Pretty important author's note, but you can ignore it, or read it, or--slap! thanks. I needed that. Anyway: This chapter gets kinda slashy. Yes, more slashy than the last chapters, so if that kind of stuff offends you, read it and then send me a nice long explanation of how it's going to give you nightmares. Have a nice day!

Chapter Eight: Ice cream and snow cones.

Night found Kiyoshi sitting mostly naked in Draco's room, wet and shivering in a bath robe that was one size too small for him. Draco was rooting around in his closet, looking for an extra set of clothes for Kiyoshi to wear. "You're lucky all that thing did was drool on you," He was saying. "Where are the rest of your clothes, anyway? Don't you have anything to wear but that?" The last remark was directed at Kiyoshi's pile of stiff and sticky clothes. Kiyoshi pursed his lips and shrugged his shoulders in a way that said, 'Yes and no.'

Draco blinked. "You must've been wearing something before you came to the school," He said. "Do you still have them? You can at least sleep in them, and if we send your uniform to the wash now, it should be back by morning."

Kiyoshi looked uncomfortable, but he nodded, and through careful questioning, Draco learned that his old set of clothes was in a box under his bed. He hurried down the hall, then returned moments later with a wooden box accented with carved jade. On the lid of the box was a scene in relief of what looked like a winged snake. He handed it to Kiyoshi, who touched a latch on the box, causing the lid to jump open. He reached inside and held up a long silk tunic the color of a summer sky. On the front was a string of foreign characters; embroidered on the back were two long white wings. There were pants of the same color, plain compared to the tunic.

"Those are pretty fancy," Draco said, running his hands over the silk. "Are these what you used to wear every day?"

Kiyoshi nodded, watching him finger the embroidered wings. Draco looked from Kiyoshi to the tunic. "I wish you could tell me what it was like, where you're from," He said. "I can only imagine—somewhere with wide open spaces, where it snows a lot, or maybe somewhere near the ocean…" He sighed. "It must seem pretty dreary here to you." Kiyoshi shrugged. Draco was quiet for a moment, then: "I feel so selfish." Kiyoshi gave him a puzzled look.

"I feel selfish because I don't want you to leave—I don't want you to go back to that wonderful place." He looked out the window, his voice halting. "It's just that I—I don't have to be anything around you. I've never known anyone like you before, someone who… Who doesn't care that I'm a Malfoy or a Slytherin or Lucius' son or Snape's favorite. I'm just Draco around you, and that's good enough." He sniffled and rubbed his nose with the back of his hand. "And once you go away, I won't be good enough for anyone anymore, not even me."

Kiyoshi laid a hand on his shoulder. Draco avoided his eyes. "I know you're in danger here, and I know it's selfish to even ask you to stay." He lowered his voice. "You must hate me."

It was a moment before he realized Kiyoshi was kissing him.

Draco came to his senses and felt Kiyoshi's hands gripping his collar; the scratchy fabric of his bathrobe rubbing against his throat. He was forcing him back against the bed. After a stunned moment, Draco pushed him roughly away. Kiyoshi took a few shuddering breaths, then turned red and looked away. His shoulders slumped, and he had a look of shame in his eyes. Draco touched his hand.

"If it's going to be like this," He said quietly, "Let's not rush it."