Aya was sleeping.

Well, he didn’t go to bed last night. Youji sat up against the cushions behind him so that he could comfortably watch his sleeping lover. If he were to move around too much, or make noise, the younger man would be awake in the next heartbeat.

It had to be close to midday. There was a lazy brightness to the light streaming in through the slits in the walls of the room. Logic told Youji that it was a good idea to get cleaned up sooner rather than later, but everything seemed to be piling up in order to make him feel too comfortable to move.

Besides that, it was nice to watch Aya sleep.

And now we’re lovers. He let his eyes trail down from the redhead’s face, over the sleekly toned muscles on his shoulders and chest – a living, breathing statue of marble perfection. Even close to the same color; Aya’s skin was exquisitely pale. Youji wondered if he was the type who burned easily and never managed a tan. Not that Aya would ever allow himself to burn… he was too careful with details.

He’s mine for now.

Youji smirked, a little. While they were in Rome, playing the devoted lovers, Aya would have to be his alone. Naturally the same restrictions fell upon him as well, but that hardly mattered any more. After what had just happened…

He wasn’t sure he wanted anyone else any more.

It should’ve come as a shock, but somehow it didn’t. He’d taken a day to realize he actually did want to be with Aya, and now it seemed like forever or just an instant. Everything about what they were doing felt inherently right, in a way that nothing with any girl could. He knew Aya – knew his motivations, and something about the way his thoughts worked. The redhead had always been an enigma – but in many ways, Youji was as familiar with him as he was with himself.

It makes a difference.

That may have even, on some level, been the reason he’d sworn never to hook up with any of his teammates. It was too easy to become attached.

And now, what would happen when they went back home?

That was the question Youji had been avoiding. When he’d confessed to Aya that morning, he’d said he didn’t want to play lovers any more – he wanted it for real. The problem was in how he’d phrased it, and the simple answer Aya had given him. Were they supposed to be lovers only in Rome, or would it last when they returned home? Well, if they returned home… but it amounted to the same idea.

Was this more of the game? Giving them a secure cover?

Youji wasn’t even entirely sure what he thought of it. There was more involved in that sort of commitment, especially back home. People weren’t going to be as accepting there, that was almost a sure thing. And when it came to Weiss… well, there wouldn’t exactly be a problem… Any protests from Ken would be complete hypocrisy, and Omi was generally accepting of his teammates’ habits. But it would change things, and he wasn’t sure if those changes would be for the better.

This wasn’t a mistake.

It was hard to make that sound convincing.

If it were only those few problems to worry about, he would’ve said screw it. In his opinion, when you really wanted something, it generally meant making sacrifices. He really wanted this, and he’d gladly make whatever sacrifices were necessary.

But, when it came to Aya…

That was another story altogether.

Because of the way he’d worded his confession, he couldn’t be sure if Aya had agreed to the whole thing – complete with relationship – or if he’d just wanted it as part of being “lovers”. He might’ve thought that was what Youji had meant.

Well, no sense stewing over it. The problem was hardly something he wanted to dwell on, especially not when he happened to be comfortably reclining in bed, with a very attractive lover sleeping beside him.

It was probably about time to get them cleaned up, anyway. Youji started to move away from Aya. The redhead’s eyes slid open almost before he began to shift. They softened somewhat when they fell on him. “What are you doing?”

“Getting clean, I hope.” Youji couldn’t help smiling. “I don’t know what we have for water in this place – I was just going to go take a look and see.”

“There’s no running water.” Aya sat up. “I’ll show you what we have.” He appeared to ignore or just disregard his own nudity – not that there would be much point in being modest. Youji hadn’t been lying when he’d said he wanted to memorize him.

That didn’t mean he’d pass up the opportunity to admire the sight.

I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of looking at him.

With something between a half-smirk and a wondering smile on his face, Youji followed his fiery-haired lover out of the bedroom. Plenty of time to figure things out later; right now, he’d rather enjoy himself.

~~~~~~

There had to be a better way to get messages.

Ken scowled at the nervous-looking young man who’d sent the servant into his room to bring him down in order to hear the message. I could be with Omi right now… They hadn’t even been able to do anything between when Omi said he wanted Ken as a lover and when the servant had burst in – again – to interrupt.

So he could be forgiven for being sort of abrupt. “What?”

“M-My Lord.” The messenger bowed, not raising his face to meet Ken’s gaze again. “There is… the news on Senator Aristaeus. We were told you wished to know immediately.”

“Oh.” That didn’t make him any happier. Who cared about Aristaeus? “Well, what’s his condition like, then?”

“He is dead, my Lord.”

Dead! Ken went from irritated to shocked in seconds flat. Oh no… not while I’m still here… that means… He couldn’t keep from wincing, though the nervous messenger didn’t see it.

That meant they were about to make him a Senator.

Shit!

“I’d imagine you will be formally accepted as a member of the Senate tomorrow, my Lord,” the servant who had fetched him added, respectfully.

“Excellent,” Ken said, trying to keep his voice from sounding completely flat. Sarcasm would’ve been out of place. “Thank you.” Not knowing what else to say, he turned and walked out of the room without another word.

Maybe we could run away. Ken frowned thoughtfully. He was supposed to be a Lord, so no one would question him for taking his ‘slave’ wherever he wished… right? Or maybe Omi knew more about the Senate; they could bluff their way through it. He should suggest both and let the younger boy tell him which course of action was best. That felt safer; Ken was used to receiving strategic instructions from Omi.

“Hey, Omi,” he began, walking into his rooms. “That guy who was in the Senate ahead of me just died, and now they want to – ” He stopped, looking around in confusion.

The room was empty.

Where did he go? Ken frowned again. Why would Omi have left, anyway? After that talk about being lovers… he had kind of hoped… well. Maybe the younger boy had changed his mind. But why wouldn’t he just tell me, instead of running off?

That didn’t make much sense.

He didn’t have time to puzzle over it, though. “Ken?” Omi’s voice said suddenly, from the doorway, and a second later, Omi himself entered, moving so fast he almost crashed into the older boy. “Ken, we’ve got trouble!” he blurted out.

“I know.” Ken sighed. “I have to be a Senator – can you believe that?”

“Not that!” Omi shook his head, a worried expression on his face. “Somebody just came in to find me – somehow, I’m supposed to make sure I’m not in this room tonight. They’re going to try to kill you!”

“What!?” Ken felt his eyes widen. “Who? Why?”

“I don’t know.” Omi frowned. “I was only told that I’m supposed to get out of here when I hear a conspicuous noise tonight. That’s when they’re going to attack you. I suppose they thought I’d be glad to hear it.”

“Well, they can try to kill me!” Ken replied, irritably. “Maybe this will get that whole ‘Senate’ thing pushed back a few days. If I somehow got hurt, maybe…”

“Wait, Ken.” Omi had a thoughtful expression on his face. “If this assassination were to appear as if it had succeeded, they couldn’t very well make you a Senator, could they?”

I hadn’t thought of that… “You’re saying I should fake my own death?”

Omi nodded. “Blood on your bed, and you’ve disappeared… it’d be perfect. And I know the perfect place for you to hide out, too.” He smiled. “It’s lucky, isn’t it, Ken?”

“Lucky I had you here to help me.” Impulsively, he seized one of Omi’s hands and brought it to his lips, liking the way the younger boy’s cheeks flushed slightly. “You’re a genius, Omi.”

“Ken…” The shorter boy twisted his hand so that he could twine his fingers through Ken’s. Their eyes met – Omi’s clear blue gaze held more than just gratitude. “Thanks.”

This time, Ken didn’t have to initiate the kiss; with their gazes locked, they couldn’t help but slowly come together. He couldn’t believe how hard his heart was pounding, just from the initial soft brush of Omi’s lips on his. He wanted this… craved it with a sudden fervency that made breathing a chore. He couldn’t get enough; everything in the world was centered on those soft lips… that sweet, hot mouth… the teasing, light touches of Omi’s skin against his…

I need it. Need him. How can one person cause this much…? He parted their lips slowly, not letting the distance between them grow to more than was necessary to ask…

Omi beat him to it. “Make love to me?” he asked breathily, then flushed again. Ken wasn’t sure if it was the husky tone of his voice or the request itself that caused his embarrassment.

Either way, his answer wasn’t about to change. “My pleasure.”

Any hesitation he might have felt was banished by Omi’s asking the question first. Like the first time, Ken was struck by the rightness of the feelings between them. When he leaned forward again to claim his partner’s mouth, when he ran his hands firmly over Omi’s back to pull their bodies together… he couldn’t even comprehend thoughts of wanting this with anyone else.

~~~~~~

“We sent the message.” Peleus shrugged. “You’d better be sure that body slave doesn’t see your face, or there could be trouble. You may have to kill him anyway.”

Aya shook his head. “There won’t be a problem.” Once they had Omi with them again, there really wouldn’t be.

Although… it wasn’t as easy to focus on the mission right then.

Aya had never had problems with concentration. He was the most focussed member of Weiss, after all. If there was something to be done, he would do it, and not let anything stop him. When discussing a mission, that was what occupied his mind. He wasn’t easily distracted, especially when it came to details.

But today… today, concentrating was a problem.

Their contact sat at the table in their back room, face serious as he explained the current political situation, and how their mission, whenever it happened to take place, would effect it. Youji sat beside him, paying perhaps even less attention than Aya. And the redhead himself was seated at the table’s end, a corner separating him from Peleus.

It was fortunate that none of what he said was pertinent.

Even as he told himself to listen, to absorb the man’s words, Aya’s eyes disobeyed him, wandering past Peleus to rest on the blond beside him. Youji was studying him right back, a smile already displaying itself on his face.

The corners of Aya’s mouth tugged upward against his will.

Their contact abruptly banged a hand down onto the table, and both men looked away from each other to glance sharply at him. There was a half-frustrated, half-amused look on the Roman’s face.

“If I didn’t know better,” he said, glancing back and forth between them, “I’d say neither of you was paying the slightest attention to me.”

Aya said nothing. Youji just shrugged. “Probably not,” he admitted, without remorse. “Unless Abalus caught what you were saying. I know I didn’t.” He leaned back in his chair and directed a smile at Aya again.

“No,” Aya replied, returning it faintly. “Not a word.”

“Gods help me.” The phrase was given in good-natured exasperation. “Don’t tell me – let me guess.” He smirked. “You had more fun after the drinking party last night than you did while attending it.”

“Does that surprise you?” Youji asked him, without seriousness.

Peleus laughed. “Not particularly. Even if I didn’t know you personally, I’d still have heard the rumors.”

That was amusing – at least to Aya. From celibate to part of a couple famous for being shameless, and in less than two days. It was more of a jump than he’d expected to make – but then again, when your lover was Kudou Youji, that should hardly be a surprise.

Aya made a mental note never to voice that thought.

“Peleus?” There was a knock at the door. Aya rose to admit the newest guest – a boy looking about two or three years younger than Omi. “Messenger to see you,” he reported.

“Oh?” The Roman stood. “All right then. I’ll be right back,” he told his hosts, and followed the boy outside.

Aya left the door open. They didn’t have anything to talk about that would be dangerous if overheard. “Entering the homes here is going to be ridiculously easy,” he said, instead.

“You’re telling me.” Youji casually rested his hands on Aya’s shoulders, rubbing out the almost instinctive tension that had hit them in response to that touch. “I’m still going to feel a lot better about this whole thing once we’ve got Omi back safely,” he commented.

The redhead allowed himself to relax against his lover’s hands. It was the initial contact that was hard to take; once he’d gotten used to it, the touch was more than welcome. “No matter how much we plan, we’re still going to be at a disadvantage in this situation. I’d feel more confident if we knew where Ken might be.”

Youji sighed. “You’re not the only one. Still, there’s not much we can do about that.” He seemed to hesitate for a moment, then changed the subject. “This morning… it wasn’t… just the once?” The question was put forth tentatively, as if he wasn’t too sure how it’d be received.

“If you want to leave it up to me,” Aya told him, “then no. I’d rather it wasn’t just the once.”

He could practically see the smile spreading on Youji’s face; certainly he could feel the taller man loosening with relief. “What would you say we are then?” he asked, closing what little distance there was between them. His breath tickled the back of Aya’s neck – not an altogether unpleasant sensation.

“You don’t need to ask, do you?” He kept his tone bland. “We are lovers, as I recall.”

“Oh, right.” Youji chuckled. “Well,” he added, “in that case, how do you feel about proving that later tonight?”

Aya shook his head, not without some reluctance. “We’re going to be busy tonight.”

“Busy with…?” Youji stopped, taking his hands from Aya’s shoulders. “You don’t think that – ?”

He was interrupted by the reappearance of their contact, who carefully closed the door behind him. “I have important news,” he reported, face serious. “Senator Aristaeus is dead.”

~~~~~~

“Omi…” The name fell off Ken’s lips like a prayer, punctuated by the tightening of the older boy’s fingers against his thighs. “Omi, slow down. Ah, god!”

Emboldened by the reaction he was getting, Omi smiled against Ken’s throat, kissing the spot where his pulse pounded against the skin with a teasing softness. “Don’t wanna,” he murmured, continuing slowly down that tempting neck. He wanted his older lover past his point of self-control, worked up enough so the act would be need rather than just want. He was straddling Ken’s lower body, grinding them together in a deliberate rhythm, hands furiously busy searching for any sensitive spots.

The friction was driving him crazy fast. Omi bit into the junction of Ken’s neck and shoulder to stifle a groan. Each thrust against Ken’s body worked him to a higher level, teasing hints of pleasure clouding his mind. The taller boy’s breathy pants near his ear were making things even worse. “Take me hard, please, Ken,” he begged, arching helplessly.

“Not the first time. Not… Omi!” Ken’s head flopped back, his chest writhing against the soft but firm fingers teasing his nipples. His hands clenched possessively against Omi’s skin, pulling them more tightly together and meeting the younger boy with forceful counter-thrusts.

Omi gasped, tensing as spikes of hard ecstasy nearly spiraled him into an early climax. “Ken…” Whatever he might’ve said was swallowed by a passionate, hungry kiss. More than the others, this one demanded from him. It sent a thrill of almost-fear down his spine that went straight to his groin and translated to aching arousal.

Oh… Ken… Nothing else could ever feel like that. “Please,” he begged again, voice more than a little breathy, as Ken broke away from his lips to hungrily explore down the side of his neck. “Ungh… please…” His fingers closed convulsively against the older boy’s shoulders. He knew he was going to have conspicuous red marks down over his throat, and didn’t even care. It felt like he was going to die from desire.

Ken’s fingers trailed up Omi’s thighs, that simple touch enough to make the younger boy tense, shivering slightly in anticipation. “Show me how sexy you are,” he demanded softly into Omi’s ear, tugging the loincloth down and letting his lover wriggle out of it. There wasn’t room for embarrassment or modesty any more. All he could think of was getting them both out of restricting clothing. His fingers were shaking as he fumbled with the robe.

Abruptly, he was jarred away from that task as Ken rolled them over, pressing Omi back into the mattress. The older boy clawed his way out of his clothing and slid his hands under Omi’s shoulders, pulling them together. The hold was so tight that the younger boy had trouble breathing, but he wouldn’t have been able to stand it any lighter. If there was a way they could overlap, he would’ve wanted that. All he could think about was Ken’s skin… his lips… the way his hands clutched Omi, so full of want. He couldn’t stop kissing Ken’s face and neck, fingers desperately busy over his back and sides. “Ken… Ken… I want you… need you… please, Ken…”

“Omi…” was all he got out in response. One of Ken’s hands touched his cheek; he could feel it trembling with the effort Ken was employing to keep a tight control over himself.
Turn over,” he whispered, backing off a little. Their eyes met, both full of potent desire, and it just seemed right to fall into another devouring kiss.

Omi wriggled himself around, easing his mouth from Ken’s slowly. It felt like there was a magnetic pull between them. He could hear Ken’s harsh breathing as he fumbled for the things he would need, felt the way his hands lingered when he gently raised Omi’s hips to slide one of the cushions beneath him. Every time his skin touched the taller boy’s it felt like he was on fire. “Ken… I can’t wait, please…”

The older boy shifted himself to Omi’s right side, brushing aside his hair and kissing his ear. “A little longer,” he promised, one hand trailed down Omi’s backside. The younger boy groaned, shifting impatiently as Ken’s hand lifted and then returned.

The first penetration was a shock that pulled a gasp from Omi’s throat before he could stop it. He hadn’t thought about how tight he’d be… It was strange. Having Ken beside him, breathing in a seductively heavy way, helped him relax and accept it. When the taller boy pulled back his finger and then tried again with two, Omi was more ready. By the third, he’d almost fully adjusted to the intrusion, and his breathing was nearly as heavy and stilted as Ken’s. It felt like he’d been aroused for years; he would burst with it soon!

Ken leaned over him from behind, and kissed the back of his neck. “You’re going to feel so good,” he breathed, making Omi shiver. “Omi… I’ll make it good for you, too.” He pushed forward, a low groan already building in his throat.

Pain arched up Omi’s spine, tearing out another gasp even though he’d been anticipating it. “Ken!” he cried, struggling to relax, not sure if he wanted it to stop or continue.

“Ohh…” Ken groaned into his ear, and the mindless, husky tone to his lover’s voice made that decision for him. I make him feel good… he wants me… needs me… The ache still throbbing around his groin amplified in response and he moaned, suddenly loving the feel of Ken filling him from behind.

“Oh… Ken…” The taller boy pulled back, making Omi whimper, and thrust back in, the action accompanied by a breathy grunt. This time, he moved more quickly, hitting something that sent waves of electric pleasure arching through Omi’s body. “AH!” he cried, trying to push himself back to maximize the sensation. At the same time he wriggled desperately against the pillow beneath his hip, wanting to come like he’d never wanted anything in his life.

Ken moaned against his neck. “Ohh… Omi… you’re so tight… hot… oh god…” His body stiffened as his thrusts came closer together, striking that one sexy spot again and again…

Omi was beyond coherent thought, lost in pleasure so thick and overwhelming he was sure he’d pass out from the strain. He didn’t even know what he was crying out any more – Ken’s name, confessing his love, begging for more, harder… When Ken reached down to stroke the hardness between his legs along with his thrusts, Omi was sure he’d never screamed louder. There were tears flowing down his cheeks that he didn’t even know were there, lightening flashes of pleasure drawing him closer… closer… he was going to die from it…

And then it hit, and he exploded in ecstasy. He choked on his cries, whole body spasming violently with the intensity, pouring everything in him into Ken’s hand. Omi had to gasp for breath, little shivers still wracking him, crying out softly at Ken’s continuing thrusts. He felt utterly drained.

“O…Omi…” It was Ken’s turn to gasp, biting hard on Omi’s shoulder, his body twitching against the younger boy’s back and inside him as he spent his own orgasm.

Then, with a slight moan, he pulled away and out from Omi’s body, collapsing on the bed beside him.

For a moment after, they both just laid there, panting heavily, drenched in sweat, and thoroughly sated. Delicious little shudders still ran through Omi, fading out slowly as he basked in post-coital bliss.

Ken broke the silence first. “That was incredible,” he said, in a hushed, almost awed voice. He reached out to pull the younger boy toward him, pressing one cheek into Omi’s hair with a sigh.

Omi smiled, feeling warm all through for the contact. “It was,” he agreed, feeling much more confident about snuggling into Ken’s embrace. “Nice,” he said, shutting his eyes in contentment. He wished for the whispered ‘I love you’s, imagining in his head that they exchanged them.

“We should clean up and try to get a little sleep,” Ken said instead, rubbing his shoulders in a gentle, soothing manner. He was every bit the considerate, sweet lover Omi had dreamed he’d be. “Tonight, I think,” he added, breaking that reverie, “we’re going to need it.”