[fic] The Things We Can't Control - Chapter 22 ~Being a Hound~
Title: The Things We Can't Control
Author:
prettyorianna
Pairing: Akame. Others to be added later.
Rating: NC-17.
Genre: crime drama au
Beta by: my cat Gemma. okay, seriously, nobody
Disclaimer: I don't own KAT-TUN, any of its members, any other JE people. I write this for fun and for other fans of these fine folks. But don't steal my plots, mmkay? I put a great deal of time into them except for when I'm randomly spastically spitting words onto a page. But I value those too...
Summary: Two criminals with vastly different styles meet by chance one day. Can they work together or will they end up destroying each other?
Author's Note: Finally able to bring you a longer chapter. Hope you like it. Past!Kame, yay!
BANNER BY DESHISORABA!!
Warning: This gets graphic often occasionally, containing at the very least foul language, character death, nefarious crimes, rape, etc etc.
The Master Posts:
On my journal - The Things We Can't Control Master Post
On the akame_ Community - The Things We Can't Control Master Post
On the akame_fanfics Community - The Things We Can't Control Master Post
On the je_kamenashi Community - The Things We Can't Control Master Post
On the kattun_fanfics Community - The Things We Can't Control Master Post
On the jin_fics Community - The Things We Can't Control Master Post
Chapter 22 ~Being a Hound~
As the two boys walked towards the conbini, Kame - still lost in a blend of fear and no small amount of anger at Hina’s aborted pickpocketing - had a thought. Ryuichi made money in more than one way; since he ran the stroll, he was paid in one way or another by everyone living on or working those blocks. Hina had the money he earned and all the money he stole, not to mention all those times he left the stroll to live with one sugar daddy or another.
Well, there was no way he’d ever be able to do what Ryuichi did. He had no way to snatch up an area for himself, especially if he wasn’t strong enough yet to actually keep what he had. But… he could learn to pickpocket. Maybe he could convince Hina to teach him how to do it?
But…
What would it cost him?
He was already working his hardest to get out of sleeping with Ryuichi again, so Kame wasn’t about to add Hina to the list. But maybe… some of his earnings? There had to be something he could offer Hina to teach him. Something other than, well, spreading his legs in some alley again and again.
Like he had to do every night…
Was this really his life?
No, don’t dwell. He couldn’t help that. But there was no way he was adding to it. Not a chance.
“Ne, Hina-chan?”
With a smile, Hina chirped, “What can I do you for?”
“Um… you’re not… I said… didn’t I…” Kame stammered, wondering where that had come from.
Hina laughed. Not a little laugh. A full-on, side-splitting laugh. “Geez, you’re too literal! Lighten up; it didn’t mean what you think. Unless… you’d like it to…?”
“Not a chance.”
“So mean…” and Hina sighed. “So, I say again, what can I do you for?”
“I want to learn how to steal.”
“You know it’ll cost you,” Hina teased, sounding rather pleased. To Kame’s revulsion, Hina’s hand was suddenly on his arm, jerking him closer so that he stumbled against him. He started pulling him towards a nearby alley. “You know, I’ve been wondering if you’re as good as Ryuichi seems to think…”
“NOT THAT!” Kame shrieked, jerking his arm free.
“Why not?” Crossing his arms and slightly tilting his head, Hina just stared, frowing. “It’s not like you aren’t already doing it with… well, can you even count them? Just the ones in the past week? You can’t, can you? You don’t remember how many! Plus you’re screwing Ryuichi and you don’t get a dime for that! You could go somewhere else but instead you fuck him so you can stay.”
You can’t even count them…
You’re screwing Ryuichi…
But Kame would not cry. He just wouldn’t. But, by god, he wanted to. It took a lot to hold it back.
“I won’t be screwing him anymore either, thank-you-very-much.”
“Is that so?” Hina looked suddenly eager. Clicking his tongue as he eyed Kame up and down, he finally said, “Then he won’t care if I do this even if you do tell him! He won’t protect you anymore.” And he grabbed Kame’s arm again, only tighter this time, and once more made for the alley.
Kame tried to pull his arm free, shouting at Hina to let go. But Hina’s grip was strong and he was able to pull Kame into the alley and slam him into the wall.
Everything seemed to slow down . When Kame’s back hit the wall, it hurt but also it knocked the wind out of him. He could feel Hina’s hand slide down his arm towards his wrist which he then proceeded to pin to the wall. But by then Kame’s breath returned and he was not about to let this happen. Before Hina could close the small distance between them, Kame brought one knee up to strike him in the groin while simultaneously trying to push him further away with his free hand. Hina grunted in pain but didn’t fall away quite like Kame wanted. He didn’t even lose his grip on Kame’s wrist.
The advantage went back and forth between the two of them for a while but then suddenly Hina stilled. Why? Well, it might have something to do with the fact that Kame had a knife pressing against him.
Kame had no idea how he’d gotten to that. He had completely forgotten about the switchblade but then it was in his hand and pressed against Hina’s groin, something Hina seemed to care a great deal about.
“You…” and Hina swallowed very carefully, “… aren’t in the mood. Right, I understand.” He let go of Kame’s other wrist. “So… eh, you can… um…”
“Back away.” Kame’s voice was flat, emotionless.
“Right. Right. I was just thinking that was a good idea. I’ll do that.”
Kame kept the knife in hand. “So, about teaching me how to pickpocket?”
“I…” and Hina wouldn’t take his eyes off the blade. “I can’t do it for free. Ryuichi would never let me, um, live it down.”
“So I’ll pay. What’s your price per lesson?”
Chuckling a bit nervously, Hina said, “If I want your money I can steal it for free. It’s not good enough.”
“Then what?”
“Hmm…” The two of them stood there in silence for a moment. “How about food? Walking to the conbini is a pain in the ass anway. I hate doing it. You feed me, I’ll teach you?”
“You’re willing to teach me if I help you be lazy?” Hmm… he’d be doubling his food expenses. But if he learned to steal like that, he’d make more money, too. A good trade-off? It did seem so. Well, he could at least give it a try. Though he’d take a hit at first, until he actually got good enough to make money like that.
“Well, yeah, I guess you can look at it like that.”
“Deal.”
Hina smiled, “Okay, then. Have fun! You know where I’ll be. I don’t care what you bring; I’ll eat anything that place sells.”
And just like that, Hina ran off, presumably back to the stroll.
Kame was shaking horribly all of a sudden. The air… he… he needed to breathe. He was fine. He was safe. He… It hadn’t happened because he won. See? He could…
It took a full ten minutes for his heart to stop racing, until he felt like he was completely in control of himself. He should be happier. He fought him off! He won! But… it was surprisingly depressing. Oh, no, it wasn’t that he’d rather have failed. Not at all. It was that he hoped it would matter more. He’d hoped that being able to defend himself would make him noticeably happier.
But it barely helped at all. He was still dreading the eventual night which would come entirely too soon, and the next one, and the one after that. He was still alone, hiding from a father who never loved him, who used him… sold him… who was more familiar with the streets than Kame could ever have imagined and yet still had…
So yeah, he’d fought Hina off.
But it hadn’t mattered nearly enough.
Not by far…
So he walked the rest of the way to the conbini, bought enough food for both him and Hina, and walked back to the stroll. After handing over Hina’s food, Kame found a quiet place (er, well, as much as could be found around there) to eat alone. And then, since there were still a few hours until nightfall, he just sort of sat there, back to the wall, staring off into space, watching the light bleed away into night.
And then it was night and he worked, trying not to think about what he was doing.
And then it was day and Yoko’d won yet another fight and Hina started teaching Kame how to pickpocket and lockpick. And just like he was slowly becoming a stronger, better fighter, the thievery lessons were slowly sinking in.
Another night and another day, only Kame got his first taste of how much rain sucks when you live on the street. But, well, this was his life. There wasn’t much he could do about it.
The days and the nights were starting to run together. It felt like an eternity since he’d escaped his father’s house, but it hadn’t even been quite two weeks. He knew that, because he’d only thus far had to pay up to Ryuichi only twice, once the day he got to the stroll and then once more after he’d been there for a week.
And as more days passed, it was becoming harder and harder for him to push away the thought that he’d almost rather be dead.
Especially when he wasn’t quite so successful at fighting off Ryuichi like he want, like he’d promised him. It was only after that he remember his knife and somehow realizing he’d forgotten it - meaning he might actually have been able to stop Ryuichi after all! - made it worse.
So Kame pushed it all down, as far as he could, and went about his business. More time passed, another whole week and this time Kame fought Ryuichi off without even needing to resort to the knife. Ryuichi was definitely not happy about it and told Kame he’d have to leave then. But Kame just refused to go, like Yoko and Hina. That pissed Ryuichi off even more.
“Don’t forget you promised to hound for me since I let Yoko train you!” and Ryuichi walked off in a huff.
And the next day, a few hours before the evening descended, Ryuichi and Kame were sitting on the stair where he’d first seen Yoko, talking about the Hound and the Hunter.
Apparently, Fridays and Saturdays were the best for the scam (though it did amaze Kame that Ryuichi actually knew what day of the week it was… because he’d lost track himself). People who are getting off work, celebrating the weekend… it made finding a mark much easier. And, if Kame was understanding Ryuichi right, as the hound, all he had to do was lure the mark to the alley and make out with him. Ryuichi would come up behind the mark and knock him out and then they could rob him and run off.
But almost immediately, two questions came to mind. “We’re not old enough to go to a bar or club, though. How do we find a mark then?”
Ryuichi had an answer to that. “That’s why you hit restaurants with a main-room bar. If you’re eating and buying sodas or something, and they have the seat to spare, they’re not gonna care.”
Made sense. Sounded kind of risky, but on the other hand, what was the worst that could happen? He’d be asked to leave. They wouldn’t arrest him over that. But there was still one problem. “I’ve been on the street, sleeping in the alley in sun and rain, wearing the same clothes day and night for three weeks. The men who come here, they don’t seem to mind it but in a setting like that… they’ll kick me out for sure, if I can even get through the door.”
Ryuichi gave a smile and a mischievous laugh. “That’s the best part! We break in to someone’s house! Well, see, when you’re first setting up to do the scam, it does cost money up front. But after that it won’t be so expensive. Anyway, once we break in, we grab some clean clothes so you can at least go shopping without being kicked out. You buy something nice and you get yourself one of them plastic protection things to keep it from getting dirty. Then we rent a motel room. A shower and then , hey, you’re ready! Plus, it’ll give the rest of us the chance to shower, too. We don’t get to very much, you might could guess.
“And then we do the scam. And you can keep the outfit here in the alley, maybe where you hide that stupid doll every night,” and Ryuichi pointed at the stuffed Snoopy Kame was clutching. “Anyways, the point is, we don’t have to break into peoples’ houses after the first time and we won’t need to go shopping neither. So it’ll only cost the motel room. Well, and what you spend at the restaurant.”
Kame’s eyes narrowed, “And all of this, the clothes, the motel, the stuff I order at the restaurant… I pay for ALL of that? By myself? That’s not fair…”
The look Ryuichi was giving him made Kame feel like he’d said something foolish. “You’re on the street. We all are. Where’s the fair in that?”
“I just meant…”
“I’ll help on the motel room ‘cause I would really love a shower. But the rest, you’re on your own. I want to do this tonight. Get Hina to let you into a house to steal clothes. Probably one over on Fortification Street, alright? Meet me back here in an hour.”
But when Kame asked Hina, rather unsurprisingly, he didn’t want to walk all the way to Fortification. “You’re getting good at locks; do it yourself! And don’t forget my dinner while you’re at it!”
God, Hina was so lazy. It really seemed like the only reason he bothered learning to pick pockets was so he didn’t have to work as hard. Though Kame supposed he couldn’t fault him for it.
Once Kame got to Fortification, it took a while to find a place where the owners weren’t home. Kame couldn’t understand how anyone would want to live in places like these… they were barely (if at all) better than the street except, unlike the street, they cost money. Paying rent for the luxury of a walls and broken hot-water heaters and whatever else didn’t work like it was supposed to.
Kame had considered saving up his money to rent a small apartment but finding out about his father put a stop to that. He couldn’t afford to live somewhere that had a paper trail for his father to follow. Not that anyone would probably rent to a kid like him anyway so it was pretty pointless.
Aware that the owners could come back any time, Kame quickly picked the lock, surprised at how easy it was. Not that it was a complicated lock in the first place, but Hina never seemed to see any improvement. Kame had to wonder if Hina was lying about it so he’d need more lessons, so Hina could cash in on free food for longer. But that was neither here nor now.
Luck was on Kame’s side for once. He managed to find clothes that were kind of loose but didn’t look so bad with the belt. He grabbed his old clothes and his stuffed animal that had ended up in a pile on the carpet and left, locking the door back behind him. He’d much preferred to change there instead of, say, in front of Ryuichi.
Kame met back up with Ryuichi, who asked Kame to follow him. After walking for what felt like at least forty minutes, they finally arrived at a small strip mall.
“I’ll wait out here. They don’t like me in there anymore since I got caught shoplifting. But, hey, that wasn’t my fault! It’s theirs because it doesn’t look like they have camera in there at all but they do…”
“Right…” Kame trailed off. He didn’t really care about Ryuichi’s story. Not even a little bit. “Um… I don’t know what people wear to restaurants…” he nervously confessed.
It looked like Ryuichi was still a bit irritated with him. “Just… casual but nice. No baggy, sagging jeans. Nothing with holes, even if they’re supposed to be like that. Um… I dunno? Casual. Nice. You’re a smart kid; you figure it out.”
The shopping took another thirty minutes, mostly because the experience was so new. Kame couldn’t remember the last time he got to go somewhere and try on all sorts of clothes. He only ever had what his father bought him. It took Ryuichi glaring at him through the front window to hurry him. In the end, he settled on black slacks and a nice blue cotton button-up shirt. Oh, and a garment bag. He almost forgot that last bit.
Things continued on, with Ryuichi and Kame going through every step they needed to be read to do the scam. They got the motel room at a cheap place near the eastern bridge over the river. Kame got his shower first (Ryuichi tried his best to make it a double shower but Kame would have none of that), and while he was fixing his hair and dressing, Ryuichi took his turn in the shower.
Continuing on even further, the two of them left the motel room, making sure to grab the key and lock the door behind them and then made their way to and then across the river. After three weeks in the southern half of town, being north again was… well, it was amazing. And miserably depressing.
As they walked, Ryuichi continued giving him instructions on what to do to be a proper hound.
“…and of course, be sure they ain’t a cop or something. No different than working on the stroll. Well, cept you have to be better at reading people. They won’t come to you, right? You gotta call them to you, work your way into them, catch their interest.”
“I may be new on your blocks, Ryu-chan,” Kame snapped at him, deliberately using the nickname he knew Ryuichi hated, “but I’m better than all of you put together at finding the right ways to seduce a man.” Okay, okay… that had been pretty rude but the way Ryuichi was talking to him, it was like he didn’t think Kame knew how to do anything already past what he and the other had taught him. But Kame had skills. Things his father taught him to do. Things he slowly learned himself over the years as he got more experience. On the one hand, this was yet another thing Kame didn’t like thinking about, but on the other hand…
Using the skills his dad taught him to earn himself money now instead of for him… that was just the kind of vindictive “fuck you” Kame wanted to give him. If this worked, the whole Hound and Hunter thing, it would definitely be like that. Oh, it was true that his father… er, Papa K, rather… (He really should get used should get used to calling him Papa K) It was true he’d never know but just the thought of how he’d react if he did find out was enough to make Kame smile a bit inside.
And once they were at the restaurant (sign said Applebees), Kame took that small smile and used it. He pulled into himself, project the image of himself that would work best at first: calm, casual, confident…
Kame gave the room the once-over as soon as he was through the door and spotted someone with a lot of potential, at least in the way he needed for this con to work. The server wanted to take him to a table, but Kame dismissed him with a quick, “I see my party.” So the server let him past and Kame walked straight to the bar, sitting on down on the stool next to his target. He ordered a soda.
Damn, everything was so expensive there. At least they didn’t go to an even nicer place.
Sipping his drink, Kame listened to the man as he chatted with the bartender, who he apparently was friends with. Patiently Kame waited, until finally the man gave him an in.
“Is it really like that?” Kame asked, causing both the man and the bartender to turn towards him. “Ah…” Insert nervous head scratch. “I’m sorry… I wasn’t intentionally listening in. I just… I overheard and I was curious.”
After a small pause (it was a good sign the guy took a moment to look him over before answering), the man said, “What, baseball? Yeah. I mean, on TV it can get kind of boring but when you’re there, in the audience, watching it live… that’s something special. The best you can do if you don’t play yourself.”
“I always wanted to learn how to play.”
With a small friendly laugh, the man said, “Well, I could teach you to play. I played in high school. Would have kept with it, if not for my father…”
“He didn’t approve?” There. Follow the conversation line, get him to open up a bit more. Lean in slightly towards him, almost unconsciously. Total attention as Kame continued with, “That’s a shame. You look like you’d be good at… um… well, physical stuff…” And trail off nervously, with an ever-so-slight blush. Look away, but not too far. Just enough to not meet the man’s eyes.
“Ah, sorry… I’ve been totally rude! This was your private conversation… I… Sorry. Sorry…” and a more noticeable blush as he turned back to his soda, finishing it.
Wait for it…
Wait for it…
“No, it’s fine, really. I wouldn’t object to more company. My name is Domoto Koichi.” There. He was in.
But… no, it would be such a bad idea to give the guy his name. For all he knew, Domoto-san was friends with his father. Ryuichi’s name, on the other hand… “I’m Yamamoto Ryuichi.” Okay, he made up the Yamamoto part. He hadn’t really thought to ask Ryuichi for his full name, though the other boy hadn’t seemed bothered by that. “It’s good to finally meet someone nice in this city!” Kame dropped the blush and turned back towards Domoto, again leaning slightly towards him, an interested smile
“You’re new in town?”
Nodding, Kame responded with, “I’ve been here for about a week, yes. I, uh… Let’s just say that it hasn’t been a good week. That’s why I’m here tonight. I thought it would be good, to get out and about.”
“Ah, that’s just tragic… Let me show you how hospitable this town can be! Ken, another… what is that you’re drinking? Well, get him another one. On me. And maybe spike it a bit? I won’t tell.” And then to Kame, “Will you?”
A mischievous smile spread across Kame’s face. He’d never actually had anything with alcohol in it, but he did know that drunk people tend to lose their inhibitions. So he’d act like it! It’s what Domoto would expect from him. If Kame hadn’t missed with his judgment of the man, Domoto was probably counting on that very thing.
“Oh, you don’t have to… well, I mean, I wouldn’t turn it down…” More blushing.
Things really were going well. He’d done a good job when he’d picked this man out. Men like Domoto, they wanted to feel in charge. They wanted to be the one to guide things; it was a way of asserting their masculinity. But it really works best on the interested-but-shy types and Kame just happened to be very, very good at that role.
They chatted for a while about inconsequential stuff, mostly places that were good to visit in town. Kame started leaning into the man a bit more as time went by, brushing against him “accidentally” and blushing and apologizing each and every time. He let his desire show more and more obviously (he wasn’t really feeling desire but he played the part wonderfully) but acted completely unaware that it was showing.
And then Domoto finally took the initiative, putting a hand on Kame’s knee. “Domoto-san…” But it wasn’t a reprimand. Kame took rapid, shallow breaths so it would seem like the hand on his knee was affecting him deeply.
“Hmm…?” And, as Kame hadn’t rejected him verbally or even pushed his hand away, that hand started to slowly move up his leg from his knee. And the whole thing was hidden under the edge of the bar, like some naughty secret which Kame was sure would definitely be a turn-on for Domoto. As the hand brushed against his groin - and this was the hard part, pun not intended - he let his eyes slightly roll back and he “mostly suppressed” a moan (it was a lot more difficult to seem like you’re trying not to show pleasure but reveal you do feel it than it was to just come out with it all).
Even though secretly he was disgusted like always, he let that man keep touching him, acting like it was harder and harder to keep quiet. And after a couple minutes, Kame brought one hand down to stop him. Their eyes locked and Kame filled his eyes with as much desire as he could, a subtle-and-yet-not way to show Domoto that he really would have preferred the hand stay there but that he was getting overwhelmed. Meanwhile, he let his other hand travel up Domoto’s leg.
And then Kame leaned into him, so very close, his lips almost brushing against the rim of Domoto’s ear as he whispered, “P-please… can we go somewhere?”
With a very noticeable swallow (that might have something to do with the currently naughty behavior of Kame’s hand), Domoto paid the tab and the two of them stood to leave.
That’s when Kame became aware of the affect of the alcohol and he had to grab Domoto’s arm to keep from stumbling. “I’m sorry. I’ve never had…”
“Yeah, I figured. It’s okay. Let’s go.”
The left the restaurant, presumably planning to take Domoto’s car back to his place, but that wouldn’t really work for the con. Instead, Kame stumbled into him (this time on purpose) and the two of them ended up against the wall of the building. “I… don’t want to wait… please… I… I need…” That was the game. Act overwhelmed but at the same time, act like you aren’t used to that happening and don’t know how to express it.
And it worked. Domoto let Kame pull him into the alley, far enough to where they weren’t likely to be seen from the street. It was pretty dark out by then.
Kame was starting to get nervous. Where was Ryuichi? Wasn’t the point of this whole thing that Kame wouldn’t have to actually sleep with the guy? But he let Domoto pin him to the wall. Their lips locked and the both let their hands wander on each other. Seriously, where was Ryuichi?!
What if this was all a trick because he was still mad that Kame fought him off? Kame felt Domoto’s hands on his zipper and he tried so very had to not panic, to make sure he kept up the act…
…and then the blow came. Finally. Domoto Koichi slumped to the ground
“About time…” Kame muttered under his breath.
The two of them quickly emptied Domoto’s pocket, taking his wallet and, while he was at it, the man’s watch as well. Then they fled the scene before they could be discovered, making straight for the bridge to the southern half of town and then on to the motel room.
That… that hadn’t been quite so bad. It was certainly better than being taken by one man after another for hours like every other night. He’d have to wait until they tallied up what they got off the man before he’d decide if this was worth the time, money, and effort it cost, but it was easier to live with himself after that than it was usually…
Kame did wonder if it was a bad sign that he didn’t care they’d attacked the guy like that. He thought it would bother him more. He mentioned that to Ryuichi, but all Ryuichi had to say was, “I knew you’d make a great hound.”
++++++++++++++++++++++
The story continues:
Chapter 23 ~Aggressive Counterstrike~
A/N: Kame's getting stronger and more capable, but it seems like everything is having a harder and harder effect on him. He's depressed and disgusted with himself and scared that any day his father might show up... Poor kid.