Chapter Text
In a place nestled between fond memories and wistful dreams, Rin Matsuoka remembers Aiichiro Nitori as a fragile angel flying against strong winds. His delicate face, rounded and flushed with embarrassment every once in a while, suited his small mouth and plump lips. His silver hair was cut in a way that somehow carried a look of impeccable elegance, and at the same time appeared gently tousled—as though he had been handled just a little too roughly. Maybe Rin was the one to jostle his pristine perfection in the past, to mar the sweet doll of a boy that kindly called him “senpai.” But with such lovely blue eyes glimmering like stained glass against porcelain skin—and just one sweet birthmark beneath his right eye—Rin was not quite sure how he ever let that boy fly out of his life.
With the case files and stiff responsibility cluttering the police station tonight, Rin could really use the affection of someone like Nitori. The day had worn him down; a sketchy explosion in the lab across town had the squad geared up to go against volatile attacks. What the frantic team failed to realize beforehand was the accident took place in an experimental lab. These types of accidents should have been routine by now. Professor Ryugazaki even dared to be frantically displeased by the emergency services’ response. How could they be so careless to send cops when a firefighter was clearly needed? By the time Tachibana rolled in on the fire engine, Rin was nearly as distraught as Professor Ryugazaki.
But primarily, Rin was shaken. The sudden call to arms had startled Rin to the core—these sorts of threats simply weren’t common. The fear worked its way through him like a sleepless night and too much caffeine, making his whole body feel tremulous and weak. What a terrible excuse for a cop.
Rin’s forehead was nearly numb to the wall he had pressed his face against by the time a gentle shake startled him from his thoughts.
“What! I’m ready!” Rin nearly shrieked, whipping around to meet Sousuke’s concerned gaze.
Sousuke gave Rin’s shoulder a comforting squeeze. “I don’t think you are.” Sousuke relented an indulgent smile as Rin sighed and relaxed against the wall. “I think you should call it a night. You haven’t been looking too well since this morning.”
“Oh.” Rin screwed his lips into a grimace. An additional preoccupation rocked through Rin as he wondered whether or not Sousuke could feel him trembling. Rin sighed. “I guess—I mean, aren’t there still some files to write up? We can’t be done for today.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll finish up for the both of us.” Sousuke stepped backed and looked over Rin’s form. His forehead creased seeing his best friend so obviously uneasy, back stiff with anxiety and still trying to keep face. “Maybe ease up with a drink.”
Rin took another deep breath. “Are you sure?”
“Of course, now get going.” Sousuke left him with a pat to his shoulder. “You owe me.” He called behind him.
Rin laughed lightly, a weak smile making its way to his paled expression. “Nothing’s free, is it?” For a moment, Rin wondered if he should simply wait for both of them to finish up, maybe take Sousuke with him to ease up…
He shook the thought away with the cool night air, blinking flustered in the darkness of the parking lot as he made his way into his car. No, Rin wanted a different sort of comfort. One with sweet hands and delicate lips. There was no sure way to get it—if anything it would be nearly impossible at this point. This sort of comfort—this person—had a way of speaking frankly and easing Rin’s mind with his earnest words. He had a sweet voice that sung his name like a blessing and cathartic relief. What wouldn’t Rin do to have that sweet boy’s company again?
As he pondered over paradise lost, Rin pulled into a parking garage near a nightclub downtown. The lights glimmered out from between the two ornate doors; hefty bodyguards nodded briefly to let the occasional patron in; otherwise, they persisted with a stony silence of divine judgment to those they denied. Rin’s expression turned to one of critical consideration. He had wanted to get into this club for a few weeks now, but no one seemed to know how to do so. Only shady characters hiding in the corners of the big city were allowed, and Rin didn’t exactly have society at his beck and call. Still, he could only imagine the grandeur and epicurean delights hidden behind those doors.
Tonight would be the night Rin dared to enter that godless realm. He hadn’t properly planned; he wasn’t sure what he’d do if they wouldn’t speak to him (could Rin bring himself to bribe the bouncers?); his clothes may not be suitable attire to demand even a mere glance his way; but what he was sure of, is that no cop is getting into that club.
Rin dived to the back of his car with a nervous energy quite unlike the one that burdened him all day. In fact, it forced that wicked beast of a plague off his shoulder to claim its own ponderous place upon Rin’s strained and stressed back. (He may need a swim after tonight to work it off.) He found the set of spare clothes he left in case he was feeling brave enough for this very task—although, “brave” didn’t quite seem to suit this occasion. Perhaps “curious” sounded a bit better. He clumsily stripped out of his uniform within the car, struggling to stay beneath the absolute exposure of the windows and hoping for shelter under the night’s supervision. He slid on slate gray pants and buttoned up a navy silk shirt. He said, “fuck it” to the tie and went for a laidback look, but with nice shoes, of course. And as he busted out of his car, stumbling, making sure no loose gun found its way on his person, he started up with a stiff gait towards the entrance of the club. He hoped to any merciful God that this sort of “stiff” was at least the authoritative one, and not the hopelessly awkward one he felt as sweat dewed on the back of his neck. Being a little bold—or oblivious—Rin skipped right pass the line and straight to the bouncers. Their height or their impervious demeanors allowed them to look right over Rin’s head for a moment, but Rin offered a weak cough to their silence.
He cleared his throat again before he spoke. “Matsuoka. Rin.”
For the briefest moment, doubt struck Rin cold and drained the blood from his face. What if they knew the name of every cop in the city? What if they thought he was undercover—badly—trying to uncover some sort of drug scheme or prostitution ring?
Just before terror broke free onto Rin’s face, one of the bouncers looked right into his wide eyes. He turned to his partner for bit, whispered into his ear without leaning towards him—and somehow Rin still couldn’t manage to understand what they were saying. A brief conversation on a headset by the second bouncer, and the first one looked back down to Rin. Behind the sunglasses, Rin wasn’t sure whether this gaze was threatening or approving. Then the slightest of nods began Rin’s night; the bouncers stepped out of his way. They opened the door, and Rin walked in holding his breath.
A long hallway lined with marble columns and paintings surrounded Rin on his walk to the main rooms. It crushed him with its superiority; harnessing the might of an ancient Greek temple, some tribute to an unknown God Rin wasn’t aware he was ready to worship. The magnificence was nearly overpowering; excitement was simmering under his skin even before he could indulge in the center of extravagance itself.
But when Rin walked into the ample hall—capped with a dome ceiling decorated by glorious depictions of Homer and Sophocles adorning the arches, held up by monstrous columns that made humans seem so incredibly small—the thick air of cigar smoke stung his eyes and made him cough. Rin squinted through the lights, between the crowd of women and men littered with jewels and fine clothes. Some were dancing, drunk off their asses, turnin’ up for the night. Others talked over drinks and cigars like guests at a gala.
“God fuck; how’d I get in here.” Rin cursed under his breath, seeking out the bar so he could at least revel in this momentary heaven with a little bit of alcohol-induced ease. “It was Sousuke’s idea…”
By the time Rin made it to the bar, he was startled into a fragile reality. He felt remarkably out of place. He had been invited by some generous host, an omnipotent fancy playing on Rin’s humble expectations. It was as though the rift between man and divinity had shifted; Rin had stumbled upon Mt. Olympus.
What sort of person lived in a world like this?
Rin sat at the bar. Its cool surface glimmered with the specks of granite, looking alive under the fluttering lights in the room. He asked for a Greyhound, looking around for others possibly enjoying a drink while he waited for his. There weren’t too many people seated—in fact, there was only one person accompanying him at the far end of the bar. In the haze of cigar smoke and the frantic lights, the slender patron appeared as an impervious God among the carnage of human disaster. Their posture betrayed absolute boredom, an almost petty displeasure with the surrounding world, so finite and weak to their heedless will.
The lights shifted then, to a monochrome bright strobe that slowed time around Rin; everyone moved incredibly slowly. But surrounded by these mortals dragged down by time, this figure remained eternal as a marble sculpture. Rin began to move toward them, compelled and trapped by this change, this somehow proof that he must try and speak to them. He wanted to pass through this impenetrable wall separating their worlds, understand where Rin had found himself, and why they no longer were entranced by the pure excellence of this pantheon. As Rin drew near, he could see their hair gleamed under the lights, a shimmering silver framing a round face with plump lips, a birthmark just beneath—
“Ai!” Rin shouted in shock, stumbling back against an empty barstool behind him. The music drowned out his voice; his old friend’s face of calculating intent was interrupted by one blink before Rin’s clutter made him look up.
“Rin senpai?!” Nitori’s voice screeched up octaves with each syllable, honest surprise widening his blue eyes and jostling the neat strands of his hair. He was just as Rin remembered him, except maybe a bit more sharpness to his face—a sure sign of the years they spent apart.
Recovering from his fall, Rin made his way over to the seat next to Nitori, still feeling as though he left earth further behind him with each step. But Nitori’s familiar face in this grandiose room was like a full moon illuminating the night sky.
Nitori’s expression shifted by the time Rin was settled. The shock settled into sweet, undiluted joy. Nitori’s lips formed an earnest smile that glowed in his clear eyes. Before either of them could think, Nitori had leaned across the space between them and grabbed Rin’s hands, clutching them with a gentle force. “Rin-senpai, what are you doing here? It’s been so long!”
Rin’s smile was caught between disbelief and relief, relishing the feel of soft hands clutching his in this insubstantial realm. “I—I decided to have a night out. Work’s been rough.”
Under the frantically shifting lights, Rin saw the briefest falter in his little Ai’s expression. It was the quickest flash of distance freezing that warmest of faces into cautious reserve, a face that Rin could only vaguely recall seeing when Nitori studied or left the room to speak on the phone. But it left so quickly that Rin couldn’t mind it. He was indulging in the familiarity of his presence. “I could imagine that. You work so hard, senpai.” Nitori smiled up at Rin, nearly bouncing with glee as he met Rin’s gaze. “What are you drinking? Do you have a drink? I can buy you one.” Nitori blushed a deep red all the way to his ears once he heard his own words. “I—I mean, I can recommend one. I’m sure you can pay for your own. I’m not trying to pick you up or—“
Rin’s laughter cut off Nitori’s nervous rambles. The once uneasy cop felt the tension slip right out of his bones. “Don’t worry, Ai. I have one. But maybe I can get you one.” Rin smirked, leaning against the bar with a nonchalance he wouldn’t have believed a few minutes ago.
Nitori resumed his smiles, although a little more humbled than before. “How about a single malt scotch then?”
“Straight? You don’t want a cocktail or something?” Rin questioned a bit tactlessly, somehow not being able to comprehend little Ai as a whiskey kind of guy.
“Oh, I just grew a taste for it.” He looked down abashedly, but Rin ordered the drink anyway. As Rin sipped on his drink, Nitori spoke with in a quiet voice, nearly impossible to hear over the music and noise that surrounded them. “I’m really glad to see you again. It’s been so long…” The bartender dropped off the whisky, a quick bow to Nitori before he stepped away. Rin wondered if they had bowed when he received his drink. Nitori began to sip on the whiskey with neither a glance to the bartender nor a flinch at the strength of his drink. “I went swimming earlier today, and I was missing our team, and you as our captain…you’re such a great captain, senpai.”
Rin watched bewildered at the strange sight before him. He was falling back into a strange surrealist work of a world, seeing Nitori command such unwavering self-possession as he drank whiskey like water, appearing at ease in this strange club. The words escaping Ai’s lips like a confession felt like fond nostalgia, but the backdrop and props were nothing Rin had ever known. He needed to take back the room.
“Ai?” Rin breathed his name, calling forth an authority often paired with his pistol and uniform.
Nitori glanced up, letting Rin see those docile eyes he remembered. “Yes, senpai?”
“Do you dance?” Rin clutched his hands at the indirect question that left his lips. “Do you wanna dance with me?” He corrected himself quickly, pushing the offer off his tongue before Nitori could respond to the first brittle question.
“Absolutely!” Nitori took Rin’s hands and rushed up with the type of zeal Rin was hoping for, the sort he remembered. He let himself be brought the center of the room, all the people clearing a path for them as they saw them approaching. For such selective crowd, there were oddly polite.
Now, if Rin were being honest, he would admit that he couldn’t really imagine Nitori as a good dancer. He was a dedicated swimmer, persistent and hardworking, but this didn’t exactly match up with the fluidly and confidence needed to be a good dancer.
Oh, but tonight was a night for unnerving surprises. And if this one was unnerving, it was mostly due to the fact that Nitori was making Rin feel a little too hot under his clothes. His little Ai might even dance better than he could swim; he had the smooth self-possession of a trained professional, moving his body like a fine piece of art. He met every beat ringing out from the speakers with flourish, becoming a physical manifestation of sound.
Rin’s body was nothing but heat at the sight. He stepped closer, inviting Nitori to pull him into his enchanting rhythm. Nitori only gave Rin a side-glance, but his body was absolutely inviting. The fine flush of a flustered red rose onto his cheeks; Rin took it as encouragement, and pulled Ai close. A startled yelp came from Nitori’s lips, but his hands tentatively made their way onto Rin’s shoulders.
Unbeknownst to Rin, however, was the attention they had garnered. The crowd had stepped back from where they danced, the two obviously indulging in the presence of one another while others observed them with curiosity brimming in their eyes. When Nitori brought his hands onto Rin’s face, delicately slipping his fingers into his silky red hair, the crowd modestly looked away.
At the intimate touch and slight tugging of his hair, Rin looked at Nitori through half-lidded eyes. Nitori brought their faces together; their noses brushed against each other. A wicked smirk made its way to Nitori’s lips as he glanced at Rin’s face; a self-conscious blush that he couldn’t have dreamed of years ago was now his sweet reward. He hovered his mouth over Rin’s, waiting for the desire to burn in his eyes. He gave a teasing bite, then a coquettish lick, until his lips devoured Rin’s like a dessert.
Initially, Rin was shocked. A shiver ran down his spine, his eyes widening at the feeling of Ai’s mouth hot against his. But all too eagerly, he returned the kiss with equal force, putting his hands on Ai’s waist and grinding against him. Nitori’s hands tugged harder on Rin’s hair, bringing the taller boy lower and making him gasp. Nitori’s mouth moved down Rin’s jawline, licking and kissing his way down to the supple, smooth neck of his now prone and panting partner. He bite at the skin pulsing madly under his vicious touch, a faint moan falling from Rin’s lips like an offering to the divine being pleasuring him to artistic excellence. And Nitori made sure to beckon forth every worthy sacrifice of Rin’s once impervious pride, leaving bruises as blessings along his neck. As Nitori brought Rin’s eyes back to his—finding in his friend’s deep red eyes a delectable look of desire—another shudder raked through Rin’s body.
But this one came from his back pocket; shuddering with a disruptive persistence that Rin shook his head in a futile attempt to steady his thoughts. He stumbled back, digging into his pocket, and found his phone. Sousuke’s name blinked across the screen.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Rin muttered under his breath, looking back up to see Nitori straightening his blazer, and approaching Rin with only a bit of redness to his face. The suit was nice on him, though.
Ai smiled evenly. “Do you want to get a room—“ Rin raised his brow at the question. Nitori frantically corrected himself.”—For the phone call!”
Rin slid an exasperated hand down his face, a sigh escaping his lips. “Nah, it’s fine. But I have work in the morning…” He looked Nitori up and down, appreciating the form-fitting suit that clung to his tone body. “Will you be here again this Friday?”
Nitori laughed richly; Rin felt he was missing the joke. But the petite boy’s smile returned to his face, and only had the slightest hint of a secret gleaming in his eyes. “Oh, I’m always here.”
The two started to walk towards the exit, Nitori attentive by Rin’s side. Rin took a couple breaths to cool down as the fantasy of the pantheon thrived behind his back. “Really? You’ve become quite the life of the party, haven’t you, Ai?”
Ai glanced at Rin through his lashes, a coy smile teasing Rin’s composure. “Do you think so?”
As they reached the doubles doors that once hid secrets—now they only censored pleasures from dull reality—Rin pushed Nitori against the wall, lowering his face to the other’s shocked countenance, speaking impossibly close to his lips. “I do.”
He kissed Ai fleetingly, with the fervent force of sparks shuddering to life at the first touch of fire to their fuel, erupting with chaotic majesty that’s missed the moment it’s gone. He whispered huskily into Ai’s ear. “I’ll see you soon.”
Rin pushed through the doors then, heated by his own actions and Nitori’s irresistible appeal. The two guards imposing by the door and the line of people hoping to gain entry did not faze him. They couldn’t at this point. Rin was overwhelmingly occupied now; dialing Sousuke’s number, approaching his car in the lot, and preparing to drive bitterly back home, strung up and half-hard.
As the club doors swung closed behind Rin’s departing figure, Nitori stepped out. His eyes watched Rin fondly, his hands coming up to hold his own flushed cheeks. A content sigh left his lips as he leaned onto once of the bouncers. The man flinched at Ai’s touch. “What a wonderful night.” He breathed affectionately into the night air; a nervous sweat dewed on the bouncer’s neck.
Suddenly, Ai’s dainty fingers clutched the fine material of the bouncer’s sleeve, yanking the nervous man down to his eye level. There was a smile on Ai’s sweet face, but a dangerous look in his fluttering eyes. “If you ever see that man again, I don’t want you to look at him. Send him straight to me.” He tossed the man back, making the burly guard stumble a few steps behind him.
The bouncer swallowed thickly, betraying his nerves with a furrow to his once dauntless brow. “Yes, Aiichirou sir.”
A nearly angelic glow returned to Ai’s face. “Lovely.” And he reentered the club, leaving no solace behind him but the promise of Rin’s return.