Author's note:

This fanfic's rating has been bumped up to M for future updates of a more mature nature. Things can only get hotter from here on ;) Thank you for your kind attention and for the follows as well. Enjoy the fanfic!

Warning: This chapter contains sexual content and light angst. Reader's discretion is advised.

20 Kisses: Hero Worship

by Dark Interval

Third kiss: Eternal

Snow fell around him, soft and light as silk. Phoenix could feel its icy kisses pepper the skin of his cheeks; he stuck out his tongue and caught a falling snowflake. It melted upon contact and he giggled to himself, repeating the action with an almost apathetic puerility. The empty landscape was awash in white and wherever he looked nothing greeted the eye but grey skies and snow that fell like stars. There was beauty in the silence, this private and sacred space; and it reminded him of the tranquility he felt during his (unwilling) retreat to the Hazakura Temple all those years ago. The faces of Maya, Pearl, Bikini and Iris flashed through his mind and he allowed a sad, wistful smile to grace his lips. How the years go by… Winter always made him feel inexplicably old.

"Mr. Wright, if we don't hurry we'll freeze to death!"

Phoenix removed his gaze from the snowy mountains to regard his companion with a laugh. At the entrance of Nine-Tails Vale, under its characteristic signboard of demon pictorial, stood a none-too-pleased Apollo Justice, body half covered in thick layers of snow. The poor guy had been standing there for the past half hour watching Phoenix reminisce and roll around like a happy puppy. With his unamused face and twin hair spikes being the only things that stuck out from beneath the hood of his winter wear, he really did resemble a red demon, albeit an adorable one.

"Aw… Apollo, live a little!" he teased, patting the hood and withdrawing in concern when a large clump of snow slid off the top.

Apollo gave a gruff mutter of acknowledgement.

"A-Anyway, it's not every day we get to go on vacation – for free!"

"And who was the one who kept complaining it was too cold to go anywhere and would rather spend his holidays in the office all alone and sad?"

"... Touché."

The only reason they were here after all, was from Apollo's persistent pestering and a pair of free tickets for a full week's stay at Nine-Tails Vale's new hot springs inn. It was a gift from Jinxie and Damian Tenma for helping them out the last time. The tickets were meant for him and Athena, but the latter had gone back to Europe for the holidays, Trucy was away on a school ski trip, which left Phoenix as the only available candidate. Apollo didn't mind though – he could use a vacation – the only problem was Phoenix. Although he looked cheerful now, it had been a major pain dragging him out of the office. At first, Apollo thought it had something to do with hitting middle age; now he realised it was just Phoenix.

"By the way, I requested a normal room. Not exactly keen on demon statues watching me sleep."

Phoenix chuckled nervously, "Good call." He almost forgot the town's demon motif.

As Apollo took him by the hand and led him down the town's snow-covered streets, Phoenix couldn't help but grasp his lover's hand tighter. It was an unconscious assurance, a subtle display of affection and simply enjoying the young lawyer's presence. With the snow falling around them and the dim light of streetlamps forming halos over their heads, the scene was quite romantic. Phoenix spared a quick peek at the brunette; the sudden redness of Apollo's face made him smile discreetly. The kid was always so easily embarrassed.

Absently, Phoenix retrieved the tickets from his coat pocket and read the fine print. Then he paused.

"Hey, Apollo?"

"Huh?"

"It says here that these tickets are no longer valid if we check-in after 3pm."

"Oh. What time is it now?"

"2.58pm…"

"..."

"..."

The pair swore colorfully and raced down the street faster than Miles Edgeworth fleeing a love-struck Wendy Oldbag.

By the time they got to the inn, the two attorneys looked like they had just survived a snowstorm. Twice. The attendants at the counter gave them bewildered stares, before shaking their heads apologetically when Phoenix produced the tickets. They had missed the time slot.

"But that's not fair! It was snowing on our way here," exclaimed Apollo, tugging off his hood in his excitement. He slammed his fists onto the counter.

"Objection! I object to coming all this way for nothing! I object to rules!"

"Apollo, calm down!"

Phoenix tugged his own hood off as he desperately tried to appease his partner before he ended up causing a scene with the other guests. It was clear as day Apollo was no longer capable of thinking rationally – perhaps all that snow had gotten to his brain. That, and he was scaring the staff with his 'Chords of Steel'.

They were this close to getting themselves thrown out, but at the sight of the pair's spiky hair, the staff immediately started bowing frantically, fearfully, crying out words of a different kind of apology. Some threw themselves at Phoenix and Apollo's feet, faces pressed to the carpet, groveling; others cowered behind the counter, begging the forgiveness of "the red and blue demons, emissaries of the Underworld" for their foolish transgressions. As Phoenix looked on utterly incredulous and painfully confused, Apollo sighed loudly, massaging his forehead. Right, his boss didn't know how seriously these people took to their superstitions… He smirked. Then again, who was he to deny them the rights to practice their culture?

"So, about our room…"

He promptly received a key from the pale, shaking manager, who wished them a pleasant stay along with a quiet plea not to banish any of them to hell. Before Phoenix could voice his questions, Apollo slapped a hand over his mouth and tugged him away.

Stripping down to nothing but his underwear, Apollo bent forward to fold his clothes and placed them on a neat pile next to Phoenix's. The boxers were next and he shivered against the frigid cold that blew in from the open window. He already dreaded stepping foot outside.

This was insane - how Phoenix could brave freaking winter to soak in a hot spring and convince him to tag along, was beyond him. Then again, the older male didn't need much persuasion power on his side: he'd follow him to the ends of the earth, and that smug bastard knew it.

'Still, it wouldn't kill him to ask, right?' Apollo thought irritably.

Well, fine - Phoenix had asked… that is, if you counted a provocative strip tease and a suggestive smirk over the shoulder before stepping out into their private hot spring bath, asking.

The mere memory of Phoenix's clothes sliding away to reveal an increasing area of smooth, unblemished skin, like an aesthetically crafted and choreographed performance, private and exclusive to his eyes, caused heat to rush up Apollo's face, and he had to force those sensual images out of his mind before that heat decided to travel elsewhere. Phoenix's playfulness really didn't do much for his self-restraint and he was certain his mentor provoked him on purpose. Perhaps it excited the other just as much as those subtle touches and implicit promises aroused him.

But first, he needed to get out there.

Clenching his fists and glaring at the snowscape beyond the window, Apollo steeled himself.

"Alright. Here comes Justice!"

He grabbed a small towel next to the clean set of yukatas, crossed to the second section of the traditional Japanese room, and threw open the door leading to the outdoor hot spring. Though the bath was generally warded off to outsiders and attached to each private room in the inn, it still had a spectacular view of the distant snowy mountains and infinite skies. However, it wasn't the scenery that first caught Apollo's attention and took his breath away; it was the beautiful man in the water: well-built, toned and visually pleasing, with all the right muscles in the right places; not too bulky and slender; a harmony between elegance and masculinity that made the vision all the more erotic.

Phoenix was leaning halfway out the bath, his arms folded in front of him across the stone floor, resting his cheek against them. His eyes were closed and he faced the general direction of the sliding door as if anticipating his lover's arrival. Clouds of steam draped across his bare body in false modesty like a translucent white fur coat. Tiny droplets of water and perspiration clung to his naked flesh and rolled down his back and arms as he breathed. Apollo followed the path of those droplets with his eyes, helplessly transfixed. He wanted to replace his gaze with his tongue. And the little devil on his shoulder told him he could if he very much wished it.

Damn, I'm lucky.

And then, Phoenix slowly opened his eyes. They were half-lidded and spoke of a secret passion. A warm and gentle smile graced his lips as he gazed at his protégé with the intensity of a lone flame burning in the dead of night; and like a moth, Apollo was drawn to him. He felt more than saw the older man's gaze rack appreciatively over his body. Phoenix's eyes darkened with lust and he parted his lips, breathing out the wonderful syllables that were his lover's name in a needy moan.

"Apollo…"

Said man crashed onto the stone floor and suffered the biggest nosebleed of his life.

"Wahhhh! Apollo! Apollo, are you alright?!"

The next moment, Apollo's towel was soaked red and a concerned Phoenix was helping to slowly ease the stubborn defense attorney into the hot springs. On one hand, considering Apollo had lost quite a lot of blood, he ought to avoid the hot springs at all; on the other hand, Phoenix didn't want him to catch pneumonia or suffer a case of frostbite. Apollo hissed as his cold skin made contact with the intense heat of the water; he hadn't experienced anything like this before and quite frankly, he wasn't so sure what was worse: the biting cold of winter or the searing temperatures he was consciously admitting himself to. But the December winds were enough motivation and he soon submerged his full body into the waters.

... Huh, that wasn't so bad. Now that he was in the bath, he realised how incredibly relaxing it was and the miraculous things the hot springs were doing to his tense muscles. It was just a matter of getting used to, he supposed. And that cold air against his face…

"Ahhhh… I could get used to this," he sighed in bliss, leaning his back against the edge as he observed the scenery before him. Now he understood Phoenix's eagerness to run out naked in the middle of December to take a bath. The combination of hot and cold was addictive. He himself didn't want to get out.

Phoenix chuckled and swam up next to him, "Are you sure you're ok? That was – he resisted a smug smirk – a lot of blood."

"And whose fault was that?" came the wry reply and he didn't need to look to know that Apollo was pouting.

"Well, I'm not the one who gets so easily embarrassed… Or so perverted."

"M-Mr. Wright!"

"You bet I am," Phoenix chuckled at his own joke as he dodged a splash aimed his way.

Apollo huffed and rolled his eyes. "Oh, real mature, old man."

But that predictable blush was on in seconds, and Phoenix had no desire to torment his lover any further. Instead, he sidled up against Apollo, the water sloshing between their bodies. He wrapped his arms around the younger man's waist underwater and leaned his cheek against Apollo's strong, broad chest so that he could hear his beating heart. Phoenix heard it race all of a sudden and smiled contently, his own cheeks turning pink, though he wasn't sure if it was from shyness or the heat from the bath.

Phoenix loved this. Away from the prying eyes of the city, having to hide their relationship from family and friends… this was freedom – a piece of heaven in the palm of his hand. Despite the many promises they whispered to each other in between loving kisses and warm embraces, Phoenix hadn't really been honest with Apollo. He allowed the boy to fall in love with him and vice versa, but he never once told him the truth. And now, as the hands of an invisible clock counted down their fate, Phoenix still refused to give this up… even if this sort of relationship wasn't healthy.

'I don't believe it… a son, and a daughter. My children…'

'Are you going to tell them?'

'When the moment is right, I will… Could you look after them for me a little longer?'

More than anything, he longed to stop time.

When he felt a finger tilt his chin up and Apollo's lips claim his, greedy yet affectionate, he surrendered himself to the inevitable. It was a superficial escape, a temporary victory, but he had succeeded in stopping time for as long as time would allow it. As Apollo cradled him in his arms, Phoenix held fast, returning the kiss with a silent desperation and an inherent sadness. But Apollo didn't sense it and Phoenix clung on, wishing, dreaming they could stay like this forever.

The room was silent save the hushed breathing of two lovers, completely relaxed and mutually living for the presence of the other. Smoke rose into the air; a slight chill ghosted across the room from the open window and slightly parted rice paper door to the side. A sake bottle and a pair of saucers lay inconspicuously on the kotatsu. Apollo, with the front his yukata hanging open, took another lazy drag from the kiseru. More smoke rose up. The fingers of his free hand continued to stroke and thread lovingly through Phoenix's hair. Stretched out across the floor, said man closed his eyes in bliss, his head resting comfortably on Apollo's lap, vulnerable to his lover's command.

Night had fallen; their bodies were relaxed from the effects of the hot springs and neither men desired to move from their current position. Directly under them was the lounge; the voice of the inn's Enka singer, sorrowful and full of longing, carried through the floorboards.

The blue town, covered in snow
In that tense atmosphere
I exchanged my first promise with him
Ah, the one I'm promised to

Phoenix raised his head, poured Apollo another round of sake and lowered it once more. He already drank his fill for the night. Murmuring a quiet "thank you", Apollo raised the saucer and downed the drink in a single gulp. Then, he returned to smoking the kiseru. He was the image of elegant nonchalance and Phoenix thought he looked exceptionally cool and mysterious like that time during the HAT-2 incident... but the warmth of Apollo's body reminded him that those dark days had passed and that he was inherently loyal and kind.

His protégé reached for the sake bottle. Phoenix remarked casually that his capacity for alcohol was shockingly impressive and that if Apollo wasn't careful – he reached up to slide a finger teasingly down his lover's exposed chest – he couldn't possibly be held accountable for his subsequent actions. Apollo's cheeks hadn't been red then; they were now.

He's kind and warm and easily embarrassed
My frozen cheeks slackened
And I forgot the pain of frostbite

"That's enough," said Phoenix with the kind patience of a parent. He sat up and plucked the slender pipe from Apollo's grasp. "You shouldn't smoke so much – he confiscated the sake – or drink so much. You might get addicted, and you're my responsibility."

Apollo glared at him in protest, but they both knew it was without any real malice.

"For the last time – I'm not a kid, Mr. Wright. I'm 24."

Phoenix chuckled lowly, took a long, sensual drag from the kiseru and blew a puff of smoke in Apollo's face. The latter barely batted an eyelid. Feisty. Phoenix's eyes darkened with desire as he leaned closer.

"Oh? Well, Mr. Justice, let's see your proof."

It happened in a rush of heat and noise. Apollo smashed his lips against his and they crashed onto the floor in a tangle of fabric and limbs. Phoenix struggled against the assault, but it was only for show - Apollo liked that; it fueled his confidence. Hands tugged at his yukata mercilessly; he felt a knee force itself between his legs; lips and teeth against his neck; Apollo's hands everywhere...

Every sensual caress, every pleasurable moan reminded Phoenix of Apollo's sincere devotion, which in turn reminded him of his own dishonesty. Would Apollo still love him if he told him the truth? Would their relationship change? The image of his protege walking out on him was too much to bear, and so he would continue to betray him, at least until he was caught. Phoenix smiled into the kiss.

Eternal home, that's an impossible dream
Staying with me will only bring him bad luck
Eternal home, eternal home, eternal home

His yukata splayed open shamelessly, his bare shoulders, torso and effectively his entire body exposed and vulnerable to Apollo's penetrating stare. Phoenix blushed under his scrutiny like a young virgin bride on her wedding night. They've done this a hundred times, but every time felt like a first time and though embarrassing, they always felt right and oh so wonderful. Usually, they had to tread on ice because of Trucy. There was also a limit to the number of times he could visit Apollo's apartment before the neighbors started talking.

"Apollo…" he keened in want, his eyes practically begging his young lover to touch him.

Oh yes – this place, this night, this moment: it was paradise.

Apollo's fingers ghosted across smooth and sensitized flesh, teasingly and intentionally avoiding Phoenix's pink nipples, and got a rise from the goosebumps that appeared on his flesh. Then, he lowered himself to the point where Phoenix's yukata closed at the legs and nuzzled the slit apart to plant soft kisses and affectionate nips on his inner thighs. A quiet moan passed through Phoenix's lips; but when Apollo's hand suddenly surged past the folds to grab his hard, dripping cock, his eyes shot open and he had to bite his own finger to stifle his scream. Apollo chuckled, eyes gleaming in the dark.

"Oh Mr. Wright, you're so lewd…"

His body was Apollo's sole property. It was an undisputed fact.

Pink skin, my pounding heart
As the steam rises
I fall in love for the first time to the one I'm promised to
Ah, the one I'm promised to

Apollo cradled Phoenix's pliant body with one hand while the other continued its assault beneath the yukata, pumping the latter's cock, his hand growing slick from all the precum. Their tongues fought for dominance; their lips hungry and insistent. Phoenix moaned and whimpered into Apollo's mouth, fingers digging into the skin of the younger one's shoulders and leaving little red crescent marks. His face was thoroughly flushed and his breaths came out in short quick pants, filling up the room in deafening echoes. He could hear himself, so helplessly wanton, and the humiliation heightened his excitement.

Apollo's pace increased. Phoenix trembled violently in his hold. Each rough stroke of his cock sent him into a frenzy and pushed him closer and closer to the edge. He began to squirm and tense up. And when the heat became unbearable, he ripped his lips from Apollo's and met his dark, sexy gaze with his own pleasure-filled one. The beginnings of tears pricked at his eyes.

The heat… all that stimulation… those eyes on him… It was too much.

"A-Apollo… No more… I-I c-can't… Apollo, please…"

I'm going to come.

Apollo, in his own pleasure-filled haze, continued with his ministrations with an impassioned frenzy. He loved seeing his mentor like this – so loose, willing, coming completely undone under his hands…

He stopped.

Phoenix's body slackened against him, panting heavier than ever. His cheeks were flushed so prettily; his thighs trembled; and his eyes were shut as if afraid the mere act of opening them, of the slightest movement, would fulfill the deed and send him over the edge.

Lovingly, Apollo reached down to caress his cheek. He watched with unabashed fascination as Phoenix fought to calm himself down. He studied him closely: the rise and fall of his chest; the way his eyebrows knotted from the conflation of relief and disappointment; the sensual glow of his smooth thighs; the dark lashes that dusted his cheeks; the sharp and handsome curve of his face…

"We can't have you coming yet, can we?" said Apollo with a leer, which drew forth a low moan from Phoenix.

He lowered the beautiful man onto the futon and straddled his waist, never once taking his eyes off his face. He liked to watch Phoenix – his positive qualities, his private self, his strengths and flaws – and he considered his current position a privilege like no other. And then, hesitantly, Phoenix opened his eyes. Dark brown met enchanting blue, and the spell was cast.

Phoenix smiled and reached up to him like a child demanding love and tenderness. The tips of his fingers touched his face. Apollo felt drunk.

He's kind and warm and sort of unreliable
Have I stayed too long in the bath?
I don't feel dizzy

He took his time to observe Phoenix; how his current vulnerability and promiscuous behavior betrayed his respectable profession. He could have snorted at that. Respectable. His boss had lived the life of a hobo for seven years and he punched him for it. He regretted it after though. Then again, who would have thought that a single hit would bring them to where they were now –

"I love you."

Apollo's world stopped.

Three simple words, but they meant the world to him. Of all the times they made love, swapped kisses; Phoenix never once told him he loved him. And those words, uttered so quietly like the flutter of a butterfly's wings, was the trigger that broke Apollo's final reserve and sent him crashing down into the beckoning flames of euphoria.

I need him now.

He threw open his yukata, lifted Phoenix's thighs over his shoulders and thrust in hard and deep.

Eternal home, that's an impossible dream
Staying with me will only bring him bad luck
Eternal home, he says he doesn't mind
My right hand feels hot after hitting him
Eternal home, that's an eternal home

Phoenix cried out, but the more he screamed the harder and faster Apollo's thrusts became.

Overtime, the sensation grew immensely pleasurable and Phoenix wrapped his arms around the younger one's neck, begging, sobbing, gasping and moaning for more; for Apollo to have mercy; to not stop. With Apollo ramming into him over and over like an animal, Phoenix could do nothing more but toss his head and shout his lover's name in pure exaltation. More precum dripped down his member and it throbbed painfully. The Enka singer's song grew in its intensity. He felt like he was going to explode. He was so close...

"F-fuck… Mr. Wright…"

"Apollo…"

The room echoed with the sounds of their lovemaking: grunts, pants, pleasure-induced cries, and the slapping of skin against skin. Phoenix's touches felt so hot. His moans were like the sweetest of melodies. No matter how many times he fucked his boss, he was always so tight…

Suddenly, Apollo felt Phoenix clench around him and with a strangled grunt, he forced the man further onto his back, pushed his thighs as far as they would go, and pounded into him desperately. They were just barely hanging on edge and it was his job to send them both over it.

"Ah… Apollo… h-hurry… I c-can't… Apollo!"

"Phoenix…"

His eyes widened; that was the first time Apollo ever called him by his name.

And no later than that, the brunette climaxed.

It was an accumulation of the senses. Phoenix felt hot wetness rush through his ass, filling him up completely; heard Apollo's shout; his possessive embrace; relived the way he had growled his name and bit into his neck before his release - they were all too much for him. A blinding white exploded before his eyes and he screamed until he was spent. Cum pooled at his bare chest and soaked the seams of his yukata.

It was the longest, most powerful orgasm Phoenix had experienced in his entire life.

Eternal home, that's an impossible dream
Staying with me will only bring him bad luck
Eternal home, he says he doesn't mind
My right hand feels hot after hitting him

The moon peeked out from behind the clouds and it's ethereal glow streamed in through the open window. The faint light landed on the pair of warm bodies nestled, silent and intimate, beneath the covers of two futons pushed side by side. A candlewick burned somewhere in the shadows, it's flame flicking from the cold air that blew in at occasional intervals.

Apollo was sound asleep, his chest rising and falling to the time of his breaths, a frown on his face. A hand reached out to gently smoothen out the wrinkles on his brow with its fingers. Phoenix continued to watch his protégé sleep, a content smile on his face. Even in his dreams Apollo was so uptight – it was both amusing and endearing. His hand moved to stroke his lover's cheek, before he laid his head back down onto the pillow.

One day had already gone by… Then tomorrow two days… Then the day after that…

'Life would return to normal, and I'll have to lie to him all over again,' Phoenix thought, and was immediately horrified by it. Sorrowful. Guilty.

Again, he longed to stop time.

He wanted them to stay like this forever.

His left hand crept across the sheets to grasp Apollo's right one and the latter in turn, even in his unconscious, held his instinctively. The look of surprise on Phoenix's face shifted into one of pure love. He held on tighter. A cold wind blew in and snuffed out the light.

That's an eternal home...
Staying with me...
My right hand hit...

Author's note:

This chapter was largely inspired by Megumi Hayashibara's song, "Towaie". I highly recommend listening to it if you wish to know the overall mood, or if you're a fan of her music. It was also my first time attempting a sort of songfic, though I made sure not to let the lyrics overwhelm the writing. I hope it was ok!

Anyway, if you're curious, here's the link to the song: http*:**/**/*www*.*dailymotion*.*com*/*video*/*x2rwl6u (Just remove the asterix!)

I'm also still taking prompts/requests, so don't hesitate to pop a message or leave it in your review! I admit, I'm steadily running low on ideas lol. And don't worry, I swear I don't bite... unless that's your kind of thing ;p