Mist, Act 10

As soon as Soubi announced that he would give Ritsuka a sponge bath the Zeros made a timely exit. Ritsuka was just lying in bed, confused with a red face, he wasn't really sure how he should react, he wasn't even sure that he understood what Soubi meant. But he got the feeling that it wasn't going to be a good thing for him.

"Bye-bye Ritsuka!"

"Try to keep your ears on!" the twins called as they made a hasty leave, grabbing umbrellas at the last minute. It was unpredictable where they were off to, they just didn't want to be involved in whatever was about to happen. Soubi, though, was glad they left on their own, he was going to kick them out anyway. It seemed doubtful that he would be able to get Ritsuka to cooperate with something like this, but even less so if the troublesome ones were in the room.

But when the Zeros mentioned Ritsuka's ears in such a way Soubi's memories started acting up. Retelling the words he would never be able to forget,

'By the way, I hope you realize that Ritsuka's ears are not yours, surely you wouldn't forget a thing like that. All of him belongs to me.'

Seimei's words and orders always stuck in his mind.

Soon Soubi would tell Ritsuka about Seimei's threat of further attacks, Ritsuka had asked him with such sincerity after all. And he needed to know what was going on too. No matter how much Soubi may want to hide Seimei from Ritsuka it was becoming impossible. They both had to face him, together. But he would definitely leave out that particular part of Seimei's dialogue. Soubi knew Ritsuka would not be able to grasp the thought of his own brother claiming ownership over his ears, his virginity.

Soubi pushed away his memories and thoughts to see Ritsuka looking at him expectantly, wondering when Soubi would explain the situation or at least when he would snap out of his daze.

'In the past, Soubi never zoned out, not in front of me. When he was painting, sometimes he blocked out his surroundings, but that was concentration. Now he does the opposite of that, it is scary to see him so far away. His body is right next to me but even touching him would mean nothing if his mind isn't there to respond. Soubi is still hurting. Right now my body is in pain but I'm sure that pain I am feeling is so much less than whatever thoughts are paining Soubi. I think something else happened, when he came back from my house he seemed even worse… He almost was acting... like that time he came to me and begged me to run away with him, the day I gave him a key. Only now there is a lot more fear added to it. He ran up to me as if he had expected to come home and see me dead on the floor. My injuries aren't bad enough that I would've suddenly died from them, but sometimes, I think Soubi exaggerates things. Especially about me. I hope he can heal soon, I hope I will know how to help.'

While Ritsuka was in his own daze of thoughts, he hadn't noticed that Soubi broke free of his. Soubi had gotten up to grab some towels, soap, and other things he would need. When he came back to Ritsuka he set the things down on the bed and swooped Ritsuka into his arms.

"Come here, Ritsuka." Soubi whispered into his ear.

"Wh-what do you mean! I-I'm right here, aren't I? Where do you expect me to go?"

Soubi didn't answer Ritsuka's stammering, he just planted a kiss on the boy's cheek, and carried him off. Soubi set him down in the small bathroom, left, and shut the door wordlessly. Ritsuka was more than a little confused. 'So what? He just says something weird and confusing then leaves me in another room? No, not only another room! He just wanted me to pee!' Ritsuka's thoughts left him unhappily groaning.

Soon after, he was grumbling at the door, "Sooou-bi, get over here! I'm done." Soubi peeked through the door at his adorable Sacrifice. He knew that usually when Ritsuka yelled it was just to hide his embarrassment, unless he was serious about something.

"Yes, Kitten." Soubi greeted, Ritsuka's cat ears flattened down on his head as soon as he heard the voice.

"Soubi…" Ritsuka mumbled unhappily, before he could say anything else Soubi had scooped him back up. He placed Ritsuka sitting upright on the bed and sidled in behind him.

"Huh?" Ritsuka yelped as he felt Soubi's body behind his. "What are you doing?"

Soubi stretched his legs out around Ritsuka, with a graceful bend at his knees. He leaned forward coming closer to Ritsuka for a moment. "It's alright," he reassured with a tender kiss to the crook of Ritsuka's neck.

Ritsuka swallowed his apprehension and nodded slightly. He couldn't stop wondering what was going to happen. Soubi had been rather silent this whole time so Ritsuka was quite lost in the situation. It was true that he needed to bathe, Ritsuka would admit that much. And former experience, he recalled that taking a bath with open cuts would hurt. He was almost wincing as he remembered the many times he had made the foolish mistake of getting in the tub with a wound.

Soubi soaked a washcloth in a basin of water near his side. And Ritsuka watched, feeling detached, as the fabric absorbed the water from the shallow bowl. "…Soubi," he said, not sure himself if he was asking a question or not, it felt more like he was testing the familiar name.

Wordlessly, Soubi lathered soap onto the cloth and brought it to Ritsuka's already bare back, above where the bandages had been but no longer were hiding his skin, and gently rubbed. Swirls of bubbles formed on his skin, trailing behind the wet cloth.

Ritsuka closed his eyes and succumbed to the motions, he couldn't even ask what Soubi was doing any more. The warm water just felt so nice that he didn't even care. It was soothing after lying in bed for so long. Each time he let out a breath his stomach happily swirled around and his tail flicked. All he could think about were the warm hands on his back and the water dribbling down from them.

Soubi was transfixed as well, lost in distracting both himself and Ritsuka from their harsh reality. He was captured in his own movements, lost in a trance. Ritsuka's ears were perked up high, giving away his emotions of surprise and comfortable happiness but he didn't even notice it. Soubi continued to advance the cloth lower and lower down Ritsuka's back, cleaning and massaging the boy. As Soubi neared Ritsuka's pant line he slid his hands around to Ritsuka's front just above it, they glided along his lower torso in a dominating hug. At the same time, he pulled his body closer.

"S-Sou..Soubi?" Ritsuka whimpered, he couldn't truthful say he hated being held but it was making him a bit nervous.

"Mmm?" Soubi replied with a kiss to Ritsuka's neck. Ritsuka felt a brush of lips sending that familiar metallic pang across his stomach. Soubi moved his hands to the button on Ritsuka's pants.

The warm arms circling around him, the strong body pressed against him, the kisses, Ritsuka was probably as distracted and blissful as he could be. But he wasn't so distracted as to not notice Soubi undoing his pants button from behind. And it scared him a bit.

"Ah..h.. Sou.. Don't do.. that!" Ritsuka tried to protest as he wriggled around trying to free himself. But Soubi was everywhere, completely circled around him.

"Why not..?" Soubi whispered in his ear, trailing a small cat-lick behind his words. He slipped the button out of its spot and moved for the zipper.

"Mmn Ritsuka..." Soubi mumbled in the boy's ear, watching his blush rise.

Ritsuka couldn't do anything, short of being violent, to stop Soubi. Or maybe if he tried a little harder to stop him... 'Soubi would never do anything to me I don't want..' Ritsuka thought reassuringly. 'But then.. he seems to know a whole lot more about what I want then I do.' Ritsuka shivered, and Soubi brought his body closer, finally sliding down the zipper.

Soubi placed his hands back on Ritsuka's side and couldn't resist placing more kisses on his neck. One, two, he couldn't bring himself to move away as he sucked on the last kiss. Caressing the soft skin in his mouth. 'Ritsuka..'

"Wah!.. Soubi don't…" Ritsuka pleaded as his blush invaded more and more of his body.

Ignoring Ritsuka's protests was almost heart breaking, he knew not to do something when his master was against it. And Soubi didn't intend to do anything to Ritsuka if he didn't want it. But he knew Ritsuka's negative pleadings were more like he was asking for more than saying to stop. He knew the boy wasn't going to ask to be hugged and held closely and kissed and given full attention anytime soon. The hesitation in his voice and the lean of his body into Soubi's all gave away Ritsuka's pleasure.

Soubi stopped his kiss eventually and moved his hand around to Ritsuka's back, where his washing had idled, trailing his fingertips along the edge of Ritsuka's pants. Soubi's hands dipped beneath the edge of them and into the underwear, in the back, causing a short groan to form in Ritsuka's mouth. He quickly closed his mouth before the sound completely escaped him, but Soubi heard.

It made him want to stop and go further all at once. Ritsuka was somehow enjoying it. He had even stopped pushing Soubi away, his hands now gripping Soubi's forearms. Soubi couldn't deny how much he loved Ritsuka, how much he wanted to become closer with him and know his entire body and every moment it could make. But right now he didn't mean to do anything sexual to the boy. He almost felt that he had gone too far, he had been teasing a bit too much and indulging himself as well, but he was true to his intentions. And they weren't bad.

A smile crossed his lips as he trailed his hand back up the small of Ritsuka's back, a tail in between his fingers. He had looped it out of the tail hole in Ritsuka's pants and pulled it out, freeing it from the fabric that his the base. Soubi began cleaning the tail, now having more access to it.

It didn't sink in for Ritsuka until Soubi was rubbing shampoo into the tail and scratching his nails along it softly.

"T-that's why?..." Ritsuka asked, extremely embarrassed and astonished. He was mortified with himself. 'What had I been thinking! Why did that feel so nice?'

"Why what, Ritsuka?" Soubi asked deviously as he played with Ritsuka's now limp tail and rubbed the soap in. He was completely aware that he had given the boy the wrong idea, it was more enjoyable this way. He had an excuse to drag himself away from the boy's body now.

"You.." Ritsuka growled, he had been made a complete fool, having had the wrong idea about Soubi undoing his pants and not even stopping it. No, not just that, he enjoyed it.

"I'll take them off for real next time, all you had to do was ask," Soubi whispered in his ear, never giving up on his game of teasing. Neither of them took his words seriously though Ritsuka had a slight doubt.

Soubi's whispers were met with a hand in the face, pushing him away. "You pervert!" Ritsuka complained loudly.

"Am I?" Soubi asked as he rubbed the shampoo into lower parts of Ritsuka's tail, gently massaging the base of his tail where it ended right at the bottom of Ritsuka's back. Soubi grabbed the washcloth to rinse it off and stroked the tail, once it was clean he stroked the base again. Just like he was petting a kitten. Ritsuka's tail rose in contentment with Soubi's pets.

"St-stop that, Soubi!" Ritsuka yelled as he tried to gain control of his appendage again. He sent water flicking into Soubi's face with the tip of his tail.

"Fine, fine," Soubi said not sounding as displeased as he normally would. He wiped the water off his face and chuckled quietly. Soubi then dried off Ritsuka's back.

Suddenly, it seemed to Ritsuka, Soubi disappeared from behind him, setting down his towel, and was pushing him down on his back.

Ritsuka let out a delayed yelp once he was already down on the bed, with Soubi kneeling over top of him.

"Soubi.." Ritsuka groaned in a complaining voice, "Can't you just do this like a normal person would?" Ritsuka wasn't entirely sure that 'normal' people would even be doing something like this but he figured the argument was worth an attempt.

Soubi let off a dazzling smile and said, "Well that wouldn't be any fun for either of us, would it?" Ritsuka liked seeing Soubi like that, smiling playfully like he was actually enjoying things. Soubi leaned down and gave Ritsuka a kiss, full on his lips. Ritsuka's eyes fluttered closed and he was drawn in, he started kissing back. His smaller lips moved timidly against Soubi's.

He broke off, startled. "Ah! Soubi!" Ritsuka yelled at him as he pulled away hiding his embarrassment, "Wha-what was..."

"Oh, but you kissed me too." Soubi said innocently as he placed one more kiss on Ritsuka's blushing cheek.

"Di-did... not.. It wasn't…" Ritsuka tried arguing but Soubi was already pretending not to listen as he wet the washcloth with more soap and water.

"Close your eyes if it displeases you." Soubi whispered.

Ritsuka wasn't exactly displeased but he was very embarrassed so he complied and closed his eyes.

Soubi cleaned off Ritsuka's arms, dipping around the curves as if he had a paintbrush, not a cloth, in his hands. As he cleaned the shoulders he added pressure to his fingertips, massaging the tight muscles. Ritsuka melted in his hands. Muscles seemed to relax as soon as he touched them, leaving the kneading almost unnecessary. Soubi took extra care washing along the collar bone. The graceful curve of Ritsuka's collar entranced him. It was a bone Soubi had always admired. He placed a kiss in the dip of Ritsuka's collar and moved lower. He took a towel in his hands to cover the sutured scars as he cleaned.

Ritsuka's small ribs protruded for his skin ever so slightly, the beautiful curves let Soubi forget how unhealthy it was, but only for a moment.

"Ritsuka." He softly cried as he cleaned around the broken body.

Ritsuka said nothing in response, he merely kept his eyes shut and lay still, suddenly wondering where to place his arms. The felt awkward and artificial hanging off of his body, like they belonged somewhere else. Where, he did not know.

Soubi cleaned carefully around Ritsuka's first nipple, just a sensitive bump on his skin but there was a scar cutting right into it. He moved onto the second, right above his heart. Soubi circled around the tip, cupping it in the cloth with two fingers, he would've liked to think that he didn't know the reason for his actions but he couldn't ignore the jolt he felt in his own chest as he received a reaction from Ritsuka. His flushed face and surprised scowl and the faster beating of his heart.

"Mmn." Soubi pressed his lips against Ritsuka's chest. "Here is your heart," he whispered, hot breath pressuring Ritsuka's skin. "Do you feel it beating? I do…" Soubi pressed a kiss onto the skin that was heated with a blush.

Ritsuka didn't respond, he didn't know how, he felt pathetic. Succumbing to all this, enjoying it all but doing nothing but lie. What could he do? How should someone act? Especially in his condition and Soubi didn't seem to be complaining any.

Soubi licked downward, trapping the small nipple in his tongue. Swirling around it slowly and placing short kisses around.

Suddenly Ritsuka's arms found an answer, a comfortable position, wrapped around Soubi.

x

Kio hadn't heard from his friend in days. Bad news. Texts sent to Soubi had been unanswered for exactly 3 days. Kio stared vacantly at the last message he had from Soubi, 'Talk to you later, goodnight.'

"Hmmph! Some, talk to you later. It's much past then." His irritated voice was clearly inflicted with concern. "That does it! I'm going over! If he won't come to me I'll have to come to him." Kio left his apartment, and unfinished painting project, with a determined air. He just couldn't concentrate on a thing while unsure of Soubi's condition.

As always he crashed into Soubi's apartment without concern for privacy. Any man who ate, slept, bathed, and entertained children in the same room certainly could put up with his best, and only, friend charging in unannounced.

Kio's exuberant cries of entry died on his lips at the scene before him. Soubi, his dear, earless, adult Soubi, on top of an innocent child. Hugging... kissing on… a naked… Kio was at the biggest loss for words, if he hadn't come then! That poor boys ears! Oh the ears!

"AGATSUMA SOUBI!" Kio yelled, the rarity of Soubi's full name clarifying his anger.

Even at the sound of the door slamming open, Soubi was reluctant to leave his position. But the arms, oh the arms that had amazingly wrapped around him in response, left. Soubi lifted his head up slowly, his tongue leaving skin as hesitatingly as possible, before looking at Ritsuka. Ritsuka's eyes were trained at the front door and he wore a shocked expression, like he couldn't believe who had just entered the apartment. Or rather, what they had seen.

Soubi still leaned over top of Ritsuka, trying to salvage every last bit of what suddenly flew out the door when it opened.

Soubi's name was angrily yelled out followed by spews of accusations. "Sou-chan you pervert! What are you doing? A naked brat! If you were that desperate why didn't you come to me?"

Soubi pushed himself, reluctantly, away from Ritsuka and glared at his only friend coldly. "Get out." Soubi decided he would be getting a new lock, and giving no one but Ritsuka the key. Everyone else could wait on the porch for him for all he cared.

Ritsuka wanted to scramble away, but he couldn't even get the feel- the feel of Soubi, out of his mind.

"Like hell I would leave you now! That brat'll loose his ears in no time!" Kio shrieked back, all concern for his friend was momentarily replaced with concern for a certain young boy and Soubi's seemingly strange fetishes.

Soubi growled back, almost yelling, "I would never…" Suddenly, he realized it. He knew he had let himself slip. He tried to put his face back to sorts. "Kio, Ritsuka is not a brat," he said much more calmly.

Soubi had seemed like a lion hungrily defending his prey from others when he growled out. Something Kio had never seen. "Soubi.." Kio called softly as he walked closer, "What's..?"

Kio was interrupted, "It's not..." Soubi sighed, hating having to explain himself, "not that. Please leave Kio."

Soubi's forlorn voice was convincing enough, but Kio still wanted answers. He started protesting but was once again cut off. "An hour Kio. Go buy something for dinner, I'll explain everything when you get back." Knowing Soubi he most definitely would not explain everything but Kio was hopeful. And he wasn't sure how else to take in the situation. It seemed the arguing with Soubi wasn't going anywhere.

Kio slowly backed up. "If that brat…"

"Ritsuka is not a brat," Soubi interrupted.

"..Better have his ears when I come back!"

Soubi glanced at Ritsuka with a small wink, and dismissed Kio.

Kio noisily shut the door. Soubi nuzzled into Ritsuka chest, murmuring apologies.

"Sou-bi," Ritsuka whined brokenly, he was overcome with embarrassment, not to mention a bit of shock.

"Sorry Ritsuka." Soubi murmured one last time. Soubi continued cleaning but it wasn't as enjoyable with Ritsuka in such a mood. Soubi finished up his torso and hesitantly moved onto Ritsuka's previously unbuttoned pants. His hands were unseductively poised to remove the pants and Soubi paused, fully predicting the protests.

"… Soubi..."

Soubi looked up into Ritsuka's eyes.

"Do you... have to?"

It didn't bother Soubi to see Ritsuka naked. But of course it would bother the boy to be lying on his bed naked and vulnerable. Soubi wanted him to feel safe. He shouldn't have to feel weary with him. But how was he even supposed to convince Ritsuka? He couldn't force the boy out of his clothing, it didn't matter if that meant him being left uncleaned, Soubi wouldn't go that far.

"Would you rather I save it for Kio to do when he gets back? Or, I think the Zeros wouldn't mind." He wasn't entirely serious but he couldn't bring himself to joke around either.

Ritsuka's mind pondered the suggestion- quickly. Kio, would be... weird, he barely knew the man, also an adult, Ritsuka definitely wasn't going to feel comfortable being touched by him. The Zeros... wouldn't be 'safe', Ritsuka wasn't even sure that Soubi would really allow them to do that. They were his friends but sometimes a little too mischievous.

The look on Ritsuka's face voiced agreeance or at least he gave in.

"Let's…" Soubi didn't want this to end badly. Ritsuka without pants on, or even with, was tempting, even with the crushed mood. But Soubi wasn't about to do anything like that. He just knew and worried about Ritsuka not being comfortable in such and exposed state. "I'll start on the back, okay?" Soubi hoped it would be enough of a compromise.

Ritsuka nodded as Soubi rolled him over, he was glad to be able to bury his head in the sheets and clean towels. Soubi tugged his pants off and tossed them in the pile of other 'laundry'. He took Ritsuka's underwear off at the same time, trying not to think about what he was doing and constantly reminding himself that he had no ulterior motives. The fact that he had to tell himself that made him doubt his thoughts even more.

Soubi lathered soap onto Ritsuka small thighs, calves and lastly his butt. He partially wished the situation hadn't come to such a complete halt, he still lusted for the feelings from earlier. He quickly finished the back and lowered himself over Ritsuka. He was careful to displace his weight and reminded himself, in all closeness, to stay calm. He needed to be in control of himself for Ritsuka's sake.

"Ritsuka.." Soubi whispered, brushing his cheek against the boy's. "I love you," he paused, "This is ok?"

Ritsuka gulped at the words and nodded, his face unintentionally rubbing back against Soubi's.

"Good." Soubi spoke as he slipped his arms underneath Ritsuka's body, and flipped them both over at the same time. He hugged the completely naked boy on top of him close. Not wanting to let go. Minuets passed.

"I don't want... to let go." Soubi cooed in Ritsuka's ear.

"Soubi.. Let go," Ritsuka said, not actually wanting him to but wanting to get it all over with.

"Ritsuka's wish… is my command. Though, I don't like Ritsuka's wish very much." Soubi joked with one last squeeze, the supple body melting in his arms.

Soubi's touch had suddenly become impersonal, his familiar warm hand acting as though it belonged to a stranger as it washed over Ritsuka's lower body. He willed his bloody senseless, completely detached himself.

Ritsuka didn't feel any surprising emotions from Soubi's touch, just as the man intended. If anything he felt embarrassed that Soubi had to act that way. So impersonal, so distant.

"Soubi.." Ritsuka reached up and touched the man's cheek for a moment. He voiced apologies through his eyes. Soubi gave a languid smile and slipped a clean pair of boxers on Ritsuka before cleaning his legs.

"Ritsuka.." Soubi collapsed and lied down between Ritsuka's body and arm, suddenly exhausted.

"Soubi, stay awake." Ritsuka prompted, he didn't want to be left half naked, half cleaned, and on top of that have the others walking in to see a man twice his size cradled against him like a child.

"Keep me awake then." Soubi's lips were suddenly taken in. He was surprised at Ritsuka's sudden kiss, something that really never happened. So he explored it, pressing back against Ritsuka and parting his lips over Ritsuka's ever so slightly, loving every bit. He was fully awakened, an icy feeling pumped through his veins.

"Th-that was.. it was o-only to wake you up!" Ritsuka blurted as soon as the kiss broke off. He hadn't really intended to kiss Soubi, it sort of just... happened. Like his body moved on its own.

"It," Soubi said, "woke me up." He got up from the bed, dragging himself away from Ritsuka, and began cleaning Ritsuka's legs with a new vigor. Every few minutes he stole a look into Ritsuka's eyes, causing Ritsuka to look away with blush. Soubi smiled a sweet smile, and Ritsuka was relieved to see him in good moods.

As it happened, Soubi graced Ritsuka's legs with many, many small kisses in return. Venturing far up into his thighs and down to his tender ankles. Eventually Soubi dried off Ritsuka's newly cleaned legs.

"Just your face and hair now," Soubi said advancing closer to Ritsuka's face from over top. Soubi's heart was beating fast, his feelings pulsing through icy veins. "I will have to clean here.." He said softly as he brushed hair from Ritsuka's forehead and kissed there. "..And here." He moved on to each pink cheek. Ritsuka blushed more and more each small kiss. "..And here," he said lastly with a deep kiss to Ritsuka's lips punctuating his sentence. Soubi deepened the kiss hungrily and pulled away with smaller voracious nips and kisses.

"Ritsuka, you're so young, so small."

Ritsuka blushed slightly, confused at the change in topic, and still overwhelmed by kisses. 'Soubi is right..'

"Soubi is this... is this wrong?" Ritsuka ventured. Since they met Soubi's kisses had morphed from forced, to so called 'friendly', and eventually turned to… this. Ritsuka always got taken away in the moments, never pondering the dangerousness of their relationship. Whatever it was. It was hardly ever normal that's for sure. Soubi was just Soubi. Did it need another name? But still, relationship or none Ritsuka knew he was confused and unsure about every move Soubi made.

Soubi stopped kissing and looked Ritsuka in the eyes seriously, "It is only wrong if you are displeased." And then he said with a pleading look, "You only have to ask me to stop.." The fierce lion he previously resembled was now a nervous cub.

Ritsuka looked away, knowing he had no choice but to say something he didn't want to. "That's not.. I don't mean it like that. I-it's fine. J-just go ahead and wash my hair now.. okay?"

Soubi nodded, somewhat reassured and resumed the position behind Ritsuka, tangling their legs together as he washed the boys hair.

Ritsuka was reluctant, unsure, instead of deciding what was happening to him he just wanted to sleep. The issue being, he wanted to sleep in Soubi's arms. So, he just closed his eyes as Soubi massaged shampoo into his hair, concentrating on the movement of his fingers.

x

x

A/n: 3/16 Hello! Thanks for all your support – through my slowness too!

Edited: Writing- 3/16/12