Title: Acclimation
Characters: Yamamoto Takeshi, Hibari Kyouya
Summary: There's more than one way to skin a cat--or satisfy Hibari Kyouya.
Notes: 1408 words of smut purely for its own sake. Not timeline specific.

Acclimation

Gokudera insists that he's crazy; Takeshi maintains that Gokudera just doesn't understand. It's not actually all that surprising that he doesn't, really. Gokudera's fast and has only gotten more dangerous in the years since Takeshi first met him, but all that lean feline menace is in Tsuna's service. Gokudera fights for (lives for) Tsuna, and he doesn't have any concept of the joy of a fight for its own sake.

That's a pity, really. Takeshi's something of a connoisseur of things done well, and Gokudera Hayato in the grip of a righteous fury is a thing well worth beholding.

But some causes are lost before they're even begun, so he doesn't dwell on it. Besides, it's not like he doesn't have plenty of other good opponents to distract him, and his father raised him not to be greedy.

As if anyone could be greedy for more, with Hibari Kyouya as his regular sparring partner.

Hibari comes at him again, feet nearly soundless on the tatami mats and his teeth bared; Takeshi meets him, his sword shrieking against a tonfa. The other comes in low and fast, and he has to twist away to keep it from smashing into his ribs. Hibari follows through, relentless in pursuit, and Takeshi has to do some fancy footwork to escape a crack across the jaw. As it is, he still takes a glancing blow, and tastes the iron of blood when it splits his lip.

He repays in kind, crouching and feinting and catching Hibari across the gut with a solid strike, one that's going to raise a really nice bruise later, after they're finished here. Hibari snarls at him, a bit winded, and Takeshi laughs in reply, copper and iron bright on his tongue.

Maybe Gokudera does have a point about this after all. Just a small one.

He and Hibari fight themselves to a standstill--more than a standstill, really, because when Hibari manages to sweep Takeshi's feet out from under him, Takeshi grabs a handful of kimono and pulls Hibari down after him. They go sprawling on the floor in a heap together, both of them gasping for breath. After a second, Hibari growls at him and pushes Takeshi away, but doesn't immediately roll to his feet again.

Takeshi takes that as the call for truce that it is, and rolls onto his back, propping himself up on his elbows and panting. "Good match," he says, when he's collected himself a bit.

Hibari grunts an acknowledgement at him.

There's a look Hibari gets after fighting, most of the time, and it goes with the way he looks during a fight. The latter is the one where his eyes get all hot and dark and intent, like the fight he's having is just about the most fun he's ever had, and the former is the one where he goes all loose and damn near dreamy-eyed with satisfaction.

Takeshi figures that it's that contented look that does the most to unnerve people about Hibari. It's their loss, he figures, and if that makes Tsuna wince and Gokudera call him a crazy baseball idiot, well, they don't have to get it. They just have to keep out of his way, because Takeshi counts it a good day if he can manage to put that look on Hibari's face after a sparring match.

Today's not one of those days, it seems. Hibari's flat on his back, an arm's length away, and his fingers are twitching on the grips of his tonfa. He's scowling at the ceiling, to boot. The private lexicon of Hibari's expressions and body language that Takeshi is building is incomplete and imperfect, but even so, it's pretty clear that Hibari's giving some serious thought to another round.

Takeshi thinks about the way Hibari's toying with his tonfa, and the fact that he can already feel the bruises starting to rise up, and decides that another round of sparring isn't really something he's up for just now.

Fortunately, that's not their only option.

Most people know that Hibari likes fighting a little too much, and make it their business to stay out of his way because of it. What they don't know (and again, it's definitely their loss and Takeshi's gain) is that a good fight isn't the only way to put that look on Hibari's face.

"Hey," he says, because one thing that's never a good idea is to spring something on Hibari without his expecting it. When Hibari's eyes cut away from the ceiling, Takeshi leans over and kisses him.

This offer can go one of two ways, and Takeshi's never quite sure which option Hibari will take on any given day. Today he makes a sound against Takeshi's mouth, a considering one, before reaching up and fisting a hand in Takeshi's hair, mouth opening up to Takeshi's. That's just as well; Takeshi's pretty sure that he's got bruises on top of bruises from today's match.

One thing about sex with Hibari is that it's a hell of a lot like fighting with him. Hibari doesn't seem to know the meaning of holding back, and Takeshi likes that, even if it means that Hibari kisses him so fiercely that his lip starts stinging again. That's a relatively small price to pay, especially when Hibari hauls him closer again.

Takeshi presses against him, heat already pooling low in his belly, and goes to work on their clothes before Hibari can get impatient. He doesn't even know how many seams Hibari had managed to tear before he'd gotten a clue that it probably wasn't a good idea to leave this part up to Hibari. While he's busy undoing belts and ties and shoving cloth out of the way, Hibari kisses him again, and then bites at his throat.

Takeshi can't quite help growling at the sharpness of Hibari's teeth, and retaliates by sliding a thigh between Hibari's and grinding against him. Hibari hisses and arches against him, rubbing against him, his cock already hard and sleek against Takeshi's hip. The hand that isn't closed on Takeshi's shoulder goes raking down his chest and fists tight around him. Takeshi groans and rocks into Hibari's grip, panting again as pleasure slides up his spine, sharp as a knife.

It wouldn't be bad to try doing this slower, he thinks, getting a hand under Hibari, closing it around the tight curve of his ass and lifting him into the rocking of his thigh. Hibari groans again and hooks a leg around him, moving against him with an intent, determined rhythm. His hand moves faster on Takeshi's cock, as demanding as his mouth on Takeshi's throat.

It's pretty clear that slower isn't going to happen today.

Takeshi goes with it, fingers flexing against Hibari's ass as he drives himself against Hibari, against his fist, until Hibari gasps, hips bucking fast and jerky under his. Takeshi grinds against him until he stills, watching Hibari's taut expression go satisfied, and tries not to look as smug as he feels about being the one who put that sated look on Hibari's face.

He doesn't quite succeed. After a moment the unfocused look goes out of Hibari's eyes and Hibari growls at him. The fingers on Takeshi's cock turn ruthless, stroking him hard and fast until orgasm snaps through him, fierce and sweet. Takeshi groans with it, shuddering over Hibari until the heat finishes wringing him out.

They lie there together, breath coming harsh for both of them, until Hibari makes an irritated sound and shoves at Takeshi's shoulders. He takes the hint and rolls to Hibari's side, almost touching him but not quite.

Hibari snorts at that, but lets him do it, and this time Takeshi doesn't bother hiding his smile, since Hibari's not really looking at him--plausible deniability all around.

Gokudera can call him an idiot all he likes, because Takeshi's no fool, and knows a good thing when he sees it. More importantly, so does Hibari--one of these days, probably not all that far away, Takeshi's going to coax him into bed in a way that's not completely metaphorical, and then they can get down to business properly.

He stretches, contented with that thought and with life in general, and Hibari grunts at him to be still. He hasn't stirred yet, or started to reach for his clothes, apparently willing enough to stay here and drowse.

Takeshi grins, and starts laying in plans for the next time.

- end -

Comments, as always, are welcome!