Vacation Daze by Cienna

Chapter 2 - Confessions in the Dark

Author's Note - Please read and review.

Ban broke the comfortable silence as it was getting quite dark. "Come on, let's unload the car and make dinner."

"Okay!" Ginji smiled happily and they headed to the car. Ginji helped unload, but once inside the house he was quickly distracted.

"Look, Ban-chan, our own TV!"

"Well it's ours for a week anyway." Ban began getting out the food and preparing a simple meal of pasta and alfredo sauce. When Ginji saw what he was doing he jumped up.

"Let me do that, Ban-chan. You should be resting."

"I told you I was fine, Ginji. And you don't know how to cook," he replied.

"Yes I do! Natsumi-chan has been teaching me for awhile now."

This was news to Ban. It must have been while he was in the hospital. "Natsumi? I didn't know she could cook either. Well, I suppose you have to do a lot to mess up pasta."

Ginji beamed. "You sit down here, Ban-chan." He gestured to the comfortable looking black love seat. "You must be tired anyway from driving all day."

Ban looked at him thoughtfully. No doubt this was about his injury again. Ginji seemed to be convinced that he wasn't fully recovered. It was strange that he would be so concerned about this particular injury when both of them had been hurt so many times in the past.

"You should go to bed early tonight, Ban-chan," Ginji said.

"Then maybe you should go to bed early, too. To keep me company." He would see how Ginji took that.

"I don't mind, Ban-chan. Then we can get up early and go look at girls on the beach."

Ginji looked pleased with himself and Ban groaned inwardly. He certainly didn't mind looking at girls on the beach, but he would rather look at Ginji. And he would definitely rather that wasn't Ginji's main priority for going to bed with him.

To change the subject away from bikini-clad girls he asked, "Is that almost done? It smells pretty good."

"It's almost done. And it smells good because I'm a good cook," Ginji replied firmly.

"I guess we'll find out in a minute. It's the moment of truth."

Ginji set the table and they both hungrily dug into the pasta. After a few minutes Ban noticed that Ginji was staring at him.

"Well, Ban-chan, what do you think?" Ginji was watching eagerly for his reaction.

"It's not too bad," Ban conceded. "I guess we'll see if I get sick later."

"Ban-chan!" Ginji threw a dish towel at him and Ban smirked.

After dinner they watched some stupid game shows on TV and Ban found himself starting to get tired against his will. Ginji was curled up on the love seat next to him and his warmth seemed to be seeping into him. He caught his eyes drifting closed and forced them open again, only to see Ginji watching him with a concerned expression.

"I think we should go to bed, Ban-chan. You look really tired."

"Maybe I am a little tired," he admitted. They started walking toward the bedroom and Ban cringed. He had forgotten about the one bed issue. Surprisingly, Ginji didn't seem to notice or care. He quickly stripped out of his clothes and into some dark blue pajamas. Ban was thankful that it wasn't the cow ones for once. The bed itself was big and comfortable looking. Ginji threw himself on it with a look of utter contentment and then looked at Ban expectantly.

"Aren't you coming to bed, Ban-chan?"

Ban struggled to form a coherent reply. The sight of Ginji waiting for him eagerly on the bed nearly undid all his resolve. "Umm…In a minute." He headed to the bathroom to change not trusting himself to strip in front of Ginji without blushing. He took as long as possible in the bathroom, hoping that Ginji would fall asleep before he came out.

"What are you doing in there, Ban-chan? Do you need my help?" Ban thought that Ginji sounded a little too excited about helping.

"No, no. I'm coming out now." Ban exited the bathroom in what he hoped was a dignified manner and lay down on the bed as far away from Ginji as possible. The bed was extremely large so it wasn't too difficult.

"Good night, Ginji."

"Good night, Ban-chan."

They had only been lying down for a few minutes when Ban felt fingers stroking his hair. It made a shiver go down his back, but he didn't want it to stop.

"Ginji…what are you doing?"

"Your hair is so soft, Ban-chan." Ginji's voice sounded drowsy as if he was on the verge of sleep.

"Well I can't sleep when you're touching me like that." The one bed thing had definitely been a bad idea.

"How do you want me to touch you, Ban-chan?"

Ban sat up abruptly, forcing Ginji's hand out of his hair. Ginji didn't move and Ban wondered if he was already sleeping. He could fall asleep within two minutes when they were sleeping in the car and the bed was a lot more comfortable.

"Ginji." His voice came out harsher than he intended and he swallowed.

"Ban-chan." Ginji sat up and moved his hands to Ban's shoulders exerting a gentle pressure. He pushed Ban back down to the bed. Ban was breathing harder now, not knowing what to expect.

"Are you having trouble sleeping, Ban-chan? Do you want me to give you a massage?"

Ban almost opened his mouth to either make fun of Ginji's question or to say no, he certainly didn't need a massage. He was quite surprised when he heard himself mumbling agreement.

"Turn over, Ban-chan."

Ban obediently turned over onto his stomach as a huge wave of panic swept over him. This was not a good idea. Just earlier Ginji had been talking about seeing girls in bikinis at the beach, he certainly wasn't thinking about things the way Ban was. And under no circumstances could he find out what Ban was thinking.

"Relax, Ban-chan. You're really tense. No wonder you couldn't get to sleep." Ginji's hands gently kneaded his shoulders and then moved in circular patterns down his back. It felt surprisingly good and he found himself relaxing against his will. "That's better, Ban-chan."

Suddenly, he felt Ginji moving his shirt up and running his hands very gently over the skin of his back.

Ban shivered. "What are you doing?"

"Just checking." Ginji's fingers continued to trace lightly over his skin in a way that caused a delicate flutter to arise in his stomach as well as in other areas.

"Checking what, exactly?"

"Checking to make sure you're really better." There was a tremor in Ginji's voice that caused him to push himself up so he could see his partner's eyes.

"What's wrong, Ginji? You've been going on about my injuries for days now when you know I'm completely recovered. Why are you being an idiot about this?"

Ginji turned away. "I'm not an being an idiot! You almost died, Ban-chan." Ginji's voice broke and he covered his face with his hands.

"Ginji…Ban was speechless. His friend's oddly overprotective behavior of the past few days suddenly came into focus. "I'm sorry." He put his arms around Ginji and pulled him close. "We're the Get Backers. You and me. You should know by now that I won't leave you alone." Not if he could help it anyway. "And no one's going to take down Midou Ban. Not without one hell of a fight."

"Ban-chan." Ginji's voice was muffled against his neck and Ban had to strain to hear him. "I'm so glad you're okay."

Ban wasn't sure if he had succeeded in reassuring Ginji or not. He ruffled his partner's hair and pushed him away gently. "Come on, let's get some sleep. We're off to the beach tomorrow, right?"

Ginji nodded, still looking vulnerable. "Just promise me you'll be careful from now on, Ban-chan."

"Of course I'll be careful, idiot! I'm not out to get myself killed you know." He punched Ginji in the arm playfully and was rewarded with a smile.

"Good. Because I don't want anything to happen to you. Ginji snuggled down into the covers and sleepily closed his eyes.

Ban assumed he wouldn't be getting any more massages that night. It was probably for the best. He closed his eyes and was almost asleep when he felt an arm across his chest and a warm body pressing itself against his. Maybe he wasn't going to be getting much sleep after all.

tbc