#fallforeden2022

[fantastic-secrets]

Fandom: Sk8 the Infinity

Characters: Ainosuke Shindo (ADAM), Langa Hasegawa, Reki Kyan, Miya Chinen (mentioned)

Warnings: Sex/Smut, Homophobia, Oral Sex, Anal Sex, Bondage, Neglect Play, Bruising

Word Count: 2.6k

Summary: In which Langa, a college student, enjoys a very special evening with his businessman lover. [Written for Fall for Eden 2022 | Day 4: Mundane AU]

“Hey, Langa! We’re going to a bar, you wanna come?” Reki and Miya were waving him down, but Langa shook his head as he approached them.

“I’m cooking tonight, but thanks. Maybe next time.”

“Okay. But you should bring your girlfriend sometime!”

“Maybe.”

Langa adjusted the backpack on his shoulder before heading back to his apartment. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep his relationship a secret: Reki kept insisting on meeting “her” while Miya would sometimes steal his phone and try to get into it to see if he had any pictures. Which Langa did, but they weren’t something that he could show to his friends.

It wasn’t that he was ashamed or anything. If he explained it to them, they’d probably understand and accept it for the most part. After all, the general consensus among their classmates was that Langa was “a nice guy, but a bit weird,” but Reki and Miya didn’t seem to mind. He hung out with them the most, at least, and the two of them talked enough to cover his own silence. And while they sometimes made fun of him, especially for being a “too-devoted boyfriend,” there wasn’t any meanness in their words.

He knew that, but he also couldn’t shake the fear of them rejecting him, too. Back in middle school, when he’d realized how he felt and talked about it with one of his friends, he’d noticed that they’d begun to hang out less together. But his friend had kept insisting that it was nothing, just Langa’s imagination. And one day, when Langa tried to ask him again, grabbing his shoulder so he couldn’t just run away like he always did, he’d found himself on the ground: his friend had shoved him away, exclaiming, “You’re gross! Don’t touch me!” After that, the rumor had spread, and he’d lost the rest of his friends.

It still hurt to remember it, but he was mostly over it now. It had helped a lot, finding someone who understood and showed him that he was loved as himself. Langa’s own parents didn’t count, of course: they were his parents, so of course they would love him. But someone he didn’t know, who didn’t have any reason to care about him?

Sighing, he walked into the lobby, nodding a greeting to the doorman before taking an elevator up to the eleventh floor. It technically was his apartment, since his name was on the lease, but Ainosuke was the one paying for it. Once they’d started officially going out, his lover had insisted on moving him out of the fairly dilapidated university housing and into a newly built complex. All the furniture inside was new, too, picked out of catalogs together, and Langa smiled as he dropped his bag onto the couch covered in too-fluffy pillows (Ainosuke’s choice) before heading to the kitchen.

He also knew that Ainosuke had his own place, somewhere else, but unless he was really busy with work, he spent most of his evenings and weekends here. And other than the maid who came to tidy up once a week, they split the chores between themselves. Pulling up a recipe on his phone, he began to take what he needed out of the fridge.

He was nearly done when he heard the apartment door open and a familiar voice call out, “I’m home!”

“Welcome back,” Langa called back. There were some rustling noises in the hallway before his lover appeared, smiling broadly when he spotted Langa by the stove.

“What’s for dinner today?” he asked, leaning in to give him a peck on the cheek before he peered into the pot that Langa was stirring. The aroma of spices was filling the kitchen along with the rich smell of meat, and Langa himself couldn’t wait to eat.

“Curry.”

“Lovely~~~. I’ll wash up and set the table.”

The two of them worked in quiet concert, Ainosuke scooping out the rice and shaping it on the plates while Langa tasted the curry. It still needed a little longer, so he watched as Ainosuke pulled out a small frying pan and poured in some oil before fetching two eggs from the fridge. As soon as Langa finished adding the curry to the plates, Ainosuke topped them with a fried egg each before carrying them over to the table.

“So, how was your exam today?” Ainosuke dug into the curry, and Langa shrugged as he did the same.

“It was okay.”

He was getting by in his classes, but he wouldn’t really call himself a good student. After high school, he hadn’t known what he wanted to do, so he’d sat for a few entrance exams and applied for some jobs. But when he’d gotten into the same university as Reki, his friend had encouraged him to join him, so now he was majoring in gender studies while Reki was in the music department.

He probably should have gotten a job, though. He didn’t know what he wanted to do with gender studies—he’d just picked a major that seemed easy—or what he wanted to do in general, really. He’d hoped that university would be able to help him figure it out, but he still felt the same way that he did when he’d started. There was nothing exciting about a salaryman’s job, but he could probably do it.

“What about you? How was your day?”

Ainosuke’s face lit up at the question, and Langa smiled slightly: for as flat as he often was, his lover was always so expressive. He didn’t really know why Ainosuke liked him, but he also just knew that the older man did. So he just continued to eat while his lover talked about options and derivatives and other things that he didn’t understand, nodding sometimes and making sounds of agreement. He thought that Ainosuke probably knew that, too, but the other man always seemed delighted whenever Langa asked him about himself and more than happy to talk. And he was always passionate about the things that he did: Langa couldn’t help but feel some admiration for that. It was no wonder that Ainosuke had found success in the cutthroat business world at such an early age, with all the effort that he put into all of his work.

While Ainosuke talked, Langa finished his first plate and went back for a second, finishing off the rest of the rice and a good portion of the curry. He could probably pack the leftovers for his lunch tomorrow with some more rice. Curry was good in that way: it reheated well, and it was easy to make, too.

They continued to talk about nothing at all while they ate, and when they’d finished, Ainosuke brought both of their plates to the sink to start cleaning up. Leaning back in his chair, Langa watched him, smiling at the sight of Ainosuke, still in a suit, with his sleeves pushed up and his tie thrown over his shoulder as he washed everything. He really did look so good, handsome and mature, and Langa felt himself getting warm as he just watched his lover.

And when the water finally shut off, Ainosuke returned to him, bending over to kiss him again. It was soft and gentle, and Langa wrapped his arms around the other man’s neck to pull him closer, deepening the kiss.

“Do you have any homework tonight?” Ainosuke murmured against his lips, and Langa shook his head slightly. It was a lie, but a small one: he’d already started it this afternoon, and he could probably finish it up before class tomorrow. Besides, this was the first time they were seeing each other in almost a week, since Ainosuke had been working overtime on some sort of project for work. And Langa was rewarded by the sensation of Ainosuke's lips curving upward in a smile.

He let out a startled laugh when arms slid under his legs, hoisting him up against Ainosuke, and he locked his legs behind Ainosuke's back as the man carried him to the bedroom. His lips pressed soft kisses to Langa's face and neck before he lowered both of them to the bed, caging the younger man beneath him. Langa's fingers were already fumbling at the buttons of Ainosuke's shirt, and soon enough, they'd both shucked off their clothes. But as Ainosuke began to lower himself between Langa's legs, the younger man grabbed his arm.

"Wait. I want to do it for you too," he insisted. Ainosuke was always taking care of him and making him feel good, but that wasn't fair, right? Ainosuke seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then he smirked as he repositioned himself, his stiffening erection dangling above Langa's face.

"How about we make a bet?" he suggested. "Whichever of us makes the other one come first gets to decide our play tonight."

"Sure."

Langa didn't really mind: physically, they were pretty compatible, and even if Ainosuke won, he wouldn't do anything that Langa really didn't like. So he reached out to wrap his hand around Ainosuke's cock to start to jerk him off. It was hot and heavy in his hand, and he wasn't sure if he was just imagining that he could feel Ainosuke's pulse thudding in it.

He gasped when the other man dove down onto him, his mouth tight and hot and wet, and his hips automatically tried thrust into it while strong hands pinned them down. It was nearly enough to distract him from his purpose, so Langa guided Ainosuke's own cock to his mouth, drawing a lick along the engorged head. Immediately, the taste of salty musk coated his tongue, and he felt Ainosuke's hum of satisfaction, encouraging him to take the tip into his own mouth, drawing his tongue along the shaft as he tried to swallow even more.

It wasn't a fair contest, really: Langa had done this for Ainosuke a few times, but the other man clearly had much more experience. But that didn't matter: it was about making his lover feel good, so Langa did his best, even as his breathing grew ragged and his hand faltered in jerking the other man off. It also annoyed him that Ainosuke still seemed to be in perfect control of himself, even as he grew harder in Langa's mouth, so he threw himself into the blowjob with renewed vigor, only to groan as his hips bucked upward once more and he emptied himself into Ainosuke's mouth.

His lover kept his lips tightly sealed around Langa's cock until he finished, and then he pulled himself off, turning around so that Langa could watch his throat work as he swallowed his come. A small dribble trickled out of the corner of Ainosuke's mouth, and Langa watched him wipe it off with a thumb before licking it off as well.

"So I won." Ainosuke's expression looked slightly predatory as he stared down at Langa, and the younger man had to resist the urge to cross his arms over his chest. Even though he knew that his lover would never really hurt him, he always felt a little bit of a thrill when Ainosuke looked at him like that.

"You did."

"And you remember the terms of our bet?"

"Yeah."

Ainosuke smiled, baring the edges of his perfect teeth, before reaching past Langa to pull open a drawer. One by one, his hand pulled out several objects, laying them down beside Langa: a blindfold, a ball gag, earplugs, a pair of handcuffs, and a cock ring. And then he climbed off the younger man.

"You remember what to do?"

"Yeah."

Langa took a slow, shuddering breath before he sat up to face Ainosuke. His lover picked up the gag first, so Langa opened his mouth to accept it, bowing his head slightly to let Ainosuke fasten it behind his head. It didn't take long for his drool to start to start to pool in his mouth while Ainosuke added the rest, binding Langa's hands behind his back and lovingly stealing the rest of his senses from him.

The last thing to be added was the blindfold. Langa continued to stare at Ainosuke, his heart racing, until the soft cloth settled over his eyes, concealing his lover from his sight. And then warm, comforting hands were lowering him back down to the bed and turning him over so he could lay on his stomach. It didn't take long for him to feel something cool and slick nudging at his ass, and he exhaled slowly as it was carefully pushed inside.

He felt the bed rise slightly as Ainosuke got up, and then the vibrator was turned on at what felt like the highest setting, making Langa flinch.

At first, he tried to stay still, his breathing growing more erratic as the toy moved inside him. All of his senses had been forced inward, made to focus on the sensations gripping his body. He didn't know how much time had passed before he started to writhe, whining softly as he desperately sought some relief. But rutting against the sheets only made it worse, heightening the growing pleasure that had nowhere to go.

It felt too good, and he wondered if Ainosuke was still there, watching him as he arched his back and curled up around himself. The vibrator teased him relentlessly while he squirmed, trying to find a way to escape its torment for even a moment, even though he knew it was impossible. Bright sparks danced before his eyes as a warm dampness began to soak the cloth covering them, and he began to gasp, choking on the intensity of his feelings.

When he couldn't stand it anymore, he forced his clenched fists to relax, clapping his hands together twice.

For several heartbeats, nothing happened, but then the instrument of his torture fell still. Vaguely, he felt the mattress sink beneath him again, and then the strap holding the gag in place loosened, allowing him to push the soaked gag out of his mouth with his tongue.

"Please let me come," he babbled, unable to hear his own desperate, hoarse voice. "Fuck me, Ai. I want to come. Please, please, please. Let me come."

Something—a finger—caught on the edge of his hole, pulling it open before something much hotter and thicker pressed inside, and Langa sobbed with need as he thrust back against it.

"Yes, yes! Harder! Fuck me! Make me yours!"

Familiar hands settled around his waist before Ainosuke began to fulfill his demands, pounding into him furiously, bringing Langa to even greater heights, his words melting into unintelligible cries as the pressure and pleasure crashed over him. And finally, finally, his lover buried himself into him deeply one last time before tearing off the ring that restrained Langa's release.

Langa came with a scream, his entire body shuddering and clenching as he arched back. Strong arms wrapped around his chest, embracing him tightly while a hand firmly milked him dry. And when he had nothing else to give, Langa collapsed.

When he opened his eyes again, he sat in a tub, surrounded by warm water. His back was propped up against something firm, and he leaned his head back, looking up at Ainosuke's face.

"How do you feel?"

There was clear concern in those crimson eyes, but the hand rubbing a soft cloth over Langa's body didn't falter. When it brushed over his hips, Langa's own hand fell down to rest against the faint pains left in its wake, where he would probably find finger-shaped bruises tomorrow. His muscles and insides ached, as well, from the intensity of Ainosuke's love. And he wouldn't have it any other way.

He smiled, stretching his neck so he could brush a kiss along his lover's jaw.

"Perfect."

[fantastic-rambles]

Fandom: Sk8 the Infinity

Characters: Ainosuke Shindo (ADAM), Langa Hasegawa

Warnings: Underage drinking

Word Count: 2.3k

Summary: In which Adam takes Langa on a trip/date to Hokkaido. [Written for Fall for Eden 2022 | Day 7: Winter]

"Come on, Adam!"

Ainosuke smiled as he dug his poles into the snow and pushed off, slaloming after Langa. The younger man was ahead of him on the course, as expected of someone who'd been snowboarding for most of his life, but he thought that he wasn't all that bad, himself. It had taken a little time and a refresher lesson, but Ainosuke was quickly regaining his old skill with skis.

The last time he'd done this was when he'd been in America, and while he was curious about what it would be like to ride a snowboard, he wasn't entirely confident in his ability to distance himself from the sport he'd been practicing for decades. After all, he'd arranged this trip for Langa's sake, so he didn't intend to spend most of his time learning about the difference between a snowboard and a skateboard.

If he'd had a choice back then, he wouldn't have hesitated to learn snowboarding, but choice wasn't something he'd been afforded after what had happened. Even though he'd been sent to America to "get it all out of his system," he hadn't been allowed near anything that even resembled skateboarding. Skiing, on the other hand, was apparently "respectable" enough to not require intervention from the nannies that had been set on him.

For now, though, all he was trying to do was keep Langa in sight. It wasn't too difficult, since Langa was pulling off tricks while Ainosuke was just focusing on moving forward, but Ainosuke didn't want to miss a moment of it. Langa was so much more dazzling when he was on the snow: even with his custom skateboard, he'd never had this much freedom to cut his own path. His turns were razor-sharp, throwing up a spray of powder that sparkled in the sunlight, while his jumps truly sent him flying through the air. It took Ainosuke's breath away.

He was so intent on watching the young man that he missed the rock jutting out of the snow. One of his skis jammed up against it, and then he was suddenly losing control, his legs trying to move in different directions while his arms flailed, trying to find enough purchase with his poles to keep his balance. For a brief moment, he thought he'd succeeded, but then his legs slipped out from under him, sending him falling backwards into the snow.

"Adam! Are you okay?"

Levering himself up to a sitting position, Ainosuke looked down the slope to see that Langa had stopped to call back to him.

"Never better! Just give me a moment!" he shouted back before rolling over onto his stomach and starting to carefully push himself upright again. It was considerably difficult with two long strips of fiberglass strapped to his feet, but he patiently followed the steps he'd learned until he was standing again. After taking a quick inventory to make sure he didn't have any injuries, he carefully pushed off again, heading toward Langa.

His companion waited for him to catch up, and Ainosuke gave him a mock salute with one of his poles as he skated by to reassure him that he really was fine. It was far from the worst fall he'd ever had, and the thick snow helped to cushion his fall, as did his heavy down jacket. Langa's own coat was considerably thinner, which had concerned Ainosuke at first, but he seemed more comfortable with the cold since he'd lived in Canada for most of his life.

It didn't take Langa long to pass him again, and after looking back at Ainosuke a few times to apparently make sure that he didn't fall again—how embarrassing!—he resumed snowboarding as usual. By paying a little more attention to his surroundings, Ainosuke managed to avoid a repeat of the incident until they finally reached the bottom of the slope.

"Shall we take a break and warm up?" he suggested, glancing at the lodge, but Langa shook his head, looking toward the lifts.

"I'm going to go again."

Ainosuke considered his options for a moment, then bent down to unclip his skis.

"Alright. Come find me when you're back, and I'll rejoin you," he instructed. Langa might be fine, but Ainosuke needed the comfort of the lodge before he could venture back out into the snow. It was nice as a novelty, but he was used to the much milder temperatures of Okinawa. It was a pity that he'd be wasting some of the time that he could be spending with Langa, but even his burning, passionate love wouldn't save him from frostbite.

"Okay," Langa agreed, and Ainosuke watched him head over toward the lifts, waiting to see him join the line before he made his way into the welcome warmth. A cup of hot coffee and casual conversations with others seeking refuge from the Hokkaido winter kept him occupied, and he was in the middle of an animated discussion about the regional specialties when a cold, damp glove fell on his shoulder.

"I'm back!"

Ainosuke tilted his head back to look up at Langa, gently shrugging off the chilly touch. The younger man was red-cheeked from the cold and the wind, but he looked exhilarated. It made Ainosuke smile: he'd never seen Langa quite like this before, and he found that he enjoyed it.

"Welcome back. Are you heading out again, or would you like to take a break?" he asked.

"A break."

Ainosuke beamed when Langa moved around to sit next to him on the couch. Of course, if Langa had wanted to go for another run, Ainosuke would have joined him, but he was more than happy to simply stay inside.

After getting two cups of hot chocolate for them, he continued to chat with his new friend about his recommendations while Langa curled up next to him, drinking quietly. He seemed to be a little tired, so Ainosuke finished the conversation before turning his attention back to Langa.

"Would you like to head back to our room?" he asked. Langa nodded, so Ainosuke excused himself before getting up. After reassuring Langa that he'd be back soon, he gathered up their rental equipment to return it, with his compliments, before returning to the young man and helping him to his feet.

"Were you listening to the conversation?" he asked as they headed back to their room, and Langa shook his head.

"Not really."

Ainosuke laughed, but he had expected as much. He'd thought that the discussion of food might have caught Langa's attention, but right now, Langa was like a kid who'd played outside all day and ended up exhausting himself. Frankly, Ainosuke thought that it was quite endearing, especially since Langa tended to be more reserved when he wasn't skating—and even then, it seemed that he hadn't been going all-out either—and he was quite glad that he'd arranged this short vacation.

"Well, I was looking into food options for us," he explained. "There's seafood and Hokkaido's famous ice cream, of course, but the butter ramen and barbecue lamb also sound quite delicious. Or maybe a soup curry? What do you want tonight? If there's something else that you want, just let me know and I'll try to get it for you."

"Mmm. I want meat."

"Let's get the lamb, then," Ainosuke decided as they entered their room. "Do you want to eat now, or maybe warm up some more in the hot springs?"

He'd ordered a room with a private outdoor bath, which had fascinated Langa when they'd arrived. The young man had also seemed nervous when he asked about the toilet for some reason, but whatever he saw when he opened the door seemed to reassure him.

"Food first."

"Alright." Ainosuke exchanged a brief kiss with Langa before picking up the room phone to place their order while Langa slid under the kotatsu and lay his head down on the table. Ainosuke smiled as he spoke with room service: that had been a special request, since Langa had asked about it when they'd been planning this trip. And truthfully, he was quite curious about it as well: it was never cold enough to need one at home. So once he finished the call, he joined Langa, sliding his feet underneath and pressing them lightly against the young man's legs.

"That tickles." Langa tugged his own legs back and tried to step on Ainosuke's feet to pin them down, starting a small wrestling match under the table that ended with Ainosuke's legs wrapped around Langa's while the young man struggled.

"Adam." Langa groaned, twisting sideways to try to break free, but Ainosuke only adjusted his grip to tighten around Langa's knees before playfully tugging at him, pulling him slightly under the table.

"Yes, Langa?" he responded sweetly while Langa flopped the other way without success.

"Let me… go!" Langa tried to jerk his legs back, but he sounded like he was trying not to laugh, so Ainosuke stayed the way he was, laughing himself. Really, whenever he was with Langa, he always had fun, even with the smallest of things. They continued to wrestle together under the table, freezing when a soft knock came at their door.

"Your dinner is ready."

Ainosuke let go of Langa and sat up, raising his hands to his hair to smooth it back and waiting for Langa to crawl out of the kotatsu as well before calling out, "Come in!"

The door slid open, revealing a young woman in a yukata. She bowed to them before carrying in her serving table. Carefully, she transferred a heavy pan onto the kotatsu before lighting the chafing fuel and setting out two large plates of meat and vegetables, as well as a bottle of sake. Ainosuke and Langa both thanked her as she left, and then Ainosuke began to add some food to the pan, pouring out two cups of sake while they waited for it to cook.

"I'm underage," Langa pointed out, but Ainosuke shrugged.

"Good food deserves good drinks, and one cup never hurt anyone. But if you don't want it, you can just leave it."

He'd picked out a nice one to share with Langa, but if he didn't want to drink, Ainosuke wasn't going to force him to. Of course, in public, Ainosuke wasn't going to condone underage drinking, but the laws against it were intended to protect children from having free access to alcohol and developing a dependency: as long as they were supervised by a responsible adult, he didn't see an issue with it.

He was aware that there were those who would raise their eyebrows at the idea of him being called "responsible," but he really was, at least outside of "S." Although the border between the two was somewhat blurred in their current situation, he was hardly going to do anything that would draw untoward attention. Especially not after he'd gone to the effort to arrange a trip where they (well, mostly he) wouldn't be easily recognized and they could hang out together openly.

Langa still looked a little uncertain, but he accepted the cup and took a small sip while Ainosuke tended to the grill. And then his face brightened.

"This is good!"

"Isn't it?" Ainosuke smiled as he piled some food onto Langa's plate before taking a sip himself. It was smooth and on the sweeter side, and he'd chosen one a little lighter in alcohol content as well, just in case. It paired well with the rich savoriness of the meat, and he continued to take care of the cooking while they ate.

When the serving plates were nearly empty, Langa groaned and lay back down, to Ainosuke's amusement.

"You enjoyed it, then?"

"Yeah."

"Did you leave space for dessert? I mentioned their ice cream, right?"

Langa groaned again, making Ainosuke laugh.

"After our bath, then? We can take some time to rest and digest first," he suggested. Langa made a noise of agreement, so Ainosuke finished eating as well, blowing out the flame for safety's sake before laying down as well. The kotatsu was dangerously comfortable: Ainosuke had been looking forward to the outdoor bath, but right now, he didn't want to move. Perhaps he should order some mandarins along with the ice cream so that the two of them could enjoy the full experience of the kotatsu.

They lay there together in a comfortable silence, but when Ainosuke felt like he was about to fall asleep under the table, he reluctantly extracted himself from it.

"Ready for the bath?" he asked Langa, stretching as he stood up. But there was no answer, and he looked down, seeing that the boy's eyes were closed. Carefully, he walked around to the other side of the table and knelt down, noting the slow, steady breathing.

Really, just like a kid. He'd played outside all day, and after eating a good meal, he fell asleep. Shaking his head, Ainosuke fetched a pillow and slid it under Langa's head, moving slowly and carefully so as not to wake him. And then he headed to the bath by himself, sinking into the water with a sigh.

It would have been better if Langa was with him, but he didn't want to wake the young man when he was clearly tired. Besides, they still had one more night here, so he'd be sure to drag him into the bath tomorrow. Smiling at the thought, Ainosuke tilted his head back to stare up at the dark sky, blinking when he felt a pinprick of cold against his face.

Looking back down, he watched as snowflakes began to melt into the steaming water. With an expression of bemused wonder, he lifted his hand above the surface, catching a few that immediately faded away. And then he turned his head back to look into their room, where Langa hadn't moved from where he lay under the table.

He'd never lose his beloved Snow.

[fantastic-rambles]

Fandom: Sk8 the Infinity

Characters: Ainosuke Shindo (ADAM), Langa Hasegawa, Reki Kyan (mentioned), Miya Chinen (mentioned)

Warnings: No major warnings

Word Count: ~350

Summary: Drabble in which Langa gives Adam a call before bed. [Written for Fall for Eden 2022 | Day 6: Rest]

It had become a routine for them.

Langa pressed the call button, listening to the phone ring three times before it was interrupted by silence. And then a soft voice.

"Langa?"

"Yeah. It's me."

"You're going to bed now?"

"Yeah. Are you going to sleep soon?" Langa tugged his covers up to his chin and squirmed a little to get comfortable while a rush of air echoed in his ears—Adam sighing.

"I'm unfortunately still working, so it'll be a while yet. How was your day?"

"Good. Reki and I went to Miya's competition today."

"I saw."

Langa blinked, surprised.

"Were you there?"

Admittedly, Langa hadn't been paying attention to the audience: they'd just been there for Miya, after all. Then again, if Adam had been there, one of the others would have probably said something, right? And he heard Adam laugh softly.

"No, but I was watching. He performed well. As expected of him."

"Mm-hmm." Langa smiled to himself. Just like all the other skaters he'd met, Miya was amazing. Especially given how young he was: the fact that he could compete even with adults was incredible. Not against Adam, of course—even Langa couldn't beat him when he was really being serious—but Miya really was some sort of genius. When he'd been thirteen, he hadn't been able to really snowboard against adults, even though he'd been learning since he was four.

"Will you be at 'S' tomorrow?" he asked, and he heard Adam's hum of acknowledgment.

"Do you want to see me?" Adam teased, and Langa shook his head wryly. Adam was always doing these sorts of things, asking questions that he already should know the answer to. But at the same time, it always seemed important to him that Langa reply.

"You know I do."

"Then I'll be there."

Langa yawned, and Adam spoke again, his voice fond.

"You're tired. You should go to bed."

"You too."

"I will, soon."

"I love you."

A beat, and then, softly…

"I love you, too."

A comfortable silence lingered between them. And then, faintly, Langa heard the clicking of a keyboard. He closed his eyes, listening to the sounds of Adam working as he drifted off to sleep.

[fantastic-rambles]

Fandom: Sk8 the Infinity

Characters: Ainosuke Shindo (ADAM), Langa Hasegawa, Kaoru Sakurayashiki (Cherry), Kojiro Nanjo (Joe)

Warnings: No major warnings

Word Count: 1.3k

Summary: In which Adam and Langa go out on their first dinner date together. [Written for Fall for Eden 2022 | Day 5: Date]

Their relationship wasn't normal. Even Langa knew that. Most of the time that they met up, it was at night, and in places that not many people hung out.

Of course, part of it was Adam's job: even when he wasn't in Tokyo, he was often giving interviews, going to fancy dinners, or just meeting with a variety of people. Between all that and "S," it was rare for him to have much free time.

But they also couldn't make their relationship public. Adam was a pretty important guy from what Langa could tell, with a lot of people watching him. If they hung out together openly, people would ask why and try to figure out who Langa was, which would hurt Adam's reputation or something. It was okay at "S," since nobody would talk about what happened there, but the world outside the track was a different story.

It was a little frustrating that they couldn't see each other very often, but Langa didn't want to be followed around everywhere, and Adam always tried to make it up by giving him as much attention as he could when they were together. Tonight was supposed to be different, though, and Langa waited anxiously in his living room, occasionally peeking out the window. Adam had sounded excited when they'd spoken earlier, but no matter how much Langa had tried, he couldn't get Adam to share what he had planned.

Finally, a car pulled up outside his house, and Langa was already heading to the door when his phone buzzed with a message.

I'm outside.

After locking the front door, Langa approached the car, spotting Adam's assistant in the driver's seat as always while Adam waved at him from the back. Langa let himself in, and as soon as he sat down, Adam slid over, turning Langa's face toward him to greet him with a kiss. Langa returned it, feeling a little embarrassed as he usually did when Adam did something like this with others around.

"Hey," he greeted Adam, and Adam gave him a dazzling smile before backing off and returning to his own seat. After he'd fastened the seatbelt, the car pulled away from the curb, but Langa kept his eyes on the older man.

"Hey yourself. Are you ready?"

"For what?"

"Our date, of course!"

Adam looked positively ecstatic, and Langa couldn't help smiling back. There was something about Adam that drew others in, but out of all of them, Adam had chosen him. Ever since the first time they'd skated together, Langa had felt a special connection to the other man, and he was glad that Adam felt the same.

Even though it had led Adam to go too far at times, it had also helped them to understand each other better and grow closer together. And Adam had come to also understand that he was wrong and had apologized to the others. Reki still resented him somewhat, and Joe seemed to be slightly wary, but they didn't object to his hanging out with them, either.

The car stopped outside a familiar restaurant, and Langa glanced at Adam, confused.

"Shall we go?"

Adam's smile was dazzling as he stepped out of the car, walking around to the other side to open Langa's door. He offered Langa his arm, and Langa took it, letting Adam lead him up the familiar path to Sia la Luce.

Joe was there, of course, and Cherry, too. But even though it was dinnertime, the rest of the place was empty.

"I reserved the entire restaurant," Adam explained, beaming at Langa's obvious surprise as he walked over to one of the tables in the back. He pulled out a chair, gesturing for the young man to sit—which he did—before taking a seat across from him and taking his hand.

"I know that it's not easy being with me. But I do love you, Langa. And I want to do these sorts of things with you, when we can," he continued earnestly.

"I know."

"And if there is anything that you really want, I'll do what I can to give it to you. You just need to tell me."

"Thanks."

Langa appreciated the offer, but he couldn't really think of anything he wanted, other than spending more time with Adam. But this was really nice, he had to admit. It was also probably pretty expensive, too, right? He felt a little bad about that: sure, Adam seemed to have some money, but Langa didn't want to take advantage of the man.

"Alright, lovebirds, are you going to eat or get a room?"

Both of them looked at Cherry, who was walking over to their table carrying a bottle of water and a large bowl of salad. Adam let go of Langa so that they could sit back and let the man put the food down on the table between them, though he apparently couldn't resist retorting, "Well, I technically bought out this whole room for us tonight, you know?"

"Tch." Cherry filled their glasses before retreating, and then Adam raised his in a toast.

"To us."

"To us," Langa echoed, clinking their glasses together before taking a sip and helping himself to some of the salad. It was good—as expected of a restaurant, really—and he continued to eat quietly while Cherry continued to bring them more food. Adam had clearly arranged everything beforehand, so Langa simply allowed himself to enjoy the meal and the company.

Although Langa didn't talk much, Adam did. Mostly, he talked about skating: ideas for new tricks that he had, some of last week's races, even a new board he was designing. Langa loved listening to him talk and seeing the way his face lit up in his enthusiasm. Adam had changed so much since they'd first met: he'd always loved skating, of course, but the way he approached it now was so different. He was having fun.

By the time their dessert arrived, Langa was starting to feel completely satiated.

"Thanks for this," he told Adam, picking at his chocolate lava cake. "I enjoyed it."

"I'm glad." Adam leaned over the table toward him, and Langa looked up to see his lover offering him his own fork with a piece of cake. Carefully, he leaned forward to accept the morsel before carving off a piece of his own and offering it in return. Adam smiled as he delicately accepted it, chewing it briefly before swallowing and licking his lips slowly.

"Delicious," he purred, and Langa looked back down at his plate, slightly embarrassed and more than a little turned on, before Adam leaned back in his chair and called out, "My compliments to the chef!"

Langa glanced up again, looking over toward the bar where Cherry and Joe were sitting, apparently having a meal of their own. Joe gave them a dismissive wave without even glancing over, and when Langa looked back at Adam, the older man smiled mischievously as he offered Langa another bite.

After Adam withdrew his fork, he leaned in again as if to ask for his own piece, but when Langa looked down to cut it off, he found Adam's hand under his chin. Before he realized what was happening, Adam pressed their lips together, and Langa tasted a hint of chocolate in the kiss. Blushing furiously, he glanced over at the other two men, but they didn't seem to have noticed anything, and Adam chuckled as he let go.

"Let's finish up here and find somewhere a little more private," he suggested teasingly. But Langa was all too happy to shovel the rest of the cake into his mouth, almost burning his tongue on the filling, before saying good-bye to the other two and heading back to the car.

[fantastic-rambles]

Fandom: Sk8 the Infinity

Characters: Ainosuke Shindo (ADAM), Langa Hasegawa, Reki Kyan, Miya Chinen (mentioned)

Warnings: Sex/Smut, Homophobia, Oral Sex, Anal Sex, Bondage, Neglect Play

Word Count: 2.6k

Summary: In which Langa, a college student, enjoys a very special evening with his businessman lover. [Written for Fall for Eden 2022 | Day 4: Mundane AU]

“Hey, Langa! We’re going to a bar, you wanna come?” Reki and Miya were waving him down, but Langa shook his head as he approached them.

“I’m cooking tonight, but thanks. Maybe next time.”

“Okay. But you should bring your girlfriend sometime!”

“Maybe.”

Langa adjusted the backpack on his shoulder before heading back to his apartment. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep his relationship a secret: Reki kept insisting on meeting “her” while Miya would sometimes steal his phone and try to get into it to see if he had any pictures. Which Langa did, but they weren’t something that he could show to his friends.

It wasn’t that he was ashamed or anything. If he explained it to them, they’d probably understand and accept it for the most part. After all, the general consensus among their classmates was that Langa was “a nice guy, but a bit weird,” but Reki and Miya didn’t seem to mind. He hung out with them the most, at least, and the two of them talked enough to cover his own silence. And while they sometimes made fun of him, especially for being a “too-devoted boyfriend,” there wasn’t any meanness in their words.

He knew that, but he also couldn’t shake the fear of them rejecting him, too. Back in middle school, when he’d realized how he felt and talked about it with one of his friends, he’d noticed that they’d begun to hang out less together. But his friend had kept insisting that it was nothing, just Langa’s imagination. And one day, when Langa tried to ask him again, grabbing his shoulder so he couldn’t just run away like he always did, he’d found himself on the ground: his friend had shoved him away, exclaiming, “You’re gross! Don’t touch me!” After that, the rumor had spread, and he’d lost the rest of his friends.

It still hurt to remember it, but he was mostly over it now. It had helped a lot, finding someone who understood and showed him that he was loved as himself. Langa’s own parents didn’t count, of course: they were his parents, so of course they would love him. But someone he didn’t know, who didn’t have any reason to care about him?

Sighing, he walked into the lobby, nodding a greeting to the doorman before taking an elevator up to the eleventh floor. It technically was his apartment, since his name was on the lease, but Ainosuke was the one paying for it. Once they’d started officially going out, his lover had insisted on moving him out of the fairly dilapidated university housing and into a newly built complex. All the furniture inside was new, too, picked out of catalogs together, and Langa smiled as he dropped his bag onto the couch covered in too-fluffy pillows (Ainosuke’s choice) before heading to the kitchen.

He also knew that Ainosuke had his own place, somewhere else, but unless he was really busy with work, he spent most of his evenings and weekends here. And other than the maid who came to tidy up once a week, they split the chores between themselves. Pulling up a recipe on his phone, he began to take what he needed out of the fridge.

He was nearly done when he heard the apartment door open and a familiar voice call out, “I’m home!”

“Welcome back,” Langa called back. There were some rustling noises in the hallway before his lover appeared, smiling broadly when he spotted Langa by the stove.

“What’s for dinner today?” he asked, leaning in to give him a peck on the cheek before he peered into the pot that Langa was stirring. The aroma of spices was filling the kitchen along with the rich smell of meat, and Langa himself couldn’t wait to eat.

“Curry.”

“Lovely~~~. I’ll wash up and set the table.”

The two of them worked in quiet concert, Ainosuke scooping out the rice and shaping it on the plates while Langa tasted the curry. It still needed a little longer, so he watched as Ainosuke pulled out a small frying pan and poured in some oil before fetching two eggs from the fridge. As soon as Langa finished adding the curry to the plates, Ainosuke topped them with a fried egg each before carrying them over to the table.

“So, how was your exam today?” Ainosuke dug into the curry, and Langa shrugged as he did the same.

“It was okay.”

He was getting by in his classes, but he wouldn’t really call himself a good student. After high school, he hadn’t known what he wanted to do, so he’d sat for a few entrance exams and applied for some jobs. But when he’d gotten into the same university as Reki, his friend had encouraged him to join him, so now he was majoring in gender studies while Reki was in the music department.

He probably should have gotten a job, though. He didn’t know what he wanted to do with gender studies—he’d just picked a major that seemed easy—or what he wanted to do in general, really. He’d hoped that university would be able to help him figure it out, but he still felt the same way that he did when he’d started. There was nothing exciting about a salaryman’s job, but he could probably do it.

“What about you? How was your day?”

Ainosuke’s face lit up at the question, and Langa smiled slightly: for as flat as he often was, his lover was always so expressive. He didn’t really know why Ainosuke liked him, but he also just knew that the older man did. So he just continued to eat while his lover talked about options and derivatives and other things that he didn’t understand, nodding sometimes and making sounds of agreement. He thought that Ainosuke probably knew that, too, but the other man always seemed delighted whenever Langa asked him about himself and more than happy to talk. And he was always passionate about the things that he did: Langa couldn’t help but feel some admiration for that. It was no wonder that Ainosuke had found success in the cutthroat business world at such an early age, with all the effort that he put into all of his work.

While Ainosuke talked, Langa finished his first plate and went back for a second, finishing off the rest of the rice and a good portion of the curry. He could probably pack the leftovers for his lunch tomorrow with some more rice. Curry was good in that way: it reheated well, and it was easy to make, too.

They continued to talk about nothing at all while they ate, and when they’d finished, Ainosuke brought both of their plates to the sink to start cleaning up. Leaning back in his chair, Langa watched him, smiling at the sight of Ainosuke, still in a suit, with his sleeves pushed up and his tie thrown over his shoulder as he washed everything. He really did look so good, handsome and mature, and Langa felt himself getting warm as he just watched his lover.

And when the water finally shut off, Ainosuke returned to him, bending over to kiss him again. It was soft and gentle, and Langa wrapped his arms around the other man’s neck to pull him closer, deepening the kiss.

“Do you have any homework tonight?” Ainosuke murmured against his lips, and Langa shook his head slightly. It was a lie, but a small one: he’d already started it this afternoon, and he could probably finish it up before class tomorrow. Besides, this was the first time they were seeing each other in almost a week, since Ainosuke had been working overtime on some sort of project for work. And Langa was rewarded by the sensation of Ainosuke's lips curving upward in a smile.

He let out a startled laugh when arms slid under his legs, hoisting him up against Ainosuke, and he locked his legs behind Ainosuke's back as the man carried him to the bedroom. His lips pressed soft kisses to Langa's face and neck before he lowered both of them to the bed, caging the younger man beneath him. Langa's fingers were already fumbling at the buttons of Ainosuke's shirt, and soon enough, they'd both shucked off their clothes. But as Ainosuke began to lower himself between Langa's legs, the younger man grabbed his arm.

"Wait. I want to do it for you too," he insisted. Ainosuke was always taking care of him and making him feel good, but that wasn't fair, right? Ainosuke seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then he smirked as he repositioned himself, his stiffening erection dangling above Langa's face.

"How about we make a bet?" he suggested. "Whichever of us makes the other one come first gets to decide our play tonight."

"Sure."

Langa didn't really mind: physically, they were pretty compatible, and even if Ainosuke won, he wouldn't do anything that Langa really didn't like. So he reached out to wrap his hand around Ainosuke's cock to start to jerk him off. It was hot and heavy in his hand, and he wasn't sure if he was just imagining that he could feel Ainosuke's pulse thudding in it.

He gasped when the other man dove down onto him, his mouth tight and hot and wet, and his hips automatically tried thrust into it while strong hands pinned them down. It was nearly enough to distract him from his purpose, so Langa guided Ainosuke's own cock to his mouth, drawing a lick along the engorged head. Immediately, the taste of salty musk coated his tongue, and he felt Ainosuke's hum of satisfaction, encouraging him to take the tip into his own mouth, drawing his tongue along the shaft as he tried to swallow even more.

It wasn't a fair contest, really: Langa had done this for Ainosuke a few times, but the other man clearly had much more experience. But that didn't matter: it was about making his lover feel good, so Langa did his best, even as his breathing grew ragged and his hand faltered in jerking the other man off. It also annoyed him that Ainosuke still seemed to be in perfect control of himself, even as he grew harder in Langa's mouth, so he threw himself into the blowjob with renewed vigor, only to groan as his hips bucked upward once more and he emptied himself into Ainosuke's mouth.

His lover kept his lips tightly sealed around Langa's cock until he finished, and then he pulled himself off, turning around so that Langa could watch his throat work as he swallowed his come. A small dribble trickled out of the corner of Ainosuke's mouth, and Langa watched him wipe it off with a thumb before licking it off as well.

"So I won." Ainosuke's expression looked slightly predatory as he stared down at Langa, and the younger man had to resist the urge to cross his arms over his chest. Even though he knew that his lover would never really hurt him, he always felt a little bit of a thrill when Ainosuke looked at him like that.

"You did."

"And you remember the terms of our bet?"

"Yeah."

Ainosuke smiled, baring the edges of his perfect teeth, before reaching past Langa to pull open a drawer. One by one, his hand pulled out several objects, laying them down beside Langa: a blindfold, a ball gag, earplugs, a pair of handcuffs, and a cock ring. And then he climbed off the younger man.

"You remember what to do?"

"Yeah."

Langa took a slow, shuddering breath before he sat up to face Ainosuke. His lover picked up the gag first, so Langa opened his mouth to accept it, bowing his head slightly to let Ainosuke fasten it behind his head. It didn't take long for his drool to start to start to pool in his mouth while Ainosuke added the rest, binding Langa's hands behind his back and lovingly stealing the rest of his senses from him.

The last thing to be added was the blindfold. Langa continued to stare at Ainosuke, his heart racing, until the soft cloth settled over his eyes, concealing his lover from his sight. And then warm, comforting hands were lowering him back down to the bed and turning him over so he could lay on his stomach. It didn't take long for him to feel something cool and slick nudging at his ass, and he exhaled slowly as it was carefully pushed inside.

He felt the bed rise slightly as Ainosuke got up, and then the vibrator was turned on at what felt like the highest setting, making Langa flinch.

At first, he tried to stay still, his breathing growing more erratic as the toy moved inside him. All of his senses had been forced inward, made to focus on the sensations gripping his body. He didn't know how much time had passed before he started to writhe, whining softly as he desperately sought some relief. But rutting against the sheets only made it worse, heightening the growing pleasure that had nowhere to go.

It felt too good, and he wondered if Ainosuke was still there, watching him as he arched his back and curled up around himself. The vibrator teased him relentlessly while he squirmed, trying to find a way to escape its torment for even a moment, even though he knew it was impossible. Bright sparks danced before his eyes as a warm dampness began to soak the cloth covering them, and he began to gasp, choking on the intensity of his feelings.

When he couldn't stand it anymore, he forced his clenched fists to relax, clapping his hands together twice.

For several heartbeats, nothing happened, but then the instrument of his torture fell still. Vaguely, he felt the mattress sink beneath him again, and then the strap holding the gag in place loosened, allowing him to push the soaked gag out of his mouth with his tongue.

"Please let me come," he babbled, unable to hear his own desperate, hoarse voice. "Fuck me, Ai. I want to come. Please, please, please. Let me come."

Something—a finger—caught on the edge of his hole, pulling it open before something much hotter and thicker pressed inside, and Langa sobbed with need as he thrust back against it.

"Yes, yes! Harder! Fuck me! Make me yours!"

Familiar hands settled around his waist before Ainosuke began to fulfill his demands, pounding into him furiously, bringing Langa to even greater heights, his words melting into unintelligible cries as the pressure and pleasure crashed over him. And finally, finally, his lover buried himself into him deeply one last time before tearing off the ring that restrained Langa's release.

Langa came with a scream, his entire body shuddering and clenching as he arched back. Strong arms wrapped around his chest, embracing him tightly while a hand firmly milked him dry. And when he had nothing else to give, Langa collapsed.

When he opened his eyes again, he sat in a tub, surrounded by warm water. His back was propped up against something firm, and he leaned his head back, looking up at Ainosuke's face.

"How do you feel?"

There was clear concern in those crimson eyes, but the hand rubbing a soft cloth over Langa's body didn't falter. When it brushed over his hips, Langa's own hand fell down to rest against the faint pains left in its wake, where he would probably find finger-shaped bruises tomorrow. His muscles and insides ached, as well, from the intensity of Ainosuke's love. And he wouldn't have it any other way.

He smiled, stretching his neck so he could brush a kiss along his lover's jaw.

"Perfect."

[fantastic-rambles]

Fandom: Sk8 the Infinity

Characters: Langa Hasegawa, Ainosuke Shindo (ADAM), Reki Kyan (mentioned)

Warnings: None?

Word Count: ~600

Summary: Slight crackfic based on the Sk8 drama CD. In which Langa asks Adam to build an underwater skate course. [Written for Fall for Eden 2022 | Day 3: Summer]

An upbeat ringtone interrupted the campaign manager, and everyone glanced around the table, looking for the source, until Ainosuke stood up with an apologetic smile while he extracted his phone from his pocket.

"My apologies. I need to take this. Please go ahead: Kikuchi can fill me in later."

After his assistant nodded, Ainosuke stepped out of the conference room. Through the windows, he saw his staff turn their attention back to the presentation, and he accepted the call, raising his phone to his ear.

"Langa-kun! To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Can you make an underwater course?"

Ainosuke was used to the young man's lack of pleasantries by now, so he let it go while he tried to understand what he was asking. An underwater skating course?

Of course, it was possible in theory. In addition to the aquariums where visitors could walk through a glass tunnel and watch the aquatic life swim around them, there were even underwater hotels now. So the technology was already there, and with Tadashi's assistance, he was certain that they could develop a plan of attack to achieve it while also ensuring that there was minimal environmental damage. Minimal, but given the scope of the project and the sensitivity of sea life, it was still something that would have lasting effects for quite some time, which Ainosuke would prefer to avoid.

However, the greatest barrier would be the cost of such a project. He was wealthy, of course, but not to the extent of a multinational corporation that could make such gimmicky hotels on a whim. And how could he even explain what he was doing to others? It was hardly something that he could achieve secretly, so finding an angle to spin it would be a challenge.

"Why do you want an underwater course?" he asked, curious. If Langa just wanted to skate around with fish surrounding him, Ainosuke could simply rent out an aquarium for an evening. There were some other considerations that he would need to factor in, of course, but it would be considerably easier than what Langa was asking for.

"It's hot."

That made Ainosuke laugh. Really, Langa had such a unique perspective of the world. Because it was hot, he wanted to initiate a years-long project of incredible cost that would affect the ecosystem for even more years to come?

"Where are you now, Langa-kun?" Ainosuke asked, still chuckling.

"Uh. A store. Reki and I went in for the AC."

His amusement faded slightly when he learned that Langa was with the redhead, but they were friends, after all. Ainosuke could hardly demand that Langa stop spending time with him. And after what had happened to him after he'd lost Kaoru, Kojiro, and Tadashi, he could hardly wish it on this young man.

“Would you like to go to the aquarium?”

“I wanna go to the beach.”

Ainosuke shook his head ruefully as he checked his watch. The meeting was scheduled for another half an hour, and then he had to give a speech at a fundraising dinner.

“Alright. So how about I swing by your place around 8:30, and we can go to the beach?” he suggested. The weather should have cooled down considerably by then, and the breeze would be coming in off the water. Though if Langa was still feeling hot with all that, Ainosuke could buy him a drink.

“Okay. See you later.”

“Then it’s a date! Love you~~~!” But Langa had already hung up, and Ainosuke pouted slightly before composing himself again and quietly returning to the meeting. But he couldn’t help smiling a little as he continued to listen: he was very much looking forward to his evening.

[fantastic-rambles]

Fandom: Sk8 the Infinity

Characters: Langa Hasegawa, Ainosuke Shindo (ADAM)

Warnings: Child abuse

Word Count: 1k

Summary: In which Ainosuke is expected to take care of Langa, his younger half-brother and legitimate heir to the throne. And to serve as his whipping boy. [Written for Fall for Eden Week 2022 | Day 2: Historical AU]

“Please pay attention, Prince.”

The tutor’s voice snapped, and Ainosuke flinched. His prayer that the tutor wouldn’t notice the transgression had apparently gone unanswered, and he forced his expression into blank indifference before looking up at a cold face.

“Ten strikes,” the man commanded, and Ainosuke reluctantly placed both of his arms on the desk, turning his palms upward.

As soon as he had done so, the pointer lashed over his arms, leaving a stinging pain that grew stronger with each strike. But he didn’t move as he simply endured the beating until the tutor turned away again. Only then did he exhale the ragged breath he’d been holding, rubbing his hands along his burning forearms to try to ease the sting before picking up his chalk again.

“Now let that be a lesson to you. When it comes to matters of governance, you cannot be caught daydreaming.”

“We apologize.”

The soft voice was directed toward the man, but Ainosuke caught the blue eyes glancing toward him apologetically. He kept his own eyes fixed on the slate before him, diligently continuing to study and occasionally glancing toward his companion to check whether he was, as well. It seemed that the lesson had sunk in, so Ainosuke was spared any additional whippings until they were finally released from the classroom so that they could prepare for their riding lessons.

Together, they walked through the ostentatious hallway of the palace, heading towards their quarters, when the prince spoke up again.

“We’re sorry, brother.”

“You shouldn’t call me that.” It was an automatic response: how many times had he tried to impress it upon him already? And yet, the prince insisted on addressing Ainosuke with such unbecoming familiarity.

“But we’re alone!”

“A prince is never alone.”

The same old argument. Ainosuke didn’t understand why the prince simply refused to listen. He was still a child, but Ainosuke wasn’t that much older than him. And he was certain that when he’d been at that age, he’d had more sense.

Really, it was the maids’ fault. With their loose lips, a rumor could spread across the palace in half a day. And the rumors that spread the furthest were those couched in truth: the two of them did share a father. But that was where the similarities ended.

The prince was the legitimate heir of the empire, born of a queen of proper pedigree and background.

Ainosuke was the son of a whore.

After his mother died, he’d expected to find himself thrown out onto the streets. And he probably would have been, had it not been for the fortune of the prince’s birth: a young boy needed a suitable companion… and a whipping boy. After all, even the king wasn’t permitted to lay a hand on royal blood, but Ainosuke’s was dirty enough to be exempt from that prohibition. They could have used any rat from the streets, of course, but why would they, when they at least knew Ainosuke’s origins?

And that should have been the end of it. A companion trained in good comportment who would ensure that the young prince grew up to be a worthy king. But ever since the prince had learned about the rumors, he’d kept trying to treat Ainosuke as his brother, behavior that reflected poorly upon him. Shaking his head, Ainosuke pushed open the door to the prince’s chambers, stepping in first and glancing around before letting the prince step inside.

“You hate us, don’t you?”

Ainosuke heard the quaver in his voice, and he immediately dropped to one knee so he could look into the prince’s face. It was starting to grow blotchy as his eyes grew wet, and Ainosuke rested a hand against his cheek.

“I don’t,” he promised earnestly, staring into watery eyes. And he didn’t. He really didn’t: at first, certainly, he’d resented the boy who had everything given to him by the mere chance of his birth, but as he’d spent more time with the prince, Ainosuke had realized that he was truly a kind and gentle boy. A little clumsy, sometimes, and more than a little gullible, but he had a good heart. And while he was strict with the prince’s method of address with him (and vice versa), he did consider him to be a brother.

“You do! You’re stronger and smarter than us! You’re better at etiquette and archery and poetry and everything else. But because of us, they hit you! Everyone says you’d be a better prince than us!”

“But I’m not a prince.” Ainosuke wrapped his arms around the other boy, feeling hot tears splash against his hair as the embrace was returned. “You’re the prince, and you’re a good one. I’m older than you, so of course I should be better than you at many things, shouldn’t I? But you'll get better, too. Just keep working hard, and you'll be as good as me someday."

"You promise?" The voice was muffled, but it seemed like the prince was finally calming down, so Ainosuke squeezed him one last time before pulling back.

"Of course. Now, let's wash your face, too. We can't let people see that you've been crying."

Obediently, the prince sat on the edge of his bed while Ainosuke went to fetch the basin and a pitcher of water. After pouring the water into the basin, he rolled up his sleeves to dip a washcloth inside, only to freeze when a small hand reached out to touch his bruises. They mottled Ainosuke's arm in a colorful pattern, a testament to all of the times that the prince had proven negligent in some way.

"We're sorry," the prince apologized again. "Doesn't it hurt?"

"It does." Ainosuke gently pushed the hand away so that he could start wiping off the prince's face, erasing the proof of his tears. As soon as he was done, he began to help the prince change into his riding clothes, trying to work quickly so that they wouldn't be late. Of course, part of it was that he didn't want to be punished in his stead again, but even if the prince was spared corporeal punishment, he would still be upset by the whole thing.

"Now, let's go," he said, leading the boy out of the room.

A few short notes: - Langa is never mentioned by name. This is an intentional choice by Ainosuke to keep a "proper" distance between them. But it is Langa. - Their ages in this AU are approximately Langa (8), Ainosuke (11).

[fantastic-rambles]

Fandom: Sk8 the Infinity

Characters: Langa Hasegawa, Ainosuke Shindo (ADAM)

Warnings: No major warnings

Word Count: ~800

Summary: Langa is a hero on a quest to destroy a demon lord. But what he finds isn't what he expects. [Written for Fall for Eden Week 2022 | Day 1: Supernatural AU]

"Is this what it means to be a hero?!"

Langa parried the strike, his arm shaking from the force of the blow. It was taking all that he had to hold off the demon lord, but he hung on grimly. After all the effort that had been put in to find him, all the sacrifices that had led up to this moment, he couldn't give up. Everyone was counting on him to fulfill his duty. Only he could.

From the moment of his birth, he'd been special, marked by the Gods themselves. Even now, the seal on the back of his hand glowed with a warm radiance, empowering him with the strength to shove the monster back.

It was an abomination: huge batlike wings sending gusts of air to buffet him, fangs bared in a grimace, burning eyes stained the color of blood with skin as pale as a corpse. Its strength also far outstripped that of an ordinary human, and as it swung its sword again, Langa dodged, watching the blade gouge the stone beneath their feet.

"What have we ever done to you?" it snarled, wrenching its weapon free with terrifying ease and advancing on Langa. "Is our mere existence a crime?"

"What have you done? You've killed and robbed and hurt so many people. This is justice.”

“Justice?” The thing laughed, harsh and grating like a crash of stones. “And how many of us have you killed and robbed and hurt? Have I come to your home to try to kill you, hero? Have we sent armies against your people to pillage your lands and slaughter your children? We have always only wished to live without the fear of persecution and been forced to protect our own.”

“You’re monsters!”

“Oh? Then what is a monster?”

“A beast who revels in slaughter and perversion and sin.”

“And what is sin?”

“Thought and action that defies the will of the Gods.”

“Who are you to speak for the Gods?”

“I carry their blessing!”

The clash of steel punctuated their words, and Langa threw up his hand, the seal blazing as bright as the sun in the shadowy room. Instantly, the creature retreated, shading its eyes with an arm, and Langa pressed his advantage, raising his own arm to strike the final blow that would vanquish this evil. But a movement in the periphery of his vision caught his attention.

“Stop being mean!” A small figure suddenly stood between him and his quarry, and Langa took in the horns on its head even as he tried to wrench his arm back. But it was too late, and his blade sank deep into flesh.

He stared down with bemusement at the demon, his wing wrapped around the child. One wing: Langa’s sword had cleaved through the other, tearing the fragile membrane and leaving it dangling from a shattered bone, before carving into his shoulder. He glared up at Langa, crimson eyes still burning, his sword arm holding the sobbing child against his chest. Wide, watery eyes also stared at the hero: eyes filled with fear and hatred. The same eyes he’d seen so many times before, walking through pillaged fields and streets lined with corpses.

“Go away! Leave us alone!”

What was he doing?

A hero was someone who saved others. Someone who fought against injustice for the sake of others' happiness. Someone who killed monsters.

Were these monsters?

Slowly, he pulled his sword back, watching the demon tense. His own sword came up, held in such a way to cover the child in his arms. But Langa just took a step back, his mind swirling. They were monsters. They had to be, else what was his purpose in life? His whole life had been preparing him for this moment: stories upon stories of their atrocities, seeing the suffering of the people, hearing the prayers for a hero to deliver them. If he killed this one, it would be the end, and the humans could finally live in peace.

Was it really that simple?

He felt sharp eyes watching him, and he took another step back when the figure rose to his feet, still cradling the child in his arms. The other hand, open palm streaked with dark blood, reached out to Langa.

“Let us start over and talk, hero. Perhaps we can find a way to live together. My name is Adam.”

Langa stared at the hand. Was this really okay? To just talk with the enemy of humanity, the great evil he had been born to extinguish? Wouldn’t he just try to deceive Langa, to make him lower his guard so he could kill him through trickery?

He couldn’t take the hand, but he looked up into the deathly pale face, his own expression determined.

“I’m Langa.”