A Winter Apart - Chapter 2
Title: A Winter Apart
Author:
ironicdawn with credits also to
shimmeredusk
Genre: Romance, Angst
Paring: Akame
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Do not own JE. Nor the lyrics used in this fic for that matter...
Blurb...:
"Jin ignored him and tipped his head back to let the snow drop into his mouth. “Ever tasted snow from trees?”
“No.”
(* Onegaishimasu = I beg of you/please help me.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kame slammed Jin hard against the blackboard. His fist tightened around his collar. What is up with this guy? Kame eyes flashed with anger as he stared at the insolent face grinning back at him.
“Fuck. You.”
“Actually I wouldn’t mind fucking you. Some tight ass you’ve got there.”
Kame flung him aside with vehemence and stormed out of the room fuming as he felt Jin’s eyes on him. He can’t deal with this. Why can’t he just be left in peace?
“Kamenashi-san!”
Kame looked up. “Yes?” He really needs to concentrate.
His colleague came over to him grinning. “Newbie’s initiation.”
“eh?”
“You have to do the coffee run.”
Kame laughed politely. “What can I get everyone?”
His eyes scanned over the drink order before folding the paper in half and putting it away in his coat pocket. He pulled up his collar, put his hands in the pockets and walked out of the office building. It had begun to snow. Kame use to think the city snow was so dirty, even in the suburbs. The edge of his lips lifted slightly as glanced up at the passing traffic before crossing; then again he was not unknown for being a perfectionist jerk…
Kame watched Jin saunter casually a little ahead of him blabbing about nonsense as usual. The snow was falling lightly and settled on the wisps of Jin’s hair that was just sticking out here and there as if it would be far to normal to be tidy. Kame grinned to himself as he thought how from the back, Jin’s hair with the snow settling on it, now looked increasingly like an odd Christmas tree which nature is taking the pleasure in decorating.
“What you grinning at?”
Kame’s grin fell as quickly as it came, glanced at Jin who was now walking backwards before looking away. “Nothing.”
“Naughty thoughts too embarrassing to mention eh Kame-chan?”
Kame looked at him, ‘unimpressed’ written across his face. Jin only laughed as he continued walking backwards. He lifted his arms to the lower branches of the trees they were walking beneath and ran his hand through the branches causing the settled snow to scatter everywhere…including all over Kame.
“Jin. Cut that out.”
Jin ignored him and tipped his head back to let the snow drop into his mouth. “Ever tasted snow from trees?”
“No.”
Jin smirked. He slowed his steps so Kame was closer, lifted his head upwards then reached up to the branches with both his hands and gave them a shake.
“Jin I said cut -”
Without warning Kame found his body being pulled roughly against Jin’s and his words cut off by his lips. Jin’s eyes flashed a naughtiness as he ran his snow-numbed tongue across Kame’s warm one. Kame’s startled eyes looked back at Jin’s and he unwillingly whimpered and tried to pull away as he felt the coolness of the snow fill his mouth. Yet Jin wasn’t going to let Kame off that easily. His resisting only made it more fun. Jin’s left hand clutched tighter to Kame’s collar pulling him towards him whilst bringing his right hand up to the back of Kame’s head. Jin closed his eyes cheekily, ignoring Kame’s look of anger at being subjected to this in public, and began to massage his tongue against Kame’s.
He knew he’d lost. Jin was stronger than he was and he might as well just let Jin have his way and enjoy it. Kame’s arms stopped resisting and fell to his side. Jin’s lips was soft against his and the mixture of cold and warmth gave him a strange but satisfying sensation. Jin’s hand dropped to Kame’s slender waist and ran his tongue tenderly across Kame’s lips before pulling back.
“Now you have.”
Kame brushed the snow off himself before entering back into the office murmuring with a smile as he did so, “It’s still dirty Jin…”
The snow had stopped by late afternoon and Kame was trying to keep on top of his work. It’d been more challenging than he thought, but he wasn’t about to be beaten. Sipping his coffee and absent-mindedly spinning the pencil in his hand he carried on ploughing through the article before him, eyes sharp for mistakes.
Sasaki came across to him with a folder and put it on his desk. Kame looked up slightly startled from being pulled so suddenly out of his concentration.
“Did you read through the company profile? I want you to read through the interview questions to see if you can suggest anything extra. Oh and did you ring their secretary to confirm the time we’re meeting them this evening?
“Ha…no not yet. Sorry I’ll do that now.”
Sasaki grinned as she moved away. “C’mon newbie - keep up!”
Kame grinned back before turning to his article once more. He put a mark on the sentence he’d be reading and then put it aside and picked up Sakura’s company information in front of him. It was unusual that a small magazine such as snapshot! dealt with the larger businesses but apparently the Director had contact with the head of Sakura and this one seemed to be a newcomer also in Japan. They’d been a success in London so have come back to their roots to franchise.
Picking up his pencil again, he opened the folder and read the opening page.
“Sakura
President: Akanashi -”
Kame’s heart clenched as his face paled. He heard himself let off a moan as if in pain.
The blow sent his already battered body flying down the stone steps. His arm scraped along the concrete pavement to protect his head. Shaking from the cold and the pain Kame tried to pull his body up. His hair fell over his face as he tried to stand and but his knees only gave way. All he could do was look at the couple standing in the doorway through his tears.
“Onega…ga..shi..masu...”*
“I said get out of here. Don’t you ever show your face to us again.” The man was holding back his wife who was crying as hard as he was.
“Onega…”
The wife was now hysterical. “Give me back my son. Why have you taken my son!! Give him back to me!!!”
Kame dragged himself to the first step. He just wanted to see Jin one last time. Nothing could bring him back now, but he just wanted to see him one last time. That was all he wanted.
“I said get out of here!” The man gently lowered his wife to the ground. Walking firmly down the steps he roughly grabbed Kame’s arm and began to drag him without mercy away from the door. As much as he tried, Kame’s body was really too weak to resist. He tried to pry the man’s painful grip from him.
“I just want to -”
“Haven’t you caused enough trouble already! Just get out of here!”
With violence he threw Kame onto the pavement beyond the gate and slammed it with a loud bang. He paused and said over his shoulder. “If I see you again, I will kill you. Now get out!”
“Kamenashi-san? Something wrong?” Sasaki was looking down at him with a worrying frown. “You’ve paled suddenly…”
Kame jumped. “No! No! Sorry, excuse me!”
Splashing water in his face he stared at himself in the mirror telling himself to calm down in his head. Akanashi-san may not even remember him. No. Might not even recognise him should be more accurate. Of course he’d remember… it was his fault his son was no longer here…
But he can’t not go to the interview. Make an excuse that he was ill? That could work. He could jeopardise the snapshot!’s big break if he goes. But isn’t he running away again? Didn’t he come back to Tokyo to put it behind him once and for all? He splashed his face again and breathed out slowly.
“Kamenashi-san?” Kame turned. It was Tatsuya. “You okay?”
“er…yes. Sorry. I think it was the coffee.”
“The coffee…?”
Kame forced a smile. “Too much caffeine…makes you jittery.”
“Glad you’re alright. I think some fresh air and something to eat could do us all some good. We all haven’t had lunch yet making preparations for the interview this evening. We’d wait for you outside ok?”
“Eh wait - ” The toilet door slammed. Kame breathed out. “Shit.”
It seemed that fate was not giving him an option. Lunch was full of the excitement of the upcoming interview with Sakura. Tatsuya kept on talking about snapshot!’s big break and Sasaki could not stop wondering about the wedding for the deputy CEO. Kame remained silent and just decided to eat. Maybe if he kept his head down everything will be okay.
Sasaki decided to take the report off him and let him off for the afternoon and gave him a few more editing jobs instead. She said she didn’t want him looking so pale in the evening and told him to take it easy. Kame took out his keys and placed it on the table before him.
“You always wear that ring Kame…”
“Mmm…?” Kame had laid his head on Jin’s stomach and was reading. He turned towards Jin to find him playing with the two shapes on his own necklace. Jin propped his upper-body up slightly on his left arm, looked down at him and reached over with his right to point to the ring on Kame’s left hand.
“You always wear it…”
“Mmm.”
Jin tenderly stroked the strands of Kame’s hair on his stomach and was silent for a moment.
“Can I borrow it tomorrow?”
“eh?” Kame turned again towards Jin with a puzzled look.
“I want to borrow your ring tomorrow. Where did you get it?”
“You want…to borrow it…?” Kame wasn’t entirely sure what Jin was trying to get at. He pulled himself up off Jin’s stomach and took off his ring and looked at it. “I guess so…I mean I can’t remember when I bought it it was so long ago…” He passed it over to Jin. “What are you planning…?”
Jin flashed him a grin. “You’d find out tomorrow.”
Sure enough he found out the next day…
“Presento.” Jin dangled a key ring before his nose with a giant smirk on his face. Kame slowly took it. It looks familiar somehow. He looked up to see his ring hanging on the chain around Jin’s neck where the two shapes use to be.
“That’s…” Then he realised. Jin had swapped the pendant on his necklace for his ring. Kame smiled. “So that’s was what you were up to!”
“Like it?”
Kame hung the key ring on his bag and said. “I’ve been cheated. That ring was expensive.”
Kame fingered the two letters engraved on one side. The edges were beginning to grey with him carrying it out with his keys all the time, but the ‘AK’ remained unspoilt. He looked up and out the window and wondered what happened to the necklace.
“Kamenashi-san let’s go! We can’t be late. Head said they were quite pedantic about etiquette… you know the whole business snobbery.”
Kame looked up. “Sasaki I - ”
“C’mon! We’d be late!!” She was running around gathering together her things whilst murmuring to herself. “Dictaphone, pen, business card - where the hell is the interview questions?! Kamenashi-san have you seen - oh here! C’mon let’s go! Where is my coat?”
Kame grabbed the key ring and reluctantly got up.
Jin help him.
Brushing the snow off his jacket as they stepped into the large spacious reception of Sakura, Kame followed Sasaki to the reception.
Breathe…
He clutched the edge of his sleeve in nervousness expecting at any moment to hear a yell of anger and being seized and thrown out.
Breathe…
“Hey! Chill! You’d be fine.” Sasaki was smiling at him but at the same time unconsciously brushing a strand of hair behind her ears, placing her hand on her folder before bringing it up and brushing the strand of hair behind her ears again.
Kame nodded.
Breathe…
After receiving their guest passes the security guard gestured towards the elevators and they were ushered into the lift. The journey upwards seemed to take hours. They stopped every few floors and with every ‘ping’ of the lift Kame’s heart skipped a beat.
Breathe…
Finally at the twenty-fifth floor, they stepped out from the stuffy elevator and looked round, wondering where to go. One side led to the small office cubicles and the other the boardrooms. Kame looked at Sasaki but even she seemed to be confused as to where to go. After helplessly looking for some kind of sign, a middle-aged woman cam up to them bowing.
“You must be from snapshot! please follow me.”
Sasaki looked up at Kame and gave him a reassuring smile with a quick thumbs up before following the woman into a large board room.
Breathe…
It had a stunning view over the heart of the city. Kame looked out as they were led around the table to two seats. It had begun to snow again.
“Please wait here while I go and inform him of your arrival. He should be with you shortly. Excuse me.” The woman bowed and walked out. Sasaki was passing him bits of paper and giving him a quick briefing, but Kame couldn’t concentrate on what she was saying. He just nodded. His mind was in knots.
Breathe.
“…and I’m going to ask him to give us a quick history…”
What if he recognised him? Would he deny it? But Sasaki was going to introduce him -
“…to remember to bow low when he comes in and I think if you…”
How is he going to explain to Sasaki? Oh god Jin -
“Kamenashi-san!”
Kame blinked. “Hai…”
“I asked you something…”
“Sorry I - “
The door opened.
Kame automatically lowered his head and stood up with Sasaki and bowed without lifting his head.
Breathe.
“This is Akanishi-san. Unfortunately the President had some urgent business in London so have left Akanishi-san in charge of business here instead. He sends his apologises.”
Akanishi-san…?
“This is Sasaki-san and Kamenashi-san from snapshot! sir.”
“It’s a pleasure.”
That voice.
Kame’s head jerked up and his heart stopped.
Silence.
Sasaki was hissing at him. “Kamenashi-san!”
Silence.
“Jin…”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 1
(x-posted)
Author:
ironicdawn with credits also to
shimmeredusk
Genre: Romance, Angst
Paring: Akame
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Do not own JE. Nor the lyrics used in this fic for that matter...
Blurb...:
"Jin ignored him and tipped his head back to let the snow drop into his mouth. “Ever tasted snow from trees?”
“No.”
(* Onegaishimasu = I beg of you/please help me.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kame slammed Jin hard against the blackboard. His fist tightened around his collar. What is up with this guy? Kame eyes flashed with anger as he stared at the insolent face grinning back at him.
“Fuck. You.”
“Actually I wouldn’t mind fucking you. Some tight ass you’ve got there.”
Kame flung him aside with vehemence and stormed out of the room fuming as he felt Jin’s eyes on him. He can’t deal with this. Why can’t he just be left in peace?
“Kamenashi-san!”
Kame looked up. “Yes?” He really needs to concentrate.
His colleague came over to him grinning. “Newbie’s initiation.”
“eh?”
“You have to do the coffee run.”
Kame laughed politely. “What can I get everyone?”
His eyes scanned over the drink order before folding the paper in half and putting it away in his coat pocket. He pulled up his collar, put his hands in the pockets and walked out of the office building. It had begun to snow. Kame use to think the city snow was so dirty, even in the suburbs. The edge of his lips lifted slightly as glanced up at the passing traffic before crossing; then again he was not unknown for being a perfectionist jerk…
Kame watched Jin saunter casually a little ahead of him blabbing about nonsense as usual. The snow was falling lightly and settled on the wisps of Jin’s hair that was just sticking out here and there as if it would be far to normal to be tidy. Kame grinned to himself as he thought how from the back, Jin’s hair with the snow settling on it, now looked increasingly like an odd Christmas tree which nature is taking the pleasure in decorating.
“What you grinning at?”
Kame’s grin fell as quickly as it came, glanced at Jin who was now walking backwards before looking away. “Nothing.”
“Naughty thoughts too embarrassing to mention eh Kame-chan?”
Kame looked at him, ‘unimpressed’ written across his face. Jin only laughed as he continued walking backwards. He lifted his arms to the lower branches of the trees they were walking beneath and ran his hand through the branches causing the settled snow to scatter everywhere…including all over Kame.
“Jin. Cut that out.”
Jin ignored him and tipped his head back to let the snow drop into his mouth. “Ever tasted snow from trees?”
“No.”
Jin smirked. He slowed his steps so Kame was closer, lifted his head upwards then reached up to the branches with both his hands and gave them a shake.
“Jin I said cut -”
Without warning Kame found his body being pulled roughly against Jin’s and his words cut off by his lips. Jin’s eyes flashed a naughtiness as he ran his snow-numbed tongue across Kame’s warm one. Kame’s startled eyes looked back at Jin’s and he unwillingly whimpered and tried to pull away as he felt the coolness of the snow fill his mouth. Yet Jin wasn’t going to let Kame off that easily. His resisting only made it more fun. Jin’s left hand clutched tighter to Kame’s collar pulling him towards him whilst bringing his right hand up to the back of Kame’s head. Jin closed his eyes cheekily, ignoring Kame’s look of anger at being subjected to this in public, and began to massage his tongue against Kame’s.
He knew he’d lost. Jin was stronger than he was and he might as well just let Jin have his way and enjoy it. Kame’s arms stopped resisting and fell to his side. Jin’s lips was soft against his and the mixture of cold and warmth gave him a strange but satisfying sensation. Jin’s hand dropped to Kame’s slender waist and ran his tongue tenderly across Kame’s lips before pulling back.
“Now you have.”
Kame brushed the snow off himself before entering back into the office murmuring with a smile as he did so, “It’s still dirty Jin…”
The snow had stopped by late afternoon and Kame was trying to keep on top of his work. It’d been more challenging than he thought, but he wasn’t about to be beaten. Sipping his coffee and absent-mindedly spinning the pencil in his hand he carried on ploughing through the article before him, eyes sharp for mistakes.
Sasaki came across to him with a folder and put it on his desk. Kame looked up slightly startled from being pulled so suddenly out of his concentration.
“Did you read through the company profile? I want you to read through the interview questions to see if you can suggest anything extra. Oh and did you ring their secretary to confirm the time we’re meeting them this evening?
“Ha…no not yet. Sorry I’ll do that now.”
Sasaki grinned as she moved away. “C’mon newbie - keep up!”
Kame grinned back before turning to his article once more. He put a mark on the sentence he’d be reading and then put it aside and picked up Sakura’s company information in front of him. It was unusual that a small magazine such as snapshot! dealt with the larger businesses but apparently the Director had contact with the head of Sakura and this one seemed to be a newcomer also in Japan. They’d been a success in London so have come back to their roots to franchise.
Picking up his pencil again, he opened the folder and read the opening page.
“Sakura
President: Akanashi -”
Kame’s heart clenched as his face paled. He heard himself let off a moan as if in pain.
The blow sent his already battered body flying down the stone steps. His arm scraped along the concrete pavement to protect his head. Shaking from the cold and the pain Kame tried to pull his body up. His hair fell over his face as he tried to stand and but his knees only gave way. All he could do was look at the couple standing in the doorway through his tears.
“Onega…ga..shi..masu...”*
“I said get out of here. Don’t you ever show your face to us again.” The man was holding back his wife who was crying as hard as he was.
“Onega…”
The wife was now hysterical. “Give me back my son. Why have you taken my son!! Give him back to me!!!”
Kame dragged himself to the first step. He just wanted to see Jin one last time. Nothing could bring him back now, but he just wanted to see him one last time. That was all he wanted.
“I said get out of here!” The man gently lowered his wife to the ground. Walking firmly down the steps he roughly grabbed Kame’s arm and began to drag him without mercy away from the door. As much as he tried, Kame’s body was really too weak to resist. He tried to pry the man’s painful grip from him.
“I just want to -”
“Haven’t you caused enough trouble already! Just get out of here!”
With violence he threw Kame onto the pavement beyond the gate and slammed it with a loud bang. He paused and said over his shoulder. “If I see you again, I will kill you. Now get out!”
“Kamenashi-san? Something wrong?” Sasaki was looking down at him with a worrying frown. “You’ve paled suddenly…”
Kame jumped. “No! No! Sorry, excuse me!”
Splashing water in his face he stared at himself in the mirror telling himself to calm down in his head. Akanashi-san may not even remember him. No. Might not even recognise him should be more accurate. Of course he’d remember… it was his fault his son was no longer here…
But he can’t not go to the interview. Make an excuse that he was ill? That could work. He could jeopardise the snapshot!’s big break if he goes. But isn’t he running away again? Didn’t he come back to Tokyo to put it behind him once and for all? He splashed his face again and breathed out slowly.
“Kamenashi-san?” Kame turned. It was Tatsuya. “You okay?”
“er…yes. Sorry. I think it was the coffee.”
“The coffee…?”
Kame forced a smile. “Too much caffeine…makes you jittery.”
“Glad you’re alright. I think some fresh air and something to eat could do us all some good. We all haven’t had lunch yet making preparations for the interview this evening. We’d wait for you outside ok?”
“Eh wait - ” The toilet door slammed. Kame breathed out. “Shit.”
It seemed that fate was not giving him an option. Lunch was full of the excitement of the upcoming interview with Sakura. Tatsuya kept on talking about snapshot!’s big break and Sasaki could not stop wondering about the wedding for the deputy CEO. Kame remained silent and just decided to eat. Maybe if he kept his head down everything will be okay.
Sasaki decided to take the report off him and let him off for the afternoon and gave him a few more editing jobs instead. She said she didn’t want him looking so pale in the evening and told him to take it easy. Kame took out his keys and placed it on the table before him.
“You always wear that ring Kame…”
“Mmm…?” Kame had laid his head on Jin’s stomach and was reading. He turned towards Jin to find him playing with the two shapes on his own necklace. Jin propped his upper-body up slightly on his left arm, looked down at him and reached over with his right to point to the ring on Kame’s left hand.
“You always wear it…”
“Mmm.”
Jin tenderly stroked the strands of Kame’s hair on his stomach and was silent for a moment.
“Can I borrow it tomorrow?”
“eh?” Kame turned again towards Jin with a puzzled look.
“I want to borrow your ring tomorrow. Where did you get it?”
“You want…to borrow it…?” Kame wasn’t entirely sure what Jin was trying to get at. He pulled himself up off Jin’s stomach and took off his ring and looked at it. “I guess so…I mean I can’t remember when I bought it it was so long ago…” He passed it over to Jin. “What are you planning…?”
Jin flashed him a grin. “You’d find out tomorrow.”
Sure enough he found out the next day…
“Presento.” Jin dangled a key ring before his nose with a giant smirk on his face. Kame slowly took it. It looks familiar somehow. He looked up to see his ring hanging on the chain around Jin’s neck where the two shapes use to be.
“That’s…” Then he realised. Jin had swapped the pendant on his necklace for his ring. Kame smiled. “So that’s was what you were up to!”
“Like it?”
Kame hung the key ring on his bag and said. “I’ve been cheated. That ring was expensive.”
Kame fingered the two letters engraved on one side. The edges were beginning to grey with him carrying it out with his keys all the time, but the ‘AK’ remained unspoilt. He looked up and out the window and wondered what happened to the necklace.
“Kamenashi-san let’s go! We can’t be late. Head said they were quite pedantic about etiquette… you know the whole business snobbery.”
Kame looked up. “Sasaki I - ”
“C’mon! We’d be late!!” She was running around gathering together her things whilst murmuring to herself. “Dictaphone, pen, business card - where the hell is the interview questions?! Kamenashi-san have you seen - oh here! C’mon let’s go! Where is my coat?”
Kame grabbed the key ring and reluctantly got up.
Jin help him.
Brushing the snow off his jacket as they stepped into the large spacious reception of Sakura, Kame followed Sasaki to the reception.
Breathe…
He clutched the edge of his sleeve in nervousness expecting at any moment to hear a yell of anger and being seized and thrown out.
Breathe…
“Hey! Chill! You’d be fine.” Sasaki was smiling at him but at the same time unconsciously brushing a strand of hair behind her ears, placing her hand on her folder before bringing it up and brushing the strand of hair behind her ears again.
Kame nodded.
Breathe…
After receiving their guest passes the security guard gestured towards the elevators and they were ushered into the lift. The journey upwards seemed to take hours. They stopped every few floors and with every ‘ping’ of the lift Kame’s heart skipped a beat.
Breathe…
Finally at the twenty-fifth floor, they stepped out from the stuffy elevator and looked round, wondering where to go. One side led to the small office cubicles and the other the boardrooms. Kame looked at Sasaki but even she seemed to be confused as to where to go. After helplessly looking for some kind of sign, a middle-aged woman cam up to them bowing.
“You must be from snapshot! please follow me.”
Sasaki looked up at Kame and gave him a reassuring smile with a quick thumbs up before following the woman into a large board room.
Breathe…
It had a stunning view over the heart of the city. Kame looked out as they were led around the table to two seats. It had begun to snow again.
“Please wait here while I go and inform him of your arrival. He should be with you shortly. Excuse me.” The woman bowed and walked out. Sasaki was passing him bits of paper and giving him a quick briefing, but Kame couldn’t concentrate on what she was saying. He just nodded. His mind was in knots.
Breathe.
“…and I’m going to ask him to give us a quick history…”
What if he recognised him? Would he deny it? But Sasaki was going to introduce him -
“…to remember to bow low when he comes in and I think if you…”
How is he going to explain to Sasaki? Oh god Jin -
“Kamenashi-san!”
Kame blinked. “Hai…”
“I asked you something…”
“Sorry I - “
The door opened.
Kame automatically lowered his head and stood up with Sasaki and bowed without lifting his head.
Breathe.
“This is Akanishi-san. Unfortunately the President had some urgent business in London so have left Akanishi-san in charge of business here instead. He sends his apologises.”
Akanishi-san…?
“This is Sasaki-san and Kamenashi-san from snapshot! sir.”
“It’s a pleasure.”
That voice.
Kame’s head jerked up and his heart stopped.
Silence.
Sasaki was hissing at him. “Kamenashi-san!”
Silence.
“Jin…”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 1
(x-posted)