Automated Lover 11: What is Reality?
Title: Automated Lover
Author: xme_chanx
Chapter: 11: What is Reality?
Pairings: Saga/Shou, Saga/Tora, Reita/Ruki (slight), Hiroto/Tora (onesided)
Rating: R
Warnings: Manxman, manxrobot, your mom, slightly emo Saga
Disclaimer: Leave me alone! I own nothing and everyone is made up anyway… Similarities are totally accidental. *nod*
Summary: Loosely based on “Absolute Boyfriend” by Yuu Watase. Saga is alone and miserable until a love robot introduces complete chaos into his life. And why the hell is Tora so jealous of the Auto-Boy?
Previous Chapters
11. What is Reality?
Tora yawned and stretched, sighing as he felt his back popping. He rolled out of bed and and began his usual routine. Put on pants: check. Walk to the kitchen: check. Turn on the coffee maker, check. Now for the newspaper. It was actually Saga’s subscription, but the brunette hardly ever read it, and he never asked Tora about it, so the older man continued to steal his newspapers. He opened the apartment door and froze.
Shou was collapsed in an inelegant heap next to Saga’s door. The paper was placed awkwardly near his knee, so Tora would have to wake him up him or risk waking him by touching his inner thigh. Tora decided to wake him up.
“Shou? What the fuck are you doing in the hallway?” Tora asked, poking the auto-boy with his toe. Shou's processors came to life slowly, fans whirred and hard drives clicked as they woke and began to run. Uruha had simply frozen him, somewhere between a blue-screen of death and a restart error. Shou sat up quickly and gasped. Tora grabbed the paper and saluted Shou.
“Stupid place to fall asleep.” he said, going back into his apartment with his newspaper.
“Saga!” Shou barged into the apartment. The brunette was nowhere to be found. The auto-boy crumpled to the floor. Shou shook his head and rubbed his temples, the last thing he saw was Uruha. Uruha must have Saga! HIS Saga!! He was not amused, and Uruha wouldn't be either after Shou rubbed 60grit sandpaper on his primary hard drive. Shou gritted his teeth and tried to come up with a plan.
********
Saga slowly regained consciousness. He sat bolt upright, looking frantically around the unfamiliar room. The naked blonde next to Saga was less disturbing than Saga's own nudity, and the sense of complete and utter blackness where there should have been memories.Thoughts of, 'How did I get here? Why am I naked? WHO IS THIS GUY?' chased each other 'round and 'round Saga's brain, but no answers were found. The blonde guy started to stir and Saga gulped, pulling the blankets in tightly around himself and assuming a defensive position. "Hello, Lover," the man smiled, "I'm Uruha and you... you are just delicious."
Recognition dawned, and Saga was suddenly furious.
“You're the guy from the cafe!” he shrieked, “You fucking kidnapped me?” Saga's brain went into overdrive. “What the FUCK is going on?”
His clothes were piled neatly in a corner, he dived out of the bed towards them and began pulling his pants on. Saga? Why are you getting dressed?” The brunette stared, terrified and angry, at the honey-blonde from the restaurant.
“Why are you here?” Saga asked, his voice quivering slightly. “Why am I here?”
“What do you mean?” Uruha stretched languidly, and stared curiously at the brunette.
“Where’s Shou? You did something to him yesterday. Where am I? What the hell did you do?” Saga’s previous panic surged into anger. “What happened? If anything bad happens to Shou, I’ll… I’ll kill you! And then I’ll take your stupid company right to the news!”
Uruha yawned and fixed him with a lazy look. “Are you done yet? We’re at Alice’s Heaven, a very nice love hotel. We still have half a day left here, so come back to bed with me.” The honey-blonde patted the mattress. Saga glared.
“I will do no such thing!” he said indignantly.
“You think Shou will still want you after you betrayed him?” A smirk played on Uruha’s lips. The brunette’s face fell.
“I didn’t do anything!” Saga said, sounding unsure.
“Are you quite positive?” Uruha asked, sliding closer to Saga on the mattress. “Because, you don’t really remember, do you?”
Saga swallowed hard, trying to grasp any memories from last night. There were none. It was like trying to catch butterflies in winter.
“You’re lying.” The brunette declared. Uruha shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. You can't be sure though, can you?” Saga staggered. His eyes locked on Uruha's, and the auto-male almost flinched from the anger he saw in those eyes.
“I would never betray my friends,” Saga growled as he stood and hurried to dress himself. “You leave us alone!” he pointed at the auto-male.
“You still don't know, Saga. Remember that when he asks what happened.” Uruha called as Saga slammed the door. The blonde sighed and reached for his phone. What the hell was so special about Model 9/Shou? He was a whole two generations older than Uruha, and he lacked the upgraded pleasure software. Kai would not be pleased. The blonde sucked it up and hit dial.
“Kai? We have a problem...” Uruha grimaced as Kai began to yell. “I'm going to handle it. There may be a small amount of collateral damage, no, nothing too bad. I will not fail.” Uruha snapped his phone shut and smiled. In just a few hours, he could be assured that Model 9 would be out of his way forever.
**
Saga raced home, unsure of himself and not knowing if there would even be a Shou to go home to. He gave the taxi driver an extra $20 to make the drive as quickly as he could, but his nerves hummed with anxiety until he reached his apartment building.
**
Shou paced restlessly, pausing every few seconds to call Saga's cell phone. It kept going straight to voicemail. He had no idea where to look for his boyfriend and the Model 11. In a panic, Shou called Nao.
The salesman was furious with Uruha's intervention in the boys' relationship, and promised to resolve the issue as quickly as he could and locate Saga. The auto-boy was just discussing how he wanted to dissemble the offending robot and immerse him in salt-water as Saga threw open the apartment door and shouted in joy. Shou dropped the phone and picked up his brunette in a tight hug, careful not to squish him.
“I thought I lost you!” Saga whispered. Shou smiled weakly and kissed him, trying to pour all his relief and love into that kiss.
“I'm so glad you're ok,” Shou said when he finally pulled away. “He didn't hurt you, did he?” the auto-boy inspected Saga closely.
“I'm fine, Shou,” the brunette hugged him tightly.
**
Tora was sipping coffee and reading his stolen paper when Hiroto walked in rubbing sleep from his eyes and wearing only a tiny pair of boxer-briefs. The older man coughed and blushed slightly when the younger looked curiously at him.
“Goo'moring” Hiroto mumbled. Tora waved and looked steadily at the newspaper. For some reason, Tora felt different around Hiroto ever since he had made his confession. It was as if someone had opened his eyes to a whole new future. His life was quickly turning into a shoujo manga. Who should he choose? Tora laughed at the absurdity and offered to make Hiro some breakfast.
“You want me to go get Saga?” the younger man asked.
“Nah, not this morning.” Tora smiled. Hiroto cocked an eyebrow but didn't push the issue. As far as he was concerned, he'd like all his breakfasts to be like this.
A/N
HOLY CRAP, BATMAN!
Took me long enough, right??
I have more written (yay!) And I AM GOING TO FINISH THIS! I'll aim for weekly or twice-weekly updates. My New Year's Resolution was not to half-ass things anymore. ;)
I'm hoping I can get more done on a nightly basis now than I did while in school. Comments are love, and please go gently on me for disappearing. m(_ _)m