"It's really beautiful today." The gentle rain sent ripples across the pool on the shrine's grounds, and the sun shine on its surface. Tanuma lay back across the tatami, watching the ripples reflected on the ceiling.

"I'm a little jealous..." he said, laughing quietly. Natsume glanced over, smiling in return.

"You always say that. It's not all that, being able to see them."

"And you always say that. I just wish that there was more I could do to help, Natsume." Tanuma's voice was quiet as if he was afraid of what Natsume would say.

"I... I can handle it myself." His gaze shifted from the pool to the board with their Go pieces. Ever since the incident in the house with Omibashira... It was like the other boy expected him to open up just because they'd been through that together, but even so...

He scowled slightly as Natori's words came back to him. He was right, but he hadn't understood. Amber eyes turned towards Tanuma's face. What would he do if Tanuma got hurt? If Tanuma got hurt /because of him./

The thought made his heart clench. He couldn't live with himself.

"Natsume, I can handle myself, too..." The hand that suddenly gripped his arm made him start, and he felt a flush rise in his cheeks. Even worse than the guilt of being responsible for Tanuma being hurt, the feelings that surged through him at the simplest smile from the other boy, the merest touch... It wasn't right, was it? Of course, youkai didn't differentiate gender... But they were humans and it wasn't right. He lifted his hand to rest it atop Tanuma's.

"That was when you could see them. What about next time when you can't?" His eyes rose to meet the other boy's, and he felt his cheeks flood with color. His heart was already pounding, so when Tanuma raised his other hand to cradle Natsume's cheek, he thought it might sprout wings and flutter right out of his chest.

It wasn't until the lips pressed awkwardly against his from the odd half-sitting position the other boy was in that he regained his senses and could return the kiss.

"Quiet, Takashi."

His name sounded strange on Tanuma's tongue, and he laughed, half nervous and half genuine joy. A moment later Tanuma laughed too.

"Maybe I should just stick to Natsume for now..."

Natsume felt his cheeks burning, and he had to glance away. "Or we don't have to say anything."

Dark eyes widened in surprise, and words stammered from lips in an incoherent stream as Natsume hooked his fingers around fabric and tugged Tanuma into another kiss. It was odd and unexpected but there was nothing he'd change about the moment, their breath trickling together into one stream, their eyes meeting as lips pressed together, and the reflection of the pond in the yard shining on the ceiling and paper doors.