Disclaimer: Get Backers is not mine. The story is fictional and all similarities to people and events in real life are coincidences.

The Man In Your Dreams

Chapter Three: Mistakes

Kazuki lay awake that night. It wasn't unusual for Ban to tell him to room with Juubei. Sleeping together was not very easy to justify when they were all together like this. It wouldn't do either of them any good if anybody noticed...

Kazuki frowned bitterly at the thought of him and Ban being so ashamed of their relationship. He wondered if he could find the courage to give up any of the few things he had come to know and love for Ban. And if he did, would Ban do the same?

Ban never said "I love you."

He buried himself even deeper into his blanket and hugged himself sadly. Maybe Ban didn't feel strongly enough for Kazuki to say those words. Besides, Ban was the type to only say things he meant. Maybe Ban didn't want to say those words, because if he did, he wouldn't mean it.

"Itomaki?"

The string wielder recognized the Jagan master's voice and so he turned to face the door to their room. He didn't stand up because he didn't want to approach Ban. He might lose his resolve and cry and he wouldn't be able to explain his reasons to Ban.

"Sweet dreams, Yarn Ball," despite the distance, Ban looked directly into Kazuki's eyes to emphasize that his wish for his lover was true.

As Ban walked away, Juubei came into the room wearing a light green yukata. The blind protector greeted Ban curtly before entering the sleeping quarters he shared with Kazuki. He did not, however, lie down on the futon Kazuki had so thoughfully laid out for him. Instead, the healer knelt beside Kazuki and began stroking his roommate's hair.

"Something's troubling you," Juubei said simply knowing full and well that Kazuki would never say anything unless he made it clear that he noticed. "I can feel that you're bothered by something."

But this time, Kazuki could not answer so easily. He desperately wanted to tell Juubei about Ban, but Juubei was the last person he wanted to lose in the worst case scenario that Juubei couldn't understand. "It's nothing," Kazuki replied softly. "I'll be fine."

"Well then, I have something to tell you," Juubei blushed slightly and turned away from Kazuki.

Kazuki pushed his blanket down his body, which was clothed in a white yukata, to allow him more freedom in movement. He took Juubei's large tanned hands into his own fair white ones, "What is it?"

Juubei rarely said anything to Kazuki about his feelings, although the latter knew Juubei enough to guess his moods. Needless to say, Kazuki was intrigued.

Since words could not fully express him, Juubei opted to use action to convey his feelings. He tipped Kazuki's chin up and kissed the master of strings deeply.

Kazuki was too shocked to respond or reject his best friend.

"I love you, Kazuki, and I know you need me, too," Juubei whispered into Kazuki's ear harshly after breaking off the kiss. He began trailing kisses down Kazuki's bare neck. "But perhaps I need you more because I would die if you were taken from me."

Confusion made Kazuki lightheaded and he couldn't do anything but accept Juubei's advances. He cared for Juubei very much, but his romantic feelings for Ban far outweighed his romantic feelings for his protector. But it seemed much more logical for him to be with Juubei since with Ban, there was no real assurance.

How was he to know if Ban loved him?

"Juubei..." Kazuki moaned as the blind healer pushed the collar of his clothing off his shoulders to rain gentle kisses on his newly bared skin. He placed his hands on Juubei's chest trying to decide on whether to push or to pull.

Juubei eased him down onto the futon and Kazuki couldn't help but guide his partner as he maneuvering them into the right position. Habit, perhaps.

A gentle hand began caressing Kazuki's inner thigh through his clothing. During a brief moment of clarity, he realized he had lost his voice. He couldn't find the words to stop Juubei. They had already gone too far for him to stop what was happening without hurting his protector immensely.

Another long lingering kiss as Juubei undid the knot of Kazuki's yukata, baring Ito no Kazuki's entire body to the cool night air. Juubei's skilled fingers wrapped around Kazuki's already erect manhood and stroked it lightly, teasingly. With his other hand, the needle user untied his own yukata baring himself to the object of his affections.

Kazuki took the sight of Juubei's body in with much admiration. He recognized every muscle and recalled every incident that caused every scar. But all the marks on the well sculpted body made Juubei the perfect Juubei that he was. The irony of imperfections forming perfection, but wasn't that how God worked?

Juubei bent over to kiss Kazuki again, and this time, Kazuki met him halfway. A finger carefully readying Kazuki's opening. There was lubricant. The future uke did not bother to wonder about where the lube came from. And just at the right moment, when Kazuki was ready, Juubei entered him.

Without thinking, Kazuki pulled away from the kiss. He took in a sharp breath, eyes closed tightly. He cried out to the night in pleasure.

"Ban!"

Then Kazuki caught himself and quickly opened his eyes, but instead of finding a very hurt Juubei, he found himself staring up at a very surprised and confused Ban. He noticed that he was still fully clothed. His arousal faded fast as a painful realization washed over him like ice water.

"Itomaki..." Ban tried to plead his case before any accusations were made. Kazuki was sharp, it wouldn't take long for him to figure out what was going on.

Kazuki was shocked and unbelievably angry. "You used the evil eye on me!" he managed to choke out as tears began to fall. "Why?" A question he did not expect to be answered. The sobbing Itomaki ran out of the bedroom.

Haruki happened to choose that moment to pass by. "Kazuki? What's going on?" When he was ignored, he decided to check for himself, so he took a peek into the room Kazuki had emerged from. What he saw was a horrified Ban kneeling beside a hastily abandoned futon.

Did Ban just...

"You were trying to molest Kazuki!" Haruki pointed a condemning finger at Ban. "How could you!" He then rushed off to tell the others, not quite knowing what else to do.

Inside the room, Ban was lost. He had stupid ideas before, but this exceeded the stupidity of them all combined. Hell, it was even far more stupid than all of Ginji's stupid ideas! It was one of the scant few times in his life that Ban felt helpless.