Chapter 5: From the ashes

xxx Souichi xxx

After dinner with Matsuda- san and Kanako, the two men had gone home, the journey back uncharacteristically silent. Back home, as they sat on the couch to watch the ten pm documentary, Morinaga had refrained from touching him, even though Souichi had sat beside him as usual. That night, Morinaga had even gone back to his own room to sleep for the first time in months.

Souichi was alone in their apartment the next day, Morinaga having gone to the supermart to buy ingredients for their dinner. All day that day, Morinaga had been overly polite and courteous, rushing to do every single chore at home and attending to Souichi like he was a goddamn emperor.

Switching off the TV with a sigh, Souichi leaned back against the couch. That idiot. Souichi thought he had expressed his forgiveness clearly enough, so why was Morinaga still so hard on himself?

Well, Souichi supposed that he had forgiven Morinaga way too easily, considering the deed. But Souichi knew for a fact that Morinaga had always been into guys, unlike himself. Thus, there was no way he could have gone to bed with a woman. True, Souichi was not going to fool himself—he knew very well the effects of alcohol. Hell, the first time he had had sex with Morinaga was right after they went and got themselves roaring drunk (he still blamed it mostly on the drug). There was indeed a possibility that Morinaga had cheated on him while drunk.

Yet, Souichi found that hard to believe. Morinaga had not gone drinking of late, not even to Hiroto's bar. The man had promised to be back by the morning and he had always kept his promises. Besides, Souichi himself knew how faithful Morinaga was; in all the five years that Morinaga had had a crush on him, he had never seen the younger man with another partner before. Now that they were officially together, there was even less possibility for Morinaga to cheat.

The only suspicious point was the "friend" that Morinaga had mentioned. Apparently, the friend was Morinaga's superior, the so- called Dr. Maya. Morinaga had filled him in on the few details that he could remember of that morning, and how the woman had continued sending him suggestive text messages even though Morinaga had repeatedly (albeit politely) rebuffed her. What the hell had the woman been thinking?!

The doorbell rang shrilly, disrupting Souichi's ruminations. Frowning, Souichi stood up and went to open the front door. Had Morinaga forgotten to bring his keys? To his surprise, instead of his lover, there was an unfamiliar woman standing at the doorstep. She was dressed expensively in a mink coat, perfectly coiffed hair framing an arresting face. The full red lips curved into a confident smile as she looked directly at Souichi. "Good afternoon, I'm looking for a Morinaga Tetsuhiro? Could you call him out?"

What a rude woman, not even bothering to introduce herself. Souichi scowled, already swinging the door shut. "Sorry, you are at the wrong house!"

"W-wait!" A manicured hand shot out to stop the door from slamming in her face. Souichi paused and glared at her. "This is private property, madam. If you don't get off in ten seconds, I'm calling security."

"I'm Morinaga's boss! If you don't call Morinaga out now, I'll personally fire him!"

Shocked, Souichi froze, his hand still on the doorknob. The woman breezed by him and stepped into the house like she owned it, sniffing at the modest interior.

Boss or not, Souichi was no pushover. "Excuse me, being Morinaga's superior doesn't give you the right to enter somebody's house without permission! State your business; I'll help you pass the message to Morinaga."

The infuriating woman was still gazing around the small apartment, apparently expecting Morinaga to pop out. "Where is he?"

This woman was really getting on his nerves. "It's none of your business. Now, do you wanna talk, or shall I show you the door? H-hey, what are you doing! Don't-!" The woman had ignored him and begun walking around the living area. Too late, Souichi saw that she now held the only picture frame in the room and was looking at it intently. Souichi groaned and snatched it out of her hands. "Madam! This is too much; if you have something to say to Morinaga, call or text him. Now get out of my house!"

Smirking, the lady merely folded her arms and leaned against the couch. "So you are Morinaga's 'Sempai', huh? Now I understand why he couldn't get it up for me. Jeez!" She flipped her long hair daintily.

Understanding dawned and Souichi sputtered, the automatic move to refute their relationship eclipsed by his fury. "You are Dr. Maya!"

"Ooh, my reputation has preceded me. Hehe. Ah well, Morinaga's a cute boy; it was fun teasing him. But seems like there's only his 'Sempai' for him. That idiot was mumbling your name even when drunk, tch. What a blow to my ego~" She took out a pack of cigarettes. At the man's glare, she shrugged and kept it again. "So 'Sempai' is a man, huh? And you are staying together. Hmm, no wonder he refused to invite me here, even if I were his boss." Dr. Maya crossed her arms and glanced at him speculatively.

Souichi flushed at her words. That big baka Morinaga! However, the woman's nerve was unbelievable. His fingers tightened on the picture frame that he was still holding. "You got him drunk, seduced him and now you have the audacity to turn up here at my doorstep? What the hell are you trying to do!"

The woman cocked her head and thought for a moment. "Hmm, nothing? It was all for fun, after all. What's a good subordinate if he can't handle his superior? The sex would have been a bonus though. I came to look for him just to tell him that I'm going back to Tokyo. And of course, to grill him on whom this 'Sempai' of his is. He owes me that much."

Glancing at her jeweled watch, the doctor stood up and patted her coat free of imaginary dust. "Oh well, he's really not in, huh? I'll be going off then! My transport's already here. Give him my best wishes!"

"Wait!" Dr. Maya stopped and looked at him, a brow arched in question. Souichi was pissed that this woman could just so flippantly toy with other people. The memory of Morinaga crying in his room yesterday flashed through his mind, angering him further. "Dr. Maya, did you think that being Morinaga's superior gives you the right to harass him, even to the point of making him drunk so that you can do whatever you want with him? It's ridiculous! I don't care if you are his boss; you owe Morinaga an apology, and you are not leaving until he comes home and you personally say sorry to him!"

The shocked look on the doctor's face was almost comical. "Y-you, who are you to talk to me like this! Aren't you afraid that I'll fire Morinaga? You are really reckless, tch." She again made for the door but Souichi, at the end of his patience, grabbed hold of her arm.

"If keeping his job at S Pharmaceuticals means that he'll have to tolerate your behaviour then yes, I'll gladly get him to quit! Have you ever thought of how Morinaga would feel, having a superior who would do such a despicable act to him? Would you still respect the person who did such a thing to you, Doctor Maya?" Souichi let go of the woman's arm in disgust. Dr. Maya staggered backwards, her eyes widened. "It may be all fun and games to you but for Morinaga and I, it's an insult for you to just breeze in here and boast about it!"

The front door closed with a bang, surprising both Souichi and Dr. Maya. Morinaga was standing at the hallway, staring at the both of them in shock and apprehension. He quickly walked over to Souichi's side. Souichi could feel him trembling slightly. "D-Dr. Maya—what did you say to Sempai?" The younger man turned to Souichi anxiously, his green eyes pleading. "Sempai, please, believe me, Dr. Maya and I are purely superior and subordinate; I—I didn't mean to sleep with he—"

"You didn't sleep with me that day." The quiet statement from the woman cut through the air. Sighing, Dr. Maya gestured to Morinaga. Souichi looked on, arms crossed, as the woman offered the younger man a card in white. "This is my new designation and name card; I'll be transferring to the Hong Kong branch permanently starting from next week. You…thank you for coming to fetch me from the bar and I…I am sorry for causing you all the trouble and confusion.

But, you owe me one too! Fancy getting drunk from a shot of whiskey and falling asleep on me without my permission!" At this, she shot a glare at Souichi, who merely glared back.

"Ahh-? I did? I fell asleep before we—we could do anything?" The glimmer of a smile turned up full- force and he anxiously bowed formally to the doctor. Souichi growled; he did not have to do that! "I-I am sorry for not being a superb subordinate! Thank you for your care all this time…All the best for your new position in Hong Kong!"

Dr. Maya smirked, confidence back in spades. Swinging her bag over her shoulder, she strode up to Souichi, her stare challenging. "Take good care of my subordinate, Sempai. Tada!" With a flourish, she was out of the door like a mink hurricane.

Souichi stood by the doorway, Morinaga bowing again as Dr. Maya's car drove off. Moving back into the apartment, the two men collapsed onto the couch, exhausted by the irrepressible doctor.

Glancing at the man seated beside him, Souichi sighed in relief and some irritation. His intuition had been right. Morinaga had really not cheated on him. When Morinaga shifted closer to him and tentatively reached out for his hand, Souichi smacked him lightly on the head. "Finally stopped tip-toeing around me, huh?" Their fingers interlinked, the picture frame lying on Souichi's lap.

"Yea…I'm sorry, Sempai, for causing you so much trouble... But I'm so glad that nothing happened with her and me! So, so glad…"

Souichi surprised both of them by kissing Morinaga lightly on the lips. Face flushed, he quickly tried to hide his embarrassment, seizing on the picture frame. "Why is this picture out in the open like this in the living room! Dr. Maya saw it and knew about our relationship! What if other visitors were to see it!" His bluster was deflated when Morinaga tugged him into his arms. He could feel Morinaga's breathing right beside his ears, hear his words intimately.

"Sempai, I will only belong to you, now and always. If other people were to know about it, I would be proud to admit it. Even if it's people like Dr. Maya, no, especially to people like her, I would want to say that I belong to you, and only you, Sempai."

Souichi could feel the heat rising from his neck to his face. Morinaga always loved to say such embarrassing things. But this was good; he did not need other people to hear them. "Well, if it had been a man you had been with yesterday, I might not have been so easy on you…don't ever try to leave again, ever, you understand?"

Morinaga pulled back to look Souichi in the eye. "I promise, Sempai. I will always stay by your side."

The evening sun shone in from the window, glinting off the glass covering a three- year old photo of Souichi and Morinaga. In it, Souichi was in his graduation robes, a bouquet of roses in his arms as Morinaga stood beside him, grinning goofily at the camera.

The groceries were still lying in the hallway as the two men kissed frantically, bumping against the walls as they maneuvered their way into Souichi's bedroom. Gasping for breath, Morinaga tugged impatiently at Souichi's sweater, pulling the heavy material off. Pushing his Sempai onto the bed gently, Morinaga tossed the sweater aside and began to pepper kisses along Souichi's jaw. Souichi tilted his face to give him better access, his own fingers stroking Morinaga's face and lips. Morinaga began to suck on Souichi's neck, the tiny pinprick of pain marking him his.

"Take off…your top…Morinaga…" He breathed, his fingers eager to touch his lover. Morinaga complied quickly, the cotton top off in a flash, his muscles rippling as his arms stretched up. The bruise on Morinaga's neck made him pause. "What is that?!"

"Huh? Sempai, what's wrong?"

That woman! She had really taken her liberties with Morinaga. Without thinking, Souichi leaned up and sucked at the exact same spot, not letting up until Morinaga gave a surprised yelp. "Sempai, that hurts!"

Souichi gave the spot a last lick, satisfied when a darker shade began to form over the first kiss mark. Nobody but him was allowed to touch Morinaga.

Morinaga captured his lips in a deep kiss, his tongue probing and tangling with Souichi's while his fingers began to trace and tweak Souichi's nipples. "Nnn…ahh!" Souichi grabbed Morinaga's arms when the man stopped kissing his lips and turned to his nipples instead. The wet heat and the rough sensation of Morinaga's moving tongue against them was unbearable. Souichi moved restlessly, his nails sinking into Morinaga's arms as his tongue moved lower and lower and began to lick him. It was agonizingly slow as his tongue first laved his scrotum, sucking the laden sacs tenderly. Souichi arched up against him when he took him into his mouth. "Ahh! Morina—ga!"

Morinaga merely grinned around his length and began to bop his head, first pulling away almost fully then engulfing Souichi's shaft into the damp warmth of his mouth. Helpless against the waves of pleasure and need, Souichi jerked up, wanting more of that heat. Morinaga continued his ministrations, his teeth scraping across the tip in slow motion. Souichi grabbed Morinaga's hair as a guttural moan broke from his throat. "S-stop…more…Nnnn!" Morinaga's tongue was now licking enthusiastically at his tip while his hand pumped the rest of Souichi's length. Souichi could feel it coming, the delicious tingling at the base of his spine, the tightening of his muscles. When Morinaga gave a hard squeeze and took in his length deep, Souichi gasped and his hips lifted fully from the bed, coming in strong spurts into Morinaga's mouth.

Morinaga swallowed all of his seed and wiped his mouth before leaning forward to kiss Souichi. Souichi felt the man's hard length against his stomach and he pressed up and rubbed his skin against the long organ, his hand stroking Morinaga's thigh, his hips and finally circling his cock. Morinaga broke off the kiss and moaned, rubbing hard against Souichi's hand. "Sempai, feels so good…" Emboldened, Souichi took hold of the hot length, giving it an experimental squeeze. The groan from Morinaga and the shudder from his body encouraged Souichi further. Tentatively, he scraped his nails up against the sides, letting his thumb slowly chafe the leaking tip. Morinaga pushed further into his hands, panting from not coming. "Sempai…wait, I can't take it any longer…!"

Without warning, Morinaga had pushed Souichi's thighs apart, exposing him. When a finger pushed into his tight entrance, Souichi forgot about everything else. The feel of Morinaga's finger within him was both invasive and exciting. He was already wet from his first exertion, Morinaga's fingers sliding in easily. The restlessness and emptiness deep inside was building up again every time Morinaga's fingers entered shallowly then retracted. "Morinaga… stop teasing-! Give me…" Souichi tugged at his lover impatiently, writhing on the sheets. His shaft was hardening again, causing him to shudder every time Morinaga's knuckle brushed against it as he worked at Souichi's entrance. Now, Morinaga-!"

Morinaga positioned himself, his tip touching Souichi's entrance. Bringing Souichi's legs up so that his hips were slightly lifted, Morinaga began to enter. He moved in slowly, trying not to hurt Souichi. Gradually, he slid in, Souichi's walls stretching and clenching around him. "Ahh…ah…ahh!" With a final push, Morinaga was fully sheathed. He began to pump, sliding in and out evenly. Souichi looped his arms around Morinaga's shoulders as they began to move faster and faster, their movements rocking the bed. "Ahh, ahh!" Their eyes closed, sweat dripping down as they strove for the elusive the end. Moans interspersed as Morinaga's length hit Souichi's spot repeatedly in the wet heat. At the moment before Souichi fell over the edge, every part of him clenched onto Morinaga, holding him tight as he rode the waves of mindless pleasure and fulfillment.

The end.

Dr. Maya's character was actually inspired by Isogai and his cheeky, frivolous character. haha.

edited 19/5/13: Sequel to this story is up! Please read and enjoy :) Titled "Scorching heat"