Ken watched as Daisuke slumped down in a kitchen chair. "I have to work tomorrow," the redhead said piteously, looking up with big, mournful eyes. Ken raised an eyebrow. "You -do- know what tomorrow is, don't you?"

"The Cherry Blossom Festival," Ken answered without hesitation. Instead of taking the seat across from his lover, he pulled the nearest one over and sat as close to Daisuke as his legs would allow. The redhead turned in the chair until he was sitting in it sideways and leaning against Ken.

"I have to work," Daisuke said again. "I wanted to go on a picnic with you, and maybe find the gang and pick on them, and watch the sun set in the park and everything. And now I have to work."

"You've said that," Ken said quietly, gently rubbing Daisuke's shoulders. His hands moved down and smoothed the front of the redhead's shirt, the movement gentle enough to sooth, but not tease. "We can always go on a picnic on your day off."

"Yeah, but I don't have another day off for a week." The redhead tilted his head back and gazed at the underside of Ken's chin. "And I wanted to sit with you under the trees and watch the blossoms fall."

"Dai, the trees are in bloom more than one day a year," Ken reminded him gently, wrapping his lover in a gentle embrace. "We can go and watch them right now."

"Can we?" Daisuke asked, sounding excited by the prospect.

Ken was unable to refuse, especially when the redhead turned around to look at him expectantly. "Of course.

*****

They watched the sun set from a hill, arms wrapped around each other as they sat cuddled together on a blanket. The park was mostly empty, which was surprising, since it would be packed the following day, and Ken had expected to see people trying to beat the crowds.

As dusk settled, they got up, folded their blanket, and strolled slowly in the direction of home, taking their time and a circuitous path. Daisuke pulled him to a stop under a small grove of cherry blossom trees.

"Ken," Daisuke said softly. "I-"

He was cut off by a kiss as Ken attacked him with sudden intensity. Daisuke was quick to respond, opening his mouth when Ken's tongue sought entrance, back arching when cool hands made their way under his shirt and against his skin.

Ken's mouth moved away and down, trailing moist heat to Daisuke's neck before stopping to suckle at the skin there. Daisuke grinned, hands in Ken's hair to keep the taller's mouth against him. "I was going to ravage you," Daisuke said, voice breaking off in a combination of a laugh and a moan.

"Too late," Ken murmured, left hand tugging up Daisuke's shirt in the front as the right slid down the back of the redhead's pants.

Ken froze as voices penetrated the thick fog in his brain, and he realized that someone, or two someones, were walking towards them.

"Freaking sex-fiend," one of the voices muttered.

Daisuke must have heard them as well, for he didn't say anything when Ken slowly pulled his hands and mouth away. They were silent as they waited for whoever it was to go away, but then one of them spread a blanket out on the ground and Ken realized that they must have been another couple out to make the most of 'reserving' their spot for the following day.

"Pick another spot!" Daisuke complained before Ken could stop him. Ken grinned, sharing the sentiment.

"Hello," The broader of the two strangers greeted pleasantly, bending down to retrieve the blanket he had just finished spreading on the ground.

"Tai?" Daisuke, moving closer as the two shadows broke apart. It was then that Ken recognized the shadowed outlines of two of their friends.

"Daisuke?" Taichi said questioningly. Recognition must have kicked in for him as well, and he offered his greeting to Ken, as well. "Hey, Ken."

"Hello, Taichi. Yamato," he said in return, moving up to slip an arm around Daisuke's torso, his hand finding the spot where the redhead's shirt had stayed pushed up. "Getting a spot for tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Tai said. He hooked an arm around Yamato's torso and melded to the blond's side. "You two, too?"

"I have to work tomorrow," Daisuke said mournfully. Ken smiled slightly and moved his hand a little lower. He was the only one who heard Daisuke's quick, indrawn breath.

"We thought we'd come tonight and... make up for the lack of celebration tomorrow," Ken finished, grinning in the dark as Daisuke pressed closer to him.

There was no immediate vocal reply from either of the older two, and then Yamato said, "We'll find another spot. Have a... good night, guys."

"You, too," Ken called after them politely. He squeaked as Daisuke reached down and rubbed a hand across his crotch.

"My turn," the redhead said evilly. He pulled away, threw the blanket on the ground haphazardly, and then pulled Ken to the ground.

Ken laughed softly even as he reached out and helped divest Daisuke of his shirt. "You can't ravage me," Ken said, smiling in the dark when Daisuke stopped to look at him curiously. "We didn't bring anything."

"Ah," Daisuke said, anticipation slipping away to concentration. After a moment, he pushed Ken onto his back and straddled his hips. "There are ways around that, you know."

"We could always take this home," Ken suggested, arching his hips of the ground so that he could press his erection flush against Daisuke's crotch.

"Oh, but I like it -right here-." The redhead leaned down and gave Ken a quick, open-mouth kiss.

"Exhibitionist," Ken said playfully, already tugging once again at Daisuke's shirt.

"You love it," Daisuke shot back, taking his shirt the rest of the way off and tossing it a few feet away.

There was no argument to that; Ken was too busy working on getting Daisuke's pants undone to do more than reply, " I love -you-."

*****

"I slept on a stick," Daisuke complained as Ken folded the blanket. The redhead was stretching and rubbing painfully at his back.

"You were the one who put the blanket down," Ken reminded him. Daisuke stuck his tongue out, took the blanket from Ken, and tucked it under his arm.

"You weren't complaining last night," the redhead retorted

"I'm not complaining now, either," Ken replied. He chuckled when Daisuke bumped him with his hip.

They started walking, heading in the general direction of the nearest bus stop. It would have been one thing to walk home last night, but time was running short, and if Daisuke didn't get home soon, he wouldn't have to worry about working through the Festival.

Ken walked slowly and fell a few steps behind Daisuke, which was fine by him, as he was able to watch the redhead from behind. It didn't take long for Daisuke to catch on to that trick, though, and he turned and raised an eyebrow at Ken.

"Stop watching my ass," he said, walking backwards. They crested a small rise and Ken had to reach out suddenly to keep Daisuke from walking on two people lying in the ground.

They stopped and stared at Taichi and Yamato, both of whom were buck-naked and lying on top of their blanket, arms wrapped around each other. Daisuke started snickering. The redhead turned to look around to make sure no one else had happened upon their friends.

Ken stared at the lovers and compared their positions in his mind with the position he had woken up to that morning with Daisuke.

"You know, it might have been wise to get dressed after they were done, don't you think?" Daisuke asked, turning to look at Ken, who was still staring at the couple on the blanket. Behind them, the sun was just beginning to light the horizon.

Ken tilted his head. "Do we look like that?" he asked the redhead.

"Like what?" Daisuke asked, frowning down at the couple in the hopes of seeing whatever his lover was seeing.

Unable to explain the feeling in his chest, Ken shook his head. "Nothing. Let me see the blanket, please?" he requested, holding his hands out. Daisuke gave him the blanket they had used the night before and watched as Ken spread it over the sleeping forms on the ground.

The wind picked up slightly, making the leaves of the Cherry Blossom trees to rain down.

They walked away, leaving their friends to wake up on their own and find their own clothes. Ken reached out and took Daisuke's hand and held it as they walked.

"Remind me," Daisuke started, leaning closer and pressing his shoulder against Ken's arm as they walked. "Remind me that I can't work during the Cherry Blossom Festival next year."

Ken smiled softly, but didn't say anything. Silence lapsed between them.

"I think we do," Daisuke said suddenly. Ken looked up and gave him a questioning look. "When we sleep together, like that. I feel like I think they look. Or something." He trailed off awkwardly and ran a hand through his hair. "You hold me like that in your sleep. And when your mind is a million miles away in Slumberland, I know you love me like that."

Ken smiled and let go of the redhead's hand to wrap an arm around his shoulders. "That's all I really need to know."

"Too bad, because I have a solution," Daisuke said, snuggling against Dai's side.

"Oh? A solution to what?" Ken asked, playing along.

"To not knowing what we look like together," Daisuke explained, a grin splitting his face. "You know that camera I pointed out the other day? Well, there's an accessory that lets you attach it to the ceiling. If you buy it today while I'm at work, we can, uh, test it out when I get home."