Fic: The Camera Eye: Coronation Ceremony [Yo-ka x MiA x Yuuki x Subaru, NC-17]
Title: The Camera Eye: Coronation Ceremony
Chapter: Thirty-sixth in The Camera Eye series. Links to previous installments can be found here
Author: Boots
Rating: NC-17
Genre: Porn industry AU, drama, smut, romance
Warnings: Male/male sex, polyamory, foursome, prostate massage, spanking, frottage
Pairing: Yo-ka (DIAURA) x MiA (Mejibray) x Yuuki (Lycaon) x Subaru (Royz) (main), some Koichi (Mejibrary) x MiA, some activity between just MiA and Subaru
Disclaimer: DIAURA belongs to Ains, Mejibray belongs to White Side Group, Royz belongs to BP Records, the now-disbanded Lycaon belonged to Vogue Entertainment, I own the story only.
Summary: The Indie Gay Porn Bloggers Alliance is about to present its Performer of the Year and Newcomer of the Year awards - meaning it’s time for MiA to surrender the tiara, literally. But the winners are about to find out the hard way that the flip side of triumph is often a very nasty controversy.
Notes: Unlike the Expo in the previous fic, this one isn’t based on a specific real-life event, even though the AVN Awards contain a Performer of the Year category.
For the Indie Gay Porn Bloggers Alliance, Christmas was, indeed, the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.
It was the only time when their little organization - which, when you came right down to it, was really “a fan club with style,” as Koichi put it - became the epicenter of the porn universe. Because their annual Christmas party was when they handed out the Performer of the Year and Newcomer of the Year awards.
These honors, even though they were given out specifically to performers affiliated with indie companies, were taken very seriously indeed by the industry as a whole. Because the winners went on to be the tastemakers and trendsetters for the industry as a whole - the majors fell in line to try to find performers like them (or, in some cases, flat-out poach them).
Unlike most awards, nominations for Performer of the Year and Newcomer of the Year were not announced in advance, in order to minimize lobbying (and bribery) from the porn companies. This strategy also assured that pretty much the entire indie side of the industry showed up at the party - because, God forbid, you win an award and not be there to collect it.
Fan speculation about who was going to win usually picked up about a month beforehand. Sometimes, social media was bang on the money about the results. Usually, though, it was “close, but no cigar.” Like last year - when the Twittersphere collectively decided that Tsuzuku was going to be named Performer of the Year. His co-star, MiA, got the honor instead.
Now, it was time for MiA’s successor to be crowned, and for the Newcomer of the Year to be chosen. The Alliace had even upped the ante with a third award this year - Company of the Year.
And so far, the fans were choosing a certain pink-haired performer as odds-on favorite for Performer of the Year - one who had won Newcomer of the Year two years before . . .
* * *
Yuuki stepped out of the car and surveyed the scene around the hotel where the party was being held. It was a bigger crowd that last year - and he suspected that their numbers were swelled by the mainstream side of the industry.
“We’re going to have an audience tonight,” he informed the other two occupants of the vehicle as he tapped his coiled whip against a black leather gloved hand.
Subaru got out of the car next, eyes wide as he took in the people - who, at the moment, were mostly just milling about and talking. “Wow,” he said. “Is this what the JAVA Awards are like?”
“Not quite,” said Yo-ka, getting out after him. “The JAVAS have a real red carpet. And a lot more photographers.”
“The press shows up for that one,” Yuuki said. “And I mean the REAL press, not just the porn press. There was some idiot last year who dared to call me Christian Grey.”
Subaru winced. “And he’s still alive?” he said.
“Only because Yuuki fell over on the red carpet right after that,” Yo-ka said. “The boots, you know.”
They made their way through the crowd, Subaru’s head swerving left, then right, trying to take it all in. If this is just the Performer and Newcomer of the Year Awards, he thought, what are the JAVAS going to be like? He imagined he was going to be flat-out overwhelmed for that one.
“Remember, there’s going to be a couple of hours of drinking and eating and mingling before they get down to business. Kind of like the Suicide Ball,” Yuuki said.
Subaru remembered that night well - it was when he and MiA had first met. It was also the first time he’d seen an orgy in front of him.
“Is there going to be . . . um . . .”
“No Proving Ground tonight, if that’s what you’re asking,” Yuuki said. “They try to keep this one R-rated.”
“If it’s a show you want, Yuuki and I could put on one for you later,” Yo-ka said - causing Subaru to blush hotly. It was partly out of embarrassment - and partly because he very much liked the sound of that.
Yo-ka’s friend Shoya made his way over to them. “Hey,” he said. “We got our table assignments. Eros Films is at the same table as Avalon Video.”
“Well, they’re going to be part of us after the first of the year,” Yuuki said. “That’s only natural.”
“Do they have assigned seats?” Subaru said, glancing around again as they crossed the lobby and made their way into the main ballroom.
“Even if they did, we’d trade places so you could sit next to MiA,” Yo-ka said, wrapping an arm around Subaru.
Subaru was going to reply - but he got a good eyeful of the room. It was dominated, at one end, by a massive Christmas tree with twinkling lights and enormous ornaments. At the other end was a stage with a dais.
The rest of the room was taken up by large, circular tables, covered with green cloths and set with fine china. At the center of each one was an arrangement of pine branches decorated with red bows and candy canes.
Another wall sported a long bar - which was where most of the performers were at the moment. Subaru followed the others toward it, listening to snatches of dialogue between the people they passed.
“ . . . a porn parody of Attack on Titan, but we just didn’t have the budget . . .”
“ . . . and he asked why I never cast him. I told him it was because I never hear from him. I’m not about to tell him it’s because he’s gotten a reputation for . . .”
“ . . . couldn’t find a distributor. They were completely full of shit. They just didn’t want to cough up the money for . . .”
“ . . . was Newcomer of the Year last year. Okay, he did a couple of good videos, but what’s he done since?”
“Is Heavy Hitter here?” Subaru said as they approached the bar. “You know - the ones who had that awful display at the Expo?”
“No,” Yuuki said. “This is indie-only. They’re majors.”
“So why do I see one of their guys over there?” Subaru said, pointing.
Yo-ka groaned. “Great. Now the indies are hiring gym rats, too.”
“Let them.” Yuuki sidled up to the bar. “Anyone want anything fancy, or is it beer all around?”
“Beer’s fine with me,” Subaru said - and then jumped when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He whirled around to see a vision in all white - well, white and gold, wearing a prince-like military uniform. And then, of course, there was the crystal sparkle of the tiara on his head.
“MiA!” Subaru threw his arms around his friend. “You look fantastic!”
“Thanks,” he said. “I’m actually going on stage tonight. They want me to hand off the Performer of the Year award to the next guy.” He leaned over toward Subaru and whispered, “It’s the last night I have to wear this thing!” while touching the tiara.
“I heard that,” said Koichi from behind him. “Don’t think of it as the last time you’re wearing a tiara, MiA. Think of it as the last night of your reign.”
“I don’t know about a reign . . .” MiA said, fumbling with the headpiece again.
“Of course it’s a reign!” Koichi reached up and straightened the tiara. “You’ve been the industry trendsetter! Look at what you accomplished in the last year! You won the Best Star Showcase JAVA Award. You got hired by PSC for that angel and devil thing. You modeled in REAL magazines!”
“I’m not quite sure if the photographers knew that I was a . . .” MiA said.
“And next year is going to be even better, right? We’re going to do that pirate video. Your Director-San promised that to us. And then we’re going to finally get Counting Goats off the ground and never have to do porn again!”
MiA sighed. “Koichi . . . would you REALLY give this up? I mean, even if we were successful - would you want to give up photographers and red carpets and having thousands of Twitter followers?”
There was a pause as Koichi thought it over. Then, he said, “Okay, maybe I’d just do a couple of videos a year - to keep a foot in it. This business HAS been good to me.”
MiA gave Subaru a glance and winked. Subaru stifled a laugh.
“And if they offered a sequel to the pirate video? I’d definitely do that!”
“We haven’t done the first one yet,” MiA said.
“I know that! But it’s going to come out so well, there HAS to be a sequel!”
The boys got their beers and headed out into the party. Subaru thought that MiA might not consider Performer of the Year to be a “reign,” but he certainly looked very princely indeed - despite the silly tiara.
* * *
Yo-ka was feeling in a strangely mellow mood tonight.
They’d had a good dinner, a mix of Japanese and Western foods - which they always did for these things. They met up with some people from other companies, and did the requisite talking to the press.
Now, Yo-ka was watching Subaru and MiA chatter excitedly - apparently, they were going together to see the new Star Wars, along with Subaru’s roommates.
“Is this a date?” Yo-ka said, teasingly.
“No,” Subaru said, quickly. “I mean, whenever we go to the movies, Kuina always claims me as his date.”
“He’s got taste,” Yo-ka said.
“I’m going to be MiA’s date,” Koichi said, suddenly.
All eyes turned toward him. “Koichi,” said MiA, “you don’t even like Star Wars.”
“Who said I didn’t?” Koichi said. “I just don’t have Boba Fett slippers and Darth Vader pajama pants like you do.”
“Koichi!” MiA ducked his head down, turning bright red. “Not in front of the whole industry!”
“What?” said Koichi. “It’s adorable! And come on, don’t they know that porn stars are human, too? We’re not sex mannequins.”
“Um . . . well, Koichi, would you like to go with us, too?” Subaru said.
Which just made Yo-ka all the more amused, of course - since Koichi had pretty much invited himself.
“I’d love to,” he said.
“I’d better reserve tickets.” Subaru got out his phone.
Yuuki, meanwhile, reached under the table and squeezed Yo-ka’s hand. “He doesn’t seem to realize he’s going to be named Newcomer of the Year,” he whispered to his lover.
“We don’t know that for sure,” Yo-ka whispered back.
“Come on, who else could it be? The only other possibility is that guy from Magnetic Video - and his stuff didn’t sell nearly as well as Heart of the Ocean.”
“Well, then, you don’t seem to realize you’re about to be named Performer of the Year,” Yo-ka whispered.
“If I am, I am.” Yuuki shrugged. “I’m not in this for awards.”
“But you wouldn’t mind if you won one?”
“Well, I’m not going to throw it back in their faces, am I? But I’m also not going to jump off a bridge if I lose.”
Yo-ka knew better. Well, he knew that awards really were no big deal for Yuuki. But he also knew they were going to give him Performer of the Year. How could they not? Yuuki was a true star in every sense of the word - and nobody knew that more than the man who loved him most.
* * *
It was when Yo-ka decided to make a trip to the men’s room before the awards were actually handed out that he heard something rather disturbing.
He had exited the facilities and was starting back to his table when he passed two hipsters having a conversation. “Complete bullshit,” one of them was saying. “They shouldn’t be here. Not at all. This whole co-production thing is a cancer that’s going to eat the industry alive. There’ll be no indies left - just whores for corporations. First Eros, and now Man Zone has struck a deal with Heavy Hitter . . .”
Yo-ka had a funny feeling that he, Yuuki and Subaru were the “they” in question. Great. Now they had purists saying they shouldn’t be here.
He nearly bumped into a porn blogger he worked with quite a bit - a guy who went by the pen name of Porn Again - on the way back into the main room. “Whoops,” the blogger said. “Sorry.”
“No, it was my fault,” Yo-ka said. “I was listening too much to that jerk over there.” He pointed him out. “Do you know him?”
“Unfortunately,” said the blogger. “That’s Masaki - he’s the head of XXXPlosion” - an indie studio that produced both straight and gay porn - “and he’s an obnoxious purist. He thinks corporate porn is the lowest form of evil and anyone who does videos with them should be banned from indies altogether. Trouble is? He’s got a lot of guys on this side of the industry who are willing to listen to him. I’m not one of them.”
“Neither am I,” Yo-ka said - and then realized what he was saying. A year ago, he was almost as much of a purist as that guy. He thought anything corporate was evil. He wouldn’t have been caught dead walking through one of their doors.
And then, Yuuki made that first video with PSC - and convinced him to come on board as well. Which changed everything.
We didn’t sell out, though, Yo-ka thought. We didn’t compromise our principles at all. We just found out there was such a thing as a major porn company that was as uncompromising as we are.
He was still deep in thought as he made his way back to their table, where Subaru was on the phone, still trying to organize his Star Wars outing. “I struck out completely at all the theaters I tried in Shibuya and Ikebukuro, but I got us into one in Shinjuku. So we’re good.” Pause. “Nope, not yet. We just got done with dinner - they should be starting the awards soon. Well, we all know that Yuuki is going to win Performer of the Year, right?” He held out the phone toward the pink-haired man. “Say hi to Kuina, Yuuki!”
“Hi, Kuina!” Yuuki called, waving at the phone.
“So, yeah, I have to go now - I’m crashing at Yuuki and Yo-ka’s place tonight, but I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” He hung up the phone. “Oh, Yo-ka, you’re back!”
“Just in time, too,” Yuuki said. “The big guy is headed for the stage.”
Sure enough, the head of the Alliance was mounting the dais. “Good evening,” he said into the microphone. “Welcome to our annual Christmas party and awards show. It’s great to see so many familiar faces here, and some new attendees as well. This thing just keeps getting bigger and bigger every year, and . . .”
Koichi leaned over toward MiA and Subaru. “Wonder if he’s going to address the rumors?” he whispered.
“What rumors?” Subaru replied.
“That this is the last year they’re going to be doing this - the awards as part of the Christmas party, I mean. People are saying they’re going to be incorporated into the JAVAS.”
But the man on the stage was addressing nothing of the sort. He was going on and on about sales figures, and how this was the biggest year yet for their side of the industry, and how they’d produced some of the biggest talents in the business . . .
“Oh, just get on with it,” Yuuki whispered. “People aren’t here to listen to this!”
“But I’ve wasted enough of your time already,” the speaker said. “As you know, we have no nominees here, just awards. So I’ll speak a bit about why these people were chosen - and then I’ll ask the previous winners of the awards to come up and help me give them out. We’ll start with the new award, Company of the Year . . .”
A ripple of anticipation ran through the room. Since this was the first time it was being given out, there was no precedent to help judge a winner.
“This award is kind of bittersweet, because the company in question isn’t going to be around after this year is out.” Well, that gave away who it was. MiA blinked in surprise and glanced over at his company-mates. Koichi looked nonplussed.
“But while they were around,” the speaker continued, “they made their mark. In fact, it’s fair to say they changed the course of the whole industry. Goodbye clean-cut, athletic looking young men - hello, Suicide Boys. Now, tattoos and piercings are everywhere - even in the most major of major productions. Let’s have a look at what this company did during their tenure.”
The lights dimmed, and the big screen behind the man flickered to life, showing a montage from Avalon Films videos from throughout their life cycle - their earliest productions, shot on shoestrings in apartments, love hotels and even back alleys; their heyday, featuring the psychological drama Killing Me, in which Tsuzuku had relationships with each of the others; the ultimate triumph of MiA Amore, including a glimpse of the now-notorious nightclub sex scene . . .
There was applause when the lights came back up, and the speaker said, “Let’s bring up the Avalon Video crew and the four original Suicide Boys - Tsuzuku, Meto, Koichi and last year’s Performer of the Year, MiA!” There was thunderous applause as they took the stage - some people, including the Eros Films table, got up for a standing ovation.
“Thank you,” the boss said. “It’s a bittersweet thing indeed to let this company go, but the time had come. When we started Avalon, we had no idea it was going to grow into what it did. That was for two reasons - we have the best fans in the world, and the most amazing performers in the world.” More applause. “I want you all to continue to support our performers at their new home, Eros Video. I’m sure they will continue to do great things there.”
More applause, and then Tsuzuku stepped forward to talk next. “I’d like to thank the people who believed in this venture from the start, when we were all being called crazy,” he said. “They said nobody was going to watch porn with a bunch of tattooed and pierced guys. We proved them wrong, and we’re still proving them wrong.”
Koichi stepped forward after him. “We’re a bunch of lucky guys in that we really love what we’re doing,” he said. “And we loved the people who helped us bring it all to you. Most of all, I love the stylists - because we never looked so good in our lives. So here’s hoping things are just as beautiful at the new company!”
Meto, of course, wasn’t going to speak, so MiA had the last slot. “I just want to say I’m humbled by the support we’ve gotten,” he said. “We work really, really hard, and it’s nice to see it’s all worth it. And I especially want to thank my friends at Eros Films, who’ve made us feel welcome - the transition is going to be an easy one, thanks to you.”
MiA thought for a moment he heard a voice in the audience saying, “No, thanks to those corporate hacks at PSC” as he was leaving the stage, in the midst of the applause - but he figured he was mistaken.
* * *
The room got quiet with anticipation again as the previous emcee returned to the stage. “And now, our second award of the night - Newcomer of the Year. This is never an easy one to decide, because every year, a crop of brilliant talent makes their debuts, and narrowing it down to one guy who’s truly exceptional is a painful process. This year, though, we think we’ve chosen well. This performer seemingly came out of nowhere - one moment he was playing supporting roles. The next, he had the lead in one of the biggest titles of the year - and one of the starring roles in what’s sure to be an awards season blockbuster.”
Yo-ka and Yuuki both turned slowly to look at Subaru - who seemed to not quite know they were talking about him yet.
“You’re going to be hearing a lot from this young man next year. In fact, I dare say you’re going to be hearing about him at the JAVA Awards - but we wanted to be the first to give him a trophy, and say congratulations on a job well done. And now, without further ado, our Newcomer of the Year . . .” Pause. “From Eros Video . . .” Pause. “SUBARU!”
Subaru gave a jolt. “Me?” he said.
“Of course, you!” Yuuki said. “Who else?”
“I’m . . . oh, my God!” Subaru got up and rushed toward the stage, applause ringing in his ears. Was this happening? Oh, yes, it was. There was something that looked like a lopsided crystal teardrop in front of him, being held out by the previous year’s winner, and it had his name engraved on it, along with the words “NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR 2016” - since the awards were always dated for the year to come.
He picked it up, slowly. “Wow,” he said. “Wow. One minute you’re trying to get tickets for Star Wars, the next, they’re giving you awards!” The audience burst out into laughter. And suddenly, words were pouring out of him like he never thought they would in this situation - “I want to thank everyone who thought I was worth taking a chance on, everyone who’s cast me in a video so far, and everybody I’ve worked with - especially Yuuki, Yo-ka and MiA. You guys mean so much to me, you can’t even imagine. I have to thank my roommates for putting up with me coming and going at weird hours, and Tomoya for . . . well, everything.” And it just occurred to Subaru that his roommates weren’t watching this. Well, maybe they’d see a video of this later. “And finally, thanks to the Alliance - I can’t tell you how humbled and grateful I am.” He bowed and quickly existed the stage, rushing back to the table - where his friends were waiting to hug him.
“I told you that you were going to win that,” Yuuki said.
“I . . . I didn’t think they’d pick me,” Subaru said. “There’s so many other guys, who made so many more videos than me . . “
“But none of them had the impact you did,” Yo-ka said. “None of them made people go crazy like you did with Heart of the Ocean. You earned this, and you deserve it.”
None of the celebrants heard the voice a couple of tables back from them, murmuring, “Bullshit. Total bullshit. The industry’s gone to hell in a handbasket if they’ll give that award to someone like him. If they do that with the next award . . .”
* * *
Yo-ka reached over and squeezed Yuuki’s hand as he watched the emcee stride back across the stage to hand out The Big One - Performer of the Year. He knew this was it - his love was going to get the recognition due to him.
Across from him, Subaru was turning his award around and around in his hands, examining it from every angle, as if he still couldn’t quite believe it was real. He was happy for him, too. Subaru worked damn hard in everything he was in - he was a true pro.
He had to say that so far, the night was pretty damn near perfect - except for that jerk near the bathroom. And he wasn’t going to let that ruin things.
The emcee was saying, “And now, what you’ve all been waiting for. We’re going to name our Performer of the Year. And if choosing the Newcomer was hard, choosing this one was damn near impossible. But we settled on one guy, and we have to say, he very much deserves the title.”
Yo-ka squeezed Yuuki’s hand again. Yes, he thought, Yuuki deserves it. He’s everything the industry wants in a true star. Sexy, confident, in control . . .
“And it’s not too often that the Newcomer of the Year and Performer of the Year come from the same company,” the emcee continued. “But this company had such a stellar year that it pulled off the feat.”
That cinches it, Yo-ka thought. It’s definitely Yuuki. We’re going to have another award on the kitchen counter.
“This actor was in two of the biggest videos of the past 12 months, and pulled off both roles with style. He’s also been nothing but well-spoken in interviews - even when he’s talking about the dirty stuff. And he looks damn good in photo sessions. In short, he’s a star in every sense of the word, and he’ll just continue to be a bigger one.”
Well, that was Yuuki all the way around, wasn’t it? He was in Datenshi Blue and Homme Fatale, he’d done a number of magazine pictorials and he did come across well in interviews.
“And so, I’m going to ask the lovely MiA, last year’s Performer of the Year, to come up here and hand the award to his successor,” said the emcee. “MiA?”
MiA rose from his seat and headed for the stage, to the applause and whistles of the crowd. He bowed to acknowledge them, careful not to let the damn tiara fall off. He was just moments away from getting rid of it, after all.
“MiA, when you stood up here last year, you were taking the industry by storm with MiA Amore,” the emcee said. “What advice do you have for this year’s winner?”
“Enjoy the award and the parties and the publicity,” MiA said, “but don’t forget that you have to go back to work afterward. Just keep doing what you were doing to win the award.”
“Good advice, good advice,” said the emcee. “And now, the name.” Pause. “From Eros Films . . .”
Here it comes, Yo-ka thought. He’s going to yell Yuuki’s name, and . . .
“YO-KA!”
Yo-ka’s jaw nearly hit the table. No, wait - that was a mistake, right? He heard it wrong. They called Yuuki’s name, didn’t they? But the follow spot that had been on the emcee was suddenly glaring in his face, and the occupants of his table were hauling him to his feet, and he was stumbling toward the stage, thunderous applause in his ears . . .
He got up there, and all he could say was, “Me? ME? Really?” The audience roared with laughter.
Yo-ka looked down at the award. Yes, there was his name, engraved on the lopsided crystal teardrop. It wasn’t a mistake. Or a joke. Holy SHIT.
“I . . . I’d like to say something, but damn, I didn’t think in a million years I’d ever be up here,” he said. “I just want to thank everyone I’ve worked with, and Eros Films for giving me my first shot, and . . .”
Just then, a figure leapt out of the audience, charged for the stage and vaulted onto the dais. He yanked the microphone out of the stand in front of Yo-ka and yelled, “I’m sorry, but I can’t allow this to continue, because this is a disgrace to the industry!”
It was Masaki, the guy who had been in front of the bathroom earlier, the one Porn Again had said was a “purist.” And he clearly was not happy.
“You just gave ALL your awards to corporate whores!” he shouted. “Do you know that EVERY major video Subaru has been in has been a PSC Productions video? And you’re giving this award to Yo-ka for Datenshi fucking Blue, which was ALSO a PSC video? What do we have indie awards for if we’re going to do that? These two aren’t indie!”
One guy in the audience jumped up, punched the air and yelled, “Yeah!” A small group applauded along with him.
“And as for your Company of the Year? Their big star is a corporate whore, too!” He pointed at MiA. “He just got done filming Datenshi Blue 2! It was all over the damn Expo! He’s a sellout! He may have started out a Suicide Boy, but now he’s . . .”
At that point, armed security guards rushed toward the stage. Masaki dropped the mike and hightailed it out of there - to the loud cheers of his supporters.
Just about everyone else just stood there stunned. MiA put a hand on Yo-ka’s shoulder and squeezed it. What should have been the greatest moment of Yo-ka’s career had been ruined.
The emcee retried the mike, put it back where it belonged and said, tersely, “Thank you all for coming, and we’ll see you next year.” The show had come to a premature end.
Yo-ka took his award back to his seat, MiA’s hand still on his shoulder. When he got there, Yuuki immediately gave him a hug - but not for the reasons he originally would have.
What started out as a joyful surprise had turned into a buzzkill.
* * *
It was traditional afterward for the winners to have a photo and interview session with the press. The Alliance wasn’t going to let the incident ruin that. The Avalon Video crew, Yo-ka and Subaru were ushered into a side room, where they managed to put on big smiles and pose with their awards.
The questions, though, were a bit heavier than what they originally were going to be.
“What do you think of what Masaki said?” one reporter asked the actors. “Do you think your careers have been compromised by working with PSC?”
“First of all, those weren’t fully PSC videos,” Yo-ka said. “They were made under a co-production deal. Uruha directed them, yes, but our staffers’ names were on them as producers.”
“I can’t see why he called me a sellout when the video I was in was made under the co-production deal with Eros, and Avalon is merging with Eros,” MiA said. “I didn’t do Datenshi Blue 2 to get my name on a major label video. I did it because I believed in the video and its cast.”
“Eros Video is who signed me,” Subaru said. “Their name is on my contract. Nobody else’s.”
“He’s never headlined an Eros title!” yelled one of Masaki’s supporters from the back of the room. “His only starring roles have been with PSC!”
“I’ve been in Eros-only videos,” Subaru said. “They weren’t the lead role, but I’ve been in them.”
“Masaki is right!” another man yelled. “Why do we still have an indie alliance if we’re going to give awards to guys like this? Maybe we should just let the JAVAS take over the whole thing!”
“They’re still signed to Eros!” yelled one of the bloggers. “We go by whose name is on their contracts, not whose names are on the DVD spine!”
“Well, maybe you should rethink that, because pretty soon we’re going to give one of these fucking awards to the likes of Aoi because he’s in a PSC co-production!” another man in the back of the room yelled.
And suddenly, the whole room seemed to be shouting and yelling and arguing with each other. Subaru turned his head slowly and looked at Yo-ka, eyes wide with an emotion somewhere between hurt and fear.
Their triumph, it seemed, was making the evening result in flat-out disaster.
And suddenly, the loud crack of a whip sounded, instantly silencing the whole room. The participants in the press conference whirled around, to see Yuuki standing there, his unfurled trademark weapon hanging from one hand.
“I couldn’t help but hear the noise,” he said. “It’s not necessary. Masaki said you should be ashamed for giving them those awards? YOU should be ashamed for fighting over them. Yo-ka and Subaru deserved them.”
“You have no business saying that!” one of Masaki’s supporters shouted, pointing at Yuuki.
“Oh, I don’t?” Yuuki said. “Let me tell you something. A year ago, I was one of the biggest indie purists there were. I’d rather jump off Tokyo Tower than be in a big label production. I thought they were all hacks whose work was all budget and no substance.“
He walked further into the room, twisting his whip in his fingers. “And then, I got talked into a PSC co-production. And you know what? It didn’t kill me, or compromise my principles at all. Those videos really are indie co-productions. They have the independent spirit. The performers get treated with respect. The producers aren’t afraid to take chances, either - they’re not happy with churning out same-old-same-old. In fact? They’re more adventurous than some indie companies.”
He pointed the whip at Yo-ka and Subaru. “I’ve worked with both of them, and MiA. They work damn hard, all the time. They have high standards - they’re all-pro. And they fucking deserved those awards. You want a Performer of the Year? Yo-ka is it. He’s a star. So are the other two.”
He walked through the now-quiet room to his lover and his protégée. “Come on,” he said. “We’re getting out of here and going home. MiA, you too, if you’d like.”
MiA glanced back at Koichi, who was in the first row of the crowd - but Koichi nodded in Subaru’s direction, as if to say, he needs you tonight. MiA looked back at Yuuki and said, “Yes, I’m going.”
The four of them walked out of the room, and didn’t stop walking until they were out in the street. Yuuki stuck out a gloved hand to hire a cab, not caring about any strange looks he got from passerby. Not that he ever cared.
* * *
When they were back in the apartment, they just kind of sat around at first, feeling down in the dumps.
“I knew that guy was trouble,” Yo-ka said. “I heard him outside the bathroom. He was saying shitty stuff then. But then, to have him storm onto the stage like that . . .”
“He had no right,” Subaru said. “No right at all.”
“Damn right he didn’t.” Yuuki retrieved four beers from the fridge and started opening them. “I don’t care if he runs a production company, he has no say in what the rest of the industry thinks or does.”
“And the worst part?” Yo-ka said. “He made me wonder if, well . . . he was right. Just for a moment. He had me questioning my own decisions.”
“Me, too,” Subaru said, quietly. “He made me wonder if, well, I was a fake. If I shouldn’t be calling myself a member of Eros Films - because my starring roles HAVE been at PSC.”
“I’m not ashamed of being with PSC,” MiA said, quietly. “Not at all. Really - what’s the difference between indie and major?”
“Money,” Yuuki said, bringing the bottles into the room. “Money, pure and simple. The attitude that all indie is good and all major is bad is total shit. There’s been some excellent indie videos and some pro hackwork - and there’s also been the opposite.”
Yo-ka put his hand on Yuuki’s as his lover handed him the beer. “We’ve really come a long way in our thinking, haven’t we?” he said, quietly. “We used to be purists - snobs, really - like Masaki.”
Yuuki was quiet for a long moment, as if deep in thought. He knew damn well Yo-ka was right. He remembered how he’d balked at doing that first video, how he’d been adamant that he wasn’t selling out.
Then, he said, “Well, it was because we were able to let go of that attitude that you were able to become Performer of the Year, isn’t it? Datenshi Blue is what made you a superstar.”
“Labels don’t matter, do they?” Subaru said, quietly. “Indie, major - they’re just that, labels. As long as we’re comfortable with what we’re doing, as long as WE know we haven’t sold out - that’s all that matters, right?”
MiA squeezed his hand. “And you’re still Newcomer of the Year, no matter what a couple of guys said. Nobody’s had a bigger debut in the last year than you.”
Subaru blushed. “I still can’t believe they gave me the award,” he said.
“I meant what I said back there,” said Yuuki. “You deserved it. I’ve watched you grow and develop from that first day you met with Uruha at his office. You went from an awkward kid to a star.”
“That’s because I had help from all of you,” Subaru said. “Getting to know you has been the best thing about the past year, by far. And I’ll bet that bastard Masaki doesn’t have anyone in his life like you guys.”
“Fuck, yes,” said Yuuki. “We have each other, and that’s worth more than any award.” He held out his beer in a toast. “So here’s to doing what we want, and fuck what people like him think.”
“Kampaii!” the others shouted as they clinked their beers together.
After they drank, MiA said, “Oh, I forgot something.” He took the tiara off his head and put it on Yo-ka’s. “I was supposed to pass this on to you.”
Yo-ka looked uncomfortable. “Um . . . thanks? I think?”
Yuuki shot out a hand and snatched it off Yo-ka’s head. “You’re not wearing that,” he said. “I’m finding you more suitable headgear.”
Everyone laughed. The mood had been lightened. What they all had together meant more than any award, indeed.
* * *
When the hours crept into the wee smalls, Yuuki got out the double futon from their closet - the same one he and Yo-ka used back in their old apartment - and lay it out on the floor, along with pillows and blankets - and some other items.
“And here’s some lube, condoms, dental dams . . . you two let us know if you need anything else, okay? Oh, and here’s some warming massage oil, in case you want it.”
“Won’t you be, well, playing in your own room?” Subaru said. “I don’t want to interrupt you.”
“Of course we will,” Yuuki said. “But you can just tiptoe in and get what you need. You know where the stuff is.”
This was, indeed, a situation unique to people in the porn industry.
Subaru got ready for bed, went into the living room and crawled under the futon covers, completely nude. Why not? He’d made love with everyone in this apartment, and it wasn’t as if he and MiA would be going straight to sleep.
When MiA came out of the bathroom, equally nude, he lay down next to Subaru, draping an arm over his waist. “You really do deserve that award, you know,” he said.
“I know,” he said. “I still feel kind of funny about it, though.”
“You know there’s an unofficial tradition that the Newcomer of the Year and the Performer of the Year do a video together afterward,” MiA said. “Same thing with the new Performer of the Year and the old one.”
“Did you do that?” Subaru said.
“I did something with the previous Performer of the Year in MiA Amore. The Newcomer of the Year? I co-presented an award with him at the JAVAS. They kind of let you do that as a substitute.” He kissed Subaru’s neck. “I don’t think it’ll be a hardship for you to do another video with Yo-ka. Not after seeing you two in Heart of the Ocean.”
“And you and Yo-ka?”
“That’s something I’ve wanted to do for awhile,” MiA said. “Plus, I want to start a new tradition, right now.”
“Which is?”
“The outgoing Performer of the Year and the Newcomer of the Year.”
Subaru turned toward him, and the two men brought their lips together in a kiss that started soft and tender - and then began to heat up, become hotter, wetter, more intense.
MiA reached between their bodies, sliding his hand up Subaru’s chest as their tongues began to rub against each other. He found a nipple, caressing it as Subaru stirred beneath him, covering his lover’s hand with his own.
They shifted so that MiA was on top, and he licked down Subaru’s neck with a long sweep of his tongue, nipping at his collarbone, then licking back up, murmuring, “You’re so very beautiful.”
“Mmmm . . .” Subaru tipped his head backward, his lips opening in a hot, wet gasp as MiA sucked at a sensitive area at the bottom of his throat, his hands running down his lover’s back . . .
He grasped MiA’s ass, squeezing hard, and MiA responded by arching forward, pressing his cock against Subaru’s body. The two men wrapped their arms around one another, holding on tight, moving their hips, thrusting and grinding together.
Their hips shifted so their cocks were rubbing directly against each other, and they both moaned, moving faster, MiA running his fingers over Subaru’s lips, Subaru licking at them eagerly, then drawing one in and sucking.
MiA moved back, slowly, taking a deep breath, because if they kept going like that, they were both going to come quickly, and he wanted, needed it to last.
Subaru took this opportunity to roll on his stomach, pulling his knees up so his beautiful ass was up in the air, moving his legs apart to open him up. He looked over his shoulder, giving MiA a glance that was at once sweet and smoldering.
Oh, God, no wonder this boy was a fast-rising star. The combination of sweetness and heat with which he openly offered that ass was intoxicating.
MiA groped for the lube that Yuuki had left for them, uncapping the bottle and pouring it on his fingers. He brought one to his lover’s entrance, pushing it in slowly . . .
Subaru groaned. “Oh, yes, it’s so good . . .”
“Relax,” MiA murmured, sliding in further, feeling tight heat grip him hard. “I want it to be so good for you . . .”
He moved his finger around, exploring here and there as he thrust in and out, slowly, then more quickly . . .
And then, suddenly, he hit a spot that made Subaru stiffen and tremble. “Oh!” he cried.
“Good?” MiA moved his finger over the spot again, and Subaru let out a louder cry, arching upward.
“Yes!” Subaru panted. “Again, right there . . .”
MiA slid another finger into Subaru, curving them both, finding that spot again, caressing it very gently, rubbing over it again, and Subaru let out a long, loud moan, arching against his lover, grabbing the futon under him.
Subaru squeezed his eyes shut, thinking he was going to drown in pleasure. Oh, my God, it was so wonderful, so intense, like electric current running through his body, making his nipples harden even more, his toes curl, and his cock feel so hot and stiff, throbbing hard . . .
Those fingers were still stroking and stroking him, moving over the same spot, rubbing and caressing, and all he could do was moan, louder and louder . . .
He suddenly felt a hand on his hair that wasn’t MiA’s. He opened his eyes - to see Yuuki kneeling in front of him, as naked as he was. And Yo-ka’s hands were on his back as well . . .
Subaru turned his head back and forth, taking them both in. “What are you doing here?” Not that he objected, quite the contrary - but he was definitely surprised.
“We heard the sounds you were making,” Yo-ka said. “We thought whatever the two of you were doing sounded more fun than what we were doing.”
“He . . . he was touching me inside, and it was so good, he hit that spot . . .”
“I just got lucky,” MiA said, looking a bit sheepish. He was leaning over, his fingers still up Subaru’s ass, his own bottom openly displayed . . .
Which Yo-ka took full advantage of. He reached for the lube himself. “Someone should return that favor,” he said, “don’t you think?”
He brought a finger to MiA’s entrance and started to push in, making the blond gasp - this was unexpected! “Yes,” he gasped. “Yo-ka . . .”
Subaru, meanwhile, was kissing Yuuki deeply, as the pink-haired man leaned in to him, running a hand along Subaru’s back, caressing the smooth flesh. Subaru reached down, sliding his hand along Yuuki’s torso, down toward his cock . . .
Yo-ka began to move his finger in and out of MiA, feeling around the way MiA had done to Subaru, looking for that one spot that was the sweetest in a man’s body - and when he connected with it, MiA let out a deep moan the way Subaru had, leaning over to rest his cheek on the younger man’s ass.
“Do you like that?” Yo-ka said, curling his finger a little and starting to caress the spot.
“Aaahh!” MiA cried. “Yes . . .”
“You deserve this,” Yo-ka said. “You made Subaru feel good, so now I’m going to make you feel good.” He rubbed back and forth, leaning over to kiss MiA’s neck, feeling how the other man trembled beneath him . . .
MiA was still stroking Subaru, but more slowly now, and Subaru had his fingers wrapped around Yuuki’s cock, caressing it slowly from top to bottom, rubbing his thumb over the tip, watching the other man’s face . . .
Yo-ka stroked faster, and MiA let out a long, low moan, thinking he was drowning in pleasure, thrusting against those fingers, feeling tendrils of fire running over his whole body, wanting more and more of that sweet friction . . .
There was so much emphasis put on cocks in their industry. They had, apparently, forgotten that fingers could bring just as much pleasure - maybe even more.
And then, suddenly, the fingers stopped and slid out. MiA looked back over his shoulder, panting, his eyes mutely asking Yo-ka why he stopped.
“You want it to last, don’t you?” Yo-ka said. “Come here . . .”
MiA slid his own fingers out of Subaru, wiping them off quickly on a tissue, then turned around, pulling Yo-ka into his arms and kissing his lips hard, still trembling from the pleasure, rubbing his body against the other man’s . . .
“Yo-ka,” MiA said in a breathless voice, reaching down, finding the other man’s cock, stroking it up and down, trying to give back even a little of the pleasure the other man gave him.
“You’re really beautiful right now,” Yo-ka said. He looked over MiA’s shoulder at the other two. “Isn’t he?”
But the others weren’t paying attention - because Yuuki had Subaru lying across his lap, and was spanking him lightly, his hand raising, pausing, then smacking just hard enough so Subaru could feel it.
Subaru was squirming, moaning, the little bit of pain contrasting with the intense pleasure of before, just making it all the more intense . . .
MiA found himself turned on even more looking at it, at the expression of pleasure on Yuuki’s face at delivering sweet pain, at Subaru’s reactions . . .
“Do you want that, too?” Yo-ka said.
MiA’s reply was to turn around, to lean over again, presenting his ass, a silent yes. Yo-ka raised his hand, then brought it down sharply, the smack reverberating through the air. A little bit of pain exploded through MiA as intently as the pleasure of before, making him come moan when the hand came down a second time, a bit harder.
“Fuck me,” MiA gasped. “Fuck me, please . . .”
Subaru raised his head at that. “MiA . . .” he said, the cry adding to his lust the way the sight of him being spanked had done for MiA. He got on all fours, his ass in the air, and MiA did the same thing, facing Subaru . . .
The two men leaned toward each other and kissed as Yuuki pushed his fingers into Subaru, and Yo-ka did the same to MiA, opening them up, making them ready, even though it wouldn’t take much after the earlier penetrative play. Tongues slid against one another as fingers moved in and out, spreading apart gently.
Then, Yuuki positioned himself behind Subaru, and Subaru watched Yo-ka do the same thing to MiA. It was like looking in an odd mirror that reflecting things almost, but not quite close to reality.
It was also hot as hell for Subaru, knowing MiA would be feeling the same thing as him at the same time.
Yuuki and Yo-ka began to push forward, gently and slowly, starting to fill their lovers, and Subaru and MiA leaned forward, laying their heads on each other’s shoulders, clinging to one another . . .
Yo-ka ran his hand along MiA’s chest, stroking his nipple as he began to move in and out, watching Yuuki do the same to Subaru as the younger boys moaned, still clinging to one another.
It was, in a way, like they were all penetrating each other, and just the thought of that alone was volcanic hot.
Yo-ka began to slowly thrust harder, faster, and Yuuki did the same, as Subaru raised his head, starting to moan louder, moving his hips along with Yuuki, matching his thrusts . . . but also trying to move in the same rhythm as MiA, who was thrusting backward against Yo-ka, moaning the other man’s name . . .
“Fuck me deeper,” MiA moaned, and it was like he spoke for all of them. Yo-ka and Yuuki both sped up, thrusting harder, faster, and yes, deeper, their cocks sliding through tight heat, rubbing against spots made sensitive from their earlier finger play, making the two ukes moan louder still, bucking up against them.
And they all kept their eyes on each other, gazing at each other’s pleasure, at faces in bliss, skin glistening with sweat, muscles rippling with frantic movement . . .
Yuuki shifted his hips a little, and his cock hit that spot inside Subaru, making Subaru suddenly stiffen, trembling . . . and then, he cried out loudly, his come pouring and pouring from him over Yuuki’s fingers . . .
Seconds later, MiA let out a loud cry as well, and Yuuki was right after him, pulling out of Subaru as if they were filming, his essence pouring onto the younger man’s ass . . and the sight of all that finally set Yo-ka off, thrusting deeply into MiA as ecstasy exploded through his body.
The four of them collapsed to the futon in a sweaty heap. They kissed, first Subaru and MiA, Yuuki and Yo-ka, then changing partners, moving about until every pair of lips had claimed every other.
“I’m glad we came out here,” Yo-ka said, lying on his back on the futon, MiA snuggling against him. Subaru snuggled against MiA’s other side, Yuuki snuggled against Yo-ka’s.
“I’m glad, too,” Subaru yawned.
“You look really hot with him,” MiA said, not opening his eyes. He was absolutely blissful right now, between the afterglow and the two men snuggled against him.
“Maybe we should get Uruha to film all of us together,” Subaru murmured.
“No,” said Yuuki. “He can film any other combination of us - but four-way playtimes are just for us.” He reached across Yo-ka to put his hand over MiA’s. “And I’m getting the two of you prostate vibrators - the kind with suction cups, so you can play either alone or with a lover.”
“Mmmm,” MiA said. “Those, we can use on-camera.”
The four of them nestled on the futon, feeling content. It was as if the nastiness with Misaki hadn’t happened at all.
Let people say nasty things about them winning those awards. It couldn’t take away what really mattered.
* * *
Within a week of the Christmas party/awards ceremony, the trades were carrying articles saying that beginning in 2017, the JAVAS would be adding Performer of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and Company of the Year awards - and they wouldn’t be restricted to indies.
Speculation immediately began to circulate that the move was tied to what had happened at that year’s Alliance event. The JAVAS denied it, saying they’d had the move in the works for awhile.
Masaki and the bloggers who supported him continued to loudly protest Subaru and Yo-ka’s wins- though they got shouted down by a large number of supporters of the two. And there was a third faction that just ignored the whole thing, saying it was a needless, annoying controversy, and what did it all matter as long as Yo-ka and Subaru were making money for someone?
The boys at the eye of the storm were strangely silent about it all, except for a few comments to the bloggers and the press. This fueled speculation that they were more upset about it all than they were letting on, that they were worried they’d have to surrender their awards.
In reality, it was quite the opposite. They decided to disregard the furor and move on with their lives and careers. As long as they had what was truly important, they had no need to care about the opinions of others.
Shared experiences - like MiA and Subaru’s movie outing - were the biggest award of them all.
Chapter: Thirty-sixth in The Camera Eye series. Links to previous installments can be found here
Author: Boots
Rating: NC-17
Genre: Porn industry AU, drama, smut, romance
Warnings: Male/male sex, polyamory, foursome, prostate massage, spanking, frottage
Pairing: Yo-ka (DIAURA) x MiA (Mejibray) x Yuuki (Lycaon) x Subaru (Royz) (main), some Koichi (Mejibrary) x MiA, some activity between just MiA and Subaru
Disclaimer: DIAURA belongs to Ains, Mejibray belongs to White Side Group, Royz belongs to BP Records, the now-disbanded Lycaon belonged to Vogue Entertainment, I own the story only.
Summary: The Indie Gay Porn Bloggers Alliance is about to present its Performer of the Year and Newcomer of the Year awards - meaning it’s time for MiA to surrender the tiara, literally. But the winners are about to find out the hard way that the flip side of triumph is often a very nasty controversy.
Notes: Unlike the Expo in the previous fic, this one isn’t based on a specific real-life event, even though the AVN Awards contain a Performer of the Year category.
For the Indie Gay Porn Bloggers Alliance, Christmas was, indeed, the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.
It was the only time when their little organization - which, when you came right down to it, was really “a fan club with style,” as Koichi put it - became the epicenter of the porn universe. Because their annual Christmas party was when they handed out the Performer of the Year and Newcomer of the Year awards.
These honors, even though they were given out specifically to performers affiliated with indie companies, were taken very seriously indeed by the industry as a whole. Because the winners went on to be the tastemakers and trendsetters for the industry as a whole - the majors fell in line to try to find performers like them (or, in some cases, flat-out poach them).
Unlike most awards, nominations for Performer of the Year and Newcomer of the Year were not announced in advance, in order to minimize lobbying (and bribery) from the porn companies. This strategy also assured that pretty much the entire indie side of the industry showed up at the party - because, God forbid, you win an award and not be there to collect it.
Fan speculation about who was going to win usually picked up about a month beforehand. Sometimes, social media was bang on the money about the results. Usually, though, it was “close, but no cigar.” Like last year - when the Twittersphere collectively decided that Tsuzuku was going to be named Performer of the Year. His co-star, MiA, got the honor instead.
Now, it was time for MiA’s successor to be crowned, and for the Newcomer of the Year to be chosen. The Alliace had even upped the ante with a third award this year - Company of the Year.
And so far, the fans were choosing a certain pink-haired performer as odds-on favorite for Performer of the Year - one who had won Newcomer of the Year two years before . . .
* * *
Yuuki stepped out of the car and surveyed the scene around the hotel where the party was being held. It was a bigger crowd that last year - and he suspected that their numbers were swelled by the mainstream side of the industry.
“We’re going to have an audience tonight,” he informed the other two occupants of the vehicle as he tapped his coiled whip against a black leather gloved hand.
Subaru got out of the car next, eyes wide as he took in the people - who, at the moment, were mostly just milling about and talking. “Wow,” he said. “Is this what the JAVA Awards are like?”
“Not quite,” said Yo-ka, getting out after him. “The JAVAS have a real red carpet. And a lot more photographers.”
“The press shows up for that one,” Yuuki said. “And I mean the REAL press, not just the porn press. There was some idiot last year who dared to call me Christian Grey.”
Subaru winced. “And he’s still alive?” he said.
“Only because Yuuki fell over on the red carpet right after that,” Yo-ka said. “The boots, you know.”
They made their way through the crowd, Subaru’s head swerving left, then right, trying to take it all in. If this is just the Performer and Newcomer of the Year Awards, he thought, what are the JAVAS going to be like? He imagined he was going to be flat-out overwhelmed for that one.
“Remember, there’s going to be a couple of hours of drinking and eating and mingling before they get down to business. Kind of like the Suicide Ball,” Yuuki said.
Subaru remembered that night well - it was when he and MiA had first met. It was also the first time he’d seen an orgy in front of him.
“Is there going to be . . . um . . .”
“No Proving Ground tonight, if that’s what you’re asking,” Yuuki said. “They try to keep this one R-rated.”
“If it’s a show you want, Yuuki and I could put on one for you later,” Yo-ka said - causing Subaru to blush hotly. It was partly out of embarrassment - and partly because he very much liked the sound of that.
Yo-ka’s friend Shoya made his way over to them. “Hey,” he said. “We got our table assignments. Eros Films is at the same table as Avalon Video.”
“Well, they’re going to be part of us after the first of the year,” Yuuki said. “That’s only natural.”
“Do they have assigned seats?” Subaru said, glancing around again as they crossed the lobby and made their way into the main ballroom.
“Even if they did, we’d trade places so you could sit next to MiA,” Yo-ka said, wrapping an arm around Subaru.
Subaru was going to reply - but he got a good eyeful of the room. It was dominated, at one end, by a massive Christmas tree with twinkling lights and enormous ornaments. At the other end was a stage with a dais.
The rest of the room was taken up by large, circular tables, covered with green cloths and set with fine china. At the center of each one was an arrangement of pine branches decorated with red bows and candy canes.
Another wall sported a long bar - which was where most of the performers were at the moment. Subaru followed the others toward it, listening to snatches of dialogue between the people they passed.
“ . . . a porn parody of Attack on Titan, but we just didn’t have the budget . . .”
“ . . . and he asked why I never cast him. I told him it was because I never hear from him. I’m not about to tell him it’s because he’s gotten a reputation for . . .”
“ . . . couldn’t find a distributor. They were completely full of shit. They just didn’t want to cough up the money for . . .”
“ . . . was Newcomer of the Year last year. Okay, he did a couple of good videos, but what’s he done since?”
“Is Heavy Hitter here?” Subaru said as they approached the bar. “You know - the ones who had that awful display at the Expo?”
“No,” Yuuki said. “This is indie-only. They’re majors.”
“So why do I see one of their guys over there?” Subaru said, pointing.
Yo-ka groaned. “Great. Now the indies are hiring gym rats, too.”
“Let them.” Yuuki sidled up to the bar. “Anyone want anything fancy, or is it beer all around?”
“Beer’s fine with me,” Subaru said - and then jumped when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He whirled around to see a vision in all white - well, white and gold, wearing a prince-like military uniform. And then, of course, there was the crystal sparkle of the tiara on his head.
“MiA!” Subaru threw his arms around his friend. “You look fantastic!”
“Thanks,” he said. “I’m actually going on stage tonight. They want me to hand off the Performer of the Year award to the next guy.” He leaned over toward Subaru and whispered, “It’s the last night I have to wear this thing!” while touching the tiara.
“I heard that,” said Koichi from behind him. “Don’t think of it as the last time you’re wearing a tiara, MiA. Think of it as the last night of your reign.”
“I don’t know about a reign . . .” MiA said, fumbling with the headpiece again.
“Of course it’s a reign!” Koichi reached up and straightened the tiara. “You’ve been the industry trendsetter! Look at what you accomplished in the last year! You won the Best Star Showcase JAVA Award. You got hired by PSC for that angel and devil thing. You modeled in REAL magazines!”
“I’m not quite sure if the photographers knew that I was a . . .” MiA said.
“And next year is going to be even better, right? We’re going to do that pirate video. Your Director-San promised that to us. And then we’re going to finally get Counting Goats off the ground and never have to do porn again!”
MiA sighed. “Koichi . . . would you REALLY give this up? I mean, even if we were successful - would you want to give up photographers and red carpets and having thousands of Twitter followers?”
There was a pause as Koichi thought it over. Then, he said, “Okay, maybe I’d just do a couple of videos a year - to keep a foot in it. This business HAS been good to me.”
MiA gave Subaru a glance and winked. Subaru stifled a laugh.
“And if they offered a sequel to the pirate video? I’d definitely do that!”
“We haven’t done the first one yet,” MiA said.
“I know that! But it’s going to come out so well, there HAS to be a sequel!”
The boys got their beers and headed out into the party. Subaru thought that MiA might not consider Performer of the Year to be a “reign,” but he certainly looked very princely indeed - despite the silly tiara.
* * *
Yo-ka was feeling in a strangely mellow mood tonight.
They’d had a good dinner, a mix of Japanese and Western foods - which they always did for these things. They met up with some people from other companies, and did the requisite talking to the press.
Now, Yo-ka was watching Subaru and MiA chatter excitedly - apparently, they were going together to see the new Star Wars, along with Subaru’s roommates.
“Is this a date?” Yo-ka said, teasingly.
“No,” Subaru said, quickly. “I mean, whenever we go to the movies, Kuina always claims me as his date.”
“He’s got taste,” Yo-ka said.
“I’m going to be MiA’s date,” Koichi said, suddenly.
All eyes turned toward him. “Koichi,” said MiA, “you don’t even like Star Wars.”
“Who said I didn’t?” Koichi said. “I just don’t have Boba Fett slippers and Darth Vader pajama pants like you do.”
“Koichi!” MiA ducked his head down, turning bright red. “Not in front of the whole industry!”
“What?” said Koichi. “It’s adorable! And come on, don’t they know that porn stars are human, too? We’re not sex mannequins.”
“Um . . . well, Koichi, would you like to go with us, too?” Subaru said.
Which just made Yo-ka all the more amused, of course - since Koichi had pretty much invited himself.
“I’d love to,” he said.
“I’d better reserve tickets.” Subaru got out his phone.
Yuuki, meanwhile, reached under the table and squeezed Yo-ka’s hand. “He doesn’t seem to realize he’s going to be named Newcomer of the Year,” he whispered to his lover.
“We don’t know that for sure,” Yo-ka whispered back.
“Come on, who else could it be? The only other possibility is that guy from Magnetic Video - and his stuff didn’t sell nearly as well as Heart of the Ocean.”
“Well, then, you don’t seem to realize you’re about to be named Performer of the Year,” Yo-ka whispered.
“If I am, I am.” Yuuki shrugged. “I’m not in this for awards.”
“But you wouldn’t mind if you won one?”
“Well, I’m not going to throw it back in their faces, am I? But I’m also not going to jump off a bridge if I lose.”
Yo-ka knew better. Well, he knew that awards really were no big deal for Yuuki. But he also knew they were going to give him Performer of the Year. How could they not? Yuuki was a true star in every sense of the word - and nobody knew that more than the man who loved him most.
* * *
It was when Yo-ka decided to make a trip to the men’s room before the awards were actually handed out that he heard something rather disturbing.
He had exited the facilities and was starting back to his table when he passed two hipsters having a conversation. “Complete bullshit,” one of them was saying. “They shouldn’t be here. Not at all. This whole co-production thing is a cancer that’s going to eat the industry alive. There’ll be no indies left - just whores for corporations. First Eros, and now Man Zone has struck a deal with Heavy Hitter . . .”
Yo-ka had a funny feeling that he, Yuuki and Subaru were the “they” in question. Great. Now they had purists saying they shouldn’t be here.
He nearly bumped into a porn blogger he worked with quite a bit - a guy who went by the pen name of Porn Again - on the way back into the main room. “Whoops,” the blogger said. “Sorry.”
“No, it was my fault,” Yo-ka said. “I was listening too much to that jerk over there.” He pointed him out. “Do you know him?”
“Unfortunately,” said the blogger. “That’s Masaki - he’s the head of XXXPlosion” - an indie studio that produced both straight and gay porn - “and he’s an obnoxious purist. He thinks corporate porn is the lowest form of evil and anyone who does videos with them should be banned from indies altogether. Trouble is? He’s got a lot of guys on this side of the industry who are willing to listen to him. I’m not one of them.”
“Neither am I,” Yo-ka said - and then realized what he was saying. A year ago, he was almost as much of a purist as that guy. He thought anything corporate was evil. He wouldn’t have been caught dead walking through one of their doors.
And then, Yuuki made that first video with PSC - and convinced him to come on board as well. Which changed everything.
We didn’t sell out, though, Yo-ka thought. We didn’t compromise our principles at all. We just found out there was such a thing as a major porn company that was as uncompromising as we are.
He was still deep in thought as he made his way back to their table, where Subaru was on the phone, still trying to organize his Star Wars outing. “I struck out completely at all the theaters I tried in Shibuya and Ikebukuro, but I got us into one in Shinjuku. So we’re good.” Pause. “Nope, not yet. We just got done with dinner - they should be starting the awards soon. Well, we all know that Yuuki is going to win Performer of the Year, right?” He held out the phone toward the pink-haired man. “Say hi to Kuina, Yuuki!”
“Hi, Kuina!” Yuuki called, waving at the phone.
“So, yeah, I have to go now - I’m crashing at Yuuki and Yo-ka’s place tonight, but I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” He hung up the phone. “Oh, Yo-ka, you’re back!”
“Just in time, too,” Yuuki said. “The big guy is headed for the stage.”
Sure enough, the head of the Alliance was mounting the dais. “Good evening,” he said into the microphone. “Welcome to our annual Christmas party and awards show. It’s great to see so many familiar faces here, and some new attendees as well. This thing just keeps getting bigger and bigger every year, and . . .”
Koichi leaned over toward MiA and Subaru. “Wonder if he’s going to address the rumors?” he whispered.
“What rumors?” Subaru replied.
“That this is the last year they’re going to be doing this - the awards as part of the Christmas party, I mean. People are saying they’re going to be incorporated into the JAVAS.”
But the man on the stage was addressing nothing of the sort. He was going on and on about sales figures, and how this was the biggest year yet for their side of the industry, and how they’d produced some of the biggest talents in the business . . .
“Oh, just get on with it,” Yuuki whispered. “People aren’t here to listen to this!”
“But I’ve wasted enough of your time already,” the speaker said. “As you know, we have no nominees here, just awards. So I’ll speak a bit about why these people were chosen - and then I’ll ask the previous winners of the awards to come up and help me give them out. We’ll start with the new award, Company of the Year . . .”
A ripple of anticipation ran through the room. Since this was the first time it was being given out, there was no precedent to help judge a winner.
“This award is kind of bittersweet, because the company in question isn’t going to be around after this year is out.” Well, that gave away who it was. MiA blinked in surprise and glanced over at his company-mates. Koichi looked nonplussed.
“But while they were around,” the speaker continued, “they made their mark. In fact, it’s fair to say they changed the course of the whole industry. Goodbye clean-cut, athletic looking young men - hello, Suicide Boys. Now, tattoos and piercings are everywhere - even in the most major of major productions. Let’s have a look at what this company did during their tenure.”
The lights dimmed, and the big screen behind the man flickered to life, showing a montage from Avalon Films videos from throughout their life cycle - their earliest productions, shot on shoestrings in apartments, love hotels and even back alleys; their heyday, featuring the psychological drama Killing Me, in which Tsuzuku had relationships with each of the others; the ultimate triumph of MiA Amore, including a glimpse of the now-notorious nightclub sex scene . . .
There was applause when the lights came back up, and the speaker said, “Let’s bring up the Avalon Video crew and the four original Suicide Boys - Tsuzuku, Meto, Koichi and last year’s Performer of the Year, MiA!” There was thunderous applause as they took the stage - some people, including the Eros Films table, got up for a standing ovation.
“Thank you,” the boss said. “It’s a bittersweet thing indeed to let this company go, but the time had come. When we started Avalon, we had no idea it was going to grow into what it did. That was for two reasons - we have the best fans in the world, and the most amazing performers in the world.” More applause. “I want you all to continue to support our performers at their new home, Eros Video. I’m sure they will continue to do great things there.”
More applause, and then Tsuzuku stepped forward to talk next. “I’d like to thank the people who believed in this venture from the start, when we were all being called crazy,” he said. “They said nobody was going to watch porn with a bunch of tattooed and pierced guys. We proved them wrong, and we’re still proving them wrong.”
Koichi stepped forward after him. “We’re a bunch of lucky guys in that we really love what we’re doing,” he said. “And we loved the people who helped us bring it all to you. Most of all, I love the stylists - because we never looked so good in our lives. So here’s hoping things are just as beautiful at the new company!”
Meto, of course, wasn’t going to speak, so MiA had the last slot. “I just want to say I’m humbled by the support we’ve gotten,” he said. “We work really, really hard, and it’s nice to see it’s all worth it. And I especially want to thank my friends at Eros Films, who’ve made us feel welcome - the transition is going to be an easy one, thanks to you.”
MiA thought for a moment he heard a voice in the audience saying, “No, thanks to those corporate hacks at PSC” as he was leaving the stage, in the midst of the applause - but he figured he was mistaken.
* * *
The room got quiet with anticipation again as the previous emcee returned to the stage. “And now, our second award of the night - Newcomer of the Year. This is never an easy one to decide, because every year, a crop of brilliant talent makes their debuts, and narrowing it down to one guy who’s truly exceptional is a painful process. This year, though, we think we’ve chosen well. This performer seemingly came out of nowhere - one moment he was playing supporting roles. The next, he had the lead in one of the biggest titles of the year - and one of the starring roles in what’s sure to be an awards season blockbuster.”
Yo-ka and Yuuki both turned slowly to look at Subaru - who seemed to not quite know they were talking about him yet.
“You’re going to be hearing a lot from this young man next year. In fact, I dare say you’re going to be hearing about him at the JAVA Awards - but we wanted to be the first to give him a trophy, and say congratulations on a job well done. And now, without further ado, our Newcomer of the Year . . .” Pause. “From Eros Video . . .” Pause. “SUBARU!”
Subaru gave a jolt. “Me?” he said.
“Of course, you!” Yuuki said. “Who else?”
“I’m . . . oh, my God!” Subaru got up and rushed toward the stage, applause ringing in his ears. Was this happening? Oh, yes, it was. There was something that looked like a lopsided crystal teardrop in front of him, being held out by the previous year’s winner, and it had his name engraved on it, along with the words “NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR 2016” - since the awards were always dated for the year to come.
He picked it up, slowly. “Wow,” he said. “Wow. One minute you’re trying to get tickets for Star Wars, the next, they’re giving you awards!” The audience burst out into laughter. And suddenly, words were pouring out of him like he never thought they would in this situation - “I want to thank everyone who thought I was worth taking a chance on, everyone who’s cast me in a video so far, and everybody I’ve worked with - especially Yuuki, Yo-ka and MiA. You guys mean so much to me, you can’t even imagine. I have to thank my roommates for putting up with me coming and going at weird hours, and Tomoya for . . . well, everything.” And it just occurred to Subaru that his roommates weren’t watching this. Well, maybe they’d see a video of this later. “And finally, thanks to the Alliance - I can’t tell you how humbled and grateful I am.” He bowed and quickly existed the stage, rushing back to the table - where his friends were waiting to hug him.
“I told you that you were going to win that,” Yuuki said.
“I . . . I didn’t think they’d pick me,” Subaru said. “There’s so many other guys, who made so many more videos than me . . “
“But none of them had the impact you did,” Yo-ka said. “None of them made people go crazy like you did with Heart of the Ocean. You earned this, and you deserve it.”
None of the celebrants heard the voice a couple of tables back from them, murmuring, “Bullshit. Total bullshit. The industry’s gone to hell in a handbasket if they’ll give that award to someone like him. If they do that with the next award . . .”
* * *
Yo-ka reached over and squeezed Yuuki’s hand as he watched the emcee stride back across the stage to hand out The Big One - Performer of the Year. He knew this was it - his love was going to get the recognition due to him.
Across from him, Subaru was turning his award around and around in his hands, examining it from every angle, as if he still couldn’t quite believe it was real. He was happy for him, too. Subaru worked damn hard in everything he was in - he was a true pro.
He had to say that so far, the night was pretty damn near perfect - except for that jerk near the bathroom. And he wasn’t going to let that ruin things.
The emcee was saying, “And now, what you’ve all been waiting for. We’re going to name our Performer of the Year. And if choosing the Newcomer was hard, choosing this one was damn near impossible. But we settled on one guy, and we have to say, he very much deserves the title.”
Yo-ka squeezed Yuuki’s hand again. Yes, he thought, Yuuki deserves it. He’s everything the industry wants in a true star. Sexy, confident, in control . . .
“And it’s not too often that the Newcomer of the Year and Performer of the Year come from the same company,” the emcee continued. “But this company had such a stellar year that it pulled off the feat.”
That cinches it, Yo-ka thought. It’s definitely Yuuki. We’re going to have another award on the kitchen counter.
“This actor was in two of the biggest videos of the past 12 months, and pulled off both roles with style. He’s also been nothing but well-spoken in interviews - even when he’s talking about the dirty stuff. And he looks damn good in photo sessions. In short, he’s a star in every sense of the word, and he’ll just continue to be a bigger one.”
Well, that was Yuuki all the way around, wasn’t it? He was in Datenshi Blue and Homme Fatale, he’d done a number of magazine pictorials and he did come across well in interviews.
“And so, I’m going to ask the lovely MiA, last year’s Performer of the Year, to come up here and hand the award to his successor,” said the emcee. “MiA?”
MiA rose from his seat and headed for the stage, to the applause and whistles of the crowd. He bowed to acknowledge them, careful not to let the damn tiara fall off. He was just moments away from getting rid of it, after all.
“MiA, when you stood up here last year, you were taking the industry by storm with MiA Amore,” the emcee said. “What advice do you have for this year’s winner?”
“Enjoy the award and the parties and the publicity,” MiA said, “but don’t forget that you have to go back to work afterward. Just keep doing what you were doing to win the award.”
“Good advice, good advice,” said the emcee. “And now, the name.” Pause. “From Eros Films . . .”
Here it comes, Yo-ka thought. He’s going to yell Yuuki’s name, and . . .
“YO-KA!”
Yo-ka’s jaw nearly hit the table. No, wait - that was a mistake, right? He heard it wrong. They called Yuuki’s name, didn’t they? But the follow spot that had been on the emcee was suddenly glaring in his face, and the occupants of his table were hauling him to his feet, and he was stumbling toward the stage, thunderous applause in his ears . . .
He got up there, and all he could say was, “Me? ME? Really?” The audience roared with laughter.
Yo-ka looked down at the award. Yes, there was his name, engraved on the lopsided crystal teardrop. It wasn’t a mistake. Or a joke. Holy SHIT.
“I . . . I’d like to say something, but damn, I didn’t think in a million years I’d ever be up here,” he said. “I just want to thank everyone I’ve worked with, and Eros Films for giving me my first shot, and . . .”
Just then, a figure leapt out of the audience, charged for the stage and vaulted onto the dais. He yanked the microphone out of the stand in front of Yo-ka and yelled, “I’m sorry, but I can’t allow this to continue, because this is a disgrace to the industry!”
It was Masaki, the guy who had been in front of the bathroom earlier, the one Porn Again had said was a “purist.” And he clearly was not happy.
“You just gave ALL your awards to corporate whores!” he shouted. “Do you know that EVERY major video Subaru has been in has been a PSC Productions video? And you’re giving this award to Yo-ka for Datenshi fucking Blue, which was ALSO a PSC video? What do we have indie awards for if we’re going to do that? These two aren’t indie!”
One guy in the audience jumped up, punched the air and yelled, “Yeah!” A small group applauded along with him.
“And as for your Company of the Year? Their big star is a corporate whore, too!” He pointed at MiA. “He just got done filming Datenshi Blue 2! It was all over the damn Expo! He’s a sellout! He may have started out a Suicide Boy, but now he’s . . .”
At that point, armed security guards rushed toward the stage. Masaki dropped the mike and hightailed it out of there - to the loud cheers of his supporters.
Just about everyone else just stood there stunned. MiA put a hand on Yo-ka’s shoulder and squeezed it. What should have been the greatest moment of Yo-ka’s career had been ruined.
The emcee retried the mike, put it back where it belonged and said, tersely, “Thank you all for coming, and we’ll see you next year.” The show had come to a premature end.
Yo-ka took his award back to his seat, MiA’s hand still on his shoulder. When he got there, Yuuki immediately gave him a hug - but not for the reasons he originally would have.
What started out as a joyful surprise had turned into a buzzkill.
* * *
It was traditional afterward for the winners to have a photo and interview session with the press. The Alliance wasn’t going to let the incident ruin that. The Avalon Video crew, Yo-ka and Subaru were ushered into a side room, where they managed to put on big smiles and pose with their awards.
The questions, though, were a bit heavier than what they originally were going to be.
“What do you think of what Masaki said?” one reporter asked the actors. “Do you think your careers have been compromised by working with PSC?”
“First of all, those weren’t fully PSC videos,” Yo-ka said. “They were made under a co-production deal. Uruha directed them, yes, but our staffers’ names were on them as producers.”
“I can’t see why he called me a sellout when the video I was in was made under the co-production deal with Eros, and Avalon is merging with Eros,” MiA said. “I didn’t do Datenshi Blue 2 to get my name on a major label video. I did it because I believed in the video and its cast.”
“Eros Video is who signed me,” Subaru said. “Their name is on my contract. Nobody else’s.”
“He’s never headlined an Eros title!” yelled one of Masaki’s supporters from the back of the room. “His only starring roles have been with PSC!”
“I’ve been in Eros-only videos,” Subaru said. “They weren’t the lead role, but I’ve been in them.”
“Masaki is right!” another man yelled. “Why do we still have an indie alliance if we’re going to give awards to guys like this? Maybe we should just let the JAVAS take over the whole thing!”
“They’re still signed to Eros!” yelled one of the bloggers. “We go by whose name is on their contracts, not whose names are on the DVD spine!”
“Well, maybe you should rethink that, because pretty soon we’re going to give one of these fucking awards to the likes of Aoi because he’s in a PSC co-production!” another man in the back of the room yelled.
And suddenly, the whole room seemed to be shouting and yelling and arguing with each other. Subaru turned his head slowly and looked at Yo-ka, eyes wide with an emotion somewhere between hurt and fear.
Their triumph, it seemed, was making the evening result in flat-out disaster.
And suddenly, the loud crack of a whip sounded, instantly silencing the whole room. The participants in the press conference whirled around, to see Yuuki standing there, his unfurled trademark weapon hanging from one hand.
“I couldn’t help but hear the noise,” he said. “It’s not necessary. Masaki said you should be ashamed for giving them those awards? YOU should be ashamed for fighting over them. Yo-ka and Subaru deserved them.”
“You have no business saying that!” one of Masaki’s supporters shouted, pointing at Yuuki.
“Oh, I don’t?” Yuuki said. “Let me tell you something. A year ago, I was one of the biggest indie purists there were. I’d rather jump off Tokyo Tower than be in a big label production. I thought they were all hacks whose work was all budget and no substance.“
He walked further into the room, twisting his whip in his fingers. “And then, I got talked into a PSC co-production. And you know what? It didn’t kill me, or compromise my principles at all. Those videos really are indie co-productions. They have the independent spirit. The performers get treated with respect. The producers aren’t afraid to take chances, either - they’re not happy with churning out same-old-same-old. In fact? They’re more adventurous than some indie companies.”
He pointed the whip at Yo-ka and Subaru. “I’ve worked with both of them, and MiA. They work damn hard, all the time. They have high standards - they’re all-pro. And they fucking deserved those awards. You want a Performer of the Year? Yo-ka is it. He’s a star. So are the other two.”
He walked through the now-quiet room to his lover and his protégée. “Come on,” he said. “We’re getting out of here and going home. MiA, you too, if you’d like.”
MiA glanced back at Koichi, who was in the first row of the crowd - but Koichi nodded in Subaru’s direction, as if to say, he needs you tonight. MiA looked back at Yuuki and said, “Yes, I’m going.”
The four of them walked out of the room, and didn’t stop walking until they were out in the street. Yuuki stuck out a gloved hand to hire a cab, not caring about any strange looks he got from passerby. Not that he ever cared.
* * *
When they were back in the apartment, they just kind of sat around at first, feeling down in the dumps.
“I knew that guy was trouble,” Yo-ka said. “I heard him outside the bathroom. He was saying shitty stuff then. But then, to have him storm onto the stage like that . . .”
“He had no right,” Subaru said. “No right at all.”
“Damn right he didn’t.” Yuuki retrieved four beers from the fridge and started opening them. “I don’t care if he runs a production company, he has no say in what the rest of the industry thinks or does.”
“And the worst part?” Yo-ka said. “He made me wonder if, well . . . he was right. Just for a moment. He had me questioning my own decisions.”
“Me, too,” Subaru said, quietly. “He made me wonder if, well, I was a fake. If I shouldn’t be calling myself a member of Eros Films - because my starring roles HAVE been at PSC.”
“I’m not ashamed of being with PSC,” MiA said, quietly. “Not at all. Really - what’s the difference between indie and major?”
“Money,” Yuuki said, bringing the bottles into the room. “Money, pure and simple. The attitude that all indie is good and all major is bad is total shit. There’s been some excellent indie videos and some pro hackwork - and there’s also been the opposite.”
Yo-ka put his hand on Yuuki’s as his lover handed him the beer. “We’ve really come a long way in our thinking, haven’t we?” he said, quietly. “We used to be purists - snobs, really - like Masaki.”
Yuuki was quiet for a long moment, as if deep in thought. He knew damn well Yo-ka was right. He remembered how he’d balked at doing that first video, how he’d been adamant that he wasn’t selling out.
Then, he said, “Well, it was because we were able to let go of that attitude that you were able to become Performer of the Year, isn’t it? Datenshi Blue is what made you a superstar.”
“Labels don’t matter, do they?” Subaru said, quietly. “Indie, major - they’re just that, labels. As long as we’re comfortable with what we’re doing, as long as WE know we haven’t sold out - that’s all that matters, right?”
MiA squeezed his hand. “And you’re still Newcomer of the Year, no matter what a couple of guys said. Nobody’s had a bigger debut in the last year than you.”
Subaru blushed. “I still can’t believe they gave me the award,” he said.
“I meant what I said back there,” said Yuuki. “You deserved it. I’ve watched you grow and develop from that first day you met with Uruha at his office. You went from an awkward kid to a star.”
“That’s because I had help from all of you,” Subaru said. “Getting to know you has been the best thing about the past year, by far. And I’ll bet that bastard Masaki doesn’t have anyone in his life like you guys.”
“Fuck, yes,” said Yuuki. “We have each other, and that’s worth more than any award.” He held out his beer in a toast. “So here’s to doing what we want, and fuck what people like him think.”
“Kampaii!” the others shouted as they clinked their beers together.
After they drank, MiA said, “Oh, I forgot something.” He took the tiara off his head and put it on Yo-ka’s. “I was supposed to pass this on to you.”
Yo-ka looked uncomfortable. “Um . . . thanks? I think?”
Yuuki shot out a hand and snatched it off Yo-ka’s head. “You’re not wearing that,” he said. “I’m finding you more suitable headgear.”
Everyone laughed. The mood had been lightened. What they all had together meant more than any award, indeed.
* * *
When the hours crept into the wee smalls, Yuuki got out the double futon from their closet - the same one he and Yo-ka used back in their old apartment - and lay it out on the floor, along with pillows and blankets - and some other items.
“And here’s some lube, condoms, dental dams . . . you two let us know if you need anything else, okay? Oh, and here’s some warming massage oil, in case you want it.”
“Won’t you be, well, playing in your own room?” Subaru said. “I don’t want to interrupt you.”
“Of course we will,” Yuuki said. “But you can just tiptoe in and get what you need. You know where the stuff is.”
This was, indeed, a situation unique to people in the porn industry.
Subaru got ready for bed, went into the living room and crawled under the futon covers, completely nude. Why not? He’d made love with everyone in this apartment, and it wasn’t as if he and MiA would be going straight to sleep.
When MiA came out of the bathroom, equally nude, he lay down next to Subaru, draping an arm over his waist. “You really do deserve that award, you know,” he said.
“I know,” he said. “I still feel kind of funny about it, though.”
“You know there’s an unofficial tradition that the Newcomer of the Year and the Performer of the Year do a video together afterward,” MiA said. “Same thing with the new Performer of the Year and the old one.”
“Did you do that?” Subaru said.
“I did something with the previous Performer of the Year in MiA Amore. The Newcomer of the Year? I co-presented an award with him at the JAVAS. They kind of let you do that as a substitute.” He kissed Subaru’s neck. “I don’t think it’ll be a hardship for you to do another video with Yo-ka. Not after seeing you two in Heart of the Ocean.”
“And you and Yo-ka?”
“That’s something I’ve wanted to do for awhile,” MiA said. “Plus, I want to start a new tradition, right now.”
“Which is?”
“The outgoing Performer of the Year and the Newcomer of the Year.”
Subaru turned toward him, and the two men brought their lips together in a kiss that started soft and tender - and then began to heat up, become hotter, wetter, more intense.
MiA reached between their bodies, sliding his hand up Subaru’s chest as their tongues began to rub against each other. He found a nipple, caressing it as Subaru stirred beneath him, covering his lover’s hand with his own.
They shifted so that MiA was on top, and he licked down Subaru’s neck with a long sweep of his tongue, nipping at his collarbone, then licking back up, murmuring, “You’re so very beautiful.”
“Mmmm . . .” Subaru tipped his head backward, his lips opening in a hot, wet gasp as MiA sucked at a sensitive area at the bottom of his throat, his hands running down his lover’s back . . .
He grasped MiA’s ass, squeezing hard, and MiA responded by arching forward, pressing his cock against Subaru’s body. The two men wrapped their arms around one another, holding on tight, moving their hips, thrusting and grinding together.
Their hips shifted so their cocks were rubbing directly against each other, and they both moaned, moving faster, MiA running his fingers over Subaru’s lips, Subaru licking at them eagerly, then drawing one in and sucking.
MiA moved back, slowly, taking a deep breath, because if they kept going like that, they were both going to come quickly, and he wanted, needed it to last.
Subaru took this opportunity to roll on his stomach, pulling his knees up so his beautiful ass was up in the air, moving his legs apart to open him up. He looked over his shoulder, giving MiA a glance that was at once sweet and smoldering.
Oh, God, no wonder this boy was a fast-rising star. The combination of sweetness and heat with which he openly offered that ass was intoxicating.
MiA groped for the lube that Yuuki had left for them, uncapping the bottle and pouring it on his fingers. He brought one to his lover’s entrance, pushing it in slowly . . .
Subaru groaned. “Oh, yes, it’s so good . . .”
“Relax,” MiA murmured, sliding in further, feeling tight heat grip him hard. “I want it to be so good for you . . .”
He moved his finger around, exploring here and there as he thrust in and out, slowly, then more quickly . . .
And then, suddenly, he hit a spot that made Subaru stiffen and tremble. “Oh!” he cried.
“Good?” MiA moved his finger over the spot again, and Subaru let out a louder cry, arching upward.
“Yes!” Subaru panted. “Again, right there . . .”
MiA slid another finger into Subaru, curving them both, finding that spot again, caressing it very gently, rubbing over it again, and Subaru let out a long, loud moan, arching against his lover, grabbing the futon under him.
Subaru squeezed his eyes shut, thinking he was going to drown in pleasure. Oh, my God, it was so wonderful, so intense, like electric current running through his body, making his nipples harden even more, his toes curl, and his cock feel so hot and stiff, throbbing hard . . .
Those fingers were still stroking and stroking him, moving over the same spot, rubbing and caressing, and all he could do was moan, louder and louder . . .
He suddenly felt a hand on his hair that wasn’t MiA’s. He opened his eyes - to see Yuuki kneeling in front of him, as naked as he was. And Yo-ka’s hands were on his back as well . . .
Subaru turned his head back and forth, taking them both in. “What are you doing here?” Not that he objected, quite the contrary - but he was definitely surprised.
“We heard the sounds you were making,” Yo-ka said. “We thought whatever the two of you were doing sounded more fun than what we were doing.”
“He . . . he was touching me inside, and it was so good, he hit that spot . . .”
“I just got lucky,” MiA said, looking a bit sheepish. He was leaning over, his fingers still up Subaru’s ass, his own bottom openly displayed . . .
Which Yo-ka took full advantage of. He reached for the lube himself. “Someone should return that favor,” he said, “don’t you think?”
He brought a finger to MiA’s entrance and started to push in, making the blond gasp - this was unexpected! “Yes,” he gasped. “Yo-ka . . .”
Subaru, meanwhile, was kissing Yuuki deeply, as the pink-haired man leaned in to him, running a hand along Subaru’s back, caressing the smooth flesh. Subaru reached down, sliding his hand along Yuuki’s torso, down toward his cock . . .
Yo-ka began to move his finger in and out of MiA, feeling around the way MiA had done to Subaru, looking for that one spot that was the sweetest in a man’s body - and when he connected with it, MiA let out a deep moan the way Subaru had, leaning over to rest his cheek on the younger man’s ass.
“Do you like that?” Yo-ka said, curling his finger a little and starting to caress the spot.
“Aaahh!” MiA cried. “Yes . . .”
“You deserve this,” Yo-ka said. “You made Subaru feel good, so now I’m going to make you feel good.” He rubbed back and forth, leaning over to kiss MiA’s neck, feeling how the other man trembled beneath him . . .
MiA was still stroking Subaru, but more slowly now, and Subaru had his fingers wrapped around Yuuki’s cock, caressing it slowly from top to bottom, rubbing his thumb over the tip, watching the other man’s face . . .
Yo-ka stroked faster, and MiA let out a long, low moan, thinking he was drowning in pleasure, thrusting against those fingers, feeling tendrils of fire running over his whole body, wanting more and more of that sweet friction . . .
There was so much emphasis put on cocks in their industry. They had, apparently, forgotten that fingers could bring just as much pleasure - maybe even more.
And then, suddenly, the fingers stopped and slid out. MiA looked back over his shoulder, panting, his eyes mutely asking Yo-ka why he stopped.
“You want it to last, don’t you?” Yo-ka said. “Come here . . .”
MiA slid his own fingers out of Subaru, wiping them off quickly on a tissue, then turned around, pulling Yo-ka into his arms and kissing his lips hard, still trembling from the pleasure, rubbing his body against the other man’s . . .
“Yo-ka,” MiA said in a breathless voice, reaching down, finding the other man’s cock, stroking it up and down, trying to give back even a little of the pleasure the other man gave him.
“You’re really beautiful right now,” Yo-ka said. He looked over MiA’s shoulder at the other two. “Isn’t he?”
But the others weren’t paying attention - because Yuuki had Subaru lying across his lap, and was spanking him lightly, his hand raising, pausing, then smacking just hard enough so Subaru could feel it.
Subaru was squirming, moaning, the little bit of pain contrasting with the intense pleasure of before, just making it all the more intense . . .
MiA found himself turned on even more looking at it, at the expression of pleasure on Yuuki’s face at delivering sweet pain, at Subaru’s reactions . . .
“Do you want that, too?” Yo-ka said.
MiA’s reply was to turn around, to lean over again, presenting his ass, a silent yes. Yo-ka raised his hand, then brought it down sharply, the smack reverberating through the air. A little bit of pain exploded through MiA as intently as the pleasure of before, making him come moan when the hand came down a second time, a bit harder.
“Fuck me,” MiA gasped. “Fuck me, please . . .”
Subaru raised his head at that. “MiA . . .” he said, the cry adding to his lust the way the sight of him being spanked had done for MiA. He got on all fours, his ass in the air, and MiA did the same thing, facing Subaru . . .
The two men leaned toward each other and kissed as Yuuki pushed his fingers into Subaru, and Yo-ka did the same to MiA, opening them up, making them ready, even though it wouldn’t take much after the earlier penetrative play. Tongues slid against one another as fingers moved in and out, spreading apart gently.
Then, Yuuki positioned himself behind Subaru, and Subaru watched Yo-ka do the same thing to MiA. It was like looking in an odd mirror that reflecting things almost, but not quite close to reality.
It was also hot as hell for Subaru, knowing MiA would be feeling the same thing as him at the same time.
Yuuki and Yo-ka began to push forward, gently and slowly, starting to fill their lovers, and Subaru and MiA leaned forward, laying their heads on each other’s shoulders, clinging to one another . . .
Yo-ka ran his hand along MiA’s chest, stroking his nipple as he began to move in and out, watching Yuuki do the same to Subaru as the younger boys moaned, still clinging to one another.
It was, in a way, like they were all penetrating each other, and just the thought of that alone was volcanic hot.
Yo-ka began to slowly thrust harder, faster, and Yuuki did the same, as Subaru raised his head, starting to moan louder, moving his hips along with Yuuki, matching his thrusts . . . but also trying to move in the same rhythm as MiA, who was thrusting backward against Yo-ka, moaning the other man’s name . . .
“Fuck me deeper,” MiA moaned, and it was like he spoke for all of them. Yo-ka and Yuuki both sped up, thrusting harder, faster, and yes, deeper, their cocks sliding through tight heat, rubbing against spots made sensitive from their earlier finger play, making the two ukes moan louder still, bucking up against them.
And they all kept their eyes on each other, gazing at each other’s pleasure, at faces in bliss, skin glistening with sweat, muscles rippling with frantic movement . . .
Yuuki shifted his hips a little, and his cock hit that spot inside Subaru, making Subaru suddenly stiffen, trembling . . . and then, he cried out loudly, his come pouring and pouring from him over Yuuki’s fingers . . .
Seconds later, MiA let out a loud cry as well, and Yuuki was right after him, pulling out of Subaru as if they were filming, his essence pouring onto the younger man’s ass . . and the sight of all that finally set Yo-ka off, thrusting deeply into MiA as ecstasy exploded through his body.
The four of them collapsed to the futon in a sweaty heap. They kissed, first Subaru and MiA, Yuuki and Yo-ka, then changing partners, moving about until every pair of lips had claimed every other.
“I’m glad we came out here,” Yo-ka said, lying on his back on the futon, MiA snuggling against him. Subaru snuggled against MiA’s other side, Yuuki snuggled against Yo-ka’s.
“I’m glad, too,” Subaru yawned.
“You look really hot with him,” MiA said, not opening his eyes. He was absolutely blissful right now, between the afterglow and the two men snuggled against him.
“Maybe we should get Uruha to film all of us together,” Subaru murmured.
“No,” said Yuuki. “He can film any other combination of us - but four-way playtimes are just for us.” He reached across Yo-ka to put his hand over MiA’s. “And I’m getting the two of you prostate vibrators - the kind with suction cups, so you can play either alone or with a lover.”
“Mmmm,” MiA said. “Those, we can use on-camera.”
The four of them nestled on the futon, feeling content. It was as if the nastiness with Misaki hadn’t happened at all.
Let people say nasty things about them winning those awards. It couldn’t take away what really mattered.
* * *
Within a week of the Christmas party/awards ceremony, the trades were carrying articles saying that beginning in 2017, the JAVAS would be adding Performer of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and Company of the Year awards - and they wouldn’t be restricted to indies.
Speculation immediately began to circulate that the move was tied to what had happened at that year’s Alliance event. The JAVAS denied it, saying they’d had the move in the works for awhile.
Masaki and the bloggers who supported him continued to loudly protest Subaru and Yo-ka’s wins- though they got shouted down by a large number of supporters of the two. And there was a third faction that just ignored the whole thing, saying it was a needless, annoying controversy, and what did it all matter as long as Yo-ka and Subaru were making money for someone?
The boys at the eye of the storm were strangely silent about it all, except for a few comments to the bloggers and the press. This fueled speculation that they were more upset about it all than they were letting on, that they were worried they’d have to surrender their awards.
In reality, it was quite the opposite. They decided to disregard the furor and move on with their lives and careers. As long as they had what was truly important, they had no need to care about the opinions of others.
Shared experiences - like MiA and Subaru’s movie outing - were the biggest award of them all.