BZZT! BZZT! BZZT!

Ritsuka and Soubi awoke with a start. Ritsuka's alarm clock was going off on the bookshelf. He groaned and extracted himself from Soubi, then walked over and shut it off by slamming his hand down on the top of it.

He was still exhausted, but his mind was refreshed. He was also a little annoyed, because he had been having a amazing dream about Soubi.

"Ugh. Stupid alarm clock."

Ritsuka rubbed his eyes and felt the top of his head. It was so strange to not have furry little appendages sprouting there.

Soubi sat up and stretched out his limbs. Ritsuka went back to the bed and sat down on the edge, planting an innocent kiss on Soubi's cheek. "You don't have to get up, Soubi. I can manage going to school by myself. I'm a big boy, now," he said with a sheepish grin.

Soubi ignored him, got up, and went over to the kitchenette.

"Coffee?"

Ritsuka came up behind him and hugged him. "That's fine. I'm gonna go get dressed."

Soubi nodded, but Ritsuka lingered, holding him from behind. He rested his chin on Soubi's shoulder and sighed"Is there anything wrong, Ritsuka?" Soubi asked with concern in his voice.

"No, just let me hold you a little bit."

Soubi smiled and reached back to place a hand on the side of Ritsuka's head. They were the perfect picture of domesticity, and it made Soubi think about the future. He wondered where their relationship was going, but he didn't really want to talk to Ritsuka about it for fear of being denied. He imagined himself staying with Ritsuka for the rest of his life, as they were, but he knew that wasn't realistic. Ritsuka had just said last night that he wondered if he'd ever get married. He shivered at the thought of marrying Ritsuka, and an image of them, old and shriveled in rocking chairs on the porch of an immense house , swam before his eyes. He'd have to figure out what Ritsuka was thinking of when he thought of getting married. The question was how to do it. Soubi made a mental note to put serious energy into finding a way.

Soubi hadn't noticed that Ritsuka had left him. He was over at the dresser, pulling off his pajamas. He hadn't bothered pulling the curtain around the bed. Soubi was touched that Ritsuka was so comfortable with exposing himself in their apartment now; an unconscious side effect of their new level of intimacy.

Soubi went over to the television and turned it on for Ritsuka. The news, Soubi thought, shaking his head. What a weird kid.

Ritsuka was now wandering around the flat like a zombie in just his underpants, moving towards the now completely percolated coffee. Today is going to be strange, he thought.

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Soubi and Ritsuka walked with their fingers laced easily towards the school, each with a cigarette in his opposite hand. All of the tension had left them the previous evening, and each man was lost in his own thoughts as they walked.

Ritsuka saw Yuiko approaching as they neared the high school gate. When she saw him, she ran at him and glomped him.

"RITSUKA-KUN!!!!"

Ritsuka rolled his eyes, but couldn't help smiling. Soubi just stood there, looking on with a slight smirk on his face.

"If this is how it's going to be all day, maybe I should just go home," Ritsuka grumbled.

Yuiko extracted herself from Ritsuka and grinned. "I'm so happy for you, Ritsuka-kun!" Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Was it fun?"

Ritsuka blushed, but he laughed. "What did you think?"

Yuiko's face went red and she didn't say anything. Instead, she reached up and rubbed the spot where his ears used to be. "It's so weird to see you without your ears!"

"Cut it out, Yuiko!"

Yep, today is going to be a blast.

Ritsuka walked through the halls to the sound of hushed whispers and giggles. It was always an event when someone came to school without his or her ears, but this was entirely different, because most of his classmates by now knew that he was with another man. Girls were giggling and talking to their friends behind their hands as he walked past, and most of the guys just stared at him, either with disgust or curiosity.

Ritsuka kept his face unreadable, even though all of these people talking about him was driving him crazy. He didn't like having so much attention drawn to him for such a personal reason. He willed himself to put on a happy face, grit his teeth, and get through the day without blowing up on someone.

Yayoi showed up in front of him all of a sudden in a huff. "Aoyagi-kun!" He still hadn't stopped calling him by his last name even though they'd been friends since they were twelve.

Ritsuka jumped back, startled. "Yes?"

"You… you… you…" Yayoi spluttered. His eyes flicked to Ritsuka's head and back down to his face.

Ritsuka smiled inwardly. "It's not like you're exactly a prude, Yayoi. What are you so upset about?"

Yayoi flushed and looked down. He held out his hand to Ritsuka to shake. "Congratulations on becoming an adult."

Ritsuka laughed. He'd had the mindset of an adult for years, his physicality just didn't prove it.

"Thanks, Yayoi." Maybe I'll be able to get through this day ok, after all.

"So Yayoi, are you coming to the mall with Soubi, Yuiko and me this Saturday?" Ritsuka asked as they walked towards their first class, trying to lessen the awkwardness that seemed to have fallen between them.

"Oh, yes, Yuiko-san just now invited me. She was really excited that you accepted."

"Yeah, well, that's Yuiko for you."

They entered the classroom to a fresh wave of hushed talking and giggles. Every pair of eyes in the room locked onto Ritsuka and he suppressed a sigh as he took his seat near the back of the class. Sensei wouldn't allow everyone to be looking back at him all hour, so he thought it was a pretty strategic spot.

It didn't stop them from trying, though. The class was completely detached from the lecture they were supposed to be listening to and taking notes on. They furtively glanced over their shoulders when they thought that Sensei wouldn't notice it, and he hardly ever did. Ritsuka, meanwhile, was detached for a completely different reason. His mind kept returning to last night, and every time that happened a dopey, romantic smile would stretch across his face. This only caused more whispers and giggles as the class was released from the obligation to listen during private working time. Ritsuka sighed aloud this time, and absently chewed on the end of his pencil. Why couldn't people just leave others' personal lives alone?

Ritsuka was completely fed up with people by lunchtime and simply walked out of the school, promising halfheartedly to Yuiko that he'd call her later.

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Soubi didn't have any classes to teach on Thursdays, so he returned to his apartment after dropping off Ritsuka with a soft kiss and the promise of seeing him at 2:30. He didn't really know what to do with himself on his days off, so most of the time he'd just lounge around and watch television or the occasional movie. Today, though, he was too full of thoughts to focus on anything, even something as mundane as television watching. He sat on the couch with a cup of coffee, smoking a cigarette. He felt like painting again.

It had been about a year since Soubi had actually painted anything. He'd taught his students brush strokes and techniques, but he hadn't painted just to create beauty. He rummaged around in his linen closet for the forgotten set of brushes and oils hidden there. He withdrew a canvas from under his bed and set it on the dusty easel in front of the sliding glass door out to his balcony. He held his brush poised, ready to go, but he was drawing a blank. He closed his eyes and dipped his brush in whichever color it contacted first, and slashed the brush across the canvas. He opened his eyes and gasped. It was the exact color of Ritsuka's eyes, and was a sensual curve that reminded him of someone laying on their side. Something clicked in his head and he dipped his brush again, this time into a light peach color. He'd had inspiration this whole time, he just hadn't realized it.

Soubi heard soft footfalls on the landing outside the flat and a click as a key was inserted and withdrawn. He couldn't believe his eyes as Ritsuka walked in, glowing and pink from the cold. "I'm home," he said. His eyes fell on the canvas in front of Soubi, obscured by his form. "Oh, you're painting? It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Yeah, but I suddenly felt the urge to. But Ritsuka, why are you home so early?"

"I couldn't stand people anymore," he said sheepishly, looking towards the kitchenette. "Oh good, the coffee is still on."

"It's probably burnt by now."

"I don't care. I need some caffeine."

He sat his bag down on one of the kitchen chairs after shedding his coat and shoes at the entrance. Ritsuka poured himself a cup of coffee and went to look over Soubi's shoulder at what he was painting. He gasped as he saw a long, lean, naked body laying on it's side, a sheer sheet covering from it's hips down. He tingled as he saw the outline of a face, not completely painted in yet, that looked extraordinarily like his.

"Soubi. You're painting me?"

Soubi's complexion reddened a bit as he mumbled, "Yes."

"Soubi… I'm touched." His eyes filled with emotion.

"It's not done yet," Soubi stammered. "It was supposed to be a surprise for you when you got home."

Ritsuka glowed. "It's beautiful even incomplete, Soubi. But there's something missing."

"Hmm?" He thought he'd gotten every detail. An image of Ritsuka naked and aroused was burned into his memory.

"You should be in there, too. "

He grabbed a pencil and drew a rough shape behind the Ritsuka in the painting. The graphite Soubi had his hand on the paint Ritsuka's hip and was kissing his shoulder.

Soubi looked at it thoughtfully. "I think I can work that in."

"Good," Ritsuka said happily. "Then when you're done, we can hang it up somewhere in here. Somewhere we'll see it every time we come home."

Soubi smiled and kissed his forehead. "As you wish, Ritsuka." A hesitation. "So… do you want to talk about it?"

"Talk about what?" asked Ritsuka, confused.

"The people at school."

Ritsuka looked down. "Not really. They just piss me off, that's all."

"Why is that?" Soubi asked, turning to face Ritsuka, looking concerned.

"I couldn't even walk down the hall without hearing about me losing my ears about a million times."

"Kids will be kids, Ritsuka. You shouldn't let it bother you too much."

"I know, I know, but it's just kind of disrespectful, isn't it?"

"You're right, it is. But lets face it, we're a pretty intriguing couple."

Ritsuka looked at him, five years his senior and a man. "We are. But that doesn't give people the right to sensationalize something so… so personal." Ritsuka looked pained. Despite all of the leaps and bounds he'd taken with expressing his feelings for Soubi, he was still slightly embarrassed about doing it in public.

Soubi pulled him close and hugged him. "Screw what the world says, Ritsuka. Don't you worry your adorable little head over what people think. When two people are in love, they shouldn't have to be embarrassed by it."

Something Soubi said hit home with Ritsuka, and a tear slid down his face. "I'm sorry," he stammered.

"What are you sorry for?" Soubi wiped away the tear from Ritsuka's cheek and rested his forehead against his.

"For being embarrassed by it. I feel like I've betrayed you." Another tear slid down his face.

"You haven't betrayed me Ritsuka. It takes time to get comfortable with who you are. You're still in high school, and you've pretty much come to terms with who you are. That's very admirable."

Ritsuka took a shuddering breath and buried his face in Soubi's shoulder, sobbing. Soubi held him close and felt his heart twinge.

"Please don't cry, Ritsuka."

"Soubi… I love you."

"I love you too, Ritsuka."

Ritsuka raised his head, and his face was set. Without a word, he grabbed Soubi by the hand and dragged him towards the door.

"You might want to put on shoes."

"Where are we going, Ritsuka?" asked Soubi, bewildered.

"You'll see."

Ritsuka donned his coat and dragged Soubi out the door, towards his school. They arrived at the front gate and Ritsuka kept pulling Soubi with him into the school, into the lunchroom. He stood up on a table and shouted for quiet. Five hundred pairs of eyes fell upon him.

"I love this man," he said, indicating to Soubi, who waved, smiling, even though he was flabbergasted. That was all he said, then he leapt at Soubi and kissed him full on the mouth, in front of everyone who attended the school.

Slowly, whispering ensued, along with some wolf whistles and a whole lot of giggling. When Ritsuka pulled away from Soubi, there were people clapping and whooping and remarking how romantic that was. Ritsuka turned on his heel and dragged Soubi back out of the school.

"Ritsuka…?"

Ritsuka turned to look at him as they passed the gate. His eyes were blazing with a fiery passion.

Soubi launched himself on top of Ritsuka and they fell to the ground.

Soubi kissed him intensely. Ritsuka eyed Soubi's ears and the little butterfly earrings he'd worn since Ritsuka pierced his ears for him.

"I want to get my ears pierced, like you," he said. "The pain will be evidence of a bond between us, an everlasting scar."

Soubi laughed. Ritsuka was using the same words Soubi had used on him all those years ago to get Ritsuka to go through with it. "I'll ask Kio for another piercer, then."

With that, the men got up and walked back to their apartment, arm in arm, not caring who saw. They were in love, and they wanted to scream it to the heavens.