Tainted

Chapter 5

Akihiko was currently at his desk, tapping away on his keyboard. Misaki was at class for the day, so he was rather bored. So he filled this purgatory of boredom with writing. He was doing his best to capture a first love by looking back on his own memories, but he found that it was next to impossible for some reason.

He knew that he'd loved someone before Takahiro, but Takahiro was the only being - human or otherwise - that he could remember ever having feelings for.

Who had been the person before Takahiro? He tried to recollect an image of them, but he couldn't.

He hadn't thought about his past in a long time. He usually lived soley in the present, knowing that thinking about the past would lead to regrets that couldn't be altered. You couldn't change the past, so it was useless to think about it.

He knew one thing, for sure. They hadn't been female. He'd never found women attractive in the slightest. In fact, other than Aikawa, he rarely tolerated them. She just happened to be one of the rare exceptions.

He leaned back, hands falling from the keys and raising to his temple as he tried to remember his once lover.

They'd been lovers. He knew that much. He knew that they'd made love, that they'd been together for a while. A year or two, perhaps? But that he had disappeared. Akihiko must have forgotten about him after that.

As he closed his eyes, he could picture in his mind's eye flashes of memory.

His hand in his lover's as they were torn apart. His once-lover was screaming at the person pulling them apart, pleading with them for something. Akihiko couldn't make out his face. But he knew that he was crying. He turned back to Akihiko, and whispered something, though he couldn't hear what he said.

The memory stopped abruptly, and Akihiko found himself faced with the worst headache he'd ever suffered in all his near four hundred years. He gritted his teeth against the pain.

What did his face look like? What did his voice sound like? Akihiko wanted to remember. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get the memory to replay.

Soon enough, he even forgot about the memory's playback, and continued working on his book, now untroubled.

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Akihiko felt his heart leap into his throat when he heard the front door open and Misaki yell a casual "I'm back" in his general direction. He could get used to this. Misaki living here had been a better idea than he'd originally thought...

He entered the living room just as Misaki was kicking off his shoes. The student was still wearing Takahiro's old jacket. "Why do you wear that?" he questioned. "It's too big for you."

"As long as it isn't too small, that's fine," Misaki replied, hanging it up. "After all, jackets aren't cheap. And nii-chan's old one is still in good shape."

Akihiko thought for a while, wondering just what kind of clothing would look best on Misaki. He thought dryly that he liked Misaki best with none at all, but of course, that was for his eyes only.

Misaki seemed to be a mind reader, because he glared at Akihiko with a malice that the novelist hadn't expected from the 18-year-old. "You're thinking perverted thoughts again, aren't you?" Misaki questioned wryly, entering the kitchen. "Pervert Usagi."

Akihiko chuckled a bit. "The only one you can blame is yourself. You're too adorable."

"Hmph. Whatever. Liar." Misaki was pulling out the ingrediants for dinner already. He usually waited an hour or so to begin dinner

"What's the rush?" Akihiko questioned, watching as Misaki tossed a handful of pasta into hot water, setting it on the stove to boil.

"Since my landlord is so useless that he can't even cook a decent meal for himself," Misaki retorted, "I'm making an early dinner."

"For what reason would it have to be early?" Akihiko replied, watching as Misaki walked around the kitchen, expertly throwing pinches of spices into a kind of sauce he'd started on the stove.

"I'm going out tonight," Misaki replied absently.

"Out? With who?" Akihiko felt the familiar twinge of jealousy in his chest and forced it down. Maybe it was just with Takahiro? He knew better than to get his hopes up, though.

"Sumi-sempai... he said something about a movie I've been meaning to see, so we decided to go later tonight. Thankfully, he isn't a demon like you... You're more than enough for anyone..." Misaki began stirring the red pasta sauce in the pan, adding pinches of ingrediants that Akihiko was sure he wouldn't be able to identify. "And since you're so hopeless in the kitchen, I knew that meant I had to make dinner early, too. You probably didn't eat lunch, right?"

Akihiko shook his head, eyes narrowing at Misaki. So he thought he could just wander off with other people whenever he pleased, huh? The "Great Lord" Usami Akihiko would have none of that. "Misaki, it sounds like you're going on a date with this 'Sumi' person."

Misaki turned a bright tomato red that put the sauce on the stove to shame, sputtering. "S-Stop saying stupid things!" Misaki countered, an adorable blush covering his cheeks. "We're going to the movies, that's all! Besides, Sumi-sempai's a guy!"

"That just makes it worse," Akihiko grumbled. "He's not going to be able to resist how adorable you are..."

"I'm a guy!" Misaki protested hotly. "Guys aren't adorable! And it's just the movies, Usagi-san, so quit freaking out! Besides, why should you care?"

"We're lovers, aren't we?" Akihiko asked bluntly.

Misaki flushed darker and turned away from him, mixing his sauce with a new vigor.

"Misaki."

Misaki continued to ignore him, grabbing a strainer and draining the now-cooked pasta. The student was a neat shade of cherry red, with the most adorable embarassed expression Akihiko had ever seen.

Akihiko stepped closer, wrapping his arms around Misaki's waist, pulling him against his chest. He heard Misaki's breath rush out of him in a gasp, and knew it was only a few moments until Misaki would begin struggling. He had to make his move before then.

"Misaki." He breathed over Misaki's ear, and felt the student in his arms stiffen. "Don't go."

"What are you... It's just the movies, you idiot..."

Akihiko licked the outer shell of Misaki's ear. "Don't go," he repeated. Misaki almost seemed to melt into his grasp, and Akihiko knew that he was winning. No matter how much he complained about it, Misaki liked it. Akihiko knew that Misaki liked him. It just had to be coaxed out of him.

Misaki's head lolled to the side as Akihiko kissed his way down it from his ear. He nibbled at the junction of Misaki's neck and shoulders, and nearly laughed in triumph when the student let loose a small moan. His hand moved lower, tracing patterns onto the back of Misaki's upper thigh. Misaki arched his back a fraction, and that was enough to snap the last reserves of restraint Akihiko had.

Only a moment later, Misaki was pinned to the counter, Akihiko hovering above him. "I love you, Misaki." He leaned closer, pressing his lips against the other's gently. There had to be some way for him to make his feelings to Misaki clear. He was bad with words. He'd have to show him.

Misaki's eyes widened, but he allowed the contact. When Akihiko finally pulled away, he stared up at him. "Usagi....-san?" Misaki whispered nervously.

"I love you, Misaki."

Misaki gasped a little as Akihiko crushed his lips back down onto his forcefully, hands exploring the college student's body. Akihiko had already memorized every inch he possibly could of Misaki's body. He knew where Misaki liked to be touched (though he knew the stubborn teen would never admit it), what made him writhe in pleasure, and what was the best way to get him to let down his guard to allow such an attack to take place.

The trick was to catch him by surprise. Once Misaki was caught off guard and put into a compromising position, ninty percent of the time, Akihiko would get his way. The other ten percent of the time, he got the living daylights beat out of him. But it was worth it.

This happened to be in the favorable ninty percent. Misaki gave in to Akihiko's silent demand, and relinquished himself.

Akihiko rather had the feeling that Misaki was even beginning to enjoy himself when they made love. He certainly didn't put up a fight like he used to.

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Akihiko was leaning against Suzuki-san, an open notebook in his lap. A few notes for a new Boy's Love plot were jotted down on the open page. He looked to the side as Misaki emerged out of the bathroom. He'd been in there an awful long time. "You all right?" he questioned.

"Yeah." Misaki seemed drained of any and all energy. Was it just him, or was Misaki a few shades paler, as well? He watched as Misaki grabbed the phone next to their bed and punched in a few numbers. After a few moments, it seemed like someone had picked up on the other line. "Hey. It's Misaki. ...Yeah, I know I'm late. Things came up. ...Yeah, I know I sound terrible. I don't feel so well. ...All right. I'm sorry. Maybe we can go some other time?" Misaki adjusted his grip on the phone. "Yeah. That's fine for me. Thanks for understand, sempai. See you tomorrow. ...No, I won't force myself to school," Misaki sighed. "Night." Misaki pressed the 'end call' button, hanging it up. He laid down gingerly.

Akihiko noticed that he hadn't bothered to dress in anything other than his boxers. That was unusual for him - he usually insisted on wearing pajama pants at the very least. Whether it was another layer of protection from his sex drive or for warmth purposes, Akihiko wasn't sure.

Misaki rolled over, and Akihiko's eyebrows knitted together in concern. Misaki hadn't been lying. He didn't look well. "Misaki... Are you all right?"

"I'll be fine." Misaki closed his eyes, looking tired. "Don't worry about me, Usagi-san."

Akihiko placed a hand on Misaki's forehead. "You feel hot. Do you have a fever?"

"Your hands are just cold," Misaki replied dully.

Akihiko sighed and set aside his notebook. He laid down, throwing the covers over both himself and his lover. He closed his eyes, still a bit worried about Misaki.

"...Usagi-san?" Misaki spoke quietly, obviously sleepy.

"Hm?"

"...Could we... uhm... sleep a little closer?" he whispered, sounding embarrassed to just ask it.

Akihiko's eyes snapped open in surprise. He stared at Misaki (who was glowing an adorable shade of pink in embarassment), but smiled and pulled him closer. Misaki let out a small squeak of surprise. "Sure. Good night, Misaki."

Misaki bowed his head against Akihiko's chest. "Yeah... Good night." Akihiko felt Misaki's lashes brush against his shoulder as he closed his eyes, and soon enough, could hear Misaki's breaths evened out as he fell asleep.