[UshiTen: Just another rainy day in Paris]

Part 17

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Tendō could not believe his eyes – meeting someone from his past in such an unlikely location was almost impossible. But the chance meeting made his heart sting a little; he realized he didn't want to meet people from his past. Even if they had been his friends.

In reality, Anne-Marié had been the closest thing to a best friend he had had in France. Most people had looked at him strangely, because he was an Asian, and the French were notorious xenophobes – he had known this to be a fact, and he had really worried about going there to work... But this particular woman had always been friendly with him, and when nobody else cared, she was actually someone who supported him and gave him advice about his ill-matched marriage that has ended only 10 months later, probably – mercifully so.

He owed her a lot. This was why now he let himself be hugged, and he let himself be separated from Wakatoshi-kun's delicious embrace.

French came back to him quickly, after listening to her sincerely over-the-top exclamations about how good he was looking now.

- Ah, my boy! I am glad to see your rosy cheeks again! It's been so long, Sato-ray! You never call! – she pouted now, but her fingers were pinching on his cheeks, quite hard.

He laughed, and just chirped back:

- I've been a little busy lately, honey! But I never forgot you! No! I miss you! I miss Paris! How's the restaurant doing?

There was a flow of very fast speech now, giving all the news for the last 7-8 years in one, or maybe two sentences, Satori wasn't too sure. But it made him laugh out loud, this was so typical! Yet, all the happy news somehow faded when he turned around a little, and saw Wakatoshi's frowning face.

He bit his lips. His English wasn't too good, and he knew that Wakatoshi spoke no French, plus, his friend only knew a couple of words in English herself. He had to make this quick, it was super awkward for almost everybody present.

- So, imagine seeing you here! Sato-ray! We thought he could just come take pictures of the ducks! Haha! Oww... and imagine seeing you here with.... Mmmm...

Anne-Marié peeked over his shoulder, now gawking at Wakatoshi's tall and slender figure, devouring him with her eyes, from head to toe, despite his quite ominous and displeased expression.

- Ah... - Satori blushed. – He... We are just friends. – he smiled nervously now.

The woman shook with laughter now, slapping her hand on his shoulder quite heavily.

- Ayyye, I saw! The way the two of you were hugging??? Yea, I saw that, Sato-ray-san! Hahaha!

Tendō blushed. But he thought it had been a good thing, probably, that they had not kissed. The conversation would have been a bit different then, maybe.

Yet, Anne-Marié had no trouble in that area, it seemed.

- So? You like the boys now? Nice, nice! He is... mmmm... truly tasty! I envy you, Sato-ray, baby! Is he good in bed too?! Oh, mon Dieu! To have a lover like this! Lucky you!!!

She now looked him up and down too, trying to imagine the two of them together, the two of them – naked. Her cheeks were flushed with pleasure, this was some excellent gossip!

- No... it's not like this. – Satori tried to defend himself, and also – Ushijima-san's honor.

- No??? Why??? You are both healthy, pretty and young! What's wrong?! Are you perhaps ill??? – she now wondered loudly, but there was some concern in her voice nonetheless.