26 年間の友情!

Chapter One:

He sat in the studio, his feet propped up on the coffee table littered with magazines, pet bottles and ash trays crammed with cigarettes. It always looked this way when they were recording, and hardly stayed clean for a long time after they were finished and finally had the time to clean.

It didn't matter much to Nobuto that the heel of his shoe had upset one of the aforementioned ash trays, spilling its contents over the front page of a Cure magazine, he was absorbed enough in his own magazine not to notice. He could hear the other band members milling around him, doing their own thing, but they also couldn't avert his attention. When he was reading, not much could.

One would think that even though it was an interview he'd been a part of and had read at least twice before, he would have lost interest in it by now, but Nobuto couldn't help reading bits of it again and again, focusing on the way someone would say something, wondering how fans read the things they said, and even moreso, how the other bandmembers perceived their own words. What he never cared to read though, were his own answers, even if they were really funny.

Nobuto looked up when his foot was nudged from the table, blinking in bemusement.

Takuya frowned at him. "Look what your foot did, retard..." He teased, moving the foot away. "Are you going to come play your instrument or what?" He crossed his arms. This was becoming a habit. Nobuto had been glued to magazines like feathers to tar on the neighborhood idiot. Takuya plopped onto the couch beside him. "You haven't been very interested in work lately. What's your deal?"

Nobuto raised an eyebrow and looked at his foot, then at his best friend. "Sorry?" He replied, letting his legs straighten along the floor instead.

He flipped the page of the magazine and began reading the text displayed there. "Who said I wasn't interested in work lately? What's Katsuya doing? Not playing, it looks like." Nobuto smirked at Takuya, then closed his magazine. "Hai hai. What are we playing then?" He said quickly before Takuya said something else 'smart'.

Before Takuya had a chance to speak, Nobuto was getting up. "If you had peen paying any attention at all today, you'd know we're doing a remix of Discord." Takuya smirked back. Even thought they had been friends for, well, ever, Takuya could never get tired of giving the younger one a hard time. "And Katsuya went to get lunch."

The mention of lunch made Nobuta's stomach growl and he rubbed it absentmindedly. "Hm . . ."

He stretched his arms over his head and leaned back far enough to pop a few vertabrae. He looked around a bit, a lost expression on his face. "Discord, Discord . . . where did I . . ."

Takuya blinked at Nobuto's stomach rumbling. He knew the other had eaten several times since breakfast. "Nobuta." He muttered. He gave Nobuto a blank look. "In the sound booth maybe."

Nobuta snapped his fingers and pointed at Takuya. "Sou da yo ne?" He shook his head and began to turn towards the booth. "Wait, if Katsuya isn't even here, why am I running to the sound booth?"

"What the fuck is up with you?" Takuya asked. "It's your turn to record...I even set your little bass up in there so all you have to do is walk in and play. Come on, we've been doing this for years now...you know we all record pieces individually...especially your own solo parts..." Takuya frowned. "Those magazines are going to your head. You should be calling me Master because you suck." Takuya grinned.

"Saying I suck is the one who should know what it is to suck best, ne?" Nobuto volleyed back, heading into the booth and slinging his bass strap over his shoulder and plucking the strings, not at all surprised that the instrument had already been tuned.

"Am I going from the top?" He asked, tapping his thumb against the D-string out of habit.

Takuya clicked in. "What do you think, sucker." He grinned. "Put your damn headphones on..." Takuya cued up the music. "Let me know when you're ready..." He clicked out and waited for Nobuto's thumbs up. His phone vibrated in his pocket and he looked at it, answered the call and waited for Nobuto to give him that thumb. "Hello Tiffany..." He stumbled over the name with a grin. "How are you?"

Nobuto put his headphones on, wondering about the grin on Takuya's face. Probably some girl . . . He thought, shaking his head and sighing. It was always 'some girl' on the phone with Takuya if it wasn't their manager.

Even though he was ready, it hardly seemed worth it for Nobuto to give his best friend the thumbs up when the guy wasn't even paying attention anymore. He stuck it up, but didn't expect Takuya would see it.

Takuya clicked on the music for him and continued his conversation until Shintarou walked in, drumsticks in hand. The oldest clicked on the music for the room to hear as Nobuto played his part, the harsh red light letting them know the bassist was recording. Shintarou sighed.

"Another girl?" He asked. Takuya frowned.

"Yes, and?"

Shintarou shrugged.

"You always seem to be talking to one lately.." Takuya rolled his eyes.

"Don't start accusing me, man... I'm too busy for a girlfriend." Shintarou smiled and beat on his thighs with his sticks.

"I didn't say anything about you having a girlfriend..."

"Well...you would have eventually..."

Nobuto played, but it was hardly spectacular, even though he followed each note with practiced precision. Even his solo lacked its usual charisma.

It shouldn't have bothered him so much to see Takuya on the phone, no matter who it was with, but Nobuto didn't like the thought of another rumor springing up about his best friend dating, especially if it wasn't true. Afterall, scandal was the last thing UVER needed, right? Or at least that's what he told himself.

His fingers fumbled over a lick and Nobuto cursed softly to himself.

Takuya's head snapped around and shot Nobuto a confused look. He paused the music and recording and clicked in. "You okay?" He asked.

"The fingers are possessed." Nobuta replied, his face straight. He stretched them and inspected each one carefully. "I see no signs though . . ."

Takuya chuckled. "Unposess them please..."

Katsuya walked into the room and sat next to Takuya.

"Are you giving Takuya trouble?" He asked Nobuto.

Nobuto blinked innocently at Katsuya. "'Course not, just flubbed that's all . . ." He stretched his fingers again and looked out at Takuya, nodding apologetically.

"Ne, you wouldn't happen to know who he was on the phone with?" He mentioned, trying to sound as nonchalant about it as he could.

"Why, Buta, you jealous?" Takuya grinned. Katsuya shook his head.

"You two make me sick." Akira mumbled, joining the other three in the little room. Shintarou grinned.

"They make me sick too."

"Oi, oi..." Takuya frowned.

Nobuto's expression remained deadpan at Takuya's comment and he shrugged. "Do I have something to be jealous of?"

But he had no problem giving Akira and Shintarou deep glares and readjusting the strap of his bass. Now he had to play for all of them while he was distracted, how lovely.

"Anyway." He said in a lazy drawl. "I don't want to be in here all day, so if you would . . ." He put up his thumb in an exaggerated 'okay' sign.

Takuya pouted at Nobuto. "Don't you love me?" He shook his head and started the song over. "From the top, Nobaka."

Nobuto stuck his tongue out in reply, hardly daring to speak and have to start this all over again. He muddled through the song just based on his memory, barely looking at the page except for where measures had been adjusted for the new key signature. His solo rolled like silk from his fingers, but again, Nobuto didn't put much heart into it, playing it without much deviation.

Let it slide, let it slide . . . He projected the thought towards Takuya, not in the mood to be stopped and made to do it again, though he feared just that might happen.

Takuya watched him for a few minutes and stood, walking from the room. "Katsu-mama take over for me..." He said softly. Takuya genuinely wondered what was on Nobuto's mind. Why Nobuto was so out of it lately, always freaking out when Takuya talked to a girl. He stepped outside and sat on the curb, drinking his tea. He needed to know. It wasn't like Nobuto to keep secrets like this.

The moment the song ended, Nobuto lowered his precious bass into the stand and sidled out of the recording studio. He backed up at the expressions on Akira and Shintarou's faces, Katsuya's expression was hidden from view.

"Nani sono kao?" He asked, affronted.

"What was that?" Shintarou asked in return, pointing to the booth. "You looked like you were in lalaland. You sick or something?"

Takuya walked back in and went to see what Katsuya had brought back for lunch.

"Look Nobuto...Takuya is even worried about you...when your best friend is not even sure what's going on...it makes us worried..." Katsuya said. "That last run was crap by the way, he never hit record."

". . . mou . . ." Nobuto huffed. "Look, there's nothing wrong with me, okay? Maybe just not getting enough sleep." He shrugged and pulled a cigarette from one of the variety of packs on the table and lit up. His stomach rumbled again and he sucked down the nicotine hunger suppressant. He wasn't in the mood for food anymore, but he had to satisfy the hunger somehow.

"He shouldn't be worried, there's nothing to worry about." Nobuto assured them all when they continued to stare at him.

"Right." Akira said. "Is that why you were so worried about him talking to his girlfriend on the phone?" Shintarou grinned at Akira.

Takuya walked into the room and had food in tow. "Since everyone was in here, I figured I'd bring food to everyone..."

Nobuto had no chance to reply to Akira's comment, the smells of food hitting his nose and making him feel somewhere between hungrier and nauseous.

Everyone descended onto the food like wolves, but Nobuto ate with much less gusto, his eyes kept falling on Takuya and the way he moved when he ate. It was something he'd watched many times, so he knew Takuya wouldn't notice or care if he did. They'd known each other too long to be freaked out by the other one staring.

Nobuto liked the way Takuya ate, the way he smiled as he chewed, or laughed, his eyes squeezing shut and his nose scrunching.

His best friend, he thought, was always the better looking of the two, at least it seemed by the proof of their growing up, Takuya always having been more popular with girls. He understood why, he was outgoing and easy to talk to and Nobuto wasn't. He preferred silence, only talking when he needed to.

That didn't mean he didn't wish he was more like his best friend . . . more noticeable, more likeable . . . more desirable.

Takuya leaned over and placed his yakitori on Nobuto's plate. Nobuto loved it, Takuya didn't care for it. It was habit to do. When Takuya thought of it, everything was habit with Nobuto. They shared everything: secrets, food, a shower once, a bed several times. But recently Nobuto was become distant to his friend. Quiet. Unreadable. And it worried Takuya. Nobuto was the only person Takuya had to confide in. The only person Takuya trusted with his life. The only person Takuya ever missed when he was lonely.

He ate his last few bites and tossed his trash, taking a long look at Nobuto over the rim of his cup.

Nobuto took the yakitori without thinking, sliding the pieces of chicken from the skewer and munching them thoughtlessly. He realized Takuya was staring at him, and, maybe for the first time, it made him uncomfortable. He said nothing, just looked back with silly expression and smiled, trying to ease the tension he could feel in Takuya's gaze.

The rest of the band watched the display with silent understanding. These two didn't speak with words unless they had to, otherwise, silent displays of communication like this were far too often and left them wondering what language the two must be speaking.

"So what's everyone doing this weekend?" Takuya asked, sitting his cup down.

"I think I'm going to spend the weekend with Tomomi." Shintarou said with a sigh. "She's been bugging me about ignoring her and picking work over her." He smirked.

Akira tried not to laugh. "Don't get too crazy when you see her." He said. Takuya grinned.

"I'm going to go visit family." Katsuya offered. "My mother wants me to cook for her." He laughed. Everyone laughed at that. Of course, who didn't want Katsuya to cook for them.

"I'm . . ." Nobuta faltered. His plans depended on Takuya. "I'm not sure."

He turned to Takuya. "What about you?"

"I'm meeting Tiffany on Saturday, Sunday I'm working on a new song..." Takuya said.

"I'm going to a friend's party. Maybe to go bowling..." Akira said.

"Souka . . ." Nobuto's heart fell. He was the only one with no plans this weekend, none. But he had to make something up, or he'd get ribbed for sure.

"I guess I'll do some shopping then or something." He smiled weakly, but in truth, he'd probably mope around the apartment all day.

Takuya looked at him. "You sure? You can go with me to meet Tiffany if you want. No need to stay shut in all weekend..."

"Who said I was going to stay shut in?" Nobuto protested, cursing his transparency. "And don't you think this Ti-Tiffa . . . this girl will have a problem with you hauling your best friend in?"

Nobuto lit another cigarette and rested his chin in his palm. He could see Akira losing interest out of the corner of his eyes and Katsuya attempting to look very interested in his yakitori skewers. Shintarou was simply rolling his eyes.

"Why would she care? I'm just giving her book back that I borrowed, maybe eating with her or getting coffee or something..." Takuya lit up, too, reclining in the small chair.

Nobuto heard Katsuya snicker and he blushed. "Ah . . . you borrowed a book from a chick named Tif-Ti . . . why the fuck is her name so hard?"

Even Akira dissolved into giggles over that. Nobuta sat flustered, shaking his head.

"How do you even know her anyway?" Shintarou asked the question before Nobuto could, and he found himself rather thankful for it. It pulled attention away from him and allowed him to slip back into the passive oblivion he'd enjoyed before his foot was knocked off the table.

He grabbed some of the stir-fried veggies that were left-over so he could finish his rice. Rice by itself was okay but he hardly ever ate it alone if there was something to go with it.

"I met her at the bookstore." Takuya admitted. "I was looking for English study books and she walked by and noticed I looked really lost and helped me." He'd told this story to Nobuto once, but wasn't sure if he'd given a name. "But yeah. She was nice. I went back a few weeks ago and she was there again and we talked a little more and exchanged numbers." He shrugged. "She helps me with English and I help her with her Japanese."

"You use the age old pick up line on her?" Katsuya joked. Nobuto had to smirk at that.

"'Preasu teachu me Engrish'." Nobuta assumed a pathetic expression and clasped his hands in front of him before snorting. He thought he heard Akira crack a small laugh, and Shintarou fell off the sofa somewhere.

Takuya laughed and shook his head. "I don't like foreign girls..." He chuckled, smacking Nobuto's head. "That's what you'd say, you just want a date." He teased. Akira "ooooohhh"'d over that and Katsuya hissed as if in pain.

"Oh, man that's harsh." He chuckled.

"But true." Shintarou smiled.

"Urusai." Nobuto grumbled, scrunching up his shoulders. The last thing he needed now was to be harassed for his lack of dates.

Cause it wasn't like he didn't want to date.

"Why are you getting so worked up, Buta?" Shintarou jabbed him in the side.

"Yeah really." Akira added, "You never get so pissy like this. . ." A smirk grew on his face. "You need to get laid..."

Takuya sucked his teeth at that comment and nodded. "Yes. Yes, that is your problem." He agreed.

Nobuto's blush deepened. "I. Do not!" He protested and fumbled for another cigarette, his third in ten minutes. He'd never been much for chain smoking but when he was nervous all bets were off.

But the guys were already rolling, pulling out their phones and discussing the different girls numbers they had and who they could call in for a favor. What a shot to the ego.

"I can get my own lay, thank you. I'm capable . . ." Nobuto said, taking Akira's phone from him and clicking it shut.

Takuya placed a gentle hand on Nobuto's shoulder. "Chill..." He smiled, taking the cigarette from him, smoking it himself. "That's too many too fast..."

"Awww..." Katsuya smiled. "My children are concerned for each other."

Takuya's touch had the power to immediately soothe him and his shoulders slumped a little. He gave a gruff sound of thanks, the rolled his eyes at Katsuya.

"Mama is so proud." He laughed. He groaned and sat back. "Onaka ippai . . ."

Shintarou stood up and held out his hands in Nobuto's direction "The world is ending! The man is full!" Takuya laughed at that and let his hand pat the shoulder it rested on before pulling it away.

"And I'm still hungry!" Akira mumbled. "Oi, Buta, did you eat my portion, too?"

Nobuto looked down at his empty bowl of rice and vegetables and grinned sheepishly. "Ooops . . ." He set down the bowl and clapped his hands together. "Gomen!" But he was laughing and figured Akira wouldn't take him so seriously.

"And I'm not that full." He chided Shintarou. "Just full enough to hurt."

Takuya smiled and told Shintarou he was up next to record. He knew he hadn't recorded Nobuto earlier. He didn't want to record something that was only half hearted.

At the end of the day, when everyone was in their own rooms, living their own lives and doing what they wanted, Takuya made his way down the hall to knock on Nobuto's door.

Nobuto had been dozing, the towel from his bath draped loosely over his hips. His music was soft enough for him to hear the knock and he sat up on his elbow.

"Door's open." He replied, flopping back onto the futon and clicking off his iPod. Whoever it was, he hoped they did have an agenda to rag on him for today's recording session. That was the last thing he needed when his mind was full up on other things.

Takuya walked in casually and plopped down, stretching out beside him. "Talk to me, Nocchi..."

Nobuto rolled onto his stomach, hardly heeding the disrupted towel as it fell from around his waist. He looked at Takuya long and hard and propped his chin in his hands.

"You're not dating her?" He asked, to the point. There was no reason to beat around the bush with the guy. Takuya knew him better than any other human on the planet, even better than his own mother. There was nothing he could hide from Takuya.

Takuya smiled. "No." He answered honestly. "I'm not dating anyone...I don't want to date anyone..." Takuya said softly. "I have more than I need right here. I have UVERworld and friends and you...I don't want a girl to come between me and you or any of us..."

"You think she would . . . if you had one?" Nobuto asked, sitting up and facing his friend properly. "It's not like you can't date, you know . . ."

He said the words and meant them . . . mostly. Takuya should be dating. He was good looking, well-mannered and a fun guy. Lots of girls should have been interested in him, right? Why should he be so worried about a girl coming between them?

"I think she'd take this kind of time away from us..." He said quietly and seriously, his eyes peering into Nobuto's, then realized maybe he was too worried about this type of time with Nobuto. Maybe he was worried that he'd stop getting the chance to lay here and talk and look at Nobuto butt naked and not be ashamed or awkward in each other's presence. He laughed a little, nervously. "But I guess this kind of time can happen any time, deshou..." He sat up and looked at the floor. What he didn't want to admit was: he was afraid of Nobuto dating. Afraid that he would be taken away from him.

Nobuto leaned down to catch Takuya's gaze. "You know my door is always open for you, don't you? How long have we been best friends?" He was concerned, he'd never seen Takuya look that way before, unable to meet his eyes and as worried as he was.

"If you want to date this Ti- . . . this girl, then you should." Nobuta said, even though his throat closed off at the thought and he could hear his insides screaming 'YADA' at him. He couldn't be selfish, no matter how he felt. If Takuya wanted to date, it was his job, as someone who loved the man, to be supportive, no matter how hard it would be for him.

"I don't want to date Tiffany. You heard me earlier, I don't like foreign girls..."

"I heard you, but a guy can change his mind, yeah?" Nobuto shrugged. "What is your type anyway. As long as I've known you, you've talked to so many different kinds of girls I don't even know for sure."

He crossed his legs and rested his elbows on his knees. It was good that even as well as he knew his friend, there was always something more he could learn about him.

"I don't guess I really have one, because I've never seriously considered a relationship with any of them..."

"Not even one? Why?" Nobuto asked. "And don't say it's cause of me. You know I wouldn't keep you from dating if you wanted to." Nobuta gave his best friend his most sincere expression, because he was genuinely curious.

Takuya smiled. "They're annoying and Shintarou goes through them faster than a twelve pack of condoms..."

"Probably uses that many condoms too before he finally gets rid of one and moves to another. How many girls are in his phone book anyway?" Nobuto snorted, happy the conversation had drifted in a different direction. Haggling Shintarou for being a playboy was a lot more fun than being hassled about having no play at all.

"More than you." Takuya teased. "No, seriously though, what is it with you and no girls? I've never know of you talking to a girl on the phone...I mean...I know you've slept with them, you've told me that before...but I've never seen you talk to one on the phone..."

It was true, Nobuto had managed a girl or two into the sack, but none of it had meant much, and most of it was usually the result of loneliness and a little too much to drink.

"Never got around to getting any of their numbers?" Nobuto shrugged. "None of them seemed all that interested afterwards anyway." He gave Takuya a sheepish look and scratched the back of his head. "What can I say?"

"Eeeeeeeeee...." Takuya said. "Uso..." He frowned. Nobuto and a body like that...there's no way he couldn't be good... "Come on...you never got any of their numbers? What'd they do? Throw you out naked on the street? Damn..."

How did Nobuto tell his best friend that it was always so awkward afterwards, and that he never had the guts to ask them because he didn't really think he would ever call them back? It wasn't that he was a jerk or anything, but his interest in girls . . .

But he wasn't sure he really wanted to get into that with Takuya, he wasn't sure how the man would take it.

"Not quite." He smiled lopsidedly. "But it's all good. Maybe girls are just a hassle anyway, ne?" He reached out and punched Takuya's shoulder good naturedly.

"Maybe... what's your type of girl?" Takuya asked.

"Ah . . ." Nobuto's mouth opened and shut, and then he pretended to think really hard. "I like the type of person who enjoys laughing . . . doesn't mind that I eat a lot and who I can tell everything to. Someone who can trust me with all their secrets and is also trustworthy. This kind of person, I'd like to date them."

He stood and walked over to his closet, fishing through the contents to find something to wear for the next day.

"Where are we meeting your friend?" He asked, trying to decide which shirt he liked best.

Takuya chewed on those words slowly and swallowed them, his stomach fluttering. Why did he get the feeling that that type of person was him? Maybe he was just tired.

"Um..." Takuya swallowed. "At the bus stop..." Takuya said softly. "I think you should go like that." He chuckled. "Maybe Tiffany's your type, ne..."

Nobuto smirked at Takuya. "I'm likely to scar her for life if I meet her like this. One step at a time, ne?" He settled on a shirt and threw the clothes at the foot of his futon and lay back down next to his best friend.

"Why is it so important to have a type? I mean, we answer that question all the time for magazines, but why does it matter. Can't a person just like who they like without having to judge if that person is their type?" Nobuto crossed his legs at the ankles and hummed softly.

Takuya laughed. "You couldn't scar a kitten..."

He took in Nobuto's words. "I definitely have a type...but...I agree...I will say this..." Takuya started. "I do like someone."

Nobuto's jaw dropped. "Uso . . . how come I'm just hearing about this?" He asked, leveling his gaze at his best friend.

Takuya smiled. "I wasn't sure..." He explained. "I don't know how to confess and I really don't think I can afford to, we have such a good friendship...I don't want to ruin it, you know...one of those types of things...I'd rather keep the friendship than have a relationship and lose it all..."

"You're friends with this person? Do I know them?" Nobuto was sitting up a little straighter now. The fact that his best friend liked another friend was not only interesting, it was scary.

Takuya nodded. "Yeah. You do. We're pretty close...I just...don't know how to tell them...maybe I should just go with the first thing on my tongue you know...Just out with it and say it...but I don't know how they feel..."

"Well, you never know until you say something . . ." Nobuto replied. "Have you known her a long time?" He asked, steeling himself for whatever Takuya might tell him. It was his job to be supportive and not to complain about his best friend's taste unless the girl was a total bitch and no good for him.

Takuya looked at the ceiling and took a deep breath. "Can I tell you something?" He asked quietly.

Nobuto stared at Takuya intently. "You can tell me anything. You know that. You always can."

Takuya swallowed and prepared himself to be shunned and hated and have Nobuto scared of him for life. "It's not a girl..." He whispered.

Nobuto was stunned. Stunned.

"Not . . . not . . .?" He stammered, his heart pounding loudly in his ears. What guys did he know that were friends with Takuya besides the members of his band?!

"Not . . . not . . . what?"

Takuya sat up and rest his elbows on his knees, looking at his hands, ready to get out when Nobuto inevitably would shreik at him to do so.

"I know...it's...something I really didn't want to tell you." He admitted.

Nobuto's expression was blank, he was completely numb. His best friend liked a guy, had liked a guy, all this time and had never said anything to him about it, not once.

It wasn't even so much that it was a guy than it was he'd not said anything to him about it. Nobuto had always been able to say he knew Takuya best, but he didn't even know something this important about his own best friend!

He stood, shaking his head and he pulled on some running pants and a tank top. "I'm going for a walk." He stated mildly. "I . . . I'll be back in a little bit."

"Gomen..." Takuya whispered. "I didn't know how you'd react!" He tried. "I mean it's not something everyone just nods and blows off! I didn't want you freaked out!"

"I know." Nobuto said calmly. "You don't keep secrets from me."

He turned to the door and looked back. "I'll be back. Just going to take a walk."

Takuya was still looking at his hands. He should have never told him. When he was sure Nobuto was gone he left the room and went to his own. He plopped onto his bed and looked at his pictures on his cork board. He should have never said a word, like he had promised himself.

Nobuta stood just outside the apartment complex, the cigarette in his hand forgotten as he tried to muddle through his thoughts.

In all his life, he never thought that Takuya liked guys. Never. As popular as he had been with girls and with as many girls as he had talked to, it just didn't make sense.

At least Nobuto felt he had an excuse, but the, that just felt like a kick in the gut. He wasn't really angry with Takuya for keeping that secret from him. Truth be told, he had his own secret, and now, its impact seemed lost in the revelation that Takuya liked a man, a man he possibly knew.

Who . . . he worried over it. It wasn't that Takuya didn't have male friends outside of UVER, it's just that he didn't know of one that had a really close relationship with Takuya.

Which means it has to be someone in the band. Nobuto grimaced.

Takuya pulled himself up and amble to Katsuya's room. When he knocked Katsuya told him to come in, so he did.

"Ah...It's you, I was hoping it would be Nobuto so I could talk sense into him...he's lost it or something..." Takuya shrugged.

"We've all lost it lately, I think." Katsuya agreed. "Want to get something to eat? I'm hungry..."

"Shit." Nobuto swore softly as the cigarette burned his fingers, the acrid smell of filter filling his nostrils. He dropped the butt and snuffed it out, then wiped his hands on his pants and looked around. He didn't feel like walked.

Grumbling, he turned down the stairs to at least attempt to do what he said he would do.

Katsuya nodded. "I'd love to...where's Nobuto, why not ask him?"

"He went for a walk." Takuya said, turning and walking from the room.

He kicked a stone around as he walked, it gave him something to focus on.

"A guy . . ." he whispered. All this time, he never knew.

Katsuya, the knowledgable mother of the band, of course had eyes and ears and could pick up on all these drama-ish things. "Did you confess?" He asked. Takuya looked at him.

"To Tiffany?" He asked. Katsuya smiled.

"No, to Nobuto."

"What?!"

Nobuto stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, unable to go a step further.

Something had to be done. He had to find out who it was Takuya liked . . .

And get them out of the way.

He absolutely didn't want Takuya to date anyone, no matter who they were, male or female. Absolutely not.

Because Takuya was his . . . would be his . . .

If he ever got up the courage . . .

That's not the point. The point is not losing your best friend. Nobuto admonished himself.

"Oh come on, you think just because you're best friends, that covers your ass? I'm not blind...you are sick for him...most people don't share cigarettes either..."

Nobuto sighed. There was no use in denying it. There never had been.

All his life trying to be like Takuya in the attempt to show how he felt had fallen flat. Maybe there was no other way that to just say it, even think it plain out.

He loved Takuya.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but you need to stop." Takuya stated. "That's a serious accusation and I don't appreciate it. We're best friends and that's it. That's all that ever will be." Takuya assured, himself more than Katsuya.

"Don't fight it..." Katsuya said. "It will only make it hurt more...not having him."

"That's insane!" Takuya said. "I don't like him!"

Who was he kidding? Nobuto kicked the rock before him with all his might, sending it ricocheting off the pavement and into the inky black distance.

No matter what, he would always only ever be Takuya's friend. If the man was adverse to ruining a relationship with just some guy he was friends with, it would fare no better him, his best friend.

Quit while you're ahead. You've been with him this long, be satisfied with that. He admonished himself as he turned back to the complex.

"You do..." Katsuya nodded. "You're a lot closer than best friends should be, at least on your part. You made him uncomfortable today." Katsuya pointed out. Takuya looked at him. "When you stared at him today...made him fidget." Takuya looked down. He was getting careless. "You need to tell him...or it's going to end very badly..."

"I can't tell him! I won't! I can't confess to him! I'll lose him..." He said quietly.

"There you are . . ." Nobuto heard a voice he would recognize anywhere, even if the man talked less than he did. Akira bounded up to him, his expression as serious as always.

"Couldn't figure out where the hell you'd gone, wanted to know if you were interested in going out and shooting some pool." The other man said, slinging his arm around Nobuto's shoulder.

Nobuto's shoulder contracted in a shrug. "Who else is going?"

"Nah, man, just you and me. You look like you could use the night out anyway." Akira replied.

"If you don't you'll lose him."

"I really don't feel up for it Akira . . ." Nobuto sighed. "I tired. I think I really just want to sleep some."

Sleep and end this miserable day. Nobuta finished the statement in his head.

Akira looked genuinely crestfallen, or, at least as crestfallen as his expressionless face would allow. Nobuto nodded his head apologetically. "Maybe we can do it tomorrow night, I'm just . . . yeah, I'm tired man, I'm sorry."

"I will not!"

"Then you had better talk to him..." Katsuya said.

"I just did."

"Talk again."

Akira walked back with him in silence, practically ushering him into the house like a butler. Nobuto thanked him for the company and paused at the sound of voices from Katsuya's room. He knew better than to eavesdrop on whoever was talking and headed back to his room, flopping onto his futon with a groan.

"There's no need to talk again." Takuya stated. "He doesn't need to know."

"Some best friend..." Katsuya said. "I'm not hungry much now. You go ahead...take Nobuto with you. He's back." Takuya turned and went to Nobuto's room, aiming to prove Katsuya wrong. But there he was.

"Hungry?" He asked.

Nobuto turned to roll over and look at Takuya, his stomach flipflopped and he nodded. "Sure."

He got up and put on something a little better than what he was wearing. "Where do you want to go?"

"I don't care, I just want out of here." He mumbled.

Nobuto nodded and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Ikou?" Striding past the other man and into the hall, he looked over his shoulder to make sure Takuya was following.

Once the two were out the door, Akira grumbled as he walked past Katsuya's room. "Is it just me, or are those two retarded?"

"They're retarded."

Takuya kicked rocks as they walked. "You know I never meant to keep it a secret from you..." He said. "I just didn't want you freaking out on me and hating me or something..."

"The words you and hate don't even make sense in the same sentence, baka." Nobuto shook his head. "It's okay . . . knowing that there's still stuff I don't know about you . . . keeps things fresh, yeah?"

"Makes me a loser." Takuya scoffed. "I should have told you a long time ago but...the idea of you being all like 'don't touch me!' made me decide against it..."

Nobuto paused and stared at Takuya. "Don't you know me better than that? I wouldn't have reacted that way."

He wanted to say so much more than that, to say he understood. "I do have a question though . . ."

"You never know how people will react to that...what's your question?"

"Have you always liked guys?" Nobuto fidgeted as they walked, wondering if it really made a difference to him whether Takuya had always liked guys or not. Did it really change anything about his best friend?

Perhaps not. Takuya was an affectionate person and always had been, he would never try to put moves on someone he thought might not reciprocate his feelings. he was more sensitive that that. It was no wonder Nobuto had no idea who his best friend might like.

Takuya thought for a moment. "No." He answered. "Only for about seven years..." He answered. "Since I was 20." He expanded, as if Nobuto didn't know how old he was.

"You've liked guys for seven years?" Nobuta whispered. "Seven years . . ."

"I know this person, don't I? I have to, I've known you your whole life and every other friend you've had besides me." Nobuto said as they walked.

Takuya nodded. "Seven years..." Then he smiled. "I told you that you know him...very well...and no, I'm not in love with myself." He laughed. "So don't even guess that..."

"Well of course you're in love with yourself, you always have been." Nobuto smirked and chuckled before what he said smacked him in the face.

He stopped dead in his tracks and gaped at Takuya, not having any idea what to say.

"What?" Takuya asked, turning to look at him. "What? Don't look at me like that..."

"In love?!" Nobuto managed.

Suddenly the whole world felt like it was crashing down around him. If Takuya was in love with this guy, then getting him out of the way would be significantly more difficult that he thought. One just didn't simply 'remove' love.

He's in love with someone I know! Nobuto brain whirled in his head.

Takuya blushed. "Okay yes. I'm in love with him. Very much. But I still don't know how to confess... how would you confess to someone you love?" He asked. "I need to...I don't want to lose him..."

". . . we should sit down and talk about this while we eat." Nobuto said.

He really didn't want to get into this while they were walking, but really, he just didn't want to get into it at all. How could he aid his best friend in confessing to someone else?

If you do this right, you might be able to keep him for yourself . . . Nobuto thought, his hands still shoved in his pockets.

"Okay..." Takuya nodded. "I appreciate it..." Maybe if Nobuto told him what he would like ... how he would like to be confessed to, or how he would confess...he could confess that way to him. He hoped it would work. Because the only thing he could think of was just grabbing his shoulders and kissing him stupid. . . and that would not be a good idea, he didn't think...

After a few minutes of walking in mostly comfortable silence, Nobuto looked over at Takuya.

"I'm sorry." He said softly. "For doing a shitty job at recording today."

"Well now you never have to worry about me cutting in on your game." Takuya chuckled. "So you can please go back to playing like you want to fuck that guitar like usual..."

Nobuto snickered. "Aye aye captain." He saluted Takuya. "And I don't think you have to worry about my game since I really don't have any."

"Where do you want to eat though, really? I'm starving and I'm likely to eat your leg if we don't pick a place." He threatened.

"You've got game." Takuya nodded. "Just because a few bitches kicked you out naked doesn't mean shit....let's eat at the yakitori house...and you can eat my leg, it won't hurt my image, only make me and you more popular and closer as friends."

"You don't even like yakitori." Nobuto pointed out but didn't argue much further than that.

He quirked an eyebrow. "How would cannibalism make us closer? You don't think it's a little extreme?"

"I know but they have good miso..." He smiled. "You like yakitori."

"Well, you'd eat me and we'd literally be blood brothers..."

Nobuto tried not to show the discomfort in his face. Brothers. Right. He sees me as a brother.

"Well, I'll save your leg after I've had the yakitori and see if my mood for it changes any." Nobuto replied, quickening his pace. He wanted to sit down as soon as possible, he was too off the walls and fidgety right now but couldn't do much about it.

Takuya watched him walk ahead a little. He'd said something that didn't agree with the other one. "What? What did I say?"

"Aren't we already blood brothers?" Nobuta said, smiling at Takuya. "Haven't we always been that? Even without me eating you?"

He punched Takuya's shoulder lightly. He had to keep his cool, or he would keep worrying Takuya. The man had enough to stress about as it was, so it hardly made sense to add to the stress.

"Yeah but scabs aren't as substantial as eating whole legs..." Takuya reasoned. Nobuto was really bugging him. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine man, quit your worrying. If I weren't okay, I'd be the first to tell you." Nobuto smiled.

They reached the yakitori house and sat pretty far back, greeting the people there who knew them, even the couple of young fans who lived in the area and also came to that yakitori house. Nobuto didn't mind them so much, since they'd been supporting the band from the beginning. They definitely weren't like the occasional gaggle of girls who would come every night for a week to see if they could sneak a peek at the members of their favorite band before their vacation was over.

He lounged in the booth, kicking off his sandals and stretching his legs out. This place was old and worn down but comfortable and the food was good. "Is miso all you're having?"

Takuya sat in his chair and inhaled deeply. "I love the way this place smells...and I'll have some edamame..." He looked at Nobuto for a long time. "Does it really bother you that I'm in love?"

Nobuto lit a cigarette, he'd lost count of how many he'd had that day, but he guessed plenty cause his pack was running low. He let a thin trail of hazy smoke pass from his lips before he replied, watching the haze dissipate up into the air.

"It doesn't bother me that you're in love." He began, sucking down another drag and holding it as he spoke. "Bothers me more that I never knew." He exhaled.

"You're lying." Takuya smiled. "I know it bothers you...I can tell by the way you act. I'm most likely going to be turned down anyway. I'm not going to be gone..." He took the cigarette from Natoto's hand. "Enough of those today..." He said.

"Oii . . ." Nobuta drawled. "Stealing is prohibited man. And it's my last one, I swear."

"Too bad..." Takuya said, putting it out. "Are you listening to me?" Takuya asked. "Because I'm serious...I won't leave you hanging..."

Nobuto stared at Takuya. He wasn't really searching for anything, he just wanted to look at him. He wanted to stare at his mouth and the downward curve of his eyes and the thick lashes that framed them. He wanted to follow the sharp jaw line to where the hair curled up under his ear. There wasn't a feature on Takuya's face he didn't know by heart.

"I know. You never have before." Nobuto conceded. "But that doesn't mean . . . Tacchan, if you want to date, I'll support you." It hurt to say it, because he didn't want to, but he would for Takuya's sake. "When you confess to this person, just do it from your heart. If they're the right one for you, they won't need a big fancy show or even a special place. They'll be able to take you just how you are."

Takuya stared back. For a long time, even after Nobuto finished talking. He struggled. He could do it now. But that would be too much in one day. His heart pounded in his ears. "Buta..." He whispered. It was right on his tongue. Just say it...say it...say it...say it...do it...say it... He challenged himself. He swallowed. "I..." He swallowed again. "You." He said softly. "Are the most important person in my life."

Nobuta smiled, but didn't break his gaze. "You're the most important person in my life, too." He wasn't sure, or maybe he was, but he somehow felt that Takuya had more to say. He waited patiently. If Takuya was going to say it, he would say it.

"I love you." He said softly. There. He said it. It was out there.

Nobuto blinked a few times and then laughed. "I love you, too, man. Sheesh, why are you so tense? You're acting as if I didn't know that."

He made to say more but the waitress brought them their order. They'd been there so many times, the people at the counter always knew what they wanted. He amended Takuya's order to include the edamame, then took up a skewer of chicken hearts and cleaned it in two seconds. "Umai!"

Takuya looked at his soup blankly, before taking up his spoon. But it's not like that... His brain whispered, crestfallen. He ate some soup. "'mai..." He said quietly, absently.

"Eh, doushita?" Nobuta noticed Takuya's lack of zeal immediately. "Ne, you okay?"

Takuya let his spoon drop softly and he looked at Nobuto again, sighing. "I love you." He repeated, shrugging. "I love you." He picked up his spoon again and ate.

Nobuto quirked an eyebrow. What was up with Takuya, why was he acting so strange. Nobuto knew that Takuya loved him, he'd always known, even though they'd never said . . . it . . .

. . . he's never said he loved me before . . . Nobuto realized, setting down his skewer and staring at Takuya, his tone far more serious.

"I love you, too." He said, meaning it with all he had in him. He loved Takuya in a way the other would never be able to understand, but he loved him nonetheless. "You're my best friend, I'll always love you."

"Yeah. I know." Takuya muttered, eating more soup. "I'm your best friend, you love me. I know."

"Taku, what's wrong?" Nobuta's feeling was getting stronger and stronger that something was amiss. He wanted to know, the fact that it felt like only more secrets were forming between them was starting to scare him. He couldn't let that happen.

Takuya looked at him, intently. "I'm confessing to you." He said. "I love you."

It was like everything in the world crashed and exploded around him. His hands fell, shaking, into his lap and his eyes bugged at Takuya.

"Me?!" He said in a loud whisper. ". . . you're in love with . . . me?!"

"Yes." Takuya said, his heart in his mouth and the little bit of miso he'd consumed was following close behind.

Nobuto promptly began to cry, something that wasn't uncommon when he became emotional. "Taku . . ." he cried, his tears flowing freely down his face.

Ever since he'd met Takuya, he'd done everything to show him how he felt by emulating him, being with him all the time, doing everything he could to build the other man up. Never had he thought Takuya would ever return those affections. He'd loved Takuya for as long as he could remember.

And now, Takuya was telling him he'd been in love with him too, not as long, but for a long time nonetheless.

Takuya sighed. Great. "I'm sorry..." He whispered, handing him a napkin. Now he'd killed it all.

Nobuto shook his head. He didn't want a tissue, he wanted Takuya, and the man was misunderstanding him. He grabbed the hand holding the napkin and tugged at it. "Taku . . ." he repeated, looking up at his best friend, and tugged the arm again.

Takuya was a little confused. "Nani?" He asked softly. "I thought you were going to wait until after the yakitori to eat me..."

"Taku . . . please . . . come here . . ." Nobuto whispered between his tears. He didn't want to move, he wanted Takuya to come to him. He was afraid if he tried to get up, he'd shatter to a million pieces.

Takuya moved over to sit beside him. "What? Are you okay? Talk to me, I'm worrying..."

Nobuto stared at Takuya for a few minutes before hugging his friend tightly. "If you thought you would lose me over this, truly lose me, then you don't know me as well as you thought."

He pulled back and looked deeply into Takuya's eyes. "I've been with you for almost as long as I can remember. I was never . . . I've never . . ."

"What... it's okay... just tell me..." He encouraged, hugging back.

Nobuto sighed. "I've never been brave. I've always tried to be like you, but you've always been stronger than me. You could confess to the one you love. I could never do it."

"Are?" Takuya asked. "You want to confess to someone?" It didn't hurt Takuya because he was pretty sure Nobuto wouldn't take this as an invitation to date. Which was what Takuya really wanted.

"I've wanted to . . ." Nobuto looked up into Takuya's eyes. "For almost as long as I can remember."

His heart dropped into his stomach. He wondered if Takuya would understand, if he would realize . . .

"Who?"

Nobuto's face fell. Takuya hadn't realized. Even with the exact same wording, he didn't understand what Nobuto was trying to say.

He forced a small smile and shrugged. "Who have I known for almost as long as I can remember?" He tried again.

Takuya held him close. "Anything wrong with wanting to hear it for myself?" He whispered.

"I'm not brave." Nobuto whispered back. "But no . . . it's not wrong . . . it's . . ." He swallowed and wrapped his arms tightly around Takuya's waist, terrified that the moment the words were out of his mouth, everything would change.

He was honestly terrified of that change. He loved Takuya, but he loved what they'd always had, their comradarie, their comfort level. But a romantic relationship went far beyond those bounds, it required . . . other things, things Nobuto understood with a woman but couldn't imagine with a man, as long as he'd loved Takuya.

So, was he really ready for that change? He wasn't sure.

"It's . . ." His breathing was becoming short and black was inking his vision. "Taku . . ." was the last thing he managed before he slumped forward onto the man in a dead faint.

"Are? Noccha...oi...Oi!" He called out, pulling Nobuto's arms from around his waist and pulling him to rest more on his shoulder. "Tasukete kudasai!" He called. A waitress came around and gasped. Takuya was terrified. Nobuto had never done this before. "I need to use a phone!" Damn himself for leaving his at home.

Nobuto didn't know how long he was passed out. He was just floating around in darkness, noting how quiet and calm it was, how ordered his thoughts were. It was rather nice, really. Relaxing. He didn't want to make a habit out of it, of course, but it was okay for now. Takuya, he was probably worrying, but he wasn't going to let it bother him. Everything would be okay as long as everyone just remained calm. He was calm, he was so calm he wasn't even conscious. What an absolutely lovely thing.

Takuya called Katsuya and had him bring the car. Takuya paid and got Nobuto home to his bed. Takuya lay with him for a while, just looking at him, stroking his hair our of his face. "Daijoubu?" He whispered. "Is this because of me?" He wondered aloud before pulling the covers over them both and falling asleep.

---

CHAPTER TWO:

Nobuto's eyes fluttered open, his eyelashes parting slowly to reveal the stark white ceiling. He could feel breathing against his neck and he shirked away from it, turning his gaze to find his best friend snuggled tightly against him.

For a moment, Nobuto remained stock still, then allowed himself a moment of relaxation. It's not like they hadn't slept in the same space before. When the band was first starting out and didn't have a huge budget for the best hotels, they'd often had to share one room between the five of them.

And what was more, the feeling of Takuya's body pressed against his, and knowing that it was that way for more reasons that just being his best friend made Nobuto's heart quicken.

Reaching over gently, he swept the man's fringe away from his face and behind a perfectly sized ear and sighed. So close to revealing the truth, only to end up a heap instead.

Great job, Buta.

Takuya had unsettling dreams all night. Nobuto hated him in all of them at some point and refused to be his friend anymore, quit the band and moved away, far away.

His eyes opened at gentle pressure and he blinked at light, turning a little. "Shibuya..." He mumbled, his last dream having placed him in a hotel without Nobuto and having to play the Shibuya concert without a bassist.

"Nani?" Nobuto said softly, withdrawing his hand. Takuya was cute when he was just waking up, Nobuto had always thought so.

"What?" He sat up and groaned, then stood to straighten his jeans that had twisted in his sleep.

"You said 'Shibuya' . . ." Nobuto muttered, watching as Takuya moved away from him.

And just like that Takuya was 'gone'. Waking up with the man next to him, in his arms, protected and taken care of was better than he could have hoped for after last night.

. . . what had happened last night? Had he managed to confess? He remembered being about to but nothing after that. He racked his brain only to press his fingers to his temples as he rolled up, groaning.

"I was dreaming..."

Takuya stretched. "I'm glad you're awake you scared me." Takuya fiddled with his hair, combing it out with his fingers to get it to lay flat again.

Nobuto didn't answer, only rubbed his temples hard with his fingers. He felt as if he were being beat up by a sledgehammer, as his head began to throb, so did the rest of him.

Takuya watched him for a moment before turning and walking to the door. The room was awkward. He had made their relationship awkward. One of the things he never wanted to happen. Last night was the last time he'd share much of anything with Nobuto, of that he was sure. Nobuto would forever move away from him like he had when he woke up. Nobuto would forever be silent and rub his temples. Nobuto would forever be spaced out at work, shaken. Nobuto would be forever not his. Never his again, like he had been before.

Takuya realized he would never be able to hug him again without Nobuto first tensing up at his touch. He could never touch him again. He could never look at him for long periods of time until Nobuto glanced over and smiled. He could never sneak keitai pics of him anymore. He could never wrestle him down and tickle him to death anymore. Could never talk to him the same way.

He had ruined a lifetime of friendship. The very thing he had been avoiding for seven years. The one thing he promised he would never do. Now the one person in his life that he loved more than anyone, needed more than anyone, was the last person who would ever seek his camaraderie and company again.

Takuya's hand lingered on the door knob as he opened it, looking back one more time at the man he had given up everything for. Nobuto was his everything. Confessing had bricked a wall between them that would forever exist. He walked out into the hall and let the door click monotonously in his wake.


Nobuto looked, bleary-eyed at Takuya's back and knew, somehow, that he'd messed up last night. Takuya didn't even want to be around him anymore.

In his heart, he wanted to call to Takuya, to stop him and to make it all right again, but perhaps it was already too late. Perhaps the damage was irreparable. Whatever Nobuto had done last night had stuck.

Takuya would probably never be his.

When the man looked back him, something cold went through Nobuto. He'd never seen anything like that expression on Takuya's face. It left him too speechless to chase after Takuya as he turned away and into his room.

-click-

It was like someone had locked him a box that he would never escape from. Even if he ever got up the courage to confess, would Takuya have him now?

Takuya just stood on the other side of the door, his head bent and his heart exploding in anger and fear and sadness.

Katsuya's door opened and he walked out. "Are? Taku daijoubu-" Takuya had him pinned against the wall.

"This is your fucking fault!" He screamed. "He'd still be my friend if I hadn't listened to you!" He probably looked really stupid with tears running down his face and his voice choking on every word that came out of his mouth, but he was serious, and if he wanted to, he could really hurt Katsuya if he tried.

Nobuta heard Takuya screaming and was immediately to his feet, wrenching the door open and flying to Katsuya's rescue. Akira and Shintarou was not long away either.

Nobuto grabbed one of the man's arms, tugging him back. "Taku!" He cried. "Taku, stop!"

Takuya jerked his arm from Nobuto's hand. "Get off me!" He was back pinning Katsuya to the wall. "I hate you! I can't believe I listened to you! Are you happy?! I did what you told me to and now it's all ruined and fucked up!"

"Takuya, I really thought it would turn out differently." Katsuya said honestly, his eyes giving an obvious look in Nobuto's direction. "I really thought it would." Takuya broke down against him and cried into Katsuya's shirt that was wadded in his hands. Katsuya held him in his motherly way and stroked his back hoping to calm him.

Shintarou and Akira looked confused, but not as confused as Nobuto had expected them to, and Katsuya . . . he'd known!? Had they all known, all of them except him?

"Chigau!" He said, looking at all of them as they looked at him and tugged at Takuya's arm. "Chigau, Taku . . . can't we . . . can't we talk about this?"

He received a look from Katsuya that said he should back off, but Nobuto was too upset to make a rash decision.

Takuya shoved away from everyone and went to his room, slamming the door shut behind him.

Katsuya exhaled and Shintarou demanded to know what had happened. Akira, being the youngest, was just lost.

Shintarou waited. "Well? What the hell was that all about?"

Nobuto felt the eyes on him. They burned. He looked at Katsuya with as much confusement as he saw on Akira's face.

"You knew . . ." he whispered. "You knew all this time . . ."

Katsuya shrugged. "You know, you watch two people long enough and there are some things you just can't miss."

"But you knew. You knew and you told him to tell me. Do you have any idea what hearing that did to me?!" Nobuto's tone was frenzied.

"Did to you?! What kind of friend are you?! It took all he had to break down enough to tell you and you don't even think about what it's done to him!" Katsuya was angry now. "I've never said anything about it to him until last night! He denied everything for twenty minutes, anyway. He should have kept on hiding it from you! I didn't think he would tell you anyway. I was supporting him because I know how he feels, how caged he feels, and now that he's opened his own cage you've pushed him into a brand new one! Only this one's a whole lot worse! You can't even get past your own feelings to consider what it even took for him to go to your room and get you to go eat with him!"

If Shintarou and Akira weren't confused, they definitely were now.

Nobuto felt hot tears course down his face. He felt wretched. His fist flew out, landing with a dull crush against the wall. He winced but didn't make a sound.

"I've waited all my life." He said in a soft voice. "To have the courage to tell him how I feel. And last night . . ." Nobuto looked up at Katsuya. "I finally had my chance and I couldn't do it, because I was too afraid."

He turned back to his room. "You're probably right about me."

Katsuya pulled him back. "No, don't you dare run away anymore." He said. "We're going to work this out right now because this band will fall apart if we don't. Imagine what he'd feel like if that happened, what it would do to him. What happened? Tell me what happened."

Nobuto took a few deep breaths and motioned with his head for everyone to follow him to the living room. Shintarou and Akira followed in silence, their faces etched with confusion.

He got them all seated, flinching uncomfortably under their stares, before he began.

"Last night . . . Takuya confessed to me . . ." He started, ignoring Shintarou's sputter and Akira's sudden look of understanding. "He confessed and I . . ."

He looked up at Katsuya. "If you knew how he felt then . . . you must know how I feel too." Nobuto hung his head. "I tried very hard to tell him, too, but . . . I couldn't keep myself together and . . . I think I fainted. Everything from last night after his confession is a fog in my head. I woke up this morning and he was with me, but I didn't remember why. I don't know what happened, but suddenly he was leaving me and he just . . . gave me this look."

"So he confessed and you fainted? Did you freak out or anything?" Katsuya asked.

"I was crying . . ." Nobuto replied, tilting his head to one side. "And he was trying to get me to tell him what was wrong. I think . . . I was about to confess."

He sighed in an exasperated way. "I was this close. This damn close but I failed." Nobuto looked up at his band-mates.

"What do I do now? How do I fix this? I don't want him believing I hate him and will hate him." He looked at them in a pleading way. "You have to help me."

Shintarou might as well have been scratching his head for the look he gave Nobuto and Akira was slouched back in his seat, shaking his head.

"Katsuya, what can I do?" He asked again. The older man was good at giving advice, he could usually find solutions to things other people couldn't.

"Talk to him." Katsuya said, as if it was the most obvious answer in the world. "Let him know how you feel because right now he thinks you're scared of him and that you don't want to keep any kind of relationship with him...as for the look he gave you, only he knows what it meant...you'll have to talk to him about it..."

Nobuto nodded, but it was plain to see he was terrified. He fiddled with his fingers and looked back at Katsuya.

"Should I do it now?" He asked.

"If you don't do it now, it will just get worse, won't it?" Akira pointed out. "We don't have time for you guys to be arguing or distant. We're in the middle of recording this is just gonna toss everything to shit. Get yourself together. You're a man, not some thirteen year old girl with a crush."

Nobuto swallowed the words, jagged and rough as they were and nodded. "Right. Right." He stood, all else forgotten but what he should do. "Right." He repeated, and marched forward to Takuya's room. He paused for only a moment before he rapped on it firmly.

Takuya lay with his back to the door, staring at his cork board with red eyes and a nose to match. He said nothing to the knock on his door.

". . ." Nobuto paused again and then rapped one more time. "I'm coming in." He said softly, trying the door to see if it was unlocked.

Takuya didn't move. He didn't care. He didn't care about anything right now. He'd left the door unlocked because he didn't care. He didn't have anything to care about.

Nobuto's fingers turned the slippery knob and walked into the room. His entire body was on edge.

Kneeling, he scooted forward towards Takuya on his knees, his palms pressed flat to the floor. The look of complete vacancy in Takuya's eyes crushed everything in him to pulp. He felt like it, too, his limbs all mushy and loose.

"Taku . . . will you listen to me?" He asked in a soft voice barely above a whisper.

Takuya said nothing in response. He held up his hand for a second and let it drop back down as if to say what else is there for him to do.

Nobuto scooted closer, took a deep breath, and plunged in.

"I think . . . I know this has all been a misunderstanding." He said in a slow, thoughtful tone. "If you really think I could ever hate you, let me tell you, you're wrong. I'll never hate, could never hate you. I tried to tell you last night and my own fear kept me from doing it, but . . . I can't be afraid to tell you how I feel, how I've felt for as long as you and I have been friends."

He slowly reached forward and tugged Takuya's hand into his lap.

"From the first moment I saw you, I wanted you to be with me forever. I didn't realize at the time what that feeling was, but I wanted to be close to you, so I did everything I could to be near you. I emulated you and made myself someone you could trust with everything. The closer you and I got and the older we became, the more I realized that 'friend' and 'brother' weren't the words I wanted to use to define our relationship."

Nobuto paused, wondering if Takuya was truly listening to him.

Takuya soaked it all in, taking in every word and examining it.

"What would you have wanted to use then?" He whispered quietly.

This was where it got hard, this was where Nobuto's resolve cracked and his bravado failed.

But he couldn't let that happen this time, not again. He held the hand in his lap tightly, using it as an anchor to keep from falling apart.

". . . I wanted . . . more . . ." He said softly. "Last night, you told me you were in love with me and those are words I longed to hear but never thought I'd hear from you. You see." He looked down at Takuya's face. "You were the one I've wanted to hear them from all along because . . . because . . ."

Nobuto took a few deep breaths. "I don't know why it makes me so nervous to say it, even now that I know how you feel. I want us to be together, I'm scared with our feelings out there things will change too much."

"Oh my God, will you just tell him?!" Akira's voice cut through the closed door and Nobuto looked back in surprise, then rolled his eyes.

"Mattaku . . ." He smiled sheepishly.

"Don't say it if you can't." Takuya said. "I don't want you to." He pulled his hand away and blinked at the pictures. "If you want, we can pretend it never happened." He whispered so quietly that only Nobuto could hear him. "Just forget about it..."

"I can't." Nobuto whispered back. "I can't and I don't want to. I could never forget your feelings, no more than I can forget mine. I can say it, I will."

Nobuto balled his fists and closed his eyes and opened his mouth and prayed for words to come out.

"Takuya, I love you!" He half cried, half shouted.

Takuya looked at him. Blinked at him. Was it necessary to yell it? Must have been. Nobuto's eyes remained closed and Takuya took the chance, the only one he had, to plant a soft kiss to Nobuto's lips.

Nobuto felt as if he'd been struck by lightning as Takuya's lips found his. He'd kissed a few people before, but he'd never felt anything like this. He'd never felt as charged up as he did now.

His arms slowly wrapped around Takuya's shoulders, holding him close and keeping him from moving away.

"Taku . . ." he whispered, his eyes fluttering open. "I love you."

Takuya rested his forehead against Nobuto's and hugged him as tightly as he could. "I love you, too." He whispered back. "So much..."

"I'm sorry I wasn't brave enough to tell you sooner." Nobuto apologized. "I didn't think you would feel the same and I loved the way things were . . ."

"Do you wish they were still that way?" Takuya asked.

"I'm scared, I'll admit it. I don't know what to expect anymore." Nobuto replied. "I've felt this way for so long . . . we both have. How do we go from being best friends to being . . . boy . . . friends . . ."

"I don't know...is there really a difference?" He asked quietly. "We were so close before..."

"We're still close, Taku." Nobuto whispered, gazing gently into the man's eyes. "Closer now than we've ever been, but it is different, not a bad different, just . . . an unsure different. I've always known what to expect from our friendship. I don't know what to expect from this."

"Me either..." Takuya admitted. "But we can find out together, ne..." He whispered.

Nobuto didn't have the ability to speak. He clung to his bestfriend . . . boyfriend . . . and swallowed.

There was such a huge risk in this, the risk that maybe they would try this and realize it didn't work and break up, and what would that do to their friendship? He tried to shake that thought away. Fear would do nothing to help him in this, yet it clung to the back of his mind like a leech, even has he slowly nodded his head.

"Hai . . . together, like always, ne?" He said softly. "We can do it."

"We can...we don't even have to do anything, you know...it just makes us more permanent, ne..." He whispered. He had his fantasies, but he was pretty sure Nobuto's mind didn't operate quite like his did.

"Sure . . . yeah . . ." Nobuto smiled, feeling a little better. "Sure. That's fine." He hugged Takuya tightly.

"It makes me happy that you understand." He muttered.

Things didn't have to change, really, they could still be the way they'd always been. There was the potential for an added level of intimacy, but Nobuto wouldn't think or worry about it yet. He wasn't ready for it anyway.

"You think after all these years I wouldn't?" He smiled. "Besides you're not physical with anyone..."

"I've never actually . . . dated anyone before either so . . ." Nobuto blushed slightly and coughed seriously, trying to cover the discomfort of that revelation.

"As long as you realize it's going to take me some time to get used to it . . ."

"I know..." He whispered. "you have forever."

Nobuto smiled. It was as if all the weight of his shoulders had been lifted away. He felt good, free and best of all, he felt loved.

"Ne . . ." He mumbled, his eyes gleaming.

"Nani?" Takuya asked, noticing, with a little angsty feeling in his gut, that Nobuto was much happier now that there was no intimacy on a physical level.

"I think I smell Katsuya making breakfast." He announced.

Takuya smiled. "You should go investigate..." He said.

Nobuto slid his hand into Takuya's and smiled mischievously back. "Don't you think we should go together?" He laughed.

Takuya looked nervous. "I think it would be awkward..." He stated honestly.

Nobuto's face screwed up in confusion and he shook his head. "It won't be awkward. Why would it be?" To be honest he really didn't understand what Takuya meant.

"Ohhhhh . . . because you threw Kaccha up against a wall and told him you hated him . . . right?" Nobuto realized.

"No...because everyone was there when I went crazy..." He whispered. "I never cry and I cried in front of everyone like a baby..."

Nobuto hugged Takuya close, his arms wrapped loosely around the man's middle and his chin resting on his shoulder. He sighed and snuggled there for a moment before speaking.

"I don't think anyone is going to care, Taku." He stated simply. "You couldn't help it, and you shouldn't worry. It was my fault you cried anyway. I'm sorry for that."

"I will forever blame Katsuya." He said matter-of-factly, hugging Nobuto closer.

"Play the blame game and everyone loses, yeah?" Nobuto sighed and poked Takuya in the ribs.

"I never would have confessed if he hadn't demanded that I do it..." He said softly.

"Then maybe I owe him a hug, because I'm very glad he did. I didn't do so well, but it's okay now, right?"

Nobuto stood slowly and tugged at Takuya's arms. "Come on man, you can't sit in here and worry about it. You have to come out at some point, yeah?"

"Of course it's okay..."

Takuya whimpered and refused to get up, his arms being tugged on. "I've come out plenty in the past day, ne...let me hide in here for a while..."

Nobuto rolled his eyes a little. "Now who's the one being dramatic?"

He hunkered down next to Takuya and looked at him appraisingly. "Ii yo, I'll just have to hide in here with you then."

He scooted up close and pushed the man back into a laying position, immediately taking up the space next to Takuya and wrapping his arm around him.

Takuya smiled and let him do what he wanted. "Fine with me~" He hummed something, words forming in his head really fast like they always did when a song came to him. He turned away and reached under his bed for a notebook and lifted his pillow to find his pen he kept there if something came to him in his sleep.

Nobuto was used to this. It wasn't the first time nor would it be the last that Takuya pulled out a pen and notebook out of some random hiding place and begin writing.

Rolling onto his stomach, Nobuto watched quietly, not wanting to interrupt Takuya's creative flow, but wanting to watch the genius in action. Takuya had a way with words that Nobuto would never fully be able to understand. Titles to songs were one thing, lyrics to them were something else entirely.

"Whatcha thinking . . .?" He asked, settling his chin on his arms as they rested on the pillow.

"I'm thinking you need your own song..." Takuya smirked. "One that even you could sing to..."

Nobuto blinked. "A song for me?" He asked, his tone even. "Now trying to find one I can sing to is going to be a feat. If you can do it . . ."

He paused, what would he give to Takuya if the man was able to succeed in creating a song even he could sing to. Such a song did not exist yet and therefore, as much faith as he had in his best friend, he somehow doubted the man could do it.

"How 'bout we make a bet." He propositioned.

"You know I can't pass up a bet..." Takuya mumbled, scratching out kanji like it was kana.

"If you can write a song for me that I can sing too, then . . . I'll let you take me on a date." Nobuto offered with a smirk.

Takuya looked at him, kanji broken in mid stroke. His heart fell out of his chest. Nobuto couldn't sing, could never sing, would never be able to sing. And Nobuto knew it. And Nobuto took advantage of that. Things really would never change between them. "...okay..." He answered, looking numbly at the page before him, the words in his head, lost forever. The tune that had been there was suddenly horrible.

Nobuto watched Takuya closely. It seemed as if all the spark left the moment the bet was out of his mouth.

"Or if that's too steep a price, I'll let you cook me dinner." He smiled, trying to save the man's inspiration a little. He did actually want to go on a date with Takuya someday, so it did no good to murder all chances of that happening in one fell swoop.

Takuya shook his head. "It's not too steep." Afterall, Nobuto would never feel the same as Takuya felt for him, he's known that for years. Dates, all the things normal couples did, he'd never have with Nobuto, because Nobuto was his best friend, still, regardless of feelings and confessions. Nobuto was still Nobuto, and he would forever be Nobuto, the best friend.

Nobuto lowered his face to Takuya's ear and nuzzled it softly, something he'd always wanted to do whenever they sat next to each other and had neither the bravery nor the right to do. "Jaa, ganbatte . . ." He murmured softly, nudging Takuya again. "I want to sing with you."

He really hoped with everything in him that Takuya would take this as a challenge he could win. In the meantime, Nobuto would just have to practice carrying a bucket that could hold a tune in it. He wanted Takuya to succeed, so he couldn't just do nothing.

Takuya's brain broke a little, his eyes closing. "I'm afraid of you singing with me." He smirked, pulling Nobuto close. "I'm afraid you'll ruin my voice." He teased.

Nobuto snorted. "As if. I couldn't ruin your voice ever." He settled comfortably into Takuya's arms, having no fear of their proximity. "More likely to make it sound better as bad as mine is."

Takuya smiled. "You would make me tone deaf and thus unable to carry a tune..." He laughed.

"And then we could sing together just fine, ne?" Nobuto poked out his lower lip thoughtfully and nodded. "Yep, just fine."

He tried his best ignore the rumblings of his stomach when the smells from the kitchen began to grow more intense. He was hungry, but he didn't want to leave Takuya alone.

Takuya playfully shoved him away. "If you think you can sing fine, you're nuts." He laughed. "Man go eat." He said, hearing a rumble from Nobuto's stomach. "Buta."

"Then I guess I'm nuts. I can practice!" Nobuto protested, somewhat seriously.

"I don't want to eat without you." He punched Takuya lightly in the gut. "If I go out there by myself they'll probably hassle me about what we were doing in here and I don't think I can fend all three of them off by myself."

"Tell them we were making out." Takuya grinned, wiggling his eyebrows.

"If I'm going to tell them that then we might as well make it the truth." Nobuto said matter of factly. "Those guys can always tell when I'm lying."

Takuya smiled. "You wouldn't make out anyway." He wasn't sure if Nobuto was kidding or not, and wasn't sure if he himself were daring or not. "Not with me anyway."

"You're my new boyfriend." Nobuto said incredulously, sitting up. "Why wouldn't I?"

In all honesty, it scared Nobuto to death to do anything more than what they'd done a few minutes ago, the soft chaste kiss that let him know that everything was okay. But if Takuya loved him the way Nobuto had always loved Takuya then physical intimacy would happen at some point, yes?

Was it too soon to do this? It felt too soon, but at the same time, Nobuto was worried that if he didn't try a few things now, he'd never work up the gumption to.

Takuya looked at him for a moment and tucked his hands behind his head as he lay stretched out on the bed. "I just got the impression that you aren't much into that sort of thing..." Takuya stated. "Which is cool, I mean...that's great, if it's not something you like...who am I to think it will happen, deshou?"

"Well, seeing as how I've never made out with a guy, how do I know if I like it or not?" Nobuto crossed his legs Indian-style on Takuya's bed.

Nobuto rested his chin in his palm. "There's nothing wrong with expectation, you know. I'm not going to suddenly burst into flames if you put a move on me."

It would actually take a lot of the pressure off of me if you just would. Nobuto thought, staring at Takuya.

"You'll never know if you don't try..." Takuya said softly. He raised up on his elbow and looked into Nobuto's eyes. "I've never put a move on you, so how do I know you wouldn't?" He whispered, wondering what Nobuto's reaction would be.

Nobuto felt his heart creep up into his throat and his palms get sweaty. He smiled nervously as he moved a little closer, more within reach.

"'You'll never know if you don't try'," he quoted back, sucking in a soft breath and waiting. He wasn't sure why he suddenly felt so . . . was 'demure' the right word for it? In any case, feeling this way made him feel like he did when he first met Takuya, a point in time when he was actually scrawny and small.

"Neither will you..." Takuya whispered. Being friends since preschool days made this slightly strange, but, Takuya wasn't concerned right now. He was too busy staring into rich brown eyes, pulling them closer.

"Un . . ." Nobuto grunted, his face growing ever nearer to Takuya's, piercing and yet gentle eyes pulling him forward . . .

And then there was a loud knock on the door.

Nobuto jumped about five feet into the air, overturning and falling with a crash to the floor of Takuya's bedroom. "Itaaaai . . ." He groaned, ready, once he was pain free, to launch himself at the door and kill whoever it was that interrupted them.

Takuya had felt time stop for a moment, he could feel Nobuto's breath on his face.

Then Nobuto was on the floor and there was someone knocking and he just remained in that position, his eyes the only features on him that were altered. His eyes were almost sad. He blinked slowly.

"Yes?" He called.

"Sorry for interrupting, but your cellphone has been ringing out non-stop. I checked the caller ID." Shintarou's voice drawled. "It's the foreign chick."

"Did you bring me the phone?" Takuya asked, rolling to face the door. "You can come in you know..."

Shintarou strode in, hardly sparing a glance in Nobuto's direction and simply tossing the phone in Takuya's direction. Only then did he look down to see Nobuto on the floor, looking less than pleased with him.

"What?" He asked. "It's not like I was interrupting anything anyway."

Nobuto narrowed his eyes even more. "How would you know?"

Shintarou just laughed and left the room.

Takuya looked at the ceiling and called Tiffany back. "Tiffany hi...yes...yes...oh...okay...are you positive? I can if you want...okay. Talk to you then...yes. Bai bai." He hangs up and looks at Nobuto. "You going to stay down there?" He asked.

Nobuto shook his head and slowly crawled back up onto the bed. For some reason, even though he knew Takuya was his now for real, he felt the slight pang of jealousy.

"What did she want?" He asked, giving Takuya's phone a suspicious look.

He heard mutterings outside that sounded like normal conversation and then the front door open and shut, a little more talking and then a call that they'd be back for dinner and then silence as the door open and shut again.

"To cancel..." He said quietly. "You know they won't be back for dinner...Katsuya won't be back until Monday night...Shintarou won't spend just one day with his girlfriend. Akira still likes to play with his friends...it's just you and me all weekend..."

Nobuto smiled. "You're right." His expression grew more somber as he remembered what he'd been doing with Takuya just before Shintarou broke their reverie.

"You're right . . ." His voice softened and he gave Takuya an expectant look.

Takuya wasted no time at all, pulling Nobuto close and kissing him once softly before kissing him with meaning.

The same jolts of electricity poured through Nobuto's being. Takuya's forbidden taste and comforting warmth overwhelmed his senses as he was pulled into a kiss deeper than any he'd ever experienced before.

His hands found Takuya's more slender shoulders, gripping them lightly as he tried to answer the kiss. Takuya's lips were soft but experienced, pressing against his with just the right amount of pressure, just the right amount to make him feel dizzy and faint.

His tongue longed to break the barrier past lips but he tamed it in time, pulling back to gently suck on Nobuto's bottom lip before kissing him again, his lips sticking gently and tugging on the younger one's. Takuya pulled him closer and tilted his head back slightly so that he could place a few kisses along Nobuto's jaw line.

Nobuto could barely breathe by the time their liplock broke and he felt moistness against his chin. The hairs on the back of his neck stood straight up as the lips found purchase to a spot just beneath his ear.

Letting out a shuddery breath, Nobuto slowly let his hands wander away from Takuya's shoulders to his waist. Everything felt . . . more somehow.

"Taku." He whispered, turning his face, wanting more of the kiss, finding that now that he'd had it, he wanted more, and it wasn't hard to imagine Takuya always kissing him this way.

Takuya stroked at Nobuto's neck, looking into his eyes for a moment before returning to kiss his lips, leave hum just as breathless as a moment ago.

Takuya's hand absently slid down Nobuto'a back, slipping under his shirt to stroke at his sides with thumbs.

He couldn't think of anything but doing this forever and ever.

Nobuto had felt Takuya's hands on him before, but this was very, very different. The feather light touches were making him lightheaded and he shuddered, sound issuing from his lips as he did so.

His lips parted for air, but he wanted to keep pressing them to Takuya's, he didn't want to stop or move away. This felt good, better than he expected or could have hoped for. Thank Kami Takuya was experienced, else he would be totally lost.

Takuya's tongue took parted lips as an invitation to softly press past them and stroke against Nobuto's tongue, really tasting him and moaning against him.

Tongue against tongue and Nobuto was done, moaning back and breaking away before he lost control, and it was happening fast. One deep breath and even then he couldn't keep away, his lips finding Takuya's again and allowing their tongues to tangle and slide against each other.

So this was how sweet his best friend had always been . . .

Takuya gently sucked on Nobuto's tongue after it came back, slowly letting it go to hug the younger one tightly against him. "I love you..." He breathed.

That Takuya had broken the kiss and not him made his feel better, more secure. He wasn't ready for where his body was taking him on its own. No matter the level of physical readiness, the emotional and mental readiness was not yet up to par.

He hugged back, still feeling small even though he wasn't in comparison to Takuya. "I love you, too." He replied, his voice gruff and thick with emotion.

Takuya, perhaps, needed to share a secret with him, but now seemed to be an awkward time. He mentally shrugged. "I had to stop...any longer and there'd be no stopping me..." He said softly.

"Wakatta . . ." Nobuto whispered, his hands wadding up Takuya's shirt.

Their breathing was thick in the air and Nobuto could smell the faintest hints of sweat on Takuya's skin. "If we stay like this . . ."

"As long we don't kiss, I'll be fine for now..." He promised, resisting the urge to do just that again. Kiss him crazy and make love to him and his brain was slowly dying.

"Is it really safe?" Nobuto asked. "There's no one here, we're in your room on your bed . . ."

He certainly didn't feel like this was the safest or best situation to avoid Takuya doing things with him that he wouldn't have admitted to wanting only yesterday.

Takuya nodded. "It is..." He promised. It was very safe, like it's safe for a fish with a cat hovering over the bowl, one wrong move and that cat would jump it.

"I don't believe you . . ." Nobuto said softly, gazing into Takuya's eyes.

"You have to..." He whispered. "If you don't, you never will...or you can leave and not have to worry at all..."

Nobuto kept his eyes locked on Takuya's. To look anywhere else felt as if it might be dangerous, as though his attention were no longer on Takuya and the older man might feel the need to get that attention back.

Thrills were racing through him. To stay in Takuya's arms like this was a risk, a leap of faith and a sign of trust. But he felt he had to make one thing perfectly clear to Takuya before they went any further.

"I'm not going anywhere without you." Nobuto stated firmly. "Have I ever?"

"Yes, you pee alone all the time, and I'm cool with that..." Takuya nodded.

Nobuto slapped Takuya over the head, their previous mood now ruined enough for him to feel comfortable enough to create a safer distance between them. "Baka." He admonished the man, turning onto his back and looking up at the ceiling.

"So . . . if we have the whole weekend." He began, flicking his eyes over to the older man before sliding their focus back to the ceiling. "What are we going to do?"

"Whatever..." Takuya shrugged. "Like always, lay around and do nothing..." Takuya pondered. "unless you have any suggestions..." He snuggled down into his bed, his face in the pillow.

Nobuto moved and rested his head on Takuya's shoulder. Somehow the thought of just lying around with him all day and night sounded really nice.

"I do have one suggestion actually." He said, realizing what he wanted to do next after a few moments in sweet silence.

Takuya enjoyed the silence, Nobuto near, not hating him. "What's that?"

"Food." Nobuto said, his voice thick with conviction. "This must happen in the very near and not so distant future, or else I might actually resort to cannibalism this time."

Takuya sat up. "Katsuya probably left us some food..." He said. "Ikou?"

Nobuto was off the bed faster than Takuya could say 'ikou' tugging the man from the bedroom and down the hall to the kitchen, his stomach rumbling to an indistinct tune.

"Wonder what he made?" Nobuto wondered aloud practically bouncing into the room and opening the refrigerator to rummage for the leftovers.

"Looks like rice and miso and eggs." Takuya said, looking into the bowls on the counter.

Nobuto pulled out a carton each of milk and juice. "Which one?" He grabbed two cups and poured a glass of milk for himself, peering at Takuya.

"Juice please." Takuya answered, finding some hashi in a drawer.

Nobuto poured Takuya's drink and brought them over the table that comfortably seated five grown men and moved back to the counter to help Takuya portion out the left-overs, smiling that the man had deliberately portioned out a bit more for him than for himself.

Working side by side in silence was nothing new to their friendship but to their new relationship, it was even sweeter and more endearing that he could be with Takuya this way. They already had been afforded a measure of comfort most couples had to be together for a year or so to finally attain. Theirs only took an hour to find. Chalk it up to a lifetime of knowing one another.


Takuya put enough in the bowls for both of them and resisted the urge to peck Nobuto's cheek when he turned toward the table to sit down.

He was comfortable with Nobuto, but at the same time, he felt awkward. Kissing Nobuto randomly seemed like something he still couldn't do, no matter how much he wanted to or tried to.

Nobuto sat down next to Takuya and moved to sit closer, though doing his best not to crowd the man. Taking up his set of hashi, he punched through the egg, mixing the runny yolk into the rice to cook it. He'd never been too keen on partially raw eggs but if there was something hot to mix it into that would cook it the rest of the way, he didn't mind so much.

The miso shiru was beginning to break apart and Nobuto stirred it by swirling it with his hand before taking a long sip, the fishy stalk sliding down his throat, warm and comforting. "Yappari, Japanese breakfasts are the best, ne?"

Takuya ate large bites, keeping his mouth occupied.

"Of course." Takuya agreed. "This is what we grew up on deshou..."

"Un, but anyone who likes a western breakfast better would hopefully appreciate a good traditional breakfast." Nobuto pointed out, then poked one of Takuya's stuffed cheeks. "You're eating faster than usual, what's up?"

"It's better than usual?" Takuya offered, slowing down. Truth was, he wasn't sure what was okay and wasn't okay to do anymore. He would let Nobuto set those boundaries.

"You're nervous about something." Nobuto immediately unveiling Takuya's bluff. He'd known the man too long to be fooled by something like that. If ever the man ended a statement with a questioning lift, he was lying or trying to cover for something.

"What's up?" Nobuto asked, taking a bite of rice and egg.

If ever there was a time when honesty between them was essential, now was that time.

"I'm not nervous..." Takuya pouted. "I'm just hungry and eating...and it is better than usual, I think the egg is perfect..." He looked at Nobuto, who didn't look convinced.

"I'm letting you set the boundaries." He stated.

"You're letting me what?" Nobuto asked, his food halfway to his mouth as he paused to lift an eyebrow at Takuya.

"Letting you sit where you want, touch when you want, that kind of thing. Because I don't want to do anything to make you uncomfortable..." He explained.

"Ah, but leaving it all up to me seems to be making you feel uncomfortable and that's no good either." Nobuto said, setting down his food and turning to Takuya. "We should create them together. You know how I am, if you leave it all up to me, nothing will ever get done."

"Isn't that what you want?" Takuya asked softly. "To just go on like we have been?"

Nobuto opened his mouth and then shut it, his forehead creasing in thought. It wasn't that he didn't want things to develop, he was just afraid to lose what they'd had before. The feelings of brotherhood would certainly be complicated by feelings of desire and passion, wouldn't they?

"I . . . don't want our chemistry or bond to change. I'll admit I'm worried about how being intimate will affect our relationship." Nobuto said plainly. "But I want to show I trust you, too. You say you love me and I hope to Kami you don't plan on changing your mind."

"I haven't since I discovered it. . . and being intimate isn't just physical...we've been intimate all our lives...close, shared everything...physical intimacy is just another part of it..."

"I'm . . . not experienced." Nobuto said softly.

"With what?" Takuya asked.

Nobuto fidgeted as he looked at Takuya. "Physical stuff, I've only been with a few people, and . . ."

Would that be okay with Takuya? That he hadn't been with many girls, wouldn't that affect his range of abilities with the older male?

"Physical stuff?" Takuya asked. "Do you mean sex or things like kissing? Because I think you kiss better than anyone I've ever kissed." Not that Takuya was biased or anything.

Nobuto turned a soft shade of pink. "Well, you might be biased about that . . . though I think I can say for certain that . . ."

He lowered his gaze, his smile small. When he looked up again at Takuya, he felt as if he were seeing everything in pastels and sparklies, like he was in some fucking manga or something. It kind of made him sick to his stomach, because fluff was akin to poof, and Nobuto was no poof.

Takuya grinned at him. "What is with you?" He asked. "You're being...strange..." He chuckled. "Just say what you want to say, I won't laugh at it...unless it's meant to be laughed at..."

"I feel strange." Nobuto admitted. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

He gazed at Takuya for a long time, then leaned over and kissed the man's lips quickly. "I think you're the best kisser I've ever kissed too . . ."

There, he'd said it, something that could be really embarrassing had he not been the second to say it instead of the first.

"You know, I've never kissed another guy before today..." Takuya said thoughtfully. "Haven't really kissed many girls..." He added. "So I hope it wasn't awkward..."

Nobuto sputtered, both in protest and disbelief. Takuya hadn't kissed many girls?! Was that even possible. No one could be that good naturally, could they? It just didn't make sense.

"Awkward . . . definitely not. More like . . . really . . . hot." Nobuto finished, flustered in his attempt to explain himself.

"Thanks for your vote of confidence. It's nice to know I'm seen as a slut." He muttered.

"I thought so, too…"

"That's not what I mean. I don't think you're a slut at all . . . but I never thought you inexperienced, man." Nobuto clarified. "At least, not as inexperienced as I am."

His eyes perked up as the last of Takuya's statement replayed in his head. "You really think so?"

"I really do." Takuya nodded. "Kissng is the fastest way to get me worked up, that's one reason I had to stop, because if I had continued kissing much longer, I would have been way beyond the idea of stopping..."

Nobuto smiled. "Well . . . at least I know if I'm ever trying to purposely get you worked up how to do it."

Nobuto finished his remaining food in a few large bites and moved to the sink to begin washing out his dishes. If there was anything Katsuya hated, it was coming home from his mother's to dirty dishes.

Takuya drank his juice. Nobuto wouldn't want to purposely get him worked up. Nobuto was a sentimental type. The type that was close to a lover, but never wanted the sexual connotation of the word to exist.

"Inexperience can become experience...if you let it..."

Nobuto turned to Takuya with a smile. "You're probably right about that."

There was the sinking feeling in his chest that told him that Takuya wanted more from him, that maybe Nobuto might not be able to give the man all he needed. If that were the case, it would be easy for Takuya to grow bored and tired of him avoiding physicality.

As scared as he was, Nobuto might have to push himself to get past it. He didn't want to hold Takuya back from expression his feelings.

Takuya finished his meal and took his dishes to the sink. "If you don't mind washing these for me, I'm going to get a shower..." He said.

"Of course not." Nobuto turned his face to Takuya, leaning forward slightly.

Takuya pecked his lips softly before turning and walking to the bathroom.

He sighed as he adjusted his water for his shower. As he washed, he tried to keep his thoughts on soap and not Nobuto. Kissing Nobuto. The way his skin felt when his thumbs stroked at his sides.

Nobuto scrubbed the dishes thoughtfully, his lips puckered unconsciously as he remembered the feeling of having Takuya's lips against them the first time, and then the second. He'd not expected to become so worked up and unable to forget the feeling. It was as if his lips still tingled and burned with the memory.

Once he'd finished, Nobuto moved quietly to the bathroom and walked in, mostly out of habit and fanned the door a few times to release some of the steam.

"Yo." He called as he pulled his toothbrush and paste from the medicine cabinet and began to brush his teeth.

Takuya rinsed his hair and looked at the shower door. "Yo." He said back, reaching for his face wash. His mind was telling him it wouldn't take much for him to get Nobuto's clothes off right now. He scolded himself, wanting to wash his brain with that soap.

"How much longer are you going to take in there?" Nobuto asked in slurred tones around his toothbrush, poking the shower curtain.

"I just got in here..." Takuya observed. "There's a thing called washing, most of you should try it some time..." He rinsed his face.

"It's not like I don't!" Nobuto pouted, spitting out his toothpaste. He stuck his head around the curtain and sneered at Takuya playfully. "What does take you so long in here though anyway?"

Takuya splashed water at him. "I bathe." He said, rinsing his hair one more time to make sure all the suds were out.

Nobuto wasn't able to duck back into to avoid water in his face and he pouted at Takuya. "Dude, why are you getting me wet? I'm not even in there."

He looked down at his t-shirt, the front of which was now soaked from Takuya's splash and peeled it off with a sigh. He patted his belly, the fact that he ate, drank and smoked too much not painfully obvious, but more obvious than Nobuto would like. But then, he was a rock star, not some pretty boy idol, so he could get away with it.

Takuya shut the water off and reached for his towel. "Are you pregnant or something?" He asked with a serious face. "You rub your abdomen a lot lately..."

"I need to go to a gym." Nobuto stated matter-of-factly.

He wasn't looking for another opinion, just seeing something about himself that he could do better on. Besides, pretty boy idol or not, he did have Takuya to stand up against, and he didn't want him to be disgusted with him.

Nobuto peeled off his boxers and turned to the shower. "Me next, let me try this bathing thing you seem to like so much and see if it works."

"You do -not- need to go to a gym." Takuya corrected. He wrapped his arms around Nobuto's middle from behind. "See? Perfect."

Nobuto paused, unable to move forward. He could smell the scent of Takuya's shampoo in his hair and feel the moistness of his skin. It was if he was trapped in their own special world, and he had no desire to leave. "Sou?" He whispered.

"Yes." Takuya promised, his hand stroking at Nobuto's soft abdomen. He rested his chin on Nobuto's shoulder. He didn't want to let go.

Takuya's hands, before, had always had the ability to soothe him, but Nobuto found himself tensing under Takuya's touch, not because it was unwanted, but because the touch meant something new and different now. There was a level of affection there that Nobuto hadn't been able to experience before.

He turned slowly, wrapping his arms around Takuya's shoulders and leaning his forehead against the older man's. He wished he could show Takuya how much this meant to him, but it was too soon and he knew if he tried now, he'd be forcing something he wasn't ready for yet.

Takuya had felt Nobuto tense up and started to pull his hands away, then Nobuto was facing him, forehead resting against his. Takuya's hands splayed over Nobuto's back and he pressed their lips together.

That was the touch that soothed Nobuto now, the softness of Takuya's lips were enough to chase away doubt. They weren't just best friends anymore. They could be so much more than that.

Nobuto let that kiss linger, his face tilting gently to one side so it could deepen just a little more.

Takuya's arms pulled Nobuto closer, pressing their bodies together as they kissed.

Nobuto could feel the roughness of Takuya's towel against his groin as the man pulled their bodies tight against each other. He was naked, and he realized all too soon what Takuya's kisses might do to him if he let this continue.

Moaning softly, Nobuto tried to break their kiss, but his lips craved Takuya's and it was not easy task. "Taku . . ." He whispered, his voice a soft plea.

Takuya shushed him slightly and continued kissing him for a moment. He pulled away and headed for the sink, his pulse racing and his groin resisting the urge to let that blood flow too fast. He brought down his toothbrush and started scrubbing on his teeth, willing himself to remain cool, to not let his body get ahead of his brain.

Nobuto was also taking deep breaths, shakily getting into the shower and turning the cold on full blast and forcing himself under for a few moments before adding hot water in. Knowing that Takuya was still standing in the same room with him, probably as worked up as he was, made it even more difficult to calm down.

Keeping them both under control was going to be hard, so much harder than he'd thought.

---

CHAPTER Three:

Takuya sat in the living room, wondering if Nobuto was ever going to join him, or stay hidden in his room all day. Takuya was on his computer, browsing for a good movie to watch later, if Nobuto would want to watch one, of course.

He closed the laptop and turned on TV, watching an anime episode of Detective Conan. He wondered why it was on so early in the day, then read the bottom corner of the TV telling him it was a DC Marathon. He snuggled down into the couch and quickly became involved in the tragic murder mystery as Conan-kun himself was trying to escape from the clutches of the Black Organization.

Nobuto was pacing a hole in his floor. He wanted to join Takuya but at the same time, being close to him made him feel out of control. His body and his mind were telling him different things and being alone with him here did nothing to help that.

He's going to think you're avoiding him, you idiot. Just go out there. You're starting to get hungry anyway. He thought, veering from his course to place a hand on the doorknob only to back and way and then finally launch himself through his bedroom door.

Takuya had popped some popcorn and gotten some cola and was now sitting on the floor against the couch with the bowl clutched against him as he slowly chewed popcorn, white puff by white puff. What would ever become of the police officer who was trying to diffuse the bomb?!

Nobuto walked as quietly as he could towards the living room, peering around the corner to find Takuya cross-legged on the floor. He looked quite intense, chewing slowly at the fragrant popcorn in his arm. Taking a quick look at the screen, Nobuto smiled small, and prowled slowly up behind him. Waiting for the opportune moment, he jumped onto Takuya, sending the popcorn flying everywhere. "Banzaaai!"

Takuya screamed and yelled and flailed. Then dissolved into laughter. "Nande!"

Nobuto grinned like a school boy and plopped down next to Takuya, immediately moving to pick the popcorn up and place it back in the bowl, it was all ruined anyway.

"You looked so intense." Nobuto explained. "You looked like you would explode out of your skin at any moment so I thought I'd ease your tension a little."

Nobuto pecked Takuya's cheek shyly. "Ohayou . . . or is it konnichiwa now?"

"Ohayou still..." Takuya smiled.

"Ah, I was just about to see if the police got blown up by this bomb..." Takuya explained, helping Nobuto pick up the popcorn.

"Then watch, I don't want you to miss it. I'll clean this." Nobuto pointed at the screen. "Hayaku, before the commercials end."

He smiled and continued picking up the corn, making sure to get as much as he could. He was sure he'd have to run the vacuum cleaner over it, but for now, this would have to suffice. He didn't want to bother Takuya too much. He knew how much the guy loved his Conan.

Takuya turned the tv off. "I have all of them on DVD." He shrugged. "I've already seen it." He smiled.

Nobuto puffed out his cheeks at Takuya and finished cleaning, then set the bowl aside. He rested his head on Takuya's shoulder and sighed. "Jaa, dousuru?"

"Sou da na..." Takuya mused. "What do you want to do?"

Nobuto stretched his legs out alongside Takuya's a sighed. "I don't know, we can go play soccer or we can just hang out here all day, whatever is fine with me."

Nobuto looked out the window, smiling. "However . . . it is really nice outside today, we should take advantage of it."

"Soccer sounds fun." Takuya nodded. He took a long look at Nobuto and smiled small. "Whatever you want to do it great with me."

"I wanna play." Nobuto rubbed his hands together. "I wanna play soccer and whip your ass at it."

He cackled. There was one thing he had no intention of changing even now that he was only a few days into their romantic relationship, and that was their competitiveness with each other. No matter what the sport, neither of them liked losing to the other. Of course, neither of them took a loss all that seriously, they only saw it as an opportunity to wipe the floor with the other the next time.

"Ha. I won last time, don't think you can beat me again." Takuya said confidently. "You can try to whip my ass at it but I'll get yours before you get mine." The oldest assured, mimicking Nobuto and rubbing his hands together, narrowing his eyes to tiny slits. "Oh, I will win."

"How much you wanna bet I will?" Nobuto retorted, his eyes narrowing too. "Name your price."

"One month of dinner." Takuya smiled evilly. "I win, you take me."

"And if I win?" Nobuto answered back, hardly flinching. He took his betting seriously, and if this was the price, he'd pay it.

"I'd take you of course. Loser treats." Takuya was a betting person, but not as far as losing all his money betting. He was determined to win. So he only took part in bets he could win at.

"You're on. You're going to be buying me dinner for a month, just watch." Nobuto stood to his feet, squaring off against Takuya.

"Now . . ." he said, as if about to announce something incredibly important. "Where is our soccer ball?"

Takuya grinned. "Probably under my bed like always." He laughed, getting up to go find it.

"I'm going to get a snack." Nobuto replied, shuffling towards the kitchen and pulling out stuff to make a fast sandwich, his stomach gurgling at him like an overgrown and underfed bear. He never would understand where he got the ridiculous appetite.

Takuya frowned when he realized the ball was way up under the bed. He crawled up under it and while he was down there, he found his old journal. It was just bright enough to read under there, so he opened it up and read a little, completely forgetting about the soccer ball, his legs sticking out from under the bed.

Nobuto munched on the sandwich in the kitchen, checking the clock and frowning in confusement. Why hadn't Takuya come back yet?

He swallowed the last bite of his first sandwich and hefted the second into his hand before heading back to towards his boyfriend's room.

"Taccha?" Nobuto called, poking his head into the man's bedroom, eyeing the legs sticking out from under the bed with an amused expression. "What in the world . . .?"

"Hm?" Takuya asked, lifting his head up, hitting the bar under the bead. "Ittetete..." He whimpered, his hand gripping his head.

Nobuto crouched low, sandwich still in tow, a bite being masticated in a slow thoughtful manner. "You okay?" He asked, laying on his stomach and stuffing the rest of the sandwich into his mouth and he crawled under with Takuya. Afterall, he didn't want his 'snack' to get all dusty.

He reached out and moved Takuya's hand, rubbing the spot gently. "You okay, man?"

"I got distracted under here and was reading my old journal i found. . . hit my head... I'm ok..." He put his hand over Nobuto's. "Are... Are you eating again? We just ate!"

"You ate. Popcorn. I knocked it all over the floor." Nobuto reminded Takuya.

"Yeah but you smell like sandwich and thats a lot heavier than fluffy popcorn..." Takuya stated.

"I got a snack?" Nobuto tried to explain. "Just a few sandwiches, that's all."

Takuya grinned and pulled him close, pecking his lips. "A few...I'm sure you just had one..."

Nobuto giggled nervously and nodded apprehensively. "Sure . . ." He kissed Takuya again. "It's too close under here." He said, taking a shallow breath of the dusty air. "How can you read here?"

Takuya thought for a moment. "I used to all the time when I was a teenager, this is where I'd write in my journal, that's why its here..."

"I never knew that . . ." Nobuto peered at the small black folder and scooted closer, smelling Takuya's scent mixed with the stale dusty air and finding it much improved with Takuya's smell added to it.

"How old is that one?" He asked.

"Two years old." Takuya stated, nuzzling Nobuto's face. "I love you..."

Nobuto nuzzled back without hesitation, stealing a small breath and letting it catch in his throat as their lips brushed together lightly. "Do you talk about me?" He asked in a soft whisper, his eyes closed as their faces rubbed against each other.

"In the journal or any time?" Takuya asked, sealing their lips a little more firmly.

"Journal . . ." Nobuto whispered into Takuya's lips, scooting as close as he could to the man, ignoring their surroundings in favor of their proximity. It didn't matter if they were at the peak of an erupting volcano if their lips were in contact with each other.

"Every word..." He whispered, his hand squeezing between Nobuto's back and the bed above them as he kissed him a little more.

Nobuto shivered at that, rolling to his side slightly so that it would be easier to get closer. Damn, it was hot under here, hot and close and . . . really, really hot.

Nobuto's thoughts weren't even making sense anymore and they'd barely been kissing for a few seconds.

Takuya let his tongue caress Nobuto's and his hand slide down to the lower part of Nobuto's back, rubbing in slow tight circles. He was losing himself, but telling himself to stop. At least there was not much room under the bed for anything too crazy.

Nobuto snaked a hand around Takuya's neck, pressing his palm to the back of it as his fingers dug into the hair at the base of the man's scalp. He let out a soft sigh and dragged his tongue lightly over the older man's loving the intensity of the man's touch.

The heat became even more stifling and Nobuto was beginning to pant, but he wanted Takuya's lips so badly.

Takuya's hand slipped a little lower, now messing with the waist of Nobuto's jeans. He was panting back, letting out a small grunt as he felt Nobuto's tongue drag over his.

Nobuto inhaled sharply has Takuya's hand wandered lower. But there couldn't be too much the man could to do him under here, right?

Faintness joined the stifling heat. "Tell me . . ." he whispered, tugging at Takuya's bottom lip. "Tell me . . . some of the things you wrote . . ."

"I'm showing you..." He whispered back, his hand fully feeling the curve of Nobuto's ass.

Nobuto let out a small gasp and bit his lip. "Showing . . .?"

Was it too late to pull back, to get out from under this bed and stop it all now? Was it too late to tell Takuya to slow down?

Was he just fooling himself? He would be a liar if he didn't admit to being curious to what love from Takuya would feel like. That level of intimacy . . . there was no turning back from that.

He groaned softly and held still, his lips hovering lightly over Takuya's. "Atsui . . ." he panted.

Takuya slid his hand back up, under Nobuto's shirt, feeling the warmth of his back. "Showing..." Takuya said with certainty.

"Atsui?" He asked. He pulled Nobuto's shirt up a little. "Better?"

A bit of cool air met Nobuto's back and he nodded softly, but he knew that it wouldn't last long if they stayed under there.

"You taste like popcorn." He whispered, smiling small.

"You taste like cheese..."

"You make it sound so sexy." Nobuto smirked. "Sorry."

"Do I? Why are you sorry?"

"Cause I taste like cheese? Is that gross?" Nobuto wondered aloud.

"No, I think cheese tastes best with you." Takuya said. "I like the way you taste." He whispered. "I love it. I love everything about you..."

"Sou?" Nobuto replied, squirming a little. "Sorry . . . it's really hot under here. If we're going to make out, can we at least do it on top of the bed?"

"Where it would be easier for me to attack you?" Takuya thought aloud.

"I'll take my chances, I'm dying under here." Nobuto replied, really wanting out from under the bed. He was starting to feel really boxed in, and though he had a measure of safety here, nothing was really safe about dying from lack of proper oxygen.

Takuya kissed him again and slid out from under the bed, pulling at Nobuto's legs to pull him out from under there too. When Nobuto was out and looking at him, Takuya froze. Their current position, Takuya on his knees between Nobuto's legs, was a little brain breaking.

Nobuto was on his back, staring up at Takuya's face, captured by an expression he'd never seen before. The man looked about ready to . . . Nobuto wasn't sure.

He hardly dared to breathe under the man's gaze, could only look back up, completely paralyzed and enthralled by Takuya's stare. "Taku . . .?" He said softly, lifting his knees and raising up to his elbows.

Takuya leaned down to kiss him again, nestling between Nobuto's legs, rubbing slightly. He was gone, far gone.

The friction took Nobuto by surprise, but he hardly had the room to protest. Takuya's lips were on his again and that totally blew his mind to smithereens.

His hands gripped Takuya's forearms as his vision swam and his eyes slid shut, his physical urges slowly shutting down all the functions in his brain that were telling him that this was a very bad idea, that he couldn't and shouldn't let this happen.

And one part of him was saying fuck it. If his body responded to it so easily, he wanted it more than he was willing to let himself admit.

Takuya's hands moved, sliding over Nobuto's covered legs as he pressed a little closer. He disengaged his lips and sighed. "Should stop..." He murmured, letting his lips latch onto Nobuto's neck.

"Nn . . ." Nobuto moaned in a low voice, his head falling back slightly as Takuya's lips found sensitive skin. "Should . . ." He replied in return. "Should . . . but . . ."

It felt good, to be close to Takuya this way, to feel connected on this level. He was a grown man, he'd been in love with Takuya from the moment he could understand what those tumultuous feelings meant. He'd waited practically his whole life for this? So why was he balking?

Takuya slid his hand up, between them, playing with the button on Nobuto's jeans. "...but what?" He whispered, his hand sliding over Nobuto's crotch, a low moan bubbling from his lips.

Nobuto, hardly able to control it, keened, arching into Takuya's hand. Was this even fair play? Even without prior experience Nobuto was sure that Takuya would know all the best ways to please him.

"Can't . . ." He said in a voice a little higher pitched than he'd like. "Can't . . ." He gasped, his lips hungrily seeking Takuya's. "Can't stop . . ."

Takuya's hand was inside Nobuto's jeans in a matter of minutes, palming and stroking. "Kimochii?" He whispered.

Deep shudders racked Nobuto's body, he could hardly keep his arms from shaking, even though he was supporting himself on his elbows.

He let himself fall back to the ground, his mouth gaping as he struggled to breathe and keep his mind from completely leaving him. It was hard. He was hard. So hard.

"Ki-kimochii . . ." Nobuto groaned, his voice a practical growl in his throat. His face was flushed, his hair sticking to his forehead. How was it suddenly hotter out here than it had been under the bed?

Takuya's fingers wrapped around him firmly, stroking him hard and long. "Amazing..."

Nobuto could only moan in response, completely helpless beneath Takuya's touch. This wasn't what he'd been expecting when he came in here, somehow this was much, much better.

He wanted to touch back, wanted to be functional to touch back. His hands ran themselves over the man's chest and peeked shyly beneath his shirt, running over the tight musculature. "Sugee . . ."

Takuya's lips pressed against his neck, sucking and nibbling and devouring, leaving little red marks. Takuya pulled his shirt off and pulled at Nobuto's as well.

Nobuto whimpered as Takuya's lean torso came into view, his fingertips immediately moving to run over his chest, to graze the dark nipples, to slide along his collar bone.

At the man's urging, he sat up and shed his shirt as well. What did he care if it went further now? It felt too good to argue, and he knew Takuya wanted it so much. He'd seen it in his eyes every time they talked about being physical, the way he tried to act so nonchalant about it, he knew that Takuya was more aggressively for them breaking that barrier than he let on.

He would do anything to make the man, his best friend and now lover, happy. The more Takuya touched him, kissed him, loved him, the more he realized he did want this.

Takuya sighed against him and kissed along his neck, letting his tongue slide down over a collarbone and across a pectoral, his lips teasing at a nipple. "Sugee..." Takuya whispered, licking around the nipple and never over it. Takuya continued stroking Nobuto's length, squeezing and slow. He pulled away to slide Nobuto's jeans down.

Nobuto grit his teeth in frustration over Takuya's teasing tongue and slow hand. He meant to undo him, everything in him until he was begging for this. Nobuto wasn't sure he'd be able to hold much longer before he was doing just that.

More clothes were coming off, Takuya's boundaries were dissolving the longer Nobuto waited to see just how much farther he'd let the man push it before he got even a little uncomfortable.

"Taku . . ." Nobuto whimpered, biting his lip as he was watched the man begin to tug at the legs of his jeans.

Takuya rubbed his own crotch a little to keep himself calm before sliding over to his nightstand and pulling out a tiny packet. "Daijoubu?" He asked, moving back between Nobuto's knees and opening the packet, letting clear gooey liq