Here and There
TITLE: Here and There
RATING: PG-13
SUMMARY: Ryo goes back to the crappy bar to find Shige and ends up learning something.
NOTE: Whore!verse Part II, follows after Late Nights in Nameless Suburbs.
Nishikido smiled, raised his beer towards the doorway, where Katou stood in shock, “Welcome back, old friend.”
Katou sputtered, obviously unable to gather his thoughts and turned towards the bartender, who just shrugged. Katou regarded Nishikido for a minute before slowly making his way to the bar, but sat down a few seats away from Nishikido. The bartender placed the scotch in front of Katou.
Nishikido laughed, “What? Are you afraid of me?”
Katou took a small sip from his drink, “What are you doing here?”
“It’s a free country. I can drink where ever I please. Besides, you should know why I’m here.”
The drunk in the booth laughed loudly, but didn’t say anything.
“Do you remember what I said last time? If you mock me too much, I’m going to start charging you for it.”
Nishikido smiled and moved to the seat next to Katou that was closest, “I seem to recall that. But, I also recall,” and here Nishikido lowered his voice, “paying you more than enough for a few indulgences now.”
Katou blushed and drank more.
“You’re a really weird guy, but you know that. You better not have spent my hard earned money on drugs.”
Katou glared into his drink, but not at Nishikido, “Once you gave it to me, it was my hard earned money. It’s none of your business what I did with it.”
In one swift movement, Nishikido put his drink down and grabbed Katou’s arm. Pushing his shirt sleeve up as far as it would go, he turned Katou’s arm over in his hands before letting it go.
“Hmph. A snorter.” Nishikido made a face, “How classy.”
Katou’s face was red, but it wasn’t obvious if it was from embarrassment or anger, “I don’t do drugs!”
Nishikido reached over and slinging an arm over Katou’s shoulders, smirking, “Then prove it.”
Katou was taken aback at that and didn’t say anything. Not letting go of Katou, Nishikido reached into his pocket and put some money on the bar - enough to pay for both their drinks. He got off his barstool and borderline shoved Katou off his. Nishikido headed for the door, dragging Katou along behind him. But once outside the bar, Nishikido let go and turned towards Katou, looking irritated.
“Which way?”
“Which way to…?” Katou replied quietly.
“Your place, idiot!”
Katou stiffened, “I don’t… I don’t take clients home.”
Nishikido set his eyes on Katou and glared, “You’re certainly getting ahead of yourself. I’m checking to make sure you’re not some kind of druggie. If I wanted a blowjob, my car’s in the alley. Or better yet, there’s a bathroom in the bar.”
Katou winced at the mention of the bathroom, but dejectedly turned and started walking. His apartment complex wasn’t far from the bar - only a few blocks. There were weeds poking up through the sidewalk and the building looked like it was near being condemned.
Nishikido stopped, “You live here?”
Katou didn’t look back and didn’t stop walking, “I’m sorry that we all can’t drive Mercedes-Benz’s and live in Shinjuku condominiums.”
Nishikido followed Katou, but was expecting at any minute for some hooligans to jump out from the shadows and mug him. Katou took the stairs up to the second floor and went to the apartment on the very far left of the building.
“I don’t have people over usually, so it’s a little messy.”
Katou opened the door and entered, Nishikido stood in the doorway, staring into the apartment in disbelief. The door opened straight into the kitchen, but to use anything, you had to stand in the genkan. It opened up into a small room where Nishikido could see a futon laid out and a small door, which he guessed led into the bathroom.
“Are you coming in or not?”
Slowly, Nishikido stepped into the genkan and closed the door, “Are you sure we’ll both be able to fit?”
Katou glared, but turned to the stove, “Go sit down. I’ll make some tea.”
Nishikido slipped past Katou, but didn’t go all the way into the living room/bedroom. He stopped and looked a few pictures Katou had up on a corkboard - one of an older couple (probably his parents), some postcards sent from Okinawa and several pictures of Katou with a stupid-looking blonde guy.
Nishikido could hear the water boiling as Katou stepped into his line of vision, “Do you still think I’m a druggie.”
Nishikido sighed, “I’ll have to concede that point to you. You’re obviously not a druggie. There’s no room in here for any drug paraphernalia, nor there room to hide anything. You’re as squeaky clean as a poor male whore can be. I thought you’d have a better place than this.”
Katou turned back towards the kitchen and quietly said, “I’m trying to save money.”
That grabbed Nishikido attention and he followed Katou (as much as he could) into the kitchen. He stepped up close behind Katou and placed his hands on Katou’s hips, just barely under his shirt.
Nishikido leaned in close and whispered, “Such a bust. You’re no fun… I guess we’ll have to find something else to do to pass the time.”
Katou frantically pulled the kettle off the stove and turned off the burner, “What are you talking about?! Drink your tea and get the hell out of my apartment! What’s wrong with you? Who are you that you think you can do whatever you want with whoever you want?!”
If Nishikido was surprised by Katou’s outburst, he didn’t let it show. Once he knew Katou had let go of the kettle, he pulled the younger man away from the stove, stepped away until he felt his back hit the wall, and then sank to the floor, pulling Katou down with him. Nishikido became more outgoing with his hands, now completely under Katou’s shirt, pinching and rubbing at his chest and occasionally traveling down to his belt and ghosting over his crotch. Nishikido licked and nibbled at Katou’s neck and jawline, trying to drive some sort of noise out of the other, who was clearly trying to resist such a thing.
“Who am I, indeed?” Nishikido whispered, “Do you really think a client would be stupid enough to use their real name with a whore? That would open a man up to endless blackmail. I don’t think so. But I supposed it would be handy to have something you could call me by…How about ‘Haruto’? Yeah, that sounds good. And what should I call you? Skid Row?”
Nishikido felt Katou tremble before replying, “You can call me whatever you want. It… It doesn’t matter. That’s part of what you pay for…”
Nishikido bit at Katou’s ear, but he still didn’t let out any noise, “If I can call you whatever I want, then,” Nishikido pulled Katou in closer, perhaps too close for actual comfort and for Nishikido’s hands to keep teasing, “I’ll call you ‘Katou’.”
Katou immediately stiffened and gasped, “How…?”
“I’m not stupid. I overheard the bartender two weeks ago. Such a common name. I’d been expecting something extra-ordinary out of you.”
“Please,” Katou said shakily, “please let go of me. Please get out.”
“Give me one good reason, Katou. Why should I leave?”
Suddenly, Katou’s body heaved, and he made a sobbing noise, “You bully me around, continually mock me, grope at me in my apartment while calling me by my name like this is easy! Like it doesn’t upset me in the slightest! If I was on drugs, this would be so easy! But I’m not!” Katou made another sobbing noise and tried to pull himself out of Nishikido’s grasp, “So please, please let me go and get out. I’m begging you to leave me alone.”
Nishikido certainly hadn’t expected this. He’d been prepared for some half-assed fight from Katou, some mocking and sarcastic remarks from both sides, but this. Katou trying not to cry (and failing at it), and pleading for him to get out. His arms loosened their grip and retreated from under Katou’s shirt, moving to Katou’s arms, attempting to sooth him by rubbing up and down. Even though it would have been easy, Katou didn’t move. He quietly cried, one hand fisted in his shirt, the other in the fabric of Nishikido’s jeans.
“Hey, hey,” Nishikido whispered, one hand moving to pet Katou’s hair, “Shh, it’s okay. Sorry, that was my bad. Sorry.”
Katou kept crying.
“Will you tell me? Why you do this but aren’t addicted to drugs and don’t have a debt to pay off?”
Katou didn’t say anything right away, and Nishikido wondered if he’d even been heard, until, “I don’t want to be a burden to my parents. Schooling is expensive.”
“It’s called a part-time job. Like, in a convenience store or a café.”
“They don’t,” Katou sobbed a little again, “They don’t pay enough.”
After that, neither of them said anything. Nishikido kept rubbing up and down Katou’s arm and petting his head, and eventually he stopped crying, only occasionally sniffling. Nishikido stood up and helped Katou, who didn’t seem to have to will to do it on his own. He led Katou over to the futon and let him go in favor of grabbing a box of tissues off a small table, which had a heavy-looking stack of textbooks on it. When he turned back, Katou was sitting on the futon, staring quite intently at the faded pattern on the comforter. Nishikido sat down across from Katou on the floor and handed him a tissue. Katou took it, dabbed at this eyes and nose and then threw the tissue in a corner when he was done with it. Nishikido was about to scold him for such a thing, but Katou laid down on the futon, on top of the covers and closed his eyes. After a moment, Katou scooted over, making just enough room for another person to fit. Nishikido laughed quietly, for just a second, before pulling out his cell phone and sending a few people messages.
-- -- --
Nishikido woke up and nearly screamed, until he realized that he hadn’t been kidnapped - he’d ended up staying the night in Katou’s crappy apartment. He was half on the futon, half on the floor, but the comforter was covering him completely. He sat up and flipped open his phone to check for messages.
Katou looked over from the kitchen, “Oh, good morning. Did you sleep okay?”
Nishikido ignored the greeting and the question, and kept reading his messages. Katou frowned and continued cooking.
Finally, Nishikido responded, “How much would you need to be paid at a part-time job to be able to quit what you do?”
Katou stiffened and the spatula in his hand, “Why?”
“Answer the damn question.”
“… Probably around 150,000 yen. Why?”
Nishikido stood up and walked over to Katou, showing him a text message, smirking the whole time, “I found you a job, crybaby.
SENT 7:48AM
FROM NAKAGAWA S.
I’m surprised that you remembered I needed an assistant!
If he’s your friend, than I’m sure he’s a good fellow.
As a base, I’d be willing to pay him 155,000 yen a month, but he’s good at it, I might be tempted to up his pay.
“He’s a photographer. A messy one. All you really have to do is keep is shit organized and remind him of appointments and shoots.”
Katou stared at the phone, expecting it to be some sort of great joke, “Why.. would you…?”
“You’re a university student, but you’re a grand idiot. Some one needs to look after you, and obviously I’m the best person to do that. He’s an acquaintance of mine, so I’ll be able to keep an eye on you. And do something about the eggs. They’re going to burn.”
Katou snapped back to reality and quickly slid the eggs out of the pans, “I don’t understand you at all.”
“I’m a magnanimous, kind sort of person. I’m sure you’ve noticed before now.”
Katou laughed and handed Nishikido a bowl of rice and a pair of mix-matched chopsticks, “In a mean kind of way, I guess you are.”
-- -- -- 2 weeks later
Nishikido was riding in the back of a van, trying to sleep, but his band mates seemed determined not to let that happen.
“Ryo-chan! Who’s better- the White Power Ranger or the Black Power Ranger!”
Shibutani yelled from the front seat, “Black’s the best!”
Yokoyama turned towards the front and yelled back, “We’re not talking about you, idiot!”
Nishikido ignored them and kept his eyes closed until they arrived at the park for their photo shoot. When they got out, every one went over to make-up and their manager went over the plan for the shoot and told them the scheduled photographer had an emergency and a different one would be arriving soon. As Nishikido was leaving the tent with the make-up artists and stylists, he saw a little green sedan pull up and a young man jump out of the passenger seat, rushing to the trunk to start pulling equipment out. Nishikido couldn’t help but laugh.
Once the shoot was done, Nishikido pulled Nakagawa aside and asked him how his new assistant was doing.
“Quite well! He’s a very dedicated young man!” The photographer replied, “I’d consider taking him on as an apprentice, if only he could figure out how to focus the viewfinder.”
end
RATING: PG-13
SUMMARY: Ryo goes back to the crappy bar to find Shige and ends up learning something.
NOTE: Whore!verse Part II, follows after Late Nights in Nameless Suburbs.
Nishikido smiled, raised his beer towards the doorway, where Katou stood in shock, “Welcome back, old friend.”
Katou sputtered, obviously unable to gather his thoughts and turned towards the bartender, who just shrugged. Katou regarded Nishikido for a minute before slowly making his way to the bar, but sat down a few seats away from Nishikido. The bartender placed the scotch in front of Katou.
Nishikido laughed, “What? Are you afraid of me?”
Katou took a small sip from his drink, “What are you doing here?”
“It’s a free country. I can drink where ever I please. Besides, you should know why I’m here.”
The drunk in the booth laughed loudly, but didn’t say anything.
“Do you remember what I said last time? If you mock me too much, I’m going to start charging you for it.”
Nishikido smiled and moved to the seat next to Katou that was closest, “I seem to recall that. But, I also recall,” and here Nishikido lowered his voice, “paying you more than enough for a few indulgences now.”
Katou blushed and drank more.
“You’re a really weird guy, but you know that. You better not have spent my hard earned money on drugs.”
Katou glared into his drink, but not at Nishikido, “Once you gave it to me, it was my hard earned money. It’s none of your business what I did with it.”
In one swift movement, Nishikido put his drink down and grabbed Katou’s arm. Pushing his shirt sleeve up as far as it would go, he turned Katou’s arm over in his hands before letting it go.
“Hmph. A snorter.” Nishikido made a face, “How classy.”
Katou’s face was red, but it wasn’t obvious if it was from embarrassment or anger, “I don’t do drugs!”
Nishikido reached over and slinging an arm over Katou’s shoulders, smirking, “Then prove it.”
Katou was taken aback at that and didn’t say anything. Not letting go of Katou, Nishikido reached into his pocket and put some money on the bar - enough to pay for both their drinks. He got off his barstool and borderline shoved Katou off his. Nishikido headed for the door, dragging Katou along behind him. But once outside the bar, Nishikido let go and turned towards Katou, looking irritated.
“Which way?”
“Which way to…?” Katou replied quietly.
“Your place, idiot!”
Katou stiffened, “I don’t… I don’t take clients home.”
Nishikido set his eyes on Katou and glared, “You’re certainly getting ahead of yourself. I’m checking to make sure you’re not some kind of druggie. If I wanted a blowjob, my car’s in the alley. Or better yet, there’s a bathroom in the bar.”
Katou winced at the mention of the bathroom, but dejectedly turned and started walking. His apartment complex wasn’t far from the bar - only a few blocks. There were weeds poking up through the sidewalk and the building looked like it was near being condemned.
Nishikido stopped, “You live here?”
Katou didn’t look back and didn’t stop walking, “I’m sorry that we all can’t drive Mercedes-Benz’s and live in Shinjuku condominiums.”
Nishikido followed Katou, but was expecting at any minute for some hooligans to jump out from the shadows and mug him. Katou took the stairs up to the second floor and went to the apartment on the very far left of the building.
“I don’t have people over usually, so it’s a little messy.”
Katou opened the door and entered, Nishikido stood in the doorway, staring into the apartment in disbelief. The door opened straight into the kitchen, but to use anything, you had to stand in the genkan. It opened up into a small room where Nishikido could see a futon laid out and a small door, which he guessed led into the bathroom.
“Are you coming in or not?”
Slowly, Nishikido stepped into the genkan and closed the door, “Are you sure we’ll both be able to fit?”
Katou glared, but turned to the stove, “Go sit down. I’ll make some tea.”
Nishikido slipped past Katou, but didn’t go all the way into the living room/bedroom. He stopped and looked a few pictures Katou had up on a corkboard - one of an older couple (probably his parents), some postcards sent from Okinawa and several pictures of Katou with a stupid-looking blonde guy.
Nishikido could hear the water boiling as Katou stepped into his line of vision, “Do you still think I’m a druggie.”
Nishikido sighed, “I’ll have to concede that point to you. You’re obviously not a druggie. There’s no room in here for any drug paraphernalia, nor there room to hide anything. You’re as squeaky clean as a poor male whore can be. I thought you’d have a better place than this.”
Katou turned back towards the kitchen and quietly said, “I’m trying to save money.”
That grabbed Nishikido attention and he followed Katou (as much as he could) into the kitchen. He stepped up close behind Katou and placed his hands on Katou’s hips, just barely under his shirt.
Nishikido leaned in close and whispered, “Such a bust. You’re no fun… I guess we’ll have to find something else to do to pass the time.”
Katou frantically pulled the kettle off the stove and turned off the burner, “What are you talking about?! Drink your tea and get the hell out of my apartment! What’s wrong with you? Who are you that you think you can do whatever you want with whoever you want?!”
If Nishikido was surprised by Katou’s outburst, he didn’t let it show. Once he knew Katou had let go of the kettle, he pulled the younger man away from the stove, stepped away until he felt his back hit the wall, and then sank to the floor, pulling Katou down with him. Nishikido became more outgoing with his hands, now completely under Katou’s shirt, pinching and rubbing at his chest and occasionally traveling down to his belt and ghosting over his crotch. Nishikido licked and nibbled at Katou’s neck and jawline, trying to drive some sort of noise out of the other, who was clearly trying to resist such a thing.
“Who am I, indeed?” Nishikido whispered, “Do you really think a client would be stupid enough to use their real name with a whore? That would open a man up to endless blackmail. I don’t think so. But I supposed it would be handy to have something you could call me by…How about ‘Haruto’? Yeah, that sounds good. And what should I call you? Skid Row?”
Nishikido felt Katou tremble before replying, “You can call me whatever you want. It… It doesn’t matter. That’s part of what you pay for…”
Nishikido bit at Katou’s ear, but he still didn’t let out any noise, “If I can call you whatever I want, then,” Nishikido pulled Katou in closer, perhaps too close for actual comfort and for Nishikido’s hands to keep teasing, “I’ll call you ‘Katou’.”
Katou immediately stiffened and gasped, “How…?”
“I’m not stupid. I overheard the bartender two weeks ago. Such a common name. I’d been expecting something extra-ordinary out of you.”
“Please,” Katou said shakily, “please let go of me. Please get out.”
“Give me one good reason, Katou. Why should I leave?”
Suddenly, Katou’s body heaved, and he made a sobbing noise, “You bully me around, continually mock me, grope at me in my apartment while calling me by my name like this is easy! Like it doesn’t upset me in the slightest! If I was on drugs, this would be so easy! But I’m not!” Katou made another sobbing noise and tried to pull himself out of Nishikido’s grasp, “So please, please let me go and get out. I’m begging you to leave me alone.”
Nishikido certainly hadn’t expected this. He’d been prepared for some half-assed fight from Katou, some mocking and sarcastic remarks from both sides, but this. Katou trying not to cry (and failing at it), and pleading for him to get out. His arms loosened their grip and retreated from under Katou’s shirt, moving to Katou’s arms, attempting to sooth him by rubbing up and down. Even though it would have been easy, Katou didn’t move. He quietly cried, one hand fisted in his shirt, the other in the fabric of Nishikido’s jeans.
“Hey, hey,” Nishikido whispered, one hand moving to pet Katou’s hair, “Shh, it’s okay. Sorry, that was my bad. Sorry.”
Katou kept crying.
“Will you tell me? Why you do this but aren’t addicted to drugs and don’t have a debt to pay off?”
Katou didn’t say anything right away, and Nishikido wondered if he’d even been heard, until, “I don’t want to be a burden to my parents. Schooling is expensive.”
“It’s called a part-time job. Like, in a convenience store or a café.”
“They don’t,” Katou sobbed a little again, “They don’t pay enough.”
After that, neither of them said anything. Nishikido kept rubbing up and down Katou’s arm and petting his head, and eventually he stopped crying, only occasionally sniffling. Nishikido stood up and helped Katou, who didn’t seem to have to will to do it on his own. He led Katou over to the futon and let him go in favor of grabbing a box of tissues off a small table, which had a heavy-looking stack of textbooks on it. When he turned back, Katou was sitting on the futon, staring quite intently at the faded pattern on the comforter. Nishikido sat down across from Katou on the floor and handed him a tissue. Katou took it, dabbed at this eyes and nose and then threw the tissue in a corner when he was done with it. Nishikido was about to scold him for such a thing, but Katou laid down on the futon, on top of the covers and closed his eyes. After a moment, Katou scooted over, making just enough room for another person to fit. Nishikido laughed quietly, for just a second, before pulling out his cell phone and sending a few people messages.
-- -- --
Nishikido woke up and nearly screamed, until he realized that he hadn’t been kidnapped - he’d ended up staying the night in Katou’s crappy apartment. He was half on the futon, half on the floor, but the comforter was covering him completely. He sat up and flipped open his phone to check for messages.
Katou looked over from the kitchen, “Oh, good morning. Did you sleep okay?”
Nishikido ignored the greeting and the question, and kept reading his messages. Katou frowned and continued cooking.
Finally, Nishikido responded, “How much would you need to be paid at a part-time job to be able to quit what you do?”
Katou stiffened and the spatula in his hand, “Why?”
“Answer the damn question.”
“… Probably around 150,000 yen. Why?”
Nishikido stood up and walked over to Katou, showing him a text message, smirking the whole time, “I found you a job, crybaby.
SENT 7:48AM
FROM NAKAGAWA S.
I’m surprised that you remembered I needed an assistant!
If he’s your friend, than I’m sure he’s a good fellow.
As a base, I’d be willing to pay him 155,000 yen a month, but he’s good at it, I might be tempted to up his pay.
“He’s a photographer. A messy one. All you really have to do is keep is shit organized and remind him of appointments and shoots.”
Katou stared at the phone, expecting it to be some sort of great joke, “Why.. would you…?”
“You’re a university student, but you’re a grand idiot. Some one needs to look after you, and obviously I’m the best person to do that. He’s an acquaintance of mine, so I’ll be able to keep an eye on you. And do something about the eggs. They’re going to burn.”
Katou snapped back to reality and quickly slid the eggs out of the pans, “I don’t understand you at all.”
“I’m a magnanimous, kind sort of person. I’m sure you’ve noticed before now.”
Katou laughed and handed Nishikido a bowl of rice and a pair of mix-matched chopsticks, “In a mean kind of way, I guess you are.”
-- -- -- 2 weeks later
Nishikido was riding in the back of a van, trying to sleep, but his band mates seemed determined not to let that happen.
“Ryo-chan! Who’s better- the White Power Ranger or the Black Power Ranger!”
Shibutani yelled from the front seat, “Black’s the best!”
Yokoyama turned towards the front and yelled back, “We’re not talking about you, idiot!”
Nishikido ignored them and kept his eyes closed until they arrived at the park for their photo shoot. When they got out, every one went over to make-up and their manager went over the plan for the shoot and told them the scheduled photographer had an emergency and a different one would be arriving soon. As Nishikido was leaving the tent with the make-up artists and stylists, he saw a little green sedan pull up and a young man jump out of the passenger seat, rushing to the trunk to start pulling equipment out. Nishikido couldn’t help but laugh.
Once the shoot was done, Nishikido pulled Nakagawa aside and asked him how his new assistant was doing.
“Quite well! He’s a very dedicated young man!” The photographer replied, “I’d consider taking him on as an apprentice, if only he could figure out how to focus the viewfinder.”
end