His first kiss with Kurogane was a beautiful mix of contradictions. Like Kurogane. The hand at the back of his head was curled in a tight fist, but there was care in the way that it was just tugging lightly and not yanking. There was nothing tentative or hesitant in the kiss either; those lips were pressed firmly against his, surprisingly soft and moving in small nibbling motions against him. And yet while Kurogane had moved first to kiss him and was holding him in place still, it remained just that; their first kiss. Sweet, soft, careful and not moving beyond that. Light, gentle, warm and not growing any more heated.

Fai had been the one to confess and Kurogane had been the one to pull them together, and now the blonde began to feel that the ninja was waiting for him, somehow. Waiting for him to say something, or ask for something, perhaps. This was not because the taller was being passive and still by any means. There were two hands curling into the hair at the base of his head now, thumbs softly flicking over his earlobes and teasing at the soft skin just behind his jaw, sending pleasant tingles down his spine. And Kurogane's mouth was not idle either, pulling away, again and again, an infinitesimal distance to brush feather-light over Fai's mouth and then come back down in a gentle nip of slightly parted lips over an as-of-yet untasted section of skin.

The blonde reveled in each sensation, and wondered at the measured pace, and had time enough to do plenty of both as the slow, sweet kisses went on and on. In his daydreams and nighttime fantasies, he hadn't imagined Kuro-sama to be one for taking anything slow. His image of Kurogane as a lover had been built upon his image of Kurogane as a warrior; a man of action, decisive and aggressive, wasting little time on preliminaries and going in straight for the kill. Capable of controlled violence on the battlefield that Fai imagined would translate to controlled passion in the bedroom.

If he'd been told that his confession would result in a kiss and then asked to predict how the rest of the late afternoon would speed along, he might have guessed that the kiss would have quickly turned hot and heavy and that he'd have found himself on his back in less than a minute, with a hot-eyed ninja looming over him, all lustful growls and greedy hands. And he wouldn't have minded in the least.

He wouldn't have guessed that Kurogane would be content to just nibble lightly on him and softly brush his hands against his face and in his hair, minute after minute. Fai didn't mind this scenario in the least either, good God no, but he did wonder when the oft-times impatient-for-action warrior would move for more. And as uncertain as he had been about whether or not his romantic feelings were returned, now that they were locked together in a kiss, he thought his confidence in being able to read the man was back in full.

One of Fai's hands was still curled around Kurogane's wrist, and he could feel the ninja's pulse kick with every little pleased hum that their kisses pulled from the wizard. When Fai's fingers tightened at a particularly delicious shiver running down his spine, the thick fingers coiling and carding through his hair would twitch a bit. And between the soft nips and nibbles were now warm breaths panted across his lips. Fai could feel the tension rise in his old friend and future lover, and wondered if Kuro-sama were beginning to feel that sweet ache of impatience as much as he himself was, and if so, what the man was waiting for.

While waiting and wondering, Fai grew more and more relaxed and comfortable with all the new sensations. With every repetition of a soft press of lips or gentle scrape of nails across his skin, he grew less distracted with the amazement of being kissed at all, and began to simply enjoy it. Instead of everything being wildly distracting, it all grew to be simply delightful. His quiet gasps of wonder and surprise grew into murmurs of contentment and growing desire, and suddenly he was pressing back into each kiss with growing confidence, raising a hand to thread his fingers through short black spikes and humming happily into the nonexistent space between them.

It turned out that that was what Kurogane had been waiting for.

The taller man broke the kiss and Fai opened his eyes, gazing hazily up to see red eyes fixed intently, intensely upon him. It sent a thrill through his body and he was moving forward unthinkingly, taking a firmer grip on that muscular neck and letting Kurogane's arm go in order to plant that hand on a strong thigh as he shifted and crawled forward a bit through the whispering leaves. He was too roused now for shyness and besides, what was there left to be shy over? This man knew him, inside and out, knew every bloody detail of his past, knew every secret he'd ever held in his heart now, and was still holding him, kissing him, and smiling down at him with that heated, approving look.

As he closed the distance between them, now kneeling practically in the ninja's lap, Kurogane leaned forward again, but this time his eyes did not close all the way and his lips were parted as well. It wasn't really a kiss, at least not as Fai expected, but more like a nuzzle, hot breaths ghosting over him as skin grazed skin, parted, hovered, missed. He chased after Kurogane's mouth, trying to nip, asking to be kissed, his own half-lidded eyes curious and questioning and utterly enchanted at this strange teasing sort of caress. As he tilted his head up, trying to close the shifting gap, his mouth fell open too and then his lips were finally captured in a moist, warm kiss.

Pale lids fluttered shut and he hummed quietly in mild surprise. Not just at the feel of it, and the way it made him feel, but at realizing how Kurogane was leading and coaxing him along. Not demanding, not bossing him around, not rushing or forcing or taking even when Fai would have been more than happy to let him. Kurogane was watching him, gauging reactions, waiting and wanting to move together.

Fai hadn't been wrong to assume that Kurogane would love just like he fought. He had only been mistaken in looking at the man from an opponent's viewpoint rather than an ally's. When you were on the wrong end of that sharp, silvery blade, then yes, Kurogane was fierce and merciless and unyielding, all fangs and fire and flame. But when you were at his side, all that talent and power and ferocity was focused on keeping you safe from all harm. Kurogane would protect him from enemies and even from his own self.

Fai suddenly felt a rush of affection and admiration and gratitude that overwhelmed even the most poignant longing he'd felt while thinking his feelings were unrequited. Long arms were thrown about the ninja's shoulders and Fai pulled himself close, meeting the next open-mouthed kiss more than halfway and putting every bit of passion and desire that the other had roused in him into it. The hands cradling his head clenched, almost spasmed closed into fists, and then they were slithering down the wizard's shoulders and back to crush their bodies together just as their mouths already were.

Being drawn close in such a way raised Fai to his knees and he was suddenly taller, head tucked down and making the ninja throw his head back to keep their lips locked. On impulse he decided to let gravity help them get closer and pushed his knees insistently against the forest floor, toppling them easily over and breaking the kiss as balance deserted them temporarily. The taller had to break an arm away to catch himself on one elbow as he went down, the other arm tight around Fai's waist, and then they were lying in the fallen foliage, breathless and just looking at each other for a moment. Fai was just as wide-eyed as the other, his own actions catching him by surprise.

He became aware of their surroundings again in that still moment; the rich earthy air and cool carpet of leaves, the green-gold canopy overhead with its tattered curtains of sunlight pouring down, faint birdsong and a breeze. And at the center of his universe, the sweat and musk scent of his lover and the hard muscles underneath smooth fabric, bright red eyes that he could drown in and strong arms to anchor him, and hot breath escaping in ragged pants.

Fai was happy, plain and simple, and he felt a wide smile break over his face. He felt flushed and he knew his eyes must be glittering almost madly with all the love and lust he felt for the man underneath him. Kurogane's answering grin and soft caress of Fai's face nearly broke the wizard's heart open from not being able to contain all the emotion welling up in him. With a meaningless murmur of he knew not what, Fai pulled himself close again and devoured the eager lips that awaited him.

He felt overwhelmed and overexcited, and as if he couldn't bear any more happiness or else he might break free and just go running through the forest until he collapsed from sheer exhaustion. He trembled and clung and kissed Kurogane almost desperately, unable to get close enough to satisfy himself. Fai felt a chuckle reverberate in that massive chest he was laying atop and then with a quick tensing of muscles for his only warning, was flipped over onto his back. The wizard found himself neatly pinned from head to toe and loving every bit of it. The ground cradled him and Kurogane was pressing down on him with his body and enclosing him in his arms and thatwas what he had wanted.

Fai also wanted very much to just press right up into another kiss, but Kurogane pulled away, and then pulled even further away with a grin when the wizard's eager mouth strained upwards, trying to make contact. Blue eyes narrowed, and Fai's mouth was too busy panting, so those eyes just accused him silently of being mean. The glittering glare faded soon enough, however, as they took in the sight of Kurogane gazing down with that new look that left the shorter man utterly breathless in a way that has nothing to do with the weight on his chest and everything to do with the fondness visible in that open expression.

The blonde felt his own expression melt into an almost pained, yearning one and that smug grin on the ninja's face softened as well, and when Fai reached up to touch Kurogane's cheek he ended up missing because of the way the taller quickly leaned in to continue their interrupted kisses. Kurogane closed in with lips parted and Fai met him in the same way with his head tilted just so, a quick learner made a natural genius through extreme motivation. Lightly trembling fingers carded quickly through black hair, pressing hard against scalp when they couldn't find purchase in the short spikes. Kurogane gave a low growl that Fai felt from his teeth all the way down to his toes, and when he moaned into the kiss at the first wet touch of a tongue against his, he felt the ninja shiver.

Pinned so well between an insistent mouth and heavy body above and firm hands and the ground below, Fai couldn't arch up into the kiss, so he simply pulled harder with his hands and made the heated kiss bruising instead. He pressed back with his own tongue immediately, noisy at the slick heat and intimacy of it all. The feeling of being loved and desired burned through whatever was left of hesitation and lust swept even the ashes away.

He writhed in what little wiggle room was left to him and Kurogane growled. Pale hands clawed and clutched at every bit of skin and shirt they could get at and Kurogane's arms tightened around him. Fai squirmed until he freed one leg and hooked his ankle high around his lover's thigh and Kurogane settled himself further between Fai's legs, crooking one long limb under the thigh that Fai had clamped against the ninja's hip. They tangled together, limbs and tongues and mindless noises, dragging each other down faster and faster from that laughing, light exchange of affection into a more primal state of need and want.

Kurogane pressed down and Fai arched up and then suddenly they were both tearing away from each other's mouths, all tensed muscles and gritted teeth and desperately clutching hands. Kurogane made a strangled noise into Fai's neck and the wizard gasped up at the rustling trees, eyes wide and seeing nothing. Fai unlocked first and arched up again, hands raking across the small of Kurogane's back and heels digging into the debris littering the forest floor. The dark-haired man growled something unintelligible and drove his hips down hard against him and this time Fai snapped his head back and cried out.

They'd switched over from sweet romance to greedy grappling somewhere along the way, and as if satisfied that Fai was going to match his desire at every overture, Kurogane no longer held back and waited for his lover to catch up, holding his hand and tugging him gently along. Instead, they raced. There was nothing cautious left in the way they explored and experimented; it was two adults who'd both done this before but never with each other, knowing what to do and just needing to find out which way was best with this current partner. They understood the basic need driving them both and were confident that the minor details would work themselves out along the way.

The jolts of pleasure shooting up Fai's spine and exploding in his skull seemed to be having the same devastating effect on his lover. Fai reveled in the noises Kurogane made as they rocked together and didn't try to tame his own reactions, simply letting desire wash over him and carry him away. He didn't care about anything at the moment; only this, only the closeness and heat, and getting as much of it as he could. Lust coiled and burned and built within his core and Fai was growing greedy for more. His hands were tugging at shirt tails and collar and he realized he was murmuring against Kurogane's lips instead of just gasping and groaning, and it was a moment before he could rise up out of his mental fog to understand what Kurogane was saying back.

"Mmm, more," he hummed against warm, wet lips, and drew his hands up Kurogane's sides, delighting in the feel of muscles and bone under smooth skin and crumpling the edges of the ninja's shirt away.

"Ahh, gods, want you." It was low and growly against his ear and Fai shivered and sucked in air through clenched teeth.

"Yes," he hissed, and stopped pulling at the collar of Kurogane's shirt to worm an insistent hand between them, bucking a bit to make room so he could get at the ninja's belt. He was so focused on his shifted priorities that he didn't understand the throaty "wait" that he heard, spoken right against his ear, but the hand that grabbed his wrist caught his attention and he opened his eyes to look up in utter confusion.

"What?" Fai asked, his words bewildered and breathless. "I thought..."

Sweat beaded on the ninja's forehead and he looked almost as half as flushed as Fai felt, and considering the difference in their skin tones, that was saying quite a bit. Frown lines marred the tan brow and Kurogane shook his head and didn't say anything at first, as if needing to gather his thoughts and breath.

"We need to stop..." were the first words out of the ninja's mouth, and Fai blinked. If this had been the dark, piney forest in Yama he might have laughed and broken away and Kurogane would have been furious with him. If he had been lying on the cold concrete in Infinity he might have snarled and lashed out at the man and they would have ended up having extremely angry sex. If they had been grappling with each other while struggling to heal in Nihon he might have sighed and curled up into himself and they would have been stiff and stilted with each other all over again. But it was today.

"I will kill you if you stop now," Fai said with a quirked eyebrow, and when Kurogane broke into a brief laugh, thought to himself that he hadn't really meant it as a joke.

"You really want to do it like this?" Kurogane asked, mouth curved in a lop-sided smile and coming up on his elbows to look fondly down at the unamused wizard. "In the dirt, I don't have anything on me we can use and the kid and bun might even come looking for us. And even if they don't, you want to walk - well, limp - back into town all sticky and sweaty?"

Fai pouted, earning another chuckle from his too-practical lover, but admitted to himself that the taller man was probably right. Damn him. Kurogane smiled ruefully and wisped some hair out of Fai's eyes with one hand while continuing along his thought trail, voice lower now and serving to smooth out the expression on the wizard's face.

"I want a bed, and privacy, and plenty of time to make you mine," Kurogane murmured. "We'll have other opportunities for quick tumbles; if we don't find them I'll make them, but first times should be special. Don't want to hurt you any more than I absolutely have to." Kurogane leaned in as he spoke the last sentence, and as their lips pressed together in a soft, almost chaste kiss, Fai silently chided the man.

Oh, you really shouldn't have been so sweet, Kuro-sama. There's no way I'm letting you go now.