Author's Note: So, The DarkCat, as per your request, I finally buckled down and wrote that TohrUno love scene. I set it in the "Brainwashing and Blackmail" universe, so I wrote a lead in to how they got there. I feel bad, as many five as I've written, I've written two HiraTachi scenes, a few YoReki scenes, and a ToShin scene, but for all the hints and references and making out scenes, this is my first ever actual TohrUno love scene. How did I get so far without ever actually doing this? Anyway, I hope the payoff was worth the weight? I hope everyone enjoys.
en. wiki/Pink_salmon
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Synopsis: Natsuno and Tohru finally make it to the city and delve deeper into their feelings for one another.
Shiki: Brainwashing and Blackmail
Love Bites
"N-Natsuno..." Tohru quietly called, as he lay on his back, staring up at the young Jinrou. How had they come to this point? The village was safe, several of Sunako's corpse demons were gone. Tatsumi was no more, and Sunako had agreed to leave, taking the remaining Shiki with her, promising to never attempt to turn another village take over again.
The two young Okiagari had taken her at her word and left, heading for the city. But, even as vampi res, the city was taking longer to reach than anticipated. They had snuck out in the dark, through the thick layer of for trees. They had wanted to avoid being seen by the humans, the problem was that they had no clear path to follow, no roads to lead them, now. Rather than reaching the city by daylight, they were forced to find shelter during the day.
Natsuno had found a large tree that was falling over, due it it's old age and heavy top, and the roots had pulled up out of the ground, with large clumps of diet still on the roots. Perhaps no one knew about the tree, yet, or maybe, it was because the tree was still lush and green, showing it was still alive, that it hadn't been removed yet. Whatever the reason, they were lucky.
Natsuno dove into the hole where the trees roots had been, pulled out a few thick, heavy blankets that he had packed, made a makeshift tent, and filled the surrounding edges of the hole with leaves, dirt, and sticks. He had been more concerned with keeping out the sun than with camouflage. But in his mind, waking up under a bunch of limbs and blankets would most likely be much more preferable than waking up berries under the ground, or in a wooden box.
The last thing Tohru had remembered was crawling inside the tent and snuggling close to Natsuno, as dawn broke. Helpless against the Dead Sleep, Tohru felt much more at ease, knowing he was in the protective arms of his Jinrou counterpart.
Tohru was surprised when he awoke, however, to find he was no longer sitting upright, but was now on his back, with the younger Okiagari laying on top of him, a third blanket covering both of them.
"Natsuno, wake up," Tohru insisted, trying to push the dark haired teenager off of him. He sighed, realizing he was back at square one. As humans, Tohru had always been the weaker,unable to move Natsuno while he was asleep. But as the vampire, he had temporarily become the stronger. With Natsuno now a Jinrou, Tohru was once again the weaker. The timid blonde gave in. Natsuno had been struck with insomnia before his death, Tohru felt bad trying to disturb the younger male's sleep. Rather than try to push him away, he reached up and cupped his hand around Natsuno's cheek. "He's adorable when he's like this," he thought. Tohru blinked and felt himself blushing. He shook his head. "No, what am I thinking? Natsuno, wake up, already!" he insisted.
Natsuno groaned and opened his eyes. "Tohru-Chan?" he groaned, "What's wrong?"
"I can't move with you on top of me," Tohru answered, "And we both need to eat."
Natsuno grumbled something under his breath and pushed himself into a sitting position. "I'm not hungry," he said.
"Not hungry?" Tohru asked, "Natsuno, how can you still not be hungry? You didn't eat anything last night, either. It's been nearly two while days since we left Kanemasa! All that extra strength from your willing donors had to gave worn off by now." The blonde Shiki sat up, a worried look on his face. "If you don't eat, I can't keep relying on you."
"Why not? You can't kill me again," Natsuno reminded him.
"Again..." Tohru said quietly, "As if I ever really killed you to begin with," his voice got even quieter.
"What was that?" Natsuno asked.
Tohru flinched. Natsuno's hearing had gotten stronger now that he was a Jinrou. The Shiki curled in on himself. "You didn't come back as a Shiki, but as a Jinrou," he said, "I was so full of mixed emotions to see you'd come back at all, that I never stopped to think about what that meant. I stayed with you until what I believed your dying breath. But, you actually only fell into a state of catalepsy. I left you on death's door, but you never crossed the threshold. I'm so sorry, Natsuno," Tohru whimpered, throwing his arms around the purple haired boy, "I didn't want you to suffer."
Natsuno smiled and hugged the Shiki tight. "If I suffered at all, I don't remember it," he said reassuringly, "And if you ask me, it may have been for the best, for both of us, that it happened that way. Think of the situation we'd be in if I came back a Shiki, or if I didn't come back at all. You'd still be stuck in Kanemasa, doing whatever those bastards asked of you."
Tohru shook his head. "I don't wanna think about it," he said, nuzzling his face into Natsuno's neck, tightening his hold around the Jinrou. "I don't think I could have taken another night at the mercy of Tatsumi and Shimizu."
Natsuno's face darkened at the mention of the pink haired vempiress. "What did she do to you?" he asked. Taking Tohru away from him wouldn't have been enough for her, not once the blonde had risen as a Shiki. Tohru had only told him what the Shiki were doing as they moved about the village, not what they had personally been putting him through. Natsuno had no idea what Tohru had to deal with after Megumi first bit him, up until the night Tatsumi came announcing they had caught him.
Tohru shook his head. "I don't wanna talk about it," he insisted, "I think you were too merciful in the way you killed her, but, she can't come back and bother us anymore. We need to forget about her and move on. Speaking of moving on, we can't stay here all night. If we don't reach the city before daybreak, we might not be able to find shelter. We certainly won't be lucky enough to find something like this again."
"Since when are you the responsible, sensible one?" Natsuno teased, "That's just scary."
"Hey!?" Tohru protested, pouting at him.
Natsuno sighed and stood up. "I guess you're right, though, we do need to get moving before it gets too much later." He unbuttoned his shirt and pulled the collar away from his neck. "Come on, I can at least feed you before we get started."
"Natsuno, you REALLY need to eat first," Tohru protested.
"We don't have time for that," Natsuno argued, "We didn't pack any food for a second night," he reminded the Shiki, "An oversight on my part, I admit, but we both thought we would have reached the city by now. Like you said, we have to get there before morning, and if we stop long enough to hunt for something, that will only slow us down, and may even get us even more lost. Not to mention, if you wait around for me to eat, you'll only end up starving yourself. I don't need to get lost in the woods with a hungry Shiki."
Tohru sighed. "I can't argue with you there," he admitted, "But promise me, you'll eat something if we find anything you can eat, please do. Even if it's just mushrooms?"
Natsuno smiled and hugged Tohru. "Alright," he promised, "If it will make you feel better, I promise."
Tohru smiled and nuzzled into Natsuno. He pushed his lips to Natsuno's for a brief kiss before he leaned in and bit down on Natsuno's neck. The blonde was so gentle it almost tickled, it was almost sensual. "We're going to have to do something about that once we get to the city," Natsuno thought, "He's driving me crazy like that."
Tohru slowly pulled away from Natsuno's neck and licked up any blood trickling down from the puncture mark, as the flesh healed. "Do you need me to help you break the tent down?" the blonde asked.
"No, I should be fine," Natsuno assured him as they crawled out of the tent. "Any idea which way we need to go from here?"
"Not really" Tohru amitted, "I've never been this deep into the woods. This is the first time I've ever seen this tree. Maybe we should head back to Sotoba, and keep to the roads? If Sunako kept her word, she and the others should be gone, as long as we're traveling at night, there's less risk of the humans finding us." Natsuno's actions had saved the village from the was he and Dr Ozaki had been plotting. The humans wouldn't have known who, or what they were, and would have posed no immediate threat, with six small exceptions, of which there were only five they were aware, and one still wasn't in his right mind when they left him. If anyone else saw them and recognized them, it could have stirred a panic, which was why they took the woods.
"That would set us back an entire night," Natsuno pointed, as he began folding up the blankets, "I think we should head that direction," he pointed in the direction he thought he remembered his family traveling on their way to Sotoba in the first place.
"I've never been outside of Sotoba," Tohru admitted, "Maybe... Maybe I should have stayed behind, while you secured a route for us to take?"
"And leave you alone?" Natsuno asked. He smiled as he wrapped an arm around the blonde, and leading him in the direction he believed they should be heading. "Come on, Tohru-Chan, I don't think either of us could stand to be apart that long."
Tohru smiled and allowed Natsuno to lead him along. The blonde blushed as he linked fingers with the younger teen. "Say, Natsuno... Why were you on top of me when I woke up? I mean, I'm not complaining, but it kind of surprised me," he asked.
Natsuno smiled. He knew that question would come up eventually. "I woke up around noon and could still see sunlight coming in through one side of the tent, he explained. I've never seen what sunlight can do to a Shiki, but according to Dr. Ozaki, from what he observed, it sounds painful. So, not wanting to take any chances, I pulled out the third blanket and wrapped it around us," he explained, "I guess I just nodded back off and toppled over on top of you." He gave a soft chuckle, "I got too used to sleeping in your room, so I found your natural scent comforting enough I could do so," he admitted.
"And everyone accused me of being the little lost puppy dog," Tohru teased, gently resting his head on Natsuno's shoulder. Natsuno smiled and gently squeezed Tohru's hand. In truth, this was something the younger male had secretly been wanting an for a while, maybe not under these exact circumstances, but a chance to spend time with Tohru alone, away from prying eyes and wagging tongues, where they could let their guard down.
Tohru quietly kept his eyes on the landscape, looking for anything that looked like it could be edible. Would misidentifying mushrooms have a negative effect on the Jinrou? It's not like the poisonous ones could kill Natsuno, but was it possible they could still make him nauseous or start to hallucinate? He honestly didn't know, and he wasn't certain he wanted to find out through trial and error. As he looked around, he noticed something. "Hey, Natsuno? That tree right there seems taller than the others. Do you think if we manage to climb to the top, we could figure out where we are and which way to go?" He suggested.
"Good idea," Natsuno acknowledged, "I'll go. Wait here, ok?"
Tohru gave a quiet nod. He flinched in surprise as Natsuno dug his nails into the bark of the tree, like a large cat bearing its claws, and made his way up. Being a city kid, Tohru was almost certain Natsuno had never climbed a tree before in his life, yet here, the younger male was making his way up, like it was his second nature. "Oh, Natsuno," Tohru thought worriedly, "What have I done to you?"
Natsuno popped his head out of the tree too and smiled. "I don't think I've ever been able to see so clearly in the dark in my life," he marveled out loud. He could see much farther than he would have had he still been human. Straight ahead, there was nothing but trees, as far as he could see, the same for looking to his left, and behind him the way they came. To his right, however, just between the trees, he spotted the road and a small stream. Way off in the distance, he could see lights, not just natural lights, man made of yellow, red, green, and blue. "We might just make it before daybreak," he thought, hopefully.
Tohru gave a startled jump when Natsuno landed back on the ground next to him. "Oh, it's you," Tohru sighed. "Did you jump all the way from the top? I didn't hear you coming down."
Natsuno smiled and took Tohru's hand in his. "That's exactly what I did, it's faster," he answered, "C'mon, I know where we need to be going, now. We may even be able to make it before daybreak."
Natsuno lead Tohru as far as the stream, before stopping. "We're about halfway now," the Jinrou said, "Look, Tohru-Chan!" He pointed across the other side. Tohru's eyes grew wide in awe, it was still hours away, but now, they were close enough they could both see the city lights from the ground.
"Even from here, it's beautiful," the Shiki said.
There was a loud splash off to their left. They both jumped, neither had heard or smelled any people or animals approaching them. Even though they knew no one would be following them, but still, they felt the need to be cautious until they reached their destination. They both released an unnecessary sigh. "Fish," they said.
Tohru tugged Natsuno's sleeve. "Natsuno, do you think we could catch some for you?" He suggested.
Natsuno sighed. "You're insistent I eat something, aren't you?"
"You promised," Tohru insisted, "You've seen what happens to me, if I fall prey to a hunger frenzy. I can't hurt you anymore if it happens to me, now. But, I if it's even possible for a Jinrou to frenzy, I've never seen it. You're faster and stronger than I am, I won't be able to restrain you if it happens to you, and if I continue to feed from you, it very well might!"
Natsuno closed his eyes and nodded. Tohru had a point. He truly wasn't hungry, but he did need to replenish the blood Tohru had drank from him. Maybe Tatsumi wasn't too far off when he compared the Jinrou to werewolves. His eyes narrowed in and focused on the fish. "Karafutomasu," Natsuno identified the fish as he watched the school of Pink Salmon. He picked out the two biggest fish they would take time to clean and cook, given he had no utensils, but each fish easily appeared to be around four pounds big and Salmon can be eaten raw; skin, bones, and all.
Tohru watched as Natsuno took a hand full of pebbles and began skipping them across the top of the water to simulate an insect, drawing the attention of the fish. His eyes grew wide as one of the bigger fish jumped out of the water and with a single swat of his hand, Natsuno had knocked the Salmon onto the land. The fish flopped about on the ground. Natsuno would have accepted the one fish, but maybe it was his instincts as a Jinrou, he suddenly felt the thrill of the hunt and he tried for the other as well. He skipped another pebble and went for the bigger fish, but missed, swatting a smaller one back on to the shore line. Irritated by his miscalculation, he tried again, once again, he missed with his hand, but reactionary reflexes caused him to reach out and bite at the Salmon instead, catching the slippery fish in his mouth. He bit down and felt the blood rush in his mouth.
Tohru quietly gasped, throwing a hand to his mouth, eyes growing wide. He hadn't seen the Jinrou fighting out in the hallway, he was still trying to cut himself free from where Tatsumi had left him tied in the floor. "Did Natsuno fight Tatsumi like this?" he thought, "Granted, he was already prone to violent outburst when he was alive, but..."
In truth, as if he didn't already feel guilty enough for what he'd done to the younger male, the more Natsuno displayed the characteristics of a Jinrou, the more frightened Tohru became. "Natsuno?!" the Shiki called. "You don't have to catch the whole school," Tohru sighed, trying to hide how he really felt. "A Lover's Embrace, they called it," he thought, "Sunako said it was forbidden because once a couple have lost their humanity, especially if they've been together too long, the pair almost always tired of one another and split apart, and that sometimes the it makes one or both difficult to control by their sires. But Natsuno theorized it was because we created Jinrou, and it was to originally forbidden in order to prevent more of his kind. What, then, did they think would have happened if Mrs. Nao had successfully turned her family?"
Natsuno swallowed drained the fish and quickly, quietly ate it. Tohru found a large fallen tree limb nearby and sat down on it to wait for the Jinrou to finish his meal. The Shiki quietly stared at the water rushing by, allowing himself to become lost in thought. Natsuno took notice that Tohru seemed to be distraught over something and quickly drained the two Salmon he'd thrown out of the water.
"Tohru-Chan, did you ever try real food, or did you instantly believe them when they told you drinking human blood was the only way? " Natsuno asked.
This stirred Tohru from his thoughts. Natsuno's tone had not been accusatory of him, but curios. Had the Shiki Queen ever tried human food herself, and if not, had she ever allowed her 'fledglings' to attempt it, or had her brainwashing convinced all of them hers was the only way? Tohru glanced down at Natsuno's hands, seeing the Jinrou still had the two Karafutomasu. "Are you offering me one?" He quietly asked.
Natsuno nodded. "If you think you can stomach it."
Tohru smiled and took the smaller fish in hand. "Thank you, Natsuno," he said.
"You're welcome to the bigger one, you know," Natsuno offered.
Tohru shook his head, "No, you eat it. He insisted. "I'm the one draining you, after all." He made quick work of the fish then sighed. "Well, that's one thing they told the truth about. We can eat human food, yes, but it doesn't do anything for us. It won't fill us up. It doesn't give us the nutrients we need... It doesn't have any adverse effects, but it's no different from a human eating a handful of potato chips."
Natsuno sighed and wrapped his arms around Tohru, while he finished his second fish. "There's something weighing on your mind, Tohru-Chan, what's wrong?"
Tohru blushed and leaned in to Natsuno. "I... I'm just scared, Natsuno, " he admitted, "I can't go out in the sunlight anymore, I can't survive on real food. We're heading into the city, away from all I've ever known and loved. Will we be able to find shelter once we're there? How are we going to keep you fed? Are you going to try and go back to school? What if someone finds us? I love you, and I'm willing to follow you anywhere, but at the same time, I don't want to be a burden on you."
Natsuno hugged Tohru tight. "I have no intention of returning to school," he said determinedly, "There's no need. I'm stuck like this forever. I have a rather healthy sum of money saved up from my allowance. Even before we moved to Sotoba, there was little I ever wanted, so with the exception of food, I often stuck it back. It should be enough to get us a hotel room or a small apartment for a while. We can both look for nearby night jobs. I have no intention of leaving you unattended where the humans can find out what you are." Natsuno leaned in to Tohru and gently nuzzled the blonde's neck. "I'm sorry, Tohru. They took away your friends and family, I wasn't able to prevent that, and I wish I could give you those back, but that's something beyond my power. I hope at least knowing they're safe will be enough."
Tohru felt the threat of tears in the corners of his eyes. "I couldn't even tell them goodbye," he whimpered, "Shimizu... She had hypnotized me, every time she bit me. I thought I was actually sick. When I woke up and found myself in that coffin, I was so scared, I'd never been so claustrophobic in my life. I hated what I'd become. I stayed away from them, and from you for days, afraid of what I might do to any of you. I didn't want to be alone as the creature I've become. Shimizu, Tatsumi, Sunako... They we're all able to use their hypnosis on me to make me do whatever they wanted. I eventually realized no one was 'off the table' as long as they drew breath, so I started sneaking back by to ensure you were all ok. You were the one I was most worried about."
"Me!?" Natsuno asked in surprise.
"I didn't know yet, that you knew about us," Tohru said, "As far as I knew, you still didn't have any friends, still weren't sleeping, you didn't have my room to run to anymore." He put a gentle hand on the top of Natsuno's head and gently played with the Jinrou's silken hair. "And SHE was always lurking outside your window. Your parents still didn't approve of religious artifacts of any kind. Except for not inviting us in, there was nothing to protect you." Tohru's head drooped in shame for a moment. "I'm ashamed of myself, Natsuno," he admitted, "I wanted to keep you safe. I wanted them to leave you alone, but at the same time, I missed you. I missed you and my family so much it hurt. I didn't want them to sink their teeth into any of you," Tohru's voice strained as he failed to hold back a sob.
Natsuno raised an eyebrow at the way Tohru had worded that. "There's a 'But' in there, somewhere, isn't there?" He asked.
Tohru buried his face in his hands. "Can you ever forgive me? Can I ever forgive myself?" He trembled as he tried not to start crying. "I knew I was neither strong enough, not brave enough to protect any of you," he admitted , "But...Oh, God, I've been so selfish..."
"Tohru-Chan!" Natsuno sat upright and hugged the Shiki tight, "Look at me," he said, his voice was calm and even. He had thought he knew where Tohru's train of thought was heading. The poor Shiki was tunneling his way to further despair and self loathing at the expense of something that had been forced upon him. He was blaming himself for something he had been blackmailed into. It was a dangerous train of thought, and one Natsuno felt, for both their sakes, he had to derail. "Tohru-Chan, neither of us asked for this, but what's done is done." Tohru quietly looked up at Natsuno, in spite of his best efforts, the blonde's eyes were already over flowing with tears. "We have to accept it and move on. You say you were selfish, why? Because you gave in and attacked me like they wanted you to, to keep your family safe? Because you didn't want Shimizu to be the one who turned me," he gently brushed Tohru's tears away, "so she could do whatever she wanted with me? Or because you actually wanted me to come back to you?" Tohru attempted to flinch away at this accusation, but Natsuno held him tight. BINGO! "Tohru, it's ok," he said, softly. He gently turned the Shiki's face back to his and leaned in for a deep, passionate kiss. Tohru blushed and wrapped his arms around Natsuno, giving in to the kiss.
"You say it's ok," Tohru said as they pulled away from the kiss. "You say you love me now, but what about later on down the road? Ten years from now? Twenty years, when you could have already finished college and found a successful career? A hundred years from now, when everyone else is dead and gone, and we're left with each other? Will you still love me then?"
"What part of 'to the bitter end' did you not understand?" Natsuno asked, "Tohru, if I have to repeat what I told Sunako word-for-word, I will, because I meant every bit of it! You never had to hypnotize me. I willingly gave you my blood. You had me wrapped around your little finger from the moment you first called my name. The minute you said it, I knew I was yours; loyal to the bitter end. You mistook me for dead, hoping I wouldn't come back as a Shiki, believing I would hate myself for what I became, never once thinking I would become something stronger. But did you ever think..." Natsuno leaned in and whispered into Tohru's ear, "I allowed myself to come back just for you? " Tohru's eyes shot wide open. If his heart could react, it would be racing at that confession. The blonde slowly shifted his eyes back up to Natsuno's. The Jinrou hugged him close. "You don't deserve to be miserable, Tohru-Chan. I wouldn't have started fighting with them, if they had simply left you alone. I wouldn't have come back, if you had agreed to run with me sooner, " he stood up and pulled the blonde to his feet, "And I damned sure wouldn't be standing here right now if something happened to you. When I say to the bitter end, I mean it."
Tohru blushed. "I honestly don't know if that makes me feel better or worse," he said, squeezing Natsuno's hands, "Thank you, Natsuno."
Natsuno smiled and kissed Tohru's forehead. "C'mon, we're wasting time, and still only half way there." He took the Shiki's hand in his and gently started to lead him forward, "Everything will turn out fine, Tohru-Chan, you'll see."
Hours passed and Tohru began to feel more and more lethargic. "N-Natsuno," he worriedly called to his Jinrou.
"Tohru-Chan? What's wrong?" Natsuno asked.
"How much farther do we have to go?" Tohru asked.
"I'm not certain," Natsuno admitted, "Another two or three hours, maybe? Do you think you can't make it?"
Tohru sighed and shook his head. He hated the thought of being a burden on Natsuno, but there were situations that we're out of his control. "No," he said, finding a small group of trees to sit down under.. "I can feel it starting to slow me down, already. It'll be daylight before we get there. I'm sorry, Natsuno, go without me."
"Not happening," the Jinrou refused, "Either I stay here with you, or I carry you the rest of the way."
"Not that I doubt your ability to carry me and the rest of our supplies all by yourself, but suppose someone sees you?" Tohru inquired.
Natsuno closed his eyes and shook his head. Waiting another night was an unfavorable option for several reasons, especially when they were so close. But Tohru made a valid point, while Natsuno could have easily carried all the supplies both of them had on hand, and Tohru as well, it could draw unwelcome attention for a fifteen year old to suddenly wander into the city, carrying so much luggage and an unconscious, or more precisely, DEAD eighteen year old all at once.
Natsuno surveyed their surroundings. Staying until nightfall was definitely out of the question. The trees Tohru had settled down under weren't thick enough to keep him covered once the sun hit a certain point, today's 'shelter' had required all three of their blankets. He rubbed the back of his neck. He had to make a decision, and he had to make it now. Natsuno pulled out the thickest blanket and handed it to Tohru. "Bundle up! I'll come back for everything else once we've got you safely in a hotel room." Tohru blinked at him, but didn't argue. He wrapped himself in the blanket, as tight as he could get, while Natsuno settled everything else they had on them in a small pile in front of the trees and tied them in place with a rope he had procured from his father's workshop. "I didn't think this would actually come in handy, but I'm glad I thought to grab it," he said as he pulled the rope tight.
"Are you going to be able to remember where everything is?" Tohru asked, "What if you get lost looking for it?"
"Tohru, I could easily take a job as a police dog, sniffing out drugs right now, IF I wanted to," Natsuno said, half laughing. "I've got a few personal items in my bag that I'm sure I could sniff out if I need to." He smiled as he scooped Tohru up in his arm, bridal style.
"Personal items?" Tohru parroted curiosly. He blushed as Natsuno lifted him off the ground and quietly cursed the fact the blanket had to be between them at all, but quietly leaned in as close as he could to his Jinrou.
"Yeah, my shampoo, my cologne, a couple of my favorite old shirts... A couple small trinkets I got from Mom and Dad, a few pictures of both of them, a couple of books, you know, those sort of things."
"You really have been planning to run for a while, haven't you?" Tohru asked, a hint of jealousy in his voice, as he realized he would never have the chance to get those kinds of things for himself.
"I've been planning it since my first day in Sotoba," Natsuno answered, "There was just one little bump in the road that kept getting in the way; a certain 'golden retriever' who yanked back on the leash, every time I so much as thought about leaving," he teased.
Natsuno carried Tohru the rest of the way, the two of them playfully hurling insults at one another, until Tohru was finally forced to subcome to the dead sleep. He pulled the blanket over Tohru's face, just as the sun began to peek through the tree line. Mere moments later, Natsuno found himself standing in front of a back alley hotel. It was small and cheap, and didn't look like it had many reputable clients, but it was something, at least. Natsuno left Tohru laying underneath a nearby shade tree, long enough to go in and register both of them as guests. Once he had the keys to the room, he carried Tohru inside made sure all the window shades were pulled down, left a note for Tohru, then shut and locked the door behind himself, as he left to go back for their supplies. He had noted the jealousy in the Shiki's voice earlier. Tohru understandably missed his family. Natsuno had, unbeknownst to Tohru, collected a few of Tohru's personal effects, too. When he'd gone to Tohru's house to watch horror movies, before he had teamed up with Akira and Kaori, Tohru's family had given him several of Tohru's personal effects to remember him by. Natsuno had originally thought he was undeserving to accept any of them, but he accepted them, all the same. Once he'd become a Jinrou, he was glad he had; he had planned on eventually returning the items to the timid Shiki, which was why he was determined to go back for their gear immediately.
Tohru groaned as he rolled over and blinked himself awake, the blanket sliding off of him. He quietly looked around at his unfamiliar surroundings, then quickly sat up. "Where am I?" He untangled himself from the blanket and jumped off the bed. "Natsuno?" He called. His eyes fell on the note and set of keys left on the end table.
Went back for the supplies. Might not be back before you wake up. I have my own set of keys, so keep the door locked and sit tight. I'll be back soon.
Tohru chuckled to himself as he found opened the drawer to the nightstand and found the TV remote, "He got lost." That was the only viable reason Tohru could explain Natsuno's absence. He was admittedly a little worried, but he knew Natsuno could more than take care of himself.
Tohru jumped, when he heard the doorknob rattle, but relaxed when the dark haired teenager pushed his way through the door, loaded down with both luggage cases and several bags of groceries from the nearby convenience store. The blonde was sick to his feet to help the younger male unload some of his burden. "You ok, Natsuno? Here, let me help," he offered.
"I'm fine," Natsuno assured him, "But sure, thanks. How long have you been awake?"
"Not long, maybe five or ten minutes?" Tohru answered.
"Long enough to find the remote, I see," Natsuno chuckled, "So I guess you found my note then?"
"Yeah," Tohru answered, "What kept you?"
Natsuno looked at him, dead panned for a second. "I got lost," he admitted , "I went too far south east, I realized I was going the wrong way, once I found the stream. But after I got our stuff, I decided to stop off at the convenience store and pick up a some food. I bought a bunch of non-perishables. And a lot of rice. Hopefully it'll be enough to last the week." He started brushing his hands over his shoulders, "I'm covered in dirt and leaves, I know people were staring. I probably smell like a wild animal, neither of us have had a change of clothes in three days now. I'm going to get a shower, before I eat. Care to join me?"
Tohru blushed and nodded. "Sure, why not?" He accepted , "I could stand a ba...?" Natsuno unzipped one of the large briefcases and dug out his shampoo and bathsoap, then completely derailed Tohru's sentence. Tohru blinked at the items Natsuno had just pushed into his hands. It was not just Tohru's personal brand, but the very bottles he'd been using before he died. "N...Natsuno...? How... Why...?"
"Aoi-Chan have them to me, " Natsuno explained, "She said no-one else in the house used that brand. She said Tomatsu thought it was too girly for him, but she found it too masculine for her, your folks couldn't bring themselves to just throw it away, but it was just taking up space, so she asked if I wanted it. I didn't feel right accepting it, but the look on her face... I felt like telling her 'No' would just break her heart. She'd already suffered enough, so I told her that if I couldn't use it, I might know someone who could. I had thought about offering it to Ritsu-Chan, but... " Natsuno failed to hold back a laugh, and his face flushed bright red as he looked away, "I'd gotten so used to sleeping over at your place, that I found the smell kind of comforting," he admitted.
Tohru blushed and gave a soft chuckle, "And you called ME weird," he teased. He gently hugged Natsuno close. "It's alright, you'll have the real deal next to you from now on," he whispered.
Natsuno pushed himself back to his feet and pulled Tohru up along with him. "That's not all they gave me," he admitted, "Tomo-Chan gave me some of your shirts he didn't think he would wear, and your folks gave me some family photos they had extra copies of. I'll show them to you later, " he promised, leading the blonde into the bathroom.
"By the way, Natsuno, how'd we get in here?" Tohru asked, curiously, "Don't you have to be invited in, even for hotel rooms?"
"I left you sleeping under the tree across the road, signed us both in on the guest register, paid ¥5,486.50 for two sets of keys, and carried you in. If being handed the keys to the room doesn't count as an invitation, I don't know what does. Either way, we made it inside, so, I guess it works."
The pair climbed into the shower together. They took turns washing each other's hair and backs, before they climbed back out. Drying off, they made their way back to the main room. Natsuno slipped on his black shirt with the red X and a pair of black shorts. As he dug out his own clothes, he pulled out a t-shirt pair of shorts for Tohru, too. He smiled as Tohru looked over the brown pair of shorts and the two-toned orange shirt. It has been the blonde's favorite "You would have kept this one," Tohru said, "This is the one I was wearing when we first met."
Natsuno gave no verbal reply as he opened a ramen cup and began filling it with water. The TV was still on in the background. Natsuno popped the ramen cup in the microwave and grabbed a couple of mochi cakes and plopped down on the couch. Physically, he was fine, but mentally and emotionally, he felt drained. He picked up the remote and mindlessly started clicking through channels. "Natsuno," Tohru worriedly called as he finished getting dressed, "Please tell me that's not the only thing you've eaten today?"
"No, the hotel serves breakfast for their guests, and I managed to catch a few more fish in my way back, " he said. "I just didn't want anything overly complicated for dinner tonight. Don't worry, I'll be fine," he assured the Shiki. "What about you? I'm sure you're hungry?"
Tohru sat on the couch next to him and nuzzled his neck. Natsuno blushed. Tohru always tried to be so gentle it tickled. Natsuno didn't know why, but it also aroused him. His last night as a human, he'd been too week to offer himself to Tohru. Their first few nights reunited, after he'd become a Jinrou, he was more concerned about his father stumbling in on them and ruining the moment. After he rescued Tohru from Kanemasa, he'd willingly given the blonde his space, not wanting to trigger some sort of mental distress after what Tatsumi had admitted to doing to the timid Shiki. But it was becoming way too much for him to keep pushing aside. Unfortunately, being an undead fifteen year old meant he would forever be at the mercy of his teenaged hormones. Of course, the same would be true for Tohru. Wrapping an arm around his lover, Natsuno quickly finished his mochi. "I take that as a 'Yes'," he chuckled.
Natsuno started to pull the collar away from his neck, but thought better about it. Even if the wound healed the moment Tohru let go, there was still always some stray blood trickling down. Natsuno wouldn't normally mind, but this was one of his favorite shirts, he didn't want to mess it up. He took the shirt off entirely and draped it over the back of the couch. Tohru gently wrapped his arms around Natsuno and nuzzled the Jinrou's neck. Tohru gently began kissing Natsuno's neck, right along the vein, causing it to swell and throb. Natsuno flinched as the Shiki's teeth lightly scratched across his sensitive flesh. Tohru smiled, taking in Natsuno's scent, the vein was plump and ready to be bitten into, and in spite of what one would think, Natsuno's scent was warm and inviting. Tohru not down, piercing through the skin. Natsuno's was still the best he'd ever tasted, warm and sweet, almost as if he had bitten into some sort of confectionery that melts in the mouth. It was almost addictive.
Natsuno shivered again. Tohru's eyes slowly opened and turned up to the younger male's face. Natsuno's face was beet red. Tohru smiled, but continued to suck at Natsuno's neck, until his hunger was fully satiated. Tohru released Natsuno's neck and gently began licking up the small trickle of blood running down. He smiled to himself, he knew exactly what he had been doing to Natsuno, and he'd been doing it intentionally; purposefully using a mating bite, not just to stimulate the Jinrou, but to make the initial skin puncture less painful. Natsuno whole body hitched as he felt Tohru's hand slip inside his shorts and grab his member. Natsuno's whole body was warm, but Tohru's hand was cold, and the touch sent chills down the younger male's spine.
"Seems like my little Jinrou is hungry for something else," the Shiki teased. His voice was so soft, yet so sensual, it sent another shiver through Natsuno's entire body and Tohru felt him buck against his hand.
"You weren't planning this we're you?" Natsuno asked, near breathlessly.
Tohru smiled, "Maybe," he admitted, leaning in to kiss the younger male. "C'mon, Natsuno, don't tell me you're feeling shy about it, now?" he asked, "I know you've been wanting this for weeks."
"Yeah," Natsuno admitted, "All because of the way you bite. Why does that drive me so crazy?"
"Because it's supposed to," Tohru admitted, gently nipping at Natsuno's neck. He smiled as the younger male bucked in response once again. "The neck is a already a very sensitive area. Vampires often suck on the very same spot that humans tend to leave hickies on their lovers. We have a number of different bites; those that are painful and either hypnotize or incapacitate, those, that itch like mosquito bites, or... " Tohru nipped at Natsuno's neck again, reveling Natsuno's nearly innocent, yet completely honest reactions. "Ones that barely hurt at all but elicites pleasure."
Natsuno's face had turned an adorable shade of red and his body was still trembling in the Shiki's hand. The Jinrou quietly opened one of his eyes. "This is the same one you used the first time you bit me, isn't it?" He accused.
"Guilty as charged," Tohru admitted. "The first bite is always a little painful, but I couldn't bare to hurt you. I merely wanted to put you to sleep the first time. Yours is the best blood I ever had, and I wanted to keep coming back for more."
Natsuno blushed and gently ruffled a hand through Tohru's hair. "Well, there's nothing getting in your way, now," he chuckled. Tohru blushed and and leaned in for another kiss. "But, Tohru-Chan, are you sure you'll be alright if we go any further?"
Tohru blinked, then frowned, "Is THAT why you've been holding back? Natsuno, as long as it's you, I'm sure I'll be fine. I had wanted my first time to be with you or Ritsu-Chan in the first place. But Shimizu..." Tohru stopped before he could finish that sentence. He didn't want Natsuno to know what happened with the pink haired Shiki, and he certainly didn't want either of their memories to ruin the moment. Tohru's eyes slowly shifted back to Natsuno's face as he felt a gentle tug at his hair.
"Look, if we're not going to do this, you really need to let go," Natsuno said, his face still flushed an adorable shade of red. Tohru blushed, realizing he still had Natsuno's member in his hand.
The blonde smiled and leaned in for another quick kiss. "Just let me know if I start doing anything you're uncomfortable with," he requested. Natsuno nodded. Tohru kissed Natsuno once more, as he helped the Jinrou out of his shorts. "Maybe we shouldn't have gotten dressed so soon," he thought as he pulled away from Natsuno's lips and returned to the Jinrou's neck.
Natsuno tried to bite back a moan of pleasure as Tohru's hand began to glide back up and down his shaft. He failed, however, when the Shiki's mouth moved from his neck, to his collar bone and began trailing down his torso. Tohru lovingly nipped at Natsuno's flesh, sucking at the skin until it turned a light shade of purple. He trailed his way down Natsuno's torso, eliciting involuntary moans and groans of pleasure from the dark haired Jinrou. Each purple bloom Tohru left on Natsuno's skin faded, almost as soon as the blonde moved to the next spot. Each spot was either just as sensitive or more so than the last. Natsuno gasped and bit down on his own knuckles as he suddenly felt Tohru's lips caress his thigh. "Damn it all, stop teasing me, already," Natsuno groaned. Tohru smiled and obliged him, popping Natsuno's now throbbing member in his mouth.
The blonde was very careful not to let his teeth touch Natsuno's shaft as he bobbed his head up and down. His left hand gently glided up and down Natsuno's member in sync with his head. Meanwhile, his right hand worked its way inside his own shorts, where he began stroking himself.
Once he was certain they were both good and ready, Tohru pulled off of Natsuno's shaft and kissed the tip. "Ah!" Once again, Natsuno failed to stifle a moan of pleasure. Tohru quickly removed his clothes and pulled Natsuno into his lap.
The Shiki was surprised when he found the tables turned on him, as Natsuno leaned in and began kissing down his neck for a change. Tohru blushed, it actually did sort of tickle. "N-Natsuno," he moaned softly as the Jinrou bit at his neck. He felt Natsuno's teeth gently pinch the sensitive flesh, but Natsuno was being gentle with him, being careful not to puncture the skin. Letting anyone this close to their throats was the highest symbol of trust either of them had to offer. Natsuno wrapped his arms tight around Tohru as he felt the tip of the Shiki's shaft rub against his back entrance. Tohru smiled and hugged the Jinrou tight. "What's wrong, Natsuno?" he asked softly, "You're not scared are you?" He gently stroked a hand through Natsuno's hair.
Natsuno shook his head. "Hardly," he replied, "It's just... This is my first time," he admitted.
Tohru smiled, and caught Natsuno's chin, gently turning the Jinrou to face him. He found Natsuno's typical 'tough guy' act cute, and his uncharacteristic shyness adorably refreshing. Their lips locked in a deep, passionate kiss and Natsuno barley flinched as Tohru entered him.
Tohru began to move his hips, thrusting in and out of Natsuno's entrance. Momentarily, Natsuno began to move with him. They both began to release involuntarily sounds of pleasure as they moved their hips, each gently calling the other's name as they drew closer and closer to climax. They both got that high at the same time. Though it was unnecessary for either of them, they were both breathing rather heavy. For the first time since he rose up, Tohru thought he felt a calm warmth wash over him. Natsuno hugged Tohru tight and nuzzled his face into the Shiki's neck. They both sa sat there, snuggled together, with one singular, carnal thought running through their minds, "MINE!"
Having the blonde's bath supplies before they were reunited had been a cold comfort, but now, he had Tohru himself, and his nostrils we're being flooded with the blonde's familiar scent, only stronger than ever before, and fresh out of the shower. He knew he could rest easy from now on. "I love you, Tohru-Chan," he said quietly.
Tohru held Natsuno tight, almost as if he were afraid this would all go away if he let go. "I love you too, Natsuno."