Chapter 6
On the night of the dance, Emi met Masaki and Kichijouji in the culture club room an hour in advance. Masaki and Kichijouji had come through the side door so no one would see them. Emi then went to work transforming Kichijouji into a girl. Masaki and he had agreed that everyone would expect Masaki there, and on time, too, so Kichijouji dressed up first.
Kichijouji slipped on the green and gold qi pao, which fit his body nicely. The slits up the sides of his legs were no problem. He had very little body hair, and what little he had was thin, fine, and nearly invisible. Emi brought him a pair of simple black slippers—the generic Chinese version that both men and women could wear. Then she coached him through getting the contacts in. Finally, she secured the long-haired wig and added makeup. As an extra, added touch, she even gave him a pair of clip-on earrings—a single faux pearl for each ear.
Once preparations were complete, Kichijouji turned around in a slow circle for Masaki. He felt wildly self-conscious and also anticipatory.
Masaki had watched the transformation, and he still felt an unreasoning reaction to the final look. All of his senses told him that this was a girl standing in front of him: a girl with Kichijouji's stature and round face but little else in common. "Everyone is going to be jealous of me."
"With this wig, you look like the traditional kind of girl everyone would expect Masaki-kun to bring," Emi said. "You looked good in my room, but this is even better. I've outdone myself."
That comment drew out a blush right on cue. Kichijouji clasped his hands in front of his body, instead of behind his back, and offered Masaki a more feminine-flavored bow. Then he stepped right into character. "In that case, thank you for bringing me to your school's dance."
Masaki blushed miserably. "Y-You're welcome." He offered his arm.
Emi clapped her hands together and giggled. "You're so cute!"
"Thank you for your help," Kichijouji told Emi. He accepted Masaki's arm, wrapping both his arms around Masaki's and leaning against him lightly the way a girl would. Then he let Masaki lead him out the side door, around the school, and in through the front door. They arrived right on time.
Everyone in the gymnasium-turned-ballroom looked at them and stared when they entered. Almost instantly, they turned to each other and started whispering.
Emi entered right behind them with Akio, who had waited for Emi by the front door no questions asked.
Hideo and his date for the evening, a diminutive girl even shorter than Kichijouji and Emi, came up to Masaki and Kichijouji first. "Dude, who's this? I didn't know you'd invited anyone to the dance."
"This is Koko-chan!" Emi grinned. She pulled alongside Masaki with Akio. "She's from the east coast. Her family is friends with Masaki-kun's – although, who isn't?"
Masaki nearly snorted. Koko-chan? "Meet Hideo-kun."
Kichijouji released Masaki's arm and clasped his hands in front again. Then he bowed, letting the curtain of black hair fall forward from his shoulders and mask his face. "Pleased to meet you," he murmured, softening his voice as much as he could and hoping that would be enough. He also used the most polite rendition of the phrase that Japanese had to offer.
Hideo bowed in return, looking flustered. His date for the evening frowned at him. "Pleased to meet you. I hope you have a good time." His date pinched his arm. He straightened and rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah, Ina-chan wants to dance. I'll talk to you later."
His date dragged him off looking moderately mollified.
Kichijouji wrapped his arms around Masaki's arm again. Instead of feeling embarrassed, he felt oddly freed from the constraints of being a boy. "Shall we dance, Masaki-chan?" he asked, tossing on the cutesy honorific as only a girl could. If he'd done it as a boy, it would have been an insult.
Masaki almost fell over. "Uh – Uh-huh." He felt like he would trip over his feet if he couldn't clear his head. He took a deep breath and let Kichijouji lead them out to where they could dance. He almost died at the mingled thrill and fear of being caught when he placed his hand on Kichijouji's waist.
Kichijouji took Masaki's hand and rested his free hand on Masaki's shoulder. For a moment, he had to calibrate himself. It would be like dancing backward. But he realized all he really needed to do was let Masaki lead. "All right," he murmured, and then Masaki began their dance.
After a few awkward moments, Kichijouji adjusted and just smiled up at Masaki's sweet face. "This is perfect."
Masaki felt the crimson tide rush up his face all the way to his hairline. He stared into Kichijouji's eyes, struck silent by Kichijouji's expression. As if by itself, his body glided along as if he were the smooth, suave character he wished he were.
Kichijouji let out a small sigh of happiness. He closed the gap between them, nearly bringing them chest-to-chest and forcing Masaki to wrap his arm around his waist. A pleasant blush tingled in Kichijouji's cheeks at the feeling of Masaki's warm, strong arm around him. "When we get home tonight," he whispered, "I want to be back in your bed again, underneath you."
"A-Ah," Masaki said, barely managing a noise of agreement. He breathed in through his nose and out his mouth, trying to calm the rampaging of his body. His heart pounded, and he was getting hard. Kichijouji was making his senses go crazy. He could smell the tiny touch of perfume on Kichijouji's clothes. Kichijouji's tiny waist nestled in his arm made him super conscious of their bodies.
Kichijouji decided he was being quite wicked, but he couldn't help himself. Seeing Masaki aroused and flustered was too much of a turn-on. "Your lips on my neck felt wonderful," he murmured. "And I felt incredibly safe and protected lying under you."
Masaki almost fainted. He was glad that his clothes for tonight were so tailored, or else it would have shown his hard-on. His palms were suddenly sweaty. "I need some punch," he blurted. His voice cracked. "Are you thirsty?" Kichijouji made him wish they were already home.
Kichijouji released Masaki and laughed. He even raised his fingers and covered his mouth the way a girl would. "Sure, sweetheart." I'm just terrible. He stepped up by Masaki, wrapping both his arms around Masaki's arm and leaning against him as they headed toward the refreshment table.
As they arrived, about a dozen girls already milling around eating sweets and drinking punch turned and glared at them.
"Who is she?" a particularly strident girl asked. She was in Masaki and Kichijouji's class. "Ichijou, I thought for sure you would ask one of us to the dance. But you asked someone who doesn't even go to our school? Isn't that against the rules?"
"No," Masaki said, taken aback. "We can bring whoever we want. It's an open dance."
Kichijouji was not to be upstaged. He pouted up at Masaki. "I know you're handsome, but I didn't realize you were so popular, Masaki-chan."
Masaki groaned with misery. "I-It's nothing, really."
"You must be popular to snag Ichijou," the girl retorted. She strode up and put her hands on her hips. "Who're you? What's your school?"
Masaki stepped halfway between them, angling his body to place Kichijouji behind him. "Leave her alone. You're just trying to pick on her. She doesn't have to answer your questions. Besides, she's leaving halfway through anyway. Her ride home is so long I'm going to have to leave the dance to escort her to the train station."
The girl's eyebrows rose, and she scowled. "You brought her here for half a dance? You must really be in love."
Masaki could feel heat suffusing his ears. "I-I can't say."
Kosuke pushed through the growing crowd and stared Masaki down. "I think you can. Explain where Kichijouji is as well."
Now Masaki wished he had just stayed home.
Kichijouji reached up and placed his hands on Masaki's shoulder blades. It looked like something a girl would do, and it also made it look like he was hiding behind Masaki because he was a specifically a bashful girl. "Do you mean Masaki-chan's best friend? Masaki-chan said he'd been delayed picking up his date."
"Who? Someone from his old school?" Kosuke demanded.
"Everyone, just leave her alone," Masaki snapped. "I'm serious."
Emi broke through the crowd. "Boy, you guys are being so noisy! None of us can enjoy ourselves while you're over here yelling."
The girls, startled, slunk away.
Masaki was relieved that Emi had so much clout with their female classmates. He breathed a sigh and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Kosuke frowned. "You're still a heartless bastard. You know how Kichijouji feels about you. We'll settle this tomorrow." He stalked off.
Kichijouji cringed and turned to Emi. "Thank you for the save."
Emi smirked and swigged her cup of punch. "It's no problem. I'll do anything for love." She crushed her cup, dropped it in the trash can, and sauntered off to rejoin Akio.
As soon as Masaki had a cup of punch, Kichijouji pulled him back out onto the dance floor. "Don't worry about Rokugo. Not that you couldn't handle him anyway, but we'll drop the bomb on him tomorrow that I was me." He reached up and caressed Masaki's cheek.
"We will?" Masaki was startled. "I thought you'd want to – well, never mind. I'll do whatever you want me to." He wrapped his arm around Kichijouji's waist and swayed back into the rhythm of the song playing. They danced for another few songs, checked the time, and realized Masaki had to go change into his costume now to give Kichijouji an equal amount of face time.
As they headed out of the room, Kichijouji caught the jealous girls glaring their way. He lifted his hand and wiggled his fingers at them in a cutesy goodbye. Their intensified glares made him wonder why he wasn't incinerated on the spot.
Once again, Emi met them in the culture club room. Kichijouji immediately changed clothes and then reported to the nearest bathroom so he could wash the makeup off his face and remove the contacts.
When he returned, Masaki had been encased in the purple dress and dolled up with the blonde updo wig. The contour makeup was on, changing the shape of Masaki's face, and Emi was applying pastel pink lipstick to Masaki's lips. As Kichijouji watched, Emi followed that up with mascara. Masaki complained the entire way through that process and pouted when it was over.
"It's worth it," Emi insisted. She turned to Kichijouji. "You tell him."
"You look like a beautiful high school girl." Joij tilted his head. "It's believable, and it's lovely. Although I still prefer you as a boy." He grinned.
Masaki smiled, unable to help it. He held out his hand. "Will you escort me to the dance, Kichijouji-kun?"
Kichijouji hadn't expected the line to work on him, but it did. He blushed, hard, and took Masaki's hand. "I certainly will." He squared his shoulders, lifted his chin, and headed out with Masaki. He knew the other boys would likely make fun of him for bringing a "girl" who was five inches taller than he was, but he didn't care.
Once again, they swung around the outside of the building and entered through the front doors.
And once again, they got immediate stares and whispers.
Across the room, Emi re-entered as if she'd been in the bathroom. She went up to them with Akio. "Kichijouji, you're here! You just missed Masaki-kun." She beamed at Masaki. "Good evening! I'm Emi. This is Akio-kun."
Masaki bowed carefully. He felt strange with the false breasts sewn into the costume. "Nice to meet you." He'd practiced his voice a little while Kichijouji was in the bathroom. Pitched upwards and softer, he could just cheat his way back to pre-puberty.
"This is Rin-chan," Kichijouji said. He picked the name randomly. He took Masaki's hand again and squeezed it. "I'm sorry to hear I just missed Masaki. But since Rin-chan went to my old school, she had to come a long way to get here."
Masaki nodded and smiled at Kichijouji. "It's worth it. I've missed you, Shinkuro-kun." He squeezed Kichijouji's hand in return.
Hideo bounced up to them with his date, who was looking much happier than last time. "Hey, Kichijouji, you made it."
"This is Rin-chan, Kichijouji's old classmate," Emi said.
"Cool," Hideo said. "Too bad you missed Masaki-kun. He brought a date from another school, too. I bet his parents are already making him do marriage interviews. Poor bastard. Anyway, see you later!" He left with his date to go back to dancing.
"He's clearly having a good time." Kichijouji bowed to Emi and Akio. "Excuse us. I better make up for lost time." He smiled up at Masaki. "Want to dance?"
Masaki nodded. "Yes, please." He smiled in return. Kichijouji escorted him onto the dance floor like a gentleman, and for an instant, he did feel like a girl. Now to test my ability to follow Jouji's lead.
Kichijouji rested his hand on Masaki's slender waist, which had actually been accentuated by the skirt of the dress. He smiled to himself. You really are just right for me. Then he took Masaki's free hand. He paused, waiting to catch up to the beat of the music, then began their dance. He had to peer up to smile at Masaki, but he realized that didn't actually bother him.
Masaki felt like he was doing something wrong for the first few steps, but then his body relaxed. His grace returned, and he smiled at Kichijouji with appreciation and relief. We're going to be okay. It was as though the dance were proof. He squeezed Kichijouji's hand. "I love you," he whispered. For some reason, pretending to be a girl, he could say it easily.
Kichijouji felt the smile blooming on his face. "I love you, too." He pulled Masaki closer, slipping his hand into the small of Masaki's back. Despite the simplicity of the movement, he felt himself stir. Having his arm around Masaki was intoxicating.
Masaki gasped faintly and felt a warm current in his body. Their closeness had the same effect as before. He was breathing part of Kichijouji's air, and everything was Kichijouji-scented. He didn't care about looking like a girl at the moment. He wanted to kiss Kichijouji and just not stop.
After the dance, Kichijouji and Masaki met Emi in the culture club room and removed all traces of their exploits. Then they went home.
They were only waylaid for a few minutes upon arriving at the Ichijou mansion—just long enough to assure Mrs. Ichijou that they had a good time and to accept a snack to carry up to Masaki's room.
When they arrived in the bedroom, Kichijouji set the tray on the table while Masaki locked the door.
As soon as their privacy was secured, Kichijouji turned to Masaki with a smile.
Masaki wrapped Kichijouji in a tight hug, pressing his lips against Kichijouji's. "I'm not hungry," he whispered when he drew back to breathe. He hugged Kichijouji tighter and kissed his boyfriend again. A soft moan vibrated through his chest, and he stirred again.
Kichijouji moaned and slipped his arms around Masaki's waist. He'd been waiting for this for two hours now. The feeling of Masaki's lips on his caused arousal to crash through him, and he pressed against Masaki's chest. He mouthed Masaki's lips. He wanted nothing more than to be in Masaki's arms.
Masaki drew Kichijouji to his bed with him. He helped Kichijouji lie down first, then climbed in and settled over Kichijouji's hot, slender body. He kissed Kichijouji's lips again, mouthing, and then kissed his neck. At the same time, he slipped his hands into Kichijouji's and intertwined their fingers. "I love you," he whispered. The throbbing urgency of their desires made it easier to speak in this moment. Saying it once had also lessened his stage fright.
Kichijouji moaned at the feeling of Masaki's body atop his, the kiss to his neck, and the gentle way Masaki intertwined their fingers and then pressed his hands to the mattress. He let his head fall back and to the side so Masaki had more room. He could feel that both of them were throbbing from the way they were trapped against each other's bodies. "Masaki, yes."
Masaki moaned and lapped at Kichijouji's neck, conscious of how they had come last time doing this. He wanted to get straight to the pleasure and suspend them there as long as possible. He kissed and nibbled gently, feeling safe to express himself because Kichijouji wouldn't judge him.
Kichijouji sank into the mattress as he relaxed. He squeezed Masaki's fingers gently. "Yes. God, yes." He parted his thighs so Masaki's hips would fall between them, like last time. It felt intimate, good. He moaned openly, although he tried not to get too loud. They didn't want to draw unwanted attention.
Masaki buried his face against Kichijouji's neck and moaned as well. He nuzzled and then resumed kissing and licking. Every now and again he squeezed Kichijouji's hands. He was fully hard now, and his underwear grew damper. "I want you. I need you. I'm the one who's going to protect you."
A burning, pulsing wave of desire flooded through Kichijouji. To him, those were both the most romantic and the sexiest words possible. He squeezed the sides of Masaki's hips with his inner thighs. "Masaki," he moaned. "Yes. I want that." Suddenly, having Masaki's weight on top of him and having his hands pinned was twice as sensual and arousing. He realized he wasn't nervous about what they might share or how intimate it might be. Not at all. He trusted Masaki.
Masaki licked his way up Kichijouji's neck and traced the curve of Kichijouji's ear. "I won't have anything else. I'll do whatever it takes." His sudden certainty that he could take down Kosuke if he needed to fueled his determination. His erection throbbed. I won't have to worry about Rokugo. I can slam through him like a knife if it means having Kichijouji to protect and to love. He looked into Kichijouji's eyes. Rokugo wasn't there when you cried at having to identify your parents' bodies. It was my chest you cried into. Rokugo can't possibly compete.
The burden of worrying was lifted off of Masaki. He rocked their hips together slowly, rubbing their clothed erections together. The feeling made him moan, but also sent a shiver of intense feelings down his spine. I'm the one for you. I know it.
Kichijouji moaned at the lick to his neck, then cried out at the lick to his ear. Then Masaki caught his gaze, and Kichijouji could see the love, determination, and protectiveness in his eyes. For a moment, Kichijouji's attention was fully focused on that love. Then Masaki rocked his hips, and sheets of pleasure erupted through Kichijouji as Masaki rubbed them against each other. He squeezed his eyes shut and cried out again. This time he didn't want to be quiet. He wanted Masaki to hear how good it felt.
Masaki leaned in and mouthed Kichijouji's lips while he continued to rock their hips together, squeezing Kichijouji's hands tight. He moaned into Kichijouji's mouth. I want to hear you, but I don't want anyone else to hear and think that something terrible is happening, when this is so wonderful. His body trembled with the force of his arousal.
Kichijouji's breath caught then stuttered at the fresh surge of arousal. "Oh, god! Masaki!" He knew he was going to get loud—too loud. "Masaki," he gasped. "Oh, Masaki . . . would you touch it?" He blushed hard and rushed to add, "Through my clothes." He knew they weren't ready to get naked yet. But he wanted to feel even more, and he also knew he needed one hand free so he could muffle himself, even though he didn't want to.
Masaki slipped a hand in between them without any hesitation. He felt a sweat break out over his body. I'm going to touch it…for the first time. He felt the outline of Kichijouji's erection through his pants and underwear. The feeling was intoxicating. He squeezed and massaged, filled with a sense of arousal, devotion, and wickedness. "I like it," he mumbled.
Kichijouji pressed his forearm against his mouth so he could muffle the subsequent cry. He squirmed under Masaki, unable to stay fully still. "Masaki!" he gasped, lifting his arm just enough to speak. Then he had to muffle his moans again. His hips shivered, and the heat of the pleasure erupted through him. He felt his lower back bowing off the mattress, just as it had the first time.
Masaki squeezed and caressed in milking motions, feeling increasingly lewd and romantic at the same time. The confusing swirl of feelings didn't deter him. He moaned against Kichijouji's neck, kissing as he continued to deliberately coax Kichijouji towards an orgasm. I want you to come all over my hand. I want to feel the wetness through your clothes. His own erection pounded in time with his heartbeat.
Kichijouji ended up panting between moans, the sounds muffled to the best of his ability. His neck tingled wildly as Masaki kissed and sucked upon it. That powerful sensation was paired with an even more potent one: the feeling of Masaki caressing him through his pants. He'd never been this aroused or this hard before. "Masaki," he gasped against his sleeve. "Masaki!" He squirmed one more time, and then his hips began rocking, bringing him to meet the caresses. The rhythm was instinctual, unconscious, and left him nearly breathless. He let his arm flop onto the mattress. "Oh, god—Masaki!" His body was soaring, and he knew he couldn't hold out much longer.
Masaki kissed Kichijouji deeply, struck through by Kichijouji's exclamation. He licked the roof of Kichijouji's mouth before quickly retreating. He was still too shy to kiss that way for long. He sucked and licked Kichijouji's neck instead, moaning. His body shook in time with the motions of his hand and Kichijouji's body. "Do it," he whispered. The crotch of his own underwear was soaked.
The momentary deeper kiss drew an equally deep moan from Kichijouji. Then Masaki's whispered encouragement shot through him. His hips jerked once, hard, and then he was rocking against Masaki's hand with sheer abandonment. He pressed his hand to his mouth to muffle his cry as he came.
Kichijouji lay still for a moment afterward, breathless. Then it sank in that he had shared something even more intimate with the boyfriend he intended to be a lifelong partner with. It was special. Meaningful. Amazing. He flung his arms around Masaki and hugged him.
Masaki kissed Kichijouji. His heart beat wildly, and he was overcome. He hugged Kichijouji tight. At the same time, he hovered on the precipice of coming. "Do me," he whispered. "Touch me the same way. I want you to."
"From this position?" Kichijouji asked. "Or do you want to switch places?" He caressed Masaki's cheek.
Masaki was amazed. He hadn't considered that. "Switch places," he whispered, looking into Kichijouji's eyes.
Kichijouji smiled and shifted. Masaki rolled with him, affecting the switch. Once Masaki was settled on his back, Kichijouji sat on his thighs and smiled down at him. "I hope this feels as good for you as it did for me." He reached down, his heart pounding all over again, and traced over the outline of Masaki's erection. He could see it quite clearly through the clothing. Even with the cloth in the way, Kichijouji could also feel the heat.
Masaki moaned and threw back his head. He covered his eyes with his arm and then slid his forearm down to his mouth. He bit his sleeve hard and nodded. He could feel sweat on his forehead. He watched Kichijouji's face.
At the sight of Masaki's initial pleasure, Kichijouji felt flushed. He gazed at the person he had so quickly and thoroughly fallen in love with and copied Masaki's technique. He caressed over his erection and used a milking motion.
Masaki cried out against his arm and arched, panting. His legs fell farther open, and his hips left the bed, pressing up. His eyes shut of their own accord. He hadn't been prepared for the intensity of someone else touching him for the first time. His erection twitched against Kichijouji's hand as the waves of pleasure pulsed through him.
Kichijouji moaned softly, aroused again by how much his touch affected Masaki. "Good," he found himself whispering. "Feel it." He wanted Masaki to have as much pleasure as possible, and he wanted to be the one giving it. He caressed and milked Masaki with a sure hand, determined for him to have the best. He slid his free hand up Masaki's chest, caressing his muscles through the shirt.
Masaki whimpered and squirmed. All of him wanted to feel Kichijouji all over, and he discovered he'd been too near orgasm already. He sobbed into his arm and came, whimpering as his hips jerked, pressing his trapped erection into Kichijouji's hand. His chest was on fire with Kichijouji's touches. When he was done, he was a sweaty, exhausted heap. He let his arm flop away from his face. "God!"
Kichijouji smiled and stretched out across Masaki's body, laying over him. He pressed a kiss to Masaki's lips. "Love you," he whispered. He tucked his nose against Masaki's sweaty neck, not caring that it was damp.
Masaki wrapped his floppy arms around Kichijouji and snuggled in, feeling sleepy and loved. "You, too."
Kichijouji pressed a quick kiss to Masaki's neck. Given that the beginning of August had been for him an utter tragedy, he had never imagined that by mid-September he would be loved, protected, and committed to. "Thank you," he whispered, unable to express the surge of emotion in any more of a complex way. He changed his mind: there was hope in life, and there was a universal guiding force or hand to help him. He would accept that as true simply because Masaki and he had found each other despite both of them being in the middle of hell.