Work Text:
Oh, fuck me.
Reo looked at the tattoo on his hand in a horrendous way, with a glare that could be interpreted as something between pure horror and killer instinct. And yes, it was possible to have those both. With a sigh he shifted again the watch on his left wrist, making sure that it hid that indescribable tattoo. He had searched a lot to find the right size of strap. It was so embarrassing, but it just wouldn’t be erased to get over with and Reo wanted that thing off for many different reasons.
First, it was the phrase itself. So blunt and brutal, entirely unfitting his elegant nature, he couldn’t understand why this had to be the sign for his soulmate! All of his friends and acquaintances had tattoos with very random phrases, yes, but not vulgar! Maybe except for one or two… but why him? It made him want to find his soulmate so badly, in order for it to be finally erased! And boy did he try! But it is quite difficult having such a phrase that everyone could blurt out in personal moments. It was getting so tiring, hearing it in the moment of the heat, only to find the stupid words still there when the lights turned back on, almost mocking him. But oh well, that was that. He kept hiding it in any way he could and especially at work. Thank god his coworkers were not nosy enough, or they would discover a very interesting gossip about their boss…
With a sigh he got out of his car, all suited up and business-like and made a stop at his favorite place. It was time for his evening dose of relaxation. He certainly needed it, as lots of work was waiting for him at home, then maybe chatting with yet another guy, in hope to erase that freaking tattoo… His fingers massaged his temples gently, trying to blur out the raging growl of the street.
The moment he pushed the door open, nice soft music filled his ears and the smell of coffee beans tickled his scents. Ah, that was a nice change! The only thing he wanted was an hour of quiet, alone time with his drink and a book. There was nothing better than doing something you really enjoyed…
Except quiet wouldn’t play along.
His eyes caught a glimpse of him as he walked towards his favorite table, standing all proud and friendly behind the bar. The silky, impressively long dark hair tied sloppily at the back of his head, the thin but nice posture, the gleaming eyes and that million watt smile as he talked and served. He was quite the social butterfly, nice and very laid back with everyone… Except for Reo. The moment their stares met, those sparking dark eyes thundered in an expression that was not friendly at all. Those same eyes rolled at the back of the young man’s head, his lips curling in something that was definitely a curse. The older man gave him a smirk and a quirk of a perfect eyebrow, enjoying pissing the other ofd a little more than he should. Not that he hated him, not at all in fact. But there had been a misunderstanding once, where Reo had been an ass and judgmental and the guy held a huge grudge against him. He shook his head, taking out the book he was currently reading in a background of loud noises of glass bumping on the counter, bottles open in rush. He was deeply lost in thought as a glass of water was shoved right in his face, along with a catalog that was almost thrown at him. Reo looked up, rather amused as he grinned back at the guy.
“Good evening to you too, Akinori."
The waiter grumped, forcing a very fake smile on his lips, all teeth and stretched muscles.
“Good evening, sir . How may I serve you tonight?”
“I guess you know me long enough to know what I drink almost every wednesday here, right?”
“I wish I didn't.” The young man snapped, not even regretting it as he looked at him impatiently.
“Does your boss know how you talk to customers?”
“Of course he does. As he also knows how I don’t tolerate people who call me a thief.”
Reo sighed, his temple resting on both of his hands. He was tired. Tired of the meeting he had earlier, tired to explain to the other man once again that it had been a huge misunderstanding and that he apologized to him so many times, some of them in front of his boss. Nothing broke the ice between them though. No kind words, no compliments. If Akinori could, he would send even the cleaning lady to assist the older man, just to avoid him.
“Shouldn’t you be off work by now?”
A tight purse rested on those wonderful lips and the boy muttered something between a complaint and order confirmation, turning and dragging his feet away, to fix him his usual drink. Reo opened his book, reading a very interesting part while humming at the music. Akinori was surely taking his sweet time but he had got used to it. He was getting the worst service ever yet there he was every week, same hour and same table. Because he liked the place. Because it had good drinks. Nothing else. Yeah.
His eyes left the beautiful, skeptic lines as a guy entered the bar, with an air of confidence that was stronger than his cologne. Dressed in black and very edgy looking, handsome for sure. Dark short hair, interesting eyes, maybe a little cocky but still… Whatever slice of skin Reo could discern on him was covered in ink, patterns mixing and twisting in a crazy dance. It was a work of art. He was around Akinori's age, 24, maybe a little older. And he had certainly got the waiter's attention as well, as those hostile dark eyes suddenly shone with something completely different. His whole face softened to a disarming smile as he waved at the charming stranger. It was interesting and irritating at the same time, watching that brat being oh so great with everyone and an unforgiving bitch with Reo and only. And that is why he was greatly amused at Akinori's horror when the guy sat on the table next to his own.
No matter the hints and his ridiculous expressions, the stranger remained in his spot, sitting royally and waiting, his gorgeous face leaned between his arms. The waiter huffed, shooting Reo a very irritated glance, as if he was at fault for everything bad in the world. He disappeared for a while and returned back in his casual clothes, a buggy hoodie and ripped jeans. His hair was untied, falling in locks of darkness around his pale face. He looked rather good in that plainness, Reo had to admit to himself. The waiter approached him grumpy, shoving his drink sloppily on the table, resisting as it seemed to spill it on the older man and he stood bluntly over him, hands crossed.
"You have to pay this because my shift has just ended."
Reo cracked a teasing smile as he reached for his wallet. He caught his waiter exchanging glances with the other man, glances that did not look exactly friendly, and Reo was an expert at things like this. He eyed both guys in amusement, finally paying Akinori.
"Using your workplace for dating is sloppy. I would fire you for that…" Reo raised a brow, a teasing tone dancing in his throat.
"Oh?" Akinori tilted his head, displaying for just moments a glamor of cute innocence which he stole away exactly as suddenly as he shared it with the world. "Before or after accusing me for theft?"
Reo sighed, looking at him in the eye.
"You should really get over that. Yes, I was an ass back then and I regret it. It was very rude of me, especially in your first weeks here…" His eyes gleamed in honesty, proving that he meant every word. He generally was straightforward and admitted his mistakes. The waiter looked at him fearless and blank.
"Doesn't work with me…"
"And what does work with you?"
"You changing hangout, maybe?"
Before Reo could utter even a vowel, the younger man was gone. He placed the money in the cashier and approached the table the charming stranger was sitting, holding the last two drinks of his shift. He was gleaming with excitement to see the tattooed man, eyes burning with interest, lips curling up sexily… It was enticing and disturbing at the same time.
"Hazuki…"
The transformation of the guy's character was so extreme that Reo couldn't do anything else but watch the two men, how they talked and interacted with each other. It turned out to be far more interesting than his book. The older man was drawn to the waiter. How his voice had changed, got to lower, nice pitches. The mysterious smiles, the constant need to close the distance between them and those fiery glances… Well, Akinori was something. What exactly, he didn't know. He just knew that he liked watching him.
He gave him a tiny smile as their eyes met suddenly but got back only a snort. The tattooed guy noticed it, brows raising playfully.
"Admirer?"
"Asshole."
Reo laughed, partly to piss him further off. Though the word admirer didn't sound that bad in his ears.
The conversation went on, Akinori putting extra effort to be social and exciting, the guy named Hazuki responding positively. Bodies shifting closer, voices getting quieter. It was obvious that the waiter was putting too much effort to lead the conversation somewhere, changing subjects randomly. Judging by his face, Reo knew that his attempts ended in failure. Then a glance on his wrist, a nervous lick of lips and it was finally clear. Akinori was trying to put the soulmate test! The older man grinned. He didn't know if he should feel sad or not, but it seemed that all of the people he knew, himself included, were on that hunt. He wondered what it would be like in the end, finding your other half. Would it be strictly erotic? He drank some more of his drink in silence.
"So, what are your plans for tonight?" Akinori asked and leaned closer to the other man as their glasses emptied, eyes growing expectant.
"I would like some place more quiet, don't you agree?"
There was a blush and dammit, it looked so nice, spreading over the young man's cheek, faint but still there. That awkwardness suited him so much, Reo couldn't take his eyes off him. He was attractive, as he was also an ass.
"I would like quiet… And some place with less irritating people…"
The waiter made sure to point that loud enough and Reo's eyes couldn't but focus back on him.
"Do I really bug you that much to interrupt your date for me?"
Oh, that made Akinori even redder. Reo could swear he almost saw smoke popping clouds through his ears.
"Don't you have anything better to do?"
"I do." A point at the opened book, neglected for a long time now, but Akinori didn't need to know that. "And you interrupt me."
There was a long, lingering stare, a limbo between a flare and a thunder. The waiter seemed rather pissed as he stood up, his company following his actions.
"Let me get my jacket and get out of here…"
Akinori hissed, rubbing his left wrist nervously as he watched Hazuki walking outside. "Ne, how about we take a walk outside first? To see the stars?"
Hazuki turned at him, looking rather puzzled. "Stars?" He tilted his handsome head. "Didn't you say you wanted quiet?"
Akinori stood still, giving him a limp nod.
"Yes but… wouldn't it be nice? Us in the woods, under the night sky? Even though it is cold?"
He looked hopeful, expectant. Hazuki shook his head with a little laugh.
"You can watch them on our way to my place maybe?"
"Ah…" Disappointment. Pure and clear, it almost made Reo feel bad for the guy. Almost. "Okay… I guess…"
"I will wait for you in the car. Be quick!"
A wink and the man left in the same proud pace as he got in, not looking back. He never noticed how his friend bit his lips, teeth cutting down his thoughts and disappointment. Akinori gave a little shrug as the door closed, slowly moving towards the kitchen for his jacket.
Reo got back to reading, slowly getting tired. Maybe it was time to call it a day. It was a crazy one indeed. And maybe there wouldn't be any tinder chat tonight. He was not in the mood.
He kept reading in focus, dark eyes sliding sideways as the waiter came out again, dressed in a black jacket, a huge scarf wrapped over his neck and a warm hat over his head. He was funny, oversized and lumpy as he was.
"Only an idiot would want to see the stars in this cold. Woods? Don't you have a terrace or what?"
Reo was focused again on the lines in front of him, so he never noticed the way the younger man stopped right on his tracks, frozen in a wide expression of pure shock.
"Wh-what did you say?"
Reo looked up at him, a grin growing slowly on his lips. "Take off that hat, it reduces your hearing." He leaned closer, eyes on the younger's terrified glare. "I said, only an idiot would want to see the stars in this cold, Akinori."
The waiter gulped and licked his lips. His fingers fumbled furiously with the sleeves of his jacket, struggling to pull them up sloppily. He was not calm enough to think of just taking it off, so he kept swirling around in a weird dance of his, twisting his left sleeve and cursing until he finally managed to pull it up, fingers rubbing furiously on the white of his wrist. Clean. Then his eyes widened, too surprised to react any further. He just kept looking at his wrist, freaked out until he fully registered what was going on. Reo was back to his reading, not really noticing the terror in the other's face. Then those dark eyes narrowed, sliding up at the ceiling in a desperate plea to whatever deity was up there, playing a joke on him.
"Oh, fuck me!"
It felt like a pinch. Like a needle piercing on his wrist, that burning feeling of blades sinking in your flesh rapidly. His skin really burned and Reo jerked up the moment Akinori talked, his fingers instantly reaching for his watch. Unlike the younger man, Reo could keep his composure perfectly. With a swift move the watch was off, and so was that stupid tattoo on his wrist! His eyes widened, marveling at the whiteness of the skin, his digits exploring it delightfully. And then he gazed up at Akinori, who was a frozen statue by then, or like something very heavy hit him in the face. And finding your soulmate was a big thing. Especially under the circumstances.
"Well…" Reo hummed, his sight never leaving that of the other man. "This is… unexpected…"
"This is awkward. Like totally awkward!"
Reo stared deep inside those bright eyes, reading clearly the fear and the surprise behind them. He could understand it. He had spent a lot of his lifetime searching for his soulmate, always reaching disappointment. He even had come to terms that maybe he wouldn't meet them in this life. The young man flinched further at his gaze, making it worse for Reo. It definitely didn't look like the great love he would expect. This felt more like… babysitting…
He burst into a loud laughter, making Akinori even more uncomfortable.
"It is a joke, isn't it?" The boy mumbled weakly.
Reo couldn’t understand if Akinori's words were a blurt of irony or honest disbelief. The younger's stare followed their clean wrists again, his head shaking in denial.
"You have a date waiting." The older man's voice had lowed down considerably, reaching deeper hues. It had a glint of demand that made Akinori jump. "Don't be rude."
Judging by his reactions, shiver must have run down the boy's neck but he didn't move away. He got the best intimidating posture he could manage, arms crossing and brows furrowing.
"Do not act like my boss!"
Reo shrugged, drinking the last of his glass.
"Had I been your boss, you would be already looking for a job. Told you. Now, shoo."
There was tension between them. Electricity dancing in the air, making the younger's limbs twitch. Reo looked way more confident. He had been trained to hide his feelings long ago, in order to survive at work.
There was a swift move and Akinori was gone, his lumpy frame reaching the door when Reo stopped him.
"By the way, I wouldn't mind it. Those words you said…" He smirked, pointing at his own wrist.
It took a whole second for the waiter to go back to their little revelation, find the right phrase and then flip him the finger. Reo laughed hard as the door closed with a bang. He kept laughing nervously as he stood up a little later, taking his things and wearing his coat.
"How did i manage to get tangled in this…"
Well, he really did want that tattoo off his arm and he was glad about that. But maybe something else fell in those hands, replacing it. Something difficult and high mentainance. But again, Reo liked challenges and risks, he wouldn't back down for a mere brat.
"Let's see how this will go…" He murmured and got out in the cold, reaching for his car. A smile was on his lips, a little sweet, a lot of happy and a sense of sadistic.
He visited this place once a week, same day and hour. He was a man of schedule and discipline. But maybe… His smile turned to a grin. Maybe breaking the schedule wouldn't be that bad.
He got in his car, leaving his things next to him. He let his body fall on the seat and he sighed, eyes focusing on the streetlights. He was tired, yes, but in the end he felt good and excited, after a long time.
"I guess I will need another drink tomorrow for sure…"
The End