[Multi-chapter] Blood on blood (1/?)
Title: Blood on blood
Author: tsuchi8562
Pairing: SakurAiba, Jun, Ohno, Nino
Genre: drama, romance, angst. AU
Rating: PG-13
Warning: It's quite scary story... If you don't like violence, don't bother to read it.
Disclaimer: Do not own any of them.. Not that I don't want to though...
Beta: My precious friend xxdaviexx <-- ArigaSHO!
Summary: Sakurai Sho, young and popular caster meets bartender - Aiba Masaki. Love is born, but there are some people that don't like it at all...
He just couldn’t do it. Was he a coward? Perhaps... Or, maybe he didn’t want to end it that way.
He stopped his car only inches away from crossing the metal barrier, which was the only thing that separated him from the ocean. The bumper collided against it loudly and the violence of the impact pushed him against the steering wheel. He hit the dashboard with his forehead and, soon, he felt warm blood running down his face. Of course, at that moment, he only felt a red liquid mixed with some tears running down his face instead. The man looked at the passenger seat and whispered:
‘I’m sorry, Masaki… I…’ - he gently touched the unconscious man’s face and leaned forward to plant a soft kiss on his lips.
~*~
Sakurai was sitting on the bed with his face hidden in his hands. It was extremely early, but he couldn’t sleep. His mind was full of those terrifying thoughts, which appeared several months ago; thoughts that made him shiver. He got up and went to the kitchen to drink some cold water. This water was supposed to revive him, but he was perfectly aware that a glass of water wouldn’t do the trick. Most probably, Sho tried everything to make those feelings go away. However, they kept coming back overflowed with vengeance. He wanted to understand why… Did something change? Did he change? It all started in May. He was in a happy relationship with his lover, Aiba Masaki. It also seemed as if Sakurai wouldn’t want, ask, or need anything more for the rest of his life. He had a good job as a caster, popularity, and a loving and caring man waiting for him in his big and comfortable apartment. From time to time, they’d go to Okinawa to rest and enjoy a nice bath in the ocean. It was paradise. Until…
~*~
Aiba worked as a bartender in a prestigious club called ‘Moratorium’ in Ginza. He was well-known for his magical hands, which mixed the most cosmic and delicious cocktails in this part of the globe and, perhaps, the entire world. Masaki was quiet and withdrawn; he didn’t talk to anyone, not even the customers. This earned him the nickname “Silent Magician.” Because of the exclusive taste he was able to educe from different ingredients, people perceived him as a magician. The owner of the club, Ohno Satoshi, patiently endured his sulky employee without a word. Sometimes, he fervently defended him from the most insolent of customers, only interested in talking to the creator of their fascinating drinks. This was a small price to pay in order to keep the drink master exclusive. He was providing most of the income to the club. For this reason, no one questioned and coped with his behavior. Besides, his mystery was a virtue in itself. Two regular customers, however, were competing to win Aiba’s attention… It was a complicated matter, but it seemed that they admired Aiba for something more than skills. The proprietor never interfered in their small arguments (more like a-bit-too-harsh discussions); he always watched them from a distance and enjoyed every yen that fell into his pocket.
Those two guests were popular; the first customer was a well-known caster - Sakurai Sho - and the second one was an aspiring actor-Matsumoto Jun. They had quite the temper and neither of them wanted to lose. Nobody knew the cause of their constant arguments. But, whenever they appeared in the club, the atmosphere started to tense up. One thing could be ascertained though: their “fight” would never result in fisticuffs; both of them were representatives of high class, and they won’t descent to the level of simple fist fight for sure. It all confined to exchanging mean and hurtful flings.
Throughout all that fuss, Masaki stayed calm and quiet as usual. His attention was centered on his own hands mixing new cocktail. It was like a ritual for him, kind of magic, the only thing he was able to do in a very adequate and fashionable style. Nothing else mattered. This was the only thing he had. This whole situation didn’t bother him at all. He was just doing what he had to do and, every time one of the wranglers tried to start a conversation with him, Aiba retreated politely but always with a cold look. The last thing he wanted was confrontation.
As an observer of these two costumer's verbal wrangling, the silent bartender had his favorite. It was Sakurai-the only person who has never attempted to push him too hard and let him be. Of course, he did try to get close to Masaki as any other customer, but he was more delicate, intelligent, and sophisticated than the rest. The other one was too aggressive and demanding. Whenever Matsumoto was in the club, Aiba felt uncomfortable. Unfortunately, he was the customer who used to leave the highest tips. The boss had requested for every staff member to be nice to him. What the boss forgot to clarify was if this “nice behavior” included accepting harassment against waitresses though.
The quiet man always tried to be polite and used as many honorifics as possible, but he avoided physical contact. This reaction made him even more desirable, resulting in a few series of problems with Jun. Nevertheless, all of them ended with harsh words and nothing more. The next day, everything was back to normal.
One night, Matsumoto had drank too much. He seemed mad about something, and this could only lead to trouble. He became more insistent and tried to grab Aiba by the wrist. Because of the large amount of alcohol in his blood, Jun couldn’t feel his own body properly and fell down from the bar stool, which made him even more furious. He got up quickly and hit the bar with his fist, looking straight into Masaki’s eyes. Right then, Jun whispered:
- I want you…
At that moment, all the bartender could do was move a few steps back and continue his work even though he was a bit scared. Dangerous sparks seemed to come out of the young actor's eyes. The way he whispered those words also reminded Aiba to the devil himself. It was the first time Jun reacted this way.
Meanwhile, Sakurai showed up and witnessed the whole situation. He tried to prevent any violent actions toward Aiba. It wasn't easy though because Matsumoto had lost control over his own body and could only think about one thing: Masaki. Somewhere in the middle of the night, Jun finally reached his limit and became more aggressive; he demanded a pass to the VIP room from the owner. Ohno just smirked:
- No way... You’re way too drunk, and the only pass I can give you is for a limited sluice OUTSIDE. Go home.
- Not until I get a chance to talk to your treasure… alone…
- No... I won’t repeat myself. Go before I ban you. You know I can, ne? So, be a good boy and leave.
Matsumoto suddenly grabbed the owner, pressed him against the wall, and hissed through clenched teeth:
- You are nothing to me. You hear me? Nothing! There are thousands of clubs like this in this fucking city. But, I won’t leave until I talk to Aiba-san in private. Got it? Or, should I explain it again with my fists this time?!- Jun was extremely furious. Ohno had no other choice but to agree to this request in order to protect his pretty face and prevent bigger a quarrel. So, he nodded, freed himself, and asked Masaki to go to the VIP room located on the first floor. The young bartender knew that he had to agree to the owner's request. He only hoped to have the strength to protect himself.
The room was quiet and it offered peace and privacy. Instead of normal windows, there were Venetian mirrors with view to the club. However, nobody could see you from the outside.
Aiba moved to the other end of the room, near the window, and crossed his arms across his chest. He didn’t say a word. He just watched his opponent on the other side of the room. Yes, opponent... Aiba couldn’t use any other term to describe the person he had right in front of him. Matsumoto moved closer, watching Masaki carefully. He looked like a hungry tiger about to throw himself at the tasty piece of meat right in front of him. There was only silence and, for a few minutes, no one said a word. Then, the young actor sighs and says at last:
- So, you intend to remain silent? Don’t you wanna ask why you are here?
All he got as an answer from the young bartender was a cold look and nothing else. Even Aiba’s breath was soundless.
- SAY SOMETHING!!!
Still, no response… No, wait… Did he just laugh gently, or was Jun’s imagination deceiving him? That was enough for him. For several months, Matsumoto had been waiting for this moment. And now, when he was alone with him, he was clueless of what to do. Was he nervous? He got sober; that’s for sure. So, he went to the bar and sat there.
- You! Make me something to drink!
Masaki slowly entered the bar and took a bottle of tequila; poured it from a shaker; added some ice, lemon, and orange juice; and started to shake. After that, he instilled the cocktail into the glass, added a splash of grenadine, and put a cherry on top. Then, he pushed the drink toward his only customer.
- Tequila sunrise, huh? You actually can read your guests mind, can’t you? Come on! You can at least say one word… It won’t kill you, you know?
- I am fully aware of that. - This was the first time Matsumoto heard Aiba speak one complete sentence. He discovered that the bartender's voice was quite unique, a bit hoarse, and very sexy. This discovery and the alcohol in his veins aroused him a little. Jun never thought that he would ever feel that way because of a simple sound. The actor stood up and walked across the room. His conversation seemed more like a monologue for Masaki went back to his silent treatment. The bartender didn’t seem like paying attention to him and, quietly, tried to retreat. But, Jun read his intentions and thwarted his escape.
- Not so fast... We haven't finished here. Now… My glass is empty. Fill it up... same as before. But, this time, pour some more tequila in it and don’t bother with cherries…
Aiba went back to the bar and placed himself behind the counter to prepare another drink, adding a double portion of alcohol. He was still silent. All he could think of was a way out. He knew that, if he stayed there any longer, the situation would end up badly. He saw the nasty sparks inside his customer’s eyes, and he knew the kind of smile he was wearing. For these reasons, he tried to escape once again; this time, more carefully. But the young actor, despite his drunken state, had pretty good reflexes. He pushed Masaki against the wall, preventing the young bartender from counteracting Jun's forceful grasp.
- Didn’t I tell you that we haven't finished??! Be a good boy and stay still…
The events that followed happened faster than the speed of light. Matsumoto pushed Aiba harder against the wall and smashed his lips with a forceful kiss. The actor’s tongue invaded the bartender’s mouth, trying to make him respond. Notwithstanding, Aiba just tried to push him away. It was hard for Masaki to free himself even when he was considered to be a strong person; it was almost impossible. The kiss was rapid and passionate, demanding and lustful. Finally, the tallest man managed to push Jun away and wipe his lips off.
- Don’t you ever do that again… - The bartender shrieked in rage, but that didn’t stop Matsumoto from trying to kiss him a second time. He repeated all the action again, this time, holding Masaki’s wrists extremely tight, so tight that Aiba thought that they’d be crushed. At that moment, Aiba could only think about the taste of tequila in his mouth. Suddenly, he heard a somewhat familiar sound... a “click” sound coming from his left side. It sounded exactly like a snapshot. But, who would take pictures here? The manager had taken measures to make sure that nobody would disturb the young actor and his prey. Suddenly, Aiba's train of thought was interrupted when he felt that Jun was being pulled off of him. The next thing he saw was the image of Matsumoto and Sakurai entangled in a fight. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Punches, kicks, flying glasses... One of these glasses was thrown at Sho. It hit his head, causing major bleeding and rendering him defenseless on the ground. Sho's bleeding seemed to have put an end to the quarrel because Jun calmed down and moved aside right after. At the same time, Masaki grabbed some ice, put it on the caster’s head, helped him up, and slowly drove him to his car. A few seconds later, the door to the ‘Moratorium’s’ VIP room was slammed in front of the young actor's face; he had been left alone. Or, he just probably thought that he was the only person in the room at the time.
~*~
- Kawaii-ko-chan~~! Say cheese!
A snapshot sound was heard again and Jun looked at the photographer. He should’ve known. It was a sneaky little paparazzi called Ninomiya Kazunari-a.k.a. Nino-the most heartless and cruel person in the industry. Everybody saw the pictures from the horrible car crash he was in; he was extremely conscientious and precise.
- What are you doing here? - Matsumoto asked.
- The only thing I know how to do best in the world… I’m destroying people’s lives.
- Don’t make me laugh. You think that a few shots of me kissing that scamp will change anything? Nobody will buy them from you anyway. - He sighed and sat on a stool, trying to reach for a bottle.
- You’re underestimating yourself. Hit me. - Nino said, pointing to the bottle, and sat on a couch. He took off his hat and looked at his interlocutor. - You’re bleeding. Your hand…
- Fuck it. I won’t die from it. You didn’t answer my question. Why are you here? - Kazunari smirked. He didn’t know the reason himself, but that wasn’t important. He had some interesting photos that could bring him fortune. No... Not because of that secondary actor... It had to do with Sakurai Sho - a newscaster who had recently begun to receive acclaim and popularity. This situation could cause Sakurai some trouble and cash in some money to Ninomiya, which he needed... badly.
- Let’s say that somebody hired me to take some fine pictures. - He finally answered, staring at his glass.
- Who?
- Doesn’t matter… I see that you didn’t get rid of your… habits, did you? You could change your ways though…
- What do you mean? - Jun was angry. Not only had he lost a battle for Aiba... Now, he is being mocked by this stingy mosquito.
- Come on! Don’t tell me that you forgot about this young actress who supposedly agreed to go to bed with you... and about those bruises on her body. Did she agree on that too?
- You! Just shut up! It was a long time ago. And yes, she allowed me to be rough…
- Yeah, yeah… And pigs can fly as well. First, that girl... Now is mister silent magician? Did you change your tastes? Not that I care of… I’m just curious…
- It’s none of your business. You got what you wanted, so go. Leave me alone…
- I wanted to propose a deal… to you.
- What deal?
- I will sell those pictures to the person who pays the most for them. You can buy them from me. Some kind of… preemption you may say.
- How much do you want?
- I will be good enough and let you decide on the price. How much are they worth to you?
That bastard dared to blackmail him. Matsumoto laughed, stood up, returned to the couch, and bent over. He was staring right into Kazunari’s eyes and whispered ominously:
- Do you have any clue of who I am and the amount of powerful friends that I have around? If I were you, I would happily destroy those photos…
- Oh, I perfectly know who you are. A spoiled brat who runs to Daddy Dearest whenever he gets into trouble, sniffing and begging for help. You’re nothing to me. If you won’t pay, I will just find someone else willing to do so. I don’t need your pocket money anyway… - Nino stood up and smiled. He was fully aware that those pictures would be attractive only because of Sakurai; Jun didn’t mean anything to the industry anymore. Nino just wanted to have some fun with that so-called actor, but he had hoped for this game to be more amusing. Meanwhile, he had more important things to do, so he just planted a kiss on Matsumoto's nose.
- Bye-bye, Kawaii-ko-chan~~! Until next time...
Before Nino could leave the room, Jun threw an empty glass at him, missing on the spot. Pieces of glass were dispersed all over the room. Soon after the doors had been smacked, the actor was left alone in the VIP room of the most popular club in the city. He knew that this was only the beginning and that he would take revenge on that pitiful little caster. He was determined to steal Aiba away and turn him into his new toy. It was only a matter of time... Tic, toc... tic, toc...
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End of chapter 1