Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Rising Affections ❯ alone at last ( Chapter 10 )

 

 

WARNING: implied phone sex; and Hatori stripping. Other than that, not much. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Nope still don't own it; still not making money at this, but still having fun

 

Chapter 10 - alone at last.

 

 

 

 

“So, with your parents out of town, Kenji is the only one here tonight.” Hatori continued before Ayame could go off on his own train of thought about sake-steamed fish. “Usually he wouldn't worry about leaving you here by yourself, but since you were hurt earlier he was really uneasy about going out for the night. That is until I reminded him I am going to college to become a doctor next year and volunteered to stay here and keep an eye on you.”

 

 

“Keep an eye?... You're my…babysitter?” Aya asked, stunned.

 

 

 

 

“Don't put it like that Ayame.” Hatori said sternly, mentally cringing at the perverse thoughts that brought to mind. “Kenji ordered take out and its waiting on the table. I hope Italian is okay with you.”

“Oh that's perfect. All of that spice and garlic and everyone's favorite, olive oil. Did you know the ancient Romans had lots of uses for the stuff? Fuel for lamps, in medicines. In fact it is supposed to be good for your heart. They even used it to bathe themselves and as a personal lubricant. It can be used for hair conditioner; it really does work well for that, although it took several shampooings to get it completely out of my hair again. It's quite extraordinary stuff really, and tasty too.

 

 

Ayame said all of this as he led Hatori in to the dining room, rattling on almost convincingly normal -normal for Ayame that is- they sat near each other Ayame tried not to be nervous, it was not the first time Hatori had been over for dinner, but never like this. It wasn't a date or anything, just food. But the situation held definite promise that had his little snaky heart thumping. It for so long had seemed like the world conspired against him, but now that they were finally alone together again he couldn't help the little knot in his stomach; he was excited and more than a little scared. There wasn't anything in their way, but was he really ready for this? Could tonight be the night it was finally going to happen for them? Did he really want to go all the way if that's what Hatori wanted? `Oh hell yeah.' But how did Hatori feel about it? Then it hit him, a lead weight settled into his stomach as he realized every time they had done anything it had been him taking the lead. Well except for when `Tori had decided to kiss his bruises better for him earlier, but that could have just been to cheer him up or to make up for not rushing to his rescue. How did Hatori really feel? He decided it was time to put on the brakes some. He needed to know that Hatori was as interested as he was not just responding to his advances. Everything that had happened recently drove home how dangerous things could be for them. He found himself still talking, something pointless about Greco-Roman wrestling. Where that came from he wasn't sure but he must have read about it at one point. It was pouring fourth from his mouth like some artesian fountain of absurdity; It wasn't even a conscious effort any more. No one ever asked him what he was thinking when he was talking like this. They may have been surprised if they had.

 

Kenji stopped by on his way out. After a bit of harmless and melodramatic ribbing from Ayame about going on a date when the zodiac members there were left alone to fend for themselves, forever dateless, he gave Hatori his cell phone number, and told them not to wait up for him with a sheepish grin, as he left.

 

Once they were alone things got quiet, way quiet. Hatori wasn't sure what was wrong with his friend but he could guess. `What in the hell did Akito do to Aya?' It was an unwritten law not to ask; if he wanted to talk about it he would. The same went for each of the cursed, as a matter of privacy between themselves and their god. But he could see that Ayame was stressed about something. It usually took a keen eye to notice the subtle signs Ayame would show when he was worrying or depressed, and Hatori knew him better than anyone else did. But after the day he'd had Ayame was visibly shaken and …nervous? He hadn't even done any of his usual flirting… Oh, or was it he was nervous about being alone again? He should know he isn't expected to do anything if he's not comfortable with it.

 

 

Ayame fretfully served himself playing around with the food instead of eating any. After dropping food off the antipasto platter onto the table the third or fourth time, Hatori put an arm around him rubbing his hand up and down his arm soothingly. "Relax and try to eat something." he told him gently. He felt that Ayame needed him to be supportive and nurturing tonight, he would do his best to take care of him.

Ayame was depressed it had been a hell-bad day and Hatori didn't seem to have any interest in taking him as his lover that night. That kind of distraction would have been very welcome but he didn't want to push himself on his friend. They just leaned into each other and finished eating. Ayame couldn't eat much but Hatori hadn't eaten at lunch and quietly ate most of his meal. After taking the dishes to the sink Hatori returned to the dining room to find Ayame lost in thought. Ayame brooding just wasn't right, but he wasn't sure what to do to cheer him up. He was about to ask if he wanted him to draw a bath, hoping a long soak would help him feel better physically at least, when the phone rang.

 

“Moshi-moshi,” Ayame answered, “Oh ho `Gure, And how is my night in shining armor who boldly rescued me earlier today? Awwww to bad you got grounded for your efforts. So, how's prison life treating you? That good? No, but that's ok. Too bad I can't come over; we could play a rousing jailhouse game like… `who dropped the soap?'. No, Yes Tori is right here, really? Oh well…in that case I am wearing a skin tight alligator hide cat suit and under that a little thong made of black leather with scenes from the Karma sutra embossed on the front pouch. Top that. Ooooh I like the way you think so yes I am slowly unzipping the zipper, all the way down, exposing my bare…Hey wait! It's not fair yet. What are you wearing? Oh the usual then. Ok so I have unzipped the cat suit now I will reach behind you and un-lace your corset …

 

Hatori decided to go get comfortable on the couch; these `Shigure's fantasy sex line' phone calls could take a while. They played the part so well he sometimes wondered if they were fooling around behind his back, until he once again realized those two haven't been in the same place alone together for more than a few seconds, ever. It's enough to make him feel jealous, how Shigure can spew fourth innuendo and flirtation and he, Hatori wasn't able to bring himself to be nearly so bold with Ayame even now.

 

“Of course I am touching myself…”

 

The phrase forcefully invaded his consciousness, Hatori had to look. He wasn't sure if he was exactly disappointed that Ayame was all talk, but he thought it could have been an interesting show. Now, that thought bothered him. Had he been hanging around Shigure too long and some of his pervertedness rubbed off on him? It would be irresponsible to let his libido lead him tonight he was, as Ayame had put it, `the babysitter' for the evening. The responsible person in the house, and it would be stooping pretty low to take advantage of the situation; not to mention downright stupid to do anything with Akito's attention currently directed at the three of them. Beside that he was pretty sure Ayame wasn't physically up to anything more strenuous than some cuddling tonight if that. The boy had been downright standoffish towards him all evening; it was a relief to see a spark of his usual self shine through as he talked smut with Shigure. He also felt a bit put off that Ayame felt he could relax and act normal with the dog but not him.

 

As if in answer to the thought Ayame flitted into the room and sat down next to Hatori “Gure says hi” he said leaning up against him lightly. “You know, you could have picked up the extension line and joined in on the fun” he added.

 

“You had better hope Akito doesn't listen in on the phone lines when you two joke around like that.” Hatori replied dryly; still feeling a bit jealous of the dog for his easy flirtatious personality.

 

“Oh I have no worries there, Akito asked Shigure and I point blank if we were lovers today. It was an uncomfortable moment I assure you. Of course we both denied it, since we aren't after all, and he knows we couldn't lie to our god so he was satisfied with that answer. I am just glad `Gure oh so cleverly redirected the conversation before he could ask about me and you; I really owe him one for that.”

 

“He did that for us?”

 

“Yes, of course he did we are his best friends after all, I think he feels like he's going to be left out or something. It's silly, after all we will always be friends, the three of us no matter what; won't we?”

 

The look in Ayame's eyes told him that it wasn't just Shigure he was asking about. Hatori smiled at him, a rare thing from the dragon, “Of course, no matter what, the three of us will always be friends Ayame; that will never change.” He said to reassure him.

 

“I am so relieved.” Ayame said almost melting back into Hatori as they both relaxed on the couch. “I was so afraid I had messed things up between us.”

 

`Good, he is finally going to talk about whatever is bothering him' Hatori thought. “How exactly would you have done that?” He asked mildly.

 

“I don't know. It just hit me that whenever we have done anything together, well it's always me making the first move. It's as if you were just reacting to me and not really interested otherwise. So tonight I thought I'd wait and see if you would take the lead, but even given this plum of an opportunity, having the whole house to ourselves, you haven't so much as kissed me. `Tori, I love you and I don't want to drag you into something that could get you into the kind of trouble this could just for my sake. I will be fine if this is too much of a risk for you.” Ayame said, looking anything but fine with that idea.

 

“You would be fine with it?” Hatori asked watching Ayame sink lower onto the couch starting to curl in on himself a bit.

 

“Yes, I'd be okay.” he said straightening his shoulders and sitting up with a conscious effort to try to look `fine'. “Extremely sexually frustrated, but okay.” He added trying to lighten the mood.

 

“Oh good lord Ayame, I haven't done anything because you were acting differently all evening, not like yourself at all. I thought you were still in pain from the fight, or maybe Akito had said or done something and you weren't telling me. I have been leaving you alone to be considerate. I am still not sure you are up to anything too physically demanding tonight.” He said reaching out to smooth Ayame's hair with an affectionate touch. “In fact, just before Shigure called I was going to suggest giving you a hot bath to see if that helped you feel better.”

 

Ayame considered what Hatori had just said for a moment. Then turning toward him, “Will you wash my back?” he asked coyly, batting his lashes at Hatori.

 

“I'll wash anything you ask me to.” Hatori replied with a smirk.

 

“Then lead the way.” Ayame said motioning Hatori off the couch.

 

Hatori removed his socks, placing them on a shelf to keep them dry and rolled up his sleeves. Then ran water in the tub, adding a few things he had found around the house that had medicinal properties (or so he hoped anyway). Ayame came into the room a few minutes later wearing nothing but a robe. It was strange to see the boy with his hair pinned up loosely on top of his head, it made him look even more feminine than usual. Once the tub was full of fragrantly steaming water he had Ayame remove his robe and sit on the bathing stool. Drawing a bucket of water he used it to wet the soap and sponge so he could lather Ayame's back. He gingerly tried to assess the damage to Aya's ribcage as he went. He could see that it wasn't as bad as he had feared. There were large discolored areas but no swelling to signify broken or cracked ribs. Ayame had suffered worse from Akito on occasion. Good thing the swim team wasn't made up of seasoned fighters. Hatori absently continued lathering his friend, letting suds run over his shoulders and neck, and down his chest. Then he tried to scrub his abdomen making Aya giggle and squirm because it tickled. This sparked a bit of playfulness in Hatori. he quickly snatched up one of Aya's feet and began washing/tickling it next, Ayame was putting up very little resistance at first just giggling and weakly struggling, but after the second foot left the floor he reached up with the first one and kicked Hatori away from him, knocking him over on the hard tiles. “Ooooh Tori, I am so sorry are you all right?” he asked rushing up to his friend's side; Hatori sat up laughing lightly.

Hatori, laughing? Ayame was sure he had hit his head and started to fuss over him.

“I'm alright Ayame; you kick like a mule.” he said with a wry smile.

He hadn't been hurt, just taken by surprise. It was a somewhat violent reaction when coming from Ayame. Truth be told he hadn't had this much fun in a long time, if ever. Looking himself over he noted that his outfit was now soaked and covered with soap suds he even had soap in his hair. He shook water off of his arms and unrolling his sleeves, he began to remove his clothes. “Looks like I need to rinse off now as well.” he stated.

Ayame sat watching as Hatori took off his wet jacket letting it drop behind him. The dress shirt he wore under it was clinging damply to his slender frame as he unbuttoned each cuff precisely and then undid each button down the front of the shirt slowly peeling the wet fabric from his chest and letting it fall the rest of the way off of him onto the floor with the jacket. Ayame swallowed thickly as Hatori unselfconsciously removed his slacks then his underwear.

Hatori's conscience had pitched a fierce battle with his hormones and lost badly. In fact it was now quietly pushing up daisies somewhere in the back forty of his subconscious mind while the hormones built a bonfire and prepared for a party to celebrate. Maybe he was a responsible person most of the time, but he was also a horny teen-ager at the moment, and this, “plum of an opportunity” as Ayame had put it, was just too damn good to pass up. After all here they were, soapy and naked, and alone together for the entire evening. His body was already reacting to the situation and he could tell Ayame wasn't exactly unaffected either.

 

 

.