Eroticless

And this should bring an end to the ff only chapters.

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There was something wrong. Something had slipped out of place between them, and it had slipped badly.

Sitting back Youji tried to think where and when it had started. Tracing it back to it's roots might alleviated the problem once and for all.

Had it started the first time they had caught the other giving them glances when they undressed? No, watching the other was nothing new, but the way they quickly tried to pretend that they were not was.

Had it happened when they had first started to allow the other to explore their body, laying atop their mattress once the lights had gone out? No, touching was nothing new either, but this type of touching that seemed to linger certainly was.

When had it happened?

What was it that had happened?

The sound of a shampoo cap clicking shut broke his concentration. Although he was sure that they both felt the shift they were trying hard not to show it, so they continued to go about their daily routines in unison as if nothing were happening.

Reaching up, Natsuo began to soap Youji's damp hair with the strawberry scented shampoo they had bought at the store earlier that day. The feeling of his strong and slender fingers moving across his scalp in slow thorough circles made him close his eyes and purr in pleasure. The world restricted under the dark of his eyelids to the overpowering sound of fingers ghosting across his skull, the sound of the water hitting the side of the tub in small waves. Playing dangerously closer under that though was the more alluring scent of the sweat on Natsuo's body that the water had not completely washed off yet, the sound of Natuo's heavy breathing, the feeling of Natsuo's body playing ticklishly close in the water. Disentangling his fingers from his scalp only for a minute he moved closer, putting a leg on either side of his sacrifice, letting the underside of his thighs slide seductively on the top side of Youji's. He stopped before their bodies could make contact in other, more intimate places.

Running his hands in the soapy water to slicken them he brought his hands firmly up his fighter's ribs so as not to tickle his sensitive flesh, letting his fingers play under strong arms as Natsuo brought his hands down the back of his head, cradling first his scalp and then his neck.

They held still for a moment, each daring the other to continue on playing their dangerous game.

Nastuo was the first to accept the challenge, unlacing his fingers from the back of Youji's neck and sliding the flats of his palms down his other's arms through patterns of evaporating water and pale green hair before mirroring the motion back up his arms, feeling the strong muscles underneath bunch and relax almost involuntarily.

Youji traced patterns on his back, occasionally letting his fingers dart up to touch damp red curls that matted with water against snow white skin, noting the feeling of ribs and vertebrae. He felt him sigh and lean back into his touch as his fingers silently began to recatolouge the bones he felt there, sliding his thumbs possessively along the sides of his head once again.

A warm rush that started in the most secretive of places before climbing in electric jolts outwards began to fill their bodies with the most delicious warmth. They let it sit on their tongue, dark and richly sweet so thick they couldn't swallow, beginning to choke on their own spit which ran slowly down the backs of their throats until it came to gather in the dark recesses of their belly.

Natsuo began to slide his legs back and forth against Youji's, just the slightest of movements, caught up in the feeling of the tiny hairs there, normally to faint to be seen, became textured underneath the lubrication of soap, scraping the underside of his legs in a way that had him breathing even harder for more.

Youji let his thumbs simultaneously press with a firm touch as they slid across his fighter's nipples and felt the jolt that went through his body.

So close.

So close.

Something unnamed that slid so dangerously close to the surface that he was sure he could call it out if he wanted.

Instead they sat gripping painfully onto each other and refused to move.

Natsuo was the first to break the silence.

"Could you lean back? I want to rinse your hair."

Obliging Youji lay back to stare at the ceiling as his other leaned over him to work the shampoo and conditioner from his lengthy tresses .Laying back like this with the light coming from behind both of them it was hard to see Natsuo's face. Reaching up to make sure it was still there at all he let his fingers come in contact with the side of his mouth and frowned.

"I think I want to kiss you."

Natsuo lost his balance and slid ungracefully down with a large splash that almost woke Soubi.

"What?"

"Don't act so dumb. I said that I wanted to kiss you. Would you like to try it?"

"Here?"

"Where else? The park?"

"Come on! I want to try to kiss you."

"Then go ahead, I'm not stopping you."

Raising out of the water was slow, almost dream like as his water logged hair tried in vain to tug him back down as the water trickled uncomfortably out of his ears.

Another long moment.

"Well?"

He felt fire burn across his cheeks.

"I- I can't do it with you watching me like that."

"Well, ok then." The awkwardness spread to both this time.

"I think it's polite to close your eyes when you kiss."

"Why do I have to keep them closed while you have them open?"

"I'll have them closed too!"

"No you won't! Then how are you supposed to find me in the dark with your eyes closed?"

"Then I'll leave them open!"

"But that's no fair!"

Youji let out a aggravated huff.

"Then I'll lean in half way and we can both close our eyes and then we'll do it. How about that?"

"Well..." he seemed to think for a moment. "OK."

Sliding against the slippery porcelain they brought the other's body close to their own self. Stopping they dared a glance into each other's face before trying to awkwardly move their arms around each other. It seemed that where ever Youji was trying to put his arms Natsuo was trying to do the same, and where ever Natsuo's hand tried to make contact Youji's was automatically there inadvertently blocking it.

Frustrated and nervous they slammed their hands and arms back down into the water with bruising force.

They sat for a long moment, waiting, listing to the water settle, the ticking of the clock by the stove.

Natsuo closed his eyes just as Youji leaned in.

Panic flooded his body turning his lips numb and for a moment he despairingly wondered if his body had somehow lost what feeling it had left until a feeling a thousand times stronger burned down his arms.

Their lips parted briefly, then came melding back together as their arms rose in the perfect semblance of a dance around each other in mirrored unison, never once crashing or colliding.

It felt as if his mouth was being drowned from the inside out, some pulling warm wet suction that made him compulsively swallow and relax his eyelids against the dark that made it feel as if their underside had been packed with the same cotton that felt as if it were stuffing that place low in his belly that twitched compulsively for more.

Tasting this in the other's mouth they both stretched their lips wide and shared the taste.

Pulling back they noted that their lips had stretched too far in some places and had begun to bleed.

Reaching up they allowed their own hand to wipe the watery blood away, not trusting the others touch until it was time to climb out of the cooling water and towel the other dry.

The thing that had slipped out of place had somehow slipped further, and neither one could bring themselves to tell the other that it was not beyond repair.