Title: Carpe Diem
Pairing: Joshua x Neku
Rating: NC - 17
Summary: After a year of undisturbed peace, a freak accident drags Neku Sakuraba back into the hectic and dangerous UG. This time, however, the stakes are higher not only for the fourth-time Player, but the Composer as well.
Comments: Joint 'fic between Caitlin (Katra on , feverishlove on LJ) and myself.
--oo0oo--
Carpe Diem
Capitulus Sex
Thankfully sleep came much easier for the young orange-haired teen after the events of the night, as surprisingly enough, Joshua even got a decent night's rest - something he hasn't been able to indulge in for many, many years. He felt oddly content, holding onto his little proxy as he finally closed his eyes and embraced sleep. They stayed that way all night, simply laying in each other's warm embrace -
"Oh for fuck's sake - YOU GUYS ARE NAKED!" Sanae's horrified voice nearly shook the building as the Producer opened the door - having expected something to be amiss to begin with, but it seemed that he underestimated his Boss greatly.
Joshua just glared at him and threw his pillow at the older man.
Neku's eyes fluttered openly rapidly at the scream. He sat up and held his head, cursing at how sore his body was. "Something wrong?" he murmured as he rubbed his head. He had a slight head ache and Mr. H's hollering wasn't making it any better. And...
Before either had time to answer Neku pulled a sheet absently over his body and allowed the situation to sink in. Yup, they were pretty much screwed.
Sanae caught the pillow shot at him, but he was still treading on thin ice - although, he wanted Joshua to know he was, too. God, was there nothing sacred anymore? "My sheets better be clean by tonight - and I ain't touchin' em."
"Oh? Are you suggesting I do your laundry?" Joshua scowled.
"YES."
Oh well. Time to change the subject. "I'm going to get dressed." He began pulling the covers off his body, waiting for the -
"Fine. I'm leaving." Sanae turned the other way, but not without glaring at the silver-haired Composer. In some sort of miracle, he liked his Boss - but he didn't care to see as much as he figured Neku saw the night before.
Neku sighed and glanced between the two. "You guys have an odd friendship," he muttered to himself and absently toyed with a spike of his hair before watching Mr. Hanekoma leave the room.
When he finally did, the orangey brunet turned to Joshua with a small smirk. "Think he's mad?" he asked sarcastically, stretching some on the bed.
"He's pissed." Joshua snirked. "But he knows better than to get too mad at me." He gave Neku a sly grin, before leaning in towards him and stealing a quick kiss. "He'd be Noise food if he did." Well, actually, that was a lie. He could probably hurt Sanae a good deal if he wanted to, but it's not like that would be without consequence on his part either.
"Nice, Joshua. Threatening to sick noise on your oldest friend," Neku sniggered and shifted to lay on his side so he could fish over the edge of the bed for his clothes. "You know, if I wasn't so strong-willed I'd be kicking your ass for how sore I am."
"Aww, was I too rough on you?" Joshua cooed, sliding his arms over the brunet's shoulders, his voice slightly condescending. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it over time..."
Neku blinked a few times and gingerly began shoving Joshua's arms off. "You weren't too rough," he scoffed. "But think about the dynamics of it and there you go."
"Want me to kiss it to make it feel better?" The Composer teased.
"...Ah, no," Neku decided promptly and shifted away from Joshua to get up and start dressing. "I know you'd like to but...just no."
"Mm, fine." He sighed and flopped backwards back on the cool sheets, sighing. He couldn't believe how well he slept last night... he wondered, for a moment, if it was because of the sex, or the fact Neku was there beside him all now. Hm. A bit too corny of a thought for his tastes. "Oh, that's right..." He pondered aloud and sat back up, grabbing his shirt and sliding it on lazily. "I never talked to you about our plans for today, did I?"
"No?" Neku looked over at Joshua, a few feet away from the bed by this point. He was sliding on his shirt and ironing out the wrinkles with his hands--and failing at it.
Joshua simply hummed for a bit, standing up only to pull his pants back on, then stretched leisurely and placed a hand on his hip. "We're going to be doing some training, so you can help us fight the Angels." He said with a smile.
"I can fight quite well, thanks," Neku scoffed and pulled on his boxers and then pants, working on fixing his belts with haste. He bit his bottom lip in concentration as his fingers attempted to slip the belt into the loop it was supposed to so it would hang loosely.
"We know you can - very well." The Composer walked over to the other teen, hands in his pockets now. "But I won't be able to keep you on training wheels forever, Neku. I use so little power in this form, you can't feel it - but when we fight the Angels, I'll need to use a lot more than what you're used to. Because we have a pact, you will in turn feel that difference, so we need to make sure you're prepared for it."
Neku nodded slowly. "So we're basically just teaching me how to withstand that much power and not my combat skills?" he asked slowly and ran a hand through his untamed hair.
"That about sums it up. Think you can handle it?" He smirked, giggling slightly.
"Sure, why not. I've dealt with a lot of the crap here, why not something new?" he joked and leaned back against the small bureau in Sanae's room. He closed his eyes briefly and allowed the
quietness of the room to engulf him.
"Well then, why don't we go grab our disgruntled Producer and get started?" Joshua clapped his hands once, stepping forward to grab Neku's hand, and happily began to drag him out of the room. He didn't want to make his partner any more than he already was, so he purposely neglected to say that they needed to hurry, since he and Sanae were able to pinpoint the Angels' routes throughout Shibuya, and a few have already spotted the Cafe - of course the shield erected around it helped shield their energy, but it was really only a matter of time until they're found. Perhaps a day, two at most.
"Sanae, are you done pouting?" Joshua called as they walked down the stairs.
"Cut the crap, Boss." Was the annoyed reply he received. He sounded angry, but not nearly as much as he was before. Meaning he'd probably let them both off the hook shortly.
When they arrived at the main floor, Neku rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand a bit wearily. He'd have to make sure to strip Mr. H's bed of the 'destroyed' sheets before he and Joshua were burned to death on the stake...or in a large coffee pot. He cringed at both thoughts.
"He'll be done pouting when you're done being a pompous know it all, Josh," Neku pointed out with a calm snicker as he looked towards the Producer with an amused glimmer in his eyes.
"Thank you, Neku." Sanae graciously smiled at the younger teen, but in turn earned a half-hearted glare from the Composer at his side.
"Whose side are you on?" Joshua pointed out, eyebrow twitching slightly in annoyance.
Neku hummed to himself indifferently, stretching his arms above his head in the process. "But Josh, I thought we all were on the same side," he teased lightly and stepped away from his partner and headed over to the counter to take a seat at one of the stools.
Joshua just gave the brunet a look that only Sanae could translate easily into "I am so not going easy on you" - probably referring to the training Neku will be put under shortly. The Producer knew how fun it must be to tease his Boss in such a way with the privilege of not being erased at first insult, but Neku should really learn when and when not to tone it down, lest he get hurt. Or maybe he was a masochist. Hell if he knew.
"So... did you brief Phones on our plans for today?" Sanae asked casually, leaning back against the counter said teen sat at on one of the stools. Joshua nodded.
"Yeah. I'm pretty sure I'm up for it today. Haven't had that much practice in fighting lately, with the whole being alive ordeal, but I'm up for it." He leaned his cheek into his palm and flicked his gaze calmly between the pair. "Of course, if I do badly just blame it on Josh." And he totally wasn't implying anything that had happened the night prior.
"Oh believe me, more than just your ass will be-" Joshua began, but was quickly interrupted by his Producer.
"T.M.I. Please, for the love of god, keep that to a minimum. I do not need to know about your sex life, Boss."
Neku shot Joshua a knowing stare. "I'm surprised you're not sore either. I mean," his eyes grew mischievous, as if testing the water with his black-haired idol, "with all that moving and whatnot." Perhaps he was being childish but causing Mr. H to become annoyed or awkward was actually a bit refreshing after all of the seriousness that was around them at the moment.
"I'll never get tired, or sore of having you bottom for me, darling." Joshua smirked evilly. "Just like a good little lapdog."
"So! Why don't I show us to the back room, there's more space available for training." Mr. H replied with annoyance practically dripping from his voice, grabbing Neku by the shoulder and leading him back towards the hallway, glaring at his Boss none too politely.
"Keep dreaming, Josh," Neku called nonchalantly over his shoulder before walking with Mr. Hanekoma, almost amused by the hand on his shoulder. The amusement faded as he was thrust back into reality. Training, right. He needed to train so that he could help the pair against the Angels. So much for a good mood.
Joshua simply hummed a happy tune, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he followed the two in front of him, grinning at the levity the air had, even if it was just for a passing moment. Wildkat had only a few rooms at Sanae's disposal - the back room, where he and Neku so kindly defiled the couch, the bedroom and bathroom upstairs, the storage room, and the door that lead to the Room of Reckoning, nestled as far back in the store as possible. Oddly enough, that was the very door the cafe owner lead the boys to.
"Mind rerouting the portal? Someplace the Angel's haven't touched..." Sanae offered, stepping back to let Joshua handle the job.
"I can create a pocket of temporal space for the time being... but if this door is destroyed in the meantime, we'll be royally screwed. Mind guarding it for me?" The Composer stepped forward, closing his eyes and tapping into his power - at least, as much as he could while still in his RG form. He didn't want to risk doing something like this in his true form - it would probably stun Neku since he hasn't had the time to adjust to his flow of power yet. Lifting a glowing hand, the silver-haired boy grabbed the door handle, causing the outline of it to shine momentarily, before dimming back down to normal. Without any further notice, he opened it, stepping aside and motioning for his partner to step forward. "Ladies first." He smiled sweetly.
"Then shouldn't you be the one going first?" Neku quipped as he managed to keep his cool. Frankly, he had never thought long and hard about how strong Joshua truly was. He had never gone against just him, and he doubted he had ever seen the Composer use his abilities to their max. The orangey brunet shook his head at the thought and decided it'd be best to keep things that way.
Regardless of the prior insult, Neku stepped through the door cautiously, his hand at ready in case he needed to call forth a pin or something to destroy whatever lay behind said door.
Thankfully for him though, once he stepped through the shadows, he found himself in an oddly... normal place. The air in the room had a similar feel to the Shibuya River, and it looked amazingly similar as well. The whole space seemed to mirror the road to Megumi's former hiding place... the Rubicon, was it? It was somehow less dank and didn't have the fragrant smell of... well, sewer things.
"Forgive my lack of creativity, but this should suffice, shouldn't it?" Joshua appeared behind the teen, Sanae not far from them, but once he stepped through, he stayed right where he was, guarding the portal back to WildKat.
"Lucky for you this isn't a creativity contest," Neku agreed with a glance back at Joshua and nodded some. "It should work. If it works for you, then it works for me. You know what the field needs to have, I don't. You're the one that's training me to withstand the power," he pointed out and ran his right hand absently down along his left arm, dispelling the goosebumps that had appeared out of nowhere. Perhaps it was just the room or the anticipation.
Joshua smiled and stepped back a few paces from the boy, letting the almost haunting silence flow through them both. "Let's get started then, shall we?"
And in an instant, a familiar light wrapped around the silver-haired teen's body, allowing him to let go of the weaker RG form he had been keeping up for Neku. The blinding light subsided after a few moments, the ethereal form of the Composer standing with a rather smug look on his face - at least, from what one could see of it.
"Go easy on 'im, Boss." Sanae said in a careful tone. "Use as little power as you can at first. Don't want to scare the poor kid."
Neku chuckled uneasily, eying the Composer with a rather uneasy stare. For some reason he knew, deep down, that he wasn't leaving this room without a few more bruises and scrapes that he had originally started with. He averted his gaze after a moment, the light being too much for his eyes that were accustomed to the dim, tranquil lighting of Wildkat.
Hopefully whatever Joshua was planning wouldn't kill him from a power overload, right? Oh god he was hoping that wouldn't be the case.
"Oh don't worry, dear." The Composer smiled with a condescending tone to his voice. "I'll be gentle. We'll just see how much power you can withstand at rest."
Without warning, the light around the ethereal figure pulse for a moment - and sent a shock through Neku, twice as powerful as Sanae suggested he start at.
Worst case scenario, he faints. Oh well, at least now he can extract a little revenge.
At first Neku didn't feel anything whatsoever, but after a moment, the pulse ran through his body, mingling with his blood and nerves and--and he toppled backwards, his already sore backside hitting the hard ground with a resounding thump. His hand flew up to hold his head, a headache appearing from the sudden onslaught of power. And damn. What ever he had just done was twice as bad as whatever the Noise had ever done to him...
"T-the hell?" he demanded and looked dizzily up at the glowing figure with an unfocused stare.
"Ahh, sorry." The Composer stood there, one hand on his hip, the other raised as he nonchalantly inspected whatever was under his nails. If he had nails. "Must not have been paying attention. Was that too weak?"
Neku rubbed the side of his cheek with his hand vigorously before stumbling to his feet. The headache was fading a bit and he still found it difficult to look straight at Joshua in that form. "...It was fine," he murmured and flexed his hands as the pain from the earlier power dulled.
"Good. Then shall we kick it up a notch?" Joshua smiled with a hint of sadism in his voice, before the light around him pulsed once more, easily sending a ripple of power through Neku that was a good deal more intense - again, he didn't hold back and probably should have made it weaker than he did.
Neku's fingers dug into the soft skin of his palm as he ground his feet into the floor beneath him to withstand the pain. Nope... After a moment he felt his knees shake a bit and lose support. He fell to the ground again, hands and knees greeting the floor beneath him in a deep kiss.
"D-d-damn..." he groaned and shuddered.
"Boss, stop being so hard on him." Sanae groaned, wanting so badly to walk over and help the poor boy up, but he stood right where he was, keeping a constant "hold" on the door. "I know you love being an asshole, but if you keep this up, you're going to erase him."
The Composer chuckled at his Producer's words, as if entertained by the thought - but nonetheless, he stepped forward to the fallen boy, leaning down on one knee as he offered a hand. "You're stronger than this, Neku, I know you are. Now stand up - I'll start more slowly."
Neku eyed Joshua for a moment and shrugged off the hand offered to him. There was no way that he was going to appear weak before his smug partner. With a grunt, he struggled to his feet and rubbed absently at his surely scraped knees. "You know, killing me a third time won't save anything, Josh," he muttered and inhaled deeply, allowing the tingling of the power to fade away once more.
"Which is exactly why I won't be killing you." He grinned in reply, standing up along with the abused teen. With a steady hand he placed his fingers gently, almost tenderly atop Neku's forehead, his voice softer than it was before. "Now... concentrate on my power. The light, the warmth... don't let it just rush in. Greet it, and you won't feel near as much pain. Let it wash over you, not consume you." The ethereal figure closed his eyes, allowing a sliver of energy to pulse through their connection, rhythmic and soft.
Neku inhaled deeply and forced his body to relax. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the trickling of foreign power passing through his body. At first it felt like a gentle prick of electricity but after a moment it turned more into a warm rush of something. He didn't know what the word was entirely to describe it. Perhaps warm water gushing through his body? Or maybe warm light touching his cold skin and seeping in? It felt strangely nice after he got used to it.
"Joshua," he murmured, eyes still shut firmly. He wasn't entirely sure how much more intense this would get but the hand was awfully reassuring and helpful.
"Just like that." The Composer replied softly, retreating his hand and smiling down at his younger proxy. "Now... I'm going to make it a bit stronger... let me know if it's too much for you." Finally with a warning this time, the light pulsed once more and slowly the power between them both began to increase. As much as he loved to tease Neku, it didn't take him long to realize he was uncomfortable knowing he was inducing more pain than necessary for him. After all, the brunet wasn't too comfortable with this too begin with - he didn't want to scare him.
Considering he was prepared this time, Neku focused his mind on the entering power and not on his nerves. His fingers still dug at his own soft palm, making pinpricks of blood surface as he stood steady. His mind was throbbing but he pushed aside the thought of pain and focused on his partner's power. He kept his eyes closed, finding it so much easier to do it this way.
"Neku," The silver-haired man interrupted Neku's train of thought, lessening the flow of energy and gently taking his hand. He was bleeding... not horribly, but apparently he was in enough pain to induce such an injury on himself. "Is this too much for you...?" His voice wasn't condescending - but soft, and concerned.
It sort of freaked Sanae out.
"It's fine, keep going," Neku urged, wincing at the feeling of something touching the self-caused injury. It was minor but still something. "I can handle it," he murmured stubbornly. He wasn't weak and he was going to prove it. Sure, the power was making him dizzy and cringe in pain but at least he wasn't falling over in surprise anymore. If it would save him from future remarks about how little power he could handle, he was willing to endure it.
"I'm not going to push you to do something you're not ready for." He replied, leaning down so he could look at his partner on a more even level. "You let me know when you're ready for me to increase the power. Contrary to what you may think, I don't want to hurt you. At least, not this badly." He did, maybe a little. For different reasons. But he wouldn't go into detail with Sanae within earshot.
Neku grumbled quietly under his breath and gave a slow nod. He allowed the current energy to wash over him, make him dizzy and light-headed, before he parted his lips and murmured out a strained, "Well...go ahead."
Joshua nodded and again began the slight increase in energy, allowing the boy in front of him to adjust on his own time. It seemed like hours passed as they continued this slow uphill struggle, Joshua trying to take it as slow as he could possibly manage; but it didn't take long for his partner to start picking up speed. After the initial shock of something so foreign and, at first, painful... the brunet began to adapt quickly, sometimes surprising the Composer at his willingness to continue. And much to Sanae's surprise, his Boss never once teased the boy after the first painful experience - perhaps he was admiring how strong Neku was, enduring this without once complaining.
"You think you're ready to try activating a Psych now?" Joshua asked calmly, now able to relax and keep a somewhat steady flow of power within their connection without having to worry too much. "Or do you want a break before we try something like that?"
"No break, I'm fine," Neku assured steadfastly with a stiff nod. "And what do you propose I use it on?" he murmured as he struggled to keep a hold on the power. Just continue to do what Joshua said, that was all. Focus on the power and greet it, don't fight it. But god, that was so difficult all of a sudden. "And does it matter which Psych?" he proceeded to ask, being oddly more inquisitive than usual. Perhaps the fear of doing something wrong with this much power afoot scared him just the slightest.
"Well, yes... think of my power as a set of weights. Just standing with it is easier than running with it, wouldn't you agree?" Joshua folded his arms and shifted to favor one leg, watching Neku carefully in case the boy decided to faint. He was looking worse... he must be getting tired. But if he wanted to continue, he won't stop him. They needed to hurry, anyway. "Try something simple... like, Psychokinesis. Try moving ... hm." The Composer looked around, noticing that when he created this pocket dimension, he didn't waste time in creating anything but the walls, so there was nothing to move. "... The pendant on your necklace. That should be easy enough."
"...Just that?" Neku asked, teeth gritting as he attempted to remain in control. "...Well, whatever you say," he murmured to himself before reaching for his pin absently. His fingers curled around the cool metal of the designated pin that would move an object before he attempted to channel some of the power into the Psych so that his pendant would move.
And using power while trying to withstand it all at the same time was harder than it appeared. "D-damn..." he cursed as he gripped the pin harder, focusing on trying to move that blasted thing around his neck and only receiving a slight twitch in response.
"You're a strong kid, Neku. I know you can do this." Joshua actually encouraged him, smiling ever so slightly. Hopefully though, once he gets this down, he'll improve at an exponential speed. He resisted trying to rile the boy up to see if that would get him to work faster at it, but he pushed the thought aside, as tempting as it was.
After a moment of both visibly physical and mental strain, the pendant lifted into the air at around eye-level, threatening to slip up and off his head entirely. He sucked in a deep breath. "Don't call me a kid, Josh," he gritted out afterwards, keeping the pendant afloat as he cracked open an eye weakly.
That earned him an amused giggle - which somehow sounded even creepier in his older form. "To me, dear, you are a kid. No offense intended." He replied with a grin.
Neku rolled his eyes. "Then that makes you a pedophile, hm?" he murmured and absently flipped the coin back and forth in his hand, attempting to keep his necklace's charm afloat as well as control the energy Joshua was giving off.
"Yes, it does." The Composer replied without missing a beat, like it was nothing to be concerned about. "By about 290 years, I'd say."
Neku twitched. "Oh, well that makes me feel so much better," he groaned and tossed Joshua a knowing stare. "Funny you couldn't find yourself a boyfriend to do in that many years."
"I was too preoccupied with more important things. You're the only one that made me feel like I wanted to neglect my job." He gave him a bit of a sad smile, but he easily covered it up. "Well, aside from Sanae - but that's for a totally different reason."
"You complained a lot back when you first became Composer." The usually silent cafe owner said, hands in his pockets as he smoked a cigarette.
"Yeah, but you were a hard ass back before I whipped you into shape." The silver-haired entity replied smoothly.
"Whatever you say, Boss."
Neku snickered some and offered Joshua a somewhat soft look. "I suppose that's your backwards way of telling me that I'm just special," he snickered and put his pin back after a moment, allowing the necklace to drop back into place.
"Gonna take a break, Phones? I really think it would do you some good." Sanae asked from across the room.
With a defeated sigh he nodded at last. "Sure..." he murmured.
"Mm I think we should tell Sanae to leave us alone for a while." The Composer purred and appeared behind Neku, sliding his larger arms around the boy's shoulders, having to lean down to make up for the height difference in this form. He kissed Neku's cheek, but this time the touch was different - it was somehow warmer, and a spark of power accompanied the touch of skin.
"I don't think that requires as rest, Boss." Was the annoyed reply.
Neku shivered at the difference. "Josh..." he warned and tossed Mr. Hanekoma a hesitant look. Was Joshua seriously going to seduce him in front of his Producer? Ahah of course not...right?
Joshua clicked his tongue in an equally annoyed response, sliding his arms off the younger boy and reverting back to his RG form to make sure no extra power slipped through to Neku so he could relax.
The lack of power pulsating through his body ended and he audibly sighed in relief. His tense muscled slackened and he inhaled deeply through his nose. "Much better," he replied absently.
"You're coming along much faster than expected, Phones." Sanae offered, breaking the silence. "Though I don't think it helped that Boss did that to you in the beginning..."
Neku sighed. "When is he ever fair?" he joked and slipped down into a sitting position to further relax.
"Oh come on, I'm just a simple sadist in love." Joshua spoke like there was absolutely nothing wrong with the statement. "He's so cute when he squirms."
"I really worry about you sometimes, Composer. I really do." Sanae replied.
Neku snickered some to himself and looked to Josh with a soft smirk. "If you expose your sadist side too much you won't have anything to be in love with," he hummed casually.
"Oh, I'll make sure you're breathing one way or another" He hummed, stepping back to sit down on... well, nothing. Air. "Can't have you dying on me again, can we?"
"Then you'd not only be a pedophile but you'd be dabbling in necrophilia...which you kinda already are," he mused quietly and shrugged.
"Hey, I'm not technically human, and you're not technically 'dead'. I don't think a lot of fetishes even count anymore." Joshua shrugged it off.
"Seriously you two." Mr. Hanekoma spoke up again.
"Well, that didn't seem to bother either of us last night," Neku stated slowly, glancing out of the corner of his eye to his idol. Why was torturing him so fun again?
"Mm, no it didn't." The Composer couldn't help but grin back in reply, the gaze from his faded eyes slightly suggestive. "And it won't tonight, either"
"If you two are going to have sex with your eyes for the next hour or two, can I go back to the cafe?" Came Sanae's almost pitiful request.
"No." Was his Boss' reply.
Neku sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "It might be safer for his mind at the cafe though, Josh," he murmured in suggestion and looked back over at Joshua, the statement from before not having gone unheard.
Sanae just groaned. "We are on a bit of a time limit here, you know."
"Oh come now. I'm not allowed to make any jokes? Neku's resting - I hardly want to slow his rejuvenation." Joshua spoke in an even tone, serious but still laid back in his odd sort of way. "Tempting as it is." He sent Neku another look.
Neku chuckled quietly to himself and inhaled through his nose. The air wasn't quite as fresh as back in the cafe but he really didn't seem to mind. "I never knew you to resist temptation," he mused quietly as his eyes shut once more.
"Well, there's no way I can screw your brains out if I'm dead." Joshua stated simply, leaning back on his non-existent seat in the air. "...Or if I kill you by force-feeding you power you can't handle because we decided to have sex instead of training."
"Good point," Neku agreed with a grumble and ran his hand idly along the ground beneath him. "Wonder if training would work in that situation though." He smirked to himself. "I mean, it could be interesting if you upped the power..."
"Mm, I'd burn your skin at this point." The silver-haired boy chuckled. "You're still not quite used to it enough to withstand physical contact while I use my power." He couldn't help but pause and widen his smirk, something obviously indecent roaming through his mind. "I dunno though, the thought is appealing to my inner sadist... to hear you scream my name, begging and pleading Ahh, you would look so cute."
Neku shuddered slightly at that thought. "I can only imagine all the things you'd do to my perfectly unscarred skin," he murmured and inwardly rolled his eyes keeping them firmly shut. After a moment of silence, though, he slipped open his eyes and gazed towards the Composer.
The Composer returned the gaze for a moment, before once again he stood to his feet, light swirling faintly amidst his steps. "Are you ready to continue your training then?" He placed one hand on his hips in a leisurely fashion, shifting his weight to one leg, giving his partner a bit of a smile.
Neku surveyed his partner for a lengthy minute before nodding and curtly getting to his feet. "Which training are we talking about..." he joked quietly and wiped off the dirt that had collected on his pants before murmuring in a whisper towards his partner, "...master?"
Joshua had been, albeit almost painfully, keeping his hormones in check even through the suggestive conversation they had - partially for the sake of his Producer's sanity, and partially because he knew very well he needed to train Neku before the Angels found them. As much as he disliked it, they really didn't have the luxury of... 'flirting' like this.
But dear lord, at the whisper Neku gave him, Joshua nearly felt his heart skip and his face flush. What the--? All of the sudden, like this... "Damn it, Neku..." The Composer grit his teeth, stepping forward and leaning in so close his breath fluttered against his partner's ear. "Don't tempt me."
"At least I know what turns you on now," Neku whispered back with a slight flush despite his smug demeanor. He felt chills dance down his spine at the other's breath and he attempted to remain nonchalant for his, Joshua's, and Sanae's sake because he highly doubted that Mr. H would survive watching two teenager boys rip each other's clothes off at random.
"And to think I'm actually enjoying this with you. People do change, huh?" Neku laughed quietly under his breath to Joshua. He gingerly moved his hand to push his hair behind his exposed ear, making certain to brush the appendage against the Composer's hand.
With a sharp intake of breath, Joshua found himself, surprisingly, at Neku's mercy with his flirtatious touches that left his skin tingling in a sensual fashion. Lord... he wanted to take his partner right then and there, all too eager to hear him scream the title so affectionately (albeit unexpectedly) given to him not moments before. Perhaps... Perhaps that could be a sort of training, right? It would certainly be physical strain, and if he was in his true form, it would be-
No. No, no, no. Neku needed to learn how to use Psychs as well as physical bombardment - not just one. Even if he was learning faster than expected, and he was getting the hang of Psychs...
Oh, screw it. He'll be damned if he has to fight the Angels with a hard-on all because Neku just had to tease him like this. "Sanae," Joshua said with a rather nonchalant expression, surprised at his own ability to keep the lust in his voice down to such a minimum. "Neku and I will be engaging in a... special training activity. Be a dear and guard the portal from inside the cafe, will you?"
The Producer frowned, about to roll his eyes and make a snide remark at that, but decided that he valued his life and kept his mouth shut. Neku has been working non-stop for quite some time... it probably wouldn't hurt to do something a little more... fun? Mental health was important, too. Joshua was the Composer - he knew what he was doing.
He hoped.
"'Aight, Boss." Was all he replied, before he stepped through the seemingly tangible wall to his side and disappeared from sight.
Neku was rather surprised at this drastic change in Joshua. Moments before the Composer had been determined to train, train, train and yet with a simple whisper and touch of skin he had reduced his partner to a lusty pile of desire.
"Think we'll be safe here with Mr. H on the other side?" the orangey brunet wondered after a moment as his arms came to cross his chest.
"We'll be more than fine - if the Angel come knocking on the door, he'll keep 'em at bay and warn us." Joshua replied almost a little too hastily, his gaze falling on Neku with an increasingly worrisome grin. "Now then..."
In an instant the silver-haired boy was on his knees, shoving his partner back onto the cold concrete ground with a little more aggression that he uses, eyes slightly darker. "I believe you were in the process of throwing yourself at my mercy, hmm? I suppose I'll have to punish you for teasing me like that..."
"If you want me at your mercy," Neku began with slightly flushed cheeks and increased breathing, "you're going to have to try harder than that, Josh."
Although he had just been shoved down against the ground, he really didn't seem to mind. In fact, in an odd sort of way, he enjoyed it. He had never been one for affection but...the way Joshua looked, touched, and spoke to him did something to him. It made him crave more selfishly.
"Mm," The Composer's eyes lidden, before he leaned over the boy with a predator's gaze, closing in on him with such dangerous air it influenced the very feel of the sub-space they were in, making is seem darker...colder... almost like a prison. "Careful, Neku..." He whispered, lips brushing against the side of his partner's neck, his body pulsing with a faint light. "Push me too far, and I could crush you under my fingertips..."
Neku's eyes fluttered shut pleasantly but he voiced no opinion on the subject for a few moments. "So full of yourself," he mused quietly and rolled his eyes. He knew very well that Joshua was speaking the truth. He knew that the Composer was a million times stronger than him. But he also knew that Joshua hurting him was out of the question, or so he figured.
"So what are you going to do with me, master?" he asked cockily and smirked up at Joshua despite the Goosebumps lingering on his entire body.
Joshua grinned inwardly at the question, raising a hand to press it tenderly against the brunet's cheek. "My adorable little proxy..." He uttered in a breathy voice, before his body shone brightly, light curling around his form until he once again adorned the ethereal body of his true form - the hand that was so warmly held against Neku's cheek now stinging with pain, hot like fire yet pulsing with dull, aching pain like ice. It was obvious now that Joshua wasn't going to hold back quite as much as he had been in their earlier training.
"I am going to make you scream... make you beg, make you bleed...until you body finally accepts my power." He bent down to kiss the boy on the lips, the light around the Composer now licking his skin, sending painful electric currents through his body at each and every point of contact. And if that wasn't enough, the direct contact from the kiss was twice as powerful - if Neku was anything but a normal Player, he would have been erased at the simple touch.
Neku's neck arched back at once. Orangey spikes of hair brushed along the dirt beneath him as his fingernails dug downward as well. A strangled noise started in the base of his throat and danced up to his parted lips. He gasped in a mixture of bliss and undeniable pain. His eyes closed tightly for a moment before his right slipped open halfway.
"S-shit," he murmured, barely coherently, against the kiss as he felt his body squirming on its own accord in response to the electrical pricks that reminded him of an attack brought on by some powerful noise.
The silver-haired man retracted from the kiss, tongue trailing along Neku's bottom lip, leaving in its wake the sensation of burning skin. "What's wrong?" His voice was dark and amused... sadistic. He was enjoying this - too much, perhaps... and it showed. Dangerously so. "Am I going to break you already, Neku...?" He cooed, hands traveling down the boy's body before they rest at his hips, keeping him firmly pinned to the ground.
Neku usually wasn't one for voicing his views on a situation. Like that one time with Shiki when he had been attacked out of nowhere by a feral noise. Yeah, he had gotten hurt pretty badly but he did his best to hide it because, really, he hated others thinking he was weak.
But for some reason the onslaught of power that he thought he had been used to earlier during training was a bit too much. His mind was lost in a lusty haze and he couldn't focus and welcome the power.
"L-lower the power," he gasped and kept his gaze averted despite his eyes being shut.
"What was that?" Came the mockingly sweet voice of the man above him, his fingers gripping harder at Neku's hips, causing the surge of pain to amplify, running up his body like electricity. A warning light became clear in the back of the boy's head, as something cold wrapped around his mind... something dangerous. Terrifying. Like his soul was slowly being cut apart... he was close to being erased. "I couldn't hear you, little one..."
Alarm grew wildly in the younger of the two partners. His breathing grew shaky as he tried to squirm out of Joshua's grasp. It didn't work one ounce. The man above him was far too strong. He lifted his shaking arm painfully into the air and tried to shove at the other's chest but found the pricks of power that the contact created more unbearable than before.
"Joshua," He choked out and felt his mind dulling from the myriad of power, "P-p..lease stop," he begged weakly and felt his body and consciousness slipping.
"You used my name..." He replied huskily, fingers trailing up from the brunet's hips to slide under the hem of his shirt, ghosting across the sensitive skin of his stomach. The touch was just as painful, but it seemed like the threat of erasure was slightly less prominent. Whether the Composer conciously held back, or it was simply a fluke, it wasn't clear. "We can't have that, now can we?" He leaned forward, lips at Neku's ear as he whispered, voice dark and demanding - terrifyingly powerful. "Now... beg, Neku."
"J-joshua, damnit...y-you're hurting me," he pleaded and shivered at the entrance of power on his body, directly onto his skin. It stung horridly and made his toes curl painfully.
Neku didn't think to toss out the nickname from earlier--he wasn't thinking coherently enough to play along with whatever they had earlier agreed upon wordlessly. The pain was too much and he felt his head throbbing. He just figured that Joshua would stop if he asked but...that didn't seem like the case right now.
"Ah ah ah" The Composer cooed, obviously not satisfied with what he heard. For a moment, he removed all source of contact from the boy, letting the pain subside for one fleeting moment as he gazed down at the exhausted, nearly broken boy. "You are making me very impatient, my little proxy. If you're barely concious now, I doubt you'll be alive if you keep this up..."
Neku's eyes opened at the sudden absence of pain. He stared at the other for a moment, his body still numb. "I'm..not playing anymore, Joshua," he coughed some and attempted to move his hand to allow feeling to return to it. "..Damnit...I really hurt," he murmured. He had no idea, really. Just as dense as ever.
"Mm, all talk then, Neku dear?" He leaned in, placing another kiss on the boy's cheek, the surge of power from the touch still painful, but it was obvious he toned it down a few notches. He was aware of
how much pain he put Neku through, but if he kept this up just a little longer, he would soon get used to it. He supposed the point where he almost erased his partner was going a bit overboard... oh well, he'll get over it. If not, he would make him get over it. "I thought you were stronger than this."
Neku sighed and took in a deep breath. "I am stronger than this," he muttered stubbornly and allowed his eyes to close. "Just don't do that again, okay?" he murmured and raised his hand to touch the Composer's chest gently. The power trickled into his fingertips. He winced just the slightest before he forced his mind to welcome the warm prickling sensation.
"Your resistance is already twice of that from when Sanae left, because of that." He grinned at the brunet in similar way a predator stares down its prey. "I may very well do it again." Raising his hand, he placed it over Neku's with another spark of power, though not quite as intense as before, but it was still painful.
"You're going to have to learn to accept my power even while withstanding unbearable pain - one direct hit from an Angel and you lose focus, I'll erase you if I'm using even half of my full strength." The silver-haired man leaned back down and planted another kiss on the boy, the power left behind more of a tingling sensation than a burning one, like before. Quite suddenly, his voice softened, tone barely above a whisper as he rest his forehead against his partner's gently. "I wouldn't be able to go on knowing I killed you, Neku."
Neku felt heat rise to his cheeks and his heart relax just a bit. "..Next time warn me before you scare the living shit out of me," he murmured a bit before letting his hand wander along the high-energy planes along the other's body, his body slowly adjusting to the pain and power alot more than moments prior.
"Ahh, but you're so adorable when you're scared." The Composer replied simply, giggling just slightly as he increased the power around him steadily, waiting to see just when he'll make the boy beneath him flirt with erasure once more - though he was reluctant to do so. A part of him, the part he knew Neku despised, loved to see his partner squirm and look up at him with terrified, pleading eyes... and yet, another part of him was disgusted that he could even do that to begin with. He tried to find a happy medium, but he really only succeeded in acting like a spoiled, bipolar child.
Note to self: Work on that. Perhaps see that shrink Sanae had been bugging him to see for the past 200 years.
Neku grunted in response and attempted to focus on the incoming energy. His mind wasn't as hazed over with lust as earlier so the pain was a bit more tolerable--plus, he knew what he was expecting. His body still began shaking and tingling rather unbearably from the increased power but it was...expected.
"H-hurts," he muttered more so to himself as he gritted his teeth together.
"Shh," Joshua whispered, retracting just slightly, before more slowly increasing his energy once more, allowing the boy to take a bit of a breather before he did. "It's okay. We'll try this at your pace... just relax - I won't go near as far as I did before." He really didn't want to go this slowly - he much rather preferred telling Neku to just bite his tongue and deal with it; he would improve a lot faster if he did. But... he supposed the boy needed a break, and if he accidentally made him pass out, his training would take even longer.
Joshua had never really learned how to cope with a decision that wasn't in his best interests. His normal response would be just to erase whatever - or whomever - it was causing trouble. But now that there was someone before him he didn't want to lose, it was a strange, and unwelcome form of ... helplessness. He hated it. But he hated the thought of Neku being hurt far more than he could physically
and mentally handle even more.
"I suck, don't I? Can't even handle this, god..." Neku laughed weakly, his voice strained as he focused on the power incoming. God, it felt so weird and controlling...it was like someone shoving you into an electrical fence, almost. Hell, it was worse than when he ran into the walls accidentally during the Game. And he thought that had hurt.
"No, no..." The Composer chuckled softly, leaning in to rest his head atop the boy's shoulder, planting a kiss on his neck. "I probably would have erased Megumi by this point if we had a pact... you give yourself too little credit."
"Thanks," Neku murmured and shifted his neck a bit. "But you'd only make a pact with me," he joked weakly. "I mean, you've made a pact with me twice..." He chuckled some.
"Mm, that's true..." Joshua replied in something reminiscent of a sigh, moving his arms so that they tucked under Neku's in a ghost of an embrace, lips still moving against the skin of his neck. He was starting to like this a bit better than the intense session from before... there was more time to feel and touch, to be lost in Neku's being just as the brunet was lost in his. "I don't think I'll be making a pact with... anyone but you... for a long while." He grinned a bit, running his tongue hotly along his partner's collarbone. "...If ever."
Neku smirked some, pushing the pain to the back of his mind as it washed over him. "Good, because I won't be making any more pacts either," he mused and tilted his head back some to let the pleasant feeling of the tongue to consume him.
The silver-haired man chuckled, moving his hands back down Neku's torso, hands gliding up under his shirt and bunching it up near his chest. "Glad to hear it. I know you'd have never guessed, but I'm the jealous type."
"You? Jealous? Hah," Neku teased and rolled his eyes some. His back arched some off the cold ground and his blue eyes watched Joshua dully in the dim light. "You know, this power is tolerable right now."
"Really?" Came a pleasantly surprised reply. "Because I'm using a little more power than when you were struggling to use your Psych." The Composer grinned, leaning back up to kiss the brunet on the lips with a slight more energy in their contact. "See? What I did before really helped, even if you did almost piss your shorts."
"Yeah well, I would have preferred if you did it this way, thanks," Neku murmured and returned the kiss. For some reason the added energy made it a lot more intense than a simple kiss should have been. Then again, this time the power was a lot more tolerable.
"Mm, don't like the thrill of being scared?" His tone was light and only slightly mocking this time - about as close to joking as he gets. "Thought that might turn you on. Pain doesn't either, I suppose. And here I was, getting all schoolgirl giddy about it."
"Pain doesn't turn me on, sorry," Neku agreed with a sigh as he smirked up at Joshua. "It may turn you on to see people in pain or whatever, but the favor isn't returned," he laughed quietly.
"Not so much the pain I like seeing..." The Composer replied in a husky voice, pausing the kiss just long enough to strip Neku of his shirt, tossing it aside on the concrete, forgotten. "I just like to watch you squirm" He purred, gazing down at the younger boy as his fingers traced along the now exposed skin of his chest.
Neku released a shudder and rolled his eyes. "Me squirm, huh? I think you're just addicted to me," he admitted with a snicker as he lifted his hand shakily into the air and threaded his fingers into the
ethereal and weightless mess of what seemed to be hair.
"Guilty of that too." He added with a smirk, leaning back down to place an open-mouthed kiss on the boy's collarbone, licking and nipping at the tender flesh. Each time their skin touched was less painful than the last, and now became more of a warm spark of sorts, igniting something deep within them both, a little at a time. Joshua began to wonder if he liked being with Neku in this form more than his RG one... which is troublesome - because if they miraculously succeed in defeating the Angels, and his partner was given his life back, it would be near impossible for the boy to see him, much less make physical contact with him in his true form.
Oh well. Might as well make the best of it while he can. "Neku" He purred, trailing his tongue down the center of the younger boy's chest.
Despite the earlier fear that had grown in Neku from his 'near erasure' moment, the affection he was receiving now made him more than happy to just lay there against the ground. His usually curious, wandering hands remained, for the most part, stationary as he soaked in and indulged every single spark that Joshua's body provided.
When the lips met his chest he arched slightly off the floor and held back a groan. He wasn't in pain at all. "Funny...first boyfriend I get and he's kinda like a god," he mused breathlessly.
"Aww, boyfriend?" Joshua echoed a little too gleefully - something he would do in his RG form, but seemed almost creepy when he did it in this older body of his. "I'm honored" His voice was slightly mocking, but it was clear that he actually was somewhat touched. "If I'm a god, I think you should worship me more."
"I think I'll just stick to boyfriend, thank you," Neku murmured and opened his eyes to stare meaningfully at Joshua. "I don't think that I would ever date anything that I worshipped. Sorry, Josh." He smirked. "So be thankful I don't worship you."
"Ahh, so I can't have both?" The Composer questioned with an innocent smile, his hands gilding down Neku's stomach to pause and dance around the hem of his shorts. "Guess I can live with that. You're submissive, anyway." He teased, trailing his tongue down the boy's torso with a grin.
Neku half moaned, half groaned in response. "Submissive? Hah...maybe just a bit for you but in general? No," he murmured through gritted teeth as he tangled his hand into the misty power field where the Composer's hair was.
"Just a bit? Really?" Joshua paused to grip the sides of Neku's shorts before he tugged them off, his hands lingering along the sides of his partner's legs as he did so. "That wasn't the way I remembered you last night..." He leaned down, pressing a hot kiss to the obvious bulge in Neku's boxers.
"Josh..." Neku gasped out shakily and moaned some before averting his gaze. His eyes slipped shut seconds later. "Is this really the best place to be doing this?" he groaned and wrapped an arm deftly around the Composer despite the tingling it brought him.
"No," The silver-haired man openly admitted. "But at least you're progressing. Nothing I do really hurts anymore, does it?" White fingers gripped the hem of the boy's boxers, pulling them down just enough for the cool air to hit the hardened member underneath. "Like, say... this?" He leaned down, licking with just the tip of his tongue from the base of Neku's shaft, agonizingly slow up to the very tip.
"Just...tingles more than it s-should but that really isn't a bad thing," he admitted and then moaned, burying his fingers further into the energy as he tried his best not to move suddenly.
"Good, then we'll do something different." Joshua grinned and retreated from Neku's erection, giving the boy a somewhat dangerously mischievous look as he sat back, propping himself up with one
arm. "Lose the boxers and crawl on my lap."
Neku's eyes widened and his brow cocked. "E-excuse me?" he asked and shifted into a sitting position, his fingers rest on the hem of his boxers. He inhaled deeply and stared at Joshua with slight hesitation.
"I said on my lap." The Composer repeated with more force, eyes lidding as he shot Neku a sadistic grin. "I suggest you do as I say before I start making you say 'master' again."
Neku eyed Joshua for a brief moment and then slipped off his boxers. A hot blush remained on his cheeks as he grumbled something and slid onto the Composer's lap with a cough. "Can't believe I'm doing this..."
"And why is that...?" Joshua purred, running the tips of his fingers down the younger boy's back before they gripped his hips ever so slightly. "You don't honestly think I was going to let you have all the pleasure, were you Neku?"
Neku coughed some and rubbed the back of his neck. "You sure I'm ready for uh...this much power?" he murmured and shivered at the touches once more.
"Good question. Does this hurt?" He asked in a sickeningly innocent voice, before he took just his two index fingers and slid them back up Neku's back, leaving a trail of fairly painful electric shocks that would have erased a Reaper in seconds - but they've been training for quite some time, so it shouldn't be too horribly painful... well, at least it won't kill him anymore.
Neku groaned and bit down harshly on his lip. "Do you need to ask?" he muttered harshly and dug his fingers against his own palm like he had earlier. "If we're going to do anything, leave the power out," he muttered weakly and strained to open his eyes sternly.
"But then it wouldn't be training." He giggled in response, wrapping his arms around the boy completely, pulling him closer. "I'll be gentle" He cooed, somehow bringing a hand around without Neku noticing, and grasped his partner's erection with only a slight sting of power at the contact. "Just follow my lead, dear."
Neku pointedly bit back a moan and shifted so that he could rest his forehead against the pulsing shoulder of his partner. "I-if you aren't I'll kill you in your sleep," he threatened and breathed in shakily.
"Ohh, now is that any way to talk to your master?" Joshua whispered back with his own threat, but was more mocking than serious. Gently he stroked Neku's shaft, his other hand guiding his hips closer to his body in an almost rhythmic fashion - before slipping a warm finger inside the younger boy's entrance, without any warning.
Neku jolted up somewhat in surprise and squinted his eyes before grumbling something incoherent under his breath. "Josh...don't think it'd be wise to…here," he murmured and buried his face further against the shoulder with a breathy moan.
"Scared, Neku?" The Composer purred, nipping at the brunet's ear as he moved both of his hands, inserting a second finger inside only seconds after the first.
"No," Neku muttered and tensed up a bit, forehead molding to the shoulder he leaned against. "J-just cautious," he attempted to state nonchalantly.
"Where's the thrill when there isn't a little essence of danger...?" The silver-haired man chuckled, moving his fingers deeper inside the younger boy, the physical contact steadily becoming more and more
intense with the volume of power - but the pain was nowhere near as intolerable as before, only sending currents of electricity up Neku's spine every now and then.
"Joshua...later," Neku murmured and arched some, body shuddering at the intrusion and plethora of power that was entering him. "I promise," he urged and closed his eyes, panting some. "We need to practice...o-other things."
"Oh? And this isn't doing the trick?" The Composer grinned with lidded eyes, obviously not feeling the same wave of urgency his partner was. Wrapping his spare arm around the brunet's back, he pulled their bodies flush against one another, having to lean his head down from the height difference, his lips brushing against Neku's ear. "You need to learn to finish what you've started, dear..."
Neku felt his body shiver increasing amounts. "I meant pins and that sort of thing," he whispered, neck arching at the warm breath tickling his neck and ear. "You know what I mean..."
"And I could hardly care less." Was the simple reply, before he shoved a third finger inside the younger boy with less of a gentle touch than before. Power sparked again. "Don't think you can try giving me orders, Neku... You won't come out unscathed."
"...Josh!" Neku winced and bit his bottom lip, eying the Composer with a sharp stare. "Come on...not here," he groaned and tilted his head back, panting some at the uncomfortable power.
For once the silver-haired man didn't reply - which was quite possibly scarier than any witty retort he could come up with at this point - and merely smiled. He gave his partner a somewhat frightening gaze, one of dominance and power... one that calmly told him, without words, he would have his way.
With the slightest movement, Joshua dug his fingers in farther, pressing harshly against a small bundle of nerves deep inside him, intensifying the body's reaction by contorting his power from a sharp jolt of electricity, to a steady flame that resonated from his fingertips.
Neku threw his head back at once from the onslaught of power. His eyes screwed shut and he parted his lips weakly, a mixture between a moan and groan escaping them. There was pleasure, yes, but there was also a steady wave of pain from the amount of energy entering his body so constantly. His back arched some, body shaking.
"If you accept it, Neku..." The Composer uttered, pressing his lips to the brunet's exposed neck, running his tongue hotly against the skin. "The pain will fade." Slowly he retracted his fingers, leaving the boy in his arms shaking wordlessly. "And if you continue to face it with hesitance," He continued in a whisper, almost rhythmically guiding the younger boy's hips closer, his breath gliding against his jawline. "It will erase you."
Without another word of warning, he gripped Neku's hips tightly and ground him down against his own - filling the boy completely with his erection in an instant, the difference in size noticeable immediately with the change in the Composer's form.
Neku winced at the sudden larger intrusion and dug his fingers down against the cold ground of the training area. His breath hitched and hot drops of water collected in his eyes. This was nothing compared to the night prior. There was the ever present notion of being erased in Neku's mind, causing the youth to forget almost all together about pleasure.
"Josh-h...ua, I can't do this," he whimpered. His mind wasn't in the right mindset. Fear was too far present and Joshua really wasn't helping the matter.
"Yes you can," Was the harsh reply, as hands that once tightly held Neku's hips slowly trailed up his back, resting at his shoulder blades as his arms helped to hold the boy up. There was an odd hint of
hesitance in his voice as he spoke, voice softer but still somehow just as strong. "Relax... breath. Don't fear my power, respect it. It will only harm you if you believe it will."
"Josh..." Neku murmured and kept his eyes closed, sucking in deep breaths as instructed. He remained still for a moment as he forced himself to accept the power he wasn't accustomed to.
"Maybe if you just kissed me instead of scaring me I'd...do better," Neku murmured and visibly relaxed from his fearful and petrified state a few moments prior, the power less painful, far less.
"Then you wouldn't be able to breath," At last the Composer finally cracked a smile, but leaned down, capturing the younger boy's lips in a soft kiss that refreshingly contrasted from his harsh ministrations from earlier. Gently he brought a hand up to cup Neku's cheek, his thumb running against the corner of his eye, wiping away the tears that had formed there.
"Don't be scared," He whispered, their lips still in tact as dark violet eyes watched him carefully. "Do you really think I'd let you die from this...?"
Neku wasn't sure quite what to say after the kiss. The question lingered in his mind. He had several answers enter his mind right away but he rejected them. Joshua had let him die twice but it was for good reason, right? Joshua had good reasons for everything, so why should he be afraid?
"Josh...you scare me sometimes," Neku confessed as he breathed out evenly, voice even and unwavering.
At first there was no reply, but it was hardly because Joshua was surprised by the statement - quite on the contrary, he was well aware that he frightened the boy more than a few times. Fear was a driving emotion that he could easily control... fear was what helped Neku's body progress its tolerance level way beyond what he initially thought possible. It wasn't the most desired emotion to choose from, but it was the quickest and easiest to induce and produce results. Of course he wasn't doing it for kicks... but every once and a while he'd find himself disgusted with the realization that he enjoyed the feeling of dominance that terror produced.
But he couldn't tell Neku that - not just yet. It wouldn't help his progression in the slightest. And still, he was horribly torn from keeping the successful route of fear, and breaking down and stopping completely.
"Really now?" He did his best to give the brunet his usual nonchalant grin, hopefully covering up that moment of inner turmoil. He had to stay focused. He couldn't let Neku get too comfortable, but he obviously didn't want to see the boy in tears again. "Not the first time I've heard that statement from someone."
Neku didn't doubt that Joshua had scared countless people before. He didn't even bother thinking up scenarios or incidents--he didn't want to imagine what Joshua was capable of and the fear he had induced on others.
"Sometimes I just... wish you wouldn't... I don't want you to be afraid of you, you know?" he murmured weakly, mind vaguely focusing on accepting the incoming power.
Slowly the Composer's smile fell, not expecting his resolve to be cut down as much as it had been by a few simple words. "Damn it, Neku..." He whispered, voice practically inaudible as he averted his gaze from his partner's, mind going into a haze as he tried his best to ignore the weakness in Neku's voice. It didn't exactly help that when his goal is something akin to terror, he wanted to comfort Neku every time he seemed scared. They only have a day left at most before the Angels find them... he needed to force the younger teen to do this. It may hurt him, but it would give him a much better chance at surviving the war that was to come. "There are always times when fear is necessary, Neku..." Damn it, he couldn't keep doing this.
Neku observed Joshua for a few moments, considering his words. Fear was necessary a lot of times. Fear helped in war, and in other things as well, but in a relationship? During something like this that the night prior had been so damn good? It was hard to wrap his mind around the idea so rapidly.
"I agree with you, I really do, but..." He closed his eyes, unable to look at the Composer. "...everyone needs something they can rely on, something they know they won't be afraid of. It keeps them going, keeps them fighting for what's right," he stated breathlessly. "I need that, Josh..."
Suddenly the silver-haired man gave Neku a look of self-loathing, even though he knew their eyes didn't meet. Good lord, he really had been selfish, hadn't he? He simply assumed he knew what was best for his partner, when he didn't even take the chance to try and see things from his point of view. Even if what he had been doing would ensure stability of the power between them, if Neku didn't have faith in him, that could just as easily get him killed on the battlefield as being absorbed by the Composer's Imagination. In the end, all he really succeeded in doing was broadening the gap between them.
Over 300 years old and he still acted like a spoiled child.
"I'm sorry..." Was all he could muster after the long moments of silence, his hold loosening on the younger boy. "I didn't realize..." He paused for a minute and laughed a bit darkly. "...Guess I'll always be an insufferable bastard. No matter what I try to accomplish, I always end up hurting you in the process... pulling you into my Game with Megumi, dragging you back to the UG when you should have gone with the Angels, now this..."
"Joshua, you're not understanding me," Neku mumbled and inhaled deeply. "I want to understand you, to be able to be around you completely no matter what the hell frequency or form you have. I'm willing to go through the pain and everything. I just need you to be there for me. I need to believe completely that I'll be safe with you."
After such a long speech, the brunet felt a bit light-headed and drowsily rested his head back down, chest rising and falling quickly. "I love you, Josh..."
Joshua blinked at his words, lifting his arms up to hold Neku once more as he rest against him. Slowly he gave his partner a melancholy smile, relieved to hear that he wasn't hated beyond all reason - and by now, he was sort of expecting it. He supposed only someone as tolerant as Neku would be able to endure him for any amount of time he supposed... "I love you too," He whispered, allowing the flow of power to weaken just slightly as he rest his head against Neku's. "I'm just sorry I can't decide how to show it." Going 300 years without anyone but Sanae really messed up his people skills. Not that he didn't already know that.
"Then I better stick around awhile to teach you how to show it," Neku whispered weakly with a hint of humor in his voice. He was strained from all the training of the day, but not at the point of passing out. He blindly reached out and brushed his hand down along the other's back.
After going so long without the feel of a willing touch, Neku's simple action elicited a gasp from the Composer, his arms tightening around the younger boy ever so slightly in response. He vaguely noticed that he was still inside the brunet, but since they had been so still, and the flow of power was so strong, the pleasure was nearly nonexistent - until now. "Neku..." He breathed, gliding a hand up to tangle his fingers in his partner's orange hair.
"If you…wanna take me," he gasped, a small smile appearing on his face, "Go ahead...just, do it like you would in any other situation," he finished and closed his eyes, tilting his head back. "Don't hold back, all right?" A soft gasp lift his lips.
The ethereal man groaned slightly in response, shifting his hip, moving inside Neku just enough to feel it. God, he was so tight... It took barely any movement at all to cause him to gasp. "Don't... hold
back?" He laughed slightly, gliding his lips along the brunet's neck, before nipping at his ear. "Didn't think you wanted that..."
Neku released a hot groan of pleasure. "What I ... didn't want was for you to purposely scare me…" he moaned and closed his eyes, panting the other's name under his breath. "I don't mind the sex."
"Mm... you just 'don't mind' it?" He grinned, moving his hands back down to the brunet's hips as he pulled out slightly, before thrusting back in again. Damn... he was still unable to fit entirely inside Neku... it really made a difference in this form.
"Hah..." Neku moaned and threw his head back some, concentrating solely on the pleasure and not the pain. "Did I say 'mind'? Nah, I meant something more along the lines of want it," he gasped out breathlessly, arching his body.
"If you want it... you should... start moving more before I pin you to the ground..." The Composer breathed, for once unable to completely control the situation with Neku being the one one top this time. "... Or take you from behind..."
Neku smirked some weakly and moved his hips down against the Composer's, sparks of both power and pleasure entering him. "Josh," he breathed out pleasurably and continued moving his hips in a grinding motion, panting heavily at the sensations.
Joshua echoed him almost immediately, leaning forward as he let out a groan, lips brushing against his partner's ear. "G-god, Neku..." He whispered, trying to take steady breaths, but failing horribly. "So tight..."
Neku groaned in pleasure as he continued moving, his body trembling insanely every time that it was hit in that sweet spot nestled deep within. His eyes fell to half mast as he continued moving his hips sensually, clinging to the other with everything he had.
The ethereal Composer found himself chanting his partner's name with nearly every little movement, as Neku continued his erotic dance, leaving Joshua gasping for breath, unaware he was even holding it. Now that his power was steadily flowing between them, strong but tame, it seemed like everything - every touch, every sound - was amplified, creating a new string of music he'd never heard before, entangling itself with the plethora of other tunes he could hear Shibuya emit. It was refreshing, new, and insanely pleasurable... and though he never wanted the feeling to stop, he felt himself getting closer and closer to his limit.
"Neku..." He breathed out in a moan, hands moving to the dip in Neku's back, fidgeting slightly as he didn't know exactly where to hold onto. "I-I'm going to...!" His breath hitched as the brunet ground against him again. He was close, so close... but he held onto that last strand of sanity for as long as he possibly could.
Neku pressed his chin hotly against the Composer's shoulder, one arm lazily wrapped around the other, one steadying himself as he moved frantically, angling his almost-thrusts so that the bundle of nerves deep within him would be hit each time. By now his eyes were finally screwed tightly shut and all he could feel was Joshua. The power from earlier seemed to flee his mind as he ground against his Joshua, body numbing from the building tension and sparks of pleasure.
"'Love you," Neku declared sloppily, quickly, and breathlessly as he crashed their lips together as he felt his body spiraling out of control, climaxing without any other warning. His back arched at an insane angle as he continued moving his hips, riding out the heightened sensation as he kept close to Joshua.
Joshua tried to reply, but at the moment he opened his mouth, his voice failed to work and only succeeded in eliciting a guttural moan that echoed along the walls of the subspace. In a sudden burst of power, he gripped Neku's hips harshly and forced him down completely on him, burying himself completely inside his partner with a cry of his name. His already ethereal form flash with a temporary glow similar to what happened the night before, as he came deep inside the brunet, the waves of pleasure twice as intense as he remembered it should be, almost losing consciousness himself as he held onto Neku in a tight, protective embrace. He didn't want to let go... he wouldn't let go. All that mattered was that Neku was here, in his arms, crying his name just as he himself cried Neku's - and he didn't want to lose that feeling.
Neku groaned, his body finally stilling. He collapsed on top of the Composer, eyes shutting firmly as he rested his head against Joshua's chest, hair drenched in a thick film of sweat. His body shivered from the after effects of his orgasm, not even bothering to move an inch to get more comfortable or to clean.
"Josh..." Neku murmured drowsily, his arm weakly reaching up to curl around the other's neck, holding the older close to his own exhausted body.
The silver-haired Composer smiled weakly, one arm still wrapped around Neku's middle, his other across his shoulder, fingers entangled in his orange locks. "I love you, too." He whispered, finally able to voice a reply, his lips pressing warmly to his partner's forehead with tender emotion.
"Sleep now, dear heart... Rest, and I shall wake you when you've recovered." He spoke softly, but his words resonated through the air between them, echoing slightly with a musical undertone. He wanted to stay like this longer, to simply relax in the younger boy's presence, but he could tell Neku was exhausted. He needed to rest.
Neku nodded drowsily, nose pressed warmly against the exposed skin of the other's chest. "'M...not tired at all," he muttered defiantly, arms tightening around the Composer. "Not...tired..." he yawned and hooked his leg weakly with Joshua's, eyes shutting comfortably as he felt sleep overcome his exhausted and worn out body.
--oo0oo--