And we all know I don't own these guys, as much as I'd love to...

With his injury, Kazahaya had been restricted to minimal lifting and running the cash register. Rikuo made a few snide comments about it throughout the day, of course not bothering to ask if he was okay. But he took care of everything Kazahaya couldn't do without complaint, for which he was grateful. He already felt bad enough about having dropped those boxes (though it would come out of his paycheck, Kakei later informed him).

"Well boys, it looks like you've both done a good job today. I think we're done here for the night." It was just starting to get dark when Kakei told them they were free to go. "Kazahaya, try to take it easy. I think your injury will heal fairly quick if you don't strain yourself. And Rikuo, would you come to my office for a moment? I have something I'd like to discuss with you."

The older boy shot Kazahaya a superior smirk as he turned to follow Kakei. They both knew it was a job, and now that he was hurt Kazahaya was worse than useless. And he really needed the money to pay for those jars.

Sulking like a child and berating himself for his stupidity, he made his way to his room alone. He didn't think to look into the mirror as he entered the bathroom and stripped off his work clothes. A hot shower might make him feel better.

When he was washed and a bit calmer, Kazahaya donned a pair or grey sweat pants he'd scrounged up from the joint closet he shared with Rikuo. Then he returned to the bathroom to discard his towel in the hamper, glancing at his reflection as he passed.

That was all it took. As he had earlier, Kazahaya became instantly entranced by the image of himself. Moving closer, he reached out his good hand to touch the reflection of his bare chest. His fingers left trails in the fog on the mirror.

But now his injured hand was trailing itself across his stomach, in slow sensual circles that sent waves of pleasure through his body.

With his eyes now locked on their mirror counterparts, he had to steady himself with one hand while he explored his torso with the other. His injury gave a dull throb as he began to move lower and apply more pressure. He was now very close to the sink, trapped by the mirror as he watched himself.

He had teased the waistband of his sweat pants and felt the irresistible urge to tear them off- a deep yearning for what was underneath. In one swift motion, Kazahaya yanked them downward and all of his pleasure evaporated into pain as his hand slammed into the edge of the sink.

He quickly came to his senses, he pulled up his pants and used his already wet towel to wipe away the sweat and moisture that had formed on his skin. The tears in his eyes told him that he'd probably opened the wound again.

Being careful not to move his hand, Kazahaya looked around as he entered his bedroom, making sure no one had walked in.

But to his horror, Rikuo was sprawled out across his bed, gazing at the ceiling. He had a brown paper bag next to his head.

He sat up as Kazahaya walked in. The younger boy blushed crimson, wondering if Rikuo had any idea what he'd been doing (or was about to do) in the bathroom. He also suddenly wished he was wearing more than a pair of sweat pants.

"Your hand feeling better, you baby?" He had that arrogant smirk on his face again. Kazahaya instantly forgot his embarrassment.

"You're always such a bastard! And I'm not a baby."

Rikuo didn't retort, but kept his smirk in place. Kazahaya clenched his fists and grabbed a shirt from the floor. He had to struggle to get it on one handed. But when he'd succeeded, he looked over and noticed that Rikuo was watching him.

"What?" He asked irritably.

"Nothing." The older boy went back to studying the tiles above him, giving no indication that he'd noticed anything odd. He casually nudged the bag beside him, drawing Kazahaya's attention to it once more. He glowered and looked away.

It only too a few moments of silence before he broke down and asked him. "So, did Kakei give you a job?"

"Yep." He didn't look up or offer any detail.

"Well? What is it? When do you leave?" He wondered if the bag or its contents had anything to do with it.

But Rikuo completely ignored him. With a frustrated sigh, he plopped down on his own bed and leaned back. They stayed like this, in perfect silence, for nearly an hour. Kazahaya was sure that Rikuo had fallen asleep and had taken to obsessing over his own strange behavior when there was a knock at the door.

Kazahaya barely had time to register it before Rikuo was there, speaking in hushed tones with whoever was on the other side. Then with a final smirk in Kazahaya's direction he was gone.

But he left the bag behind. Was he going on a job?

Kazahaya could hear whispers in the hall and then footsteps moving away. Checking the window a few minutes later, he saw Rikuo leaving with someone else, but it wasn't Saiga or Kakei. Now he was confused. And what was in that bag?

Sitting back on his own bed, his eyes found their way to where Rikuo had just been laying. Back to the bag. It nagged at him for some reason. Why would he have left it lying there? That wasn't like Rikuo.

He cautiously stood again, making sure there was no one outside the door before he locked it. Then he went to Rikuo's bed, being careful not to disturb the covers too much as he perched himself on the edge and grabbed the bag.

But something odd overcame him as he sat there. He looked down at the bag in his hands, but saw only the delicate fingers, the color of ivory and perfectly formed. He slowly drew one of those soft hands up to touch his lips and felt a shiver run through his body.

The bag fell to the floor but Kazahaya didn't notice it at all. He didn't notice the pain in his hand as he ran it down the side of his face, groaning softly. And then his shirt had come off again. He laid down perpendicular to where Rikuo had been and subconsciously noticed the warmth he'd left behind.

His eyes closed and he bit his lip as his hands roamed their way down his bare chest once more. The image of it all filled his mind in sharp detail, as if he weren't the one doing all these things. The places he touched, here hard, here feather light, it all felt so unbelievable.

He couldn't stop; couldn't stop touching, exploring. With a more audible moan, one of his hands reached the waistband of his sweatpants. He felt himself straining through the material, saw it played like a movie on his eyelids, and a smirk crossed his lips.

So caught up in the experience, he didn't hear the key in the door, or hear the startled gasp when it was opened. He was so immersed in his own pleasure, he never realized there was someone standing over him.

And just when his hands were so close, just as the smirk crossed his face again...

"What are you doing?" On the verge of removing his pants, Kazahaya had his hands rudely jerked away and came crashing back into his senses in extreme pain and alarm.

As he shouted, Rikuo dropped his hand and he cradled it to his chest, scrambling off the bed. The floor was covered in bandages and vials of clear liquid much like that Kakei had used on his hand earlier. At least his curiosity was satisfied now.

There they stood, Kazahaya breathing heavily from his activities and the pain after Rikuo grabbed him, his face a shade of red so deep it was previously unknown to man. Rikuo had an unreadable expression on his face as he stared at his roommate, who refused to make eye contact. Kakei had told him to expect something weird when he came back, but to find Kazahaya on his bed, doing...

"Well- well, I think I'm going to go out for a while." Kazahaya grew more uncomfortable as he stood there. He was afraid Rikuo would snap any minute. How would he react if he'd walked in on Rikuo doing that on his bed? He grabbed a jacket with his good hand and made for the door as fast as he could.

"Kazahaya, wait-" There was a strain in his voice that the younger man had never heard. As much as he didn't want to, he turned to face him. The look in his eyes was what held him there. It was vaguely familiar, but completely foreign. And it was recent.

Desire.

oooohhhhhhhhh...Who expected Rikuo to return so soon? And was Kakei meddling? Naught boys, all of them, I swear...