They went to Tartarus that night, and the next…and it looked as if Minato were leaning towards going again the night after that. Then that afternoon Mitsuru announced firmly that she and Akihiko wouldn't be able to go because of something they had to finish up for class, and most of the 2nd year students heaved an inward sigh of relief. They knew Minato was worried about a lot of requests he'd gotten from someone named "Elizabeth," but they were getting a little worn out by that point. Akihiko on the other hand had looked surprised and a little confused when Mitsuru mentioned their "assignment," but he quickly bent his attention back to repairing his gloves after she fixed him with a certain glare.
The evening passed quietly. Fuuka surfed around on the web while Junpei dragged Minato out to take Koromaru for a walk. Yukari flipped through fashion magazines and tried unsuccessfully to explain certain articles about pop idols to Aigis. Ken went up to catch the latest episode of Phoenix Featherman R. And at half past eight, Mitsuru got up to go to her room, presumably to finish up on her project. Yukari turned to Akihiko and poked his arm, teasing him that he probably should get going too if he wanted to be done in time for bed. She was surprised at the way he stiffened up and she even thought she saw his cheeks redden momentarily. But he just said, "You're right," and headed up the stairs, leaving her to wonder if she had done something wrong.
Mitsuru was just wondering if she hadn't been obvious enough when the knock came at her door. She took a breath and then went over to let him in. As she opened the door she felt a momentary stab of conscience for lying to the younger students like that, but they had needed a break anyway. Then he was in the room with her and she didn't have room for other thoughts. She hesitated for a moment and then walked over to the bed as he mechanically locked the door. She was wondering what to say, or if there was anything to say, when he came and sat down next to her. They looked at each other for a moment and then he self-consciously took the condoms out of his pocket and put them on the bedside table. (He remembered they were supposed to be kept at room temperature.) As she watched him her hands clenched in her lap a little.
He turned back to her and started to say something, but shut his mouth a moment later and put a hand on her shoulder, drawing her forward a little to kiss her. She slid closer to him and put a hand on his, but then drew it back. "…take those silly things off."
"Oh…right." He looked down and took his gloves off. Mitsuru swallowed and started to undo his collar. He'd been concerned about messing her room up, but when he noticed that she just tossed his tie to the floor he let the gloves fall next to it. Then he leaned back against the pillows and pulled her with him, although he felt like the bed was going to swallow him. What the hell was her mattress made of, anyway? Definitely too soft…then she was kissing him again and soft wasn't such a bad thing. He realized that he was probably supposed to be undoing her buttons about now, and he actually managed it even though they were on the wrong side. But when he slid his hands up her sides under the shirt he encountered unfamiliar territory and it defeated him.
Mitsuru realized after a moment that Akihiko was not going to master bra clasps anytime soon. She sighed and yanked his shirt up over his face in one sudden movement, startling him. When he had gotten untangled and thrown it off, the bra was already on the floor. He stared until she reddened and turned her face away. "Is that all you're going to do…just look?"
He shook his head. "I'm sorry…you're just so…"
That made her blush harder. She took one of his hands and put it on her, still not able to look back at him just yet. A little guiltily, he sat up slightly and ran his hands over her. She shivered a little at their roughness in contrast to her own smooth skin, but the difference added something to it. He must have been thinking along the same lines, because a moment later he wrapped his arms around her and sat up higher, pressing against her. She closed her eyes and let her fingertips sink into his shoulders as he slid her hair out of the way and kissed her neck.
A moment later though she noticed something and started. He looked up at her inquiringly; her jaw was set firmly with new determination. Grimly, she started to attack his belt. Embarrassed, he helped her with it and after a moment or two of struggling with fastenings both of them sat back with the shocked realization that there was nothing between them now. All of the clothes lay on the floor.
Mitsuru brushed her hair back from her ear--it was a nervous gesture he was familiar with--and then reached down with slightly shaking hands to touch him. He made an involuntary sound, which wrecked her composure further, and then had to quickly reassure her that it was fine to touch him there. He put a hand on her side and watched her, finding her curiosity endearing and trying not to breathe too heavily. Her face bent closer and he felt her hair slide across his chest and down his stomach; then she got bolder. His hand slid down to the bed and clutched mindlessly at the sheets under them, and he gave up trying to control his breathing.
She sat up after awhile, brushing self-consciously at some strands of her hair that had gotten tangled around her mouth, and said, "Do you think you should---"
He took a deep breath, then another one. "…yeah. Probably." She watched him take one out of the package and put it on, and something about the way he did it made her realize that he had practiced. That made her smile in spite of the tension.
When he took her shoulder again and gently laid her back on the bed, she was scared, even though she had told herself she wouldn't be. She tried to brace herself but then relaxed confusedly when he just kissed her forehead and slid his hand down to her thigh. Of course…he wanted to know, too. She bit her lip and tried not to move around too much as he looked at her and touched her carefully, but it was embarrassing. He noticed that she seemed to react a certain way when he rubbed one particular spot, so he experimented with that for awhile. When he looked at her for confirmation her eyes were closed and she was panting softly. He bent to her then and didn't come back up again until it was over. It hadn't been anything like Junpei's stupid comics, but he had still managed to figure it out from the way she had dug her nails into his hair and shaken until he'd had to hold her thighs down. After she had subsided he propped himself up, settling between her legs, and looked down at her. She opened her eyes to look at him and he felt an overpowering sense of possessiveness. She sensed it and her lips parted but she didn't speak. Instead she clutched at one of his arms and shifted under him, drawing her legs up.
Even though they were both determined, it was difficult at first. She hadn't been prepared for how much it was going to hurt, and he hated knowing that he was hurting her. But she made him keep going, and he respected her judgment. It became worth it the moment she relaxed under him suddenly and then groaned and locked her legs behind his back, and he could tell it didn't hurt anymore. After that there was only her hair glowing like blood against the pillow, and the soft burn of the scratches on his sides, and the creaking of the bed that formed the background to their hushed voices.
--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--
"What do you want?"
"Cielo Mist, please."
He nodded and got his wallet. She watched him from the bed as he pulled on his undershirt and absent-mindedly buttoned it most of the way, getting the whole thing one button off. The way he was going out, without even bothering to put on socks, made her smile, but then he was only going to the end of the hall. She decided not to tell him how his hair looked at the moment, either. Hers was probably a fright, too.
He looked back at her in a way that told her he clearly wasn't thinking about how messed up her hair was. "I'll be right back, then."
"See that you are." She said it playfully, but he took it seriously, nodding and hurrying off. She stretched luxuriously and sighed.
Akihiko cursed and punched the soda machine, but that still didn't make it cooperate. No help for it, he would have to go down to the second floor. He marched down the stairs and did his best to ignore Junpei, who was playing a hand-held game at the table. Junpei, however, did not fail to notice the misbuttoned shirt, the hair standing on end, or most importantly the fact that Akihiko had come from the third floor. He watched as Akihiko purchased two sodas.
Akihiko felt eyes on him and turned irritably to confront him. "Well…what?"
Junpei was looking at him with undisguised awe. "Senpai has become a man…"
"I have no idea what you're talking about. …what kind of soda would you like?"
"Mad Bull."
Akihiko got one and then brought it over to Junpei. When Junpei reached for it though, he held it out of reach. "Not one word to anyone."
Junpei held up one hand. "Scout's honor."
"Hmph." Akihiko surrendered the can and headed back up the stairs.
Junpei looked after him and then reflected sadly that at this rate, Ken was going to get laid before he was.
