By: Mad Mary Kidd
Pairing: Ritsuka + Yayoi
Rating/Warnings: T for safety, shonen ai, kissing
Disclaimer: Loveless and it's characters belong to Yun Kouga and not Mad Mary Kidd, no matter how much ms. Kidd might wish otherwise
Intro: One shot, AU. No magic battles, no dead Seimei, no split personalities. Just a sleepover and a conversation about kissing. I imagine the boys to be thirteen or fourteen, about year eight or nine, not sure what grade that would be cos I'm not American!
In The Dark
Ritsuka would never have dreamed that Yayoi could say such things. Indeed, the Yayoi that he knew, the one who sat in classrooms in broad daylight, chewing on his pencil as he worked maths problems, that Yayoi could never have asked such questions.
But this Yayoi, the one who lay next to him in the dark, head next to Ritsuka's on the pillow though they were supposed to be top and tail, this Yayoi could.
"Have you ever kissed anyone, Ritsuka-kun?"
Yuiko had had to go home; of course neither her mother or Yayoi's would have let her stay at a boy's house. Ritsuka had not been sorry to see her go, though he liked Yuiko.
"No. Have you?"
It was nice, lying here in Yayoi's bed, with Yayoi just close enough to make Ritsuka feel a little bit funny inside. They were having to whisper because Yayoi's parents were in the next room, but it just added to the delicious secrecy of it all. Each of them knew without having to say anything that neither of them would ever mention this conversation to anyone. Not even Yuiko. Especially not Yuiko.
"No. I wonder what it's like?"
Ritsuka supposed that Yayoi must wonder about these things too, though if he was honest the thought surprised him. Yayoi was so... everyday. It seemed like school work and computer games were all that mattered to him. It should not have come as a shock to find out that Yayoi was just another normal teenage boy, just like Ritsuka, but it did.
"I don't know."
A thought occurred to Ritsuka, one that made him feel strangely disappointed, though he couldn't work out why. He tried to think of a way to ask about it without seeming to ask, and came up with, "I can't believe you've never kissed Yuiko."
He held his breath, waiting for Yayoi's answer to this. The other boy sighed.
"She wouldn't let me."
There was Ritsuka's answer. So Yayoi did like Yuiko.
"Oh." He tried not to sound disappointed.
"I thought you liked her too, Ritsuka-kun?"
Ritsuka shrugged into the pillow. "Not really. I mean, she's nice, but I don't want to kiss her."
"Who do you want to kiss?"
For some reason Yayoi seemed extremely interested in this. Ritsuka was glad it was dark, and that Yayoi couldn't see his face going bright red.
"I... I don't know. No-one, I guess."
"How about that guy who picks you up from school sometimes?"
Ritsuka could not help raising his voice at this.
"Seimei? That's my brother! Eeew!"
Yayoi laughed aloud, and shushed him.
"Shh! My parents! And I didn't mean your brother. That would be gross. I meant the other guy, with the long hair."
"Who, Soubi? He's just my brother's friend. He's totally in love with Seimei. He'd do anything Seimei said. That's why he picks me up, because Seimei sends him. He doesn't like me much."
"Yeah, but do you like him?"
Ritsuka stared, but the effect was lost on Yayoi since it was dark.
"He's a guy, Yayoi. And he doesn't have ears."
"So? If he kissed you, would you let him?"
If Ritsuka thought he had been blushing before, it was nothing to this. If anyone but Yayoi had asked, Ritsuka would have hit them with a pillow and loudly changed the subject. But because it was Yayoi, he felt he could be a bit more honest.
"I don't know. Maybe," he said hesitantly. "He's a lot older than me."
"I wouldn't mind kissing a guy," said Yayoi, his voice even quieter than a whisper, as if he were divulging top secret information. But then, Ritsuka supposed, he was. The way Yayoi said it made funny little butterflies start fluttering in Ritsuka's stomach. Suddenly Yayoi seemed awfully close; Ritsuka's heart was beating very fast.
"Do you think that's weird?" asked Yayoi, drawing back almost imperceptibly. Ritsuka realised he hadn't said anything in response to Yayoi's previous statement.
"N-no," he managed. "I don't think it's weird at all. In fact... In fact I wouldn't mind kissing a guy either."
Ritsuka could see the silhouette of Yayoi's ears twitching in the square of grey light that was the window.
"Ritsuka..."
He thought he knew what was coming. "Mmm?"
"Can I kiss you?"
"... Yeah."
The sheets rustled as they moved closer, and Yayoi's fingers found Ritsuka's and squeezed gently.
The kiss was soft, brief; no more than a brush of lips on lips. It had taken no physical effort at all, and yet Ritsuka felt as though he'd run a mile.
"What do you think?" asked Yayoi. He sounded out of breath too.
"I think I like kissing," said Ritsuka.
"Me too," said Yayoi. Now he sounded relieved.
Although he had liked the kiss, Ritsuka was still glad when Yayoi laid his head back down on the pillow, his fingers giving one last squeeze before he let go.
"Goodnight, Yayoi," he ventured.
"Goodnight Ritsuka."
Fin