Kiku stared at Arthur like he was a crazed man. He gave a nervous laugh and waved his hands.
"W-What? You love me? D-don't be ridiculous! You can't possibly…"
"If I wasn't serious, do you think I'd really do this?" Arthur crossed the tiny single room flat in one pace, grabbed Kiku's arms and kissed him. It was hard and forceful, not unlike the one Kiku'd received the day before. Arthur's tongue delved deep into Kiku's mouth, hardly giving him room to breathe.
"Mmgn…mmn…"
Arthur was pressing himself against him, forcing Kiku to stagger back against the iron footboard of the double size bed. Kiku gripped the bars of the footer, his whole body stiff from Arthur's assault. At last, Arthur pulled away and Kiku gasped heavily.
"What…is…the meaning…of this?" Kiku asked. "You think I'm easy or something?"
"No, I don't. I want to make you want me. I've never felt like this before, about anything or anyone. All I have to do is look at you and I feel...like I'm in heaven or something. I don't know how to describe it, but I want you to feel that way too."
Arthur let go of Kiku and backed away, his face showing an embarrassed side. He turned away, hand holding his bandaged arm. "I'm sorry…" Arthur's voice was low and husky. Kiku felt a sharp pain in his chest when he spoke.
"I-I should go…the dorm's curfew is in a few hours so…um…thanks for the outing…"
"Kiku…" Arthur said, his voice still low.
Kiku bit his lip, forcing himself not to be taken in by his voice again. He made a hasty bow and quickly headed towards the door. He was about to open it when he heard Arthur say his name again in the same voice. Kiku squeezed his eyes shut, flung open the door and made a run for it. He half expected Arthur to stop him, but no attempt was made.
Kiku stopped a few blocks from the flat, out of breath and head befuddled with confusing thoughts. He traced the line of his lips, which just moments ago had been taken over by an overwhelming heat. He could still feel it there…that intimate touch…Kiku could not honestly say that he disliked the kiss, but…
"Arthur…" Kiku whispered the name and felt the sharp twang again, along with a rush of heat flooding his body. It…It couldn't be…could he…?
Kiku bit his lip again and took off down the street, heading for the station. People gave him strange looks as he ran, but he didn't care. He wanted to go home and think. He didn't want to admit it; or rather he refused to admit it.
Call it…again …my name…
Kiku'd shut himself up in his dorm room the minute he'd set foot back on campus. He'd run into the dormitory face flushed and clothes slightly stained (he'd gotten some of Arthur's blood on his blazer) and bolted up the stairs two at a time. There were some other boys in the dorm's lounge but he'd ignored all their greetings as he ran past.
Kiku flopped down face first onto his bed, breathing deeply to try and calm himself down. Someone rapped on his door.
"Go away!" Kiku muffly shouted. His face was still in his pillow.
Another muffled voice came through the door. "Are you okay, Kiku? Are you sick?"
The door started to open so Kiku quickly sat up and threw his pillow at the door. It flinched, but still opened. Felici poked his head in looking concerned.
"Aw, what was that for?"
"I said to go away," Kiku muttered, burying his face again.
"Did something happen?"
"I don't want to talk about. Go away."
Felici made to say something else, but stopped himself. He turned to leave, but Kiku suddenly sat up again.
"Wait a second. Felici…what…what would you do if…if someone…if someone…kissed you…?" Kiku's cheeks turned red as he said it. He adverted his eyes in hopes Felici wouldn't notice.
"Kiss me? Well, I'd kiss them back…but kissing isn't that big of a deal in Italy…why do you ask?"
"Ah, no reason. I…I was just wondering…"
"Ok…you look terrible. You should get some sleep. G'night."
Felici left the room and let Kiku be. Kiku rolled over and groaned. That was stupid thing to ask and to Felici of all people! Kiku couldn't deny that Arthur knew how to kiss…it was more so a question of why Kiku hadn't pushed him away the second time. He knew it wasn't normal for a guy to kiss another guy like that…and it was even less normal for the guy to enjoy it! Kiku rubbed his face, trying to erase that thought.
"Ugh…what have I gotten myself into?"
Kiku got even less sleep that night than he had the night before. His alarm did go off, but he somehow in his half asleep state he'd chucked it at the wall where it broke. Kiku groaned under his covers and pulled the sheets over his head. His head hurt like he had a hangover and he really didn't feel like getting up. But he knew he had to. No doubt there would be rumors already spread like viruses throughout the school, courtesy of Antonio and Francis. Kiku needed to make sure that things were set straight.
He begrudgingly kicked the quilt off and sat up, his dreary face reflected in his dresser mirror. He had dark circles under his eyes and he was looking a sickly color. In all essence he looked absolutely dreadful. Kiku sighed and looked out the window. The sky was a similar dreary color and Kiku could see the faint haze of rain off in the distance. It would probably rain all day, a thought which didn't help Kiku's mood.
By the time he was finished dressing, he didn't look quite as tired, but still sleep deprived. He straightened his tie one last time, picked up his bag, opened his door and descended the stairs into the lounge. It was empty save for two people.
"Wow, you look dreadful!" Felici exclaimed. "Are you sure you're not sick or something?"
"Maybe…I have been feeling a little under the weather…," Kiku lied. He knew who the cause of his condition was, but he wasn't about to say it aloud.
"Oh yeah, that reminds me," Ludwig said. "I heard a funny story this morning in the commons. They've been saying Arthur got into another fight with Antonio, but that's not the odd part. I heard them say that you were involved too."
"Is that true? So is that where you were yesterday?" Felici asked.
"I…that…," Kiku stuttered. He knew rumors could spread quickly, but even that fast was beyond him. "Well…I…I did go into town yesterday because I needed-,"
"Is that blood on your blazer?" Ludwig asked suddenly. Kiku looked down; he'd forgotten about the stain from yesterday.
"Oh that…I, um…cut myself yesterday, but it wasn't anything serious."
Ludwig gave him a dubious look but didn't press any further. He sighed and turned towards the door. "Well at least I know there's some truth to that crazy rumor. I figured you'd have better sense than to get involved with that guy. I hear he's bad luck."
Felici tugged on Kiku's sleeve. "Well, whatever! Come on, Kiku! We came to make sure you don't miss another day!"
Kiku had decided it would be best to avoid Arthur altogether to prevent any other problems. But that idea had burned like dry grass in a wild fire. It seemed everywhere he turned Arthur was there. He showed up in all of Kiku's classes and though he sat in the back of the room, Kiku could feel his eyes boring holes into the back of his head. Kiku made a point of ignoring him, but it was very difficult. The only time Kiku didn't see Arthur was during 7th period. Kiku was at least able to relax a bit, but for some reason he couldn't focus on his work. His mind kept drifting…and inevitably came back to Arthur.
It was driving Kiku crazy, the way Arthur kept following him, then when he wasn't there Kiku couldn't keep him off his mind. Why did he keep thinking about that guy? Especially when he and Kiku were practically from different planets! This feeling…this lingering feeling of a kiss…and the other feelings that came along with that…
A lightbulb suddenly went off in Kiku's head. He suddenly knew how to fix his problem. When the end bell for the day rang over the intercom, Kiku gathered up his books and went charging down the halls, looking for the very person he had been trying to avoid. He spied him at last on the third floor, standing next to the student council room. He was talking to a brown haired girl, who didn't seem to mind him at all.
The girl giggled at something Arthur had said and he was smiling too. Kiku stopped in his tracks. She said something back, then reached up and pecked Arthur on the lips. She waved good-bye and walked off down the corridor. Arthur waved back, turned his head then saw Kiku standing frozen in the middle of the hall.
"Huh? Kiku, is that- Hey! Wait a-!"
Kiku turned on heel and took off back down the corridor, an awful twang in his chest. He could hear Arthur behind him, yelling at him to stop. Kiku ignored him, just as he had for the rest of the day. He felt someone grab hold of his arms. Kiku yanked them away.
"Don't touch me! Just leave me alone!" Kiku made to run again, but Arthur grabbed him again.
"It's not what you think!" Arthur said sternly.
"Oh it's just what I think it is!" Kiku shouted. "You're horrible, saying things like that to me, but then it turns out you have a girlfriend! I hate you! Just let me go!"
Arthur's grip got tighter. "Kiku, I'm telling you it's not like that! Just listen to me!"
"Shut up! I don't want to hear it! Let me go!"
"No. Kiku…are you maybe…jealous?"
Kiku stopped struggling and looked at Arthur. "D-don't be ridiculous…I am not jealous of anything!"
"Yes you are." A small smile started to curl the ends of Arthur's mouth. "Which means…that maybe you do like me."
"No I don't! I hate you! I hate you so much…I wish you'd just leave me alone! I…I…" Kiku couldn't hold back his emotions anymore. His eyes started to well up as all his frustration from the past couple days came flooding forth. "I hate this…I hate you…I hate all these feelings inside my chest…I…I…hate it all!" Arthur slowly let go of Kiku's wrists. Kiku rubbed his eyes and sniffed.
"My life was perfectly fine before you…I just want this all to go away. I want my life to go back to normal!" Kiku sniffed again, clenching his fists. He was shaking all over, but not just from his cry. He looked Arthur straight in the eye. "If…if I…I sleep with you…then…my life will go back to normal, because if I get rid of all these feelings, everything will be fine. That's what…that's what I wanted to say…"
Kiku quickly looked away, ashamed of his own words. Arthur was surprisingly silent. He stared at Kiku, his face unreadable.
"You know," he said. "If you do this, you might not be able to turn back. It might backfire on you and just make things worse. I don't want you to regret doing this."
"I don't care. I just want to be rid of these feelings. And that's the only logical way I can think of."
Arthur sighed. "I don't know about this…I'd rather you actually want it than me force you…"
"You're not forcing anything. I've decided this on my own. If you really love me like you say you do, you won't refuse me."
Arthur didn't say anything more, but rather leaned closer and kissed Kiku's forehead. He wrapped his arms around his narrow shoulders and drew him closer. He stood like that for a bit, just holding Kiku. Kiku didn't protest at all; he was so worn out from his outburst he didn't have the strength to fight it. Instead he closed his eyes and breathed in Arthur's scent. He smelled really good…really really good…like how the air smells after a good rain…it was having a calming effect on Kiku. He was already beginning to feel better when Arthur whispered softly in Kiku's ear.
"Please don't hate me."
The lock clicked shut of the faculty room. It was really a spare room that wasn't currently in use, a teacher's office perhaps and it was furnished as such. There was even a couch. As Kiku predicted, the rain hadn't stopped all day, making the small room dark and gloomy.
"Is the door locked?" Kiku asked. His voice wavered when he spoke. Arthur nodded.
"Yes. I'm going to ask you again; are you sure about this?"
"Stop asking me pointless questions! The sooner we get this over with, the sooner my life goes back to normal! This is what you wanted out of me anyway right?"
"Alright. But I should warn you; I'm not going to stop, even if you tell me to."
"I don't care. Just get on with it."
"Hmph, so impatient. One can't just drop and do it you know. You've gotta get the mood right." Arthur pushed Kiku back onto the couch, leaning over him. He smirked. "A kiss is a good way to start."
There was no hesitation on those lips and Arthur didn't waste any more time. He got right down to business, sweeping in for his prize. Kiku's eyebrows knotted slightly but he resisted the urge to pull away. This was the only way…the only way…
This kiss was different from before, as if Arthur was holding back for Kiku's sake. It was softer, gentler, but still as passionate as ever. Kiku closed his eyes and just let Arthur go; he didn't care anymore and besides, it wasn't as if it wasn't completely unpleasant…
Arthur took Kiku's silence as an initiative to go in deeper. His tongue forced Kiku's mouth open wider, coming in further and making wet sounds. Kiku was pushed into the back cushions of the couch. He pulled on Arthur's sleeves, trying to find space to breathe.
"Mmghn…nn…haa…haa…"
Arthur pulled away for a moment, just long enough to catch his breath. His face was still unbearably close and Kiku suddenly felt hot. Arthur leaned closer like he was coming in for another kiss, but his stopped short, his soft lips just centimetres from Kiku's own.
"Are you feeling it yet?" he whispered. "You've felt it before…that heat that comes after a kiss…"
Arthur's hand touched a very sensitive spot and Kiku impulsively flinched. "N-no…not there…"
"What, are you kidding me? You're harder than a piece of ironwood."
Kiku frowned angrily at Arthur. "What do you expect? I…I've never done this before! I don't even know what to do in this kind of situation!"
Arthur snickered lightly at Kiku. "Pfff…You're so cute…all that just from a kiss…did you get like that the last two times I kissed you too?"
"I'm gonna slap you here before long if you keep that up," Kiku said behind a glare.
"Yeesh and you say I'm the violent one…alright, off with the clothes!"
"Whaattt?"
"Well, how else do you expect to do it? Just take 'em off or I'll do it myself."
"I can do it myself, thank you!" Kiku said vehemently, throwing off his blazer and starting to tug on his sweater. Off slid the tie as well and down buttons came; the three layers were gone in a matter of seconds. But for however fast Kiku had undressed, Arthur was faster. He was stripped down to just pants by the time Kiku had finished undoing buttons.
"That's far enough," Arthur said. "You don't have to do anything more. You could even sleep if you wanted."
"As if I could actually do that! I don't like being thought of as a doll you know."
Arthur snickered again. "Of course not. You're far from a doll…cause you're actually cuter."
Before Kiku could retort, Arthur was on him again, lips hot and sweet. This one was even better than before; Kiku was partially disgusted with himself that he was actually enjoying it. Arthur might have been right; it looked like his plan was backfiring.
The kisses now were migrating away from Kiku's mouth as Arthur started to caress his bare skin. Kiku stiffened when he felt teeth on his skin then a moist tongue. The sensation sent a quiver up his spine.
"Ah…h-hey…wai-ahh…!" Arthur had touched him again, making Kiku cringe slightly. He clutched at Arthur's shoulders. "No…no…"
"I told you I wasn't going to stop. You should have thought of the consequences before egging me on like that."
Arthur's hand slipped into Kiku's pants, fondling the prize. Kiku was holding tightly now to Arthur's neck as his rough hand slid up and down.
"Ah…nn…ha…d-don't…" Kiku's pants were pushed off as Arthur's caress got a little faster. Just from that Kiku was already wet.
"Hmph. You come too fast," Arthur said in disappointment.
"Ah…s-shut up!" Kiku's back arched as a pair of fingers penetrated his arse. His body temperature seemed to go up just from that feeling. He was leaning heavily on Arthur, holding firmly to his arms. It felt really good for some reason, even though it kind of hurt.
"You're so tight…I wonder if it'll be even tighter if I put mine in…"
"N-no! D-don't do that!" Kiku protested, but his words fell on deaf ears. He slid sideways against the couch until he was laying down on his back, Arthur inclined over him. Arthur had a right grip on Kiku's wrists. His devilish smile was plastered all over his face.
"I'll say it again until you understand; I'm not going to stop. Not when I've gotten this aroused just by touching you."
Arthur stole another kiss, quick but enough to make Kiku want it to last longer. His common sense was beginning to slip away as he started to give in to his body's demands. The touch of another's hands on his skin was like an electric shock…every time those fingers made contact it was like fire. And the feeling of being touched so intimately was enough to send him over the edge. It all felt so good…
Kiku gave a little squeak when he felt that thing enter him. It hurt…a lot too. Worse than the fingers. He felt the surge and throb of it inside him, the thrusts hard and unsympathetic. Kiku squirmed, biting back the urge to scream.
"Aahh…s-stop…that…that…ahh…AHHH!"
Kiku couldn't hold back the scream when that heat exploded inside him. He was seeing stars in the lids of his eyes and he felt like passing out. A pair of arms slid underneath him, lifting him up. Arthur pulled him close, kissing his sweaty forehead. Right before he lost consciousness, Kiku thought he heard the faintest of whispers.
"I love you."