It's not where you're born
It's where you belong
It's not how weak
But what will make you strong

-U2

*`~

Hmm…Something is on top of me…Ugh…I slept like the dead, but where am I? And what is…?…Misha…

A slow smile spread across Kamatari's face as his brain un-fogged and he remembered where he was and what had transpired the night before. His young friend was asleep still, curled up on top of him, his hair falling loose around them both.

Last night was nice…I know he wanted to do more, but he respected that I didn't. He is so good to me; never taking advantage of me. This is how I know he loves me…Kamatari lay there, absently stroking Misha's back as he thought, My wonderful darling…How I love him. I wish my heart weren't still hurting so…Then we could be happy as he desires.

Misha smiled in his sleep, wrapping his arms around Kamatari. He nestled his head against the other man's chest, causing Kamatari's face to flush scarlet. Then he smiled, running his fingers through Misha's hair, inhaling the fresh, clean smell of the boy. "Wake up…"

"Mmm….Five more minutes." He swatted at Kamatari's hand, pulling the blanket up over both of them. He was tired. It was too early to get up. The sun was too bright and he wanted to hide himself away from it.

"Darling, we have a busy day ahead of us. I'm sure you'd rather stay in bed, but it's time to get up."

"But I don't want to yet…" Came the mumbled reply from under the covers.

"Dearest one, please. We need to get moving soon."

"I'm tired though…" Misha pouted, his face poking out from among the blankets.

Kamatari smiled. His companion looked so ridiculous, the blanket around him like a hood, strands of hair falling in his eyes. "Darling, I know you're tired. And I'm sorry, but we need to get up."

"All right." He yawned, pushing his hair from his eyes, "Because you want me to…"

"That's my good boy." Kamatari teased, speaking to Misha as if he were still a child.

"Do I get a kiss for being a good boy? Onegai shimasu?" He smiled affectionately, "Or just a kiss good-morning?"

"Hai." His fingers traced across Misharei's lips, leaning in to kiss him softly. His heart quivered with joy every time their lips met; he felt very serene just being in Misha's presence. There was something calming about the boy; some soothing quality. His hand caressed his dearest one's cheek, their kiss deepening.

Their tongues were invading one another's mouths; searching, seeking, each looking for some sort of answer within the other. It was soft; sweet; passionate, and Kamatari wondered how long he would be able to last before he gave in to all of Misha's advances. The thing that scared him most -the thing he was most terrified of- was not being able to fulfill the boy's desires. Suppose he failed miserably?

"Chaa; ai shiteru…" Misha mumbled as his lips traveled down towards Kamatari's neck, "I want to be with you always."

The older man moaned with pleasure, his face buried in Misharei's hair. He was so content to stay where he was, his darling friend curled up on top of him. Is this the paradise he promised to bring me?

The young man nuzzled against his beloved, his head rested under Kamatari's chin. One of his hands was under his own chin, the other was running up and down his companion's side. He was totally in control and he knew it. His strong, sexy, beautiful Kamatari was so afraid of him. It made little sense in his mind, but he didn't care. They were together and that was what mattered. "Why are you frightened of me, Itoshii?" He asked softly.

"I'm not frightened of you. Iie; I'm not. I am frightened of failing you the way I failed Shishio-sama." His eyes stared in to Misha's velvety brown ones; he could see himself reflected in those big, soulful eyes.

"You won't fail me." A knowing look crossed Misha's face, "And even if you do, it won't matter. I'm here to catch you when you fall. I will hold you up so that you can fly higher than ever before." One small hand brushed the hair back from Kamatari's eyes, "Kamatari, if you fail, you'll try again. We have a lifetime to get things right."

A soft smile crossed the older man's face. He was touched by Misharei's seriousness and he could tell the boy meant everything he said, simply because he called him by name rather than Itoshii. "You will never give up on me, ne?"

"Iie…Iie; konrinzai. I love you. Why would I give up? I told you. I want to be with you always. And I meant it, Kamatari." His eyes were nothing but pure honesty, his expression sincere, "You are all that I want in my life."

"Domo arigato, Dearest…Now, we must get up." Kamatari sat up, forcing the boy up with him.

Misha shifted on his lap, wrapping his thin arms around Kamatari's neck. He wasn't ready to get up and he wanted to stay exactly where he was. He could be very stubborn if he saw the need and right then was one of those times. I want to stay here all day and just be with him. I need some time alone with him when we are both awake. His heart is still hurting and he needs healing…

"Iie; stop it, Misha. I mean it. It's time to get up." Kamatari gently removed the boy's arms from around him and looked at him, "Now get off of me."

"But-"

"No. I'm sorry. We need to move. We can't stay here any longer. I promise you, when we get to where ever it is we are going, we can stay in bed as long as you like."

"You mean it?"

"Hai; I mean it."

"All right…" The young man sighed wearily and rose to his feet. "But I'm not wearing that dress again. I want my old yukata back."

"Go ahead. I was planning on wearing a kimono anyway. I just don't feel comfortable in those clothes. It was…odd." He wrinkled up his nose, causing Misha to laugh.

"I agree. I think you're much sexier as a woman anyway." A roguish smile crossed the boy's face and he looked over his shoulder as he pulled a light green yukata from among his things. "I'll be chasing other men away from you."

"Will you be jealous?" Kamatari had also risen and was looking through his things. He chose a pink kimono embroidered with blue flowers and green leaves. The green of his obi was the same shade as Misha's yukata.

"Of course. I would be terribly jealous. Because I want you all for myself." He crossed the room to help Kamatari tie his obi, knotting it neatly in the back. Then he slid his arms around his beloved's waist, his forehead rested against the other man's back. "I want to be naughty and not share."

Kamatari looked over his shoulder and Misha looked up, then their eyes met and they both smiled. "You'll have no need to share me because I don't want any one but you." He reached back and brushed a strand of Misha's hair from his eyes, "Now then…I'm hungry. Let's go find some breakfast."

The boy nodded. "Hai."

*`~

"Itoshii? How far north do you suppose we'll be going?" Misharei asked as he picked at his breakfast. American food was so different from Japanese food and he didn't like it very much.

"I'm not sure, Darling." Kamatari smiled faintly at him, "Please eat your breakfast. You're too thin already."

"But I don't like it." He whined, "I miss miso and fish and rice…Food here is so strange." He poked at a mound of fried potatoes on his plate, "There isn't even good tea here." A sigh escaped his lips and he looked up at his companion, "I miss Kyoto."

"Gomen, Misha. It's my fault that we're stuck here." The former Juppon Gatana paused, "That man over there -the one in the corner- keeps looking at us." He frowned.

"What do you mean, 'that man keeps looking at us'?" Misha glanced over his shoulder. Sitting at a table in the corner was a man with light skin and thick, dark hair. He was dressed casually; a white shirt, gray vest and slacks. "Do you suppose he's one of the officials?" His sleepy eyes widened, "Chaa; could he have come looking for us? We're going to get in trouble!" A panicked look crossed his pale face.

"Don't worry, Darling." Kamatari soothed him, "I won't ever let anything happen to you."

"But-" The boy began. Then his face went white and he shrank down in his chair. "He's coming over here!"

"Misharei! Settle down…" The older man said calmly, "We'll be fine."

"Excuse me…"

They both looked up at the sound of a deep, rich voice. The man had appeared in front of their table and was looking down at them. Time stood still for a moment. Misha hadn't understood what he said, but Kamatari knew enough English to get the gist of it.

"Hai?" He blinked his ginger eyes, running one hand through his hair, "Can I help you, Sir?"

"I was wondering…" He spoke with a very heavy accent, "Where are you from? Your clothing is very beautiful."

"Ah, arigato. My friend and I are from Japan." A secretive smile crossed Kamatari's face, "And you? Where are you from?"

"Yugoslavia. An' I've been rude, haven't I? Where are my manners. I should be giving a proper introduction to such a pretty lady."

This caused Kamatari to blush slightly. Misharei, on the other hand, frowned. He understood the words 'pretty lady' well enough to be jealous. "Nani? Itoshii, nani?"

The cross-dresser ignored him, still gazing up at the Yugoslavian man. Misha slumped down in his seat. This wasn't fair. No; it was not fair at all. He couldn't understand them. And hadn't Kamatari said he didn't need to share?

"The name's Dominick. Dominick Kresock. I'm headed up to Pennsylvania."

"Ohayo gozaimasu, Dominick-san. I am Honjou Kamatari. This," He indicated the disgruntled boy by his side, "Is my dearest friend, Kataomoi Misharei."

Dominick looked at them both. The boy not only looked very young, but also very angry. The woman, on the other hand, was smiling cheerfully, her brandy-brown eyes lit with happiness. "Are you traveling?"

"Hai; headed north. We don't know where exactly yet."

"Maybe we could travel together for a while."

"Perhaps."

"Chaa! Iie, I don't want that!" Misha tugged on Kamatari's sleeve, "I only want me and you. Nobody else."

"Gomen nasai, Darling, but we can't ignore the rest of the world. It doesn't work quite like that. We don't know where we're going anyway. We might as well tag along."

"Hai…" Misha sighed, trying to calm himself down. There's nothing to get upset about. There's no reason to be jealous. So there's a good looking man telling my beloved he's a pretty lady. So he wants to travel with us. So he sees me as a child…It's no big deal.

Yeah right.

Dominick blinked his dark eyes, his gaze shifting from one of them to the other. They'd been speaking in Japanese and he didn't understand a word. "The little boy looks pretty angry." He commented.

"Chisaii hitori!" Misha exploded in rage, "I'm not a little boy! I'm eighteen years old! Chaa; Kamatari, tell him!!" He exclaimed. He leapt up from his seat and his usually pale face went red as he glared at the Yugoslavian man.

"Shizuka ni naru, Anata." Kamatari placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, "He doesn't know." Then he looked back at Dominick, "Don't call my Misha a little boy, onegai shimasu. He is a man, eighteen years old, and he's sensitive about it. It's not his fault he looks like a child and it hurts his feelings when people assume he is one."

"Oh. I'm sorry." He looked at Misha, taking in that pretty face; the wide, mournful eyes -lit with anger- the long, loose strands of brownish-red hair, the pale, smooth skin. He was a very attractive yet childish-looking man.

Misha grunted, pointedly placing Kamatari's arm around his shoulder. He looked up at them both, wondering what Dominick would think if he knew his companion were really a man. A devious smile crossed his face. If he tries to take my Itoshii away, I can always tell him the truth…

*`~

AN: Yeah, I know that "Anata" is the affectionate term from a woman for her husband. But I figured it would be okay to use since Kamatari is sort of the woman in this relationship. So no complaining about it! ^^;;