A/N: When I first read Loveless I liked the story, the art...not so much… but the way the series was going was actually good but now it slowed down. I think I have missed a few chapters of the manga by now. Anyway I love Ritsuka; he's a mature young boy that is still naive in many things. He's a very huggable child in my eyes.

A/N 2: There is no intimate stuff going on between Ritsuka and Soubi. Despite the fact that Ritsuka is a little older than 12 in this one shot and isn't too young. Well 14 is still too young...I would like Ritsuka to be of age when anything sexual happens between them that is if Soubi still remains with Ritsuka even if Seimei is back.

Lovely Beats (One-shot)

It all started with a simple question.

"Can I draw you Ritsuka?"

The fourteen year old stared at Soubi as his ears twitched on top of his head. "Seriously? But I thought you were busy with work?" His amethyst eyes went toward another direction.

Soubi sat on Ritsuka's bed while the child was at his computer; he uploaded new pictures he took on his camera. He recently went on an overnight trip with his class, where he got permission from his father when he vaguely returned home. Ritsuka was shocked that he was able to go so he took as many photographs he could.

Of course when he came back home, his mother gave him a version on a 'welcome home' greeting. He had the evidence on his right cheek.

The sandy blond smiled. "I always have time for you."

Every time Ritsuka saw Soubi smile; he always thought there had to be an underlying reason. Now he was started to feel uncomfortable and he really should not be that suspicious. Ritsuka had been protected so many times by Soubi but the feeling still remained.

He questioned inside of his mind about Soubi wanting to draw him. His eyes squinted, he wasn't going to pose nude.

"I'm not posing nude if that's what you want."

Soubi blinked in surprise. "That isn't it...actually."

Ritsuka blushed in embarrassment. "Oh..."

"I wanted to draw you in your most comfortable setting. Directing your pose just doesn't seem natural and I know you won't think it is fun." Soubi explained as he chuckled. "Drawing you nude is going to have to wait until you are older."

So you have thought about it! Perv! Ritsuka thought as his tail stood up in anger.

Soubi checked his phone as he asked Ritsuka. "I have no other plans this week, so when can I draw you?"

"I-I don't know."

"After school? Sunday?"

Ritsuka scratched the back of his neck. "Saturday? I leave early and we would have a long time for you to do what you have to do."

"That's perfect." Soubi said with a smile on his face.

Harsh knocking reached his ears as a woman screamed. "Ritsuka? Who is in there? I know someone is in there!"

Ritsuka's ears went down as he subconsciously touched his cheek.

Soubi really wanted to silence that woman. Permanently. His blue eyes went to Ritsuka and he frowned. No matter how much he desired to do this, if Ritsuka didn't command it, he wouldn't do it.

"Ritsuka! Ritsuka!" Misaki yelled as she kept banging on the door. They remained silent for ten minutes before she stopped and she walked away from the door.

Soubi was about to comment when Ritsuka interrupted. "Don't."

The older man nodded his head as she stood from his spot on the bed. He opened the window as the curtains blew in and Ritsuka stared at him.

"I'll see you later."

Ritsuka stood up as he reached out and held part of Soubi's coat in his hand. Soubi bent down and kissed the spot where Ritsuka was struck. Instead of numbness, Ritsuka felt warmness from those lips as he closed his eyes.

He was safe for the briefest moment.

Soubi removed himself away from Ritsuka as he climbed down the balcony. Ritsuka followed his every move. Soubi noticed this as he looked at Ritsuka and winked at him. Ritsuka's cheeks flushed into a deep red color before he harshly closed the curtains shut.

Soubi needed to see this, he wouldn't want to be concerned the next couple of days before he picked up Ritsuka.

Soubi heard the bell ring as he snuffed out his cigarette by stepping on it with his shoe.

He expected Yuiko's hyper greeting a few seconds later. The girl was nice but who he wanted in front of him was Ritsuka. As selfish as that sounded, he was eager to draw Ritsuka wherever he wished to be drawn at.

The location was a mystery to him.

Where was the place that Ritsuka felt the most comfortable?

He was stumped about it that he stopped thinking about it. Soubi lasted a few seconds before he thought about it again.

"Soubi-san!"

Yuiko popped in front of him as he gave her the nicest smile. "How are you? Is work going great?"

"I'm fine and yes."

"That's good."

Soubi noticed a lack of Ritsuka when he asked. "Where is Ritsuka?"

Yuiko answered him. "I think he has to talk to our homeroom sensei about something."

"Not about anything bad right?"

"Nu uh, I think it's about how he might skip a grade when he enters high school. He is just so smart that this isn't a surprise to me. Though I never heard of people skipping grades around here, maybe stay back a grade but not skip up." Yuiko answered with a giant smile on her face.

"Oh well unexpected things happen sometimes, maybe Ritsuka is good enough to be skipped up."

"Yes, I think so too. Let's hope of the best Soubi-san."

Ritsuka appeared out of breath as he asked Yuiko. "You can get home alright right? Yayoi-san might be a little late coming out from his music appreciation club...are you going to be okay on your own for a bit?"

Soubi mentally chuckled. He is just too cute.

Yuiko nodded her head. "I'll be fine Ritsuka-kun; I have to get to my own club to get to as well remember? Yayoi-san's house is in the same direction as my house, we are going together don't you worry."

Ritsuka sighed in relief, after two years as friends he constantly worried about Yuiko. Being so airheaded would backfire on her one day and he was glad she was more aware of her surroundings. He also noticed that she was becoming more independent and was crying less about everything.

Yayoi was also integrated deeper into their group which transformed it into a trio. All of them balanced each other out with their different personalities. They naturally clicked and their conversations would go on for hours when they were together.

That was especially true on their school trip, though Yuiko had to go in the girl's section of the sleeping arrangements. She couldn't sleep in the same room as them since she was a girl and it wasn't allowed. In the daytime, they went to everything with Ritsuka snapping any pictures he could with one, two, or all three of them in the shot.

He turned to Soubi as he asked. "Shall we go?"

"Of course."

"Bye Ritsuka~" Yuiko exclaimed as she waved at them as they walked away. "Bye Soubi-san!"

Soubi waved back as Ritsuka nodded back at her.

"So are you going to skip a grade?" Soubi asked when they turned the corner.

"What?" Ritsuka turned to Soubi in surprise. "Who told you about that? It was Yuiko wasn't it? Man I was trying to keep it a secret."

"Why? You should be proud of your accomplishment." Soubi complimented him. "I'm not surprised by this at all; you are at the top of the class."

"I'm not taking the deal though." Ritsuka explained as he dug his hands into his pockets. "I would rather go to school with my friends for as long as I can."

Soubi smiled as he patted him on the head. "That's a fine decision too; I know how much you care for your friends."

"Whatever...where are we going?"

"Where you feel the most comfortable."

Ritsuka blushed as he took a few steps ahead of Soubi when he muttered. "Your place...can we go there."

Soubi didn't say a witty response when he said. "That's fine; all of my art supplies are there."

They both walked in silence and kept their thoughts to themselves. Ritsuka was surprised that Soubi wasn't commenting on the location he chose. He was glad for that; he wasn't embarrassing himself further by speaking.

"Now sit anywhere you want and I will set everything up." Soubi said as he grabbed his canvas with durable paper on it and laid out his art supplies.

He was mentally deciding what he should do. Watercolor and paint would take too long to dry. The light would disappear and he would lose his place the next day since Ritsuka would wear different clothing. He was sure Ritsuka wouldn't want to sit around for hours on end even with the fifteen minute interventions.

Soubi shook his head, he was over thinking this.

He saw Ritsuka pick a spot as the teenager placed a chair by a window. Ritsuka sat and looked outside the window before locking eyes with Soubi.

Soubi asked with a smile. "Is that the spot?"

"Y-Yes."

Soubi chose the charcoal sticks, a pencil and a kneading eraser. "That's good, now be as relaxed as you can be and keep the same pose as I draw the lines in."

Ritsuka nodded his head as he placed his right arm on the windowsill; he turned his face slightly and stared outside. His legs were slightly apart, his other arm was on his lap and his face was at ease. He knew that thinking good thoughts would present themselves on his face and they would be presented in the end product.

Soubi chuckled when he saw Ritsuka's focused face. "Don't think so much Ritsuka."

"I'm not!"

"Yes you are," Soubi retorted back as he started drawing light lines and an outline of Ritsuka's form. "Would you like this in color or black and white?

Ritsuka didn't move when he asked. "Which is better?"

"Well color would take too long but if you are willing to stay patient through it all then I will do that. In black and white, all I have to worry about is making specific spots darker than the rest and it will go faster."

He knew the sticks that were in Soubi's left hand as he asked. "Why chose charcoal? It will burn with a simple flicker of a flame."

"It will give me a chance to correct some mistakes with an eraser. Everything burns in a fire Ritsuka." Soubi explained as he finished the last of the outlines as he shaded in with the black sticks and smudged it around.

Ritsuka sighed as he moved his purple eyes and stared at Soubi. "Then go with the black and white version."

"Gotcha." He was glad Ritsuka chose that option; he had begun shading with black anyway.

Ritsuka didn't say a word after that; if he tried disputing anything else then Soubi would just agree. He hated that about him, but then he realized that Soubi started shading in black before his answer. In some instances, Soubi would go on his own in his options. When it came to art, Soubi knew what he was doing and was only asking out of courtesy.

Soubi's attention was toward getting all of the shadows in the right places. He was careful and somewhat precise in the smudges. The facial expressions Ritsuka sported kept changing so he focused on the surroundings. The face had to be kept last on his list though he outlined where the eyes, nose and mouth were already.

He wanted Ritsuka to be perfect.

He had the talent and the confidence. He feared that Ritsuka might disapprove and hate his rendition of him. It was odd for Soubi to ask anything out of Ritsuka but he knew it would make him happy. Ritsuka already expressed interest years back that he wanted to be drawn by Soubi. This wasn't just a spur of the moment question when he knew it would be accepted.

Yes...Soubi needed Ritsuka's presence.

Soubi wanted Ritsuka in front of him as he drew. The mental images were not as effective as having the person in his presence. It was as if he could transfer Ritsuka into the paper with his own hands. The hands that created such beautiful pieces of art were now making something majestic. He was sure his old pieces were still admired by his old teachers and classmates. Their opinions were nice but Ritsuka loving his art was what made him jump over the moon.

He shaded the dark inky locks Ritsuka possessed. Every strand placed with great care. A small smile appeared on his face as he continued moving his hand over the paper.

Everything that happened between the both of them never entered his mind when he drew. All of the emotions transferred onto the paper and left his body. The beauty he saw through his eyes had to be perfect in the end. Though the probability of perfection was a flawed philosophy, Soubi didn't think so.

It depended on the person's view of perfection.

In his eyes, Ritsuka was the one aspect in his life that was amazing. He was the one person that turned his grey world into a colorful spectacle.

"Soubi."

His hand stopped. "Yes?"

Ritsuka asked. "After this...can we have some lunch?"

"Sure." Soubi answered as he resumed drawing. "Just think of what you want...I think I am almost done here."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Soubi picked up a single colored charcoal stick and rubbed it in two spots then he set it down.

Ritsuka heard the clink as he turned around. He saw Soubi place the charcoal sticks in their box and set them on a random desk. He wondered what Soubi made him look like. He was excited, he still remember when he told Soubi he could be a model for him when he wanted to. Ritsuka knew he could paint flowers and butterflies, but what about him?

Soubi was talented so it had to be good.

Soubi got up from his seat. "See I told you it would be fast." He asked him. "So what would you want to eat?"

"Um...chicken curry..?"

"Okay so sit down and wait until I am done." Soubi told him as he went inside of his kitchen.

Ritsuka was still curious about his picture as he peeked at the paper. His eyes widened in wonder. He reached out to touch it but thought he would smear it and stopped himself from doing it.

He didn't know his violet eyes would be so bright. The black and white scene made the purple eyes pop.

"Ritsuka how hot do you want it?"

Ritsuka answered. "Make it mild please." He went to check up on Soubi, he didn't want the man to sneak in a vegetable he hated again.

A small signature was on the bottom right and a small message went unchecked by Ritsuka's eyes.

It read: To the sunshine in my life, I love you.