The sun is shining.

I can feel it on my face as it filters through the slats on our Venetian blind. I want to sleep longer, but I can't. Not with that light coming through the window and right into my face. I wonder what time it is. Late morning; early afternoon, perhaps. The sun had just been cresting the horizon when we finished up before and now it is climbing high in the sky. I want to know what time it is, but I know if I open my eyes, I'll never be able to fall back to sleep.

Instead, I roll over on my side and bury my face in your chest. Your arms wrap around me; you're pulling me closer, even in your sleep. Our bodies are pressed up together, sharing warmth; it's as if we give one another life. I've never been as close to another person as I am to you. I can't imagine myself being this close to another person ever. Only you.

You move a little, mumbling something softly, and one of my hands finds its way to your face. I blink my eyes open as I stroke your cheek, looking up at your pale face. What are you dreaming about that you have such an expression darkening your features? Your grip around me tightens; it's almost as if some one is trying to take me away and you don't want them to. Don't you know? I will never leave you…

I'm awake now. It's too late for me to go back to sleep. I'm awake and I'm in your arms, the only place I truly want to be. Both of us had classes we skipped and neither of us has eaten anything. My stomach growls. Dinner had been early last night and now it's…my gaze flickers over to the clock…Almost one o'clock already. We have a class together -Philosophy- at three. Enough time to get up and eat before class…

"C'mon, time to get up." I say softly. I don't really want to wake you, but I am hungry and you don't look like you're having pleasant dreams anyway. My hand runs across your cheek again, pushing back your hair.

"Mm…What time is it?" You mumble, eyes still shut tightly. You haven't let go of me yet -not that I mind- and your fingers are twining themselves through my hair. I love the feel of your touch, the taste as your lips capture mine. My blue gaze meets coal black as your eyes blink open and a slow smile spreads across your face. "What a wonderful way to wake up in the morning." You drawl.

"Morning?" I grin, "It's nearly one o'clock."

"Oh." Your expression becomes sheepish.

"We have enough time to go eat before class." I inform you. You don't seem very interested in getting up.

You roll over onto your back, pulling me along with you. My head is on your chest; I rise and fall with you as you breathe. It's like waves on an ocean, your breathing, and I like a ship, rising on the swells of your tide. We are drawn together; light from the lighthouse, each a ship in our own way, you going where ever the flow may take you and I beating against the current, trying desperately not to follow the same course as every one takes. You've lead me home now; I know your depths and just how to cause a ripple in the still water. "Do we have to go to class?"

"We should."

"I don't want to."

"We should anyway." I pull back from you, studying you for a moment. You look disheveled; hair down long, eyes bleary, no lipstick. I suppose I'll get used to you being like this after a while, but right now your appearance seems so strange. "You already slept through two classes." My hair is a curtain around me, spilling over my shoulders and falling on your bare chest.

"Whose fault is that?" You tease, another lazy smile gracing your features, "You're the one who woke me up at five in the morning demanding sex."

My face flushes red. You would put it so tactlessly, wouldn't you? But it is true, I suppose. "Well, uh, you did get a good night's sleep and if I can get up for one little class after only six hours of sleep, give or take a little, so can you." I stammer.

"I suppose." You yawn, one hand rising to your mouth, "I need a shower before I go anywhere. I imagine you do to, huh?"

"Wouldn't be a bad idea." I'm moving slowly; you've left me a bit sore. I didn't know it was possible to hurt so much, but you're proving me wrong on a lot of things I thought were impossible. A year ago, I never would have thought I'd wake up in bed with another man. But with you…Nothing is impossible.

"Where you going?" Your hand rests lightly on my arm.

"To get dressed, stupid. Where do you think?" I blink, looking back at you.

"You haven't kissed me yet." You grin, eyes dancing with mischief. You're sitting up now, knees drawn up to your chest, your head tipped to one side as you study my face.

A slight frown crosses my face. You're so demanding at times. It's not like we're going to be apart for hours or something. Just half an hour while both of us are in the shower and getting dressed. But I decide it would be best to just humor you and besides, I like when you kiss me. "I'm sorry." I twist back around, lips meeting yours, and you pull me back into your arms, cuddling me to your chest.

"I don't want to go to class." You whisper, "I want to stay here with you." You twine a strand of my hair around your finger as your lips brush across my forehead. I want to protest -we need to go to class; won't it look odd if both of us are absent?- but before I get the chance you release me.

I look up at you questioningly, but you just smile a cryptic smile and pat me on the shoulder. Shrugging, my brow wrinkles and I climb down from the bed -gently; let's not strain ourselves now- and begin gathering my shower things. I know you'll be done before me; you have a lot less hair than I do.

The sun is still shining brilliantly as we step out of the dorm. Walking to the dining hall, you're slightly ahead of me, that usual cocky look to your stride. You take no shit from any one, yet I've seen the world crumble around you.

You look back over your shoulder at me, one eyebrow rising slightly. "You okay back there?"

"I'm fine." I mumble, a yawn escaping my mouth, "Just a little tired." My fingers run through my bangs, pushing them from my eyes. You fall in step beside me, sliding one arm around my shoulder, and I lean into your embrace. You're so warm; so gentle with me. Staying in bed would have been better, but we need to go to class.

"No regrets?"

"No regrets."

"Next time will be better." You inform me as you lean towards me, your shadow sheltering me from the afternoon sun, "It won't hurt so much. I promise." Your kisses are so sweet; I want to melt at your touch. But there are people wandering campus and they're going to see…"Don't blush so much." You laugh, tweaking my nose.

I hardly remember lunch. It went by so fast; me sitting right by your side, you with an arm around my shoulder. I don't think this was too unusual, you like to cling to people, you like to tease. I felt safe there. Alone, we would both be teased. But together…No one dares. We are like an unstoppable pair.

Class was held outside that afternoon. The professor decided it was a nice enough day that we could sit in the quad. The quad is an area between two buildings made up of a wooden structure set in the grass. Every one is getting comfortable here and there on the benches. I settle myself down in a corner on a bench sunk into the quad and you sit on the platform behind me, legs dangling over the edge. No one seems to care; the class is entirely used to your oddness at this point.

The professor looks over the rims of his glasses at us, taking in our comfortable seating arrangement. He raises an eyebrow at me, a questioning look in his eyes; you're leaned over my shoulder, arms around me. I suppose he is a little perplexed by the fact that I'm not pushing you off. Then he flips open the text to the page we're supposed to be on and looks pointedly back at you. "Jakotsu. Read."

You smile politely. "Ah, sorry, Sir." I know you hate to read in class, "I don't have my book with me." You'll do anything to get out of reading, won't you?

Your eyes meet his and for a moment there's tension. Then he glances at me, a small frown crossing his face. "I'm sure your companion would be willing to share." My face heats up as his eyebrows rise suggestively. I swear, I'm going to be forever cursed with this blush.

"Sounds good to me." You shift slightly, leaning further over my shoulder so you can see the book too. Your fingers tease along my chest and the blush deepens as you begin to read.

I only half listen; my brain is busy sorting out my tumultuous emotions. This morning was quite the experience for me. I'm certain what we did was the right thing. I truly wanted you to do it; I truly love you. I'm still worried about what my parents will think of me, but they can go to hell for all I care. They had the chance to be happy; why shouldn't I be entitled to the same? I'm frightened as well at the thought of the kind of shame that this will bring upon us both; the roommates who fuck together, I can hear the taunting now. Which one of us is the victim here? You, because I took advantage of our friendship to make me feel good, or I, because maybe I never really wanted this and you pressured me into it. Maybe we're both victims here…Circumstances and fate seemed to move against my will.

"…The other path to knowing 'the secret' is love. Love is an active penetration of the other person, in which my desire to know is stilled by union. In the act of fusion I know you, I know myself, I know everybody -- and I 'know' nothing…*" Your voice is slow as you read and I almost want to laugh at the selection he's asked you to read. It's as if he somehow knows…

You finish reading and there's a lull for a moment and you whisper into my ear something about sadomasochism and how there's nothing immature about our "love" and I blush at the sexual implication. Looking to make sure no one is watching, you steal a kiss, causing my face to flame. "Love ya, Bankotsu." You murmur.

More blushing on my part. I have no response to that; not one that I'm willing to give with the rest of our class trying to make it look like they're not staring while the professor lectures about the passage you just read. I simply lean back against your knee and answer softly. "I know."

I know. A smirk crosses my face.

I suppose -in reality- I know nothing.

The End (Or is it? O.o??…Yeah; it is ^^;;)

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*This selection is taken from Erich Fromm, "Love, the Answer to the Problems of Human Existence" from The Art of Living, pp 6-26. Copyright © 1956 by Erich Fromm. (This is actually an excerpt from my philosophy text book.)

Okay, I know some of ya might not totally get this since were still a good fifty or so episodes away from this part of IY. Bankotsu and Jakotsu are members of the Shichinin-tai, a band of mercenaries brought back to life and hired by Naraku…If ya wanna know more 'bout them, I suggest TailFluffGirl's site, Undying Devotion. You can find it in her profile, I do believe.

Thank you for the kind reviews *smiles cheerfully and waves*