The manga 'Loveless and all of the characters mentioned in this story belong, of course, to Yun Kouga. I merely play with them for my own amusement! Warning for slight OOCness...

Waiting for Ritsu

Minami Ritsu came to with a groan- his head was throbbing- and forced his eyes open with some difficulty. The expanse of a plain white ceiling came into view. It was the same ceiling that could be found in any of the rooms in Seven Voices Academy, including his own- but this ceiling didn't belong to his room. As he looked around at the blurry room surrounding him, Ritsu rapidly realized three things: he wasn't wearing his glasses; he was in Sagan Nagisa's bedroom and...he was gagged and tied down to her bed. His green eyes widened as he realized this last fact with shock, tugging futilely at the rope that bound his wrists to her bedposts.

"Ah," came a familiar female voice, "I see you're awake."

Ritsu turned his head to look at a fuzzy version of Nagisa, standing in the doorway in her long buttoned up white lab coat. As he saw her he remembered having been in the scientist's laboratory, his head bowed over one of her latest research reports, when he had felt a sharp stab of pain in the back of his neck. His last memory had been of involuntarily sinking to the floor and into the waiting arms of darkness.

Good Lord, he thought, she must have drugged me...It could be worse. At least I'm still dressed and she doesn't have scalpel in her hand.

"You were out for a while," Nagisa continued casually in her perpetually too youthful sounding voice, closing the door behind her and crossing the room to sit in an overstuffed arm chair by the window, "I was beginning to think that you were going sleep all evening. Did you have a good rest?" Ritsu's green eyes just burned into hers and she chuckled. "Sorry, I guess you can't really talk right now."

The man firmly willed away any alarm he had felt upon waking. Ritsu's body visibly relaxed, reclining comfortably on his captor's bed, as he locked his gaze calmly and expectantly on his colleague's face.

So, his expression seemed to challenge, now that you have me, what are you going to do with me?

Nagisa stared back at him in silence, a hint of a smirk on her pretty face as she took in the sight of the almighty Minami Ritsu tied to her bed, with that sharp tongue of his gagged for once. She felt familiar warmth spreading over her cheeks as she gazed at her prize in pleasure. Nagisa knew that this would likely bite her in the ass later but for now she pushed all thoughts of the repercussions out of her mind. She could cross that bridge when she came to it. Right now, all she could think of was the fact that the indomitable, unattainable Ritsu was tied, completely helpless, to her bed. His show of being completely at ease, not concerned in the least by her or his current situation and his challenging expression only served to turn her on more.

Nagisa crossed her legs contentedly and neatly folded her hands together, placing them on her knee. Now that she was finally the one in control she had no intention of wasting this opportunity or rushing it. She allowed herself to study the man freely for the first time in all the years she had known him. She had always denied to herself and to others the attraction, and dare she say it- love -which she had always felt towards Ritsu; but now that ship had sailed thanks to her impulsive actions.

Tonight, Nagisa decided, she would do what she wanted and let the chips fall where they may. She didn't care anymore what that stubborn Ritsu or anyone else thought!

Ritsu's intense emerald gaze bored into her and she marvelled at finally being able to admire his eyes without those damn glasses obstructing his face. She had removed them when he had sunk into unconsciousness on the cold white tiles of her lab, folding them carefully and setting them aside. The forcefulness of his gaze, the deep green hue of his eyes and the long, dark lashes that framed them thrilled her to no end. His straight, fine silver-blue hair framed his delicate jaw so beautifully that she wanted nothing more than to run her fingers through it. Her violet eyes took in his handsome features with delight, mentally tracing his distinctive jaw line, his high, pale cheekbones, his fine, straight nose and the tempting curve of his lips (even obscured as it was by the gag she had placed in his mouth). Nagisa forced herself to tear her lingering eyes from Ritsu's lips- there would be plenty of time for that later. She let her gaze wander over the pale, exposed flesh of his throat made visible by the open collar of his white dress shirt and at the tightening of her stomach stopped right there. She couldn't stand it anymore!

Nagisa stood up abruptly, internally cursing herself for her impatience. She had wanted to take her time but... oh well. She had never been known for her patience, anyway. The petite azure-haired woman approached the bed cautiously. She hadn't tied down Ritsu's legs and while she didn't really think the irritable man would kick her, she was still wary.

Ritsu's eyes followed her movements, giving off the air of already being bored. Nagisa felt her mouth twitching in annoyance and forced herself to stay calm. She could read him so well that he was almost as provoking mute as he was when he could speak.

Oh, I'm boring you, am I? She thought furiously. You jerk! Well, let's see how long you can stay that way! If he could talk he would probably be telling me in his most patronizing manner that while he wouldn't mind staying out of idle curiosity, he really has to go back to work.

Ritsu's gaze drifted indifferently to the ceiling as he felt the bed beside him shift against her slight weight.

Nagisa decided to look at the man's deliberately apathetic response as a boon in disguise. It would be a lot easier for her to gather up her nerve without those penetrating eyes on her. Hesitating for a moment, Nagisa forced a slightly trembling hand out towards Ritsu and lightly brushed a few strands of silver-blue hair out of his face. His hair was a bit dishevelled from having collapsed beneath the strength of the shot of heavy tranquilizer that Nagisa had given and long strands had fallen adorably and haphazardly all over his face. She gently combed her fingers through his silver locks, straightening them. Even after Nagisa had gotten Ritsu's hair looking more presentable she continued to stroke it, admiring its softness. The silver strands slid through her fingers like silk.

She sighed, murmuring, "Such pretty hair..." Ritsu's head turned to look at her at these softly spoken words that sounded more like she was thinking aloud to herself than speaking to him. The man raised an eyebrow and she blushed. "Well, you do." Nagisa admitted with a small smile. "It's just too bad that your manners aren't nearly as pretty as your hair!" At this she gave a lock a sharp yank and was pleased to see Ritsu wince slightly. He gave her a questioning look and tried to speak unsuccessfully around the gag.

Nagisa put her index finger over his obstructed mouth, "No, no...I don't want to hear anything you have to say right now! Or possibly ever." Nagisa stood up, unbuttoning her lab coat to reveal white lace dress she wore beneath and kicking off her heels before kneeling on the bed. Gazing down at him intently, the slender woman moved smoothly to straddle the bound man's waist. Her knees spread apart on either side of Ritsu's slim waist, Nagisa made herself comfortable, sitting down on the tautness of his stomach. She smirked at Ritsu's surprised expression.

Oh, you're watching me now, aren't you? Nagisa thought gloatingly.

"You arrogant bastard," she drawled, letting her hands rest on his button-down-dress-shirt-covered-ribs, "I have to say I like you like this." She ran her hands up his chest slowly as she leaned forward, finally placing her hands on either side of his face and lowered herself until her face was mere inches from his.

Ritsu's eyes were riveted on the woman sitting on top of him, feeling the warmth of her breath against his cheek and the heat of her body pressed to his stomach radiating against him. A part of Ritsu wanted to close his eyes against Nagisa's sudden proximity but he didn't allow himself to do this. Just because she had gone so far as to gag him didn't mean he was about to give her the reprieve of not having to look at him. Also, he couldn't deny that he was strangely curious to know what this childish woman wanted to do to him. And if she would be any good at it, he thought with a glance at her earless head. Of course, there was also the fact that he hadn't been with anyone for over three years- hadn't wanted to be.

No one since Soubi-kun, Ritsu thought with an involuntary pang, his body tensing at the thought. Despite his earlier intention, Ritsu broke his stare with Nagisa to look away at the wall and close his eyes in spite of himself.

Nagisa felt Ritsu's whole body tense beneath her as a pained expression ghosted across his features and he looked away from her, closing his eyes. She froze, stiffening in the face of his apparent rejection. She suddenly felt incredibly embarrassed and shifted awkwardly, wanting to get off of him as quickly as she could but also wanting to stay right where she was. When would she ever have this chance again? Ritsu would never trust her enough to turn his back on her ever again. She really ought to just keep going and trust to his male instincts to subdue whatever refrain he was feeling but...

Nagisa sighed in frustration, reaching to pull the gag out of his mouth before she could let herself think better of it, "Ritsu?" she asked a bit timidly, "What's wrong?...Do you..." Nagisa began awkwardly, feeling tears burning in her eyes as she looked away, "Do you want me to get off?"

Ritsu turned his head, about to say 'yes, please do', when he saw the tears glimmering in her eyes. He paused, uncertainly, "Nagisa..." She stiffened; crimson cheeked, and tearfully began to rise. "Uh, hold on..." he said awkwardly, wondering what the hell he was doing, "That...that isn't necessary."

Nagisa paused uneasily on her knees, staring at him with wide and confused eyes. "But you..." she began, trailing off, unable to continue. A tear ran silently down her cheek and she roughly wiped it away, embarrassed.

"That...that wasn't about you," Ritsu admitted quietly, "So there's no need for you to be upset...Unless, of course, it's a result of feeling shame for having done this to me." He chuckled, jerking one of his bound wrists, and Nagisa's eyes widened, "What were you thinking? Have you lost your mind?"

He laughed and his captor felt her cheeks blazing. She grumbled, "You're taking this better than I expected. I think I may have given you too high a dose of that tranquilizer..."

Ritsu regarded her curiously, "A tranquilizer? That...might explain why it feels like the bed is spinning."

Nagisa looked at him nervously, still perched precariously over him, "The effects should wear off in a few hours...Did you mean what you said?"

"What I said?" he repeated a bit dazedly. Yeah, she had definitely overdosed him.

"Um..." She began awkwardly, "You said I didn't need to move and that...uh, your reaction wasn't to me."

"Ah." Ritsu said simply, nodding in remembrance.

Nagisa twisted her hands together agitatedly, "So if you don't...don't want me to move...what do you want me to do?"

He twisted his head to look at one of his bound wrists. "Why ask me?" Ritsu asked blithely, "You're the one who has me in bondage. I thought you were in charge."

She gaped at him and tried to gather her shattered nerve again, "Uh...yes, you're right. I am the one in charge... So, if your reaction wasn't about me...I'm sure I don't even have to ask! You were thinking about Soubi, weren't you?" Nagisa demanded tersely.

Ritsu's expression became sombre. He knew Soubi would always be a sore subject between them and he didn't really want to get into another argument with her. Especially not when he was tied to Nagisa's bed and she had access to all manner of deadly drugs and surgical tools in her lab!

"Actually," he replied carefully, "I was more thinking about what I've been doing since Soubi...and I realized that that hasn't been much. I've...I suppose I've been throwing myself into my work."

"Throwing yourself?" Nagisa exclaimed. "Drowning yourself, you mean!" Ritsu was silent. "...Well, you're not working now! I won't let you!"

"Oh?" he asked with a smirk, amused. "Then what do you mean to do with me?"

Nagisa slowly lowered herself back to her former position with a blush, "I...I thought I might continue if...if you don't mind."

Ritsu shrugged, disinterestedly and Nagisa knew he was playing with her again, "If that's what you want."

She frowned and reached out turn his face to meet hers squarely, "It is...but only if you want to be here...with me. I'm not interested in being your rebound, Ritsu. I haven't waited all these years for whatever bit of yourself you feel like tossing to me. I know it's probably impossible, but I want all of you, even...even the broken parts...and I...I won't accept anything less. So, you decide. If you think you can give yourself to me, then stay, but if not...I'll untie your hands and you can leave."

Nagisa exhaled sharply, having just barely gotten out the words that were all the more difficult to verbalize for their complete honesty. She hadn't meant to say any of these things at all! She had finally snapped beneath the weight of years of pent up frustration and irritation during yet another bickering match with Ritsu in the lab, in which he had made many depreciating remarks in that cold, quiet manner of his- the last of which was to comment on the truly nauseating ability of her pretty lace dress. Before she had mentally registered it her hands were reaching of their own accord with unfailing steadiness to seize a syringe and a small clear vial of liquid tranquilizer. After Nagisa had filled it with enough medication to send a small elephant to its knees in dizziness- never mind a tall but slightly underweight man- she stabbed it right into the back of Ritsu's slender and unsuspecting neck!

As her colleague had cried out in surprise at the sudden sharp pain, grabbing the back of his neck in alarm, he had turned towards her struggling to remain to his feet before eventually sinking to the floor and into unconsciousness. Nagisa had initially stood frozen, her mind white with panic- both at how long it felt like it was taking for him to pass out and then anxiety at how quickly and how hard Ritsu had collapsed to the ground. Perhaps she had been too overzealous in the dose that she had given him! If Ritsu slipped into a coma and didn't wake up Nagisa knew her life was forfeit...then again, even if he did wake up it was still forfeit. Ritsu would kill her! She was screwed either way, really. Nagisa decided she may as well go for broke and take advantage of his vulnerability while she still could!

And now, for to her to have thrown away her last chance with her foolishly honest words! She hadn't even known herself the extent of her feelings- she had held up her front of hatred before her and in her mind like a shield for so long that she had never admitted such thoughts even to herself- but even as they came out with great effort...Nagisa knew they were true. And now, thanks to her big mouth, Ritsu knew too and she would lose him.

Hah! Nagisa laughed bitterly to herself, I say that as if I ever had him! He'll never give himself to me or anyone else. Even his precious Soubi had to learn that lesson the hard way. He can't- he doesn't know how...

Ritsu's eyes looked away from her face unfocused, as she still held his face firmly in place with her hand. Nagisa was silent and finally his gaze shifted back to hers. His eyes were cold and unreadable and his voice came out quiet and steady, "Let no one ever say that Sagan Nagisa is afraid to dictate terms." Nagisa scoffed loudly and relinquished his chin. Ritsu tilted his head slightly as he studied her and to Nagisa's disbelief there was a hint of amusement surfacing though the ice of his green eyes and pulling lightly at the curve of his lips.

Nagisa glared furiously at him but inside she felt her heart aching. What an asshole! Was her painful confession funny to him? She swiftly rose and climbed off the bed, keeping her back to him. She didn't want to look at him, especially not when she felt with an electric certainty that she would surely punch him in his arrogant and unfeeling face! What the hell was wrong with her? This was just one of the many reasons she hated this man!

"You're bold, Nagisa, I'll give you that," Ritsu continued calmly, "but you already know well enough that what you're asking for isn't possible, so why say it at all?"

Nagisa whirled on him, "Why? You wanted to know why? Because not everyone is like you! Not everyone guards their heart with cruelty and rejection! Some of us are strong enough to admit our true feelings and not hide them and lie about them like you! I...I'm not afraid! Not like you are!"

"Afraid?" Ritsu murmured. Soubi's last words to him before that filth Aoyagi Seimei had entered his office to take the boy away from him forever, the last day that he had been Ritsu's and only Ritsu's, echoed in his mind.

Who cares? You're...you're afraid to write the name, aren't you?

How many times had Soubi's painful accusations against him that day- that day Ritsu had broken the boy's heart- rang in his mind over the years? More times than he cared to admit, even to himself.

But Sensei! You're giving me away! That's your decision!

Would Soubi's words and the harsh tone that he had never before used when speaking to his sensei in his anguish ever stop haunting Ritsu? And that face...that face that made the boy and his mother blur together in his mind, tormenting him by repeatedly tearing open that old but fathomless wound that he tried to pretend didn't exist. But Nagisa had always seen past him somehow, always loudly challenged his pretences and called him a liar. Called him a monster...

Ritsu abruptly became aware that Nagisa had surged forward and was agitatedly untying the rope that bound his wrists with a dark and terrible expression on her face. As the last of the rope fell away Nagisa retreated wordlessly to stare fixedly out of her bedroom window. Ritsu grimaced slightly but didn't make a sound as he slowly eased his arms back down. They bloody hurt- they must have been like that for several hours, at least. The afternoon sunlight had been streaming in through the high bank of windows in the laboratory when Ritsu had first been drugged and it was now night outside.

He rubbed at the pale skin of his sore and bruised wrists as he stared at Nagisa's unresponsive back, knowing that she couldn't simply be permitted to get away with what she had done to him. It was unacceptable, really, and yet Ritsu had always known that his more youthful colleague was fairly on par with her younger Zero pair when it came to impetuosity, petulance and naivety. A part of him wondered that she had managed to restrain herself from doing something this stupid years ago. Sometimes Ritsu suspected that it was his curse to be forever surrounded by children.

Ritsu's shoulders ached fiercely but he ignored it and rose from the comfortable bed that had been his temporary prison. He glanced toward Nagisa but she was keeping her back determinately to him and so he crossed, wordlessly to the door and opened it.

Nagisa peered at him swiftly out of the corner of her eye...Ritsu was leaving. She returned her gaze to the darkened landscape outside her window and finally sagged in relief when she heard the door close behind him. She let her forehead fall against the autumn coolness of the glass and sighed, relieved that he had left without making any of his cruel remarks. She could deal with whatever retaliatory action he might take against her in the morning; right now she just wanted to take a hot bath and go to bed...

Suddenly a pair of warm hands squeezed her shoulders lightly and Nagisa made a high pitched cry as she nearly jumped out of her skin. She turned quickly and exclaimed, "For God's sake, Ritsu, you idiot! You nearly scared me out of my-"

Her words were cut off abruptly as Ritsu roughly captured her lips with his own and she felt the cold of the glass against her back as he pressed closer to her. Nagisa started and gasped at the sensation of Ritsu's warm lips so suddenly and so fervently against hers. She almost couldn't believe what was happening but as his arms went around her slender waist and pulled her closer to him she felt her heart begin to beat faster in her chest. Nagisa's eyes closed and she pushed back against Ritsu, meeting the pressure of his lips with her own. She felt her cheeks burning with the incomprehensible knowledge that she was kissing and being kissed by Minami Ritsu.

Good lord.

Ritsu licked at her plump bottom lip, asking for entrance and Nagisa parted her lips eagerly to allow him to explore the contours of her mouth. She wound her arms around his neck and pulled him down further to increase her access to him, because Ritsu was a full head taller than her even when she was in heels. Ritsu's tongue met hers hungrily, twisting and dancing with it pleasurably until she moaned softly.

Ritsu held Nagisa's slight body against his as he plundered the hot, wet heat of her mouth. She tasted sweet, like tea, he thought. Ritsu hadn't had a cigarette since lunch time and he thought that the taste of it must surely be gone from his mouth by now, but he couldn't be certain. He knew how much Nagisa abhorred the fact the he smoked and made no bones about how much the smell of cigarettes disgusted her. Of course, he had ignored these loud complaints of hers for years along with all of her other grievances against him. What business what was it of hers to dissect everything he did, anyway? As Ritsu felt the pricking of annoyance beginning at the path his thoughts had taken he forcibly willed himself to focus purely on the feel of Nagisa's warm body and hungry mouth pressed against him.

Don't speak, Ritsu told himself, don't think...or this will end very quickly. We'll just end up arguing again.

At these thoughts, he softened his kiss and stroked Nagisa's tongue slowly but deeply with his and smiled against her mouth when she moaned and let her body melt against his. The warm softness of her breasts pressed tantalisingly against his chest and he groaned, breaking their long kiss. They both gasped for breath and Nagisa stared up at him with wide eyes and prettily flushed cheeks.

"Wh...what was that?" she asked and the blush on her cheeks deepened.

"Shh..." Ritsu whispered and pressed his index finger over her soft and now swollen looking lips. In his haste to cut her off before she could yell further at him and before he lost his own sudden and strange desire to...to do something, he had been rougher with her than he had intended.

Had it been seeing the way that her slight body had lost its straight-backed and stubborn fighting stance the moment that she had thought that he had left? The way her small shoulders had slumped tiredly and hearing that quiet, sad sounding sigh as her forehead thumped against the glass? He had really upset her, Ritsu had realized, and felt an unusual pang of guilt. She had looked so small and defeated deflated as she had been against the window that he had felt drawn to her in that moment and moved forward silently to...to do what he hadn't been sure.

To comfort her perhaps- that was if Ritsu had even been capable of giving comfort- or perhaps to torment her further, with her weakness calling out so loudly and temptingly to the sadist in him. He had reached out uncertainly and tentatively to squeeze her shoulders. Unfortunately, it seemed that he had been a bit too stealthy and she had jerked violently in alarm and whirled around and started shouting at him in that damn loud voice of hers. In that moment he had known only one thing: the only way to shut her mouth would be to cover it!

As Nagisa quieted Ritsu removed his finger and lightly traced the shape of her lips with the pad of his thumb and then leaned down to press a gentle kiss to her swollen lips. Nagisa blinked, strangely taken aback by such a soft kiss from such a callous man. She glanced up at Ritsu uncertainly and there was an uncharacteristic vulnerability in her violet eyes.

"Well," Ritsu murmured a bit awkwardly as he disengaged his arms from their snug grip around Nagisa's waist, "Perhaps we should say goodnight..." He slowly eased back from his colleague, forcing the arms she still had around his neck to fall back to her sides.

Nagisa looked away from him and softly inquired with an air of nervousness, "You're leaving?"

"I think I should." Ritsu responded quietly.

Nagisa crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow, "Why is that, Ritsu?"

Ritsu sighed and looked uncomfortable, "Because...because I don't know if I can...fulfill the terms that you've asked of me."

"I see..." She looked at him nervously and then asked haltingly, "But...do you want to?"

"What?"

Nagisa took a breath, "If you could...do as I've asked, would you want to?"

Ritsu blinked in surprise at the question and found himself unable to form an answer. Unable at least to form an answer that wouldn't get him slapped for responding carelessly. Nagisa studied him and finally sighed.

"Why don't you think about it?" she offered. "You slept through dinner; you ought to eat something."

Ritsu glanced at Nagisa's alarm clock on her nightstand. It was after ten o'clock. "The cafeteria's already closed." He stated.

"I wasn't sure when you were going to wake up so I got you the dinner special...I left it on my desk; you can heat it up."

Ritsu quirked a delicate eyebrow at her, "It's not the kid's combo platter, is it, Nagisa?"

Nagisa flushed a bit, "No, Ritsu, it isn't! It's the regular dinner special!"

"Uh...alright." he said a bit awkwardly. "Are you going to eat?"

She shook her head, "I already did...I was going to take a bath while you ate but I can-"

Ritsu answered smoothly, "That's not necessary. Please take your bath." And with that he left, Nagisa's eyes silently following his retreating figure until he was out of sight.

Her stomach twisted and fluttered anxiously like a hundred butterflies were beating their wings within her- because after all, this was Ritsu...She knew he most likely wouldn't return. It didn't matter how much she wanted him to...but still, she would wait. Nagisa had spent years waiting for Ritsu, why should this night be any different?

A/N: Due to the serious lack of fics for this pairing I decided to upload this story that I've been hoarding on my computer. But also, because the thought of the almighty Minami Ritsu tied down and utterly helpless was just too amusing to me! It will likely remain as a one-shot unless there was enough interest in a follow-up, so let me know what you think!