While it was hot, he insisted on wearing pants day-in and day-out for several reasons. The first reason being that his legs were the type that belonged in a skirt (they went on for acres and were well-formed) and secondly that he waxed them for the very purpose of putting them in such a garment. Kaoru wasn’t supposed to call him for a few days more in order to pick him up for their band’s next interview and that left him plenty of time in which to feel restless. Maybe a walk was in order? He supposed it was as good an idea as any. He stuffed his wallet into his trousers and locked the door behind him.

It felt good to get out, he realized. He wandered past some shops, thumping out the rhythm playing on the speakers instinctively. A drummer by trade, he wondered why he wasn’t drumming at that very moment. Everyone else had wanted to see their respective family, which he could understand. He himself had called his closest once he’d gotten home, only to find out that they’d taken off on vacation, unaware of when he was actually coming back from tour. His own fault, he was sure. He’d just been so preoccupied with his schedule. A display of CDs and posters attracted him instantly and he was magnetically drawn in to take a look. A corner of the room sported a great big Dir en Grey poster, the young man in question standing to one side with curls rippling all over his chest and back. He looked down at himself, then back at the poster and laughed. He remembered that photo shoot vividly, everyone standing around wondering when they would actually get to sit down and have a break. Film had broken, bulbs had had to be changed, powder was applied and reapplied strategically. So different from the lazy summer afternoon in which he stood in a cool, popular music store staring at his band mates like a fan. He picked up a CD and read the back, trying to place the name and tear himself away from memories. If he had had the courage to call one of them, he would have.

“Shin-chan?” It was a word called tentatively. The drummer whirled around and looked for the person affectionately calling his name. He knew that voice. A tall, more muscular man smiled at him with his hands in his pockets. His eyes were wide and friendly, his teeth white and perfect. His hair was much shorter than it had once been, but remained red. He was wearing a beige sleeveless t-shirt and a pair of jeans.

“Die!” the younger man exclaimed softly, nearly falling into the display in his shock. “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” the redhead smiled at him and walked towards the drummer of his band. “Actually I was just looking for some Duel Jewel. What about you?”

“I just went for a walk,” Shin-chan told him sheepishly. “I wasn’t really headed anywhere.”

“Oh. How are you enjoying your break?” he pulled a hand out of his pocket and put his hand on the thin shoulder, patting a little.

“I don’t know. It’s boring,” he admitted, putting the CD back. People in the store were beginning to look at them, recognizing who they were now that they were together. Die put a lot less effort into not being noticed than Shinya, but then Shinya put far more value in privacy.

Die glanced around. “Let me pay for this and then we’ll get out of here, okay? Do you want to do something with me?”

Shinya removed his sunglasses and rubbed his eyes, thinking. “Uh, sure. I don’t think I left anything running at my place or anything.” He followed the redhead to the front of the store, trying to ignore the whispers that followed. Considering their reputation for fanservice, people were bound to hop right on the rumour bandwagon.

“How’s your family doing?” Die asked him as he pulled out his wallet and paid at the counter. He slid the little bag onto his wrist and stuffed his hands back in his pocket, looking as casual as was humanly possible. Shinya was slightly envious as he walked along next to him.

“I don’t know, they left on vacation,” the younger man sighed. “I guess I’ll just have to catch them some other time. What about yours?”

“They’re fine.” The taller said quietly.

“Why aren’t you still with them?” Shinya asked, stopping to admire some pears at a fruit stand. He wandered into the store and bought four as Die replied.

“Well, I don’t know about you but with my family, I miss them and then only a few hours will do the trick before I have to take off. It’s a little stifling, I guess.” They continued to walk until they reached Die’s car, parked a few blocks away. Shinya hadn’t noticed how far they’d gone. “So you’re not busy right now, right?” Die asked.

“No, not busy,” Shinya said uncertainly. He looked around and noticed that the sun was quite a bit farther down in the sky than it had been when he’d set out on his walk. He must now be about an hour from his apartment on foot. “I don’t think so anyway.”

Die looked at him, beaming. “Great. Let’s do something then.”

“Do something?” Shinya repeated. “Like what?” His band mate was leaning comfortably against the door of his car, practically leering at the drummer. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“How about we go see a movie?” he pressed enthusiastically. “It’s so good to see you again.”

“It’s been about three days, Die. You really think that counts as a space of time in which you miss me?” He felt flattered, a little. Going to the movie theatre? He didn’t think…

“Sure it is. It is so bad to miss you?” Die asked in earnest. Shinya shook his head. He supposed it wasn’t. “Let’s go see a movie then.”

“How about we rent some movies instead?” Shinya asked. “I shouldn’t take these pears into a movie theatre with me.” He could have just left them in the car, but he didn’t. He gazed at the muscular chest hiding behind a beige shirt thoughtfully.

Die raised an eyebrow but didn’t complain. He unlocked the door, wandered around to the passenger side and held it open for Shinya to enter. Shinya raised an eyebrow at him and clutched his pears as if for moral support. It was entirely uncharacteristic for Die to be so unwound and comfortable around him. Often when the camera was around, or Toshiya was around in general for that matter, Die liked to tease him. While that was fine, he wasn’t sure they talked very much outside of that. Shinya knew much more about Kaoru and Kyo. “You surprise me, Die,” he told the guitarist frankly.

“Why’s that, Shin-chan?” he asked as they reversed out of the parking space.

“You’re not wearing something with studs on it, for starters,” Shinya smiled.

“You’re wearing pants, just as surprising.” Die teased. Shinya rolled his eyes. He turned up the volume and asked his passenger to put the new CD in. They listened to it in relative silence as Die cruised around looking for a movie store.

“What kind of movies do you like then, Shinya?” he asked once they entered a fairly large one. “Any preference?”

“Nah,” Shinya told him as he wandered around absently. It was surreal, standing in a movie store one night with the last member of Dir en Grey he ever expected to actually be alone with. Outside of photo shoots, that was. Suddenly he recalled Die’s deep brown eyes from behind a leather mask, red hair sticking out the top of it in every direction. His long, leather-clad body curving over the drummers as a camera flashed. Shinya remembered quivering a little every time the studs rubbed against him and the way Die had looked at him every so often. Strange, that he would remember that now.

“Are you heading into the porn section?” Die asked with a laugh. Shinya hadn’t noticed where he was wandering. He blushed terribly and turned around, but Die was blocking his way. “No really, little Shinya, if you want to watch porn we can.” Was he for real?

“Are you serious?” Shinya asked him incredulously. “You’re into that sort of thing? Big hentai!”

“Not necessarily, I’m just trying to make you feel comfortable. I want you to be comfortable around me.” His voice was so earnest, Shinya felt himself shiver a little. He wandered over to the martial arts section and grabbed Enter the Dragon. Foolproof.

“How about this one?” Shinya said as he waved Bruce Lee around. “Good?”

“Hell yes,” Die agreed with a smile. The cashier looked over at them interestedly and Shinya felt himself shiver again. “Are you cold? The air conditioning’s pretty harsh in here.”

“Sure. Let’s grab another one and get out of here.” They pulled out a violent anime and headed towards the counter. Just as Shinya was getting ready to pay, Die stopped in his tracks and made a beeline for the foreign films section. He returned with In the Mood for Love, a Chinese film, in hand. The drummer looked at him skeptically.

“Mou, Dai-Dai’s a big softy hmm?” he grinned and handed over some cash. It was actually really startling that Die had a soft side to him. Intriguing, as well. He climbed back into the car, noting that Die was holding the door for him again. A gentleman too? He couldn’t believe it. This was hardly the Die he had known around others.

“So, where do you want to watch these?” Die asked with his hand on the steering wheel. Shinya blushed. Your place or mine? Why was he suddenly thinking in terms of this? He was nearly as hentai as Die.

“Mine,” he said as he tucked his sunglasses into the collar of his t-shirt. He stared at his bag of pears and then at his bag of movies. “I mean, my place.” The sun was setting now and they were headed back to his apartment, settling down to a quiet night of watching movies with a man who looked smashing in the most casual of settings. “Hey,” he said as they rounded the corner. “You’re very different than I thought, you know that?”

“You think so?” Die asked, eyes on the road. “Is that a good thing?”

“Hai, I like to think it is.” He listened to the guitar work on the X Japan CD they were now listening to and got lost in it. “So beautiful, ne?” he mumbled to himself quietly.

“Yes, I completely agree.” Die told him. A moment passed before he asked, “Uh, what’s so beautiful, ne?”

“The guitarwork. Sorry. I get so sentimental when I listen to X Japan. You know, Yoshiki and all. His songwriting is just so inspiring.” He hugged himself a little and watched the sun go down as they parked in front of his apartment building.

“So desu ka. Hey, Shin-chan?” Die asked as he took the bag of movies. “Did you ever have a crush on Yoshiki-sama?” His voice was soft and unobtrusive. Shinya looked up at him and found himself lost in chocolate brown eyes.

“A little. I think it was more adoration than anything. Do you know what I mean?” he clutched the bag of pears a little more firmly and opened the door.

“So you like guys for real?” his eyebrow rose and the guitarist stepped out of the car in turn.

Shinya looked at him curiously and nodded. “Sure,” he said quietly. “My apartment’s on the third floor, I’m sure you remember.”

“Yes, I remember.” Die said thoughtfully, following him up the lonely staircase.

“So what about you?” Shinya asked, trying to make his meaning clear. He kept recalling the long red hair brushing his skin as the flashes went off in front of his eyes. He gazed over at Die as he unlocked his door.

“Sure,” Die repeated. “Little bit of both, ne.” he added quietly.

Shinya led him into the quiet apartment, noticing the familiar smell it had taken on. Die noticed it too and described it as “Sakura-like.” “You think so?” he asked as he turned on the television and wandered towards the fridge. “Do you want a beer, Die?”

“If you’re having one, yes, thanks.” Die said, settling himself onto the couch. Shinya felt as if he were in his apartment with a complete stranger. Or, he would have thought it was a stranger had those lovely eyes of Die’s not entranced him every time he looked into them. He was beginning not to care that his family had disappeared on him as he pulled out two bottles and turned on the lamp next to the couch.

“Let’s watch the anime first then,” he said as he grabbed the packet of crisps off the balcony and tossed them into the garbage. “Hungry?”

“No, I’m alright.” Die pushed the movie into the DVD player and turned it on. It was a colossal amount of death, gore and sex but as Die seemed to be enjoying himself, Shinya was fine with it. He drank down his beer in slow, regulated sips and blinked stupidly at the television set. Die’s words echoed through his head. “Sure. A little bit of both, ne.” He kept looking over at the other man who’s white socks were pressed up against the side of Shinya’s thigh as he sat sideways on the couch.

“Ready for the next one?” Die asked as he stretched, satisfied with the film’s ending. It was eleven p.m. already and it occurred to the drummer that Die probably wouldn’t be able to drive home before two at this rate.

“Why not,” Shinya said as he climbed up off the couch and took In the Mood for Love out of its case.

“No! Not that one yet. Save it for last,” Die begged as he saved Shinya from putting it in by grabbing his waist and pulling him back. Shinya landed with a plop on Die’s lap and blushed.

“Whoa, you’re so light ne?” Die said in surprise. “I bet I could lift you over my head.”

“I bet I could lift you over my head,” Shinya retorted as he laughed, stuffing the DVD back in its case and popping Enter the Dragon in instead.

They hooted and got really into the martial arts movie, pumping their fists in the air and taking a swig of beer every time Bruce kicked someone’s butt. Die got up at the end and did his best Bruce Lee impression, making Shinya double over with mirth. The drummer hadn’t been aware that he could have so much fun watching movies with the redheaded man. He looked at the clock and slid his hands into his back pockets, cracking his back. “Uh, Die?” He asked after they’d both calmed down.

“Hai, little Shinya?” Die grinned.

“Hey, I’m not so little you know.” Shinya told him. Die’s eyes widened, interpreting the innuendo. Was it an innuendo? It was too late to be worried about it.

“Do you want to sleep over?” Good, Shinya. Follow an innuendo up with another one. “I mean you could take the couch or my bed, because it’s a little late and the bottles are starting to pile up on the floor.”

Die looked around and nodded. “Will we still watch my movie though?” he asked. Shinya nodded, feeling a smile form on his young features.

“Of course, Dai-Dai.” He said. He curled up on the couch next to Die and became engrossed in the story line. The slow, affectionate approach of the movie warmed his heart and Shinya found himself enjoying the way the two main characters were so in tune with each other and no one else. It was good to know that someone would always understand, he felt the characters needed to know that. Towards the very end of the movie, he heard a soft sniffling sound. His mouth opened in a surprised ‘o’ as he looked at Die out of the corner of his eye.

“Mou, you really are a softy!” he exclaimed gently. “That’s so cute. You’re such a pain in the ass most of the time.”

“Can’t you see, they’re meant to be together.” Die pointed to the television screen urgently as the man walked up and into the mountains, watched by a lone monk in a corner. “It’s so sad!”

Shinya watched the end of the movie in silence, feeling tears roll down his own cheeks. “You’re right, it is very sad. I just didn’t figure you the type, I guess.”

“I don’t think you figured me much of a type at all, Shinya,” Die said seriously, yawning and rubbing his eyes as the television screen flickered off.

Shinya bit his lip and changed the subject. “I’ll let you have my bed,” he offered.

“I’ll sleep here, it’s okay.” Die told him. “I’ve been taking most of the couch up the rest of the night anyway.”

“If you’re sure,” the younger said uncertainly. He disappeared into his bedroom and a moment later returned with a blanket and pillow. “Make yourself comfortable,” he said.

“No problem. Oh by the way, those pajamas look really yummy on you, ne.” Die said as he fluffed his pillow. Shinya snickered and threw the blanket on top of him before returning to his room.

“Night, Dai-Dai.” He called as he climbed into bed. He was intensely aware of the other, very masculine life force in the next room but didn’t have very long to consider it as he drifted into the dreamless sleep of the slightly intoxicated.

He was convinced that he was dreaming, however, when he was awoken by the sound of a familiar song, plucked out by a single guitar the next morning. “Amethyst,” he murmured as he opened his eyes. “Yoshiki…”

“Wrote the song, yes,” Die told him as he continued playing. The older man was curled up on a chair next to his bed as Shinya opened his eyes. He looked down at the guitar again and kept playing the strings determinedly. Shinya yawned and blinked, feeling his heart glow.

“Why are you playing that?” he asked interestedly.

“Because you look very sweet when you sleep and I wanted to wake you up with something beautiful. I’ve never slept over here before. Maybe should be special.” Die said. He kept playing away at a Spanish guitar no less and gazed into Shinya’s eyes.

“It really is so very beautiful,” Shinya said, his own brown eyes watering a little. “How very amazing of you, Die. I’ve never been woken up in such a way before. Where’d you get the guitar?”

“Down the street, I bought it at that instrument store to the left of here. It’s raining outside, did you know?”

Shinya sat up in bed, staring at the older man who had awoken him in such a stunning manner. His strong, large fingers ran over the strings expertly. Shinya could hear the rain falling past his open window, offering a backup to the sound of the Spanish guitar. He leaned over and swung his legs onto the floor, sitting so close to Die he could hear the sound of his breathing and wished that the older man would look up from his playing so that he could tell him something. He just wasn’t sure what.

“Die, are you in love with me?” Shinya asked inaudibly. “Is that why you’re doing this for me?”

The guitar playing never ceased and he received no reply. “Let’s go for a drive, hmm?” Shinya’s band mate offered as he began to play Endless Rain.

“Okay,” Shinya said. “Keep playing, then.” He walked over to the closet and pulled off his pajamas slowly. He blushed a little as he dressed in front of the guitarist, buttoning his jeans and pulling on a tight grey sweater. “You’ll catch cold if you go outside like that; take my jacket.”

“No, my shoulders are too wide for it,” Die shook his head. And how, Shinya thought. Listening to the guitar and the rain, he searched his closet for anything much too large for him and found nothing. He wandered into the kitchen and retrieved his pears from the fridge.

“You’ll have to have something though.” He called.

“I’ll take you with me, then.” Die said as he set the guitar down and stood. “Coming?”

Shinya locked his door and followed him out into the pouring rain. Once again, Die opened the door for him before climbing in himself. He drove out of the city, silently, while Shinya stared out the window at the patterns that the raindrops made as they slid down the glass and pooled at the doorframe before continuing their journey towards the earth. He almost missed the point when Die finally said something.

What that something was happened to be the word ‘yes’. “Yes?” Shinya asked, misunderstanding.

“Yes, ever since that photo shoot when I was standing over you.” He said. His voice had no tone to it; it sounded somewhat like an echo. It was only then that Shinya realized he was answering the question he’d asked earlier, when he’d first woken up to the sound of the guitar. His heart skipped a beat and he let that roll around in his mind until they arrived at a place without any signs of civilization.

All around him was the steady downpour of rain and high green hills as far as the eye could see. It was breathtaking. “Do you want to go for a walk then,” Shinya asked quietly.

“Okay,” Die agreed as he followed the drummer out of the car and into the rain.

“As I’ve said, you really are going to catch cold,” Shinya told him with his hands in his jean pockets, walking to a clearing between the hills.

“Sorry,” Die told him, watching his every movement. Shinya paused at the clearing and looked at him.

“Ever since then, right?” Shinya said, facing him as the raindrops plastered his sweater against his thin body and forced his hair to cling to his head.

“Yeah,” Die nodded. He stuffed his hands into his pockets as well, looking as bashful as it was possible on Die.

“Did you see it reflected in my eyes then?” the younger man asked him almost inaudibly. He reached out and pushed a damp red lock of hair aside as it obscured his view of the soft brown eyes.

“I don’t know,” Die began.

“I know it was there.” Shinya leaned over and they kissed silently, water trickling down over their lips as they stood there with their hands in their pockets. The rain made Die’s bare shoulders slick as Shinya pulled one hand out and ran his fingertips up and down the larger man’s arm. Die’s hands slid into Shinya’s back pockets as he pressed the younger man against his solid body.

Shinya’s hands traveled up the back of the sleeveless shirt, enjoying the sensation of Die’s skin against his palms, however cold and damp. He rubbed up against Die; licking drops of water off of his skin before they kissed more deeply. “It’s a good thing it’s summer, ne,” he murmured as Die pulled the beige shirt off and tossed it into the grass. He always was so casual and… and absolutely stunning. He marveled. “Well, now it’s a really good thing it’s summer.”

Die laughed softly and looked imploring. “Can I touch you, Shin-chan?”

“Ano, how can you be so gentle with me when you play guitar so hard most of the time, Die?” Shinya asked as he pulled his grey sweater off and took the calloused fingers in his.

“How can you be so delicate when you hit the drums so fiercely?” he returned. “I’m in love with you, that’s my only excuse on the matter. I don’t have to be so soft if you don’t want me to be. But, I don’t know exactly how you want or what…”

“Die, do you remember how it was when we were taking those pictures?” Shinya looked at the form that could be seen plainly beneath Die’s soaking jeans and grinned.

“Yes, I remember it Shinya.” He leaned over and licked the younger man’s chest, causing him to shiver. Shinya launched himself at the larger man and, holding his head protectively as they fell, knocked him onto his back. Die gasped in pain and shock.

“Live it now.” He was already straddling the guitarist, one hand sliding behind him and grasping him firmly. He carefully unzipped Die’s jeans and slid his hand inside, sucking on the fingers that reached up to pull him down as Shinya began to massage his balls.

“Holy hell Shinya!” Die squirmed beneath him, both hands grasping the tiny ass of the drummer. “You’re so good at that ne…”

Shinya grinned to himself, then blinked as Die pulled his own jeans down his legs and bucked his hips to push Shinya farther up his chest. He took the drummer into his mouth and hugged him tight as he began to suck hard. Shinya’s eyes widened and he leaned back, stretching to return the favour with his hands at least. “Calm down, Shin-chan.” Die told him. “Let me do this.”

The drummer rocked back and forth, sliding himself in and out of the redhead’s mouth as the rain drizzled down his body in cold trails. He writhed and shivered until he couldn’t stand it any longer, stood and fought to get out of his trousers. Their shirts, jeans, shoes and socks lay in a pile that was topped soon after by their boxers. Shinya felt exhilarated as he gazed at the rippling muscles of Die’s naked body. “Nothing finer than Die in the rain,” he told the hills around them as he moved once more into Die’s arms. His body slid against Die’s as they kissed passionately.

“Oh! I almost forgot!” Said the drummer as he pulled away reluctantly. “Give me a moment.”

Die was sitting in the damp, springy grass when Shinya returned from the car, his hair colour being the only thing on him that wasn’t completely natural. As the younger man set a bag down next to him, he reached out and slid his hands up and down Shinya’s legs. “Wow Shinya, they’re so smooth. Because of the skirts you wear, right?” he marveled at how easily his hands slid up and down, brushing away some of the raindrops trickling down the long legs. “I love them. Come here.”

Shinya embraced him then and rolled around in the grass, feeling free and in love. The rain tasted good as he ran his tongue over Die’s hard body, exploring and touching, remembering how badly he’d wanted to do it the day he’d lain beneath the black leather and buckles once upon a time. “You’re even better naked,” Shinya told him as he slid his hand into the bag next to them and produced a pear. “Bite this, please.”

Die’s teeth sank into the fruit obediently before Shinya began to stroke his body with the sandy-textured pale flesh. He let the juice mix with raindrops and followed their trail down to the patch of hair between Die’s legs. He stroked the guitarist up and down with the juicy area of the fruit before he began to deep-throat him. He couldn’t see because of the rain but he kept looking up into Die’s eyes as his lips moved up and down, licking juice off of him here and there. Die’s hands tangled into his light brown hair and guided him as he continued.

“No wait,” Die told him as he lifted the drummer’s head gingerly. “I don’t want to…not yet, at least.” Shinya looked at him wonderingly as Die pulled him up and hugged him tight.

“What, then?”

“If I could just…” It was hard for Die to speak because he was gasping so much. “Will you let me take you Shin-chan?”

Shinya smiled. “Yes please, Die. I want you to take me again and again. Just like I imagined it during that photo shoot.” He was rolled onto his back and he spread his silky legs in anticipation.

“Close your eyes,” Die told him. He smiled and did so, unable to wait for much longer. He wanted to feel the guitarist inside him very badly, imagining this to be one of the most magical moments in his life. Rain was falling all around them with no signs of stopping; the grass was soft and brilliantly green. He decided he was very much in love with Die when he felt something smooth and cold rubbing against his lips. He opened his mouth, realizing it was a pear. When he opened his eyes he noticed Die had the other side of it in his mouth. Strong, calloused fingers slid under his back and lifted him slightly as he felt the intrusive push of Die’s member.

He bit down hard into the flesh of the pear in response to the initial pain and shock. His brown eyes widened and Die let go of the other side of it, leaving it in his mouth. “Keep biting into it,” Die moaned as he pushed all the way in and began to move in slow, deliberate strokes.

While Shinya’s long fingers pressed into Die’s back, fruit juice trickled down his chin and over his bare chest. His erection slid up and down against Die’s hard stomach as the older man licked juice off his chest and began to pump harder. It was all Shinya could do just to hang on and bite down dutifully on the fruit. With every deep thrust Die hit him just right and he moaned into the pear, causing more juice to run down his chin and Die to lick and bite at his skin.

Once more he felt the insistent rub of Die’s length against that very spot within him and he let loose all over both of their masculine chests. Die filled him a moment later, involuntarily thrusting as his head was pressed up against Shinya’s chest. “Oh god…” Die breathed. “That was incredible.”

Shinya spat the pear out into the grass and kissed him firmly. “Die, why did you wait so long to tell me?” he asked as he hugged the guitarist and then let him roll onto his back to let the rain wash away the sweat and come on both of their bodies. “I would have had someone to spend the last three days of our break with!”

“I guess I was just waiting for a perfect summer day, ne. Also those pears were a big sign. They screamed, “Die, tell Shinya you love him so he’ll stroke you with one!”” the guitarist laughed, trying to catch his breath. “You’re so lovely Shinya.”

Shinya stared into the sky for a moment, indignant. “Oh wait, I thought you said ‘little Shinya.’ Sorry.” He leaned over and nibbled on a wide shoulder.

“Oh no, you’re definitely not little,” Die told him. “Anything but that.”

“So do you want to come watch movies at my place tonight Die?” Shinya grinned, noticing that the rain was beginning to subside.

“Hai, how very nice of you to invite me over,” Die said sweetly. He pulled Shinya into his arms and shook some of the water out of his hair. “But only if you have some more fruit.”

“Two more pears in fact. What do you say?” Shinya said, looking at the bag next to them.

The look in Die’s eyes said it all.