Inspired by a random thought…and the only character I could come up with that would do something so strange as ask someone else to stop their heart beating…so thus it evolved from there.

Enjoy

Heartbeat

"Stop it."

"Huh?" Kamio's expression showed his complete incomprehension.

"You should stop your heart beating. It's preventing me from sleeping. I know it's supposed to be romantic to sleep with your head pillowed on your lover's chest but I don't know how anybody manages to. It's really loud, and the rhythm isn't at all comforting. It's rather ominous really…

"…Shinji." When Shinji appeared as though he was going to continue, Kamio shook him. "SHINJI!"

"Yes?"

"I can't stop my heart beating."

"Well I think that's really inconsiderate of you. Don't you care that it's preventing me from sleeping?" Shinji didn't pause, answering his own question. "No, of course you don't. Why should you care? You can probably sleep just fine while I'm kept awake by the noise. It really should come with a volume control. Although it's not likely that it will solve the problem. You'd probably turn it up louder so you could hear it because you like being in the rhythm so much. I don't think that's fair. I already can't sleep with it, so you shouldn't want it louder. You're supposed to think about the welfare of the team. How am I supposed to play tennis when I've had no sleep? As vice captain, you should consider your actions more…"

Kamio gave a weary sigh. "You don't have to sleep with your head on my chest."

"But then you'll accuse me of being a bad boyfriend and break up with me, and then I'll be miserable the rest of my life or at least until Tachibana yells at you. He'll tell you shouldn't break-up with your boyfriend just because he does one thing you don't like and of course Tachibana is always right….

"I'm not going to break up with you."

"…So you'll have to get back together with me, but I won't want you anymore because I'll have found somebody else. Maybe that Echizen. At least he'll give me a challenging game of tennis and maybe if he's dating me he'll give me the roll of grip tape he stole from me. People are nicer to their boyfriends. Except you. You're mean; you broke up with me because I can't sleep with your noisy heartbeat…

"I'm not going to break up with you."

"…Sakurai told me this would happen…"

"What has Sakurai got to do with this?"

"He told me that boys break-up with people they sleep with a couple of times because it gets boring, so they have to find someone else, but they use an excuse like someone being unable to sleep on their chest because their heart beat is too loud. Which is a silly excuse, really, but it's meant to make the person they sleep with feel flawed and therefore inferior, so they'll be psychologically damaged and accept the blame for the failed relationship and be scarred for life and never want to be in another relationship again...

"Shinji…"

"It's really not fair. It's the boys fault for getting bored anyway. If he could just be happy there'd never be a problem…"

Kamio could see Shinji becoming more and more worked up with every word, and placed a hand over Shinji's mouth to stop his rant, though it took a few moments for Shinji's mouth to stop moving. When Shinji looked at him, upset over the gesture, Kamio returned the look with one he'd learnt from Tachibana. Shinji recognising it as such began to shift uncomfortably.

"Are you ready to listen to me yet?" Kamio kept his hand over Shinji's mouth, so all the long haired boy could do was nod in response.

"I'm not breaking up with you. I especially have no intention of breaking up with you because you can't sleep with your head on my chest. That's what pillows are for. Understand?" Kamio released his grip on Shinji's mouth.

"Yes." Shinji's voice was meek. "But Sakurai said…"

"I don't care what Sakurai said. Most of it is rubbish. Only idiots would do something like that. I am in no way bored with you."

"Oh," Shinji looked thoughtful for a moment before a pleased smile curved his lips upwards. "That's good because I'm not bored by Akira either."

Kamio smiled back at him, happy to have soothed Shinji's fears. He settled his head more comfortably on his pillow, enjoying the warmth of Shinji beside him as he began to drift off.

"…Afterall, Akira makes such adorable noises when we're together. I really like the whimper he makes when I lick his nipple…"

Kamio shut his eyes tightly and tried to block out the others voice.

"…though the squeak he produces when I bite his ear is appealing too. There's also that moan he makes when I stretch him and the scream when he comes…"

"Shut up Shinji."

"Why?" Shinji looked at Kamio closely. "Are you blushing? Why are you blushing? You're very cute all red like that. Do you know even your ears are red? Although I have to say it kind of clashes with your hair…"

Kamio couldn't take it any more. He rolled over and sealed his lips against Shinji's. It started off chaste enough but soon evolved into a clash of lips and tongues. When Kamio realised the need for oxygen, he drew away, staring into Shinji's happy face.

"That was nice, but I really think we should go to sleep now that your heartbeat's not keeping me awake. As vice captain you have to set a good example, so you'll need lots of energy for training tomorrow or Tachibana will be disappointed in you and yell at you, and then you'll regret staying up so late now. Plus I'll be tired so I won't have any energy as well, and then Tachibana will yell at me too, and I don't want Tachibana to yell at me, though I would like to continue tonight…"

Kamio collapsed on Shinji with a groan of frustration. He loved Shinji intensely, but sometimes he just wanted to strangle him. Sighing in resignation he settled himself into a more comfortable position, listening to Shinji's discontented murmurs.

Kamio was soon drifting towards slumber, the sound of Shinji's heartbeat thudding comfortingly against his ear.

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Reviews appreciated. Criticisms considered. Flames ignored.

I know some of Shinji's solo dialogues contradict each other and it's a bit jumpy, but I was trying to convey some of his ability to just say ridiculous things in a monotone; complain about them and then randomly jump to a new angle on the topic. If it's too choppy let me know and I'll rework it.

Thanks.