Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Sub-Skin Shadow ❯ mixture ( Chapter 2 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: okiayu_kaori 
The bodyguard and the flower-seller square off... and just when Crawford thinks he's won, he realizes he may already be in too deep.
Anime/Manga: Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 09.14.2002 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.9K | Visits: 736 | Status: Completed
The bodyguard and the flower-seller square off... and just when Crawford thinks he's won, he realizes he may already be in too deep.
Anime/Manga: Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 09.14.2002 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.9K | Visits: 736 | Status: Completed
SUB-SKIN SHADOW : CHAPTER TWO
When the young flower seller awakened, he realized that he wasn't at the Koneko, and he definitely wasn't at home. His own voice seemed very loud to him as he spoke up, as he parted his dry lips but found himself unable to open his eyes. "Ken....? ..Omi..kun.." The darkness yielded no clue as to where he was. ...and his forehead and his temples were starting to itch.
It was then that Kudou Youji realized that his eyes WERE open. //....fuck. I'm blindfolded. That's not good.// By now, Brad had pulled himself together almost completely. In order to avoid being seen as much as he possibly could, he had taken a route through the Schwarz building that was being worked on and was completely vacant. Dragging Youji's seemingly dead body up 16 flights of stairs and THEN into a narrow-doored elevator had been no picnic, but he was light enough to avoid causing a serious strain. Now, Crawford stood with his arms crossed before the bound and blindfolded figure of Youji, sitting on a tall velvet stool before him.
"All right, Crawford, you can take the blindfold off," Youji rasped, lifting his chin. "I don't know why you brought me here, but it'd be really cool if you started explaining right now."
Bringing his arms down to his sides, Brad smirked and felt a small pang of jealousy at how beautiful Youji looked, tied up and helpless with his soft hair falling down around his covered eyes. Even if Youji's voice sounded confident, Brad knew how much power he had over the man now, and that thought alone was beginning to arouse him.
"I'll take the blindfold off in a moment, Youji, so don't be impatient," he remarked finally, surprised that he was actually relishing the sight of Youji's attempts to free himself from the perfect knots Brad had tied. "Your sunglasses are on the counter, here -- I made sure not to leave them. They fell off when you hit the ground." His smirk was cruel.
"Yeah, about that, by the way -- what the HELL do you want with me?!" Youji growled in Brad's general direction, still unable to shrug out of the blindfold, not quite ready to give up the struggle. "I know I'm handsome but the other girls don't knock me unconscious and toss me around. What makes you think you're special?"
Youji's sarcasm gave Crawford a sense of defeat that settled in his stomach and hissed, refusing to leave. Oh well, he'd break him soon enough, and quite pleasurably.
//What am I thinking?// Brad caught himself, running his hand through his hair. //Fuck.... well, I have him here, I might as well enjoy it while it lasts. I should untie him, but what's to stop him from bailing out or trying something sneaky? Even if I'd get a premonition of it ahead of time, I don't want to miss this opportunity. ...I can't believe I have Kudou Youji tied up and helpless in my apartment.//
Tired of waiting for a response, the helpless Weiß huffed angrily, beginning to struggle with his bonds again. Brad was growing impatient now, and approached Youji from behind, softly placing his hands on his shoulders and bending down, his lips very close to Youji's left ear.
"You haven't EARNED being released yet."
Stunned, Youji ceased moving, the weight of Brad's cold hands on his shoulders making him shiver uncomfortably. //What does he want with me, seriously? Why did he bring me here? Is this some sort of... I don't know, _game_ to him?//
"The rules are pretty simple." Brad's voice was farther off now, to the south, and Youji wondered why he was moving around so much. "You play along, I let you go. Easy enough, right?" The sound of sheets being pulled down called Youji's attention to the east. He'd moved again. Not being able to see was driving him crazy, and he would have been willing to play along if Brad would at least just remove the blindfold.
Brad felt a sense of victory knowing that he could at least keep Youji away from Ayumi this way. And in the end, either he'd walk out too late to prevent Takatori from dealing with Ayumi however he pleased, or maybe if he was lucky, perhaps Youji might choose to stay on his own... he wouldn't get his hopes up, but the thought intrigued him.
"Could you at least get this thing off my eyes?" Youji mumbled, still trying to shrug it off. The soft hint of helplessness in his voice set Brad's whole body on fire. He approached the beautiful, younger man, bringing his hands to Youji's face slowly and carefully. Slipping the blindfold down away from his eyes, Brad allowed his thumbs to linger softly at the nape of Youji's pale neck and trace down his spine, pulling away slowly. Youji's involuntary shiver pleased him immensely.
Youji quickly studied his enemy, surprised at the change in Brad's usual attire. He wore his usual black pleated slacks, but his muscular upper half was completely bare and he had removed his thin-framed glasses. Around Brad's neck hung a thin silver chain upon which a small golden lock dangled, and the perfect fingers of his left hand were wrapped around the handle of a slender, black leather riding crop. //...all right, now that we've established your kink factor, Crawford...//
Brad noticed that Youji was deliberately avoiding eye contact with him, however, now that the blindfold had been removed. He was looking around at the apartment, surveying his surroundings. //His survival instinct is very strong,// Brad thought to himself, as Youji memorized every detail. //I'm starting to wonder about my ability to handle him untied... Knocking him out by surprise in the shop was one thing, but who's to say I can pin him down and... I'll think about that later.//
Brad Crawford then decided to toy a little with the beautiful creature who was now staring at him with all the contentment of a wet cat. "Youji, I'm going to admit something to you... I don't think you have enough discipline to do your job well. You obviously need some serious training."
Annoyed and clueless as to what kind of "discipline" or "training" Brad was referring to, Youji snorted and narrowed his glassy green eyes. "You an expert on that sort of thing now, Brad? What do you care how I do my 'job'?"
Youji felt his cheek stinging, then throbbing, and realized very suddenly that Crawford had just slapped him.
"Let that be a lesson to you. Keep your mouth shut." Brad's stare cut into Youji like a knife, and Youji had no idea why it hurt him so much. "If you don't want me to put the blindfold back on, you'll be good and you'll be quiet."
//This is... really weird,// Youji told himself, staring at Brad as he turned his back, walking towards his closet. //Did he kidnap me so that he could use me for his own personal reasons? That doesn't make much sense... I know he didn't just bring me here to slap me around.//
"That fucking HURT," Youji barked once Brad was a safe distance away.
Coolly and without looking away from what he was doing, Brad responded, "Then stop pissing me off, pet."
Crawford's last remark stunned Youji a bit, and he slumped over again, at a loss for words or ideas or anything that might have been remotely helpful at that point. He could hear Brad fiddling with one thing or another in the closet but he couldn't turn his head enough to see exactly what. He finally gave up trying to get a handle on the situation and wondered what it would be like to just let go. Surely Brad wouldn't kill him. He seemed a bit too interested to do something that drastic.
Then again, how much did Youji _really_ know about Brad Crawford, anyway?
Did he know enough to be aware that Crawford's feelings for him went beyond a professional desire to end his life? Did he know enough to be aware that deep down inside, being this close to Youji made Crawford mad with lust? Did he know enough to be aware that if it was possible, Crawford would have Youji next to him for much longer than one night?
These thoughts circulated through Brad's mind as he prepared himself for the next stage. This would be ultimately harder -- breaking Youji in to something he probably wasn't familiar with, especially with someone who'd tried to kill him so many times (that kind of put a damper on the relationship, to say the least), would be somewhat more difficult. Brad tried an objective approach. Lie.
"I've gone about this all wrong," he muttered suddenly, sinking to his knees on the floor in front of where Youji was sitting on his stool.
Somewhat surprised, Youji blinked, staring at the Schwarz member questioningly. "...what?"
Brad pulled himself to his feet once more, although somewhat shakily, and turned to face Youji. "Most people just don't do something if they're afraid of being rejected, but I figured if I tied you up, you couldn't run away. A 5-year-old's philosophy, but it was working up 'til this point. Yet this is completely nonsensical." He crossed his arms and dropped his head slightly.
//He's trembling. Intimidating, perfect Brad Crawford is _trembling_. I don't understand this at all,// Youji mused, racking his brain for some sort of explanation. After a moment of awkward silence, Youji tried hard to get even a remote glimpse of Brad's face, the ropes biting keenly into his arms, and he spoke softer now than before, almost feeling guilty for not seeing it sooner. "...rejected, Crawford?"
//Fuck. ...FUCK! This is working?! I don't know what else to say, but he seems curious now...// Brad's mind raced.
"Yes," he responded quickly, clenching his fingers into tight fists at his sides. "I have feelings for you, Youji, deep feelings, and I didn't have the courage to walk in, look you in the eye, and tell you so."
Youji didn't want to be rude, but the entire situation was just SO ridiculous that he really had to fight laughter, even as dangerous as it would have been to poke fun. "So you walked in and knocked me out? ...Crawford, that's so... unprofessional."
Almost pouting now, Crawford leaned back against the counter of his bar and looked at Youji with his head tilted, shrugging. "Yes, very. If you want me to untie you, I will. I screwed up."
//Maybe this WILL work after all...// Crawford thought, his hopes making the knot in his stomach grow ever tighter.
Youji's green eyes sparkled. "You actually trust me to be untied and just walk out of here?"
Giving a little chuckle, Brad shrugged and approached him calmly. "Not really, but if you attack me, I deserve it."
//This is insane. Why am I getting all tingly anytime the thought of... THAT crosses my mind?// Youji searched himself for an answer, desperate for anything to hold onto to keep himself from going under. //For God's sake, the man knocked me out and dragged me here... and he's offering me my chance to get out of this alive. ...So why do I feel as if I don't _want_ to leave...?//
He felt Brad's surprisingly soft fingers brushing across his arms as the knots were untied, one-by-one, loosening his bonds and making the weight on his shoulders less and less. When the ropes fell to the floor, Youji brought his arms around to the front of his body, rubbing his wrists lightly and contemplating standing up from the tall, velvet stool. He didn't want to be _too_ hasty... anything could set either of them off and cause a major scrape. What was to be done now, though? Did Brad wonder if Youji was going to stay, or did he believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that the man wanted nothing to do with him? Even now, Youji's sexual curiousity was getting the better of him, and every second that passed gave him less and less of an urge to leave.
Brad's hands rested on Youji's shoulders now, and the two of them cut a strange image. Neither moved, but with each breath and the fraction of a distance it moved his body, Youji felt himself leaning backward into the space that Brad occupied, and a few breaths later he felt his back touching Brad's warm, broad chest.
//What's come over me... this is so crazy,// Youji thought, letting his eyes drift closed as Brad slipped his arms around Youji's waist. //Oh God, he's so... intense and... alarmingly gentle...//
Relieved as Youji melted into his arms, Brad nuzzled his face into the other man's neck, biting down ever-so-softly. Youji let out a little gasp of surprise, seemingly threatening to leap up from the tall stool, but Brad held him softly and firmly in place with his strong, thick arms. It took mustering up all the courage he had for Brad to speak to Youji, when he was _this_ close to him and with so much on the line.
"Let me teach you..." he whispered, feeling Youji's thin hands resting on his own and lacing their fingers together almost instinctively. The scent of the man's silken, dirty-blonde hair tickled Crawford's nostrils and magnified his desire. He could feel Youji barely trembling, and deeply wanted to know if it was for fear or excitement. Either way, Brad intended on making Youji's night a memorable one...
"So..." Youji said throatily, his lithe body beginning to pang achingly as he pulled Brad's arms around him with an innocent nonchalance, "you're sorry you hit me?"
"Mmm..." Crawford took a light nip at Youji's ear, relishing the shiver he got as a reaction. Youji's body seemed to fit perfectly against his in this way, and the sound of his voice so close gave Brad a warm throbbing senstation in his groin. "No, pet... you deserved that little love tap."
Youji gave a delicate, helpless moan as Brad then swept him off of the stool into his arms, and just as quickly tossed him onto the black-sheeted bed like a limp rag doll. Youji's slender, cat-like body stretched out as he lay on his back and then he rolled onto his side, still reeling from the deliciously condescending tone of Crawford's wicked, knowing words. //The way he speaks to me like he's not afraid of anything... the way his hands... _touched_ me...//
"Take your shirt off," Youji heard Crawford say. Youji pulled himself to a sitting position at the foot of the bed, swinging his slender legs off the edge and resting his feet on the floor. There was a pause as he looked Crawford in the eye, unaware of the seriousness of the command he had received. "...come now, pet, I know you're listening."
"Nani?" Youji murmured distantly, forgetting that Brad's original intention had apparently been to completely dominate him. He took a moment to contemplate whether or not he agreed to submit. However, Youji would discover that he really had no say in the matter -- but this wouldn't be important, because deep down Crawford's one main desire was to please and pamper the beautiful Kudou Youji on this night, until he couldn't handle it any more.
"That's not a _suggestion_!" Crawford barked, reaching back over his shoulder, threatening to backhand Youji again. His façade remained cool and calm, however, with a stern look of disapproval riding on his brow. Startled by the displeasure in Brad's warm, golden eyes, Youji moved his hands to the the wide lapels of his thin white shirt, slender fingers beginning to unfasten the small buttons as quickly as he could move them. Letting the shirt slip down over his shoulders and fall in a heap on the bed, Youji was left with nothing on but black, tight pants and a worried expression.
With a small tinge of pleasure tingling below the taut muscles of his stomach, Crawford approved.
"Now, pet... lay down just like that, and cross your wrists above your head. I desire to learn your limits."
//Limits?// Youji gulped. He hesitated only a second before slowly leaning back on his elbows, and at that moment Brad wished he could capture the image before him: Youji's tousled, honey-silk hair; those clear, evergreen eyes clouded and narrowed by a brow furrowed with uncertainty; a thin, boyish frame stretched out languidly on the night-black sheets like a dangerous weapon peace-bonded.
Brad watched intently as, almost in slow motion, Youji moved his ivory-white thin arms away from his body, wrists meeting together in front of his face, and he lowered his arms to the sheets above his head. His eyes now pierced Brad's deeply, lustfully, and neither moved for what felt like a full minute. Lifting his hips up a bit to pop his lower back suddenly, Youji couldn't help but crack a small smile at the way it made Crawford twitch and look away for a moment. He guessed it was the slow movement of his hips rather than the popping sound that made Brad's beautiful, gilded gaze waver.
//So he knows how to work _me_ just the same,// Crawford thought to himself, clutching the riding crop in his left hand tightly as Youji stared back at him now with a complete absence of fear. //Time to put the slave in his place.//
Brad approached the bed now, standing at its foot, his feet spread apart as far as Youji's knees were spread at the edge of the mattress. Not allowing his eyes to leave his slave's for a second, he placed his right knee on the bed on the outside of Youji's, then the left, and moved up to straddle the man's small hips carefully, without sitting down. He seemed to tower over Youji now, slapping the palm of his right hand with the soft leather tip of the riding crop. His eyes of gold betrayed no hint of his plan, and Youji suddenly realized that what had been "the beginning" just moments before was now gone. This was IT, this was right now, and whether Brad's agenda for Youji carried on into the afternoon or _dawn_ was anyone's guess.
"You know, Youji," the cool American began, "this is a large apartment, in a large building. If I truly wanted to harm you, you would be in a lot of danger right now, wouldn't you agree?" His light eyes left Youji's beautiful face only long enough to look around the room and indicate a sense of spaciousness before he returned his stare to Youji's now-confused expression.
"I... I guess..." Suddenly very worried about giving Crawford a wrong answer, Youji feared answering any more questions.
"And if I wanted," Crawford continued, lowering the riding crop to Youji's face and touching the cool leather strap against his cheek delicately, "I could hurt you badly. I could very probably kill you. Isn't that right?"
With a confidence in his survival skills, Youji doubted this, but for the sake of playing along as well as keeping Brad happy, Youji nodded without speaking. Crawford knew damn well that Youji didn't really feel this way, and recognizing Youji's eagerness to please him, he approved greatly.
"I trust you, Youji," he continued, his voice growing a little softer, a little thinner. "But you're going to have to learn to trust me, as well."
Youji had more evidence now to know that Crawford moved _very_ quickly. In only a split second, Brad now had his hands wrapped tightly around Youji's pale throat, and his fingers were applying more and more pressure rapidly, cutting off the flow of air. Instinctively Youji lifted his arms from over his head and clenched his fingers around Brad's wrists, shoving his fingers into the pressure points and knowing all-too-late that this was NOT the reaction Brad would want but not giving a flying fuck about anything but getting thorough the next thirty seconds alive.
Crawford's voice came calmly over the sound of Youji's straining breaths. "I expected that - it's understandable to be afraid. I'll let the disobedience slide. Let go, Youji," he said, softly but commanding. "You have to trust me."
Reluctantly and craving air, Youji released his grip on Brad's wrists. His face was beginning to darken, and his head was throbbing with pain. He gasped for oxygen, unable to quite place his arms back on the bed but avoiding trying to push Brad away. //What the fuck kind of sick game is this, Crawford... I can't figure you out... Was this all some trick to get me into a vulnerable spot so that you could kill me without making a mess...?// For some reason, the thought that Brad might want to kill Youji after all didn't scare him so much as it tore his heart in two.
Thoughts beginning to grow fuzzy and faint, Youji let his arms fall limply to the bed again, feeling himself struggling less and less with the death grip Crawford had on his throat. The sensation of the blood rushing to his head made him feel tense all over, and traces of tears were forming in the corners of his eyes. Crawford was almost through with this little test, however, and Youji prayed it would all be over soon, in one way or the other. //He's trying to make me _really_ let go... abandon my instincts to survive...why is it so hard for me to do?//
All of these movements and thoughts occurred within seconds. Youji shut his eyes softly, the pressure on his brain becoming too much to struggle with. As his lungs ran completely out of air, he felt the warm hands around his neck release their hold and lay palms-down on his chest. Before he had a chance to take in a breath, he heard Brad gasp loudly, and suddenly felt the man's lips seal themselves on his.
Their mouths pressed tightly together, Brad kissed Youji with a passionate fervor, allowing their mouths to separate only split seconds at a time. He kept control on when Youji was able to inhale, and how much. //Whether he lets me breathe or not is _completely_ up to him... and I have to trust that he'll do it...// Youji gulped hungrily at what little air he was allowed, desperate for anything that would take away the fear of suffocation. Youji became a little more light-headed each time Brad pumped another tiny jet of oxygen-empty air into his lungs.
Brad finally allowed the breath-kiss to melt into a real one, and as he planned, by the time Youji was able to breathe on his own, he was panting wildly into Brad's open mouth as they shared what had become a fervent, deep kiss. The carbon dioxide that Brad had blown into his lungs, which had gone to his brain, had made him dizzily euphoric, and Youji kissed Brad with a desire unmatched by the panic he had experienced when he was being "tested" for trust.
Minutes passed, and the kiss grew softer and softer until Youji pulled the other man down into his trembling arms, burying his face into Crawford's neck. "...Brad... how.. did you... _why_ did you do that?" His weak voice quivered as he spoke, and Crawford saw traces of tears running down Youji's angelic face.
Crawford's voice was gentle and rich as he whispered into Youji's ear, a seemingly loving smile crossing his lips which were practically bruised from the kiss. "You couldn't trust me if I didn't show you how vulnerable we must be to each other. Without that trust..." He paused, moving Youji's arms to their previous position above his tawny head, crossed at the wrists. "...we won't understand a thing about one another. And if you want to please me, you'll have to understand me. And vice-versa." At that moment, he seemed so content with this union, as if it was all he'd ever wanted in the world. Just how long had Crawford FELT this way, really? Youji wished he'd go on talking forever.
He felt his lover -- that word seemed so strange -- lift his body up and pull himself away from the warm comfort of the bed, and he had to fight not to make a sound of protest. Brad ambled over to his large computer desk and lifted a coat out of the chair, which Youji recognized as his own. "I brought this, too," Crawford said with a small smile, knowing that Youji would be grateful. "I knew your cigarettes would probably be in one of the pockets and I don't know how addicted you are, but I'm sure you'd like to have one right about now."
Blushing slightly, Youji bit his lip and nodded, not moving from his ordered position on the king-sized bed. "I'd appreciate it..." His voice was strained because the pressure that had been put on his throat was still bothering him. He'd have to get used to Brad's clever games. "If you're _always_ this intense, I think I'll be needing a few of those tonight..."
Brad sat down on the bed coolly, his sleek form calling Youji's attention. He removed a cigarette from the case he'd found in the pocket of Youji's coat and placed it between his slightly-parted lips. Youji relished watching Brad move, every action seeming so fluid and planned, like a movie reel for his eyes only. The dark-haired man brought Youji's Zippo lighter to the tip of the cigarette and lit it, taking the first long drag for himself. He then removed it from his lips and turned it, offering it to Youji, who clamped his lips down on it and took a deep breath, allowing himself the freedom of one arm to avoid ashing on Brad's perfectly clean black sheets. A cool cloud swirled in his aching lungs until he exhaled, sending a silver stream of wispy smoke above his head which quickly faded. Youji coughed violently, then laughed and shook it off. He felt better already.
"I didn't know _you_ smoked," Youji remarked once he'd gotten back his breath, now observing Brad's movements as he meandered around the room taking care of this and that business in the meantime. Brad brought the empty circular casing of a used tea candle from his dining table and set it down for Youji to ash his cigarette in.
Brad then situated himself on the edge of his bed, a smirk playing across his lips as he leaned back on his arms. "I don't."
Taking another deep drag, Youji blew the smoke away from Brad's face and smiled at him quietly. Crawford reached out and took the cigarette from Youji's lips, putting it out in the tea candle case with a small chuckle. "Smoking will kill you, especially at the rate you do it at. I'd like to have you alive until this evening, at least."
"So you DO plan on having me here for a while, huh?" grinned Youji, turning onto his side, his position calling Brad's eye to his slender figure as well as the arousal he had waiting beneath his clothes.
Crawford stood, reaching for his riding crop and motioning for Youji to stand up. "I don't recall telling you that you could move, but if you want to move, let's see how well you handle punishment." His grin was both stunningly beautiful and terribly intimidating, and Youji all but scrambled to stand, craving more of Brad's special attention. The handsome Weiß wondered why Crawford always hid such beautiful, sunset-colored eyes behind bulky glasses, but apparently he'd made an effort today to look different for Youji, and that thought intrigued him.
Taking his slave's hands and making him to face the bed, Brad placed Youji's palms against the sheet, dropping a little kiss on the nape of Youji's slender neck, and the man exhaled softly. Brad then reached down and lifted Youji's left leg, bending it to make him place his sharp knee on the mattress and leaving the right foot on the floor. Youji was now artistically positioned to Brad's satisfaction to receive his punishment.
A whistling sound pierced the air behind Youji's body and he felt a sharp, concise pain on his rear. Startled, he jumped a bit, not moving from his position but tensing up for a moment. The place where Brad had smacked him with the riding crop began to throb, and Youji felt as if that one welt on his rear might have been glowing, if it were uncovered. Brad then reared back and delivered a quick and merciless series of 10 hard slaps with the leather strap on the riding crop, surprising his slave. Youji tried not to squirm too much and tried not to instinctively avoid the slaps, finding it very difficult and intriguing all at once. Watching with complete rapture as his slave took the blows obediently, Crawford paused to lean over Youji's back and plant a soft kiss on his trembling left shoulder.
"Very good, pet..." murmured Brad into Youji's ear, and the slave continued to shake with anticipation.
//I told him that I had deep, _emotional_ feelings for him and I thought I was lying. I thought I just wanted sex. ...but I feel myself getting closer and closer to him every second that this game continues. What happens when it's time to return back to reality...?//
When the young flower seller awakened, he realized that he wasn't at the Koneko, and he definitely wasn't at home. His own voice seemed very loud to him as he spoke up, as he parted his dry lips but found himself unable to open his eyes. "Ken....? ..Omi..kun.." The darkness yielded no clue as to where he was. ...and his forehead and his temples were starting to itch.
It was then that Kudou Youji realized that his eyes WERE open. //....fuck. I'm blindfolded. That's not good.// By now, Brad had pulled himself together almost completely. In order to avoid being seen as much as he possibly could, he had taken a route through the Schwarz building that was being worked on and was completely vacant. Dragging Youji's seemingly dead body up 16 flights of stairs and THEN into a narrow-doored elevator had been no picnic, but he was light enough to avoid causing a serious strain. Now, Crawford stood with his arms crossed before the bound and blindfolded figure of Youji, sitting on a tall velvet stool before him.
"All right, Crawford, you can take the blindfold off," Youji rasped, lifting his chin. "I don't know why you brought me here, but it'd be really cool if you started explaining right now."
Bringing his arms down to his sides, Brad smirked and felt a small pang of jealousy at how beautiful Youji looked, tied up and helpless with his soft hair falling down around his covered eyes. Even if Youji's voice sounded confident, Brad knew how much power he had over the man now, and that thought alone was beginning to arouse him.
"I'll take the blindfold off in a moment, Youji, so don't be impatient," he remarked finally, surprised that he was actually relishing the sight of Youji's attempts to free himself from the perfect knots Brad had tied. "Your sunglasses are on the counter, here -- I made sure not to leave them. They fell off when you hit the ground." His smirk was cruel.
"Yeah, about that, by the way -- what the HELL do you want with me?!" Youji growled in Brad's general direction, still unable to shrug out of the blindfold, not quite ready to give up the struggle. "I know I'm handsome but the other girls don't knock me unconscious and toss me around. What makes you think you're special?"
Youji's sarcasm gave Crawford a sense of defeat that settled in his stomach and hissed, refusing to leave. Oh well, he'd break him soon enough, and quite pleasurably.
//What am I thinking?// Brad caught himself, running his hand through his hair. //Fuck.... well, I have him here, I might as well enjoy it while it lasts. I should untie him, but what's to stop him from bailing out or trying something sneaky? Even if I'd get a premonition of it ahead of time, I don't want to miss this opportunity. ...I can't believe I have Kudou Youji tied up and helpless in my apartment.//
Tired of waiting for a response, the helpless Weiß huffed angrily, beginning to struggle with his bonds again. Brad was growing impatient now, and approached Youji from behind, softly placing his hands on his shoulders and bending down, his lips very close to Youji's left ear.
"You haven't EARNED being released yet."
Stunned, Youji ceased moving, the weight of Brad's cold hands on his shoulders making him shiver uncomfortably. //What does he want with me, seriously? Why did he bring me here? Is this some sort of... I don't know, _game_ to him?//
"The rules are pretty simple." Brad's voice was farther off now, to the south, and Youji wondered why he was moving around so much. "You play along, I let you go. Easy enough, right?" The sound of sheets being pulled down called Youji's attention to the east. He'd moved again. Not being able to see was driving him crazy, and he would have been willing to play along if Brad would at least just remove the blindfold.
Brad felt a sense of victory knowing that he could at least keep Youji away from Ayumi this way. And in the end, either he'd walk out too late to prevent Takatori from dealing with Ayumi however he pleased, or maybe if he was lucky, perhaps Youji might choose to stay on his own... he wouldn't get his hopes up, but the thought intrigued him.
"Could you at least get this thing off my eyes?" Youji mumbled, still trying to shrug it off. The soft hint of helplessness in his voice set Brad's whole body on fire. He approached the beautiful, younger man, bringing his hands to Youji's face slowly and carefully. Slipping the blindfold down away from his eyes, Brad allowed his thumbs to linger softly at the nape of Youji's pale neck and trace down his spine, pulling away slowly. Youji's involuntary shiver pleased him immensely.
Youji quickly studied his enemy, surprised at the change in Brad's usual attire. He wore his usual black pleated slacks, but his muscular upper half was completely bare and he had removed his thin-framed glasses. Around Brad's neck hung a thin silver chain upon which a small golden lock dangled, and the perfect fingers of his left hand were wrapped around the handle of a slender, black leather riding crop. //...all right, now that we've established your kink factor, Crawford...//
Brad noticed that Youji was deliberately avoiding eye contact with him, however, now that the blindfold had been removed. He was looking around at the apartment, surveying his surroundings. //His survival instinct is very strong,// Brad thought to himself, as Youji memorized every detail. //I'm starting to wonder about my ability to handle him untied... Knocking him out by surprise in the shop was one thing, but who's to say I can pin him down and... I'll think about that later.//
Brad Crawford then decided to toy a little with the beautiful creature who was now staring at him with all the contentment of a wet cat. "Youji, I'm going to admit something to you... I don't think you have enough discipline to do your job well. You obviously need some serious training."
Annoyed and clueless as to what kind of "discipline" or "training" Brad was referring to, Youji snorted and narrowed his glassy green eyes. "You an expert on that sort of thing now, Brad? What do you care how I do my 'job'?"
Youji felt his cheek stinging, then throbbing, and realized very suddenly that Crawford had just slapped him.
"Let that be a lesson to you. Keep your mouth shut." Brad's stare cut into Youji like a knife, and Youji had no idea why it hurt him so much. "If you don't want me to put the blindfold back on, you'll be good and you'll be quiet."
//This is... really weird,// Youji told himself, staring at Brad as he turned his back, walking towards his closet. //Did he kidnap me so that he could use me for his own personal reasons? That doesn't make much sense... I know he didn't just bring me here to slap me around.//
"That fucking HURT," Youji barked once Brad was a safe distance away.
Coolly and without looking away from what he was doing, Brad responded, "Then stop pissing me off, pet."
Crawford's last remark stunned Youji a bit, and he slumped over again, at a loss for words or ideas or anything that might have been remotely helpful at that point. He could hear Brad fiddling with one thing or another in the closet but he couldn't turn his head enough to see exactly what. He finally gave up trying to get a handle on the situation and wondered what it would be like to just let go. Surely Brad wouldn't kill him. He seemed a bit too interested to do something that drastic.
Then again, how much did Youji _really_ know about Brad Crawford, anyway?
Did he know enough to be aware that Crawford's feelings for him went beyond a professional desire to end his life? Did he know enough to be aware that deep down inside, being this close to Youji made Crawford mad with lust? Did he know enough to be aware that if it was possible, Crawford would have Youji next to him for much longer than one night?
These thoughts circulated through Brad's mind as he prepared himself for the next stage. This would be ultimately harder -- breaking Youji in to something he probably wasn't familiar with, especially with someone who'd tried to kill him so many times (that kind of put a damper on the relationship, to say the least), would be somewhat more difficult. Brad tried an objective approach. Lie.
"I've gone about this all wrong," he muttered suddenly, sinking to his knees on the floor in front of where Youji was sitting on his stool.
Somewhat surprised, Youji blinked, staring at the Schwarz member questioningly. "...what?"
Brad pulled himself to his feet once more, although somewhat shakily, and turned to face Youji. "Most people just don't do something if they're afraid of being rejected, but I figured if I tied you up, you couldn't run away. A 5-year-old's philosophy, but it was working up 'til this point. Yet this is completely nonsensical." He crossed his arms and dropped his head slightly.
//He's trembling. Intimidating, perfect Brad Crawford is _trembling_. I don't understand this at all,// Youji mused, racking his brain for some sort of explanation. After a moment of awkward silence, Youji tried hard to get even a remote glimpse of Brad's face, the ropes biting keenly into his arms, and he spoke softer now than before, almost feeling guilty for not seeing it sooner. "...rejected, Crawford?"
//Fuck. ...FUCK! This is working?! I don't know what else to say, but he seems curious now...// Brad's mind raced.
"Yes," he responded quickly, clenching his fingers into tight fists at his sides. "I have feelings for you, Youji, deep feelings, and I didn't have the courage to walk in, look you in the eye, and tell you so."
Youji didn't want to be rude, but the entire situation was just SO ridiculous that he really had to fight laughter, even as dangerous as it would have been to poke fun. "So you walked in and knocked me out? ...Crawford, that's so... unprofessional."
Almost pouting now, Crawford leaned back against the counter of his bar and looked at Youji with his head tilted, shrugging. "Yes, very. If you want me to untie you, I will. I screwed up."
//Maybe this WILL work after all...// Crawford thought, his hopes making the knot in his stomach grow ever tighter.
Youji's green eyes sparkled. "You actually trust me to be untied and just walk out of here?"
Giving a little chuckle, Brad shrugged and approached him calmly. "Not really, but if you attack me, I deserve it."
//This is insane. Why am I getting all tingly anytime the thought of... THAT crosses my mind?// Youji searched himself for an answer, desperate for anything to hold onto to keep himself from going under. //For God's sake, the man knocked me out and dragged me here... and he's offering me my chance to get out of this alive. ...So why do I feel as if I don't _want_ to leave...?//
He felt Brad's surprisingly soft fingers brushing across his arms as the knots were untied, one-by-one, loosening his bonds and making the weight on his shoulders less and less. When the ropes fell to the floor, Youji brought his arms around to the front of his body, rubbing his wrists lightly and contemplating standing up from the tall, velvet stool. He didn't want to be _too_ hasty... anything could set either of them off and cause a major scrape. What was to be done now, though? Did Brad wonder if Youji was going to stay, or did he believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that the man wanted nothing to do with him? Even now, Youji's sexual curiousity was getting the better of him, and every second that passed gave him less and less of an urge to leave.
Brad's hands rested on Youji's shoulders now, and the two of them cut a strange image. Neither moved, but with each breath and the fraction of a distance it moved his body, Youji felt himself leaning backward into the space that Brad occupied, and a few breaths later he felt his back touching Brad's warm, broad chest.
//What's come over me... this is so crazy,// Youji thought, letting his eyes drift closed as Brad slipped his arms around Youji's waist. //Oh God, he's so... intense and... alarmingly gentle...//
Relieved as Youji melted into his arms, Brad nuzzled his face into the other man's neck, biting down ever-so-softly. Youji let out a little gasp of surprise, seemingly threatening to leap up from the tall stool, but Brad held him softly and firmly in place with his strong, thick arms. It took mustering up all the courage he had for Brad to speak to Youji, when he was _this_ close to him and with so much on the line.
"Let me teach you..." he whispered, feeling Youji's thin hands resting on his own and lacing their fingers together almost instinctively. The scent of the man's silken, dirty-blonde hair tickled Crawford's nostrils and magnified his desire. He could feel Youji barely trembling, and deeply wanted to know if it was for fear or excitement. Either way, Brad intended on making Youji's night a memorable one...
"So..." Youji said throatily, his lithe body beginning to pang achingly as he pulled Brad's arms around him with an innocent nonchalance, "you're sorry you hit me?"
"Mmm..." Crawford took a light nip at Youji's ear, relishing the shiver he got as a reaction. Youji's body seemed to fit perfectly against his in this way, and the sound of his voice so close gave Brad a warm throbbing senstation in his groin. "No, pet... you deserved that little love tap."
Youji gave a delicate, helpless moan as Brad then swept him off of the stool into his arms, and just as quickly tossed him onto the black-sheeted bed like a limp rag doll. Youji's slender, cat-like body stretched out as he lay on his back and then he rolled onto his side, still reeling from the deliciously condescending tone of Crawford's wicked, knowing words. //The way he speaks to me like he's not afraid of anything... the way his hands... _touched_ me...//
"Take your shirt off," Youji heard Crawford say. Youji pulled himself to a sitting position at the foot of the bed, swinging his slender legs off the edge and resting his feet on the floor. There was a pause as he looked Crawford in the eye, unaware of the seriousness of the command he had received. "...come now, pet, I know you're listening."
"Nani?" Youji murmured distantly, forgetting that Brad's original intention had apparently been to completely dominate him. He took a moment to contemplate whether or not he agreed to submit. However, Youji would discover that he really had no say in the matter -- but this wouldn't be important, because deep down Crawford's one main desire was to please and pamper the beautiful Kudou Youji on this night, until he couldn't handle it any more.
"That's not a _suggestion_!" Crawford barked, reaching back over his shoulder, threatening to backhand Youji again. His façade remained cool and calm, however, with a stern look of disapproval riding on his brow. Startled by the displeasure in Brad's warm, golden eyes, Youji moved his hands to the the wide lapels of his thin white shirt, slender fingers beginning to unfasten the small buttons as quickly as he could move them. Letting the shirt slip down over his shoulders and fall in a heap on the bed, Youji was left with nothing on but black, tight pants and a worried expression.
With a small tinge of pleasure tingling below the taut muscles of his stomach, Crawford approved.
"Now, pet... lay down just like that, and cross your wrists above your head. I desire to learn your limits."
//Limits?// Youji gulped. He hesitated only a second before slowly leaning back on his elbows, and at that moment Brad wished he could capture the image before him: Youji's tousled, honey-silk hair; those clear, evergreen eyes clouded and narrowed by a brow furrowed with uncertainty; a thin, boyish frame stretched out languidly on the night-black sheets like a dangerous weapon peace-bonded.
Brad watched intently as, almost in slow motion, Youji moved his ivory-white thin arms away from his body, wrists meeting together in front of his face, and he lowered his arms to the sheets above his head. His eyes now pierced Brad's deeply, lustfully, and neither moved for what felt like a full minute. Lifting his hips up a bit to pop his lower back suddenly, Youji couldn't help but crack a small smile at the way it made Crawford twitch and look away for a moment. He guessed it was the slow movement of his hips rather than the popping sound that made Brad's beautiful, gilded gaze waver.
//So he knows how to work _me_ just the same,// Crawford thought to himself, clutching the riding crop in his left hand tightly as Youji stared back at him now with a complete absence of fear. //Time to put the slave in his place.//
Brad approached the bed now, standing at its foot, his feet spread apart as far as Youji's knees were spread at the edge of the mattress. Not allowing his eyes to leave his slave's for a second, he placed his right knee on the bed on the outside of Youji's, then the left, and moved up to straddle the man's small hips carefully, without sitting down. He seemed to tower over Youji now, slapping the palm of his right hand with the soft leather tip of the riding crop. His eyes of gold betrayed no hint of his plan, and Youji suddenly realized that what had been "the beginning" just moments before was now gone. This was IT, this was right now, and whether Brad's agenda for Youji carried on into the afternoon or _dawn_ was anyone's guess.
"You know, Youji," the cool American began, "this is a large apartment, in a large building. If I truly wanted to harm you, you would be in a lot of danger right now, wouldn't you agree?" His light eyes left Youji's beautiful face only long enough to look around the room and indicate a sense of spaciousness before he returned his stare to Youji's now-confused expression.
"I... I guess..." Suddenly very worried about giving Crawford a wrong answer, Youji feared answering any more questions.
"And if I wanted," Crawford continued, lowering the riding crop to Youji's face and touching the cool leather strap against his cheek delicately, "I could hurt you badly. I could very probably kill you. Isn't that right?"
With a confidence in his survival skills, Youji doubted this, but for the sake of playing along as well as keeping Brad happy, Youji nodded without speaking. Crawford knew damn well that Youji didn't really feel this way, and recognizing Youji's eagerness to please him, he approved greatly.
"I trust you, Youji," he continued, his voice growing a little softer, a little thinner. "But you're going to have to learn to trust me, as well."
Youji had more evidence now to know that Crawford moved _very_ quickly. In only a split second, Brad now had his hands wrapped tightly around Youji's pale throat, and his fingers were applying more and more pressure rapidly, cutting off the flow of air. Instinctively Youji lifted his arms from over his head and clenched his fingers around Brad's wrists, shoving his fingers into the pressure points and knowing all-too-late that this was NOT the reaction Brad would want but not giving a flying fuck about anything but getting thorough the next thirty seconds alive.
Crawford's voice came calmly over the sound of Youji's straining breaths. "I expected that - it's understandable to be afraid. I'll let the disobedience slide. Let go, Youji," he said, softly but commanding. "You have to trust me."
Reluctantly and craving air, Youji released his grip on Brad's wrists. His face was beginning to darken, and his head was throbbing with pain. He gasped for oxygen, unable to quite place his arms back on the bed but avoiding trying to push Brad away. //What the fuck kind of sick game is this, Crawford... I can't figure you out... Was this all some trick to get me into a vulnerable spot so that you could kill me without making a mess...?// For some reason, the thought that Brad might want to kill Youji after all didn't scare him so much as it tore his heart in two.
Thoughts beginning to grow fuzzy and faint, Youji let his arms fall limply to the bed again, feeling himself struggling less and less with the death grip Crawford had on his throat. The sensation of the blood rushing to his head made him feel tense all over, and traces of tears were forming in the corners of his eyes. Crawford was almost through with this little test, however, and Youji prayed it would all be over soon, in one way or the other. //He's trying to make me _really_ let go... abandon my instincts to survive...why is it so hard for me to do?//
All of these movements and thoughts occurred within seconds. Youji shut his eyes softly, the pressure on his brain becoming too much to struggle with. As his lungs ran completely out of air, he felt the warm hands around his neck release their hold and lay palms-down on his chest. Before he had a chance to take in a breath, he heard Brad gasp loudly, and suddenly felt the man's lips seal themselves on his.
Their mouths pressed tightly together, Brad kissed Youji with a passionate fervor, allowing their mouths to separate only split seconds at a time. He kept control on when Youji was able to inhale, and how much. //Whether he lets me breathe or not is _completely_ up to him... and I have to trust that he'll do it...// Youji gulped hungrily at what little air he was allowed, desperate for anything that would take away the fear of suffocation. Youji became a little more light-headed each time Brad pumped another tiny jet of oxygen-empty air into his lungs.
Brad finally allowed the breath-kiss to melt into a real one, and as he planned, by the time Youji was able to breathe on his own, he was panting wildly into Brad's open mouth as they shared what had become a fervent, deep kiss. The carbon dioxide that Brad had blown into his lungs, which had gone to his brain, had made him dizzily euphoric, and Youji kissed Brad with a desire unmatched by the panic he had experienced when he was being "tested" for trust.
Minutes passed, and the kiss grew softer and softer until Youji pulled the other man down into his trembling arms, burying his face into Crawford's neck. "...Brad... how.. did you... _why_ did you do that?" His weak voice quivered as he spoke, and Crawford saw traces of tears running down Youji's angelic face.
Crawford's voice was gentle and rich as he whispered into Youji's ear, a seemingly loving smile crossing his lips which were practically bruised from the kiss. "You couldn't trust me if I didn't show you how vulnerable we must be to each other. Without that trust..." He paused, moving Youji's arms to their previous position above his tawny head, crossed at the wrists. "...we won't understand a thing about one another. And if you want to please me, you'll have to understand me. And vice-versa." At that moment, he seemed so content with this union, as if it was all he'd ever wanted in the world. Just how long had Crawford FELT this way, really? Youji wished he'd go on talking forever.
He felt his lover -- that word seemed so strange -- lift his body up and pull himself away from the warm comfort of the bed, and he had to fight not to make a sound of protest. Brad ambled over to his large computer desk and lifted a coat out of the chair, which Youji recognized as his own. "I brought this, too," Crawford said with a small smile, knowing that Youji would be grateful. "I knew your cigarettes would probably be in one of the pockets and I don't know how addicted you are, but I'm sure you'd like to have one right about now."
Blushing slightly, Youji bit his lip and nodded, not moving from his ordered position on the king-sized bed. "I'd appreciate it..." His voice was strained because the pressure that had been put on his throat was still bothering him. He'd have to get used to Brad's clever games. "If you're _always_ this intense, I think I'll be needing a few of those tonight..."
Brad sat down on the bed coolly, his sleek form calling Youji's attention. He removed a cigarette from the case he'd found in the pocket of Youji's coat and placed it between his slightly-parted lips. Youji relished watching Brad move, every action seeming so fluid and planned, like a movie reel for his eyes only. The dark-haired man brought Youji's Zippo lighter to the tip of the cigarette and lit it, taking the first long drag for himself. He then removed it from his lips and turned it, offering it to Youji, who clamped his lips down on it and took a deep breath, allowing himself the freedom of one arm to avoid ashing on Brad's perfectly clean black sheets. A cool cloud swirled in his aching lungs until he exhaled, sending a silver stream of wispy smoke above his head which quickly faded. Youji coughed violently, then laughed and shook it off. He felt better already.
"I didn't know _you_ smoked," Youji remarked once he'd gotten back his breath, now observing Brad's movements as he meandered around the room taking care of this and that business in the meantime. Brad brought the empty circular casing of a used tea candle from his dining table and set it down for Youji to ash his cigarette in.
Brad then situated himself on the edge of his bed, a smirk playing across his lips as he leaned back on his arms. "I don't."
Taking another deep drag, Youji blew the smoke away from Brad's face and smiled at him quietly. Crawford reached out and took the cigarette from Youji's lips, putting it out in the tea candle case with a small chuckle. "Smoking will kill you, especially at the rate you do it at. I'd like to have you alive until this evening, at least."
"So you DO plan on having me here for a while, huh?" grinned Youji, turning onto his side, his position calling Brad's eye to his slender figure as well as the arousal he had waiting beneath his clothes.
Crawford stood, reaching for his riding crop and motioning for Youji to stand up. "I don't recall telling you that you could move, but if you want to move, let's see how well you handle punishment." His grin was both stunningly beautiful and terribly intimidating, and Youji all but scrambled to stand, craving more of Brad's special attention. The handsome Weiß wondered why Crawford always hid such beautiful, sunset-colored eyes behind bulky glasses, but apparently he'd made an effort today to look different for Youji, and that thought intrigued him.
Taking his slave's hands and making him to face the bed, Brad placed Youji's palms against the sheet, dropping a little kiss on the nape of Youji's slender neck, and the man exhaled softly. Brad then reached down and lifted Youji's left leg, bending it to make him place his sharp knee on the mattress and leaving the right foot on the floor. Youji was now artistically positioned to Brad's satisfaction to receive his punishment.
A whistling sound pierced the air behind Youji's body and he felt a sharp, concise pain on his rear. Startled, he jumped a bit, not moving from his position but tensing up for a moment. The place where Brad had smacked him with the riding crop began to throb, and Youji felt as if that one welt on his rear might have been glowing, if it were uncovered. Brad then reared back and delivered a quick and merciless series of 10 hard slaps with the leather strap on the riding crop, surprising his slave. Youji tried not to squirm too much and tried not to instinctively avoid the slaps, finding it very difficult and intriguing all at once. Watching with complete rapture as his slave took the blows obediently, Crawford paused to lean over Youji's back and plant a soft kiss on his trembling left shoulder.
"Very good, pet..." murmured Brad into Youji's ear, and the slave continued to shake with anticipation.
//I told him that I had deep, _emotional_ feelings for him and I thought I was lying. I thought I just wanted sex. ...but I feel myself getting closer and closer to him every second that this game continues. What happens when it's time to return back to reality...?//