The T.A.B.O.O. Vs. Disco Star (10/10) FINAL - Part 1
Title: The T.A.B.O.O. vs. Disco Star
Author: Fabi
Translator: br_arashi Thank you ♥
Pairing: Sakuraiba (main), Ohmiya (mentioned)
Genre: Romance, Fluff and bit of Fantasy
Rating: NC-17 (This chapter)
Summary: 'What will happen when The T.A.B.O.O. meet the Disco Star? This is the history of the two most famous night clubs of the century.'
Disclaimer: I don't own them, sadly ;-;
Just a reminder, English is not our first language please be kind ♥
CHAPTER 10 - FINAL (1/2)
“I wasn't expecting to see you today” Sho’s indifferent tone, as soon as Sato entered the elevator, brought Masaki from the lethargy that took over him since he saw the older man leaving the apartment.
“I thought you would be having fun with J-san.”
“I… I should be…” he tried to say, still confused and shocked with that situation. That night definitely wasn't being kind to him. He really believed he would find in Sho’s company the solace for his misunderstanding with Jun, but he never imagined he could be so wrong.
“Sorry for bothering you, I'll go back home…”
He turned around, but wasn't able to take even a step, his arm held by Sho’s strong hand.
“Now that you are here, why don’t you get in?”
He followed the man until the center of the living room. He was wearing nothing but sweatpants and his hair was slightly disheveled. Looking towards the open door of the bedroom, he couldn’t help but notice the disarray on the bed.
“What Sato-san was doing here?” he asked in an impulse, even though he already knew the answer.
“What do you think?” Sho asked back, while walking towards the kitchen.
“Do you want anything to drink? I’m so thirsty!”
“I don’t want anything” Masaki answered, unable to believe how easily the other man had changed the subject, as if such situation were common between them.
“I shouldn't have come.”
“You did, though” Sho opened the fridge to get a bottle of water.
“And, since it’s so late, why don’t you spend the night with me?”
“Are you being serious? You want me to sleep with you a second after you had sex with another man?” The words came before he could control his hurt for the lack of consideration.
“What’s the problem? Sato-san has nothing to do with us…” Sho said in a teasing tone, the back of his fingers traveling over his face.
“You’re unbelievable!” the time traveler pushed Sho’s hand away in a sudden move.
“Why?” Sho sighed with impatience “You are not planning to ask me for exclusivity, are you?”
“I…”
Yes, he was. That was exactly what he wanted… for Sho to be his, for them to share much more than a bed.
“I thought…”
“What? We are not dating, you have no right to demand anything from me. Please, stop looking at me as if I had made you any promises!”
He sat at one of the sofas and took a sip of water, his eyes lost at a random spot in the room “Look, Masaki. You are gorgeous and sexy and I would be lying if I said that I’m not attracted to you. I like you, but that doesn’t make our relationship special. I feel as much pleasure being with you than being with anyone else.”
For a minute, Masaki felt his heart stopping and all his hopes fading away. He always knew that Sho was a playboy, but he was also aware that what they had wasn’t only sex, the way he was trying to make it seem. He had always believed they had a special bond, even though they had never discussed the matter.
“Does that situation satisfy you?” he asked in a whisper, in a last attempt to take the decision he needed “Are you really happy by sleeping with several men, no emotional attachments?”
For the second time that night, Sho shrugged and took another sip before answering
“Yes. I’m completely satisfied like this.”
Masaki nodded before casting him a bitter look, his heart broken in a thousand pieces.
“I know that the way we met was too crazy for us to ignore it. Maybe that's the reason why we couldn’t avoid being attracted to each other and we just tried to go with the flow, but… to me…” he hesitated for a bit “what we had wasn’t only sex. I really believed it could work this way, but, when I saw Sato-san leaving… just imagining the two of you together in the same bed we made love yesterday made me realize that I can’t handle it. I love you.”
For the first time that night, Masaki saw a glimpse of emotion in Sho’s expression. There was surprise due to the sudden confession, of course, but there was also something deeper that had nothing to do with the indifference he was trying to display.
“I’m sorry” he said, however, after a brief pause “This is all I can give you, though. I enjoy my freedom and I’m not ready… neither willing to commit myself to you or to anyone else.”
“What a pity” Masaki sighed, before walking to the door, dragging his feet. In a way, he already knew that Sho wouldn’t be moved by his feelings, he didn’t even expected that. He just wanted him to know. He had always been clear about his feelings and he wouldn’t become a coward in that moment.
“You deserve more than that. And so do I” he smiled before turning the doorknob “Thank you for the good memories and for all the help you gave me so that I could fit in this era. I will always be grateful for this. However, I've had enough of this empty relationship you propose. Let’s end it here, Sho.”
**********************************
Jun was startled by the shy sound of a knock at his door. It was way past 5 a.m. and he still hadn’t managed to sleep, worried and regretful for his fight with Masaki. Actually, he had regretted it as soon as his friend has crossed the door. He wanted to go after him, especially because he had left his wallet and cellphone behind, but, at the last minute, he decided to respect his moment.
After all, he knew quite well where he should be going to.
“I didn’t want to come…” Masaki said, embarrassed, as soon as he opened the door, his eyes facing the floor and his hands messing nervously with each other “I know you told me you wouldn’t gather my pieces once again, but I have nowhere else to go… I’m lost in a time that isn’t my own, without any friends or documents to go to a hotel… I’m so sorry for depending on you that much, Jun, but…”
“You idiot!” Jun mumbled, pulling his friend to a tight hug, even before he could finish his sentence “I’ll always be here for you. Anytime, anyplace… I’m sorry for being so insensitive. I…”
“You were right. I should have listened to you…” Masaki said with a muffled voice, diving into his protective arms.
Jun felt him shiver and blamed himself for letting him leave. If he had held him back, he wouldn’t be in such a pitiful state once again.
“I just wanted to have the right to love and being loved in return. Am I asking too much, Jun?”
“Of course not” he assured him, squeezing him tighter “You deserve all the happiness in this world, Masaki.”
“Then, why doesn’t anyone love me back? It happened just as you said it would. I’m so sorry for yelling at you. I know you only wanted what was best for me as always, but…” Masaki sighed “I never learn, right? Maybe I’m some kind of masochist.”
“You’re not a masochist” Jun offered him a tender smile and moved away slightly to hold his friend’s hands in his, making him sit on the couch “You just believe in love. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Maybe I just should be more rational like Sho, or even you. I’ve never seen you suffering out of love, Jun."
“Well… maybe because my rational side is strong, as you said, but it doesn’t mean that I’ve never been in love” Jun stared at him with an expression he had never showed Masaki so far “Once, there was someone with whom I wanted to have a future…”
“Eh? Really?” Masaki asked, surprised “You? In love? And what went wrong?”
“Nothing went wrong” Jun made a pregnant pause, as if pondering if he should proceed. In the end, he took a deep sigh, smiled bitterly and faced his friend’s curious eyes “He was a romantic and I, a free spirit. It would be a matter of time before I hurt him and I would never allow him to cry for me. I decided to keep what we had, since our friendship had always been the most important thing to me.”
“Jun…”
They stared at each other for a long time without saying anything, their eyes shimmering with tears, showing the feelings behind that revelation. There was guilt, surprise, angst, but above all, there was an affection they would never share with anyone else.
It was just natural for their bodies to get close and their lips to join in a soft and loving kiss.
Jun felt Masaki trembling when he held him closer, holding him by the nape of his neck. A delicious shiver ran through his spine when the other man embraced his neck, deepening the contact and allowing him to explore his mouth, in the way he had dreamed of doing for countless times.
It was a tender and long caress, as if they had finally released the feelings they had for all those years they had been close. However, in spite of all the intensity of the kiss, they both knew it wasn’t a romantic act, even though it was an act of love.
When they finally parted in search of air, they still kept their eyes closed for a few seconds, as if trying they needed to absorb what had just happened and also regretting its end.
“Wow! I’ve always wanted to kiss you…” Jun was the first to recover, facing his friend with a playful smile.
“And how was it?”
“Salty…” he answered, cleaning one of the tears of emotion running over Masaki’s face.
His best friend smiled and held his slightly shaky hands, bringing it to his lips to reward it with an affectionate kiss.
“Jun, I… I’m so sorry. If I had even once suspected of your feelings, I… I would…”
“You would have forced yourself to love me back” Jun got closer, touching his front with his own “But we both know it would have never worked between us. I don’t regret not telling you. The only thing I regret is to have spent such a short time beside you. In all those years apart I… I've never stopped thinking about you.”
“Jun…”
“But, you know?” he moved away in order to face Masaki sincerely once again. “In these forty years, it wasn't my potential boyfriend I was looking for, nor even my lost lover. I've always wanted my best friend back. Time helped me understand that the feeling I have for you will always exist… just in a different way. Or, maybe, it has always been like this. You've always been the closest person to me, so I might have mixed things a bit… After all, you are handsome and… well, I might have had one or two sexual fantasies with you…”
“Oe!” Masaki playfully slapped his friend’s head and smiled carefree for Jun’s relief. “Well, since things are out in the open, the first times I saw you dancing at Disco Star, I… well…” He tried to mimic Jun. “I might have felt my heart beating stronger…”
“Eh? Really? Does it mean that you admit I was the best dancer at Disco Star?”
Masaki smiled.
“Maybe just a bit. You were handsome… You are handsome,” he corrected, changing the verb to the present “Have I ever told you how great you look with this grey hair?”
They both laughed relaxed before sharing a fraternal hug.
“I’m so sorry for having stayed away from you for so long… I never wanted you to suffer for me. I love you, Jun.”
Jun smiled in face of the confession. He had never doubted that.
“I love you too” he whispered, enjoying the taste of the words he had always wanted to say freely. Different from what he once believed, though, they weren’t a burden that he couldn’t carry. In his arms he had his best friend and he wouldn’t never give up on that status.
“Hey, Jun…” Masaki said, still locked in Jun’s hug “Is there any pizza left? I’m starving!”
********************************************
Sho smiled ironically when Masaki finished his performance. Two weeks had passed since their break-up and the happening didn’t seem to have affected the time traveler in the way he expected.
It was true that some things had changed between them. They still shared the same dressing room and greeted each other normally, but they were just being civil, talking only about work-related issues.
It was better this way.
Since he couldn’t give Masaki the commitment he supposedly wished for, it was better for them not to mix things, keeping their relation strictly at a professional level.
But then…
Why was he feeling a certain frustration by watching him display himself as seductive as before, or even more? Not that he wanted the man to cry his heart out in the corners of T.A.B.O.O, but he was the one who said he loved him… If it was really true, no matter how professional he could be, he wouldn't be able to prevent his hurt for the rejection from transpiring in his routines. However, they were just as good as before. If not better…
He felt slightly angry, scolding himself for being the only one to be bothered with that situation. Not that he regretted his decision, but he had never wanted for things between them to be settled like that. Even though he hadn’t planned that happening, he felt guilty for having been caught with Sato-san, even more after finding out the time-traveler's feelings for him.
Even before, when he saw him standing sadly at his door, he felt a shiver running through his spine. For a few seconds, he felt torn between hugging Masaki and tell him his meeting with Sato-san had meant nothing or taking the opportunity to recover his rationality.
He chose the second option.
Since Masaki had showed up in his life, he had shaken all the reasoning and self-confidence he was so proud to have, permeating his thoughts much more than he wished for. Even during the sex with Sato-san that night.
The entrepreneur was an experienced lover, he surely knew how to dominate a man in bed. It was impossible to feel dissatisfied in his arms and, because of that, he was one of his favorite partners. Nonetheless, apart from the inevitable physical reaction of his body to the older man’s caresses, the sex didn't satisy him anymore and, for the first time, he felt uncomfortable during the act, wishing for things to end up soon.
He realized he longed for something more than physical pleasure.
He didn’t have to think much to know why.
He longed for the delicious shiver that ran down his spine whenever he heard his name being called in a velvety tone he knew so well.
He missed his heart beating stronger whenever a certain pair of brown eyes glimmered with emotion just for facing him.
He wanted to have butterflies in his stomach like every time he felt a certain slim and toned body shivering at his touches, the feeling of the plump and tasty lips against his.
He missed the sense of completeness that let him breathless whenever he stared at a certain someone.
He couldn’t avoid his heart from beating faster when images of Masaki invaded his mind while he was having sex with another man.
That had never happened before and the realization scared him.
He was in love.
He didn’t want to, though.
He had fallen in love before once and romanticized about them becoming a couple, but things didn't turn out good. In the name of that feeling, he gave himself away as a fool and he even cut relations with his family. He had no idea he would end up discarded as garbage when the man who had seduced him simply got tired of him, after getting everything he wanted: his virginity, his innocence, his dreams. Before he was twenty, he found himself alone in the world; without money, family or friends.
It was when he started to work as a stripper in a low-rated club. At first, because he needed the money. But, then… he just started enjoying it. It was as if by seducing men and solely enjoying the pleasure sex could offer, he could be compensated for his heartbreak.
He vowed never to fall in love again and he managed to keep his words for more than five years, until Masaki appeared in his life. He couldn’t let it happen again and, even before Sato-san had managed to ejaculate inside him, he was already making plans to avoid getting hurt again.
He barely noticed when the older man finished. He only thought about him again when he heard him saying how much he missed his body and how he could fuck him until the morning light if he didn’t have to go home, since it had been a sudden invitation and he had no time to elaborate an excuse for his wife so he could spend the night out.
He was relieved to see him changing his clothes and saying goodbye. However, even though it had been good for his plans, he wasn’t expecting to find Masaki at his door. For a moment, he hesitated. Fortunately, his senses surpassed his emotions and he was able to do what he should.
He tried to sound as cold and as indifferent as possible, even if he had almost betrayed himself for several times, especially when Masaki said he loved him. He could feel his heart beating stronger and his body shivering with happiness, but he decided to restrain himself. In the end, he managed to send the man away, just as he wanted.
He could barely sleep that night, or at any of the following ones, feeling a huge emptiness inside his chest.
“Yesterday, Abe-san and I saw Masaki and Ikuta-san dining at the restaurant we usually go…” The information, whispered behind his back, made Sho divert his attention from Masaki to Yuri, one of his kouhai.
He was using a black shirt that showed his defined biceps and pants with cuts at the knee. The youngster was a recent acquisition of T.A.B.O.O., reason why he wasn’t yet between the main three strippers in the house, even though he was getting noticed pretty fast. He was a confessed fan of Sho and was certainly trying to use that information to get closer to him.
“Are you sure?” Sho asked, feeling a certain annoyance. “Was J-san with them?”
“No” the youngest smiled, probably satisfied by getting the attention he wanted. “Just the two of them. And, for what I saw, they were having quite some fun.”
“What kind of fun?”
“You know... The intimate kind of fun” Yuri remarked, more confident now and with a mean voice “I can't see anything special on him to attract so many fans. First, J-san…”
“Those are just rumors, Yuri.”
“Rumors they never bothered denying and we all know how affectionate J-san is with him. I caught them myself in a very intimate situation at the CEO’s office."
“It doesn’t prove anything” Sho insisted, impatient. He had always hated the intimacy between Masaki and J-san and the rumors had always annoyed him deeply.
“You may be right; but, even if they do have an affair, who can blame Masaki? J-san is handsome and attractive and looks like a good lover. However, he is twice his age."
“It doesn’t mean anything. For all I know, Abe-san is also old enough to be your father and I don’t see you having any problem with that” Sho said, reminding the youngster of the entrepreneur that was his sugar daddy.
“Why would I? He is charming and he pays for the apartment I live and all my expenses. Who do you think has bought me the car I’m driving now?” Yuri smiled proudly as if using the older man was a great accomplishment.
“In exchange, all I have to do is opening my legs twice a week when he comes to spend the night. I enjoy his company. He is tender and kind and doesn't require exclusivity. He doesn’t have too much stamina anymore… so he understands that I search in other men the vitality of a younger body to fuck me harder, the way he isn’t able to do anymore. People like us, Sho-san, can’t be satisfied with a single partner.”
For a second, Sho wanted to reprimand his kouhai, bothered by his remark. First, because they weren’t two peas in a pod, as Yuri wanted to make it seem. He wasn’t sleeping with anyone for money, neither for an apartment of luxurious cars. Secondly, because he felt his stomach revolving by hearing the carefree way he was talking about his ways of having fun.
However, before he could open his mouth, he remembered saying something very much alike to Satoshi and Masaki at the same day. For the first time he noticed how pathetic, selfish and lonely he sounded when he was trying to convince himself that sex was more important than feelings.
“It musn’t be different with Masaki” Yuri kept going in the same arrogant tone “For God’s sake! It’s Ikuta Toma we are talking about! Any of us would die to have the chance to have dinner with him.”
Sho couldn’t deny that statement. He himself had tried to lure Toma when he started attending T.A.B.O.O. and he managed to go to bed with him more than once. He had already noticed the actor’s interest in Masaki. He had been his first client and, they had got along well since the beginning.
He never imagined, nonetheless, that the relationship between the two of them could get pass T.A.B.O.O.’s doors. By experience, he knew Toma liked to impress with a sophisticated dinner, a discreet meeting at a romantic scenery and, to crown it all, a luxurious hotel bedroom.
“I bet it’s just a matter of time for him to give in to Takahashi-san’s flirts as well” Yuri pointed his head towards the couple. The entrepreneur was whispering something at the stripper’s ear, one of his hands caressing his back. “It’s no news that he has his eyes on Masaki since his debut.”
Sho was aware of that as well. The son-in-law of the mayor requested Masaki’s company at least once a week and his intentions were very clear. It wasn’t only once that he had seen the older man’s hand traveling through the stripper’s thighs, stopping mere centimeters from his crotch. And, unfortunately, he was also aware of how irritatingly persuasive the entrepreneur could be.
By instinct, he casted away his eyes, refusing to see Masaki smiling at Takahashi as if he was the most important person in the world. He knew it was only his job, but, even then, he couldn’t refrain the urge of getting in the ballroom and taking him away from the man’s company, claiming him to himself.
Turning around on his heels, he rushed to his dressing room, not even bothering about leaving Yuri talking to himself. He was more worried about trying to find a way to vent out his jealousy before losing control.
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