Wager
by Matrim
Part 1
Toshiya and Shinya sat in the cafe and stared out into the street.
Kyo,
Kaoru and Die were out there talking around Kaoru's car, unaware that
they
were being watched. Toshiya shifted lazily, with his head resting on
his
hand to look at Shinya. "What do you suppose they're talking about?"
"Us?" Shinya asked.
"Maybe."
They sat there in silence for a minute more until Shinya spoke up.
"Ne,
Toshiya..."
"Hai?"
"Kaoru's starting to look like Sugizo, huh?"
Toshiya's eyes narrowed as he leaned forward, trying to get a better
look.
"Yes. Looks only, though."
"Hopefully."
They sat there again in silence. "Shinya?"
"Nani?"
"How long have we been sitting there?"
Shinya glanced at his watch then his gaze settled on the three men
outside,
changing to a glare. "Twenty minutes."
"What did I tell them about making us wait?" Toshiya asked, a
spark
alighting in his eye. Shinya didn't answer. "What the hell are they
talking about?"
"What's this month's conquest?" Kyo asked, as he lit a
cigarette.
Kaoru leaned against the car, trying to ignore the deadly stare that
Toshiya was giving him. He knew that Toshiya hated waiting for them
but
this was important. Die, Kyo and Kaoru always had a game they played
every
single month so they wouldn't get bored. And since today was the
first,
they had to think of a new game and it was Kaoru's turn to choose.
"Let's
make a wager."
"Fine. What is this wager?" Die asked, as he sat on Kaoru's
car,
blowing
smoke into the wind. He, too, was trying to avoid a deadly glare. His
was
worse since his date hated cigarettes and here he was smoking right in
front
of him.
"It's about desire."
"What about desire?" Kyo asked.
"Desire is a strong emotion."
"Tell us something we don't know." Die replied, with a bored
tone.
"The wager is to find something stronger than desire." Kaoru
said.
Silence greeted him. He looked at his two friends, who stared back at
him.
He did have to admit that it was kind of hard, but the games they had
thought of lately were getting too easy and a little boring.
"You don't know the answer to this, do you?" Kyo asked.
"No. That's why I suggested it, because I'll be playing, too. I
need
to
find out, too."
"So, what do we get out of this wager?" Die asked, throwing
the
cigarette
to the ground and extinguishing it with the toe of his boot.
Kaoru frowned in thought. "Let's see. This is pretty serious so
asking
for anime tapes is out of the question. A two week paid vacation by
the
losers to a hot spring resort for two."
Kyo and Die let out a breath. "That's a lot of money..."
"That's why two of you--or one of you and me," he hastily
amended when
he
saw Die's stare, "Will be paying for it."
"But it'll be worth it..." Kyo leaned against the car with
Kaoru and
closed his eyes. Kaoru could tell he was thinking about a two week get
away
with his koi. He opened his eyes then looked at Kaoru. "I'm in."
"Well, Die?"
Die looked up at Shinya, who gave him a dangerous smile and Die
laughed.
"Yes. Or all hell would break loose!!!"
"But how do we do this?" Kyo asked.
Kaoru shrugged. He hadn't thought about it either. "I have no
idea.
Find
two unlikely people and throw them at each other and see if they don't
go at
it like the animals they are. And if they do, you need to find two new
people. And if they don't, then examine them for the whole month until
we
meet again and determine what keeps them from doing so. Then you'll
probably find what's stronger than desire." He finished his cigarette
and
stood. "Let's go. They'll kill us for making them wait for so long."
"Matte..."
"Nani?"
"Are there any rules to this game?"
Kaoru paused, thought for a minute then said, "You can be one of
those
two
people. And if you're going to mess with anyone that's close to
us...like...oh, say, Kyo--you wanted to use Shinya...you must tell Die
first. Do you understand?"
Kyo nodded and Die nodded, too, but gave Kyo and Kaoru a suspicious
look.
"After all, it's only right." Kyo replied, "You are messing with a
relationship..."
"Whatever happens, happens." Kaoru agreed.
"May we not be destroyed by it." Die said, quietly as they
all walked
into
the cafe.
*********
Kyo stared off into space as his koi stroked his hair. "You're
brooding
again," the other said softly.
"I'm sorry," Kyo said absently.
"No, you're not."
"You're right."
His koi sighed and leaned down over Kyo, who was on his stomach. He
placed
his cheek near Kyo and asked, "What's wrong?"
Kyo gave a brief smile and kissed the other man swiftly on the cheek.
"Mmmm.....should I tell you?"
"Do you want to sleep on the couch?" The other man returned
and Kyo
smiled
again.
"I love when you're demanding."
"I love when you're submissive. Now tell me."
"Kaoru wanted to know something."
"Oh?"
"He wanted to know if there was anything stronger than
desire."
The other man seemed to think. "Pain?"
"You know that's never stopped me and you."
"Only because you like it."
"Only because you like to hear me scream your name."
The other man's eyelids fluttered as he remembered and stroked Kyo's
hair.
He chuckled. "How does that go again? Care to do a performance?"
"Later."
"Now."
"Okay, now." Kyo smiled up at his koi as he turned over onto
his
back.
Suddenly, he threw his head back and in a loud voice called out,
"AH....AH,
OH....LEVI LEVI!!!!!!!!!!"
Levin giggled and embraced Kyo. "I love your voice."
"Mm...so you've told me." Kyo gave him a wicked smile and
then,
"Levi...oh...harder...Levi..." he whimpered and Levin laughed again
and
kissed him long and hard. Kyo murmured something and Levin let him
go.
"What was that?"
"But is there anything stronger than desire?"
Levin bit his lip as he thought, every now and again playing with the
buttons on Kyo's shirt. "Hmmm....love, maybe?"
Kyo looked up at him, "Seriously...could love keep you from
touching
me?
Kissing me? Fucking me?"
"You're so crude...but..." Levin looked at him and suddenly,
his
lower lip
began to tremble and he looked like he was about to cry.
"Nani--Levin--"
"No." Levin said, holding Kyo tight. "That would be pure
torture.
Loving
you so much and not being able to touch you. Not being able to show
you my
love--" Kyo rubbed Levin's arm as comforting as he could.
"Daijyobu, Levi...You can still touch me, see?"
Levin went on as if he didn't hear Kyo. A tear slid down his cheek
and
onto Kyo's face. "Words can only go so far...."
Kyo rose up and kissed Levin. "Hey...it's okay. I'm still here.
You
can
still touch me."
Levin smiled weakly and embraced Kyo again. "Aishiteru,
Kyo..."
"Aishiteru mo, Levin-chan....Ne...."
Levin sniffed and looked at Kyo. "Nani?"
Kyo smiled, "Show me?"
Levin laughed weakly and pushed Kyo down onto the bed. "Only if I
get
to
hear that sweet voice of yours."
Afterwards, as Kyo lay in Levin's arms, a stray thought came to him
before
he fell asleep.
Was love truly stronger than desire?
email Matrim