"Nowaki… the sun is rising," Hiroki murmured lazily, leaning back against the bare chest of his fiancé. Nowaki, who was sitting up against the headboard with Hiroki between his legs, looked up from Hiroki's neck.

"Already?" he sighed tiredly. He pressed another kiss to the crook of Hiroki's neck. Hiroki lolled his head against Nowaki's shoulder, looking down his nose at the sheet that had been draped over his lap. His and Nowaki's calves stuck out from underneath the white sheet, their legs entwined. Next to their feet, the empty bottle of candy cane lubricant teetered precariously on the edge of the bed.

"It's really pretty," Hiroki breathed, turning his head back towards the window and gazing at the scarlet and orange hues that painted the sky. Nowaki looked with him, resting his cheek against the back of Hiroki's head. His arms, which were coiled loosely around his fiancé, tightened ever so slightly.

"Have you had your fill?" Nowaki asked quietly. Hiroki chuckled breathily, nuzzling up against his beloved.

"No… not even close. I doubt I'll last until the second day in Sweden," Hiroki sighed.

"Meaning that you're going to miss me, or I wasn't good enough last night?"

"It means that I'm going to miss you, you big dummy."

"I knew that. I just wanted to hear you say it."

"Idiot…"

Nowaki absentmindedly trailed a hand up Hiroki's chest, stopping over his heart. Hiroki pressed his hand over Nowaki's and shut his eyes, finding comfort in the familiar heat of his fiancé.

"Turn your head towards me," Nowaki murmured softly. Hiroki didn't leave him waiting, and he turned his head towards Nowaki. Warm lips met his, moving with utmost care and love.

They lost themselves in their kiss, and by the time they pulled away, the sun was already half raised, its warm glow pouring into the room. Hiroki willed it to stop moving but, of course, time moved on and it continued its ascent.

"I don't want to leave," Hiroki mumbled, tipping his head back against Nowaki's shoulder. Nowaki looked back down at his precious fiancé, sighing.

"I don't want you to leave, either. But I want you and Fuyumi to be safe. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if you two got hurt. I just love you and Fuyumi so much," Nowaki whispered, tightening his grip again.

"We have… today… one, two, three…" Hiroki trailed off, clumsily counting on his fingers. "Exactly one week to finish all of the paperwork."

Nowaki sighed and put his head down on Hiroki's shoulder.

"If only all of life's problems could be solved with sex."

"Kind of like the whole 'make love, not war' thing? Heh, get off of me, you damn hippie."

"Hehe, no, that's not what I meant. I just wish that we didn't have to be in this situation. I would have been perfectly content with having lots and lots of sex, kissing, hugging… none of this angst and responsibility stuff," Nowaki murmured. Hiroki frowned.

"Do you regret it?"

"Eh? No, of course not. I'm not talking about the 'taking care of Fuyumi' responsibility. I'm talking about the 'sending my beautiful fiancé and daughter to another continent' responsibility. A twenty-six year old shouldn't have to worry about grey hairs just yet."

"It was never your responsibility to send me and Fuyumi away."

"Yes it was. It's my responsibility as your future husband to take care of you and my daughter. And if sending you away is the only way to protect you, then so be it. I wish I didn't have to. Those fucking raiders… why can't they just leave us alone?"

Hiroki pursed his lips as Nowaki's grip on him tensed.

"Don't get riled up, baby," Hiroki murmured soothingly, interlacing his fingers with Nowaki's hand on his chest. Nowaki's arms relaxed. "In seven days I'll be completely safe."

"Yeah… but half a world away from me," Nowaki mumbled.

"We'll be on video chat every night."

"Yeah…"

Before anyone could say anything more, the door to the bedroom burst open.

"Holy shit, it smells like sex and mints in here!" Akihiko exclaimed, sauntering into the room. Hiroki squealed and withdrew his bare legs into the bed sheet on his lap.

"Akihiko! Get out!" Hiroki barked furiously, his cheeks nearly catching fire as he clawed at the sheets to cover his chest. Akihiko glanced down at the bed and a devilish smile appeared on his face.

"Looks like you two enjoyed my Christmas gift," Akihiko said, wiggling his eyebrows. Hiroki's foot shot out of the sheets and kicked the empty lube bottle off of the bed, and it slammed into the window.

"We did, Usami-san. Thank you," Nowaki suddenly commented from behind. Hiroki slapped his hands over his face in mortified exasperation.

"I'm glad. Misaki's making pancakes, so make your decision if you want to bang one more time or have breakfast," Akihiko teased, smirking at Hiroki, who had practically achieved the consistency of a puddle.

"What do you want to do, Hiro-san?"

"I'll never have another erection again."

"We'll take pancakes."

"Alright, I'll see you two soon," Akihiko snickered. He turned to walk out the door. Just before he closed the door, he looked over his shoulder with another teasing smirk. "Unless you give in to the temptatioooon."

Akihiko wiggled his fingers towards Hiroki, his voice trailing off into a suggestive hiss.

"GET OUT!" Hiroki stormed furiously. Akihiko burst into laughter.

"Leave them alone, Usagi-san!" Misaki shouted from afar. A second later, Hitomi could be heard crying. "Now look what you've done!"

"Sorry, Misaki!" Akihiko gasped between loud guffaws. He shut the door, and the thunderous roar of the house became silent.

"That idiot! He's becoming more and more like Miyagi every day! Why do people think it's funny to tease me?" Hiroki snarled, his heated blush refusing to fade.

"Because you react so strongly," Nowaki said simply.

"Who asked you, idiot?" Hiroki snapped. He wriggled out of Nowaki's grasp and slid out of bed, the sheets slipping off of his naked body.

"What did I do?" Nowaki asked. Hiroki whirled around with a terrifying look on his face, but it was made less intimidating by the jingle, jingleof the jingle bell ribbon and collar. He looked down at the erotic accessories and blushed harder.

"What did you do? Way to embarrass me in front of Akihiko, you dumbass!" Hiroki barked. He grimaced as he turned around and reached up to struggle to untie the ribbon on his member.

"Mm. That held out well, didn't it?" Nowaki asked. Hiroki rolled his eyes and huffed.

"Don't change the subject."

"Hiro-san, I don't see why you're angry with me. Akihiko and Misaki know we're lovers, and that we're getting married. They know we have sex, and we know the same about them," Nowaki said. There was a pause. "Turn around, let me help you take that off."

Hiroki sighed exasperatedly and turned around. Nowaki beckoned him to the bedside, and he shyly padded over. He wrung his hands as Nowaki carefully worked to untie the ribbon.

"Well… you know Akihiko was trying to make fun of me and get a reaction, and you egged him on," Hiroki complained. Nowaki glanced up at his little fiancé.

"Sorry. I didn't know it was going to bother you that much."

Hiroki sighed, watching Nowaki's fingers pry at the rather tightly bound knot. He finally loosened it and slipped it off.

"Whatever. Just…" Hiroki trailed off, pinching his lips together. He slowly reached out to gently tip Nowaki's head back by the chin so their eyes could meet. "Sex is an intimate thing, you know? I like to keep it between us. It makes it feel more special."

Nowaki's eyes softened as he slipped out of bed and stood before his fiancé.

"I understand, Hiro-san," Nowaki murmured. He stroked Hiroki's bangs back, then watched them slowly fall back into place. "For me, I want to tell the entire world just how much I love you. I want to brag about you. But, if you'd like to keep it between us, I understand completely. As long as you know how much I love you, then I'm content."

Hiroki blushed, shivering against Nowaki's warm touch as he trailed his hands down Hiroki's bare arms to take his hands. Their fingers naturally interlaced and squeezed. Nowaki's face contorted, and he took another step forward, their naked skin touched ever so slightly

"I'm going to miss you so much," Nowaki breathed. Hiroki frowned and soothingly nudged Nowaki's chest with his shoulder.

"We still have a week, dummy. You're acting like I'm leaving in five minutes. And for the thousandth time, we'll talk on video chat."

"It's your touch that I'm going to miss," Nowaki said sadly. "I'll have your voice and your face, but not your touch. I'll only have two-thirds of Hiro-san. Same with Fuyumi."

Hiroki gazed up at his poor fiancé in sympathy. He would have Fuyumi in Sweden, so some of the pain of separation would be lifted. But Nowaki…

"I wish there was something I could do," Hiroki whispered, releasing one of Nowaki's hands to reach up and thumb his cheek. He trailed his fingers down his jaw and to his neck, where he cupped the pale skin.

"All I ask of you is to let me touch you. Let me hold your hand, let me cuddle with you, let me hold you and kiss you as much as possible before you go. I need my fill, too. Please, Hiro-san. Throw away your pride for just this one week."

Hiroki stared up at Nowaki, finding himself falling into the sad, glimmering cobalt gaze of his beloved. He sighed and pursed his lips.

Those damn puppy dog eyes.

"You… you don't have to ask for that stuff anymore. I'm your fiancé. You can touch me whenever you want."