rabenhorst (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
rabenhorst) wrote2009-10-22 11:41 pm
rabenhorst) wrote2009-10-22 11:41 pm
(no subject)
Title: Rebel Without a Clue; Chapter 1
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
seinen_no and fonulyn
Rating: PG [going up to NC17]
Pairing: Die and Kaoru
Disclaimer: We own no one, only our dirty imaginations.
Summary: When Kaoru’s car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, he is ready to throw a fit and exclaim that his whole life has just been ruined. He has an important meeting to catch, and in order to get there he has no other choice but to try hitch-hike. His luck seems to be turning when a car stops, a young and gorgeous man picking him up from the street with a promise to take him to his destination. Little did he know what his destination truly would be.
Comments: Written for the travel/tour week of the D/K Oktoberfest!
seinen_no: Hey dears! So there's our donation for the travel-topic. Damn, I wanted to write something myself too but life's way too hectic these days. Too many things to think about and all. At least I had this dream and after talking with my hunney about it, it evolved into this idea. I hope you like it although it turned out a bit differently than imagined at first. Anyhow, I better quit babbling. Enjoy!
fonulyn: This was cooked up on a whim really, since we didn’t have any good ideas for the travel week but wanted to contribute something. Personally, I think this turned out quite good though and I am pretty pleased about it :D I hope that you like it as much as I do! The other three parts will follow soon-ish, when we actually manage to go through them and proofread them properly. So yes, stay tuned for more ;D
And feel free to add our journal if you like the stories!
Plus, the archive .
Rebel Without a Clue
Chapter 1
The engine was stuttering, followed by a loud bang before it went off. Kaoru's first gaze went to the fuel indicator, but it said that there was still more than half a tank left. He turned the key again, but all that happened was a gargling sound, another bang like from a misfire and then steam was seeping out of the hood. Sighing, he pulled the hand break, switched on the emergency flasher and got out of the car. It was bright day, the sun standing high on the sky and without the cooling effect of the air-conditioning, he was beginning to sweat at an instant. Throwing the jacket of his suit on the backseat, Kaoru went to the hood, burned his fingers and then finally managed to open it cursing and swearing. Of course he had no idea about engines and just did what he thought he should.
Besides, he didn't want to look like a fool although there was no living soul in sight. Why again had he taken this road? Oh yes, the map-guide had said it was an especially pretty road, right through the heart of the country and since it was no huge detour, he had decided to put up with the few hours longer it took compared to the main highway. Now he paid the prize as he was stuck right in the middle of nowhere with a broken car. It would take hours for the towing service to arrive and even longer until he had found new means of transportation to get to his meeting in time.
This week certainly hadn't started good already when he had tried to book a flight only to find out that everything was booked because of some stupid exhibition that took place just in the city where he had to meet with the most important business partner of his company. He already had paid a ridiculously high prize for a shabby small room in a two star hotel and had to accept the fact that riding by car was the best option if he couldn't get a flight. Initially, he had planned to get to the city three days before already because it had been more than a year since he had taken a couple of days off from work. He simply hated riding the train, because it had happened to him more than once that he had missed to change in between or then the connecting train had been gone already, because his was running late.
So he had decided to take the car. Maybe two days on the road would help him to calm down a bit, to get some peace of mind. He desperately needed some alone-time; knew that he was close to being burned-out and yet he somehow had troubles to shut off his brains and not think of his work 24/7. One look at the steaming engine and even he had to see that this car wouldn't move an inch anymore. Digging out his mobile, he wanted to call the breakdown service, but of course he had no reception. Again cursing, he pondered for a moment and found that it would be the most clever thing to try and hitch-hike to the next city where he could rent another car and organize that his own would be towed to a garage, get fixed and brought back to his place.
The only problem; he feared that nobody would drive by there in ages. He had two options, stay at the broken car and wait till the sun had burned him alive and somebody drove by or then walk along the road and either hope somebody drove by or then that he reached a town or even a house. He decided for the latter, took his small travel-bag, his papers, locked the car and began walking. Although it was burning hot, he didn't even roll up the sleeves of his shirt, but only marched on determinedly.
The sun seemed to burn right through his shirt though, and before he even noticed he had managed to sweat so much that the thin shirt was practically soaked. Along with his dishevelled hair, and the dirty stains he had managed to get on his shirt from the engine, that made sure that he didn't really look that presentable right now. It made him even crankier, as he only had another suit with him that he was supposed to wear at the meeting, and now he had effectively managed to ruin the clothes he was wearing. He was even beginning to think that he wouldn't want anyone to stop and give him a lift, as he would just look like a pitiful bum and make everyone look down on him.
His brains were running, his thoughts racing, and he didn't even notice at first when a car suddenly appeared from the horizon. Only when the red car was beginning to slow down, until it was practically going forward the same pace as he was, he startled from his thoughts and stopped. The car stopped instantly as well, and the window was rolled down. Automatically Kaoru bent down, peeking inside the car. At first he had to blink a few times, the bright sun having blinded him effectively, but once he finally gained back his sight he noticed he was looking straight into deep brown eyes and an easy-going smile.
"Need a lift?" The stranger spoke up, his smile even widening a little. He was only wearing worn and faded jeans and a white t-shirt, dark sunglasses lifted from his eyes to his forehead for the time being. His hair was dark brown, and instinctively Kaoru thought that together with the slightly tanned skin it really complimented his features. It even made him startle a little, noticing that he was checking out the stranger already before he had answered his question.
"Well, yeah." Kaoru gave a crooked grin. Compared to this dream in jeans and shirt, he looked like a pitiful salesman, especially since he had taken his trolley instead of his sports-bag along. Gods, he felt old even. Another look and Kaoru hitched an eyebrow. Did the man carry his pack of cigarettes rolled up in the sleeve of his t-shirt? Wasn't that out since the sixties? But then, his car was a shiny girl's trap, a classic, Mustang '68 and Kaoru asked himself distantly why one would ride this beauty with the top up. A small sting in his neck reminded him that the sun was burning down so mercilessly that it probably was a clever thing to do so. Only after another second, he realized that he had been silent for quite some time, lost in his own confusing thoughts. "Where are you heading?" he asked with what he hoped was an open smile.
"Doesn't really matter," the other man shook his head a little, his hair flowing around him in a way that looked almost enchanting. How was it possible that he wasn't even sweating like hell in this weather? He chuckled merrily, and again Kaoru got lost in his thoughts as that laughter was so genuine and carefree that it made him smile automatically as well. He didn't have the time to comment on the words though, before the other man went on, casually reaching out his hand. "I'm Die. Just hop on in and tell me where we're heading."
Automatically, Kaoru reached for the hand and shook it. "I'm Kaoru." He introduced himself with his first name as well as 'Die' certainly wasn't the other man's surname. Why on earth didn't he care where they would be heading? Kaoru, businessman through and through, couldn't understand that somebody was just driving around aimlessly without a certain destination. Didn't everybody need a goal; something he wanted to achieve? At least Die didn't look like a psycho-killer. Although, could one tell that by the looks? Maybe he was a crazy James Dean fan or something who had escaped a mental asylum? At least he looked a bit like a rebel.
Still, Kaoru went around the car, shoved his suitcase into the trunk and then jumped on the passenger-seat. "Just take me to the next city. From there, I can call the towing service for my car. It broke down one or two miles ago," he informed while fastening the seatbelt. It didn't pass him by that the driver hadn't fastened his and that only confirmed Kaoru's decision that this man probably was a loose canon. "I'll rent a car then and continue my trip. I'm quite in a hurry, you know."
"In a hurry?" At that, Die arched an eyebrow and turned to look at his companion curiously. There was something in his eyes that made Kaoru desperately want to trust him though, this genuine sparkle that was usually impossible to fake. "C'mon, tell me where you have to be and when. Maybe I'm heading just that way." He winked with a merry grin, before dropping his sunglasses back down on his nose and steering the car back on the road.
Kaoru just quickly mentioned his destination and in the same sentence explained that he has a very important appointment there which he can't miss, so that he maybe rather would just take the train to be sure to get there on time. He couldn't help but to like this gorgeous young man but at the same time didn't want to make Die feel responsible to take a detour for him and he certainly would feel odd if the other man did the long drive just to take him there. "So really, just drop me off in the next city and I make my way from there," he ended his long and a bit hasty explanation.
"You don't need to be there before Monday then?" That was the only thing Die asked, not even looking at the man on the passenger's seat for the time being. It was clear that he didn't really need to focus on driving either though, he just let his gaze roam over the scenery that kept on changing around them. "It means we have plenty of time to spare. We're not that far away." From the tone of his voice one could clearly hear that he had made up his mind, and apparently he was still determined to take the other man to his destination.
"Well..." Kaoru hesitated with an answer. He had wanted to take that road-trip anyways, but it had been meant to give him some peace and take his thoughts off work. Doing a trip with a total stranger was appealing on the one hand, especially if this stranger was such a gorgeous young man like Die, but on the other hand it could end up in a total disaster. The worst case scenario was that Die just dropped him off somewhere too far away from his destination and he wouldn't make it to the meeting. "Don't you have to be anywhere?" Kaoru asked finally. "I don't want to be a bother."
He was painfully aware of the fact that his driver was freshly showered, smelled like soap, cologne and tobacco while he probably smelled like a skunk. His shirt was still sticking to his sweaty back and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Oh what the hell, Kaoru thought. What had happened to the once spontaneous young man he had been? In some kind of desire for a change, for an adventure and making a new experience, he nodded finally. "Alright, if it's no bother for you, we drive together."
"It's no bother, trust me," Die nodded as well, his smile even widening as he obviously was glad about that decision. "This morning I didn't even know where I was headed, and now I actually have a clear destination." He winked good-naturedly. Somehow neither of them felt the need to talk more, the silence was comfortable amongst them although they had just met a few minutes ago. So they both fell silent, and at one point Die reached to turn on the radio, some 80s rock'n'roll filling the still air in the car.
It made Kaoru smile to himself as that simply suited the moment perfectly. It was as if he was on the loose and still he couldn't drag his thoughts away from work completely. After a short stop at a gas-station in a tiny small town that was more like the gathering of four houses, where they had a coffee, the drive went on. Kaoru had taken some papers out of his bag, the contract he wanted to present the, hopefully, business-partner to be. Die kept on driving and he was reading, now much more comfortable after he had freshened up a bit in the shabby toilet at the gas-station.
They had bought something to drink in the car as well, and at one point Die popped open a soda-can only to drink half of it in one long sip. Afterwards he offered the rest to Kaoru, who only hesitated a split second before accepting it with an honest smile. Die had eyed the papers curiously for a while now, and suddenly he spoke up, the first time after they had left the gas station. "The meeting is only in two days. You can forget those for a while."
The words made Kaoru sigh and he nodded. He knew that Die was right and he also knew that he wasn't good company not to mention that he hadn't seen a single bit of the wonderful nature that was stretching out left and right from the road. Still, he hesitated for a moment as if the papers were glued to his hands before finally storing them in the small gap beside his seat. He didn't comment on it further though but took a long sip from the soda himself, sighing contently afterwards. "How far do you think we'll get today?" he asked, turning to look at his companion who seemed to have an eternal smirk on his lips. It made Kaoru's heart beat a bit quicker. It's been a while since he had spent some time in the company of a gorgeous man like Die. Too long maybe.
"I don't know," Die flashed an honest smile, and judging by the tone of his voice he didn't really even care where they would end up that day. "Let's just see when we get tired and want to get some rest. It's been a long day." He smiled, and there was nothing that the other man could really say to that. True, they weren't in hurry or anything, and yet, he would've preferred to be at his destination already as soon as possible, just because he was paranoid not to get there on time. Everything in Die's posture was radiating relaxation though, he didn't seem to have a single thing to worry about in the world.
Kaoru thought of him like a leaf in the wind that didn't now where it would end up. He had always admired people like that, had even tried to lead such a life for some time, but had failed miserably. He was a control-freak, unable to live without his watch and the worst thing was, he didn't even register the time anymore whenever he looked at it as it happened every other second. Now he was stuck with a man with an aura that attracted him like a flame the moths, but still couldn't let go and just enjoy the moment.
It was already getting dark rapidly and the sun had set below the horizon, a vague shape of the moon hiding somewhere behind the clouds. It was even a bit odd, how such a sunny day could turn out as such a cloudy evening and night. They made one more stop, getting some strong coffee from yet another gas station that seemed to be so small it was a miracle it was even still there. Afterwards Kaoru had thought they would go on driving for longer still, but suddenly Die steered out from the bigger road and on this muddy little path that didn't really look suitable for cars. When Kaoru arched an eyebrow questioningly, he only received a bright smile and a short explanation. "I think it's time to find a place to sleep the night. Besides, I'm hungry."
That sounded reasonable as they hadn't eaten anything besides a chocolate bar at the first gas-station. "Of course," Kaoru agreed. He would have stopped by this hour probably as well. Only this small path didn't look very trusting and for a split second, he asked himself if now came the moment where Die dragged him out into the woods somewhere to slash his throat and run off with his belongings. The thought alone made Kaoru chuckle though as it was so ridiculous. He didn't know Die at all and still he couldn't imagine him to be somebody who could hide ulterior motives well. "And you are taking me where?" Kaoru asked still, amusement dancing in his voice.
"To this charming little town that is located at the end of this road," Die announced instantly with a smile, even chuckling a little. Kaoru was just about to ask if this was something Die really called a road, instead of some muddy field, but just at that moment they reached the "charming little town" in question. It was small, indeed, but in this light it looked more like a ghost town than charming in any way. It made both of them laugh, and Die didn't seem to be taken aback at all. "Okay, a little less charming, but hey, it's a town nevertheless! I bet they have a nice hotel or something where we can sleep for the night, and get cheap and good food."
That made Kaoru laugh again and he even patted Die's shoulder. "Consider yourself my guest then." They indeed found a hotel, more a pension and the old lady at the reception told them that they still had a room left. It was high season so close to the coast and although it didn't look like it, she insisted that everything else was booked. The key in the hand, Kaoru led the way across the yard to the room that had a separate entrance. "And you think we get something to eat here?" he asked chuckling, fumbling for the lighter to find the keyhole as the light in the yard didn't work and the sun had hidden completely behind the clouds and would sink without giving the usual red-orange lightshow this day.
"Hey, even in the shabbiest of places, there always is some food!" Die announced, obviously completely convinced of it. He wanted to see as well, and leaned closer, in the process brushing their shoulders together and somehow it made them both freeze for a second. It only lasted for a heartbeat though, before Die simply smiled and went on. "C'mon, people need to eat everywhere. I bet we'll find something."
Just before pushing the door open, Kaoru turned his head to Die, startling as their faces were so close all suddenly. Yet, he got over it quickly and just winked. "Are you sure? The lady at the reception at least didn't look like she would cook us a good home-made meal." He let Die in first, following right after and very much to his surprise, the room was neat, small but at least clean. Only the huge double-bed in the middle of it made him frown. Not that he had troubles sharing a bed with somebody, but with a stranger?
Die didn't seem to have any troubles with that though, since he just threw his back on the bed and turned around, pushing his hands into his pockets as he eyed his companion with a small grin dancing on his lips. "We can only find out by asking. Let's go. Leave your stuff here and we go ask that lovely lady if she has some food for the poor, hungry travellers," he winked merrily, and this time purposefully walked past the other man so close that their shoulders brushed together again.
His whole posture, his coolness, made Kaoru's hart jump a beat. Why on earth did he always have to fall for this certain type of guys who meant nothing but troubles? For a moment, he eyed the papers he had thrown onto the table but then decided that the human needed food and quickly followed the taller man. At first, Kaoru had thought he was just staring at Die's back but then he realized that he was staring at the other man's small butt that was moving all nicely in those blue jeans.
Shaking his head, he quickened his steps to catch up with Die, smiling at him from the side. "So you really intend on asking her for something to eat?" he asked chuckling. Indeed, when they had reached the reception, Die walked right towards the lady and asked her if she happened to have something to eat for them still. He tried all his charm, was smiling at her and still just received a grumpy frown. "Not anymore today. A few meters along the street is a restaurant. There you can eat." With having said that, she deemed her job done and simply turned around, leaving the two standing there. "And people praise the Japanese service," Kaoru laughed heartily, grabbed the sleeve of Die's leather-jacket and dragged him towards the door. "C'mon, let's see if they even accept credit cards here."
"Are you trying to say you don't have any cash on a road-trip?" Die asked with a teasing grin and an amused chuckle. He only shrugged a bit at that though, going on before even receiving an answer. "I think I can get us both some food in case your card isn't accepted." He didn't seem to think it was that big of a deal, as his voice was completely casual as he just offered that instantly. Indeed, when they walked down the street they came across a small eatery, neither of them would ever call it a restaurant though. It was small and shabby, but with a bright grin Die announced that the food was always best in those shady looking places. Kaoru wasn't that thrilled, but he didn't have any choice anyways as he was dragged inside.
Of course they didn't accept plastic there and it embarrassed Kaoru that Die now had to pay for him. That didn't seem to bother the other man though and after Kaoru had ensured for like the fifth time that he would pay him back, the taller man rolled his eyes and shut him up with a single gesture. Kaoru saw that he had been impossible and chuckled apologetically before ordering a double fried chicken with sweet and hot sauce, praying that it would be at least remotely edible.
Die turned out to be right though, the food was really good or then the two men were simply too hungry to care. Along with the food, they were drinking cheap beer and Kaoru thought distantly that it had been a while since he had enjoyed a meal this much. Die fascinated him as he could be silent for minutes but whenever Kaoru's thoughts were drifting towards work again, he spoke up and demanded his attention as if he sensed that.
Although Die seemed to merrily speak of just about anything that crossed his mind, he never really gave out much about himself. While they had been examining the menu, he had curled his nose and said that he detested fish, in every possible form, and later on he had given out that he dabbled a little on guitar on his free time. That was it, nothing else even remotely personal had spilled from him during the whole time. It even made Kaoru feel a little odd as he had already told about his job, had told where he lived and gazillion other little facts that were probably totally uninteresting.
Yet, it didn't seem that Die minded at all. He seemed to be enjoying the other man's company a lot, and by the time they got to their fourth beers, he was smiling constantly. "So, Kaoru, tell me," he began, in a way so typical for him. "What did you want to be when you grow up?"
The question startled the smaller man and he stared at Die for a moment. To win some time, he took another sip from his beer and when he put it down again looked at the other man. "You mean as a child or as a teen?" he asked, chuckling a bit. "As a child I wanted to be an Egyptologist and discover hidden treasures after my father had taken me to an exhibition about Tut-Ench-Amun," he gave away.
The revelation made Die smile instantly, his eyes having this distinctive sparkle in them. "That sounds so cool." He nodded a little, obviously not saying it just to be polite but really meaning it. "I wanted to be a scientist who studies sharks. They're so cool, so wild and yet so misunderstood." Before Kaoru had the time to ask anything about that though, the next question fell from Die's lips inevitably. "What about as a teen?"
"As a teen?" Kaoru smirked. "I wanted to be a guitarist," Kaoru gave away, his eyes sparkling merrily. "Forget money, I wanted fame and groupies," he went on with a chuckle before taking another sip of his beer. Deliberately, he left out the fact that he would have rather had male groupies than females, but that wasn't important anyways, was it?
"So you wanted to be a rock-god with dozens of fans kneeling at your feet?" The taller man grinned, and there was something in his eyes that made it appear like he could really see straight through Kaoru, straight into the deepest confines of his soul. When he went on, there even was a clearly ambiguous undertone in his voice. "Occasionally kneeling between your feet?"
The gaze made Kaoru shudder and feel exposed. He couldn't explain it but he felt exposed, naked even. The words made something completely different go through him, made his heart skip a beat even. Smirking, he nodded, admitting easily. "Of course. Tell me you weren't dreaming of people kneeling before you as a teen and I call you a blunt liar."
"Oh, I'm not even going to deny that," Die laughed, the sound something so carefree and hearty that it was impossible to even describe with words. It was like a fresh breath of wind. "Hey c'mon, I play a bit of guitar too. Of course I wanted to be a rock-god and have people lining up to wait for a chance to be with me. Or even to touch my divinity."
"Divinity?" Kaoru chuckled. Die simply had a way to keep him interested and the fact that he didn't give away too much from himself made him want to know everything even more. "And now?" the smaller man asked after signalling the waiter that they would have another beer still. It was thin, hardly any foam and it would take much more than five beers to make him drunk. Still, he was at the point where certain lightness spread in his head, something so comfortable that he didn't want to let go of it just yet. "Are you playing the guitar still to make people kneel?"
"No," Die shook his head, chuckling lowly. "Nowadays I only play for myself, at home. There's not many people around there to impress. The dreams of being a professional somehow just slipped past me." He shrugged a little, and it didn't seem to bother him too much that he only got to play for his own amusement. He seemed like the type to play with the cards he was dealt, and didn't really worry about anything.
Still, that was a very useful piece of information as he just had given away that he was living alone. Somehow, that made Kaoru very content. Not that he wouldn't have granted Die the luck of a long and steady relationship nor that he counted on him playing for his team even, let alone that the other man could be remotely attracted to a boring man like himself, but it suited his idea of Die being a free spirit; unbound and untameable.
"And now?" Die chuckled after a moment as the other man had just fallen silent for a long moment, gazing into the distance. "You're wondering why I live alone instead of being a rock star with dozens of groupies? Trust me," he winked, "groupies do get boring with some time. Sometimes, it's better to be alone or in a chosen company than surrounded by too many people."
Kaoru hadn't even realized that he had been silent and now startled, chuckling as Die had guessed his thoughts so very well. Or was he able to read his mind after all? "Something like that," he admitted winking. "But tell me," his lips curved into a small smirk, "you speak as if you knew about groupies..."
"I have my wild youth," the other man stated in a tone so theatrical that he sounded like he was seventy now, talking about happenings that had taken place fifty years ago, instead of the fifteen that was more likely. They both burst out laughing, and Kaoru almost managed to snort beer through his nose before calming down a bit. Die's eyes were still sparkling when he went on though, a grin dancing on his lips. "I was in a band. In high school. A very popular band at that, in the local circles."
"Now I see." Kaoru was still chuckling, wiping a few droplets of beer from his anyways dirty trousers with a napkin. "You turned the heads of all the beauties in town and then decided to retire after having all of them, eh?" His eyes were sparkling as well and he had to admit that Die certainly was his type, casual, cool, funny and in every word he said seemed to be something ambiguous hidden. He enjoyed these talks a lot. Although Kaoru had told a lot about his life, he didn't feel like mentioning much of his youth, didn't know how Die would think of it and he didn't want to find out and risk ruining the mood of some kind. Still, he decided to at least give away a tiny bit. "I had a bike once and that serves you just as good as a guitar."
"Oh I can imagine," Die nodded instantly, and even a dreamy sigh escaped his lips afterwards. "Bikes are cool, and if I didn't have my baby I would definitely get one. But well, a car does have its advantages." He shrugged a little bit, smiling. It was already obvious by now that he loved his car, was attached to it even. The deep sparkle appeared back in his eyes though, the grin even widening as he went on. "Although, wouldn't it be cool to just get on a bike and drive off, wherever you'd happen to end up? What happened to your bike anyways?"
"Sold it when I got into business as I didn't have the time anymore anyways." The tone in Kaoru's voice made clear that he didn't want to go into details. For the first time since he had met Die, he had lied and it did make him feel bad. Actually, the bike was still rotting down in its garage; hadn't been used in ages but he clung to it with all his might. If he sold it, it meant he'd give up on all the dreams he had ever had and that he was hopefully grown-up with a finality he wasn't yet ready to accept. The next moment, he smiled again, the shadow that had been cast over his eyes gone. "Your car's a real beauty though. Must have cost quite a fortune to get such a classic." Or then, he added in his mind, Die had restored it himself and somehow the thought of an oily and greasy Die in a sleeveless shirt shot through his mind and he couldn't deny that he really liked the image.
"Actually it's kind of like a family treasure," Die smiled honestly, not even trying to push the topic as he had clearly seen how it was making the other man slightly uncomfortable. "I got it from my father. I've been working on it too, to keep it in shape. It's too beautiful to let it just rot away." There even was certain softness to his voice, and somehow it didn't strike either of them odd that he was talking like that about a car.
The next second the typical teasing sparkle was back in Die's eyes though, a small chuckle escaping him. "Too bad you don't have your bike anymore. It would make you a magnet and you'd get laid more than you could even handle. At least you could have me in a heartbeat." It almost seemed that the last sentence was an accidental slip, but then again, Die was just smiling casually and didn't even try to take it back.
That was almost too much for Kaoru and he shifted a bit in his seat before reminding himself that he should at least try to look casual. "I see you're into hot engines," he replied grinning. His eyes never left Die's face as he tried to see a change in those features. Maybe he had just been joking. Probably it had only been meant to emphasize that he was really into cars and bikes. "But thanks for you worrying about the amount of my sexual activities," he went on quickly, not wanting to cause an uncomfortable moment for the other man. "I think I'm doing okay even without a bike."
"Oh yes?" Die grinned, the look in his eyes somehow seeming to get even more piercing. It was almost impossible, how the contrast between his soft features and his all-seeing gaze seemed to be so big. "When did you last get laid?" That didn't even come out nosy, somehow it felt like they were two friends drinking and talking about everything and nothing, no topic too personal to dodge. And hey, it never hurt to ask, eh?
Grinning, Kaoru snatched one of Die's cigarettes from the table, lit it and then leaned forward, beckoning the other man to come closer as if he was about to share a big secret. "That," he whispered conspiratorially, "is none of your business." It made him laugh but he felt caught as it indeed had been some time. He was living for his work, he told himself. No time for any extravaganza.
"That," Die smirked, leaning closer as well, and there seemed to be threateningly little air between them, their faces all too close together. "Now means it's been ages." He was grinning confidently, and it was obvious that he knew he was right. There was nothing judging in his eyes though, it didn't even seem that he pitied the other man. He just stated the obvious.
Kaoru could feel his breath on his face, smell his scent and his eyes were staring at those inviting lush lips that were still curving for a small smirk. "None of your business," Kaoru repeated grinning and broke the moment by blowing a cloud of smoke right into Die's face. "Of course somebody like you, who has the time to take a hitchhiker through the whole country, has somebody in each city on the way," he teased and for some reason it didn't bother him anymore that Die saw right through him.
"Maybe," Die smirked, leaning backwards on his chair. For a second they both only focused on smoking, but then he went on, the smile never vanishing from his lips. "But this just shows that one never should plan life too much. I didn't plan on taking a hitch hiker with me, you didn't plan to break your car. And yet, here we are, drinking and having a nice evening together. It's all worth it, don't you think?"
The words reminded Kaoru that he indeed hadn't planned this and was supposed to be somewhere else, maybe going through his papers again instead of sitting here with Die, chatting away. Yet, he nodded, his lips pursed pondering. "It is worth it, yeah," he admitted. "But you know, I think we should go back and get some sleep so that we can go on driving in the early morning."
"What did I just tell you about planning too much?" Die asked, and for a second there was even something almost admonishing in his voice. Yet, it seemed to be gone as soon as it appeared, and Die slapped his thighs slightly while heaving himself up on his own two feet. "Alright. Let's head back. Just let me pay first." Already when they had stepped into the eatery, they had been told that they would need to pay at the counter afterwards, and so Die headed to do just that. Kaoru followed him with his gaze, lost in deep thoughts. Again he had managed to kill a nice moment just because he couldn't shut off the businessman inside him. He was seeking acceptance and he knew he'd only gain that with hard, honest work. He had done too many stupid things in his life before and knew he would have to try harder than anybody else.
Still, this had been such a nice evening and he couldn't help but to feel guilty for ruining it. Getting up, he went to the door, waiting for Die there. When the taller man appeared and they left the muggy place, walking through the fresh night-air, he spoke up again. "I'm sorry." Kaoru knew Die understood him or at least he hoped he would and didn't start a discussion now.
Die only smiled, and one could see how genuine it was, there wasn't even a hint of reproach in it, or accusation. He even raised his hand, gently brushing his fingertips over the smaller man's cheek in a gesture that seemed far too intimate for strangers, and yet it felt completely natural right now. "Don't be." That was the only thing Die said, before just pushing his hands into his pockets again as they headed back towards their hotel, walking side by side together.
The touch had made a flash of electric heat go through the smaller man and he felt his heart jump up to his throat. It had been so gentle and for the first time in ages he felt understood on a completely different level than just establishing that he was a hopeless workaholic. The feeling went deep, made Kaoru think about fate, love, friendship, work, life’s pursuit. Every once in a few years you met somebody who changed your life in one way or another, somebody who impressed you and who attracted you on a level that was far beyond sexual desire. Yet, and that thought again made Kaoru smile a bit, Die did attract him on that level too, but it was his personality, his authenticity that left a deeper impression than that.
Again, a completely comfortable silence fell upon them as they walked down the street. It took a long moment for Kaoru to realize that Die didn't take the shortest route, but that he had taken a small detour across the park he had seen by the road. It made Kaoru smile, but he didn't say anything, for once not worrying about work and getting back to his papers as soon as possible. They still hadn't exchanged a single word before Die suddenly stopped, tilting his head to look up at the sky. "You know," he spoke softly, his voice barely audible. "When you feel that everything is crushing down on you, just look at the stars. They help you to put things on a scale. Look up," he spoke slowly, and without even noticing he was moving, Kaoru followed the words and tilted his head, "inhale" Kaoru took a deep breath "and close your eyes." He closed his eyes and somehow, felt more relaxed than in a while. A soft breeze was brushing over his face and he felt like a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders.
After a moment, he couldn't stop himself from sneaking a peek at the other man though, his lips, the dim light reflecting on his perfect white skin. "You should become a guru," he joked, but wasn't laughing and instantly turned back to looking up into the sky.
That made Die chuckle, the soft sound resonating in the air even seconds after. "No," he denied, but amusement was clearly dancing in his voice, "I just keep my eyes open. It's a wonder what one can learn from the world just with that." He turned towards the sky again, and for a long moment they both were watching the stars, smiling. Kaoru had always laughed about the people who said they needed a hug, but right at that moment, he was craving for one, even just holding hands would have been wonderful, any kind of human contact.
Like natural, the moment broke though and the two men turned to walk on. What staid though was a certain light feeling that filled Kaoru, a certain carefreeness he was determined to treasure somewhere for later. By the time they turned back into the small road that led to their hotel, they were chatting merrily again, laughing and telling each other jokes. Both men seemed to need this distraction from the slight melancholy that had fallen over them before, this bittersweet seriousness one enjoyed as much as one detested it.
The night air was cool and when they finally ended up at their door, it took Die three tries to get the key shoved into the lock. Somehow his fingers seemed to be freezing, not working properly and he laughed merrily at himself as he even dropped the keys at one point. Finally, the door clicked open though and they got to step into their room. "Welcome to our humble home for the night!" Die bowed theatrically, throwing the keys on the small table as he straightened.
Laughing, Kaoru bowed as thanks and only then noticed that the beers did have an effect on him as he almost tripped when he straightened again. First, his jacket onto one of the chairs but when his fingers had found the first button of his shirt, he stopped. There was no way he would get naked in front of Die, not even half. "Do you want to shower first or shall I?"
"I'll go first," Die grinned instantly, and casually headed towards the small bathroom. The long look he gave the other man seemed almost too intense, but he didn't say anything though. He threw his shirt off already in passing by his companion, obviously not minding that he had company at all.
Kaoru carefully sat down at the edge of the bed, trying not to star too much. Of course he had noticed Die's straight, broad shoulders before, but without a shirt they were looking even better; not to talk about his perfect skin. Had the look been an invitation? No, that couldn't have been, could it? Sighing, Kaoru pulled his legs up and based his chin on his knees. Now that his company was gone, he felt the slight melancholy return, but maybe it was just exhaustion. After all, it had been a long, pretty exciting day.
Author:
seinen_no and fonulynRating: PG [going up to NC17]
Pairing: Die and Kaoru
Disclaimer: We own no one, only our dirty imaginations.
Summary: When Kaoru’s car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, he is ready to throw a fit and exclaim that his whole life has just been ruined. He has an important meeting to catch, and in order to get there he has no other choice but to try hitch-hike. His luck seems to be turning when a car stops, a young and gorgeous man picking him up from the street with a promise to take him to his destination. Little did he know what his destination truly would be.
Comments: Written for the travel/tour week of the D/K Oktoberfest!
seinen_no: Hey dears! So there's our donation for the travel-topic. Damn, I wanted to write something myself too but life's way too hectic these days. Too many things to think about and all. At least I had this dream and after talking with my hunney about it, it evolved into this idea. I hope you like it although it turned out a bit differently than imagined at first. Anyhow, I better quit babbling. Enjoy!fonulyn: This was cooked up on a whim really, since we didn’t have any good ideas for the travel week but wanted to contribute something. Personally, I think this turned out quite good though and I am pretty pleased about it :D I hope that you like it as much as I do! The other three parts will follow soon-ish, when we actually manage to go through them and proofread them properly. So yes, stay tuned for more ;DAnd feel free to add our journal if you like the stories!
Plus, the archive .
Chapter 1
The engine was stuttering, followed by a loud bang before it went off. Kaoru's first gaze went to the fuel indicator, but it said that there was still more than half a tank left. He turned the key again, but all that happened was a gargling sound, another bang like from a misfire and then steam was seeping out of the hood. Sighing, he pulled the hand break, switched on the emergency flasher and got out of the car. It was bright day, the sun standing high on the sky and without the cooling effect of the air-conditioning, he was beginning to sweat at an instant. Throwing the jacket of his suit on the backseat, Kaoru went to the hood, burned his fingers and then finally managed to open it cursing and swearing. Of course he had no idea about engines and just did what he thought he should.
Besides, he didn't want to look like a fool although there was no living soul in sight. Why again had he taken this road? Oh yes, the map-guide had said it was an especially pretty road, right through the heart of the country and since it was no huge detour, he had decided to put up with the few hours longer it took compared to the main highway. Now he paid the prize as he was stuck right in the middle of nowhere with a broken car. It would take hours for the towing service to arrive and even longer until he had found new means of transportation to get to his meeting in time.
This week certainly hadn't started good already when he had tried to book a flight only to find out that everything was booked because of some stupid exhibition that took place just in the city where he had to meet with the most important business partner of his company. He already had paid a ridiculously high prize for a shabby small room in a two star hotel and had to accept the fact that riding by car was the best option if he couldn't get a flight. Initially, he had planned to get to the city three days before already because it had been more than a year since he had taken a couple of days off from work. He simply hated riding the train, because it had happened to him more than once that he had missed to change in between or then the connecting train had been gone already, because his was running late.
So he had decided to take the car. Maybe two days on the road would help him to calm down a bit, to get some peace of mind. He desperately needed some alone-time; knew that he was close to being burned-out and yet he somehow had troubles to shut off his brains and not think of his work 24/7. One look at the steaming engine and even he had to see that this car wouldn't move an inch anymore. Digging out his mobile, he wanted to call the breakdown service, but of course he had no reception. Again cursing, he pondered for a moment and found that it would be the most clever thing to try and hitch-hike to the next city where he could rent another car and organize that his own would be towed to a garage, get fixed and brought back to his place.
The only problem; he feared that nobody would drive by there in ages. He had two options, stay at the broken car and wait till the sun had burned him alive and somebody drove by or then walk along the road and either hope somebody drove by or then that he reached a town or even a house. He decided for the latter, took his small travel-bag, his papers, locked the car and began walking. Although it was burning hot, he didn't even roll up the sleeves of his shirt, but only marched on determinedly.
The sun seemed to burn right through his shirt though, and before he even noticed he had managed to sweat so much that the thin shirt was practically soaked. Along with his dishevelled hair, and the dirty stains he had managed to get on his shirt from the engine, that made sure that he didn't really look that presentable right now. It made him even crankier, as he only had another suit with him that he was supposed to wear at the meeting, and now he had effectively managed to ruin the clothes he was wearing. He was even beginning to think that he wouldn't want anyone to stop and give him a lift, as he would just look like a pitiful bum and make everyone look down on him.
His brains were running, his thoughts racing, and he didn't even notice at first when a car suddenly appeared from the horizon. Only when the red car was beginning to slow down, until it was practically going forward the same pace as he was, he startled from his thoughts and stopped. The car stopped instantly as well, and the window was rolled down. Automatically Kaoru bent down, peeking inside the car. At first he had to blink a few times, the bright sun having blinded him effectively, but once he finally gained back his sight he noticed he was looking straight into deep brown eyes and an easy-going smile.
"Need a lift?" The stranger spoke up, his smile even widening a little. He was only wearing worn and faded jeans and a white t-shirt, dark sunglasses lifted from his eyes to his forehead for the time being. His hair was dark brown, and instinctively Kaoru thought that together with the slightly tanned skin it really complimented his features. It even made him startle a little, noticing that he was checking out the stranger already before he had answered his question.
"Well, yeah." Kaoru gave a crooked grin. Compared to this dream in jeans and shirt, he looked like a pitiful salesman, especially since he had taken his trolley instead of his sports-bag along. Gods, he felt old even. Another look and Kaoru hitched an eyebrow. Did the man carry his pack of cigarettes rolled up in the sleeve of his t-shirt? Wasn't that out since the sixties? But then, his car was a shiny girl's trap, a classic, Mustang '68 and Kaoru asked himself distantly why one would ride this beauty with the top up. A small sting in his neck reminded him that the sun was burning down so mercilessly that it probably was a clever thing to do so. Only after another second, he realized that he had been silent for quite some time, lost in his own confusing thoughts. "Where are you heading?" he asked with what he hoped was an open smile.
"Doesn't really matter," the other man shook his head a little, his hair flowing around him in a way that looked almost enchanting. How was it possible that he wasn't even sweating like hell in this weather? He chuckled merrily, and again Kaoru got lost in his thoughts as that laughter was so genuine and carefree that it made him smile automatically as well. He didn't have the time to comment on the words though, before the other man went on, casually reaching out his hand. "I'm Die. Just hop on in and tell me where we're heading."
Automatically, Kaoru reached for the hand and shook it. "I'm Kaoru." He introduced himself with his first name as well as 'Die' certainly wasn't the other man's surname. Why on earth didn't he care where they would be heading? Kaoru, businessman through and through, couldn't understand that somebody was just driving around aimlessly without a certain destination. Didn't everybody need a goal; something he wanted to achieve? At least Die didn't look like a psycho-killer. Although, could one tell that by the looks? Maybe he was a crazy James Dean fan or something who had escaped a mental asylum? At least he looked a bit like a rebel.
Still, Kaoru went around the car, shoved his suitcase into the trunk and then jumped on the passenger-seat. "Just take me to the next city. From there, I can call the towing service for my car. It broke down one or two miles ago," he informed while fastening the seatbelt. It didn't pass him by that the driver hadn't fastened his and that only confirmed Kaoru's decision that this man probably was a loose canon. "I'll rent a car then and continue my trip. I'm quite in a hurry, you know."
"In a hurry?" At that, Die arched an eyebrow and turned to look at his companion curiously. There was something in his eyes that made Kaoru desperately want to trust him though, this genuine sparkle that was usually impossible to fake. "C'mon, tell me where you have to be and when. Maybe I'm heading just that way." He winked with a merry grin, before dropping his sunglasses back down on his nose and steering the car back on the road.
Kaoru just quickly mentioned his destination and in the same sentence explained that he has a very important appointment there which he can't miss, so that he maybe rather would just take the train to be sure to get there on time. He couldn't help but to like this gorgeous young man but at the same time didn't want to make Die feel responsible to take a detour for him and he certainly would feel odd if the other man did the long drive just to take him there. "So really, just drop me off in the next city and I make my way from there," he ended his long and a bit hasty explanation.
"You don't need to be there before Monday then?" That was the only thing Die asked, not even looking at the man on the passenger's seat for the time being. It was clear that he didn't really need to focus on driving either though, he just let his gaze roam over the scenery that kept on changing around them. "It means we have plenty of time to spare. We're not that far away." From the tone of his voice one could clearly hear that he had made up his mind, and apparently he was still determined to take the other man to his destination.
"Well..." Kaoru hesitated with an answer. He had wanted to take that road-trip anyways, but it had been meant to give him some peace and take his thoughts off work. Doing a trip with a total stranger was appealing on the one hand, especially if this stranger was such a gorgeous young man like Die, but on the other hand it could end up in a total disaster. The worst case scenario was that Die just dropped him off somewhere too far away from his destination and he wouldn't make it to the meeting. "Don't you have to be anywhere?" Kaoru asked finally. "I don't want to be a bother."
He was painfully aware of the fact that his driver was freshly showered, smelled like soap, cologne and tobacco while he probably smelled like a skunk. His shirt was still sticking to his sweaty back and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Oh what the hell, Kaoru thought. What had happened to the once spontaneous young man he had been? In some kind of desire for a change, for an adventure and making a new experience, he nodded finally. "Alright, if it's no bother for you, we drive together."
"It's no bother, trust me," Die nodded as well, his smile even widening as he obviously was glad about that decision. "This morning I didn't even know where I was headed, and now I actually have a clear destination." He winked good-naturedly. Somehow neither of them felt the need to talk more, the silence was comfortable amongst them although they had just met a few minutes ago. So they both fell silent, and at one point Die reached to turn on the radio, some 80s rock'n'roll filling the still air in the car.
It made Kaoru smile to himself as that simply suited the moment perfectly. It was as if he was on the loose and still he couldn't drag his thoughts away from work completely. After a short stop at a gas-station in a tiny small town that was more like the gathering of four houses, where they had a coffee, the drive went on. Kaoru had taken some papers out of his bag, the contract he wanted to present the, hopefully, business-partner to be. Die kept on driving and he was reading, now much more comfortable after he had freshened up a bit in the shabby toilet at the gas-station.
They had bought something to drink in the car as well, and at one point Die popped open a soda-can only to drink half of it in one long sip. Afterwards he offered the rest to Kaoru, who only hesitated a split second before accepting it with an honest smile. Die had eyed the papers curiously for a while now, and suddenly he spoke up, the first time after they had left the gas station. "The meeting is only in two days. You can forget those for a while."
The words made Kaoru sigh and he nodded. He knew that Die was right and he also knew that he wasn't good company not to mention that he hadn't seen a single bit of the wonderful nature that was stretching out left and right from the road. Still, he hesitated for a moment as if the papers were glued to his hands before finally storing them in the small gap beside his seat. He didn't comment on it further though but took a long sip from the soda himself, sighing contently afterwards. "How far do you think we'll get today?" he asked, turning to look at his companion who seemed to have an eternal smirk on his lips. It made Kaoru's heart beat a bit quicker. It's been a while since he had spent some time in the company of a gorgeous man like Die. Too long maybe.
"I don't know," Die flashed an honest smile, and judging by the tone of his voice he didn't really even care where they would end up that day. "Let's just see when we get tired and want to get some rest. It's been a long day." He smiled, and there was nothing that the other man could really say to that. True, they weren't in hurry or anything, and yet, he would've preferred to be at his destination already as soon as possible, just because he was paranoid not to get there on time. Everything in Die's posture was radiating relaxation though, he didn't seem to have a single thing to worry about in the world.
Kaoru thought of him like a leaf in the wind that didn't now where it would end up. He had always admired people like that, had even tried to lead such a life for some time, but had failed miserably. He was a control-freak, unable to live without his watch and the worst thing was, he didn't even register the time anymore whenever he looked at it as it happened every other second. Now he was stuck with a man with an aura that attracted him like a flame the moths, but still couldn't let go and just enjoy the moment.
It was already getting dark rapidly and the sun had set below the horizon, a vague shape of the moon hiding somewhere behind the clouds. It was even a bit odd, how such a sunny day could turn out as such a cloudy evening and night. They made one more stop, getting some strong coffee from yet another gas station that seemed to be so small it was a miracle it was even still there. Afterwards Kaoru had thought they would go on driving for longer still, but suddenly Die steered out from the bigger road and on this muddy little path that didn't really look suitable for cars. When Kaoru arched an eyebrow questioningly, he only received a bright smile and a short explanation. "I think it's time to find a place to sleep the night. Besides, I'm hungry."
That sounded reasonable as they hadn't eaten anything besides a chocolate bar at the first gas-station. "Of course," Kaoru agreed. He would have stopped by this hour probably as well. Only this small path didn't look very trusting and for a split second, he asked himself if now came the moment where Die dragged him out into the woods somewhere to slash his throat and run off with his belongings. The thought alone made Kaoru chuckle though as it was so ridiculous. He didn't know Die at all and still he couldn't imagine him to be somebody who could hide ulterior motives well. "And you are taking me where?" Kaoru asked still, amusement dancing in his voice.
"To this charming little town that is located at the end of this road," Die announced instantly with a smile, even chuckling a little. Kaoru was just about to ask if this was something Die really called a road, instead of some muddy field, but just at that moment they reached the "charming little town" in question. It was small, indeed, but in this light it looked more like a ghost town than charming in any way. It made both of them laugh, and Die didn't seem to be taken aback at all. "Okay, a little less charming, but hey, it's a town nevertheless! I bet they have a nice hotel or something where we can sleep for the night, and get cheap and good food."
That made Kaoru laugh again and he even patted Die's shoulder. "Consider yourself my guest then." They indeed found a hotel, more a pension and the old lady at the reception told them that they still had a room left. It was high season so close to the coast and although it didn't look like it, she insisted that everything else was booked. The key in the hand, Kaoru led the way across the yard to the room that had a separate entrance. "And you think we get something to eat here?" he asked chuckling, fumbling for the lighter to find the keyhole as the light in the yard didn't work and the sun had hidden completely behind the clouds and would sink without giving the usual red-orange lightshow this day.
"Hey, even in the shabbiest of places, there always is some food!" Die announced, obviously completely convinced of it. He wanted to see as well, and leaned closer, in the process brushing their shoulders together and somehow it made them both freeze for a second. It only lasted for a heartbeat though, before Die simply smiled and went on. "C'mon, people need to eat everywhere. I bet we'll find something."
Just before pushing the door open, Kaoru turned his head to Die, startling as their faces were so close all suddenly. Yet, he got over it quickly and just winked. "Are you sure? The lady at the reception at least didn't look like she would cook us a good home-made meal." He let Die in first, following right after and very much to his surprise, the room was neat, small but at least clean. Only the huge double-bed in the middle of it made him frown. Not that he had troubles sharing a bed with somebody, but with a stranger?
Die didn't seem to have any troubles with that though, since he just threw his back on the bed and turned around, pushing his hands into his pockets as he eyed his companion with a small grin dancing on his lips. "We can only find out by asking. Let's go. Leave your stuff here and we go ask that lovely lady if she has some food for the poor, hungry travellers," he winked merrily, and this time purposefully walked past the other man so close that their shoulders brushed together again.
His whole posture, his coolness, made Kaoru's hart jump a beat. Why on earth did he always have to fall for this certain type of guys who meant nothing but troubles? For a moment, he eyed the papers he had thrown onto the table but then decided that the human needed food and quickly followed the taller man. At first, Kaoru had thought he was just staring at Die's back but then he realized that he was staring at the other man's small butt that was moving all nicely in those blue jeans.
Shaking his head, he quickened his steps to catch up with Die, smiling at him from the side. "So you really intend on asking her for something to eat?" he asked chuckling. Indeed, when they had reached the reception, Die walked right towards the lady and asked her if she happened to have something to eat for them still. He tried all his charm, was smiling at her and still just received a grumpy frown. "Not anymore today. A few meters along the street is a restaurant. There you can eat." With having said that, she deemed her job done and simply turned around, leaving the two standing there. "And people praise the Japanese service," Kaoru laughed heartily, grabbed the sleeve of Die's leather-jacket and dragged him towards the door. "C'mon, let's see if they even accept credit cards here."
"Are you trying to say you don't have any cash on a road-trip?" Die asked with a teasing grin and an amused chuckle. He only shrugged a bit at that though, going on before even receiving an answer. "I think I can get us both some food in case your card isn't accepted." He didn't seem to think it was that big of a deal, as his voice was completely casual as he just offered that instantly. Indeed, when they walked down the street they came across a small eatery, neither of them would ever call it a restaurant though. It was small and shabby, but with a bright grin Die announced that the food was always best in those shady looking places. Kaoru wasn't that thrilled, but he didn't have any choice anyways as he was dragged inside.
Of course they didn't accept plastic there and it embarrassed Kaoru that Die now had to pay for him. That didn't seem to bother the other man though and after Kaoru had ensured for like the fifth time that he would pay him back, the taller man rolled his eyes and shut him up with a single gesture. Kaoru saw that he had been impossible and chuckled apologetically before ordering a double fried chicken with sweet and hot sauce, praying that it would be at least remotely edible.
Die turned out to be right though, the food was really good or then the two men were simply too hungry to care. Along with the food, they were drinking cheap beer and Kaoru thought distantly that it had been a while since he had enjoyed a meal this much. Die fascinated him as he could be silent for minutes but whenever Kaoru's thoughts were drifting towards work again, he spoke up and demanded his attention as if he sensed that.
Although Die seemed to merrily speak of just about anything that crossed his mind, he never really gave out much about himself. While they had been examining the menu, he had curled his nose and said that he detested fish, in every possible form, and later on he had given out that he dabbled a little on guitar on his free time. That was it, nothing else even remotely personal had spilled from him during the whole time. It even made Kaoru feel a little odd as he had already told about his job, had told where he lived and gazillion other little facts that were probably totally uninteresting.
Yet, it didn't seem that Die minded at all. He seemed to be enjoying the other man's company a lot, and by the time they got to their fourth beers, he was smiling constantly. "So, Kaoru, tell me," he began, in a way so typical for him. "What did you want to be when you grow up?"
The question startled the smaller man and he stared at Die for a moment. To win some time, he took another sip from his beer and when he put it down again looked at the other man. "You mean as a child or as a teen?" he asked, chuckling a bit. "As a child I wanted to be an Egyptologist and discover hidden treasures after my father had taken me to an exhibition about Tut-Ench-Amun," he gave away.
The revelation made Die smile instantly, his eyes having this distinctive sparkle in them. "That sounds so cool." He nodded a little, obviously not saying it just to be polite but really meaning it. "I wanted to be a scientist who studies sharks. They're so cool, so wild and yet so misunderstood." Before Kaoru had the time to ask anything about that though, the next question fell from Die's lips inevitably. "What about as a teen?"
"As a teen?" Kaoru smirked. "I wanted to be a guitarist," Kaoru gave away, his eyes sparkling merrily. "Forget money, I wanted fame and groupies," he went on with a chuckle before taking another sip of his beer. Deliberately, he left out the fact that he would have rather had male groupies than females, but that wasn't important anyways, was it?
"So you wanted to be a rock-god with dozens of fans kneeling at your feet?" The taller man grinned, and there was something in his eyes that made it appear like he could really see straight through Kaoru, straight into the deepest confines of his soul. When he went on, there even was a clearly ambiguous undertone in his voice. "Occasionally kneeling between your feet?"
The gaze made Kaoru shudder and feel exposed. He couldn't explain it but he felt exposed, naked even. The words made something completely different go through him, made his heart skip a beat even. Smirking, he nodded, admitting easily. "Of course. Tell me you weren't dreaming of people kneeling before you as a teen and I call you a blunt liar."
"Oh, I'm not even going to deny that," Die laughed, the sound something so carefree and hearty that it was impossible to even describe with words. It was like a fresh breath of wind. "Hey c'mon, I play a bit of guitar too. Of course I wanted to be a rock-god and have people lining up to wait for a chance to be with me. Or even to touch my divinity."
"Divinity?" Kaoru chuckled. Die simply had a way to keep him interested and the fact that he didn't give away too much from himself made him want to know everything even more. "And now?" the smaller man asked after signalling the waiter that they would have another beer still. It was thin, hardly any foam and it would take much more than five beers to make him drunk. Still, he was at the point where certain lightness spread in his head, something so comfortable that he didn't want to let go of it just yet. "Are you playing the guitar still to make people kneel?"
"No," Die shook his head, chuckling lowly. "Nowadays I only play for myself, at home. There's not many people around there to impress. The dreams of being a professional somehow just slipped past me." He shrugged a little, and it didn't seem to bother him too much that he only got to play for his own amusement. He seemed like the type to play with the cards he was dealt, and didn't really worry about anything.
Still, that was a very useful piece of information as he just had given away that he was living alone. Somehow, that made Kaoru very content. Not that he wouldn't have granted Die the luck of a long and steady relationship nor that he counted on him playing for his team even, let alone that the other man could be remotely attracted to a boring man like himself, but it suited his idea of Die being a free spirit; unbound and untameable.
"And now?" Die chuckled after a moment as the other man had just fallen silent for a long moment, gazing into the distance. "You're wondering why I live alone instead of being a rock star with dozens of groupies? Trust me," he winked, "groupies do get boring with some time. Sometimes, it's better to be alone or in a chosen company than surrounded by too many people."
Kaoru hadn't even realized that he had been silent and now startled, chuckling as Die had guessed his thoughts so very well. Or was he able to read his mind after all? "Something like that," he admitted winking. "But tell me," his lips curved into a small smirk, "you speak as if you knew about groupies..."
"I have my wild youth," the other man stated in a tone so theatrical that he sounded like he was seventy now, talking about happenings that had taken place fifty years ago, instead of the fifteen that was more likely. They both burst out laughing, and Kaoru almost managed to snort beer through his nose before calming down a bit. Die's eyes were still sparkling when he went on though, a grin dancing on his lips. "I was in a band. In high school. A very popular band at that, in the local circles."
"Now I see." Kaoru was still chuckling, wiping a few droplets of beer from his anyways dirty trousers with a napkin. "You turned the heads of all the beauties in town and then decided to retire after having all of them, eh?" His eyes were sparkling as well and he had to admit that Die certainly was his type, casual, cool, funny and in every word he said seemed to be something ambiguous hidden. He enjoyed these talks a lot. Although Kaoru had told a lot about his life, he didn't feel like mentioning much of his youth, didn't know how Die would think of it and he didn't want to find out and risk ruining the mood of some kind. Still, he decided to at least give away a tiny bit. "I had a bike once and that serves you just as good as a guitar."
"Oh I can imagine," Die nodded instantly, and even a dreamy sigh escaped his lips afterwards. "Bikes are cool, and if I didn't have my baby I would definitely get one. But well, a car does have its advantages." He shrugged a little bit, smiling. It was already obvious by now that he loved his car, was attached to it even. The deep sparkle appeared back in his eyes though, the grin even widening as he went on. "Although, wouldn't it be cool to just get on a bike and drive off, wherever you'd happen to end up? What happened to your bike anyways?"
"Sold it when I got into business as I didn't have the time anymore anyways." The tone in Kaoru's voice made clear that he didn't want to go into details. For the first time since he had met Die, he had lied and it did make him feel bad. Actually, the bike was still rotting down in its garage; hadn't been used in ages but he clung to it with all his might. If he sold it, it meant he'd give up on all the dreams he had ever had and that he was hopefully grown-up with a finality he wasn't yet ready to accept. The next moment, he smiled again, the shadow that had been cast over his eyes gone. "Your car's a real beauty though. Must have cost quite a fortune to get such a classic." Or then, he added in his mind, Die had restored it himself and somehow the thought of an oily and greasy Die in a sleeveless shirt shot through his mind and he couldn't deny that he really liked the image.
"Actually it's kind of like a family treasure," Die smiled honestly, not even trying to push the topic as he had clearly seen how it was making the other man slightly uncomfortable. "I got it from my father. I've been working on it too, to keep it in shape. It's too beautiful to let it just rot away." There even was certain softness to his voice, and somehow it didn't strike either of them odd that he was talking like that about a car.
The next second the typical teasing sparkle was back in Die's eyes though, a small chuckle escaping him. "Too bad you don't have your bike anymore. It would make you a magnet and you'd get laid more than you could even handle. At least you could have me in a heartbeat." It almost seemed that the last sentence was an accidental slip, but then again, Die was just smiling casually and didn't even try to take it back.
That was almost too much for Kaoru and he shifted a bit in his seat before reminding himself that he should at least try to look casual. "I see you're into hot engines," he replied grinning. His eyes never left Die's face as he tried to see a change in those features. Maybe he had just been joking. Probably it had only been meant to emphasize that he was really into cars and bikes. "But thanks for you worrying about the amount of my sexual activities," he went on quickly, not wanting to cause an uncomfortable moment for the other man. "I think I'm doing okay even without a bike."
"Oh yes?" Die grinned, the look in his eyes somehow seeming to get even more piercing. It was almost impossible, how the contrast between his soft features and his all-seeing gaze seemed to be so big. "When did you last get laid?" That didn't even come out nosy, somehow it felt like they were two friends drinking and talking about everything and nothing, no topic too personal to dodge. And hey, it never hurt to ask, eh?
Grinning, Kaoru snatched one of Die's cigarettes from the table, lit it and then leaned forward, beckoning the other man to come closer as if he was about to share a big secret. "That," he whispered conspiratorially, "is none of your business." It made him laugh but he felt caught as it indeed had been some time. He was living for his work, he told himself. No time for any extravaganza.
"That," Die smirked, leaning closer as well, and there seemed to be threateningly little air between them, their faces all too close together. "Now means it's been ages." He was grinning confidently, and it was obvious that he knew he was right. There was nothing judging in his eyes though, it didn't even seem that he pitied the other man. He just stated the obvious.
Kaoru could feel his breath on his face, smell his scent and his eyes were staring at those inviting lush lips that were still curving for a small smirk. "None of your business," Kaoru repeated grinning and broke the moment by blowing a cloud of smoke right into Die's face. "Of course somebody like you, who has the time to take a hitchhiker through the whole country, has somebody in each city on the way," he teased and for some reason it didn't bother him anymore that Die saw right through him.
"Maybe," Die smirked, leaning backwards on his chair. For a second they both only focused on smoking, but then he went on, the smile never vanishing from his lips. "But this just shows that one never should plan life too much. I didn't plan on taking a hitch hiker with me, you didn't plan to break your car. And yet, here we are, drinking and having a nice evening together. It's all worth it, don't you think?"
The words reminded Kaoru that he indeed hadn't planned this and was supposed to be somewhere else, maybe going through his papers again instead of sitting here with Die, chatting away. Yet, he nodded, his lips pursed pondering. "It is worth it, yeah," he admitted. "But you know, I think we should go back and get some sleep so that we can go on driving in the early morning."
"What did I just tell you about planning too much?" Die asked, and for a second there was even something almost admonishing in his voice. Yet, it seemed to be gone as soon as it appeared, and Die slapped his thighs slightly while heaving himself up on his own two feet. "Alright. Let's head back. Just let me pay first." Already when they had stepped into the eatery, they had been told that they would need to pay at the counter afterwards, and so Die headed to do just that. Kaoru followed him with his gaze, lost in deep thoughts. Again he had managed to kill a nice moment just because he couldn't shut off the businessman inside him. He was seeking acceptance and he knew he'd only gain that with hard, honest work. He had done too many stupid things in his life before and knew he would have to try harder than anybody else.
Still, this had been such a nice evening and he couldn't help but to feel guilty for ruining it. Getting up, he went to the door, waiting for Die there. When the taller man appeared and they left the muggy place, walking through the fresh night-air, he spoke up again. "I'm sorry." Kaoru knew Die understood him or at least he hoped he would and didn't start a discussion now.
Die only smiled, and one could see how genuine it was, there wasn't even a hint of reproach in it, or accusation. He even raised his hand, gently brushing his fingertips over the smaller man's cheek in a gesture that seemed far too intimate for strangers, and yet it felt completely natural right now. "Don't be." That was the only thing Die said, before just pushing his hands into his pockets again as they headed back towards their hotel, walking side by side together.
The touch had made a flash of electric heat go through the smaller man and he felt his heart jump up to his throat. It had been so gentle and for the first time in ages he felt understood on a completely different level than just establishing that he was a hopeless workaholic. The feeling went deep, made Kaoru think about fate, love, friendship, work, life’s pursuit. Every once in a few years you met somebody who changed your life in one way or another, somebody who impressed you and who attracted you on a level that was far beyond sexual desire. Yet, and that thought again made Kaoru smile a bit, Die did attract him on that level too, but it was his personality, his authenticity that left a deeper impression than that.
Again, a completely comfortable silence fell upon them as they walked down the street. It took a long moment for Kaoru to realize that Die didn't take the shortest route, but that he had taken a small detour across the park he had seen by the road. It made Kaoru smile, but he didn't say anything, for once not worrying about work and getting back to his papers as soon as possible. They still hadn't exchanged a single word before Die suddenly stopped, tilting his head to look up at the sky. "You know," he spoke softly, his voice barely audible. "When you feel that everything is crushing down on you, just look at the stars. They help you to put things on a scale. Look up," he spoke slowly, and without even noticing he was moving, Kaoru followed the words and tilted his head, "inhale" Kaoru took a deep breath "and close your eyes." He closed his eyes and somehow, felt more relaxed than in a while. A soft breeze was brushing over his face and he felt like a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders.
After a moment, he couldn't stop himself from sneaking a peek at the other man though, his lips, the dim light reflecting on his perfect white skin. "You should become a guru," he joked, but wasn't laughing and instantly turned back to looking up into the sky.
That made Die chuckle, the soft sound resonating in the air even seconds after. "No," he denied, but amusement was clearly dancing in his voice, "I just keep my eyes open. It's a wonder what one can learn from the world just with that." He turned towards the sky again, and for a long moment they both were watching the stars, smiling. Kaoru had always laughed about the people who said they needed a hug, but right at that moment, he was craving for one, even just holding hands would have been wonderful, any kind of human contact.
Like natural, the moment broke though and the two men turned to walk on. What staid though was a certain light feeling that filled Kaoru, a certain carefreeness he was determined to treasure somewhere for later. By the time they turned back into the small road that led to their hotel, they were chatting merrily again, laughing and telling each other jokes. Both men seemed to need this distraction from the slight melancholy that had fallen over them before, this bittersweet seriousness one enjoyed as much as one detested it.
The night air was cool and when they finally ended up at their door, it took Die three tries to get the key shoved into the lock. Somehow his fingers seemed to be freezing, not working properly and he laughed merrily at himself as he even dropped the keys at one point. Finally, the door clicked open though and they got to step into their room. "Welcome to our humble home for the night!" Die bowed theatrically, throwing the keys on the small table as he straightened.
Laughing, Kaoru bowed as thanks and only then noticed that the beers did have an effect on him as he almost tripped when he straightened again. First, his jacket onto one of the chairs but when his fingers had found the first button of his shirt, he stopped. There was no way he would get naked in front of Die, not even half. "Do you want to shower first or shall I?"
"I'll go first," Die grinned instantly, and casually headed towards the small bathroom. The long look he gave the other man seemed almost too intense, but he didn't say anything though. He threw his shirt off already in passing by his companion, obviously not minding that he had company at all.
Kaoru carefully sat down at the edge of the bed, trying not to star too much. Of course he had noticed Die's straight, broad shoulders before, but without a shirt they were looking even better; not to talk about his perfect skin. Had the look been an invitation? No, that couldn't have been, could it? Sighing, Kaoru pulled his legs up and based his chin on his knees. Now that his company was gone, he felt the slight melancholy return, but maybe it was just exhaustion. After all, it had been a long, pretty exciting day.