New Beginnings

Several weeks passed by in a blur. Classes were ending for the summer at the local colleges, business was picking up at the bar. Nearly every other night Hakuei and Kirito, Bou, Tsukasa and any number of other friends hung out, shooting pool at the bar or just goofing off at Kirito's apartment. Toshiya was off for a week, visiting family a few districts over, leaving Hide to find new and interesting ways to keep his mischevious mind preocupied, much to Bou and Kirito's horror. They all prayed Tochi would return soon.

"Hey," Kirito called across the nearly bar, "are you coming over tonight?" It was nearly 3:30am, just after closing.

Hakuei flipped the last chair upside-down and set it on the table. "Sure, but I'm just about beat. I may not stay too long."

"That's ok. Tsukasa's going to rent a movie from that 24hour joint down the street." Kirito plopped down on a barstool. "Anything you've been wanting to watch lately?"

The taller man took a seat beside him, heaving a tired sigh. "Not really. Just tell him nothing I have to concentrate too hard on, ok?"

"Sure." Kirito said with a grin and streached weary limbs."Do you like horror movies? If given the chance, most times Tsukasa will choose one of those, unless someone objects."

"Heh, believe it or not, those actually scare me a little." Hakuei grinned sheepishly. "I mean, I love them, but just don't be too surprised if I jump a little."

Kirito laughed and stood. "Do you want me to wait for you?"

"No, it's ok. I'm going to do a quick run with the vacuum, then head over."

He nodded and grabbed his keys from behind the counter. With a final wave, he left. Hakuei sighed wearily and dragged the ancient, heavy vacuum out of the cubby hole in the wall. He quickly ran it under a few tables, around the pool tables and jukebox, before packing it up. As he was wrestling with the cumbersome contraption, there was a knock on the door.

"Sorry," he called over his shoulder, grunting as he shoved the vacuum back into the closet, "we're closed!"

But the knocking continued. With a sigh, he grabbed his jacket and keys and threw open the door.

"We're clo-"

Tsukasa grinned at him and held up a thin, rectangular box. "I got the movie already and Kirito told me you might still be here. Want some company?"

Hakuei chuckled and joined his friend outside, locking the door behind him. "You goof, I thought you were some stupid customer I was going to have to shut up."

They walked side-by-side down the dark street, only the dim moonlight and sporadic lamposts lighting their way. Conversation was sparse, but the silance that followed was a comfortable one, and soon enough they were coming apon that familar two-story house around the block. Hakuei hopped up onto the steps behind Tsukasa, taking them two at a time, when his foot caught on a loose board and he slipped, arms flailing.

Strong arms caught his arms just mere inches before his face hit the unrelenting wooden stairs. Hakuei looked up, blushing at the concerned face peering down at him. "Seems like I've forgotten how to walk tonight." Tsukasa helped him upright and pushed him past him to climb the steps infront of the shorter man.

"You first, clutz." he teased, but Hakuei was well aware of the hand lingering on the small of his back as they made their way to the second floor without further incident.

Inside, Kirito was already curled up in his big mushroom chair infront of the TV, a paperback in his hands. He looked up, greeting them as Bou turned out the lights and climbed into the massive chair with his lover, a big bowel of popcorn in his lap. Hakuei took the movie from Tsukasa as the younger man sat down on the couch. Hakuei crouched down to the DVD player sitting beside the TV, inserted the disc, then scooted back, settling down on the floor infront of the other man.

"What did you rent?" Bou asked between handfuls of popcorn.

"An old collection of short horror films I've been eyeing for a few days." Tsukasa replied, then reached forward and patted Hakuei playfully on his head. The other man turned, a questioning grin on his face.

"I'm not taking up that much space on the couch." Tsukasa said as the opening credits began to roll across the screen.

Hakuei yawned and shook his head. "Today's been a long day, and hopefully with the hard floor under my butt, I'll be able to stay away through the whole movie." After a moment, however, he did lean back, resting his head and back against the couch between the other man's knees.

The movie started off with a bang, the first tale being a real treat. At one point, Bou squeeled, popcorn flying, face burried in Kirito's shoulder. Hakuei could not help flinching slightly himself. A few moemnts later, he jumped again, this time a bit more noticable, heart racing in his chest. He felt fingers brush against his head, caloused fingertips running through his thick brown hair, gently brushing his neck. Over and over, those soothing strokes calmed him, and soon his eyes began to flutter closed, the days hectic events catching up whith him. Before the second film was halfway through, he was fast asleep.


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A gentle shake of his shoulder and Hakuei's eyes shot open. The lights were still off, but the movie had stopped, showing only a bright blue screen. His chin felt hot and numb were it had been resting against someone's knee. He looked up and Tsukasa smiled down at him.

"It's time to go home," he said softly, "unless you want to crash here. I'm sure no one will mind."

"Mo, thats ok." Hakuei rubbed his eyes and sat up, streching cramped arms and legs. "Sorry," he murmered.

"Don't worry about it." Tsukasa waved a hand at the other two men in the room, "You weren't the only tired one." Bou sat curled up in Kirito's lap, head nestled under the taller man's chin, one arms wrapped around his waist. Neither looked like they would wake anytime soon.

"Do you want me to walk you home?" Tsukasa whispered as the collected their jackets and shoes by the door. "I might as well return the movie, and it's on the way."

Hakuei tried to cover a yawn with one hand. "Sure."

They trouped down the stairs, carefully, the chilly night air helping to wake them up. They turned right at the street corner and headed towards the bar in silance. After a few moments, Hakuei rubbed the back of his neck.

"You have sharp nails."

Tsukasa chuckled. "I'm sorry. I didn't scatch you, did I?"

"No," Hakuei grinned. "I just had never noticed how long your nails are sometimes." He grabbed one of the shorter man's hands, examining the well cared for digits in the dim light. After a moment, Tsukasa looked up at him, an amused smile on his face, and Hakuei let his hand drop, looking away quickly. They walked the rest of the way in silence, the older man's hands shoved deep in his pockets until they reached the bar.

Hakuei paused at the door. "Do you want to come up for a minute?" he asked, his tone light. "Have a drink? I'm afraid I'm wide awake, and a beer sounds really good now."

Tsukasa seemed to regard him thoughtfully, then nodded. He followed the other man inside, through the bar and up the stairs to the apartment above.

"Have you ever been up here?" Hakuei asked over his shoulder.

"Yeah. Your father has kind of taken place our our families over the years. He sort of adopted a few of us like his own." He watched the other man's body language carefully, "We used to hang out here sometimes."

Hakuei nodded and opened a door to their left. "This is my room. We can hang out in here a bit, so we don't wake up my father. I'll go get the beers."

Tsukasa watched as he left, then looked around the room that seemed to already be takeing on the personality of its new occupant. Hakuei's belongsings from the States had started arriving, and it was finally starting to look more like a real home. Several band posters were tacked up on the walls and a dresser had been pushed up against one wall. There was, however, nowhere to sit other than the floor, so he opted for the futon.

Hakuei returned a minute later, chilled bottles in hand, and closed the door behind him.

"He's generally a very heavy sleeper," he said, handing one bottle to the other man, "and his room is on the other end of the building, but just incase..."

Tsukasa nodded and took a sip. "I don't think I ever asked you why you decided to move to Japan all of the sudden." He cocked his head to one side. "Or was it something you've been planning?"

Hakuei sighed and sat down on the bed, drawing one knee up as he turned to face the other man.

"My mother remarried about a year ago," he said, taking a long swig of his beer. "Though of mostly asian decent, Mom was still part European, and had never really felt comfortable around other japanese people. So she found some white guy in California, and decided she was in love again." he looked away. "Right away.. he and I didn't get along. I was happy for my mother, really I was, but... he was too much, too dominate, too..." he shrugged. "When things finally got to the breaking point, I told them I was leaving. " He looked down at his hands, his voice barely above a whisper. "I hated leaving my mother with that guy, someone I learned to hate so much, but she just wouldn't see what was right infront of her. I.. I couldn't take it any more."

Tsukasa placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Then, a few days before I was to move out, my mother was involved in a huge car wreck on the highway." he blinked his eyes rapidly. "She was killed, along with half a dozen other. She was running an errend.. for me..."

He sniffed loudly and looked across the room, face flushed. "Of course, my step-father blamed me and threw me out of the house. My father has been for years trying to get me to come stay here with him, so... here I am." Fat, hot tears slowly rolled from his carmel eyes, leaving shiny trails down his cheeks.

A hand reached around and turned his face. Tsukasa looked into his yes, searching, face concerned but a hard edge to it. "You are not to blame." He said softly but firmly. "It was an unfortunate accident, nothing more."

Hakuei stared back into those unwavering eyes, then lifted one hand, hesitantly brushing across Tsukasa's cheek, stopping when he reached thick, black hair curling over his shoulder. Slowly, he leaned forward, his lips brushing against the other man's.

Tsukasa sat very still, leaning only slightly into the soft kiss, until Hakuei leaned back, breaking their contact. Neither one said a word, just sat there, looking into each other's eyes. After a moment, Tsukasa took the nearly full bottle from Hakuei's hand and set both their drinks on the floor. Hakuei moved closer to him, hands trailing lightly over Tsukasa's arms. He leaned forward and placed soft, gentle kisses around the other man's jaw, then traveled down his neck.

"Is this," Tsukasa whispered against his neck, "one of the reasons your step-father disliked you so much?"

Hakuei nodded and worked his way back up to Tsukasa's face. He kissed him again, this time bolder, his tongue gaining entrance and massaging the other's. He felt Tsukasa's hands tug at his jacket, pushing it off his shoulders, then work their way up his loose shirt, tracing the hard muscles underneath. He pulled back for a second, allowing the shirt to go over his head, then quickly returned the favor. His hands traveled over Tsukasa's lean torso, followed by his lips, kissing, carressing, lower and lower, until he reached his hips. He slowly curled his fingers over the waist of his sweatpants, feeling the skin quiver slightly under his touch. He looked up, eyes searching for any sign for him to stop.

A flurry of emotions ran across Tsukasa's face in a split second, but after a moment he raised up on his knees and wrapped his fingers around Hakuei's, forcing the man to push his pants and boxers down past his hips. He leaned forward and kissed him deeply, pulling the other man on top of him.

Hakuei crawled over Tsukasa's body, kissing his full lips, then jaw, neck, trailing down his body. Hakuei pulled the younger man's pants all the way off, droping them over the edge of the bed, then law on top of him, his still fully clothed lower half enticingly rough on the other man's sensitive skin.

Hands moving faster, Tsukasa worked on Hakuei's belt, then buttons and zipper. Pushing them down, he ran his hands boldly down the other man's firm ass and thighs, nails lightly scratching the tanned skin. Hakuei moaned soflty into his mouth, then leaned on his side, kicking off the useless clothing. He paused, looking down at the man underneath him, cheeks flushed red. His hands slowly traveled over Tsukasa's smooth, pale skin, moving over his thighs, over his hips and chest. Tsukasa smiled and pulled him down, raising his knees.

"Do you have anything..," he sucked in his breath as Hakuei licked a long line up his chest.

With a grin, the other man reached under the bed, hand fishing in a small bag underneath. A moment later, he brought out 2 small objects. Tsukasa nodded and lifted his hips, hands caressing the other man's thighs. Hakuei spread a generous amount of liquid from the small bottle onto his fingers, then reached between Tsukasa's legs. As one finger worked it's way past his tight ring of muscle, the other hand began to slowly stroke the Tsukasa's hardening erection.

Tsukasa groaned as Hakuei inserted another finger, slowly stretching him and stroking him, the dual sensations exilerating. He closed his eyes tight as a third finger joined the others, jaw clenched, trying not to show discomfort.

"Are you ok?" Hakuei asked softly.

Tsukasa smiled just slightly and nodded his head. Hakuei gave him a final squeeze, then sat back on his heels. He ripped open th silver packet beside them and rolled on the latex sheeth, coating himself with more lubricant, pausing as the other man tensed under him, a strange, almost frightened look on his face, Tsukasa's breath suddenly coming in sharp, labored gasps.

"Are you sure?" Hakuei asked, worried that they'd gone too far. But the other man relaxed slightly and nodded again, closing his eyes and drawing his legs up around the other man. Hakuei bent down, kissing him deeply, positioning himself just so. Slowly, he pushed forward, entering him, and Tsukasa tensed, nails digging into Hakuei's arms.

"Relax." Hakuei murmered in his ear and shifted his weight on one arm, grabbing ahold of Tsukasa's painfully hard cock with the other. "Just trust me."

Tsukasa took a deep breath, forcing his mind to focus on the hand stroking him and Hakuei moved deeper until he was fully inside him. Slowly, his body got used to the intrusion, and he lifted his hands, moving them up and down Hakuei's sides, urging him on. He moaned as Hakuei stroked him harder as his thrusts matched the pace. His mind began to swirl at the sensations inside him, his belly contracting as his hips rolled with the other man.

Hakuei leaned down and kissed him, placing butterfly kisses down his long neck and collarbone, moving faster inside him, angling his thrusts until Tsukasa's face gave in to the pleasure, eyes widening, breath forced out of his lungs in sharp, quick gasps. He pushed harder, delighting in the little grunts escaping the other man.

With a moan, Tsukasa arched his back, that familar feeling coursing through his body, and came in Hakuei's hand, white spots forming between his tightly shut eyes. A moment later and Hakuei folowed, a deep, glutteral grunt escaping his lips. He leaned his forehead on Tsukasa's, breathng hard, then pulled away, laying on his side. Tsukasa turned his head, his clouded eyes gazing at him intently. Hakuei opened his arms and Tsukasa scooted closer, turning his back at the last second, as Hakuei enveloped him in his arms, molding his body to fit around his own. The older man's eyes closed as he drifted asleep, but Tsukasa didn't sleep for a long time. He stared at the wall, mind reeling with long surpressed memories as tears spilled down his cheeks.