~v~v~v~Chapter 10~v~v~v~

Burns of the Third Degree - Part 3

*The songs the characters reference in the chapter are real songs and you can listen to them while you read. I recommend it. It enhances the scene and they're some dope-ass EDM tunes.

Ugh, yes, they FINALLY kiss in this chapter, okay? Like for real. Rin and Sosuke kiss, now go read it. ((Nebula by Rameses B is a good tune for THAT part of the scene btw…))

Confusion wrinkled Rin's brow at the same time his blood skipped through his veins. Nitori's steel blue eyes jumped between the CD and Rin, equally perplexed and at a loss for words.

How on Earth...where could it…?

"Was that there before?"

"No, it couldn't have been." Rin dismissed the question with a shake of his red head. "One of us definitely would have seen it, or stepped on it."

"Then...how?"

Rin's eyes flicked over to the exit door. He concluded that the only possible explanation was that the mysterious figure must have dropped it in the scuffle with Momo before making his abduction. But this assertion only lead to more questions:

Why would a human, who was on the same team as them, and who already had the object to settle the game, kidnap a group member and drag him away?

"Those stairs lead to the upper room of the auditorium…" Momo murmured.

Even curiouser, why would Momo's attacker choose to go there? Was it possible they knew about the locations too? They did stop at Ayame-sensei's classroom after all, and now their decision to head that way suggested…but again, if they already had the CD, then why…?

"Ugh, Rin-senpai." Nitori whimpered, pulling Rin's attention back to Earth. Nitori bounced on the balls of his feet with a torn expression. "We gottah follow them! We can't just leave Momo at the mercy of some stranger."

The disc of the 90's pop star weighed heavily in Rin's hand. They'd been through much and risked a lot to get this piece of iridescent plastic. Now that they'd been lucky enough for it to fall into their lap, it had brought them one step closer to finding Sousuke…

"...Rin-senpai?"

No, Rin shook his head. The talk with Sosuke isn't as important as this right now. Momo needs us!

"Let's go." Rin said, stuffing the CD in his back pocket and heading for the exit door. "We don't have time to stand around!"

He could actually hear a sigh of relief come from Nitori behind him, before he let out a resolute, "Yes sir!"

Rin and Nitori burst through the door and came out on the landing for the upper level of the auditorium.

It was absolutely pitch black, save for the first few feet around the door from the ominous red exit light. Nitori and Rin strained their ears, listening for sounds of struggle. From a distance, Rin could hear ruffled clothing and muffled cries, as if someone's mouth was covered.

"Aichiro!"

"Right!"

Nitori flicked on the flashlight and cast it over in the direction the scuffle was coming from. At first they saw nothing, but as Nitori moved the light around they ultimately found the hulking, retreating form of the stranger on the level below, dragging Momo along with him.

This person was obviously very strong and built to be able to contain a kicking and struggling athlete and carry him to the lower level.

"Momo!" Nitori called and both of them rushed forward. Their feet descended the dark, carpeted theater stairs so swiftly, the boys cautiously kept their hands hovered over the railing. Should they fall, they surely would have gone sailing through the air.

Nitori lead the way, doing his best to keep the light steady. As they reached the ground floor, they sprinted down the inclined walkway that lead to the stage. Nitori came to a stop suddenly, and begrudgingly Rin did too.

"Ai?" They both huffed for air as Nitori looked this way and that with the flash light. "You lost sight of them?"

"I-! I don't know. I thought they were right-"

Just then, loud scuffling noises pulled their attention to the front, up on the stage. Nitori shined his light upwards just in time to see Momo and the figure separate from each other in a flurry.

"Momo!" Nitori cried and made to rush forward, but Rin held him back.

Up on the stage, Momo and the stranger stood apart from each other, breathing heavy, each poised ready to strike at the slightest give, like two ravenous wolves in a standoff.

Rin could see the stranger was undoubtedly human now that he got a good look at him. He was wearing a black windbreaker jacket with the characteristic white lines running down the arms. It hung open to reveal a plain white T-shirt, faded, pale blue jeans and black converse. But Rin could not see his face on account of the fact that he was facing away from them.

"Rin-senpai…?" Nitori whispered.

Rin only gave a reassuring squeeze to Nitori's shoulder, not wishing to make a sound or tear his eyes away from the scene. He had a feeling something was about to go down, if only because the stranger might surrender on account of the arrival of unexpected company.

"Answer me…" Momo's voice was low. "Do you have what I'm looking for?"

Out of the corner of Rin's eye, he saw the stranger clench his fists and tense his body in frustration.

"Then you're not getting it back. That was the deal." Momo pulled down one of his eyelids and stuck out his tongue in a rude gesture. The taunt was like waving a red flag in the face of a bull.

The stranger rushed at Momo and rammed into his solar plexus, tackling him to the ground, producing a strangled groan from the cheeky redhead. The two immediately started wrestling.

"Oi!" Rin yelled and clamored onto the stage with Nitori following right behind him. In the brief absence of Nitori's light, Rin thundered across the stage, closing the distance between him and the stranger. "That's enough!"

Rin grabbed on to him the best he could and pulled back with all his might. Rin managed to get the top of him off of Momo but his bottom half still had his teammate pinned.

"I-I can't allow you to do that!" Nitori materialized next to Rin and, wrapping his arms around the stranger's waist, lent his strength to the cause. Together, it was much easier to pull him off of Momo, but that didn't mean the stranger was going to make it easy. He struggled within their hold, fighting them off as Momo managed to wriggle away.

A peculiar scent prickled Rin's nose. A scent like clean clothes warm from soaking up sunshine, a hint of musky cologne, and the faint register of the person's natural sweat playing under both aromas. Rin pulled back, a sense of realization creeping upon him, knowing who it was even before the fierce pair of frigid eyes turned around to freeze him in place.

"So...suke?"

The two glacial orbs melted under their dark, stormy brow, and the tempest within Sosuke's body subsided at the sight of Rin.

Nitori pulled away, just as confused, and backed off slowly.

Sousuke made to step towards Rin with an outstretched hand.

"Rin. I—"

Rin's pulse skipped and he swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry.

The mere sight of him sent a maelstrom of emotions surging through Rin. Terror, relief, excitement, confusion, irritation, anxiety...desire. All he could think to do was stare dumbly as the waves surged one after another, crashing over the levees and wave breakers he'd spent the past days building up around himself. Rin opened his mouth and willed something, anything, to come out.

"Why were you attacking Momo?" That was by far and away the least of his concerns, but at least it was a fair question.

Sosuke pressed his mouth into a snarl as he turned to look at the fiery otter. The smaller redhead jolted as if Sosuke's icy glare actually splashed over him.

"If you want to know, maybe you should ask him."

"Momo?" Rin turned to his cohort, confusion scrunching his handsome features. Momo kept his eyes steadfastly trained on the wooden stage between his feet, unable to meet his captain's eyes. "What's he talking about?"

"R...Rin senpai…" A wave of color that rivaled his red hot roots crept up Momo's face. He suddenly snapped down into a 90 degree bow. "I'm so sorry...I only wanted to be the one to-"

"Momo…" Rin's voice shuddered. "What did you do…?"

Momo bit down hard on his lower lip, apparently too ashamed to continue.

"Fine then. Since you're not man enough to fess up I'll do it. You had your chance."

Sosuke's final sentence seemed to come down upon Momo's shoulders like an arbiter's verdict.

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"The day after you left was...difficult for me. I needed some space to think so I hit the pool. Call it avoidance or whatever you want, but usually giving it my all in the water makes me too tired to overthink things. It usually helps me work through problems...only this time, that wasn't quite enough."

That must have been around the time he reached out to me through his texts, Rin thought absently.

"I was in the pool when the power went down.Those of us who stayed on campus were warned of the high probability of it, and were given specific instructions on what to do in case it happened. We all got out and went to the locker rooms. No one stuck around long; it was pitch black inside without the lights. We showered, got changed, and left.

I knew my orders: report to the cafeteria if the power goes out and wait for instructions. Only…" Sosuke's hands clenched into fists. "It was really important to me to sort through these thoughts I had. To do that I needed to be alone. I couldn't chance going back to the dorm just yet, if I saw you I wouldn't have a clue about what to say. So I went to a place I knew no one would bother me: the library.

"So that's why…" Nitori interjected. "I was wondering where you were when we did role call in the cafe. And then Hatori sensei and Shigure sensei had to leave to deal with the fallen tree, and after that…"

"Is when they (Naruhodo, Momo and a few others) cooked up this game, and everyone eagerly lined up to play. Only, I wasn't around to hear the rules, or to even know it was going on. So, imagine my confusion when I heard someone enter the library behind me. Who, I thought, would be coming to the library at a time like this? I went to the far corner of the room and hid there, figuring it was maybe one of the teachers just poking their head in to do a precautionary sweep. But I heard muffled chuckling, and it was getting closer.

I held my ground, and heard the voice go down the aisle right next to mine. I knew it was Naruhodo from the sound of his voice when he said,

'Fufufu, no one will ever find it here. Ehhh...well, if the documents really are in this one, anyway.'

I looked through the gaps in the bookshelves and saw him slip an extra book on the shelf. He left after muttering about how smart he was. After I was sure he was gone, I went to look what he'd hidden there."

"Wait…" Rin breathed. Could it be? He pulled the cracked plastic case of Christina Augulira and held it up, showing it to Sosuke.

The butterfly swimmer dipped his head in a grave nod.

"I didn't know what in the hell was going on, or why Naruhodo would hide something like that in a random book in the library. But I got the sense that it was important. I didn't have time to think much about it though before they showed up.

How I fought them off and how many there were isn't important, all you need to know is that I managed to escape to the math and science wing and hunkered down in one of the biology classrooms. I ran out of there so fast I took the disk with me, not even thinking. At that point I knew something was up, so I pulled out my phone to find out what the hell was going on. That's when I saw their messages warning me about the game I had no choice but to be a part of.

"Naturally, I wanted to end it as soon as possible, because this pain in the ass was the last thing I needed on top of everything else. I texted those two," Sosuke said, nodding over to Momo and Nitori. "Ai never answered, so—."

"Oh! That's…" Nitori scratched the back of his head. "I dropped it in the lobby when I got chased by one of those things. Then Rin senpai came back and...well...I guess I didn't think to check it. I didn't expect you would ask me for help."

"Then I texted Momo…" the redheaded otter shivered from the sheer amount of malice uttered in his name. "I told him I had the documents, and we needed to end this. We arranged to meet at my location, but when he arrived something was off about him."

Sosuke turned his gaze over to Momo now. "To your credit, you're not very good at deceiving people.

I wanted to talk about plans to get back to base, but it was clear he wasn't really listening. He kept saying things like 'can I hold it, senpai?' or 'you should let me carry it'. Not that I ever would because I wouldn't trust Momo with something that important, but I especially didn't because I sensed something fishy about him.

"When I told him as much...he completely changed. He lunged at me, trying to wrestle that cheap music out of my—"

"Aguilera-san's music isn't cheap." Nitori blurted, then ducked his head below his shoulders as Sosuke turned to stare at him with an arched brow. He began picking at his nails and looked as if he wanted a trap door under the stage to open under his feet and disappear.

"...Anyway, I didn't know why he wanted it so badly, but I did know that if I let him have it that this game would go on forever. I couldn't afford that. I needed to make myself available to talk to you.

I told Momo I was going to the cafeteria to end this game whether he liked it or not. I'll admit...I underestimated him. While we were fighting, not only did he manage to swipe my cell phone, but he also planted a remote controlled noise maker in my hood. That rat waited until I was at the end of the hallway, safely away from his hiding spot...then he tripped the alarm.

Naturally it attracted a whole horde of those monsters. Momo couldn't have known that I would have to go all the way to the art annex to shake them off, but he at least knew something like that would set me back.

Once I realized my cellphone was missing it became my top priority to get it back."

Rin felt his cheeks flush with heat. Did Sosuke really risk so much just on the off chance that Rin would reach out to him? Wh...what an idiot...

"I don't think Momo initially took it for collateral, but that's essentially what it became to me. I'd been looking for him ever since. I just happened to be down the history and literature wing when I heard him screaming...and I took my chance."

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"But you dropped the CD in the process…" Nitori murmured, regarding the iridescent trophy in Rin's hand.

It was his turn to glare at Momo now. Flames raged in his crimson disks, nearly setting his angry brow on fire. He could feel heat rising to his face as his stomach twisted in hot knots.

"Momotaru…" Rin's voice quivered in rage. He stomped across the stage, Momo stood petrified, and grabbed on to Momo by his shirt collar.

"What was all that garbage you bought into a moment ago about trusting one another? Huh? Was that all just talk? You kept this from us?!"

Momo's face crumpled and he started sobbing tearless cries.

"The farther I got into it the harder it was to say somethiiiiinguh, I feel...hck...I feel—"

"Like a spineless jellyfish." Sosuke finished for him. The otter dipped his head, accepting the epithet without argument.

Even Nitori turned away from his roommate, now finding his capacity to defend Momo's actions depleted.

"You gottah hear me out!" Momo said, casting his sight about for any sign of sympathy.

"Rin-senpai, Yamazaki-senpai, you'll be graduating soon. Nitori-senpai pretty soon you'll be in your last year too, but I still have two whole years left here! After you guys leave…"

Momo trailed off with misty eyes.

"Playing and winning this game...it was my chance to show the guys at our school how cool I am. I thought if I could win this game all on my own, everyone would be so impressed they would want to be my friend. They'd say things like 'it's so boring around here, let's invite Mikoshiba over!' because they'd know how fun I am. I'd be a party authority around the campus."

Momo, with nothing left to add, hung his head and whimpered.

"Momo…" Rin growled. For the love of all things holy, Rin did not have the capacity to put aside his broken trust with Momo and be a proper mentor to him in the thick of his other tumultuous feelings.

"Idiot. It just proves how much growing up you have to do." Sosuke surprised all of his teammates by chiming in. "Think for a minute, it's not as if we stop existing once we graduate."

"Eh…?" Real tears began to bead at the corner of Momo's lashes now.

"Yamazaki-senpai is right." Nitori appeared in front of his lowerclassmen with a characteristically forgiving smile.

"If you think we'd forget about you just because we graduate, then you're wrong, Momo-kun. We wouldn't let you be lonely."

"Nitori...senpai…"

"And those who have the blessing of swimming together on a team…" Nitori shut his eyes and appeared to indulge in the memory of comradery. "They're connected in deeper ways than most people can ever hope for."

Nitori clapped a hand onto Momo's shoulder.

"Please, Momo. Believe in us, we'll be there for you."

"Ni...Nitori…hngk...waaaah!"

Nitori sputtered as Momo flung his arms around his neck and pulled him friend into a soggy hug.

Rin massaged his brow and took a deep breath.

"What Sosuke and Ai said is true, Momo. Honestly I'm surprised you had such little faith in our friendship to think we'd forget about you so easily."

"Rin-senpai…" Nitori murmured, his steel blue eyes flashing a warning.

"It's true you may have been worried, but that doesn't excuse what you did: you were insubordinate, you hid the truth from us, and not to mention you blackmailed Sosuke? Really Momo, what's gotten into you?"

A new wash of shame tinted Momo's cheeks.

"This isn't the time or place but believe me when I say there will be consequences for—"

"Ah! G-guys!"

Nitori's shrill voice pulled everyone's attention back to the present.

"We've got company!"

From the dark fringes of the stage curtains the boys could hear a menacing shuffling. What sounded like many sneakered feet shifted all around the backstage area, making the curtains dance.

Then, they heard someone call out, the sound of their tone arrested them to the spot with its sheer authority.

"Alexa," beckoned the unknown voice from the dusk. "Play Antihero by Noisestorm."

As if on cue, a deep, bassy saxophone, both menacing and crude, blared out of speakers unseen. The sinister notes reverberated through the large spacious auditorium, filling their stomachs with dread.

All four boys instinctively clustered together, pressing their backs toward one another, as Nitori shown the flashlight all around them to pinpoint the source of the noise.

"Rin." Sosuke breathed, gripping on to Rin's wrist. His fingers felt like ice, sending a stab of anxiety into Rin's gut."I need to talk to you—"

"Not now, you idiot." Rin hissed through his teeth and gave Sosuke a dangerous warning stare.

"Fine, but you better not run away."

Despite himself, Rin's mouth popped open as his temper ignited, pulling him out of the situation.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm the one who was running—?"

"There—senpai!"

Rin looked over his shoulder and saw Nitori pointing to the base of the curtains. He could see that, ever so slowly, they were being pulled upwards. Nitori kept his flashlight trained in front, the slightly trembling illuminated circle slowly disappearing as the curtains creeped upwards, revealing who (or what) was behind them.

"Oh no…" came the ghostly whisper from Nitori's lips.

"No way...there's too many…" Momo's golden disks shifted everywhere, looking for an escape, but found none.

"Tch...damn it…" Rin gowled.

Sosuke kept his sight trained on the danger ahead, dark and determined.

In front of them stood a garrison of ghastly, garish zombies. These ones had purple skin like ripe bruises. They wore baggy clothes, some looked torn and blood stained, and flashy chains around their necks.

Rin instinctively took a step back and let out a yell as something latched around his ankle.

"Gah! Jesus!" He looked down and saw one of those same purple hands wrapped around him. A listless face grinned up at him with a watery smile, excited for the prospective meal. He viciously kicked the monster away and sent it careening into shifting, dark masses of more monsters that, with a sinking feeling, Rin realized now surrounded the stage.

"W...we're surrounded…" his voice petered out.

The monsters on stage had arranged themselves in a triangular formation with the most intimidating undead soldier of all heading them off.

He stood with his feet apart, a jacket tied around his waist, and his golden hair tucked into a low, messy bun. His ashen arms were crossed, and his eyes downcast and hidden.

"Well well...if it isn't the jocks from the swimming club."

The leader lifted his head and Nitori and Momo drew in a sharp breath. The stranger flashed a snarky half grin upon them which reached up and touched his singular, bright orange eye. His other eye was ghosted over with the same milky glaze his underlings' succumbed to. Most of his body was consumed by the bruised color of his brethren, but splotches of his former peachy complexion still remained in places.

A...halfling…? Rin blinked.

"Ah...y-you're...Sid-kun, right? Captain of the dance club?" Nitori quavered.

"Heh, looks like they're still talkin about me even after I'm dead, bro." He chuckled as his underlings shifted restlessly behind him.

"What do you want, Sid?" Rin hoped he sounded more unaffected than he felt.

"Aayy don't be saucy with me, fish-boy." Sid chided. "Word on the street is you've got some papers I want."

"Pa...papers?"

"Tch, man, jocks really are helluh dumb." Sid snickered, earning a wave of wheezing noises through his whole horde. "Papers, meaning documents? C'mon, chico, get with the program!"

"Oh yeah?" Rin could feel sweat sticking the hairs on the back of his neck, but this was no time to chicken out of a bluff. "Well you heard wrong. We don't have anything like that, so step off!"

"Oi, now…" Sid's lip snarled over a sharp, pointed canine, and he cracked his knuckles. "I'mma tell you the same thing I told my ex: I don't appreciate bein lied to."

Feeding off of their master's vibes, his pets began to growl menacingly.

"I saw the damn thing with my own eye a second ago, now run it, homeboy!"

"And then what?" Sosuke interjected. "You'll let us just walk out of here? I don't buy it."

Rin swallowed hard, but he knew Sosuke was right. Whether they surrendered the documents or not, it wasn't as if Sid would let them off scott-free.

For a few tense moments, no one moved. The males locked eyes with each other as the listless droning noises from Sid's pets filled the dead air around them. Suddenly, Sid smirked and chuckled, making Rin's brow prickle in confusion.

"Ay, lissen up, y'all. I just had, like, the best idea on how we can settle this little thing."

Rin swallowed hard and glanced over at his teammates. They were hardly in a position to refuse his request: surrounded on all sides by ghoulish abominations that heeded Sid's every whim, if it weren't for the fact that they held the coveted documents, they'd all be tomorrow's lunch meat by now.

"How 'bout this: we're gonna have us a good ol' fashioned dance-off, bro!"

His undead underlings rattled the air with cries of excitement.

"Dan-dance off?" Rin blinked.

"Thas right, you and your crew go up against mine. If you can beat us we'll let you leave with your lil Chrissy CD. But, if not…" Sid let his sentence trail off with a sinister grin as his pets gnashed their teeth in their general direction.

"Lissen, even if I wanted to send y'all on your way, I'm afraid there's nothin I can do about my pets: once something hot-blooded wanders into their pit they go for it...unless you can earn their respect with some fire dance moves, that is."

"Well Rin?" Sosuke prompted.

"Eh?" What? Why's he asking me?

"You're our captain. Whatever you decide, we'll follow you."

Rin felt a flush of warmth go through him as he saw his two other teammates nod in affirmation to Sosuke's words. It didn't take Rin long to reach a decision.

"I guess we have no choice…" He sighed. "Fine then, we accept your challenge, Sid."

A vile grin twisted across Sid's face.

"Hell yeah. Get ready to feast your eyes on this." Sid snapped his fingers and casted his voice over his shoulder.

"Alexa!" He called.

Off in the back of the stage Rin saw a small bright light go on. It looked like Sid's phone sitting face up on a table next to a giant bluetooth speaker.

"Play Escape by Noisestorm."

Sid threw back his head and guffawed with psychotic glee as dozens of purple hands grabbed on to him and forcefully sucked him into the darkness further back stage. His voice echoed in his absence as the beginning pulses of the music boomed from the speakers.

The boys turned this way and that, troubled about where Sid and his crew would make their new appearance.

Moans and wails started up at the foot of the stage and Nitori cast his light in that direction. The monsters around the stage had taken up seats in the auditorium rows and were thrashing their limbs from side to side and hollering in hellish ways to show their support for the battle to come.

Is this really happening right now? Rin growled, feeling a bead of sweat form near his temple.

Something forceful struck the stage directly in front of them, causing Nitori to whip his light back around to see what it was.

"Ah…" He whimpered. "R-Rin-senpai..."

The troupe of zombies from before crawled across the stage towards them in the same triangular formation as before, the rhythm of their pace matching the beat of the song, their lifeless, milky eyes trained dead ahead on them.

"Don't worry Ai," Rin whispered in what he hoped was an assuring tone. "They won't attack us when they're dancing...I think…"

Then, the zombies fronting the triangle snapped up on to their feet and launched themselves into a backflip. The monsters in the row behind dove and slid on the ground, passing underneath them. The monsters stayed there, occasionally jutting their jaws and necks in harrowing positions, all while looking into the eyes of their enemies. The zombies in the middle rocked their bodies in time with the beat, snapping and locking their shoulders and hips.

Out of the corner of Rin's eye, he could see something else creeping across the floor from backstage, something wispy, ghost-like, with swirling tendrils.

Is...is that...smoke?

It was indeed. Fake smoke seeped from somewhere back stage and began to indundate the gloomy platform. It coiled around the boys' ankles and within moments was so thick, they couldn't see their own feet.

Just then, as it seemed the music was gaining momentum, the sounds wooshed up and dissipated. The monsters slumped down onto the floor in tandem with the musical bust, as if their very life force were tied to the rhythm. The fake smoke nearly consumed their entire bodies. It swirled and fanned around them like fingers trying to pull them into the underworld.

Rin blinked, perplexed by the choreographic decision, then his ears picked up on the faint returning sounds of a snare drum. The notes plucked through the air as if they were played by some necromancer charming the dead awake, calling them to battle.

Just then, Momo let out a feminine shriek and clawed at the hem of Rin's shirt. His honey colored eyes were stuck in front, and wide with horror.

"R-R-Ri-" He couldn't even get Rin's name out.

With a sickening lurch of their stomachs, the boys saw a body rising up through the smoke in the midst of all the slumped forms, stiff and with its arms crossed in front, like a mummy rising from a sarcophagus.

It was Sid.

For a moment, in the muffled tones of the drum, he looked around at the corpses on the stage with something like detached indifference. Then, with a grin he spread out his strong arms, his palms facing the ground and started to push and pull at some unseen force.

A moment later, the first few cadavers around his feet began to tense and slack in response to Sid's movements, in time with the rhythm. It was as if Sid were casting a spell to reanimate their lifeless husks.

Sid made a movement as if he were lifting something, and those few zombies he bewitched rose up from the smoke in the same manner he had before.

Nitori and Momo pressed into Rin with girlish whimpers as the newly awoken monsters went to the next row and revived their kin in the same voodoo fashion their master had. Sid picked his way through the fray, stepping to the beat while he waited for his army to build itself up.

Again, as if the monsters and the music's life force were connected, the sinister melody began to wind back into existence with the return of the zombies'.

The beat started picking back up again. The monsters in front cast savage magic down upon the last few corpses. They placed one hand over another like an 'x', and pressed down on the air over their dead comrades, much like how someone would do during CPR.

The bodies twitched in time with the actions above, but when they didn't rise like the previous monsters, their brethren lost their patience. They dragged their hands through the air and the bodies below, as if they were a voodoo doll, rolled and thrashed in the direction the caster moved. At first glance, it looked as if they were fighting, but they were aligning themselves into purposeful rows...

Just as the beat dropped all monsters jumped to attention, formed into a triangular battalion, with Sid at its helm.

They all proceeded to drop it like it was hot: twirling, popping and locking their bodies to the beat, feet stomping as they performed their meticulous steps, making their swagger felt through the floorboards.

The swim team boys stood enraptured. The way all of the undead dancers jived perfectly with the rhythm and kept perfect form…

Rin swallowed and felt dread slide down to his gut like lead. How on Earth were they supposed to show Sid and his crew up after this?

The music rushed together and purged into its second climax, releasing the monsters from the spell-like influence it had over them.

"Well, well…" Sid huffed, as he observed his monsters. They gawked at the four hot-blooded boys as if they were steaming, delicious baked treats...and they had a savage sweet tooth.

"It looks like my pets are hankerin to take a bite out of you. I'm afraid they won't listen to no one, not even me, once they set their sights on a meal. Let's see if you can make it through this next round!"

Even as Sid was speaking, the zombies inched closer to their unit. Nitori yelped and turned the flashlight to the edge of the stage. Ashen hands were pawing over the sides, trying to find a decent hold to pull the rest of themselves up. They were everywhere: creeping up the stairs, leaking from back stage, down in the pitch: Rin was only realizing now that the other monsters had taken advantage of the distraction to close in around them.

"Stay together!" Rin barked, and on command his teammates pressed together once more, keeping their group in a tight cluster. "Brace yourselves…"

Rin clenched his fists, every muscle in his body tense from anticipation. He waited...for one of the creatures to make the first move...to expose its opening-

Like clockwork, the first three zombies in front of the formation rushed at them as the percussion wound back up, bursting with the final climax of the melody.

"Now!"

Rin shifted his stance to add more stability to his core. He met the first monster head on, dodged its lolling mouth and lashing claws and, grabbing on to its waist, used the monsters own force to spin it around and then back into the other monster advancing right behind it.

They collided with a heavy thud sound and collapsed to the ground.

Another monster launched itself from the darkness below the stage, hissing with glowing eyes. Rin rolled to the side just as the creature landed on the stage with a loud slam, faulted its landing, and face planted harshly into the floor.

Rin looked around wildly, trying to ascertain the situation and monitor his teammates. Momo was holding his own against a pair of abominations, doing a street-style sweeping kick to their ankles and making them crumple.

Nitori ran and wailed as three monsters pursued him persistently. Without his fanny pack of bangsnaps, he was now powerless. Suddenly, he seemed to trip over nothing at all and promptly fell over. Nitori curled into a ball and covered his head, expecting the worst.

The horde of zombies were following so closely and at such a top notch speed that they all tripped over Nitori and piledrived into the ground on top of each other ahead of him, where they stayed with swirly eyes and yellow birds chirping over their heads.

Rin breathed a sigh of relief. Even if it wasn't intentionally, his friends were at least-

"Rin! Watch it!"

Sosuke's voice snapped Rin back to attention, but it was too late. A dark shadow loomed over him, two yellow eyes burning through the mass as it glared down at him.

Rin stood frozen, completely caught off guard. The thing raised its arm and he clenched his eyes shut, bracing himself.

But the impact never came. Rin peeked his eye open, confused, and saw the broad back and shoulders of someone wearing a black windbreaker jacket.

Sosuke stood in front of him, one of his strong hands balled in the fabric of the zombie's clothing. He had the monster lifted clear off the floor. The thing gripped on to Sosuke's wrist, writhing as if it were trying to escape from him.

With a yell, Sosuke threw it into two more monsters who stood by, petrified.

Rin stared after Sosuke, who stood there panting from the sheer effort he exerted. He...saved him. Sosuke hadn't even hesitated to throw himself in between danger. And the fierceness in his yell…

Rin quickly returned his focus to the fray. He didn't have time to appreciate Sosuke's acts of selflessness in the midst of the attack. The monsters still pressed in from all directions.

Momo struck his foes with open-palm strikes, Nitori continued with his evasive tactics, while Rin used the momentum of his enemies to undo them, and Sosuke used brute strength to decimate large numbers of atrocities at once.

Finally, Rin could hear the song ending. Whether it was that or his team's prowess, Rin wasn't sure, but the monsters began to hang back instead of approach.

As the music finally perished, leaving the sound of ragged breathing in its wake, a single bout of applause drew their attention to center stage.

"Braaavoooo, my dudes. I have to say, that was wicked." Sid chuckled.

Rin peered around them, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Even after all that, we're still outnumbered." He murmured to his group.

"All right, felluhs. It's your move. The only way you're walking out of here is if you can serve it back to us. So, y'all better make it a good one."

Damn it. Rin grit his teeth. There's no way in hell we're getting out of here. We're just wasting time.

As synchronous as he and his friends were in battle, there was no way they could match the level of orchestration and choreography the monsters had dished out to them. Sid stood watching the swim team captain as if he could read what was going through his mind. His grin grew even more twisted.

Then, Nitori took in a deep breath, and let it out slow.

"Momo-kun…"

"Nnn? What is it, senpai?"

Nitori regarded his underclassmen with eyes like steel.

"Are you ready to atone for what you've done?"

The ginger haired otter snapped up straight. "Wh-what are you saying?"

"I'm saying it's time to repent for your sins, here and now...dance the routine we practiced in our Just Dance 2020 game with me."

The color drained from Momo's face.

"But...we've only practiced that a handful of times!"

"It'll have to be good enough." Nitori clenched his fist in front of him and glared pure determination into his classmate's eyes. "Give it your all, Momo-kun. Our captain-no...our friend is counting on you."

Rin saw the twinkle of mischief return to Momo's eyes from listening to Nitori's call to action.

"You're right, Nitori-senpai. It's my fault we ended up here. I'll dance my heart out for the team!"

Nitori dipped his head in a curt nod, a resolute smile fixed on his face. He seemed relatively confident that they had a chance, but Rin and Sosuke wouldn't know-

"Rin-senpai, Yamazaki-senapai…" Nitori looked between the two of them and gave another nod. "You go and do what you must. Momo and I can handle this."

"Aichiro…" Rin whispered. His red orbs shivered as tears of gratitude blurred his vision. He clapped a hand down on to his former roommate's shoulder and gave a thankful squeeze. "I won't forget this."

"Oi!" Sid barked. "Secrets don't make friends, what're y'all muttering about over there?"

Nitori blushed and his smile grew bigger.

"Not at all, senpai. Quickly now, while there's still a chance."

"Right. Sosuke," A small spark went through him as eyes of fire connected with those like frost. "To the gym, it's closest."

"Right."

Just as the two of them turned and sprinted for the exit, Rin heard Nitori's high voice call out, strong and unafraid,

"Alexa: play Snake Eyes by Savant!"

Rin closed the gymnasium doors behind them with a sound slam, and held both of them in place there for a moment while he caught his breath. They had run the whole way without looking back.

The hallways behind them were still and silent, but Rin had worked too hard to risk anyone interrupting him and Sosuke. As a precaution, Rin flipped the lock bars on the inside of the doors. The latches went into the holes on the top and bottom of the door frame. There would be no one coming in to the gym...and no one going out until this was settled.

The idea made Rin's gut sink with a heavy feeling. He still had his hands on the door. This was the moment he'd been contemplating about ever since he stomped out of their dorm room that night. He finally had Sosuke in private so that he could fully speak his mind. All he had to do was turn around...and yet there he was, immobilized by some confounded feeling of anticipation. As nervous as he was, it wasn't in Rin's nature to run away from emotions that needed tending...not any more, at least.

C'mon, Rin, He took a breath to steel himself, and straightened his spine. It's just Sosuke. Just tell him off like you normally would.

He turned to face his best friend in the waning light coming through the gym's skylights...and his heart leapt up into his mouth.

It wasn't as if Rin hadn't looked at Sosuke since they reconvened, but now, since there weren't any other imminent threats and it was just the two of them, Rin had a chance to view him properly.

In the few days of his absence Rin forgot about the subtle features of Sosuke's body that would haunt him when Rin closed his eyes: the thick lashes around his cerulean eyes, his full lips, his strong jaw, his sable dark hair and strong shoulders. And his scent...both of them were perspiring from the fast sprint over here. The fresh heat rolling off Sosuke carried his pheromones out to Rin in waves. They crashed on to Rin's shore, hypnotically pulling him in like a gravitational tide, making him want to get closer...

Rin blinked, reeling his sudden and strong urge to devour Sosuke into check, and again floundered as he tried to get his brain to stay on a logical track.

"Finally." Rin forced his voice to come out evenly, sounding unaffected. "Took me long enough just track your happy-ass down, Sosuke. This whole thing was such a pain."

Sosuke's brow furrowed.

"I could say the same for you. I've been trying to call you since you left. Why didn't you answer my messages?"

"Dunno." He locked his red gaze with Sosuke's icy blues and crossed his arms, becoming an unmovable pyre.

"Maybe it was for the same reason you evaded my questions a few days ago and came on to me like some handsy old man."

Sosuke's handsome features soured with irritation.

"Well I'm not running any more. So go ahead and ask me whatever you want."

Rin's red eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

"'Go ahead'-? Tch...you really piss me off, you know that?" He growled.

"What now?" Sosuke asked, temper edging in his tone.

"Don't even start with that 'what now' bull crap, Sosuke. Do you have any idea what you've put me through these past few days? All just for you to come out and say 'oh sure, ask me anything'. Why couldn't you just answer my questions from the start, you idiot?"

Sosuke glared off to one of the room's dark corners, and crossed his arms over his powerful chest.

"So, this is the reason you hunted me down? Was it just to berate me and tell me how much of an idiot I am?" He brought his gaze back around, stabbing through Rin like icicle spears.

"Why don't you stop wasting time, Rin, and ask me what you want to know already. Or could it be you're afraid that you can't handle what the answers will be?"

Rin reeled back, blinking.

"What'd you just say?"

"I said—"

"No, I heard what you said, Sosuke. I was just wondering how you could ask something so stupid."

Sosuke let out an irritated sigh.

"We're not getting anywhere…"

"And who's fault is that, exactly Sosuke?" Rin placed his hands on his hips. "I'd like to know where you got this idea that I've been the one running from this situation, because if you remember I'm the one who tried to talk to you about this for days."

"You're not saying anything I don't already know, Rin. Tch…" Sosuke stuck his hands in his pockets and made to step around Rin. "I guess I was wrong in thinking I could have a rational conversation with you."

"Oi!" Rin growled, stepping in Sosuke's path. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Back to the dorm. Come find me once you get a grip."

That was the last ounce of pressure that broke through the dam of Rin's checked emotions.

"You…"

He grabbed a fistfull of Sosuke's shirt as he made to pass him and shoved Sosuke backwards with all his might. Fire burned in the pit of his belly and burned his face. He could actually see red.

Sosuke stumbled back several feet, barely able to keep his balance. He stared after Rin with a look of bewilderment for a moment, before his handsome face darkened with fury.

"So that's the way it's going to be then…" The large butterfly swimmer growled, cracking his knuckles.

The sight, as intimidating as it should have been, did nothing to frighten Rin. If anything it only pissed him off more. To think, Sosuke had the absolute nerve to be mad at him? For what? He did nothing fucking wrong!

With three wide steps, Rin closed the space between them, planted his wide hands on Sosuke's chest and shoved him back roughly.

"I'm so sick of your attitude, Sosuke." Rin yelled, jabbing a finger through the air at him. "Don't..." Rin pressed his trembling lips together. He clenched his teeth in utter frustration at the angry tears blurring his vision.

"Don't try to walk away from me saying I'm the one out of line when you've been the difficult one." He shoved Sosuke again, but Sosuke slapped his hands away.

"Get off me, Rin."

"And then you somehow find the gol to get pissed at me? You're the biggest jerk I've ever met!" Rin launched himself at Sosuke, aiming a right hook into his ribs.

Sosuke caught Rin's fist in his massive hand and threw his weight back into him.

"Rin! Calm down!"

"Don't tell me to calm down!" He yelled shrilly and aimed a strike at Sosuke's face. Sosuke caught that one too and kept ahold of Rin's wrist even as he fought to get away. At long last, Sosuke seemed to lose his patience with his hot headed friend.

"You think you're the only one who's been suffering?" Sosuke thundered. "What do you think it was like for me not knowing where you were for two whole days, huh? If you were safe or god knows where?"

"Tch, don't act like you were all worried about me, you liar. More like you just wanted me to pick up the phone so you could apologize your own guilt away. So selfish...And It's none of your business where I was or who I was with, Sosuke." Rin growled, trying to shake him loose, but Sosuke would not let him go.

"I don't need your permission to stay over my friend's house." He said, imitating Sosuke's infamous line that set him off those couple of days ago in the dorm.

Sosuke locked up suddenly at the mention of what Rin said.

"'Friend's'?...you were at Nanase's, weren't you?"

Rin froze, puzzled at Sosuke's tone. He could sense something in Sosuke's demeanor change on account of not answering his question. Even in the gloom, Rin could feel he was darker, brooding and bitter. Was Sosuke...upset that he slept at Haru's?

"I'm right, aren't I?"

"What's it to you if I was at Haru's house or not? You jealous because Haru didn't have to force me to talk about my problems?"

Sosuke's teeth flashed in a livid snarl and it was his turn to shove Rin away. He swung a fist towards Rin's temple, but Rin ducked and connected an uppercut punch to Sosuke's jaw. The darker male reeled back, clutching his face.

Rin felt a burst of adrenaline from the smarting pain in his knuckles. That felt fucking good.

"Anyone would prefer to spend their time with that bland glass of water when given the choice of putting up with your stubborn ass, Sosuke."

"Oh yeah?" Sosuke seethed, flexing his jaw. "Spend your time, is that what you're calling it these days, Rin?"

It took a moment for the meaning of Sosuke's words to sink in, but once they did Rin reeled back as if Sosuke himself had struck him.

"What…" His voice quavered. "How dare you…"

Rin stomped right up to Sosuke without fear of retribution and grabbed on to the collar of his shirt and shook him. He brought his lifelong rival in close to make him look at the hurt burning in his crimson disks.

"You've got some nerve! Now you're making up fake scenarios of me screwing around with Haru to get jealous about? You're pathetic!"

Rin shoved him away and began to tremble. He pressed his lips together and willed the wetness blurring his vision to go away.

"I can't believe...do you really underestimate my feelings for you that much? You really think what I feel for you is that superficial?"

Somehow, this one accusation destroyed Rin better than any jab could have.

Sosuke blinked at Rin in utter surprise. He clearly had not expected this sort of reaction from that last dig.

Rin swiped at his eyes and shook his head in disappointment.

"To think...I've spent this time away reflecting about just how far my feelings for you go...all for you to cook up schemes to be mad about instead of thinking how you were going to set things right! I'm done with you-"

"Wait, Rin-"

Just as Rin turned to stalk away to the door, Sosuke caught ahold of his wrist and held him fast. Rin refused to turn around.

"Rin, look at me."

"No…" he choked out.

"Rin, I'm serious-"

"You're not the boss of me, Sosuke!" Rin's voice cracked at the end, betraying him.

Sosuke grabbed Rin's shoulders and forcefully turned him around to confirm what was probably obvious by now.

Rin's face was crumpled with hurt, his brows drawn upwards and his chin wrinkled as twin streams of tears dripped from his glistening ruby eyes. His shoulders quivered from silent sobs.

"You...you're the worst…." Rin croaked. He wanted nothing more than to take advantage of the closeness between them and punch Sosuke square in his stupid face again, but all of his malice had since left him. Once one tear slipped out, he couldn't stop the dam from breaking open.

All of the frustration, anxiety, the doubt, all of the hurt at what Sosuke had said to him, all of the unfairness that his body had been going through and the confusion that came with it. It all came gushing out.

"Rin…" Sosuke swore something softly under his breath and Rin felt Sosuke's grip tighten around his shoulders. "I didn't…"

Gathering his dignity, Rin wriggled out of Sosuke's hold and buried his face into the crook of his own elbow. He hated Sosuke all the more from the embarrassment he felt as more deep, gut wrenching sobs racked his body.

"You're right...I am the worst…" Sosuke clenched his fists and glared down at the floorboards.

"You don't deserve the way I've been treating you. I haven't been acting fairly towards you and what I said was out of line. Rin...I'm sorry."

Sosuke's voice sounded soft and wounded at the end.

Rin wiped the wetness from his cheeks with a sharp sniffle.

"Well it's a little late to say sorry, Sosuke." Rin snapped, his embers still crackling. "And anyway, you can't just make everything better by stating what you did wrong. It doesn't undo what you did. That's not an apology. If you were really sorry you'd make up for it with your actions, like a man."

Sosuke drew in a soft breath and let it out in a defeated sigh. He tipped his head back to look at the waning evening light coming in through the gym's skylights.

"You're right. It's time I gave you the answers you deserved. I promise I will tell you everything, but…"

Sosuke brought his blue orbs down from the stormy skies to look into Rin's.

"There's something I need you to answer for me first before I do."

Rin glared at Sosuke through puffy eyes as he took a few steps closer to Rin.

"Just what did you mean when you said I underestimated the feelings you had for me?"

"I…" Rin blinked in confusion, then felt his stomach drop with dread even as his cheeks stung with mortification.

Jesus...I wasn't even thinking...did I really just say that?

"Well?" Sosuke prompted with an arched brow, tone as cool as ever.

A moment ago, Rin would have punched the guy's teeth out. Now he couldn't even bring himself to look Sosuke in the eye.

"I-! Hng...you're not being fair, Sosuke." Rin dabbed the last bit of tears from his lashes with the hem of his shirt. "You're the one who's been the jerk here. Why do I have to explain myself to you first?"

"Rin…" Sosuke crossed his arms as he pondered. Rin felt that his question was justified.

"The things I need to tell you about...about what happened during the seven years we were apart...I need to know that those feelings are true enough to withstand some things you probably aren't going to like hearing…"

Now Rin was intrigued. He had to admit, he didn't have much of an imagination for the problems Sosuke was dealing with, but never before had he considered his problems to have a dark tone as he was implying right now.

One thing was clear to Rin: learning about Sosuke's past was critical to their future together, and the only way he could gain access to those painful memories is if he lowered his defenses and made himself vulnerable first...

"I...well. Uh...Jesus…" Rin growled out in a sigh.

"Fine then...It's like this, Sosuke," Well, here goes. Rin felt like he was going to throw up, and the heat and stinging he felt on his face was almost unbearable. But he pushed through, he needed to break these chains.

"I...I thought about just why your behavior pissed me off so much. I know it may not seem like it, but I don't get on your case unless I really think I have a reason to. But that's the thing: I was so upset and when I thought about it the reason wasn't entirely clear to me…"

Rin puffed out hot air and ran his fingers through his red roots.

"When I really thought about it, I think your behavior was actually...scaring me."

Rin pushed on, despite the shocked confusion registering on Sosuke's face.

"At first I thought I was afraid of you drifting away from me, but what I was coming to realize was something even worse: I was afraid that I didn't know who you were any more."

Rin clenched his eyes shut as even now the frightening prospect of the one constant in his life, his solid block of rock-like ice, wasn't what he'd always been.

"I thought this realization that you weren't who I remembered meant that our friendship was in danger...even more than anything, I was terrified of losing who I thought you were, Sosuke."

"Rin…" Sosuke breathed, softly.

"While I was away...I connected with my friends...and they helped me to realize that a person changing isn't something to be feared. In fact, we're supposed to change. I don't know how those seven years of life have changed you since we've been apart. But I believe the core of who you are as a person hasn't changed, Sosuke: Cool, calculating, strong, silent, stubborn, resolute, sincere. I see those same things in you now as I did when we were younger. And if you're willing to trust me…"

Rin placed his hands on his hips, as if he were bracing himself.

The seconds ticked by as he implored his brain to produce a way to say what he wanted without sounding downright embarrassing. Coming up with nothing, he dumped all the words that buzzed around in his skull.

"If you're willing to trust me, I want to come to know you more...intimately…"

Rin shut his eyes, unable to bring himself to look at the effect his words were having on Sosuke. He swore, if that guy was trying to hold back laughter right now he'd never talk to him again as long as he lived.

Rin pushed on, wanting to get his thoughts out before something like that could happen.

"And before you say anything, I don't just mean it in the physical sense either, idiot. I mean...getting to know you, all of you."

Rin stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"I…"

Rin's heart stuttered in his chest. He opened his intense crimson eyes again to look at his life-long friend.

Sosuke looked back at him with steady teal eyes, alight with unfiltered emotion.

Rin's heart skipped faster and he bit down on his lower lip to try to distract himself from the now almost painful heat on his face.

"I...thought about you a lot while I was away...not just as my friend either but...I thought about you in...other ways."

Rin massaged his brow, desperately wanting to hide his face in some way.

"That was wicked fricking weird and confusing too...but it made me realize that doing stuff with someone I don't have feelings for is meaningless for me. I don't want to do those sorts of things with anyone else...I want to do them w-with you, Sosuke, because...I..."

Rin's chest felt like it was going to explode. Rin locked his gaze of fiery flame together with Sosuke's cool frost.

"I care about you a lot. You're really special to me, Sosuke."

Sosuke stood frozen in place as if he'd been turned to ice.

Rin shifted impatiently while his words hung heavily in the empty space between them.

"...Well? Say something, you jerk."

Even in the gloom, Rin could see that Sosuke's cheeks had a rare flush on them as he floundered to find any words at all. His mouth parted slightly, it worked to communicate over and over yet failed.

Rin's incarnadine orbs fixed upon those lips. How often had they been one of the figments that plagued his troubled mind during their separation. Once again, images of another certain mouth pressing over Sosuke's entered his imagination. It stirred a motion in his heart, in his gut, and his being.

"Fine then," Rin murmured, his words and body acting of their own accord, no longer questioning anything now as he stepped close to his best friend, his pulse skipping fast.

Sosuke looked a cross between shocked and alarmed.

"Have it your way." He took Sosuke's face into his hands, Rin angled his face upwards, let his lashes close, leaned forward on the balls of his feet and…

Sosuke's lips were softer and warmer than he ever imagined. Though Rin had spent many hours daydreaming about their fullness, never did he think about what it would actually feel like to have them pressed and held against his own as they were now. His hands were always so cool, Rin hadn't expected to feel this gentle heat spreading across his face from where their lips connected.

There was more pleasant burning other than the sensation on Rin's face. This greatly yearned for act set a small flame of desire burning in his core, making him reluctant to end their kiss.

Their mouths parted with a tender sound, and Rin lowered himself back down. He cautiously peeked his red eyes open to gauge Sosuke's expression.

The frost spell placed upon the larger male seemed to have been melted with Rin's fiery, spirited embrace. His handsome face had returned to its cool, indifferent exterior, but his teal orbs, shivering and shining with emotion, betrayed what he would never show.

"...What'dya think?" Rin whispered, suddenly breathless.

"Honestly?" Sosuke smirked "It was kinda terrible."

Rin made an unflattering noise, as if something had hit him directly in the nose.

"Excuse me?" He bristled. "You think you could do any better, Sosuke?"

Uh oh...

The moment the words left Rin's mouth his gut dropped with dread.

"Actually," Sosuke grabbed ahold of Rin's wrist again and forced him backwards up against the gym doors, pinning it beside his head.

"I do."

Rin's back pressed into the cold metal, he swallowed nervously as Sosuke pressed his body against his and,

Oh…

His warmth seeped into Rin's soul. Sosuke's form pressing against his, applying a sweet pressure to his core that made the heat kindling in his hips crackle and spark with flame.

"Watch closely, Rin." Rin felt his pulse sputter through his veins as Sosuke brushed his thumb across Rin's lower lip, and used his strong fingers to tip his chin upwards.

"This is your next lesson..."

Sosuke began to lean in and Rin closed his eyes, a bit timid and unsure…

A small startled noise was lost up into Sosuke's mouth as the larger male moulded their lips together. Before, Rin had simply pressed their mouths on top of each other, but what Sosuke was doing was…

"Mnnn...haa…"

Rin's free hand gripped on to the fabric of Sosuke's jacket as the dark butterfly swimmer captured and released Rin's mouth in tender kisses, sucking in his lower lip ever so slightly, teasing Rin's skin with his teeth, coating their flushed lips with wetness.

Rin wanted more, but didn't know how to reciprocate. Instead, he let go of his inhibitions and let Sosuke's tide carry him away. He pulled Sosuke closer and a surprised grunt left Rin's mouth between their kisses as he felt his friend's knee push into the fork of his legs.

Sosuke pulled away from their kiss once more, and buried his lips and nose into the soft hair next to Rin's ear.

Rin immediately sucked in a gasp.

No...not there…

Rin felt all power to resist leave his body as Sosuke's hot mouth began pressing kisses into the shell of Rin's ear.

"Mmnnn...Rin." Sosuke voice rumbled, hot and breathless, on to one of the most sensitive parts of his body.

Rin's breaths huffed in and out quickly. Sosuke's ministrations sent shivers down his neck and back, and ignited a fire in his loins.

Without even thinking, Rin shifted his hips back against Sosuke's knee. His fingers dug into Sosuke's skin and he groaned.

"Suh...Sosuke…" Rin panted, his face aflame with color, want coursing through his hips.

Just then, when Rin felt as if he were going to burst into flames, Sosuke pulled back and looked down on him with eyes shining like glaciers.

"That's...enough for today…" Sosuke huffed, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. He stepped back, leaving Rin leaning against the gym doors, suddenly cold from Sosuke's absence with his head spinning from lack of oxygen and blood on account of it rushing elsewhere.

"Hn," Sosuke gave a smug, throaty laugh. "Your body can't lie; I'm the better kisser."

Snapping to his senses, Rin blinked his crimson eyes and looked down at himself. Absolutely mortified, he turned around to adjust himself in his pants while Sosuke's bassy chuckles tumbled down his back.

"Sh-shut up, you moron." Rin grumbled.

Suddenly, the lights in the gymnasium flickered before turning on brightly and steadily. Rin and Sosuke looked up and saw through the windows on the ceiling that the storm had subsided. The sky above looked clear with vibrant hues of orange, lapis blue, and vivid pink.

"Rin."

He looked up into Sosuke's gentle blue eyes to see a rare but genuine smile waiting there. They were still standing so close Rin could feel the heat between them.

"I'm so glad...I never thought...you could feel the same way…"

What…?

This last remark made Rin tilt his head and blink his eyes curiously. Did that mean that Sosuke had feelings for him to? But for how long…?

"C'mon." Sosuke's voice pulled Rin back down to Earth. His best friend had his hand extended towards him, the same way he would when they were younger and he invited Rin out on an adventure. "Let's head back. It's time I answered your questions."

Rin looked down at the large palm offered to him. Much like their very first session together, Rin paused to appreciate the significance of the moment. Taking Sosuke's hand meant that they were going to move forward, this time as more than just friends.

Rin took it without hesitation, and they walked out of the gym together with their eyes set straight ahead.

Frost Taming Fire - End of Part I

Yooo what a trip, huh? Thanks for hanging in there with our boys. I know this fic is the very definition of 'slow burn', but I've said before that I think this progression with them makes the story more believable, and the things that happen between them more satisfying as a result.

So here's the deal: I've got a full-time job as a public school teacher and it takes up a lot (I mean a lot) of my time. So if y'all are wondering why updates are really slow that's part of the reason why! Another reason, as I've also said before...is because I don't have an outline so I'm just making this up as I go :) I'd be happy to hear about the things you'd like to see happen between our guys.

As always, thank you to all the readers who've stuck by with this story. I enjoy writing it and I'm glad if anyone gets enjoyment out of reading it. I absolutely love these characters and I love seeing them blossom into the lovers they should be. Until next time, darlings. Stay tuuuuuuuned 3

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Random Short:

The smart phone's interface lit up and headed Nitori's command as it searched the web for his desired song, Snake Eyes. Alexa was loyal to no one.

"Oi!" Sid snarled as he watched the two retreating forms of Rin and Sosuke disappear through the left exit. "The deal was-"

"The deal was that we show up your team." Nitori cut him off, spine straight and shoulders back in the few moments of silence before the music started playing. Momo took up position by his side. "You never said it had to be all of us."

Just then the clamor of the music began, and that was the end of the conversation. It was now time to own these suckers with their dance moves.

Heavy sinister elctro notes, like an alien spaceship come from 1980 to abduct them, blasted its fanfare from the hidden bluetooth speaker.

Nitori and Momo crossed their arms in front of their body like an X, then jumped behind one another. The melody wound up, then burst into rapid techno chords. Nitori and Momo's arms locked in almost a robotic way. Nitori standing in front gave the illusion that he had an extra set of arms.

The onlooking monsters shifted with excitement, clearly impressed that their adversaries had anything remotely planned. Even the zombies in the audience started cheering for them.

The two split forms once again, but continued their inhuman, robotic-like freezing and swaying: faces blank, but muscles languid and smooth. They turned their heads one way, while their hips pivoted in another, and then back again. Even as they did this, the two circled around each other, faster and faster as the song lead into a wind up.

The pulsing rhythm in the background grew faster, and the two dancers bobbed their bodies up and down in time with it.

The swanky, bassy guitar chords arrived with the first beat drop. Nitori and Momo, no longer confined by their robotic prisons, exploded with motion.

Nitori jumped and landed hard inches in front of the other crew, sending sonic sound waves through the bones of his enemies' legs. He popped the collar on his swim team jacket so fiercely, the rest of the fabric fluttered against his chest. The monsters drew a collective from his sheer swagger levels.

Nitori stepped off to the right and thrust his arms out to the side in a 'have a look at this' kind of gesture.

"Gettem, Mo!"

Behind him Momo tipped his head down and moonwalked across the stage so effortlessly, it was as if he had butter coating the bottom of his shoes.

The monsters clapped and let out ghoulish moans, moved by the redhead's skill.

Momo reached the end of his turn and pointed double finger guns back over to his partner with a cheeky smirk and a wink.

"Kill'em, senpai!"

The breast stroke swimmer jumped in the air, doing a triple axel, and landed with his back facing the monsters. Nitori dipped his full bottom down low and brought it back up slow, letting the abominations behind him savor the juicy view of his booty. Last, Nitori connected a steely gaze with them and slapped one of his cheeks loud enough to hear through the pulsing music.

The opposing teams jaws dropped open, speechless. Some even had drool dribbling from their mouths.

Several monsters in the audience broke their role as monsters and let out shrill whistles and spicy cat calls. They were really getting fired up from the boys' performance.

Nitori and Momo gravitated back together and started a smooth, rhythmic jog in place. They snapped their fingers to the beat and held aggressive eye contact with their opponents.

The boys popped their chests and shimmied their shoulders as they advanced towards the horde of monsters with fast, zig-zagging steps.

The monsters actually shied back, as if they were afraid of being burned from their benevolent dance moves.

"Its...it's working…" Nitori huffed softly. "I can't believe it…"

"All right, senpai. Time for the trust fall."

"Right!"

The music revved up for the song's mid climax. Mom and Nitro stiffened their legs and leaned back, it looked as if they were going to simply fall backwards onto the hard stage floor.

Then, their bodies stopped falling as they were nearly parallel, almost as if an unseeable force had stopped them. And they rose up slowly, upper bodies straight as boards.

The entire audience went into an uproar as they did the same gravity defying trick, backwards and forwards.

They jumped and landed with their feet apart. They both executed the ultimate middle school dance move: the one where you put one hand in front as if you're holding something while using the other hand to 'spank it' as you rock your hips back and forth. Somehow it felt more aggressive when Nitori and Momo kept their eyes locked with their opponents.

"It's coming…" Momo warned and Nitro dipped his head in affirmation.

"I know, I'm ready."

"Please, be careful, senpai-"

The beat dipped and Nitori steeled himself to execute the show stopping move of this whole number.

Nitori used his powerful leg muscles to jump high, twist his body through a backflip, and in the moment of silence, land...in the splits.

The monstrous spectators let out yells that could wake the dead. But Nitori wasn't done yet. He flounced his bubble-butt up and down while in the splits, making two of the zombies faint from their massive nosebleeds.

Then, the supple swimmer snapped back up into a standing position as if he hadn't performed a feat that would leave any normal man unable to walk for weeks.

Momo joined Nitori's side again. The two began synchronously tossing their heads and made lateral movements with their arms as they did calculated side steps.

Both sweating and very out of breath, the two boys made decisive steps backwards with each pulse of the wind down beat. The monsters were too busy blowing whistles and making a general ruckus to realize their prey was slowly retreating.

"Ay!" Sid barked. "Git your heads outtah yer asses! You're letting them get away."

But the zombies didn't care. They had been persuaded to let these morsels go, if only for the chance to see them dance another day.

The last note of the song finally died but before any of the monsters had a chance to raise hell, the auditorium lights flashed to life, one row after another until the whole place became fully lit. Power had been restored to the building at last!

Just then, the front door to the auditorium flung open revealing a flushed, livid looking Hatori sensei. Every student stood, petrified.

"Oh, you are all so suspended right now!"

Hitori sensei's voice thundered through the empty chasm, and everyone scattered like roaches, scrambling for an exit.

"Hey!" Hatori sensei boomed, sprinting down the inclined room to the stage. "Get back here, damn it! You-"

Hatori sensei reached out and grabbed one student among the chaos.

"So help me God, I will punish someone for all this!"

"Waaaaah! No!" The student squirmed in his arms, his golden eyes flashing in terror under the high beam lights from the stage. "Senpai!" He cried reaching out to a certain silver haired upperclassman. "Help meeeheee!"

Nitori paused only for a moment to look over his shoulder before giving Momo a rueful smile.

"I'm sorry Momo-kun. You're not done repenting yet…" Then he slipped into the cover of the clamor and escaped to his room with Momo's wails ringing in his ears.