Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the story idea and only some of the witty remarks. I own so little; so please don't steal.

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"Shintarou, will you accompany me to one of my father's banquets?" Akashi asks. It is one late afternoon after a long meeting discussing the current status and future of the Teiko Middle School basketball team. Midorima, being team vice-captain, is responsible for keeping the files and organizing them. He carefully places each manila folder, filled with notes and records of each player on the team – first, second, and third strings – back in their alphabetical order in the silver filing cabinet. The Generation of Miracles, due to their consistent reoccurrence in strategizing and analysis, have their special place in the front. Midorima brushes his wrapped fingers against Akashi's file.

"What do you mean?" he asks finally, not turning around to look at the captain, sitting regally at the table behind him. He hears Akashi shift.

"My father is having a business banquet next week," Akashi says, and it draws up images of fancy cocktail dresses and waiters dressed to the nines. The Akashi family is one of the most, if not the most, prestigious families connected to Teiko Academy. Midorima sometimes comes across Akashi's name in the news about overseas trade. Occasionally there are formal photographs and Akashi's somber face stares up at him, pixelated and impersonal as he stands next to his family. "I am to bring a plus-one, and I would like you to come with me."

"I am sure you have girls in our class that would make a better partner to this event than me," Midorima answers, sliding a folder with a corner of another to make room. The sound of paper on paper is steady.

"The girls in our class would only embarrass me," Akashi says levelly. "I want you to come with me, Shintarou." Midorima finally turns around; Akashi is leaning back on the plastic folding chair and looking outside. "My sister will also be in attendance."

It's a bribe, and they both know it. Midorima adjusts his glasses. When he first meets Akashi's family – as it is both good manners and good industry to introduce your business partner to the family, be it monetary business or basketball – he is stiffly polite to Akashi's older sister, which leads to Akashi's belief that Midorima has a weakness for older women. And it's true; it's not because older women are more sexually mature than the girls in their class – though that certainly isn't a bad thing – but older women are more aware of themselves and make much better conversational partners.

"Please take care of me, then," Midorima surrenders.

[=]

The banquet is a black-tie affair. Akashi comments about how Midorima's choice of attire is too informal a few days before the event. Though, if the nicest pair of slacks he owns along with his father's best blazer he's grown into is "informal", Midorima would rather have Akashi say his outfit is too "cheap". It's clear that this is the other meaning after Akashi brings him to a tailor to get a suit made. Midorima stands and allows himself to be measured, grinding his teeth all the while. He sees Akashi hand the tailor a credit card and no mention of payment is ever made.

"It looks good on you, Shintarou," Akashi says, smiling gracefully after everything is fitted and put into place. The material is stiff and feels unnatural; Midorima isn't a slob when it comes to his clothes, but a three-piece suit is a whole other animal. He can't really get over the fact that Akashi has bought it for him; he doesn't have the money on him to purchase it after seeing the price in passing, and he knows Akashi will not accept his money. Midorima feels awfully like a display doll, standing straight in front of Akashi, who analyzes him carefully to pass his father's standards.

When Midorima puts the suit on again at his own house, it feels so strange again, like he's putting on new skin. He's dressed to impress before, of course, because that's natural in society. It doesn't feel like himself this time, though; maybe because the name on these clothes is worth more than everything in his room. It irritates him still that he owes Akashi for this – he hates being in debt to anyone.

Akashi shows up right on the dot at 6:30 in a company car and offers a nice wrapped gift to Midorima's mother in exchange for taking her son for the night. He comes up just in time to see Midorima fiddling his black silk tie. Akashi is dressed in the same formality as his three-piece suit, although there is a red carnation pinned to his lapel. "I got you this," he says, brandishing a green rose. "Self-respect and well being. I thought of you."

"Thank you," Midorima says, because he ought to. Akashi sets the rose on his desk and crosses right over to him in front of the mirror.

"One would think you've never tied a tie in your life," Akashi sighs, batting Midorima's hands away from his neck with the same force he uses to dismiss others not worthy of his time. He ties the tie in seconds flat and Midorima admires his fingers, deftly forming a tie's knot and securing it around his collar. He watches Akashi's fingers again as they pin the green rose to his lapel. His captain's hand is heavy as it rests against his breast pocket. "You look good, Shintarou," Akashi says again, though softer this time.

They arrive early because Akashi is his father's son. Akashi's father is domineering as always, hovering around the pockets of guests that have already arrived. He pays his son a nod and gives Midorima an approving look; Akashi's father had liked him from the start, despite his status as "middle class".

"I'm happy you came with my brother," Akashi's sister says when they meet her at the refreshments table. She is looking gorgeous for the night in a dark crimson cocktail gown, her hair done up in the fanciest of styles. Midorima feels his heart skip a beat but it isn't becoming to stare.

"Himeko-san," Midorima greets ("Call me Himeko," she said at their first meeting when she held his hand a little longer than he expected. "You call my brother by our family name; it would be strange to do the same for me, right?"). She smiles and pats him on the cheek before waltzing off across the floor to her own plus-one, a handsome young man who offers her his arm.

"Consider yourself paid," Akashi says.

"That was hardly payment," Midorima protests. But Akashi never brings him to Himeko again, and she never comes up to talk to him of her own accord. Instead, he shows Midorima to his father's friends, talking up his modest accomplishments and making Midorima feel eerily like a display. It's all he can do to humbly reject all the compliments that come his way and by 7:15 he's feeling tired.

"Buck up," Akashi murmurs as they cross the floor for the uncountable time. "We have a long night ahead of ourselves."

Somehow it's slipped that Midorima plays the piano. "Oh?" says a charmed woman with several gold rings around her fingers. "Could you play a little something for us?" There's a grand piano at the front of the banquet room. Midorima knows that Akashi and his sister only have a fundamental grasp at the instrument, and that the piano's presence is only there to display sophistication and wealth. It's a Bosendorfer. Akashi gives his nod of consent and Midorima has no choice but to entertain the room of guests.

Midorima likes piano recitals. They're relaxing for him. Some people get bent out of shape and anxious playing in front of a crowd, but he enjoys it. He is one with the music and everyone watching can appreciate. But here, he thinks as he begins to play, he is no one in their eyes; he is the object that belongs to the only son of the Akashi empire. If he makes a mistake, it isn't his head on the line, but Akashi's, so he plays it perfectly.

"My son keeps the most elite of company," he hears Akashi's father boom when he finishes the piece and the room offers him ample applause. Akashi only smiles wanly and slips out of the room when he doesn't think Midorima is looking.

Midorima manages to slink out of the banquet room, thought he really doesn't have to because after the piano fiasco, no one even looks at him again. Akashi is standing next to the door and Midorima thinks he may have been waiting. "What's wrong," he asks, though it isn't really asking because his tone doesn't shift. Akashi has his back against the wall and his eyes down. "We should go back in before your father notices you're gone."

"Come with me," Akashi says, and walks down the hallway completely ignoring Midorima's point. Something tells him he should go back in the banquet hall, but there's no one waiting for him there. He's nobody in Akashi's father's eyes without Akashi and Himeko only is polite to him because he's her brother's friend. He may be middle class, but he isn't stupid. Midorima follows Akashi into a dark, empty room down the corridor. It looks to be a bit of a study, perhaps a mini library by the looks of all the shelves of books. "My tie is too tight," Akashi speaks into the empty room. "Take it off for me, Shintarou."

Midorima crosses the space between them and slips his finger into the silk knot and pulls it slowly from Akashi's neck. It hangs around his collar for a moment before falling onto the floor. "It's hot," Akashi says, looking up at him with eyes Midorima can't really see clearly in the darkness. The window to the room is open and the stars provide scant light. The door is slightly ajar. "Take my jacket off."

Midorima knows where this is all going when Akashi commands him to slide off his waistcoat, and all his doubts are put to rest when Akashi pulls him down and kisses him, although it feels awfully impersonal. Akashi allows Midorima to strip him completely and fuck him into the sleek, leather couch. Akashi grips at him and bites his lip when Midorima thrusts, but the way the boy stares almost longingly at the slightly open door indicates – he wants to be caught. He wants the door to fly open and his father to look disapprovingly at them. Akashi wants to be caught and to be marked the black sheep of the family. Midorima doesn't understand but it's not in his place so he keeps at it until they both come. He's surprised Akashi does, from the apathetic face he keeps the entire time.

"I won't tell anyone," Midorima says as he's looping his tie back around his neck. Akashi dresses himself with startling speed and accuracy. He's halfway out the door when Midorima blurts this out. He doesn't know why he has to say it; of course he won't.

"I don't care if you do," Akashi answers stiffly, and leaves Midorima to make himself presentable again alone.

Midorima cleans up neatly after themselves and finds Akashi's red carnation behind the couch, almost crushed. It's a dark red, upon further inspection, which the light from the hallway shows. Red flowers are a universal symbol, but what it is Akashi is yearning for escapes Midorima. The rich have always baffled him. Even in their moment of intimacy, he feels Akashi is still out of his reach, though he doesn't know if this is intentional for Akashi and he himself doesn't know if he wants to close his hands around him. A part of him wants to crush the flower in his fist, but he eases his fingers before he can do that and goes to find Akashi.

[=]

Note: Social status is something that really intrigues me...I went to an "elite" prep school for high school, coming from a middle class family, and I thought it was interesting to see the kinds of people I saw there...it was all single gender and watching the differences in the girls' personalities that seemed to vary from familial wealth was enlightening. I really think there's a social status issue in the AkaMido pairing besides the 'I am always right' demeanor of Akashi...the forbidden romance between the emperor and his servant is also delicious...sorry, I'll stop drooling now...