Unexpected love

Being woken up with a kiss was a glorious experience. Breakfast in bed served by a handsome man was exhilarating. It just got downright unreal when Johnny leaned over after the food was gone to ask if Ten minded being stripped and showered.

However, as Johnny had so far been more than a gentleman, it was with dismay and not surprise that Ten found himself pushed into the bathroom and left to wash himself. Admittedly, Johnny had started his water and had made sure he had everything, including a towel large enough to double as a blanket on the bed and clean clothes to change into afterwards.

Ten showered, luxuriating in the water and the rather large shower-stall; it was definitely large enough to hold two people comfortably. He stepped out, ran the towel over his body in a quick bid to rid himself of most of the extra moisture, and then wrapped it around his hips. He brushed his hair back with his fingers and then stared at his reflection. His skin looked healthy under the soft light, and his eyes seemed to glow.

He reached a hand out and ran a finger down the glass of the mirror, tracing his reflection.

^*^*^*^*^

In the kitchen, Johnny was a little less than happy. He really wanted to be in the bathroom, specifically in the shower, and his body was wound tightly to remind him of what he -could- be doing but had decided against. With a scowl, he rinsed off the plate and tray that Ten had used, and then glanced around the apartment.

It wasn't that his only desire was to claim Ten in a physical sense. He felt very warm just knowing the other man was in his apartment. There was a shroud of peace over everything in the apartment that had never been there before. His frustration was a result of the fact that he'd never been one to hold back from what he wanted, and his body couldn't seem to understand the fact that it wasn't the only thing affected by Ten.

A knock came on the door, and he smiled, grateful for the reprieve from his own thoughts and feelings.. Company meant something to do besides dwell on the thought of Ten in his shower, naked and wet. He threw the door open with a little more force than he'd intended, and stared disappointedly at the man on the other side. "What do you want?" he asked.

Hazel eyes glared at him. "What a way to greet your best friend, asshole," Jay said, walking in and shouldering Johnny out of his way when the other man didn't move.

"Ah, wonderful mood as always, Jay" Johnny said sarcastically, shutting the door. "I hope that this doesn't mean that you want a sympathetic ear, because you're in the wrong place," he reminded him coldly.

Jay turned to look at him, worry clear in his eyes despite the look on his face. "My little cousin ran off this morning. I think he's done something stupid, like gotten played by some creep."

Johnny rolled his eyes. "And so you come to me, huh?" He knew better than to be insulted. Their 'friendship' was based on the fact that Johnny could correctly classify a person's desire and advise them on how to satisfy it, or offer to satisfy it himself. Matching kink to kink was his forte.

"Johnny, you're the only guy I know that has any clue as to the whereabouts of every other gigolo in the city. I just need to know what kind of guy would want a simpering, sniveling, weak-minded virgin who's only marginally attractive."

"Let's get something straight: I'm a player, not a gigolo. I only go for attractive people and I don't do it for the money, just the sex. And secondly, you're kidding me, right? Any bastard into domination or role-playing would love someone who will bend to their every whim. If you're lucky, he's just staying at a friend's house."

Jay shook his head. "He doesn't have friends, Johnny. He's a loser, he was raised to be that way so that his father could have complete control of him, the sick freak. Ten has no experience what-so-ever."

Johnny absorbed that information, filing some of it away for later and choosing other bits, mostly tone and expression, to address now. "You feel guilty," he said, getting straight to the point. "It's not that you're worried about him, or that you're afraid he'll get hurt. You're just afraid that you'll get blamed."

"Shut up, Johnny. Don't make me out to be an asshole, you're the same way. It's not about any one but yourself, and it doesn't matter unless it can reflect on you. If something happens to him, my uncle will kill me. All that bull about soiling the family name actually means something to the old man, and he's likely to take me out and shoot me himself if something should harm his reputation."

"Okay, you've answered that question then. The next is; what do you expect -me- to be able to do?" His tone implied that this was something out of his area of expertise. It wasn't, really, but he only exerted himself for certain people, and Jay was not one of them.

"I was hoping you could help me find him. You know more of the people that would be interested in hurting him than I do. I need to find him before he gets himself hurt, or something equally stupid," said Jay.

"Can't," Johnny said. "I've got company."
That caught Jay by surprise, enough so that he temporarily forgot his cousin. "You brought someone home with you? Isn't that rule number one on the list of things -not- to do?"

Johnny grinned. "Yup. Right next to not giving keys out to anyone." Jay's jaw dropped. "And before you ask, yes, I did. He has a set of keys to the apartment. I'd introduce you, but he's in the shower."

"Well, hell, Johnny. If I'd known you were getting domesticated on me, I would have tried someone else. I'm not congratulating you. If it lasts, great, but I wouldn't wish to make light of anyone being shackled," he snarled

"That's fine. Now, if you'll excuse me. My guest should be done soon, and I really have no desire to share him at this point," Johnny said, waving back towards the door. Jay took a step forwards, knowing that when Johnny said he wasn't going to help, he meant it. His eyes dropped to the floor, and he looked at the shoes and bag that were next to the door.
"What are those?" he asked, eyes narrowing.

"Hm?" Johnny looked down as well, and then smiled. "That's Ten's stuff. He went home earlier and picked-" the words were cut off quickly as he was shoved against the door,
Jay's fists curled into his shirt and raising Johnny so that he had to stand on his toes.

"My cousin, Ten? The baby? He's your newest conquest?" his voice was low and dangerous.
"Hell, no!" Johnny said, reaching up to pull the other man's hands away from his neck, confused. A moment ago, Jay had been asking for his help to find his cousin, and now he was accusing him of having him.

He frowned and said scathingly, "Trust me, the Ten in my shower isn't your cousin. He's nothing like the guy you've described to me a hundred times." The man in his shower was beautiful and sweet, and he would be a passionate lover under the right situation and teacher.

"Oh, please. He's twenty-one, with black hair, brown eyes, stands about two inches shorter than me. He's meek and passive, boring and stupid-" Johnny shoved him back, stopping the words.

"Johnny?" Ten said softly, stepping into their line of sight. He'd heard voices in the living room and had come to see who it was. He had heard more than he wanted to, but his face showed nothing of his thoughts except confusion.

"See!" Johnny said, waving a hand at Ten. "Look at him and tell me that that's the same 'plain' Ten you've described to me. Tell me that the guy who climbed onto my balcony last night is a weak sniveling baby. It's not your cousin, Jay, and you really need to leave -now-. Maybe you can look for your cousin when you're actually worried about him."

His words were ignored as Jay took a step towards Ten, turning his glare full-force on his youngest cousin. "You're coming home with me, freak. Uncle's pissed and if you don't get your ass home soon to call the Mayor's daughter, he's going to string us both up by our balls."

Ten ducked his head and absent-mindedly rolled the sleeves up so that his hands were free from the material of the shirt. The clothes that Johnny had given him fit rather well, if a little long in the legs and arms, and a little tight in the hips. He waited, hoping that Johnny would say something.

A sound of surprise from Jay made him look back up quickly, and he was just in time to see Johnny shove him forcefully out the door and slam it behind it. "What a prat," Johnny said, locking the deadbolt. He turned back to Ten, his expression softening as their eyes met. "You look very lovely decked out in my clothes," he said, speaking as if the last few minutes hadn't happened.

"'Player'?" Ten said questioningly, raising his head. "Am I just a 'conquest'?" His voice was bland, as if he were speaking of the weather.

Johnny sighed, his expression darkening. "You heard enough to draw that conclusion, huh?" He crossed his arms over his face and looked at Ten impassively. "I've already broken some of my own rules for you, Ten, but I won't break the one that says I don't explain myself to anyone."
Ten looked down again and rubbed his toe into the carpet. "Do you really think I'm lovely?" he asked, throat tight.

Instead of answering right away, Johnny stepped closer, placed one gentle hand beneath Ten's chin, and tilted his head up so that they were looking eye-to-eye. "I think you're beautiful," he answered softly. His eyes were light, sparkling like crystals in sunlight, despite the low light that surrounded them.

A smile graced Ten's face, replacing the worry and fear that had been lurking there. "Destiny, right?"

Johnny grinned and shook his head. "It seemed like destiny at the time, but Fate is fickle and Destiny is a bitch. You're something much, much more, and I have no intention of letting anything come between us." He leaned in and pressed a tender kiss against Ten's lip to seal it as a promise.

Notes