Five Times Ritsuka Feared for his Ears.

-1-

It's not, exactly, that Ritsuka thought he'd stay a virgin forever. It's just that he always assumed that, you know, he'd lose them to his Sacrifice. About a 95% of the Fighters lose their ears that way, and the 5% that don't lose them that way always end up regretting it. It's something, they're taught, that makes their bonds even stronger. You don't have to love your Sacrifice, but it's way easier for you when you do and, well. Most of the time you just love them. That's how most Fighters roll, and in the end, most Sacrifices love their Fighter's back.

He had loved Ritsu, in a way, but Ritsu... well. Ritsu only had had eyes for his nephew, and so he hadn't been very interested in Ritsuka's ears. He hadn't been very interested at all in Ritsuka, period, saying that he disliked having to need a Fighter, which had hurt but, well. Ritsuka was used to things hurting, and despite that, he was Ritsu's Fighter. So he'd remain with ears until and if he was ordered to lose them, or whatever. It wasn't as if he'd mind having his ears.

And then Soubi. Ritsuka had never considered having a second Sacrifice, but orders were orders, and Ritsu had been so very clear about what he wanted Ritsuka to do. He hadn't known what to expect from Ritsu's nephew, and he had come to see a very cute but extremely earless child, a boy who was all smiles and no ears and no tail and who really knew how to French kiss (and there was no way in hell Ritsuka was going to tell him that he had never been kissed like that before) and... well. Stuff.

"Hey, Rit~su~ka~," Soubi murmurs. "Should we try to dee~pen~ our bond?"

And suddenly Ritsuka is not sure he's going to be keeping his ears until whenever.

He's not sure he's going to keep them until the very next day.

-2-

"Oh! Ritsuka is hurt!" Ritsuka half glares at the way Soubi sounds cheerful about that, already going for the first aid kit, but Soubi rushes towards him, and then he pushes him to sit down.

If he was a normal kid and he still had his ears and tail, Ritsuka would bet that his tail would be wagging.

"Let me, I'll help!" Soubi chirps, opening the buttons of his ruined shirt far too easily in that way that kind of creeps Ritsuka out more often than not.

It's his name what's bleeding, Ritsu's name, the tiny mark that he barely bothered to write on him and only because it was needed for them to be able to work. It's still annoying, and he hisses when Soubi cleans the mark, closing his eyes against the ever familiar but still annoying sting of alcohol.

And then he feels Soubi's hand in his pants and his mouth near a nipple.

"I bet this'll make it better," Soubi coos.

Ritsuka flees from the room, barely remembering to pick up his coat.

-3-

Text messages:

10:00 - Ritsuka, kiss me.

10:05 ... *CHUU*

10:09 - Ritsuka, I want to suck you off and--

So he'll have to buy another cellphone – his third in a month – but it's much better than having to read the rest of the text.

-4-

"I said no!" Ritsuka says, pushing Soubi away, being able to do so because it wasn't an order, it was Soubi being Soubi, pushing him and sucking on his neck and he'll have another hickey again: Kio is never going to let him forget it. Again.

But this time it's different. This time Soubi actually stands up and moves away, in such a way that Ritsuka gets restless as he stands up from the bed as well, picking up his things so he can leave.

"Soubi?"

"... Is it because I'm not Ritsu?" Soubi asks suddenly, and his voice is quiet enough that Ritsuka knows he's not teasing.

Instead Soubi is sort of looking down, not shifting on his feet but looking as if he's standing just because he has forgotten how to move any way at all. And it's one of the few times where Soubi isn't acting like a know it all, but small and broken and dejected, and that's something that Ritsuka knows how it feels so very well.

"I know... I know that I'm easy to throw away," Soubi says, and his eyes are hidden behind his bangs. "So... if Ritsuka doesn't want me..."

"No!" Ritsuka says, and he gets close, ignoring that five seconds ago he wanted to run as far away as he could, hugging Soubi against him, and he's holding him close enough that he feels the way he flinches, as if struck, and that's familiar as well, something that Ritsuka never even stopped to consider, 'if Ritsu does this to me, then...' "You're wrong, Soubi! It's not that at all!"

Slowly, Soubi's arms wrap around him, and he feels him shaking.

"Then... why don't you..."

"B-Because!" Ritsuka tries, voice shaking, but then he shakes his head. "It's... not that I don't-- I MEAN. Eventually... but..."

"Ritsuka?"

"... y-you're too young," Ritsuka murmurs finally, feeling the way his ears press against his head, the way his blushing. "Y-your body, I mean! I just. It's not... I... I belong to Soubi, so... if it's actually an order, then..."

There is a long, long pause, and then Soubi shakes his head no, turning his face to hide it against Ritsuka's neck.

"But you have to sleep with me tonight," he says, oddly shy, and it's not a trick, since Ritsuka can feel the way his skin warms against his neck. "That is an order."

And, well. Despite the risks, Ritsuka can't say no to that.

-5-

"Mmm... uh? E-eh? Hey! Hey!"

"... mmm?"

"Soubi!"

"Ritsuka, you won't lose your ears this way, I've done it bef--"

"I DON'T WANT TO KNOW!"