Warning: This chapter contains a not-so-subtle allusion to what some people may consider physical & emotional child abuse. Please do not read if you feel strongly about this.

A/N: Alrighty peeps, fourth chapter! And finally, some very light smut in this chapter! (Let's all agree to the fact that I could never bring myself to write it often considering the fluffiness that is Yuzuru/Seryou.)

Major apologies for its lateness...as always, I seem to lack the ability to multi-task my life *sigh*

And I just want to say thank you to all of you, my wonderful reviewers and people who put this story into their alerts despite my abysmal updating record *sheepish grin*

Just to make myself better at writing this, I reacquainted myself with the manga once more - this time from Chapter 1 all the way to finish (considering I sometimes read parts of it for fun.) It made me squeal in their sweetness once more, as expected. ;)

Enjoy!

Chapter 4

"Seryou? You asleep?"

Seryou blinked his eyes at the soft calling of Yuzuru's voice and slowly his eyes opened onto the form of his boyfriend; fresh from the shower, with pinked cheeks and damp hair. He quickly moved himself into a sitting position before yawning softly.

"No, I wasn't really asleep, Yuzuru-san. Was just laying down, your bed is so comfy," He sighed in remembrance of being surrounded by Yuzuru's scent seconds ago.

Yuzuru simply smiled before replying, "You can sleep now if you're tired?"

"No. I've already slept too much, Yuzuru-san. It's too early for sleep anyway."

"Alright. If you say so. What do you want to do now?"

Seryou thought for a few moments, "Hmmm, we can watch a movie? The weather's nice and cool outside compared to the usual hot weather these past few nights, but we're already dressed in pyjamas and everything…"

"Sure! What kind of movie do you wanna watch?"

Selecting an action/comedy DVD from Yuzurus' pile, the couple chose to stay in the bedroom and watched it using the small TV inside; sitting on top of the bed, leaning against one another. Aside from the sound coming from the movie, it was quiet and comfortable. Occasional chuckles and laughter can be heard during the funniest scenes of the movie and Seryou found himself unable to hide his tensing and gasps of surprise at the suspense that was building up in the story. At the end of it all, the happy ending brought a wide smile to his face. He turned to his boyfriend to give his thoughts.

"That was really good! Yuzuru-san, do you – " he paused at finding that face staring into his already; it seemed as if Yuzuru-san wasn't looking at the movie?

"Did you not… like it, Yuzuru-san?" he asked worriedly. He wouldn't have made the other boy watch a movie he didn't enjoy! But Yuzuru shook his head instead before bending down to whisper into his ear.

"No, I know how good the movie is, but I also have another vision that's better than the movie." Seryou shivered at the feeling of that hot breath ghosting the sensitive skin of his ear and neck. Hearing the answer to his question, the implication of the answers made him blush. He didn't want to assume, but-

"Did you mean...me? Yuzuru-san?" He asked hesistantly.

Yuzuru rolled his eyes before replying sarcastically,

"No Seryou, I meant the bookcase," and at seeing Seryou's surprised face at this admission and taking it seriously, Yuzuru internally sighed, "Well, who else could I be talking about? Of course I meant you."

To his happy surprise, those blunt words brought a new set of light pink onto those pale cheeks. A soft, "Oh" was uttered from those lips.

"Yes, 'oh'," Yuzuru teased.

Seryou simply smiled back somewhat sheepishly and bashfully at the same time. Yuzuru, deciding that the time for teases are over, reached over to hook his right hand around that slender, white neck and pull that handsome face towards his. Their lips met softly and tenderly. But despite the fact that Yuzuru was the one who initiate the kiss, Seryou was the one who took the kiss to the next level. With hands twined around his boyfriend's waist, he slowly opened his mouth; his tongue almost shyly touched the other boy's lips.

Not one to reject such an offer, Yuzuru took quick advantage for his tongue to enter his boyfriend's cavern; twining with the other boy's tongue with his own. They kissed for long while, but the oxygen that had been forgotten was soon becoming a necessity. Their lips separated for a little while before they gravitated toward one another's once again.

They didn't know how much time had passed, but the TV screen was no longer rolling out the credits when Yuzuru's eyes happened to meet the screen. But that didn't matter to the pair because all they could concentrate on was the kiss that was growing more and more heated by the seconds. Without realising it, the both of them had turned to fully face one another and Seryou had conveniently placed himself almost on his boyfriend's lap with his legs folded and placed on Yuzuru's thigh.

The younger boy was the first one to finally break their kiss, his breath ragged. He leaned his forehead against Yuzuru's shoulder and Yuzuru felt a shiver go through him at the feeling of Seryou's breath tickling his neck that had suddenly turned sensitive. Seeing his boyfriend's exposed neck with its milky white skin right under his nose raised his curiosity as to its taste. They'd never gone this far before, both content in the occasional deep kisses and neither had ever hinted about anything more.

He would be lying if he said that the thought had never crossed his mind. Especially ever since entering tertiary education, he occasionally saw some of his girlfriends' neck that showed off a mark that can't be mistaken by anything other than their boyfriend's claim. It was during those times that he imagined how it would feel like to see a similar mark on his boyfriend's neck placed there by him instead. The thought often made his body hot all over.

Slowly but surely he moved his lips and placed them on top of that exposed skin and immediately felt Seryou tense in surprise, but before he could panic, the body leaning against his went slack in pleasure. Taking this as a cue to continue, he kissed the soft skin and opened his mouth to take his first taste of that skin. It smelled and taste of soap and something softer that was undeniably Seryou; and it made him nuzzle into that neck in adoration. Seryou released a giggle at this and he continued only for it to turn into a laugh.

"Ahaha...Yuzuru-san! It - haha - tickles!"

But it wasn't long before that melodic laugh turned into an equally melodic moan when Seryou found his neck being sucked and kissed into submission by his boyfriend.

Bingo.

It seems that this particular spot on his collarbone is a sensitive zone. Yuzuru made sure to remember it for future reference. Feeling that he'd spent enough time on that on spot, he lifted his head and couldn't help smiling in satisfaction at seeing the bold, red mark placed where his lips had just been.

He ducked his head once again to nibble on an earlobe, and leaving little marks all over that ivory skin while he was at it. Seryou didn't voice a complaint, simply looping his arms around him and leaned fully onto him. It was comforting, all this weight and warmth from his boyfriend all around and on him.

Yuzuru found himself dying to venture even further into this uncharted territory. His hands that were idly sitting on Seyou's hips slowly but surely started to inch their way under the other boy's pyjamas before finally touching the bare skin of his lower back. Seryou released a gasp of surprise and Yuzuru, careful in watching every single of his boyfriend's reaction, smiled in relief at the absence of complaint that he'd dreaded.

The skin under his palm is smooth and soft and he was filled with the need to feel more. More skin, more warmth, more Seryou. Bringing his other hand to slip itself under the top just like its twin, he rubbed his hands on that lithe back that he'd only ever seen uncovered the rare times that they'd gone on a date to the pool and that one time to the beach.

He brought his arms around the bare flesh; and he found a comfort in the warmth and solidness of his boyfriend's skin and body under his bare palm. Everything felt so new and yet so right; and inexplicably familiar. Seryou had always been the foremost thought in his mind - his smiles, his words, his laughter and his voice, everything filled Yuzuru's mind and heart to the brim. This might be why even though what they were doing now was unlike usual, there wasn't any awkwardness blanketing them, only comfort.

But he also didn't want to overwhelm Seryou with anything more than this, and so he contented himself with sitting on the bed with his beloved's warm weight on his lap, those soft lips on his own, his own hands staying idle on that warm skin and Seryou's scent surrounding him in the best possible way.

Few minutes pass before they finally moved apart, Yuzuru laid a peck on that beloved mole that never failed to get his attention on his boyfriend's eyebrow and they tapped their foreheads against each other's; identical soft smiles appearing on their faces. But it wasn't long before the comfortable silence that blanketed them finally made Yuzuru's mind shifted towards what he'd tried his hardest not to think about for the past few hours - Seryou's real reason for his earlier reaction.

He knew that whatever it was, it would be something that the other boy would not want to talk about. But he couldn't help but worry; he wanted to know what was wrong simply because he doesn't want his boyfriend to have a cause for such distress at all.

"Ne, Seryou, you know...that you can tell me anything, right? To ask for my help if you've got any trouble?" Seryou nodded his reply to the question.

"Then...then, will you tell me what could cause such a reaction from you earlier? But - but you don't have to tell me if you don't want to! I just want to help you if I can, that's all, really," Yuzuru continued. His heart was beating fast while waiting for his boyfriend's reaction; Seryou was chewing on his bottom lip, a habit that he did often whenever something troubled his mind.

Then slowly but surely Seryou nodded before opening his mouth, "Alright, if you really want to know, I'll tell you. But first...can I get a glass of water from your kitchen, Yuzuru-san?"

"Oh! Yes, of course! If you want, I can get it for you?"

Seryou shook his head, "No, that's fine. I can get it myself. Would you like me to bring one for you?"

Knowing it for an excuse for a breathing time that it is and not knowing what else to do, Yuzuru agreed.

As expected, it wasn't until ten minutes had passed, way longer than it would've taken to get two glasses of water, that Yuzuru could hear light footsteps approaching the bedroom once more. He'd stayed in his sitting position against the headboard for all that time and it wasn't until he saw Seryou's silhouette against the doorway that he relaxed his shoulder. He knew that it was a ridiculous paranoia, but he had imagined all sort of scenario of escape plotted by the other boy and the possibility that he would've run out despite dressing in pyjamas.

As the distance between them decreased, Yuzuru could see the deepening of worry lines on Seryou's face. This whole thing was increasing his anxiety. Just what kind of background story will Seryou tell him?

Seryou took a deep breath, "Alright, so...it started with how my mum raised me when I was a child. My mum was...my mum was probably what other parents called as too strict in her ways of raising her kids. She was a perfectionist to the core, and she doesn't like failures from anyone – whether it be her family, her employees, or even herself."

Yuzuru felt surprised at the story. It was, after all, the first time Seryou had ever told him about his family life. Most days, the topic never came up and neither of them saw the need for it until later.

"You have to realise Yuzuru-san, what my mum did, she had thought it to be the best for me. She didn't think it'd affect me as badly as it did."

Yuzuru was almost afraid to ask, "What...exactly did she do, Seryou?"

There was a deep intake of breath before the answer came forth.

"She...she would often hit me when I leave a mess, regardless of its size, and if she didn't think I learnt my lesson enough, she'd ground me in my bedroom and kept food away from me as a punishment until the next day. It wasn't as horrible as some punishment could go, but it was just - it wasn't the pain as much as the feeling of being a failure or 'not good enough' that never failed to scare me at making any mess anywhere; despite the fact that this has never happened any more once my parents moved overseas for work since the end of my middle school."

Yuzuru was shocked into silence. Seryou had always looked so relaxed, with his easygoing smiles and soft grins that no one would ever suspected such a thing to be his childhood story. For such a perfect guy, you'd almost expect him to say that his mother was a wonderful woman who was gentle and soft and for his family to have a happy family life. Apparently, this was not the case.

"Thank you."

Seryou looked up in surprise at those words. He honestly didn't know what he'd expect from his boyfriend, but those words were definitely not it. He didn't understand what they are for and his confusion must've showed on his face because Yuzuru continued,

"Thank you for telling me, Seryou. I know this would definitely be something you're probably not willing to remember any more," and with that Yuzuru gathered his boyfriend into his arms.

The new knowledge kept them up long into the night, and they spent their times talking on their much-needed catching up on the events in each other's lives. It was comfortable, and Yuzuru could almost imagine their future like this - spending the rest of his life with Seryou sounds just like his peace of heaven.

Seryou's breathing evened out hours later, and Yuzuru could feel him going slack with sleep in his arms. He pulled the other's body closer and hid a smile in that sweet-smelling black hair.

"I love you," he whispered.

He kissed Seryou's temple and fell asleep with a smile on his lips.

TBC

YES. Finally I could happily end this chapter. I've been having real issues with the dark childhood part and it had kept me from updating pretty much for the past 10 months or so. I've written up the parts before that ages ago, pretty much just after I finished with the previous chapter, actually.

Apologies once again, my dearest readers. I feel so appreciated cause you guys are still reading this despite my lack of updates. Thank you!

I hope you enjoy this chapter too. Let me know what you think (: