Yusaku lay flat with his face pushed into the pillow in exhaustion. He knew the monsters during the duels didn't deliver real damage- thankfully, but nonetheless it seemed like his brain processed the information as being under strain anyway. Luckily, the shower was warm and available for his usage anytime. Yusaku listened carefully as he waited for Kogami to finish up his own shower. The guy had been kind enough to offer Yusaku the charity of relaxation first.

Yusaku hadn't realized he had been dozing until he felt the brisk air of the AC spilling out of the opened bathroom door. He groaned and pulled his arms and legs closer to his heated skin in an attempt to ward off the chill.

"Don't give me that. It's because of you that the mirrors are always in such bad condition." Yusaku smiled and turned his head as he watched Kogami rub behind his ears with a towel.

"It's too cold when I get out if the air is on." Yusaku shifted to make space for another body on the small bed. Kogami made a noise of acceptance and flung his towel onto the back of a chair before making his way over to sit next to Yusaku's prone body.

"You just have no tolerance for the cold anymore." Kogami rested his hand on Yusaku's shoulder. Yusaku closed his eyes and turned his face back into the pillow.

"It's not my fault…" He couldn't see Kogami's face but he felt his hand as he rubbed the cooling flesh in apology and comfort. Kogami was quiet and truly saddened. He knew how such things could affect Yusaku at any given moment. He himself was not immune to the frustrating bouts of symptomatic behavior.

He had once upon a time tried to make life better for all the people his father had taken. Had made a heroic effort to break into the labs and comfort those who he could find, but his efforts had all been in vain. The rescue had been found out and called off before anyone could be saved and in punishment, now he too remained stuck inside cold, white walls as a subject. He looked down at the teen he had tried to protect. Yusaku looked worn and drowsy. Kogami shifted his legs until they were up on the bed and leaned back to lay next to the resting boy. Green eyes weary with understanding stared into Kogami's own.

"You went quiet again. What are you thinking about this time?" Yusaku's voice was gentle; he too had moments in which the thoughts in his head dragged him inside. Kogami smiled and brought his curled finger to pull away a stay hair that had wandered into Yusaku's vision.

"Clearly how lucky I was to meet such a wonderful person." Kogami's grin was bright and met with Yusaku's hand.

"Shut up," Yusaku hurried to turn over in an effort to hide his own smile. "You're so embarrassing. I'm done with you, go back to your own bed." The action was met with Kogami's own laughter. He felt the boy behind him shift to accommodate his own body. A warmth pressed against his own back to make up for the cool that had come over the room. Kogami brought his hand to trail along Yusaku's arm, fingers met and intertwined.

Kogami pressed his lips to the pale neck presented before him. A shiver worked over Yusaku's body at the warmth. Fingers momentarily tightened around Kogami's own in both reassurance and reflex. Kogami's head leaned against Yusaku's neck in an effort to comfort both of them.

"Yusaku, I'm sorry. You know that right?" There was a quiet and stillness as the words fell over the two. "I'm so happy I got to meet you, but it cost us everything." Kogami voice paused to swallow over the dryness that had settled. "Cost you so much loneliness and pain." Yusaku closed his eyes in an effort to block out the words whispered into his very skin. He sighed as he felt both of their heart beats from their touching wrist.

"Ryoken." The name filled with longing, cherished like gold. " I can't say anything about things being different but it doesn't really matter now. We can't change anything that happens." Yusaku wiggled around until he faced Kogami. He pulled Kogami's face to meet with his. "We can't change a thing, but we can make what we have matter." Yusaku rubbed along the curve of Kogami's eyes that he loved so much. "Don't be so heartbroken for me, we will find a way... one day."

"One day." Kogami repeated and pulled Yusaku's now warm body close. Their breath gently weaved together as the two tired teens curled into each other and held something precious close.

xxx

Yusaku awaken to pleasurable heat, soft skin, and tangled legs. His throat groaned as he tried to shift out of the puzzle he and Kogami had made, a groggy and puzzled grunt matching his own. His movement slowly paused and relaxed as Yusaku's brain caught up with the situation. Both pairs of hands wandered across close expansions of skin as the two slowly woke up in each other arms.

Yusaku laughed as Kogami dragged his fingers along a firm hip. In return, Yusaku tugged a lock of fluffy white hair and curled the strands around his fingers. Nails gently dragged along as Yusaku's fingers carded through Kogami's hair, Kogami's hand kneading along firm muscles in response. Blue eyes met green as gentle smiles and lips met in the middle. Both surprisingly soft and compassionate of the other.

"Good morning."

"Morning? Maybe, but it is good."