[team two] Lantern-lit night
Kochi/Taiga | PG-13-ish | 744 words
Prompt taken from a drabble challenge: history AU. Takes place in Edo period.
Well into the night, they finally rode through the gates of Edo. The road had been long, and while most of the party, servants and house staff and many samurai, were ordered to travel straight to the mansion in the eastern part of the city, the lord and a small chosen band were to make a detour.
Kochi knew that his lord was a frequent visitor of Yoshiwara so it wasn’t unusual for him to hurry there right after arriving. It was unusual that he chose Kochi to accompany him there.
Kochi had been to the red-light district only once before, years ago. He remembered the bustling main street, lined with cherry trees and handsome teahouses and okiyas, all adorned with countless lanterns, and beautiful women in colorful kimonos luring the customers in. His stomach jumped at the thought of entering the area again.
They rode to the north, left their horses to the stables near the walls and upon entering, handed over their swords to the guards at the gates. Beyond them, the scenery was much like Kochi had remembered. He hurried after his lord with a couple of other samurai of the household. The daimyo passed all the establishments on the main street, and instead led them to a side street, and there to the very last house on the row. Kochi felt almost nervous when they were escorted in and to a fine-looking dining room.
The night in the establishment started with grand food and an endless supply of sake. And escorts, naturally. In this house, they were all male, though some looked even more beautiful than maikos and geishas Kochi had seen. There were four escorts, one for each of them it seemed, and they sat with them at the table, pouring them drinks and chatting with them. Or, all others were, at least. Kochi didn’t really know what to say to the young man sitting across from him.
He was probably the prettiest of them all, with tender features, light skin and silky black hair. He wore a dark purple kimono that was loosely tied with a golden embroidered obi. After a moment, he gave Kochi a small, tentative smile and filled his sake cup.
“I haven’t seen you here before, sir,” the young man said finally. “Your lord comes quite often.”
“I’m not that familiar with Yoshiwara,” Kochi admitted. “I’ve only visited once before, long ago.”
“Oh? Well, how do you like it, after some time?” The man asked, tilting his head slightly. He was clearly flirting, his smile growing sweeter, and giving Kochi his undivided attention. Kochi knew that he was paid to do so, but he let himself enjoy it nonetheless. He filled the man’s cup in turn and they toasted in silence.
“I think I like it very much,” Kochi said after sipping the sake that was soft and sweet and warmed his insides. Much like Taiga’s attention and smile.
“I’m glad. My name is Taiga, by the way.”
After maybe an hour, the daimyo and other samurais, already rather intoxicated, started disappearing to upper floors with the other escorts. Kochi looked as Iwamoto, another younger samurai of his lord’s household, followed a fair-faced young man clad in an indigo kimono out of the room. Now Kochi was the only one left. He glanced quickly at Taiga who was eyeing him keenly.
”Are you in a hurry?” Taiga asked in a low voice. ”Or would you stay for the night…?”
”I… I would.” Kochi said. He felt hesitant somehow, but then again, this beautiful man was looking at him with twinkling eyes, gently taking his hand to his own. Kochi let Taiga lead him upstairs, to a small room against the outer wall. The glow of the lanterns outside seeped through an open window.
Taiga shut the sliding door and stepped closer to Kochi, slowly untying his obi. Taiga’s gaze made shivers run down Kochi’s spine, and something much stronger than alcohol burned inside him. Taiga then pressed himself against Kochi, and Kochi automatically wrapped his arms around the other man, holding him close. Taiga’s breath smelled of the sweet sake.
”Kiss me, my samurai.”
And Kochi did.
Afterwards, when Kochi was slowly riding through Edo just before sunrise, his mind was still in the small lantern-lit room of Yoshiwara.
”Come see me again,” Taiga had said to him before he’d left.
Kochi knew he would go again. The sooner the better.
rin_aokuro, your turn! :3
Prompt taken from a drabble challenge: history AU. Takes place in Edo period.
Well into the night, they finally rode through the gates of Edo. The road had been long, and while most of the party, servants and house staff and many samurai, were ordered to travel straight to the mansion in the eastern part of the city, the lord and a small chosen band were to make a detour.
Kochi knew that his lord was a frequent visitor of Yoshiwara so it wasn’t unusual for him to hurry there right after arriving. It was unusual that he chose Kochi to accompany him there.
Kochi had been to the red-light district only once before, years ago. He remembered the bustling main street, lined with cherry trees and handsome teahouses and okiyas, all adorned with countless lanterns, and beautiful women in colorful kimonos luring the customers in. His stomach jumped at the thought of entering the area again.
They rode to the north, left their horses to the stables near the walls and upon entering, handed over their swords to the guards at the gates. Beyond them, the scenery was much like Kochi had remembered. He hurried after his lord with a couple of other samurai of the household. The daimyo passed all the establishments on the main street, and instead led them to a side street, and there to the very last house on the row. Kochi felt almost nervous when they were escorted in and to a fine-looking dining room.
The night in the establishment started with grand food and an endless supply of sake. And escorts, naturally. In this house, they were all male, though some looked even more beautiful than maikos and geishas Kochi had seen. There were four escorts, one for each of them it seemed, and they sat with them at the table, pouring them drinks and chatting with them. Or, all others were, at least. Kochi didn’t really know what to say to the young man sitting across from him.
He was probably the prettiest of them all, with tender features, light skin and silky black hair. He wore a dark purple kimono that was loosely tied with a golden embroidered obi. After a moment, he gave Kochi a small, tentative smile and filled his sake cup.
“I haven’t seen you here before, sir,” the young man said finally. “Your lord comes quite often.”
“I’m not that familiar with Yoshiwara,” Kochi admitted. “I’ve only visited once before, long ago.”
“Oh? Well, how do you like it, after some time?” The man asked, tilting his head slightly. He was clearly flirting, his smile growing sweeter, and giving Kochi his undivided attention. Kochi knew that he was paid to do so, but he let himself enjoy it nonetheless. He filled the man’s cup in turn and they toasted in silence.
“I think I like it very much,” Kochi said after sipping the sake that was soft and sweet and warmed his insides. Much like Taiga’s attention and smile.
“I’m glad. My name is Taiga, by the way.”
After maybe an hour, the daimyo and other samurais, already rather intoxicated, started disappearing to upper floors with the other escorts. Kochi looked as Iwamoto, another younger samurai of his lord’s household, followed a fair-faced young man clad in an indigo kimono out of the room. Now Kochi was the only one left. He glanced quickly at Taiga who was eyeing him keenly.
”Are you in a hurry?” Taiga asked in a low voice. ”Or would you stay for the night…?”
”I… I would.” Kochi said. He felt hesitant somehow, but then again, this beautiful man was looking at him with twinkling eyes, gently taking his hand to his own. Kochi let Taiga lead him upstairs, to a small room against the outer wall. The glow of the lanterns outside seeped through an open window.
Taiga shut the sliding door and stepped closer to Kochi, slowly untying his obi. Taiga’s gaze made shivers run down Kochi’s spine, and something much stronger than alcohol burned inside him. Taiga then pressed himself against Kochi, and Kochi automatically wrapped his arms around the other man, holding him close. Taiga’s breath smelled of the sweet sake.
”Kiss me, my samurai.”
And Kochi did.
Afterwards, when Kochi was slowly riding through Edo just before sunrise, his mind was still in the small lantern-lit room of Yoshiwara.
”Come see me again,” Taiga had said to him before he’d left.
Kochi knew he would go again. The sooner the better.
rin_aokuro, your turn! :3