Chapter 4

Five hours later, Masaki and Kichijouji finally reached Masaki's house. Masaki's mom fed them lunch while they explained to her what had happened; Masaki's dad was still at work. Ichijou Midori took in the story with no small amount of consternation and sent the boys off to rest. Masaki's sisters were given strict instructions not to bother them.

By the time Kichijouji reached Masaki's room, he felt exhausted again. He'd slept propped up against Masaki for most of their ride home. He watched as Masaki shut his bedroom door and then looked at Masaki's bed longingly. "Can we lie down together?"

Masaki hugged Kichijouji, pulled Kichijouji over to the bed with him, and collapsed on it, taking Kichijouji with him. "That's all I want. All I want is some time to be with you. To be alive."

Kichijouji settled at Masaki's side as Masaki lay on his back, and then he sprawled over Masaki's chest, hugging his waist. He rested his head on Masaki's shoulder and sighed in relief. "Yes. Seeing all these spirits really made me focus on my mortality." He pressed a kiss to Masaki's cheek. "I'm sorry one of the spirits pretended to be me. That's horrifying." Masaki had told him about the experience while they ate breakfast.

Masaki embraced Kichijouji more tightly. "I just – I don't want to see that again. I don't want to lose you. I'm so tired, but I'll fight all over again if I have to. I'll fight and fight and fight. I can't stand to lose you."

At hearing that, Kichijouji couldn't wait a moment longer to share a first kiss. He reached up, cupping Masaki's cheek and tilting his face to the side. Then he raised himself up on his elbow for ease of access. He gazed down at Masaki's handsome, sweet face, and a wave of love washed through him, warm and tingling. "Masaki," he whispered, his entire reply packed into the adoration with which he said the name. Then he leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to Masaki's lips.

Masaki kissed back, clumsy at first and then getting better, lining up so that he could mouth Kichijouji's lips, pressing into the warmth and affection and aliveness. He needed this. He needed confirmation that everything was real and he wasn't disconnected somehow. That his love was understood, Kichijouji loved him, and everything would be okay.

A soft moan escaped Kichijouji as they figured out how to kiss. He mouthed Masaki's lips in return, heat seeping through his body until it reached his fingers and toes. He felt exquisitely alive, special, loved. This was what he'd dreamed of sharing with Masaki for five years. I love you.

As if by instinct, Kichijouji kissed Masaki a bit deeper, and then slipped his tongue past his lips. He paused, caught by the sensation, and then caressed Masaki's tongue.

Masaki moaned deeply and trembled, struck through with a pang of painfully strong desire. He flushed as his underwear grew wet and his erection throbbed. He squeezed Kichijouji and kissed him in return, gently caressing tongues, his breath coming shorter and quicker and deeper. Masaki felt both nervous and exhilarated.

Kichijouji could feel the passion building between them. He could feel that they were both hard now. He moaned along with Masaki, loving the sound of Masaki's pleasure and sinking into the kiss. It felt intimate. Right. They had shared so much already, emotionally—far more than the kids at school believed boys could share. Now they could share physically. Kichijouji ran one hand over Masaki's chest as they kissed, slipping it under the uniform jacket. He discovered one nipple was hard, and with fascination, he caressed it through the cotton.

The caressing made Masaki's head fly back as he cried out. Shock and intense pleasure shot through him straight to his groin. "I – ah – " His legs trembled, and he experimentally ran his hands over Kichijouji's chest in return.

"Oh, god!" Kichijouji had not been prepared for the return caress. His nipples tingled, and it sent a flood of heat down his body, making his underwear wet. He met Masaki's gaze, both of them wide-eyed. Then, with silent agreement, they hastily removed everything but their shirts and pants. Their jackets, vests, ties, belts, and even socks all went flying onto the floor.

"We're rushing right in," Kichijouji whispered. He didn't mind. At all. "We held out for too long, not admitting this." And with that proclamation, he unbuttoned the first few buttons of Masaki's shirt and then slipped his hand inside. Warm, smooth skin met his fingers. To caress Masaki's chest this way was divine. Kichijouji found the nipple again and caressed it, skin to skin.

Masaki fell onto his back with a cry, squeezing his eyes shut at the bolt of pleasure and desire. "Do it again. Do it more." His whole body trembled, and he was struck by a feeling of malleable heat inside. His innate self-consciousness about his body faded, and he wanted Kichijouji to help him find release. "I want to—to share this." He ran a hand down Kichijouji's side and gently tugged on Kichijouji's shirt, pulling him toward him.

Kichijouji didn't have to be asked twice. He had five years of daydreams to act upon. "I want to share it with you." He blushed. "All of it." He unbuttoned Masaki's shirt the rest of the way, tugging it free of his pants as he did. He splayed the material wide, baring Masaki's muscular chest, and caved into his instincts, into his fantasies. He leaned down and lapped over Masaki's right nipple, tracing it and caressing it with his tongue.

Masaki arched and cupped the back of Kichijouji's head, gasping out a moan. His whole body was taut and sensitized. The throbbing in his groin intensified, and a joyful feeling spread through him, making his entire body feel open and ready. "Yes." He stroked Kichijouji's hair. "That's good . . . "

At the caress to his hair and the words of encouragement, Kichijouji felt a flush sweep through his entire body. He moaned against Masaki's skin and began sucking and lapping on his nipple. His eyes had fluttered shut, and he felt his world narrow down to the feeling of Masaki's body under him, hot and trembling. His hearing seemed fine-tuned to Masaki's gasps and moans. His tongue and lips felt sensitive to the warm skin against them, the nipple hard. "Masaki," he gasped, then switched to the other nipple, loving on it as well.

Masaki arched and cried out once again. His nipple quickly warmed under Kichijouji's care, and he stroked and massaged Kichijouji's scalp, his legs falling open farther. His hips began to rock, his erection straining against his clothes and aching for stimulation. He wrapped his other arm around Kichijouji and squeezed the small of Kichijouji's back, moaning. Even as he wondered where they were going to end up, he felt safe and loved, and his soul cried out with relief at this warmth and intimacy after the struggles they'd endured.

Kichijouji's breath stuttered as Masaki began rocking his hips. He lifted his face, blushing hotly. "Masaki . . . do you . . .?" He forced himself to say intimate words. "Do you need help with . . . release? I'll—I'll touch you. There." His own erection ached at the mere thought that he could bring Masaki to orgasm.

"Y-Yes," Masaki admitted. "Oh, god, if you would, Jouji . . . " His hips trembled at the effort of stilling his motion. His heart palpitated.

"I will," Kichijouji said quickly. He unbuttoned and unzipped Masaki's pants, and then Masaki lifted his hips and helped Kichijouji get both the pants and underwear down to his knees. Kichijouji was struck by how beautifully erotic this was—Masaki half-naked and in pleasure. "You're gorgeous," he whispered. "Including this part." He wrapped his hand around Masaki and caressed.

Masaki closed his eyes and lay back, his whole body relaxing. He could feel a bead of wetness welling up on his tip and sliding down. A moan emerged from him, long and low. "Jouji, I love you. Always be my boyfriend. I'll protect you, and you'll protect me." He knew it was sheer idealism, but he had to say it.

"I'll be your boyfriend, even after you're married," Kichijouji said with grim determination. "Find a wife who believes in ethical polyamory. I will, too." That vow made, he relaxed into the act of stroking Masaki. He gazed up at Masaki's expression of bliss and promised himself he would bring Masaki this pleasure as often as possible now that he could finally express his love this way.

"You're a genius,' Masaki whispered, overwhelmed by Kichijouji's solution. "I knew I could count on you t-to . . . " His voice faded out into a moan. He fell limp against the mattress except for his hips, which nudged his erection up into Kichijouji's hand. "Oh, god, that feels so good." His nipples tingled. "Jouji, let me do this for you when we're done."

The hot blush returned to Kichijouji's cheeks, stinging. "Y-yes. Of course I will." The idea of Masaki touching him this way made him squirm a bit. He stroked a little faster, urged onward by the way Masaki pressed up into his hand. You're unbelievably sexy, Masaki. Just beautiful.

Masaki was embarrassed, but he knew he couldn't hold out much longer. He didn't know how, and they were new to this, anyway. "I'm gonna – " He arched and whimpered. "Just a little more, Jouji. A little faster and I'll be able to – " He moaned with desperation, self-consciousness, and pleasure.

"Oh, god," Kichijouji gasped, understanding. Little flutters of empathetic pleasure wafted through him. He sped up his hand, as Masaki asked. "Yes, please do, Masaki. Even that will be gorgeous." Especially so, because it's your pleasure.

Masaki's lips trembled, and the tremor passed through his whole body. He focused hard on Kichijouji's hand stroking him. The hot pleasure spiked and then overflowed. He moaned and twisted and then came, gasping out with every wave. By the time he finished, he was sweaty, and his head was spinning.

Kichijouji watched, struck with both arousal and love. He felt vaguely light-headed by how turned on he was by this point. "Hold on," he whispered. He slipped into Masaki's bathroom—the mansion was both big and fancy enough that Masaki had his own—and got a hand towel to clean up the mess.

Kichijouji returned and cleaned off Masaki, and then he draped himself over him, embracing him. "It was beautiful, just like I knew it would be."

Masaki couldn't make more than a few agreeable noises in response. As soon as he could, he wrapped his arms around Kichijouji in return. "It felt good," he whispered, "with you." He felt more settled in his being than he had before. More sure of himself. Kichijouji's warmth on top of him helped.

"Yes." Kichijouji buried his face against Masaki's neck, blushing once again. The idea that Masaki had enjoyed sharing this level of intimacy with him swept him away, and on top of that, he knew his turn would be next. He'd been naked around Masaki before in places like bathhouses, but this would be different. It was more than nudity; it was allowing someone to see him at his most vulnerable. And yet he had always wished to do this with Masaki. "I'm ready," he whispered. "Once you've recovered enough."

Masaki nodded. He reached up and caressed Kichijouji's cheek. The gesture was new, but the urge wasn't. His acceptance of what that meant kindled a warm glow in his chest. "I'm recovered. How would you like me to hold you? I want you to be comfortable."

Somehow that question made Kichijouji even more aroused. The care in it appealed to him, made him feel special and wanted. He imagined a few different things, then settled on one. "I want to sit sideways across your lap so you can wrap one arm around me." He also wanted to be held against Masaki's chest and perhaps be able to hide his face against Masaki's neck when things got intense at the end.

Masaki arranged the pillows on his bed and sat up, then helped Kichijouji onto his lap. The intimacy and the sweetness of their position, with one arm around Kichijouji and nestling Kichijouji against his chest, made Masaki blush. He felt turned on and also protective, unable to help reflecting on all the closeness they'd shared when no one else was around. That all made sense now: the special feeling of being alone with Kichijouji, their urge to steal away from everyone else so that they could truly let down their machismo. "We're in love," he whispered. "And we always were." He kissed Kichijouji's forehead and then Kichijouji's lips.

"Yes. Always." Kichijouji knew it was true on his side, and now Masaki had admitted he had been as well. Kichijouji felt as though he couldn't contain any more joy, his happiness was so complete. He pressed a kiss to Masaki's lips and then pulled his pants and underwear down.

A moment of self-consciousness washed through Kichijouji, but the sexiness of the situation helped buoy him. His pants and underwear were now down around his knees, and Masaki was going to love him right into an orgasm for the first time. Kichijouji rested his head against Masaki's shoulder, his entire body tingling with arousal.

Masaki took a deep breath, momentarily overcome. Kichijouji's rosy, slightly curved erection was different than seeing glimpses of Kichijouji when they were just hanging out at a bathhouse or washing after practice. "You're so beautiful. The most beautiful boy I've ever met. I doubt that's ever going to change." He touched Kichijouji with awe, running his hand over Kichijouji's erection and balls gently. Then, swallowing hard, he wrapped his hand around Kichijouji's erection and gave it a slow pump, feeling his way through touching another boy for the first time. It felt so right that he wasn't even nervous. He also leaned down and kissed Kichijouji's neck.

A deep, long moan escaped Kichijouji at that simple touch followed by the kiss. He tilted his head so Masaki could have better, easier access to his neck. He hadn't expected for Masaki to find him beautiful, and hearing that their admiration was mutual, he relaxed into Masaki's embrace and just let go. "Feels good," he gasped.

That was what Masaki needed to feel sure of himself. He closed his eyes and buried his face against Kichijouji's neck, moaning softly. As he pressed slow, gentle kisses to Kichijouji's neck, he stroked Kichijouji's erection, gathering wetness on his palm from Kichijouji's tip with every pass. He relaxed into stroking Kichijouji the way he would stroke himself, unhurried, slightly twisting his hand as he pumped in straight motions, massaging as well as extending his strokes to the longest. Masaki's own erection stirred again at expressing his love for Kichijouji this way.

A powerful tremor of pleasure swept through Kichijouji, making his hips quiver. "Oh, god," he moaned, his voice three notes lower than usual. He felt as though Masaki were slowly consuming him, pouring out passion with dedicated patience. "Masaki . . ." His neck tingled from the kisses, and he felt his muscles melting, relaxing. Even in his best daydreams, he still hadn't imagined it would feel as good as this.

Masaki moaned and nuzzled Kichijouji's neck. "You feel perfect in my arms," he whispered. Kichijouji's moans encouraged him to firm up his grip a little more. Masaki passed his thumb over Kichijouji's tip for a moment and lightly sucked on Kichijouji's neck. His own erection throbbed at his hope that this felt even better for Kichijouji.

At the caress to his tip, Kichijouji cried out and had to muffle himself with his hand. The pleasure radiating throughout him was not unknown to him—he had teased himself this way before—but having Masaki do it was far more powerful. "Yes," he gasped, lowering his hand. "Masaki . . ." He slipped one arm behind Masaki's waist and clung to him, his heart pounding from his arousal.

Masaki shifted his grip upward and switched to shorter strokes, focusing on the top of Kichijouji's erection and teasing Kichijouji's tip with every pass. His own arousal and excitement spiked, making him wet and hyper-alert to every reaction of Kichijouji's. "Yes. Feel good. I want you to. I want you to always feel good and safe and loved." The spontaneous confession made both vulnerability and love swell inside his chest.

With this reassurance, matched with the shorter strokes, Kichijouji's pleasure spiked. He threw his hand over his mouth, muffling himself as he fell into sharp moans and cries. He could feel his hips straining as he pressed up into Masaki's touch, his entire core tightening. He realized he couldn't last this way; he was too sensitive from this being their first time. "Masaki!" he wailed through his hand, his body peaking.

Masaki's eyes flew open. He held Kichijouji tightly to him with one arm while he pumped faster with his other hand, feeling wetness sliding between his fingers. "Yes," he whispered. "It's okay." He matched his hand with the way Kichijouji's hips moved.

The simple reassurance was all Kichijouji needed, and he wailed wordlessly as his body finished cresting. He had a fleeting thought that he hoped Masaki wouldn't mind the mess—he had come quite hard—but then he collapsed, pleasantly exhausted and panting to catch his breath. A wave of fuzzy warmth washed through him.

Masaki pressed kisses Kichijouji's face, overcome and overflowing with warm feelings too complicated to catalogue. He hugged Kichijouji to him tightly and then used the same towel Kichijouji had used earlier to clean up some of the mess before it became uncomfortable. Then he settled down on his back, clutching Kichijouji to his chest and pulled the covers over them. He wanted to snuggle for a while before they got up. He found himself stroking Kichijouji's hair. "You're beautiful. You're beautiful and you're wonderful and you're mine."

Kichijouji settled against Masaki's side and used his shoulder for a pillow. The compliments buzzed inside him, along with the reassurance that he was Masaki's boyfriend, permanently. "And you're mine," he whispered, caressing Masaki's chest. He rested a moment, still feeling the afterglow, and then spoke again. "I suffered needlessly at that mansion, but to have this as a result of it . . . I wouldn't take back the experience. Not when the bad led to something wonderful."

Masaki kissed Kichijouji's forehead. "I'm so sorry all that happened. Polly said she and all the other spirits wanted to thank you for releasing them. You saved a lot of trapped people with what you did. They all crossed over now. For what it's worth, you're a hero."

Kichijouji was shocked to hear he'd been thanked, but the logic of Henrietta's removal freeing the other spirits made sense based on what he'd experienced at the mansion. "I'm glad then," he murmured. "And I'm glad I got to 'see' my mom." He chuckled faintly. "This screws up my previous clean, tidy, scientific view of the world, though. Even with all my research on magic, I never had run across any proof of things like this. And then I lived it." He snorted. "Now I have to rearrange my concept of the world." He pressed a kiss to Masaki's jaw. "But at least I have a boyfriend to help me do it."

Masaki hugged Kichijouji and rubbed his back. "I'm always here for you. Always. Even when it seems like we've been separated, I'm coming to find you. You're never alone."

"I'm always here for you, too." Kichijouji let his eyes drift shut, deciding to take a quick nap before they got officially cleaned up. He was still exhausted, after all. But as he slipped into sleep, he did so knowing he was safe and loved.


A/N: My apologies for the month-long wait for this chapter. This has been, quite honestly, the second to roughest six months of my life. I'm just glad I can resume writing anything at all.

Speaking of resuming, I have also begun chapter 6 of "Just a Kiss."

Thank you to all my readers and reviewers.