Rating: R

Pairing: Ogata/Hikaru

Warnings: Shounen-ai, lime

 

Common Indecency:

 

I have finally come to a firm conclusion on certain things in my life and one of them is that Monday mornings are always a drag.

 

Forget that you spend almost an hour in Tokyo traffic and find yourself running out of cigarettes before you know it – it’s the agony of having to wait for your schedule to be handed to you when you get to the Go Institute. Make that a double agony as you then realize that you’ll have to play against a man who seems to think his life’s work is to torture me.

 

I stare blankly at the paper that’s been pinned against the bulletin board, hands sunk deep within my pockets to hide how tightly clenched they are at the moment. Smoky tendrils from my cancer-stick float before my eyes as I look at my name…and the name beside it again.

 

11.30am – Ogata Meijin vs. Kuwabara Honinbou

 

Perhaps if I stare long enough the name will vanish and be replaced with some other obscure one. Hell, I would even play with the rather annoying Kurata Ouza if need be.

 

I allow my gaze to drift over the other names. I recognize a few here and there that really mean nothing to me but then stop as they fall upon familiar names that will always be firmly etched in my heart for as long as I live.

 

1.30pm – Shindo Hikaru (3dan) vs. Makimoto Shinji (4dan)

1.30pm – Touya Akira (6dan) vs. Yoshitaka Waya (2dan)

 

Interesting. It seems as if they will be playing at the same time today. I glance at my watch with a light frown. My match is to begin in less than an hour and I know that hovering around here would make me easy prey to Kuwabara whenever he decides to show his ugly mug of a face. I decide to make myself scarce by heading upstairs and to have some semblance of peace and quiet until my ordeal was to begin.

 

But I know I continue to kid myself when I try to act as if playing with the old geezer is the only problem I have at the moment. There is no doubt that my heart is still racing in anticipation of meeting the boy who had become my lover almost a week ago. I had avoided going to his home for the weekend – pleading the flu when his mother and Kouyo-sensei had asked about me. The last thing I had wanted to do was to show my face before those two after what I had done to their son. Oh, don’t get me wrong. I have no regrets sleeping with Akira – but even I have a conscience and I am sure that the poor kid has his own doubts and worries to deal with. I have promised to take things slow again. What had happened was only a fit of passion. He will get over it and go back to his precious Shindo.

 

Kami, the thought is enough to make me sick.

 

I sigh deeply and begin to walk towards the elevator, nodding absently at the greetings that come my way. Everyone seems so cheerful today for some reason and it irritates me to no end. There really is nothing to be happy about when you really look at things from my perspective. I might as well just bury my head in the sand and completely cause everyone to forget about my existence. But just as I am about to press the button that would take me up and away from everyone, my cell phone begins to ring causing me to stare a bit moronically at the buzzing object within my jacket.

 

I see the name blazoned upon it and I give a weary sigh. What now?

 

“What do you want?”

 

“Is that the way you greet me after not calling for over a week, Seiji?!”

 

Why do women always feel the need to raise their voices when they want to get a point across? In this case, it’s a high-pitched whining that crawls beneath my skin and makes me shudder in utter revulsion.

 

“I thought I told you we were no longer a couple.”

 

“Seiji…!”

 

But her voice is slowly fading away as I watch the boy who has just walked through the glass doors. His body is hunched, shoulders slumped, his head lowered as he shoves his hands into his dark blue jeans. He is wearing yet another oversized yellow sweatshirt and as he lifts his head to eye the bulletin board, I am a bit shocked to notice how gaunt and wan his features look. The usual spark and vivaciousness I have come to expect from Shindo Hikaru is no longer there and I am more than curious as to what could have caused such an expression.

 

Had he and Akira had an argument?

 

A part of me leaps in joy at the thought, but my more rational side knows that this is a very delicate situation and that it needs to be handled in that manner.

 

I raise a brow as I notice that he has well…noticed me. I deliberately keep my features impassive, watching with growing amusement as he clenches his fists and openly glares at me with pure hate in his eyes.

 

Hmm…if my guess is right, I would have to assume that my dear Akira must have spilled the beans or better yet, the blond genius had figured it out on his own.

 

I settled for the latter.

 

He spins on his heels to walk away then seems to change his mind as he begins to walk towards me with a look of determination in his eyes.

 

By the way my ex-girlfriend is still on the phone yelling her lungs out and with a quiet ‘I’ll talk to you later, Kimi’; I disconnect the call and pretend to be focused on slipping the tiny device back into my pocket. I can practically hear him breathing down my neck.

 

“We need to talk, Ogata-sensei,” he says firmly although there is a light tremble in his voice.

 

I feign ignorance and blow out a cloud of smoke, watching through the smoky tendrils at the fire in the green eyes before me.

 

Fascinating. Very fascinating. He does not affect me in that gut-wrenching way that Akira does, but there’s no denying that Shindo does have his own finer points and there was none finer than how good he looked at the moment. Inwardly, I kick myself for how stray my thoughts are becoming, but I cannot control it – this abject curiosity to know just what made this boy tick.

 

He is angry with me that much is obvious. I had done the unthinkable with his friend. If I were in his shoes, I am sure I will react the same way.

 

“Did you want something, Shindo?” I finally ask in a tone that’s surprisingly bored and uninterested.

 

I watch as a flicker of uncertainty fills his expressive green depths before he shakes his head a little and maintains his glare again.

 

“I would like to speak to you…about…about…”

 

I sigh and crush out the cigarette that’s almost burned the tip of my finger. I am already craving for another as I reach into my breast pocket for another one, while punching the ‘Up’ arrow button with barely concealed impatience. I can sense my nemesis – Kuwabara – fast approaching. I have to delay the inevitable for as long as I can.

 

“Sometime today would be very nice, Shindo,” I reply sarcastically and deep down I feel even more of a heel for acting this cruelly to him. But he still has a firm hold on the boy I want…no need. I am justified in my actions.

 

The elevator door opens up and he surprises me by stepping in first. The same grim look of determination has caused his lips to purse tightly and again my wayward thought forces me to wonder just what it would be like to…

 

“Ogata-sensei,” he says softly but with an undeniable edge of warning. He wants us to be alone. He needs the privacy. This is completely fine with me. However, once I step inside I turn around to look back outside, only to widen my eyes in surprise as I notice Akira standing just within the glass doors with a look of similar astonishment on his handsome features. I barely have the time to see much else as the elevator door closes slowly, effectively trapping me and Shindo within its cocoon.

 

I pull out another cigarette to light up and almost drop it to the floor at his sudden flat statement.

 

“There’s no smoking allowed in the elevator, sensei.”

 

I frown and narrow my gaze, watching him carefully. But his head is lowered again and all I am left with is to stare at his unusual bleached hair. I shrug and light it up anyway. I was never one for listening to rules that much.

 

The ride seems to go for an eternity as I stare at the numbers that light up above me. We will reach the second floor in less than five seconds. If he has anything to say to me, then he had better say it now.

 

“Shindo…” I begin but he interrupts me just as quickly.

 

“Why?! Why did you touch him, sensei?!”

 

I will admit that his bellow had surprised me, but I didn’t show it too much. I blow another cloud of smoke into the enclosed space and wonder if the fire alarm is bound to go off soon. I might as well indulge the inquisitive youngster.

 

“And what makes you think I did that?”

 

He bristles. Just like I want him to. “I know sensei. I know what happened. I could smell it!”

 

I tighten my jaw. Shit! Should have guessed that would be a dead giveaway.

 

“His smell…your smell…was all over him…”

 

I blink in surprise at the harsh sob that accompanies his broken words. The boy’s head is still lowered but there is no doubt in my mind that he is indeed…crying. I watch in dull fascination at the way his shoulders tremble. He is doing his best to stop his flow of tears but to me…

 

And I know I am a bit perverted to think this way.

 

…the tears only do more to make me feel that familiar rush of heat to my groin. I curse softly and reach out to stop the elevator. It will only take a few minutes, I tell myself. I have to get Shindo under control or he is bound to appear before his opponent like a nervous wreck and I didn’t want to have that on my conscience. I glance at my watch with a wince. I have less than twenty minutes to get to my match. I will have to make this extremely quick.

 

“Stop your crying,” I finally respond a bit harshly as I grind out the cigarette roughly. “What can be solved through sniffling like a baby?”

 

He lifts his gaze to meet mine and I am stunned by how vulnerable and yet desirable he looks. Despite his obvious state of distress, the stubborn brat was still maintaining that look of determination that made me want to smack it right out of his system.

 

“What is there to be solved?” he bites back with irritation. “You’ve already touched him!”

 

I watch him carefully and somehow it slowly dawns on me. Of course! It was only natural for him to feel this way.

 

“You sound jealous, Shindo Hikaru,” I say a bit smugly and almost laugh at how flushed his face looks and the quick flicker of guilt that comes to his eyes. Again, he masks it with an angry frown.

 

“Why would I be jealous of you, sensei?” he asks in a tone that’s supposed to be haughty, but I can hear the nervous edge in them – the way he has shifted backwards a little – the undeniable flush of color on his cheeks that refuse to fade away.

 

I can sense the tension that rolls off him and I snicker a little. The boy is practically begging me to touch him as well. I decide to have a little fun with my new prey.

 

“You want to feel what he felt, don’t you, Shindo?”

 

“Wha…? What are you talking about?”

 

Ah, the stutter. A clear sign of him being flustered. I move closer. He shrinks back again.

 

“Do you want to know how I kissed him, Shindo?”

 

He shakes his head from side-to-side, those wide green eyes now filled with mixed emotions of fear, worry but yes, my friends, undeniable curiosity and need. I wonder how long he must have thought about this. I wonder if he has told Akira about this at all – his innermost feelings and his deepest darkest fantasies.

 

“No…no…”

 

“Yes, Shindo. You do.”

 

I trap him against the wall, placing both hands on either side of the panel as I lean even closer to the point of our noses brushing lightly. He closes his eyes and tries to turn his head away. I can see the beads of sweat that has broken out on his flushed skin. He’s practically burning up and the heat that radiates off his young body is enough to have me groaning in growing lust. I close my eyes and inhale the sweet (and rather feminine) scent of vanilla and strawberries. It must be the shampoo he uses. Akira’s is sharper and almost lemon-scented

 

He struggles and makes the mistake of brushing against me. He gasps in shock. I smirk in response.

 

Yes, my dear Shindo. Even you can make me all hot and bothered.

 

“Just say the word, Shindo,” I croon thickly against his ear, daring to dart out a tongue to trace the smooth outline of the sensitive flesh. “I’ll show you just what I did to him…”

 

He begins to shake his head again, trying to say the annoying words of denial even as I feel his body tremble and shiver in response. But impatience comes creeping in and before I can control myself I place a hand beneath his chin to steady his face. He opens up his eyes, deep pools of eternal green that seem to shimmer with uncertainty and that, for me, is the final straw.

 

To hell with the consequences. The little brat had asked for it after all.

 

And with a soft but yet rough tug on his chin, I close the distance between our lips, pleased that his shocked cry of surprise is stopped by the hard thrust of my tongue within his mouth. He raises his hands to push me away - but I did say that such a move is only an incentive for me to become more determined, right? His furtive struggles only make our heated bodies continue to rub rather sensuously against each other. I curse the amount of clothes between us, wondering just what and how different this brat would feel compared to the supple smoothness of my Akira.

 

I groan as I feel the boy’s tentative brush of my tongue with his. I wonder if he had really wanted to do this all along. I feel his hand upon my upper arm tighten and now I really am surprised at how swiftly things are turning.

 

The damn brat is responding!

 

I pull away with a light frown, my eyes narrowing in wariness as I watch him collapse limply against the wall. He is panting harshly, his lips swollen, eyes a bit glazed as he lifts them to stare at me with clear mischief within them.

 

I am confused and rightfully so.

 

“Payback,” he says quietly as he pushes himself upright. He moves towards the door and punches the button that makes the elevator begin to move again.

 

I sink my hands into my pockets and rock back on my heels, eyeing him with increased amusement. Just what is he up to now?

 

“Payback,” I repeat slowly. “Do you think that’s a wise idea, Shindo? Using me for your malicious intent?”

 

He shrugs and wipes his face carefully with his shirtsleeves as the dull sound of the bell signals our arrival to the second floor. Turning around, he flashes a brilliant smile.

 

“I’m only going to give him a taste of his own medicine, sensei,” he says with a firm nod. “Maybe he’ll understand how I must have felt then.”

 

I raise a brow in skepticism. “Hmm…perhaps.” I have known Akira for almost seventeen years. What did Shindo know about dealing with the Meijin’s son?

 

He looks uncertain. “Perhaps…what?”

 

“Nothing.” I shrug and give an inward sigh of relief as the door opens up slowly. Sure enough, standing out there are a small group of players who had intended to go downstairs, a repairman and the chairman of the Institute. Naturally, they had been concerned about the elevator stopping in the middle of its ascent.

 

However, everyone and every sound seem to fade away as I find myself staring into Touya Akira’s angry and hurt gaze. He is panting softly (he must have obviously run up the stairs) and standing a few feet away from the rest. His hands are clenched into tight fists by his side as he pins that knowing look upon Shindo and I. I do not need to turn around to know that Shindo is glaring at him in the very same way.

 

Shaking my head slowly in disbelief, I reach into my pocket for another cigarette. And lighting it up quickly - with surprisingly steady hands - I inhale as much smoke as my lungs can take before stepping away from the surge of electricity that seems to crackle between the three of us.

 

I am still not sure of how I let this happen, but somehow, I now find myself in the midst of two lovers and their petty bickering.

 

Kami, I pray fervently as I begin to make my way towards the game room. Spare me from teenage boys and their love wars.

 

One can only take so much.

 

 

 

TBC…