Review Thanks:

blackkyu: Thank you! There will be a short time skip but not for another few chapters.

Me: Thanks :)

AN: For some reason I had a very hard time writing this chapter. Even though it's short I hope you all like it. Next chapter will be up soon. Either Friday or Monday. Please leave a review!

Chapter 36

Natsume was hot, tired, and sticky. He wiped the sweat off of his forehead with his arm leaving a white smear behind.

"I can't believe I actually did it," he said as he looked down at the mess that covered his hands, the table, and the floor. He was a little sore but he did it for Kyo so he knew that it was worth it. He wanted to make his boyfriend happy. Kyo had been so upset lately; his boyfriend deserved a little happiness.

Now that he had finished frosting the cake he had baked from scratch Natsume covered it and put it in the fridge. He then began the slow process of cleaning up the mess. If he managed to stay on schedule he would have just enough time to clean up from baking and cooking dinner before Kyo got home from work. He wanted to give his boyfriend a nice birthday. Since Yuki and his foster father were due tomorrow afternoon, Natsume wanted to give Kyo his birthday a day early.

"Kyo will be upset if you over do it," Sensei said from his spot on the couch.

"I didn't mean for him to get upset the last time. And I didn't plan to overdo it either," Natsume said as he threw the dishrag in the sink.

Tanuma, Kitamoto, and Nishihara had taken him out for a day to try and cheer him up. He spent the next day in bed sick with a fever and with everything aching. Kyo being the worrier that he was called Doctor Kusama. Because of his little set back he was going to miss another week of school. Natsume wasn't sure how he was going to catchup. He guessed he'd do the best that he could.

"You're worried about him too," Sensei said.

"Of course I am," Natsume sighed. "I know he's upset but he won't talk to me. Maybe he'll talk to his foster father when he comes tomorrow." It hurt slightly that Kyo wouldn't talk to him. He obviously wasn't what Kyo needed right now. He just hoped what he had planned tonight would cheer him up.

"Humans are so complicated and they worry so much for living such short lives," Sensei grumbled.

Natsume just shrugged as he walked into the bathroom. He filled the tub with hot water until the bathroom was full of steam. Soaking in the hot water felt good. He was still sore from the attack but he was on the mend. Not wanting to think about it Natsume instead focused on what he had planned for tonight. He sat in the water until it started to cool then cleaned himself up. Kyo would be home in less than an hour and he still had to make dinner.

He wasn't making anything overly complicated for dinner, just curry. Kyo really seemed to like it so, he thought he would go with that. It wasn't like he had a lot of experience in planning romantic birthday dinners. In truth he didn't have much experience in birthdays or anything romantic. Natsume hoped that he didn't mess this up. Once he had finished cooking Natsume quickly changed his clothes to something nicer wanting to do this right.

"And this is where I make my leave. Enjoy tonight," Nyanko-sensei said with a wink as he jumped off the couch and headed to the open window.

"Thank you," Natsume called after the cat as he jumped out the window wondering what was up with him.

Now that the cat was gone Natsume quickly set the table for dinner. He had just finished lighting the candles when Kyo walked in.

"What's all this?" Kyo asked as he curiously looked around the apartment.

"It's your birthday dinner," Natsume told him with a smile.

"But we had my party yesterday at the dojo," Kyo said still looking confused.

"This one is just us," Natsume told him. True he did have a big party yesterday but Natsume wanted to do something special with Kyo. "I made dinner."

"And it smells wonderful," Kyo said as he smiled at the table.

The two of them had a pleasant meal and Kyo seemed happier than he had since the incident. True sometimes his smile would slip but then Natsume would try to distract him form is thoughts and Kyo's smile would return; he was overjoyed that the smiles would reach Kyo's eyes.

"You don't have to clean up too. I mean you cooked and everything," Kyo told him.

"It's your birthday Kyo," Natsume said as he put their dinner dishes in the sink. "Now close your eyes."

"Another surprise," Kyo said with a chuckle.

"Yes, so close your eyes or you won't get it," Natsume scolded. He loved his boyfriend but sometimes he could be such a brat.

"Alright, alright," Kyo said as he closed his eyes. Once Natsume was sure that the older boy wasn't peaking Natsume pulled the cake from the fridge and lit the candles before placing it on the table.

"You can open your eyes now," Natsume told him. Kyo did and a look of surprise crossed his face. "I made it myself."

"Natsume you didn't have to go through all of this trouble," Kyo said as he continued to look at the cake like he had never seen one before.

"I know that but I wanted to. I've never gotten to do something like this for someone before," Natsume told him. "Now blow candles and make a wish." Kyo shook his head but closed his eyes and blew out the candles without argument. He looked very serious as he did so though and Natsume wondered what he could wish for that would give him that look.

"This is very good," Kyo said as slowly he licked off one of the candles.

"I'm glad you like it," Natsume told truly glad that his boyfriend liked it but he was having a hard time enjoying it. He had yet to give Kyo his present and now that it was getting closer to the time he was getting nervous. What if Kyo didn't like it?

"Natsume are you alright? Are you in pain or…do you feel sick again?" Kyo asked worry clear in his voice.

"No I'm fine," Natsume was quick to reassure him. He didn't want Kyo dwelling on that again. "It's just that ah…" He quickly pulled out the beautifully wrapped box containing the pendant and plopped it on the table. "Happy Birthday."

"What's that?" Kyo asked curiously.

"Your present," Natsume told him feeling more nervous as Kyo had yet to pick it up.

"But yesterday you…"

"A CD is what you get a friend not a boyfriend. This is your real present," Natsume told him.

After what felt like ages Kyo finally picked up the box and slowly unwrapped it being careful not to rip the paper or so it seemed. Natsume on the other hand was on pins and needles. He really wanted Kyo to like what he had gotten him. Once Kyo had the paper and bow set to the side he finally opened the box and his eyes went wide. He picked up the cord and looked at the amber teardrop pendant his eyes full of an emotion that Natsume had never seen before...

"Do you like it?" Natsume asked hesitantly not able to read the expression on the older boy's face.

"I love it," Kyo said as he leaned across the table and gave him a longer lingering kiss. "Thank you."

"You're ah…I'm glad you like it," Natsume muttered feeling happier than he thought possible that he could make Kyo that happy.

"So what do you think?" Kyo asked as he slipped the cord over his head.

"It looks good on you," Natsume said as he admired how the pendant rested right below the hollow of his neck. The light color of the stone looked good against Kyo's tan skin.

"Do you realize that the stone is the color of your eyes," Kyo said as he looked at him.

"Huh?" Natsume asked as he blinked curiously at him. Kyo just chuckled and shook his head a look of amusement on his face.

"You know I am in the mood for some more dessert," Kyo said as he once again leaned across the table and kissed him ignoring the cake completely. Natsume kissed him back just as eagerly.