Naoji leaned against Lui, hands spread against his chest, under his loosened shirt. The solid heat of Lui’s body grounded him on days like this, soft gray days when mist drifted up from the grass and hid the strange shapes of the leaves and reminded him of home. Lui’s hand at the small of his back braced him, and Lui’s mouth caught his, sure and confident.

Naoji didn’t realize how much he had relaxed until Lui plucked loose his hair tie and drew it free, and long fingers slid under the fall of his hair to stroke his neck. That pulled him taut, flushed with sudden awareness.

"Hmm." Lui’s mouth curved just a little against his own and his hand cupped Naoji’s nape firmly, slowly, caressing.

He gasped at that knowing touch—knowing? Lui couldn’t know, could he? He turned his head aside, cheeks warm, breath coming fast and light.

Lui hooked his fingers in the collar of Naoji’s shirt and pulled it a little way down his back, and lifted Naoji’s hair away from his neck, and bent his head to press an open mouthed kiss to the bared skin.

"Lui…!" Naoji was trembling a little now. A breath of a laugh brushed over his nape and he gasped again.

"So I was right," Lui murmured against his ear. "It always makes you shiver when I touch you here." He trailed two fingers down Naoji’s neck and back, and Naoji couldn’t help the shiver that followed them. "Now." In a whirl of motion he turned them and laid Naoji back against the bed. "Tell me why that flusters you so." He cupped Naoji’s cheek, thumb stroking over the color that was surely there.

Naoji bit his lip, but the weight of Lui’s eyes held him and finally he murmured, "It’s… That’s skin that a courtesan of my country would show."

Lui’s brows rose and his fingers caught Naoji’s chin, keeping him from looking away. "Is this not something you give freely?"

"It’s not that! It’s… you make me feel…" Naoji swallowed and closed his eyes against the piercing look in Lui’s. "Wanton."

"Hm." Lui’s finger traced down his jaw, and his voice was silky as he asked, "And would you rather I not?"

"Please," Naoji whispered. He opened his eyes, and was captivated all over again.

Orphe was so brilliant Naoji felt he needed to shade his eyes just to look at him. Lui drew a curtain around his own brilliance, but nothing could conceal it and the heat of it rose from his every movement.

"Please don’t stop."

Lui’s eyes gleamed. "Then I won’t."

Naoji’s breath came short again as Lui drew off the remains of his clothes, and he moaned as long hands moved up the inside of his legs. Lui’s thumbs stroked firmly up and down the tendons of his thighs, and Naoji spread his legs wider, panting softly, hands closed tight on the sheets; the way Lui watched him respond to the touch sent a twist of heat through his stomach. Lui held his eyes as he poured a bit of oil into his palm and stroked it over himself, and anticipation tightened Naoji’s nerves. He reached out, wordless, asking for his lover’s rare mercy.

Lui smiled and came to him, covering Naoji’s body with his, taking possession of his mouth again. When one strong hand closed over his nape again, Naoji cried out. Lui kissed down his throat and Naoji tipped his head back, baring himself to Lui’s mouth with a soft moan of want.

"My Naoji," Lui murmured against his skin, velvety. It made him shudder.

"Please… Lui…"

"Yes."

Lui’s eyes were bright as he looked down at Naoji, leaning over him, hands sliding up his legs to hold him firmly open. When Lui pressed against him, pushed into him, Naoji’s moan was open, uncaring whether anyone might hear them. The stretch and slide as Lui entered him, strong and slow, fired his nerves, and the sweet, inexorable sensation of surrendering to Lui undid him and laid him open.

He caught Lui’s shoulders, shaken with the heat of Lui’s eyes on him, and gasped as Lui thrust slowly. Lui’s control, even in this, never failed to build need and desire in him until his gasps turned to pleading moans and his whole body flexed up to meet Lui’s, given over utterly to Lui’s hands. Those hands held him easily and Lui drove into him deep and thorough until Naoji was trembling on the edge of pleasure.

Lui caught his eyes again, the way he always caught Naoji’s soul, and said low and intent, "Wanton in my hands. I like that very much. Show me, my Naoji."

The pure assurance in that deep voice was all it took to spill Naoji over the edge and send him arching up taut, fire racing down every nerve. "Lui!"

Lui caught him close, smiling down at him, pleased and possessive. Lui’s eyes half closed and his breath caught as he drove deeper, beautiful and fierce and abandoned over Naoji.

Naoji reached up as Lui settled over him, arms sliding under the silky mane of Lui’s hair as he pressed close. "I am yours," he whispered, words he only ever spoke, truth he only ever gave voice to when they were in bed.

Lui practically purred, lifting Naoji’s chin and kissing him deep and slow.

Sometimes Naoji wondered whether Lui simply soothed his homesickness or if Lui was becoming his new home. Either way, it was Lui’s voice and touch that called him, opened him.

He knew he would never cease to answer.

End