ink_blot

Title: Re-writing Fate

Author: ink_blot 

Theme: 

Style: Narrative

Length: One-shot

Plot:

A male prostitute finding and trying to fight what life offers him, with the one he loves.
 

10 years ago

The air felt dry, almost made breathing unbearable. A man walked on the narrow streets of the slums – had been the saving haven of many people after the civil war that started and ended ugly; leaving children without parents and parents forever mourning the loss their children, after sending them off, fighting a fight to save what can be saved from a war that could never be won by anyone.

Making uncounted turns from one corner to another, he arrived in a house if you could still call it one; a holed-roof atop, walls that could do nothing about the cold wind at night, and a sliding door that would fall off when opened, with slightest force. This used to be the house of his beloved friend, his savior, whom he lost along with his left hand in the line of fire, trying to save him. He would never be able to witness how awful everything had turned-out after the raging war, maybe he’s the lucky one. And now this house is still the home of his little boy.

Carefully sliding the door open, he was welcomed by a small body curled on the floor with a tattered blanket over him, serving as the only protection on a cold night.

"Papa" the boy spoke meekly, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. He looked so fragile with his small frame, bones protruding from different parts of his body – malnutrition, the result of the futility of war.

"No, I’m a friend of your father" he patted his head with his right hand – there's no other hand, though he wished he could. He lost his left arm in the line of fire; he received a medal of valour for it and an early retirement. They said that he had done his country a great service, and it's only right that he spend his life as freely as possible for everything he has done, or they could just put “A man with one hand is no-good of a soldier”.

He smiled at the young boy before him, with the most mysterious forlorn eyes that could make you feel pity and fear at the same time. The boy continued rubbing his eyes, without any feel of actually acknowledging his presence, maybe he needed the sleep rather than a one arm man. He then took the hand of the little boy, hoping that his friend is indeed in a better place, or at least a little better than where they are now and to wherever they would go.

"Your father has entrusted you to me, before he went to a better place. I'll be your protector from now on, Nino. "

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Present Day

Male prostitution boomed during the civil war, no one knows why or what’s the reason behind it, it just happened, and apparently it didn't stop when the war ended.

There are many places that cater to this business, depending on how thick your wallet is.  For one, Jade district is considered the most famous for this type of business, for the elite and famous men, married or not. Rumour has it; male prostitutes there have the beauty which make men sprawl on their feet. They are skilled with giving pleasurable services that can be addicting, to the point that they have chosen to spend most of their night with their male lovers, rather than being with their women.

Nino used to work in that district; he was famous for his beauty and his woman-like body, almost, except for the part of his body dangling in-front of him. Despite the fact of having a male body, no man can deny the lust they feel whenever he walks on a yellow kimono; it's like time can actually stop, so to speak, so that people may admire his exquisite beauty. He is the top male lover at Jade district, not all men have the opportunity to lay him in bed, his customers are those of high rankings; the rich to put it more bluntly.

But life turns his life up-side-down, now he only provides his services to willing customer in a simple bungalow house at the far end corner of Granite district, not so fine from the previous one but bearable enough not to be disturbed by local gangsters, along with his protector.

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"Change the gauze from time to time, and make sure to apply medicine or it might get infected" the doctor said in a warning tone, Nino is not like other patient that would listen, unless threaten. Maybe it is because of the line of work he has, though it may seem accepted there are still those who wince at the sight of his kind which made the man to have a defiant attitude.

“What happened to it anyway” the doctor questioned while putting down the injured foot gently on the mat.

“Customers, you know.” answering nonchalantly.

“No, I wouldn’t know.” the doctor retaliates, feeling regret why he bothered asking the man before him. It’s not like he actually cared for the man, or anything.

“Well, this customer kept blabbing that he loves me and would give everything just to have me. So, I told him, if he really loved me he has to take apart of me or I’ll never sleep with him again. Who would have thought he’d actually bite my toe…that idiot” Nino smirked, like the incident was really something amusing.

“You’d better be careful in threatening your customer” the doctor sighs.

“I didn’t know you care for me so much” The doctor stiffens not with the comment.  Nino suddenly placed his injured foot at the doctor's shoulder, leaving himself fully exposed, not to the doctor's liking, shocking him to death.

"Doctor, I can take you to heaven if you wanted too" Nino pulling a very seductive face and voice, knowing how uncomfortable the doctor becomes whenever he pulled the act.

"Oh, I forgot you don't swing on this side of town, right doctor?" he added quickly, lowering his leg, amused at how the doctor's face contoured.

The doctor is a very serious man. Definitely. If only they could have met in different circumstances, but their fate is set on opposite grounds, and all he could do is watch him from where he belongs – loved by many, belonged to none.

"Gauze and medicine!" the doctor gathered his black bag, throwing his stuffs too strong, and stood upright heading to the door, without bothering to look back and bid proper goodbye.

Nino stared at the doctor’s back with all anticipation for the next moment they would meet again. Soon.

"Doesn't anyone wear underwear here?" hissing as he stepped outside the Sunset Garden, feeling rather violated at the moment, walking out into the night with Nino’s image embedded on his mind. Vividly.

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He already reached the front of his house before he could breathe properly, there's something in him that stirred whenever he sees the smaller man making looking at the man's eyes unbearable; those sullen eyes, whatever is behind them he doesn't know and wouldn’t what to know. At least not now, not yet.

He stepped inside his house wanting to take a rest, he had been attending to too many patients the whole day – rest is needed for the night. But luck is not on his side; being harassed by Nino is apparently not enough, and now he had to deal with the man sitting on the chair inside the study – The Head of Surgical Department and boss/friend.

“Hey! Where have you been Jun?”  The voice echoed in the small room, Jun wanted so much to scorn at the man, but finding the courage not to do so. He is still and undeniably his boss, and a good one most of the time…Sakurai Sho, to whom Jun owe having a high paying job at a prestigious hospital despite the worst state the country is experiencing.

“So, who is it?” Sho said in a teasing tone.

“Huh?” Jun answered, finally awaken from stupor.

“Have you met anyone interesting?” looking at Jun with a very teasing and knowing expression plaster on his face.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.  I’m dozing-off again…just tired.” trying to dismiss the look on Sho’s face and maybe end the conversation to wherever it would lead on.

“Oh come-on Jun, I’ve been talking about your possible promotion here and all this time you didn’t even bat an eye-lid. I bet it’s Nino. I know you had to treat him for some minor injury and try not to deny.” looking directly at Jun’s eyes.

“In-love?” When the other doesn’t seem to relent.

“Don’t try to be funny Sakurai-san, it doesn’t suit you” irritated, he walked out of the room, leaving Sho with his prying eyes and smirk on his lips. Heading to his room more irritated for being found-out easily when here he is trying all his might not to think of Nino and his nakedness.

Sho was left in the study room satisfied by Jun’s childish reaction…”It’s definitely Nino” telling himself. He let Jun walk away without argument, putting the hospital paper works on the desk. There’s no point in pushing the topic, though admittedly it is amusing to see Jun defenceless with the mere mention of Nino’s name.

Jun landed on his bed with a thud, too exhausted from the day’s work and from dealing with a particular individual in Sunset Garden. All he wanted was to be succumbed by sleep, but the moment his eyes closed, he could see those glassy sullen eyes of Nino – almost pleading, wanting to be discovered by someone, anyone or maybe hoping, him.

“Damn Sakurai Sho for putting ideas on his mind.”.

After hours of fighting, he finally let his mind drifts to all the possible ideas involving those brown eyes that captured him the moment they met, or more so involving man with those eyes without a stitch covering his body, under him, calling his name between gasp of air. Because only here, in the dead of the night, Jun can admit to himself, honestly, that he has feelings for the man, other than pity.