Uryuu stops in the middle of the hallway and stares. The towel he was just using to blot the dripping ends of his hair nearly slips from slackened fingers. Kurosaki is waiting outside his door, leaning against the frame with crossed arms and a grumpy expression. He notices Uryuu and straightens.

"What took you so long? Hurry up and unlock the door."

Cognizant of possible eavesdroppers, he waits to begin berating the boy after they enter his bedroom.

"Are you crazy!?" Uryuu quietly but irately accuses as he sets down his shower caddy and hangs the towel on its hook, "What if someone saw you lurking outside my door?"

"Give me some credit; I made sure no one was around first and I wasn't waiting long. Besides, I never promised to keep my mouth shut about what we're doing."

"What are we doing, Kurosaki? It was just supposed to be once but this makes three times you've harassed me. Do you think I'll just keep giving in to whatever you want?"

He adopts a familiar smile and says, "Yeah, you will. Not only because you want to stay in this school, but also because I know you like doing these types of things with me, Ishida. I'll get you to admit it sooner or later."

Shoving him to bang against the door, Uryuu retorts, "You really are psychotic if you think I don't resent every single second I'm around you!"

Kurosaki grabs both of his wrists and tugs them behind his own back in a forced mockery of an embrace. He takes a deep whiff of Uryuu's freshly showered scent and hums approvingly.

"You smell amazing. What kind of soap is that?"

Rather than indulge the change of topic, Uryuu tries to wrangle out of his grasp but he is held firm. The riveting pressure of Kurosaki's hands on fading bruises saps some of the fire fueling his opposition.

"Let go."

He does, but likely because he was going to anyway. Pulling something from a pocket, he holds it up for Uryuu to see.

"Did you notice I was wearing a tie earlier today? I did it for you, so we'd have something softer to use for this."

'This' being a repeat of the last time they were alone in his room. An obligatory wrestling match doesn't attenuate the outcome. Kurosaki fastens him to the headrest and climbs astride like he belongs there. He steals Uryuu's glasses and sets them safely atop the side table before they do anything else. The considerate actions make him that much more annoyed for reasons he doesn't care to comprehend.

"Silk tie or barbed wire, what difference does it make to you? Don't act like you give a shit about my comfort!"

"I know you like it when I'm a little rough," asserts Kurosaki in his best seductive tone, "But I won't take it too far. How about this: I won't hurt you unless you hurt me first. Seem fair?"

"It seems like you're even more of a devious lunatic than I thought."

The jab spurs him into motion. From the first touch of Kurosaki's mouth, a war is launched inside him. Loathing and lust vie for the forefront of his thoughts. Confusion and a bitter refusal to accept reality inspire a foolish idea. Uryuu lashes out by biting into the boy's lower lip.

He jerks back with a disgruntled noise and tentatively touches the stinging site. It isn't bleeding. Narrowed eyes widen on some dawning insight that has him reaching down to yank the collar of his shirt aside. Then Kurosaki bends forward to bite the side of his throat. Uryuu cries out in astonishment and a palm is placed to muffle the sound.

"Careful, Ishida," warns a warm murmur against his ear, "We don't wanna get caught, remember?"

Kurosaki goes in for another press of teeth, slow and raking. Not nearly strong enough to break the skin. More than strong enough to trigger a strangled yelp that resembles the beginnings of a moan. Startled to hear such a thing coming from Uryuu, he rears back to analyze his features. The hand is removed to let him speak but he has nothing to say for himself. He averts his gaze and pretends he isn't blushing.

When Kurosaki continues to watch him, he goads, "What are you staring at? Just get it over with."

"Don't rush me."

The boy doesn't kiss him right away. He is fixated on teasing more of those new sounds from Uryuu via his sensitive neck. Sucking and nibbling and licking. Being instructed not to leave a mark his uniform won't cover, Kurosaki offers no verbal response but obligingly moves lower. He promptly produces a hickey at the crux of shoulder and throat, dragging blunt teeth over the throbbing bruise. It is liquid lightning in Uryuu's chest. His eyes fly open on a quick gasp only to squeeze shut on a lasting shiver.

"Kurosaki," he complains, trying to scoot away from his mouth, "Knock it off already!"

"This is your own fault. If you had just kissed me instead of being difficult—"

"Then kiss me!"

A very strange moment ticks by because it almost seems as though Uryuu just asked to be kissed. Like he wants it. The flush to his cheeks darkens under Kurosaki's satisfied smirk. He moves from straddling Uryuu to have them lie facing each other on their sides instead, getting cozy and settling in before initiating a sultry kiss that lasts much longer than last time. He wisely keeps his hands to himself.

They make out until his jaw grows sore, his tongue gets tired, and his lips feel chapped. All the while struggling to think of anything else. Taking holy communion and the dry taste of unleavened wafers. The library's bland smell of dust and old books. That he should buy Chapstick next time he goes shopping. His father's critical glare. Even the latter can't shake Kurosaki's hold over him. He has become so captivated by the kiss that he doesn't mentally rejoice when it finally ends.

Uryuu shifts uncomfortably at the thought. His hip grazes Kurosaki's thigh and a groan shatters the silence between them. For an instant he isn't sure which of them it sprang from because his head is spinning so fast. It feels like falling. It feels like high voltage because that thigh is sliding warm and solid between his legs. Uryuu moans again, unmistakably, and Kurosaki hisses a vulgar exclamation.

"Holy fucking shit, Ishida," he breathlessly blasphemes, "Is this why you made me stop last time? Does it get you this excited just to kiss me? Fuck. Knew you were secretly a dirty gay boy just like me."

"I am not," whispers Uryuu, but his argument is pretty weak with contrary evidence straining eagerly between them.

Kurosaki removes his infernal thigh and Uryuu hides his flaming face against an upraised arm. Mortification eviscerates him from the inside out. He doesn't fight half as hard as he should when Kurosaki rolls him over and snuggles up close behind. Arms wrap around his torso and legs bend to bracket his in place. The boy's matching erection is firm against his lower back, and Uryuu exhales harshly to feel what that knowledge does to his own.

"You're a god damn hypocrite, but I won't leave you like this," vows Kurosaki. "I'm gonna take care of you tonight."

He kisses the back of Uryuu's neck and slips a hand beneath his shirt to rub across his abs. They tighten responsively, creating a ripple of buzzing pleasure across his skin. Kurosaki's palm dips lower, under his waistband, and brushes his rigid cock. Uryuu smothers a shocked noise in the crook of his elbows. Fingers gently squeeze. His mouth is gaping but he can't breathe. It is the best thing he has ever felt. Pure elation and wicked sin.

"Bastard," he shakily condemns even as a pulse of hot fluid slicks the boy's slowly sliding fingers. "Evil, impious, wretched—A-aahn!"

The calculated nudge of Kurosaki's thumb wrings a loud moan from him. His free hand darts up to cover Uryuu's mouth as he increases the pace, along with the frequency of helpless noises. Hips move on their own, rocking up into the hold and back against Kurosaki. He is treated to a low groan for the intuitive movement.

"Are you close, Ishida? Do you want me to make you come all over yourself?"

Since he can't voice the rancorous reply that deserves, Uryuu nips his palm before recalling their former conditional statement. Kurosaki hasn't forgotten. He bites hard into Uryuu's shoulder and pumps faster. Concentration slips just for a second and he can't hold it back anymore. A powerful release shreds into him and Uryuu thinks he might be dying. Thinks maybe he should be dying because something so horribly wrong shouldn't feel so devastatingly wonderful that his head is about to explode.

His hips are writhing, lungs working, blood rushing and Kurosaki tenses behind him. The temporary absence of his ragged breathing is most conspicuous of all. Then it wavers out on a short sigh and Uryuu knows he just made the other boy come, too. It's so screwed up. Everything is just so screwed up and he can't forgive himself for never saying 'no'. The whole time Kurosaki was defiling him, one word could've saved him.

Why didn't he say 'no'?

While they are still recovering, Kurosaki quickly cleans his hand with a tissue before untying him. Uryuu folds freed arms about his middle and pulls his knees in toward his chest. A judgmental litany aimed mostly at himself echoes around and around his mind even as his body still tingles from the residual rush. Kurosaki touches his shoulder with a quiet question on the tip of his tongue. Uryuu shrinks from the contact and interrupts whatever meaningless drivel he intends to communicate.

"Get out, Kurosaki."

A stunned silence lengthens until he says, "Ishida, I—"

"Just get the fuck out of my room!"

An eternity later, the door creaks open and clicks shut but Uryuu still can't bring himself to move. He knows he needs to clean up, change clothes, and throw away his underwear for sure. Yet, when this moment ends another will begin, making it a permanent part of his past.

Knowing that this is just a blip on the radar for Kurosaki makes it all the more intolerable. He doesn't give a damn about Uryuu. He only does these things out of spite and hormonal impulse. Uryuu is a captive toy, that's all. The bastard just gets off on torturing and sullying an honest Christian. And he succeeded.


Late afternoon sunlight reflects off the running track and highlights the bright autumn foliage all around him. Crisp air cools the sweat from his skin but reddens the tip of his nose. The burn in his legs is mirrored in his lungs as he pushes himself to jog even faster. A group of students he lapped earlier circle into view ahead of him again. They give him odd looks as he passes but Uryuu isn't trying to outrun them. He's trying to outrun the noxious cloud of his own brooding thoughts.

He can't take it anymore. Seeing Kurosaki in class day after day and pretending nothing happened. It got a little easier after the marks on his throat faded, but not by much. Uryuu has been spending a lot less time in the chapel lately. It doesn't afford the same comfort and serenity as it used to now that his soul has been marred with such heady transgressions. Now that Kurosaki has even infiltrated his dreams.

The waiting is what's really killing him. Kurosaki hasn't so much as glanced his way in nearly two weeks. It is only a matter of time before he seeks Uryuu out again. Unless—dare he hope?—Kurosaki has become bored of him. He hates having mixed feelings about that when he should only feel relief.

At a signal from his physical education teacher, Uryuu jogs to a halt in front of her. Unagiya-sensei waits for him to catch his breath a bit and passes him a bottle of water.

"Spectacular job out there today, Ishida-kun," she enthusiastically cheers. "Are you sure I can't get you to join the track team?"

"Respectfully, ma'am, I wouldn't have the time."

"Hm, I suppose not. Kanonji mentioned you're already taking university exam prep classes on top of the normal curriculum. Not that you'll probably need it with a brain like yours."

A strategic sip of water masks his perturbed frown. "Do the other teachers talk about me often?"

"I guess so," laughs Unagiya-sensei, "Ever since you magically brought Kurosaki to heel."

Uryuu twitches at the name. He screws the lid back on the bottle and holds it at his side. That way she won't see how it shakes in his grip.

"My role in that miracle was small."

"That's not what I hear. In fact, I've been meaning to ask if you'd be willing to perform a second miracle for us."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Kurosaki's behavior is one issue but his grades are another. I'm sure it comes as no surprise that my class is the only one he's passing right now."

"I don't see what that has to do with me."

One of her eyebrows arches. "To phrase it bluntly, we were hoping you'd whip him into academic shape. At least enough to graduate. Nobody wants to deal with him for an extra year, especially if you won't be here to keep him in check."

He rubs at a sudden pain stabbing between his eyes and searches for a polite yet convincing way to refuse without revealing anything.

"You all seem to be under the misconception that Kurosaki and I are friends. We aren't."

"Come on," she smiles, propping a hand on her hip. "You're still playing that card? Nobody believes it, you know. With the way he stares at you in class all the time, you two must be pretty close. I don't see the point in lying abo—"

The hand drops as his head snaps up, "Wait. Kurosaki stares at me in class?"

"According to Ochi, Kanonji, and even Kagine, yeah. He does. You weren't aware of this?" Suspicion sifts into her demeanor to see the truth of it on his face. "Huh. Weird."

'Weird' doesn't begin to cover it. There is no reason for that level of obsession unless Kurosaki is so focused on tormenting him that it is all he thinks about anymore. If that's the case, why hasn't he approached Uryuu again? He wants to ask how long this has been going on but Unagiya-sensei is too sharp to chance it. In fact, the sooner this conversation ends, the better.

"I-I'll see what I can do," he vaguely agrees.

"Glad to hear it! Go ahead and hit the showers a little early, kid. You earned it."


Although he wanted to dismiss it, he dwelled on Unagiya-sensei's news for the next few days following their discussion. Kurosaki still hasn't come to him at night or spoken to him at school. He is torn between hoping it's over and dreading reasons why the boy is staying away from him for so long. They don't owe each other anything. They were never friends, sure as hell weren't lovers in any positive sense of the word. But none of this makes sense.

Of course, curiosity gets the better of him and he starts sneaking glances of Kurosaki in class. Starting from homeroom this morning and culminating in his current occupation amid Kagine-sensei's trademark monotone instruction. Amazingly, the teachers are right: Uryuu has caught the boy staring at him over a dozen times throughout the day in the classes they share. Each time scowling at being discovered.

Like adding drops to a bucket, Kurosaki's irritation seems close to overflowing.

Which is why Uryuu packs his books and darts out the door with as much poise as possible when the final bell rings. He still gets ambushed in the hall and dragged toward the nearest restroom. Kurosaki flips the lock and does a quick sweep to ensure the stalls are empty before rounding on him.

"Why the fuck have you been looking at me all day?"

"I could ask you the same."

"I asked you first." Uryuu rolls his eyes at the childish reaction. "Answer me, Ishida!"

"No, you answer me, Kurosaki! How long have you been staring at me in class?"

He makes a face and counters with, "Who says I've been staring at you?"

"Oh, only all of our teachers." Kurosaki won't answer, won't even meet his gaze now. The hush spreads until it becomes excruciating, until Uryuu fills it with what he really wants to know. "Why haven't you…harassed me since that night? What are you waiting for?"

Brown eyes flare and skip to blue. He is wearing the most idiotic expression, astounded and baffled.

"I thought you—"

Kurosaki cuts himself off at the sound of someone at the door. Uryuu unlocks and opens it. Kagine-sensei stands hulking and uncertain in the narrow frame.

"Uh…" their history teacher tries, glancing between the two students, "What's going on here, Ishida-kun?"

"Just guiding a wayward lamb, Kagine-sensei."

Behind him, Kurosaki makes an affronted noise like he's going to contradict that statement. A sharp glare over Uryuu's shoulder averts catastrophe.

"Ah, I see…" The man smiles in understanding. Apparently his teachers really do gossip about them on a regular basis. "We knew we could count on you! Carry on."

Then he continues to one of the stalls. Uryuu vacates the bathroom without a backward glance. Kurosaki tags along, falling into step beside him. A distinct lack of people roaming the halls allows candid conversation on the way to the dorms.

"What was with that 'wayward lamb' bullshit?"

"A product of our teaching staff's collective brilliance," he sarcastically shares. "They were hoping I could make you improve your grades since we're such good friends."

"They think we're friends? You're kidding." Uryuu shrugs and Kurosaki snickers. "That's…fucking hilarious."

Traversing the outdoor passageway to reach the east wing of his dormitory building, Uryuu starts to get antsy when the boy follows him rather than branch off toward his hall in the west.

"Well, I did do such a phenomenal job with your behavioral problems. Not to mention the staring—which you still haven't explained, by the way." Kurosaki clams right up at that, humor disintegrating like the dried leaves beneath their shoes. "At any rate, there's certainly no way you could ever improve your marks whether empowered by my 'friendship' or not."

"Fuck you, I could make top ten if I wanted."

"Top ten? In your wildest dreams," he sneers. "If it's so easy, why don't you prove it?"

They draw to a stop outside his door. Unwilling to unlock it yet, Uryuu crosses his arms and faces the boy.

"You must think I'm a real dunce to fall for that kind of petty manipulation." Kurosaki leans against the wall and crowds into his personal space. "I could be persuaded to study, though. For the low, low price of a tiny edit to our terms."

The casual mention of their illicit agreement has Uryuu on red-alert. He peers up and down the hallway to make sure no one overheard. Hurriedly unlocking the door, he yanks Kurosaki inside before he can leak any more deadly secrets where anyone can be listening.

"Are you referring to the contract you already broke—twice?"

"Yeah, that's the one."

"And this 'tiny edit' would be…?"

His eyes trail down Uryuu's body and climb back up darkened with hunger. Kurosaki doesn't leer and loom over him this time. He gazes directly at Uryuu with a serious expression and tone of voice.

"If you let me do all sorts of erotic things to you, I'll start acing everything."

Although he anticipated something along those lines, hearing it aloud still shoots straight through his rib cage to clench around his heart like a cold fist. So, not only does Kurosaki want to move on from just kissing—as if that line hasn't already been crossed—he also wants Uryuu's compliance. No more fighting tooth-and-nail over every little touch. No more grousing like he hates every second of it. Kurosaki wants free access to a willing fuck-buddy.

But where is Uryuu's carrot? He doesn't care about Kurosaki's grades. It isn't as if the teachers will punish him for the boy's continued academic negligence. Why are they even talking about this?

Ah, yes. Because he knows from experience that rejecting his offer won't be the end of it. Kurosaki has chosen to pursue him, for whatever reason. If the threat of expulsion isn't incentive enough, he will find another way to force Uryuu's cooperation. At least this way he can maintain the pretense of autonomy. If he accepts the proposal, he is not Kurosaki's slave but his prize.

Plus, if Kurosaki can't boost his grades, Uryuu has an easy-out. And he really doesn't think Kurosaki has the wits to ace a pop quiz, much less raise his dismal rank from the pit into which he has let it sink. Uryuu regards the boy, who is patiently waiting for his response.

"All right, Kurosaki. I'll do it."

He gapes. "What—seriously!?"

"Only on the condition that under no circumstance may you ever put your dick anywhere near my ass. If you try, I will beat you half to death and have you arrested for rape."

"Okay," he firmly nods, "Yeah, that's reasonable. I have a condition, too."

"The entire agreement is composed of your conditions!" objects Uryuu.

"This one's simple, I promise."

"What is it?"

"We have to study together, and you'll tutor me if I ask for help."

Well, he wasn't expecting that addendum. Sounds like a lot of hassle for little reward but he's tired of arguing.

"Fine."

"Awesome. Now, because I'm such a great guy, I'll leave it up to you which we do first every day: study or sex." Uryuu's eyes widen on the words 'every day'. Call him naive, but he really wasn't thinking they would be that active. "So, which do you want to do?"

Kurosaki drops the loaded question on him like a bomb as he sets his school bag on the floor and removes his uniform jacket. Uryuu's pulse doubles as he watches him unbutton the white dress shirt and shrug out of it. They're going to get right to it? Right this moment? Having stripped to his usual brand of loud t-shirt, Kurosaki stands there looking at him as if to silently repeat, study or sex? Uryuu thinks it would be nice if he could say study, then more studying and skip the sex. No doubt Kurosaki would prefer the opposite.

Glancing at the stack of books on his desk, he wonders if he could even absorb anything with the prospect of sex later hanging over his head.

He lets his eyes fall closed on a sigh as he reaches up to undo the first button on his jacket. Kurosaki astutely interprets this as a green light and gets rid of his glasses before guiding him in for a kiss. It already feels so different this time. Lighter. Less distressing. Uryuu has to remind himself that this isn't okay for a lot of reasons and he still shouldn't enjoy it. Doesn't stop his blood from rushing when Kurosaki hastily pushes the jacket from his shoulders and loosens the tie at his throat while they kiss.

"Kurosaki, s-slow down."

"Really? I'm surprised you want to take it slow, Ishida. Figured you'd want to get it over with as fast as possible."

That shuts him right up. He lets Kurosaki push him to the bed and reinitiate a deep kiss. Uryuu knows he has agreed to act like a willing participant, but that doesn't mean he has to act like he loves it. His nails drag harshly down the sensitive backs of Kurosaki's upper arms for the hell of it. Making an aggressive sound, he tugs Uryuu's hair and nips at his ear before licking away the sting. It really shouldn't feel so good that he breathes a short, loud whine. But it definitely does and a few seconds later the wall bordering his bed is thundering with an annoyed knocking from the other side.

"Keep it down, lame-ass egghead!" can be heard dimly from his neighbor's room.

Kurosaki tenses, then pushes up to yell, "Hey, shut the fuck up before I—!"

Covering his mouth with both hands, he urgently hisses, "You shut up, Kurosaki! No one can find out that you're here!"

"But that asshole insulted you," he removes silencing hands to avidly argue. "No one gets to pick on you but me."

Uryuu has no response to that.

When Kurosaki goes back to kissing his neck, Uryuu is still reeling from the fact that he has been protected twice now by the boy. And in a weirdly sweet way, though Kurosaki probably doesn't realize it himself. Uryuu promptly pushes him away.

"On second thought, maybe we should wait until later tonight. If everyone is asleep, we'll be less likely to get caught."

Easing off with a frown, Kurosaki clearly doesn't approve of the schedule change but he gets up to grab his bag anyway. Uryuu relocates to his desk while his visitor dumps his school things onto the mattress and makes himself cozy for an extended study session. Kurosaki cracks open a book and huffs a quiet sigh as he settles in to start reading.