Inevitability part 2 by Kristin Huntsman Suoh just couldn't concentrate. Given his company and the revelations of the day, it wasn't too surprising - but it was still annoying. Math was one of his weaker subjects just as history was one of Nokoru's, so they did their homework together most days. But the intricate dance of the calculus numbers was refusing to make *any* sense to Suoh right now, while Nokoru quietly sat on the floor scribbling notes from the history text with the aid of a lap desk. Suoh berated himself. It didn't work. Nothing had been working for the past half hour. His mind kept spinning back to that kiss, to the feeling of Kaichou against him on the floor of the library-- No. He wouldn't want Kaichou in the way that his body wanted him, already wanted him, had been wanting him for tight, twisted-up hours now. They were friends, nothing more. *Nothing* more--! Nokoru's voice broke into Suoh's self-imposed torture. "You know, Suoh, you could just ask me and stop killing yourself." "Eh?" Suoh looked up from his calculus book to meet Nokoru's blue eyes. Nokoru's warm smile and amused eyes made the burning/freezing inside Suoh churn violently. Suoh lost his breath as that FEELING surged through him again. "You're not concentrating on your math, Suoh, and it doesn't seem to be getting any better," Nokoru informed him, standing up and crossing to where Suoh sat at his desk. Deft hands took two pencils from a jar of them and arranged them into a "T", the graphite tip of one touching the midpoint of the other. Nokoru began to press the two together. "Take any object - or person -" Nokoru said slowly, eyes on the pencils, "and apply constant pressure... and it *will* break, Suoh." The tip of the one pencil suddenly went through the other, breaking it in two with a sickeningly sharp SNAP! Nokoru looked back up at Suoh, blue eyes serious. Souh found he couldn't breathe. Nokoru's hand set down the fragment of a pencil and quietly covered Suoh's. And then, while he was in that moment of shock and utter indecisiveness, trying to tear himself between what he wanted so badly and what he *should* do, Nokoru moved around the desk to straddle Suoh's lap, caught his head in gentle hands and, never closing his eyes, pressed a soft kiss to Suoh's mouth. That softness, the gentleness of the touch and the quiet adoration glowing through Nokoru's eyes tipped something violent over inside Suoh. He shouldn't do this, but.... Kaichou was right; he *needed* this or he would break. With a half-strangled sob of sound catching in his throat, Suoh closed his eyes and tangled his fingers in Nokoru's soft hair, giving himself over into Nokoru's hands entirely. * * * Nokoru smiled a bit to himself and let his own eyes close, concentrating just on the feeling of Suoh so close to him. He let one hand slip down and around to hold Suoh, the other cupping his friend's chin. His breath came slow in contentment; this was what he had been wanting for over three years now, to touch someone like this. Unlike Suoh, his instincts weren't so separated: his logic and emotions were fused together - neither one could overwhelm the other. There was no great pressure on him as there was on Suoh, so he could simply want without being forced into action. But now it appeared he could have what he wanted. Suoh. Beautiful blue-haired golden-eyed Suoh. Suoh the athlete with the sculptured mind and body. Loyal, gentle, honest, and true. And for just now, his Suoh. Eventually they broke apart and Nokoru opened his eyes, meeting Suoh's gaze. "Kaichou," Suoh whispered. "'Nokoru' is fine," he whispered back with a smile. "Nokoru..." Suoh whispered and then their lips touched again. He leaned forward into that gentle, needing touch, into those golden eyes that he knew so well. And he felt it at the chair started to tip back.... "WAAAH!!" He ended up on top of Suoh as they crashed to the floor, a minor adrenaline rush making his heart beat faster. "Are you all right, Kai...Nokoru?" asked Suoh, sudden concern mixing with that sexual heat in his eyes. "Yes. And you, Suoh?" Nokoru asked, brushing his fingers through the thick blue hair. "You didn't hit your head or anything, did you?" "No, I'm fine." Nokoru sighed in relief and then smiled, Taking full advantage of his position, he kissed Suoh again and put his hands between them, tugging Suoh's shirt out of his waistband and beginning to unfasten the buttons. Just before he finished, Suoh surprised him and pushed his tongue into Nokoru's mouth. The slippery sensation gave Nokoru slight pause and then a delight at the implied intimacy. He returned the gesture and finished the buttons, pushing the shirt off of Suoh and running his hands greedily over the flat planes of hard muscle. * * * Suoh thought to himself in some kind of amazement. He'd known that already, technically, but it really hadn't made an impression on him until now, like all those other little things he'd discovered inadverdantly over the years (such as Kaichou's ticklish spots, or his insane fondness for cold sweets).... He smiled and angled his head a little to the left as he returned the favor of the warm hands between them and tugged Nokoru's shirt out of his trousers. He stroked his fingers up along that smooth surface of warm back, holding Nokoru to himself and just feeling happiness... and want. His mind was brought back to that latter in a rush as he became aware of Kaichou shifting against him, and the sensation *there* again.... And then there were no more thoughts for a long time, just feeling and Nokoru. * * * Suoh drifted back into consciousness slowly, aware somehow of the warm weight next to him, the blond head resting on his shoulder, hair artistically tousled and long dark lashes resting on fair cheeks as Kaichou slept, blissfully unconscious. The heat inside Suoh uncurled a little as he opened his eyes and saw that picture, sending a smoky tendril of sensation out to curl through him and pull him into full wakefulness. How had he become this person, the one who gave in to his own desires and became Kaichou's lover? Suoh's cheeks burned at the thought. "Kai- Nokoru," he whispered, "I want to take a shower, okay?" Nokoru murmured something in his sleep that Suoh chose to take as an affirmative and took over half of the vacated space as Suoh wiggled out from under him. He knelt down by the futon for a moment looking down at Nokoru's relaxed, innocent state. Suoh's hand rested absently on his stomach as he watched his Kaichou breathe in and out in slow, soft breaths. He pulled his hand away when he became aware of the sensation, and looked at the sticky white-cream on it. Curious, he touched it to his tongue and made a face of disgust at the bitter-spice taste. "Ech." He wiped the rest of it back off onto his stomach again, then stood and went to the bathing room. As traditional as Suoh's home was, his grandfather had seen some uses in adapting the interior with Western technology. As one result among many, there was a shower in the washroom. Suoh let his hands automatically clean himself while his mind worked on the problem he had created for himself. In the past ninja had become the lovers of their daimyou - mostly women ninja, to be sure, but that was a negligable detail. Suoh himself was the product of such a union, though he rarely bothered to think about it. He respected his father, getting along well enough with his stepmother and half-siblings - but he was a Takamura, after all, and not an Ishibara. However.... To be Nokoru's lover was a thing entirely different than being his friend. And there was Nagisa to consider as well. Suoh bowed his head forward and sighed, letting the cool water run over the back of his neck as he tried to piece together a suitable answer for himself. Life could never be easy, could it? * * * Nokoru was awake by the time Suoh returned, still lying on the futon and under the sheet, an oddly peaceful expression on his face and in his eyes. A smile hinted at his lips as he took in Suoh's state of near-undress. That faded as he shifted his eyes away, running a hand through his charmingly disordered hair and pushing himself up. Apparently the sheet was fascinating; that was where Nokoru directed his attention and gaze. "Hello, Suoh." His voice was soft and subdued... regretful. "I'm... sorry about this." Suoh fought for his breath for a minute. He'd just spent a half hour in the shower wrestling with himself for an answer and *now* Nokoru said he was sorry? Like it was just a game to him, like he was just playing around with-- No. Sense reasserted itself almost instantly. Nokoru would *never* do that. Not to him, or Akira, or anyone. Suoh crossed the room to Nokoru and knelt down, grasping the older boy's chin and tilting it up so he could see what was in those damnably attractive blue eyes. And he found himself smiling, seeing Nokoru's vulnerability, Nokoru's need... ...for him. That warm smokiness uncurled inside of Suoh and he touched his lips gently to Nokoru's again. Kaichou started, but Suoh didn't let go - and he was, after all, both taller and stronger than his friend. After a prolonged moment where the tension was nearly singing Nokoru acquiesced, relaxing into the kiss, his hands coming up on their own to draw Suoh closer in turn, pulling them together until their warm bodies touched one another. With a breath that sounded a little like a laugh, Nokoru broke away. "You know, Suoh," he whispered, "you really aren't concentrating on your math at all. I may have to stay over tonight and help you study." His hand moved questingly to the knot in the towel around Suoh's waist. "I suppose so," Suoh agreed, voice noncommittal as he nuzzled at Nokoru's neck, tasting the fine, dusty taste of dried sweat. "Mmm." Nokoru arched his neck and breathed in pleasure. "What about Nagisa-jyou?" Suoh paused to answer, drawing away to look into Nokoru's bright eyes. "This doesn't change that," he said, voice soft. "You and I being together has nothing to do with that relationship. And I know you, Kaichou. You want me to be with her in the long run. You won't interfere with that." "I wouldn't," Nokoru agreed in a whisper, eyes honest. "You deserve someone beautiful like her, Suoh." He untied the knot and Suoh let the towel fall without protest.