be able to see the blush. His veins were starting to rush a bit hotter, flow a bit faster, and he was feeling a bit dizzy. Was it the alcohol? Was it the presence of the Japanese man? Why was he so nervous? He stuck a finger in the collar of his shirt and tugged at it lightly before undoing the top button, letting in some air.
“Feeling a bit hot, Derek?” He heard Akihito ask curiously.
“Eh heh,” Derek chuckled a bit embarrassedly. “Yeah, a bit. I shoulda wore a different shirt,” he admitted. Sitting at the bar so close to the grill did add some extra heat to the area, that was for sure. He scratched the back of his head, glancing over to Akihito, who was now leaning against the bar and glancing around the area, taking in the crowd. Derek took the chance to evaluate the situation, and of course the man causing it.
Akihito was undoubtedly one of the most - if not the most - attractive people Derek had ever come across. His skin was a milky white, his shiny raven hair a dark contrast to his pale skin. His eyes, the unnatural sapphire blue, really stood out when he took off the sunglasses that hid half of his face, of course his clothes just finished off the entire look. He looked to be rather tall if he stood up, perhaps taller than Derek (though Derek wasn’t all that tall, standing at 5’9”) and definitely more fit. Tonight’s outfit consisted of fitted black slacks and a dark maroon button-down shirt, the cuffs rolled up to the elbows to expose sinewy forearms, and a loosened silver tie that accented the silver-rimmed sunglasses that were resting on the counter.
His elbow was rested on the bar top, his chin cupped by the palm of his right hand, his gaze straight forward as he looked at the alcohol selection against the back wall. His other arm was resting against the bar lazily, his spine arched slightly in an ‘s’ shape and his feet now resting on the bar at the bottom of the stool as he leaned intently - almost as if he was near-sighted and was trying to lean closer to read some of the smaller font on the labels - giving Derek a perfect view of his profile.
Akihito was breath taking.
“Is vanilla vodka any good?” he suddenly asked, jarring Derek out of his little staring session, blushing lightly as he focused on the back wall, clearing his throat a bit.
“Er, what?”
“Vanilla vodka,” Akihito repeated, not moving his gaze from where apparently the vanilla vodka was located. “Is it good?”
“I… I don’t know,” Derek admitted. “I’m not much of a hard alcohol drinker…”
“Hm…” Akihito waved Luscia over and the blonde woman sidled over with a smile, leaning over the counter lightly. “Could I perhaps get a smell of the vanilla vodka? And maybe a personal suggestion?”
Luscia smiled and nodded as she moved to take a fancy looking bottle down from the wall, setting it down on the counter. She took off the lid and let Akihito sniff it, who did so with a mild look of interest. He didn’t seem put off at the look of a feminine drink, which Derek was surprised at. “I personally like it mixed with strawberry milkshake,” Luscia said, her Russian accent only slightly thick on her ‘r’.
“I’ll take an order,” Akihito said with a light smile, and Luscia smiled and nodded in return and started to whip up the drink. The Japanese man turned to look at Derek. “So you don’t drink much?”
“A beer here and there,” Derek admitted, shrugging lightly and folding his arms on the counter top. “I never really saw the merit in it…”
Akihito smiled lightly, “That’s a good kid.”
Derek blushed and took another drink of his beer as Akihito was handed a glass.
“Here you go handsome. Have a taste. You don’t like it, you don’t pay.”
Akihito laughed lightly and took a sip of it, his look a bit criticizing before he smiled and nodded. “It’s delicious Luscia. You truly are the best bartender in town!”
Luscia’s pretty face darkened a bit and she waved a hand before chuckling and walking away. “You don’t pay anyhow, Akihito, you flirt.”
Akihito merely chuckled lightly and waved a dismissing hand, as if to say ‘who, me? A flirt? Hah!’ before he swiveled around on the stool to rest his back against the counter and watch the crowd. His tongue danced over the straw a bit distractedly, making Derek’s eyes watch the pink appendage with vague interest, before he turned towards Derek.
“You know, you haven’t asked yet why I left you my business card.”
Derek’s eyes snapped up from the man’s tongue to meet Akihito’s gaze, which was slightly playful accompanied by a raised brow.
“I figured it was because you wanted me to contact you…” Derek said slowly, turning his gaze to the side as he rubbed the back of his head, shrugging lightly.
Akihito leaned forward, running his tongue over the top row of his perfect white teeth playfully as he grinned sinfully. “But you never did, Derek.”
Derek blinked. “You wanted me to?”
“Why else would I have come back, dear?” Akihito laughed lightly, sipping on the drink once again, returning to his position against the bar as if he weren’t trying to seduce Derek with his intoxicating aura. Derek felt that it wasn’t just alcohol coursing through his veins.
“The booze?” Derek hazarded a guess, making the Japanese man laugh lightly.
“Hardly.” Akihito rolled his eyes and glanced over at Derek, before setting his drink down and leaning over towards the young American once again. “Were you not paying attention when you dressed yourself tonight? Or were you so wound up that you put on a million different things before you finally decided…?”
Derek blushed and then looked down at himself, taking in his outfit. A blue and white pinstriped button-down shirt, cuffs buttoned at his wrists to accentuate his not-too-slim but not exactly beefed-up arms, untucked at the waist. Black slacks with a shiny black belt that had been hanging in his closet since high school, and some regular black shoes, none too fancy as he never spent too much money on his clothing. He blushed and ran a hand through his unruly chocolate locks, shrugging lightly.
Had he paid attention when he dressed? The Asian man had been on his mind all week, and he supposed that subconsciously he had been thinking about whether or not he’d see the man tonight at the bar… Derek blushed darkly. Akihito was teasing him.
“T-That’s…” Derek stuttered lightly, but was silenced when a slender finger was pressed against his dry lips, making his emerald eyes widen slightly as Akihito’s blue eyes moved into his vision, a sly grin on the other man’s lips.
“Hush. I’m just teasing you. Calm down,” the man removed his finger and ordered another beer as Derek finished the one in his hand, the American instantly moving to take a drink of the new one. He could finally feel the alcohol moving through his veins - along with the aura of this man next to him - and was starting to feel less and less inhibited. But that was the point of coming to the bar, right?
He didn’t know why he wanted to get drunk. He had nothing to prove, right? But Akihito had a slight flush on his pale cheeks as well, his sapphire eyes sparkling brightly as he finished off his girly drink and ordered another one, sipping on it immediately. Derek licked his dry lips to moisten them a bit as the music started to pick up a bit with the later hour, the restaurant portion of the bar starting to close down for the evening to make way for the club goers. It had been a while since Derek stayed out so late; he didn’t have many friends and never felt the urge to stay out, but tonight something was different. He had Akihito, and Akihito seemed more than willing to keep the young American company.
“Hey, Derek.”
A hand come into contact with Derek’s leg, the heat seeping through the cook’s slacks and warming the young male’s thigh completely down to his toes and up to his waist. Derek jumped slightly, not quite sure where his mind had been, but his eyes locked onto Akihito’s, who looked slightly playful. But the same sensuous, casual smile was dancing upon those plump lips and Derek was a bit embarrassed to notice that even though Akihito had consumed two of those froofy drinks, the American was quite more intoxicated than the Japanese man.
“Yeah?” The brunet cleared his throat and swallowed lightly, blinking his large emerald eyes at the Japanese man that seemed to have no problem invading his personal space.
“Could we go outside, where it’s quieter? I need some fresh air.” Akihito stood from his stool with grace - Derek somewhat stumbled off of his stool and clutched onto the man for support, making the Japanese male chuckle lightly and hold on to Derek in return. “Easy,” the taller man said, guiding Derek through the crowd and heading out the back door to the deck.
Derek leaned against the railing, the alcohol now rushing to his head with the sudden change of gravity. Everything was hitting him all at once now that he was standing, and he was starting to wish he would have just stayed seated. To his left Akihito leaned his back against the railing with his elbow, putting a cigarette between his lips and flicking his zippo open to light the fag. Inhaling deeply, he blew the smoke away from the American and chuckled lightly.
“How many beers have you had, Derek?” Akihito asked, elbowing Derek lightly.
The brunet almost didn’t recover from the light sway from the elbow. “I’m a cook, not a mathematician,” he said, his words slurring slightly.
Akihito blinked, then chuckled and shook his head as he took another drag off of his cigarette. “Cute.”
Derek blushed darkly, not even bothering to hide it as he mumbled to himself, trying to brush off the compliment. To be quite honest Derek had never gotten smashed, let alone slightly tipsy, so the state that he was in currently was completely foreign to him. In any other circumstances he would have been terrified - other circumstances being a college party where he didn’t know anybody, that is. However, he was here with Akihito - and Luscia, she was in the bar. The fact that he worked here went entirely over the brunet’s drunken head as he thought about the two people he’d been in contact with that evening, but that was enough to keep him in check from freaking out about being ‘wasted’.
Glancing up to ask Akihito if he was part of the Japanese mafia, Derek paused as he took in Akihito’s head dipped back, his neck craned and exposed to the cool night air, some sweat glistening lightly on the pale skin. Smoke rings were coming from his ‘o’ shaped lips, his Adam’s apple bobbing with the movements required to make the smoke anomalies. A blush crept up Derek’s neck and managed to catch onto his ears as he openly ogled the beautiful man in front of him, his vision slightly fuzzy around the edges but perfectly focused on Akihito.
Seemingly sensing Derek’s heavy stare, Akihito slowly turned his head to the side, keeping his neck craned back, raising a brow and smiling his perfect smile lightly. “Cool, huh?” He said, referring to the smoke rings.
Yeah, Akihito was definitely more sober than Derek.
“Yuh.”
Derek blinked at the noise that came out of his mouth - a mix between yes, yup, and yeah - and Akihito merely laughed and pat the American lightly on the shoulder, as if to say ‘Yes, I know you’re drunk’.
The Japanese man flicked the ashes from his cigarette off of the railing and turned around to lean over and rest his elbows on it, glancing around the alleyways that lead to a few apartments and other restaurants. Derek followed the man’s blue gaze and leaned over next to him, trying to do it casually but failing due to alcohol consumption and managing to clumsily bump into the man’s shoulders, making Akihito chuckle and nudge him back playfully. Derek blushed but smiled, then nodded at the door across the alley.
“Up the four flights, first left, last door. Number fourty-three.” The brunet tilted his head back - swayed a little bit when he got dizzy, but Akihito wrapped an arm around the American’s shoulders to hold him steady. Derek lifted a finger to the top balcony on the left. There was a cactus on the balcony ledge and a laundry line slung across the way to the other building, towels and linens hanging from it. “Tha’s me.”
“Yeah?” Akihito asked, glancing up at the balcony with interest.
Derek wasn’t sure why he shared that information. Because he was drunk? Because his apartment was there and it was an easy topic to start off with? Because in case the Japanese mafia wanted an American informant Akihito could easily find him and bring him along overseas to do some interpretation negotiations to find out all of America’s secrets and make Derek a rich mafia member and he could finally pay off all of his student loans?
“Aki…” Derek slurred lightly, turning towards the older man with a slightly confused look. Akihito looked at the barely smaller man with a bit of concern. “You should tell the carousel to stop spinning. I wanna get off the ride…”
Akihito’s eyes widened, and just as he went to put his hands on Derek’s shoulders to ask if the American was ok, the brunet’s eyes rolled back and a goofy grin spread over his face, the cook falling into a heap at Akihito’s feet.
“…” The Japanese man sighed and glared straight ahead, his lit cigarette dangling idly from his pouty lips. “They’re always cute until they pass out.”
&8&
The morning was bright and cheery, and most definitely not what Derek needed the next morning. Why were his curtains wide open? The sun was resting on his face, the beams prying his green eyes open and making his vision blurry until he rolled over and pulled his pillow over his head to block everything out. He had a pounding headache, his body felt like he had fallen down ten flights of stairs, and he only had a few vague memories of last night.
Bar, beer, Luscia, beer…
Akihito…
Derek blushed. He had gotten drunk in front of Akihito and probably made a fool of himself. He hoped he hadn’t done anything to offend the Japanese man… the American groaned and momentarily tried to suffocate himself with his pillow. Of course he did, he was drunk and Akihito was so refined! Like he could tolerate the behavior of a drunken American youth! Derek groaned into his pillow and whimpered a few times, tossing it aside and glancing at his clock.
10.07
Good, it wasn’t too early and it wasn’t too late. Even though it was a weekend and he didn’t have anywhere to be, he hated sleeping in or even getting up too early. Sitting up, he briefly wondered how he’d gotten home, and then figured Luscia helped him out. She lived in the same apartment complex as him - next door, in fact. He scratched at his chest and noticed with mild interest that it was bare, and he was only in his boxers; he must have undressed before bed.
Standing up and stretching, he figured he ought to start his day. First, get some medicine for his pounding head. Then, pull together some breakfast. The rest of the day would be spent doing laundry and bills and other household chores that get put off during the week when he got all tied up with work and school. Wandering into the kitchen from the bedroom he pulled out a bottled water from the fridge and took a gracious drink from it before he moved to a cupboard to start rummaging around for some medicine. There was a knock on his door that made him pause in his movements, but he soon picked up rhythm again as he called out for the visitor to come in, forgetting about his half-nakedness.
It was probably Luscia coming in to check in on him, she tended to have a bit of a motherly instinct like that. The fact that Derek didn’t lock his door didn’t bother him; you had to have the code for the main door to even enter the building and the entire complex was very secretive about that.
Downing the pills and drinking the water as if it were the key to life itself, Derek turned around as he heard the other person entering in through the living room, and then proceeded to sputter and spew the remaining water in his mouth out onto the kitchen floor.
“Akihito!” The American gasped, quickly wiping his chin and grabbing a towel to clean up the embarrassing mess he’d made in front of the Japanese man. He really hoped he hadn’t puked in front of the guy, that would be something he would never be able to live down…
“Good morning to you, too, sunshine.” Akihito laughed, setting the bags he had in his hands on the table and kneeling down to take the towel out of Derek’s hands and finishing cleaning the mess himself, wringing out the towel in the sink and hanging it on the handle of the refrigerator. “Calm down Derek. You’re awfully wound up for being hungover.”
“I- uh, er…” Derek stuttered and made sure he had all of the water off of his face and his bare chest - oh no. His bare chest. Blushing furiously with this new discovery, but not wanting to embarrass himself further in front of Akihito, Derek only meekly crossed his arms over his chest and licked his lips, looking up at Akihito through dark lashes. His brown hair was sticking up in a few places and his eyes were still a bit dilated from sleep, but he was obviously aware of his surroundings now that he’d been scared almost shitless. “How… did you get in here?”
“Your door was unlocked and you told me to come in?” Akihito hazarded, chuckling lightly as he started to unpack what was in the grocery bags; eggs, bread, flour, sugar, cereal, milk, vegetable oil, various lunch meats.
“N-No, I mean in the building…” Derek corrected the Japanese man, watching as Akihito started to put the groceries away in the proper spots, fine brown brows furrowing a bit in confusion. “And what are you doing…?”
“Last night you told me the code to get in. You couldn’t punch it in yourself so I had to.” The Japanese man supplied as he put the correct items in the fridge. “And I asked if you wanted me to come back in the morning, and you practically looked frightened at the fact that I was going to leave you alone for the night. But then you passed out again.” Akihito chuckled as he placed the bread in a bread box that Derek had never seen before.
“… Why did I wake up in just my boxers?”
Akihito glanced over, raising a brow. “… You fell in a mud puddle between the back of the bar and your stoop.”
“Oh.” Derek blushed darkly. “So uhm. You still haven’t explained just what you’re doing…?”
“I’m filling up your kitchen, dear.” Akihito supplied, as if it were the most obvious thing on the planet. “For a cook you have absolutely no food in your cupboards. No wonder you’re so thin.”
Derek blushed even darker - if possible - and hugged his arms around his body tighter in slight defense. The American studied Akihito as he moved around the kitchen, the Japanese man moving gracefully as if he’d walked around the apartment a million times. It was a bit unnerving, but… oddly comforting, at the same time. There was one thing Derek noticed, however…
“Why are all of my blinds shut?” He asked, glancing around. Usually his house was open and bright, with the balcony doors open wide to let in an assortment of bugs and other creatures (sometimes a bird or two if he was lucky) and of course lots of sunshine. This morning his bedroom curtains were the only ones open.
“If you haven’t noticed, I’m not much of a daytime person…” Akihito mumbled, as if he were almost embarrassed by it. It was the first time Derek had heard that tone of voice from the usually confident Akihito.
“Are you a vampire?” Derek asked blatantly.
Akihito balked. “No! I’m just usually holed up in an office all day, I’m used to the dark and sometimes the sunlight is a bit too much for me.”
“Oh,” Derek said in a bit of understanding, “So that’s why you’re so pale and wear sunglasses all the time…”
Even now Akihito was wearing a long sleeved shirt and sunglasses - inside. The Japanese man looked a bit bashful and shrugged, putting some cans in the cupboards.
“Are you a member of the Yakuza?”
Akihito raised a brow and glanced over at Derek. “Does alcohol open the inner recesses of your mind and make you a chatty delusional robot?”
Derek shrugged. “Are you a siren at night?”
“Quit accusing me of being these ridiculous things.” Akihito mumbled, “Here I thought I was getting involved with a soft-spoken, mild-mannered kid…”
The American sat down at the little round table in the middle of the kitchen, watching Akihito curiously. “Why are you doing all of this?”
“Why are you talking so much all of a sudden?” Akihito said, putting his hands down a bit forcefully down on the counter, turning around with a bit of a growl.
Derek sat back, a bit frightened, and closed his mouth and occupied himself by checking out what was in the rest of the bags. Cereal, 2% milk - his favorite - a few energy bars as well as other organically healthy foods. Not his first pick but not necessarily things he hated on his menu. Derek wasn’t a picky kid. He decided to stay quiet as Akihito continued to put the food away in the cupboards and fridge as well as tidying up the counter tops, and Derek fidgeted slightly with the corner of one of the plastic bags. Akihito let out a breath and placed his hands on the back of the chair opposite of the brunet, his sapphire gaze nearly blazing a hole into the surface of the oak table.
Akihito licked his lips, “I apologize for my outbursts.” He glanced up at Derek with unsure eyes. “Usually people don’t question my motives.”
Derek gave the Japanese man a slightly calculating look, “A poor college kid usually doesn’t take handouts with no consequences.” The brunet gave a shy smile. “You took care of my drunk ass and now you’re basically putting food on my table and expecting me to just take it without question?”
The Japanese man blinked and licked his lips again, shrugging lightly. “Well… basically.”
A slender brown brow raised, “I barely know who you are. Based on your business card you’re this rich executive of some big company who has lots better things to do than spend time in middle-class bars taking care of poor drunk college guys.”
Akihito’s blank look stayed neutral as he reached into the breast pocket of his blazer and pulled out a rubber ducky with a pirate costume and squeezed it, producing a squeaky sound.
“This is what my company does. We bought the company that builds, produces, and sells these.” He squeezed the toy again and set it down on the table, his expression still blank.
Derek’s emerald eyes blinked several times his own expression a bit stunned as he took in the cute toy. A few more blinks and another glance up at the serious Akihito, and Derek burst out into a fit of giggles. Akihito rolled his eyes and sighed, pulling out the chair and slumping into the seat and running his slender fingers through his hair with a bit of impatience.
“You know,” Derek said between giggles, “You still haven’t explained to me why you wanna help me out.” The young American evened out his breathing and rested his chin in his hand, a light flush on his cheeks from his laughter and his eyes glittering as he regarded the handsome man in front of him.
Working his jaw from side to side, Akihito seemed to be deep in thought as he in turn regarded Derek. For a moment Derek’s blush darkened; why was he being so chatty? He was usually much more reserved around people, and this was the third time he had been in this man’s presence. Then again he was in his own home… but also, he rarely ever had guests. It was his sanctuary, a place he rarely let people in as it were. Even whenever the landlord came by to do a sweep to make sure he wasn’t stowing away animals or drugs it was a quick one, the woman usually leaving with a huff even though she was always pleased with the oddly clean area for a college boy. All the other boys lived in filth and she was tempted to clean their places for them if she weren’t so terrified of what she’d find.
“Why do I want to help you out?” Akihito’s question jarred Derek’s train of thought, making the younger man jump slightly and return his attention to the Japanese man. The man was trailing a few fingers along his smooth jawline in thought, and Derek briefly wondered if Akihito had facial hair at all, his skin looked so smooth and flawless. “I’ve been coming to your sushi bar for quite a while. I guess since the first time I saw you a few months ago I’ve been compelled to at least talk to you.” He shrugged.
Derek’s jaw nearly dropped. Akihito had been a frequent customer, yet Derek hadn’t noticed him? How could he not, with his attractive features and fancy clothes and demeanor that demanded attention from everyone around him? Was Derek really so wrapped up in his solitude that he didn’t notice the man?
“… why?” Derek managed to ask, blushing and glancing down at the table, still fiddling mercilessly with the plastic bag.
Akihito’s plump lips pursed in thought as he contemplated the question, and he pushed his chair out from the table and stood, scooting the chair back in quietly. He stepped over to Derek and reached out to tilt up the brunet’s head by the chin with the tips of his fingers, leaning down to gently press his angel soft lips to the younger man’s ever so gently. When he pulled away, his eyes were glittering brightly.
“You looked lonely. I thought I might be able to offer some companionship.”
Derek’s eyes watered slightly. Don’t cry. Don’t cry. That was probably the nicest thing anyone had ever said, ever done for him. Minus his boss giving him the job and helping him out with getting the apartment. Minus Luscia for acting as a surrogate mom when his parents died. Minus his professors putting in good words for him with four-year colleges so he could get ready to jump-start his career. No one had ever offered companionship - to be his friend. Yet here was Akihito, like a knight in shining armor out of nowhere.
Before he knew it, Derek was enveloped in a tight hug, and he was hugging back just as tightly. He stood up so Akihito wasn’t stuck stooping down anymore, slender but powerful arms wrapping around his shoulders as his own arms wrapped around Akihito’s waist. Hot breath was playing over his neck and Derek let out a shuddery breath as he dropped his neck to the side, giving the Japanese access to his skin. Teeth and lips grazed over his flesh and goosebumps raised over his flesh, making his hands grip Akihito’s hips tightly, the older man groaning against the American’s flesh.
“Derek...” Akihito breathed, making the college boy’s breath hitch.
That was all they both needed. In a flash they were in the bedroom, a tangle of limbs, discarded clothes and bedsheets as they tumbled onto the mattress, mouths clashing onto each other as hand started to roam. Pale hands lingered on Derek’s bare chest, slender fingers tweaked bare nipples teasingly, causing a hiss to pass through pursed lips, teeth nibbling on swollen lips as slightly clumsy hands unbuttoned a dark shirt, shaky fingers barely getting the material off of the Japanese man’s form. Flinging it carelessly to the floor, Derek wasted no time in latching his lips and teeth to the exposed collarbone, taking in the scent of the man beneath him, their bodies arching into each other deliciously as their groins met.
“Ah…” Akihito moaned out, the sound falling off of his lips making Derek let out a breathy moan himself, a small fire igniting in his belly as he started to dry hump the older man sinuously slow. Their clothed lower halves met in a slow grinding motion, both of them drawing out the thrusts and getting as much friction as possible, Derek holding his upper body over the Japanese man as Akihito lay back against the pillows and thrash a bit, sweat starting to slick his brow as his chest heaved to suck in the breath that Derek was starting to steal away from him.
Leaning down to claim the soft lips, Derek kissed Akihito with such tenderness that he didn’t know he was capable of. Their lips locked and tongues tangled in a romantic manner, their lower bodies dancing along with them, chests rubbing against each other as their hands found their counterparts and fingers laced, falling atop the pillows as they rocked against each other gently. As they pulled apart, out of breath, Derek’s lips never left Akihito’s skin as he started to worship the man’s body, trailing kisses and licks down the man’s neck to his collarbone where a love bite was already forming, to his shoulders and his chest. He lingered on a nipple before traveling further south, and then sat up and placed a kiss on the Japanese man’s lips before pulling away with a soft smile and a bright blush.
“I’ve never…”
Akihito smiled and sat up on an elbow, using his other hand to place a finger on Derek’s lips, silencing the young American in a familiar manner. “Hush. We won’t make this too hard on you.”
It took a few moments of shuffling, but before long both men were naked on the bed and tangled up in each other once again. Akihito placed two fingers on Derek’s lips and smiled lightly, pressing a kiss to the brunet’s forehead.
“Suck on them,” he instructed, and Derek hesitated before he drew the digits into his mouth and obeyed the command. They tasted like skin, of course, but they were slightly salty with a mix of sweetness that was a bit unusual. Was skin supposed to be sweet? He ran his tongue up and down the lengths of the filanges soaking them as best as he could, and they were removed from his mouth with a slick ‘pop’. He gave Akihito a slightly perplexed look when the Japanese man lowered his hand and placed it behind him, and then blushed profusely when sapphire eyes closed and pouty lips parted in a slight moan.
Akihito was preparing himself.
“Nhhh…” The Japanese man was writhing slightly, and Derek found his breath catching in his throat. He didn’t know if he should watch or look away, but he found his eyes drawn to Akihito’s twitching member between his legs, which was starting to swell with the man’s ministrations from behind. Derek licked his lips and reached out tentatively, running a finger up the underside of the shaft, following the throbbing vein.
Akihito hissed in pleasure with the motion, making Derek glance up, before a look of determination crossed the American’s features. He grasped the base of his cock before giving the shaft a firm pump from base to tip, sweeping his thumb over the tip. It was his first time with a man or woman… but he supposed it was better with a man, since he had no idea what to do with a woman’s plumbing. Besides, the noises he was drawing from Akihito’s beautiful mouth were absolutely delicious and he wanted to create more of them.
Teasing the man a bit more with his hand, he was just about to start using his mouth when Akihito let out a whimper and shifted, pulling Derek up his body and positioning him between his legs, looking up to him with glittering sapphire eyes. The American had never seen such a look of desperation in anyone’s eyes, and he felt a strong tug at his heart with the openness he was seeing in Akihito’s eyes.
“Please, Derek, I need you now…” The Japanese man panted, wrapping his legs around Derek’s waist and forcing him forward, loosely wrapping his arms around the brunet’s neck, breathing heavily.
Derek paused, not really sure how to go about it. Shouldn’t he be slick, too, with lube or something…?
“Just use spit,” Akihito instructed, a bit hurried.
Figuring it was too late to be bothered with the obscenities of sex, he worked up as much saliva in his mouth as possible and then spit into his hand, working it over his erection and then guiding the tip of his cock to Akihito’s waiting entrance. Derek hesitated for just a moment, but with one look at the older man’s wanton and expectant eyes, the American realized that this was definitely something that he wanted. Something that he wanted to do continuously with Akihito.
Tossing any doubts he had out the window, he carefully pushed into Akihito, watching the man’s expression carefully to make sure he didn’t hurt him. There was a brief flash of pain on the delicate features but it quickly dissolved into pleasure the deeper Derek buried himself, and as soon as he was sheathed he took a moment to adjust to the insane sensations. Sure he’d masturbated and imagined what it’d be like to have sex, but nothing could have prepared him for the real thing. Akihito’s passage was so tight, so hot and it was pulsating around him. He had to take a few deep breaths to keep himself from cumming right away, and he bent his arms to cuddle into Akihito’s neck and nuzzle there, regulating his pulse and trying so hard to savor the moment and enjoy it.
The Japanese man’s arms wound around his body and his legs tightened around Derek’s waist, drawing him in even deeper. The American gasped and drew in a shaky breath, and Akihito’s fingers were drawing lazy patterns on his back, waiting for the younger male to gather his bearings.
“Derek…”
That breathy moan was all it took for Derek to pull out briefly and push back in just as quickly, starting up a shallow rhythm. He took his time to push in as far as Akihito’s body would allow him, feeling like he was going to be swallowed whole, all the while taking in the man’s moans and whimpers, the feel of the nails trailing over his shoulders and back encouragingly. The entire room was ablaze with the passion that was emanating from the two individuals that had become so enamored with each other, the sweat slicking their skin and making the friction so bold between them it almost caused sparks.
It didn’t take long for Derek to find the right angle that made Akihito arch in ecstasy and throw his gorgeous head back, raven locks spilling out onto the white pillow and his ivory neck exposing itself to the lust-hungry American. Derek nibbled on the flesh presented to him as he continued to nail into the spot that made Akihito see fireworks and cry out, and when the American started to fist the Japanese man’s aching erection Akihito finally unleashed an animalistic shout, his teeth sinking into Derek’s shoulder as he released his cum between their bodies, the hot liquid splashing onto both their chests. Akihito’s muscles clenching around Derek’s erection made his stomach clench tightly and his vision blur, his eyes closing as he wrapped his arms tightly around the Japanese body pulling him close, their chests flush together as the American’s orgasm ripped through his frame. Riding it out and pumping a few times, he collapsed bonelessly on top of Akihito, pulling out of the sticky mess and rolling to the side keeping the other close as he nuzzled into the man’s neck.
He couldn’t believe that he had just done that with a near stranger. But the connection that he felt with this man was undeniable; the walls that Derek had built felt like they were made of paper where Akihito was concerned, as they just melted away with the slightest fleck of water. After a few short moments of fuzzy thoughts swirling around Derek’s muddled mind a soft snore told him that Akihito was sound asleep, and Derek smiled lightly and let himself follow suit.
&8&
A few hours later Derek awoke feeling strangely content. He couldn’t ever remember feeling so warm and comfortable in his bed, let alone the nice weight on his chest. He glanced down and saw a slightly mussed mop of raven hair and blinked a few times, finally remembering the bout of passion he’d had with Akihito. He blushed brightly, his pulse quickening a bit. What they did… he knew that he surely didn’t regret it, but would Akihito? The man surely knew what he was doing and he was definitely good at it, but why did he do it? Did he really care about Derek like Derek found himself caring about the Japanese man?
“Mmmmh…” Akihito stirred and stretched like a lazy cat after a nap in the sun, curling further into the young American. Derek could feel the man’s lips curl in a smile against his skin, and he found himself smiling in return.
“Sleep well?” Derek asked, glancing off towards the side a bit at the clock. They had been asleep only for a few hours.
“I did,” the older man practically purred out the words, making the soft blush return to the green-eyed man’s cheeks. The sensuality of Akihito returned full-force it seemed, as if Derek had momentarily gotten used to it and then had it tossed at him once again. “You?”
The younger man licked his lips lightly, his arms that were wound around the pale man giving a brief squeeze before he nodded gently. He placed a gentle kiss atop the raven locks and smiled, inhaling the slightly musky and definitely expensive cologne that Akihito was wearing.
“Good,” Akihito said, stretching idly again before sitting up a bit so he could smile brightly at Derek. He leaned up and pressed a tender kiss to the younger man’s lips, lingering lightly before pulling back and reaching up deft fingers to brush disheveled chocolate locks away from the emerald eyes.
“So,” Derek started, finding his voice after the generous act had made his heart leap into his throat. His smile was soft and made his eyes glitter warmly, taking in the beautiful man that had jumped into his life without warning. “I take it you’ll be staying for a while?”
Akihito seemed to contemplate the question teasingly, tilting his head and scratching his smooth chin. “Hmmm….~ I dunno. I do run a huge, important corporation that needs a close watch every day, with me being a busy worker bee in a room full of cubicles and cranky co-workers…” The Japanese paused a moment in thought, and then laughed lightly shaking his head. “My job is absolutely nothing like that.”
Derek couldn’t help but let a chuckle slip at that; Akihito’s personality had many dimensions to it, it seemed. At night Akihito was demure and suave, capable of getting whatever he wanted in any manner he chose. During the day he was just like any other man, worthy of jokes and playfulness - even pleasure, and perhaps a relationship. There were probably even more sides than that, Derek supposed, and as the American pondered he remembered that there were also more sides to himself than most people guessed as well. At first glance most thought him shy with no backbone; one would be surprised to learn that a lot went on in his mind, he just was careful as to what he chose to say and keep to himself. The walls he put up were there so he could get what he wanted in his life - his life so far had been simple. So incredibly simple…
And Akihito had made the equation into a trigonometry question.
But as Derek looked into the sparkling sapphire eyes that reflected the same eager emotions that were swirling in his own emerald ones, he figured that he might as well take an extra curricular lesson on life, with his number one subject being Kobayashi Akihito.
“I think you should stay,” Derek finally said, pulling Akihito on top of his barely smaller body, wrapping his arms protectively around the Japanese man. “How else will I eat and get drunk?”
Akihito rolled his eyes. “The same way you have been?”
“Yeah, but no one’s ever helped me back to my place before,” Derek countered, and Akihito merely stuck his tongue out, causing the brunet to lean forward and lick at it playfully. They both chuckled lightly and merely gazed at each other, Derek looking away first before he blushed too hard. He wasn’t sure if he was ever going to stay one shade of pink around the Japanese man.
“… well… I guess I can stay here with you.” Akihito said, tilting his head and tapping his chin, glancing off to the side. “On one condition.” He raised a finger.
Derek raised a brow. “I’m listening.”
Akihito smiled and leaned in to whisper in Derek’s ear, “That I get to wake up in your arms every morning.”
Three more shades of pink and a couple of rumpled sheets later, it was agreed that Akihito wouldn’t be leaving any time soon.
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Derek is a lonely sushi chef that needs a little bit of mothering. Good thing Akihito is lonely and has lots of time to spare, right?
Notes: Written April 23rd, 2009. One of the last things I wrote before I stopped writing for about a year or so. I've decided to start sharing some of the work from my past with you guys in light of my future hiatus (which is currently up in the air) just to keep you all entertained. I did a lot of original work as well as fanfiction and I'll be sharing both with you ^^~ Let's take a look to see what's changed over the years, yeah? :')
Derek jerked his head to the side to get his mousy bangs out of his eyes, the steam billowing up into his face and making the sweat drip profusely. It evaporated before it even hit the grill, his gloved hands gripping the spatulas and moving the noodles over the surface and piling them on cooler areas so they wouldn’t burn as he worked on the vegetables. Once again he ticked his head to the side to get his unruly straight hair out of the way, a crease marring his brow as the steam clouded up his features. The order was done in just a few short moments and he placed it on the fancy plate beautifully, like a true artist, and didn’t even look up as the waitress took it and thanked him.
Next was an order of sushi - two, actually. Tempura tuna rolls and the traditional California. He smiled; easy. It was a slow day but he worked with his usual fast pace, with absolute precision. He moved to the sink to wash his hands thoroughly, sudsing up and then rinsing off, shaking his hands dry and leaving them slightly damp as he grabbed the rice and started to press it onto the bamboo mat. The California was the easiest roll to accomplish, he quickly cut it up into eight pieces and set it artistically on a long rectangular plate. Next came the tempura, which was a bit more difficult, but he had that done in minutes as well.
The young man didn’t feel the eyes that were watching his skilled hands the entire time, and as he put the last piece of tempura tuna on the plate and sprinkled it with sesame seeds, he finally smiled. Then came the scoop of wasabi and a few strips of ginger, and he barely had his hand off of the plate before the waitress whisked it away to be served to the lucky customer. His smile quickly faded a bit, and he started his task of cleaning up his area with the sudden death of business.
“You sure know how to handle your sushi,” came a voice off to Derek’s left, making the brunet glance up with bright green eyes, slightly skittish. A tall, slender Asian man was smirking slightly behind dark sunglasses, in a casual black suit seated at the bar.
“Excuse me?” Derek asked, a bit unsure as to whether or not the suited man was talking to him.
The other man nodded, “You make sushi almost as good as a Japanese street vendor.”
“O-Oh,” Derek blushed a bit, the pink tinge dusting his high cheekbones lightly. “Thank you…”
“Nothing to get shy about, kid.” The other man didn’t even have an accent indicating that he was native from Japan. “You should be damn proud. To have hands that talented warrants praise. I bet your boss doesn’t even know how lucky he is to have you.”
Green eyes looked down at the grill that the praised ‘talented hands’ were cleaning, blush still lightly coloring Derek’s cheeks. The young Caucaisian shrugged and shook his head.
“It’s something I picked up from my mom.”
“Ah,” the Japanese man nodded, though Derek couldn’t see it. “She was a fan of Japanese culture?”
“She was Japanese.” Derek supplied, wondering silently to himself why he was indulging a complete stranger. Maybe it was the silent commanding presence of the man; maybe it was because no one usually talked to Derek. Whatever it was, Derek was perfectly content with talking to this man. “I was adopted by her when I was four.”
“How sweet,” the other man commented.
A silence fell over the two of them that Derek wasn’t sure how to fill; he wasn’t much of a conversationalist, but the other man seemed content to continue sipping on the bottle of beer that he was nursing. Derek wouldn’t say that the silence was comfortable or amiable… more agreeable than anything as another order came up and the younger man was soon occupied. The un-named Japanese man ordered another beer in the time it took for Derek to send out the order of yakisoba, and Derek once again started to clean up his area. He glanced over at the Japanese man, but was quickly startled to see piercing blue eyes gazing into his own emerald. The man had taken off his sunglasses and was leaning over the counter, smirking slightly.
His attractiveness was what startled Derek the most, the highness of the man’s cheekbones a stark contrast against his soft, full lips. The blue eyes were what was truly surprising about the man’s features, however, and whether they were natural or not didn’t particularly matter as they looked stunning. Once again a light blush dusted over Derek’s cheeks as he froze in his cleaning movements, his heart rate speeding up considerably as the Japanese man held his gaze strongly. Swallowing thickly, the young American quickly diverted his eyes back to the task at hand and scrubbed at the surface of the grill, picking up the water bottle and squeezing the water onto the hot surface, more steam hissing and rising upwards to block his vision and engulf him in a white fog. When it cleared he chanced a glance over to where the Japanese man was seated only to find an empty beer, a tip, and a business card.
&8&
It was his night off and Derek was sitting in the very place he worked at, drinking a free beer and sitting on a stool at the counter, fingering the card that the Japanese man had left behind. Hell, he didn’t even know if it had been meant for him or the waitress. Come to think of it, he didn’t even know who had waited on the stranger. He didn’t dare ask, because then questions would arise as to why he was interested in the man in the first place. And to say that Derek kept to himself and liked it that way was an understatement. He didn’t let other people dawdle in his business and didn’t do the same to others. It was how he was raised and how he was going to keep.
How easily he’d let himself open up to the Japanese stranger, however, had just been plain odd…
Letting out a sigh and finishing off his beer, he tucked the business card away into the breast pocket of his button-down shirt and glanced around the sushi bar. There were the typical patrons - the upper class white people that came for the high-class taste of sushi; as well as the regulars that were generally interested in the authentic Japanese cuisine; and then there were the business men that came for the sake. A few Asians were scattered here and there out of curiosity alone, but the place was pretty lively for a Friday evening, a night that Derek was glad to have off. Between work and school it was rare that he had any downtime and he was glad that his boss let him have the weekends off to recuperate.
Another beer was placed in front of him, Luscia smiling at him lightly. Luscia moved to America from Russia five years ago to get away from her abusive husband, and had found her niche in the bartending industry quite quickly. Since then she had been lovingly accepted in the sushi bar for her wonderful mixing abilities as well as her general motherly instincts that kept the bar in friendly ordinance.
Thanking her with a nod and a tip of the dark bottle now in his hand, Derek took a swig of the brew and set down the glass bottle on the counter with a light tink, staring at the slightly wet rim but not really looking at it.
“A man that looks at his beer with that much despair has many things dwelling on his mind,” came a voice to Derek’s left, making the American flinch a bit and turn sharply to face the handsome man that belonged to the voice. Sure enough the Japanese man was smiling lightly, beer in hand, sitting casually on the stool next to Derek.
Luscia raised a brow at the Japanese man and smiled appreciatively at the newcomer and then winked at Derek before she moved on to another customer, giving the men their privacy. Derek wished briefly that she hadn’t; now that he didn’t have the protective shield of steam or customers he was out in the open and vulnerable to anything.
But then again, he had been looking at the man’s business card; surely that meant that he had planned on contacting the man? This man next to him, this confident and handsome man that seemed to want something from the young American?
The card... he thought about it sitting innocently in his pocket.
Kobayashi Akihito
Kobayashi Industries
555-0011
This man… Akihito, was obviously a bigwig of some sort. It was obvious with the designer suit, the designer glasses - the perfectly styled yet somehow bed-ruffled hair, the casual yet asture slouch.
And here was Derek; on a good day his hair only curled in two directions, his shirt and sweater managed to have at least one color in common, and his sneakers might be tied. He was clumsy in general and didn’t have any fashion sense nor did he care about his outward appearance in general, mainly caring about work and studies too much to be too bothered with impressing anyone. His boss hired him based on talent, his teachers passed him based on studious behavior. He lived in an apartment by himself and had a cell phone because he could pay the bills, he ate three meals (not necessarily healthy ones) a day because he could still afford to. He could manage the necessities and hadn’t the need to worry about the extras like hair or clothes or the likes. Shower daily, brush your teeth after every meal - of course he knew that, he didn’t want to be repulsive - what if he needed a study buddy or something for an assignment? He didn’t want to be appalling.
When it came to dating he paid no mind to girls or guys. No one showed interest in him. And he was perfectly fine with that.
In fact, Akihito was the first person to actually show interest in Derek; to actually initiate conversation, to actually talk to the American about something other than food or what’s good on the menu. Akihito had asked about his family, learned a few intimate things… and what’s more, Akihito was back. He was sitting right here in front of Derek once more, the same sensual smile on his lips as when he first met the young American.
And Derek had no idea what to do. No steam to hide behind. No grill to clean.
He was a sitting duck.
“Can I buy you another round?” Akihito offered, and Derek glanced down at his bottle, noting with a slight horrification that he had emptied it in the brief moments of musings.
“Er- no, that’s ok, I really shouldn’t-”
Before he could protest another beer was slid over to him by Luscia, who sent another playful wink. Was no one on his side!? Derek sputtered and stumbled over his words lightly, fumbling with his hands as he tried to deny the alcoholic beverage that everyone was so adamant at handing him.
Well, only two people, but still.
“It’s fine, you don’t have to drink it. But it’s there, in case you want it.” Akihito said, crossing his legs loosely and leaning forward a bit. “I left my business card here a few nights ago… but I feel I should formally introduce myself.” His smile was easy, his motions completely casual but entirely sensual. “I am Akihito.” He held out his hand, “and you are?”
Derek stared at Akihito’s smooth hand, one that had never seen a day of hard work in it’s entirety. One that hadn’t been burnt by grease or charred by sunlight or sweat, scarred with calluses. Wouldn’t it be sin or some kind of other contaminant for Derek to shake it? All of a sudden that beer seemed like a wonderful idea.
The American took the beer and downed half of it before he tentatively reached a hand out to take Akihito’s; it was as smooth as it looked, the man’s long fingers wrapping around Derek’s hand in a soft but surprisingly strong grip. They shook gently, each calculating each other’s grip without knowing it, before releasing and returning to their drinks. Derek’s green eyes went downcast, focusing on Akihito’s shiny shoes, the American’s tongue dancing behind his teeth nervously.
“Erm…”
Derek’s head snapped up, afraid that he’d done something to offend the Japanese man.
“You didn’t tell me your name,” Akihito offered a crooked smile as he reached his slender fingers of his free hand up to pull his sunglasses off and set them on the bar, the sound of the frames on the counter a slight distraction as Derek was once again drowning in a sapphire ocean.
“Oh, uhm…” Derek cleared his throat and glanced away. He had never blushed so much around anyone, ever. “It’s Derek…” What was wrong with him? The pit of his stomach was doing flip-flops, it felt like, and as the bit of alcohol coursed through him, he started to curse his body for making him a lightweight.
“Derek.”
Hearing his name roll off of Akihito’s tongue made Derek’s cheeks flare up bright red, and he was thankful for the dark lighting, otherwise he was sure Akihito would be able to see the blush. His veins were starting to rush a bit hotter, flow a bit faster, and he was feeling a bit dizzy. Was it the alcohol? Was it the presence of the Japanese man? Why was he so nervous? He stuck a finger in the collar of his shirt and tugged at it lightly before undoing the top button, letting in some air.
“Feeling a bit hot, Derek?” He heard Akihito ask curiously.
“Eh heh,” Derek chuckled a bit embarrassedly. “Yeah, a bit. I shoulda wore a different shirt,” he admitted. Sitting at the bar so close to the grill did add some extra heat to the area, that was for sure. He scratched the back of his head, glancing over to Akihito, who was now leaning against the bar and glancing around the area, taking in the crowd. Derek took the chance to evaluate the situation, and of course the man causing it.
Akihito was undoubtedly one of the most - if not the most - attractive people Derek had ever come across. His skin was a milky white, his shiny raven hair a dark contrast to his pale skin. His eyes, the unnatural sapphire blue, really stood out when he took off the sunglasses that hid half of his face, of course his clothes just finished off the entire look. He looked to be rather tall if he stood up, perhaps taller than Derek (though Derek wasn’t all that tall, standing at 5’9”) and definitely more fit. Tonight’s outfit consisted of fitted black slacks and a dark maroon button-down shirt, the cuffs rolled up to the elbows to expose sinewy forearms, and a loosened silver tie that accented the silver-rimmed sunglasses that were resting on the counter.
His elbow was rested on the bar top, his chin cupped by the palm of his right hand, his gaze straight forward as he looked at the alcohol selection against the back wall. His other arm was resting against the bar lazily, his spine arched slightly in an ‘s’ shape and his feet now resting on the bar at the bottom of the stool as he leaned intently - almost as if he was near-sighted and was trying to lean closer to read some of the smaller font on the labels - giving Derek a perfect view of his profile.
Akihito was breath taking.
“Is vanilla vodka any good?” he suddenly asked, jarring Derek out of his little staring session, blushing lightly as he focused on the back wall, clearing his throat a bit.
“Er, what?”
“Vanilla vodka,” Akihito repeated, not moving his gaze from where apparently the vanilla vodka was located. “Is it good?”
“I… I don’t know,” Derek admitted. “I’m not much of a hard alcohol drinker…”
“Hm…” Akihito waved Luscia over and the blonde woman sidled over with a smile, leaning over the counter lightly. “Could I perhaps get a smell of the vanilla vodka? And maybe a personal suggestion?”
Luscia smiled and nodded as she moved to take a fancy looking bottle down from the wall, setting it down on the counter. She took off the lid and let Akihito sniff it, who did so with a mild look of interest. He didn’t seem put off at the look of a feminine drink, which Derek was surprised at. “I personally like it mixed with strawberry milkshake,” Luscia said, her Russian accent only slightly thick on her ‘r’.
“I’ll take an order,” Akihito said with a light smile, and Luscia smiled and nodded in return and started to whip up the drink. The Japanese man turned to look at Derek. “So you don’t drink much?”
“A beer here and there,” Derek admitted, shrugging lightly and folding his arms on the counter top. “I never really saw the merit in it…”
Akihito smiled lightly, “That’s a good kid.”
Derek blushed and took another drink of his beer as Akihito was handed a glass.
“Here you go handsome. Have a taste. You don’t like it, you don’t pay.”
Akihito laughed lightly and took a sip of it, his look a bit criticizing before he smiled and nodded. “It’s delicious Luscia. You truly are the best bartender in town!”
Luscia’s pretty face darkened a bit and she waved a hand before chuckling and walking away. “You don’t pay anyhow, Akihito, you flirt.”
Akihito merely chuckled lightly and waved a dismissing hand, as if to say ‘who, me? A flirt? Hah!’ before he swiveled around on the stool to rest his back against the counter and watch the crowd. His tongue danced over the straw a bit distractedly, making Derek’s eyes watch the pink appendage with vague interest, before he turned towards Derek.
“You know, you haven’t asked yet why I left you my business card.”
Derek’s eyes snapped up from the man’s tongue to meet Akihito’s gaze, which was slightly playful accompanied by a raised brow.
“I figured it was because you wanted me to contact you…” Derek said slowly, turning his gaze to the side as he rubbed the back of his head, shrugging lightly.
Akihito leaned forward, running his tongue over the top row of his perfect white teeth playfully as he grinned sinfully. “But you never did, Derek.”
Derek blinked. “You wanted me to?”
“Why else would I have come back, dear?” Akihito laughed lightly, sipping on the drink once again, returning to his position against the bar as if he weren’t trying to seduce Derek with his intoxicating aura. Derek felt that it wasn’t just alcohol coursing through his veins.
“The booze?” Derek hazarded a guess, making the Japanese man laugh lightly.
“Hardly.” Akihito rolled his eyes and glanced over at Derek, before setting his drink down and leaning over towards the young American once again. “Were you not paying attention when you dressed yourself tonight? Or were you so wound up that you put on a million different things before you finally decided…?”
Derek blushed and then looked down at himself, taking in his outfit. A blue and white pinstriped button-down shirt, cuffs buttoned at his wrists to accentuate his not-too-slim but not exactly beefed-up arms, untucked at the waist. Black slacks with a shiny black belt that had been hanging in his closet since high school, and some regular black shoes, none too fancy as he never spent too much money on his clothing. He blushed and ran a hand through his unruly chocolate locks, shrugging lightly.
Had he paid attention when he dressed? The Asian man had been on his mind all week, and he supposed that subconsciously he had been thinking about whether or not he’d see the man tonight at the bar… Derek blushed darkly. Akihito was teasing him.
“T-That’s…” Derek stuttered lightly, but was silenced when a slender finger was pressed against his dry lips, making his emerald eyes widen slightly as Akihito’s blue eyes moved into his vision, a sly grin on the other man’s lips.
“Hush. I’m just teasing you. Calm down,” the man removed his finger and ordered another beer as Derek finished the one in his hand, the American instantly moving to take a drink of the new one. He could finally feel the alcohol moving through his veins - along with the aura of this man next to him - and was starting to feel less and less inhibited. But that was the point of coming to the bar, right?
He didn’t know why he wanted to get drunk. He had nothing to prove, right? But Akihito had a slight flush on his pale cheeks as well, his sapphire eyes sparkling brightly as he finished off his girly drink and ordered another one, sipping on it immediately. Derek licked his dry lips to moisten them a bit as the music started to pick up a bit with the later hour, the restaurant portion of the bar starting to close down for the evening to make way for the club goers. It had been a while since Derek stayed out so late; he didn’t have many friends and never felt the urge to stay out, but tonight something was different. He had Akihito, and Akihito seemed more than willing to keep the young American company.
“Hey, Derek.”
A hand come into contact with Derek’s leg, the heat seeping through the cook’s slacks and warming the young male’s thigh completely down to his toes and up to his waist. Derek jumped slightly, not quite sure where his mind had been, but his eyes locked onto Akihito’s, who looked slightly playful. But the same sensuous, casual smile was dancing upon those plump lips and Derek was a bit embarrassed to notice that even though Akihito had consumed two of those froofy drinks, the American was quite more intoxicated than the Japanese man.
“Yeah?” The brunet cleared his throat and swallowed lightly, blinking his large emerald eyes at the Japanese man that seemed to have no problem invading his personal space.
“Could we go outside, where it’s quieter? I need some fresh air.” Akihito stood from his stool with grace - Derek somewhat stumbled off of his stool and clutched onto the man for support, making the Japanese male chuckle lightly and hold on to Derek in return. “Easy,” the taller man said, guiding Derek through the crowd and heading out the back door to the deck.
Derek leaned against the railing, the alcohol now rushing to his head with the sudden change of gravity. Everything was hitting him all at once now that he was standing, and he was starting to wish he would have just stayed seated. To his left Akihito leaned his back against the railing with his elbow, putting a cigarette between his lips and flicking his zippo open to light the fag. Inhaling deeply, he blew the smoke away from the American and chuckled lightly.
“How many beers have you had, Derek?” Akihito asked, elbowing Derek lightly.
The brunet almost didn’t recover from the light sway from the elbow. “I’m a cook, not a mathematician,” he said, his words slurring slightly.
Akihito blinked, then chuckled and shook his head as he took another drag off of his cigarette. “Cute.”
Derek blushed darkly, not even bothering to hide it as he mumbled to himself, trying to brush off the compliment. To be quite honest Derek had never gotten smashed, let alone slightly tipsy, so the state that he was in currently was completely foreign to him. In any other circumstances he would have been terrified - other circumstances being a college party where he didn’t know anybody, that is. However, he was here with Akihito - and Luscia, she was in the bar. The fact that he worked here went entirely over the brunet’s drunken head as he thought about the two people he’d been in contact with that evening, but that was enough to keep him in check from freaking out about being ‘wasted’.
Glancing up to ask Akihito if he was part of the Japanese mafia, Derek paused as he took in Akihito’s head dipped back, his neck craned and exposed to the cool night air, some sweat glistening lightly on the pale skin. Smoke rings were coming from his ‘o’ shaped lips, his Adam’s apple bobbing with the movements required to make the smoke anomalies. A blush crept up Derek’s neck and managed to catch onto his ears as he openly ogled the beautiful man in front of him, his vision slightly fuzzy around the edges but perfectly focused on Akihito.
Seemingly sensing Derek’s heavy stare, Akihito slowly turned his head to the side, keeping his neck craned back, raising a brow and smiling his perfect smile lightly. “Cool, huh?” He said, referring to the smoke rings.
Yeah, Akihito was definitely more sober than Derek.
“Yuh.”
Derek blinked at the noise that came out of his mouth - a mix between yes, yup, and yeah - and Akihito merely laughed and pat the American lightly on the shoulder, as if to say ‘Yes, I know you’re drunk’.
The Japanese man flicked the ashes from his cigarette off of the railing and turned around to lean over and rest his elbows on it, glancing around the alleyways that lead to a few apartments and other restaurants. Derek followed the man’s blue gaze and leaned over next to him, trying to do it casually but failing due to alcohol consumption and managing to clumsily bump into the man’s shoulders, making Akihito chuckle and nudge him back playfully. Derek blushed but smiled, then nodded at the door across the alley.
“Up the four flights, first left, last door. Number fourty-three.” The brunet tilted his head back - swayed a little bit when he got dizzy, but Akihito wrapped an arm around the American’s shoulders to hold him steady. Derek lifted a finger to the top balcony on the left. There was a cactus on the balcony ledge and a laundry line slung across the way to the other building, towels and linens hanging from it. “Tha’s me.”
“Yeah?” Akihito asked, glancing up at the balcony with interest.
Derek wasn’t sure why he shared that information. Because he was drunk? Because his apartment was there and it was an easy topic to start off with? Because in case the Japanese mafia wanted an American informant Akihito could easily find him and bring him along overseas to do some interpretation negotiations to find out all of America’s secrets and make Derek a rich mafia member and he could finally pay off all of his student loans?
“Aki…” Derek slurred lightly, turning towards the older man with a slightly confused look. Akihito looked at the barely smaller man with a bit of concern. “You should tell the carousel to stop spinning. I wanna get off the ride…”
Akihito’s eyes widened, and just as he went to put his hands on Derek’s shoulders to ask if the American was ok, the brunet’s eyes rolled back and a goofy grin spread over his face, the cook falling into a heap at Akihito’s feet.
“…” The Japanese man sighed and glared straight ahead, his lit cigarette dangling idly from his pouty lips. “They’re always cute until they pass out.”
&8&
The morning was bright and cheery, and most definitely not what Derek needed the next morning. Why were his curtains wide open? The sun was resting on his face, the beams prying his green eyes open and making his vision blurry until he rolled over and pulled his pillow over his head to block everything out. He had a pounding headache, his body felt like he had fallen down ten flights of stairs, and he only had a few vague memories of last night.
Bar, beer, Luscia, beer…
Akihito…
Derek blushed. He had gotten drunk in front of Akihito and probably made a fool of himself. He hoped he hadn’t done anything to offend the Japanese man… the American groaned and momentarily tried to suffocate himself with his pillow. Of course he did, he was drunk and Akihito was so refined! Like he could tolerate the behavior of a drunken American youth! Derek groaned into his pillow and whimpered a few times, tossing it aside and glancing at his clock.
10.07
Good, it wasn’t too early and it wasn’t too late. Even though it was a weekend and he didn’t have anywhere to be, he hated sleeping in or even getting up too early. Sitting up, he briefly wondered how he’d gotten home, and then figured Luscia helped him out. She lived in the same apartment complex as him - next door, in fact. He scratched at his chest and noticed with mild interest that it was bare, and he was only in his boxers; he must have undressed before bed.
Standing up and stretching, he figured he ought to start his day. First, get some medicine for his pounding head. Then, pull together some breakfast. The rest of the day would be spent doing laundry and bills and other household chores that get put off during the week when he got all tied up with work and school. Wandering into the kitchen from the bedroom he pulled out a bottled water from the fridge and took a gracious drink from it before he moved to a cupboard to start rummaging around for some medicine. There was a knock on his door that made him pause in his movements, but he soon picked up rhythm again as he called out for the visitor to come in, forgetting about his half-nakedness.
It was probably Luscia coming in to check in on him, she tended to have a bit of a motherly instinct like that. The fact that Derek didn’t lock his door didn’t bother him; you had to have the code for the main door to even enter the building and the entire complex was very secretive about that.
Downing the pills and drinking the water as if it were the key to life itself, Derek turned around as he heard the other person entering in through the living room, and then proceeded to sputter and spew the remaining water in his mouth out onto the kitchen floor.
“Akihito!” The American gasped, quickly wiping his chin and grabbing a towel to clean up the embarrassing mess he’d made in front of the Japanese man. He really hoped he hadn’t puked in front of the guy, that would be something he would never be able to live down…
“Good morning to you, too, sunshine.” Akihito laughed, setting the bags he had in his hands on the table and kneeling down to take the towel out of Derek’s hands and finishing cleaning the mess himself, wringing out the towel in the sink and hanging it on the handle of the refrigerator. “Calm down Derek. You’re awfully wound up for being hungover.”
“I- uh, er…” Derek stuttered and made sure he had all of the water off of his face and his bare chest - oh no. His bare chest. Blushing furiously with this new discovery, but not wanting to embarrass himself further in front of Akihito, Derek only meekly crossed his arms over his chest and licked his lips, looking up at Akihito through dark lashes. His brown hair was sticking up in a few places and his eyes were still a bit dilated from sleep, but he was obviously aware of his surroundings now that he’d been scared almost shitless. “How… did you get in here?”
“Your door was unlocked and you told me to come in?” Akihito hazarded, chuckling lightly as he started to unpack what was in the grocery bags; eggs, bread, flour, sugar, cereal, milk, vegetable oil, various lunch meats.
“N-No, I mean in the building…” Derek corrected the Japanese man, watching as Akihito started to put the groceries away in the proper spots, fine brown brows furrowing a bit in confusion. “And what are you doing…?”
“Last night you told me the code to get in. You couldn’t punch it in yourself so I had to.” The Japanese man supplied as he put the correct items in the fridge. “And I asked if you wanted me to come back in the morning, and you practically looked frightened at the fact that I was going to leave you alone for the night. But then you passed out again.” Akihito chuckled as he placed the bread in a bread box that Derek had never seen before.
“… Why did I wake up in just my boxers?”
Akihito glanced over, raising a brow. “… You fell in a mud puddle between the back of the bar and your stoop.”
“Oh.” Derek blushed darkly. “So uhm. You still haven’t explained just what you’re doing…?”
“I’m filling up your kitchen, dear.” Akihito supplied, as if it were the most obvious thing on the planet. “For a cook you have absolutely no food in your cupboards. No wonder you’re so thin.”
Derek blushed even darker - if possible - and hugged his arms around his body tighter in slight defense. The American studied Akihito as he moved around the kitchen, the Japanese man moving gracefully as if he’d walked around the apartment a million times. It was a bit unnerving, but… oddly comforting, at the same time. There was one thing Derek noticed, however…
“Why are all of my blinds shut?” He asked, glancing around. Usually his house was open and bright, with the balcony doors open wide to let in an assortment of bugs and other creatures (sometimes a bird or two if he was lucky) and of course lots of sunshine. This morning his bedroom curtains were the only ones open.
“If you haven’t noticed, I’m not much of a daytime person…” Akihito mumbled, as if he were almost embarrassed by it. It was the first time Derek had heard that tone of voice from the usually confident Akihito.
“Are you a vampire?” Derek asked blatantly.
Akihito balked. “No! I’m just usually holed up in an office all day, I’m used to the dark and sometimes the sunlight is a bit too much for me.”
“Oh,” Derek said in a bit of understanding, “So that’s why you’re so pale and wear sunglasses all the time…”
Even now Akihito was wearing a long sleeved shirt and sunglasses - inside. The Japanese man looked a bit bashful and shrugged, putting some cans in the cupboards.
“Are you a member of the Yakuza?”
Akihito raised a brow and glanced over at Derek. “Does alcohol open the inner recesses of your mind and make you a chatty delusional robot?”
Derek shrugged. “Are you a siren at night?”
“Quit accusing me of being these ridiculous things.” Akihito mumbled, “Here I thought I was getting involved with a soft-spoken, mild-mannered kid…”
The American sat down at the little round table in the middle of the kitchen, watching Akihito curiously. “Why are you doing all of this?”
“Why are you talking so much all of a sudden?” Akihito said, putting his hands down a bit forcefully down on the counter, turning around with a bit of a growl.
Derek sat back, a bit frightened, and closed his mouth and occupied himself by checking out what was in the rest of the bags. Cereal, 2% milk - his favorite - a few energy bars as well as other organically healthy foods. Not his first pick but not necessarily things he hated on his menu. Derek wasn’t a picky kid. He decided to stay quiet as Akihito continued to put the food away in the cupboards and fridge as well as tidying up the counter tops, and Derek fidgeted slightly with the corner of one of the plastic bags. Akihito let out a breath and placed his hands on the back of the chair opposite of the brunet, his sapphire gaze nearly blazing a hole into the surface of the oak table.
Akihito licked his lips, “I apologize for my outbursts.” He glanced up at Derek with unsure eyes. “Usually people don’t question my motives.”
Derek gave the Japanese man a slightly calculating look, “A poor college kid usually doesn’t take handouts with no consequences.” The brunet gave a shy smile. “You took care of my drunk ass and now you’re basically putting food on my table and expecting me to just take it without question?”
The Japanese man blinked and licked his lips again, shrugging lightly. “Well… basically.”
A slender brown brow raised, “I barely know who you are. Based on your business card you’re this rich executive of some big company who has lots better things to do than spend time in middle-class bars taking care of poor drunk college guys.”
Akihito’s blank look stayed neutral as he reached into the breast pocket of his blazer and pulled out a rubber ducky with a pirate costume and squeezed it, producing a squeaky sound.
“This is what my company does. We bought the company that builds, produces, and sells these.” He squeezed the toy again and set it down on the table, his expression still blank.
Derek’s emerald eyes blinked several times his own expression a bit stunned as he took in the cute toy. A few more blinks and another glance up at the serious Akihito, and Derek burst out into a fit of giggles. Akihito rolled his eyes and sighed, pulling out the chair and slumping into the seat and running his slender fingers through his hair with a bit of impatience.
“You know,” Derek said between giggles, “You still haven’t explained to me why you wanna help me out.” The young American evened out his breathing and rested his chin in his hand, a light flush on his cheeks from his laughter and his eyes glittering as he regarded the handsome man in front of him.
Working his jaw from side to side, Akihito seemed to be deep in thought as he in turn regarded Derek. For a moment Derek’s blush darkened; why was he being so chatty? He was usually much more reserved around people, and this was the third time he had been in this man’s presence. Then again he was in his own home… but also, he rarely ever had guests. It was his sanctuary, a place he rarely let people in as it were. Even whenever the landlord came by to do a sweep to make sure he wasn’t stowing away animals or drugs it was a quick one, the woman usually leaving with a huff even though she was always pleased with the oddly clean area for a college boy. All the other boys lived in filth and she was tempted to clean their places for them if she weren’t so terrified of what she’d find.
“Why do I want to help you out?” Akihito’s question jarred Derek’s train of thought, making the younger man jump slightly and return his attention to the Japanese man. The man was trailing a few fingers along his smooth jawline in thought, and Derek briefly wondered if Akihito had facial hair at all, his skin looked so smooth and flawless. “I’ve been coming to your sushi bar for quite a while. I guess since the first time I saw you a few months ago I’ve been compelled to at least talk to you.” He shrugged.
Derek’s jaw nearly dropped. Akihito had been a frequent customer, yet Derek hadn’t noticed him? How could he not, with his attractive features and fancy clothes and demeanor that demanded attention from everyone around him? Was Derek really so wrapped up in his solitude that he didn’t notice the man?
“… why?” Derek managed to ask, blushing and glancing down at the table, still fiddling mercilessly with the plastic bag.
Akihito’s plump lips pursed in thought as he contemplated the question, and he pushed his chair out from the table and stood, scooting the chair back in quietly. He stepped over to Derek and reached out to tilt up the brunet’s head by the chin with the tips of his fingers, leaning down to gently press his angel soft lips to the younger man’s ever so gently. When he pulled away, his eyes were glittering brightly.
“You looked lonely. I thought I might be able to offer some companionship.”
Derek’s eyes watered slightly. Don’t cry. Don’t cry. That was probably the nicest thing anyone had ever said, ever done for him. Minus his boss giving him the job and helping him out with getting the apartment. Minus Luscia for acting as a surrogate mom when his parents died. Minus his professors putting in good words for him with four-year colleges so he could get ready to jump-start his career. No one had ever offered companionship - to be his friend. Yet here was Akihito, like a knight in shining armor out of nowhere.
Before he knew it, Derek was enveloped in a tight hug, and he was hugging back just as tightly. He stood up so Akihito wasn’t stuck stooping down anymore, slender but powerful arms wrapping around his shoulders as his own arms wrapped around Akihito’s waist. Hot breath was playing over his neck and Derek let out a shuddery breath as he dropped his neck to the side, giving the Japanese access to his skin. Teeth and lips grazed over his flesh and goosebumps raised over his flesh, making his hands grip Akihito’s hips tightly, the older man groaning against the American’s flesh.
“Derek...” Akihito breathed, making the college boy’s breath hitch.
That was all they both needed. In a flash they were in the bedroom, a tangle of limbs, discarded clothes and bedsheets as they tumbled onto the mattress, mouths clashing onto each other as hand started to roam. Pale hands lingered on Derek’s bare chest, slender fingers tweaked bare nipples teasingly, causing a hiss to pass through pursed lips, teeth nibbling on swollen lips as slightly clumsy hands unbuttoned a dark shirt, shaky fingers barely getting the material off of the Japanese man’s form. Flinging it carelessly to the floor, Derek wasted no time in latching his lips and teeth to the exposed collarbone, taking in the scent of the man beneath him, their bodies arching into each other deliciously as their groins met.
“Ah…” Akihito moaned out, the sound falling off of his lips making Derek let out a breathy moan himself, a small fire igniting in his belly as he started to dry hump the older man sinuously slow. Their clothed lower halves met in a slow grinding motion, both of them drawing out the thrusts and getting as much friction as possible, Derek holding his upper body over the Japanese man as Akihito lay back against the pillows and thrash a bit, sweat starting to slick his brow as his chest heaved to suck in the breath that Derek was starting to steal away from him.
Leaning down to claim the soft lips, Derek kissed Akihito with such tenderness that he didn’t know he was capable of. Their lips locked and tongues tangled in a romantic manner, their lower bodies dancing along with them, chests rubbing against each other as their hands found their counterparts and fingers laced, falling atop the pillows as they rocked against each other gently. As they pulled apart, out of breath, Derek’s lips never left Akihito’s skin as he started to worship the man’s body, trailing kisses and licks down the man’s neck to his collarbone where a love bite was already forming, to his shoulders and his chest. He lingered on a nipple before traveling further south, and then sat up and placed a kiss on the Japanese man’s lips before pulling away with a soft smile and a bright blush.
“I’ve never…”
Akihito smiled and sat up on an elbow, using his other hand to place a finger on Derek’s lips, silencing the young American in a familiar manner. “Hush. We won’t make this too hard on you.”
It took a few moments of shuffling, but before long both men were naked on the bed and tangled up in each other once again. Akihito placed two fingers on Derek’s lips and smiled lightly, pressing a kiss to the brunet’s forehead.
“Suck on them,” he instructed, and Derek hesitated before he drew the digits into his mouth and obeyed the command. They tasted like skin, of course, but they were slightly salty with a mix of sweetness that was a bit unusual. Was skin supposed to be sweet? He ran his tongue up and down the lengths of the filanges soaking them as best as he could, and they were removed from his mouth with a slick ‘pop’. He gave Akihito a slightly perplexed look when the Japanese man lowered his hand and placed it behind him, and then blushed profusely when sapphire eyes closed and pouty lips parted in a slight moan.
Akihito was preparing himself.
“Nhhh…” The Japanese man was writhing slightly, and Derek found his breath catching in his throat. He didn’t know if he should watch or look away, but he found his eyes drawn to Akihito’s twitching member between his legs, which was starting to swell with the man’s ministrations from behind. Derek licked his lips and reached out tentatively, running a finger up the underside of the shaft, following the throbbing vein.
Akihito hissed in pleasure with the motion, making Derek glance up, before a look of determination crossed the American’s features. He grasped the base of his cock before giving the shaft a firm pump from base to tip, sweeping his thumb over the tip. It was his first time with a man or woman… but he supposed it was better with a man, since he had no idea what to do with a woman’s plumbing. Besides, the noises he was drawing from Akihito’s beautiful mouth were absolutely delicious and he wanted to create more of them.
Teasing the man a bit more with his hand, he was just about to start using his mouth when Akihito let out a whimper and shifted, pulling Derek up his body and positioning him between his legs, looking up to him with glittering sapphire eyes. The American had never seen such a look of desperation in anyone’s eyes, and he felt a strong tug at his heart with the openness he was seeing in Akihito’s eyes.
“Please, Derek, I need you now…” The Japanese man panted, wrapping his legs around Derek’s waist and forcing him forward, loosely wrapping his arms around the brunet’s neck, breathing heavily.
Derek paused, not really sure how to go about it. Shouldn’t he be slick, too, with lube or something…?
“Just use spit,” Akihito instructed, a bit hurried.
Figuring it was too late to be bothered with the obscenities of sex, he worked up as much saliva in his mouth as possible and then spit into his hand, working it over his erection and then guiding the tip of his cock to Akihito’s waiting entrance. Derek hesitated for just a moment, but with one look at the older man’s wanton and expectant eyes, the American realized that this was definitely something that he wanted. Something that he wanted to do continuously with Akihito.
Tossing any doubts he had out the window, he carefully pushed into Akihito, watching the man’s expression carefully to make sure he didn’t hurt him. There was a brief flash of pain on the delicate features but it quickly dissolved into pleasure the deeper Derek buried himself, and as soon as he was sheathed he took a moment to adjust to the insane sensations. Sure he’d masturbated and imagined what it’d be like to have sex, but nothing could have prepared him for the real thing. Akihito’s passage was so tight, so hot and it was pulsating around him. He had to take a few deep breaths to keep himself from cumming right away, and he bent his arms to cuddle into Akihito’s neck and nuzzle there, regulating his pulse and trying so hard to savor the moment and enjoy it.
The Japanese man’s arms wound around his body and his legs tightened around Derek’s waist, drawing him in even deeper. The American gasped and drew in a shaky breath, and Akihito’s fingers were drawing lazy patterns on his back, waiting for the younger male to gather his bearings.
“Derek…”
That breathy moan was all it took for Derek to pull out briefly and push back in just as quickly, starting up a shallow rhythm. He took his time to push in as far as Akihito’s body would allow him, feeling like he was going to be swallowed whole, all the while taking in the man’s moans and whimpers, the feel of the nails trailing over his shoulders and back encouragingly. The entire room was ablaze with the passion that was emanating from the two individuals that had become so enamored with each other, the sweat slicking their skin and making the friction so bold between them it almost caused sparks.
It didn’t take long for Derek to find the right angle that made Akihito arch in ecstasy and throw his gorgeous head back, raven locks spilling out onto the white pillow and his ivory neck exposing itself to the lust-hungry American. Derek nibbled on the flesh presented to him as he continued to nail into the spot that made Akihito see fireworks and cry out, and when the American started to fist the Japanese man’s aching erection Akihito finally unleashed an animalistic shout, his teeth sinking into Derek’s shoulder as he released his cum between their bodies, the hot liquid splashing onto both their chests. Akihito’s muscles clenching around Derek’s erection made his stomach clench tightly and his vision blur, his eyes closing as he wrapped his arms tightly around the Japanese body pulling him close, their chests flush together as the American’s orgasm ripped through his frame. Riding it out and pumping a few times, he collapsed bonelessly on top of Akihito, pulling out of the sticky mess and rolling to the side keeping the other close as he nuzzled into the man’s neck.
He couldn’t believe that he had just done that with a near stranger. But the connection that he felt with this man was undeniable; the walls that Derek had built felt like they were made of paper where Akihito was concerned, as they just melted away with the slightest fleck of water. After a few short moments of fuzzy thoughts swirling around Derek’s muddled mind a soft snore told him that Akihito was sound asleep, and Derek smiled lightly and let himself follow suit.
&8&
A few hours later Derek awoke feeling strangely content. He couldn’t ever remember feeling so warm and comfortable in his bed, let alone the nice weight on his chest. He glanced down and saw a slightly mussed mop of raven hair and blinked a few times, finally remembering the bout of passion he’d had with Akihito. He blushed brightly, his pulse quickening a bit. What they did… he knew that he surely didn’t regret it, but would Akihito? The man surely knew what he was doing and he was definitely good at it, but why did he do it? Did he really care about Derek like Derek found himself caring about the Japanese man?
“Mmmmh…” Akihito stirred and stretched like a lazy cat after a nap in the sun, curling further into the young American. Derek could feel the man’s lips curl in a smile against his skin, and he found himself smiling in return.
“Sleep well?” Derek asked, glancing off towards the side a bit at the clock. They had been asleep only for a few hours.
“I did,” the older man practically purred out the words, making the soft blush return to the green-eyed man’s cheeks. The sensuality of Akihito returned full-force it seemed, as if Derek had momentarily gotten used to it and then had it tossed at him once again. “You?”
The younger man licked his lips lightly, his arms that were wound around the pale man giving a brief squeeze before he nodded gently. He placed a gentle kiss atop the raven locks and smiled, inhaling the slightly musky and definitely expensive cologne that Akihito was wearing.
“Good,” Akihito said, stretching idly again before sitting up a bit so he could smile brightly at Derek. He leaned up and pressed a tender kiss to the younger man’s lips, lingering lightly before pulling back and reaching up deft fingers to brush disheveled chocolate locks away from the emerald eyes.
“So,” Derek started, finding his voice after the generous act had made his heart leap into his throat. His smile was soft and made his eyes glitter warmly, taking in the beautiful man that had jumped into his life without warning. “I take it you’ll be staying for a while?”
Akihito seemed to contemplate the question teasingly, tilting his head and scratching his smooth chin. “Hmmm….~ I dunno. I do run a huge, important corporation that needs a close watch every day, with me being a busy worker bee in a room full of cubicles and cranky co-workers…” The Japanese paused a moment in thought, and then laughed lightly shaking his head. “My job is absolutely nothing like that.”
Derek couldn’t help but let a chuckle slip at that; Akihito’s personality had many dimensions to it, it seemed. At night Akihito was demure and suave, capable of getting whatever he wanted in any manner he chose. During the day he was just like any other man, worthy of jokes and playfulness - even pleasure, and perhaps a relationship. There were probably even more sides than that, Derek supposed, and as the American pondered he remembered that there were also more sides to himself than most people guessed as well. At first glance most thought him shy with no backbone; one would be surprised to learn that a lot went on in his mind, he just was careful as to what he chose to say and keep to himself. The walls he put up were there so he could get what he wanted in his life - his life so far had been simple. So incredibly simple…
And Akihito had made the equation into a trigonometry question.
But as Derek looked into the sparkling sapphire eyes that reflected the same eager emotions that were swirling in his own emerald ones, he figured that he might as well take an extra curricular lesson on life, with his number one subject being Kobayashi Akihito.
“I think you should stay,” Derek finally said, pulling Akihito on top of his barely smaller body, wrapping his arms protectively around the Japanese man. “How else will I eat and get drunk?”
Akihito rolled his eyes. “The same way you have been?”
“Yeah, but no one’s ever helped me back to my place before,” Derek countered, and Akihito merely stuck his tongue out, causing the brunet to lean forward and lick at it playfully. They both chuckled lightly and merely gazed at each other, Derek looking away first before he blushed too hard. He wasn’t sure if he was ever going to stay one shade of pink around the Japanese man.
“… well… I guess I can stay here with you.” Akihito said, tilting his head and tapping his chin, glancing off to the side. “On one condition.” He raised a finger.
Derek raised a brow. “I’m listening.”
Akihito smiled and leaned in to whisper in Derek’s ear, “That I get to wake up in your arms every morning.”
Three more shades of pink and a couple of rumpled sheets later, it was agreed that Akihito wouldn’t be leaving any time soon.