About half an hour later, Usagi and Misaki emerged from the bedroom. Usagi looked triumphant, while Misaki looked embarrassed. His face was an even shade of pink and he looked at the floor while trudging out. "Oh, good, there you two are. Dinner is ready," Manami said, smiling pleasantly.
Misaki looked up, his mouth falling open. "Oh! I'm so sorry! You had to do it all by yourself!"
Manami shook her head while taking the pot of curry to the table. "It's no big deal. Think of it as thanks for letting us stay here. Uh uh uh," she suddenly said, sounding like a pet owner reprimanding a naughty dog. She waggled her finger at the two astonished lovers, who were about to sit down. "Wash those hands first."
"Yes, ma'am," both said, and moved to comply, though Usagi was laughing while Misaki looked ready to die. Meanwhile, Takahiro was just smiling goofily.
"So, I couldn't be more surprised," he said. "Usagi, I never in a million years would have thought you even swing that way." Usagi's face fell, and Misaki cut him a smirking glance. All those years of devoted love towards Takahiro, and he had never even thought Usagi could have possibly been in love with him. Usagi shook off his frown and began eating.
"Well, it's true," he said.
"How does that work, anyway?" Takahiro asked cheerfully, making Manami and Usagi choke on their food as Misaki spluttered frantically. "What?" Takahiro asked, astonished. "I just want to know what you'll do about marriage when the time comes. Do I have to pay a dowry for Misaki? Will his last name become Usami? I don't know these things."
Misaki jumped up, his shaking hands gripping the table edge. "Nii-chan! We're not getting married! W-w-we're just..."
"Fu-" Usagi began, but Misaki shouted over him.
"Going out! We're just going out! I'm only 18 and we're just going out! You don't have to pay a _dowry_! What, are you living in the 17th century now? And besides..." he ranted on and on, and Takahiro waved his hands in a gesture of peace.
"Oh, I apologize...I've rushed things. Yes, I suppose I do have an old fashioned way of thinking when it comes to things like that." He smiled warmly. "But you know, it's the strangest thing...when you still lived with me, Misaki-chan, and you would do the chores so efficiently and your cooking was so good, I remember always thinking what a wonderful bride you'd make someone some day! Then I'd have to stop myself and say, 'Hold up, he can't be a _bride_.' But it just seemed so logical." He tilted his head as he gave his signature goofy smile.
"Nii-chan..." Misaki groaned, blushing.
Usagi made a thoughtful sound, leaning on his hand as he appraised Misaki with an amused eye. "But he does look so good in white."
"That's it! This time, I'll kill you for sure!" Misaki shouted, grabbing his fork and lunging at Usagi. Usagi deftly grabbed his attacking hand by the wrist, spun him around, and popped him sharply on the ass.
"Sit down. No playing at the table."
"Playing? I'm not playing! I'm going to stab you!" Misaki screeched, and Usagi just laughed, a low smooth sound.
"You're so adorable," he said warmly, and Misaki sunk back into his seat, blushing.
"Shut up," he mumbled, and turned his attention back to his food, using his attempted murder weapon to eat his curry.
Manami laughed lightly. "You two are so cute together," she said.
"No we're not," Misaki protested quietly, his mouth full of food.
"Yes, we are," Usagi insisted, reaching out one long arm to ruffle his hair. Misaki's face pinked up even more, and he began to eat faster. "Now, now, slow down. What did I just tell you about trying to stuff things down your throat? You'll just gag yourself." Misaki's ears turned red, but he just stared down at his plate and said nothing.
That night, after everyone had turned in to bed, Misaki pouted as Usagi held him close. "You're always humiliating me," he whined.
"Am I? I don't really mean to." He smiled wickedly. "You're just so fun to tease."
They laid in the darkness for a while, and Usagi thought Misaki was asleep until the boy spoke suddenly. "Er...Usagi-san?"
"Yes, Misaki?"
"Um...do you...do you think I'd really make a good bride?"
"Of course."
"But...I mean, we couldn't really do that...could we?"
Usagi took him by the chin, tilting it up to kiss him gently. "It doesn't matter if we can or can't...I promise you, I'll always take care of you. That's as good as any legal piece of paper saying so."
Misaki blushed and lowered his head. "But...but I want to make a career in economics..."
"That's fine. I'd never hold you back from your own personal success. But at the end of the day...you come home to me." Usagi pulled him in tighter, and Misaki made a muffled noise.
"Well...okay..."
"Aren't you happy?"
"...yeah...I'm really, really happy," Misaki whispered, his voice sincere.
The next morning, Aikawa busted into their room. "Good morning, good morning!" she bellowed. "Love the picture over the mantle, by the way. Anyhoo, I'm here to pick up the latest manuscript, Usagi-sensei!"
Usagi rose up from the bed slightly, scowling and looking irritated. "I told you already that it's not done."
"Ah ah ah...I won't accept that. We're going to march right up there and I'll sit over you like a hawk until you finish it."
"Leave me alone," Usagi growled, pulling the covers over his and Misaki's heads.
"Nope," Aikawa said, approaching the bed and tugging him by the ankle.
"Hey! Hey! Look, I'm doing research!" Usagi shouted. "See, see, I'm feeling him up right now." Misaki howled, proving that this was the truth. "Oh, his youthful essence is longing to burst forth. Don't get in the way of this magical experience," Usagi cooed, nibbling at Misaki's neck under the covers.
"Not buying it," Aikawa said firmly. "Time's up, time's up. The time for fooling around has long passed. So get your lazy ass out of this bed and YOU ARE GOING TO WRITE OR I WILL BREAK EVERY BONE IN YOUR BODY!" Aikawa's voice suddenly turned nasty, and Usagi threw the covers back.
"Fine! I'm coming!" He stomped out of the room and up to his office, followed closely by Aikawa.
"Love the panda pajamas," Aikawa commented, slapping his panda covered ass as he strode up the stairs.
"Hah," Usagi grunted, unperturbed. "You should see Misaki's."
"Oh?" Aikawa's focus on him was temporarily diverted, and she looked downstairs to watch Misaki stumbling out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. "Oh, now that's hot!" she cried.
"Huh?" Misaki looked up at her, scratching at his chest. He was wearing an impossibly tight tank top, with a panda bear head on the front. On the bottom, he wore tiny snug fitting white boyshorts, with a panda bear head across the ass.
"It's a set," Usagi explained, lighting a cigarette and leaning down over the railing. "Cute, huh?"
"What?" Misaki screeched, suddenly realizing he was being ogled. He covered himself with his hands and ran back to the bedroom, slamming the door behind himself.
Takahiro popped his head out from Misaki's old bedroom. "What's going on?" he asked, looking sleepy.
"We're just admiring Misaki's goodies!" Aikawa cheered. "Hey, wait a minute, who's this guy?" she asked, suddenly realizing she'd never met the man.
"Misaki's brother, Takahiro," Usagi said. "Meet Aikawa, my editor."
"Oh! Takahiro from _Love in the Student Council Room_? Hot!" Aikawa squealed.
"Huh?" Takahiro looked perplexed.
"Never mind," Usagi grunted, yanking Aikawa by the wrist into his office. "You wanted me to write, right? Well, I'll fucking write, goddammit! I'll write until it knocks your nasty little fujoshi panties off!"
"Don't promise it if you can't deliver it," Aikawa laughed, and the door closed behind them.
Manami sat up in the bed inside Misaki's old room. "...This place is a little strange," she commented.
"Oh, that's just Usagi." Takahiro shrugged cheerfully, and the two got dressed and went down to breakfast, which Misaki was preparing in the kitchen, no longer in his panda shorties. They ate and then went out apartment shopping, as that was the goal of their Tokyo trip. Misaki washed up the dishes and got ready to leave for school.
He went upstairs and knocked at the office hesitantly. "Usagi-san? I'm off," he said through the door.
The door suddenly swung open, revealing Usagi. "Oh, I'll take you," he said, smiling.
"No, you won't!" Aikawa screeched. "Sit back down and type, you worthless son of a bitch!"
Usagi frowned. "Sorry, Misaki...looks like I can't get out of this."
"You should just meet your deadlines," Misaki mumbled.
"But it's no fun that way."
"And it IS fun this way?" Misaki rubbed his forehead. "Anyway, I'll see you tonight...bye." He started to turn to go, but Usagi grasped him by the wrist and pulled him into an embrace. "Mmm..." Misaki moaned softly, forgetting for the moment that Aikawa was there. Usagi's fingers tangled through his hair, and he started to feel just a little lightheaded.
"Hot hot hot!" Aikawa cheered, and both men broke apart.
"See you later."
"Yeah," Misaki mumbled, and fled down the stairs. He arrived at school with just a few minutes to spare, and slid into his literature class. Professor Kamijo gave him the side eye, but sniffed and continued to write on the board.
That evening, Manami and Takahiro returned from their apartment search, which was a success. They had found a lovely little place not far away. "So, we'll be able to come and visit a lot!" Takahiro said cheerfully.
Manami smiled apologetically. "Honey, maybe we'd be better off giving them their privacy," she said softly.
"Nonsense. You're always welcome here," Usagi insisted, his face impassive and a cigarette between his lips as he swatted Misaki's bottom with a flyswatter. The boy yelped and jumped a foot in the air, then turned around to loudly berate Usagi. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of Manami's face.
"Let's play Scrabble!" Takahiro cheered, in a completely non sequitur move. "It'll be just like old times."
Usagi smiled warmly. "Yes, we did play a lot of Scrabble back then, didn't we?" The four of them settled around the table, and tiles were drawn. "Okay, who can make the longest word?" Usagi asked of the others.
"I...I can make a three letter word," Misaki said hesitantly. Usagi just snorted and looked at the newlyweds, who reported they could each make a five letter word. "Ah, then I go first...I can make a six letter word," Usagi said smugly, and then laid them out. "N-I-P-P-L-E. 17 points, then double word score for first, 34 points. Your play, Misaki."
Misaki's face was red. "Dirty words aren't allowed."
"Dirty word?" Usagi chuckled. "It's just a part of the human body, or even the rubber tip of a bottle. Nothing dirty about that. It's only dirty if you make it dirty," he insisted. "Your play."
"Ugh..." Misaki sighed, and pored over his tiles for a while, shuffling them a bit. "Okay, here..." he finally said, and laid an I, then an R, then a D underneath the N already on the board.
Usagi blinked at it a few times. "What is that supposed to be?"
"You know, like a dorky person. Nerd."
"That's spelled with an E, silly. Take it back." Misaki did so reluctantly, and agonized over what to do.
"Misaki-kun...you can put those same letters above one of the P's, and make DRIP," Manami suggested.
"Thank you so much, big sis!" Misaki said, relieved. He spelled the word, and then gameplay moved to Takahiro, who promptly spelled DRINK going horizontally off of Misaki's word. Manami spelled NUMBED vertically off of the first word, and gameplay went back to Usagi, who perused the board before chuckling and laying three tiles above the K in Takahiro's word. "Jerk!" Misaki shouted. "Now that's a nasty word!" he protested.
Usagi batted his eyelashes innocently. "What do you mean? It's the Chinese Zodiac symbol I was born under. Nothing rude about that."
"That explains a lot," Misaki grumbled.
Takahiro peered at the board. "Oh, that's right, we were both born in 1981. Don't they usually say Year of the _Rooster, though?"
Usagi shrugged and lit a cigarette. "It always says "cock" on the placemats at the Chinese takeout place," he declared, exhaling a stream of smoke.
"Fine, fine, whatever!" Misaki shouted. "It's my turn!" He plunked down two tiles to the left of the M in Manami's word. "Ha ha!" he said triumphantly. "JEM! And that hits the triple letter score on the J! 29 points total!"
Usagi sighed. "You can add wonderfully, but you can't spell. JEM is not a word."
"It is too!" Misaki protested. "Like a gemstone!"
"That's with a G," Usagi corrected him.
"Ugh..." Misaki groaned. "Well, fortunately I do have a G as well, so..." He quickly swapped the tiles out. "But that's only worth 14 points total...man..."
Play moved on to Takahiro, and then Manami, who both spelled simple, low scoring words, and then moved back to Usagi. He shuffled his tiles and then got a gleam in his eye. "Heh heh," he laughed, and then began laying letters around the E in NOTES.
Misaki about hit the roof when he saw the word spelled out. "What is this, X-rated Scrabble? What are the odds that you have the letters for those kind of words every time? You're a pervert!"
"Exactly," Usagi said smoothly. "Because of the nature of my work, my mind automatically finds the worst word possible. And besides, just like the other words, it has an innocent definition as well...it can mean a building."
"No one ever calls a building an _erection_! You're making that up!" Misaki protested.
"You know, Misaki, you're the only one making a big deal out of my words...I'm sorry to get you so...excited." He deliberately placed emphasis on the last word and smirked as Misaki blushed.
"W-w-whatever! My turn!" Misaki shouted, and haphazardly began shuffling the tiles on his rack. He gazed at the board, and back down at his tiles, and began to sweat profusely. "Uh oh..." he gulped, looking nervous.
"What's wrong, Misaki-chan?" Takahiro asked. "If you can't spell a word, you can redraw all your tiles, but you have to lose a turn."
"N-n-no...I can spell something...two words actually...but I don't want to. Augh, but it would be worth so many points!" he cried, pointing to the triple letter score square a little ways off from ERECTION.
"Let me see this," Usagi said suddenly, drawing Misaki's tile rack towards himself.
"Ack! That's cheating!" Misaki shouted.
"No, it's not. You're probably misspelling whatever it is you're thinking of, anyway. Now let's see..." he glanced at the tiles, then a cheeky grin erupted across his face. "Oh. Now I see why you're so worked up...you have the elusive X on your rack. Let me guess...is this what you wanted to do?" He narrowed his eyes as he laid three tiles perpendicular to his last word. "You'll get 11 points pluralizing my word into ERECTIONS, and then 1 point for S, 1 point for E, and 30 points for X, giving you 32 points for your own word. How clever. I like it." He smiled at Misaki wickedly. "You turned my erection into two erections and sex. You're good at that, aren't you?"
Misaki blushed profusely as he scribbled down his score hastily. "Let's just move on..." he grumbled, drawing three more tiles out of the bag. Takahiro managed to spell EXIT, and then Manami turned it into EXITS while adding the word SHIFT perpendicular to it.
"We're really getting the most out of that X," she pointed out cheerfully.
"Hmmm." Usagi stared at his tiles for a full minute.
"What's the matter, can't spell anything nasty?" Misaki teased him.
"No, I can't, and it's such a shame..." Usagi said ruefully. "I just love flustering you. Oh! Aha!" He slapped down some tiles triumphantly. "H-U-M-P. Oh, don't pout, Misaki. It's just the word for the growth on a camel's back, silly."
"That's not the way you're thinking of it," Misaki seethed, adding up his score.
"Ah, that's a double letter score under the P, don't forget."
"I didn't...my turn now." Misaki thought for a minute, blushed, and then balled up his fists. "Arg! Aw, screw it. This game is shot, anyway." He laid down an ING on Usagi's word. "I can't resist a double word score," he mumbled.
Usagi reached out and stroked his back affectionately. "Ah. It appears you're becoming just like me."
"No I'm not! Never!" Misaki shouted. "Let's just play Scrabble! Your turn, nii-chan!" he said, and his brother reeled back a little at the force in his voice.
"Uh...okay...let's see..." He managed to spell a totally innocent word, as did Manami.
Play came back to Usagi, and he rubbed his hands gleefully. "It's not worth many points, but who cares?" he said, laying down SEME to the left of the N in HUMPING. He appraised the board approvingly. "This game is beautiful. I have to get a picture of this for Aikawa." And with that, he wandered off to get his camera.
Manami took the opportunity to bolt from the situation. "Well, if you'll excuse us...we'll be turning in early, as we're catching the first train in the morning," she said, and then dragged her husband up the stairs.
When Usagi returned, he looked around with something akin to surprise. "What happened to them?"
"They ran away," Misaki sniffed. "Now take a picture of your filth board so I can put it away." Usagi did so, smiling a little. Misaki poured the tiles bag into the bag, and folded the board up, placing it back in the box. "You're such a perv," he mumbled, closing the lid.
"And you love it..." Usagi breathed, pulling him into a kiss. "Admit it," he whispered into the boy's ear. "You like getting all worked up over me."
"Unnhhh...I do not..." Misaki protested. To his surprise, Usagi retreated, withholding his kisses and caresses. "Huh?" Misaki muttered.
"Admit it, and I'll keep going."
"What? As if..." Misaki began, but trailed off as Usagi slowly unbuttoned his own shirt, exposing his broad, flawless chest.
"Guess I'll sleep alone," Usagi said in a nonchalant voice.
"Wait? Where will I sleep? Nii-chan is in my old bed!" Misaki whined.
Usagi looked down on him smugly. "Then admit you like it."
Misaki blushed and looked down at his hands. "I...I like it...a little bit."
"Good enough," Usagi mused, and hefted the boy over his shoulder, carting him off to the bedroom for more naughtiness...