The Heat of Borginian Summer

They’re at the bookstore when Klavier once again sets Daryan to rights about Machi. Klavier’s trying to attract Daryan’s attention to the clerk with the low-cut shirt who’s like, totally hitting on them, but instead of trying to get to know more about the girl, Daryan asks her if they have any books in Braille. She shows them where, and he’s glancing around, instead of at her short skirt.

“I was thinking I should get a book for that Machi kid. He seems bored. He’s kinda brainy, always listening to classical music, so I thought he might like… what?”

Klavier’s laughing at him. He won’t explain why until the clerk’s out of hearing range. “You don’t know? Machi’s not blind, Lamiroir is. It’s all an act for the record company.”

“Wait, what?”

“He’s a good actor, ja? Even I forget sometimes.”

Daryan shuts up, which means he’s pissed beyond words. Luckily, Klavier’s too busy being amused and flirting with the clerk to really notice he’s steamed. After a little browsing, he slams a hardback book on the counter.

“You know,” says the clerk, “We have this in Braille.”

Klavier can’t contain his snort. In fact he’s on the verge of just collapsing into giggles.

Daryan pays for the book in utter silence, then leans over to whisper something private in the pretty clerk’s ear. “Don’t sleep with that fucker,” Daryan sneers, jerking his thumb towards Klavier. “He got herpes from a ladyboy in Thailand.”

Klavier is left wondering why the girl that was so totally into him a few minutes ago now looks like she doesn’t want to touch him with rubber gloves on.


Daryan finds Machi playing piano in one of the practice rooms. It’s barely bigger than a storage closet and the piano takes up most of the space. Daryan grabs Machi by the shoulders, spinning him around on the piano stool. “Mr. Crescend? What do you want?”

“Look at me,” Daryan demands. When Machi doesn’t reply, he rips off those sunglasses. “I know you can see me, Machi. So look at me.”

He’s not prepared for the depth of those blue eyes, or how utterly calm they are. He finds himself cupping Machi’s chin, stroking thumb over cheek.

“Why did you lie to me?”

Machi doesn’t reply.

“Answer me!”

He doesn’t. He wets his lips. His expression is completely passive, yet Daryan senses his defiance.

“You made me look like a fool. I hate that!”

“I didn’t do it to make you look like a fool,” Machi says after a moment. He always considers his words to Daryan carefully.

“Don’t lie to me. Put your mouth to better use if you’re just going to tell me lies.”

Daryan unzips his pants and presents Machi his cock, pushing Machi to kneel in the narrow square of floor. Just being this close to Machi has him half-hard. Machi looks at his cock, then looks up at Daryan. The weight of his eyes is almost more effective than Machi’s fingers. “Don’t look away from me.”

Machi doesn’t. He licks and watches, and Daryan’s hard but still kind of pissed off so he shoves his length past Machi’s lips, gripping his hair. Machi glares up at him, eyes narrowed, but sucks even better than the first time. Doesn’t let up when Daryan realizes he’s got his hair in a death grip and lets go. Bobs his head and that resentment is giving way to a drugged-looking sort of pleasure as he sucks. He’s shifting uncomfortably, there’s no real space to move. “Get up,” Daryan commands him. Machi can’t do it without bumping against him, and Daryan knows he’s right: Machi’s hard.

“You’re going to look at me while I fuck you,” says Daryan. He’s proud of himself for his foresight: he brought Astroglide. Somehow, he manages to prep Machi like that, though there’s lots of fumbling. Machi’s small, flexible and clever. While Daryan’s got fingers in his ass he reaches over and locks the door.

Daryan drapes Machi over the piano stool. Scrabbling for a grip, Machi’s slamming hands on random keys, bracing the piano. He’s quite a sight, rosy and flushed, lacy trousers and undergarments still hanging precariously off one foot. “Mr. Crescend,” he says, and that’s all the permission Daryan needs, throwing Machi’s knees over his shoulders and hammering into him.

Machi looks at him. He vacillates from biting his lip to letting his mouth hang open, gasping, occasionally whimpering. He never makes much noise. Those eyes bore into him, as if trying to find some answer to a question that is made up of Daryan’s features.

“Louder,” Daryan growls. This is fucking amazing, and he can see that Machi’s holding back. He wants that quiet little boy to scream. “It’s sound proofed, go ahead.”

Machi bites down hard on his lip as if to spite him. Rising to the challenge, Daryan fucks him harder. They’re composing one lousy, tuneless symphony while Daryan reams him into the keyboard. Daryan’s thinking of those gaps in their conversations, all the times when lovers should be talking that Machi just goes quiet. How frustrating Machi is, locked away in his quiet little world. That angel needs to come down from heaven. “I’m going to fuck the silence out of you!” Daryan decides.

Machi looks right through him, and even as they’re still moving it’s stillness, it’s silence. “You can’t,” he says simply.

There’s a knock at the door.

“Yes?” Machi calls out.

“Machi? You don’t usually lock the door…” It’s Lamiroir.

“I’m composing.” There’s a hitch in his voice. Daryan hasn’t pulled out. In fact he’s resumed fucking him again. They’re moving in almost utter silence. Daryan likes the fact that Machi’s distressed, starting to sweat, but bringing himself down on Daryan’s cock harder than ever. He’s stroking himself, too, desperately.

“Will you be done soon? I need you to be my eyes for a bit.”

“Very soon,” Machi assures her. He’s quaking.

“Are you okay in there? You sound a bit odd.”

“I’m fine, Lamiroir. I’ll be out in – just a second.”

Daryan slams into Machi so hard he’s worried he might’ve broken the boy, but he just takes and takes it, looking up at Daryan’s face desperately, half-speaking. And he just knows Machi’s going to cry out so Daryan shoves his fingers in Machi’s mouth. Machi bites down on them in lieu of screaming. His entire body’s shaking. Daryan bites his tongue hard enough to bleed to keep from groaning as he lets go inside him.

Machi squirms free, gets his pants back on, and unlocks the door. He puts his arm around Lamiroir as he always does. Of course, he’s far more rumpled and flushed than usual. Daryan hopes Klavier doesn’t see them like this, even if Lamiroir seems none the wiser.

He waits until they’re both out of sight to leave the practice room. Wouldn’t want to risk the blind lady catching on.


Daryan honestly doesn’t expect Klavier to sock him in the stomach when they see each other next. Which is why the punch comes as such a surprise.

“What the fuck, Klav? That thing I said to the book wench was just a joke, I know you don’t have her—”

“You’ve been messing with Machi! You idiot! What the fuck is wrong with you? He’s a kid!”

“He’s a teenager. Don’t you remember what it was like when we were his age?”

The rage on Klavier’s face is beyond his typical bitch fit. Frankly, it scares Daryan a bit. “I didn’t think you’d actually do it. You’re a creep sometimes, Daryan, and you have awful taste, but I didn’t think you’d be this stupid. What makes you think it’s okay to do that to him?”

“The fact that he likes it? The fact that—”

Klavier raises a hand, cutting him off. “You know what, no. I don’t want to hear your excuses. You’re exploiting him. Lamiroir took him in to get him away from people who would take advantage of him like that.”

“I’m not taking advantage of him! It’s mutual, I promise. I’m not that big of a creep!”

He’s not, is he? Can’t Klavier see how beautiful Machi is? How impossible it is for Daryan to resist him?

“Then tell me, Daryan, what is Machi getting out of your relations? Do you think you’re such hot stuff that it’s not going to mess with him, the fact you’re someone he’s supposed to work with and trust? Or do you think maybe he’s young and confused and you’re abusing him?” Klavier always has such an issue with that word, abuse. He spits it out so knowingly.

“I – but he… he’s fine.”

“I warned you not to do anything that would mess with the band. I’m going to trust you not to embarrass me for that, and ask you to end things with Machi. I know you’re not trying to hurt him, but with someone that young it’s just too ambiguous for everyone involved. Lamiroir’s pretty upset as it is.”

“What? You told her?”

“She’s the one who figured out Machi was fucking around with someone. Said he came out of the practice room absolutely reeking of sex. I’m the one who put together it was your dumb ass.”

Daryan’s dumbfounded.

“No matter what your excuses are for this, it has to stop before we get back to the US. If someone finds out about you two, you could be arrested. I could be arrested for letting it happen, we all could be in really hot water.” Klavier’s calmed a little now. Maybe Daryan’s reaction has soothed him a little. Maybe he thinks he can keep a lid on this impending disaster.

Klavier shoves his hands in his pockets and walks away. Daryan almost feels sorry for him for a second, the way the way the man seems to take everything onto his shoulders. Then he remembers it’s Klavier, who laughs at him when he’s weak and bosses him around about his sex life.

Klavier’s a jackass who needs to mind his own business.


But his words stick with Daryan. He visits Machi in his room. He’s reading the book Daryan bought him. Daryan’s overjoyed to see this, but doesn’t let it show on his face.

“How’re you liking it so far?” Daryan sits down next to Machi on the bed. Machi’s cute, lying on his stomach with his knees bent, heels kicking idly as he reads.

“It’s good,” says Machi. “I’ve read it before.”

“I should’ve known that you’ve already read a book about a guy who runs off with his teenage stepdaughter.”

Machi hasn’t looked up from his book. “That’s not what it’s about.”

“Then what is it about?”

“I think it’s about how a man destroys his dream by trying to possess it.”

“Wow.” For once, the silence doesn’t threaten Daryan. He’s not worried about falling into it, not desperate to fill it with any sort of noise. He likes Machi like this, sweet and relaxed, almost smiling. “You’re a deep one. Reading bores the shit out of me.”

Machi shrugs, turning a page of his book. Daryan strokes his back, cautiously at first, as if he’s scared to interrupt. Machi makes a very soft, pleasant noise, so Daryan decides to continue. “Machi. Can I ask you something?”

“…Within reason.”

“What do you really want? Like, most in the world?”

Machi considers his reply carefully, just like always. “Money. And lots of it. Fast.”

“Why?”

Machi reads his book and ignores Daryan’s question.

“Money, huh?” Daryan ponders this for a while, rubbing small circles over Machi’s back. “I think I might know a way to come by that.”