Chapter Text
The next evening, Mine arrives at the location sent by the Sixth Chairman for their training session. The front of the building is unpromising. It doesn't look like a prized gym. But at least it is in Minato, at a short distance from Mine's office as well as the Tojo HQ.
When he enters the building, he immediately understands that his chairman is waiting for him, in spite of him being right on time. The lobby is empty, except for two men he recognizes as the Sixth Chairman's bodyguards. There isn't even a receptionist. The room was probably fully reserved for them both tonight. What a sweet attention. He would have done the same thing in his chairman's shoes. At least he won't have to worry about his safety, outside from what he himself might do to him.
He only nods towards the bodyguards as acknowledgement of their presence and proceeds to the changing room. He sheds his work attire and slips into his training gear with automatic motions. Until he catches himself in a mirror. He took a shower before coming here, even though he knew it was useless as he was coming here to sweat. He also made sure he was properly shaved and re-gelled his hair even though he knows it's just going to be messed up in the fight. Maybe it's wishful thinking but he prepared himself as if he was going on a date with Daigo Dojima. Not that he would object to it. He wonders if sparring is code for something. In any case, he would be ready. He would fight a bit to keep up appearances, but he would let Daigo-san do anything he wants with him in that training room.
He shakes his head, as well as the thoughts. There's no point in fantasizing about such things now, though his daydreaming seems to be worse and worse. He wonders if it's because of last night. The way they shared that bottle. And the thoughts that accompanied it. He should stop fixating on this, but he can't stop wondering. He can't stop wanting. His chairman is such a charming man. It's only natural. There are probably many other men in the clan who entertain similar fantasies.
Mine stops. This idea suddenly fills him with anger. He can barely accept the fact that Daigo-san shares his night with someone else, so the thought that he's not the only one of his underlings craving a taste of him is unbearable. He fists his hands, trembling with rage and the need to discipline those imaginary men. If anyone can have him, it'll be him.
In a fit of competitive spirit, he takes off his tank top and admires his taunt and powerful body in the mirror. He is technically attractive. With his broad shoulders, bulky pecs and eight-pack, he's achieved the best male body there is. Building muscle is a science that he's perfected throughout his entire life. No other man compares to him. It's just that they don't know, because no one has ever seen him fight. But he will show his chairman. He will show him how attractive he really is. Wearing nothing more than boxing shorts, his irezumi is also in full display. That's a good thing. The proof of his hard work and dedication will be revealed for his eyes only.
Mine hopes he will watch carefully and drink in the sight. He hopes he will crave for more. But he is confident that showing himself like this will seduce Daigo-san. Without wasting any more of their precious time together tonight, he pushes the doors to the gym.
For a brief moment, Mine has the thought that maybe, he's also going to see his chairman in clothes just as revealing. Maybe he's going to see his bare chest. But when he steps into the room, he realizes he was dreaming too high. Daigo-san is standing in the middle of the room, which seems to be used for martial arts with how the ground is covered in mats, and appears to be stretching. Though he is not shirtless, the sight is enough to stop Mine in his tracks and make his heart beat faster in his chest.
He's seen his chairman in a casual outfit at home, but never in clothes so revealing. He's wearing a simple white tank-top, displaying with grace his wide shoulders, his powerful biceps and his toned arms. But what catches Mine's eyes are the shorts he's wearing. Navy blue shorts that cover just about a quarter of his thighs. The rest of his legs are in full display. Mine doesn't intend to stare, but he can't stop his eyes from roaming all over his strong legs, his nicely sculpted calves and, of course, his big, muscular thighs. Even though they are covered in leg hair, they look incredibly soft to the touch. Perfect to grab.
Why would his chairman show them so shamelessly? He can't stop staring at them and his face starts burning. He must have done this on purpose. But then, Mine remembers he probably doesn't know all the things his lieutenant feels for him. He doesn't know how tempting he is. And Mine can't really judge, when he has his entire chest in display for the other man. When he manages to tear his gaze away from his contemplations, with shame and fear of being caught, he doesn't immediately meet Daigo-san's gaze. But he quickly blinks up at Mine before smiling at him.
"There you are!"
"Sorry for making you wait, chairman." He apologizes as he steps to the middle of the room.
"No worries. It's been a long time since I had a training partner. I was warming up anyway so take all the time you need."
Mine nods, having to use a lot more focus than usual to keep his eyes on Daigo-san's face. His face is really handsome, too. It's just that the rest of his body is even more distracting than before. With the clothes he's wearing, he didn't even notice that he tied his hair in a short ponytail. On a normal day, he would be fixating on that hairdo and obsess about how cute it is. But he doesn't care about that right now. Whatever he does, he must not look below his chairman's waist. But even if he succeeds that simple task, then his eyes drifts to his arms and his shoulders, and he thinks about how warm and safe his embrace would feel.
He already did his usual workout in the morning, but he still takes time to warmup his muscles. Though straining something would quickly put an end to the trial that is this meeting. He wonders if his chairman would take care of him if he pulled a muscle. He's sure those hands would make him feel better in no time. He blows a deep breath, trying to regain control over his own mind. He knew this was a terrible idea, but he didn't know how bad. It's not too late to go back. Pretext something to leave and never touch a hair on his chairman's head. But it would be rude. And he never wants to let him down.
And also… He thinks he can feel Daigo-san looking at him when he flexes his muscles. If it's from attraction or simple admiration, he's not sure. But if this is enough to charm him, he'll just need to get a grip and get through this. There's no Emiko in sight. They are alone, with no one else in this room. It might be his best chance to try something.
"Alright, I'm ready when you are." He says as he settles in front of his chairman, fist raised in front of him. They quickly agree on some guidelines to keep this safe for them both, like no direct hit to the head or crotch. Simple rules. Mine's eyes roam all over the other man's body once more, but this time he can pass it off as if he was simply seizing him up. His stance is wide, low and very connected to the ground. It'll be tough to bring him down. But it means he won't be very fast and his guard is not very closed off. In a split second he knows what moves to use to neutralize him with minimum harm.
He's surprised when Daigo-san is the first to attack. As predicted, he's slower than mine when he launches his fist. He can deviate it with ease and counter-attack with a strike of his own to his stomach. He is surprised when his chairman dodges it. He supposes that what he lack in speed, he makes up in instinct. A sense honed by years of fighting in the streets when he was younger, and then by dealing with powerful yakuzas on the daily. Mine doesn't let him impress him into inaction. He continues to attack, always looking for an opening on parts of his body that would hurt less.
They keep exchanging blows like this for many minutes, slowly working into a more competitive mood and breaking a nice sweat. Mine would never underestimate his chairman, but he wasn't expecting him to be so closely a match for him. It makes him feel almost as excited as worried. If he's not that much stronger than him, he needs to step up. Or else how could he be considered his protector?
Then, he lands a hit. A powerful punch to his chairman's ribs. For a moment, he was so caught up in the fire that he forgot to ignore his weakest points. But to hesitate is to fall in a fight. He barely has the time to see the satisfied and threatening glint in the other man's brown eyes. Before he realizes it, a strong hand grips his wrist, a shoulder lodges under his arm and with a powerful throw, his whole world turns upside down. He flies above his chairman's head in a controlled arc. Strangely, all seems as weightless as his body for a moment. As if he's been thrown into the clouds themselves. And then he lands on the mat with a grunt and all the air is pulled from his lungs.
Mine blinks, trying to make sense of up and down again. He notices that his labored breathing is only due to the exhaustion of their sparring, and not any kind of pain. His chairman threw him just perfectly so that he wouldn't hurt him. His heart soften at the idea that he would take the same precautions with him as Mine did with him.
But then he hears him laughing triumphantly. "Ha, guess… guess the first point is mine."
Mine glares up at him, only to be met with the sight of an extended hand. He takes it with caution. As he expected, his hand feels hot, almost burning in his. And though he spends most time in his office now, he can feel how calloused they are. He's pulled back on his feet, and too quickly the contact is broken.
Mine's pride wants to rebuff his chairman's victory. Say he wasn't expecting a throw, or pretend he went against the rules. But he has to admit that this time, his chairman just beat him. He is just that good, who can be surprised? At least, now he's a little more confident that Daigo-san can take care of minor threats. Mine won't lose sleep over any minor conflict. But he also knows he's given him a run for his money. Though he gloats, his chairman's pants are heavy, his chest heaving with each breath, and his skin is covered in a thin layer of sweat.
Making his body shine like a prize.
Mine shakes his head.
"What?" His chairman replies to a gesture that he wasn't meant to see. "You're… Hah… you're contesting my… clear victory?"
His panting is almost lewd. He wonder if that's how he sounds in bed.
"Let's do two-out-of-three." He blurts out to focus on something else than his thoughts.
Daigo-san laughs, breathlessly, and wipes the sweat from his forehead with the back of his arm. But when he settles back into a fighting stance, Mine has his answer. He gets into his own position, and eager to forget about all those things he's feeling, he attacks immediately. He throws punches, still carefully. He still doesn't want to harm his chairman. At least, he manages to dodge them. Until he doesn't. Mine sees it too late, but his chairman stays put and his fist collides with him. Daigo-san barely even grunts. He just looks at him with a raised eyebrow.
"I knew it."
"W-What, Daigo-san?"
"You're holding back."
Too surprised by the sudden observation, Mine straightens up. His chairman looks disappointed. Annoyed. Of course, he should have known he would notice sooner or later. He's sharper than most. Mine never meant for him to realize. He doesn't want him to take his holding back as an insult. But evidently, it still hurt his feelings.
"I'm sorry, I-"
"I know. You don't want to hurt me." Daigo-san finishes his sentence for him, his eyes softening a bit with the admission coming from his own lips. "You only ever mean well, Mine. I don't hold it against you. You met me when I had my act cleaned up and I wasn't running the streets anymore. But I'm a pretty good fighter, without any pretense. Well, I was. I'm probably a bit out of shape, which is why I wanted to train with you."
Mine lets him say what he wants to say. He knows his chairman used to pick fights with about anyone. He's much aware of the story of how he ended up in prison. He was never afraid to pick up on strong men. Probably because he could hold his own against them. But he doesn't know that Mine knows, so he fakes an expression of wonder. "I assure you I take this very seriously. I'm honored you trust me with this."
"So trust me in return, yeah?" Daigo-san retorts. "Whatever you throw at me, I bet you I can take it. But since you need reassurance, here." As he days so, he takes an open stance in front of Mine. Knees bents and arms set in his sides, he stares at him with a guard so low a child could punch him. But Mine can see how he flexes his body in preparation. "Hit me."
"Eh?"
"Hit me." Daigo-san snickers at Mine's dumbfounded expression. "Throw me a punch with all your might."
Mine is not sure about that, but he finds no good reason to deny his chairman. If he refuses, he might as well tell him he thinks he's weak. But if he hurts him, he will never recover from the guilt and shame. He has no other choice but to comply and punch him. He puts up his guard again, figuring he doesn't need to use all of his strength.
"Go on, I can take it." The other man insists, seeing his preparation as hesitation. "After all, I've taken hits from the Dragon of Dojima and I'm fine."
This name. It's come up a lot in the background search Mine did on Daigo Dojima. And it's not the first time he talked about him when they're alone together. He looks very proud when he talks about him. Something gnaws at his self-restrain. Jealousy. Surely this dragon cannot be so strong. So worthwhile of Daigo Dojima's boundless admiration. Maybe because his chairman always praises him when he does good work, he doesn't like hearing him praising other men. No, he hates it. If anyone is worthy of being admired by Daigo-san, it's him and him alone.
Something gives inside of him. An anchor breaks and his fist flies with lightning speed. He throws it with all his strength and it collides with the other man's stomach with a dull sound, quickly followed by a wheezing sound and a curse. Mine looks up at his chairman's face only to see all the color drain from it. He takes a step back, his gaze distant, before collapsing down in a kneeling position, his hands clutching his stomach.
"Daigo-san!" Mine calls out, feeling all his anger washed away by worry. His hands unclench when he kneels down with the other man. "Daigo-san, are you alright?"
"Fu… Fucking Hell, Mine…" He gasps.
"I'm sorry." He apologizes, and yet he feels some pride at the thought that he manages to impress him with a single punch.
"N-No, don't be." Finally, his chairman looks up at him. "I just… I just wasn't ready. You throw one Hell of a punch, though. I knew you were holding back, but if I knew exactly how much…"
"Hmm…" Mine fights back a satisfied smirk. He reaches for his water bottle before handing it to him. "Here, drink some water." His chairman complies, and Mine ignores how even more satisfied he feels knowing he's drinking from his own personal bottle. He drinks heavily from it. Enough to smear his saliva all over the rim. When he's done, Mine is careful not to wipe anything as he closes it and puts it to the side. "So, I suppose that means… this was the strongest hit you've ever received?"
"What? No." All of Mine's pride washes away. It wasn't? What could possibly best a punch that brought him to his knees? "No, I told you, I just wasn't ready."
Mine narrow his eyes at him, wondering how much of what he says is truth, and how much is distorted by his pride. He sits back on his heels, and crosses his arms. Daigo-san has recuperated fast from the hit, at least. Colors flood back in his cheeks and he doesn't speak as though breathing hurts him anymore. "Ready or not, I'd say this counted."
"Counted?"
"I beat you with just one punch. I mean, you were practically begging for my help down there. So that makes one victory on each side."
"Oh, does it?" The other man glances at him, with a suspicious glint in his eyes. Something playful, at least. He took Mine's teasing well. "So just one more match, is it?" Before Mine can see it, the playfulness turns into fire. A challenge answered. He doesn't have time to get back on his feet. His chairman is incredibly fast as he lunges at him, grabbing both his shoulders to push him on his back.
Mine's stomach flips, but it's not with fear or discomfort. He feels a thousand butterflies flying inside of him as his chairman pins him to the ground. His hands on his naked shoulders are so heavy, he feels like his whole body can't move anymore. His knees are on each side of his hips, pressed against the hard bone like two bars of a prison he can't escape. His ankles hooked on his thighs are more pressure to keep him down. But it's one he doesn't want to fight. His hands rest above his head. He can only stare at the man above him, feeling his face slowly succumb to a hot fire. A fire mirroring the one he can observe in his deep brown eyes.
"Giving up?" Daigo-san asks him, already letting go of his grip.
He does want to give up. He wants to give everything up for him. But Mine realizes that if he gives up, he'll lose his touch on his sweaty skin. He won't feel his weight on his body anymore. That would be giving him the final victory and putting an end to their training session. He refuses. He's only just gotten the first taste of his chairman's grip, he can't stop there. He needs more. Much more.
So he launches his arms to Daigo-san's elbows and with one harsh tug, his already loosening grip comes free. He then reaches up around his chest to push on his feet and try to switch their position. He manages to throw the other man off him, but before he can pin him down, he has his arms caught and a knee pressed against his ribs to prevent him from moving down. Mine reaches for the knee to push it out of the way but his chairman is a much better grappler than him and knows how to move out of his hold, even as they are both on the ground.
For a while, they both struggle to get the upper hand on the other. Daigo-san with his experience on close combat and Mine with his superior strength. The lieutenant quickly feels breathless, both from the physical exercise but also, mainly, from the physical proximity. His grunts of effort become short-breathed laughs, too excited to feel those strong hands reach all over his body. He had such a good idea when he decided to go shirtless. Even if he knows the circumstances are not what he dreams they were, every press of his chairman's palms against his skin, every strong grip of his fingers into his flesh make him shiver and his blood run hot.
He's losing his grip, and most probably this fight, with how Daigo-san's arms make him feel weak. But he doesn't mind much. He gives enough resistance to make the other man push harder and basks in the feeling of his labored breath warming his skin.
But in spite of all his excitement, he feel the end coming when he's flipped on his stomach, his right arm firmly trapped against Daigo-san's chest. He represses a moan at the feeling of being so easily handled by the other man. His talk about "handling his ass" the previous evening were more true than he expected. Even though he wishes he was even more literal. He pushes his hand against the mat to get back on his knees, but Daigo-san is much faster. In an instant, he flips his weight around his neck and has him in a tight head-lock.
Mine freezes. His brain refuses to think of any way he could get out of this position. One of his arm is locked in his chairman's strong grip, but what really immobilizes him are his legs around his neck. Daigo-san's powerful thighs envelop him. They're so close to his face, he can feel their hair tickling his cheek. He lets out a strangled noise, halfway between groan and a moan, as a hot, heavy shiver runs down his spine. Thankfully for his pride, the other man interprets it as the normal sound a man in a headlock would make.
"Are you… ready to admit your defeat?" He pants, somewhere above his head.
Mine can't talk. He doesn't trust himself to talk with a steady voice at this point. His entire body is shivering with a burning passion. His chairman's half-naked thighs are wrapped around his head. He can feel their heat. He can feel the strong muscles flexing under his silky-white skin. He can feel the softness of his tender inner-thigh. His head feels light, as if he was lacking oxygen or maybe blood. It would make sense, is such a position. But maybe he's also losing his senses because Daigo-san's smell is so powerful there. His musk, mix of his sweat and natural scent, invades his nose, head and chest. He tries to turn his head, but his chairman's hold on him is too tight. That alone is enough to make his body jerk. He feels so sensitive.
Still, he refuses to give up. In parts because of his pride, but mostly because he wants to stay right here, forever. He struggles, in vain. Puts a show for his chairman more than anything. He brings his only free hand to the thigh pressed near his cheek. The touch of his fingers against rough muscles is like a static shock. But one that sticks his hand to his skin instead of repelling it. He grabs at the other man's body, palms at his skin for no other purpose than to simply touch. But when his finger slips under the hem of Daigo-san's shorts, his breath catches in his throat.
He can feel a shiver on the skin under his fingers. It's an addictive current that courses through the point of contact and through his entire body. What he realizes too late is a rush of arousal. He tries not to think about it too much. He knew this was a risk, the moment he gave in to his chairman's demand for a friendly match. Ever since he started putting his hands all over him, he's been feeling this delicious thrumming under his skin. A relentless heatwave running down his body and pooling between his legs. He was able to push it away until he was trapped in such a position. Trapped between Daigo-san's legs.
He knows he should give up. Admit defeat and pull out before he can damage the relationship they have, and that he already cherishes. But an irrational part of him doesn't want to. He wants to stay right here and bask in this dangerous feeling of in-between. He keeps on grabbing what he can and squirming uselessly just to try and keep up appearances. Until he pushes his pelvis against the mat and realizes he's fully hard, but not before the sudden pressure shoots a dart of pleasure through his body. A feeling intense enough to make him tremble and gasp.
"Oh, shit." He hears cursing. "Mine, come on, don't hurt yourself."
He feels the hold around his head loosen. But if he does let him go, he'll see him. In hindsight, it was a stupid idea to go in there shirtless. His only shield is his position are his boxing shorts, which are thankfully baggy. Though they might be enough to conceal his erection, they won't do anything to hide the flush of his chest or the dilatation of his pupils. He needs time, so without thinking about it he tightens his hold on the other man. He feels stuck in this conundrum for what feels like hours. His blood refuses to flow normally, which is probably why he's having a hard time concentrating.
That's the main issue he needs to take care of. He has to defuse his own little situation before his chairman can be aware of it. Thankfully he prepared for that. He tries to think about things that would instantly kill his arousal. He imagines disgusting things and Kanda's face is the first thing that pops in his mind. He's immediately overcome by annoyance and repulsion. Feelings he always has in this man's company. It's very effective. In an instant, all pleasant thoughts about Daigo-san's body are washed away and he's soft again. But it works a little bit too well. His frustration won't leave him alone, just like Kanda's constant nagging. He can almost hear his grating voice. With a huff, he taps the mat to signify his surrender.
His chairman finally lets him go. He sits back on the mat with a satisfied smirk, his legs crossed. Mine briefly glances at them and those thighs he could almost taste. It's not doing anything to him anymore. He feels too pissed at a man who is not even there to think about being embarrassed about it. He stands up and grabs his water bottle without a word.
Acutely, his chairman realizes his irritation, though not the exact cause. "I didn't take you for a sore loser."
Mine turns to glare at him, before he realizes who he's looking at exactly. But it's not like he can tell him he's wrong. He can't tell him why he's pissed. He supposes having his chairman think him a sore loser is better than taking him for a pervert. "That was disloyal. Unlike you, I am no expert grappler."
"Ha! I'll let you get your revenge." His chairman offers as he stands back up.
"You will?"
"Sure, I mean, if you're up for it. I feel like you need more sessions with me to realize how much I can take. And honestly, this felt great. I haven't felt spent like this in a while. I won't take no for an answer until you really give your all in one of our matches."
Another match. Mine doesn't think he can take it. What's certain is he can't do it right now, when he feels like punching the lights out of a tasteless pig. But his chairman is resilient, and he knows he won't stop asking. That means he's only delaying the inevitable. There will be a next time. He just tells himself that, next time, he'll wear a shirt and even wider shorts. And then maybe he'll win their match and Daigo-san's admiration.
"If that's really what you want." He relents to his chairman's whims, again, bowing his head.
"That's the spirit."
"Let me make the plans for next time."
"Sure." Daigo-san walks to him and settles down on one of the simple benches lining the walls of the gym. Mine watches him drink, from his own water bottle this time. He combs his hand through his hair in hopes of fixing it a little bit, all the while making sure all his most prominent muscles are in full view of the other man. But his focus seems elsewhere. With a defeated sigh, Mine sits down next to him and takes out his towel to wipe away the sweat that's clearly not enough to catch his beautiful eye.
Mine watches him from the corner of his eyes. He can't help but notice the frown on his face, much deeper than usual. He wonders if he's getting enough sleep with what they discussed the previous day. "Was our session today still enough to blow off some steam?"
Daigo-san straightens up, looking at him as though he called his bluff. He lets out a brief chuckle. "Ah, of course you caught that."
"I don't mean to repeat myself." And he won't. He's told him time and time again that he could rely on him. Share his worries with him. Insisting more would be bordering on harassment. What can he do if his chairman just doesn't want to talk to him? He can't force him to open up to him. He can only indulge in the activities he wants to do. Like pretending to fight. It's one way of exulting one's frustration just like any other, he supposes. "If fighting is what you need, then I'm happy to help."
"Ahhh…" What he meant as supportive words seem to have the opposite effect on the other man. He huffs a deep sigh and hangs his head as a man who just got sentenced to life.
"Daigo-san?" He turns his body to him. "If I offended you in any way-"
"That's not the case, Mine. You're just…" He shakes his head. "I'm the idiot."
Mine frowns. "Who put that idea in your head? You're the smartest man I ever met."
"Flattery, hm?" His chairman looks up to him. "Yeah, it's working a bit."
Mine fights back a smirk. He does mean it honestly, though he's lucid enough to know he's biased. He's just happy he managed to put a smile back on his face.
"I'm not fair to you." Daigo-san admits. "To be honest I just never had a friend like you. Someone in whom I could confide anything. I mean… I did, once. But we weren't the same age so there was this barrier and we didn't see each other a lot and then… shit hit the fan."
From what he knows of his chairman's history, Mine understands he's probably talking about that Kiryu guy again. Is it because of him that Daigo-san finds it so hard to be open with other people? Because he betrayed him? Even though the whole Sohei Dojima affair was cleared up, Daigo-san felt betrayed for years. The result was just the same. He balls up his fists, but he knows it's not the time to point fingers. He just waits patiently for the other man to say what he wants to say. He looks like he wants to confide in him, at least. That's all that he can hope for, for now.
"What I mean to say is… Yeah, there are a lot of things on my mind. Maybe most of them can be solved by just… talking about them. Or just asking for advice."
"Of course." Mine nods, maybe too eagerly. "I'll do my best to provide it for you."
His chairman nervously rubs the back of his neck. Mine understands that the things weighing on him may not be work related. All the better. The more he can blur the line in their relationship, the easier it will be for him to present himself as a potential partner. Thinking about that, he tries hard not to stare at the way Daigo-san's bicep bulges with the motion. This tank top is just as dangerous as those shorts.
"Do you remember the last time you came by?" Daigo-san's voice shakes him out of it. "And you heard Emiko and me arguing?"
"I didn't hear anything." He clarifies to try to reassure him. Maybe he was worried Mine heard something he shouldn't have. He couldn't make out even one word. He still regrets it. If only he could have known what was the nature of their disagreement, he could already design a plan to break them apart for good.
“Yes, right, but… well… I think she’s still mad at me.” As he admits it, Daigo-san's eyes drift to the side with a wistful sigh.
“Is it so worrying for you?” Mine frowns. He doesn't see the harm in it. If she doesn't want to talk to him then maybe she doesn't want to be with him anymore, and maybe she'll leave on her own. But if this is the nature of what is troubling his chairman, he can't ignore it. Day after day, this woman appears to be even more of a bother than he thought. It's fine that she steps in his way to his chairman's heart, because he knows he will eventually crush her. But if she makes his chairman miserable, she needs to disappear.
“Of course." His chairman replies, as if what he just asked was completely ludicrous. "She’s my partner after all.”
Something heavy settles in his stomach each time he hears that word in relation to that couple. He doesn't like the weight that it carries. Partner is too important. Too final. Mine should be his partner. He already is, in many sense of the word. So he doesn't like to hear his chairman use it to talk about that woman one bit. Mine seethes from the inside. His fists tighten, almost hard enough to rip the towel he still has in hands. His teeth grit together as he tries to think of something to say before he can be overcome by rage.
And then it hits him. Of course. His chairman is giving him a golden opportunity. His relationship is already doing bad, and now he's asking for his advice. He trusts him enough with this. He can completely sabotage their relationship by giving him awful advice. "If I may…"
"Yeah, of course." Daigo-san looks back at him, hope sparkling in his eyes. "That's why I'm telling you."
“Don’t talk to her." He starts with the worse thing he thinks he could do in that situation. "Let her come to you. Make her understand on her own that she needs to talk to you and you can get distant if she puts no effort in communicating with you.”
“Really?" The other man quirks an eyebrow. "Will she really want to talk to me if I just ignore her?"
“Of course." Mine realizes that he needs to make his lie convincing. His chairman obviously has more experience with relationships than he does. He must really be at his wit's end if he's asking him for advice. Mine feels a little bit guilty about abusing his trust like this, but he knows it's for the best. He will more than make up for the loss of that mediocre girlfriend when he finally returns his feelings. "If she really cares about you, she will make the first step.”
"Huh…" Daigo-san observes him for a moment, as if he was really thinking on his words. Mine can't be sure he'll really act on them, but he can only hope so. And just like that, begins his offensive on Emiko.
But before he can put and end to this little meeting of theirs, he has one more thing to do. He stands back up and takes a few steps away from the bench, starting to do exercises to stretch his muscles and make sure they don't cool off too fast. Meanwhile, Daigo-san leans back in his seat, apparently still trying to catch his breath. The way his chest moves with each deep inspiration is captivating. Mine almost wishes his chairman would have done the same thing as him and gone in shirtless. He's sure he would have had a lot to look at. But he knows that ultimately, it would have been the end of him. He was already so hard just from seeing his thighs. He's not sure he would have survived seeing him in nothing but those shorts.
Though he's not too far from seeing it now. His chairman worked up quite a sweat. Almost enough to drench his top, but at least more than enough to make it stick to his skin. The white of the fabric merges with the peach tone of his skin where the sweat accumulated the most, under his arms and around his collar. He can see the nice roundness of his pecs as they rise and fall heavily with each breath. He can also make out dark, curly chest hairs poking from under his collar. He feels light-headed just looking at him in this state. But he looks so good. Mine wants to print that image in his brain.
As the second best thing, he pulls out his phone. "Excuse-me, chairman. I'll just consult my emails."
"Huh? Oh, of course. Don't worry about me. Do what you need to."
Mine flips his phone open and, instead of opening his emails, opens the camera app. He makes sure that all of Daigo-san fits in the frame. For a split second, he feels silly about snapping all those sneaky pictures of the man. But it feels so strange seeing him in something that is not his usual suit, he has to collect all of his outfits. The moment he's satisfied with the composition of the picture, he presses the button. He knows it's going to make a shutter noise, that's why he coughs loudly at the exact same moment. It has another pleasant effect. His fake coughing fit startles his chairman, who looks up at him. This way he has a picture where he's looking straight at the camera.
"Do you need water?" Daigo-san asks, showing his own water bottle. Though Mine is tempted by the offer, he looks back at the picture he just saved.
"No, I'm fine." The picture is excellent. His chairman looks the perfect mix of relaxed and spent. He managed to immortalize how those shorts hug perfectly his thighs, and how his muscles gleam with sweat. He almost wants to walk back up to him and offer to wipe him with his own towel. But that would be a step too far. He has to push that fantasy away, only to revisit when he'll be back at home with the picture. He feels his heart beat faster just looking at it. Daigo Dojima truly is one tempting-looking man.
"Good news?" His chairman asks him, pulling his attention away from his phone. He supposes he was smiling like an idiot at his phone. It is a waste to just stare at it when he has the real thing right in front of him.
"Yes. Good things." He quickly closes it and puts it away. "Are you ready to go?"
His chairman nods and stands up. They both make their way to the changing rooms. The few short minutes they spend in here are a true trial of mental strength for Mine. He keeps his head straight as he gets dressed, using up all of his resolve not to take a sneak peek at the other man. If he sees him in nothing but his boxers, he knows he's going to pop another boner and he doesn't want to think again about Kanda's face to kill it. Not so soon before his bed time.
Once they're both done, they step out in the street and Mine can feel something hanging between them. A hesitation. He ventures a guess that his chairman is thinking about inviting him for drinks to conclude the evening, but in the end he seems too tired to decide on it. They bid each other good night, and Mine leaves his chairman's safe return home in the hands of his bodyguards.
⚬───────✧───────⚬
The next few days all look the same. Both Mine and Daigo-san are busy with their work, so they don't see each other. It makes for a dull week. Mine fills his days with his daily tasks and, when he's done with them, tries to make progress on his own personal project.
He's already asked too much of Zenba concerning the Emiko problem. So he took matters into his own hands. He dug deeper into the qualifications she earned when she was studying overseas, in Russia. He knows she lived in St. Petersburg for all the time she was in the country, and that's about it. He doesn't speak or read Russian, and has no contact there that he could send investigating. That's something he intends on remedying. Any free time he has, he dedicates to reaching out to people with contacts in St. Petersburg. He needs a good list if he wants to be thorough and uncover all there is to know about her time there.
This endeavor is long, but it's nothing he didn't expect. After all, it is difficult to create a network of information in a country where you don't speak the language, and where you've never been. And he doesn't plan on ever going. First, he would have to justify taking time away from work to go to Russia, of all places. Sure, his chairman knows he enjoys classical music, but it's not enough to justify his sudden interest. But secondly and most importantly, it would mean traveling far from the Sixth Chairman. Not being able to see him at all for day, maybe weeks. That's unacceptable.
It's not even considering that fact that him out of the country would give free reign to Emiko over Daigo-san. There would be no one to take him out of that apartment. He would have to suffer her insipid company every night and every day. To avoid that, he thought about taking him with him. He would so love to travel in such good company. He could whisk away his chairman from his tiring duties and go sight-seeing with him in a country where his responsibilities would not reach him. But then, of course, Mine would not be able to investigate Emiko without giving himself up. And his so loyal chairman would never abandon his men like this.
For days, all Mine has are daydreams about walking down the city hand in hand, because there is no risk of anyone recognizing them. He thinks about the cold weather. He thinks about tightening Daigo-san's scarf and readjusting strands of hair back into his knit cap, and it's enough to make him blush alone in his office. Ah, if only… He feels himself losing his sanity. Maybe because of that evening where they were so close, he can only think about touching the Sixth Chairman in one way or another.
Four days after their first sparring match, a meeting with all the clan's patriarchs is scheduled. This will be the moment for each family to give their donations, and for Mine to pass on the money of his latest sale. But most of all, it will be, finally, the occasion for him to see the Sixth Chairman. The meeting, like most of the same kind, will be in the evening. They've already made plans to meet afterward, just the two of them. To head together to their bar and share a few drinks to unwind from the long week. Mine stares at their text messages, as if it would make time go faster. But he has to resign to put his phone down and start working.
Or, that's what he should do, but his finger slips. Instead, he opens his gallery and sifts through his saved pictures until he finds the one he took that evening in the gym. His heart immediately beats louder when he lays his eyes upon it. He rests his face in an open palm, propped with his elbow on the surface of his desk, as his thumb rubs the buttons of his numpad. He could stare at this one for hours. He already has. And yet it never feels like enough. That's the reason why he constantly comes back to it. He just can't get enough.
His eyes greedily roam all over the silhouette of his chairman captured in the moment. His strong body, flushed and sweaty from exercise, looks so inviting. He can see his towering shoulders, solid as the rock that supports 30 thousand men, and he wants nothing more than to hang off them. His eyes follows the straight line of his clavicles to his chest. He sighs at the sight of his clothes pressed tight against his skin, just enough to suggest the shapes of his pectoral and abdominal muscles. The suggestion of it is almost more enticing than the exposed skin. But then his gaze drifts below his belt to his exposed legs. He's irremediably drawn to the big, bulky shape of his powerful thighs hanging over the bench edge.
He knows their power more than anyone else now. He felt them so close, encased in their inescapable warmth. He experienced directly how they were immensely powerful yet so soft to the touch. If he closes his eyes he can feel them around his neck again, like a pillow tailored-made for him. Snug enough to squeeze him into a state of bliss. He can take in the deep scent of his chairman's body, his sweat a perfume strong enough to make his mouth water. He can imagine Daigo-san's wide hands trying to grab his side, his stomach, his pecs, his hips, all over his naked chest. He can hear him chuckle, low and out of breath, as he finally finds a hold, his fingers pushing pass the elastic band of his boxing shorts.
Mine's eyes snap open. His heart races in his chest, his cheeks colored in shame. That's not what happened. If it did, he would definitely remember it. He would give anything to live something like that. Anything in the world. But he doesn't think his chairman would be so forward. He doesn't think he would use the pretext of a sparring match to wrestle him to the ground and touch him inappropriately. But what if he did? What if he held him down and pulled down Mine's shorts, completely exposing him, just to confirm his suspicions that he was getting hard during their match?
His cheeks burn hotter, but they're not the only part of his body that is suddenly burning up. He shifts in his chair, though he didn't need it to confirm the obvious. He's getting hard just thinking about it. He knew he was getting desperate for any kind of contact with the other man, but he didn't know he was so hopeless that just thoughts of him were enough to arouse him. This is hardly the time. He's stuck in his office and he has a meeting at the Tojo HQ later tonight.
Mine closes his phone in one hurried motion and tries to think of something else to change his mood. The bad smell from alleys downtown, the feeling of sweat sticking to him under his suit during warm days, the disgusting slimy feeling of mushrooms. It's no use. He even tries to think again about Kanda's repulsive face, since it worked so well last time, but his mind is overcome with images of his chairman. The feeling of his skin against him as they struggled against each other. Kanda's ugly mug is powerless and gets easily replaced by Daigo-san's gorgeous body and an irresistible heat blossoms in his lower stomach.
He sits at his desk, pushing his forehead against his intertwined hands, trying to think of something to fix this situation. But it's hard staying focused when his body is so warm. He keeps getting distracted. His thoughts constantly take him back to his chairman, and dozens of things he wants to do to him that aggravate his condition. He desperately need some kind of friction. Some kind of relief. But he also knows he can't just jerk off in his office at the thought of the Sixth Chairman. But he can't go to his meeting with a very obvious boner either. What is he supposed to do?
It would be so much easier if Daigo-san loved him too. If he could just call him, and have his smooth voice guide his hands on his own body. His chairman would laugh tenderly at hearing Mine so desperate for him. It might just turn him on, too. He might just start to touch himself at the same time as Mine, and command him to come at the exact same moment. Mine could hear his last cry of pleasure as he reaches his orgasm, and even through the speaker of his phone, it would be the most beautiful sound known to mankind.
In actuality, Mine still sits at his desk, hands clenched together and breath caught in his throat. His erection is still straining against the fabric of his underwear, even harder than before. He reaches a hand between his legs, just to try and rearrange himself. To make sure he doesn't, at least, leak through and ruins his pants. The briefest of brush of his fingers on his sensitive erection, even through layers of clothes, is near enough to make the room spin around him. He lets out a gasp, pressing his palm against it as though he could directly muffle his desire. It does not work. The solid warmth of his own hand is too welcoming and he can't help himself when his hips buck into it of their own accord.
His free hand presses against his mouth, his gaze unfocused as hundreds of images of Daigo Dojima flash in his mind. He's sure his hand would be even more hot. More firm. It would show no hesitation in stroking Mine until he's begging for him. He cups the hard shape of his cock through his slacks, letting his fingers drum along his length as though he was still hesitating. But he knows it already. He's mad with want. He wants Daigo Dojima so much, he surrenders to the thoughts and relents. He stands up, on weakened legs, and hurries to the door of his office to lock it tight. One simple picture of his chairman is enough to make him throw all sense of professionalism through the window. And masturbate in the middle of the afternoon, in his office, thinking about his boss.
There is still one lucid figment of his mind that reminds him of what happens when a man masturbates. He makes a mess. He definitely doesn't want to dirty his work station, or to stain his sofa. With his last flash of lucidity, he hurries to his private bathroom and locks the door behind him. Another protection against anyone who could try to interrupt him. But once the lock falls into place, he can't wait any longer. With frantic fingers, he unbuckles his belt and pulls down his pants and boxers in one motion. The fresh air against his needy member is enough to make him shiver. His tip is already wet with precome. He carefully touches it, repressing a gasp at the feeling, until he remembers no one will hear him here.
From here, he's less careful. He closes his fist around the head, rolling down the shaft in one slow motion to coat it with his own fluid. His legs shake a little bit as his knees bump against the cold ceramic of his toilet. But it feels good to finally touch himself like this. He hasn't done this in a while. He was always too tired when he got home, after a long day working and planning to end of his chairman's current relationship. He always fell into bed and fast asleep. Even after his fateful sparring match against his chairman, once he got some privacy, all urge had vanished.
Only for it to come back stronger. Overwhelming. Irresistible as he starts slowly pumping his fist.
His thoughts, of course, are with Daigo Dojima. Never before did he find someone so irresistibly attractive. No man before could make him so excited. The devouring passion that burn at his core has been awakened by him alone. He wonders what he would think if he could see him now. If he could catch Mine's gaze as he jerks into his own hand. His hold tightens around his length when he remembers it almost happened. He was so hard when his chairman had him in his choke-hold. He could have easily caught him. And then…
He shuts his eyes and conjures up this version of Daigo-san again. The one in his tight tank-top and shorts. The one that flips Mine on his fours and forcefully pulls down his boxing shorts and briefs just to see how aroused he got from some simple wrestling. Mine moans at the idea of being so exposed to his eyes. To show him how much he affects him. This Daigo-san stifles a laugh and would probably throw a line about how good he must be to work up Mine so much with just a few holds. And then he would tell him to take care of it.
Mine bites his lower lip, still trying to be quiet, as his thumb rubs against his wet slit. His body shivers at the idea of touching himself for his chairman's pleasure. Maybe it was a bad idea to isolate himself behind two locked doors. He imagines how quickly he would obey, turning around to sit in front of his chairman's watchful gaze. His fingers slowly drifting between his legs to barely brush against his aching dick. He would only watch Daigo-san's reactions. Look through his eyes. Catch his attention with every single motion. He would slowly caress up his shaft, with the tip of his fingers. More intent on pleasing his chairman than to get off. And when he finally takes hold of his cock, his eyes would drag down to finally spot the tent in the other man's shorts, and that's the thing that would tear from him his first wanting moan.
He grunts in his bathroom, his hips starting to jerk without control. How would Daigo-san look? He needs to know. The question fills his mind with fuzz. Would his stiffening cock describe a nice arch under his clothes? Would he be big enough so that Mine could catch a glimpse of it, as it peeks under the hem of his shorts? The same where he accidentally slipped his fingers? He swipes his thumb on his head again to let his precome drip down and lubricate himself further, before picking up a faster pace with his hand. He never saw the beauty in any penis he saw before, but thinking about his chairman's cock is enough to drive him mad with desire. He lifts his leg to rest it on the toilet seat and have a better position to thrust in his hand. He shuts his eyes tighter, trying desperately to bring his fantasy into reality.
Sitting on the mats, he would spread his legs wider for his chairman's viewing pleasure, as a reward for how good he reacts to the show. He would hold himself tighter and drag his hand up and down his aching length in languid strokes, humming at the pleasure growing steadily inside him. In reply, Daigo-san would let his hand reach between his thighs. Palming his own cock as he watches Mine with hungry eyes. Heat rises in his body. He needs more. Seeing his chairman just as aroused as him makes him crave even more of something he's not allowed to have. He doesn't care. In his mind, he watches the concealed dick as he reaches further down between his legs with his free hand. Daigo-san would follow him with eyes dark as night. And when he touches the closed rim he would only be impatient to breach it and force it open enough to welcome the other man.
This time, he can't hold back his moaning. Boiling pleasure rises in his lower stomach and threatens to take over all of him as his hand moves at a frantic pace around his leaking cock. He can hear the sound of something wet dropping in the water. His free hand fly to brace himself against the wall. His legs shaking with each desperate thrust of his hips. He pants hard, his mouth dry just thinking about what he just imagined. His chairman's… Another spike of pleasure interrupts his thoughts and he moans again, even louder than before. He's so close to reaching his climax. Pushed violently towards the edge at the thought of being fucked by Daigo Dojima.
His mind spins and his fantasies hurry to catch up to reality. In a flash, he's back on all four and his chairman is pushing into him. "Daigo-sa~n…" He whimpers, but he's not sure if he does in his dreams or in reality. His strokes become shorter, focusing on rubbing his sensitive head, as wave after wave of pleasure crash into him. He can only imagine how good he would be filled. How hot and heavy his chairman would feel, above and inside him. How he would sound as he fucks him into the mats of the privatized gym. His strong hands holding his hips in place and his powerful thighs helping him drive restlessly into Mine's open ass as he takes all he needs from him, definite loser in their bout. But God, never would defeat feel so sweet.
Mine loses again. Something snaps inside of him. He jerks his hips helplessly as the boiling heat between his legs overcomes him with the crushing power of a tsunami. He cries out his beloved's name, wishing to any power in this world that he would be here with him, to see him through the violent orgasm. His legs shake, his fingers clench on any hold he finds, and then he ejaculates through the burning tip of his cock, right into the troubled waters of his toilet. He sputters one, two, three strings of come, each weaker than the last, moaning and panting broken syllables of Daigo Dojima's name. When his cock stops throbbing, he slumps forward, only caught by his hand on the wall and his knee on the seat. He pants, trying to catch his breath, sweat cooling on his forehead.
Through the haze of intense bliss, he tries to hold on to his made-up fantasy. He has no difficulty imagining himself coming hard on his chairman's dick. Too fast to leave his pride intact. But he can see Daigo-san being amused by his eagerness and keep on working him through the feeling of Mine pulsating all around him. Teasing him and praising him for being so good for him. Having no difficulty making him hard again with the perfectly deep thrust.
But in reality his softening cock aches with over-stimulation and he hisses through his teeth. The dream shatters in a millions pieces. He opens his eyes only to find himself alone, locked shamefully in his bathroom, watching his semen float in his toilet water and stain parts of his hand. A new shiver courses through him, but this one is nothing like what he felt when he was consumed by lust. This one is cold and sticks to his cooling skin. His heart thumps weakly with shame and regret. He quickly flushes the toilet and turns to his sink to wash the offending fluids from his hands, but he can barely look at his reflection in the mirror. His face burns him with embarrassment.
He never felt such ecstasy before, engaging in any kind of sexual activity. He never felt so good, so exited, so full of nothing but pure bliss. But now that he came and went, he's left with the weight of what he's just done. Another step in a dangerous direction. One he can't take back. He opened the valve to his most obscene thoughts. He's supposed to meet him the same evening, but he feels so discouraged. Now that he knows just exactly what he wants from him, he never missed him so much. He never felt his absence so heavily. He never felt so alone. How is he even supposed to face his chairman after that?
Once his hands are scrubbed clean, almost red from his feverish scratching, he pulls himself back into his pants, fastens his belt, and fixes his hair and face with the lotions and wax he keep in his office bathroom. It's not like he has a choice. He will have to face him.
⚬───────✧───────⚬
Going back to work isn't difficult, nor is catching his secretary's worried gaze when he unlocks the door of his office. He justifies a headache and all is forgotten. The hard part is getting to the HQ and seeing the Sixth Chairman waiting in the meeting room, sitting in his presiding chair, legs spread and chest puffed in a show of confidence and authority.
This is always the way he sits during important meetings, but Mine is immobilized in the room's entrance for a split second. Maybe it's because he brought himself to one of the best orgasms of his life at thoughts of the very same man pounding him into the ground, but he can't help but stare at his chairman with a new lens, and a new dryness in his throat. Has Daigo Dojima always exulted such a powerful sex-appeal? Mine feels very new to it. And extremely vulnerable. It would explain his magnetic charisma that pulls men to pledge their lives to him. He doesn't just have a classical charm and eloquence, but a tantalizing sexual magnetism. One strong enough to reach Mine from across the room and rip open his chest to take hold of his heart.
He manages to pull himself together before his contemplations becomes too obvious. He walks towards his seat, trying with all his might to keep his eyes above the Sixth Chairman's belt, even as he bows before him, and to keep at bay his previous fantasies. His cheeks still burn with embarrassment when he's in the same room as him. He can almost feel his presence when he closes his eyes. He knows he has to get a grip, but his growing want is stronger than him. Touching himself felt great in the moment, but as he sits so close to the object of his desire, he could cry with frustration because of how much he wants to feel the real thing.
But now that he sits closer to the Sixth Chairman, he notices that something is, indeed, different about him this evening. He does not only stand with a leader's poise, but there is a constant smile etched on his face. There's a new glow to his skin. He looks happy.
The meeting goes by fast, and Mine's interventions are only abrupt. He's distracted all along, both because of his own unbridled thoughts, and because of his curiosity regarding his chairman's good mood. When the meeting is adjourned, he hangs back, waiting for him to gather his belongings, and they head together to their bar to unwind. Mine consumes his own drink with a little more urge than usual, but it's only to hide his constant blush when he's around the man he imagined so vividly fucking him without a care. When he orders his second glass of brandy, Daigo-san is barely half-way through his first, even though usually he drinks much more heavily than him. He only gives him a brief look, devoid of any judgment, before sipping his own drink.
That's when Mine feel brave enough to ask. "You look particularly good tonight." He sputters then, feeling his blush worsen. "I mean, you always look good, Daigo-san. But you look-… You're smiling a lot." He stumbles over his own words, cursing himself for making a fool of himself. He knew it was a bad idea, meeting like this with the man he just recently fantasized about.
But his chairman doesn't seem to notice. He only adverts his eyes, with a sheepish smile. "Ah, you noticed?"
Mine managed to stop himself from casually mentioning that if one of his eyelash was slightly crooked, he would notice it immediately. So there is no way he would miss any mood change about him. He refrains. That would be going too far at this point in their relationship. They are still only friends. So instead, he settles on the tamer: "I'm beginning to know you well. We've been kyoudais and friends for more than a year."
"That's true." Daigo-san smiles at him then, as if he just told him a good news. He supposes it is. They've been close for a while. They could be even closer if he only let him. "Well, I am feeling happy, yeah."
"May I know what makes you so happy?" He inquired. If he could know, he could make sure to replicate it. He could make sure he feels this joy for every day in his life from now on.
"Of course, you're no stranger to it after all." He snickers, a slight blush on his round cheeks. Mine is taken aback by the sudden admission. His heart fluttering at the possibility that he could be the source of his chairman's joy. "You remember the advices you gave me for Emiko?" The fluttering of his heart stops just as abruptly. "Well… they worked wonders. I… won’t say more than that.” He laughs again, his cheeks coloring a darker pink. “Not without a few more drinks in my blood at least.”
Mine is livid. When all he had were thoughts, made-up scenarios and only his own hand, that insipid woman had Daigo Dojima. The whole of him, body and heart, at her pleasure and command. He doesn't understand why could she live his dream, when it's probably a given in her eyes. Why does she get to have the most important man in the world worry about what she thinks about him, whether she's mad at him and have make-up sex with him, when she doesn't even love him the fraction of what Mine does. She doesn't deserve him. It's not fair. Just because of some unfortunate timing, his chairman fell into her clutch before his.
The worst thing is, a part of him wants Daigo-san to drink enough to tell him all about it. He wants to hear all about what makes him so giddy hours after the facts. If only he could convince him to cut half the story. Or if he could make him use his name instead of Emiko's during his recounting. But for this, he would need to make him drunk enough so he doesn't remember it tomorrow.
"Drinks are on me, as thanks." His chairman offers.
"No! No." The last thing he wants is for this to become a toast to that woman's sexual prowess. "There is no need."
“Come on. You really helped me out on this one."
He doesn't find any reason to refuse. He can't tell him that he regrets giving him his advice, and he can't tell him he doesn't want to hear about it either. That's what he was trying so hard to accomplish. Finally, his chairman is opening up to him about his love life. He is letting him into his heart's preoccupations. He only wishes it was for him to confide in Mine that he does like men. Or that he has a crush on his junior assistant. Instead of thanking him for helping him passionately make up with that Emiko.
He can only swallow back his bitterness as their second drinks are served. Third one for Mine. But it only makes it grow, like a sword slicing his throat on its way down and sitting heavily in his stomach. Even as they toast, the Sixth Chairman's smile is not enough to bring him any comfort.
"Reading all those romance books made you an expert in women, Mine.”
Mine feels like dying.