Archive of Our Own

Ichiban was lagging behind again, muttering to himself as he hunched over his phone, his thumbs punching the touch screen with unnecessary force. 

“I was thinking poke,” Kiryu said, sighing to himself as he slowed his pace for the third time in a city block, allowing his slow-moving companion a chance to catch up. “Does that work for you?”

“Shit!” Ichiban exclaimed, pocketing his phone and jogging up the sidewalk to meet Kiryu. “Sorry, Kiryu-san. What’d ya say?”

“Just thought you might be hungry,” Kiryu said. “We’ve been walking for a while.”

“Oh…” Ichiban scanned the street before them, realizing they’d wandered back into Honolulu’s city center. There were several restaurants nearby, their enticing smells wafting on the warm sea breeze. His stomach rumbled in response. “Yeah, I guess I am.”

“Okay.” Kiryu smiled. “Lots of options here. What looks good?”

Ichiban’s eyes landed on the poke restaurant just ahead. “Did I hear you say something about that place?”

“Yeah,” Kiryu said. “Plenty of spots to choose from, though. I’m not picky.”

“But are you poke?” Ichiban grinned. 

Kiryu shook his head, refusing to acknowledge the silly pun. “Is that what you want?”

“Never had it before, actually!”

Kiryu nodded, leading the way to a small set of glass doors. “Let’s try it, then.”

A few minutes later, Kiryu was happily tucking into a bowl full of rice, ahi tuna, and avocado, all topped with sesame seeds and a thick, spicy sauce. Ichiban was staring at his own bowl as if he didn’t quite know where to begin, a vaguely concerned frown on his face. He picked up his spoon, hesitantly turning over a piece of tuna.

“You wouldn’t poke at your poke, would you?” Kiryu asked, his mouth curving into a barely discernible grin when Ichiban looked up. 

“Ha, ha…” Ichiban frowned. “Very funny, Kiryu-san.”

“Hey, I can make dumb puns, too.”

Ichiban gathered up a bit of the rice and tuna onto his spoon, eyeing it warily. 

“What’s the matter?” Kiryu asked. “You don’t like it?”

“Haven’t tried it yet.”

“You don’t look too sure about it, though.”

Ichiban sat up straight, bracing himself, and jammed the spoon into his mouth. 

He chewed a little. Processed. Let the mass of raw fish roll over his tongue. He hummed, swallowing quickly. Maybe too quickly. “Ugh.”

Kiryu watched him from across the table, chopsticks halfway to his mouth. “You, uh… okay, Kasuga?”

“Yeah!” Ichiban shook off the impending nausea, reaching for his spoon again. “It’s great!”

He shoveled rice into his mouth, trying his best to avoid the actual slab of slimy, uncooked tuna at the center of the bowl. Three big bites in, a set of chopsticks moved into his field of vision, stopping him mid-shovel. He looked up to find Kiryu staring at him, brow furrowed.

“Slow down. No one’s gonna take it from you.”

“S-sorry.” Ichiban set down the spoon, taking a breath. “It’s just so good!”

Kiryu regarded him with curiosity, one eyebrow rising towards his hairline. “Sure.”

A second later, Ichiban was clutching his stomach, running for the door. 

Kiryu sighed.

They met up again on the street outside. 

“S-sorry, Kiryu-san. I’m usually an, ‘I can eat anything you put in front of me’ kinda guy.”

Kiryu ambled down the street at a leisurely pace, hands in his pockets. “Well, at least now you can say that you’ve tried it.”

Ichiban’s shoulders slumped as he walked beside Kiryu, feeling like utter shit. And after Kiryu-san was nice enough to pay for his dinner… 

His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he drew it out with a sigh.

“What is it on that thing that’s got you so distracted, anyway?” Kiryu asked. “You’ve had your nose in your phone all afternoon.”

“Oh, sorry.”

Kiryu shrugged. “It’s fine. Just curious.”

“Well…” Ichiban hedged, scrolling through the latest list of matches on his screen. “It’s kind of a dating thing,” he said. “What’s it called? An app.”

Kiryu paused, looking curiously down at the phone. “Really?”

“Yeah.”

Kiryu continued strolling down the sidewalk. “Interesting.”

Ichiban frowned. “What do you mean, interesting?”

“You just don’t strike me as the dating app type.”

“Why not?”

Kiryu laughed, easygoing as always. “I don’t know. I could never date someone based purely on looks. I guess I got the feeling you were the same.”

Ichiban glanced up from his phone, hurrying to catch up to Kiryu again. “But it’s not all about looks!” He said, showing Kiryu the screen. “See? You write this thing about yourself — what kinda stuff you like! What you do for fun. Ya know? Interests.”

Kiryu hummed, noncommittal. 

“Like this girl, see? She likes dancing, going to parties. Says here she’s really into skydiving.”

“Are you into skydiving, Kasuga?”

“Sure!” Ichiban exclaimed. “I mean… I could be.”

Kiryu laughed, throwing his head back. “But have you ever actually done it?”

Ichiban felt his face turn hot, tapping his phone nervously. “Uhhh… well…”

“Skydiving can be pretty intense,” Kiryu said. “I guess. Never tried it myself.”

Oh. Of course that was what he meant. Ichiban turned back to his phone, blushing like a — well, blushing like precisely what he was.

“People lie a lot on those things, anyway,” Kiryu said. 

“They do?”

“Yeah.”

“How come?”

“Because…” Kiryu shrugged. “People want to make themselves seem more interesting than they really are. What’s yours say?”

“Huh?”

“Your profile.” Kiryu smiled, ever patient. “What did you put in your profile?”

“Oh!” Ichiban opened the ‘about me’ section in the app. “Let’s see. I’m unemployed, I like music and trying new foods—” Ichiban cringed, remembering the poke. “In theory, anyway.”

Kiryu laughed, the orange glow of the island sunset reflecting on his face, his white teeth dazzling in the afternoon light. “Oh, Kasuga…”

“Yeah.” Ichiban winced. “Guess I better change that.”

“No, no…” Kiryu said. “That’s not your problem.”

“What’s my problem?”

“You get many dates on that thing, yet?”

Ichiban sighed. “None.”

“Yeah, well. Opening by telling them that you don’t have a job might be part of your issue.”

“But, I don’t have a job. Not right now, anyway.”

Kiryu chuckled, shaking his head. “You’re too honest. And most of the other people on there won’t be. And you’re trying to match with people who have completely different interests from your own. Even if she did agree to a date, what happens when she wants to go dance at some club? It’s loud; everyone’s drunk. You can’t even have a conversation. Is that your idea of a good time?”

“Not really…”

“Trust me, you’re better off meeting someone in a more organic way.”

Ichiban closed the app, shoving his phone back into his pocket. “Organic?”

“Yeah,” Kiryu said. “Like, in a bar. Or… maybe you take a class, and you meet someone there.”

“I don’t go to school,” Ichiban said. “And you’re the only person I drink with, most days.”

“Well, alright,” Kiryu said. “Maybe you do edit that profile a bit. How could you make it better, more accurate?”

“I thought you said it was already too accurate?” Ichiban frowned. “Too honest?”

“Sure,” Kiryu conceded. “But you don’t have to lie. It’s more about which details you choose to share. Take food, for example. You like trying new things. That’s fine, but maybe you also include something you already know that you like. For example?”

“Burgers!” Ichiban said, his mouth watering at the thought. “Can’t go wrong with a nice, juicy cheeseburger.”

After the poke disaster, Ichiban was still hungry. He could have sworn he smelled a hot juicy burger cooking somewhere right now. He could practically hear it sizzling on the grill.

“Bingo.” Kiryu veered off the main road, joining a small line at a kiosk nearby. A woodcut sign announced overhead— Oahu Burger! Fresh and delicious!

Ichiban took his time, this time, savoring every cheesy, juicy bite of the all beef patty and crunchy, well-toasted bun that was presented to him on a bed of hot, tasty French fries. 

Kiryu sat across from him with a frosted mug of beer, smiling in amusement at his friend’s obvious satisfaction.

Ichiban ate every bite of his burger, looking down at the mass of fries still piled up in front of him. “Oh, man… I don’t know if I can eat all this, Kiryu-san. Why’d they give me so much?”

“That’s America for you,” Kiryu said. 

Ichiban slid the plate across the table. “You want some?” 

“Sure, why not?” Kiryu reached for a fry, popping it into his mouth. 

“Thanks for dinner, by the way.” Ichiban slid down in his chair. “Both times.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“I bet you never had any trouble getting a date.” Ichiban pouted, poking the remnants of his dinner with a fork.

He couldn’t understand why the server had even brought him one. Everybody knew you ate burgers and fries with your hands. So far, America seemed weird. And wasteful.

“What do you mean, had?” Kiryu frowned. “I’m not dead, yet.”

Ichiban laughed nervously. “Sorry, Kiryu-san! What am I saying? I’ll bet you’ve got one hot date lined up after the next, as soon as you’re done savin’ my sorry ass. All the more reason I should say, ‘thank you!’”

“Well, stop it,” said Kiryu. “I owe you one. It’s not a problem.”

Ichiban reached for another fry, just for something to do with his hands. The Dragon of Dojima owed him one? He wasn’t sure when he’d get used to hearing that. 

“Anyway, you’d be surprised.”

Ichiban looked up from his fries, waiting for Kiryu to say more.

“At the risk of sounding like a truly old man…” Kiryu shook his head. “I didn’t get a lot of dates when I was your age, either.”

“Really?”

Kiryu shrugged. “Well, like you, I spent a good chunk of my younger years behind bars. You get out, life goes on. But, it’s not so easy to adjust, right?”

“Right…” Ichiban sat perfectly still, fascinated. “So… what’d you do? How’d you get over it? The adjusting, I mean.”

Kiryu chuckled, taking a sip of his beer. “I’m not sure I ever really did. I mean, I live in a legal gray area now. Officially, I’m dead. I sleep in hotels. I don’t exactly lead a normal life.”

Ichiban shrugged, a grin spreading across his face. “Sure. But I bet you’ve got a girlfriend. I’ll bet you’ve got five girlfriends; one in every city. You’re like… some kinda superspy. You’re James Bond!”

Kiryu frowned. “Not quite.”

“Yeah, well.” Ichiban sighed. “You could be. Who wouldn’t wanna date you?”

Kiryu rolled his eyes. “There’s nothing so special about me that you don’t also have, Kasuga.”

Ichiban wasn’t convinced.

“Anyway,” Kiryu said. “Don’t you have a lot going on right now? Do you want to date? Or are you just doing it because you think you’re supposed to?”

“Maaan…” Ichiban hissed, keeping his voice low so no one else would hear. “I’m in my forties… If not now, when?”

“Get back to me in ten years or so.” Kiryu laughed. “If you think forty’s old.”

“I’m just sayin’… What if I wanna have kids?”

“Do you?”

Ichiban flopped in his chair, all nervous energy. “I don’t know!”

“I have nine,” Kiryu said. “None of them are blood related. Is that really important to you?”

“Huh?” Ichiban scratched his head. “I guess not.”

“There’s no age limit on adoption.”

“Sure…” Ichiban shrugged. “I guess that’s true… Really? Nine?”

“I can’t really talk about it,” Kiryu said. “But, I love them. They’re mine. They know that they’re loved, and that’s all that matters.”

Ichiban blinked, seeing the sincerity with which Kiryu spoke about these mystery children. “Yeah… okay.”

“Listen, Kasuga. Some people take longer getting around to things. Some never will. There's nothing wrong with whatever path you choose in life. At the end of the day, you just have to ask yourself what it is that you actually want.”

“Yeah…” Ichiban stared into his cooling plate of fries, mulling over everything Kiryu had said.

“I mean…” Kiryu shrugged. “Are you even sure that you like women?”

“Huh?!” Ichiban sat up suddenly, slamming his fists on the table. “Sure, I do! What do you think I am? Some kinda misogynist?”

Kiryu was staring at him, wide-eyed, a bemused smirk playing on his face. “No. No, that’s… not what I meant.”

He pushed his chair back, finishing off his beer in one go. “Come on. It’s getting late. We should head back to the hotel.”

✧✧✧

The phone was ringing when they walked through the door. 

“Oh,” Kiryu said, checking his watch. “Sorry. Let me get that.”

He hurried over to the nightstand, catching the receiver mid-ring.

Ichiban didn’t know the last time he’d seen anyone use a hardline phone like that, but he guessed it was mostly a hotel thing, these days.

He went to the big window overlooking the balcony, and the beach in the distance, trying not to eavesdrop. Still, Kiryu didn’t seem to care if he was overheard, and, even one-sided, the conversation was… interesting.

“Yes,” Kiryu said. “It was right where you said it’d be. You shouldn’t keep doing that, though. This is risky enough. And you’re sure these calls can’t be traced?”

A long sigh, followed by the sound of shifting fabric as Kiryu leaned back against the headboard. “Okay, okay. I know. I wish a lot of things. It is what it is.”

A pause. 

“I was at dinner. The poke here is as good as they say.”

Ichiban turned, catching Kiryu’s eye as he smiled from across the room, twisting the phone cord around one finger.

“Well…” Kiryu laughed, kicking off his shoes. “I thought so, anyway. Not sure my dinner date agreed.”

Ichiban blinked, heart suddenly pounding in his ears. Who was Kiryu talking to? Was he the dinner date?

“Yeah,” Kiryu said. “I should go.”

Another pause, and Ichiban didn’t think he’d ever seen Kiryu’s eyes look so warm, so full of yearning. Watching him, the old, beige relic of the phone’s receiver pressed to the side of his face, he looked like a man in love. 

“Okay,” Kiryu said. “Talk soon.”

And then Kiryu Kazuma, the legendary Dragon of Dojima, did something quite impossible. He made an audible, kissing motion into the phone, pursed lips and all. And then, just as quickly, he hung up. 

A beat passed. Ichiban’s mouth hung open, watching in awe as Kiryu set his shoes by the door. 

“What was that?” Ichiban asked, utterly stunned.

“Huh?” Kiryu looked up, nonplussed. “What was what?”

“Who was that on the phone?”

Kiryu smirked, crossing the room in bare feet. “Pretty sure that’s none of your business. I’m gonna go shower. Unless you need it?”

“N-no,” Ichiban stammered. “I can wait.”

“Great,” Kiryu said, unbuttoning his shirt as he went. “Be just a second.”

Kiryu was back a few minutes later, a soft, terry cloth robe wrapped around his body, the skin of his chest still flushed with heat.

Ichiban sat on the couch, eyes glued to the floor while Kiryu got dressed, reappearing in a pair of sweatpants and a crew neck with a blanket in tow. 

“All yours,” Kiryu said, scrubbing a towel over his salt and pepper hair, combing it back into place with his fingers. 

“Oh, yeah.” Ichiban vacated the couch, heading back to the other end of the small suite where the bathroom was still hot and humid, steam hanging in the air. 

He closed the door, peeled out of his clothes, and was startled to find that he had a hard on. 

Well. It had been a busy couple of days. He’d been under a lot of stress, with little time to relax, which was certainly a shift after a month on the couch with no job. 

This was to be expected, Ichiban rationalized. And what better place for it to happen? What better time? He’d shower, take care of this, and be ready for bed in a snap. It wasn’t like anyone would know. Kiryu-san was probably halfway to dreamland by now, laid out on the couch in his soft, cozy pajamas that looked oh so relaxing on him… 

Huh? What was that thought about? Never mind. Not important. Ichiban slid open the shower door, stepping inside. 

The water was scalding hot, a rare luxury, and if he took a little longer than usual, it was only to enjoy the heat. 

Heat. Kiryu-san’s chest had been visibly hot when he came out of the shower, his skin pink and flushed. It made his muscles stand out, even more than usual, the hard, corded curves of his body pulled tight. 

What the hell? Ichiban looked down to find his cock fully erect, a little bead of precome threatening to spill from the end. 

He was covered in soap, the washcloth in his hands all lathered up as he scrubbed methodically over every inch of his body. Apparently his cock had taken this simple, perfunctory touch as some kind of invitation. He guessed that made sense, but he’d planned to shower off first, then handle… that. It seemed like his sex drive had other ideas. 

Fine, he thought. Let’s make this quick.

He laid the cloth aside, wrapping one hand around himself and beginning to stroke. 

“Fuck…” He sighed, suddenly desperate for more. 

Was it the same, Ichiban wondered, as he always did, when you were with another person? It couldn’t be, right? This act was selfish by nature. With someone else there, you’d have to be considerate, attuned to their needs as much as your own. You’d have to ask what they liked and then try to give it to them. You’d have to be good at predicting their needs. 

Like Kiryu-san. At dinner tonight, even when Ichiban had tried to pretend the poke tasted good, Kiryu had known better, had tried to intervene. But Ichiban was stubborn, and wanted to save face. What had that got him? A humiliating bout of puking in the bushes. 

He remembered the look on Kiryu’s face, sitting across from him in the burger joint, watching Ichiban’s obvious pleasure as he devoured the delicious cheeseburger.

He’d looked almost… proud.

I did that, Kiryu must have been thinking. I gave him exactly what he wanted, in spite of himself. Look how satisfied he is.

Ichiban gasped, leaning on the wall of the shower. What kind of fucked up, ass backwards scenario was this? Was he really fantasizing about a burger?

He couldn’t deny it had happened before. There were times in his past when he’d been so hungry, the image of a fully-loaded chili dog may very well have brought him to the heights of sexual bliss. And, ya know, now that he thought about it… That was a pretty phallic choice of food… 

“Are you even sure that you like women?” Kiryu had asked. But surely he couldn’t have meant… Then again, thinking back on it now, what else could he have meant?

Ichiban’s cock twitched suddenly, demanding attention, and he let out an involuntary moan, catching himself too late. He clapped a hand over his mouth, holding his breath, and listened for any sound of movement from the main room.

The door was closed, but this was a hotel. How soundproof could the walls really be? He decided he’d better not risk it. He’d been in here too long, already. 

Switching the water over to cold, Ichiban shivered as he quickly rinsed off, scrabbling for a towel with one hand and cutting the water off with the other.

He glanced down as he patted himself dry, happy to see the unruly part of his body had fallen in line. It was an old trick from prison, but one that had never failed him yet. Sometimes you just had to make it behave really quick, to save yourself a whole load of trouble.

Ichiban breathed a sigh of relief as he padded back to the bedroom, clothed in a t-shirt and shorts. It was the same shirt and shorts he had bought in town yesterday, purchased with Kiryu’s money. He tried not to reflect too much on the fact that Kiryu kept paying for things, or the fact that he kind of liked it. Kiryu didn’t seem to mind, either, happy to play the role of Ichiban’s wallet until they recovered his real one. 

What was it they called that? Especially when it came to older men? A sugar daddy.

“You alright, Kasuga?”

Ichiban jumped, realizing he’d just been standing by the bed, lost in thought. 

Kiryu shifted under his blanket on the couch to look up at him. The room was dark, so there wasn’t much to see, but Ichiban could just make out the curve of a smile on Kiryu’s face. 

“My dinner date…”

 The way Kiryu had looked at him when he said that, like he was teasing — it had to have been intentional. And still, Ichiban couldn’t stop wondering who in the world Kiryu had been talking to. Who would even know to call him here? While he was on a secret mission for his secret spy agency? The list of possible suspects had to be short. And then… the way he’d ended the call…

“Kasuga?”

“I’m fine,” Ichiban said, pulling back the blankets. “You sure you don’t wanna trade? I feel bad, making you sleep on the couch in your own place.”

“No,” Kiryu said, curling back under his blanket. “It’s not a problem. Good night, Kasuga.”

 “G-good night.”

In what felt like a heartbeat later, Ichiban inexplicably found himself back in the poke restaurant — its little blue tiles like ocean waves running along the wall, the scent of fresh seafood permeating the room. The bowl on the table before him seemed to grow, huge cuts of fresh tuna spilling out on all sides. 

“Uh…” Ichiban leaned back, his chair tipping dangerously onto two legs.

“N-no thank you!” He shouted, but the restaurant was empty, only the massive serving of rice and sauce and slimy, overpowering ahi tuna filling his field of vision.

“I’m sure it’s great,” Ichiban cried out, hoping a chef somewhere might hear him and come to his aid. “It’s just not for me! I’m… s-sorry!”

Notifications blared in his ears, match after match filling his field of vision like one gigantic phone screen. 

I like sports!

I like art!

I like eating keto and running marathons on the weekend!

“No you, don’t!” Ichiban screamed, hands clamped over his ears. “You’re lying! I’ll bet you’ve never even been skydiving, either!”

Suddenly, the poke bowl was cast aside by a powerful, well-muscled arm, a swift right hook punching the bowl into a thousand scattered pieces. 

A familiar face appeared, and strong hands bearing a platter piled high with golden, crispy French fries and a succulent, glistening cheeseburger.

“Kiryu-san!”

Kiryu presented the burger, blowing Ichiban a kiss. “Isn’t this what you really wanted, Kasuga?”

He reached for an extra long French fry, one of those really good ones that always gets stuck in the bottom of the bag, and placed it gingerly in Ichiban’s mouth, his thumb brushing salt over Ichiban's lips as he moaned with pleasure. 

“Kasuga.”

“Hmm…?” Ichiban felt warm, happy, and tingly all over.

“Kasuga-san?”

“Yeah…” Ichiban sighed. “So good…”

“Kasuga! Wake up!”

Someone was shaking him, and suddenly Ichiban didn’t feel quite so warm or happy. He sat up suddenly, finding the blankets pulled down to his waist, a wide-eyed Kiryu looming over him. 

“Are you okay?”

“Huh?” Ichiban blinked, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

“It sounded like you were having a nightmare, or…” Kiryu’s eyes widened impossibly further. “Or something.”

“Uh— Oh! Kiryu-san! I, uh…” The bizarre dream came crashing into Ichiban’s consciousness then, the full weight of its absurdity only revealed upon waking. “S-sorry, I…”

But Kiryu’s widening eyes weren’t locked on Ichiban’s face, anymore. Instead, his gaze had dropped to his lap. The blankets were off, and there was no hiding the state he was in, the thin cotton shorts very clearly tented by Ichiban’s swollen, freshly interested cock. 

So much for his prison hack. 

“K-Kiryu-san, I can explain!”

Kiryu sat back on his heels, making the mattress creak, and somehow that only worsened Ichiban’s suffering. He winced, reaching to pull the blanket back over himself, his face burning hot. 

“I’m sorry, Kasuga. I didn’t realize that was…” Kiryu huffed, shaking his head in the dark. Was he laughing? “I’m sorry.”

“Uh…” Ichiban hardly knew what to say. “Y-yeah. M-me too.”

“It’s not your fault,” Kiryu said. “You didn’t ask me to crawl into bed with you.”

Ichiban tried to ignore the sound of blood rushing in his ears, watching Kiryu where he crouched to one side. 

“I guess you probably want me to go?” Kiryu asked. It took Ichiban a breath to register that it was, in fact, a question. Kiryu hadn’t moved, continuing to perch on the bed as if awaiting instructions. 

“Uh…” Ichiban ran a hand through his hair, unsure how to proceed. 

“Or, I could stay,” Kiryu said, his voice deeply methodical, steady. “It’s up to you.”

Ichiban breathed, something like a garbled gasp escaping his throat. “Wh-what?”

“I haven’t exactly been subtle,” Kiryu said. “But I won’t be offended if you’re not interested. We can just go back to sleep.”

“Wait. That was what you meant…” Ichiban muttered. “When you asked if I like girls?”

Kiryu’s teeth flashed in the dark, a quick and easy smile. “Never considered the alternative, huh?”

“I guess not…”

Kiryu shifted up the bed, tugging at the blankets. “Do you mind if I sneak in here for a second? It’s kinda cold.”

“Oh!” Ichiban helped unfold the comforter and arrange the extra pillows. “Sure thing. S-sorry about that.”

“It’s okay.” Kiryu chuckled, sliding in beside him. 

“Kiryu-san.”

Kiryu’s eyes met his in the dark, the light grey in his hair catching what little ambient light there was in the room. “Yeah?”

“I… Please don’t laugh.”

Kiryu’s smile was warm, kind. “Why would I?”

“I’ve never... uh…” Ichiban could feel the heat in his cheeks again, but his cock was even hotter… Fuck… His cock was hot, and dripping between his legs, aching to be touched. And Kiryu was right here beside him, their feet brushing together under the blankets. “I never did this before.”

A hand touched his chest, warm and still, its tenderness clear even through the fabric of Ichiban’s shirt. 

“You mean, with a man?” Kiryu’s voice was soft in his ear, as gentle as his touch.

“N-no…” Ichiban realized he was shaking then, and he didn’t know how to stop. 

“At all?” Kiryu asked. “Never?”

Panic rose in Ichiban’s throat, and he fought to remain calm. “Y-yeah? I mean, no. I mean… yeah, never.”

Kiryu’s breath was hot, a soft exhalation ghosting over Ichiban’s electrified skin. “That’s okay. Why would that be funny?”

“I dunno,” Ichiban said, overwhelmed with relief. “Just seems dumb, I guess. Pretty pathetic to be my age, and... ya know?”

Kiryu sighed, his breath tickling the back of Ichiban’s neck this time. “You're what? Forty? Where we come from, we’re lucky to make it this far, aren’t we?”

Ichiban sighed. “Yeah, I guess.”

Kiryu rolled onto his side, face-to-face with Ichiban, and pressed a kiss to his mouth. 

He pulled back, gauging the other man’s reaction. “Well?”

Ichiban licked his lips, a little stunned. “That was nice.”

Kiryu smiled. “You want more?”

Ichiban nodded, returning the smile. 

“Come here, then. Kiss me.”

Ichiban had kissed women before, a handful of times, but it was always a haphazard thing, rushed and usually alcohol-inspired, a brief misadventure in a dance hall toilet or something done on a late-night dare.

This was… different. This was intentional, purposeful. Kiryu started slow, his lips moving against Ichiban’s with the ease of a soft sigh. But gradually, things grew more intense, his mouth sucking Ichiban’s lower lip, worrying it between his teeth. 

His hands roved over Ichiban’s body, petting him everywhere. A thumb teased his nipple, and fingers traced the line of his waist, never quite making it all the way to the place Ichiban wanted them most. 

Ichiban whined, his hips canting towards Kiryu’s already retreating hand. 

Kiryu chuckled, the sound of soft laughter rumbling in his throat. “Okay,” he said. “You want me to touch you?”

“Uh…” Ichiban hesitated. “Maybe? Yes. Sorry, yes.”

Kiryu sighed. “Kasuga… Come on, now. You know that’s not the way. Are you sure?”

“I know!” Ichiban winced. “What I meant was, I think so.”

Kiryu kissed his throat, his chest, his belly, working his way down Ichiban’s body like he was checking off a list. He looked up, his chin resting on Ichiban’s hip. “You should know something, I think, before this goes any further.”

Oh, no. Here was the part where it all crumbled. Ichiban couldn’t even imagine what the next words out of Kiryu’s mouth might be, but whatever they were, they would surely be enough to make him realize this had all been a huge mistake, that he didn’t actually want to be doing this with Ichiban at all.

“Hey,” Kiryu said, smoothing a hand over Ichiban’s thigh. “Don’t look like that. It’s nothing bad.”

“Oh,” Ichiban said. “S-sorry.”

“At least, I hope it’s not. The thing is, I’m not exactly single.”

Ichiban’s eyes went wide. “Oh yeah,” he said. “Your mystery caller.”

Kiryu laughed, pressing a kiss to Ichiban’s belly. “He would love knowing that he’s earned such a title,” Kiryu said. “It sounds like something from a Hollywood movie.”

So, it was a guy. Ichiban processed this revelation, wondering if Kiryu-san only dated men. It seemed weird to ask. And unimportant, besides. 

“Funny thing,” Kiryu continued. “I think he likes the idea of me being some secret spy, too. I keep telling him to stop tracking me down, that I’m not supposed to have any contact with the outside world, but… Does that stop him? No. He likes leaving gifts for me in places he knows I’m gonna be, like some kind of undercover supply mission. Then he’ll call to make sure I got it.” Kiryu laughed. “You guys actually have a lot in common. He’s always had an air for theatrics.”

“He sounds…” Ichiban shrugged. “Fun?”

“Oh yeah, he’s a ton of fun,” Kiryu said. “But, you’d know. You’ve met him.”

Ichiban blinked in surprise. “I have?”

“The way I hear it, he tried to steal you away to Osaka for keeps, but you weren’t having it; said you were dedicating yourself to your crew there in Ijincho. Which is admirable. Anyway, I got an earful about it later, him going on about what a powerhouse you were in a fight, and what a waste it was letting you walk away.”

Ichiban felt his cheeks turn warm, hearing anyone praise him like that. But. Wait.

“You don’t mean…” He stared up at Kiryu, stunned. “Those two Tojo guys at Omi HQ. There was Taiga Saejima… huge dude. Super strong.”

Kiryu smiled. “He is that.”

“And the other one. Goro Majima, the Mad Dog of Shimano. They were telling stories about him when I was just a kid!”

Kiryu winced, laughing good-naturedly. “Don’t let him hear you say that. He hates being reminded just how old we’re getting to be.”

“You’re not… are you saying that was him on the phone?”

Kiryu smiled. “Between you and me, I think the gifts are just an excuse for him to call. He never could just pick up the phone to say, ‘Hey, I miss you.’ But…” Kiryu sighed. “I was always the same way.”

“You’re dating Majima-san? No way!”

Kiryu laughed. “Well, we haven’t been in the same room for a while, but… technically I’m involved with both of them. Saejima has been there for him since they were just kids. I guess that makes me the fun little side piece, but… anyway…”

Ichiban’s eyes were going to pop out of his head.

“The three of us have an understanding,” Kiryu said. “It’s a pretty open relationship, you know?”

Ichiban gaped at Kiryu, completely unable to speak. The images filling his mind right now were not at all G-rated, and his cock twitched under the covers, reminding him it was still waiting. 

“So, yeah,” Kiryu said. “I care about them both, obviously. I used to think I’d settle down with a woman... maybe get married.” He paused, shaking his head. “But, that isn’t how my life turned out. So, here we are.”

“But…” Ichiban frowned. “You’re happy?”

Kiryu shrugged. “Things aren’t perfect. There’s plenty I might do differently if I had it all to do over again. But… yes. I guess I’d have to say I’m making the most of it.”

Ichiban grinned. “You are James Bond. You’ve got a boyfriend in every city.”

Kiryu rolled his eyes. “Alright, I guess you got me there.” He reached up to touch Ichiban’s cheek, growing serious again. “I just didn’t think it was fair to you. To… get into all this without even telling you about them. I’m not exactly in a place where I’m looking for anything long term. We can have fun, and obviously I care about you… but…”

“I get it, Kiryu-san. It’s not a marriage proposal.”

Kiryu smiled. “So long as we’re on the same page.”

He leaned in, kissing Ichiban tenderly again, his hands smoothing down his chest. 

“W-wait,” Ichiban said. 

“Yeah?” Kiryu leaned back. “What is it?”

“Well… I guess… I oughta tell you something, too.”

Kiryu smiled, soft and warm. “Sure.”

“There was someone… back in Yokohama.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“I mean, nothing ever came of it. It was one date, and I’m not even sure she ever wants to see me again.”

Kiryu nodded, sympathetic. 

“But… I guess I was still kinda hoping.”

“Well, however it turns out, I hope you both get what you want.”

Kiryu watched him with heavy, lidded eyes. Is that what they called bedroom eyes? Ichiban didn’t know.

“A relationship isn’t a failure just because it doesn’t last,” Kiryu said. “You learn something new every time, and that experience you share together has value. It remains a part of you, forever.”

“Kiryu-san…”

 “Will you make me a part of you, Ichiban? Take me with you wherever you go next?”

Well, shit. How else was he supposed to respond to a line like that…?

“Y-yes… Kiryu…”

Kiryu’s palms slid down Ichiban’s body to peel off the soft cotton shorts in one swift motion, one hand curling around his cock while the other stroked his thigh.

Ichiban yelped as his back arched, leaving just enough room for Kiryu’s arm to sneak in beneath him, cradling his spine with splayed fingers.

“This okay?” Kiryu asked, his fist already pumping Ichiban’s dick — his grip loose, tentative. 

“Y-yeah!” Ichiban whined. “Oh, fuck, Kiryu-san!”

“Like this?”

It was exactly as Ichiban had imagined — the questions, the near constant checking in to ensure satisfaction, only he’d always expected to be the one trying to pass some kind of test, performing from a piece of music he’d never heard before. Instead, Kiryu was the one on stage, and he seemed to be singing a song he knew quite well. Even so, he insisted on verifying the notes of each stanza.

Ichiban didn’t mind, but he did hide his face in the curve of Kiryu’s throat when one smooth finger slid down, teasing the hypersensitive skin between his cheeks. 

“Easy, Ichan…” Kiryu hissed in his ear. “How does that feel?”

Ichiban whimpered, as much at the touch, and the question, as at the sound of such a familiar form of his name on Kiryu’s lips. 

“Too much?” Kiryu asked, his hand immediately shifting away, petting Ichiban’s lower back instead. 

“N-no…” Ichiban’s words caught in his throat, fighting to find their way out. “Don’t stop.”

Kiryu tried again, moving slower, the soft pads of his fingers ghosting over Ichiban’s skin, still teasing, if a little more insistent this time. 

“Go ahead, Kiryu-san.”

Kiryu hummed in his ear. “What?”

“I know what you, uh… what you want. I can take it.”

He felt Kiryu smile against the side of his face, his nose nuzzling in his hair. “We’ve fought before, remember? You’ve already demonstrated you can take whatever I throw at you.”

Ichiban laughed, trying to relax. “Yeah, I guess.”

“What do you mean, you guess?” Kiryu asked. “Your confidence never matches your ability, Kasuga. You should think more highly of yourself.”

“Okay…” Ichiban smiled. Kiryu was never going to miss an opportunity to build him up, it seemed, even now. Maybe especially now.

“Anyway, it’s not about whether you can ‘take it’ or not… Do you want to?”

“I…” Ichiban hesitated. “Well…” He looked down, under the covers. “You haven’t even got your pants off, yet.”

“A problem easily solved.” Kiryu grinned, and then the cozy sweatpants were gone, kicked to the foot of the bed. He tore out of his crewneck, tossing it aside, as well. 

Ichiban watched with fascination as Kiryu licked his own palm, reaching to stroke himself to fullness.

“This okay, Ichan?”

Maybe the fifth time he’d asked that question so far, and Ichiban felt overwhelmed with gratitude every time. This was… terrifying, on some level, even as much as he wanted it. And each time Kiryu asked, something deep in Ichiban’s gut became more certain that if he said, ‘no,’ this whole thing would come to an abrupt stop.

“Yeah,” he said, shifting closer, back into Kiryu’s space. He reached out, watching the other man’s face for permission. Kiryu smiled, taking Ichiban’s hand in his, then the rest of the way to its destination, sighing as he leaned in to kiss him.

“That’s good, Ichan…” Kiryu’s breath tickled Ichiban’s lips as he spoke. “Your hands are so warm… thank you.”

Ichiban chuckled, one leg tucking between Kiryu’s as he felt his own body respond to this new proximity. “You don’t gotta thank me.”

“No?”

“I wanna touch you, too.”

Kiryu grinned, pressing a kiss to Ichiban’s nose. “Good. Let’s touch each other, then.”

So they did, and it wasn’t long before Ichiban found himself losing his grip on anything close to control. Something in the back of his mind cried out, like alarm bells going off. As the intensity of his breathing increased, and his awareness of anything other than the pleasurable feeling taking over faded to the background, he had the distinct sense that he was forgetting something. 

But, whatever it was, he’d have to worry about it later. 

“K-Kiryu-san…” 

“Easy, Ichiban…” Kiryu sighed in his ear. “I got you.”

And he did. He did have him. A second later, Ichiban was gone, transported to another plane of existence that contained only happy, warm feelings and a hazy, half conscious sense of bliss. 

He looked down in time to watch the last jet of cum shoot out of his own cock, leaving a stripe of wet across Kiryu’s tightening abs.

That happened. He did that. He came on Kiryu’s naked, well-muscled stomach, and now Kiryu was laughing about it, reaching to smear some of it onto his hand. 

“S-sorry!” Ichiban exclaimed. 

“Don’t you dare,” Kiryu sighed, kissing him tenderly. “All done?”

“I… I guess so,” Ichiban said. “But, you…” That’s when he remembered what he’d forgotten about. “Oh, shit!”

Kiryu’s face fell. “What’s wrong now?”

“Nothing,” Ichiban said. “I just… I mean…”

Kiryu smiled, patient as always. “Use your words, Kasuga.”

He looked down at Kiryu’s cock. It was still waiting as patiently as the man himself.

Selfish. He’d been so selfish, he’d forgotten all about what Kiryu might want. That was the thing that was supposed to be different.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “Weren’t you gonna, um…”

“We still can,” said Kiryu. “Only if you want to.”

“I do,” Ichiban said with more confidence than he felt, looking Kiryu straight in the eye. “I want to.”

Kiryu nodded, throwing the blankets back and rolling onto his side. “Gimme one second.”

It was Ichiban’s first really good look at him, totally naked. And while he’d never been one to think of the male body as ‘beautiful’ the word wasn’t misplaced here. Kiryu was all muscle and sinew, his skin tanned a healthy glow under the warm Hawaiian sun. And — Ichiban felt his face turn hot at the mental acknowledgement — god damn, if he didn’t have an ass built for fine art. The dragon tail tattooed down his back seemed to curve seductively around one pert cheek, and Ichiban dedicated the full power of his long-term memory to retaining that image. 

Kiryu went to the nightstand, sliding open a drawer. 

“What is it?” Ichiban asked, watching him take out a small cardboard box and a bottle of some liquid. 

“Tools of the trade.” Kiryu chuckled, moving back towards the bed. “Condoms and lots… I mean, lots…” His eyes widened as he caught Ichiban’s curious gaze, sliding back in beside him. “...of lube.”

Ichiban made room for Kiryu, rearranging the blankets, and looked up at him, somewhat helplessly. “I don’t… what do you need me to do?”

“Here.” Kiryu smiled, guiding Ichiban’s body with his hands. “Lay on your back.”

Ichiban did as he was told, watching in awe as Kiryu settled on top of him, hands pressed to the mattress at his sides. 

Ichiban knew from experience exactly how strong Kiryu was. For anyone that strong to be this equally gentle — it did something for him he couldn’t quite put into words. He lay flat on his back while Kiryu popped open the bottle of lubricant, drizzling a substantial amount into the palm of his hand.

“Easy, now,”  Kiryu said, urging Ichiban’s knees apart. “You’ll want to relax.”

Ichiban nodded, trying his best to comply, but when Kiryu’s cool, wet fingers followed the short distance from his balls to his backside, pressing in against his opening, he instinctively gasped, every muscle seizing up.

Kiryu smiled down at him, reassuring. “I think everyone reacts that same way, the first time. I know I did.”

“S-sorry!”

Kiryu shook his head. “We’ll break you of that habit, Kasuga, mark my words. Stop apologizing.”

Ichiban knew he must be blushing again, but Kiryu took no notice. He simply leaned in close, and tried again.

This time, Ichiban only flinched a little, relaxing into Kiryu’s touch as his fingers gently massaged him. If his face wasn’t red enough already, it burned even hotter when Kiryu’s eyes met his, the first digit of one finger easing inside his body. 

It proceeded this way for what felt like forever. Each time Ichiban reacted, with either excitement or hesitation, Kiryu would freeze, refusing to move again until Ichiban was ready.

“Kiryu-san…”

“Yeah?”

“No offense, but… How long are you planning to keep this up?” He looked down between them. Kiryu was still hard, somehow, still waiting. 

It was hard to be sure when he couldn’t see, but Ichiban felt Kiryu’s hand shift beneath him then — a third finger sliding in, maybe? They’d worked up to two some minutes ago, a milestone that left Kiryu showering Ichiban with even more soft-spoken, tenderly applied praise.

“Ah!” Ichiban tried to adjust to the new intrusion, but immediately felt Kiryu pull back when he winced. “Sor—”

“Apologize one more time, Kasuga, and we can be done here. I’ll drop this whole thing and go right back to sleep.”

Ichiban didn’t doubt Kiryu’s sincerity, or his ability to somehow leave him the one wanting more when it was Kiryu himself who hadn’t cum yet. 

Kiryu seemed to take pity on him then, seeing the look on his face. “These things take time,” he said. “Let me guess. You’re fine with a little pain, so long as it’s good for me?”

Ichiban nodded, relieved to see Kiryu was finally ready to be sensible. “Yeah,” he said. “Of course!”

Kiryu shoved him back down on the bed, withdrawing his hand to leave Ichiban feeling strangely empty. “Then we might as well call it a night.”

“What?!” Ichiban cried, sitting up on his elbows. “After all that?”

“So, ‘all that’ was a waste?” Kiryu smirked. “You didn’t enjoy it at all?”

“That’s not…!” Ichiban sighed. “That’s not what I meant.”

“No?” Kiryu searched his face, like he was trying to root out the next lie, the next apology. 

“It’s just… you should get something out of this too, Kiryu-san.”

“But, I am.” Kiryu grinned. “You think I get nothing out of making you feel good?”

Ichiban frowned. “I mean, sure, but…”

“I refuse to take pleasure in causing you pain,” Kiryu said, growing serious again. “That isn’t fun for me. So, we either put in the time, until you’re ready, or we don’t do this at all.”

Ichiban sighed, flopping back against the bed. “I dunno, man. You never had any problem punching me in the face. Why’s this so different? I think I’d rather just suffer a little and get to it, already.”

Kiryu leaned over him, digging in the blankets for the bottle of lube to slick up his fingers again. “Isn’t that how you’ve led your whole life? Never putting yourself first? Suffering for the sake of others? I think in this one, rare instance, you ought to get to be selfish, for once.”

“Oh, yeah?”

Kiryu nodded. 

“You know what I think?”

Kiryu blinked. “What?”

“I think you’re trying to make up for your own past somehow; all those times you were never selfish for you.”

Kiryu smiled. “Maybe. I had someone who made me take care of myself, even when my instinct was to do the opposite. I couldn’t say it back then, but I was always grateful for him.”

Ichiban sighed. If the world knew that two of the yakuza’s most legendary rivals had actually just been kissing each other in back alleys after every knock out fight, what would people say? It was hard to imagine Majima-san being tender with anyone, but, then again, what did he know?

“It’s your first time, Ichi,” Kiryu said. “Be utterly selfish. You deserve that much.”

A few minutes later, Kiryu was adding the third finger back into the equation, and this time Ichiban sighed with relief. The discomfort from before seemed to have melted away, and he was able to remain at ease on his little bed of pillows, his knees bent up into his chest without a care.

That was, until Kiryu suddenly angled upwards, the pads of his fingers pressing to something inside.

Ichiban couldn’t have replicated the noise he made then if he’d tried, not that he’d want to. Suffice to say it sounded a bit like a wounded animal to his own ears, but an instant later he was squirming against Kiryu’s hand in a desperate effort to find that place again. 

“Kuh-Kiryu!” He gasped. “What the — what the fuck was that?”

Kiryu chuckled under his breath, watching Ichiban with a glimmer of mischief in his eyes. “That would be your prostate gland.”

“My what?”

“So, you know how women have the G-spot, right?”

Ichiban blinked. “They what?”

Kiryu blew out a breath, his cheeks puffing out with the forced exhalation. “Kasuga... We’re gonna have a serious talk about basic anatomy after we’re done here.”

Ichiban winced, his gaze dropping to the rumpled coverlet. 

“Don’t feel bad,” Kiryu said. “No time like the present, as they say.”

“Sure…” Ichiban sighed. “...will you do that again?”

Kiryu would indeed do that again, and this time, he would continue doing it for a while, until Ichiban was surprised to find he was nearly on the verge of cumming again. Not that he should be surprised, he realized, stealing a peek at the clock on the wall. Nearly an hour had passed since their first go round.

“Kiryu-san.” He gasped, eyes closed and jaw clenched, holding himself back. “I think… I think maybe we’d better…” 

Kiryu’s hand withdrew suddenly, leaving Ichiban feeling even emptier than before. “I think maybe you’re right,” he said, sounding quite pleased with himself.

Ichiban opened his eyes to find Kiryu looking down at him, his smile twisted into a smirk. “We wouldn’t want you getting ahead of me. Again.”

Before Ichiban could think of an equally snarky response, Kiryu’s smile turned warm again, and he leaned in to kiss him. 

“I promise not to make you wait much longer,” Kiryu whispered in his ear.

“Me?” Ichiban sighed. “What about you?”

But Kiryu only smiled as he leaned back against the blankets, fishing in the covers for the little cardboard box. Tearing it open, he produced an item Ichiban must have seen a thousand times in his life, growing up and then living in red light districts for the majority of his forty years on this earth — but one he had never used — a small vacuum-sealed plastic square that Kiryu playfully ripped open with his teeth. He winked at Ichiban as he tossed the wrapper aside. 

“Do we need that?” Ichiban asked. “I mean…” He laughed, and then regretted it. It only made him sound about as nervous as he was. “I might not know much, but I’m pretty sure you’re not gonna get me pregnant.”

Kiryu shook his head, grinning with amusement as he stroked himself. “There are other reasons to wear a condom, you know.”

“Yeah…”

Ichiban found himself distracted by the image of Kiryu rolling said condom onto his cock — its warm, pink skin now hidden behind a thin layer of translucent latex. That cock — Kiryu’s cock, was about to be inside his body. That didn’t sound right, didn’t sound true, but there it was, and Ichiban could feel his excitement only increasing at the thought, in anticipation of what was to come. 

Despite his own extended virginity and previously exclusive interest in women besides, Ichiban had seen many naked men in his time, maybe too many, and never in a context where nudity had been desired. He’d seen a hundred dicks a day during his prison sentence, shuffled through body searches and showers and changing rooms, whenever maximum efficiency made it a requirement. 

He’d seen bigger. Smaller. Everything in between. 

But this one was special. This one was attached to a man he looked up to in a quite frankly confusing number of ways. Kiryu was… sort of a father figure, in a fucked up kind of way Ichiban didn’t want to think too hard about… A friend? Definitely. He was simultaneously nothing like Ichiban had expected before he knew him, when he was just a legendary story every young punk in Kamurocho wanted to emulate.

He was a kind and gentle man who never seemed to be looking for a fight, yet always managed to find one. Ichiban could relate to that, to the inevitability with which Kiryu had landed in this life. He’d never taken any time for himself when he was young, always fighting someone else’s battles — a protector and a guardian. If this was his chance to take what little handful of joy he could get now, in the back half of his life, Ichiban was only grateful to be a part of it.

Anyway, what was he thinking? Kiryu’s hair may have gone grey since the last time they met, but his body remained strong. He looked as powerful as ever, certainly for a man in his… Ichiban paused mid-thought, realizing he’d never actually done the math.

“Hey, Kiryu-san. Just how old are you?”

He said it without thinking, voicing his sudden curiosity with no reservations.

When Kiryu looked up at him, his brow furrowing into a frown, Ichiban had second thoughts.

“S-sorry, Kiryu-san! I just realized I don’t know.”

“Does it matter?” Kiryu asked. 

“No,” Ichiban said. “Of course not! I just… You’re so fit, still. And strong.” He blushed, unable to maintain eye contact while Kiryu’s patented withering glare stared back at him from across the bed.

“Don’t be mad,” Ichiban said. “I just wanna know what I need to be doing, to stay looking so good. You’re just so… hot, Kiryu-san.”

“For a man my age, you mean?”

Ichiban took a breath, ready to apologize again, but Kiryu was smiling now, shaking his head. 

“No,” Ichiban replied. “I mean, yeah. I guess.”

Kiryu chuckled, rolling onto his knees. “I’ll be fifty-six in June."

“I guess I better take notes then,” Ichiban said, inviting Kiryu to settle on top of him, angling their bodies together while Kiryu slid another pillow beneath him, making him comfortable. “If I wanna stay as healthy as you.”

Something shifted in Kiryu’s eyes then, a half-blink exposing a hint of doubt, maybe. But then, just as quickly, it was gone, the warm, confident smile replacing it almost before Ichiban could really be sure it was there in the first place.

“Keep doing what you’re doing, Ichan. And you’ll go far.”

“Oh,” Ichiban said, his entire body growing hot as the head of Kiryu’s cock pressed to his entrance, even more lube sliding between them. “Okay.”

Kiryu smiled, his eyes full of what could only be affection, watching Ichiban’s face for any sign of uncertainty. “Are you?” He asked again. “Okay?”

“Y-yeah,” Ichiban sighed, his own dick already twitching again, rock hard against his belly and dripping, eager to be touched for the second time tonight. “I’m okay. I’m ready, Kiryu-san.”

Ichiban reached up, interlacing his fingers behind Kiryu’s neck to press their heads together, unblinking as they searched each other’s eyes.

“Don’t forget, Ichiban.” Kiryu sighed as he eased inside, his brow furrowing with concentration. Restraint? Ichiban wasn’t sure.

“What?” He asked. “What shouldn’t I forget?”

“Be selfish,” Kiryu said, the delicious sensation of him filling Ichiban up from the inside, clouding all other thought.

Ichiban breathed a laugh, hiking up one leg to wrap it around Kiryu’s waist. “You too, Kiryu-san. You too.”

And then Kiryu kissed him, and he planted his hands on either side of Ichiban’s head, then they really got started.