With special thanks to the numerous Japanese guys in those gay porn video clips I downloaded off Kazaa. Guys, I owe you one. You all put on one helluva show. Thanks for the inspiration!

What did I do, what did I say
That gave you away
Tell me what did I do, what did I sa
That sent you away from me

Does he love you deep enough
To take you there
Does he love you deep enough
Oh, tell me baby

Does he love you deep enough
Oh tell me tell me
I'm just a jealous guy
I'm just a jealous guy

"Deep Enough" by Live

LOYALTY
by Arlyn Jayde

Reggina, Italy
April 2003
17.45 p.m.

The sweltering heat of southern Italy assaulted Hidetoshi Nakata as he exited the cab, paying the fare to the gruff man behind the wheel. He stepped onto a cobblestone street in a district of town that was decidedly seedy, and before him stood a dilapidated-looking building painted a dull light grey, with broken windowpanes and a dusty signboard over the main entrance: Hotel diLorenzo.

Frowning, Hide dug into the pocket of his jacket and retrieved his cell phone, thumbing it to read the message that had been delivered just as he and the rest of the Parma squad arrived in Reggina earlier that day, to train at the Oreste Granillo.

HOTEL DILORENZO ROOM 47 6 PM

The sender of the message was Shunsuke Nakamura, and when Hide first read it he thought it was some sort of joke. But his replies and inquiries went unanswered, and as the rest of the Parma squad checked into their hotel downtown after the training Hide decided that he had to chance it. He snuck out, hoping that the sight of a blonde Japanese man walking through the streets of the city would not attract too much attention to himself.

The last time he saw Shunsu, it was when Reggina came to Parma for their match in the first round, and Parma won. That was during all the speculation that Parma could be lining up to sign Shunsu away from Reggina, reuniting him with Hide. While the rumor soon fizzed out, Hide found the idea of being on the same team with Shunsu exciting, and has since kept a close tab on the club's potential signings, hoping to see his friend's name there.

Shunsu' response had been a different story altogether.

No, Hide..I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying here. That had been the essence of Shunsu's words, spoken stiffly as Hide tried to reason with him, about how a move to a better club, Parma or anywhere else, would benefit him. It didn't look good for Reggina no matter how one chose to look at it—they were barely hanging on to that fourth from bottom spot, and a slip could earn them a swift return to Serie-B. But Shunsu had been adamant, he was going to stay and go down with them, if need be.

Hide knew that Shunsu had been hailed as nothing less than a Messiah upon his arrival at Reggina—perhaps foretelling the reality that the rest of the squad was not made up of quality players that could hang tough and fight for a place in the top flight. Shunsu had obviously been deeply moved by all the attention, that was why he pledged his loyalty to Reggina, whatever may happen.

Loyalty—Hide had scoffed at the notion. People can speak of loyalty all they want, but in this level of football, the truth was that loyalties tended to shift rather quickly, especially if the promise of a better future—and a better pay—was put to the table. Not that Hide had forgotten the notion of loyalty itself, noble as it was, but how could one hold up such high standards of loyalty in this business?

Shunsu, apparently, thought that he could. When Parma beat Reggina that time, he'd looked none too pleased, and Hide's subsequent invitations to come and spend time with him the evening after the match was politely, but stiffly, declined. Hide couldn't hide the fact that he was hurt by the rejection—he'd missed Shunsu, they'd barely seen each other for months, and even when they did see each other they did little more than talk and could never spend proper time in each other's company.

Shunus had not been part of the World Cup squad—he was shockingly cut out my Troussier from the final selection, earning the anger of many of his adoring fans. He was back in the fold under Zico, of course, but had not yet been able to make his mark on the international stage, the 0-2 loss against Argentina being the most notable point of Zico's reign as Japanese coach so far.

And now, suddenly, Shunsu had asked to see him. Not even asked, judging by the way the message was written. So formal. So brief. Hide honestly did not know what to expect. Whatever it was, he hoped that Shunsu would make it quick. This place was getting to his nerves.

Hide stepped into the lobby—if it could be called such. The room was dark, save for several lightbulbs hanging from makeshift fixtures on the ceiling, and the stench was that of a room that had not been aired for months. A broken set of sofas and lounge chairs was off to one side, where an old man sat smoking a pipe. At the front desk was a middle-aged woman perusing a local newspaper under a small desklamp. Hide stepped towards the desk and asked as politely as he could, in Italian.

"Room 47?"

She barely looked up to see him, merely raising a finger to point towards one direction. "Use the stairs. Elevator's broken."

Hide nodded and thanked her, then walked towards the direction she pointed out, noticing the old-fashioned elevator, complete with manual sliding doors, along the way. Even if it was in perfect working order, Hide would never ride on such a hazardous looking contraption.

The fourth floor was not such a long way up, but the staleness of the air inside the narrow staircase made the walk up very exhausting for Hide, who tried to keep out the uncomfortable stench out of his nose as much as he could, while still taking in enough oxygen. Finally, he arrived at the fourth floor and stepped into a long, narrow hallway lined with doors on either side, dimly lit by neon lights strung along the way with exposed wiring, and he thougth he heard the scurrying of rats somewhere.

He found the door numbered 47 with no difficulty, and gave it a knock.

"Shunsu?" he asked. "It's me, Hide. Are you in there?"

It was difficult to discern the noise he heard behind the dark wood of the door, but soon he heard the rattle of the locks being undone. The door was then swung open, and before him stood Shunsuke Nakamura. He was dressed in a sleeveless black t-shirt and a pair of faded jeans, and on his face was an expression of calm.

"Evening, Hide.." Shunsu said. "Glad you could make it."

He stepped aside to allow Hide inside the room, which was only slightly better looking then the rest of the hotel. The sleeping arrangements consisted of a small brass bed, rust having set into the railings, looking like it belonged more in a prison cell than in a hotel room. The pale green paint of the wall had peeled off completely in some sections, revealing the brickwork, while a spinning ceiling fan cast shadows on the mottled gray carpet.

Shunsu's traveling bag lay on the round dining table, next to which were two wooden chairs that had seen better days. Frowning, Hide turned around to look at his friend.

"Why did you ask me to come here, Shunsu? Why can't we meet elsewhere?"

Shunsu shrugged, his bushy hair falling across his forehead in a nonchalant gesture. "What's the matter..you don't like this place?"

"No, I don't." Hide said, starting to get irritated. "And I don't see why you want to meet me here. What's all this about?"

"Awww..so impatient." Shunsu stepped closer to him, looking him straight in his eyes. "And here I was trying to be nice."

"Nice? You call this nice?" Hide's voice rose as his patience thinned. "You drag me to this God-forsaken place, when I should be resting for tomorrow's match, and you say you're trying to be nice?"

Shunsu was thorughly unfazed by his rising emotions, the look on his face guiltless. "You didn't have to come, you know..you're here because you chose to be."

"Shunsu.." Hide lowered his voice into a menacing tone. "Just tell me what the hell do you want from me."

The Reggina midfielder replied by moving closer to Hide, invading in his personal space, and whispering in his ears.

"I want you to play a game with me, Hide.."

Hide snorted. "You can have a game with me. Tomorrow, at your stadium. How's that?"

"No, no, no.." Shunsu shook his head, his thick hair rustling against the side of Hide's face. "Not that kind of game."

With that, Hide felt Shunsu's hands slowly skimming up the sides of his body, feeling him through the fabric of his clothes, and how it roused memories deep within him, memories of times not so long past, times that he'd missed.

"Shunsu.." he spoke, and his voice had lost its harshness. "I can't. Not here..not now. Maybe, some other time.."

"No." It was Shunsu's turn to sound stern, and his hand quickly captured Hide's chin, palm rustling against his short goatee. "Now. I want it now."

"You are so stubborn.." Hide shook his head. "..as you always are."

A glint came into Shunsu's eyes. "If this is about me staying at Reggina again.."

"Shunsu, why can't you get it inside your head? You'll be better of somewhere else.."

"I am staying, Hide." Shunsu said firmly. "To whatever end, I'm staying. I can't let them down, after all they've done for me. I will remain loyal to them."

"Loyal?" Hide snorted. "Do you actually believe that if somebody offered them to buy you away at twice the price they bought you, they wouldn't jump at the chance?"

Shunsu's eyes darkened. "I think you've stayed too long in this country..you've forgotten the values our homeland hold so high.."

"I've adapted, Shunsu. That's all there is to it." Hide countered. "You are being naive."

"I'm being loyal." Shunsu snapped at him. "Of course, I wouldn't expect *you* to understand anything about loyalty.."

Hide's brows knitted into a deep frown. "What the fuck do you mean by that?"

Shunsu pushed Hide back with a strength that was surprising for his slender frame, and Hide was caught completely off guard. He stumbled out of balance, the bed being what halted his momentum as he fell onto it awkwardly, the thin mattress hardly cushioning his fall as his head encountered the solid brick wall.

"Aaawww!" he snarled as he fought to quell the sharp pain. "What the fuck?

His vision spun as dizziness struck him, and he saw Shunsu fetching his bag from the table and quickly bringing it with him back towards the bed, where he tossed it onto the mattress and then climbed on himself, instantly grabbing Hide. Hide struggled and wrestled him, grappling around Shunsu to try to escape his grip, but the fall had disoriented him and when he tried to make a sudden move, he instead banged his head on the wall again.

Darkness overcame him, and the last thing he remembered was Shunsu's face hovering about him, his expression all but unreadable.

Hide woke up with a start, jarred by a strange sensation that told him something was not quite right with his body. It took him a while to regain his senses, but gradually he came to realize the predicament he was in. His hands were bound, tied to the railings of the bed, while his legs were also tied, spread to each of the bedposts using a coarse rope that dug into his flesh. A whiff of air came down upon his chest and he realized that he was also naked. And down there, looking at him, was Shunsu.

The Reggina midfielder had also taken off all of his clothes, and he was lying over Hide's body, his hands grasping the base of the Parma player's cock, his tongue licking casually along its length, which had grown into hardness under his treatment.

"Shun.." Hide fought to speak over the rapid beating inside his chest. "Shunsu.."

Seeing that his friend was awake, Shunsu merely smiled and wrapped his lips tightly around the head of Hide's cock, sucking it delightedly. Hide threw his head back and fought to get free of his binds, but to no avail.

"Relax, Hide.." Shunsu said. "You'll like this one..I'm sure."

"Let me go, Shunsu.."

"No." He shook his head, his bushy auburn hair tossing about. "I like it better this way."

Hide sighed deeply and decided on a different approach. "Shunsu..you know I can't give you what you want if my hands are tied."

Grinning, Shunsu released Hide's aching cock and crawled up his friend's body, until they were face to face. Hide looked up at him, feeling intimidated under the intense gaze. Shunsu was not what anyone would call `pretty', with his wide-set eyes, longish face, and his rather prominent front teeth, but to Hide he held an inexplicable charm that never failed to entice him. And this time was no exception.

"You are wrong, my friend.." Shunsu spoke as he languidly stroked down Hide's face. "This is exactly what I want."

"Shunsu, let me go. You don't want to get into trouble for this, do you?"

"Trouble?" Shunsu laughed off the notion. "The night is young, Hide. Don't worry about your team. You won't be missed until morning."

"And yours? Shouldn't you be with your team?"

Shunsu cocked his head to one side. "I won't be missed, either. I've planned this little gathering very carefully, you know."

"I can tell.." Hide pulled at his restraints. "What, did the southern Italian heat suddenly rouse the wild side of you?"

"Ha. Funny you should mention that.." Shunsu paused briefly to lick at the side of Hide's neck, which sent shivers running down his spine. "I thought you were the one with the affinity for the wild stuff. That would explain why I wasn't enough for you."

"Wh—what?" Hide could do little to hide his surprise.

"You think I don't know? Your little escapades, either here or back in Japan, during the World Cup.."

"Shunsu.."

"You just had to go out and look for bigger and better things, didn't you?" Shunsu's finger traced its way down Hide's chest, pausing to massage his left nipple gently. "I guess I just didn't live up to your expectations."

Hide closed his eyes, shaking his head to will the images out of his mind.

"Too much of a good boy, maybe? Is that what you thought of me? Too meek, or too sweet? You didn't think I could give you what you wanted, so you went looking elsewhere?"

"Shunsu.."

"Like I said, my dear friend.." Shunsu spoke close to his ear. "You don't know anything about loyalty."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Hide said bitterly. "You know what Troussier was like—he had a strict no sex policy during the World Cup, we couldn't?

"No, no, no..that's not what I heard." Shunsu cut him off. "Troussier had a strict no *girls* policy. And knowing you, you worked that loophole rather brilliantly."

"Shunsu.."

"You had Junichi, didn't you? Maybe Toda, also..maybe even Shinji."

"For God's sake, Shunsu! Listen to yourself!" Hide snapped. "Shinji's a married man, how could you possibly think?

"How about Junichi, then?" Shunsu said coldly. "He's a cute one, isn't he? And Toda had that wild streak you think I couldn't possibly have.."

"That's not true.." Hide shook his head, but there was nowhere for him to go. The restraints made him feel vulnerable enough, but Shunsu's words were eating through him like fire. "Not true.."

"Did you fuck him, Hide? Or did you let him fuck you? Was he good? Was he better than me?"

"Shunsu!"

"Answer me, damnit!" Shunsu exploded, and Hide felt a stiff hand coming down on his cheek, striking him without pretense of holding back. The impact jerked his head to one side, and a howl of pain escaped him. Pain, that was soon replaced by anger.

"Bitch!" he shouted.

"Whore!" Shunsu retorted, and his hands clasped Hide's neck, forcing their faces close together, their foreheads pressing againsts each other. "You cheap, dirty whore.."

"If my hands weren't tied, I'd kill you."

"If your hands weren't tied, you would tie me up and fuck me. You'd make me scream, you'd make me beg. You'd fuck me until I pass out. I know you would." Shunsu spoke with a knowing iciness in his tone, and the fuming anger Hide felt within him died suddenly.

"Is that ..is that what you want, Shunsu?" he asked quiveringly.

"No, Hide..the question is..is that what *you* want? Is that what you've always wanted, but never quite got from me, that had you looking elsewhere?"

Hide could not answer. His lips twisted as he recalled all those lonely nights he spent alone, jacking himself off under his blankets while his head was filled with images of Shunsu, lying prone and open underneath him, indulging him in the dark fantasies he never dared to ask of him, thinking that there was no way Shunsu would ever want to even consider such things.

"Shunsu.." he said. "I didn't know..I didn't think.."

"You didn't ask."

"If I'd asked, would you.." Hide swallowed hard. "Would you have done it?"

In the silence that ensued he could see Shunsu's expression softening somewhat, and he soon laid his head down on Hide's chest, breath tickling on his flesh as his finger continued to toy lazily with the Parma player's nipple.

"If I had declined, would you have still gone out to find others who would?"

Hide was not prepared to answer that question. His body tensed up, which he knew Shunsu could sense immediately. Slowly, the Reggina midfielder lifted his head back up to gaze into Hide's eyes, peering from under the thick hair that draped across his forehead.

"It wasn't that difficult, was it, Hide? I'm sure Junichi didn't mind helping you with your little needs..especially since I wasn't in the squad."

"Shunsu.."

"You honestly think I was never going to find out?"

Knowing that this was an argument he couldn't win, Hide relented and sighed deeply, throwing his head back to ease the strain his neck. The ropes dug into his wrists and ankles, causing him to grimace slightly.

"All right, Shunsu. You win." he said. "So I was with Junichi several times..during the World Cup, mostly."

"Others?"

Hide shook his head.

"No? Not even that cute teammate of yours..what's is name, Mutu? Adrian Mutu?"

"No, Shunsu.."

"Adriano, maybe—that big Brazilian. Bet you wondered if he's big in all places.."

"Damnit, Shunsu!" Hide jerked his body against the Reggina midfielder, which was the best gesture he could manage with the way his limbs were tied. "Where do you get these ideas?"

Shunsu's reply was a devilish little smirk, and soon his hand traveled low and found Hide's cock again, which had withered somewhat during their conversation. But a touch of those expert fingers quickly had him excited again, and Hide struggled to keep down a moan that was threatening to escape his lips.

"So it was Junichi." Shunsu said, languidly working his hand up and down Hide's straining erection. "I was right the first time around."

"There. You happy now?" Hide snapped. "Now let me go."

"No, Hide."

"Shunsu.."

"You still haven't played that game with me."

Hide made an exasperated noise at the back of his throat. "What do you want?"

The Reggina player did not reply verbally, but his body slithered down Hide's until his head was over his friend's groin, and pretty soon those lips were once again wrapped around Hide's cock, causing him to buck up the mattress, desperately wanting to get free of his binds. Shunsu was teasing him, licking him delicately without ever giving him the good, hard sucking he wanted—oh yes, he wanted it. No point in denying it now.

Hide gritted his teeth as Shunsu tortured him endlessly, darting his little pink tongue out to lap a the gleaming head of his cock every now and then, licking along the underside, never giving him what he really wanted. If his hands were free, they would be down there, grabbing handfuls of that long auburn hair and forcing his head down on Hide's length, pushing his entire length into Shunsu's mouth whether he liked it or not.

Hide was appalled at what he was thinking of, but it only served to remind him of how true Shunsu's earlier words had been. He did want Shunsu. He did want him *that* way, lying open and submissive underneath him, vulnerable to his advances. But instead it was he, Hide, who was the vulnerable one in this exchange, tied up to a bed while Shunsu seemed to enjoy his control, how he had Hide at his mercy.

Shunsu flicked his head back, his thick hair falling away from his face and revealing a sweaty, slightly reddish complexion, evidence that he too, was getting excited. Hide had long ago given up on speaking, resigning himself to whatever Shunsu had in store for him. Slowly, the Reggina midfielder inched up his body, until his face hovered above Hide's, the heat of their breath moistening on each other.

When Shunsu lowered his face to him, Hide's instincts took over and he closed his eyes, feeling the familiart warmth of his friend's lips on him. They kissed, lips slowly moulding against each other as Hide again pulled helplessly at his restraints, desperate to be free of them. So his hands could roam over Shunsu's body, so he could hold him in all the places he loved to touch, and pull him down deeper into the kiss, take him over..

Shunsu ended the kiss abruptly, his lips coming off Hide's with a wet noise that seemed magnified in their close proximity. His hands then reached behind himself, Hide's eyes following them as he slowly realized what Shunsu intended to do. Within moments, Shunsu's eyes were shut tight and his lips were hanging open, and Hide knew that the Reggina player had just inserted a finger inside his own ass.

Hide fought against his restraints once more, pulling at the ropes holding his wrists together and his legs apart. He wanted to touch Shunsu, he wanted to be the one doing it—he *should* be the one doing it. The one putting a finger, then two inside him, the one making him moan aloud as he was fingered, the one teasing and taunting Shunsu and making him delirious with the anticipation of being fucked.

But no, Shunsu was the one doing it to himself, as if reminding Hide of his own helplessness, his face directly above Hide as it contorted and twisted into expressions of conflicting pain and pleasure, small moans coming out of his throat as it convulsed with each thrust his fingers made into himself, his eyes shut tight. Hide's own throat was parched dry, dryness tickling his palate as he watched Shunsu finger himself, preparing himself—unmistakably—to be fucked.

It seemed like an eternity before Shunsu finally straightened himself up, his hands returning to Hide's sides as he propped himself up, kneeling on the dirty mattress with his ass perched just above Hide's straining, leaking erection. When he began inching down on it, and Hide felt the head of his cock coming into contact with the tiny rosebud opening, he couldn't help but moan.

"You want this, Hide?" Shunsu asked, and his voice was raspy. "You want to fuck me?"

"Yes.." Hide said, making no pretense of dignity. "I want to fuck you, Shunsu."

"Beg me.." Shunsu taunted. "Come on, beg me.."

"Let me fuck you, Shunsu..please." Hide said through gritted teeth. "Please, I want to fuck you."

With a devilish little smirk, Shunsu reached down and began guiding Hide's cock into his tight entrance. Hide's eyes were squeezed shut throughout the entire slow, agonizing process of penetration, all his senses thrown into limbo and his bloodrush focused on that area down on his groin, where Shunsu was slowly inching himself down. Hide's fists closed over his binds, coarse rope digging into his palms, the pain a welcome distraction from the intensity of everything else that was happening to him.

Shunsu's hands moved to his chest, kneading handfuls of flesh as he finally managed to get Hide's entire length inside him, sitting on the Parma man's crotch, swaying his hips lightly. Hide moaned aloud as his cock moved about the tightness of Shunsu's ass, feeling how those inner muscles were massaging him. Shunsu then removed his hands and leaned back on his haunches, displaying his naked body in all its glory towards Hide as he threw his head back and closed his eyes.

Hide's mouth watered at the sight, the ropes binding his limbs increasing his desperation as Shunsu's body put on a show right in front of his eyes, so close and yet untouchable. He longed to roam his hands over that sweaty flesh, to hold him captive, to feel him squirm and struggle in his grip, to smack away that insolent little smirk from his face and to take him over, hold the upper hand. Shunsu knew this..the little slut fucking knew this.

Shunsu began moving up and down on him, every move creating friction along Hide's length, riding him in a frantic pace as his hands supported himself. Hide only had to crane his neck slightly to see how his cock was moving in and out of Shunsu, the dense pubic hair at his groin rustling against his friend's ass on every downstroke, a wet and slick noise accompanying each thrust, magnified by the relative silence around him.

"Shunsu.." he cried out at last. "Oh, God.."

"I don't think He's the one you'd want to talk to at the moment, Hide.." Shunsu replied sardonically, though his voice was equally trembling."

Shunsu was riding him hard, working his cock like he'd never done the entire time they were together, giving Hide a sensation unparalelled by anyone he'd ever been with all his life. Not Junichi, not anybody could quite do it like Shunsu was doing now. And to think, Hide had once thought Shunsu was too `good' to indulge in these sorts of wild escapades. But the ropes that bound him told him that he was very very mistaken in that regard.

He knew he couldn't make it last—Shunsu felt too damn good for him to hold it back much longer. With blood pounding inside his ears, Hide let out a strangled noise at the back of his throat, grunting deeply as he felt himself being brought over the edge. He ejaculated, shooting his seed up Shunsu's ass, the Reggina midfielder's choked cry being the sign that he'd felt the force of Hide's climax also.

The aftermath lasted longer for Hide than usual—it seemed like minutes before he could breathe normally again, take air in from his nostrils and let them out, his heartrate slowly returning to its normal pace. The ringing in his ears was threatening to render him deaf, and in the darkness behind his shut eyes Hide thought he would lose his consciousness altogether. Shunsu's very presence seemed little more than a shadow, as his body fought to cope with the violent resonance.

When Hide opened his eyes again, Shunsu was looking straight into his eyes, his face flushed but still with an air of calm to it. Looking down, Hide realized that Shunsu hadn't come yet. Shunsu seemed to sense his puzzlement too, and quickly answered hi unspoken questions by crawling up Hide's body, until he straddled the Parma player's shoulders.

Hide didn't even need to be asked. He opened his mouth, and in a flash he had the head of Shunsu's cock encased in his lips. Shunsu let out a moan, one hand braced on the railing of the bed while the other reached down to tug at Hide's short blond hair. Hide took more of Shunsu's length inside, craning his neck slightly, and Shunsu encouraged him by moving his hand to the back of Hide's head, pushing him closer towards his groin.

Shunsu couldn't be that far from climaxing, so Hide decided to cut to the chase. He hollowed his cheeks and sucked on Shunsu as hard and as fast as he could, producing copious amounts of pre-cum out of him, as well as a lot of lewd moans, and Hide found it a small measure of revenge. He moved his head about furiously, while Shunsu whimpered above him, every friction of Hide's mouth against his cock bringing him closer to orgasm.

When the first spurt hit his tongue, Hide pulled back and allowed his head to fall against the pillow, flexing his neck to allow for comfortable swallowing. He made sure he didn't spill any, throat convulsing as he struggled to gulp down everything. Darn it, but Shunsu could really produce a lot if he was really excited.

Shunsu took his cock away from Hide's mouth, and before Hide could say anything his hands were being untied. Shunsu's fingers were trembling, as he was still reeling from his powerful climax, but swiftly the ropes came undone and Hide's hands were soon free. He pulled them down and inspected the raw flesh of his wrists, while Shunsu was down the other edge of the bed, untying his ankles. Once his legs were free Hide pulled himself up into a sitting position, away from Shunsu.

"Damn you.." Hide muttered darkly, his hands gripping the side of the mattress.

Shunsu simply leaned against the wall, his chest still heaving rapidly as he glanced at Hide with that same, guiltless expression. "Well, that's a nice thing to say to someone who just gave you the biggest orgasm in your life.."

"You overestimate yourself.." Hide said bitterly.

"Really?" Shunsu cocked his head to one side. "Before all this, I'd say you underestimated me, Hide.."

Hide didn't reply. He looked down onto the stained carpet, the coarse fabric digging into the pads of his bare feet, as Shunsu fished around his bag which lay next to the bed and pulled out a bottle of mineral water. He took a long drink out of it, wiping his mouth as he offered the bottle to Hide.

"Aren't you thirsty?"

Hide grabbed the bottle from his hand and drank, cooling his parched throat, gulping down mouthfuls of water as he wondered what would happen next. Outside, the night had fallen and everything was dark. He couldn't have passed out for too long—just enough for Shunsu to strip him and tie him up, and a check on the clock hanging on the wall showed him that an hour had passed since his arrival—if the clock was accurate.

"You could get into trouble for this, you know.." Hide muttered as he ran his fingers along the bottle's ridged plastic surface.

Shunsu chuckled, sounding not the slightest bit worried. "What are you going to tell them, Hide? That I raped you?"

"No, but that was pretty close to it." Hide said, replacing the cap on the half-empty bottle.

Shunsu folded his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, looking decidedly very relaxed. "Perhaps so, but I'd say you enjoyed it a whole lot more that way, judging by your reaction.."

Hide remained silent, but he knew his silence was all Shunsu needed to affirm his suspicions. His fingers fiddled with the bottle in his hands, waiting for what his friend would say next. What taunt, what threat.

"You want to do it to me, don't you?"

Hide's hands stopped moving. He hadn't expected to hear those words, but as he glanced back and looked at Shunsu in the eyes, there was nothing there to indicate that the Reggina player was anything but serious.

"You can, if you want to.."

Hide shook his head, trying to instill a measure of common sense. "We've done enough..we need to get back to our teams."

Shunsu opened his knees, as if he hadn't heard Hide's words, slowly revealing his private parts with a seductive twist of his body. Hide could not take his eyes off him, how his cock hung limp from the bed of dark curls upon which it rested, still glistening with his release, and down onto his ass, where his tiny hole was still dripping with Hide's release, wet and slick..

"You want this, Hide..I know you do. Why don't you come over here and get it?"

Hide felt a shudder pass through him at Shunsu's words, coupled with the sight he was presented with. Damn, but he really did want it. He'd been wanting to do it for years, maybe. And here Shunsu was not only willing, he was practically asking for it. Hide swallowed hard as he contemplated what he should do next. Shunsu's fingers were now dancing along the puckered rim of his own entrance, slicking them with their mingled juices, and Hide breathed deeply to strenghten his will.

"Shunsu.." he began. "Do you know what a `safe word' is?"

The Reggina player stopped moving his hand, and his expression became serious. "Of course I do." he said, sounding a little offended that Hide had to ask him that question. "It's a word used in a fantasy situation, where the person who is the?

"Pick one." Hide cut him off.

Shunsu stopped rambling, his eyes widening behind the thick hair that fell across his forehead. "Huh?"

"I said pick one." Hide's voice grew louder. "You know what it is, then pick one."

For a while Shunsu was silent, the first time that night he didn't seem to know just what to say. Recognizing an opportunity to gain the upper hand, Hide looked at him and gave a little smile.

"You're not scared all of a sudden, are you?"

"Scared? Me?" Shunsu rolled his eyes. "Not a chance."

"Then pick a word, already!" Hide said impatiently.

"Fine. I'll give you a word." Shunsu said. "Nippon."

It was Hide's turn to roll his eyes. "Nippon?"

"I thought the more out of place the word seems, the better. So no chance of mistaking it for something else. So there." Shunsu explained.

"Okay then.." Hide nodded. "Nippon it is."

Shunsu lowered his hands to his sides, waiting for Hide to make the next move. "Well?"

Hide glanced down at the half-empty bottle he held in his hand, making up his mind. If he was going to do it, he might as well do it now. He took a deep breath and then without warning, he threw the bottle down onto the floor and leapt for Shunsu, effectively pouncing on him. Shunsu gave a yelp of surprise, but he was soon wrestled down onto the mattress, where Hide gave him a hard backhand across the face.

"Ooowww!" Shunsu exclaimed. "Hide.."

"You're gonna get what's been coming to you, little bitch.." Hide muttered darkly. "You really are gonna get it."

"Hi..Hide.." Shunsu's voice had been reduced to a bare whimper, but Hide had no doubt that he was simply playing to his role.

He untangled the rope that had been used to tie his legs from the bed railing, and wrestled Shunsu around some more until he had the Reggina player flat on his stomach, his hands held behind his back. Hide swiftly bound his wrists together using the rope, making sure he made it as tight as he possibly could.

"No..Hide.." Shunsu pleaded with him, and his voice only served to heighten Hide's excitement. His cock had grown hard again between his legs, and as he secured the knot binding Shunsu's wrists he was filled with a perverse sense of satisfaction.

"I'm not gonna tie your legs, Shunsu..do you know why?" he asked as he flipped Chun-Soo roughly to have him flat on his back again. Shunsu shook his head, his expression fearful.

"No.."

"Because I want you to be all nice and flexible for what I'm about to do to you.."

Shunsu shuddered at his words, and Hide felt it. He grabbed the other man by his thick auburn mane and pulled his head in towards his crotch, thrusting his hard cock in Shunsu's face.

"Suck."

Shunsu shook his head vehemently, and Hide rewarded him by smacking his cheek. Not too hard, but hard enough to cause him to whimper.

"Hide, please.."

"You want to make this easier on yourself? Then suck."

Shunsu complied and opened his mouth, and Hide wasted no time thrusting his length inside. He was careful not to injure Shunsu,
aware that he couldn't utter the safe word with the cock in his mouth. Shunsu made no effort to escape, sucking obediently on Hide's length while his nipples were being toyed with by the Parma player's fingers.

"That's a good little slut.." Hide encouraged him. "Come on, do a good job now.."

Shunsu seemed spurred on by those words, as he sucked harder and better with each passing moment. Not wanting to release his load just yet, Hide pulled Shunsu's head away and retracted his cock from the willing little mouth. He dragged Shunsu's body across the mattress and once again had him flat on his back, and placing his hands under each of Shunsu's knees he pressed the other man's legs onto his chest, rolling him up over himself.

"I'm gonna fuck you now, Shunsu.." Hide said.

"Wait..wait, Hide.."

But Hide didn't wait. His cock was aching, even more so than the first time around, and with a savage thrust he'd buried his entire length inside Shunsu's ass once again, the Reggina player's body bucking off the mattress as a long, pitiful wail escaped him.

"Liked that, didn't you?"

Shunsu's head tossed from side to side, his expression overwhelmed as he struggled to find the words. Hide was oblivous to his discomfort, beginning to thrust into him hard and fast.

"Hide..stop it! That hurts.." Shunsu whimpered. "That hurts, Hide..stop."

The words only made Hide fuck him harder. Shunsu could protest and moan all he wanted—as long as the word "Nippon" wasn't mentioned, Hide would keep going. He pumped into Shunsu with all the strength he had in him, his hands finding the other man's chest and pinching roughly at his nipples, relishing the sound of Shunsu wailing underneath him, vulnerable and open.

Yes, this was what he wanted. And he was getting it.

It didn't take very long for Hide to reach his second climax of the night, as he gushed into Shunsu's body he leaned down and swallowed his friend's squeal into his mouth, the wet splatter against his stomach telling him that Shunsu had also ejaculated. They kissed for long moments, tongue-wrestling each other until they were both spent and exhausted, and Hide allowed himself to fall on top of Shunsu's body, where his head lay pillowed against the drumbeat that was Shunsu's pounding heart.

Hide reached behind Shunsu and untied the other man's wrists, and as soon as the ropes were out of the way he felt Shunsu's hands in his hair, stroking him, the first tender gesture between them all night long. He breathed the aroma that was Shunsu and Shunsu alone—sweat mingled with spent juices and the musky odour of another man's body, his limbs fast losing their strength as violent shudders coursed through him.

"I have to go back.." he muttered finally, breathing against Shunsu's chest. "They'll be looking for me if I don't come back soon."

Shunsu's fingers tangled in his hair, massaging his scalp gently with the sweaty pads of his fingers. "Then go."

"I'll see you tomorrow, then.."

"Yes, Hide..tomorrow."

The final whistle blew, and Hide looked across the field where his teammates began walking back towards the dugout, looking decidedly unhappy. A goalless draw was the final score. It benefited Reggina's desire to stay in the Serie-A, as every point was as precious as gold, but Parma had expected a win here and they failed to get it.

Adrian slapped his back, Mutu, and offered a smile as they walked back. Hide politely returned the gesture, as well as shaking hands with the referee and several other players, until he came across the one person he wanted to seek out.

Shunsu stood waiting for him, in his dark maroon strip and looking quite accomplished in his posture, and Hide could only smile and offer him a hand. Shunsu shook his hand in a friendly manner, as both of them knew that people in Japan would be longing for pictures of their two players in the Serie-A shaking each other's hands and acting friendly.

If only they knew..

"Good game." Hide commented. "You guys played well."

"Not as well as we should, but I guess we managed to hold you back." Shunsu said.

"So..the fight's still on." Hide said. "To stay in the Serie-A, I mean."

"Of course it's still on." Shunsu brushed back sweaty strands of hair from his face. "The coming weeks will be the most crucial. We're hoping Atalanta will slip up somewhere along the way. Cruel, of course..but somebody has to go down."

"And if Reggina goes down, you will go down with them." Hide said.

Shunsu nodded. "I will."

Placing his hands on his hips, Hide took a look around. "You know..I'm not sure if you've heard this yet..but I might not be staying at Parma that much longer."

Shunsu folded his arms in front of his chest. "First I heard of it..but I can say that does not surprise me."

Hide rolled his eyes slightly. "No?"

"No, Hide.." Shunsu gave him a coy little smile and stepped closer to him. "After all, like I said, you don't understand anything about loyalty."

~FIN~