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puss_nd_bootsTitle: The Heart of the Ocean [1/2]
Chapter: Standalone. Cut into two parts because of LJ's post limits; there is a link to the second part at the end of the first.
Author: Boots
Rating: NC-17
Genre: Supernatural/urban fantasy AU, romance, smut
Warnings: Male/male sex, rimming, mirrors
Pairing: Yo-ka (DIAURA) X Subaru (Royz)
Disclaimer: Diaura belongs to Ains, Royz belongs to B.P. Records, I own the story only.
Summary: Down in the dumps after losing his job at a men’s fashion magazine, Yo-ka comes to Nago Beach in Okinawa to housesit for a rich friend and try to get his mind off his troubles. Then, an act of kindness to an animal brings a mysterious young man into his life – but why does he appear on the beach at the same time and place every night and disappear before dawn every morning?
Comments: Originally written for the Summer Romance Challenge at![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
jrockyaoi, but it was too long to enter the contest.
When Yo-ka arrived at Nago Beach, he didn’t feel any further away from life’s problems than he did when he was back in Tokyo.
He was surrounded by sun, sand, surf, nightspots, restaurants, and botanical gardens. That didn’t make him any less fired from his job. Oh, excuse me, “laid off.” His boss had given him the same song and dance that was always given to people in his situation. Blah, blah, going through lean times, yadda, yadda, will bring you back if things get a bit better.
Yo-ka had spent that fateful night texting everyone he knew with the bad news, as if one of them would be able to wave a magic wand and make everything better again. No magic wands in sight – just an endless stream of “Oh, man, I’m so sorry.”
Until he happened to message one old friend from high school, who just happened to own a nice beach house in Nago, the premiere beach resort in Okinawa, after striking it rich with a pineapple wine company.
After the usual condolences, the friend said, “Hey, I’m going to be away in Korea for a couple of weeks at the end of the month – working the international markets. Why don’t you come housesit my place while I’m away? You could use the change of surroundings.”
At first, Yo-ka was going to turn him down. He needed charity even less than he needed sympathy. But after a day or two of unemployment, the walls of his place were starting to close in on him.
And so, he took the offer. Which is how he got to the point where he was right now – second day of his so-called vacation, sitting on the sand, staring out at the water. Maybe looking out at the waves would make him see a new direction for his life, new possibilities.
Nope, all he was seeing were kids chasing each other along the wet sandbar at the water’s edge, and a couple dozing on their beach towels, and a guy in baggy swim trunks desperately huffing and puffing into an inner tube. Not exactly inspirational.
He got up and started to walk toward the waves. Maybe a swim would help. Maybe he was getting overheated, he needed to cool down a bit. Maybe . . .
That’s when he became aware of something violently thrashing around in the water.
It was a little way out to sea, just when the water started to hit the too-deep-for-kids levels. There was a net stretched across the water there, held in place by big poles driven into the sand – according to the tourist web site for this place, it was supposed to keep dangerous marine life from coming in to land.
Maybe it was a shark? Should he alert the beach staff? Yo-ka looked around – none of them seemed to be noticing the thrashing. The other beachgoers just kind of glanced at it, but didn’t pay it any mind, either.
Curious, he waded out into the water. Now that he got closer, he could see it definitely wasn’t a shark. No, it was some other sort of sea creature. A dugong, maybe? There were supposed to be some of them around here.
As he drew nearer still, he could see that the thing thrashing around was a seal – a rather large one, about the size of a large child or a small adult, with a golden-brown coat. The poor thing was tangled in the net but good, and the more it thrashed, the worse its predicament became.
“Hold on,” Yo-ka called. “I’ll help you.” As if the seal could understand him. He swam out to the creature, found the net, lifted one edge . . .
It took a bit of twisting and stretching and being careful not to hurt the animal trapped within until the seal was finally able to slide free. It ducked under the water, then popped back up, making a happy barking, braying sound.
“There you go,” Yo-ka said. “Now, don’t come around here again, I won’t always be around to rescue you. I’m only here for a couple of weeks.” The seal barked again, bobbing up and down in the water. “You’re a lively one, aren’t you? Must be nice to have a life like yours – no worries, no anxiety over whether you’re going to be able to pay the bills from now on, no . . .”
And then, a strange feeling passed through Yo-ka’s body. It was . . . a chill. Like somebody had reached into his very soul and was probing it. It only lasted a moment, and then it was gone.
What the hell is going on with me? he thought. I’m having conversations with seals. I’m getting creeped out over nothing. And this is after about two and a half weeks out of work. If I’m unemployed for much longer, I’m going to end up in a rubber room.
“Never mind,” he told the seal. “You just go on doing your seal thing, and I’ll get back to doing whatever I’m doing.”
The seal barked again and dove back under the water, swimming away from the net. Yo-ka turned and went back to shore.
Well, that was my big excitement for the day, he thought.
* * *
That evening, as the sun was setting, he was sitting back in pretty much the same spot where he’d been earlier that day.
He’d gone back inside after the great seal rescue, taken a shower, got out his computer and surfed every job search site he could think of. Dozens of resumes later, he raided the kitchen (good thing he had free reign of all the food in the house) and then felt the urge to go outside again.
It was quieter now. The other tourists were out eating and drinking or at the karaoke place or just strolling around. He was pretty much alone . . .
Except for one young man who was walking down the beach toward him.
He was wearing a simple pair of shorts and a T-shirt with the English words BIG FUN on it. His thick, pale blond hair was blowing in the summer breeze. And he had a face that could only be described as gorgeous. Big eyes, full lips, lovely cheekbones. He carried a bag of some sort in one hand.
Just the kind of thing Yo-ka would hit on if he’d spotted him across a crowded bar. Of course, with the way his luck was going right now? The pretty thing probably didn’t even like guys.
The young man continued to walk toward him – right toward him, in fact. “Hi,” the newcomer said. “Are you new here?”
“Sort of,” Yo-ka replied. “I’m visiting. I’m taking care of someone’s house for a couple of weeks. I normally live in Tokyo. What about you?”
“Oh, I’m here year-round,” said the young man. “I’ve seen just about everyone who normally hangs out at this part of the beach. That’s why I spotted you – you’re different. That, and . . . well, you’re the one who rescued a seal earlier, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” Yo-ka said. “That was no big deal, really. I just saw it and helped out.”
“Not everyone would do that.” The man dropped his bag on the sand and sat down next to Yo-ka. “I’m called Subaru, by the way.”
“I’m called Yo-ka,” the other man replied. “Are you originally from Osaka? You sound like it.”
“I came from there originally, yes – but I’ve been here for a long time. This is where I belong.”
“I wish I still had a place to belong,” Yo-ka mumbled.
“Why do you say that?”
“I lost my job,” he replied. “I was writing for a magazine that covered hip fashion for men. Except we kept getting less and less advertisers, and the publication got smaller and smaller, and they decided to fold it into their women’s fashion magazine and let almost all of us go.” He sighed. “It was the only place I’d worked at all my adult life. I’d wanted to retire from there.”
“That’s awful,” Subaru said. “I mean, when you lose something like that . . . it’s not just about the money. It’s like part of you is gone.”
“That’s right,” Yo-ka said. “You understand.” He’d put it beautifully, too – it was something he’d felt inside himself ever since the catastrophic firing, but hadn’t been able to put it into words.
“But you’ll get that part back,” Subaru said.
“How can you be so sure?” Yo-ka said, looking at him. God, he was gorgeous. He looked fresh and sweet and innocent - the kind of thing that would just seem cloying in some guys, but he pulled it off.
“When you want opportunity to find you bad enough,” Subaru said, “it does. Trust me.”
“Has it ever found you?” Yo-ka said.
There was a pause. “I’ve always lived my life the way I wanted to,” Subaru said. “So I’ve always been happy.” He looked out toward the sea. “All I need . . . is this.”
“The ocean?”
“What is it that you need? What’s at the center of your life?”
Well, that was an interesting question. The center of his life had always been photoshoots and spring collections and how jackets were being cut this year. “Beauty,” he suddenly said, the word seeming to tumble out of his mind. “I like beautiful things.”
“Then you’ve come to the right place,” Subaru said, sweeping his arm in a panorama across the beach.
“Isn’t it a little tourist trap-y?” Yo-ka said. “I mean, there’s that Pineapple Park, and the Fruits Garden or whatever they call that botanical thing, and . . .”
Subaru shook his head. “You have to look past all that,” he said. “That’s not what Nago Beach really is. Humans just put that stuff there very recently. Nago Beach is the things that have been here for centuries. The surf, the sand, the trees . . . yes, even the pineapples.”
“My friend makes wine from those things,” Yo-ka said. “That’s how he got rich. He left Fukushima, came down here with a little inheritance from his grandmother, sank it into the pineapple wine company and bam, he’s got billions of yen. That’s his house I’m staying in.” He waved a hand behind him.
“Fukushima?” Subaru said. “That’s where you came from originally?”
“The middle of nowhere,” Yo-ka said, nodding. “I got out of there as soon as I could. I haven’t looked back since.” Unless, he thought, I can’t get another job, and I have to move back in with my parents, and that’s so unthinkable I’m going to stop that line of thought right there.
“You have a strong spirit, striking out on your own in an unknown place like that,” Subaru said.
Yo-ka shrugged. “Not really,” he said. “I just didn’t want to be bored to death.”
The two met eyes for just a moment, and then they both laughed. Oh, yes, Yo-ka liked this guy.
Maybe the seal rescue wasn’t the highlight of his day after all.
* * *
The sky grew dark, the lights of night fishing boats twinking on the water. Yo-ka went up and turned on the back light of the house so they wouldn’t be sitting in pitch blackness, while Subaru moved his bag next to Yo-ka’s steps.
They sat back on the sand and talked some more, about Yo-ka’s life back in Tokyo, about how he’d gotten down to Okinawa (a super cheap airfare sale and probably his last financial indulgence for awhile), and about some of the features of the island he hadn’t seen yet.
At one point, Yo-ka let slip that he had a preference for men. Subaru seemed unfazed by it. When Yo-ka asked about his own preferences, Subaru said, “I don’t really have any.”
“You mean, you’re asexual?” Well, there went all of Yo-ka’s hopes out the window.
“No – I don’t have a preference of genders. All humans are beautiful and pleasurable to me.”
“Oh – pansexual, then.” And a big sigh of relief. Hope was back!
“If you say so. But labels are so limiting, aren’t they?”
“Yes. Yes, they are.” Yo-ka turned so he could smile at his companion. “What if I was to label you very attractive, though?”
“Then I’d say that you were, too,” Subaru said.
“Really?”
“Really.”
Okay, he’d just met this guy. He usually didn’t have one-night stands. He didn’t even fuck on the first date. But he was far from home, and in need of comfort, and the guy was hot, and the sound of the sea and the sight of a near-full moon overhead were just enhancing his mood . . .
And he thought, fuck it, I’m going to just go for it.
He leaned in toward Subaru. “Then . . . what if I were to do this?” He brushed his lips against the other man’s, softly, barely touching, more of an invitation than a true kiss, then pulled back . . .
Subaru pulled him in, kissing him wholeheartedly, wrapping his arms tightly around Yo-ka, and Yo-ka opened his lips, pushing his tongue forward, pressing it against Subaru’s, feeling like he was drinking him in . . .
They broke apart, both breathing heavily and trembling slightly. Yo-ka brushed his fingers over Subaru’s face. “We’d better go inside,” he said. “We’d get arrested if we went further out here.”
Subaru nodded, kissed Yo-ka again lightly, then disentangled himself from the other man, standing up and brushing off his shorts. He held out his hand to Yo-ka, and Yo-ka took it, letting the beauty haul him to his feet.
They walked to his place, knowing full well where they were going once the door shut behind them – straight upstairs, into the master bedroom.
Yo-ka knew that his friend wouldn’t exactly mind him using the bed for a good cause like this.
* * *
When he left Tokyo, he’d put condoms and lube in his suitcase on automatic pilot, not thinking he’d actually need them (even though his friend had told him where the best bar for male-male hookups was).
It was now looking like the best decision he’d ever made in his life.
As soon as they were in the bedroom, he grabbed that English language T-shirt of Subaru’s and yanked it upward. His new lover raised his arms, allowing him to pull it off and toss it across the room. Yo-ka’s shirt followed, then both pairs of shorts, Yo-ka’s underwear . . .
Then they were falling on the bed naked together, wrapped tightly in each other’s arms, kissing hungrily. Subaru rolled them over until he was on top, and aggressively pushed his tongue into Yo-ka’s mouth, reaching down to brush his fingers over a nipple, then lightly squeeze it.
Yo-ka shuddered and jumped. The other man’s aggressiveness was a sharp contrast to his sweet demeanor – and it made it all the hotter. He arched up toward him, running his hands down Subaru’s back, lower, lower . . .
When he squeezed Subaru’s bottom, the blond raised his head, leaning back, moaning a little . . . and then leaned over, running his tongue slowly from the bottom of the other man’s neck to the top, a long, slow, wet stroke.
“Oh, fuck, yes,” Yo-ka moaned, and that inspired Subaru to lower his head, kissing and sucking at his new lover’s pulse line, nibbling at the skin, then licking again. Yo-ka closed his eyes, tipping his head back, exposing his neck to the other man like a willing sacrifice.
Subaru moved down further, licking his way down to his chest, finding the nipple he’d been pleasuring before. He wrapped his lips around it, making Yo-ka gasp.
“Suck me,” Yo-ka moaned. “I want your mouth on my cock.”
Subaru raised his head, reaching down to lightly stroke Yo-ka’s erection. “This is what you want?”
“Yes . . . but . . . your mouth . . .”
“Do you like to top or bottom?” A few more strokes of his fingers.
“Top, usually . . .” He raised his head. Oh, God, was Subaru going to give him what he wanted?
Subaru glanced around. His eyes fell on the nighttable, on the bottle of lube and box of condoms that had casually been laid there. He grabbed the former and pressed it into Yo-ka’s hand with a smile, then turned around, leaning over, tantalizing ass pointed in the air like an invitation.
Yo-ka got the message right away. He was to prepare Subaru as Subaru worked on him. He opened the bottle, pouring some over his fingers . . .
And then, the most wonderful mouth he’d ever felt began sliding down on him. Soft, hot, wet, and silky, oh, yes, it was as if it was lined entirely in wet satin . . . The young man began to suck, and it was just the right amount of pressure.
Warm ripples of pleasure ran through Yo-ka as Subaru moved his head back, then down, the hardness sliding through hot, liquid delight. Subaru’s tongue licked at him on the outstrokes, tracing the lines of the head, teasing the slit, until he slid back down again, enveloping and engulfing Yo-ka, making him moan loudly.
“Fuck . . . fuck, you’re amazing, nobody’s sucked me like this, nobody . . .” He suddenly remembered what he was supposed to be doing, and parted the cheeks of the beautiful bottom in front of him, sliding a lubed finger inside.
Even the inside of his ass felt wonderful. Tight, hot, and yet soft, softer than any man he’d ever been with . . . Yo-ka worked his finger in and out, the gentle probing giving way to a slow thrust, and then outright finger-fucking, pushing to the same rhythm as Subaru’s sucking.
And oh, that sucking. He was moving faster, and harder, and deeper, seeming to devour Yo-ka, purring with pleasure as he worked – especially when a second finger entered him, gently scissoring, trying to open him up faster.
Yo-ka was eager. Oh, so eager. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d wanted to fuck someone so badly. He worked the third finger in when he felt his new lover was ready, careful not to go too quickly – he wanted this experience to be pure pleasure for them both.
Subaru pulled his head back, licking a long, slow trail from the bottom of Yo-ka’s cock to the top, then around the tip. When Yo-ka slid his fingers out of him, Subaru looked over his shoulder with a sweet smile.
God. Looks like an angel, sucks cock like a demon. He was like the dirtiest of fantasies come to life.
“I want to get you ready, now,” Subaru said, stretching a hand out. Yo-ka fumbled for the condoms, fingers trembling, managing to get one of them and the lube into Subaru’s hand.
Subaru ripped the condom packet open, rolling it on Yo-ka’s hardness, pouring lube over it, then passing it back to Yo-ka to pour some more in his cleft. Once he had done that, he shifted around, straddling Yo-ka, starting to move down on his erection.
Yo-ka just lay beneath him, feasting his eyes on the beauty, on the blond hair spilling around his face, the nicely muscled torso with its hard, dark nipples, the cock standing erect and gorgeous, the lovely face bearing a look of concentration as Subaru slid down on him little by little . . .
He felt incredible. Even better than Yo-ka’s fingers had indicated. He was like sliding into tight, hot satin. Yo-ka was suddenly very glad Subaru was riding him, or else he might be fighting urges to pound into him too hard, too fast – and he didn’t want to do anything to risk hurting this exquisite creature.
Subaru paused, bracing his hands on Yo-ka’s chest. “You feel so good,” he said.
“You feel incredible,” Yo-ka said. “I’ve never felt anything like you.”
Subaru began to move – a slow, gentle thrust. “Oh, yes,” the blond murmured, his lovely tongue coming out to slide along his lips, which just made Yo-ka hotter, remembering that thing on his hardness.
As Subaru sped up, Yo-ka became more aware of the sensations around his cock, how the tight channel caressed him. He felt like he was lost within him, drowning in him . . . Subaru was beauty and sensuality itself.
He slid a hand up Subaru’s chest, feeling it grow slick with sweat, finding a nipple and playing with it, watching the other man lean back his head and moan deeply.
Yo-ka was raising his hips now, matching his thrusts to his lover’s, the two of them moving together harder, faster, the sounds of their moans and ragged breathing filling the room. He had both hands on Subaru’s nipples now, rubbing them, squeezing them . . .
One hand moved downward, wrapping around Subaru’s erection, stroking it quickly, and Subaru’s moans grew louder, his breathing more erratic, his whole body starting to tremble.
When Yo-ka’s thumb brushed over the tip, Subaru cried out, leaning backward, and that velvet sheath tightened around Yo-ka . . .
As Subaru’s come poured over his fingers, Yo-ka felt an explosion of ecstasy unlike any he’d ever known. His hips lifted all the way off the bed and he let out a cry bordering on a scream as he poured into him, and poured more, and just kept pouring . . .
Subaru crashed down on top of them, and they kissed, falling back to the sheets, panting, hugging each other. Yo-ka kissed his face everywhere – eyelids, cheeks, chin.
“I can’t believe it,” he said in a trembling voice. “That was . . .”
“I know,” Subaru said, buying his face in Yo-ka’s shoulder. “It was wonderful.”
“You’re . . .” Yo-ka couldn’t even find the words. Fantastic. Amazing. Unlike anything he’d ever had in his life. He held him tighter. He’d clean them off in a moment – for now, he wasn’t letting him go.
If that was the first one-night stand in his life, then there was definitely something to be said for one-night stands.
* * *
Yo-ka awoke the next morning, stirring, murmuring quietly. Oh, yes, that was a wonderful, horny dream. The beautiful boy, the hot sex . . .
As he came to full consciousness, he realized it wasn’t a dream. It had happened. Subaru was real . . . and so was everything they had done.
He turned over, groping next to him – nothing. Just empty sheets.
Yo-ka raised his head. Yes, he was alone. Subaru was gone. He jumped out of bed – the clothes Subaru had been wearing were gone, too.
“Subaru?” he said. He looked at the bathroom – no, the door was open, he wasn’t there. He pulled on the shorts and began to search the house – not in the guest bedroom or bathroom, the living room, the kitchen . . .
Yo-ka headed back out toward the beach – and that’s when he saw the note. It was written on the same memo paper that was on the kitchen table, stuck to the back door frame with masking tape.
“I’ll come see you again tonight,” it said. “Wait for me, same place and same time we met up last night. Subaru.”
He blinked. Well, this was odd. No contact info? No phone number, not even an E-mail address? Just “I’ll come see you tonight?” And no explanation as to why he had to leave so early?
But . . . he was coming back. He wanted to see Yo-ka again. It wasn’t a one-night stand. This was turning into . . . well, not a real relationship, but a summer fling. And that was a good thing. Yes, a summer fling might be just what he needed.
Especially with a guy like Subaru.
* * *
He was waiting on the same spot when the sun went down – and sure enough, Subaru came strolling up, this time wearing a different T-shirt (plain yellow) and a different pair of shorts (navy blue). “Hi!” he said. “Want to go for a walk tonight?”
“Where do you want to go?” Yo-ka said.
“Anywhere you want,” Subaru said. “Maybe around town?”
“You’ve got it,” Yo-ka said. “I just need to get some sandals.”
“Can you grab a pair for me, too?” Subaru said. “I . . . I didn’t bring any. Not tonight, anyway. Walking on sand, you know . . .”
“Sure thing,” Yo-ka said. Well, that wasn’t unusual. People could easily forget sandals if they were going to be walking on sand. He came back with two pairs of comfortably-fitting beach shoes. “How’s this?”
“Perfect!” Subaru said, carrying them until they got to the side of the house. When they reached grass, he put them on.
The two made their way out to the main drag of town, past the ramen shops and conbini and ice cream parlors. “It’s nice that a place like this exists, isn’t it?” Subaru said. “A place where people come just to be happy?”
“If happiness involves taiyaki stands,” Yo-ka said as they passed one in question, the proprietor slathering sauce over a container of his wares for a group of hungry-looking kids.
“For them, it does,” Subaru said. “Happiness is different from person to person, you know? I love nature more than anything – but you can’t totally write off the things that humans have made. Because some of them are pretty amazing.”
“Kind of makes you wonder what this place looked like before the tourists got here,” Yo-ka said – and then stopped, suddenly. “Oh, wow – this is my kind of thing.” He was standing in front of a men’s clothing store, which sported the usual beachwear in the windows – shorts and T-shirts and gym shorts – but also some forward fashion. There were T-shirts bearing skulls and crosses and decorated in sparkly crystals; pants made of black denim with safety pins artfully applied, studded cuffs and wristbands . . .
“That’s the kind of men’s clothing you used to write about, isn’t it?” Subaru said.
“Yes,” Yo-ka said. “Let’s go see . . . oh, damn, the store closed at 6 tonight. I’ll come back during the day. Meanwhile . . . why don’t we get some of that ice cream?”
As they were walking away from the store, a curtain in a window in an apartment above the shop pushed aside. A figure leaned over, seeming to peer at the couple in the street below.
* * *
He’d whispered in Subaru’s ear when they were on their way back to his place that he wanted to bury his face in his sweet ass – and he was always a man who kept his promises.
Which is why Subaru was currently on the bed naked and on all fours, plastic wrap stretched over his cleft as a dental dam ,. . . and Yo-ka was kneeling behind him, equally naked, tongue pushing into that hot little hole.
And that channel felt as good around his tongue as it had his fingers and cock, clutching around Yo-ka as he wriggled about and explored, moving from spot to spot, then thrusting in and out, making Subaru moan and clutch at the bedding below him.
Yo-ka raised his head, bringing his lips to one cheek, kissing it, nibbling, licking . . . then moving back to the little hole again, running around the rim, flicking in and out of it, wriggling a little just inside the entrance . . .
Then he tongue-fucked him with one long, hard thrust, curving it, rubbing back and forth, hitting a sensitive spot that made Subaru let out one long, deep, intense moan. “Yo-ka . . .”
He lifted his head and reached for the lube, pulling the plastic away and slicking his fingers. “Look over there,” he said, pushing one digit into him – easily, since he’d been loosened up by his tongue. “See the mirror?”
“Yes,” Subaru said, breathlessly. Sure enough, there was a full-length mirror on the closet door.
“Get in front of it.” Yo-ka slid his fingers out. “I want you to watch me fucking you.”
“Ohh, yes . . .” Subaru repositioned himself so he was toward the end of the bed, facing the mirror, still on all fours. Yo-ka watched too, watched himself kneeling behind this beauty, sliding his fingers in and out of him, getting him ready to be taken.
It was like the most delicious, erotic dream ever.
When Subaru was well-prepared, he pulled on a condom, slicking himself, pouring more lube into his lover’s cleft . . . and then positioned himself, gripping his hips, watching the mirror.
“Ready?”
“Yes . . . fuck me, I need it . . .”
God, an innocent guy like him talking dirty . . . Yo-ka pushed in, entering that tight satin, watching every move as he began a slow, gentle thrust . . .
It was like looking at a porno and living it at the same time, feeling Subaru, watching him, knowing Subaru was watching, too . . . His fingers tightened on the other man’s skin as he moved faster, harder, hearing his lover start to moan.
“Beautiful,” Subaru murmured. “You’re so beautiful, Yo-ka . . .”
Yo-ka ran his hands up and down his lover’s back, caressing, reaching under him, feeling for his nipples, his eyes glued to the mirror. He watched Subaru move below him, thrusting against him, his skin glistening with sweat, growing more gorgeous and hot by the second . . .
And then he looked at himself behind Subaru, his hips churning as he thrust into this beauty, his own skin flushed and sweaty. . .
His hand reached below his lover’s body, finding Subaru’s hardness, stroking him, trying to bring them both to completion . . . and suddenly, Subaru arched back against him, crying out, Yo-ka watching his face of bliss in the mirror as he trembled . . .
Moments later, his own ecstasy hit, as white-hot intense as their first climax together, making Yo-ka thrust deep into his lover, crying his name out loud as he trembled from the depth of his soul.
Subaru collapsed to the bed, Yo-ka falling down beside him. They kissed, clinging to each other as if they would never let go.
But the next morning, Yo-ka awoke to find Subaru gone – again. And there was another note on the door – “See you tonight. Meet me at the same place, same time.”
What was going on? Where did Subaru go? Did he have someone else – another lover? Was he running off to a demanding job? And why no phone or E-mail – still?
Yo-ka just stared at the note, shaking his head. He wasn’t going to pry. He didn’t want to chase Subaru away. Not when their little summer fling was, well, the best damn thing that had happened to him in months. Years, even.
Besides . . . the layer of mystery just made him all that more intriguing.
* * *
It continued that way for the next four nights. Yo-ka would wait at the same space on the sand, Subaru would walk up the beach to him, wearing a T-shirt and shorts – but at the same time, no sandals. Another part of the mystery. Yo-ka was used to having sandals ready for him.
They would go out into town for awhile. One night they walked around a park, bringing bread with them to feed to the birds. Another, they went out for ramen. And on the third night, they went to The Sandpiper – the bar that Yo-ka had been told was the most gay-friendly in the region – so they could dance together.
Afterward, each night, they’d come back to Yo-ka’s place and have hot, hot sex, always making him feel that he and his new lover were melting into each other. And the next morning, he’d find him gone, with another note saying to meet him at the same place, same time that night.
There was nothing to really deepen the mystery surrounding him, though . . . until the sixth night.
The two of them decided to stroll up to the piers, to watch the night fishing boats go in and out. Subaru discreetly ran his fingers along Yo-ka’s arm as they walked – just a light, feathery touch that lasted a moment.
As they approached the boats, they saw a group of fishermen trudging along, heads down, even their poles seeming to drag on the ground. They seemed to catch Subaru’s attention immediately. He rushed over toward them. “Hi!” he said. “What’s wrong, guys?”
“They’re not biting,” said one of the fishermen, a large guy who seemed to be the leader of the group. “We put out our nets, our lines, tons of bait – nothing.”
“They’re out there,” said one of the other fishermen. “They’re just avoiding us like the plague. We tried three different kinds of bait – still nothing.”
Subaru looked thoughtful for a moment – and then said, “Can you take my friend and I out on your boat with you?”
Yo-ka looked shocked. What was his lover doing? Just going up to a bunch of strangers and asking to go on their fishing boat? The fishermen were looking at each other with similarly perplexed expressions.
“Um . . . why?” said the leader.
“I know a bit about this kind of thing,” Subaru said. “Maybe if I could see you doing it, I could figure out what your problem is.” He gave the leader a big smile and seemed to look into his eyes.
The leader took a step back, blinking. “Okay,” he said.
His friends looked at each other again. “What are you doing, Kenji?” said the shortest of the group
“It can’t hurt,” the leader said. “Look, we’ve tried everything else. Maybe he knows something else we can try.”
They sighed. “All right,” the short fisherman said. “It’s out of the blue, but . . . all right.”
“Great!” Subaru said. “I’m Subaru, and this is Yo-ka, by the way.”
“Um . . . hi?” said Yo-ka. As the group started heading for the boat, he whispered to Subaru, “What are you doing?”
“Just trust me,” Subaru whispered back. “I can help them.”
“How?”
“You’ll see.”
The boat headed out to the water. The nets and lines were prepared and dropped – and Subaru just stood there, watching quietly.
“See anything yet?” the leader said. “That we should be doing differently?”
“Not yet,” said Subaru. “You’re doing okay.”
“Well . . . all right.” The leader looked puzzled – but he just kept on with what he was doing.
And then, the nets just sat there. And sat. Sure enough, the fish weren’t coming.
“Maybe we should change our position?” said the leader.
Subaru shook his head. “No. You’re fine where you are.”
“Then . . . what the hell is wrong?”
Subaru didn’t answer. Instead, he just stood on the deck, eyes closed, breathing deeply, seeming to concentrate . . .
Then, he opened his mouth and started to sing.
He had a clear, strong voice with a sensual tone. The music seemed to ring out over the water. Everyone turned to look at him, astonished.
His song seemed to be an ancient folk ballad in an archaic form of Japanese – maybe one of the original dialects of Osaka? Yo-ka thought. It was definitely not something that was spoken, or sung, around Fukushima.
Then, all of a sudden, there was a loud rustling noise. The nets and lines began tugging, violently. Subaru finished his song and just stood there, eyes closed, seeming to be in a meditative state.
The fishermen rushed to the nets. “Holy . . .” said the leader.
“They’re full!” yelled his second-in-command as they pulled at the nets. “Absolutely fucking full!”
“So are the lines!” said the little fisherman, hauling in a huge catch. “I don’t believe it!”
The leader turned to Subaru. “What did you do?”
Subaru shrugged. “Call it a folk remedy,” he said.
But Yo-ka just stood there, mouth hanging open, a chill running through his body. This was beyond a mystery. This was . . . like something out of a sea legend.
Subaru, he thought, who are you, really?
To Part 2
Chapter: Standalone. Cut into two parts because of LJ's post limits; there is a link to the second part at the end of the first.
Author: Boots
Rating: NC-17
Genre: Supernatural/urban fantasy AU, romance, smut
Warnings: Male/male sex, rimming, mirrors
Pairing: Yo-ka (DIAURA) X Subaru (Royz)
Disclaimer: Diaura belongs to Ains, Royz belongs to B.P. Records, I own the story only.
Summary: Down in the dumps after losing his job at a men’s fashion magazine, Yo-ka comes to Nago Beach in Okinawa to housesit for a rich friend and try to get his mind off his troubles. Then, an act of kindness to an animal brings a mysterious young man into his life – but why does he appear on the beach at the same time and place every night and disappear before dawn every morning?
Comments: Originally written for the Summer Romance Challenge at
jrockyaoi, but it was too long to enter the contest.When Yo-ka arrived at Nago Beach, he didn’t feel any further away from life’s problems than he did when he was back in Tokyo.
He was surrounded by sun, sand, surf, nightspots, restaurants, and botanical gardens. That didn’t make him any less fired from his job. Oh, excuse me, “laid off.” His boss had given him the same song and dance that was always given to people in his situation. Blah, blah, going through lean times, yadda, yadda, will bring you back if things get a bit better.
Yo-ka had spent that fateful night texting everyone he knew with the bad news, as if one of them would be able to wave a magic wand and make everything better again. No magic wands in sight – just an endless stream of “Oh, man, I’m so sorry.”
Until he happened to message one old friend from high school, who just happened to own a nice beach house in Nago, the premiere beach resort in Okinawa, after striking it rich with a pineapple wine company.
After the usual condolences, the friend said, “Hey, I’m going to be away in Korea for a couple of weeks at the end of the month – working the international markets. Why don’t you come housesit my place while I’m away? You could use the change of surroundings.”
At first, Yo-ka was going to turn him down. He needed charity even less than he needed sympathy. But after a day or two of unemployment, the walls of his place were starting to close in on him.
And so, he took the offer. Which is how he got to the point where he was right now – second day of his so-called vacation, sitting on the sand, staring out at the water. Maybe looking out at the waves would make him see a new direction for his life, new possibilities.
Nope, all he was seeing were kids chasing each other along the wet sandbar at the water’s edge, and a couple dozing on their beach towels, and a guy in baggy swim trunks desperately huffing and puffing into an inner tube. Not exactly inspirational.
He got up and started to walk toward the waves. Maybe a swim would help. Maybe he was getting overheated, he needed to cool down a bit. Maybe . . .
That’s when he became aware of something violently thrashing around in the water.
It was a little way out to sea, just when the water started to hit the too-deep-for-kids levels. There was a net stretched across the water there, held in place by big poles driven into the sand – according to the tourist web site for this place, it was supposed to keep dangerous marine life from coming in to land.
Maybe it was a shark? Should he alert the beach staff? Yo-ka looked around – none of them seemed to be noticing the thrashing. The other beachgoers just kind of glanced at it, but didn’t pay it any mind, either.
Curious, he waded out into the water. Now that he got closer, he could see it definitely wasn’t a shark. No, it was some other sort of sea creature. A dugong, maybe? There were supposed to be some of them around here.
As he drew nearer still, he could see that the thing thrashing around was a seal – a rather large one, about the size of a large child or a small adult, with a golden-brown coat. The poor thing was tangled in the net but good, and the more it thrashed, the worse its predicament became.
“Hold on,” Yo-ka called. “I’ll help you.” As if the seal could understand him. He swam out to the creature, found the net, lifted one edge . . .
It took a bit of twisting and stretching and being careful not to hurt the animal trapped within until the seal was finally able to slide free. It ducked under the water, then popped back up, making a happy barking, braying sound.
“There you go,” Yo-ka said. “Now, don’t come around here again, I won’t always be around to rescue you. I’m only here for a couple of weeks.” The seal barked again, bobbing up and down in the water. “You’re a lively one, aren’t you? Must be nice to have a life like yours – no worries, no anxiety over whether you’re going to be able to pay the bills from now on, no . . .”
And then, a strange feeling passed through Yo-ka’s body. It was . . . a chill. Like somebody had reached into his very soul and was probing it. It only lasted a moment, and then it was gone.
What the hell is going on with me? he thought. I’m having conversations with seals. I’m getting creeped out over nothing. And this is after about two and a half weeks out of work. If I’m unemployed for much longer, I’m going to end up in a rubber room.
“Never mind,” he told the seal. “You just go on doing your seal thing, and I’ll get back to doing whatever I’m doing.”
The seal barked again and dove back under the water, swimming away from the net. Yo-ka turned and went back to shore.
Well, that was my big excitement for the day, he thought.
* * *
That evening, as the sun was setting, he was sitting back in pretty much the same spot where he’d been earlier that day.
He’d gone back inside after the great seal rescue, taken a shower, got out his computer and surfed every job search site he could think of. Dozens of resumes later, he raided the kitchen (good thing he had free reign of all the food in the house) and then felt the urge to go outside again.
It was quieter now. The other tourists were out eating and drinking or at the karaoke place or just strolling around. He was pretty much alone . . .
Except for one young man who was walking down the beach toward him.
He was wearing a simple pair of shorts and a T-shirt with the English words BIG FUN on it. His thick, pale blond hair was blowing in the summer breeze. And he had a face that could only be described as gorgeous. Big eyes, full lips, lovely cheekbones. He carried a bag of some sort in one hand.
Just the kind of thing Yo-ka would hit on if he’d spotted him across a crowded bar. Of course, with the way his luck was going right now? The pretty thing probably didn’t even like guys.
The young man continued to walk toward him – right toward him, in fact. “Hi,” the newcomer said. “Are you new here?”
“Sort of,” Yo-ka replied. “I’m visiting. I’m taking care of someone’s house for a couple of weeks. I normally live in Tokyo. What about you?”
“Oh, I’m here year-round,” said the young man. “I’ve seen just about everyone who normally hangs out at this part of the beach. That’s why I spotted you – you’re different. That, and . . . well, you’re the one who rescued a seal earlier, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” Yo-ka said. “That was no big deal, really. I just saw it and helped out.”
“Not everyone would do that.” The man dropped his bag on the sand and sat down next to Yo-ka. “I’m called Subaru, by the way.”
“I’m called Yo-ka,” the other man replied. “Are you originally from Osaka? You sound like it.”
“I came from there originally, yes – but I’ve been here for a long time. This is where I belong.”
“I wish I still had a place to belong,” Yo-ka mumbled.
“Why do you say that?”
“I lost my job,” he replied. “I was writing for a magazine that covered hip fashion for men. Except we kept getting less and less advertisers, and the publication got smaller and smaller, and they decided to fold it into their women’s fashion magazine and let almost all of us go.” He sighed. “It was the only place I’d worked at all my adult life. I’d wanted to retire from there.”
“That’s awful,” Subaru said. “I mean, when you lose something like that . . . it’s not just about the money. It’s like part of you is gone.”
“That’s right,” Yo-ka said. “You understand.” He’d put it beautifully, too – it was something he’d felt inside himself ever since the catastrophic firing, but hadn’t been able to put it into words.
“But you’ll get that part back,” Subaru said.
“How can you be so sure?” Yo-ka said, looking at him. God, he was gorgeous. He looked fresh and sweet and innocent - the kind of thing that would just seem cloying in some guys, but he pulled it off.
“When you want opportunity to find you bad enough,” Subaru said, “it does. Trust me.”
“Has it ever found you?” Yo-ka said.
There was a pause. “I’ve always lived my life the way I wanted to,” Subaru said. “So I’ve always been happy.” He looked out toward the sea. “All I need . . . is this.”
“The ocean?”
“What is it that you need? What’s at the center of your life?”
Well, that was an interesting question. The center of his life had always been photoshoots and spring collections and how jackets were being cut this year. “Beauty,” he suddenly said, the word seeming to tumble out of his mind. “I like beautiful things.”
“Then you’ve come to the right place,” Subaru said, sweeping his arm in a panorama across the beach.
“Isn’t it a little tourist trap-y?” Yo-ka said. “I mean, there’s that Pineapple Park, and the Fruits Garden or whatever they call that botanical thing, and . . .”
Subaru shook his head. “You have to look past all that,” he said. “That’s not what Nago Beach really is. Humans just put that stuff there very recently. Nago Beach is the things that have been here for centuries. The surf, the sand, the trees . . . yes, even the pineapples.”
“My friend makes wine from those things,” Yo-ka said. “That’s how he got rich. He left Fukushima, came down here with a little inheritance from his grandmother, sank it into the pineapple wine company and bam, he’s got billions of yen. That’s his house I’m staying in.” He waved a hand behind him.
“Fukushima?” Subaru said. “That’s where you came from originally?”
“The middle of nowhere,” Yo-ka said, nodding. “I got out of there as soon as I could. I haven’t looked back since.” Unless, he thought, I can’t get another job, and I have to move back in with my parents, and that’s so unthinkable I’m going to stop that line of thought right there.
“You have a strong spirit, striking out on your own in an unknown place like that,” Subaru said.
Yo-ka shrugged. “Not really,” he said. “I just didn’t want to be bored to death.”
The two met eyes for just a moment, and then they both laughed. Oh, yes, Yo-ka liked this guy.
Maybe the seal rescue wasn’t the highlight of his day after all.
* * *
The sky grew dark, the lights of night fishing boats twinking on the water. Yo-ka went up and turned on the back light of the house so they wouldn’t be sitting in pitch blackness, while Subaru moved his bag next to Yo-ka’s steps.
They sat back on the sand and talked some more, about Yo-ka’s life back in Tokyo, about how he’d gotten down to Okinawa (a super cheap airfare sale and probably his last financial indulgence for awhile), and about some of the features of the island he hadn’t seen yet.
At one point, Yo-ka let slip that he had a preference for men. Subaru seemed unfazed by it. When Yo-ka asked about his own preferences, Subaru said, “I don’t really have any.”
“You mean, you’re asexual?” Well, there went all of Yo-ka’s hopes out the window.
“No – I don’t have a preference of genders. All humans are beautiful and pleasurable to me.”
“Oh – pansexual, then.” And a big sigh of relief. Hope was back!
“If you say so. But labels are so limiting, aren’t they?”
“Yes. Yes, they are.” Yo-ka turned so he could smile at his companion. “What if I was to label you very attractive, though?”
“Then I’d say that you were, too,” Subaru said.
“Really?”
“Really.”
Okay, he’d just met this guy. He usually didn’t have one-night stands. He didn’t even fuck on the first date. But he was far from home, and in need of comfort, and the guy was hot, and the sound of the sea and the sight of a near-full moon overhead were just enhancing his mood . . .
And he thought, fuck it, I’m going to just go for it.
He leaned in toward Subaru. “Then . . . what if I were to do this?” He brushed his lips against the other man’s, softly, barely touching, more of an invitation than a true kiss, then pulled back . . .
Subaru pulled him in, kissing him wholeheartedly, wrapping his arms tightly around Yo-ka, and Yo-ka opened his lips, pushing his tongue forward, pressing it against Subaru’s, feeling like he was drinking him in . . .
They broke apart, both breathing heavily and trembling slightly. Yo-ka brushed his fingers over Subaru’s face. “We’d better go inside,” he said. “We’d get arrested if we went further out here.”
Subaru nodded, kissed Yo-ka again lightly, then disentangled himself from the other man, standing up and brushing off his shorts. He held out his hand to Yo-ka, and Yo-ka took it, letting the beauty haul him to his feet.
They walked to his place, knowing full well where they were going once the door shut behind them – straight upstairs, into the master bedroom.
Yo-ka knew that his friend wouldn’t exactly mind him using the bed for a good cause like this.
* * *
When he left Tokyo, he’d put condoms and lube in his suitcase on automatic pilot, not thinking he’d actually need them (even though his friend had told him where the best bar for male-male hookups was).
It was now looking like the best decision he’d ever made in his life.
As soon as they were in the bedroom, he grabbed that English language T-shirt of Subaru’s and yanked it upward. His new lover raised his arms, allowing him to pull it off and toss it across the room. Yo-ka’s shirt followed, then both pairs of shorts, Yo-ka’s underwear . . .
Then they were falling on the bed naked together, wrapped tightly in each other’s arms, kissing hungrily. Subaru rolled them over until he was on top, and aggressively pushed his tongue into Yo-ka’s mouth, reaching down to brush his fingers over a nipple, then lightly squeeze it.
Yo-ka shuddered and jumped. The other man’s aggressiveness was a sharp contrast to his sweet demeanor – and it made it all the hotter. He arched up toward him, running his hands down Subaru’s back, lower, lower . . .
When he squeezed Subaru’s bottom, the blond raised his head, leaning back, moaning a little . . . and then leaned over, running his tongue slowly from the bottom of the other man’s neck to the top, a long, slow, wet stroke.
“Oh, fuck, yes,” Yo-ka moaned, and that inspired Subaru to lower his head, kissing and sucking at his new lover’s pulse line, nibbling at the skin, then licking again. Yo-ka closed his eyes, tipping his head back, exposing his neck to the other man like a willing sacrifice.
Subaru moved down further, licking his way down to his chest, finding the nipple he’d been pleasuring before. He wrapped his lips around it, making Yo-ka gasp.
“Suck me,” Yo-ka moaned. “I want your mouth on my cock.”
Subaru raised his head, reaching down to lightly stroke Yo-ka’s erection. “This is what you want?”
“Yes . . . but . . . your mouth . . .”
“Do you like to top or bottom?” A few more strokes of his fingers.
“Top, usually . . .” He raised his head. Oh, God, was Subaru going to give him what he wanted?
Subaru glanced around. His eyes fell on the nighttable, on the bottle of lube and box of condoms that had casually been laid there. He grabbed the former and pressed it into Yo-ka’s hand with a smile, then turned around, leaning over, tantalizing ass pointed in the air like an invitation.
Yo-ka got the message right away. He was to prepare Subaru as Subaru worked on him. He opened the bottle, pouring some over his fingers . . .
And then, the most wonderful mouth he’d ever felt began sliding down on him. Soft, hot, wet, and silky, oh, yes, it was as if it was lined entirely in wet satin . . . The young man began to suck, and it was just the right amount of pressure.
Warm ripples of pleasure ran through Yo-ka as Subaru moved his head back, then down, the hardness sliding through hot, liquid delight. Subaru’s tongue licked at him on the outstrokes, tracing the lines of the head, teasing the slit, until he slid back down again, enveloping and engulfing Yo-ka, making him moan loudly.
“Fuck . . . fuck, you’re amazing, nobody’s sucked me like this, nobody . . .” He suddenly remembered what he was supposed to be doing, and parted the cheeks of the beautiful bottom in front of him, sliding a lubed finger inside.
Even the inside of his ass felt wonderful. Tight, hot, and yet soft, softer than any man he’d ever been with . . . Yo-ka worked his finger in and out, the gentle probing giving way to a slow thrust, and then outright finger-fucking, pushing to the same rhythm as Subaru’s sucking.
And oh, that sucking. He was moving faster, and harder, and deeper, seeming to devour Yo-ka, purring with pleasure as he worked – especially when a second finger entered him, gently scissoring, trying to open him up faster.
Yo-ka was eager. Oh, so eager. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d wanted to fuck someone so badly. He worked the third finger in when he felt his new lover was ready, careful not to go too quickly – he wanted this experience to be pure pleasure for them both.
Subaru pulled his head back, licking a long, slow trail from the bottom of Yo-ka’s cock to the top, then around the tip. When Yo-ka slid his fingers out of him, Subaru looked over his shoulder with a sweet smile.
God. Looks like an angel, sucks cock like a demon. He was like the dirtiest of fantasies come to life.
“I want to get you ready, now,” Subaru said, stretching a hand out. Yo-ka fumbled for the condoms, fingers trembling, managing to get one of them and the lube into Subaru’s hand.
Subaru ripped the condom packet open, rolling it on Yo-ka’s hardness, pouring lube over it, then passing it back to Yo-ka to pour some more in his cleft. Once he had done that, he shifted around, straddling Yo-ka, starting to move down on his erection.
Yo-ka just lay beneath him, feasting his eyes on the beauty, on the blond hair spilling around his face, the nicely muscled torso with its hard, dark nipples, the cock standing erect and gorgeous, the lovely face bearing a look of concentration as Subaru slid down on him little by little . . .
He felt incredible. Even better than Yo-ka’s fingers had indicated. He was like sliding into tight, hot satin. Yo-ka was suddenly very glad Subaru was riding him, or else he might be fighting urges to pound into him too hard, too fast – and he didn’t want to do anything to risk hurting this exquisite creature.
Subaru paused, bracing his hands on Yo-ka’s chest. “You feel so good,” he said.
“You feel incredible,” Yo-ka said. “I’ve never felt anything like you.”
Subaru began to move – a slow, gentle thrust. “Oh, yes,” the blond murmured, his lovely tongue coming out to slide along his lips, which just made Yo-ka hotter, remembering that thing on his hardness.
As Subaru sped up, Yo-ka became more aware of the sensations around his cock, how the tight channel caressed him. He felt like he was lost within him, drowning in him . . . Subaru was beauty and sensuality itself.
He slid a hand up Subaru’s chest, feeling it grow slick with sweat, finding a nipple and playing with it, watching the other man lean back his head and moan deeply.
Yo-ka was raising his hips now, matching his thrusts to his lover’s, the two of them moving together harder, faster, the sounds of their moans and ragged breathing filling the room. He had both hands on Subaru’s nipples now, rubbing them, squeezing them . . .
One hand moved downward, wrapping around Subaru’s erection, stroking it quickly, and Subaru’s moans grew louder, his breathing more erratic, his whole body starting to tremble.
When Yo-ka’s thumb brushed over the tip, Subaru cried out, leaning backward, and that velvet sheath tightened around Yo-ka . . .
As Subaru’s come poured over his fingers, Yo-ka felt an explosion of ecstasy unlike any he’d ever known. His hips lifted all the way off the bed and he let out a cry bordering on a scream as he poured into him, and poured more, and just kept pouring . . .
Subaru crashed down on top of them, and they kissed, falling back to the sheets, panting, hugging each other. Yo-ka kissed his face everywhere – eyelids, cheeks, chin.
“I can’t believe it,” he said in a trembling voice. “That was . . .”
“I know,” Subaru said, buying his face in Yo-ka’s shoulder. “It was wonderful.”
“You’re . . .” Yo-ka couldn’t even find the words. Fantastic. Amazing. Unlike anything he’d ever had in his life. He held him tighter. He’d clean them off in a moment – for now, he wasn’t letting him go.
If that was the first one-night stand in his life, then there was definitely something to be said for one-night stands.
* * *
Yo-ka awoke the next morning, stirring, murmuring quietly. Oh, yes, that was a wonderful, horny dream. The beautiful boy, the hot sex . . .
As he came to full consciousness, he realized it wasn’t a dream. It had happened. Subaru was real . . . and so was everything they had done.
He turned over, groping next to him – nothing. Just empty sheets.
Yo-ka raised his head. Yes, he was alone. Subaru was gone. He jumped out of bed – the clothes Subaru had been wearing were gone, too.
“Subaru?” he said. He looked at the bathroom – no, the door was open, he wasn’t there. He pulled on the shorts and began to search the house – not in the guest bedroom or bathroom, the living room, the kitchen . . .
Yo-ka headed back out toward the beach – and that’s when he saw the note. It was written on the same memo paper that was on the kitchen table, stuck to the back door frame with masking tape.
“I’ll come see you again tonight,” it said. “Wait for me, same place and same time we met up last night. Subaru.”
He blinked. Well, this was odd. No contact info? No phone number, not even an E-mail address? Just “I’ll come see you tonight?” And no explanation as to why he had to leave so early?
But . . . he was coming back. He wanted to see Yo-ka again. It wasn’t a one-night stand. This was turning into . . . well, not a real relationship, but a summer fling. And that was a good thing. Yes, a summer fling might be just what he needed.
Especially with a guy like Subaru.
* * *
He was waiting on the same spot when the sun went down – and sure enough, Subaru came strolling up, this time wearing a different T-shirt (plain yellow) and a different pair of shorts (navy blue). “Hi!” he said. “Want to go for a walk tonight?”
“Where do you want to go?” Yo-ka said.
“Anywhere you want,” Subaru said. “Maybe around town?”
“You’ve got it,” Yo-ka said. “I just need to get some sandals.”
“Can you grab a pair for me, too?” Subaru said. “I . . . I didn’t bring any. Not tonight, anyway. Walking on sand, you know . . .”
“Sure thing,” Yo-ka said. Well, that wasn’t unusual. People could easily forget sandals if they were going to be walking on sand. He came back with two pairs of comfortably-fitting beach shoes. “How’s this?”
“Perfect!” Subaru said, carrying them until they got to the side of the house. When they reached grass, he put them on.
The two made their way out to the main drag of town, past the ramen shops and conbini and ice cream parlors. “It’s nice that a place like this exists, isn’t it?” Subaru said. “A place where people come just to be happy?”
“If happiness involves taiyaki stands,” Yo-ka said as they passed one in question, the proprietor slathering sauce over a container of his wares for a group of hungry-looking kids.
“For them, it does,” Subaru said. “Happiness is different from person to person, you know? I love nature more than anything – but you can’t totally write off the things that humans have made. Because some of them are pretty amazing.”
“Kind of makes you wonder what this place looked like before the tourists got here,” Yo-ka said – and then stopped, suddenly. “Oh, wow – this is my kind of thing.” He was standing in front of a men’s clothing store, which sported the usual beachwear in the windows – shorts and T-shirts and gym shorts – but also some forward fashion. There were T-shirts bearing skulls and crosses and decorated in sparkly crystals; pants made of black denim with safety pins artfully applied, studded cuffs and wristbands . . .
“That’s the kind of men’s clothing you used to write about, isn’t it?” Subaru said.
“Yes,” Yo-ka said. “Let’s go see . . . oh, damn, the store closed at 6 tonight. I’ll come back during the day. Meanwhile . . . why don’t we get some of that ice cream?”
As they were walking away from the store, a curtain in a window in an apartment above the shop pushed aside. A figure leaned over, seeming to peer at the couple in the street below.
* * *
He’d whispered in Subaru’s ear when they were on their way back to his place that he wanted to bury his face in his sweet ass – and he was always a man who kept his promises.
Which is why Subaru was currently on the bed naked and on all fours, plastic wrap stretched over his cleft as a dental dam ,. . . and Yo-ka was kneeling behind him, equally naked, tongue pushing into that hot little hole.
And that channel felt as good around his tongue as it had his fingers and cock, clutching around Yo-ka as he wriggled about and explored, moving from spot to spot, then thrusting in and out, making Subaru moan and clutch at the bedding below him.
Yo-ka raised his head, bringing his lips to one cheek, kissing it, nibbling, licking . . . then moving back to the little hole again, running around the rim, flicking in and out of it, wriggling a little just inside the entrance . . .
Then he tongue-fucked him with one long, hard thrust, curving it, rubbing back and forth, hitting a sensitive spot that made Subaru let out one long, deep, intense moan. “Yo-ka . . .”
He lifted his head and reached for the lube, pulling the plastic away and slicking his fingers. “Look over there,” he said, pushing one digit into him – easily, since he’d been loosened up by his tongue. “See the mirror?”
“Yes,” Subaru said, breathlessly. Sure enough, there was a full-length mirror on the closet door.
“Get in front of it.” Yo-ka slid his fingers out. “I want you to watch me fucking you.”
“Ohh, yes . . .” Subaru repositioned himself so he was toward the end of the bed, facing the mirror, still on all fours. Yo-ka watched too, watched himself kneeling behind this beauty, sliding his fingers in and out of him, getting him ready to be taken.
It was like the most delicious, erotic dream ever.
When Subaru was well-prepared, he pulled on a condom, slicking himself, pouring more lube into his lover’s cleft . . . and then positioned himself, gripping his hips, watching the mirror.
“Ready?”
“Yes . . . fuck me, I need it . . .”
God, an innocent guy like him talking dirty . . . Yo-ka pushed in, entering that tight satin, watching every move as he began a slow, gentle thrust . . .
It was like looking at a porno and living it at the same time, feeling Subaru, watching him, knowing Subaru was watching, too . . . His fingers tightened on the other man’s skin as he moved faster, harder, hearing his lover start to moan.
“Beautiful,” Subaru murmured. “You’re so beautiful, Yo-ka . . .”
Yo-ka ran his hands up and down his lover’s back, caressing, reaching under him, feeling for his nipples, his eyes glued to the mirror. He watched Subaru move below him, thrusting against him, his skin glistening with sweat, growing more gorgeous and hot by the second . . .
And then he looked at himself behind Subaru, his hips churning as he thrust into this beauty, his own skin flushed and sweaty. . .
His hand reached below his lover’s body, finding Subaru’s hardness, stroking him, trying to bring them both to completion . . . and suddenly, Subaru arched back against him, crying out, Yo-ka watching his face of bliss in the mirror as he trembled . . .
Moments later, his own ecstasy hit, as white-hot intense as their first climax together, making Yo-ka thrust deep into his lover, crying his name out loud as he trembled from the depth of his soul.
Subaru collapsed to the bed, Yo-ka falling down beside him. They kissed, clinging to each other as if they would never let go.
But the next morning, Yo-ka awoke to find Subaru gone – again. And there was another note on the door – “See you tonight. Meet me at the same place, same time.”
What was going on? Where did Subaru go? Did he have someone else – another lover? Was he running off to a demanding job? And why no phone or E-mail – still?
Yo-ka just stared at the note, shaking his head. He wasn’t going to pry. He didn’t want to chase Subaru away. Not when their little summer fling was, well, the best damn thing that had happened to him in months. Years, even.
Besides . . . the layer of mystery just made him all that more intriguing.
* * *
It continued that way for the next four nights. Yo-ka would wait at the same space on the sand, Subaru would walk up the beach to him, wearing a T-shirt and shorts – but at the same time, no sandals. Another part of the mystery. Yo-ka was used to having sandals ready for him.
They would go out into town for awhile. One night they walked around a park, bringing bread with them to feed to the birds. Another, they went out for ramen. And on the third night, they went to The Sandpiper – the bar that Yo-ka had been told was the most gay-friendly in the region – so they could dance together.
Afterward, each night, they’d come back to Yo-ka’s place and have hot, hot sex, always making him feel that he and his new lover were melting into each other. And the next morning, he’d find him gone, with another note saying to meet him at the same place, same time that night.
There was nothing to really deepen the mystery surrounding him, though . . . until the sixth night.
The two of them decided to stroll up to the piers, to watch the night fishing boats go in and out. Subaru discreetly ran his fingers along Yo-ka’s arm as they walked – just a light, feathery touch that lasted a moment.
As they approached the boats, they saw a group of fishermen trudging along, heads down, even their poles seeming to drag on the ground. They seemed to catch Subaru’s attention immediately. He rushed over toward them. “Hi!” he said. “What’s wrong, guys?”
“They’re not biting,” said one of the fishermen, a large guy who seemed to be the leader of the group. “We put out our nets, our lines, tons of bait – nothing.”
“They’re out there,” said one of the other fishermen. “They’re just avoiding us like the plague. We tried three different kinds of bait – still nothing.”
Subaru looked thoughtful for a moment – and then said, “Can you take my friend and I out on your boat with you?”
Yo-ka looked shocked. What was his lover doing? Just going up to a bunch of strangers and asking to go on their fishing boat? The fishermen were looking at each other with similarly perplexed expressions.
“Um . . . why?” said the leader.
“I know a bit about this kind of thing,” Subaru said. “Maybe if I could see you doing it, I could figure out what your problem is.” He gave the leader a big smile and seemed to look into his eyes.
The leader took a step back, blinking. “Okay,” he said.
His friends looked at each other again. “What are you doing, Kenji?” said the shortest of the group
“It can’t hurt,” the leader said. “Look, we’ve tried everything else. Maybe he knows something else we can try.”
They sighed. “All right,” the short fisherman said. “It’s out of the blue, but . . . all right.”
“Great!” Subaru said. “I’m Subaru, and this is Yo-ka, by the way.”
“Um . . . hi?” said Yo-ka. As the group started heading for the boat, he whispered to Subaru, “What are you doing?”
“Just trust me,” Subaru whispered back. “I can help them.”
“How?”
“You’ll see.”
The boat headed out to the water. The nets and lines were prepared and dropped – and Subaru just stood there, watching quietly.
“See anything yet?” the leader said. “That we should be doing differently?”
“Not yet,” said Subaru. “You’re doing okay.”
“Well . . . all right.” The leader looked puzzled – but he just kept on with what he was doing.
And then, the nets just sat there. And sat. Sure enough, the fish weren’t coming.
“Maybe we should change our position?” said the leader.
Subaru shook his head. “No. You’re fine where you are.”
“Then . . . what the hell is wrong?”
Subaru didn’t answer. Instead, he just stood on the deck, eyes closed, breathing deeply, seeming to concentrate . . .
Then, he opened his mouth and started to sing.
He had a clear, strong voice with a sensual tone. The music seemed to ring out over the water. Everyone turned to look at him, astonished.
His song seemed to be an ancient folk ballad in an archaic form of Japanese – maybe one of the original dialects of Osaka? Yo-ka thought. It was definitely not something that was spoken, or sung, around Fukushima.
Then, all of a sudden, there was a loud rustling noise. The nets and lines began tugging, violently. Subaru finished his song and just stood there, eyes closed, seeming to be in a meditative state.
The fishermen rushed to the nets. “Holy . . .” said the leader.
“They’re full!” yelled his second-in-command as they pulled at the nets. “Absolutely fucking full!”
“So are the lines!” said the little fisherman, hauling in a huge catch. “I don’t believe it!”
The leader turned to Subaru. “What did you do?”
Subaru shrugged. “Call it a folk remedy,” he said.
But Yo-ka just stood there, mouth hanging open, a chill running through his body. This was beyond a mystery. This was . . . like something out of a sea legend.
Subaru, he thought, who are you, really?
To Part 2
