Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan/Case Closed.

Pairing: KaitoxShinichi

Chapter Rating: M

Warning: Graphic content!

Collection Summary: No matter where or what they are, their lives are always entwined. KaiShin stories in fantasy settings.

Chapter Summary: Since becoming the Forest Guardian's lover, Shinichi has begun to notice certain changes in his own body. He's not sure what to make of the changes, but Kaito isn't really one for giving straight answers.

A Season of Heat

[Spirit Verse]

Beika village, nestled as it was on the fringe of Clover Forest, was one of the few human settlements where belief in and respect for the spirits was still very much a part of life. For one Kudo Shinichi, however, the spirit world and its residents was no longer so much a belief as it was a truth ever since he'd turned eighteen and met Kuroba Kaito, the guardian spirit of Clover Forest. Knowing what he did now, it was always interesting to listen to what the other villagers were saying about the forest.

Lately, there was a rumor going around that the guardian of the forest had to be in a good mood. It was the atmosphere in the forest, they said. The place had always had a presence all its own like that of an enormous, living, breathing creature. It was an ancient and mysterious presence that spoke of an ageless, timeless power that humbled all who dared to walk beneath its canopy. It was an aura that inspired wonder and demanded respect.

Recently, however, that deep tranquility seemed to have grown brighter and more gentle. More friendly even. And with that shift in atmosphere, everything in the forest seemed to have become that much more vivid and alive.

Shinichi listened to the various visitors to the bookstore where he worked tell these stories and speculate about the changes, and he wondered if they were right and Kaito really was happier now than he had been before. If he was in a better mood, was it because of Shinichi? The thought made Shinichi's heart do a happy little flutter of its own, and he hoped that it was true.

It wasn't only the atmosphere of the forest that had changed though. Villagers were reporting that the many special herbs and fruits that the villagers gathered from the forest had become easier to find—like someone was guiding the foraging parties. People weren't getting lost as often either. Several people who thought they had lost their way had found themselves walking out of the forest just as they were beginning to worry as though they had been magically transported.

"It's a sign that the guardian is pleased with us," they all agreed, and the village in turn was permeated with a sense of good cheer.

Only Mouri Ran was putt off by the latest stories of Clover Forest's guardian spirit.

"It's creepy," she insisted when she, Shinichi, and Sonoko were having lunch together. "I've even heard some people say they've been hearing laughter on the wind." She shivered before repeating with more emphasis, "It's creepy!"

Suzuki Sonoko rolled her eyes at her friend's words. "Honestly Ran, it's laughter. Last I checked, laughter is a good thing. It means people are happy. And if the guardian is happy then all the better for us, right?"

"Not all laughter is happy," the brunette objected. "It's nasty if you're laughing at other people."

"Well I doubt that's the case here. Everyone agrees that the guardian's been helping people. You must have heard what happened to Minako last week. She went into the forest to gather medicinal herbs, but she went too far and couldn't find her way back. But then she thought she heard someone talking and went towards the voice. She heard laughter and singing too, she said, though she never actually saw the source or even got close enough to make out any words. But she kept following the voice, and she got back to Beika."

"It's good that she got home, but for all we know the guardian's the one who got her lost in the first place. Don't all the stories say he's a prankster?"

"Well, yeah, they do, but he's the good kind," Sonoko defended. "Tell her, Shinichi. You go into the forest all the time, and you've never had any bad pranks pulled on you, right?"

Caught off guard at being abruptly dragged into the conversation, Shinichi had to fight down a blush. "I—I don't think so." Kaito had played plenty of pranks on him, but none of them had been malicious. Although more than a few had been embarrassing. Others had ended in compromising positions that often led to heated nights that had left Shinichi sore for days.

Ran looked skeptical. "You don't sound sure."

"Well, I'm not sure how you're supposed to tell if something that happens in the forest is a natural occurrence or a prank by a spirit," he reasoned.

"I guess you have a point. But then there's things like what he did to those poachers. That couldn't have been done by a normal person, and it was cruel…"

Sonoko rolled her eyes. "You're exaggerating. And why do you always have to come back to those poachers? They were criminals. They deserved what they got."

"Maybe. But how can we know what a spirit would consider criminal? We could easily offend him without ever knowing, and then, well…" Ran waved a hand in an attempt to encompass all the unspeakable horrors that she imagined an angry spirit might bring down upon their poor, unsuspecting heads.

Having heard this argument and variations thereof multiple times already, Shinichi picked up the second half of his sandwich and resumed eating as his thoughts wandered.

Where the villagers could only speculate, Shinichi knew for a fact that Kaito really had been helping them out more actively now than he used to. He'd asked Kaito about it once, but the spirit had only laughed and said he was feeling charitable. Then again, Kaito was just like that. He liked to keep people guessing.

Thinking of Kaito though reminded Shinichi of a problem he'd been having.

It had all started, he supposed, when he had noticed that Kaito's moods tended to change a little with the seasons. He tended to get very philosophical during late summer and winter, and they could spend long hours debating the whys and wherefores of the world. He liked to tell stories all year round but rather more so during the autumn months. His already considerable penchant for mischief also seemed to increase tenfold the instant the leaves of the forest began to turn orange only to calm with the winter before rushing back again with the coming of spring.

The changes were most obvious in the more physical aspects of their relationship. If their summer trysts were the standard then autumn meant a Kaito with a greater inclination to tease. Remembering some of those encounters made Shinichi blush and want to hide somewhere until the embarrassment receded even as they made him shudder with recollected pleasure. They cuddled more than anything else in the winter. Though the cuddling was interspersed with long, heated sessions of lovemaking.

Then there was spring.

Kaito couldn't keep his hands to himself during the spring (even more so than usual anyway). When Kaito was in this mood, Shinichi found it rather difficult to keep any clothes on.

When he thought about it, Shinichi felt that these little shifts in mood made sense. All things in nature had their own cycles, and it was only logical that a forest guardian would, in some ways, reflect the moods of the land under his protection.

Being the curious person that he was, Shinichi was constantly collecting more of these observations. Every new thing he learned about Kaito made him feel that much closer to the man he'd come to love.

Lately, however, he'd begun to notice that it wasn't only Kaito whose moods were being affected by the seasons. It was, he'd found, like his own body had become responsive to Kaito's moods. He couldn't tell though if this was because of the influence of his mind, which was growing more and more aware of what to expect, or some kind of magic—a side effect, perhaps, if accepting Kaito's offer to become a part of his world.

Whatever the reasons, Shinichi had noticed a stirring in his own body corresponded to Kaito's—for lack of a better word—friskier moods.

He'd noticed it first sometime during midwinter. It hadn't been very obvious at the time. Though he always loved the time they spent cuddling and sharing stories, this past winter he'd found himself more reluctant than usual to return home—or rather to return to the village because, more and more now, he was thinking of the forest as home. And the craving to be held followed him through his days, growing stronger the longer he was away from Kaito. Shinichi had chalked it all up to his own strengthening feelings for Kaito. But then the spring had rolled in.

Ever since the snows had melted and the new leaves began to bud on the trees, Shinichi had found himself craving more than just cuddling. With that craving came a slew of erotic dreams—dreams so vivid that they might as well be memories (of clinging to his lover as Kaito thrust deep inside him, of straddling Kaito's lap and lowering himself onto Kaito's cock guided by strong hands on his hips, of shamelessly riding that cock as the moon shone full overhead, of the pure pleasure of feeling Kaito come inside him, filling him to the brim…). It was strange experience for Shinichi, for while he very much loved Kaito and enjoyed all the things they did together, sex was not something Shinichi typically thought very much about. So this sudden and persistent onslaught of steamy, passion-ridden dreams and daydreams was most uncharacteristic. Yet there they were, and the restlessness and longing would ease only when Kaito pulled him into his arms. Shinichi would melt into that embrace, every nerve in his body just as eager to be ravished as Kaito was to ravish him. And he would discover anew each time that his dreams were nowhere near as amazing or intense as the real thing.

If Shinichi found himself unable to go to the forest for several consecutive days for whatever reason, he would find his nights growing progressively more restless. He would wake up tangled in his sheets, feeling so hot and bothered that it was suffocating. And all he would be able to think about until he forcefully pulled himself together for the day was how badly he wanted to see Kaito—to throw himself into his lover's arms and be carried away to some secret grove where they would make love until the rest of the world was but a distant memory.

Then Shinichi would come back to his senses and feel terribly embarrassed at the (in his opinion) rather inappropriately lewd nature of his own fantasies. But the embarrassment did nothing to soothe the almost desperate need to feel Kaito's touch.

He had asked Kaito about it just two days ago (after several solid hours of vigorous lovemaking that had left Shinichi exhausted and hoarse from screaming but warm and very contented).

But Kaito had only smirked and said, "A flower knows when it's time to bloom."

"Must you always talk in riddles?" Shinichi had asked in mild exasperation.

"It could be a riddle—or it could be plain fact," the spirit had quipped, indigo eyes gleaming with mischief.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Shinichi might have said more except that Kaito chose that moment to slide two fingers into Shinichi's already over stimulated entrance. He was too preoccupied for the rest of that meeting to ask any more questions.

"—ichi! Shinichi!"

Jerking out of his thoughts with a guilty start, he looked up to find both Sonoko and Ran giving him funny looks. "Yes?"

"Seriously, maybe you should make an appointment to see Doctor Araida," Sonoko said. "Get your head examined. You've been zoning out way too much lately to be normal even for you."

"I was just thinking," Shinichi retorted. "I understand it might be a novel concept to you, but it doesn't mean there's something wrong with me."

"Now, now, that's enough you two," Ran interjected before Sonoko could snap back. "Shinichi, we were just asking you if you would be able to help out with the upcoming Spring Festival."

"Oh. I can if you need me to. Was there something you had in mind?"

-0-

With business at the bookstore booming and the Spring Festival just around the corner, it was another week before Shinichi could visit Kaito again. He brought with him a basket packed with the special cakes and pastries that the local bakery had come up with for the festival. He'd procured the basket of samples the night before his day off with a promise to the bakery that he would provide them with detailed opinions on each item. He went to bed that night slightly giddy with excitement both at the chance to finally see Kaito again and the prospect of seeing Kaito's delight at the sweets he so loved.

When he finally managed to fall asleep, he dreamed of beautiful, indigo eyes and a strong, hot body pressed flush against him, holding him captive as that wonderfully demanding cock pried him open and plundered. He woke up gasping and shuddering with need to find that he had an embarrassing mess to clean. It was several minutes before he could calm his breathing and make himself get up and take a cold shower. Then he washed the sheets and grabbed a quick breakfast before heading out into the forest with a firm reminder to himself to ask Kaito again about these—urges.

They had never set any particular place in which to meet because Shinichi knew that Kaito always knew exactly where he was from the instant he set foot within the boundaries of his forest. So most of the time, Shinichi just wandered, letting his feet carry him where they would until Kaito made his appearance. Today, however, the spirit met him just inside the forest fringe and grabbed his free hand (the one not carrying the picnic basket).

"We have to hurry or we'll miss it," he said, tugging Shinichi after him.

"Huh? Miss what?" he asked, confused, but Kaito didn't answer.

Around them, the world shifted, and suddenly they were approaching a vast meadow that Shinichi had never seen before. Kaito slowed his pace to a much more careful walk.

"Try to be quiet or we'll startle them," he whispered. Soon, they reached the edge of the clearing. Once there, Kaito stepped behind Shinichi and wrapped his arms around his waist.

"Do you see them?" he asked.

Shinichi followed the spirit's gaze out into the meadow. It was occupied by a flock of large birds. They resembled peacocks, Shinichi noted, but they were predominantly white.

"Albino peacocks?" he wondered out loud.

Kaito chuckled, breath tickling Shinichi's ear and making him shiver. "Nope. They're distantly related, but they're a spirit world species. We call them Aurora Birds. Today's their courting day."

"Courting day?" Shinichi echoed.

"Hush. Just watch."

Out in the meadow, the birds had spread themselves. Then, as though on some silent signal, all the males (identifiable by their long tails) spread their wings and fanned out their tails. Those long tail feathers, like those of the peacock feathers they resembled, were just as beautifully patterned and colorful as those of any peacock, but it wasn't only their colors that were amazing. Under the clear, morning sunlight, those feathers actually glowed, casting a haze of rainbows across the entirety of the meadow.

Shinichi's breath hitched, and he leaned forward unconsciously to gaze in fascinated wonder at the breathtaking sight. The name Aurora Birds suddenly made perfect sense. Then the birds began to dance. It was the only word that could be applied to their graceful leaps and spins, white wings and luminous tails weaving mesmerizing patterns in the light.

And as the dance progressed, the female birds began to join in one by one until all the birds were dancing. Then, two by two, the birds paired off, slowing their dance to a stop as they twined their long necks together for a moment. When they parted, they spread their wings and leapt skyward to soar away, flying so close to each other that their wingtips were almost touching. Eventually, all the birds had chosen their mates and departed, probably to find somewhere to nest. Yet even after the last pair had flown, rainbows continued to linger in the air over the meadow.

"That was incredible," Shinichi murmured, leaning back against Kaito's chest and watching the last of the rainbows sparkle.

Kaito beamed. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. Not many people get to watch their courting dance. It only happens once every hundred years."

Shinichi's jaw dropped. "One hundred years?!"

Laughing, Kaito spun him around and gave him a peck on the nose. "Yep. Now, how about you tell me what's in that basket you've been carrying?"

They spent the rest of the morning and part of the afternoon sampling the pastries and cakes. They paused after each dish to discuss its merits and flaws as Shinichi jotted down notes on a notepad he'd brought with him. He would pass the comments on to the bakery when he got back.

Sometime during the course of their culinary expedition, Shinichi ended up sitting on Kaito's lap. He couldn't remember exactly how he'd gotten there—not that he minded. But the realization did remind him to ask Kaito again about his cravings.

"Is that an invitation?" Kaito purred into his ear, hands sliding up Shinichi's sides under his shirt.

Feeling his entire body heating up with a blush (among other things), Shinichi mustered a scowl and (somewhat reluctantly) squirmed out of Kaito's grasp. He smoothed out his shirt then sat down facing the spirit so that he could watch his expression.

"It's an honest question."

"How about we play a game then? If you win, I'll answer your questions."

"And if I lose?"

"Then you forget about the serious talk for today, and we just enjoy ourselves."

Well, that sounded like a win-win sort of deal, Shinichi mused, suppressing a blush. He wanted answers, but he could wait for them if he had to.

"Okay then," he agreed. "What's the game?"

"I'll give you a riddle," Kaito said promptly. "You'll have one hour in which to figure out what place in my forest the riddle is referring to and to make your way there."

"Clover Forest is enormous," Shinichi pointed out. "And I can't teleport like you can. It won't be fair unless it's somewhere I can reasonably get to."

"The location will be within half an hour's travel by foot," Kaito promised. "That would give you a maximum of half an hour to figure out where it is and start moving. Sound fair?"

Shinichi mulled it over before nodding.

"Perfect. Here's the riddle." With a flourish, he pulled a large, silver coin engraved with letters on both sides out of the air and handed it to Shinichi. Then he snapped his fingers, and a set of numbers appeared floating in the air next to Shinichi's head. "And this is your timer. It'll start counting down the moment you start reading the riddle. Good luck~. I'll be watching." He winked then vanished.

Shinichi took a deep breath, feeling the thrill of the challenge. He loved puzzles, and Kaito was always great at creating them. He gave the floating numbers a quick once over then lifted the coin to the light.

-0-

Standing invisible on the boundary between the material world and the spirit world, Kaito watched Shinichi examine the coin. A fond smile tugged at the corners of his lips. He loved the way Shinichi's brilliant blue eyes all but shone when he was caught up in solving a puzzle. That insatiable curiosity and love for all things mystery was one of his beloved's most endearing qualities. Kaito was always amazed by the level of focus Shinichi could maintain on such things.

Even more than that though, Kaito loved that look of delighted excitement that lit up Shinichi's entire face as he figured out the answer.

Out in the meadow, Shinichi leapt to his feet and set off at a run.

Kaito grinned. It looked like his beloved had solved the riddle. Judging from the direction in which he was headed, he hadn't fallen for the decoy embedded in the puzzle. The spirit followed Shinichi's mad dash through the forest, admiring the lithe grace with which his beloved moved. He was pleased to note the confidence with which Shinichi navigated his way through the trees. It meant he was truly getting to know the lay of the land. Not only that, but he was clearly comfortable here. That knowledge cheered Kaito in a way even he couldn't fully explain.

Shinichi came to a stop on the bank of a river flowing across his path. Kaito leaned forward, curious to see what his beloved would do next. This stretch of the river had a relatively calm current and was shallow enough to ford, but it was quite wide. There was a series of stepping stones downstream, but heading that way would add nearly ten minutes to the trip. Theoretically, it was still possible to reach the destination by taking the detour to cross on the stepping stones, but it would be a very tight race, and every second Shinichi spent considering his options was another second he didn't have for the journey.

Having expected Shinichi to head downstream, Kaito was surprised to see the boy start stripping.

Surprised but far from displeased. Certain parts of his body began to stir as he cloth slid away to reveal pale expanses of silky smooth skin. He traced the beautiful lines of Shinichi's figure with his eyes all the way from the curve of his neck down to his long, supple legs he loved to feel wrapped around his hips, encouraging him to press even deeper into Shinichi's deliciously tight heat. Shuddering, Kaito dragged his gaze upward only to end up staring at Shinichi's cute little backside. The boy had bent over to tie the laces of his shoes together, presenting Kaito with a spectacular view. Kaito's growing arousal pulsed in approval at the oh so tempting sight.

Oblivious to the effect he was having on his invisible observer, Shinichi slung his boots around his neck, held his bundled clothes above his head, and waded out into the river. Despite knowing that time was ticking, he knew better than to rush. The current might be manageable, but a careless slip could still easily lead to being swept away. He knew Kaito wouldn't let him drown, but it was still a scenario Shinichi would like to avoid. Not rushing was easier said than done though. The blinking countdown keeping pace with him didn't help. It was distracting, making his heart pound with heightened urgency.

When the water rose up to his chin, progress slowed to a crawl. Each time he moved his feet, he felt like he was about to go floating downstream. He was seriously beginning to wonder if he'd made a terrible mistake in not going for the stepping stones after all when the riverbed beneath his feet finally began to rise. It still took an excruciatingly long time for him to reach the far bank. Splashing out of the shallows, he stumbled to a halt as he fought to catch his breath. He hadn't expected fording the river to be so tiring. In retrospect, he should have known better. The combination of the cold water, the battle against the current, and the tension caused by the constant threat of being washed downstream was bound to be exhausting. By the time he'd caught his breath, he'd used up just as much time if not more than he would have used if he had taken the route over the stepping stones. He groaned at glared at the countdown blinking innocently at him.

It was then that he realized he wasn't cold anymore, and his skin was completely dry. He hadn't been standing here for nearly long enough for that to have happened naturally. It had to be Kaito's doing.

Which meant Kaito was watching him.

Well, of course Kaito was watching him. He knew perfectly well that the spirit was always aware of everything going on within his domain. At the reminder, however, Shinichi became abruptly and acutely aware that he was naked.

Cheeks reddening, he hurried to put his clothes back on. Then he resumed his jog through the forest. The chances that he'd make it to the circle of Silver Bell Pines indicated by the silver coin and its inscription were slim now, but he wasn't about to give up just yet.

He could feel Kaito's eyes on him. The back of his neck prickled.

He was running out of time.

Ahead, the trees thinned, and he picked up his pace. In moments, he was bursting out into a small, sunlit glade just beyond which, he knew, lay his destination. In his eagerness, he tripped. He made to scramble back to his feet.

The timer hit zero.

Translucent, jade green vines shimmering on the border of invisibility wound about him, soft and silky but stronger than steel. Knowing he was caught, Shinichi stilled. He could hear light footsteps approaching quickly from behind him.

"Time's up~," Kaito sang out before his voice dropped into a low purr. "Looks like I win.

The tone of his voice sent pleasant shivers up Shinichi's spine. He tried to sit up, but the spirit vines kept him where he was.

"Uh, Kai? Are you going to let me up?"

Kaito hummed softly. "I have a better idea."

The vines wrapped around Shinichi tightened their grip. One caught his wrists, keeping them bound and pinned to the ground. Others lifted Shinichi's hips and tugged his knees apart, spreading his legs to present his suddenly bare bottom as though it were an offering (where had his clothes gone?! He hadn't even noticed them being removed. But he was definitely noticing now as a light breeze brushed over his sensitive skin like the caress of a lover's hands). Kaito made a sound of approval.

Blushing, Shinichi glanced over his shoulder. He was not prepared to see Kaito standing behind him in all his natural glory, watching him with eyes that all but smoldered. Shinichi swallowed with a throat that had gone dry. His gaze traveled down of its own accord to find that Kaito was already very, very aroused. His member stood proud and erect, and Shinichi shivered, blush darkening. It looked rather intimidating even as it made him shudder, hips twitched against his bonds in eager anticipation.

All the dreams he'd been having came crashing back into his thoughts unbidden. Heat curled in his stomach as his breathing quickened. An almost overwhelming wave of need washed over him, and he whimpered.

"K—Kai…!"

He felt more than heard Kaito come to kneel behind him. Hands brushed over the curve of his bare bottom and down his thighs before traveling back up again. Shinichi unconsciously leaned into the touch.

Kaito chuckled, teasing Shinichi's entrance with a lube-coated fingertip. His smirk grew when Shinichi immediately tried to push himself back onto his fingers. Kaito obliged by pressing two slick fingers into his lover's tight hole.

Shinichi gasped, pressing his forehead against his bound wrists as his hips rocked practically of their own accord to take Kaito's fingers in deeper.

Kaito's cock throbbed with desire as he felt Shinichi's hot little hole spasm around his fingers. Seeing Shinichi this eager was turning him on even more than he'd already been. He wanted to grab Shinichi and pound into him until he was a writhing, screaming mess of pleasure, but he controlled himself with an effort as he pushed a third finger into Shinichi, beginning to thrust and twist them, stretching him. Preparing him for Kaito.

Shinichi gasped as Kaito's fingers pressed hard against his sweet spot, sending jolts of electricity through along his nerves. His hips bucked against the vines holding them in place, begging for more. To his dismay, however, the fingers withdrew completely, leaving him empty and dissatisfied. He let out a loud whine of protest.

A predatory grin stretched across Kaito's face as he leaned over to trail his lips across the back of Shinichi's neck. The picture Shinichi made right now, his usual calm completely shattered to be replaced by this needy, mewling little kitten desperate for Kaito to take him—he'd never seen anything so arousing. He couldn't hold himself back any longer. Shinichi whined again, shifting restlessly under him, and Kaito bit back a chuckle.

"Don't worry, Love," he purred into Shinichi's ear. He ran his hands down his young lover's quivering sides to grip his hips as he shifted to press the head of his erection against Shinichi's entrance. "Is this what you want?"

Shinichi whimpered, and Kaito tutted.

"You're going to have to speak up if you want me to hear you." He pressed forward just enough to breech that tight ring of muscle then stopped, grip tightening on Shinichi's hips to keep him still when he attempted to move back to push Kaito in deeper.

Shinichi made a noise that was half desperate mewl and half frustrated growl. The sound only made Kaito's grin widen.

"Well?" he prompted, nibbling on Shinichi's ear and allowing himself to ease just a little further into that delectable heat. Knowing that he hadn't spent nearly as much time preparing Shinichi as he usually did, he took a moment to cast a charm to help ease the penetration. "Is this what you want?"

"Y—yes," Shinichi managed to gasp out past another whimper. "K—Kai, please—!"

A satisfied smirk tugged at Kaito's lips. "As you wish~."

He moved to bite Shinichi at the juncture between his neck and shoulder as he thrust his hips forward in a slow but sure motion until he was fully sheathed inside his lover. He stilled again, giving Shinichi time to adjust to the invasion and giving himself time to savor the pure pleasure of being buried hilt deep in his Shinichi's delectable body. Wrapped tight in that velvet heat, he could feel every tremor running through the slender frame beneath him, and he relished in the knowledge that Shinichi was and would always be his.

Shinichi's eyes fluttered shut as a quiet moan escaped his lips. Kaito's hot, hard length pulsed inside him. He knew they were moving too fast. He felt so full it bordered on painful. But at the moment, he didn't care. He shuddered, inner muscles clenching around the intrusion as he wiggled his hips against Kaito's grip in a silent plea. He wanted more. He wanted Kaito to take him hard and fast—wanted to feel Kaito come inside him, filling him with his essence.

Even imagining it was making Shinichi squirm on the verge of coming.

"Breathe," Kaito crooned, rubbing soothing circles over the jut of Shinichi's hipbones. "You need to relax."

Taking in a gulping breath, Shinichi tried to do as he was told. He focused on the soothing murmur of Kaito's voice and the gentle hands caressing his body.

Feeling Shinichi finally beginning to relax under him, Kaito smiled. He pressed another kiss to the side of Shinichi's neck before he drew back and let his hands return to their earlier position on Shinichi's hips. Slowly, he pulled out of his lover then thrust back in again, setting a slow but steady rhythm.

Shinichi moaned in pleasure, acutely aware of every inch of his lover's arousal as it moved inside him. Each withdraw and reentry had Kaito rubbing against the sensitive spots inside him. It was wonderful, but it wasn't enough.

Mustering his strength, he bucked his hips just as Kaito thrust forward, driving Kaito's cock into him hard and fast as Shinichi canted his hips just so to allow him in a little deeper. The jolt of intense pleasure had him clenching tight around his lover as a delighted gasp escaped his lips.

Kaito's hiss of surprise and the way his fingers dug convulsively into Shinichi's waist was just as rewarding. It wasn't often he got to catch the spirit off guard. A small smirk tugged at Shinichi's lips, but it vanished in a yelp a moment later as Kaito bit down hard on the back of his neck.

Kaito ground hard into his lover just as Shinichi spasmed around him, forcing another mewling cry from the boy's lips.

"So my little kitten wants it rough, does he?" Kaito growled, causing Shinichi to shudder as his blue eyes went wide with sudden trepidation. He felt suddenly very much like a kitten who had accidentally woken a lion. But he didn't have much time to contemplate his predicament as Kaito pulled almost all the way out then plowed back into him hard and fast. Shinichi's back arched as a scream tore itself from his throat. Spots danced before his eyes, and he realized through a haze of intense pleasure that he had come. But he wasn't given any time to recover as Kaito pounded into him. Shinichi writhed in helpless ecstasy against the vines and hands holding him captive as that delicious cock filled him again and again. His breathless cries of pleasure rang between the trees. In no time at all, he was hard again.

Knowing he was on the edge, Kaito jerked Shinichi's hips back as he gave one last thrust, making sure to bury himself as deep inside Shinichi as he could and holding Shinichi there as he came. Shinichi moaned loudly as he felt Kaito's hot essence being released inside him, filling him. The sensation sent him over the edge again. Kaito continued thrusting shallowly as he felt Shinichi constricting around him, milking him of every last drop of his seed.

They collapsed together on a soft bed of spirit vines as they both panted for breath. It was several minutes before Kaito shifted to pull out of his now docile love. Shinichi made a disgruntled noise at the loss. Chuckling, Kaito lay down next to Shinichi and pulled the smaller boy against his chest. Shinichi immediately snuggled into his embrace, looking so much like a contented kitten that Kaito wouldn't have been at all surprised if he'd begun to purr.

"You must really have missed me this past week, hmm?" he teased, rubbing circles on Shinichi's back.

"Oh be quiet," Shinichi mumbled without opening his eyes. "M'tired."

"Then sleep. We have time." All the time in the world, the spirit added silently, a contented smile making its way onto his face. Since spirits didn't need to sleep, he wrapped his arms more securely around his beloved then let the focus of his consciousness shift to running some basic maintenance for the forest's many protections before moving on to arrange a proper dinner for when Shinichi woke up. Though he suspected that his little kitten would want something else before he wanted food.

-0-

When Shinichi opened his eyes again, it was to a night sky aglitter with stars and a moon so bright it looked surreal. Feeling secure and contented in Kaito's embrace, it was a moment before he realized what the position of the moon meant.

"It's just past midnight," he said.

Kaito blinked and looked down at him. "So it is."

"Our deal was that we wouldn't talk about my questions for the rest of the day."

"So it was."

"That was yesterday."

"Right again."

"So now that it's a new day, I think I deserve some answers."

Kaito laughed, indigo eyes dancing. "Alright, alright. I see you are not to be distracted. So what exactly did you wish to know?"

"It's about these…" Shinichi trailed off as his face began to heat up. Maybe it was ridiculous after the afternoon they'd just spent together (and all the other times before that, for that matter), but actually talking about such things was still something he found horribly embarrassing. "I mean, I've been wondering why I've been…thinking about you a lot. And having these—dreams."

"It's normal to think a lot about someone you love," Kaito pointed out. "It's normal to dream about them too."

"That's not what I meant," Shinichi huffed. "Lately, I've been feeling like…like I can sense you and your moods, and they're affecting me," he said, trying to find the right words. "Then when spring started, I suddenly started having all these dreams about you—about us."

"And I say again, it's only natural. You are my bride after all."

Shinichi blushed and tried to scowl. "We're not married," he pointed out. "And I'm not a girl."

"We didn't have a human ceremony," Kaito corrected him. "And that doesn't matter. From the first time we made love after you agreed to be mine, you became my bride. Our souls bonded. It's extremely ancient magic. Becoming a guardian spirit's bride grants you certain powers of your own. For mortals like yourself, that includes sharing the guardian's lifespan. Aside from that, your powers will compliment that of your lord so you can better support his work."

"You mean I'm going to develop magical abilities?"

"Judging from the way your spirit feels, it should be soon. And once you're ready, you'll share some of my responsibilities."

"But I don't know anything about magic," Shinichi protested, feeling a tiny smidgeon of panic. He only knew a little bit about what Kaito did as the forest's guardian spirit, but what he did know was enough for him to understand that it was a huge responsibility. How was he supposed to be of any help? And he shuddered to imagine what kind of problems he could cause by mistake.

Kaito chuckled, running a soothing hand through Shinichi's hair. "Don't fret, Love. I'll teach you everything you need to know."

Shinichi let out a resigned sigh. "All right then. But you really should tell me these sorts of things sooner."

"I wanted to wait until you were ready to leave your human life," Kaito explained. "I know there are people in the village who mean a lot to you. I won't take you away from that—not until I have to. That shouldn't be for another few years."

Shinichi nodded slowly in understanding, touched by his lover's considerateness. He was aware that he hadn't aged physically since he'd turned eighteen. Eventually, people were going to notice. Before that happened, he would have to leave Beika.

"You still haven't actually answered the other part of my question, you know," he said suddenly.

Kaito blinked then smirked. "You mean this?" He slid one hand down Shinichi's back to cup his rear. "The stronger the marriage bond grows, the more attuned you will become to your lord—or rather me, in your case—as well as to the natural forces we preside over. Spring is the season of love. It's only natural that your body reacts accordingly. Besides," he added, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively and gave Shinichi's bottom a firm squeeze. "A bride has many duties. Your subconscious knew and wanted to fulfill those duties even though you weren't consciously aware of them yet."

Shinichi's blush returned, but he made no move to protest as Kaito's hand continued to massage his rear. "So it's not your magic giving me those dreams or something?"

"Nope. It's all you," Kaito chirped and kissed him. "Don't be embarrassed. It just means you love me. Since I love you too, it's all good."

"It's distracting," Shinichi complained halfheartedly. "Sonoko thought I should see a doctor because I've been zoning out."

"We can fix that."

Shinichi blinked. "We can?"

Grinning, Kaito rolled them over, pinning Shinichi beneath him. "We just have to make sure we work it out of your system. Of course, we'll have to do it regularly. Until the seasonal tides change."

Shinichi blushed, staring up at him with wide, sapphire blue eyes. The expression was simply too adorable. Leaning down, Kaito captured Shinichi's lips in a deep, heated kiss as his hands raked down Shinichi's sides to grope him, smirking when Shinichi yelped and squirmed, knees coming up on either side of Kaito's hips.

"We can get started right now," he murmured against Shinichi's lips. To his delight, the smaller boy wrapped his arms around his neck and pulled him down into another passionate kiss.

-End of Chapter-