Crossing the Line

by Naomi Aoki

  Kennosuke scowled as hopped inside and thankfully he didn’t slam the door shut. Brian waved at his father, not the hugging kind of family and the emotions connected to why he was leaving were running a little too high for anything more.

  “Please tell me the heater and the radio work?”

  “No idea.”

  Thirty minutes down the road they discovered the heater didn’t work, blowing cold air into the car no matter how much Kennosuke fiddled with the settings trying to make it work.

  “Fuck I’m cold.”

  Brian glanced at Kennosuke, noticing how he’d wrapped his arms around him as he shivered. “This is warm.” He laughed turning his attention back to the rural road, not wanting to collide with a sheep truck or milk tanker.

  “Maybe if you came from Hokkaido,” Kennosuke muttered.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  If they hadn’t been in such a rush to make their flight – or at least reach Queenstown before the car decided it no longer wanted to continue the journey – Kennosuke might have enjoyed the scenery. He could’ve asked Brian to stop on the edge of Lake Wakatipu and stare up at the mountains still dusted in snow as they towered above the houses dotting the landscape. Acted like any other tourist visiting the area and taken a few selfies; pictures of the beauty surrounding him for the family back home. But instead he only got a ragged glimpse of the lake as they came down the hill and could only stare at the mountains as they walked from the carpark to the International Terminal at Queenstown airport.

  Kennosuke’s suitcase clattered on the pavement as he hurried after Brian, and he wished he’d worn a heavier jacket as the frigid wind forced its way through the thin layers of fabric protecting his skin. Brian however, barely noticed it, strolling ahead of him as though it was summer’s day and not the arse end of winter.

  “You doing okay? Not moving too fast, am I?” Brian asked him, but Kennosuke could only manage a scowl in reply.

  Not that Brian stopped, continuing through the doors of the terminal and toward the check-in counters. Kennosuke traipsed behind him confused, there were so many flights showing on the departures board heading for Brisbane and he had no idea which flight theirs was.

  “Which flight are we catching?”

  “The one heading to Brisbane in two hours, I think. Maree emailed me the tickets, but I haven’t checked them yet.” He pulled out his phone and tapped the email notification just in time to reach the front of the line.

  Kennosuke handed over his passport to Brian leaving him to deal with the woman behind the counter. He hated how she flirted with Brian, the overly cheery manner of speaking and leaned a little closer than necessary. Her face fell as she glanced at their passports noting their shared surname and any lingering hope she might have disappeared as Brian placed a hand on Kennosuke’s hip and tugged him closer. Playing at being husbands wasn’t hard, relaxing against Brian’s side and almost forgetting why they were catching the flight in the first place.

  But it wasn’t until they’d passed through security and found a quiet space far from any prying ears that Brian elaborated on their travel plans further.

  “Once we get to Brisbane we’ll switch to another flight heading for Kyoto. Then I can kick Jamie’s arse for this damned passport.”

  Kennosuke had to duck his head to hide the broad smile refusing to leave his face. Jamie had been sneaky with the organising of the fake passport for Brian, not even telling Kennosuke what he’d done. But fuck, did he like the idea of it; being married to Brian.

  “You know I’m going to need a place to live and a job when we get to Japan.”

  “Is that your way of asking to move in with me?”

  “I mean... unless you’d rather I stay at Jamie’s? No, I can get Jamie to find me somewhere else.”

  Kennosuke stared at Brian genuinely confused at the questions being asked; thought the answers to them were obvious. He was family now and the Kitayama’s looked after family; protected them. Jamie would need to spend the next few weeks giving Brian a crash course in Japanese, teaching him the basics. But Kennosuke, he’d take care of the more entertaining language lessons, preferably with a bed involved.

  “Of course, you’ll damn well stay with me. It would look a bit strange if a married couple put two different addresses on their arrival forms.” He said it teasingly, but as he glanced at Brian, he could see the blush creeping across Brian’s skin as he tried to scowl.

  Kennosuke turned his attention to the departures board, watching as one-by-one flights took off counting down until it was their turn to leave. He plucked at the carpet as he built up the nerve to ask Brian the one question he’d wanted an answer too since he came too in the hospital room. A question whose answer Kennosuke also feared to hear.

  “Takeshi got away, didn’t he?”

  “Yes.” Brian tensed beside him but Kennosuke kept his gaze focused on the departures board. “Jamie says he can confirm Takeshi has arrived back in Kyoto, using whatever methods I didn’t-”

  “We have several airport staff and customs officials in our pay.”

  “-need to know about. Fuck Ken, I’m a cop... don’t just spout that sort of information so easily.”

  “No, you’re not. Not now, Brian. You’re Yakuza, a part of the Araki-gumi.”

  Brian’s head thudded against the wall and Kennosuke turned to stare at him. His features pinched, weary as Brian’s new reality sunk in. “Yeah... Yeah, you’re right. It’s just gonna take some getting used to. But anyway-” Brian scrubbed at his face hard. “-they know Takeshi has arrived back in Kyoto, but no one can find where he’s hiding.”

  “Great-” His fists clenched at his sides and breathed in short, heaving gasps as though oxygen was now in short supply. “-so long as he doesn’t meet us at the airport.” Kennosuke shuddered as the memories he’d tried to fend off pushed their way into his mind; he didn’t want to see the blood of those he loved splashed on the pavement outside Kansai International Airport again.

  THE FLIGHT TO BRISBANE had been excruciating despite being turbulent free. For four hours Brian had sat next to Kennosuke half-hard and horny as fuck and unable to do anything about it. He couldn’t understand how Kennosuke could sleep, but with his head resting on Brian’s shoulder and their fingers entwined, it only served to make his problem worse. Yep. Worse. Flight. Ever.

  But it at least kept his mind off the fact he was in a plane flying thousands of miles over the ocean.

  He didn’t waste time disembarking from the plane once it had landed and steered Kennosuke toward the nearest toilet. Brian didn’t care if anyone knew what they were up to as he shoved Kennosuke into an empty stall.

  “How long until our next flight?” Kennosuke asked, peering up at Brian from where he knelt on the floor.

  Brian didn’t know when Kennosuke had dropped to the floor or when his back had slammed into the door. Not that he was complaining as Kennosuke fumbled with his jeans, freeing his cock and coaxing it to full hardness. It didn’t need that much encouragement, and nor did Kennosuke as Brian stared at him and noticed the hungry look in his eyes as though he hadn’t eaten on the plane at all.

  “Five hours,” he managed to answer.

  “Good. Don’t want to rush this.” Kennosuke dragged his tongue up Brian’s length slow. Brian shuddered, squeezed his eyes shut and bit his lip to keep the moan wanting to escape safely inside. He wanted to grab Kennosuke’s head and show him just how slow he didn’t want to go. Brian didn’t, pressing his palms against the cold steel door and let Kennosuke have his way while pretending the man hadn’t just turned his whole life upside down.

  Because, holy shit, he was moving to another country for him. Brian couldn’t deny that his decisions hadn’t been because of Kennosuke, no one else could have made him sacrifice his career or the life he lead back in New Zealand. He could never return to it either, not unless he wanted cuffs slapped on his wrists and end up in jail.

  “Oi! Where did you go?” Brian glanced down at Kennos
uke, blinking at the quizzical expression as Kennosuke sat back on his haunches. “I’m trying to blow your fucking mind and your... thinking about everything but your cock in my mouth.”

  “Sorry-” reaching down to run a hand over Kennosuke’s jaw. “-just realised how much I love you.” The words tumbled out before Brian realised he’d voiced them.

  “Fuck. Brian.” Ken dropped his head, shaking it from side to side. Brian’s hand froze in the air where it had been left. “This is not the place I’d expected you to say it-” tilting his head back up and the emotion staring back at him chased away the ache trying to flood his chest, replacing it with an overwhelming warmth. “I mean, I love you too. But seriously? We’re in a fucking public toilet.”

  He grabbed Kennosuke’s hips and tugged him close. Messy, awkward and in no way romantic. Yet Brian found he couldn’t care less as he stood there, jeans around his ankles and kissed Kennosuke. A tender moment that lasted all of thirty seconds before Brian groaned as Kennosuke’s tongue pushed past his lips. Rough. Passionate. Desperate. A battle of wills as they both sought to dominate the other and only lacked the adrenaline fuelled rush of a fight beforehand. Not that either of them needed a fight to light arousal in their veins. A simple look shared between them was all it took now.

  Twenty-minutes and two desperately needed orgasms later they emerged from the toilets and continued into the International Departure Lounge. Brian found a couple of seats in a quiet corner and sat down heavily. He tugged his phone out of his pocket and switched it on, wincing at the number of messages waiting for him. Ignoring those from his colleagues, he scrolled through checking for any from his father or Jamie, before flicking them a I made it to Brisbane, text of his own. Steeling himself he read the remaining messages, chuckling as they went from confusion to anger as his colleagues realised what he’d done. If only he could have seen their faces.

  Brian sighed as he stared at his phone realising he needed to get rid of it. It wouldn’t be too long before someone organised a warrant for his phone records and the ability to track it via GPS. This one might not hold any incriminating messages between his father and himself, but Brian knew they didn’t need them anymore, not now that he’d helped a suspect to flee the country. As soon as Jamie’s reply arrived, Brian tore the back off the phone, pulled out the sim card and broke it. It took a bit more than he thought and Kennosuke’s barely muffled laughter at his frustrating attempts didn’t help. But eventually he’d damaged it enough, depositing the pieces across several rubbish bins in the large departure lounge.

  A final goodbye to his old life.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Kennosuke stared at the message Jamie sent, one that didn’t help his growing anxiousness about flying into Kansai Airport. Brian slept beside him, head resting on Kennosuke’s shoulder and blissfully unaware of the danger they would be walking into. He probably should warn him, but he didn’t want to deal with Brian’s anger on top of his own barely held together nerves at the news: Takeshi had been spotted loitering around the airport. It came as no surprise, it brought back memories he’d rather not remember or the nightmares they’d morphed into. Now when he closed his eyes and his mind drew him back to that fateful day, it wasn’t Gou’s body bleeding out on the ground but Brian’s.

  “Ten more hours to go,” he muttered, switching his phone off and shoved it in his pocket. Hopefully by the time Kennosuke could switch it on again, Jamie would have messaged him details of the plan that had been put in place, or better yet, that Takeshi had been taken out. Either way, this time Kennosuke would be arriving at an airport protected by the Araki-gumi.

  It would still be a long ten hours of trying to keep his mind from drifting to everything that could go wrong. He could watch a movie, but as he scrolled through the selection, they were either one’s he’d already watched or not interested in at all. Normally he’d turn to Brian for a distraction and no matter how much fun it might be, Kennosuke knew it would be risky in a crowded plane. Maybe if they’d been in first class... Turning back to the screen, he scrolled through the alcoholic offerings and ordered one. He tapped his fingers on the armrest as he waited for his drink to arrive. Maybe I should have ordered two?

  Three hours and four drinks later, Kennosuke rued his decision. The pleasant buzz he’d hoped would soften the edges of his anxiety had only sharpened it. His phone once more in his hand, battery ticking closer to empty with each pass his eyes made over the last message Jamie had sent. Foot tapping. Fingers knocking. Exhausted, yet unable to sleep.

  “Ken. Stop it.” Brian’s hand landed on his thigh and squeezed hard until the jiggling motion ceased. “It’s going to be alright.”

  He stared at Brian, blinking at the knowing look on his face. “You don’t know that.”

  “No, but I know Jamie and he’ll make sure of it. Besides he said Takeshi hadn’t been seen around Kyoto or the airport at all. So, the chances of a repeat are nil.”

  Kennosuke banged his head on the seat and turned to stare out the window. He gripped the phone tighter, hiding it out of Brian’s sight. Better he kept Brian in the dark about the danger awaiting their return. “Yeah, I know. I’m being stupid. I’ll be fine, go back to sleep.”

  “Kennosuke, it’s hard to sleep when I know you aren’t.”

  Kennosuke shrugged his shoulders, grimacing as the pain from his wound began to force its way back to the surface. The painkillers he’d taken beginning to wear off but there was no point taking more until just before they were due to land.

  “Get up!”

  “What?”

  “We’re switching seats.” Brian stood, raised the armrest between them and shuffled back as Ken stared at him confused. “Come on, switch seats. We’ve got the row to ourselves, so you can lie down, rest your head in my lap...”

  He grinned as he watched Brian’s face turn bright red. Not the usual rush of colour that came with the heat of desire, but of mortification at the words he’d spoken. Normally Brian’s thoughtfulness was tinged with rough hands and hard kisses. This was just... sweet. And even if he couldn’t go to sleep, Kennosuke knew he’d at least be able to relax. He quickly shuffled across to sit in Brian’s set and watched Brian move to sit in the one Kennosuke had vacated, leaning forward to grab the blankets from the seat pockets and covered him with them as Kennosuke stretched out.

  Kennosuke must have fallen asleep at some stage because the next thing he knew, Brian was shaking him and telling him to fasten his seatbelt. Of course, that meant removing his head from its comfortable pillow, though his neck begged to differ as it complained over the sudden movement.

  Good to be finally home.

  Good to have Brian alongside him.

  He couldn’t help but smile as Brian’s hand squeezed his tight. A smile that faltered when the captain’s voice crackled over the speakers, announcing they were twenty minutes out from landing at Kansai International Airport. Reality sunk in dragging ice down Kennosuke’s spine in slow hard lines before forcing it to gather in his stomach. His heart raced, breathing grew ragged and Kennosuke closed his eyes trying to recapture the calm that kept slipping out of his grasp.

  Everything was going to be alright. Jamie, his uncle and his father had a plan even though Kennosuke would remain in the dark about it until they’d landed. Takeshi could make any attempt he wanted, but he wouldn’t succeed and Kennosuke would make sure he didn’t walk away this time.

  He just hated knowing he was going in unarmed.

  Disembarking took forever or at least the twenty minutes of waiting for the passengers to exit the plane ahead of them felt like it. The glacial speeds Kennosuke observed it as being did nothing for the panic building his veins. Maybe it was the galloping of his heart that made everything appear to be moving so slow?

  Moving through passport check in was just as slow. Kennosuke forced to reign in his own fears long enough to settle the tension pulling at Brian. For the first time since they’d left New Zealand, Brian looked worried at handi
ng over his passport – the brand-spanking new counterfeit passport that proclaimed him as Kennosuke’s husband. Usually the disappearance of the man’s cocky swagger would bring a satisfied grin to Kennosuke’s face, but he could understand the man’s hesitance. Jamie would have made sure that there would be no issue presenting the passport, and no doubt as far as the Japanese Government was concerned, Brain was his husband. His breath held and only releasing in a slow stream as Kennosuke rested his hand on the small of Brian’s back.

  He wanted to slip his hand beneath Brian’s shirt and rub it against his skin... to peel the shirt off and press kisses along his spine until Brian relaxed...

  Brian coughed, tugged at his arm and pulled him through the gates as the customs official stared at him strangely. Shaking his daze off as they hurried to grab their bags from the baggage claim.

  “You turned your phone back on, right? Need to know where Jaimie is meeting us... or whoever is picking us up... I mean it might not be safe enough for Jamie to meet us himself.”

  If it weren’t for the dangerous tension filling the air and choking Kennosuke, he might have found Brian’s nervous prattling amusing... endearing. But it just added to the stress Kennosuke was already carrying. He breathed deep, snatched onto the small sliver of calm remaining in his mind and held on tight. Pushed his panicked thoughts aside before they ruined their chances of getting through the next few minutes alive.

  “Jamie’s meeting us-” It was time he told Brian the truth and it wasn’t just a suspicion anymore, with a message coming in from Jamie confirming it. “-and Takeshi, is also here.”

  “What?” Brian paused, spun around and grabbed him harshly. “Then why the hell is Jamie here?” He let go and snatched their bags off the carousel with more force than necessary. “Why the hell would your uncle let Jamie be anywhere here, if they knew Takeshi was present?”