A secret unlit room.

Inspired by the 31 Days theme for September 21, 2005.

"Did anyone ever tell you how much you suck at taking care of yourself?"

It was Cross' voice that drew him out of the dream world and back to reality. Komui Lee's eyes fluttered open, focusing amidst a myopic blur upon the familiar hard angles of a grizzled face. The Black Order's chief scientist immediately snapped awake.

"Y… you came back…"

"Don't sound so surprised. I'm here to pick up a few documents, but from the look of your office I'll be here for longer than I expected."

The General's deep voice registered amusement as he brushed a pile of books off the chair beside the couch that Komui was on and sat down, pulling out his pipe. Komui frowned as he scrambled for his glasses, desperately tried to pull the tangles out of his hair and generally acted completely flustered at the very sudden return of his lover. It was dark in the study, with little else but the weak light of a lantern in the corner to provide something for one to see by. Then there was the light from the end of Cross' pipe, faded like a drunken firefly.

"…And you tell me that I suck at taking care of myself."

"You do."

Words could not have begun to express the great amount of divine frustration Komui was feeling at that moment. Here was their greatest general, returning unannounced as though it were perfectly acceptable for bastards and general assholes to leave the ones they love without a word and dare to not contact them at all. He counted from one to ten in his head before opening his mouth to speak. "The point is that you should stop smoking—"

"Shut up and let me kiss you."

Cross was on him, hands encircling his wrists and face too close, with a speed not entirely comforting. The man had him sandwiched between the couch and his own body, and for some reason the only thing Komui could think about was how dangerously close Cross' knee was to that place between his legs.

"…Get the fuck off me," Komui muttered, just before Cross stole his lips for a kiss.

"I think fucking is the point right now," Cross later returned, as he undid the buttons of Komui's uniform with one hand and reached down lower on the younger man's body with the other. "It's been a long time since our last time, after all."