Breed

Chapter 11: Halfway

"Does he tell you he loves you when you least expect it? Does he flutter your heart when he kisses your neck? No scientist or biology. It's obvious when he's holding me it's only natural that I'm so affected. And my heart won't beat again if I can't feel him in my veins. No need to question. I already know―

"It's in his DNA, D-D-D-DNA. It's in his DNA, and he just takes my breath away, b-b-b-breath away. I feel it every day. And that's what makes a man. Not hard to understand. Perfect in every way. I see it in his face. Nothing more to say. It's in his D-D-D-D-DNA."

―"DNA" by Little Mix

Oo_oO_Oo_oO

"You're a natural at this, Shin-chan!" Takao says, flopped down on the court.

Midorima pushes up his glasses and looks to the side. "I believe the teacher usually takes credit."

The smile on Takao's face is impossible to miss. "Why, thank you, Shin-chan."

"T-that wasn't a compliment, idiot!"

"Then what was it?"

Midorima doesn't reply.

Feeling courageous, Takao pushes himself off the ground and brushes off his pants. "You know, I am a pretty good teacher in several subjects."

When emerald eyes flicker his way, he knows he has Midorima's attention. "For example, I speak fluent English, and I can sing decently well." He takes a step closer to the taller man. Then another. And another. There's only an inch left between their chests when he stops. "I can teach you something if you want."

"What is it?" Midorima asks, not sure why Takao is so close. He doesn't mind though.

"Like how to kiss. You don't have any experience, do you?"

The furious blush is enough to go by.

Takao waits for a long moment while Midorima looks anywhere but amber eyes and opens and closes his mouth.

"It's only if you want to," Takao reminds him with soft, amber eyes. "I won't mind if you say no, and I won't judge you if you say yes."

A pressure is lifted off Midorima's shoulders at that. Takao has a way about him that can put the Air at ease so easily, and he's grateful for that. He's wondered what it would feel like to kiss someone….

"Okay."

Takao blinks for a moment. "Okay?"

"I mean, teach me." And Midorima refuses to elaborate past that.

Not expecting that response, Takao is frozen. Then he mentally shakes himself and smiles. "First, lean down a bit. You're a bit taller than most people, if you hadn't noticed."

Midorima feels awkward about that, but the soft hands laced behind his neck help a lot.

"Close your eyes and relax."

Midorima does so, or at least as relaxed he can get. Lips brush his, gentle and knowing, while his own quiver slightly from hesitation and inexperience.

"Just follow my lead. Don't be embarrassed." Warm breath puffs over his lips before Takao molds his mouth to Midorima's. The Air grabs Takao's shoulders to steady himself as warmth spreads throughout his entire body, and he doesn't know what to do when Takao starts to move his lips. So he tries his best to copy the movement. He knows it's sloppy, but his coordination isn't working at the moment.

Takao pulls away the tiniest bit, allowing Midorima and himself to breathe. "Is it okay if I deepen it?"

Despite not knowing what that means, Midorima nods.

"Then part your lips."

In Midorima's mind, saying that does not prepare him the slightest bit for an extra tongue in his mouth. He feels lightheaded, like Takao is drawing his breath out of him, and he finds himself okay with that. He lets Takao explore his mouth, glide across his teeth, and finally, prod at his own tongue.

A spark ignites inside Midorima, one in the pit of his stomach. With a jolt, he shoves Takao away, slapping a hand over his own mouth and stumbling. The pain in his backside is miniscule compared to the heat he feels, and as he pants, he tries to clear his head, to get rid of that feeling in his abdomen, to not freak out.

Takao regains his balance quickly after Midorima pushes him, but he feels a sudden ache in his stomach at the rejection. Maybe he overstepped his boundary, though Midorima seemed really into it, even moving his tongue a little. Maybe Midorima freaked out over kissing another guy and enjoying it, but based on the way the taller male usually acted, Takao always assumed he's gay, or at least bisexual. It doesn't make much sense to Takao.

Midorima looks up at Takao. The shorter male freezes.

Fear. Complete and utter panic. Takao doesn't understand why Midorima looks so scared, but it doesn't sit well with him. His stomach tightens.

"S-see you tomorrow," Midorima mumbles before he jumps up and all but flees the scene.

Takao stares after him. "Yeah, see you tomorrow."

Oo_oO_Oo_oO

Kise, Akashi, and Furihata are the only ones home when Midorima arrives home, which isn't uncommon on Mondays.

From the looks of it, Kise is asking Furihata questions while Akashi takes notes, and as they're sitting at the dining room table, it doesn't escape their notice when Midorima teleports into the kitchen. He suddenly really wants Dr. Pepper.

Having the best nose after Murasakibara and Midorima, Akashi notices first. Furrowing his eyebrows, he presses his face into Furihata's neck, lips parted slightly as he breathes in his mate's scent. No, definitely not him.

"S-S-Sei?!" Furihata flushes, even after Akashi pulls away.

The redhead ignores Furihata for once. Instead, he turns to Kise. "Can you smell it?"

"If you're referring to the warped human scent, that would be you," Kise says and gestures to Furihata. "You smell different now that you're Bonded to a human."

"If it was just me, I shouldn't be able to smell it."

Kise pauses and tilts his head a bit, taking a breath. Then he glances toward the figure rummaging through the refrigerator. "Midorimacchi?"

"What?"

"Spit it out."

"Spit what out?"

Akashi turns back to Kise. "If he really was Bonded to a human, I doubt he would be this calm."

"Akashicchi, most people are more mentally stable than you."

"I'm not mentally unstable."

Kise gives him a knowing look before he taps the corner of his own left eye. At that, Akashi raps a finger on the table, and then Kise's chair shoots out from under him.

Now flat on his back, Kise says, "You really want to do this the hard way?"

"Afraid the fish might get boiled?" Akashi taunts. Furihata sits frozen in place before Midorima says, "Furihata, move or get killed."

He hops up and darts to the kitchen. Midorima can protect him from flying objects, right?

Kise stands and says, "Let's not destroy the house."

The door flings open at Akashi's movement.

Furihata wonders exactly how often this happens as the duo race each other outside. He glances at Midorima, who is opening a can of soda. "Do they usually fight this much?"

"Currently, they aren't fighting. We call it sparring, like what we do on Saturdays. As for how much, those two are constantly trying to prank each other, and this is how it ends." Midorima takes a sip of his Dr. Pepper.

"Who usually wins?" Furihata honestly can't imagine Akashi losing. Sure, Kise is strong, but not that strong.

"Just depends on the day. If it was anyone else, Akashi would probably come out on top, but Kise is anything but weak. Those two are on par with each other when it comes to skill and power."

"Really?"

Midorima nods, ignoring a thump on the roof. "If they were to have a life or death battle, it would either never end or they would kill each other."

Furihata doesn't want to think about it.

And Midorima's glad Furihata's nose isn't fully developed yet.

A few moments later, Kise and Akashi return, both wet, covered in mud, and laughing their heads off. Midorima grimaces. "Can't you two jump in the lake before you track mud through the house?"

"Nope!" Kise laughs. "But now that you mention it―come on, Akashicchi!"

"I would rather bathe in a shower."

"Okay, then lift up your feet really quick. I don't want to have to clean up mud in the house."

"You shouldn't have thrown me on the roof then; you're horrible at aerial combat."

Furihata watches muddy water collects in a bubble as Akashi lifts each foot in turn. Kise has his hands out like he's playing with a Rubik's cube.

"Air is too thin. I don't know how you guys stand living in it constantly."

"Maybe because we can breathe in it."

"Then fix your lungs."

"Fix your tail."

"My tail is fine, thank you."

Oo_oO_Oo_oO

But of course, Midorima's relief is short-lived.

Someone knocks on his bedroom door a little after ten that night―which isn't that late, considering he normally goes to sleep at two-thirty and gets a full night's rest.

"Come in." He doesn't glance up from his book.

And of course, in walks Kise and Akashi. The blonde smiles. "You're not getting out of this."

"What happened?" Akashi asks.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Yes, nothing."

"Doesn't seem like nothing to me," Kise says.

"And if it was something―which it's not―it would be none of your business."

Akashi crosses his arms over his chest as he watches his older brother. "If you possibly Bonded to someone, it is our business." He keeps an even gaze. "Is it Takao?"

Midorima sets down his book and huffs, "Nothing serious happened."

"Serious or not, what happened?"

"We…" Akashi analyzes Midorima's movement. The Air traces the taping on his left hand. "We kissed. That's it. I pushed him away before anything more could happen."

Kise pauses. "By 'anything more', do you mean before you went further sexually, or was it something else?"

"I could feel something in the pit of my stomach."

When Kise looks at his redheaded brother, Akashi's moving his lips silently and his eyes are darting back and forth in front of him. Following the blonde's gaze, Midorima notices as well. They fall into silence and wait for whatever the Fire is calculating.

"I pushed Kouki away before we kissed, which led to my breakdown and sickness," Akashi says. "What if the Bond has to be completed through that kind of closeness? It could be possible that Kouki didn't actually receive his element and the ability to use it until after we submitted."

Midorima furrows his eyebrow. "You mean it could be half-complete?"

"So Midorimacchi is feeling some affects, like the connection and scent, but not the burning like I felt with Aominecchi." Kise runs a hand through his hair quickly. "Great. Now what?"

"You can get out of my room for starters," Midorima says.

Akashi turns to leave the room. "Keep an eye on it, Midorima."

Oo_oO_Oo_oO

"Muro-chin, are you a virgin?"

Himuro swallows far too much air with his drink. He and Murasakibara went to a sandwich shop for lunch together, and he can tell something is bothering the giant, but he also knows some things are best to leave without prodding. "What?"

Murasakibara takes another bite of his sandwich, orchid eyes watching the smaller male.

"Why do you ask?"

"Curiosity."

Himuro frowns, but it isn't like he hides it. "No, I'm not."

"With a woman?"

"No, all men. Why?"

Murasakibara shrugs. "What if you lost it to a girl and like a guy?"

After his birthday discussion, Himuro assumes Murasakibara is a virgin, and a very clueless one at that. "Then it could be a lot of things. You could be bi or pansexual, or maybe gay if you didn't really know back then."

"How did Muro-chin know?"

Himuro shrugs. "I just did. I know Taiga had this huge epiphany while at a party in high school, but I always knew that I liked boys instead of girls. Sorry if that's not helpful."

Murasakibara takes another bite of his sandwich and chews thoughtfully.

"Is there anything I can help with?" Himuro asks. "It's weird for you to act like this, Atsushi."

"I'm fine."

"Okay, if you say so."

oO_Oo_oO_Oo

Midorima doesn't talk to Takao about anything other than work. And as well as the smaller male hides his discomfort, he's somewhat put off by this; Midorima can tell from the slight twisting in his stomach.

The problem with all of this is that while Akashi was in denial during the Furihata event, Midorima is not, and he knows that he'll have to complete the Bond with Takao eventually. He doesn't think he loves Takao…but he must for this to happen.

So the million dollar question: how will Takao react? Furihata is a miracle case to some degree, so he doesn't expect a man of science like Takao will think supernatural powers are "cool".

After Takao finishes his paperwork and is gathering his belongings, Midorima asks, "Can I ask you a few things?"

"Go ahead." He doesn't look up.

"What's your favorite mythical creature?"

Midorima expects confusion or at least for Takao to be weirded out by the question. Instead, amber eyes light up as the ravenette plops down in his desk chair again. "Ah, that's so hard! I just have to choose one?"

"Favorites?" Now Midorima is confused. The other knows how to catch him off guard, that's certain.

Takao pauses. "Mermaids are up there. Um…I always thought the sphinx was pretty cool. Tengus. Cerberus. And then sirens. Those are probably my top five."

"You like mermaids?"

"Don't you?" Takao starts to spin his chair around. "I don't know exactly how they would reproduce, maybe like dolphins, but it would be so cool to live underwater. Coral reefs are so much more beautiful than land."

Midorima needs to tell Kise this. "So you're interested in the supernatural?"

"It's my favorite TV show."

No clue what that means.

Takao continues, "I don't believe in it; there's no solid proof. But at the same time, there's no solid proof that we humans came from monkeys or that an all-powerful god created us. There's a lot of possibilities in the world, and it's fun to explore that sometimes."

Oo_oO_Oo_oO

The autumn trees are mostly bare at this point, much to Furihata's disappointment as Akashi drives through the forest. He can't wait for spring.

"Are you worried about Midorima-san?"

Akashi will never get used to someone always knowing how he feels. "He's taking it better than I would have expected, but it's not him we need to be worried about."

Akashi's arm is on the armrest, considering he's driving a stick shift. Furihata loops his arm around Akashi's and interlaces their fingers. "I know I don't know much on the topic, but I don't think you need to worry about it at all."

"Not everyone will take it the way you did."

And Furihata can't help the tiny bit of pink on his cheeks, because since Thursday night, his mind has been tainted by perversion, even when it's unintentional. After a moment, he clears his throat. "I…um…I think that you're perfect, Sei. I mean…I know you're not, but…there's no part of you that I don't accept." He can feel Akashi's happiness in his own chest. "Kise said that the Bond makes you realize your feelings, but it doesn't create them. Maybe…maybe part of that is the person you're destined to be with will always accept you."

Akashi has to pull his arm away to change gears, or at least that's what Furihata thinks. As soon as they pull onto the gravel road, Akashi parks the car and turns to him, eyes bright scarlet and a gentle smile on his face. "Kouki."

"Y-y-yes?"

Akashi wraps an arm around Furihata's shoulders, pulling him closer so their foreheads touch. "I love you so much. And thank you for accepting me, even when I was being an idiot."

Furihata's face matches Akashi's eyes. "Y-you're welcome! I-I-I…love you, too."

The kiss doesn't last long, but Furihata doesn't need it to. It's the first time they said "I love you" outside of bed, and he knows he's being such a schoolgirl about it, but he can't find it in himself to care at that moment.

Author Note: I have nothing to say for once, so please, Please, PLEASE REVIEW!