Pokerface - 6. Fish

The sexual frustration for the rest of the day was maddening. Chip was now effectively living in Seth's head rent-free. He was an arrogant, free-spirited, playful little bastard. Unfortunately, Seth had always loved that sort of thing. Training the cockiness out of young, handsome twinks was his forte. The young man had been eager to mess around. Trade blowjobs and get physical. Seth took a gamble on taking it further that, expecting to seduce Chip with his patented alpha male approach, but he came up short, and now he had no idea where the two stood. Chip seemed to like the idea of power dynamics. After all, he'd done everything he could to get Seth's attention, but when Seth laid down the rules, Chip decided he didn't want to play after all. Or was it part of the game?

Seth Nakamura was a man who knew what he wanted and rarely failed to get it. Grindr, Scruff, Fetlife and Manhunt were full of submissive twinks who couldn't wait to have their wrists cuffed, their necks bit and their holes filled. If one didn't like Seth's rough style, then another one would. But this was a two-week cruise, and Seth's options were limited. There were a few twinks that caught his eye, though he had doubts that they were sexually interested in men. Seth's vanity wasn't for nothing, after all, and if their eyes didn't linger on his well-groomed body, he didn't usually pursue them. Glenn wasn't talking to him at the moment, but he could never stay away for long. Still, Seth wasn't interested in Glenn right now. He wanted that boy. Chip. And Chip knew it and used it against him. Of course, that only made Seth want him more!

It did seem a little odd to come to a world-class poker tournament on a cruise ship and elect to play Blackjack instead, but Seth badly needed a distraction. He wasn't huge on Blackjack, but Natalie Payne was, and she was one of the very few people he considered an equal. Perhaps she was still better than him, even. Lydia and Nash Ryder, Australian twins both with a taste for cards, were with them as well. Individually, Seth had beaten them both several times in tournaments, yet if they were at the same table, they seemed to feed each other nerve, confidence and cunning, and Seth always ended up with no chips before either one of them. A lot of people thought the two had an intricate system of funnelling chips between them or that they could read each other's minds. Seth didn't believe it so, but it was remarkable how they brought out the best in each other. He had a great relationship with his own sister, but he didn't imagine he'd enjoy spending two weeks with her like this.

"You young'uns need to settle down while you're still young enough to have families," Natalie croaked after a sip of her aged cognac with a shaky hand. "You children aren't going to be children much longer! Playing cards instead of making a family. Lydia, your eggs are dying!"

"Josh and I will be ready when we're ready," Lydia told her patiently. It wasn't the first time she had to defend her reproductive system from the older woman's judgment.

"What about you boys, then?" Natalie was partial to distracting her competition with relentless chatter, even if they were her dearest friends.

"My eggs are doing just fine, Ms Payne," Nash flashed a cheeky grin, and Seth snorted through his nose.

"And you? You're not off the hook because you're gay, young man! When are you going to give me grandchildren?" Natalie poked Seth with an old, quivering finger.

"I don't think it's in the cards, Nat. Speaking of, would you play yours for me?" Seth didn't like the conversation much, so he redirected her.

"Young people. You think you have all the time in the world," Natalie droned on, hitting the dealer and getting the four of clubs. "Before you know it, you'll be nearing ninety with tumors in your lungs."

It wasn't as though Seth had never entertained the idea of having a family. In his twenties, he often had dreams of two, three or four young children to raise and spoil and love. At least one son and one daughter. He wanted to see them grow up and become unique people. To watch, fascinated and proud, as his lackadaisical son naively chose to pursue video games for a living rather than go to university and become a surgeon. To witness, delighted and impressed, his daughter defying expectations and throwing herself into hockey and volleyball. It wasn't to be, though. He buried that dream long ago. He adored his nieces as though they were his own, though. Clara had three gorgeous daughters. She wouldn't let him spoil them, but he did use his money to provide the best education they could ever hope for, and that was enough.

He turned his head when someone else joined their table, sitting to his right. Glenn McIntosh himself. Latin, incredibly well-kept and naturally gorgeous. He had eyes that melted even Seth's tired heart, round and brown, and a smile of such perfect pearly-white that it was impossible not to want to smile back. He was desperate for Seth to replace his old, withered sugar daddy - Winston McIntosh. Seth admitted to himself that he had indeed grown fond of Glenn during their extended affair, even if he'd prefer Glenn not knowing that. His body was perfect, a gorgeous hybrid of lean twink and athletic jock. Glenn McIntosh based his livelihood off being beautiful. His old husband gave him anything he could ever want - except perhaps the hard fuck he craved. Seth took excellent care of himself too, but his brand of vanity had a more narcissistic flair to it rather than business. He didn't need to land a husband. He only liked the way Glenn looked at him.

And Chip? Well, Seth couldn't stop thinking about him. And the young man knew it, no doubt. He was always a step ahead. Still, Seth wasn't going to budge. If they were going to be involved together in some way, he needed to show the southern gentleman who was boss between them. That was just how things were.

"You're Winston's young fellow, aren't you?" Natalie croaked. She didn't like the old man, and he didn't like her. She beat him every time they played on the same table, and Winston wasn't a good loser. "Shouldn't you be with him? Where is he today?"

"Oh, he doesn't need me to watch him play the slots for hours on end. Besides, I'm playing cards this year. I won't be a cheerleader this time," the Latin beauty replied with a charming smile. "How are you, Madam Payne? Mr and Mrs Ryder, good morning. And Mr Nakamura."

When Natalie ignored him, Lydia jumped in.

"You're going to be playing in the tournament? I didn't realise you had an interest in Poker," she remarked, and Seth watched Glenn closely as he talked with her.

"I thought I'd join in the fun for once! Though I am certainly no match for any of you card sharks here. With any luck, I'll survive at least a few hands. Winston has been coaching me himself, so I should at least beat a few of the scrubs," Glenn simpered, the cerulean sunrays from the coloured skylight above shining off his lip gloss.

"You, mate? Well, good luck. There's plenty of fish on the boat this time around," Nash chuckled, sharing a patronising look with his twin sister. They obviously didn't take him seriously.

"I think I'll read my book," Seth decided after he lost his fourth game in a row, shooting the dealer an appreciative nod and tipping her with a one-thousand-dollar chip. "Excuse me."

"Not feeling the cards today, precious?" Natalie put her hand on his and smiled up at him. "No matter. I'll see you at dinner."

"Will you now?" Seth leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. "You can count on it, Nat. Good luck. Don't lose all your money before we meet at the finals, you guys. I want to bankrupt you myself."

"Yeah, yeah, fuck off out of here, you smug bastard," Nash threw his arm out and thumped Seth fondly on the back. "Don't bother talking big. Whether you beat me or I beat you, you and I already know Nat's going to sweep us both."

Seth gave him a genuine laugh, tossing his tight ponytail back over his shoulder. The Japanese man walked briskly to his cabin, whistling to the tune of Patience by Guns 'n' Roses, one of his favourite songs. Already half erect, he unlocked his door, pausing as he glimpsed the locked cabin across the corridor and he felt his heart skip a beat. The feeling of longing wasn't unfamiliar, but it had been so long since Seth experienced it. It didn't make him comfortable at all.

Don't be stupid. He doesn't care about you. Get a grip.

He was surprised at himself as he sat on the foot of his lavish king-sized bed and put his face into his hands. Pining over somebody like this. Pathetic. Boys didn't want his tenderness. Nor did they deserve it. A knock on the door disturbed his brooding, and he felt that familiar excitement running through him. Had Chip come back? Had he changed his mind or was he looking to exchange some more sexually charged banter? Either way, all of Seth's determination to keep a wedge between the two of them disappeared in a heartbeat as he opened the door. He was disappointed.

"Hey," Glenn quickly stepped inside before Seth could refuse him. "I don't know how long I have, so let's skip the foreplay."

"No. I'm not in the mood," Seth told him bluntly and coldly, opening the door up wide. "Get out."

"Excuse me?" Glenn frowned at him indignantly. "If you're not in the mood then so be it, but you don't have to be a dick. Besides, I thought you wanted me to come."

"Why would you think that?"

"Wasn't that a signal? Leaving the game to read your book?" Glenn approached him cheekily, putting his pampered hands on Seth's expensive pearl-coloured waistcoat. "I thought you only said that to let me know you'd be in here. Alone."

Seth knew the boy was arrogant, but this was a step over the line. "Well, you thought wrong. Remarkably, not everything is about you. Don't touch me. Besides, you're angry at me, or did you forget?"

Glenn, annoyed, took his hands away. "I want to fuck."

Seth, sensing that this might escalate and give him away as the man cuckolding the mighty Winston Fry, shut the door, but this only reinforced Glenn's delusional thinking that Seth couldn't resist him. The boy was so egomaniacal that he didn't think for a moment that the obsession ran the other way. Seth had to use his strength to shove Glenn away from him when the boy brazenly began to unbutton the Japanese man's waistcoat.

"You're going to fuck me," Glenn snapped at him, his petulant mood shifting.

"Don't you have a husband for that?"

"It never bothered you before."

"Well, it bothers me now!" Seth turned his voice low and dangerous. He was getting mad. "I said no. I'm not consenting to this. You're trespassing, and if you don't voluntarily leave in the next ten seconds, I'll throw you out myself."

"Then I'll tell Winston about our affair," Glenn told him pettily, smirking at him. "He won't be happy with you."

Seth grimaced. That didn't sound good. Was Glenn that determined to get his way? Sure, the old man would be angry that his boy toy strayed, but he'd be looking for Seth's blood for daring to defile his property. On the other hand, Seth had his pride. He was always in control. Emotions. Poker. Boys. Everything he did, he made sure he remained firmly behind the wheel. To have that potentially ripped from him by a spoiled brat was upsetting.

He looked firmly into Glenn's beautiful brown eyes. No. It was only a threat, Seth decided. He'd stake his reputation on it.

"Get out," he opened the door up one last time. "Now."

Seth saw something that he hadn't expected. Donny, Lester and pretty boy Chip were leaving the boy's cabin opposite Seth's. Furthermore, Glenn took advantage of this moment to kiss Seth on the lips. Though Seth shoved him off angrily, the two straight boys outside whooped and taunted him like the idiots they were, while Chip shot him an interested, but cold look. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck! Seth, humiliated, pushed Glenn out of his cabin as quickly as he could and slammed the door behind him, ignoring the chorus of laughter that followed him as best he could.

He scolded himself for letting his guard down. That was a stupid thing to do.

"What's your favourite thing about me?" Reiji asked him, snuggled up under his lover's arm and writhing in joy as Seth gently caressed the sweet spot between his shoulder blades with well-manicured nails.

"How do I choose just one?" The older man purred, placing gentle kisses on his sweetheart's beautiful face. "I love the way you scrunch up your nose before you sneeze. I love the way your hair sticks to your face when you work out. I love the way you laugh when you think something is especially funny. I love the way you completely drown your tonkatsu in the sauce. Enough sauce for fifty tonkatsu! And I love the way you smile in your sleep when you have a good dream."

Sorry about the delay.