Part 2

Jasmine

Jasmine is the flower of sensuality.

Toshiya walked into the room where Dir en grey rehearsed with a grin
plastered to his face and an air of smugness that clung to his skin. Kyo
grinned from his seat and leaned back casually.

"I can see someone got laid."

"Geeze Toshiya, who was it this time?" Die asked.

"Secret!" Toshiya smiled and put a finger to his lips.

"Aw, come on Toshiya. We wanna know. Die and I are keeping tabs on you
to see if we can predict who's next." Kyo begged.

"Really?"

"Uh-huh."

"Well, if you really must know… It was Minako."

Die, Kyo and, Kaoru's jaws dropped.

"Yoshiki's assistant?" Kyo managed to spit out.

"Hai. The very same."

"I thought she was so- so straight edge." Die stuttered.

"Yeah, she's a total prude. There's no way you got with her!" Kaoru said
as a matter-of-factly.

"Nya! Well I did. You can ask her yourself."

The three men stared at Toshiya with awe and reverence.

"Toshiya, is there anyone you can't seduce?" Kyo asked jokingly.

"I bet I can think of one!" Die offered.

Toshiya looked shocked.

"Who?"

"Yeah, Who could resist the charms of our beautiful seducer, Toshiya?"
Kaoru questioned.

"Shinya."

Kyo and Kaoru burst out laughing.

"Oh, it's true. It's so true!" Kyo said wiping tears from his eyes. "You
could never do it! Not in a million years. No one can get close to him."

"I could too!" Toshiya said defensively.

"Nuh-uh. Kyo's right. You'd never manage it." Kaoru smirked.

"I bet I could!"

"Bet you couldn't."

"You're on. What are the terms?"

"You have to seduce Shinya and provide us with ample proof that you did
it." Die said casually.

"Time limit?"

"None."

"Piece of cake!"

"Yeah, I'd like to see what you have to say in a few weeks."

All four of them broke out laughing again. They were immediately
silenced when the studio door creaked open and Shinya stepped inside.
All eyes were focused on him as he walked to the back of the room and
his drum set.

"What’s with you guys?" He asked warily.

"Nothing." Kaoru said flatly. "Let's get started."

Shinya regarded his companions with suspicion before busying himself,
tuning his drums. A hint of a smile played at the edges of Toshiya's
lips. This was going to be fun.

***

Toshiya was right at Shinya's heels as he left rehearsal that evening.
As he chased him down the hallway, Toshiya slipped his arm around
Shinya's skinny waist.

"Hey baby." He blurted out in strongly accented English.

"What do you want?" Shinya tried to shrug out if Toshiya grasp but,
Toshiya clung to him and pulled him closer.

"What are you doing tonight?"

"I'm going home. Let me go!"

"Aww… Shinya you never have any fun! Why don't you come out with me?"

"No. Why don't you leave me alone?"

Toshiya grabbed Shinya roughly by the shoulder and turned him. Shinya
whipped around and glared at him.

"What do you want Toshiya? You have never paid attention to me before
and all of a sudden- this!" Shinya nearly yelled.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you! I mean this! I mean 'Hey baby.' You never did any of this
before." Shinya pulled himself out of Toshiya's grip and ran out of the
building.

Toshiya's heart dropped to his stomach. He hadn't meant to make Shinya
upset. In fact that was the last thing on his mind.

"Shinya…"

***

Toshiya paced back and forth in Kyo's living room furiously smoking a
cigarette. Kyo sat on the couch watching Toshiya as he walked. He
grinned and held up an ashtray. Toshiya smudged the cigarette out in it,
crumpling the roll of paper and tobacco and muttering something about
Shinya not liking smokers.

"Why?" Toshiya suddenly blurted out.

"Why what?"

"Why doesn't Shinya like me?"

"Shinya doesn't like anyone."

"I don't believe that!"

"Are you kidding?"

"No."

Silence fell between the two men. Kyo fiddled around with the ashtray,
dipping his finger in the smoky mess. Toshiya resumed his pacing and
searched his pockets for another smoke. Kyo was definatly not helpful.
He had come here in search of answers and hadn't found out anything.

If he were going to win Shinya over he was going to have to do something
he would never expect. He would have to apologize for upsetting him and
he would have to do it well.

Toshiya's eye's lit up suddenly. He jumped on the couch next to Kyo,
grinning wildly.

"Kyo, I have the best idea!"

***

Shinya answered the door in his pajamas, rubbing at one eye sleepily.

"Toshiya?"

Toshiya reached down and grabbed Shinya's hand. He shoved a cluster of
white flowers in his palm and got on his knees in front of him, right in
the hallway.

"Can you forgive me?" Toshiya asked fervently. He kissed the top of
Shinya's hand and looked up at him, his eyes wide and liquid.

"Wha-?"

The neighbor-girl across the hall happened to open her door at that
moment. She stepped into the hallway, saw the two men, flashed a smiled
and bounced off towards the stairs, giggling.

Shinya had blushed considerably during this time. He withdrew his hand
from Toshiya's grasp and clutched it to his chest, the flowers still in
his grasp. Their scent permeated the air and Shinya recognized it
immediately, Jasmine… Why Jasmine?

"Toshiya… I uh… don't understand."

Toshiya stood up. He flicked his eyes at the floor and twisted the hem
of his sweater in his fingers while he crossed and uncrossed his legs.

"I was really rude to you earlier on and I wanted to apologize." He bit
his lip. "And… I wanted to tell you that I…" His voice became softer
and softer until it died away.

Shinya leant in to Toshiya, trying to catch the last of his words.

"That you…?"

Toshiya lifted his head and looked at Shinya through soft bangs.

"I…" He moved quickly, pressing his lips to Shinya's in a closed-mouth
kiss. Shinya, surprised, stumbled backwards, his hands gripping at the
doorframe, trying to balance himself. Toshiya flicked his tongue out
across Shinya's lower lip. He leaned forward even more, pressing Shinya
back into the doorframe. Shinya let out a small gasp.

Smiling into the kiss, Toshiya slid his tongue inside Shinya's mouth.
His hand slid up his side, along his shoulder and up his neck, resting
lightly on Shinya's cheek.

Shinya's hands hovered at Toshiya's sides, just ready to pull the
insistent bassist off of him. His eyes had slid close after the initial
shock of Toshiya kissing him but he flicked them open for and instant
and saw his neighbor, across the hall, lounging in her doorway and
staring at them.

Shinya broke away the kiss roughly.

"Shinya I-" Toshiya started.

"Inside."

"What?"

"Get inside." Shinya shoved Toshiya inside, pushing him just a little
harder than necessary.

Toshiya stumbled inside, tripping over his own feet and fell. He was
still sprawled in the entryway when Shinya closed his door and turned
around.

"What did you do that for!?"

"My creepy neighbor was watching us."

"So?"

"She uh… has this crush on me."

"Well that's okay cause now she's seen you with a guy. She won't want
you anymore."

"No. She's weird. I don't think that'd would get rid of her." Shinya
knelt down next to Toshiya and helped him sit up straight. "I'm sorry. I
didn't meant to push you that hard."

"It's okay."

Shinya looked at Toshiya searching his face before he spoke again.

"To- Toshiya… why did you kiss me? I mean why did you come here? No, I
mean uh…"

"I came here because I want you…" Toshiya leaned forward again and
kissed Shinya again. This kiss was gentler than the last and Shinya
resisted less. Toshiya ran his hands along Shinya's shoulder and down
his back. They stopped kissing and he drew back but, continued running
his hands over Shinya's shoulder blades.

"Die was right."

"About what?"

"You are tense!"

"What?"

"Come here." Toshiya grabbed Shinya by his shoulders and sat him on the
floor, between his legs, facing away from him. When Shinya resisted and
tried to move away, Toshiya wrapped one leg around his skinny waist.
"Stay put."

Shinya arched his back as if to pull away from Toshiya's fingers when he
began to massage his tense shoulders.

"Shinya, you need to learn to relax." Toshiya swept Shinya's soft,
reddish hair away for his neck as his fingers began working their way up
his vertebrae. He admired the white column of Shinya's neck, his fingers
brushing over the soft curve where his neck met his shoulders.

Shinya relaxed a little under Toshiya's gentle caress, leaning back into
the other man. As he did, Toshiya replaced his fingers with his lips. He
dotted Shinya's skin with kisses and wrapped his arm's around his
shoulders.

Shinya's body became lax in Toshiya's arms, a murmur of pleasure
escaping his lips. He titled his head to the side, just so, his hair
falling away, exposing more of his milky skin for Toshiya to tickle with
kisses.

Shinya giggled as Toshiya kissed his jaw, just below his ear. Toshiya
flicked his tongue out and licked the bottom of Shinya's ear, eliciting
another short laugh of pleasure. He nipped at Shinya's earlobe and spoke
softly in his ear.

"Do you want to…" Toshiya's voice faded until it was no more than a
horse whisper.

Shinya's eyes went wide. He scrambled a little as Toshiya stood and
helped him up from the floor. Toshiya kissed him once more, cradling the
back of his head in his hand, before he took Shinya's hand and led him
into the bedroom.

***

Shinya rubbed his eyes with his fists. They felt gritty and dry from
lack of sleep. Well… he had been busy last night, he mused.

When he had woken up in the morning Toshiya had already gone. There was
a bowl of strawberries, a fresh bunch of jasmine flowers and a note on
the kitchen counter when Shinya got out of bed. Now he understood why
Toshiya had picked jasmine to give him. It was undoubtedly the sexist
flower he could think of.

Shinya smiled softly as he sat down on one of the kitchen stools. He
picked up the slender paper envelope and slipped the note out. Careful
handwriting on a plain lavender card read:

"Strawberries for my koi. Eat a good breakfast and I'll see you at
practice. I love you. Toshiya"

He ran a quick finger over the hiragana of Toshiya's name before
clutching the note to his chest. He smiled broadly. He couldn't help it!
This made him feel so sunny inside. He had no idea that Toshiya felt
this way. What a wonderful day to start the day!

Shinya picked one of the strawberries out of the bowl and popped it into
his mouth, biting off one end. He smiled as a little of the juice
dripped down his chin.

He was waiting at practice for Toshiya to show up now. Even though he
had schooled his face into his perfect mask of chilliness and
uninterested he couldn't help breaking into a smile when the others
clowned around.

"Well look who's smiling. Why Shinya I don't think I've ever seen you
smile this much!" Die commented with a good-natured grin.

"Why thank you Die." He responded. "You look cheerful, as always!"

Die's face screwed into an expression of utter disbelief.

Kyo leaned over to Kaoru and whispered in his ear.

"I wonder if Toshiya did it?"

"What Kyo?" Shinya asked.

"Nothing…"

***

Toshiya wandered the streets a few blocks from the studio building. He
swung his arms and walked at a leisurely pace, going over his thoughts
again and again.

When he had woken up that morning he was almost surprised to find Shinya
sleeping peacefully, his head resting on Toshiya's shoulder. One hand
lay on his bare chest, his fingers slightly curled. Toshiya moved a
little and Shinya sighed in his sleep, his fingers flexing over his
flesh.

A sudden pang hit Toshiya's heart. He had done it. He had seduced
Shinya. Now what? He began to get a terrible feeling of guilt that
crept up from his stomach. He turned his head and looked at Shinya. A
soft smile crossed the drummer's face.

I wonder if he's dreaming… Toshiya thought. I wonder if he's dreaming
about me? About us? About… last night?

The longer Toshiya looked at Shinya, the more he began to fret. He felt
horrible. He used Shinya. He told him he loved him. He screamed out his
name and he took advantage of his affection.

He could feel a sob rise in his chest. He had to get out of here!
Praying that Shinya wouldn't wake up, Toshiya slipped out of bed and got
dressed. He ran outside into the cool of the early morning. Nearby he
found a green park where dew still clung to the grass and the bench that
he sat down on.

Toshiya wrung his hands and chipped at his worn nail polish. He felt so
confused. He slept with people all the time and had never felt like this
the next day. One half of him wanted to crawl into the darkest hole and
die while the other wanted to go tearing back to Shinya wake him up and
kiss him as hard as he could.

He wanted to wrap himself around Shinya's body and hold him close. He
wanted to cuddle with him under a blanket on the couch and watch cheesy
romance movies and eat popcorn. He wanted to dance around in the rain
and splash in puddles with him like the whole world didn't matter. He
wanted Shinya and, it took a lousy bet to make him realize it.

After a few deep breaths Toshiya decided that it was time to go back to
Shinya. He stopped at the store on the way back and bought a pint of
strawberries, fresh flowers and a pretty lavender card that caught his
eye.

He slipped inside Shinya's still unlocked door. The apartment was silent
and Toshiya peeked in Shinya's bedroom. Thankfully the drummer was still
sleeping. Toshiya smiled and ducked back out. He wandered into the
kitchen, washed off the strawberries and dumped them in a bowl. He set
them on the counter and laid the fresh bunch of jasmine next to it.

Now for the note.

Toshiya scratched behind his ear with the pen before he set to writing.
He finished his simple hiragana name with a small flourish and read back
over his writing. One phrase stood out on the paper.

"I love you."

Toshiya read the words again.

"I love you. I. .love. .you." Toshiya whispered.

Did he love Shinya? Was it true was this why he had accepted the
challenge of seducing him?

Toshiya searched his feelings once again for the answers. He looked
deeper than he ever had before, past the beauty, past the sex. He looked
past his uncertainty and he found the truth…

***

Shinya fretted as he watched the door of the practice room. He wanted to
know where Toshiya was, and he wanted to know now! He bent over his
practice pad, drumming intensely. When Toshiya finally appeared, Shinya
practically threw his sticks across the room. Instead he set them down
carefully, his eyes following Toshiya all over the room, while he tried
not to look too anxious.

Toshiya set down his bass in one corner. Die walked up to him and
whispered in his ear.

"Did you do it?"

Toshiya nodded wordlessly.

"Really? Where's the proof?"

"Proof?"

"Uh-huh. Remember you have to prove you got with him."

"I didn't get with him!" Toshiya hissed.

I made love to him…

"Well then you haven't won yet, have you?"

"Arg! That's not what I meant."

"Well then, did you or didn't you sleep with Shinya?"

"I did."

"And?"

"And what?"

"How are you going to prove it?"

"You want proof?" Toshiya growled angrily. He whipped around angrily and
stormed over to where Shinya was sitting. He grabbed Shinya's chin and
looked him straight in the eyes, his gaze filled with fierce
determination.

"I love you Shinya!" Toshiya blurted out the words and just as quickly
closed his mouth over Shinya's in a heavy, passionate kiss.

"I knew it." Mumbled Kyo.

Shinya pulled back from the kiss and looked up at Toshiya. He saw the
geniune endearment in Toshiya's eyes that he had never seen before. It
was true! Toshiya loved him. And for the first time Shinya could look
into someone's eyes and speak from the depths of his heart.

"Toshiya."

"Hmm?"

"I love you too."