Hatsuharu pushed Kyo back into the oak that marked their usual meeting spot. He was being rougher than the cat was used to, but Kyo valiantly tried to keep up with Haru's practiced lips and tongue. As Haru had his way with Kyo's mouth, their teeth clicked together occasionally. The cat didn't mind too much and surrendered nearly entirely to Haru's onslaught. Finally, though, it became clear that he needed some oxygen before his brain shut down, and so he pulled his head back a little, unwilling to actually push away the warmth of Haru's body pressed against his. Hatsuharu looked down at Kyo with sparks of lighted embers playing in his eyes.
"I want," he said huskily, "I want to have you."
The cat gazed up with burgundy eyes full of confusion. "You already have…oh." He felt his face burning in embarrassment and looked down at the sun-speckled ground. He had known something of this nature would be coming eventually. It was Hatsuharu after all. Kyo just hadn't been sure of when. Or what.
Haru tugged Kyo's chin up to nip teasingly at his lips. The cat's body nearly melted as Hatsuharu moved his hands to Kyo's hips and lifted up the cat's shirt to get to the bare skin underneath. Haru's fingertips felt like points of fire, and Kyo inadvertently purred. Thus encouraged, Haru started to slide his hands further up the cat's chest. The light caress of one nipple shocked Kyo from his lustful daze and he broke the kiss and looked away in confusion. He still wasn't sure how far he could take this with Haru. Everything was just too new, too good. The cow looked down at him with a worried frown before removing his hands from under Kyo's shirt.
"…Sorry, too much," he sighed. Kyo still couldn't look at him, too disgusted at his own cowardice, and Haru took this silence as agreement. He stepped back and stuck his hands in his pockets.
Kyo head suddenly snapped up, and he gave the other boy a fierce glare from under his bangs. "Don't stop," he said fervently. Haru gave him a considering look and seemed satisfied with what he saw. He smiled wickedly before advancing once again. As he attacked Kyo's neck with bites and kisses, he once more traced searing paths over Kyo's chest with his fingertips. Kyo passively enjoyed the attention for a few minutes but then started to zealously return the favor. He burned a similar route along Haru's neck, lips clumsily imitating the taller boy. He could only assume that was what the older boy liked as he had no way of knowing for sure. But then Haru sucked in his breath and shuddered; Kyo had found his answer. He worked on the same spot, just below Haru's ear, for several determined moments, and the taller boy moaned softly into his shoulder.
The cat was surprised by the lustful sound, which he had never heard before, and stopped. Haru's hands quickly made their way back down to the waist of Kyo's cargo pants. "It's alright, Kytten. I liked it. Do you want to stop?" he questioned softly, looking right into Kyo's ruby eyes.
Kyo shook his head slowly, and Haru crouched in front of him, hands still firmly on the cat's hips.
"You know what kind of immoral path this will lead you down?" he asked and grinned as Kyo glared down at him through half lidded eyes. The effect was more sultry than angry.
"I don't want to do anything you don't want to," Haru assured him, unwilling to push his luck with the seduced cat.
"Don't treat me like a fucking girl. I can make up my mind," the cat said hoarsely.
"Oh, I know you're not a girl, " Haru chuckled throatily and teasingly grazed one of his hands over the front seam of Kyo's pants. "And I was being serious…"
Kyo squeezed eyes shut in pleasure. "Oh God, just please do whatever you want," Kyo moaned as Haru's other hand began tracing circles over his stomach. The cat entwined his fingers in the cow's white hair and dug his back into the rough bark of the tree for support. His nerves were on fire.
"I'll expect a return for this favor, just so you know," Haru jibed for the last time before falling silent.
Hatori tried to stay calm as Akito battered him with questions. The head of the family was in an inquisitive mood while the doctor gave him a routine physical.
"So, Hatori, Hatsuharu hasn't been acting strangely at all lately, has he?"
"No." The dragon moved the stethoscope over Akito's heart.
"I'd like you to keep an eye on him. I think he may be up to something."
"Really."
"Well, judging from his character, he's probably trying to find some sort of new romance. What do you think?"
Hatori sighed. "I think teenagers will act that way sometimes, but Hatsuharu has learned his lesson."
"Yes, I suppose…what do you know about Momiji's love life? Has he ever tried to have a secret relationship with someone?"
The dragon's hands shook for a second. As he listened to Akito's breathing, Hatori considered what kind of answer to give. He didn't want to betray any of Momiji's trust, and he didn't like the way Akito might react. But Hatori felt it was his duty to tell Akito at least some truth. "I think Momiji may have had a crush on Hatsuharu a short time ago, but nothing came of it. Lie down and breath deeply."
Akito grimaced and complied. He let this new information sink in. "I believe I can trust Yuki and Kyo not to get into any entanglements they can't handle. But I still think Hatsuharu is up to something."
Hatori kept silent as he worked. The dragon was afraid Akito knew about Kyo and Haru's relationship and was trying to manipulate him into lying. Finally, he got up the courage to continue pretending he didn't know anything. "Why do you think that?"
Akito shrugged. He wanted Hatsuharu to do something against the rules. As Akito thought how swift punishment would be, he smiled to himself. Hatori tried to keep his face blank. He kept thinking of the dangerous game he and the others were playing.
"Are you almost finished?"
"Yes. I think your lungs have gotten somewhat worse in the last week. Your temperature is holding well, though. If you keep from any vigorous exercise, your lungs might clear up slightly."
Akito laughed. "When was the last time I exercised?"
Hatori put his instruments away. "Vigorous activity then. Breathing heavily will cause an attack."
"Being alive causes an attack." Akito put his arms in the sleeves of his robe as Hatori nodded noncommittally. "I'll see you soon, doctor, and remember my orders for you."
"Of course."
After Hatori left, Akito decided to go outside to get back to his rooms. He walked the perimeter of the main house, looking at the gardens. He might have gone for a longer walk had Hatori's instructions not made him reconsider. Akito stopped and remembered a time years ago when he spent hours exploring the grounds. Akito had even made it to the outer Sohma grounds a few times…and managed to have some fun doing some slightly immoral activities. But immoral was a relative term, and the people outside had thought he was so beautiful…
Akito heard a voice behind him.
"Wait up!"
Momiji bounded up next to him, and Akito continued to think about some of his more interesting days.
"You didn't stop."
"Did you really need me to?" The leader looked down into Momiji's brown eyes.
The rabbit laughed. "No, I guess not."
"It's very warm out today, isn't it?" Akito sat down on the porch and took off his outer robe. He left it in the sun and moved back into the shade of the roof, fanning himself lazily with his hand.
"Would you like me to get you something to drink?"
Akito closed his eyes. "I don't want you to be my servant, Momiji."
Momiji grinned slightly and began to tell Akito about his day at school. The family leader listened with closed eyes, nodding every so often to show he was still awake. But he wasn't actually listening. Akito kept considering what exactly he did want the rabbit to be. Being friends was an interesting option, and a useful tool was always beneficial. But as Akito opened his eyes, he decided he wanted something more.
Momiji had struck a thoughtful pose, placing a hand over his chin in thought. He couldn't remember what he had done in his math class that day. When he noticed Akito looking at him, Momiji blushed and looked down. The attention made him realize how beautiful Akito truly was. The rabbit didn't want to think about how that might be the reason he was so nervous.
"What did you think of the book?" Momiji asked, relying on the subject to turn his thoughts onto safer courses.
"It was very good. Could you bring me my robe, Momiji?"
"Oh, sure." The rabbit snatched the garment out of the patch of sun and knelt in front of Akito, draping it over his shoulders. Momiji realized he should have just let Akito put the robe on himself as Akito's eyes widened.
They were close too each other. If Momiji moved another inch forward he thought he could touch his nose to the Akito's in an Eskimo kiss. With that strange thought, the rabbit felt the proximity and clumsily started to move away. But one look into Akito's eyes froze him in place.
The clan leader was looking at him intensely. Akito had a slight smirk playing at his lips, and Momiji flushed at the study, unable to look away. With absolute dread, he felt an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach. Momiji suddenly sensed where this could be going, and he was powerless to stop it.
Akito's stare darted down Momiji's face and back again to secure the rabbit's gaze like a snake charmer. Then he lifted his hand to place it on the rabbit's cheek. The contact raised goosebumps on Momiji's arms.
The rabbit prayed for intervention. If only Hatori would walk in now…if only Hatsuharu... Momiji wished with all his might to find the courage to stop what was happening, what was about to happen. But all of the rabbit's willpower led to nothing as Akito leaned in and whispered something indiscernible to him. Maybe he just couldn't hear through all the blood rushing through his veins.
Akito's lips just brushed Momiji's ear, and the rabbit felt a terrifying thrill from the touch. He inadvertently tilted his head towards it and closed his eyes, his brain screaming in frustration. Something more than a twisted sense of duty kept him still under Akito's grasp now. His hand felt like smooth ice against Momiji's cheek, and it chilled the warmth of his blush.
Akito moved away from Momiji's ear, and paused to look at him meditatively. Momiji cautiously opened his own eyes to find the cobalt eyes staring at him, and horrible curiosity forced him to return the frozen stare. With a slight smirk, Akito leaned into the crook of Momiji's neck. He worked slowly, teasing the rabbit with kisses as light as snowflakes down towards his shoulder.
Momiji sighed, a mixture of fright and pleasure. This was wrong, very wrong. But still he didn't move to stop the event. His body seemed to be in control now, and his body seemed to be very happy with the situation presenting itself. No matter how strong the rabbit's mind, he couldn't resist very effectively. Momiji lightly pressed his cheek against the palm of Akito's hand in a futile effort to push it away, or at least that's what he told himself. But the clan leader simply responded by using his other hand to pull the neckline of Momiji's shirt lower. Momiji gasped as Akito bit delicately just above his collarbone.
Just as Akito began to work more vigorously on the tender skin, he pulled away. Momiji opened his eyes, surprised that he had closed them. And suddenly he felt cold. Akito's body slowly moved away from where it pinned the rabbit against one of the wooden posts that supported the roof of the porch. He now only had the wooden beam at his back to support him, and he leaned back a bit more in an attempt to relieve the impending ache of his awkward position. A pained chuckle nearly escaped him. Awkward position indeed.
An afternoon breeze wound coolly through Momiji's blonde hair as he watched Akito turn away from him. The rabbit only found unease in the lack of eye contact the leader bestowed upon him. He couldn't think what he had done, other than everything Akito had seemed to want him to do…what Akito had coerced him to do. But when he looked at what he had feared for so long, the rabbit realized that he only wanted Akito to come closer to him again. He couldn't say anything, though, because he didn't dare speak. He wanted to keep the moment alive, the terrible moment.
Momiji saw Akito put a fragile white hand near his mouth. His face was turned away, but the leader's shoulders began to tremble. Is Akito crying? Momiji wondered horror-struck. However, as the rush of the blood quieted in his ears, the rabbit could hear the soft coughing, which became increasingly louder. Momiji didn't think this was necessarily better than tears, and he hesitantly remained seated on the edge of the porch, not knowing what to do. He felt close to crying himself. What had he done with this terrible, fragile person?
Finally Akito's attack seemed to pass, and his hand was gently lowered to the floor of the porch once again. Seconds crept by. Neither said anything or moved. The rabbit waited desperately for Akito to return, to continue. But Akito just slowly got up and walked unsteadily towards the door to his rooms. Momiji watched him leave and felt the weight of an avalanche crush him.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly and swung his legs off the edge of porch so he could finally escape…like he had wanted to all along.
Akito turned and looked at him quizzically. Momiji still didn't know him well enough to decipher the glance, and the rabbit glanced away in anger. Akito was obviously finished playing some little game with him. Momiji had been weak with the most powerful member of his family. He had allowed himself to let the cold, iron mouth of a trap ensnare him, and he had liked it. The rabbit beat his fist weakly against the column.
Momiji spoke a polite, "Please forgive my rudeness." But in his mind Momiji uttered 'fuck you' over and over. It was the only way to keep the tears out of his eyes.
With a raised eyebrow, Akito leaned against the doorframe, but his face remained otherwise blank. Momiji considered fleeing until he remembered he had left his shoes somewhere else. He kept his eyes down as he got up to pass Akito. The family leader remained still as an icicle, watching him go by.
Momiji couldn't stop himself from talking once more, as was his habit in uncomfortable situations. "Tomorrow I'll let you borrow the last book from the Dune trilogy. I'm sure you'll enjoy it." He stiffly bowed and steeled himself to look Akito in the face once again. Their eyes locked, and the rabbit regretted it immediately. Akito's eyes reminded him too much of something painfully unattainable now. His body ached, and he balled his fists at the feeling of loss. He wanted to hit the bastard. Momiji wanted to put an end to all of the crap Akito put them through. He wanted to be far away from the coldest person he knew, but he was not a quitter.
With resolve, Momiji grabbed the collar of Akito's robe and forcefully pulled him down into an unskilled, unsure kiss. Akito almost immediately took control, and Momiji's lips parted slowly in wonder. The warmth of Akito's tongue sweeping through his mouth appeared to offset the chills running up and down his spine.