Hisoka's place wasn't as bare and impersonal as it had been in the past,
but it had needed lots of coaxing from Tsuzuki's part to change that. The
younger shinigami had rented the medium-sized, one-bedroom apartment with
its live-in kitchen complete with furniture and had never added any personal
items -- until Tsuzuki had insisted on bringing an innocent little potted
plant. Hisoka wasn't the person to attach himself to small mementos and
Tsuzuki had finally shut up. It didn't stop him from bringing flowers or
the occasional potted plant with him when he stayed at the place. Hisoka
took the gifts, sighed, shook his head, but he treated them gently and
lovingly. The plants were growing wonderfully and the whole place looked
much nicer to his partner now.

Today was like other days they had been here. Tsuzuki was working on
his report, Hisoka was reading up on something, and the general atmosphere
was one of relaxation and peace. Kisses and gentle gestures had been exchanged
throughout the day, and Hisoka was more relaxed today than usual.

Tsuzuki watched his partner from the corner of his eyes, receiving a
wordless little scowl, and he grinned in return, focusing his attention
back on his work. But his mind was wandering, remembering the very first
time they had been together, not much after the memorable 'sleeping naked
with Tsuzuki in a hotel bedroom' incident.

Occasions like these had been rare. They had needed much time to get
acquainted with the very thought of physical intercourse and while Tsuzuki
had touched, kissed and stroked him, had brought Hisoka to climax with
his hands and once with his mouth, it had always been a tense moment. Tender
intimate touches had been foreign to Hisoka and he was only slowly relearning
his definition of sex. Muraki had taken him by force, had equally forced
his 'tenderness' on him, had given a teenager pleasure while the boy had
fought his tormentor, and Hisoka's mind needed to wrap itself around the
fact that this pleasure could be different when it came from Tsuzuki.

Tsuzuki in turn had needed to learn as well. His experience was solely
with his partner and Hisoka's warped foray into sexual intercourse.

Sometimes days had ended with Tsuzuki leaving or, when they had had
dinner together, watched a movie or just spent some quality time in a park,
with each of them heading for his respective home. And then the day had
come -- the day Tsuzuki had sensed a very subtle change in mood of his
younger lover. On a day very much like this one they had been sitting together,
going over reports and Hisoka had been tense. The kisses had been tolerated,
the caresses, too, but there had been nothing else. So, when he had finally
finished the last of his reports he had just gathered his stuff and prepared
to leave.

 

//"Tsuzuki?"

The soft voice surprised him and he looked at his partner. "Yes?"

Hisoka was looking at him from the couch where he lay on, reading.
"You're leaving?"

The older shinigami walked over to him, smiling tenderly. "Yes. I
think it's time. I'm done and it's late..."

Hisoka's eyes held a strange expression and Tsuzuki, on a whim, leaned
down, placing a little kiss on his lover's lips.

"Stay," Hisoka whispered when they parted, his hand coming up to
rest lightly against Tsuzuki's chest.

"It's late..." Tsuzuki repeated.

"Stay."

"Hisoka..."

"Stay the night," his partner whispered.

Tsuzuki saw the deeper meaning of the words in those suddenly very
expressive, emerald eyes and reared up, but he didn't get far. Hisoka's
hand was knotted into his tie and he was mercilessly pulled down. Flailing
his arms he tried to catch his balance, but it was too late. He landed
on his smaller partner and suddenly his lips were caught in a clumsy but
determined kiss.

Strong but slender hands ran over his shirt-clad chest and sides,
encountering the waistband of his slacks, and Tsuzuki felt panic rise.

No... no! Too soon!//

 

Tsuzuki felt his cheek turn a little pink with the remembrance, especially
when thinking about his very own guardian angel...

 

//Touda had fallen asleep, dead to the world, after a straining day.
Well, make that week. A lot had to do with Sohryu and his sudden mood change
and Touda was working damage control at the moment while secretly wondering
if he could get away with strangling their leader. Something was going
on with Sohryu and it wasn't good.

Well, he would get behind it soon -- or else!

The spike of panic hit him in the middle of a dream and he startled
awake, blinking in confusion as to where the emotion was coming from. The
room was dark, the windows open, the night outside clear, and his lover
was sleeping comfortably at his side. Touda sat up slowly, running a hand
through his longish hair, trying to pinpoint the problem.

Actually, it was easy.

"Tsuzuki," he groaned and fell back into the pillows.

Byakko made a sleepy noise and turned to him, red eyes open and filled
with dazed sleepiness.

"Touda...?" he mumbled, not really awake.

"Nothing. Go to sleep."

"'Kay." And Byakko was already curling up under the sheets, sliding
back into sleep.

Touda closed his eyes and sighed. He carefully probed the link and
determined the source of Tsuzuki's sudden emotional outburst, finding it
still the same as when he had first gotten a whiff of it.

And that's the reason for the panic? Good Gods!

::Just do it already!:: he snarled at his master, who was trying
to run from the best thing that had ever happened to him.

Tsuzuki gave a whimper of indecision but Touda ignored him.

::Do it or leave it, but stop involving me!::

And with that he closed his eyes and pulled the blanket around him.
The link was closed with shields and the fire serpent huffed.

Shinigami!//

 

 

Still, Touda had checked up on him the next morning as he woke, and
Tsuzuki had almost felt the broad smile blossoming on the shikigami's features.
Tsuzuki had been laying in Hisoka's arms, in Hisoka's bed, asleep, radiating
happiness.

Tsuzuki smiled, feeling warmth coil inside him. It had been their very
first time, in fact Tsuzuki's first time ever, and Hisoka had been -- gentle.
Though the young man had been the one with the bad experience he had been
the one in control, too.

 A pillow hit Tsuzuki square in the face, pulling him out of his
thoughts.

"You're daydreaming," Hisoka scowled.

"Yep," Tsuzuki grinned, enjoying the both the faint blush and the faint
smile on his younger lover's face. Hisoka was much more comfortable with
them being together now, had even taken him before.

Tsuzuki watched Hisoka return his attention toward his readings, but
there was a little hesitation in his movement now. Tsuzuki put his report
aside and slid beside his lover onto the couch, catching Hisoka's lips
in a long and sweet kiss.

"I was just thinking about how much I love you, ‘soka," he whispered,
knowing very well his lover would read his emotions.

Hisoka scowled again --

-- and pushed him back onto the couch.

° ° °

When Tsuzuki walked into the office the next morning he was exuding
the air of someone who had had a very... good night. Terazuma, who had
been in early, looked up from his second coffee and had to hide a smirk.
He knew exactly what had brought on that pleased and outright glowing expression
on his colleague's face.

It was an open secret that Hisoka and Tsuzuki were an item, though no
one actually knew how close they had gotten. At work Hisoka was his professional
self and Tsuzuki touched him no more than was normal. So the rumor mill
had boiled. Terazuma had kept out of it, not interested. Ever since Sohryu,
though, he had taken an interest in Tsuzuki and he had watched. Now he
could almost smell it.

"Good morning," Terazuma greeted the other man, smirking more as he
was treated to a full wattage smile.

"Hello, Terazuma!" Tsuzuki called cheerfully.

"Good night, too, eh?"

Tsuzuki blinked, a slight blush creeping over his cheeks. Terazuma snickered
to himself.

"Well, all I can say is 'finally'. You two took long enough."

The other shinigami stared at him, drawn between embarrassment and denial.

"I can almost feel it on you, Tsuzuki, so stop trying to hide your happiness.
It's good for you, believe me."

"W..what?"

"Getting laid."

Now the cheeks were reddening more. "Terazuma..."

Terazuma chuckled, shaking his head, then turned back to his coffee.
Tsuzuki hesitated, then sighed, and walked over to the coffee machine,
pouring himself his own cup.