A/N: This chapter is dedicated to Flair-chan, who fussed at me for not finishing this fic. ^_~
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PART IV: DECLARATIONS OF UNDYING DEVOTION
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~Good God, have I been dreaming
This paralyzing feeling?
Was I left alone?
Where have you gone?
Were you somewhere else, just sleeping?
With no way to wake you,
I could never ask you:
Would you take my hand
In the deepest end
Would you stay and drown in me?~
-Finger Eleven, "Stay and Drown"
The doorbell rang at Jyou's apartment. When the lanky college student answered the door, he came face to face with a uncomfortable-looking Ken.
"Er...is Daisuke there?" Ken fiddled with a button on his jacket.
"Yeah, he's here, but he's still asleep. You can come in if you want."
Ken carefully stepped into the entrance hall, removing his shoes. Jyou gestured towards the spare room. "He's in there. Might as well wake him up, I guess."
The violet-eyed boy nodded, padding into the dark room. There was only enough light for Ken to make out the shapes of things, so he pulled the curtains open slightly and knelt down beside what he assumed was Daisuke curled up on the guest futon.
The breath caught in his throat.
Daisuke was still fast asleep, breathing deep and even, deliciously kissable lips parted. In the half-light, his hair appeared a deep purple, and his normally golden skin was a deep, burnished bronze. He looked absolutely at peace, arms curling around the pillow he had clutched to his chest.
Ken hesitated, then reached out a trembling hand to smooth Daisuke's mussed-up hair. It was warm and oh-so-soft to the touch, and the indigo-haired boy let his fingers trail over a silken cheek. The redhead's eyes flickered, and Ken let his lips graze against those of the other boy, the light pressure both exploring and claiming.
Daisuke struggled awake, suddenly confused at what was cutting off his air supply. It took a moment before it registered in his mind that he was being kissed, and his eyes snapped open. He accidentally took a huge breath around Ken's lips, inhaling hot air sweet with the scent and texture of the violet-eyed boy.
Ken pulled away, hand still cupping Daisuke's cheek, as his eyes filled with a bittersweet possessiveness.
"Hi." Daisuke blinked the sleep out of his eyes.
"Hi."
The sight of Ken's purple-blue eyes was enough to transform Daisuke's confused half-frown into a tender smile. He reached up, running his fingers lightly over cheek, across jaw, and down to curl around the back of the neck.
The two boys shared a few moments just like this, staring into each other's eyes, feeling the trembling electricity of skin on skin.
"Get in," Daisuke said finally, taking his hand away from Ken's neck and lifting the side of the covers, eyebrows raised. The indigo-haired boy hesitated, and decided to put all thoughts of reality out of his mind. He nodded, and Daisuke shifted over so there would be room for him under the comforter.
Ken slid underneath, and felt Daisuke's arms go around him, holding him close and protected. He closed his eyes, snuggling into the warm circle of Daisuke's embrace, and sliding one arm around the smaller boy's waist. With an element of pain he remembered the first time he and Daisuke had ever done this -- they were young and inexperienced, afraid but so in love that they could hardly bear to be away from each other.
"I love you so much," Ken whispered, voice thick and on the verge of tears.
It is impossible to explain what happened to Daisuke at that moment. Those few words had made something open deep inside him, a doorway to inexplicable, mind-blowing, heart-breaking bliss, and he did the only thing he could.
He buried his face in Ken's silken hair, taking huge, shuddering, suppressing breaths, then pressed his lips to the other boy's forehead, temples, cheeks, nose, eyes, and finally lips. He couldn't explain what was happening, only that it hurt him to not be kissing those lips, to not be held in those arms.
And that he couldn't bear to be away from Ken anymore.
"Love you...I love you...I'll always love you..." Daisuke gasped out between kisses and half-sobs.
After Daisuke started crying, Ken couldn't hold back his tears any longer. He kissed Daisuke back as if his life depended on it (which it did), barely noticing the warm saltiness covering his cheeks and dripping off his nose.
Ken knew that he would surely die if he lost Daisuke again.
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Jyou picked up the steadily-ringing phone. "Moshi-moshi?"
"Hey, Jyou? It's Koushiro. Is Daisuke there?"
"Yes. Ken's here, too."
"Oh good, I need you to tell both of them that we're having another meeting today at my house at 12:30, and I may have found a way to send Daisuke back home."
"That's great! I'll tell them."
"Thanks, Jyou."
"No prob."
The older blue-haired boy rested the receiver back in its cradle, then made his way to the spare room. He turned the knob softly, peeking into the semi-dark room.
Daisuke and Ken were asleep, arms about each other. Ken was resting his head on Daisuke's chest, and it rose and fell with the redhead's every breath.
Jyou grinned, then carefully closed the door, waiting a moment before knocking.
"Daisuke? Ken?" A couple of minutes and a lot of rustling later, Daisuke opened the door and peered out, squinting against the unwelcome light.
"You're having another meeting with Koushiro at 12:30. He may have found a way to send you home! Isn't that great?"
Daisuke felt as if he had just been pounded into the ground with a ten-ton hammer. "O..Oh. Yeah. Great." He closed the door, returning to tangle around a half-sleeping Ken.
Screw responsibility. Just screw it.
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END PART IV: TO BE CONTINUED…
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