As You See Me.. (2).
Disclaimer: Same as in previous
Pairing: Yohji x Aya/Ran
Warnings: Yaoi, Shounen-ai, AU
Violet eyes went wide at the luxury of the hotel room. Ran had *never* been brought to a place like this. He looked around, wondering how much one had to make just to have one night in a suite like this. They'd just come back from the hospital and he was still moving a little stiffly. The doctor had wrapped his ribs, treated his bruises, and given him some painkillers, but other than that, nothing more could be done.
Afterward, the stranger had insisted that he stay in a safe place and told him that there was no place safer than his hotel room. When the redhead had argued with him, he got another five hundred American dollars shoved under his nose. He was a smart boy. One didn't argue with that kind of money on the line.
He couldn't fathom why the beautiful blond was doing this. Hell, he didn't even know his name. That, he could remedy, though. "Who are you?"
The man turned to face him as he was in the process of pulling off his coat, "My name's Yohji." The leather was hung up on a rack, leaving the blond in a crop top and some very tight pants. Ran turned away for a moment, to get his bearings. He felt plain compared to this man; this beautiful creature who had saved him in mid-beating and then dragged him to a hospital despite the fact that the youth had mouthed off at him.
He moved to the couch and sank down into it gratefully. It was so much more comfortable than his hole-ridden bed back at the squat. Ran wondered if he could sleep on it. It had to be better than the floor. His eyes drifted to lazy half-lids.
"Hey, don't fall asleep just yet," he heard Yohji say, then felt a hand on his forehead, "I've got a spare room here that you can use. Come on." The sedatives were finally taking effect though, and Ran was too tired to move.
"Just lemme alone… I'll sleep here."
He heard a distant chuckle, "No… You're sleeping in a real bed tonight, Ran." He felt his arms lifted and placed around the slim line of Yohji's neck. Then, one long appendage went under his back while a second went under his legs and he was picked up carefully. Normally, he would have railed at someone carrying him like a child; but now he was too tired to argue.
Thoughts like that dissolved when an incredibly soft feeling caressed his back. He snuggled into it with a sigh. "Hang on… You're not sleeping in those clothes." Ran mumbled something unintelligible, but didn't have the strength to fight when hands pulled at his shirt. It came off with some difficulty before he felt his jeans being pried off. He protested then, partly because he was a little too shy but mostly because he was too tired to do anything that usually required him to be nude.
Ran was quieted with a finger to his lips, "Shhh… I'm not going to do anything." The pants came free and then he was sat up. Yohji pulled a different shirt over his head, "You can sleep in this. It should be long enough to cover the particulars."
Somewhere in the hazed fog, the redhead registered that he was now wearing silk. It felt so nice against his skin, like a sweet caress, and he murmured a thanks before he finally drifted off.
Later, much later, Ran woke up. It was a slow process. The soft bed didn't want to let him go just yet. So comfortable. So pleasant. Almost safe… He yawned before he realized that he wasn't in familiar surroundings. 'What the hell?'
One look at the room reminded him that he wasn't in one of the usual dives. Everything was just too pristine. He looked around, trying to figure out where he dropped his pack. His violet eyes darted about until they came to rest on the chair nearest the bed. His clothes, what few he had that weren't 'suitable' for work, were lain out. He could tell from here that they'd been cleaned and folded.
Ran then looked down at the shirt he was wearing. It had to be the softest thing he'd ever felt. And so pretty… too pretty for sleeping. The silk green pajama top had short sleeves. He rubbed his hands over it, savoring the way it felt under his fingertips, wishing he had something like it of his own.
"Feels good, doesn't it?"
His eyes shot up at the sound of Yohji's voice. How dare he intrude on him like this! "Don't you know how to knock?"
Yohji smirked at him, "The door wasn't shut, Ran. Besides, I was only coming to ask if you wanted something to eat."
The fact that the blond was using his real name upset the youth. What the hell had possessed him to give the stranger his real name? Anyone else who would have asked him the same question about it would have gotten the answer 'Aya' and that would have been that. Ran gave him a side long look of pure suspicion, "What do I have to do to get it?"
"Get out of bed, get showered, get dressed, and come out here to the table," Yohji said, turning around and walking away from the door. He was kind enough to close it behind him, though, and Ran was thankful for that.
He got out of bed, grabbed a pair of jeans, some undergarments, and a t-shirt, then went through the door he figured led to the bathroom. Ran stopped in shock. What he saw couldn't have been a bathtub. It was more like a small swimming pool. He started the water, getting it temperate, and then set it for a shower. While the spray warmed, he reluctantly slipped the silk off. As an after thought, he folded it carefully and set it down on the toilet seat. Something so nice shouldn't be treated like he did the rest of his clothes.
Ran savored the shower. He didn't think he'd get a chance to taste this kind of luxury for a long time. Even the complimentary shampoo and conditioner were things he couldn't have afforded in his wildest dreams. He started thinking about his 'benefactor' and how he hadn't asked for anything yet. Ran wondered when the blond would demand compensation for his kindness.
That got him to thinking about how beautiful Yohji was. All that soft looking golden hair and those green eyes… Ran had a thing for green eyes. He stood in the shower, soaping his hair, thinking to himself that the man seemed familiar for some reason.
Then, it hit him like a bolt out of the blue. Yohji… Willowy blond… green eyes… green eyes… green eyes… Yohji… Kudou… "Holy shit!"
The man outside, in the main room of the hotel suite, was Yohji Kudou!
Ran rinsed out his hair and fought the frustrated tears that threatened his eyes. Yohji was reputed to be one of the nicest guys in the music industry and he'd been a complete asshole to him. He was standing in a shower in Yohji Kudou's hotel room and all he'd done in return for the few acts of kindness from him was give back suspicion and venom.
Humiliated, the redhead sank down in the shower. Ran buried his face in his hands, ashamed. How was he going to make this up? How could he convince the singer to forgive him? The youth had nothing except his body, but Yohji didn't seem too interested in that.
He been so upset and in pain the night before, he hadn't made the connection. That caused him to clench his slim hands into fists. Here he was, a fan of the singer, and Ran hadn't even recognized him on first sight. He stood back up, determined. First, he was going to finish his shower.
Then, he would try to make this mess right.
Ran came out of the guest room just as the door of the hotel suite closed. He looked around quickly, wondering if the singer had left, but found him out on the balcony. The youth studied him for a moment, taking in the beautiful profile. A cigarette dangled precariously from those long fingers, ashes drifting on the small breeze that wafted through the room. Unlike last night, Yohji was dressed in black slacks and a green button up shirt. His haired swayed in the light wind.
It was a beautiful sight that he didn't want to disturb. The man looked so completely relaxed and at ease. Ran knew that the life of a star musician couldn't be that easy; not like they tried to show in the movies where it was all parties and women and fun. There had to be times that Yohji wanted to pull his hair out and leave it the life behind.
From what he'd read, and Ran was avid at collecting anything that had to do with the singer, Yohji Kudou was a rarity in the music industry. He was nice to nearly everyone. He'd never done anything that the public eye would wince away from. He was polite and pleasant in every interview Ran had ever seen. That kind of easy-going nature couldn't be faked for so long. Something would have slipped by now if Yohji was anything different.
Ever since Ran had come to be aware of his own sexuality, he'd wished for someone just like the singer to come into his life, take him away from all the bullshit, and make him forget the pain of his past. He'd come to admit a long time ago that he had a crush on the musician, but he never thought he'd get the chance to be so close to him. Yohji Kudou had just seemed out of reach for a low-life little hooker like him. Ran wondered if he was even into guys. Maybe a little curious…?
He wondered what it would be like to run his fingers through that silky golden hair. Wondered if those full lips would feel soft against his. Ran wondered if sex would be different with a guy like that. He been prostituting for so long, the redhead had forgotten if there was such a thing as *good* sex.
Ran found himself envying the cigarette. He surely wouldn't mind if he had Yohji Kudou's fingers caressing his pale body; the lips on him, sucking…
Yohji turned around just then, while his thoughts were in the gutter, and he couldn't hide the blush that enflamed his face. Damn his coloring! His pale skin always showed any discoloration like a beacon. Somehow, the singer's smile put him at ease.
"How'd you sleep?"
Ran took a couple of steps toward the balcony, "I want to take that bed with me." He kept moving towards the blond, his eyes going anywhere but Yohji's face, "Listen… I'm sorry for… for being an ass last night and this morning."
He heard the sound of smoke being exhaled, "Don't worry about it. You were pretty shaken up on both counts. I mean, this morning, you woke up in a really strange place after having the shit knocked out of you the night before. I'm not offended."
Violet eyes rose to Yohji's face, "You're sure?"
"Yeah. Don't sweat it." The singer moved past him, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder for a moment, and then went inside, "Let's eat… I'm starved."
The warmth of that contact stayed with Ran as he sat down at the table. All across the surface, there were covered dishes that just begged for revealing. He couldn't stop his eyes from straying to the other side, watching Yohji as he lifted the cover from each platter, showing Ran the contents. "Go ahead and have what you want," the blond said jovially, "There's plenty."
For the first time in his young life, Ran ate until he was nearly bursting. He caught the singer's smirk and raised eyebrow, "What?"
Yohji smiled, "The food isn't going anywhere… You could have taken your time."
Another flush crept up Ran's face, "I… well, I just…"
His words were waved away, "Don't explain. I understand what it's like to go hungry, Ran." Yohji continued to eat slowly, savoring each bite.
The redhead simply sat and watched. He thought he might be able to watch the blond singer forever. Graceful, beautiful, relaxed… He wondered how long he'd be able to stay. Ran sure didn't want to leave just yet. He gave his torso an experimental twist and winced.
He must have made some kind of noise because Yohji looked up at him sharply, "Are you okay?" The singer got up, despite Ran's protests, and moved next to him. His hands immediately found that the youth had not replaced the wraps around his ribs, "Why didn't you… Never mind… Where did you leave the wraps?"
"In the bathroom."
Yohji went and got them, then knelt down again, lifting the redhead's shirt. Carefully, he pulled the elastic strip of cloth around the pale chest, "After this, you need to take one of your meds. They don't do you any good in the bottle."
Sucking in his breath at the sharp pain, Ran shook his head, "No, I don't want my brain fogged by drugs."
"Ran… You're safe here. I won't let anything happen to you." Yohji continued to wind the strip around the narrow chest, "Neither will my bodyguards. They're pretty good at their jobs."
"Listen, I-"
"No arguments, Ran," the singer growled as he secured the ace bandage, "You need to be able to sleep to heal this and you won't be if you tense up every time you move around." Yohji left the room and came back with the pill bottle and a glass of water, "Take one and then back to bed until lunchtime. I'm not playing around here."
"Fine," Ran said, defeated. He popped the bottle open and shook out a pill. He noted how Yohji watched like a hawk until the tablet was swallowed, "Happy now?"
Yohji smirked, "Ecstatic. Bed or couch, I don't care which, but you're going to lie down." He watched as the redhead complied by laying down on the couch and then went to his piano. Sitting down, he regarded the sheet music in front of him. The singer shook his head and crumpled it up in hand before taking out a fresh sheet.
TBC