He has a habit of doing the most unseemly thing possible in any given situation. He thrives off the rush of it--the rush of pissing people off-- and he flat out refuses to follow what anyone else believes he should. He is his own man and always will be. To hell with rules and authority. Who needs 'em?

Unless, of course, the authority in question is someone worth listening to.

Tenpou quells a smirk, regarding his favorite taisho with as much composure as he is capable of producing. General Kenren is sound alseep, resting back against the trunk of a familiar tree, with his 'fuel' tucked half-empty under his arm. Tenpou had gone looking for the dark-haired young man after Kenren failed to turn up for an appointment they had scheduled to discuss their next mission, and to speak plainly, he is quite amused at the state he has found his query in.

'And you chastize me for doing this very thing.' he muses, crouching down to gaze at his friend's blissful expression. Kenren is a handsome man-- handsome as Tenpou is pretty--and in sleep, all his rougueishness crumbles into something purely boyish. 'My, my, taisho...had you not approached me first those weeks ago, I certainly would have approached you...'

Casting a quick glance at his surroundings, Tenpou makes sure the coast is clear, before leaning in closer to the slumbering general to capture a quick kiss. He is pleasantly surprised to feel an instant response, but when Kenren pushes him back, he finds himself disheartened.

He had hoped the kiss would last just a bit longer.

"Naughty, naughty, Ten-chan. Someone might see you slipping your adjudent some of that silver tongue, and then we'd both be screwed. Not that I minded screwing you a while back, I'm just saying--"

"You're saying too much." Tenpou breaks in, sitting down beside Kenren against the tree, and doing a very poor job of hiding his distress. "A while back was weeks ago, Kenren, and nothing since. I don't like to think of myself as a one night stand, if you don't mind, but it seems you won't even allow a simple kiss."

Kenren doesn't know quite how to respond, and takes a generous swig of wine to clear his mind before answering. "Listen, Tenpou, I'm not trying to push you away, I'm just looking out for our reps, ya know? There are already rumors spreading like wildfire and we've only been together once."

"Once? And here I was thinking it had been quite a few more times than that."

Kenren grins. "Believe me, I remember, and it was. But I wouldn't want our 'recreational activities' to soil your perfect record. We gotta play it safe."

"Ah. So does that mean we still get to play?"

With a wink, Kenren elbows Tenpou softly in the side. "What do you think? I was just keeping things toned down for a bit before having another go. Next time, I'll know better."

"I should hope so." Tenpou smiles back. "I'm not a patient man, you know?"

"Oh, I know. You made it quite clear before, during, and after. Numerous times." Kenren takes another swig. "I missed our meeting, huh? Sorry. I needed a nap. Besides, I figured you'd find me if I slept through it."

"Indeed. And I suppose if I complain you'll just throw back in my face all the times I've slept through appointments."

"Damn straight."

"Hn. Well, we still have some things to discuss, you know?"

"Like what? Next mission will go same as the last one, as long as you stick to our agreement."

"Hai, hai. No heroics. We work as a team."

"And don't forget it."

Tenpou looks away to hide his smile; Kenren's take charge attitude would have annoyed him to no end if it had been anyone else, but things being as they are, he couldn't be enjoying it more.

Kenren continues to drink from his jug, and a comfortable silence spreads between them.

A brief, comfortable silence. "So, you've heard the rumors, too?" Tenpou asks, leaning his head back against the tree and closing his eyes.

Kenren regards the man a moment before deciding it would be best to approach this topic with manifested ease. "Hasn't everyone? There'd be rumors even if we weren't sleeping together, working so close the way we do. It doesn't bother me too much as long as they stay rumors. No one has any proof. So far. I just avoid the subject. If asked, I deny it."

"As do I." Tenpou admits, and both feel a wave of relief neither would share with the other concerning how grateful they are that both are handling this the same way. "Still, I suppose you are right when you say we need to be careful. Given our positions, it could be very detrimental to our careers. They probably think you're sleeping with me just to climb the ranks and guarentee you always get your way."

"Really now?" Kenren shoots back. "And here I thought they must be thinking you're sleeping with me to keep me in line. Go figure."

Tenpou opens his eyes to look Kenren in the face, and they share a smile, blue and green eyes twinkling. No opportunity lost; every situation can be used to a person's own advantage, and the prospect should never be ignored.

"Hey, Tenpou, go back a sec. You mentioned positions, didn't you?" Kenren says with a raised eyebrow, setting his now empty jug aside. "I was thinking about that. You don't have a problem with the 'position' we had that time, do you, coz I kinda liked things that way, if it ain't too bold to say that about my superior officer."

Tenpou tilts his head, seemingly thinking over Kenren's words very carefully. "Not at all. Not too bold and definetely not a problem. Certain people just...fit together a certain way. I don't need to be on top to be in control."

Kenren's initial response is a pleased nod, but when the entirety of Tenpou's statement hits him, his eyes widen, and he suddenly feels very annoyed with the marshall's large grin. "Ha ha. Real funny."

"I thought so."

Kenren narrows his eyes, but grins, and in another instant, he has looked carefully at their surroundings and is leaning in towards his commander's soft and waiting lips.

Sadly, a well-placed finger stops his advance. "Maa, maa, Taisho. Weren't you just saying something about keeping a low profile when out in the open? Imagine the rumors if someone caught you being so insubordinate."

"Then I guess we better go somewhere less out in the open." Kenren speaks through that dissenting finger, making a point to breathe heavily against it.

Tenpou swallows and quickly pulls it back. "After all these weeks? Perhaps I should decline."

A brief flicker of frustration flashes across Kenren's face. "You catty little prick. Don't be so uptight. I said I wouldn't make that mistake again." Kenren presses, utilizing his most charming smile. His eyes sparkle somehow and would draw anyone within range deeply into their depths. No wonder so few have been able to refuse him.

Tenpou, however, isn't thinking about having been put under a spell, but about how pleased he is to be on the recieving end of that smile at all.

His own smile growing, the marshall doesn't even bother looking around this time. Swifter than Kenren could have possibly hoped to fend off, he grasps either side of the taisho's head and crashes their lips together. It is as brutal as before, giving nothing up and holding nothing back as both fight for control neither wants to relinquish. They are in constant friction, both used to having all the power, but more because of this than despite it, they wouldn't have it any other way.

Suddenly, Kenren grimaces at being pushed a little too forcefully back into the bark of the tree, but when Tenpou--concerned--pulls away to apologize, the quick-witted general takes the opportunity to shift into a better position and pulls the brunette back in for more.

Kenren's head is swimming, both from the alcohol he has ingested and the passion stirring deep inside him. Truthfully, he had wanted to go to Tenpou numerous times over the past few weeks, but he was afraid the marshall would be less than keen on the idea of having another go. Despite Tenpou's initial words of honesty, 'Swear you aren't merely playing with me', Kenren thought it too good to be true that he could have such thrilling fun again.

He has never been so happy to be proven wrong.

"Hmm...perhaps we will actually make it into the bedroom this time." Tenpou winks, both having willingly pulled away as the marshall stands from the base of the tree and offers a hand down towards his friend.

Kenren blinks up at him, flushed and breathless.

"Well? Aren't you coming, Taisho?"

A large grin speads the length of the general's face. He has had many conquests, but none quite so worthwhile, and few quite as pretty, as the man looking down at him now. He takes hold of that hand, quite content to follow wherever his commanding officer chooses to lead him. "I thought you'd never ask...Gensui."

End Part 2

A/N: Not bad. By now you've noticed that these are glimpses into their lives at moments we never got to see. The moments in between big events. Technically, each moment could probably stand alone, but fit into a larger picture. Things will keep progressing and I'll inform you at the beginning again which point in time the moments are happening. Hope you are still enjoiying and please REVIEW! :-)

Crim