The Dusk Parlor

by S. A. Stovall

  “We got to stick together.”

  The Soki twins and Hassan wait for Lottie before taking off as a group. They motion for me to join them, but I shake my head. I spot the audit report in Lottie’s hand, and right before they leave, I’m tempted to drop it off myself, but I let it go. They’re a big group… I doubt anything will happen to them.

  “Ready to go?” Ren asks.

  I turn on my heel and see Ren and Kaito by the door. I nod. “Yeah. I’m ready.”

  “We usually take the train. You have an IC card, right? If not, I’ll pay your way.”

  I glance between the two men. “Is Kaito coming with us?”

  “Yeah. We live together.”

  “What?”

  Kaito flattens his vest and holds himself straight. “What Ren means to say is that he lives with me.”

  “I found the apartment,” Ren says with equal parts annoyance and playfulness. “And you did all the contract stuff. Why can’t it be ours?”

  “Having a roommate at our age is questionable. People look down upon it.”

  “Fuck ’em.”

  Kaito rolls his eyes, and I can see the distaste for cursing written across his face.

  I cross my arms and head for the back lockers in order to change. “Look, you didn’t say you lived together. There isn’t much of a reason for me to stay with you if you already have company.”

  Ren laughs. “Kaito can’t fight a cold. There’s no way he’s fighting yakuza goons.”

  “You would be the one expected to fight,” Kaito states.

  “See? Plus you gave your guarantee.”

  I shake my head. Of course. That’s why he wanted me to say I would come over.

  “Fine,” I say. “I’ll change and we’ll head over together.”

  Chapter 7: Protection

  REN AND Kaito live on the opposite end of the city.

  I still can’t believe they live together, especially considering their polar opposite personalities, but neither seems to have a problem with the other. We travel via subway in peace—Ren occasionally chats with me, but everything he discusses is innocuous. Kaito, imitating a statue, stares out the window at the passing subway walls, his thoughts his own.

  We step off at our designated platform and head out together as a small group. We’re not normal in any sense of the word. Kaito didn’t change after work. He stands out as a high-class aristocrat among a sea of commoners. Ren, on the other hand, loves anything neon. His green- and electric-blue long-sleeved shirt shines under the fluorescent lighting, giving him the appearance of a poisonous frog.

  And then there’s me.

  We all draw attention. I swear Ren revels in it.

  Once out of the subway, we make our way through the dawn-soaked streets of Kobe. Even at the early hours, the city is alive with activity. Groups of individuals head to their workplace and a whole slew of night workers—including me, Ren, and Kaito—head home with long faces. The foot traffic is unlike anything I remember from California.

  “So,” I say while we walk. “Who is this oyabun?”

  “Shh!” Ren hisses the moment I say the word. He glances over his shoulder and eyes the people around us. I doubt they heard, and most people continue on without incident.

  “It means the father,” Kaito says.

  I lift an eyebrow. “Oh? Is he the leader of your little… club?”

  Ren relaxes a bit. I guess talking about the yakuza aloud was a foolish idea. I should’ve thought about that before speaking….

  Kaito nods. “Yes. He is the leader, so to speak. Think of him like a mafia don.”

  “I get the picture.”

  We walk up to the base of a tall apartment building. It’s a nicer one—fancier than my own—complete with an electronic fence around the outside, a security guard, and a keypad. Kaito types in his code, and we walk up to the door where a second keypad awaits us.

  The building isn’t impressive on the outside, but the moment we step in, I’m taken aback. The lobby has its own fountain and the wood floors are dark and shine with care. Everything about the place feels wide-open, even though most of Kobe is jam-packed together.

  The elevator takes us up to the second story, where we wander over to the third door on the right. Ren unlocks it and ushers me inside.

  It’s dark.

  There are blackout blinds over every window, creating an artificial darkness despite the day. It makes sense. If both Kaito and Ren work evenings, they would need to sleep during the day—and who wants sunlight streaming down on them while they’re sleeping?

  “Take off your shoes,” Kaito commands.

  I comply. No one wears shoes inside. Ren and Kaito follow suit.

  I admire the pristine dark wood floors and white furniture. Everything feels… clean. Almost too clean. Almost sterile.

  There’s a living room and kitchen combo with a TV, and I take note of the simple decorations that lack all personal details. No pictures of family, no awards on the wall, no indicator of who lives in the apartment. It’s like the place is set up to be a showroom rather than a lived-in dwelling.

  “Welcome to our home,” Ren says as he steps in. He twirls around, his arms out, and motions me toward the hallway. “Forget the living room. The magic happens in my room.”

  Kaito groans in disgust.

  I chuckle and head off with Ren. There are two bedrooms and two bathrooms, and it’s clear which belongs to whom. Ren’s bedroom is designed for comfort—large bed, downy blankets, a couch, another TV—and the closet is open and filled with all variety of colors. Kaito’s bedroom, on the other hand, has a small bed, traditional bedding, a tidy desk, and everything in its place. His closet is shut, but I know what’s in there. It’s not like he adorns himself in anything interesting.

  The place is larger than mine. I like it.

  “So you two come home and sleep?” I ask.

  “Nah,” Ren replies, throwing himself back on his bed. “I usually get smashed at this bar just down the street. I know the owners, and a few of us drink long after most bars are closed.”

  “When do you sleep?”

  “Ten to three. Not much, but it’s worth it.”

  “Hm.”

  Ren tucks his hands behind his head and smiles wide. “Shut the door. We’ve got plenty of time before I need to go to bed. You need to come over here and protect me.” He pats the bed. I shut the door and amble over.

  “I don’t think you need my protection here in this apartment building.”

  “Oh, I need it. I need it bad.”

  His over-the-top rhetoric gets me excited. I adjust the crotch of my pants, and I can practically feel my rational decision-making abilities draining with my redirected blood flow.

  I crawl onto the bed, looming over Ren, but I stop myself short before engaging. “Kaito isn’t going to care, right?” I ask.

  “Oh, he’s going to be jealous,” Ren says with a chuckle. “But he’ll never admit it.”

  “Jealous?”

  “He wants you bad, man. He’s always had a thing for American men—and he loves bulk like yours. It’s hard to find stockiness in guys around here, ya know?”

  I flush at the compliment. “He told you all this?”

  “No. Of course not. But I’ve known the man for years. We’ve fucked tons of times, but he’ll deny it all the way to his grave.”

  I think back to my short stint with Kaito in the Dusk Parlor kitchen. He wanted it. He met me halfway and was ready to finish before we were interrupted. Why is he so adamant at denying it?

  “His loss,” Ren says as he slithers his way farther underneath me. “This is why I don’t beat around the bush. I know what I want and I go for it. To live life any other way is just wasting time.”

  He reaches up, wraps his arms around my neck, and pulls me down into an embrace. We lock mouths and slide our tongues against each other, but my mind is on Kaito.

  There was once a point in my life that I feared people knowing about my preferenc
es. The anxiety and pressure and judgment are hard to articulate, but it weighed on me every day. I can only imagine what Kaito is going through if he feels he has to be traditional in every sense of the word. Traditional Japanese is harsher than most.

  Ren breaks away and stares up at me with a sardonic glare. “You’re thinking about him, aren’t you?”

  “Yeah,” I mutter.

  “That’s not what a man wants to hear when he’s underneath you.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “You don’t want me?”

  “No,” I drawl. “I want you.”

  Ren rips off his long-sleeved shirt and runs his hands down his lean, honeyed body. Even his tattoo curves with the slight grooves of his muscles, giving him a sleek and healthy appearance. He’s just as delicious-looking as that Wagyu steak.

  Ren snorts. “What’re we waiting for, then?”

  I lean down, slow and with purpose, but he holds up his hand and stops me midway.

  “Unless you wanna invite him to join us,” Ren says, his tone husky with sex.

  Heat sluices through my body. Two guys at once? That’s an experience I’ve never had before. Ren suggests it like a casual thing—my breathing is heavy at the mere mention. I want it.

  “You think he’d be into it?” I ask in a gruff voice.

  “Yeah. I do.”

  “And you’d be into it?”

  “Do you really need to ask?”

  We both share a laugh as I slide off the bed. Ren hops up and exits his room. I follow after, nerves slowing my movements, and we enter the kitchen to find Kaito in the middle of cooking. I glance around and see a stack of bento boxes, a rice cooker, and pile of raw shrimp out on the counter.

  Kaito has his hands deep in the sink washing dishes. He’s glaring down, unseeing, and doesn’t bother to glance up when Ren and I enter the room.

  Ren leans against the kitchen wall and licks his lips. “Kaito. Put this on hold.”

  “Why?” Kaito drawls. “I believe you two will be busy for the next hour or so. I have plenty of time to catch up on my chores.”

  “You’re gonna join us.”

  Kaito stops everything he’s doing, even his breathing. I hover in the hallway, watching the scene unfold without comment. I can see Kaito getting flustered, his face red. He returns to washing dishes with rigid movements.

  “I am not in the joking mood,” he states.

  “You aren’t gonna join us?”

  “No.”

  “That’s a shame,” Ren says with a melodramatic shrug. “All Hugh could talk about was your sweet ass—it was getting distracting.”

  I duck into the shadows and run a hand down my face. What a way to say it. Ren has no shame.

  Kaito doesn’t answer. He glares a hole into the sink, visibly gritting his teeth. Ren holds his position for a long second before adding, “Well, if you change your mind, you should come back and join us. Right, Hugh?”

  I find my voice and nod. “That’s right.”

  The moment I chime in, Kaito freezes a second time. He drops his facade of anger, but he doesn’t turn and look at us.

  Ren motions for me to head back to his room. I linger for a bit before following. Kaito’s reluctance does disappoint me, but I’d rather him make the choice to join us than us attempt to persuade him. Then again, I almost got the vibe that Kaito wanted me to “force him” when we were in the kitchen. He might have a specific fetish—nothing wrong with that—but I like knowing for sure my partners want me.

  We enter the room, Ren throws himself back on the bed, and he unbuckles his pants. “Take off your shirt,” he says.

  I’m so hot and worked up that I’m willing to go along with anything at this point. I rip off my T-shirt and cross the room. Ren motions to the light switch. I stop, turn, and flip off the lights. I like visuals, but groping around in the dark can be exciting too.

  I crawl up onto the bed, and Ren stops me.

  “Wait,” he says. “Kaito will join us.”

  “You sure?”

  “Trust me.”

  I wait, half-poised to continue onto the bed. For a moment I think Ren will be wrong, but I tense in anticipation when I hear a tapping at the door. Through the gloom of the dark bedroom I can see Ren flash me an “I told you so” smirk as he jumps up to answer.

  Ren opens the door, and Kaito stands in the hallway with a straight and stiff posture, his long sleeves rolled up, exposing the koi fish tattoo on his left arm. His gaze is glued to the floor, his skin hot and slick with sweat, but his presence indicates his desire. I stand up and wait as Ren grabs Kaito by the arm and pulls him into the room.

  “Relax, Hanamura,” Ren says in a joking tone. “Everything is so solemn with you. It’s okay to have fun every once in a while.”

  He pushes Kaito into me. I feel him shudder, and he regains his breathing as he runs his hands over my chest and stomach, his fingers lingering on the curves of my muscles. I swear he enjoys what he feels—his touch is warm, and he drags his hand up for a second go.

  Ren closes the door, and I hear him discard the rest of his clothing.

  I grab Kaito’s shirt and open it, this time taking care not to rip it in the process. Kaito doesn’t help or resist. He waits patiently as I throw his clothes to the floor. I run my hand down his smooth body, right over the bulge of his pants, taking delight in his gasp of pleasure.

  “Get over here,” Ren calls out from the bed.

  I guide Kaito over, but he hesitates and stutter-steps over to the mattress. When I manhandle him onto the bed, his breathing gets heavier and he bites back a moan with each touch.

  He likes it rough. The knowledge ignites my baser animalistic urges.

  I shove Kaito down and grab at the waist of his pants, tearing them off without bothering to unbutton or unzip anything—the urgency of my actions causing Kaito to flinch and tremble. My eyes have adjusted to the dark, and I watch Ren grab Kaito by the hair, forcing him between Ren’s legs and guiding him to his cock.

  “You want it from both ends, right, Kaito?” Ren asks between husky breaths.

  Kaito doesn’t answer—he can’t answer—not when he has a mouthful. The sound of him choking back Ren’s dick is enough to get me desperate. I almost don’t bother with any sort of prep work… but I stop myself short of fucking the man and turn to Ren.

  “You have… condoms?” I force myself to ask.

  Ren strokes Kaito’s head and neck, urging the other man deeper. “Top drawer,” he grunts.

  Without waiting for permission, I swivel and open the top drawer of the nightstand. Sure enough, condoms and lube. I use the bottle first to smear Kaito’s tight ass with just enough to make things easy—then I remove the last of my own clothing and unravel a condom over my erection.

  It’s difficult, considering the underside of my cock is pierced with twelve bars—a Jacob’s Ladder is what they call the decoration—and I have to fiddle with securing the condom in place. Once ready I pull Kaito’s hips up and align myself behind him, ready to take my pleasure from his body.

  I rub my cock along the cleft of his ass to make sure he knows what he’s getting into. Kaito tenses the moment my piercings rub along his skin, but he doesn’t attempt to stop me or say anything. I wonder if he’s had this before….

  Gripping his hips, I place the head up into his ass and thrust in at a slow and deliberate pace. Ren gasps and grips Kaito’s hair.

  “Fuck,” Ren mutters. “You like that, Kaito?”

  I’m fully hard, pierced, and covered in the rubber of the condom—I know it’s not an easy fit, and I ease myself farther as gently as possible.

  The heat of the experience is subdued, but the tightness is everything I look forward to. With every movement, I feel Kaito’s muscles flex and grip, pulling me deeper. My groan of satisfaction fills the room the moment I’m balls-deep. Kaito spreads his legs, keeping himself posted on his knees, inviting me to get ever so much deeper by angling myself just right.

  I thrus
t in and out, my force enough to rock Kaito hard onto Ren’s cock.

  Ren falls back onto the bed and moans, his toes curling with each rhythmic motion. He tucks one hand behind his head and uses the other to hold Kaito’s head in place, a smug smile etched into his face.

  “You should pick up the pace,” Ren says, coaxing me. “I’m sure Kaito can handle it.”

  My piercings slide past the ring of muscle, each one eliciting a shudder and muffled whimper from Kaito. I thrust back in, faster than before, and he shivers beneath me. I want to know he’s enjoying it—I lean forward and reach a hand around, grabbing his throbbing cock and stroking it. Kaito bucks back against me, unable to speak with Ren in his mouth, but begging me to pick up the pace nonetheless.

  I thrust hard and fast, playing with him like I would myself and enjoying the wet, muffled moans he offers as he deep-throats another man. Ren enjoys it too. He lets go of Kaito’s hair and tucks his other hand behind his head, enjoying the situation like a king.

  The situation—and my pent-up need—is too much. I growl in sweet release as my muscles clench in a powerful spasm. I grip Kaito hard as I thrust one last time and unload my seed into the condom. It isn’t long for Kaito to finish… his orgasm causes his body to clench around my cock while it’s still buried in his ass, his muscles milking me for everything I have left. I pull out to save myself from the intense sensations.

  Ren grabs Kaito’s head and keeps him sucking long after. “I’m not done yet,” he says. “Just keep using your tongue.”

  Kaito complies, and I rest back on my legs, desperate to regain my breath. Needing to feel clean, I pull the condom off and toss it into the nearby trash.

  I enjoyed myself. Why haven’t I done something like that before?

  I wipe sweat from my brow and listen to the sounds as Kaito and Ren finish, my mind filling in all the blanks that the dim lighting casts. Ren’s straggled moans of ecstasy get my dick hard a second time, but I know I can’t go another run so soon after the first. I take a moment to calm myself and instead save the memory for a later, lonelier, evening.

  Kaito lifts off and gasps for air. It’s only then that I notice he never removed his glasses. He takes them off and places them on the nightstand, his weak movements betraying his fatigue. I go to get off the bed, but Ren sits up and grabs my leg.