A/N: This is an accompaniment to "Flash of Red", the story from Hiroki's dream on his past life with Nowaki. I thought on expanding this reincarnation idea since it felt unfinished. We never got to see if Nowaki got these past life dreams as well. This can also be a standalone fic if you haven't read the other one.

Thank you all for the reviews. I hope you enjoy this semi prequel.

-Lucicelo

Marks of Red (Oneshot)

Naoki closed the sliding doors behind him with a light tap. He listened for anyone walking past his lover's room. After all, Yoru did a last round through the manor before he went outside for an outside inspection. It was his turn to stay inside of the manor. When he heard no one, he turned his attention toward Nobuhiro. His heart hammered in his chest when he stared at him. Excitement bubbled in his stomach as he walked toward him. He smiled big when Nobuhiro stared up at him from his place in his futon.

Nobuhiro wore a loose white yukata for bed. Thin enough to keep cool for the hot summer nights. From his distance, he noticed Nobuhiro's hair remained a bit damp from his earlier bath. He swore he smelled the lavender oils Nobuhiro used when he bathed. Hurrying his footsteps, Naoki knelt on one knee in front of Nobuhiro. He continued on smiling.

His lover stretched out his hand with a quirk of his lips. A form of voiceless greeting for their quick meet ups during the night. Without any hesitation, he clasped Nobuhiro's hand in a firm grip. Interlacing their fingers, he brought it close to his lips and placed a light kiss on the back of Nobuhiro's hand. Naoki rubbed his knuckles with this thumb.

"Have you finished your rounds?" Nobuhiro asked him.

Naoki nodded as he answered him. "Everything is fine. Yoru is on outside watch, I have a good while before he comes to get me. We haven't heard of any disturbances or rumors of an attack placed on you. I also checked the perimeter before I entered your room."

"Are you sure?" Nobuhiro pressed on the issue, since he inherited his father's position, a new sense of paranoia developed inside of him.

"Yes, I'm sure." Naoki scooted closer to him. "Misao-sama went to bed after his late night sweet. I told Yoru to check on him when he finishes his patrols. Yoru wouldn't come in your room unless you give him permission. "

Nobuhiro sighed in relief. "With you here, I don't think anything will happen to me. I trust you with my life." He caressed Naoki's shoulder. "So...Yoru has no idea about us."

"I don't think so. He is a blunt individual. He never really hides anything so he would had confronted me a long time ago." Naoki bit his bottom lip. "He hasn't talked to me any different."

Nobuhiro arched a brow. "Are you ashamed of this relationship?"

"No! Not at all! I worry more about you. After all, you have duties as the lord of the Kamijou family. You can't possibly stick with me your whole life." Naoki stared down at the floor and tried to level his voice. "Your late father already had a list of prospect women prepared for you to select. The list came along with the will he wrote."

Nobuhiro lifted Naoki's face to look at him and informed him. "I'm not abandoning you for anyone in the world. Trust me, none of those women can compare to someone like you. Just know that no one can replace your importance to me." He pressed their foreheads together.

Naoki's face went bright red. "Hiro-sama..." He sighed in bliss. "Oh how I love you.."

Nobuhiro avoided his gaze. "I...love you too."

They pressed their lips against each other. Breaking apart. Kissing again and again. Naoki got on his knees to balance himself. He placed his hands on Nobuhiro's shoulders, continuing on relishing those soft lips against his own. Nobuhiro shoved his hands inside of Naoki's yukata and pushed them aside. Exposing his broad shoulders. Nobuhiro kissed down his neck. Falling backwards onto his futon, their bodies molded together.

Both took their time in removing their clothing. Careful in their voices as they expressed their delight. Muttering each others names under their breath and touching every place. Leaving marks disguised underneath their regular clothing. Nobuhiro clung to Naoki, red marks came down his back as they shared their passions. Falling into the desire they disguised during the light.

When they finished, Nobuhiro laid on top of Naoki. The taller man played with Nobuhiro's hair and ran his fingers through his brown locks. Their bodies cooling down. Legs tangled under the sheets.

"Hiro-sama, do you want to marry me?"

"Marry?"

"Yes," Naoki lifted himself up with one hand and stare down at him. "I know we can never get married...but...I want to bind myself to you in spirit. Just saying the vows is enough for me."

Nobuhiro covered his watering eyes and rubbed them with his hands. "How can you say such things?"

"Did I say something wrong? Do you not want to stay with me?" Nobuhiro panicked. "I thought..."

"I do."

"Huh?"

Nobuhiro informed him. "I want to marry you. I can't see myself with someone other than you." He scooted closer to Naoki. "I won't marry someone else. We'll make this work. It will work."

Naoki curled his hand around Nobuhiro's waist and held him tight. I'll start them first but I don't know all the lines. I take you, Kamijou Nobuhiro as my husband..."

"I take you, Koizumi Naoki as my husband..." Nobuhiro ran his hand around Nowaki's chest and kept eye contact.

They shared kisses in between the next sentences. Placing their love and affection through each line they spoke.

Concluding their secret vows, Nobuhiro rolled on top of Naoki. He placed his cheek on his chest. Sighing in pure bliss as he stared up at him. Naoki smiled down at him. Caressing his cheek with the back of his hand.

Nobuhiro closed his eyes, he murmured. "Do you have to leave me yet?"

"No," Naoki sighed. "But, I have to leave soon. Let's just enjoy these few moments together."

"Alright."

Nowaki woke up from his sleep with a smile on his face.

He transitioned into consciousness and then opened his weary blue eyes. The streetlights peeked through the thin curtains and brought in some light inside of the book filled bedroom. Sitting up on the bed, he stared out the window. The smile didn't leave his face as he sighed.

Content and love overfilled his body, covering him in a warm blanket. More than enough to compensate Hiroki taking the rest of the blanket in the middle of the night. It didn't help much. A shiver went through him and he rubbed his arms.

Recalling the images from his dream, his eyes prickled with oncoming tears. He bit his lower lip and pulled his knees to his chest. The vows brought an ache to his heart. When he spoke them in his dream, he meant them with every fiber of his being. He repeated them in a whisper.

His heart kept on beating at a fast rate. He still felt the emotions he developed in that dream. It might be a leftover stimulant considering it was an intimate moment between two people. The love and affection they expressed as they kept on touching each other. Repeated the words as they stared directly in the eyes. Something he hoped to develop with his future with Hiroki.

One thing popped out through everything. Not that he didn't react when he remembered the sex between Naoki and Nobuhiro.

It was the last name he spoke for the dream man with familiar light brown eyes.

Kamijou Nobuhiro.

Turning his body around, he found Hiroki in a deep sleep. Half of his body encased in his blanket while the rest of the fabric went over his bed. After their activities, it took a lot of noise to wake up Hiroki. He found out when he dropped a stack of books as he prepared himself for his morning job. Hiroki snapped at him and stomped back to bed. Although, he knew of his bad morning habits on the days he prepared him breakfast.

He reached out his hand and brushed aside Hiroki's bangs from his forehead. He studied Hiroki's face and thought back on anything he missed through their short time together. Nothing came through his memories. In a way, he thought he warped their names. Then again, his last name wasn't Kusama but Koizumi. Meaning, he had a family to give him a last name.

He felt relief on a possible family having raised him. Even though it was just a dream which bestowed a last name on him. His real life gave him no answers which he resolved in never finding out the truth. Life had to go on.

It didn't stop him from thinking about his biological parents.

Placing a kiss on Hiroki's forehead, Hiroki groaned in his sleep and shuffled closer to him. Nowaki picked up the blanket and covered himself with it. His body started shivering from the coldness of the apartment. He needed the extra warmth before he got himself sick. He couldn't afford such a thing to happen. Afterwards, he resumed touching Hiroki's hair. Running his fingers through those soft locks at a slow pace.

He checked Hiroki's alarm clock and groaned. His shift at the construction site started in two hours. He didn't want to move away from the comfort of the bed and the warmness Hiroki provided. He might catch one more hour worth of sleep before the alarm went off.

In a way, he always pondered on how fast he connected with Hiroki. He never got such a fast connection throughout his life. Considering he worked a variety of jobs, he never developed such a strong attachment. The instant feeling of recognition. A pang of distress which stabbed him in the chest on the moment he caught his crying face. Those tears prompted his determination in entering his life. The fear of not seeing him again was a possibility in such a large city. He wanted nothing more than to comfort him.

A mission he set inside of his mind. He didn't want to cause this man to cry for him ever again. In his heart, he knew this was impossible since life was an unpredictable place. It didn't stop him to strive for a peaceful life with Hiroki.

"Did I know you before, Hiro-san?" Nowaki muttered under his breath. "I mean...your name isn't much different than the one in my dream." He kept on playing with Hiroki's hair until he settled with placing it on his waist. "Regardless, I hope those two had a happy ending." He chuckled tiredly when he concluded. "Of course they did...they were so in love with each other."

He pecked Hiroki's lips before settling his body on the comfort of the bed. Closing his eyes and slowing his breathing. He tried to get himself to go to asleep before he lost anymore rest. Although, Hiroki had an endless supply of coffee in his cabinet for him to brew.

When he dozed off, thoughts of the couple in his dream surfaced. He let himself get taken into another dream of those two men. The names Naoki and Nobuhiro burned into his subconscious mind.

Despite forgetting about the vows years later, he couldn't forget the faces of love between them.

The End.m