Soul of the Night: Beginnings
folder
Erotica › General
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
5
Views:
1,028
Reviews:
0
Recommended:
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Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Erotica › General
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
5
Views:
1,028
Reviews:
0
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
Chapter 2
“I can’t offer you a feast, Ryu-san, but if you have no plans I would be honored to have you dine with me,” Kiyoshi asked.
Ryuhei’s face brightened. “Oh, really? Why that’s so kind of you. I—no, I just can’t.” He sighed heavily and turned to walk away. “I couldn’t possibly burden your hospitality, especially with good sake being so hard—and expensive—to come by.”
Kiyoshi removed a string of coins from within his sleeve and counted off a good number of them. “There’s more than enough here for a decent bottle or two and still have enough for steamed pork buns.”
That seemed to do the trick. Nakamura furrowed his brow and put the back of his hand to his forehead, as if coping with some tremendous internal struggle. He sighed, and rather dramatically at that. “I’ll take your invitation only because I don’t want to insult you.”
“Thank you.” Kiyoshi bowed and tried not to smile.
Ryuhei did smile though, touching Kiyoshi’s shoulder when he rose from the bow. “I certainly didn’t expect to make such a lovely new friend here in Magome,” Ryuhei said warmly. “What’s your name? And aren’t you a little hot under there? It’s really a warm evening.”
“Kiyoshi. My name is Kiyoshi Ishibe.” He slipped out of the cloak and draped it over his arm. “I don’t mind the heat, but the sun bothers me at times, so I try to keep covered.”
Ryuhei brushed a slender fingertip across Kiyoshi’s cheek and Kiyoshi felt himself leaning into the touch. He was certain he heard Ryuhei purr like a contented cat.
“Yes, with such fair skin I can see why you avoid the sun. I’m the same way, you know. After all, my looks are my fortune—or rather were…” He sighed and dropped his arm.
Kiyoshi smiled. “I think the years have been most kind to Ryu-san.”
Nakamura looked up and met Kiyoshi’s steady gaze. Kiyoshi felt the man’s passion begin to stir and heat his blood much as his fear had earlier, only now the scent was more fragrant and far more alluring.
“Shall we go?” Kiyoshi asked.
“Oh yes, of course.” Ryuhei nodded. He smiled coyly and bowed his head politely, though his gaze traced a path along Kiyoshi’s body. “Anywhere you choose, my friend. Just not there,” he hastily added, gesturing down the road to the inn. “Really, the owner has no idea how to treat a customer, and certainly not one as esteemed as me.”
Kiyoshi nodded in agreement. “I would feel so ashamed to give them my business after that outrage.”
The response appeared to satisfy Nakamura immensely, who headed off in the opposite direction of the inn with a smile.
“I feel the same way,” Ryuhei said. “There’s another ryokan right off the bridge on the road that leads to Edo that looks far more hospitable. And if we should need to rest after our meal, I’m sure they’d have a room available…” He giggled softly as Kiyoshi fell into step beside him. “Wouldn’t that be nice, Kiyoshi-kun?”
“Yes,” Kiyoshi agreed, paying more attention to Ryuhei himself than what the man said. He admired the way Nakamura took care not to plod through the loose dirt, and the graceful movements of the actor’s hands as he gestured while talking. It was unusual to see such elegant movements in mortals, affirming why Ryuhei had been such a popular and talented actor.
“Oh, Edo.” Ryuhei’s cheer dwindled a bit. “Now there was a city with plenty of lovely places to spend the night. And just as many lovely people to spend those nights with.”
Kiyoshi watched as a bit of sadness deepened shadows he hadn’t noticed earlier under the actor’s eyes. Whatever had happened in Edo to spoil Nakamura’s career on stage was still painful for the man to address, and Kiyoshi resisted the urge to inquire more. All of Ryuhei’s emotions had carried such degrees of passion so far that Kiyoshi realized he wouldn’t be able to bear sensing Ryuhei’s sorrow.
So, he smiled gently and gave a short, respectful bow. “I’m sure you had quite a long line of admirers waiting for your attention, Ryu-san.”
“Well, I don’t like to brag…” Ryuhei brightened.
But of course he did. Kiyoshi contained a laugh and simply smiled and nodded. But he had to admit he wouldn’t have minded being one of Ryuhei’s “special admirers”. Gods, how long had it been? It seemed like ages since he’d let himself get close to anyone in any way. Not since Liu left him half dead so many years ago…
His thoughts were interrupted some time later when Nakamura grabbed his kimono sleeve.
“Surely you haven’t changed your mind, Kiyoshi-kun? You’re walking right past the ryokan.” He feigned a horrified gasp. “If I didn’t know better I’d think you were trying to whisk me off to some private hideaway to have your wicked way with me.”
“I would never think to do such a thing, Nakamura-san.”
Ryuhei’s sigh was quite genuine this time. “Such a noble young man you are, Kiyoshi-kun. Such a noble young man.”
Ryuhei’s face brightened. “Oh, really? Why that’s so kind of you. I—no, I just can’t.” He sighed heavily and turned to walk away. “I couldn’t possibly burden your hospitality, especially with good sake being so hard—and expensive—to come by.”
Kiyoshi removed a string of coins from within his sleeve and counted off a good number of them. “There’s more than enough here for a decent bottle or two and still have enough for steamed pork buns.”
That seemed to do the trick. Nakamura furrowed his brow and put the back of his hand to his forehead, as if coping with some tremendous internal struggle. He sighed, and rather dramatically at that. “I’ll take your invitation only because I don’t want to insult you.”
“Thank you.” Kiyoshi bowed and tried not to smile.
Ryuhei did smile though, touching Kiyoshi’s shoulder when he rose from the bow. “I certainly didn’t expect to make such a lovely new friend here in Magome,” Ryuhei said warmly. “What’s your name? And aren’t you a little hot under there? It’s really a warm evening.”
“Kiyoshi. My name is Kiyoshi Ishibe.” He slipped out of the cloak and draped it over his arm. “I don’t mind the heat, but the sun bothers me at times, so I try to keep covered.”
Ryuhei brushed a slender fingertip across Kiyoshi’s cheek and Kiyoshi felt himself leaning into the touch. He was certain he heard Ryuhei purr like a contented cat.
“Yes, with such fair skin I can see why you avoid the sun. I’m the same way, you know. After all, my looks are my fortune—or rather were…” He sighed and dropped his arm.
Kiyoshi smiled. “I think the years have been most kind to Ryu-san.”
Nakamura looked up and met Kiyoshi’s steady gaze. Kiyoshi felt the man’s passion begin to stir and heat his blood much as his fear had earlier, only now the scent was more fragrant and far more alluring.
“Shall we go?” Kiyoshi asked.
“Oh yes, of course.” Ryuhei nodded. He smiled coyly and bowed his head politely, though his gaze traced a path along Kiyoshi’s body. “Anywhere you choose, my friend. Just not there,” he hastily added, gesturing down the road to the inn. “Really, the owner has no idea how to treat a customer, and certainly not one as esteemed as me.”
Kiyoshi nodded in agreement. “I would feel so ashamed to give them my business after that outrage.”
The response appeared to satisfy Nakamura immensely, who headed off in the opposite direction of the inn with a smile.
“I feel the same way,” Ryuhei said. “There’s another ryokan right off the bridge on the road that leads to Edo that looks far more hospitable. And if we should need to rest after our meal, I’m sure they’d have a room available…” He giggled softly as Kiyoshi fell into step beside him. “Wouldn’t that be nice, Kiyoshi-kun?”
“Yes,” Kiyoshi agreed, paying more attention to Ryuhei himself than what the man said. He admired the way Nakamura took care not to plod through the loose dirt, and the graceful movements of the actor’s hands as he gestured while talking. It was unusual to see such elegant movements in mortals, affirming why Ryuhei had been such a popular and talented actor.
“Oh, Edo.” Ryuhei’s cheer dwindled a bit. “Now there was a city with plenty of lovely places to spend the night. And just as many lovely people to spend those nights with.”
Kiyoshi watched as a bit of sadness deepened shadows he hadn’t noticed earlier under the actor’s eyes. Whatever had happened in Edo to spoil Nakamura’s career on stage was still painful for the man to address, and Kiyoshi resisted the urge to inquire more. All of Ryuhei’s emotions had carried such degrees of passion so far that Kiyoshi realized he wouldn’t be able to bear sensing Ryuhei’s sorrow.
So, he smiled gently and gave a short, respectful bow. “I’m sure you had quite a long line of admirers waiting for your attention, Ryu-san.”
“Well, I don’t like to brag…” Ryuhei brightened.
But of course he did. Kiyoshi contained a laugh and simply smiled and nodded. But he had to admit he wouldn’t have minded being one of Ryuhei’s “special admirers”. Gods, how long had it been? It seemed like ages since he’d let himself get close to anyone in any way. Not since Liu left him half dead so many years ago…
His thoughts were interrupted some time later when Nakamura grabbed his kimono sleeve.
“Surely you haven’t changed your mind, Kiyoshi-kun? You’re walking right past the ryokan.” He feigned a horrified gasp. “If I didn’t know better I’d think you were trying to whisk me off to some private hideaway to have your wicked way with me.”
“I would never think to do such a thing, Nakamura-san.”
Ryuhei’s sigh was quite genuine this time. “Such a noble young man you are, Kiyoshi-kun. Such a noble young man.”