Oikakeru Yume

Author’s Note: FINALLY!!! You asked for it… you got it, people; the chapter of heavy breathing you’ve been clamoring for. Lemony goodness to the nth degree in this one. Enjoy! Warning: we will be getting back to PLOT after this brief interlude. (Well, plot AND more lemons, anyway…) Props out to Laurel K. Hamilton and Asher for allowing Hide to “borrow” a particular characteristic. Please don’t sue me… I own nothing you’d want.


October


“Have you ever been in a relationship before,” Hide asked out of the blue one day, as they were sitting in front of the television, watching a serial drama about… relationships.

Taki lifted an eyebrow at the vampire’s question before replying, “I had a girlfriend in high school, but it didn’t last.”

“Why not? What happened?”

Shifting around on his seat so that he was facing Hide, Taki’s features were pensive. “Well… she found out I sort of liked someone else.”

“Another girl?”

Deep brown eyes bored into blue-green ones, as Taki searched his brain for the right words. “Not exactly.” The teal eyes widened in surprise as Taki continued. “It was her older brother. I can’t remember exactly how she found out, but she did. And, boy, she was pissed.”

“Did he like you too?”

“Oh, no. I don’t think she could bring herself to tell him and I certainly wasn’t going to.”

“So you never found out?”

“I couldn’t.”

“Why not? You liked him.”

“Yeah… and I was 17-year’s-old at the time. I saw some of my guy friends liking other guys and never thought anything of it. I’d always liked girls, until Yosh came along. That threw me. It really messed with my mind. I didn’t know what to think.”

The television program progressed into a love scene and Hide turned to watch the drama unfold, raptly. When a commercial came on, he turned back to Taki.

“Have you…”

Taki chuckled, shaking his head in anticipation of Hide’s question. “I was sixteen. She was a girl from the neighborhood, a little older than me.”

“Have you ever… with a guy…” Hide couldn’t imagine what possessed him to be asking such personal questions of Taki, but the younger man seemed to be taking the interrogation all in stride, though this most recent question caused his eyes to go wide, staring at Hide as though he were insane.

After a moment’s hesitation, Taki said, “Yeah. I was in Roppongi with a bunch of friends one night. We’d gone out to celebrate another guy’s nineteenth birthday, which just happened to fall a few days after mine, so it was sort of a party for both of us. We were so damn drunk. I was thinking it was time to get out of there when I saw this guy sitting at the opposite end of the bar from us. I remember thinking he looked pretty damn hot.” Taki shifted in his seat again before continuing his story. “He sent a drink over and my friends went nuts. I was amazed we didn’t get our asses thrown out of there right that minute. Anyway, the guy bought me a drink in return, so I called him over. We just sat and talked for a little while. He seemed cool. I was wasted… totally out of my mind. I remember I kept staring at his mouth, he had the greatest lips, and I kept wondering what it would feel like to kiss them. Long story short, I wound up going back to his place.”

Hide’s eyes were the size of saucers as he listened to Taki recount the night. “Did you know what you were doing?”

“Kind of. I WAS drunk, but I knew I REALLY wanted to do this guy. It worked out great for me ‘cause he was a bottom. He’d gone to that bar specifically looking for someone to do him.”

“Bottom…” Hide repeated.

Taki grinned, again. “You don’t even know THAT?”

Hide shook his head and Taki burst into laughter. “Dude…” he sighed. “There are two basic types of people in any kind of physical relationship. There are tops and there are bottoms. The top is usually the one with the more dominant personality. They make all the moves and they do the taking. The bottoms are the ones who are taken.”

At Hide’s blank stare, Taki tried to simplify his explanation further, using visual aids. “Top…” he said, throwing himself across the sofa in a “top” position. “And bottom…” he continued, flipping over, onto his back. Sitting back up again, he gestured to Hide. “Get it?”

Recognition lit in Hide’s eyes, just before he nearly visibly blushed. “So, you’re a top?”

“I was that time.”

Hide cocked his head, trying to understand. “You’ve been a bottom, too?”

“Not often, but it HAS happened.”

“And you prefer…”

“Top.” Taki didn’t even have to pause to think, his answer was instantaneous.

“So, the guy at the bar… you took him?”

The conversation was starting to make Taki sweat, perspiration beading on his forehead like he’d just run five kilometers. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, again. “Well, yeah. But I’d never actually been with a guy before so it was kind of awkward. He had to show me how to do things.”

“What things?”

“You’re killing me, dude.”

Hide ducked his head, embarrassed. “I’m sorry. This is none of my business. Forget I even asked.”

Taki studied him and came to the conclusion that Hide was just as fidgety with their discussion as he was, but something about Hide’s curiosity prompted Taki to keep talking. “He showed me how to get a guy ready, with lube, you know. Guys aren’t like girls. We don’t produce our own fluids for this stuff. So he showed me how to lube and stretch a guy.” Seeing Hide’s look of confusion, he went on. “Guys aren’t like girls,” he repeated. “You can’t just shove yourself in and go from there. You’ll really mess the guy you’re doing up if you do that. You’ve got to stretch him until he can fit you. Of course, if you do it right, THAT can be almost as mind-blowing as the sex.”

There was a slight tremble to Hide’s hand as he reached up to brush some hair from his eyes, but Taki pretended not to notice.

“Once he’s stretched properly, you can put yourself in, but you still have to be careful, because our plumbing is way different from a girl’s. But, there’s this one spot. Oh, man. If you hit it just right…” Taki leaned toward Hide, until he was practically whispering in Hide’s ear. “If you hit that spot just right… I swear; you’ll discover the meaning of life!”

The topic, coupled with Taki’s hot breath on his neck proved to be too much for Hide as he rushed to the kitchen to pour himself another drink, leaving Taki sprawled out on the sofa, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Several minutes passed before Hide finally made his reappearance. Setting his glass on the table with shaky hands, he sat, trying to calm himself. When enough time had passed, he got up the nerve to ask if Taki had a preference. ”Guys or girls?”

Shaking his head, Taki answered simply, “It’s a totally different sensation… fucking a guy as opposed to a girl. Unless the girl’s a virgin or has had a lot of experience, they’re just not as tight as a guy. But girls are a hell of a lot softer and some of them know how to DO things.” Taki’s eyes rolled skyward. “Depends on what you’re into, I suppose.” Pausing to reflect, Taki added, “I guess what I’m trying to say is I like them both. Why? What are you getting at?”

“Oh, nothing,” Hide answered, embarrassed.

“What about you?”

“What ABOUT me?”

“Come on, Hide. You just had me spill my guts about my sex life. Unless you’re just a hentai bastard, which is something I seriously can’t picture, you must have had a reason for wanting to know. Fair’s fair, dude. I told you about MY experiences… what about you?”

Hide was silent.

“Come on, dude,” Taki goaded him with a playful elbow to the ribs.

Moving away, Hide remained silent.

“Hey, Hide… come on. You don’t mean to tell me you’re…”

Without answering, Hide spun away, rushing up the hall to lock himself in his bathroom. Sinking into a crouch, his back against the door, he held his head in his hands. “What the hell was I thinking,” he lamented.

In the living room a startled Taki stood staring after Hide’s hasty departure, the truth settling over him like the morning mist. As realization dawned, his smile grew.

There are few things scarier than a psychopath with a goal…

… And Taki had a plan.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The thirteenth of October rolled in much like any other day, with only one small difference. By the time Hide made it to the kitchen, Taki had already finished preparing breakfast for the two of them and was busy setting it up in the dining room. Noticing Hide standing in the doorway, startled, Taki grinned and said, “I was hoping you’d sleep in a little longer, since it’s your birthday and all. I was going to call you when I was done getting everything ready.”

Hide just stood there, like a piece of sculpture, his lower jaw dropping a millimeter every few seconds.

Bustling Hide over to his seat like a mother hen, Taki started shoving food in front of him. With a wink and a nudge, he joked, “You can close your mouth now, you know.”

“You made this?” Hide asked, still trying to comprehend what was happening.

“I didn’t see any other help while I was in the kitchen, unless you hired someone without telling me,” was Taki’s laughing response. “You’ll figure that out once you eat it, ‘cause we might both wind up dead.”

“Huh?”

“I don’t cook, dude. You must have noticed that by now. I go out, I order take out and I eat other people’s stuff, but I DO NOT COOK.”

“Then, why…”

“’Cause it’s your BIRTHDAY, dude. I figured it’s the least I could do, since you’re always making all this fancy stuff for me to eat.”

Hide was speechless and Taki couldn’t have been happier. It was a good gift, he thought, giving himself a congratulatory pat on the back for thinking of it.

Studying the wide assortment of food in front of him, Hide smiled. Taki had gone cosmopolitan for this meal. There were waffles with chocolate chips, whipped cream and syrup, breakfast sausages, as well as toast. The butter even had grated orange rind mixed in with it. Slices of apples and orange wedges sat on another tray. A heaping plate of scrambled eggs and white rice awaited him and Taki had his usual mess of eggs sunny-side-up. Dry cereal and soy milk were also on the table, as were glasses of orange juice and steaming hot mugs of coffee. Noticing the second mug sitting next to his coffee, he picked it up, peering inside, curiously. It was his maguro blend.

“You always seem so self-conscious about drinking that, so I thought maybe if I disguised it as just something else on the table, it wouldn’t bother you so much,” Taki explained. “Then you would be able to enjoy breakfast more.”

It was almost too much, as Hide struggled for something to say. Patting him on the shoulder, Taki grinned again. “You’re welcome,” he murmured, nodding, “Now… eat.”

Taking a forkful of the steaming eggs, he popped them in his mouth as Taki waited breathlessly, hovering over his shoulder. He could taste onion, a little cream cheese and… garlic salt. He nearly choked, as he started to laugh before he had a chance to swallow the concoction. At least now he knew what that strange smell had been.

“Aw shit, it’s that bad…” Taki asked, crestfallen.

Hide shook his head, his laughter making it hard to speak. When he’d finally gathered his composure, Hide blurted out, “As you love to remind me, it’s a good thing I don’t react to things like ‘normal’ vampires do, or those just might have been the most lethal scrambled eggs I’d ever eaten.”

“What are you talking about,” Taki demanded.

Taking another forkful of the food, he held it up for Taki to taste. “Yeah, they’re eggs with cream cheese and…” His eyes widened in realization. “Oh shit! I made them the way I like them! Oh, dude… are you okay?”

Laughing harder than ever, Hide nodded. “I’m fine. I’m just going to need several packs of breath mints after this.” Noting Taki’s hesitation he added, “They’re delicious. Thank you.”

Taki wouldn’t even let him help with the dishes after breakfast had been eaten. With a fervent wave of his hand, the younger man shooed the vampire out of the kitchen. “Watch television, read a book, mess with the computer, go feed your koi. Just go.”

It had been a while since he’d been able to spend a decent length of time in his garden, so Taki’s idea was a welcomed one. Taki watched as Hide walked toward the back of the house, smiling to himself.

Once the dishes were cleaned and put away, he followed Hide out, tracing the other man’s path to find him standing on the little bridge, leaning over a rail, idly tossing crumbs to the koi swirling in the waters beneath. It was only then that he noticed that Hide had done his hair in a braid. Touching the brilliant red plait lightly, Taki remarked, “I like your hair like this. It makes you look a lot like Aya for some reason. Except for the eyes. His eyes were violet.”

Hide started at the touch, as he asked, “Who?”

“You know… Fujimiya Aya. Weiß Kreuz. Second season. Glühen. You really DON’T watch anime, do you?”

Hide shrugged.

Obviously he didn’t know what Taki was talking about, so Taki snorted derisively and dropped the subject.

They stayed in the garden for a good part of the morning, plucking weeds and clearing leaves off the paths, stopping now and then to breathe in the fresh air and really appreciate their surroundings. Once it started getting hot, though, Taki made for the sanctity of the house with Hide following close behind.

Taking a beer from the refrigerator, Taki got a raised eyebrow from Hide. “Oh, don’t give me that, dude. I’m hot and it’s a special occasion, which is why you’re getting some of this.” He took two iced glasses from the freezer, splitting the bottle of amber liquid between them. “Hey,” he snapped as Hide was just about to raise his glass to his lips. Stopping in midair, Hide didn’t know what he’d done wrong; until Taki raised his glass and clinked it against the vampire’s. “Happy Birthday, dude.”

Hide murmured, “Thanks,” as he took a drink.

“Okay… living room,” Taki said, steering the other man into the next room. Pushing Hide into a sofa, he commanded, “Sit.”

Hide did as he was told, smiling, though a bit apprehensively.

Taki threw himself heavily onto the other sofa. Reaching under his seat he pulled out several colorfully wrapped packages. “Time for gifts,” Taki gushed, his enthusiasm bubbling over like a little boy’s. “I didn’t really know what to get you. I hope you like these.”

Accepting the first gift handed to him; Hide slowly unwrapped it, sliding the ribbon off and pulling the tape back. In the package he found a set of DVDs. It was collection of Akira Kurosawa movies.

“You’re always saying you like his stuff when we see it on television, so I thought, this way you can watch them anytime you want.”

“It’s a great gift. Thank you so much, Taki,” Hide smiled.

The second gift was a sweater they’d seen in Shibuya on one of their shopping trips. Taki had noticed Hide admiring it in a window and had gone back on his lunch hour the following day to get it. It was merino wool dyed teal, almost the exact same color as Hide’s eyes. Taki knew it would look amazing on the older man so he just HAD to get it.

“Oh, Taki… the sweater. How did you know?”

“Pure genius.”

The third and final box was the most ornately wrapped of all. Because of that, he took extra special care in unwrapping it. Finally freeing it of its printed paper confines, he gasped when he turned the item over in his had and realized it was a very old collection of haiku by Issa. “Taki,” he gasped.

“I kind of used the card for that one, but I promise to pay the bill when it comes in,” Taki admitted, sheepishly.

“You shouldn’t have, Taki.”

The younger man defended his gift. “You wanted some of his stuff. I know you did. When I found this on the Internet I just knew you had to have it. So I got it.”

“It’s too much.”

Taki continued to shake his head. “No, it isn’t. Not after everything you’ve done for me.”

“Taki…”

“Just say ‘thank you’ and quit arguing with me, okay?”

Defeated, Hide complied, “Thank you, Taki. I love it.”

“That’s better. Happy Birthday, Hide.”

They spent the rest of the afternoon reclining on the sofas watching an Akira Kurosawa movie marathon; “Shinchin no Samurai” followed by “Kagemusha” followed by “Ran”, pausing every so often to run into the kitchen for more beer and junk food. Hide had just put the DVD for “Ran” in the player when a loud rumbling sound startled him. Turning around he discovered Taki looking at him, apprehensively.

“As much as I’m loving this whole home theater thing we’ve got going here, I think I need some REAL food, dude.” The rumbling noise had been Taki’s stomach, complaining about the lack of real sustenance.

“Oh Taki! I’m sorry! I was having such a good time that I never even bothered to look at the clock. I’ll make us something…” Taki’s hand around his arm stopped him.

“What are you… whacked? YOU’RE not making anything.”

“But you’re hungry. Were YOU going to make…”

“Hell, no! It’s your birthday, dude. We’re going out for dinner.”

“We are?”

“Oh, yeah. You didn’t expect me to be cooking you TWO meals, did you? Dude, get a grip. One meal a YEAR is my limit. Two in one day? Nuh uh!”

Hide chuckled. “So, where are we going?”

“Well, you never even gave me a hint as to what you wanted for dinner, so I just made a reservation at a place I go with my Mom sometimes.” Taki had interesting taste in restaurants, so Hide was VERY curious to see where they would wind up.

It was an Italian restaurant in Odaiba, brimming with young people. Hide chuckled to himself, trying to imagine Chieko hanging out here with her son and thinking she probably fit right in.

The food was delicious, a vegetable lasagna for Hide and spaghetti with meatballs for Taki. And, of course, everything arrived slathered in garlic. Hide had started laughing from the moment they stepped out of the taxi, and he continued to laugh throughout their meal. After getting over his embarrassment for inundating Hide with garlic for the second time in the same day, Taki apologized, profusely.

“Taki, stop,” Hide pleaded, merrily. “I’m just teasing you. Garlic doesn’t bother me and, after today, I think I’m developing a taste for it.” Raising his wine glass, he proposed a toast. Taki raised his own glass obligingly. “To friendship,” Hide said, touching his glass to Taki’s.

Their eyes met and held over the sparkling red of the wine, as it reflected the candlelight from their table.

The waiter returned moments later, asking if they would be interested in seeing the dessert menu.

“No, thanks… we have something waiting at home,” Taki answered, to which the waiter nodded, walking back to his station to prepare the check. Once he’d dropped it on the table, Taki snatched it out of Hide’s already reaching fingers. “Dude… you really don’t GET this whole birthday thing, do you?”

Melancholy filled Hide’s eyes as Taki kicked himself. Things had been going so well, right up until the moment he’d stuck his foot in his big mouth.

“I’ve never actually celebrated my birthday before. It’s not exactly a day anyone has ever wanted to celebrate.” Hide admitted.

“Well, that shit’s over.” Taki responded, softly. “I, for one, am damn happy you were born.”

Once they’d left the restaurant, they walked along the crowded street, stealing glances at each other every once in a while. Hundreds of young people crammed onto the main street of the man-made city, it was a simple matter for them to fall in with the crowd. Just two young men out for the evening… like everyone else. In all of his isolated life, Hide had never known what it was like to be part of a group. But these past few months, knowing Taki, he was almost able to convince himself that he was just a regular person. The sensation made him dizzy, euphoric.

Grabbing Hide’s arm, Taki shouted above the crowd, “It’s getting late. There’s still some time left in your birthday and we have a cake to get to.”

Taki wasn’t about to wait around for a response as Hide allowed the younger man to steer him through the crowd and into a waiting taxi.

Back at home, Taki brought a large box out from the refrigerator, setting it down on the counter in front of Hide. “Open it,” he prompted.

Flipping back the lid, Hide could only gawk. “Wow,” he commented, staring down at the beautifully decorated confection.

“Mom made it for you. She sent it up by taxi this morning, when you were in the garden. She made me promise to tell you that she sends her love and wishes she could be here, but Dad is home and, well, you know how that goes.”

“Be sure to thank her for me and I’ll do it myself, next time I get to talk to her.” Hide plucked a purple flower from the top, popping it in his mouth and earning himself a startled, “Hey!” He smiled, as the sweet cream icing melted against his tongue. “Mmm.”

“Damn it; wait until I cut the thing before you start massacring it!” Taki scolded, indignantly.

Generous portions of cake were placed on plates as heaping scoops of ice cream soon joined them. Then, the two men took their treats into the living room to collapse in front of the television.

Taki could feel Hide’s eyes burning into the back of his neck, but he fought the urge to turn around, afraid of what might happen if he did. He still had plans for the evening, and they hadn’t even gotten started yet.

Once the plates of cake and ice cream had been eaten clean, he took them into the kitchen as Hide picked up his new book and headed up the hall. Taki took his time in the kitchen before placing the dishes back in their cabinet and heading up the hall himself. There was a single beam of light shining out at the end of the hall, Hide’s study. Taki stopped at his own room, but only long enough to duck inside and grab a bottle from his bathroom, tucking it safely into his back pocket. Then he continued up the hall until he reached the brightly illuminated room.

As Hide lovingly placed Taki’s gift on a shelf, a sound in the doorway caught his attention. It was Taki.

“So, did you get everything you wanted for your birthday,” Taki asked, stepping through the door, an evil glint in his eye.

Smiling bravely, Hide replied, “Almost.” The look Taki was giving him made his entire body quiver like the string of a bow.

A dark eyebrow arched upward as Taki moved forward, trapping Hide against the bookshelf, “Oh really… you mean there was still something else you wanted that you DIDN’T get? And what was THAT?”

Hide pondered over the question for a time, finding it difficult to think while Taki was standing so close. With an involuntary shudder, he shook his head, “It’s nothing.”

Taki watched him in silence for a long while, before taking a step back, opening his arms and answering, “I don’t care what you might have heard about me but… I am far from ‘nothing’.”

It only took Hide a second to realize what Taki meant… what the younger man was offering. The vampire had gone over the argument in his head a million times, but now, when faced with the reality of the situation… not a single reason to hesitate came to him. Launching himself into Taki’s embrace, he crushed his lips against the younger man’s. Minutes later Taki pulled away, breathlessly. “You mean to tell me you’ve never done this before. With ANYONE?” Hide shook his head, suddenly shy. Taki chuckled, “Phew, now THAT’S something. I’m pretty sure you’re the world’s only 138-year-old virgin.”

“It’s not like I had the opportunity. Remember, to most of this country, I’m a freak of nature.”

Taki hugged the shivering lanky body closer, “That may be… but you’re MY freak of nature. And if you hadn’t noticed, I’m not exactly what too many people would consider to be normal, either.”

“Two of a kind, huh?” whispered Hide.

“Yeah,” Taki smiled as the warmth of his hands slid beneath Hide’s silk shirt, gliding up the vampire’s rib cage and circling around his back to meet between his shoulder blades. Hide whimpered as his head fell back, lightheaded from the flood of feelings overwhelming his senses. Taking the opportunity Hide’s response offered him, Taki ran his tongue up one side of Hide’s throat, pausing to nip at the earlobe before repeating the action on the other side of the vampire’s neck. Hide felt his teeth elongate instantaneously and he tried to pull away. Taki held him fast, placing one finger over Hide’s lips before covering them with his own. His tongue delved into Hide’s mouth, searching out the fangs and gliding sensuously over them, careful to keep from getting caught on them. “Made for each other,” he murmured into the other man’s mouth, as he started pushing the material of Hide’s shirt up in an attempt to get it off his body. Hide complied, breaking their kiss to remove the garment and drop it onto the floor. His porcelain-like appearance made Taki catch his breath. “So beautiful,” the younger man mused, as he wrapped one hand around the thin waist and touched his lips to one white shoulder. Hide gasped at the smooth warmth of Taki’s skin against his.

Tugging the long red hair out of its plait, Taki let it run through his fingers like silk, using the curled ends to torture its owner. The titian waterfall blanketed most of Hide’s upper body, until Taki swept it back over Hide’s shoulders, just keeping the few strands he was using to lightly dust over Hide’s hardened nipples. The light pink peaks were rock hard from Taki’s attention and just when Hide thought he couldn’t take any more, Taki closed his mouth over one sensitive nub and bit down. The shout of ecstasy escaped Hide’s throat before he realized it had come from him, his body leaning heavily against Taki’s.

Taki’s hands were everywhere, touching every inch of flesh on Hide’s body. He circled the older man, placing feather-light kisses everywhere his hands touched, throat, shoulder, chest, back. Hide swayed, finding it nearly impossible to remain upright as Taki lavished attention on him. Sensing this, Taki turned them, leaning Hide against the wall of his study. Then Taki sank to his knees; deft fingers working the belt out of the way and setting about freeing Hide from the confinement of his pants. A button and a zipper later, Taki slid Hide’s pants and boxers to the floor, where the vampire carelessly kicked them to the side. A straining erection greeted him as Taki smiled, running the pad of a thumb over the glistening head. Hide’s body jumped at the sensation.

The warmth of a hand surrounding his staff took Hide by surprise; as was the molten heat of the mouth that followed. “Don’t…” Hide moaned, trying to push Taki away, unsuccessfully. Hide’s head fell back against the wall with a thump, his legs threatening to give way as Taki licked and suckled him, tongue rolling around Hide’s shaft salaciously. Strong hands grasped his buttocks, pulling him further down Taki’s throat and Hide’s brain ceased all rational function. He wasn’t used to being worshipped and that was exactly what Taki was doing. “Taki,” he moaned, his hands scrabbling at the younger man’s shirt, looking for purchase as his knees bowed out, sliding him further down the wall and further into Taki’s waiting mouth. Taki’s lips curved into a smile around Hide’s shaft, as the older man’s legs began to tremble. Taki’s tempo increased, as he wrapped a hand around Hide’s sacs, giving them a squeeze, sending Hide into orbit with a guttural cry. Milky white threads poured down Taki’s throat as the younger man made a point of swallowing every precious drop, catching Hide in his arms as the vampire crumpled to the ground; his legs finally too weak to hold him up any longer.

“It’s okay,” Taki whispered, stroking Hide’s hair as the older man whimpered, shuddering intensely in the aftermath. Sweeping an arm under the other man’s legs, Taki picked him up, carrying him almost effortlessly across the hall to Hide’s bedroom, depositing the still shaking body on the bed. After raining kisses on the snow white skin, Taki finally drew back. Hide’s eyes met his, a smoldering teal, as his arms reached for the younger man. Taki decided to draw out the suspense for a while longer, leisurely unbuttoning his shirt and letting it glide down his arms to the floor. Hide eyed him hungrily, shifting around on the bed until he was kneeling in front of Taki. Wrapping his arms around Taki’s middle, he drew the other man toward him until they both fell back across the sheets. Rolling over, Hide straddled Taki’s waist, leaning forward to cover Taki’s lips with his own.

Taki chuckled, enjoying the moment as he allowed his inexperienced partner to try his hand at being the aggressor.

Sitting up, Hide ground his hips into the front of Taki’s pants, shuddering at the delicious sensations the friction created. He could feel Taki through the material, straining for freedom. Taki’s hands fell about his waist, sliding up his ribcage, across his pecs and back down his shoulders and arms, leaving a trail of heat in their wake. Hide’s fingers struggled with Taki’s zipper, too tremulous to function properly. He only succeeded in frustrating himself until Taki grabbed one of his arms and pulled him forward.

“Slow down,” Taki murmured against Hide’s lips. “Take your time. Don’t force it… just let it happen.”

Calming himself, Hide slid down Taki’s body, his tongue leaving a glistening trail down the younger man’s throat, nipping at his Adam’s Apple and dipping into the hollow just beneath.

“Mmm,” Taki purred. “That feels good.”

Encouraged, Hide continued, his tongue searching out every erogenous zone he could find. The best reaction he got came when he swirled his tongue around the outside of Taki’s right ear. Taki’s body jerked as though he’d been shocked and he let out a moan. Tracing the contours of the ear, Hide took the lobe between his front teeth and bit down, lightly. Taki’s arms tightened around him as his body gave another small jump. Moving away from the ear, Hide trailed his tongue over the soft skin just beneath and got the biggest moan of all as Taki’s head fell back onto the pillows.

Continuing his explorations, Hide moved further down Taki’s body, licking and tasting every salty inch of the younger man’s skin. The dusky brown nipples stood out proudly, just waiting for Hide’s attention. He took one into his mouth, rolling his tongue around it and Taki moaned his name. Moving to the next nipple, he repeated the action, earning him another, more agonized moan.

Hands roaming over Taki’s body, he finally made it back to the waistband of his pants, where Taki’s hands stopped him. Bewildered, Hide found himself on the bottom again as Taki once again took the top. Confusion soon gave way to lightheadedness though, as Taki gifted him with another breathtaking kiss.

Searching through his pockets, Taki finally found the small bottle he’d thankfully remembered to bring with him. “Relax,” he told Hide, stroking the man as Hide’s body tensed. “I won’t lie to you. Since you’ve never done this before, it’ll hurt at first.” Seeing the uncertainty fill Hide’s eyes he added, ”But I promise to make it better.” He nudged Hide’s legs apart, raising them so that Hide’s feet were flat on the bed, his knees forming a cradle for Taki to fit within. Taki flipped the cap on the bottle of lube, pouring some of it onto the fingers of his right hand, spreading it around until he was thoroughly coated. Leaning over Hide, he planted a kiss on the vampire’s lips as the slick hand slid beneath the quivering body, seeking entrance. It brushed against the small pucker and Hide jumped. Taki moved then, trailing kisses down Hide’s chest.

Red hair whipped wildly from side to side as Hide was once again caught up in the heat of the moment, the feeling of the slick digit brushing circles around his rear entrance driving him into a frenzy. Taki’s talented tongue slid into Hide’s belly button causing his hips to jerk off the bed. This gave Taki the opportunity he’d been looking for. Using Hide’s temporary position, he slid the tip of one finger into Hide’s body, past the tight ring of muscle attempting to deny him entrance. Slowly, he pushed it further, hearing Hide’s whimpers increase in volume. Running his tongue the length of the vampire’s shaft, he took it into his mouth, pressing the invading finger deeper into the heaving body as his other hand reached up to lay flat on Hide’s chest, stilling him somewhat. Hide’s hands were clenched around fistfuls of bed linens, his arms trembling under the strain. Taki smiled as he pulled back, one finger still embedded within Hide. Drawing the finger part-way out, he added a second one, again slowly pushing it in so as not to cause Hide any more pain than was necessary to prepare him.

As Hide’s cries increased, Taki pressed a finger to the vampire’s lips, causing misty teal eyes to flash open. “Shh,” Taki whispered, gazing into Hide’s tear-filled orbs. “Gomen nasai, Hide. I don’t mean to hurt you, but it’ll be okay. I have to do this to prepare you. It will only hurt this way at first. I promise you.” Taki’s chest ached at the thought that he was causing his friend pain, but the reward would be all the sweeter if the preparations were done properly. Brushing waves of matted red hair from Hide’s face, Taki looked down at him and smiled. “I think you’ll like this part,” he said as he rotated the two fingers in Hide’s body and his fingertips brushed against the nerve bundle that had the vampire practically jolting off the bed with a shout. Hide’s eyes met his again, wide in confusion. “Not bad, huh?” Taki chuckled, wiggling his eyebrows comically while brushing his fingertips against Hide’s prostate again and once again sending the vampire into paroxysms. In the midst of this, Taki inserted a third finger into Hide’s body, opening the older man wider to accommodate him.

The fingers continued to move within Hide, in and out, in and out. Occasionally they would turn to one side and he would see sparks going off in his head. The feeling was indescribable. It was as though bolts of lightning were racing through his entire body, setting every nerve ending alight. Taki kept hitting that spot and the vampire lost all ability to reason, peaking for the second time at the younger man’s manipulations.

Hide grabbed Taki’s left arm, holding onto the picture of Kannon as though his life depended on it. “S…s…s…t…o…o…o…p,” he begged, shuddering uncontrollably, his fingernails digging into Taki’s forearm painfully, as white fluid arced from his renewed erection to land in crazy patterns on his chest. Smiling, Taki bent over and began licking Hide’s chest clean, the touch of his tongue coaxing more fluid out of the already sensitized body. “S…s…t…o…o…p…Ta…ki,” Hide repeated, his body jerking wildly. Taki withdrew the three fingers from his friend’s body, earning him a pained whine. Lifting Hide up, he wrapped his arms around the still shuddering frame, cradling it to his chest. Sure, he’d been around the block a time or two (actually, more) but he’d never felt the tenderness he did right now holding Hide. He’d never felt the desire to protect someone as he did with Hide. Whatever this was going on between them, it was more than just sex and both men knew it.

Placing a light kiss on the sweat-dampened red hair, Taki laid Hide back on the bed as he slid out of it, to stand. Hide’s eyes flew open, uncomprehending. A weak hand reached out and grasped Taki by the wrist. Bringing it to his lips, Taki kissed the palm before placing it back on the bed. “Taki…” Hide started; only to be silenced by the sound of Taki’s zipper. Shoving his pants to the floor, Taki kicked them aside, climbing back onto the bed next to his friend… no, lover. Kneeling beside Hide’s prone form, Taki slathered lube onto himself, generously. Hide’s eyes widened as he finally saw Taki’s nakedness for the first time. Chuckling, Taki gently pushed Hide’s legs apart again and settled himself between them, covering Hide’s body with his own as he claimed Hide’s lips in a searing kiss. Grasping his coated length, he guided it into Hide’s body, slowly, carefully. Hide tried to sit up when he felt the initial prodding of the new intruder, but the weight of Taki’s body upon his kept him horizontal. “Relax, Hide,” Taki whispered into his ear, nibbling at the lobe, sending shivers of delight zinging along his spine. “You’re ready for this. Just relax and it’ll be okay.” Taki’s voice was soothing.

With a conscious effort, Hide relaxed and Taki slid partially inside, holding still when he met with some resistance. Hide’s legs were starting to tremble again as Taki grasped the smooth round globes of his buttocks, pulling him forward as Taki pushed in to meet him. Wrapping a hand around Hide’s shaft, Taki began stroking him back to life, hoping the stimulation would calm him somewhat. It worked. As the sensation of Taki’s hand sliding over his shaft besieged him, the last of Hide’s resistance faded and Taki slid in to the hilt. The hot tightness surrounding him was more incredible than anything he had felt before and it took every last conscious thought he could muster to keep from coming on the spot.

Taki held himself up with his palms planted on the bed on either side of Hide’s ribcage, watching as Hide winced in pain. He waited, patiently until the distress faded from Hide’s expression. Then he moved, slowly at first, pulling out until only the tip of him was left inside Hide’s body then sliding back in. He repeated the motions, silently willing Hide to join in. Then, the head of Taki’s shaft found Hide’s prostate and the fireworks started going off in Hide’s brain again. “Aah,” Hide shouted, clenching Taki tightly, hips moving to meet with Taki’s thrusts. With a hand under each of Hide’s thighs, Taki pushed the vampire’s legs into his chest, practically folding him in half, this new position enabling the younger man to increase the depth of his penetration. Hide was moaning in cadence with Taki’s thrusts, his eyes shut tightly and the sodden veil of red hair strewn wildly about them. Burying his face in Hide’s damp tresses, Taki smiled. Still, he wanted more.

Sitting up, Taki drew Hide with him. Pulling himself out of the clenching body, he positioned Hide on all fours, his gaping backside a tempting target. “I think you’ll like this better,” was all he would say before kneeling behind Hide and guiding himself back into the vampire’s tight channel. “Mmmmph,” he moaned, as he felt Hide’s insides seize him forcefully. With a firm grasp on Hide’s hips Taki began moving within him, pistoning in and out as the vampire rocked back to meet his movements, thrust for thrust. Changing the angle of Hide’s hips slightly, Taki plunged in; the head of his shaft crashing directly into the nerve bundle that sent Hide screaming. “Taki!” More thrusts, more screams. Hide’s body thrashed wildly and Taki was forced to grip the other man’s hips tightly to keep from being unseated. Grinning widely, Taki knew the time was nearly upon them.

Raising Hide into a sitting position on his lap, Taki sat back. Hide’s nearly boneless form contoured itself to Taki’s chest as the younger man continued moving within him. The vampire’s head fell back onto Taki’s shoulder as Taki’s arm surrounded his waist keeping them grinding against one another, Taki’s other hand sliding up and down Hide’s shaft, adding to the stimulation. Suddenly, Hide sat upright. Throwing one long leg over Taki’s lap, he spun around. Somehow he had managed to keep himself seated on Taki but now they were facing one another. “Taki,” he moaned, collapsing into the warm safety of Taki’s arms. Taki held him closely, their sweat-slick bodies straining against each other almost desperately, Hide’s erection sandwiched between them. Taki could feel the onslaught, rushing to meet him, the sounds coming from both men a good indication that the time was upon them. The sensation of Hide’s body clenching around him was too good. He was ready to let go. A long shuddering breath caught his attention and he turned to focus on Hide. The vampire’s eyes were glowing, fangs extended further than he’d ever noticed before, poised over Taki’s shoulder. Taki knew what he wanted; for some unknown reason Taki wanted it too.

“Do it,” Taki instructed him, to Hide’s great surprise. Taki could feel Hide’s resistance as the vampire tried to back away. But two strong arms wrapped around his back refused to allow him flight. “Hide,” Taki gasped, whipping his hair to one side to expose more glistening flesh along his neck.

The vampire still pushed away, deathly afraid of the dark desires that roiled just beneath his deceptively human surface.

“Damn it, Hide! Bite… just don’t drink,” exclaimed Taki, breathlessly, grabbing the vampire by a handful of matted red hair and forcing him toward the maddening pulse fluttering along his throat.

Hide’s jaws clamped shut of their own accord, his fangs sinking into the smooth flesh of Taki’s left shoulder. No sooner had he done that, his entire world erupted into a bright, swirling kaleidoscope of light and color. He could hear Taki shouting his name as both men’s bodies shuddered violently, the climax overtaking both of them simultaneously. Drawing his head back to disengage his fangs, Hide wrapped himself around Taki, arms and legs surrounding the younger man as Taki continued to move within him, filling him. Taki felt Hide’s ragged breathing on his neck as the other man dropped his head limply to Taki’s shoulder. Strings of pearly white fluid drenched them, smeared between their chests and seeping out from between Hide’s legs, back down Taki’s flagging shaft. Listing slightly to the right, Taki tumbled them onto their sides, still holding Hide tightly. He pulled himself out of the older man, earning a moan of disappointment.

Hide’s legs wound through his as the vampire tucked his head securely under Taki’s chin, curling into his chest like a child seeking comfort might do. Taki held him until his breathing steadied and his body slowed its violent quaking.

“I guess we’ve figured out another one of your ‘superpowers’ though I don’t know how much use it will be in day to day life,” Taki chuckled after finally regaining most of his motor skills. “Orgasmic bite, hmm… interesting,” he joked. “Now THERE’S a power you don’t read about much; at least it’s not something I found in any of the vampire research available out there.”

Hide lay motionless; slick with sweat, chest heaving from the exertion, still trembling from the aftershocks.

Turning, Taki moved to get out of the bed. Hide reached for him, panicked. “It’s okay,” Taki said, patting the vampire’s hand gently, “I’ll be right back.” He walked into Hide’s bathroom and came back moments later with a damp washcloth. He’d already cleaned himself off, so he proceeded to repeat the process with Hide. Then, picking up the still limp vampire, he sat Hide in a chair as he stripped the rumpled and stained top sheet off Hide’s bed, tossing it in a corner. Taki was smiling broadly as he carried Hide back to his bed and climbed in next to him.

“You okay?” he asked.

There was no response, so he tried again. “Hide… look at me. Are you okay?”

Still the vampire remained frozen.

“Hide… talk to me,” Taki begged, his voice filling with concern. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“Taki.” The name was whispered so softly that its owner barely heard it.

Taki leaned back, tilting Hide’s chin toward him, forcing the vampire to look him in the eyes. “Are you okay?”

Hide nodded, his eyes locked with Taki’s.

“I’m sorry if I hurt you, Hide,” said Taki, remorsefully. “I promise it will be better next time.”

Suddenly, a fire lit in Hide’s eyes. Surging forward he touched his lips to Taki’s softly. “Next time?” he echoed, hopefully.

Taki gathered Hide to his chest, rolling so that he was looking down at his lover. The teal eyes looked back at him, questioningly, startling Taki with their child-like innocence. “Aishiteru,” Taki whispered, sealing his lips over Hide’s to claim another sweet kiss. Hide’s eyes glowed, luminescent through a mist of tears, as his grip tightened around Taki’s back. A tear trickled down his cheek and Taki caught his breath. Hide eyes met with his again, confused. Running a finger gently under Hide’s lashes, he held the wetness up for the vampire to see. It was clear, like water.

“Tears, Hide. You’re crying REAL tears,” Taki told him, his voice crackling with excitement as he ran his fingers through the shower of fine red of hair that framed Hide’s face. Then it dawned on him that the vampire had to be cleaned of sweat and other fluids, just as he had. “Sweat… Hide you were sweating. And… you CAME!”

Hide looked at Taki, still puzzled.

“Ah, come on, dude… don’t make me act like the smart one here. You produced your own fluids; just like a normal person.”

It took a few moments for the realization to sink in. Reaching up, Hide ran his fingertips over the side of Taki’s throat, feeling the insistent throb of the younger man’s heartbeat through the smooth skin. In an instant his fangs lengthened and his heart sank. “I’m still a vampire,” he said, sadly.

“Maybe… but you’re becoming more and more human every day. Your body is changing and change takes time. You have to admit though, there IS something happening. You can cry now. You can sweat now. You feel things that you shouldn’t be able to. How else would you explain it?”

“I’m still a vampire,” Hide repeated, dejectedly.

“You have to be patient, Hide. You’ve been a vampire for what…a hundred and fifteen years? That’s a lot of time to take back.” Taking Hide’s hands in his own, he turned them over, kissing the palm of each. Looking up, he brushed his fingertips over swollen pink lips and smiled, “You have to have faith.”

Hide fingered the circle of turquoise beads wrapped around Taki’s wrist. “Faith,” he repeated.

“Besides, I kinda like you as a vampire.” Seeing Hide cringe he continued, “I know, I know, you don’t want to hear that, but think about it. You have all of the abilities of a vampire, yet you’re still able to live like a human being. You’ve got the best of both worlds, Hide.”

“How can you say that?” Hide cried. “Knowing what kind of vile creature I am?”

Calmly Taki placed a light kiss on Hide’s forehead and swore he felt a small bit of warmth radiating from it. “YOU have never been a vile creature. The things that turned you into a vampire were… but you were NEVER one of them. Stop doing this to yourself, Hide.” Tilting Hide’s chin to look at him again, Taki continued, “Aishiteru, Hide.”

“No…” Hide moaned, shaking his head. “You can’t.”

Taki stilled him with a firm grip. “Aishiteru, Hide. I love you. YOU! Not some vile creature. YOU! Who gives a damn if you just happen to be a vampire?”

“But…”

Taki shook his head. “You’re you. Besides, haven’t you ever heard it’s not the packaging that counts, dude… it’s what’s inside the box. And what’s in here,” he stated simply, placing a hand on Hide’s chest, “… is amazing.”

Hide looked at him intently, as though he were truly seeing Taki for the first time. “Can you really feel that way… about me?”

“I‘m going to assume you didn’t notice anything because of your lack of experience, otherwise that would seriously mess with my ego, but what we just had here was a hell of a lot more than just casual sex.” Settling his body back along the length of Hide’s, Taki sighed contentedly, noting that the other man wasn’t quite as cool to the touch as he normally tended to be.

Slowly the tension filling Hide’s body dissipated, leaving him with a pleasant buzzing as his nerve endings, once thought long dead, thrilled to the touch of Taki’s body against his own, languid limbs draped over him possessively.

“Otanjobi omedetou, Hide,” Taki whispered into his ear, wishing him a Happy Birthday as he drifted off to sleep.

Hide smiled and snuggled closer to the sound of Taki’s heartbeat.

It certainly HAD been.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By the time Hide got in from feeding the koi the next morning, Taki had already moved his meager possessions up the hall.

“Uh… what do you think you’re doing?” Hide asked.

“What does it look like? I’m moving in.”

“I can see that.”

Taki stopped, looking at Hide intently. “You don’t WANT me to?”

“No, no, no! That’s not what I meant.” Hide slid himself easily into Taki’s arms. “Of course I want you to be here.” He leaned in to steal a kiss as the arms closed around him. “It’s just that… well… I didn’t think YOU’D want to.”

Taki smiled through the kiss, backing Hide up until he hit the edge of the bed. Sending the other man sprawling across the sheets, Taki laughed, “Funny, how things change, isn’t it?”


~End of Chapter Three~