Author's Notes: Oh my goodness! Has it really been almost a year since I updated this story? After the disgraceful chapters thus far, I would be quite surprised if anyone read it anyway… Well, much has happened in the past 10 months, including losing any work I had on this story, but I will try to resurrect it, so if there is anyone out there who wants to read it, I hope he or she enjoys. !!Mokimo over and out!!

.:.HaRi'S pOv.:.

It's not until later, as I wipe the remainder of his warm and wet gift from my mouth, that what we did fully hits me. I'm still in shock over the lifting of the curse, let alone the first attempt at sex, and though I don't want Shigure to feel his advances were unrequited, I do feel a little chiding is necessary.

"Well," I begin, "that gives a whole new meaning to the term 'doggie style,' doesn't it?"

I hear Shigure chuckle, as if to brush off the remark, but I can also see him blushing intently. Suddenly, he surprises me by jumping in for a long, hard, passionate kiss…complete with tongue. "Like you're one to talk! How did you learn to give such good head?" Now it's my turn to blush.

He sits back down on the bed and motions for me to join him. Noting my hesitation, he blushes anew. "Oh…Ha…shit, I wasn't thinking…I'm so sorry." I start to brush him off, but he continues. "I'll take care of you later, mmkay?" he motions, "you're not the only one who gives good head."

Any possible response I could come up with is severed by the knocking on the door. "May I come in?" Kimi-Sensei asks.

"Of course. Fair maidens are always welcomed." Shigure beckons, in his best impression of Ayame. I smile.

"Well, Hatori-San, your blood work checked out just fine, so the two of you can leave tomorrow morning after filling out some more paperwork." Kimi-Sensei smiles.

I simply smile back until I hear Shigure sniffling near me. "Y…you hear that, Haa-Chan? You're gonna be…okay…" Suddenly Shigure jumps up and runs into the bathroom. I prepare to follow him but Kimi-Sensei stops me.

"I…I just wanted to say…I'm sorry, again. I wasn't very professional earlier, but I do appreciate you listening. Is everything alright?"

I mentally take her in. Her emotions still seem ragged. "Everything is fine." I reply, "don't worry about before. It may be none of my business, but if you feel so strongly, you should probably speak to Ryu-Sensei." She remains silent, so I continue. "I know he likes Western music. I don't know much Western style artists, but I have a colleague who borders on obsessive over an artist named Elton John. He sings a song called 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart.' Perhaps, if the issue is that you're uncomfortable speaking face-to-face, you could play that song for Ryu-Sensei. As a fellow medical professional, I've been hearing a bit on something called music therapy. Once again, however, it's none of my business."

She stays silent for a moment, then nods and looks up. "No, thank you, very much. I'll certainly keep that in mind. Neither one of us will be seeing you tomorrow I don't think. It's Ryu's day off and I won't really be needed—you'll just be filing paperwork with one of the nurses."

"Oh." I respond. For some reason, I almost feel let down. Kimi-Sensei and Ryu-Sensei are quite skilled physicians and they're amiable as well. Their stories caught my interest.

"Well," Kimi-Sensei continues, once again gracing me with a smile, "I suppose you'd better get back to your lover."

Ah, Kami (see footnote), that's right! Shigure! "Yes." I reply, bowing my leave. Kimi-Sensei leaves the room as I head for the bathroom.

Shigure has obviously thrown up, violently by the looks of it…maybe even multiple times. His clothes are damp, sticking to him as if from a cold sweat. His face is wet with tears. My concern overflows, but with his emotions so on edge lately, I can't let him know that. I can't even betray any sort of gasp. Silently I pledge thanks to my years of medical training; the lifetime I had to work on my cold, unyielding mask.

"You see, Shigure?" I ask, trying to gain his attention. "I knew we shouldn't have had sex without a condom. Now here you are, pregnant. What will we tell Ayame?"

"I…I thought you were going to die…"

"But I didn't…I'm here." I answer, trying to get him out of his damp clothes and mop up the vomit.

"I thought I was slowly helping you kill yourself…I had noticed you were even more distant than normal, you started eating less…but I did nothing. I really am a bastard, aren't I? I couldn't even let you know I loved you…I just watched and watched…then I finally admit that I need you, like the selfish asshole I am, and all I do is put more burdens on you! It's worse then when I fucking pretended I didn't care!" Shigure's shaking by now, threatening to vomit again. I had no idea he was in this much turmoil.

I take him into my arms. "That's not true. You know that's not true. I'm here now, and I'm fine, and I'll go with you to any therapy we think we might need…but right now the one I'm concerned about is you." I sigh. "You did the right thing. You stopped me from doing something very stupid (a/n see chapter 1), you got me to the hospital, you've watched over me. I couldn't expect so much." Shigure tries to speak again, but I shush him. Silently, I ponder my options. I need to find a way to keep Shigure stabilized. He's a mess; even…I rest one hand on his forehead and one on my own. Yes, even a bit feverish. He looks up at me, his eyes reflecting his zodiac position well. What am I saying? We're not part of the zodiac anymore.

The realization falls like a bomb. This is all too much to handle. I start drawing a bath, for the benefit of both of us. Shigure, the child that he is, starts to add in some bubble bath that he got from Kami knows where. I nudge him into the tub, following him in. We soak there for a bit, in each other's arms to fit in better. I start drifting off until I feel a nibble on my neck. "Shigure?" I question.

He nods, and then softly adds, "I owe you." He continues softly kissing and nibbling on my neck, gently caressing me. He catches my ears with his lips and softly sighs at my immediate reaction. Soon he's softly kissing my cheeks, my nose, my eyelids, my lips…

(a/n) With a thousand sweet kisses…I'll cover you…

He slips out of our embrace to tower over me as he goes back to my neck and then journeys down to my nipples.

With a thousand sweet kisses…I'll cover you…

He darts his tongue around, covering my tender nipples in his sweetness, before he comes back to my mouth and gently darts his tongue into my waiting lips.

When you're worn out and tired…

His lips part mine and he returns to my chest, working his way down until he reaches my navel. Timidly, gently, oh so tantalizingly slowly, he works his tongue in circles around my bellybutton. I can hardly stand it, letting out the occasional moan. He can tell how anxious I am by the hardening erection that's making it even more difficult for him to position in the small tub.

When your heart has expired…

"Deal with me for a minute, okay?" He asks. "I'm gonna have to change positions a bit." I nod, no longer able to speak. He gently lowers me to make sure I'm lying on my back in the tub and then positions himself so that he's on his stomach on top of me, facing the opposite direction.

Oh…lover…I'll cover you…

Slowly, slowly, so fucking slowly, he takes my length into his mouth. For a moment, he just sucks. An overwhelming joy and need fills me. Let him suck. Let him suck all he wants. Let him suck on his, yes his, only his, ten inches of candy.

Yeah…yeah…yeah…yeah…yeah…yeah…

Suddenly, he pulls. I try my gasp to cover a moan, but come out gasping. He pauses for a moment, seemingly because he thinks he hurt me, but after no response, he continues. He pulls, inching me in and out, deeper into his mouth. Soon he's rocking us both. He thought I was good at head? If I was good, he's a master artist. He starts licking me, taking all of me in. I can no longer control my breathing, my heart rate is going sporadic, intermittent moans escape me. "Shi…Shigure…I…I can't…" He gives me one last yank and I lose it…completely…I get off so hard that I sink even deeper into the tub, my whole body relaxing at once. "Oh….Shigure…" I moan. He swallows, and gently maneuvers around me to ease back into our embraced position. He smiles at me and whispers, "Well, I owed you, didn't I?"

Oh…lover…I'll cover you…

Several minutes later, a very tired Shigure and I tumbled out of the tub, into fresh clothing, and into a bed. Snuggling together, hands entwined, we pull the blankets over us. Shigure falls asleep almost instantly, but I lie awake for several moments. So much has happened, so much has changed…in a matter of days. I wonder if the entire zodiac is lifted from the curse, or just us? Surely if others had been released, we would have heard about it. But what if they didn't know…just as Shigure and I had not realized our position? Then again, Shigure and I were under so much other stress…

"Haa-Chan…"

"Shh…Shigure, go back to sleep…"

"Stop thinking so hard, Haa-Chan, you'll hurt yourself. Come join Shii-Chan in the joys of slumber."

I roll my eyes, but then smile despite myself. He's right. Now is not the time to be worrying. Gently, I snuggle closer, granting my love a kiss on the forehead. Let us rest peacefully tonight, and leave all our worries for tomorrow.

End of Chapter 13

Author's Notes (a/n)

Sensei is a title that can refer to a doctor, writer, teacher, etc.

Kami (sometimes written Kami-Sama) is a title that refers to God.

The stupid thing (in chapter one) is when Hatori attempted suicide.

The italicized lyrics intermitted in the tub scene are from the song "I'll Cover You" featured in the musical (slash) movie, RENT.

I hope this chapter, written much better than the last uu

Is a welcome change and appreciated by all those

If any

Who were waiting for an update.

If anyone was anticipating this

Or

Just discovered it and enjoyed it

I will happily work on producing

Additional chapters

Please continue to regard me kindly

Yours,

Mokimo