A raindrop for rainbowemperor!

[stormies]

Title: April in Alsace
Pairing(s): Sakurai Sho/Matsumoto Jun
Genres: Sugar Daddy au, fluff, slight angst
Rating: R
Summary: When famous newscaster Sakurai Sho, and poor but hard-working university student Matsumoto Jun meet by accident, a mutual attraction leads to an arrangement which benefits them both. At first this works well, but while on holiday together in France, their non-relationship begins to unravel.

Jun ran his fingers over the thick envelope containing his travel documents as a wistful smile played over his lips.

"So you're going to just drop everything and go to him?" Nino asked angrily as he looked at the pile of rejected clothes strewn across the floor and the half-packed suitcase lying on top of the bed.

"Of course," Jun replied as he rejected one shirt in favour of another which was almost identical.

"It's been three months since you last heard from him," Nino said with a glare.

"He is a busy man."

"He is a man who doesn't want you for anything more than a good fuck. And you are worth so much more than that." Nino's eyes flashed dangerously, indignant on his friend’s behalf. "Promise me that you will ask him for a commitment this time, and if he refuses you will tell him that it's finished."

"I'm not a complete idiot. I know what he uses me for. What makes you think that I want more?"

"Because of the way that you look when you come home after being with him."

Jun chose to ignore the stab of anguish in his stomach at Nino's perceptive words as he slammed his case shut and thought instead of the week ahead.

+++

As Jun settled back in his business class seat with a glass of champagne, he checked his messages one last time and frowned. Nothing from the man whom he was flying fourteen hours to meet.

He understood that Sakurai Sho was a busy man and his role as newscaster, variety show host, and special events reporter for the largest television network in Japan left him with very little free time, but how long did it take to send a text?

His phone was full of messages from Sho’s manager Ohno Satoshi, and his personal assistant Aiba Masaki, containing details of the arrangements for this trip to France.

Ohno was nearing forty and had a relaxed attitude, calm aura, and the ability to cat nap anywhere and at any time; useful traits when dealing with Sho's punishing work schedule.

At twenty six, Aiba was a year younger than Sho, and Jun had learnt soon after their first meeting that he was skilled at a surprisingly large number of things, contrary to his cheerful and often air-headed demeanour.

Sometimes it felt as if he was in a relationship with the three of them.

Actually that wasn't true, since he wasn't even in a proper relationship with Sho. Their arrangement was one of convenience rather than a grand romance. In order to preserve his public persona, Sho met with Jun in secluded places where he stood little chance of being recognised. Their meetings always involved sex, but only occasional intimacy.

After a year and a half, Jun still knew nothing about Sho’s family or friends, apart from what he read in magazines. Nino, in his usual blunt fashion described Sho, who came from a highly educated and wealthy family, as a ‘Sugar Daddy’ even though he was less than six years older than Jun, and if Jun was being honest with himself that was a perfect description.

They had met purely by accident. Literally.

Jun had been hurrying down the street with his nose buried in a textbook, preparing for an upcoming exam. He was studying at Tokyo University of the Arts, and so was Nino. This was something which they discovered only after becoming roommates in what was possibly the smallest apartment in Tokyo, shortly before classes began.

There had been a third person for the first few weeks, but Toma had found love (and a more comfortable apartment) with a girl whom he’d met only two weeks before. They’d been unable to replace him, and making the rent each month was quite a struggle for the two of them.

Nino's ambition was to become the next great Japanese film director, and since Jun was studying set design, they had naturally gravitated to each other. Living in such a small shared space, it was lucky that they had become great friends.

Eventually, an ambition to make films together had been born; since neither of them actually had the funds to make even a short film, they had turned to YouTube in an attempt to raise the money.

Junnino Channel had only a modest following so far, but at least they were taking baby steps at putting their newly learned skills into action.

Running late for one of his three part time jobs, Jun had been bustling along and trying to drill the information into his head when the door of a large BMW sedan swung open right in front of him. He was unable to stop in time and ran into the shiny metal at full speed. The end result was a broken spine for the book and a badly sprained wrist for himself as he landed backwards on the concrete pavement.

Jun’s first sight of Sho was of his impossibly shiny black shoes which were on the pavement next to his head as he lay sprawled on his back. His face was covered with a mask and his eyes were obscured by a pair of dark glasses, so Jun would always say that it wasn't Sho’s good looks which attracted him. It was the deep timbre of his voice as he apologised and offered his hand to help him up.

 
18 months earlier 

“I'm so sorry. It was careless of me to open the door without looking. Are you hurt?”

As he climbed out of the car, Sho looked at Jun with concern.

Jun pushed his glasses up to the bridge of his nose with a shaky hand and assessed the damage to his textbook. It was the most expensive one he’d had to buy so far, and he’d been hoping to sell it once this subject was complete so that he could recoup some of the money he’d spent. The spine was broken and the pages were dirty along the edges and ripped in places; nobody was going to pay him good money for this. He dropped it back to the ground with a sigh.

“It’s not all your fault. I was late for work, so I wasn't really looking where I was going either,” Jun admitted.

“Let me help you.”

Sho removed his sunglasses and reached out to help Jun up, but Jun yelped in pain as their hands made contact. He snatched his hand back and clutched it protectively to his chest.

Sho immediately gestured to the car and called, “Aiba-chan, a little assistance, please."

A slender man with hair which reminded Jun of a chestnut, jumped out of the front passenger seat clutching a first aid kit and skillfully fashioned a sling out of a triangle bandage. “Try not to move your arm too much. It might be broken,” Aiba warned as he tied the makeshift sling around Jun’s neck.

Sho picked up the battered textbook and smoothed its ruffled pages. "Aiba, could you please escort...um, I'm sorry, I don't know your name...to get his arm checked out? It's the least I can do after wiping you out in the first place."

"Matsumoto Jun." Jun replied, as Sho and Aiba helped him up. He couldn’t resist mischievously adding, "Sorry, but I don't know your name either."

A quiet snicker came from Aiba as Sho slumped slightly before removing his mask. "And now?" Sho asked, looking hopeful.

Despite the pain in his wrist, Jun couldn't help smiling at Sho’s cute expression and decided to tease him a little. "Sakurai Sho-san! Kyaaa!"

"Now you're just making fun of me," Sho pouted, as a gleam of amusement lit up his eyes.

"Yes, but I actually do admire your work," Jun admitted.

"I would go with you to the hospital, but I'm running late for a meeting. Aiba will take good care of you."

Jun shook his head and looked away from Sho’s piercing dark eyes. There was no way he could afford to pay for treatment. "No hospital. I'll just stick some ice on it later."

Sho understood immediately. "Of course, I will cover your medical expenses. It was my fault that you're hurt."

Normally Jun would have refused such an offer from someone he’d never met before, even one who was obviously wealthy, but he had recognised Sho as soon as he had removed his sunglasses. Even with the mask obscuring the rest of his face, Sho’s dark eyes and slanted eyebrows were unmistakable.

The hospital was small, discreet, and clearly very expensive. Jun felt more than a little out of place as Aiba completed the paperwork, but the staff were kind and efficient. He was treated immediately and ready to leave in under two hours.

When Jun emerged into the bright noonday light with a splint on his wrist, the same black BMW was waiting at the entrance, minus the driver and Aiba.

Sho was leaning against the side of the car with his phone in hand. He frowned when he spotted the black shiny splint. "Is it broken?"

"No, just a bad sprain. I won't be able to go to work for a few days though," Jun glared at his wrist and wondered how he was going to make this month's rent.

"May I invite you to lunch as an apology?"

"Why not. My boss at the cafe just fired me by text since I didn't turn up for my shift, so I’m kind of at a loose end for the rest of the afternoon. My shift at the convenience store doesn't start until six."

Sho opened the front passenger door for Jun and looked at him quizzically. "Exactly how many jobs do you have?"

“I did have three. As well as those two, I also work at a crepe stand on weekends.”

Sho raised his eyebrows. “That must leave you with no time to yourself at all. How do you even find the time to study?”

To be honest, Jun had never really even thought about it. It was simply how things had to be.

He shrugged and replied, “I can get by on three or four hours of sleep a night if I have to, and if I didn’t work as many hours as I do, my roommate Nino would be stuck with paying my portion of the rent too. By a weird coincidence, we both delayed entering university for a year while we worked full time in an attempt to save up enough money to get by, but there always seems to be another bill to pay. Since Nino is struggling just as badly as I am, it wouldn’t be fair on him. As soon as my wrist is better, I will need to start looking for a replacement job.”

Sho immediately looked contrite. "I've really screwed things up for you. Come to lunch with me and I will pay you what you would've earned this week at your job."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because eating lunch by myself is lonely, and you just said that you were looking for a new job."

It was an offer Jun couldn't refuse; the prospect of a decent meal, money to pay his rent, and the chance to spend time with the undeniably attractive Sakurai Sho.

And so their arrangement began.

+++

Even after travelling in comfort, the fourteen hour flight left Jun feeling exhausted and gritty-eyed. When he emerged blinking and yawning into the bright morning light, he almost walked straight past Sho and off the curb into the pick-up lane.

"Careful there. I wouldn't want you to end up walking under a bus," Sho chided as he reached out and snagged him by the arm. "You're already terrible at doing mornings, so I can only imagine how much jet lag multiplies it."

For a moment Jun blinked at him in confusion before recognising him. Despite the early hour, Sho was immaculately dressed in a dark suit, which immediately set off alarm bells. "A suit? At seven in the morning?"

Sho looked not even the slightest bit guilty as he confessed, "I have to fly quickly to London and back to do an interview, but I don't have to leave until lunchtime, and I'll be right back as soon as I'm done."

Jun's heart sank, but at least Sho would only be gone for a few hours. He summoned a smile and joked, "This hotel had better be spectacular enough to occupy me while you're gone."

"I picked this hotel and our suite specifically with you in mind." Sho took hold of Jun's suitcase and wheeled it to a waiting limousine. "It even has a spa, an indoor pool, and a sauna on the premises, to help you to recover after your flight."

"Sounds perfect." Jun slid onto the soft leather seat and closed his eyes.

+++

From the outside, the hotel was everything Sho had promised. It was a beautiful building three storeys high, topped with ornate domes, and was set in large, manicured grounds surrounded by a small arm of the river. The building dated back to 1891 and re-employed elements of a previous castle from the early seventeenth century which had stood on the same spot. The attached additional wings were in the local half-timbered style and also painted a pleasant white.

Their suite was large and well-proportioned with thick carpet, a separate bedroom, and a bathroom with marble tiles and a large spa bath. There was a king bed and a sunny balcony with pots of ivy geraniums trailing down from the stone railing. From the balcony the river could be seen running beside a tall row of mature trees.

The room was perfect, apart from one thing - the eye watering colour scheme.

The carpet was bright red, and so was the bedspread, which would have been fine if the walls hadn't been covered with wallpaper patterned with alternating stripes of red and purple. The curtains and upholstery on the sofa and armchairs were of the same pattern and colour as the wallpaper, offering no relief from the vibrant colour scheme. Even the tiles in the bathroom were red marble.

Jun winced and squeezed his eyes almost closed, in an attempt to stop his retinas being destroyed. "Did you specially select this particular room too? Because this colour scheme is making my eyes water. Red and purple definitely do not belong together."

Sho seemed equally surprised by the endless stripes. He spun around in a slow circle and emitted a low whistle. "I think under the right circumstances red and purple can get along just fine, but this is too much even for me. Unfortunately, it can't be changed, because when I arrived in Paris yesterday I checked out their website and it said they were fully booked." He sat down on the sofa and made a small grunt of displeasure as he was almost bounced off again by a nest of decorative pillows which were disguised in a chameleon-like fashion against the striped back of the chair. He stood up and moved to the bed, testing it for comfort. "At least the bed is promising."

Jun could tell that Sho was just as surprised by the 'specially selected' room. It was obvious that he had delegated the task to someone else, once again demonstrating that Sho considered his dealings with him to be on the same level as any other business meeting.

It was stupid to be annoyed, since this had been the arrangement from the start and feelings had never been part of the equation, but it still stung. "Why is this hotel so full in April? It’s still cold."

A gleam lit up Sho's eyes as he explained. "Asparagus season! They grow the most delicious white asparagus in the world in the Alsace region."

Jun pulled a face. "I've never been much of a fan of asparagus."

"You will be once you've tried these," Sho replied happily.

"I think I'll take a shower before I unpack." Before heading to the bathroom, Jun stretched his arms above his head to loosen his stiff muscles, noting Sho's appreciative look as he did so.

After a quick glance at his watch, Sho loosened his tie and followed Jun into the marble palace. "I'll join you. There's still plenty of time before I have to catch my flight."

+++

The bed creaked ominously (which was hardly a surprise after the workout which it had endured) as Jun rolled over to check the time on his watch which was somehow tangled up in the crumpled sheets.

This time his back ached from an excess of activity rather than from sitting in one place for too long. After three months of abstinence, Sho had been thorough and not particularly gentle. Not that Jun minded, in fact he preferred it that way.

Now that Sho was on a plane to London, it seemed the perfect time to make a phone call.

As usual, it took a while for Ohno-san to answer, and his voice was husky, as if he’d been woken from one of his frequent naps. "Jun-kun, I hope the flight went smoothly?"

"The flight was fine, but I’m not so sure about the room.”

“Did I make an error with the booking?” Ohno went from sleepy to wide awake in a flash as he realised his mistake and tried to correct himself immediately. “Sho! I meant to say, did Sho-san make an error when he made the booking?”

“Don’t panic, Ohno-san. I don’t mind that Sho asked you to book it for him. The look on his face when he saw it more than makes up for it. It’s just that it is a rather unusual choice.”

An unmistakable voice could be heard in the background at Ohno’s end and there appeared to be a brief scuffle as the phone was put on speaker.

“Hi Jun!” Aiba chirped. “Oh-chan couldn’t decide which room to pick, so I made up his mind for him. The stripes are really neat aren’t they? The purple and red combination gives the place a really sexy vibe.”

As Jun laid back and gazed up at the (thankfully white) ceiling, and flexed his aching hips, he admitted that maybe that Aiba was right.

+++

When there was a knock on the door, Jun presumed that it was the room service late lunch which he’d ordered for himself. He tightened the cord on the hotel supplied bathrobe he was wearing after his second shower of the day, and slipped his feet into the oversized complementary slippers before shuffling over to open it.

It was his herb omelette and garden salad, but there was also a porter standing behind the waiter. He was carrying an armful of flat rectangular boxes tied with white ribbons and had a suit bag dangling from the tip of his right index finger.

Jun stepped back to allow the waiter to carry in the tray containing his lunch and a half bottle of burgundy wine, and looked quizzically at the porter. He grabbed his phone and spoke into the translation app he’d installed before boarding his flight. “I think you may have the wrong room.”

The porter looked at the top box. “The delivery was arranged by Mr Sakurai for Mr Matsumoto.” He pulled a card out from beneath the top ribbon and handed it to Jun before placing the packages down on the small table which sat in the entryway.

The card had his name written on it in Sho's precise handwriting, and even though his stomach rumbled hungrily, Jun ignored his lunch in favour of opening the gifts from Sho.

He unzipped the suit bag, revealing a slim fit blue suit in wool which felt pleasantly soft and warm as he ran his fingers lightly over the lapel. The flat boxes contained a selection of shirts in a range of complementary colours and several ties. A bright scarlet tie particularly appealed, especially when paired with a white shirt which had narrow blue stripes.

A fluffy oversized merino wool cardigan lay nestled in the box. It was the same colour as a bowl of oatmeal and just as warming as he removed the robe and slipped it on over his naked shoulders.

Jun hung the suit and shirts in the wardrobe with care before sitting down to eat his eggs. One of the rules of their relationship was to not call Sho while he was at work, but he couldn’t help ringing him to say thank you for the unexpected gifts.

The phone was answered on the first ring and Jun could hear a woman's laughter close by. "Later," Sho hissed, before abruptly ending the call.

The omelette turned to ashes in his mouth, and Jun pushed the uneaten remains of his lunch away. He left the stack of boxes and the remainder of his food and hastily threw on some clothes. He needed to get some fresh air and walk off the nervous clenching of his stomach.

+++

A warm pair of lips woke Jun from a restless sleep as a figure with cold feet slid into bed beside him. He pried his eyes open and squinted at the blurry silhouette of Sho framed against the moonlit window. "What time is it?"

"Late enough for me to be extremely apologetic," Sho murmured as he peppered Jun's neck with tiny kisses. "I hope you still had a pleasant day and found something delicious for dinner. I gave the hotel instructions to charge anything you want to my card."

Jun's stomach recoiled at the thought. Even though he had eaten nothing all day, he wasn't hungry at all. "I ordered a late lunch, and then went for a walk and since I'm still feeling beat up from the flight, I had an early night." He paused for a moment as Sho’s lips continued to roam across his collarbones. "I apologise for disturbing you earlier."

Sho stopped his exploration and pulled back. "It's true that you shouldn't have rung me, but I was rude to hang up on you. I apologise. It was my fault for forgetting to switch my phone off."

Jun wanted to ask who was the woman laughing over the phone, but as Sho undid the buttons of his pyjama top one by one and explored his exposed skin with his tongue, it was impossible to do anything but clasp Sho’s shoulders and surrender himself to the hardness pressing insistently against his thigh.

+++

The next day was perfect enough for Jun to allow himself the fantasy that he was Sho's boyfriend, rather than little more than a paid companion.

They started off with a late breakfast served on their private balcony. Even though the day was only expected to reach sixteen degrees, the balcony was a sun trap and more than warm enough for them to be comfortable.

As always, Sho shovelled food into his mouth until his cheeks bulged like those of a foraging squirrel, making Jun smile. Sho's public persona was cool and measured, but once he began eating, he dropped his guard and revealed his true self. Jun loved this rarely sighted relaxed and dorky side to his protector.

As Nino had often pointed out in his annoyingly perceptive way, Jun had fallen in love with Sho almost immediately after their first meeting. Sho was intelligent, handsome, and generous, and always treated Jun and others around him with respect.

They spent the day exploring the city of Strasbourg together, walking through the old town and snacking on whatever took their fancy as they strolled beside the canal and admired the medieval buildings. Even though the likelihood of Sho being recognised was slim, he insisted on wearing one of his seemingly endless collection of ugly bucket hats pulled low over his brow and a pair of reflective sunglasses which hid his eyes and covered half his face.

When Jun walked too close and their hands brushed against each other, Sho recoiled, distancing himself and glancing around nervously in case they had been spotted. Jun's heart shrank at the rejection, but he accepted Sho's sincere apology once they were safely back in their room at the hotel. Jun couldn't help but wonder if Sho would be less concerned about maintaining his reputation if he harboured genuine feelings for him.

+++

The suit fitted Jun as if it had been made for him, and after looking at the label inside the jacket he suspected that it actually had been. He paired it with the striped shirt and scarlet tie which had attracted him the day before.

Sho’s eyes widened in appreciation when Jun emerged from the bathroom nervously adjusting his shirt cuffs. He stood up and took Jun's hands and looked at him with pride. "I knew that you would look good in that suit. As soon as I saw it in the shop window, I could picture you wearing it."

A warm glow ignited in Jun's chest at the thought of Sho thinking of him when they were apart, and he suddenly felt hungry for the first time since the aborted call to London. His stomach rumbled in agreement, making Sho laugh and propel him towards the door.

+++

The dining room was almost full when they were shown to their table, and quite a few admiring glances were cast in their direction as they took their seats. The chairs were constructed of intricately carved dark wood and the tables were covered with thick cream tablecloths and decorated with two tall white candles. The waiter lit the candles with a flourish, and handed Sho the wine list. As he sat down opposite Sho, Jun felt a surge of pride at being with the most handsome man in the room. Sho was stunning in a black suit and shirt with a dark purple tie.

It appeared that Sho had the opposite idea about who they were looking at, as he leaned forward and said quietly, "They all want you, but tonight you belong to me."

A shiver of anticipation ran down Jun's spine. Sho’s eyes were dark and his voice was as smooth as velvet, hinting at things to come.

"But first, I want to introduce you to a different type of pleasure. I've pre-ordered a platter of local white asparagus for us." Sho handed the wine list back to the hovering waiter and ordered a bottle of champagne. When they were alone again, he pinned Jun down with another smouldering look. "Asparagus is widely recognised as an aphrodisiac."

Jun couldn't help being amused by Sho's exaggerated expression. "You don't have to seduce me. We both know that you have paid me enough to guarantee that I am a sure thing."

An expression of hurt flickered across Sho's face quickly enough to leave Jun wondering if he had imagined it. But it was gone as soon as it appeared, replaced by an exaggerated pout before he added in an offended tone, "I was merely stating a scientific fact. Asparagus contains high levels of amino acids and vitamin E. Both of these things can boost sexual stamina and increase blood flow to the genital area."

It was a pleasant surprise for Jun to discover that Sho had the ability to turn into a nerd with no warning. Everything about this day spent with Sho made him feel as if he was on a first date with a person he'd had a crush on for a very long time, which wasn't far from the truth.

Jun had never been to Sho's apartment, or even knew the exact address, and after the first couple of innocent lunches they had never been seen together in public. Ohno was a quiet and unobtrusive man, but he was fierce when protecting Sho’s privacy and reputation. Jun knew that in a perfect world Sho's sexual preferences wouldn't matter, but in reality, it very much did.

The attraction between them was undeniable, but even after Sho began paying the full rent on Jun and Nino's apartment they didn't have sex for what felt, for Jun anyway, a frustratingly long time. Before taking him for the first time, Sho sat down with Jun in the anonymous hotel selected by Ohno, and asked him if he understood and consented to his terms. Sho explained that if Jun was willing, he was looking for a discreet outlet for his sexual needs. Sho would never force Jun to do anything he didn't feel comfortable with, but in return for his continued financial support, he would expect Jun to be prepared to meet up with him whenever he requested.

It was easy for Jun to agree to such an arrangement. He’d been attracted to Sho from the moment they met and it wasn’t as if he was a blushing innocent. He had first begun to explore his sexuality when he was still at high school, and had lost his virginity to a boy from his class shortly after graduating. They were still in touch, and hooked up occasionally, whenever Nakamaru, who was now a student at Kyoto University, was in Tokyo.

Jun laughed when the asparagus arrived on a large platter along with thin slices of black forest ham, assorted sauces and fresh crusty bread. Underneath the tasteful garnishes it lay glistening and thick, and shaped like something very familiar. He grinned, stabbed one with his fork and waggled it in Sho’s direction, asking mischievously, “I don’t suppose the aphrodisiac properties are related in any way to their shape?”

Sho gave him a stern look, with a slight lift to the corners of his mouth, indicating that he was trying very hard not to laugh. “I have no idea what you are implying and stop playing with your food.”

Sho loaded a plate with a selection from the platter and placed it in front of Jun along with a glass of champagne. "Behave yourself, or there will be consequences."

Those words presented Jun with a challenge he couldn’t resist. After making sure that he was hidden from the other diners by a large wooden pillar, he picked up a spear of asparagus with his fingers by the thick bottom end of the stalk. He stared deep into Sho’s eyes as he opened his mouth and placed the tip on his tongue and sucked it into his mouth and tilted his head back so that he could look at Sho through the fringe of his lashes.

The effect on Sho was immediate. His fingers tightened on the stem of his champagne flute causing Jun to fear that it would snap. He placed it down on the table with deliberation and waited for Jun to swallow the asparagus before speaking. "It seems as if we're going to have an interesting time tonight. I did warn you that there will be consequences."

Jun arranged his face to express confidence, even though his insides turned to jelly. "I look forward to it," He replied nonchalantly, and bit another asparagus spear in half with a sharp snap of his teeth. He scooped up a stack of the tender white asparagus and piled them on Sho's plate. "You'd better make sure that you're up for the challenge. I'm already two spears ahead of you."

Sho said nothing, but the dark gleam in his eyes hinted at things to come.

+++

It was barely light outside when Sho accidentally woke Jun by dropping his watch on the polished top of an ornate table next to the bed.

Jun groaned and pried his eyes open, frowning at Sho. His head was muzzy from the second bottle of champagne they had carried back to the room with them after finishing dinner, and his limbs refused to obey as he tried to sit up.

Sho switched the bedside lamp on, temporarily blinding Jun, who grabbed a pillow and pressed it over his face to shield his eyes. Sho hastily switched it off and turned on a standing lamp in the far corner of the room. He walked back over to the bed and sat down beside Jun, gently drawing the pillow away from his face. "I didn't mean to wake you. I was going to leave you a note."

The implication of this penetrated Jun's fuzzy mind and he jerked upright, frowning at Sho. As he opened his eyes properly he noticed that Sho was fully dressed in one of the sober suits he favoured for his newscaster role. He knew what it meant. "How long will you be gone?"

"One day. Two at the most. Important things are happening in Belarus. Ohno-san tried to put the network off, but there was nobody else available to cover it at short notice, and since I am already in France…" Sho’s words trailed off as his phone beeped. "My driver is downstairs, I have to go. I've left some money on the table for you and one of my credit cards. If you need anything else while I'm gone, give Aiba a call."

Before Jun had a chance to respond, Sho gave him a peck on the lips, straightened his tie in the mirror, picked up his small bag and strode out of the room leaving the light on.

With a grumble of displeasure, Jun dragged himself out of bed and shuffled over to the offending light. As he did so, he caught sight of his naked body in the large wall mirror. His hair was in disarray and his skin was peppered with tiny bruises. He ran his fingers over the red bite mark on his shoulder, remembering how Sho had clamped his teeth down as he pressed close against his back, shuddering inside him as he filled the condom he always insisted on wearing.

As he caught a glimpse of the stack of Euros reflected in the mirror, Jun felt dirty. Forgetting his intention to switch off the light he grabbed the money and stuffed it out of sight in the drawer of the bedside table.

He dashed to the bathroom and threw up the remains of the champagne before standing in the shower with the water running as hot as he could stand it, until the water ran cold and he was forced to emerge.

+++

"He took off and left you there? How long has he been gone?" Nino's voice at the other end of the phone was thick with disapproval.

"Four days," Jun admitted.

"Why didn't you just pack up and leave? It's almost time for school to start, and every minute of this final year counts, especially since neither of us have secured a job yet."

"The ticket couldn’t be altered," Jun fibbed. He hadn’t actually tried, but there was no way he would ever admit to Nino that he was sitting here hoping that Sho would miss him enough to hurry back in time for them to share the last few days of this vacation together. This was unlikely, since Sho hadn't contacted him once since his early morning departure.

Nino's eye roll was practically audible over the phone. "I don't want to be one of those people who say I told you so, but I told you so. I hope that at least you are giving his credit card a good workout."

"It wouldn't be right." The thought of the cash still sitting in the drawer made Jun's stomach churn. "He already gives me so much."

"It's what he doesn't give you that I have a problem with," Nino grumbled.

"I appreciate your concern, but I'm fine, and I've been using the time to work on some videos for Junnino Channel."

As Nino continued to grumble, Jun was overwhelmed by a wave of homesickness. The hotel and Strasbourg were beautiful, but without Sho, his loneliness was overwhelming.

+++

"Sho-san asked me to tell you that he should be with you by lunch time," Aiba said cheerfully.

"And he couldn’t tell me this himself because?" Since he had to be at the airport by six that evening, Jun wondered why Sho was even bothering.

Aiba lost some of his confidence. "Don’t be too hard on him, Matsujun. When he is sent away on assignment things are often beyond his control, especially if he is sent to somewhere which is politically unstable. I'm sure he will explain it to you when he is able."

"Perhaps," Jun replied flatly. "Thanks for letting me know."

+++

Just as Jun was figuring out how to fit his new clothes, plus the gifts he had purchased for Nino, into his medium-sized suitcase, a pair of strong arms wrapped around his waist as Sho materialised behind him. His heart nearly beat its way out of his chest as he jerked in surprise.

Jun twisted free and turned to face Sho, anticipating that he would at least look tired after working so hard. He was annoyed to see that apart from dark circles under his eyes, Sho was looking just as handsome as ever. He had even somehow found the time to have his hair permed.

As his thudding heart rate tried to stabilise he glared at Sho. "Have you forgotten how to knock? You almost scared me to death."

Sho frowned. “Why should I have to knock on the door to my own room?”

“I’m surprised you even managed to remember where it was and didn’t need to ask one of the staff members,” Jun spat. He could feel his suppressed anger and hurt bubbling close to the surface.

“I know that this wasn’t how this was supposed to work out, but when work calls I have no choice.”

Jun pointed to Sho’s hair and sneered, “Did you have an important story to file about perming solution?”

Sho reached up to touch his hair, and looked contrite. “I had a big gap between flights, and I needed a way to fill in some time. Do you not like it?”

“I think it looks kind of cute,” Jun replied, momentarily distracted by Sho’s fluffy dark brown locks. “But that’s beside the point. You left me here alone.”

“I’m sorry. There were circumstances beyond my control.” Sho ran his fingers through his hair, making the curls fluff out. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a black velvet jewellery box and pressed it into Jun's hand. “I bought you a gift.”

The dam holding back all of his pent up frustration and hurt gave way and Jun flung the box at Sho's face, barely missing his right eye. “I’m not some doll that you can play with when you feel like it and then put back onto a shelf until the next time.”

“That’s exactly what our arrangement was, and you were happy to go along with it,” Sho responded angrily as he bent down to retrieve the box.

“Well I’m not happy now,” Jun yelled right back. He stalked over to the dresser and began dragging his clothes out, careful to not touch the new ones Sho had gifted him with at the beginning of the week.

“Well, neither am I.” Sho grabbed the clothes out of Jun’s hands and flung them down on the bed. “This was supposed to be fun.”

Jun narrowed his eyes and stood glaring at Sho. He felt as if his head was about to explode. “So let’s end it. I’m sure that you won’t have any trouble finding someone to replace me. All you need is a warm body to fuck and anyone will do for that.” Once again he began shoving his belongings into his suitcase, refusing to meet Sho’s eyes. "I took time away from school which I could ill afford to be here with you, and then you basically blew me off. Have you forgotten that I'm graduating next year and need to find a job?"

"How could I, when I've been the one paying for your courses?" Sho snapped. "And while we're on the subject, have you forgotten that I rescued you from working yourself to death?"

Jun's eyes blazed with anger and humiliation. "I've paid for that with my body many times over since then. And don't worry, as soon as I graduate and find a job, I'll pay you back."

"Is that the only reason you had sex with me?" The anger was suddenly gone from Sho's voice as he looked at Jun with dismay and sadness. "Because you felt obliged?"

The look on Sho's face almost made Jun take his words back, but then he remembered the humiliation of being handed a fistful of cash and dismissed so easily from Sho’s mind. He couldn’t lie though and tell Sho that he meant nothing, when right now his heart was breaking at the prospect of losing him. Instead he countered with a question of his own, preferring to leave the interpretation of it up to Sho. "It's perfectly clear, isn't it?"

Sho's voice was eerily calm as he slipped the unopened jewellery box back into his pocket. "Then let's stop this. It's obvious that I am forcing you into it against your will, something which I promised to never do. Your rent is paid until the end of the year, so you will have plenty of time to sort out your finances."

"Thank you." Unable to meet Sho's stony glare, Jun turned away and buried his face in the wardrobe.

"I will call Aiba-chan and make arrangements to change my flight, so that we don't have to sit next to each other on the plane."

"Your cash is in the drawer next to the bed. I didn’t use any of it." Jun replied awkwardly, as he stared at the beautiful blue suit which had given him so much pleasure.

He was still thinking of what else to say, when he heard Sho move away. By the time he turned around, Sho was already gone.

+++

"Are you going to stop moping and eat this, or am I going to have to tie you to the chair and spoon feed you?" Nino hovered dangerously close to Jun after plonking a large bowl of soup in front of him. He pointed the soup ladle at Jun as if it was a dangerous weapon. "You've barely eaten anything since you got back from France. It's been almost three months; you should stop allowing him to live in your head."

On some level, Jun knew that he didn't necessarily even have the right to be the injured party, since he was the one who instigated the breakup. Somehow a tiny part of him had hoped that Sho would try to get him back, but in the months since their return to Japan he hadn’t heard from Sho, or even Ohno or Aiba.

Somehow his thoughts must have been heard by the universe, as five minutes later while he reluctantly spooned soup into his mouth, the doorbell rang. He heard Nino having a muffled conversation with whoever was at the door and the next time he looked up; both Ohno and Aiba were standing next to their small dining table.

Nino's expression was hostile. "Did he send you?"

Aiba shook his head vigorously in denial. "No, no. He doesn’t even know that we're here."

"Then why are you here?" Nino moved closer to Jun and took up a protective stance. "I thought everything was settled."

Jun vaguely wondered if he should actually be the one doing the talking, but he lacked the will to do anything other than to sit back and allow Nino to speak for him.

Ohno stepped out from behind Aiba and spoke for the first time. "That’s just it; Sho-san is far from settled. He hardly sleeps, and he seems hell bent on working himself to death since he returned from Strasbourg."

"We're really worried about him," Aiba added.

"None of this is of any concern to Jun," Nino replied sharply. "Your boss made it perfectly clear that he wants nothing more to do with him."

"By the looks of Jun, we should be worried about him too," Aiba nudged Ohno with his elbow, in a way which was far from subtle.

Nino ladled more soup into Jun's bowl, despite it still being mostly full, and glared at the pair. "If anyone is going to be worrying about Jun, it's going to be me."

"I am sitting right here, you know," Jun said sarcastically and waved his hand to attract their attention.

"Hush. The adults are talking. Eat your soup." Nino grabbed Jun's hand and folded his fingers over the handle of his spoon earning himself a deadly glare from Jun, which he blithely ignored.

As soon as Nino mentioned the fragrant chicken soup, Ohno's stomach rumbled loudly as he looked longingly at Jun's overflowing bowl.

Nino sighed exaggeratedly, "Fine. Sit down and I'll get you some."

"Yay!" Aiba sat down eagerly. "It smells delicious."

"Thank you." Ohno looked more animated than Jun had ever seen him, as he squeezed in next to Aiba at the tiny, slightly wobbly table.

“If you want anything apart from water to drink, you’ll have to buy it yourself. Our fridge and my wallet are empty,” Nino said ungraciously.

Ohno nodded to Aiba, who immediately jumped to his feet. “I saw a convenience store nearby. I’ll grab us some beer, and some snacks. There’s nothing more fun than an impromptu party.”

Nino snorted and retreated to the stove to heat up more soup.

Taking advantage of Nino’s absence, Jun turned to Ohno and asked quietly, “Did Sho-san tell you that I promised to pay back everything he has spent on me?”

“He did, but he also told me to not accept any payment from you under any circumstances,” Ohno replied mildly. “He was quite emphatic on that point.”

“He doesn’t get to decide that. In fact, he doesn’t get to have any say about my life ever again.” Jun could hear his voice rising angrily, but was unable to stop himself.

Nino was back in an instant, hackles rising and he glared at Ohno. “What the fuck did you say?”

Jun put out his hand and grabbed Nino’s wrist. “Ohno-san didn’t say anything wrong. It was simply me overreacting.” He turned to Ohno and said, “I apologise for my rudeness.”

Ohno simply nodded and reached over to pat Jun’s free hand.

The tension in the room was broken by Aiba dashing back into the apartment laden with two bulging carrier bags. “I didn’t know what anybody wanted, so I got one of almost everything.”

While Ohno and Aiba unpacked the bags, Nino dragged Jun into the kitchen nook.

“Are you okay with them being here?” Nino folded his arms across his chest and glared at Jun.

Jun nodded. “Ohno-san and Aiba have always been kind to me. I’ve missed talking to them, especially Aiba-chan. If you give them a chance, you might like them too.”

“Fine. But if they upset you again, I will personally throw them out and kick them down the stairs.”

Jun couldn’t help but laugh at the mental picture Nino’s words conjured up. “Good luck with that.”

“Humph,” Nino grumbled, but a trace of a smile played about his lips. “I guess you could be right. Aiba looks like the wiry but tough type. I’m sure I could take the old man down though.”

“You’d be surprised.” Ohno made them both jump as he spoke from somewhere right behind them. He held out two six packs of beer. “Sorry to intrude. I just came to see if there was room in your fridge for these.”

Nino grabbed the beer, removed four cans and put the rest into their small fridge. "I used everything remotely edible in there when I made the soup, and Jun only drinks his water at room temperature, so there's plenty of space."

When they returned to the table carrying the drinks, glasses, and bowls of soup, there was hardly anywhere left to put them down. Aiba had unpacked his shopping, which consisted of an assortment of drinking snacks, one large cardboard box filled with pieces of fried chicken, and another smaller one which contained cream crab croquettes. He hastily shoved things into piles to make space and accepted a bowl of soup from Jun.

The croquettes attracted Jun's attention immediately, which didn’t escape Aiba, who grinned and moved them closer. "I heard that they're your favourites."

Sweat made Jun's palms slick and he almost dropped the glass of beer which Ohno was pouring for him. He placed the glass down on the table with exaggerated care, and asked a question to which he suspected he already knew the answer. "Who told you that?"

"Sho-san, of course," Aiba replied with a faltering smile. "Oops. Sorry. Forget I said anything."

But Jun wanted to know more. "When did he tell you this?"

Aiba screwed up his face in concentration as he tried to recall the conversation. "Um, I think it was on the day you met. He said that your eyes lit up with delight when you saw that there were cream crab croquettes on the menu. He said that you looked like a kid on their birthday, and that he wished that he could find the joy in something so simple, the same way you did."

Jun felt his cheeks grow hot at the memory. Sho had been the perfect gentleman on that day, even going so far as to help him with the food, since one arm was temporarily out of commission. Even though he was tempted by the croquettes, he knew that he wouldn't be able to force them past the lump in his throat.

Although Nino was usually a small eater, he piled his plate high with chicken, giving Jun an insolent look when he caught his bemused expression. "What?"

"Nothing." Jun hid his smile behind his soup spoon. "It's just that I've never seen you eat so much before."

"That’s because I never had the chance to eat free food paid for by your Sugar Daddy before," Nino replied around a mouthful of chicken drumstick.

"I'm afraid that you've got the wrong idea about Sho-san," Ohno said firmly, without even looking up from the soup which he was shovelling into his mouth.

Nino shrugged. "I call it like I see it."

"Oh-chan's right, Sho-san's not like that," Aiba protested. "When he has time, he even helps out at the animal shelter where I volunteer."

A vision of Sho cuddling a tiny fluffy puppy floated through Jun's head and made his heart skip a beat. He hastily put down his beer; obviously the fact that he hadn’t eaten properly for days was apparently making the alcohol go straight to his head, and making him fantasise about the man he was trying so hard to forget. There was no other explanation for the warm feeling he had for Sho just then.

Caught up in his feelings for Sho, Jun absently picked up the box of croquettes and began munching on them, tuning out the friendly banter which had sprung up between Aiba and Nino as they devoured the chicken.

Ohno interrupted his musings by coming to the point of his visit. "Sho really isn't doing well since your breakup. If he continues to punish himself like he is, it will lead him to a complete physical and mental breakdown. That's why Aiba and I came here to ask for your help."

Jun swallowed his last bite of croquette and washed it down with a mouthful of beer. He arranged his face into what he hoped was a look of blank indifference, and hoped that the agitated thudding of his heart wasn't audible to the others. "What makes you think I would be interested in helping him? Our relationship was purely business."

"It was, and still is perfectly obvious that you have strong feelings for him," Ohno replied. "And even though he hides it well, Sho feels the same way about you."

Jun opened his mouth to deny Ohno’s words, but the look of sadness on Sho's face the last time he saw him came to mind. Perhaps he had misjudged him, but it didn't alter the fact that Sho had walked away and given him up without a word.

"I took a photo of him this morning when we dropped him off at the studio while pretending to take a selfie. I am quite proud of how sneaky I am." Aiba picked up his phone, and brought up the photo in question before handing it to Jun.

A tiny part of Jun wanted Sho to look as bad as he knew that he himself looked whenever he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. But deep down he knew that Sho already worked harder than anyone he had ever met, with Ohno's active encouragement, so if even his manager was worried the situation must be dire.

The photo confirmed Jun's fears; Sho was a shadow. His face was thin and haggard and the skin was stretched tight over cheekbones which looked sharp enough to cut. He had lost his cute hamster cheeks and gained dark raccoon circles under his eyes. These eyes were dull and had lost the challenging spark which they normally displayed.

The room seemed too small all of a sudden. Jun dropped the phone and dashed to the bathroom, locking the door behind him and pressing his back against it. He didn't want to feel bad for Sho; to feel anything for him apart from anger. This wasn’t how things were supposed to be.

Jun turned on the cold tap and splashed water on his face in an attempt to clear his head and quell the tension headache which was brewing behind his forehead. With the water still dripping off his face he slumped down onto the floor, resting his head back against the wall and squeezing his eyes shut in an attempt to erase Sho's dull eyes from his mind.

He had no idea how long he’d been sitting there when the bathroom door was flung open.

Nino barged in and locked it behind him. He dragged Jun up off the floor, and herded him over to sit on the closed toilet seat. "Sit. We need to talk."

+++

Jun looked at Nino and looked back to the door. "I thought I locked that."

"You did, but surely you didn't expect that to stop me." Nino grinned and slid a straightened out paperclip back into his pocket. “I needed to know that you weren’t doing something stupid.”

“Now that you have demonstrated your mad cat burglar skills and seen that I’m not, you can get back out again.”

Nino balanced himself on the edge of the bath and shook his head. "Nope."

It felt as if Nino's eyes were boring into Jun's soul, making him twitch. "Shouldn't you get back to our guests? It's impolite to leave them alone."

"Says the person who ran away and hid in the bathroom for twenty minutes in an attempt to avoid his feelings," Nino replied dryly. "And you don't have to worry, because I left them with the rest of the beer and your classic DVD collection. Aiba seemed disappointed that it wasn't a euphemism for porn. I'm liking him more by the minute."

It was clear that Nino had no intention of leaving until Jun gave him what he wanted. Jun wiped the tears from his eyes and looked at Nino. "Tell me what I need to do to make you leave."

Nino's expression softened as he looked at Jun. "I'm not going anywhere until this is sorted."

The tension in Jun’s body dissipated as he surrendered to the inevitable. "I know you're dying to lecture me, so let's get it over with."

Nino's reply was unexpected. "You should do what Ohno and Aiba are asking. Meet with him."

"What?" Jun stared at Nino in astonishment.

"You still love him, and as much as it pains me to say this, he is obviously pining for you too. Maybe you won’t get back together, but at least might be able to move on with your life. Touchy-feely people like Aiba would call it closure." Nino stood up and grabbed a handful of tissues from the box sitting on the vanity and handed them to Jun so he could wipe his eyes properly. "And I'm not just saying this because he might be our ticket to securing jobs when we graduate," he added with a teasing smile as he patted Jun's head fondly.

A tiny fragile unreasonable flicker of hope sparked in Jun's heart. "Do you really think that, or do you just need to use the toilet?"

"Yes, and yes. Now move yourself before I'm forced to pee in the sink."

+++

Aiba and Ohno were squished together on the sofa which sagged in the middle, giving its occupants no other choice than to lean against each other due to the slope of the seat cushions.

Aiba managed to rise to his feet by using Ohno as a climbing frame. He picked up an aqua coloured paper bag and waved it in excitedly in Jun and Nino’s direction. "You’re just in time for cake."

“Where did that come from?” Nino stared at the label and his eyes grew wide when he saw that it came from a very famous, and very expensive bakery.

Ohno looked almost as excited as Aiba by the prospect of dessert. “I gave them a call and had it delivered. It was my last ditch attempt to sweeten Jun-san up.”

“Why didn’t you try and bribe me instead?” Nino asked sadly as he tried to calculate the cost of the cake.

“We would never insult you in such a way,” Ohno replied with a shake of his head.

Nino slumped down dramatically on the threadbare rug covering the floor under the coffee table. “I am never offended by money.”

Jun retrieved some plates and a knife and proceeded to cut the beautiful blueberry cheesecake into slices. It was one of Sho’s favourites, and the memory of Sho stuffing huge forkfuls of the creamy dessert into his mouth made his eyes prick again. “You don’t have to try and bribe me.”

“I, on the other hand, am always open to a little financial incentive.” Nino took a tiny bite of cheesecake before passing the rest of it over to Aiba, who accepted it with a huge grin.

Ohno pouted a little at the sight, so Jun cut him another slice and added it to the one already on his plate. Ohno smiled briefly, and then his expression clouded. “I apologise if I offended you Jun-san. We really didn’t mean to force you to do anything which might make you feel uncomfortable.”

“You misunderstand me,” Jun clarified. “I meant that I am more than happy to meet with Sho-san. Tell me where and when, and I’ll be there. I will do whatever it takes to try and mend his heart.”

"That’s so romantic. Just like Romeo and Juliet," Aiba cooed.

"Except in the way that absolutely isn't," Nino drawled. "At least hopefully nobody ends up dead in the end. Although if it was Sho, maybe I wouldn't mind so much."

+++

A blast of autumn wind snuck down the back of Jun's collar as he neared the hotel entrance. It had been a frustrating three months since Ohno and Aiba’s request for his intervention with Sho.

As Sho's manager, Ohno had tried to manipulate Sho’s work schedule to allow him to be in a position to meet with Jun, only to be foiled at every step by yet another international crisis, local breaking news story or charity event to host. Ohno's constant reassurance that Sho was keen to see him did little to offset the doubt which was growing in Jun's mind with every passing week.

The boutique hotel was a surprise; it was nothing like the bland chain hotels where their trysts had always taken place. Judging by the reception area it was expensive, and the staff handed over his key card with a deferential bow. It was even more of a surprise to note that the room had been booked in Sho’s real name rather than the many aliases which he usually used on a rotation basis.

The door to the room swung open with a satisfying weight, revealing a luxurious suite. Jun immediately burst into laughter. Although more modern than the room which they had shared at Chateau de I’ile in Strasbourg, it was decorated in a similar colour scheme.

As he ran the tip of his finger over the purple flocked wallpaper which covered the wall behind the bedhead, Jun could picture Sho sprawled naked on the bed wearing one of his most irritating smirks

The curtains and bedspread were a deep shade of burgundy velvet and the carpet was black and soft underfoot. Apart from the purple wall behind the bed, the others were white, but a series of glass vases in various shades of purple were dotted around the suite, adding a touch of colour.

"Purple and red," Jun muttered under his breath. "I guess the combination is growing on me, but I'm still not completely convinced. By the way the colours are following me around, it feels as if the universe is trying to tell me something."

+++

"What’s his excuse this time?" Jun paced the floor angrily as he spoke.

At the other end of the line, Ohno sounded worried as he replied, "He should be there. He told me he was leaving at least two hours ago. Have you tried calling him?"

"I don't have his number. I deleted it after Alsace." Jun walked into the bathroom and turned on the tap to fill the tub. "Please send him a message saying that if he’s not here by midnight, I'm emptying the mini bar and going home."

As usual, Aiba jumped on the line with Ohno. "It might be because of the storm. It's coming down pretty hard out there. They said on the weather forecast that there's a risk of flash flooding."

This was news to Jun. "Storm?" He walked over to the window and pulled back the heavy curtains, revealing a sky filled with flashes of lightning. Heavy rain pelted against the triple glazed window pane with barely a whisper of sound. "I've been so preoccupied I didn't even notice." The storm was fierce, but Jun still set his lips into a firm line as he looked at his watch. There was a nagging thought at the back of his mind that he and Sho were about to prematurely fall back into the old pattern of their relationship, even while not actually being in a relationship. "He left two hours ago? He was supposed to meet me here four hours ago. There doesn't seem to be much point in me staying any longer."

"Please give him a little more time," Ohno asked. "He will surely have a good reason for being late."

"He always does," Jun sighed.

"Pleeeeeease," Aiba begged.

Deep down in Jun’s gut he knew that he would stay for as long as it took, but it was easier to use Aiba's pleading as an excuse to stay. “Don’t worry, Aiba-chan. I’ll stay, but I’m still taking the contents of the mini-bar with me while I take a bath.”

“I can arrange for champagne to be brought to the room,” Oho offered.

“That’s definitely not necessary. I don’t want Sho getting the idea that we are celebrating something." Jun knew that he sounded churlish, but the prospect of seeing Sho again was turning him inside out. "Sorry. I appreciate the offer, but champagne takes me back to Alsace, and I need to be objective when Sho arrives."

+++

Feeling slightly sick after eating two bars of chocolate and a bag of honey roasted cashews while drinking half a bottle of white wine in the bath, Jun emerged from the bathroom wearing the luxuriously soft robe provided by the hotel. He had a towel draped over his head and without his glasses he had to squint to read the time on his watch as he strapped it back onto his wrist.

It was after eleven, and he despaired of Sho ever arriving. It was raining harder than ever and lightning jagged across the sky, perfectly matching Jun's tumultuous mood.

The remaining chocolate looked tempting and Jun was picking at the wrapper when there was a thudding on the door as if someone was giving it a good kick.

Jun's heart thudded with nervous anticipation as he opened the door. Sho had finally arrived. He was wearing a waterproof jacket which was glistening wetly in the bright lighting, and carrying a suit bag which dripped water on the hall carpet.

Jun stood back to allow Sho to enter. "Come in before you leave a puddle on the floor."

Sho nodded and stepped inside. His hands shook as he removed his shoes with blue tinged fingers, and he appeared to be clenching his jaw in an attempt to stop his teeth from chattering.

"You look like a drowned rat." Jun removed the towel covering his hair and dropped it on Sho's head. "You're lucky that I haven't drained the tub yet. Hang up that wet jacket while I add some hot water, and then you can jump in."

Sho gave him a grateful look. "T-thank you."

After Sho was in the tub, Jun made him a cup of coffee and carried it in. He tried to keep his eyes firmly averted from Sho's naked body, but he had to look when he handed over the mug in case it spilled. Sho was definitely thinner than before, but the muscles in his arms and across his chest spoke of many hours spent in the gym. And by the dark circles under his eyes, the gym time came in lieu of sleeping.

"Thanks." Sho accepted the mug and wrapped his fingers around it to warm them. "Sorry for being late, but it was beyond my control."

The first hint of anger nibbled at Jun's stomach upon hearing Sho’s usual excuse for letting him down. "That’s what you always used to say. Funny how a person who obsessively schedules every waking moment has so many things which are beyond their control. I was just about to give up on you and go home."

"I guess I did say that quite often." A blush rose up Sho's neck and he looked slightly ashamed. "I know I should’ve been here hours ago, but have you looked outside recently?"

"I noticed that it's raining."

Sho's eyebrows rose towards his hairline. "Raining? It's the storm of the decade. Flash flooding has blocked most of the roads. I had to walk a large part of the way after the taxi got stuck. That was when I realised that I left my phone back at the television studio."

"You walked here?" Jun remembered the rain slashing at the window earlier and looked at Sho with concern.

"I couldn't let you down. Not again."

Sho reached for his hand, but Jun hastily retreated; he wasn't ready for this. At all.

+++

After Sho emerged from the bathroom huddled in another of the hotel bathrobes tied over the top of his slightly damp clothes, Jun took pity on his still chilled appearance. During Sho's time in the tub he had finished drying himself and dressed in a long sleeved t-shirt and his most comfortable jeans, leaving the rest of his layers on the end of the bed. He retrieved something warmer and handed it to Sho.

Sho's eyes widened as Jun thrust the fluffy merino cardigan which he had last seen in Strasbourg into his hands.

“You took it with you,” Sho ran his fingers over the soft oatmeal wool. “That means that the gifts I sent had some meaning for you.”

“It meant that I didn’t want to freeze on the flight home. They always have the air conditioning set cold enough to make penguins shiver.” Jun carefully avoided Sho’s eyes and handed him his refilled mug of coffee.

Sho took an appreciative sip as he walked over to the coat rack in the entrance. He unzipped the suit bag at the top revealing a sliver of blue fabric. "You accidentally left this behind at the hotel. I brought it with me tonight; I just hope that it stayed dry." He turned to look at Jun with a soft expression. "I have never seen you look more handsome than on that evening when we had the asparagus and you wore this suit. The moment we walked in, every single person in that dining room wanted you. That day was perfect from start to finish."

The feelings of loneliness and loss from that time returned to Jun; it seemed that Sho had forgotten what had actually transpired. "We had one good day together. One. The rest of the time I spent alone.”

"That was unfortunate," Sho said regretfully. "But that’s the nature of my work, and I thought that you were fine with it."

"I was, and then I wasn't. After two years I realised that I couldn't continue to just have sex with you, and nothing more. I guess I finally found my self-respect." Jun could tell by the look on Sho's face that his words hurt, but if they were to sort out their relationship, it was important for them to be completely honest with each other.

Sho took another sip of coffee, nodding distractedly as he stuck his hand into the pocket of the bathrobe. "The sex was great. I miss it."

As he watched Sho rummage in his pocket without meeting his eyes, Jun's frustration came to the surface. He snatched his cardigan back from Sho’s shoulders and clutched it to his chest. "If all you want is sex then find someone else. I'm no longer for sale."

"I wasn’t paying you for sex. Don't try and make me out to be something that I'm not." Sho's voice rose angrily. "Was it wrong of me to want you to be comfortable financially so that you could concentrate on your studies?"

"And don’t you try and fool yourself as to the nature of our relationship. We both knew what the deal was, and it's not as if we shared anything outside of sex." All of Jun’s good intentions fled as he responded with equal heat.

"And I think that you're fooling yourself if you actually believe that." Sho marched over to Jun and stared angrily into his eyes. "We both felt something more, and it's possible for us to find it again if you agree to us getting back to the way we were."

“How can we get back together, when there never was an us to begin with? I was your dirty little secret, and I refuse to return to being that again. Surely it can't be so hard for you to find someone else, someone who can solely devote themselves to your whims? It doesn't have to be me.”

Sho flung his coffee mug across the room hard enough for it to shatter on the far wall, leaving splashes of brown splattered across the white paintwork and shards of broken china scattered across the floor. “IT DOES!”

Jun tried to leave, turning away and stalking across the room seeking refuge in the bathroom, but Sho was quicker. Sho overtook him and grabbed him by the wrists, tugging him close enough so that he could see the unshed tears glimmering in Jun’s eyes.

So angry that it was actually hard to breathe, Jun struggled to free himself, not only from Sho’s grip, but also from his searing gaze. As Jun wriggled his hands, Sho’s last words penetrated the fog of anger which clouded Jun’s mind. “What did you just say?”

“You said that it doesn’t have to be you, but it does,” Sho replied vehemently.

“Why?” Jun was thrown off balance by the emotions he saw swirling in Sho’s dark eyes.

Sho blinked in confusion. He couldn’t understand why Jun didn’t get what he was saying. “Why? Why what? It should be perfectly obvious.”

“I wouldn’t ask if it was obvious!” Jun hissed. “And can you let me go? My wrists are starting to hurt.”

Sho looked down in surprise; he hadn’t realised that he was holding Jun quite so tightly. “Sorry.” He massaged the red marks his fingers had left on the inside of Jun’s wrists. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, not just now, but ever.”

“You have a funny way of showing it.” Jun bit the inside of his cheek in a futile attempt to stave off his tears. He was angry with himself for getting so emotional in front of Sho when he’d promised himself to stay calm. Perhaps it was never going to be possible for them to resolve their differences.

Sho reached up to brush a single teardrop from beneath Jun’s eye only to have his hand slapped away by Jun who was furious and confused in equal parts. He breathed deeply and explained. “I don’t want anyone else to fuck or otherwise. I only want you. I only want to fuck you. I only love you.”

An involuntary snort of amusement forced its way out of Jun’s nose as he slumped down onto the floor and rested his head on his knees. “I was all ready to punch you after the ‘fuck’ part just then and then you go and tell me that you love me?”

“And did that make a difference?” Sho squatted down next to Jun, trying to see Jun’s face, but it was well hidden.

“It did.” Jun lifted his head and looked Sho in the eyes. “It made me want to punch you even harder. And then kiss you. And then punch you again.”

“So…what about the ‘fuck’ part?” Sho asked as he edged cautiously closer to Jun.

“Don’t push your luck.”

Rather than say anything else, Sho reached into the pocket of his robe and pulled out a black jewellery box. He held it out to Jun with a hopeful expression.

"Don’t think you can buy your way back into my pants either," Jun snatched the box out of Sho’s hand, and snapped it open, fully prepared to hurl the contents back at Sho’s head. But the words he planned to say evaporated when he saw that the box contained a plain silver key pendant on a chain, rather than the expensive jewellery he’d imagined. "What is this meant to be? The key to your heart?"

Sho snickered and slowly edged closer. "No, but it is the key to my apartment. Or to be more precise it is a symbol of it, since I have an electronic keypad rather than an actual key. Ohno-san suggested I change the lock after I repeatedly called him in the middle of the night after losing my key, and I have found it to be a much more efficient...mphmmh."

Jun kept his hand over Sho's mouth, where he'd slapped it, to cut off Sho’s nerdy rambling, which in other circumstances he would have found cute, but right now he needed clear and precise answers. "So this means?"

"Mphhhmmpphhhh."

"Oh, sorry." Jun removed his hand and nervously twirled the key between his fingers. Now he realised why Sho had appeared to be distracted earlier while rummaging in his pocket.

"It means that you have an open invitation to come and go at my apartment whenever you please. I would love for you to live with me, but I know that you will probably refuse, because you and Nino will be very busy with projects together since this final year of your studies."

While his brain tried to process what had transpired in the last few minutes, Jun came to realise that the box looked very familiar. In fact, he remembered hurling it across the room back in France. "You already gave this to me."

"I did."

"And I threw it at you."

"You did."

"Does this mean that you were going to ask me to move in with you back then too?"

"I was," Sho replied with a hint of a smile. "But then you almost took my eye out, insulted me, and broke up with me, so I kind of didn't get the chance to ask."

"So what changed during that week?"

"That perfect day which we spent together just like any other couple made me aware of what I was missing. Every day since then I have regretted spending eighteen months pretending that I didn’t care, because I knew that I would never be permitted to have a real and open relationship with you. It was my clumsy way of protecting my own feelings, and I foolishly thought that by acting as I did, I was protecting you too. After we broke up and I saw how much pain I had caused you through my cowardice, I realised that I was sick of hiding my true self simply to please others and sacrificing the opportunity to have a proper relationship.”

Jun frowned as his brain whirred frantically as it tried to process what was happening. “But what about your career? Your family?”

"When I discovered that my parents happened to be in Paris for two days while we were in France, I made up my mind to tell them that I no longer wished to continue the charade about my sexual preferences. The timing was horrible, and I now know that I should have told you what I was doing, but once I made up my mind, I was consumed with the need to get it off my chest and return to you as soon as possible." Sho ran his fingers through his hair and looked haunted for a moment before his smile returned. "I had the intention of telling you that I wanted us to have a proper relationship, but then we got into that argument."

"I meant everything I said. What we were doing wasn't healthy for either of us, and I still intend to pay you back for everything you spent," Jun insisted.

"In that case I will make sure that Ohno-san deducts it from your pay when you and Nino start working on my new variety show at the television station."

"When we start what?"

"I know you two want to make movies, but you have to start somewhere, and it will give you practical experience and enable you to learn from some really talented people," Sho replied with a grin.

"Variety show? But what about your other jobs?"

"I told the network that I was intent on settling down, and didn't want to spend all of my time flying out of the country. This way I will have a job with a set schedule. Of course I will still continue to do the news program on Monday nights, but only from behind a desk in the studio."

Jun's heart soared, but he worried that he was forcing this decision onto Sho. "You're willing to give up what you love doing for me?"

"I love you more than my job and more than anything or anyone else in this world. I was falling apart without you. I couldn't sleep or eat."

"Couldn't eat? Now I really do know how much I mean to you," Jun teased as he wriggled over right next to Sho and rested his head on his shoulder. "Are you quite sure about that? I know that your love for shellfish runs deep."

"I love you even more than a giant clam," Sho declared with a flourish, before pulling Jun into his arms and kissing him thoroughly.

+++

Much later, when they were lying tangled together on the bed, Jun rested his head on Sho’s chest, listening to his heartbeat. “You know, a lot of our problems could’ve been avoided if you’d been better at communicating with me.”

Sho laughed, making Jun’s head almost slide off his chest. “Says the person who never once told me his true feelings.”

“I guess we both suck,” Jun agreed, before hastily adding, “And don’t make a smutty remark while I am trying to have a serious conversation.”

Sho widened his eyes in an attempt to appear innocent. “Me? Never. But you’re right. We do need to talk more. If I’d been more open, you would have known that I loved you just as much from the beginning as you loved me.”

Jun shot up into a sitting position and stared down at Sho. “You knew that?”

“I thought I did, but then you told me that it was a business arrangement to you, and I figured that I’d got it all wrong,” Sho said sadly.

‘I’m sorry I hurt you,” Jun stroked Sho’s hair, as if petting a cat. “Let’s both do better from now on.”

“Does this mean that you agree to come and stay with me when Nino lets you?”

“Nino is not the boss of me,” Jun huffed.

Sho snorted. “That’s what I say about Ohno-san, but he still gets his way every time.”

“I’ll ring him right now, and prove you wrong.”

Sho pointed to the digital clock beside the bed, “You do know that it’s three in the morning? Nino already hates me, so I don’t particularly want to do anything to further antagonise him.”

“Perfect, that means he will just have gotten home from his job at the twenty-four hour coffee drive through,” Jun said triumphantly as he reached for his phone. “Nino doesn’t hate you. In fact, he is the one who persuaded me to meet up with you. And in our new spirit of open communication I will put him on speaker to prove it.”

As soon as Nino answered, after advising him that he was on speaker, Jun launched into an explanation that he was with Sho, and that they were back together in a proper way this time.

Nino immediately cut in with, “Your voice sounds a little husky. Tell Sho to get out of bed and fetch you some water. And please try not to fuck each other to death.”

Sho made a strangled spluttering sound and his face turned beetroot red.

“Nino, play nice, or I won’t tell you about the job Ohno-san is about to offer us,” Jun warned.

“The one at the television studio? I already told the old man yes for both of us,” Nino replied smugly.

Sho butted in as he shared a puzzled look with Jun. “When were you speaking to Ohno-san?”

“Over dinner tonight,” Nino replied casually. “I chucked in my job at the drive through as soon as I heard his offer.”

“Then why are you still up?” Jun leaned on Sho and closed his eyes, as his body reminded him of the lateness of the hour.

A very familiar voice in the background at Nino’s end of the phone gave Jun his answer, as Aiba asked, “Did they do it?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” Nino replied with a sigh.

“Yay!” Aiba cheered. “I knew they would, which means that I win, and you have to buy the beer next time. Except that maybe we should do it on a weekend. It’s not every day that Sho-san is away and I can sneak into the office late. He’s so obsessed with this whole scheduling thing.”

“Aiba? What are you doing there?” Sho sat up straight jostling Jun, who was trying not to fall asleep just when things were getting interesting.

“Aaaah!” Aiba yelped. “Quick Nino, help me think of something...”

Sho laughed. “Don’t panic Aiba-chan, I promise that I heard nothing.”

“Calm down Aibashi, you almost deafened me when you screamed in my ear,” Nino grumbled.

“Sorry,” Aiba whispered loudly. “It’s just that it’s such good news.”

“So, anyway,” Jun said loudly, in an attempt to take back the conversation. “Speaking of news, Sho has given me the key to his apartment.”

Speaking loudly to drown out Aiba’s excited squeaks in the background, Nino asked, “When do we move in?”

Sho seemed to be struggling internally, but he immediately offered, "You're welcome to stay any time. I have a spare room."

That was the precise moment when Jun knew that it was true love.

Comments

[astrangestorm]

What would a Sakumoto AU be without communication problems, right? I will never tire of that, if only because it leads to great scenes like these where they finally have a confrontation and get all their feelings out. I liked how Nino was on Jun's side and only wanted him to be happy. And then Ohno and Aiba supporting Sho as well. It definitely was a bit of a lopsided arrangement they had, so I'm glad that in the end they were able to be more honest and open with one another and what they wanted. Sho being willing to give up some aspects of his career success in order to have more time for his own happiness with Jun...loved seeing that change in him.

[64907]

I thought I was over the allure of glucose father AUs when I decided to scratch the itch to read about them myself way back, but apparently not. This particular setup still has a hold on me as evidenced by how much of an entertaining read this was for me. Loved Nino throughout all this—that calculating, Jun defense squad dude that he is. I looked forward to his lines the most; I really like it when Nino is the voice of reason bec it totally fits his persona.

Loved how Ohno and Aiba are Sho’s support system in this bec they’re perhaps the most chill duo that perfectly balances out a workaholic Sho.

I gotta comment about the box thing—really liked that touch bec of how unexpected it was. I love how AUs of this particular kind end up with meaningful gifts; it always hits that spot in me that has a weakness for such stories. Thank you for this!

[whenyoudesertme]

So many emotions reading this! They are clearly so good together and I'm so glad they figured it out in the end. Jun and Nino's friendship is a delight, and Ohno and Aiba are great as well. The impromptu party when Ohno and Aiba come over to ask Jun to see Sho might have been my favorite part. Thank you for sharing! ♥