2. sore de ii no dare yori mo taisetsu na anata

(That's fine, for you're my

one and only love.)

Allen and Kanda stood at opposite ends of a spacious stage, flooded with limelight. Show time. They could hardly see each other through the flash photography, so they did not try. Rather they gazed off into opposite directions as the first few piano notes trilled, nervous and bright, followed by the heartbeat boom of the drums. "Let it go," they whispered, as if in mutual encouragement.

The trill of the piano, now crying with eagerness.

"Haha, I'm so glad there are lines," Allen laughed backstage before suddenly scowling. "Too bad they're so dumb. But it's better than not knowing what to say."

So there was no lag in their on-stage conversation. Back and forth they traded their pretty words of desire, Allen with virginal sweetness, Kanda with a cautious passion. And slowly they advanced toward each other, skirting and circling, glancing back and forth and turning demurely (or gruffly) away.

Under the lights that leached colors to a surreal paleness, on the platform that elevated them from the awkward reality of the world, before an audience's charmed gaze, Kanda and Allen courted a real love.

"This is no reoccurring dream," Allen sang. "Unmistakably you and me have become we."

"The instant we touch, we can't go back," Kanda replied. "But that's alright, for my-my-my..." A cold sweat erupted along the back of Kanda's neck, trickled down his bare body. It sparkled under the stage lights.

Allen nodded encouragingly, the music continued to play though Reever faltered at the conductor's stand.

It had been like this during practice too.

"Think of someone you love," Allen said. "I mean I know that might be hard, but just pretend. And then say it."

Kanda growled. Allen didn't seem to understand that that honestly wasn't the problem.

"Come on. Say it with me. Tai-se-tsu-na-"

Kanda opened his mouth.

The longest, and most awkward silence followed.

"No," he snapped. "Change the goddamn lyrics. I can't say it. I can't."

Allen rolled his eyes. "Kanda..."

"How do you say these ridiculous things?" Kanda shot back. "It's humiliating!"

Allen was remarkably serene. He tilted his head to one side and smiled before turning abruptly and walking slowly toward the window. He put his palm flat against the glass; his hands were now outlined with silvery lamplight. Streaks of silver shimmered in his hair. Kanda hesitated before joining him. He did not expect Allen to take his hands, even less to press them to his lips and fall forward into an embrace. Kanda barely stifled his instinct to shove Allen as hard as he could into the mirrors. They had already changed into their costumes, which left them naked from the waist up. Now they held still against each other, exploring the the strangeness of skin on skin. Shivering.

"Well I like you," Allen said. He smiled again, his hair tickling Kanda's chin. "It's easy to tell the truth."

"Are you stupid?" Kanda replied. He could feel fingers running down his spine. He closed his eyes.

"One more time," Allen murmured. "Tai-" he sang.

"Tai," returned Kanda.

"Se." Allen's fingers hovered around Kanda's hips.

"S-se."

"Tsu." Allen's fingers hopscotched up Kanda's impressively-defined abs. Cheekily, Allen's thumb probed Kanda's bellybutton, rubbed gently upwards. He followed each touch with the lightest of kisses.

"Tsuu," Kanda breathed.

"Na." Allen's fingertips teased Kanda's nipples, making him start and hiss. Allen pressed his mouth to Kanda's collarbone: a single, lingering kiss. The hot, wet press of tongue.

"Na—" Kanda replied. He brushed Allen's cheek with a hesitant finger.

"Anata!" Allen belted out, grinning hugely, his voice bright in the darkened room. And his arms were around Kanda's neck and his fingers tangled in that silky black hair, urging Kanda to bend a little as he himself stood on tiptoe, and they kissed, just once, very quickly because Allen immediately pulled away and commanded, like a caricature of a mad dictator, "Say it. Say it, if you want more!"

Kanda moaned. Allen continued dancing away, smiling. The cold absence of that small, warm body against his that calmness he had been feeling, that exquisite peace. The absence of those hands left his skin buzzing with heat.

It would be so simple to scream, "That's disgusting! Why would I want more? Who would ever want to kiss you?" But...

His first kiss. The shock of feeling... Yes, yes, he wanted more.

"Taisetsuna anata," Kanda conceded. "Now get over here."

Allen skipped merrily toward him. The sound of his heels echoed like bells. He stopped a foot away and Kanda found himself moving forward to fill the gap.

"Nope." Allen had held up a teasing hand. "What do you think you're doing? We have to practice!"

Kanda looked at Allen from across the stage, saw the faith and confidence in the boy's eyes, and also a promise. Looking at Allen's parted pink mouth, the words suddenly came much easier. "—one and only love." Kanda sang.

The audience burst into applause.

And Allen and Kanda rushed together, their fingers knotted between them, their hearts beating fast enough to send visible shivers down their bare skin. And they began to sing almost mouth to mouth, the words closing the space between like a kiss, Kanda with his eyes slitted and blushing furiously, Allen, wide-eyed, intent, searching for sincerity:

"Draw me closer, as if we are two magnets,
that even if we separate, we will reunite again.
Let's become one; it's okay not to able to turn back.
It's alright, for my one and only love."

Rose petals began to rain down, scattering around them.

They inhaled each other's want. They felt it in the damp between their palms. Their noses brushed as they leaned in, hungering for just a taste. The erratic piano notes that danced around the skipping drumbeat blasted from the speakers loud enough to send shivers of sensation down both their spines. Heightening frustration.

They were so close, to hold that minute distance took so much strength, it hurt.

The instant the curtain dropped, Kanda pulled Allen into a kiss so deep, they were both dizzy when they finally broke apart.

"My room," Kanda demanded. They kissed again, Allen's tongue slipping between Kanda's teeth.

The pale boy was flushed with heat. "Too far." He licked Kanda's cheek, sucked a wet, slippery line down his neck. He closed his eyes and felt Allen push him against the wall.

Between kisses, they slid to the floor.

"Ikeru toko made ikeba ii yo," Allen sang softly, his voice strange with desire.

"Yes," Kanda replied. "Yes."