Under the Skin

by Kannan Feng

  "Go ahead and give your presentation,” the driver said quietly. “I'll translate for you."

  "Um, oh, well, good afternoon, er, evening maybe? I'm not sure anymore...” Padraic tried to smile at his audience, who were sitting rigidly at attention in their chairs.

  "My name is Padraic Dahl, and I'm the designer and developer for this method of data storage and retrieval. I hope you'll find it, um, helpful and something that your company will be interested in..."

  If it was one thing that Padraic could do, it was talk about his tech, and he could feel himself relaxing a little. The two men still wouldn't make eye contact with him, but they were nodding along encouragingly enough. Occasionally, his driver-cum-translator would make a slight gesture, letting Padraic know that he needed to slow down, but his presentation went quite smoothly.

  "... and that's about it. Do you gentlemen have any questions?"

  The men stood up, almost in unison, and bowed slightly to Padraic before turning toward the door. The door clicked behind them with a decisive snap, and the driver gazed after them, his mouth tight.

  "I think that went well,” Padraic said hopefully. “I mean, they didn't ask any questions, but maybe—"

  "Severely criticize those entirely in hell” was what Padraic's translation program insisted the driver said.

  "Umm."

  "Those goddamned, motherfucking sons of bitches,” the driver said, switching to English. He dropped into one of the chairs, rumpling his hair in his hands.

  "Well, um..."

  The driver looked up him sharply.

  "You're brilliant.” It was fascinating how the man could make “brilliant” sound like “You had frenzied and violent sex with my mother."

  "Thank you?"

  "You are completely fucking brilliant, and those assholes on the top floor decide before you even get here that they are going to screw themselves over by ignoring you."

  "Ignoring me?"

  Jenner snickered, making Padraic startle. He had almost forgotten that his bodyguard was in the room.

  "Totally. Didn't you notice, Padraic? They were practically snoring.” Jenner turned to the still-seated driver. “Oi, Inoue, if they weren't going to give us a fair shake, why ask us all the way out here?"

  "Inoue?"

  Padraic blinked and looked at their driver again, slowly realizing that he had missed something important.

  "Oh, they're going to listen; don't worry about that.” Inoue straightened up in his chair, a stubborn set to his shoulders.

  "I'll cram your tech down their throats and make them choke on it."

  He glanced up at Padraic.

  "Is there a reason that you're looking at me like that?"

  "Your name is Inoue, like the company?"

  "Exactly like the company."

  Jenner coughed. “In case you weren't listening the first time, Padraic, this is Inoue Minoru-san—I'm guessing he's the son of the company's CEO."

  Padraic could feel a hot blush come to his face, and he quickly looked away.

  "I'm sorry,” he mumbled. “I honestly thought you were—” He fumbled for something that wouldn't make him sound like a complete moron, and was spared by Minoru's quick laugh.

  "You thought I was completely irrelevant. Not to worry, it is a belief that is shared by many in this company.” He sighed and stood up.

  "You're going to be here for a week. We'll have another chance tomorrow. For now, I'll show you to your room, and you can rest.” He looked Padraic up and down.

  Padraic was suddenly torn. On one hand, he wanted to drop his eyes because he wasn't used to someone staring that directly at him. On the other hand, well, he simply didn't want to stop looking at Minoru. There was a quality about the young man that made Padraic want reach out and touch, then run and hide.

  Stupid, stupid, he thought numbly. What kind of prey animal didn't know how to run from something dangerous?

  The answer was whatever he was, and Padraic found himself staring at a long, faint scar that ran from the corner of Minoru's lower lip to his chin.

  There was something almost shockingly sexy about Minoru's scar and suddenly, with a sinking sensation in his stomach, Padraic realized that he wanted to kiss Minoru very badly.

  "It's a shame that you're so pretty,” Minoru said bluntly.

  At first Padraic thought he had misheard, but at Jenner's laugh, he realized that he most certainly hadn't.

  "I—"

  "They might have taken a more mature-looking man more seriously.” Minoru shook his head. “I suppose it can't be helped."

  * * * *

  "So was he being pointedly rude, or was he hitting on me?” It was true that something about Minoru made Padraic sit up and take notice. Hell, that was being kind. Something about Minoru made Padraic want to roll over and beg. There was a certainty and decisiveness about Minoru's movements that was completely absent from his own awkwardness, and the thought of what Minoru might look like when he was engaged in more intimate activities sent a shiver up Padraic's spine.

  He realized wryly that it was men like Minoru who had always given him problems. They all had a confidence that bordered on arrogance, and an understanding of the world that Padraic suspected he lacked. Arch had it, and the last few men he had been with had had it. That quality had gotten him into trouble in the past, and he realized that consciously staying away from such men had led to his current long dry spell.

  Jenner cocked his head at Padraic's plaintive question.

  "Was that an invitation to speculate, or are you just thinking out loud?"

  "The first one."

  The suite they were staying in was actually a part of the Inoue Corporation's compound, and Padraic had discovered the alcohol that was kept discreetly at the back of the refrigerator. He was not regularly a drinker, but it had seemed like a good idea today, and at the very least, it had given him something to do while Jenner swept the room for bugs.

  "Honestly? I don't know if there was a difference for that guy."

  "Oh? Please continue."Padraic tried to gesture magnanimously but banged his hand hard into the back of the couch instead.

  "You're an incidental,” Jenner said bluntly, running his hands over the wooden trim in the room. He smiled suddenly, and there was a short blue spark that arced from his fingertips to the wood.

  Padraic frowned. “You've used that word before."

  "Mm. The more you're able to plan, the more you have to take into account what's important and what you're going to leave by the wayside if it comes to an all-out explosion. So for Inoue-san, you've got to figure that his number-one priority is going to be your tech, and that somewhere down near, oh, let's say twenty-six or twenty-seven or so, is the fact that you get his dick hard."

  Padraic blushed and looked away. The mention of Minoru's dick made him shiver a little, and he had a moment to reflect on how long it had been since he had had anything more intimate than a brief and furtive one-night stand. He supposed he should have been irritated, if not downright alarmed, by Jenner's assessment of his status with the man, but it was oddly comforting. At least he had some value to Minoru; at least he had some right to talk to him.

  "Thank you, that was... completely without tact."

  "Trust me, they really, really do not pay me for tact.” Jenner grinned and got to his feet. “So all of this slumber party stuff is nice, but unless we're going to, I dunno, get out Popsicles and practice blowjobs on them, you should turn in. I'm going to put down some basic security for the place."

  Padraic got to his feet and gave Jenner a look.

  "So what kind of slumber parties have you been to?"

  Jenner just shrugged and smiled, and Padraic turned toward his room.

  "If only Minoru weren't so hot,” he found himself muttering. At Jenner's snicker, he reddened again and shut the door behind him.

  * * * *

  The fact that he fell asleep almost immediately surprised him. The fact that he dreamed of Minoru surprised him
even more. The dream was a dark and murky thing, with hands that grasped at him and plucked his clothing. He was on the edge of panic, and suddenly he found himself firmly caught by the Inoue heir, one strong hand gripping his wrist and pulling him back.

  "I can't,” he tried to say. For some reason, he gestured at his head and heart, to the neural net and the interface over his breastbone. “I can't, they'll..."

  "It doesn't matter,” Minoru said, running a hand that felt all too real up his side. “It doesn't matter to me at all."

  Minoru's hand brushed Padraic's away from the jacks, touching them briefly before sliding lower. Somehow, Padraic's clothes had fallen away, though Minoru remained perfectly dressed in that sharp suit. Minoru's bare hand fondled him briefly between the legs, stroking Padraic's cock twice before reaching down to cup his balls. Padraic remained as still as he could, as silent as he could, but then Minoru stepped closer, wrapping his slender fingers tightly around Padraic's cock.

  "It's all right,” Minoru said softly. “Let me take of this, yes?” Padraic meant to make a reply, but then Minoru's hand started to stroke his erect flesh, ignoring Padraic's startled moan to pick up a rhythm as steady as a heartbeat...

  * * * *

  Padraic awoke, certain he could hear an echo fading in the air. He listened for a moment and heard only his own light breathing.

  With a sigh, Padraic lay back down and turned over, trying to get back to sleep. It had been a sexy dream, but it wasn't the distinct arousal that made him sorry he had awakened too quickly. In the darkness, his hand slid up to the jacks in his chest, stroking lightly.

  "Tell me it doesn't matter again,” he whispered hopefully, but the dream was gone, and he fell into a fitful slumber.

  * * * *

  "It's time to get up."

  Padraic opened eyes that he wasn't even aware he had closed. He found himself looking up at Jenner, who was peering down at him like a hungry owl.

  "No, it's not..."

  "The clock and the Inoue heir at the door say otherwise."

  "Inoue—oh, fuck."

  Padraic sat up and promptly wished that he hadn't. His body felt like it had been beaten with a sack of oranges. He staggered to his feet and then glanced behind him at the bed.

  "Just a good dream,” Padraic muttered, and apparently Jenner had good aural enhancers, because he grinned widely.

  "I'll say,” Jenner agreed enthusiastically.

  "Wait, how did you..."

  "You are loud when you have sexy dreams."

  "Oh."

  "And explicit.” Jenner paused. “Like, I came in to make sure you hadn't sneaked someone in, or, I don't know, they hadn't sent you a complimentary hooker I wasn't aware of."

  Padraic ended the conversation by walking into the small bathroom and closing the door between them.

  "Hurry it up, too,” Jenner called through the door. “Inoue looks unhappy."

  * * * *

  Padraic was convinced that the second presentation actually went worse than the first.

  The three men came in, and after short bows that felt cursory even to Padraic, they sat down and looked at him expectantly. He forced himself to ignore what his translation system was insisting that Minoru was saying and forged ahead. They let him finish, but it seemed like a near thing. The three shook their heads sharply when he asked if there were any questions and then filed out again, as if pleased to be getting away.

  The other two had already left the room before the youngest of the men stopped and looked at Minoru.

  "The very lucid person, it is Inoue. Try to brag about your father."

  "Your word, uncle, truly thank you."

  The door closed behind them, and Minoru immediately started pacing back and forth across the small meeting room. If Minoru were the sort who threw fits, Padraic had a feeling that he would be ducking chairs and diving for cover.

  Apparently Jenner felt the same way, because he swiftly put himself between Minoru and Padraic.

  "Okay, so they're not interested, and it sounds like that last guy took a cheap shot at you. Not the end of the world,” Jenner started.

  "That's what you say,” Minoru retorted. “Not the end of the world? I know what this company is like—"

  "—and we don't,” Jenner finished meaningfully. “And unless we get a clue, we're going to be like anchors around your neck, right?"

  Minoru blinked and regarded Jenner more carefully.

  "I had thought you were simply Mr. Dahl's bodyguard."

  Jenner shrugged. “Well, I'm that, too."

  This was the first that Padraic had heard of the “something more,” but he managed to keep a straight face when Minoru looked over at him.

  "I think it's time that we sat down and planned a strategy, all three of us together. It is my fault. I thought they would be won over by the merit of your work alone, and I apologize."

  Padraic wasn't sure why he found himself smiling. “Thank you. I'm not sure that I've ever received as many compliments on my design from one person, ever."

  "That is a shame, because it deserves it.” Minoru nodded decisively. “And we'll make this company see that it deserves it yet."

  "We need to get out of here and have some space to think,” said Jenner thoughtfully. “Outside of company walls."

  "My apartment,” suggested Minoru. “It's on company property, but—"

  "Out of the question,” Jenner said cheerfully. “Some of the bugs that you had installed in our rooms were good enough that I couldn't get to them. I just knew that they were there. I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts—or is that going to be yen to takoyaki?—that yours aren't any more accessible."

  Padraic blinked. He had assumed that Jenner had disabled the bugs during the sweep. He remembered Jenner's comment about Minoru being hot and the noises that Jenner said he had made, and he felt heat rush to his face. He sneaked a glance at Minoru, but the Inoue heir only looked thoughtful.

  "So what this all boils down to,” Jenner continued, “is that I've heard about these maid cafes that you've got over here."

  * * * *

  Forty-five minutes later, they were seated in a very comfortable restaurant that looked no different from the late-night diners that Padraic frequented back home. The booths were the same, the menus were practically the same, and even the smells of grease and coffee were the same.

  The cheerful girls in the Alice in Wonderland costumes, Padraic granted, were new. Jenner looked at the menu and randomly pointed at a line of text, smiling at the waitress. Padraic, feeling less brave, pointed out a picture of a cheeseburger. He wondered briefly if he was going to be eating American food for his entire stay.

  Padraic risked a glance at Minoru, who, with his jacket off and his sleeves rolled up, looked even handsomer than he usually did. Idly, Padraic wondered how it would feel to run a finger up along that bare arm, up to the crook of Minoru's elbow, but even something as innocent as that made Padraic redden and look away.

  He couldn't imagine that Minoru would thank him for thinking thoughts like that on company time and resolved to be better about it. He forced himself to pay attention to what was going on.

  "We need to think bigger,” Jenner was saying. “They aren't hearing what we want them to hear when it's just Padraic up there talking, so we need to find a way to really talk to them on their level."

  "Unfortunately, that might involve interpretive dance and a month-long series of negotiations over dinner.” Minoru shook his head. “I don't have the time, and I really don't have the patience."

  "Well, maybe we should start by cornering someone further up the food chain, you know? They got there for a reason, and there ought to be someone who can see what we've got. We could get them alone and then..."

  Minoru made a small, impatient noise.

  "They're all aware that they are only as good as their last success. That means that they'll be polite enough to listen to the president's son and dead terrified of making a decision that is going to reflect p
oorly on them."

  "Which means more bowing and even less work getting done, huh?"

  "We could give them a demonstration,” Padraic suggested. “I mean, it seems like the most obvious thing, right?"

  "I'm glad you said it and I didn't,” Jenner grinned. “From me, it just sounds so calculated.” Padraic blinked, but Minoru was nodding.

  "I think,” he said slowly, “that my father's company is going to be much more influenced by negative consequences than positive reinforcement."

  His comment was punctuated by the arrival of an undersized hamburger and what appeared to be a sampler of nine varieties of pie.

  "Work on your timing,” advised Jenner, digging into the slice of blueberry. “Saying something like that usually needs thunder and lightning, not the magical appearance of pastry."

  * * * *

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  Chapter Two

  The apartment was tiny, and Padraic was certain that if he really tried, he could touch the opposing walls with his fingertips. The sensation of claustrophobia was made much worse by the bank of glowing computer interfaces and screens that were built directly over the window. When he glanced up, he saw that the bed had been rigged to the ceiling on a pulley system, though he had no idea how far it would actually lower, given the tightness of the room.

  Jenner had decided that the place was safe enough and was currently checking out the snack selection in the grocery store on the ground floor.

  If Jenner hadn't closed the door behind him with a final click, Padraic might have bolted. Instead, he stood as still as he could and watched as Minoru talked to their eyeless hostess.

  Minoru turned to Padraic, and for a moment, Padraic thought he was going to be introduced.

  "Take off your shirt,” Minoru said, and turned back to the eyeless woman without even waiting to see if Padraic obeyed.

  Padraic swallowed hard and found his hands automatically starting to undo his shirt.

  Never been here before, have we?

  Padraic shook the thought away, but it clung like dirty plastic, making it hard to move, making it a little hard to breathe. He must have been more pent up than he thought if Minoru ordering him to expose himself in a grimy room was doing it for him.