(no subject)
characters: Kazu and Spitfire.
what: Uh. :D?
rating: PG-13 ... R-ish.
Spitfire skid to a stop on one of the flat roofs, official looking buildings signalling for a break in their run. He glanced over their surroundings. It wasn't the best place to rest, but he didn't see the point in running Kazu ragged this early. They were in the section of the city that was primarily devoted to civil service buildings, government work. It was naive of them to assume the government hadn't taken notice of their AT. Kaito was being quiet, Kilik too, but Spitfire imagined it was only a matter of time until their AT usage started to become regulated. There were a lot of people with dangerous abilities in this place, but the Gravity Children couldn't put it past the government not to try and control their means of escape. Spitfire squinted up to the sky speculatively, at the fake blue and the cold sun. There was some warmth from above, but Spitfire remembered the warmth of sunlight from the first day they found it. This sunshine was a paltry comparison.
"I'm glad you suggested this," he called over his shoulder to Kazu, who had settled on the roof after him.
The absence of runs in their time together had put a strain on Kazu. Even though he enjoyed being with Spitifre--falling asleep on his couch, and the visits when they had the opportunity at Rule 42--it was not the same with the absence of the flames. He felt the familiar itch to take runs every day, but he found himself consistently frustrated because they were no longer allowed. Spitifre had said it would be some time, but there had been no changes. Kilik had made no move; Kaito had made no move. If it were Ikki in charge, they woul have already laughed in the face of the others and started--but beneath the confines of the dome, a person like Ikki faced some difficulty in making runs, even if he was calm about the restrictions of the dome. There was still a sky above the dome, Ikki claimed. Kazu remembered the words with a sense of proudness, and they all wished to be free. But hiding would not do it. They were a different generation from the group that Kilik had attacked. They would not allow themselves to be restricted, even if they were already set up to be weaker to some extent.
When he called and asked for the run, it was after he left work. His AT were with him, just as they always were, but he couldn't resist the call of them. There was one more day to the week of school, and though much of Kazu's time was spent between Rule 42 and his school project, he could not resist the call of the run and the feel of the flames catching up on the ground behind him. He couldn't resist trying to catch up with Spitfire, a grin on his face when he accomplished one more step on a difficult trick.
That was most of the run, but when they landed on the rooftop, he was tired. His blond hair was matted beneath his hat, and his hoodie felt unnecessary. As he eased into a stop beside Spitfire, he leaned forward with his hands on his knees with a wavering grin. He didn't say anything at first, but straightened up after a moment to tug off his hoodie. There wasn't anything on underneath--he needed to wash his T-shirts, but he often forgot them all the same--but he was too hot to keep the fabric on at the moment.
"We waited too long," he finally said, despite the less than casual action that had come before. He held the hoodie in his hands as he stood there, looking out over the city.
While Kazu's words weren't exactly innocuous sounding - especially after the boy took off his shirt- Spitfire avoided pointing that out. Even if he didlooked pretty cute when he got embarrassed (good, since embarrassing and teasing Kazu had become favorite pastimes of Simca). He turned back away from the heir and slide farther along the room before finding a place to sit. He gestured for Kazu to come join him with one hand, dragging the other through his hair. He'd worked up a sweat from the run, naturally. He still had to hold himself back to some extent with Kazu, but the kid was improving fast enough that it wouldn't be that way for long. Sometimes, at the right moment when Kazu landed a perfect trick and looked up at him with this wide, beaming grin. That was when Spitfire wondered if he would be officially retiring sooner than he'd originally thought.
Kazu was getting restless. Spitfire couldn't really blame him. There was no easy way to deal with Kilik's arrival in the dome. Spitfire had imagined it would be this way, but somehow in his mind, he had seen this waiting going easier. Maybe it was Kazu's energy, so entire palpable that Spitfire couldn't help but take on some of it as his own. Or maybe it was the thought that here there was no sky, no Sora, and Kilik was more alone than he had been at the betrayal. This wasn't the same situation from their youth, Spitfire knew this. He just wasn't sure what the right way to handle it was. Which made him entirely susceptible to Kazu's pleas for an innocent run.
Kazu hadn't thought through the implications of having tugged off his sweatshirt, but they hit him after Spitfire turned away and moved to sit down. Though a certain level of their relationship was growing deeper, he still failed to think through certain things when he went about his casual routines. Even before he met Spitfire, there were times in which he shed parts of his clothing to sustain a bit of his speed, especially when he grew tired beneath the summer sun back home. Agito hadn't been particularly polite to him at the time, but Kazu hadn't cared. It was one thing he needed to do, and it was already bad enough that the majority of his wardrobe had been made up of the hooded objects.
Holding the hoodie still in hand, he moved after Spitfire after his initial pause, gliding toward him and turning down to sit against the ground. There was a very small bit of space between them, but he didn't pay it any mind. Kazu dropped the hoodie to his side and tugged his beanie off. He examined it with a pensive expression. "We have to keep running," he said. "When we have a chance. That's why I'm your heir, right?" He glanced toward Spitfire expectantly, inwardly knowing by now that Spitfire would agree with him. He smiled, too, as he looked up at Spitfire. It would be improper if he did not appreciate the appearance of Spitfire by now, though he imagined the man would take points off himself for his current state of hair. The thought made Kazu grin, even if he didn't bother to explain the reason behind the expression.
Everything Kazu said went through Spitfire like the boy had shouted it. Even if they were almost perverted sounding things or something deep and insightful about AT, he felt a ridiculous happiness to hear them. Spitfire was a little embarrassed with how important even a few comments from Kazu had become. Most of the time he attributed it to a surge of pride for his loyal student. He knew there were definitely other factors that went into this, but it wasn't productive to think of those things at the moment. Because of this, he didn't immediately look back to the boy when he felt Kazu's eyes on him. He craned his neck a little to look the other way at the city around them. He knew if he relented and looking over Kazu like that- Spitfire couldn't see them finishing their run. He eventually glanced back from the corner of his eye and was greeted with Kazu's grin.
"What's that look for?" he mumbled, shifting his weight should their shoulders touched, smiling back with a bit of confusion.
"Your hair," Kazu said, as if the two syllables seemed to explain everything. He reached up with the arm closest to Spitfire and pressed his hand against the damp red strands of hair, and pulled it down. "I sometimes forget it can look messy." It wasn't as bad as Kazu's looked. As per usual for Kazu, his hair was perpetually matted and flat, as if he had been wearing a hat all day before he went through an extensive work out. It was exactly what did happen, but there were some parts of Kazu's vanity that did not exist. Though he liked nice shoes and pants--not of Spitfire's taste, of course, but his own--his care for other parts of himself was nonexistent. As long as things were comfortable, and he did have some manner of taste when it came to somehow finding the softest fabrics.
"You might rate yourself as a nine right now," he added. "Maybe a nine-point-five." The important part, Kazu believed, was that it wasn't a perfect score.
It was interesting how the dynamic between them had changed. When Kazu had first arrived, he was awkward around Spitfire, bumbling and uncertain, but they had broken down the barriers and Kazu felt as if he could be more comfortable with Spitfire than anyone--with the exception of Ikki, of course. But it helped that they did have their connection in the flames.
Spitfire laughed at the joke about the ranks- while secretly letting his eyes sweep the rooftop for something with a reflection. Since he had grown into his sense of style and a perfected look, Spitfire hadn't necessarily surrounded himself with people with whom he could look unkempt. Simca, of course, had known him from the days when he had terrible hair and headbands- but that seemed to only further the urgency to look as handsome as possible when they were together. Frankly, that wasn't all that difficult. And as well as he knew Sano, Spitfire had no plans to look less than pristine when with the Iron Clock. Kazu, though, was on a completely different spectrum than those two. Spitfire was aware that he didn't need to worry about looking perfect around the heir. If anything, when they were together, he was far more occupied in trying to perfect Kazu's imagine rather than his own.
"What about you!" he countered, turning his body towards the boy, chiding playfully. "Taking off your clothing in a public place! Don't you have any shame? What if someone came up here and saw you like that!" Grinning, Spitfire didn't pull away from Kazu's hand in his hair, even leaning his face in a little closer.
Spitfire's concern about his image had bothered him at first, but Kazu grew into the grooming, even appreciating it to some degree. He was not someone who needed to have his hair trimmed or dyed a different color--even if Spitfire seemed to eye his appearance with each passing day in curiosity. But he humored Spitfire, partly because he knew it was Spitfire's way of caring for him, and partly for reasons that were a little selfish. After all, Spitfire was willing to put his hands on him frequently when trying to adjust his appearance in some way. He wasn't going to reject any advance like that.
"Heh, I guess not," Kazu said. As mentioned before, "shame" was not something that particularly concerned Kazu in the least. He was more concerned with being comfortable, and it did extend to that. Even though Spitfire had eased closer to him, he did not immediately take the invitation, feeling somewhat defiant for the moment--at least in a playful way. "What, you got a problem with that?" he asked, tilting his head back a little and lowering his hand down onto Spitfire's shoulder.
Kazu, always the quick learner, had been picking up subtle ways to try and tease the older man. It was a coy act that wasn't entirely unexpected, but wholly appreciated. It was possible, he considered, that Kazu was even intentionally doing these kinds of playful things- but that would be another instance where Simca would accuse Spitfire of not giving Kazu enough credit. Regardless, Spitfire found the kid's actions charming, the hand on his shirt warm- if not a little sweaty.
Spitfire smiled easily and caught Kazu's hand as it settled over his shoulder. "I would have a problem," he murmured, ghosting the boy's wrist with his grip. He wasn't holding on tight enough to hurt Kazu, but enough so that he couldn't worm away at the initial grab. "If someone were to come and interrupt us now." He let his thumb drag along Kazu's skin before he released him, turning to lean back. He stretched out, raising his eyes back to the sky.
There was a complete pause in Kazu's actions as he felt Spitfire's thumb go over his skin. He swallowed, lips slightly parted, and he was reminded of a desire for water that he had briefly earlier. It returned, not because of the fact that he was dehydrated--though he was, to some extent--but because of his reaction to Spitfire's touch. After Spitfire pulled back, there was a vague hint of annoyance in his features, but he caught on to what Spitfire was doing. It was the same thing done in return. But the difference between them was that while Kazu seemed to have nerves of steel in some way--though Simca had previously believed otherwise--he didn't think he had the same willpower that Spitfire had. It came with the lack of experience.
Still, he turned and leaned against the wall again, a blank expression forced onto his features like a mask. "Would that be so bad?" It was an idle question. He was briefly reminded of his worries regarding Ikki finding out. He knew it would happen in the near future, but he would have to wait for it. "Just someone interrupting a talk." His words were a little strained, but he carefully focused his gaze on his AT that still rested on his feet. They were beaten up, as per usual, and Kazu would have to perform maintenance on them when he returned to his apartment.
Spitfire closed his eyes, murmuring a vague sound of acknowledgment to the boy's comment. Frankly, being interrupted would be worse in Spitfire's mind than being discovered. He had a feeling or a while that Kazu was worried about how his friends- particularly Crow- would react to the situation between them. He vaguely remembered that feeling from his own time of self awareness when he was Kazu's age (no, younger). But he couldn't give the boy any real advice. Ikki was not Simca and regardless of how the Hurricane King found out, it wouldn't be do cleanly or quietly. Not that much with Crow is.
Even if they weren't looking at one another, they were still seated close together. So much so that Spitfire could feel Kazu's breathing. His eyes were still closed, but he could still envision Kazu's body next to his, already half undressed. IT was something of an annoyance at this point and Spitfire shifted his weight to innocently brush against Kazu's side. Finishing the run was steadily becoming less of a priority.
There was paranoia in regards to Ikki, but it was more that Kazu didn't want that part of himself put on display. He was still coming to understand it--still coming to understand that it wasn't only Spitfire he found attractive, but other males as well, not that he spent much time thinking about that aspect--and he worried about how Ikki would go about it. Ikki would not disown him or act as if their relationship had never started when they were kids. He expected a few snide comments from Agito, as well, but overall, it was more the publicity of the act that worried him. He didn't even believe he was the only one under the dome going through this, but he didn't relate to many people outside of girls and Ikki very well (Spitfire aside, for aforementioned reasons).
He shifted closer to Spitfire after a moment, not in a teasing fashion, but so that he could angle his torso and stretch and arm over Spitfire's chest. Kazu pressed his lips against Spitfire's jaw, almost immediately tasting sweat with the action. But he turned more all the same, quickly maneuvering himself so that both of his legs were on each aside of Spitfire. The same grin appeared from before. Somehow, it didn't feel awkward to do this, even if he still had an awareness of his AT still resting on his feet.
Spitfire's eyes snapped open when, in one fluid motion, he had a kiss and a lap-full of an eager little blond. He cautiously mirrored the boy's grin. He had a nagging suspicion he'd created a bit of a monster by opening Kazu up to this attraction. He definitely didn't regret it, though, Spitfire thought wryly. There was something inexplicitly arousing about KAzu making the irst move, even if hal of Spitire's mind had gone into a red alert mode. He reached out to slide a hand up the back of Kazu's leg before letting his fingers fall to wrest over a hip bone. He didn't pull the kid forward, but he hoped the hint might reach Kazu's (sometimes oblivious mind) to bring their hips closer. He tilted his face up after Kazu, observing the emboldened boy through his lashes.
"What would they be interrupting now, I wonder?" he mused, fingers kneading against Kazu's hipbone.
It wasn't, of course, as if Kazu was completely spineless. After all, this was the same kid who finished out a fight with Sano by raising his middle finger into the air in an act of defiance. He was one of the only people who had the nerve to tell Ikki no--even if it was for selfish reasons--and he was one of the only people who could go through all of Ikki's abuse. Though a part of it had to do with complete idiocy, he was willing to take an action when he felt that he could, even if it would often take some coaxing or some reason to do something. That, or he wanted something. Both, it seemed, likely had a part to play in this current interaction.
In response to Spitfire's comment, Kazu tried coming up with something witty, but nothing came to mind immediately. He used the time that he thought to take the hint, shifting closer against Spitfire in response. "Training," Kazu said, a wry expression coming to his face to indicate that he was not naive in a manner of not understanding the implications of that. He pressed his hands against Spitfire's stomach, and his fingers gripped the older man's shirt.
Spitfire figured they'd wasted enough time with banter and actual AT training that there was no point to prolong it anymore. He pushed aside Kazu's hands to tug his own shirt off, acutely aware of how warm he'd been next to the shirtless Kazu. It was a definite sign of his urgency that Spitfire left his expensive shirt on the dirty ground to reach up and tug Kazu back into a forceful kiss.
"Training," he echoed against Kazu's lips after a moment. He easily closed the distance between their hips, bringing Kazu crashing down against him. He slid a hand over the boy's backside, going back kissing him desperately. He had a feeling things had already go to far just by taking a run, and that it was possible this situation was going to get even worse.
It was curious that Spitfire labeled the progression of this situation as having the possibility of becoming "worse," when it was Kazu who chose to initiate it. However, Kazu did not know of Spitfire's hesitance regarding him. He did not know that Spitfire had refrained from taking things farther for the sake of Kazu, despite his own desires. In truth, it wouldn't have bothered him--but there was a part of him that would likely admit that he appreciated it. Hormones be damned, Kazu was still coming to understand all of this. But in the moment, at this moment, he cared little about understanding it. He was aroused, even more so by the close proximity of their bodies, perhaps even more so because of the almost sticky nature the held after their run.
Kazu broke the kiss, not because he was no longer enjoying it, but because he wanted to try something else. He pressed his lip to Spitfire's chin, and then lowered his head, angling it so he could kiss down his neck until reaching the base of it. After a moment, he nuzzled his face there.
Spitfire's mind felt thick and blank with Kazu's body lounging along his. Rational thought seemed to have slowly left him, scattered along on the rooftops before this fateful one. His sense of propriety and a consideration for Kazu's age and inexperience seemed miles away, replaced with other pressing thoughts. Each shift of Kazu's body registered against his own skin, pulsing through Spitfire like a shot to the heart. He could curl his fingers at the waist of Kazu's pants and remove them in less than five seconds and they could finish what they had been dancing around for weeks now.
Spitfire's thought of what he would do to Kazu on this rooftop came to a halt as the boy in effect, cuddled against him. His hands wandered hesitantly against the back of the boy's jeans, up along the bumps of his spine before pulling away from the kid all together. It was too cute and, maybe this hadn't been Kazu's intention, but too innocent. The familiar guilt and over thinking returned to Spitfire, who suddenly couldn't discern if the tightness between them was an arousal or dead.
"Kazu," he said at last, voice thicker and more unsure than he had imagined it. He trailed off, confused on how to return to his original sense of responsibility with Kazu's hot breath along his collarbone. His hands returned, thumbs digging into the hollow bones of Kazu's hips.
Oblivious to the amount of conscience playing in Spitfire's mind, Kazu sustained his place in comfort. It wasn't meant to be innocent, but to savor the closeness that they currently shared. Kazu wasn't someone that completely grasped all sentimental moments that he shared with someone, but he was able to understand the implications of this. Having heard Spitfire's statement and felt his fingers in his hips, Kazu pulled his head back to look up toward the older man. While Spitfire may have thought he imagined the moment of arousal, Kazu was still amidst that experience.
He slid his hands down, fingertips sliding down Spitfire's chest a little as he raised his eyebrows in what could only be taken as a curious expression. "What is it?" he asked, thinking that perhaps what he heard was said as a question. A few strands of blond hair hung loosely in his eyes as he waited for Spitfire to respond--or to act, which Kazu would have much preferred at the moment.
Spitfire resisted the urge to let go of Kazu and bury his face in his hands. Yes, this is your student and a fifteen year old boy curled up in your lap, shirtless and trailing his fingers against his skin. Yes, this is exactly what it looks like. The urge to be mortified was currently battling the urge to throw Kazu against the nearest hard surface and do away with any semblance of distance between them. He already felt dizzy with these very different outcomes. He avoided a gulp, knowing Kazu would hear that from his positioning so close to his throat.
He took a deep breath, making sure the hand son the boy's hips were steady.
"Do you want to do this- here," he added quickly, sensing the reaction Kazu would have if he seemed even the slightest bit unwilling. He didn't want to scare Kazu off, but he didn't want to ruin this heir to the Flame Road. Then again, a particularly sinister part of his mind surfaced. It would be silly to give something as volatile as the Flame Road to a virgin. He brushed the hair out of Kazu's face, letting his hand trail down to the boy's chin, holding his gaze.
"With me?" Spitfire had the feeling posing the question like this really wasn't giving Kazu a choice, that he was being selfish. But the idea of seeing Kazu squirm and moan was easily overpowering the idea of stopping here.
Having the question posed forced him out of the immediacy of the situation. Kazu glanced around the surroundings and thought of where they were. It wasn't something that might be deemed appropriate, but it was Spitfire's question and experience that would be called in. He thought to point out that the location wasn't appropriate, especially given that he was fairly certain that this sort of thing required more than just people. It required certain things, and as far as he was aware, Spitfire didn't have them--but Kazu could be wrong, so he did not produce those assumptions.
It was a far cry from their first conversation when Spitfire arrived under the dome. Kazu remembered looking upon him in an admirable way with a glass of water in front of him. He had struggled with his place under the dome upon arriving, because he knew there would be no sky, there would be no way of offering the freedom to Ikki that his best friend desired. Furthermore, his skills with the Flame Road continually faltered for some time. But being in Spitfire's presence had helped him. It wasn't unlike the night they had when Spitfire told him about their past, only stretched out--without the same negative end. This wasn't how he had expected his relationship to progress with the former King, but he embraced it willingly. In most everything, Kazu was someone that threw his all into something, and he knew he had done it here. It was a conscious fact that didn't bother him.
The moment of pensive thought etched its way over his features, and it was clear that he was examining the full extent of this situation. He could have easily rejected Spitfire, but he didn't want to. He was still aroused--even if less so, by now, but the feeling still remained--and he didn't want that feeling to leave him. He understood what that could mean, and even smiled at the thought of it--and to ease what might have been Spitfire's worries in asking him. After all, he only now understood the fact that the older man might have been worried about the extent of this situation. Kazu could pick out the reason behind AT moves and if people were taunting one another as they performed tricks, but he still lacked necessary interpersonal skills.
Aside from the hint of a smile, he thought to continue acting. Kazu moved his hands down until he reached the button on Spitfire's pants so he could release it. "Yeah, I do," he said, knowing that it wasn't as necessary after the fact, but he figured it might be necessary.
Maybe, Spitfire thought, if this had been anyone besides the conversation would have ended there. He might have let it be and let things run their course; however, this WAS Kazu, and as such Spitfire felt an odd responsibility to show the occasion some kind of decorum. In a situation where something like moving to a bedroom might like an unnecessary formality given the state they were both in, it suddenly felt precious. That, and Spitfire wasn't comfortable leaving his expensive clothing strewn on a filthy rooftop.
His breath hitched when Kazu's hand slide between his legs and catches it before the boy goes too far. His smile felt strained, trying not to spook Kazu at the very least, and at the most, trying not to relent on his decision. Watching him, Spitfire reminded himself that as soon as they get home.. his mind momentarily wandered to all the more things he'll be able to do to the boy in the comfort of his bedroom.
"If you really want to," he said slowly and this time can't help but gulp a little. "We can go back to my apartment."
No part of Kazu realized that there might be some margin of error in this. He wanted this, but it likely had more to do with the feeling in his body than anything else--but that didn't matter, because it was what he wanted. He smiled eased and leaned toward Spitfire, catching his lips with his own as if to seal the fact that it was what he wanted to do. It wasn't allowed to linger, because lingering would lengthen the time between reaching Spitfire's apartment. He slid back and stood up onto legs that were shakier than he expected them to be. He realized it was nerves, but there was also the part of him that felt as if this would be fine, completely fine, if only because of his impending partner. There was some overly trusting factor into that, but it was also the desire to have that specific person.
Kazu feigned comfort as he moved to grab his articles of clothing, the hoodie picked up and tugged over his torso and the beanie placed on his head a moment later. "I'll race you back," he said casually, turning around to look down at Spitfire.
Spitfire mourned the loss of seeing some skin (and having to see that beaning- ugh), but knew better that to complain. They would be back in his apartment soon and those articles of clothing and more would be tossed aside. Kazu's chaste little kiss and his smile were enough for Spitfire to judge the kid's willingness. Maybe, he conceded as he climbed to his feet, he'll change it's mind when it gets closer. But that would be okay. It wasn't like they couldn't do other things. He sent Kazu a sidelong glance as he pulled his own shirt on over his head. He hoped he realized that. Forcing Kazu to be the Flame King was already a heavy weight on his conscience. Spitfire wasn't really so sure he could handle much more.
Spitfire stepped toward Kazu's challenge and pulled the boy close to his chest again, a hand wrapped around his arm. He leaned in to return the kiss, longer than the one Kazu had given him and coaxing his tongue between the boy's lips. He pulled away and nodded with a smile. "A race, hmm? Then what will the loser have to do?" He knew they needed to get going, but it was his nature to say unnecessary things.
If Spitfire brought that up, Kazu would point out that though they were intrinsincally through the Flame Road, his decisions when it came to this did not have any involvement with the others--not in the way that Spitfire seemed to be implying. It wouldn't be a correction, but Kazu was the future Flame King. It had everything to do with his actions, but he saw AT as a separation from personal relationships. It was one of the things that caused him to be confused at times when he had to think of the breakdown in the relationship between Ringo and Ikki. But again, it likely had something to do with the fact that Kazu did not automatically think in such terms.
He eased an arm around Spitfire and thought about that. "I thought we were going to figure that out," he said after what wasn't a long enough pause, but he couldn't come up with something better. He grinned and slid away, knowing full well that if he had any chance of winning, he would need a headstart. And for some reason, he felt as if he wanted to win this, only to add some of the same feeling that had led them into this precarious situation.
There was a slight tug on the back of his beanie before he started off. To anyone else, it would have seemed as if he teleported instantly, but Spitfire would be able to see the quickly movement of him as he started off the roof.
Spitfire tried not to roll his eyes a little. He was a bit of a little brat and too cute for his own good sometimes. And obviously oblivious about some things, but Spitfire knew he was the one who was more of less wrapped up in this relationship. If anything, he was the only one between the two of them that seemed to have serious doubts and apprehensions about the two of them being together. Somehow though, Kazu always managed to worm his way around Spitfire's worry and give the man the greenlight anyway. He was helpless, Spitfire relented and ran a hand through his hair. He made an effort to fix its state state in order to give Kazu the few seconds of a headstart he;d need to win. He smiled wryly to himself as he took off, wondering if the boy had it in him to think up some kind of punishment for the loser.
what: Uh. :D?
rating: PG-13 ... R-ish.
Spitfire skid to a stop on one of the flat roofs, official looking buildings signalling for a break in their run. He glanced over their surroundings. It wasn't the best place to rest, but he didn't see the point in running Kazu ragged this early. They were in the section of the city that was primarily devoted to civil service buildings, government work. It was naive of them to assume the government hadn't taken notice of their AT. Kaito was being quiet, Kilik too, but Spitfire imagined it was only a matter of time until their AT usage started to become regulated. There were a lot of people with dangerous abilities in this place, but the Gravity Children couldn't put it past the government not to try and control their means of escape. Spitfire squinted up to the sky speculatively, at the fake blue and the cold sun. There was some warmth from above, but Spitfire remembered the warmth of sunlight from the first day they found it. This sunshine was a paltry comparison.
"I'm glad you suggested this," he called over his shoulder to Kazu, who had settled on the roof after him.
The absence of runs in their time together had put a strain on Kazu. Even though he enjoyed being with Spitifre--falling asleep on his couch, and the visits when they had the opportunity at Rule 42--it was not the same with the absence of the flames. He felt the familiar itch to take runs every day, but he found himself consistently frustrated because they were no longer allowed. Spitifre had said it would be some time, but there had been no changes. Kilik had made no move; Kaito had made no move. If it were Ikki in charge, they woul have already laughed in the face of the others and started--but beneath the confines of the dome, a person like Ikki faced some difficulty in making runs, even if he was calm about the restrictions of the dome. There was still a sky above the dome, Ikki claimed. Kazu remembered the words with a sense of proudness, and they all wished to be free. But hiding would not do it. They were a different generation from the group that Kilik had attacked. They would not allow themselves to be restricted, even if they were already set up to be weaker to some extent.
When he called and asked for the run, it was after he left work. His AT were with him, just as they always were, but he couldn't resist the call of them. There was one more day to the week of school, and though much of Kazu's time was spent between Rule 42 and his school project, he could not resist the call of the run and the feel of the flames catching up on the ground behind him. He couldn't resist trying to catch up with Spitfire, a grin on his face when he accomplished one more step on a difficult trick.
That was most of the run, but when they landed on the rooftop, he was tired. His blond hair was matted beneath his hat, and his hoodie felt unnecessary. As he eased into a stop beside Spitfire, he leaned forward with his hands on his knees with a wavering grin. He didn't say anything at first, but straightened up after a moment to tug off his hoodie. There wasn't anything on underneath--he needed to wash his T-shirts, but he often forgot them all the same--but he was too hot to keep the fabric on at the moment.
"We waited too long," he finally said, despite the less than casual action that had come before. He held the hoodie in his hands as he stood there, looking out over the city.
While Kazu's words weren't exactly innocuous sounding - especially after the boy took off his shirt- Spitfire avoided pointing that out. Even if he didlooked pretty cute when he got embarrassed (good, since embarrassing and teasing Kazu had become favorite pastimes of Simca). He turned back away from the heir and slide farther along the room before finding a place to sit. He gestured for Kazu to come join him with one hand, dragging the other through his hair. He'd worked up a sweat from the run, naturally. He still had to hold himself back to some extent with Kazu, but the kid was improving fast enough that it wouldn't be that way for long. Sometimes, at the right moment when Kazu landed a perfect trick and looked up at him with this wide, beaming grin. That was when Spitfire wondered if he would be officially retiring sooner than he'd originally thought.
Kazu was getting restless. Spitfire couldn't really blame him. There was no easy way to deal with Kilik's arrival in the dome. Spitfire had imagined it would be this way, but somehow in his mind, he had seen this waiting going easier. Maybe it was Kazu's energy, so entire palpable that Spitfire couldn't help but take on some of it as his own. Or maybe it was the thought that here there was no sky, no Sora, and Kilik was more alone than he had been at the betrayal. This wasn't the same situation from their youth, Spitfire knew this. He just wasn't sure what the right way to handle it was. Which made him entirely susceptible to Kazu's pleas for an innocent run.
Kazu hadn't thought through the implications of having tugged off his sweatshirt, but they hit him after Spitfire turned away and moved to sit down. Though a certain level of their relationship was growing deeper, he still failed to think through certain things when he went about his casual routines. Even before he met Spitfire, there were times in which he shed parts of his clothing to sustain a bit of his speed, especially when he grew tired beneath the summer sun back home. Agito hadn't been particularly polite to him at the time, but Kazu hadn't cared. It was one thing he needed to do, and it was already bad enough that the majority of his wardrobe had been made up of the hooded objects.
Holding the hoodie still in hand, he moved after Spitfire after his initial pause, gliding toward him and turning down to sit against the ground. There was a very small bit of space between them, but he didn't pay it any mind. Kazu dropped the hoodie to his side and tugged his beanie off. He examined it with a pensive expression. "We have to keep running," he said. "When we have a chance. That's why I'm your heir, right?" He glanced toward Spitfire expectantly, inwardly knowing by now that Spitfire would agree with him. He smiled, too, as he looked up at Spitfire. It would be improper if he did not appreciate the appearance of Spitfire by now, though he imagined the man would take points off himself for his current state of hair. The thought made Kazu grin, even if he didn't bother to explain the reason behind the expression.
Everything Kazu said went through Spitfire like the boy had shouted it. Even if they were almost perverted sounding things or something deep and insightful about AT, he felt a ridiculous happiness to hear them. Spitfire was a little embarrassed with how important even a few comments from Kazu had become. Most of the time he attributed it to a surge of pride for his loyal student. He knew there were definitely other factors that went into this, but it wasn't productive to think of those things at the moment. Because of this, he didn't immediately look back to the boy when he felt Kazu's eyes on him. He craned his neck a little to look the other way at the city around them. He knew if he relented and looking over Kazu like that- Spitfire couldn't see them finishing their run. He eventually glanced back from the corner of his eye and was greeted with Kazu's grin.
"What's that look for?" he mumbled, shifting his weight should their shoulders touched, smiling back with a bit of confusion.
"Your hair," Kazu said, as if the two syllables seemed to explain everything. He reached up with the arm closest to Spitfire and pressed his hand against the damp red strands of hair, and pulled it down. "I sometimes forget it can look messy." It wasn't as bad as Kazu's looked. As per usual for Kazu, his hair was perpetually matted and flat, as if he had been wearing a hat all day before he went through an extensive work out. It was exactly what did happen, but there were some parts of Kazu's vanity that did not exist. Though he liked nice shoes and pants--not of Spitfire's taste, of course, but his own--his care for other parts of himself was nonexistent. As long as things were comfortable, and he did have some manner of taste when it came to somehow finding the softest fabrics.
"You might rate yourself as a nine right now," he added. "Maybe a nine-point-five." The important part, Kazu believed, was that it wasn't a perfect score.
It was interesting how the dynamic between them had changed. When Kazu had first arrived, he was awkward around Spitfire, bumbling and uncertain, but they had broken down the barriers and Kazu felt as if he could be more comfortable with Spitfire than anyone--with the exception of Ikki, of course. But it helped that they did have their connection in the flames.
Spitfire laughed at the joke about the ranks- while secretly letting his eyes sweep the rooftop for something with a reflection. Since he had grown into his sense of style and a perfected look, Spitfire hadn't necessarily surrounded himself with people with whom he could look unkempt. Simca, of course, had known him from the days when he had terrible hair and headbands- but that seemed to only further the urgency to look as handsome as possible when they were together. Frankly, that wasn't all that difficult. And as well as he knew Sano, Spitfire had no plans to look less than pristine when with the Iron Clock. Kazu, though, was on a completely different spectrum than those two. Spitfire was aware that he didn't need to worry about looking perfect around the heir. If anything, when they were together, he was far more occupied in trying to perfect Kazu's imagine rather than his own.
"What about you!" he countered, turning his body towards the boy, chiding playfully. "Taking off your clothing in a public place! Don't you have any shame? What if someone came up here and saw you like that!" Grinning, Spitfire didn't pull away from Kazu's hand in his hair, even leaning his face in a little closer.
Spitfire's concern about his image had bothered him at first, but Kazu grew into the grooming, even appreciating it to some degree. He was not someone who needed to have his hair trimmed or dyed a different color--even if Spitfire seemed to eye his appearance with each passing day in curiosity. But he humored Spitfire, partly because he knew it was Spitfire's way of caring for him, and partly for reasons that were a little selfish. After all, Spitfire was willing to put his hands on him frequently when trying to adjust his appearance in some way. He wasn't going to reject any advance like that.
"Heh, I guess not," Kazu said. As mentioned before, "shame" was not something that particularly concerned Kazu in the least. He was more concerned with being comfortable, and it did extend to that. Even though Spitfire had eased closer to him, he did not immediately take the invitation, feeling somewhat defiant for the moment--at least in a playful way. "What, you got a problem with that?" he asked, tilting his head back a little and lowering his hand down onto Spitfire's shoulder.
Kazu, always the quick learner, had been picking up subtle ways to try and tease the older man. It was a coy act that wasn't entirely unexpected, but wholly appreciated. It was possible, he considered, that Kazu was even intentionally doing these kinds of playful things- but that would be another instance where Simca would accuse Spitfire of not giving Kazu enough credit. Regardless, Spitfire found the kid's actions charming, the hand on his shirt warm- if not a little sweaty.
Spitfire smiled easily and caught Kazu's hand as it settled over his shoulder. "I would have a problem," he murmured, ghosting the boy's wrist with his grip. He wasn't holding on tight enough to hurt Kazu, but enough so that he couldn't worm away at the initial grab. "If someone were to come and interrupt us now." He let his thumb drag along Kazu's skin before he released him, turning to lean back. He stretched out, raising his eyes back to the sky.
There was a complete pause in Kazu's actions as he felt Spitfire's thumb go over his skin. He swallowed, lips slightly parted, and he was reminded of a desire for water that he had briefly earlier. It returned, not because of the fact that he was dehydrated--though he was, to some extent--but because of his reaction to Spitfire's touch. After Spitfire pulled back, there was a vague hint of annoyance in his features, but he caught on to what Spitfire was doing. It was the same thing done in return. But the difference between them was that while Kazu seemed to have nerves of steel in some way--though Simca had previously believed otherwise--he didn't think he had the same willpower that Spitfire had. It came with the lack of experience.
Still, he turned and leaned against the wall again, a blank expression forced onto his features like a mask. "Would that be so bad?" It was an idle question. He was briefly reminded of his worries regarding Ikki finding out. He knew it would happen in the near future, but he would have to wait for it. "Just someone interrupting a talk." His words were a little strained, but he carefully focused his gaze on his AT that still rested on his feet. They were beaten up, as per usual, and Kazu would have to perform maintenance on them when he returned to his apartment.
Spitfire closed his eyes, murmuring a vague sound of acknowledgment to the boy's comment. Frankly, being interrupted would be worse in Spitfire's mind than being discovered. He had a feeling or a while that Kazu was worried about how his friends- particularly Crow- would react to the situation between them. He vaguely remembered that feeling from his own time of self awareness when he was Kazu's age (no, younger). But he couldn't give the boy any real advice. Ikki was not Simca and regardless of how the Hurricane King found out, it wouldn't be do cleanly or quietly. Not that much with Crow is.
Even if they weren't looking at one another, they were still seated close together. So much so that Spitfire could feel Kazu's breathing. His eyes were still closed, but he could still envision Kazu's body next to his, already half undressed. IT was something of an annoyance at this point and Spitfire shifted his weight to innocently brush against Kazu's side. Finishing the run was steadily becoming less of a priority.
There was paranoia in regards to Ikki, but it was more that Kazu didn't want that part of himself put on display. He was still coming to understand it--still coming to understand that it wasn't only Spitfire he found attractive, but other males as well, not that he spent much time thinking about that aspect--and he worried about how Ikki would go about it. Ikki would not disown him or act as if their relationship had never started when they were kids. He expected a few snide comments from Agito, as well, but overall, it was more the publicity of the act that worried him. He didn't even believe he was the only one under the dome going through this, but he didn't relate to many people outside of girls and Ikki very well (Spitfire aside, for aforementioned reasons).
He shifted closer to Spitfire after a moment, not in a teasing fashion, but so that he could angle his torso and stretch and arm over Spitfire's chest. Kazu pressed his lips against Spitfire's jaw, almost immediately tasting sweat with the action. But he turned more all the same, quickly maneuvering himself so that both of his legs were on each aside of Spitfire. The same grin appeared from before. Somehow, it didn't feel awkward to do this, even if he still had an awareness of his AT still resting on his feet.
Spitfire's eyes snapped open when, in one fluid motion, he had a kiss and a lap-full of an eager little blond. He cautiously mirrored the boy's grin. He had a nagging suspicion he'd created a bit of a monster by opening Kazu up to this attraction. He definitely didn't regret it, though, Spitfire thought wryly. There was something inexplicitly arousing about KAzu making the irst move, even if hal of Spitire's mind had gone into a red alert mode. He reached out to slide a hand up the back of Kazu's leg before letting his fingers fall to wrest over a hip bone. He didn't pull the kid forward, but he hoped the hint might reach Kazu's (sometimes oblivious mind) to bring their hips closer. He tilted his face up after Kazu, observing the emboldened boy through his lashes.
"What would they be interrupting now, I wonder?" he mused, fingers kneading against Kazu's hipbone.
It wasn't, of course, as if Kazu was completely spineless. After all, this was the same kid who finished out a fight with Sano by raising his middle finger into the air in an act of defiance. He was one of the only people who had the nerve to tell Ikki no--even if it was for selfish reasons--and he was one of the only people who could go through all of Ikki's abuse. Though a part of it had to do with complete idiocy, he was willing to take an action when he felt that he could, even if it would often take some coaxing or some reason to do something. That, or he wanted something. Both, it seemed, likely had a part to play in this current interaction.
In response to Spitfire's comment, Kazu tried coming up with something witty, but nothing came to mind immediately. He used the time that he thought to take the hint, shifting closer against Spitfire in response. "Training," Kazu said, a wry expression coming to his face to indicate that he was not naive in a manner of not understanding the implications of that. He pressed his hands against Spitfire's stomach, and his fingers gripped the older man's shirt.
Spitfire figured they'd wasted enough time with banter and actual AT training that there was no point to prolong it anymore. He pushed aside Kazu's hands to tug his own shirt off, acutely aware of how warm he'd been next to the shirtless Kazu. It was a definite sign of his urgency that Spitfire left his expensive shirt on the dirty ground to reach up and tug Kazu back into a forceful kiss.
"Training," he echoed against Kazu's lips after a moment. He easily closed the distance between their hips, bringing Kazu crashing down against him. He slid a hand over the boy's backside, going back kissing him desperately. He had a feeling things had already go to far just by taking a run, and that it was possible this situation was going to get even worse.
It was curious that Spitfire labeled the progression of this situation as having the possibility of becoming "worse," when it was Kazu who chose to initiate it. However, Kazu did not know of Spitfire's hesitance regarding him. He did not know that Spitfire had refrained from taking things farther for the sake of Kazu, despite his own desires. In truth, it wouldn't have bothered him--but there was a part of him that would likely admit that he appreciated it. Hormones be damned, Kazu was still coming to understand all of this. But in the moment, at this moment, he cared little about understanding it. He was aroused, even more so by the close proximity of their bodies, perhaps even more so because of the almost sticky nature the held after their run.
Kazu broke the kiss, not because he was no longer enjoying it, but because he wanted to try something else. He pressed his lip to Spitfire's chin, and then lowered his head, angling it so he could kiss down his neck until reaching the base of it. After a moment, he nuzzled his face there.
Spitfire's mind felt thick and blank with Kazu's body lounging along his. Rational thought seemed to have slowly left him, scattered along on the rooftops before this fateful one. His sense of propriety and a consideration for Kazu's age and inexperience seemed miles away, replaced with other pressing thoughts. Each shift of Kazu's body registered against his own skin, pulsing through Spitfire like a shot to the heart. He could curl his fingers at the waist of Kazu's pants and remove them in less than five seconds and they could finish what they had been dancing around for weeks now.
Spitfire's thought of what he would do to Kazu on this rooftop came to a halt as the boy in effect, cuddled against him. His hands wandered hesitantly against the back of the boy's jeans, up along the bumps of his spine before pulling away from the kid all together. It was too cute and, maybe this hadn't been Kazu's intention, but too innocent. The familiar guilt and over thinking returned to Spitfire, who suddenly couldn't discern if the tightness between them was an arousal or dead.
"Kazu," he said at last, voice thicker and more unsure than he had imagined it. He trailed off, confused on how to return to his original sense of responsibility with Kazu's hot breath along his collarbone. His hands returned, thumbs digging into the hollow bones of Kazu's hips.
Oblivious to the amount of conscience playing in Spitfire's mind, Kazu sustained his place in comfort. It wasn't meant to be innocent, but to savor the closeness that they currently shared. Kazu wasn't someone that completely grasped all sentimental moments that he shared with someone, but he was able to understand the implications of this. Having heard Spitfire's statement and felt his fingers in his hips, Kazu pulled his head back to look up toward the older man. While Spitfire may have thought he imagined the moment of arousal, Kazu was still amidst that experience.
He slid his hands down, fingertips sliding down Spitfire's chest a little as he raised his eyebrows in what could only be taken as a curious expression. "What is it?" he asked, thinking that perhaps what he heard was said as a question. A few strands of blond hair hung loosely in his eyes as he waited for Spitfire to respond--or to act, which Kazu would have much preferred at the moment.
Spitfire resisted the urge to let go of Kazu and bury his face in his hands. Yes, this is your student and a fifteen year old boy curled up in your lap, shirtless and trailing his fingers against his skin. Yes, this is exactly what it looks like. The urge to be mortified was currently battling the urge to throw Kazu against the nearest hard surface and do away with any semblance of distance between them. He already felt dizzy with these very different outcomes. He avoided a gulp, knowing Kazu would hear that from his positioning so close to his throat.
He took a deep breath, making sure the hand son the boy's hips were steady.
"Do you want to do this- here," he added quickly, sensing the reaction Kazu would have if he seemed even the slightest bit unwilling. He didn't want to scare Kazu off, but he didn't want to ruin this heir to the Flame Road. Then again, a particularly sinister part of his mind surfaced. It would be silly to give something as volatile as the Flame Road to a virgin. He brushed the hair out of Kazu's face, letting his hand trail down to the boy's chin, holding his gaze.
"With me?" Spitfire had the feeling posing the question like this really wasn't giving Kazu a choice, that he was being selfish. But the idea of seeing Kazu squirm and moan was easily overpowering the idea of stopping here.
Having the question posed forced him out of the immediacy of the situation. Kazu glanced around the surroundings and thought of where they were. It wasn't something that might be deemed appropriate, but it was Spitfire's question and experience that would be called in. He thought to point out that the location wasn't appropriate, especially given that he was fairly certain that this sort of thing required more than just people. It required certain things, and as far as he was aware, Spitfire didn't have them--but Kazu could be wrong, so he did not produce those assumptions.
It was a far cry from their first conversation when Spitfire arrived under the dome. Kazu remembered looking upon him in an admirable way with a glass of water in front of him. He had struggled with his place under the dome upon arriving, because he knew there would be no sky, there would be no way of offering the freedom to Ikki that his best friend desired. Furthermore, his skills with the Flame Road continually faltered for some time. But being in Spitfire's presence had helped him. It wasn't unlike the night they had when Spitfire told him about their past, only stretched out--without the same negative end. This wasn't how he had expected his relationship to progress with the former King, but he embraced it willingly. In most everything, Kazu was someone that threw his all into something, and he knew he had done it here. It was a conscious fact that didn't bother him.
The moment of pensive thought etched its way over his features, and it was clear that he was examining the full extent of this situation. He could have easily rejected Spitfire, but he didn't want to. He was still aroused--even if less so, by now, but the feeling still remained--and he didn't want that feeling to leave him. He understood what that could mean, and even smiled at the thought of it--and to ease what might have been Spitfire's worries in asking him. After all, he only now understood the fact that the older man might have been worried about the extent of this situation. Kazu could pick out the reason behind AT moves and if people were taunting one another as they performed tricks, but he still lacked necessary interpersonal skills.
Aside from the hint of a smile, he thought to continue acting. Kazu moved his hands down until he reached the button on Spitfire's pants so he could release it. "Yeah, I do," he said, knowing that it wasn't as necessary after the fact, but he figured it might be necessary.
Maybe, Spitfire thought, if this had been anyone besides the conversation would have ended there. He might have let it be and let things run their course; however, this WAS Kazu, and as such Spitfire felt an odd responsibility to show the occasion some kind of decorum. In a situation where something like moving to a bedroom might like an unnecessary formality given the state they were both in, it suddenly felt precious. That, and Spitfire wasn't comfortable leaving his expensive clothing strewn on a filthy rooftop.
His breath hitched when Kazu's hand slide between his legs and catches it before the boy goes too far. His smile felt strained, trying not to spook Kazu at the very least, and at the most, trying not to relent on his decision. Watching him, Spitfire reminded himself that as soon as they get home.. his mind momentarily wandered to all the more things he'll be able to do to the boy in the comfort of his bedroom.
"If you really want to," he said slowly and this time can't help but gulp a little. "We can go back to my apartment."
No part of Kazu realized that there might be some margin of error in this. He wanted this, but it likely had more to do with the feeling in his body than anything else--but that didn't matter, because it was what he wanted. He smiled eased and leaned toward Spitfire, catching his lips with his own as if to seal the fact that it was what he wanted to do. It wasn't allowed to linger, because lingering would lengthen the time between reaching Spitfire's apartment. He slid back and stood up onto legs that were shakier than he expected them to be. He realized it was nerves, but there was also the part of him that felt as if this would be fine, completely fine, if only because of his impending partner. There was some overly trusting factor into that, but it was also the desire to have that specific person.
Kazu feigned comfort as he moved to grab his articles of clothing, the hoodie picked up and tugged over his torso and the beanie placed on his head a moment later. "I'll race you back," he said casually, turning around to look down at Spitfire.
Spitfire mourned the loss of seeing some skin (and having to see that beaning- ugh), but knew better that to complain. They would be back in his apartment soon and those articles of clothing and more would be tossed aside. Kazu's chaste little kiss and his smile were enough for Spitfire to judge the kid's willingness. Maybe, he conceded as he climbed to his feet, he'll change it's mind when it gets closer. But that would be okay. It wasn't like they couldn't do other things. He sent Kazu a sidelong glance as he pulled his own shirt on over his head. He hoped he realized that. Forcing Kazu to be the Flame King was already a heavy weight on his conscience. Spitfire wasn't really so sure he could handle much more.
Spitfire stepped toward Kazu's challenge and pulled the boy close to his chest again, a hand wrapped around his arm. He leaned in to return the kiss, longer than the one Kazu had given him and coaxing his tongue between the boy's lips. He pulled away and nodded with a smile. "A race, hmm? Then what will the loser have to do?" He knew they needed to get going, but it was his nature to say unnecessary things.
If Spitfire brought that up, Kazu would point out that though they were intrinsincally through the Flame Road, his decisions when it came to this did not have any involvement with the others--not in the way that Spitfire seemed to be implying. It wouldn't be a correction, but Kazu was the future Flame King. It had everything to do with his actions, but he saw AT as a separation from personal relationships. It was one of the things that caused him to be confused at times when he had to think of the breakdown in the relationship between Ringo and Ikki. But again, it likely had something to do with the fact that Kazu did not automatically think in such terms.
He eased an arm around Spitfire and thought about that. "I thought we were going to figure that out," he said after what wasn't a long enough pause, but he couldn't come up with something better. He grinned and slid away, knowing full well that if he had any chance of winning, he would need a headstart. And for some reason, he felt as if he wanted to win this, only to add some of the same feeling that had led them into this precarious situation.
There was a slight tug on the back of his beanie before he started off. To anyone else, it would have seemed as if he teleported instantly, but Spitfire would be able to see the quickly movement of him as he started off the roof.
Spitfire tried not to roll his eyes a little. He was a bit of a little brat and too cute for his own good sometimes. And obviously oblivious about some things, but Spitfire knew he was the one who was more of less wrapped up in this relationship. If anything, he was the only one between the two of them that seemed to have serious doubts and apprehensions about the two of them being together. Somehow though, Kazu always managed to worm his way around Spitfire's worry and give the man the greenlight anyway. He was helpless, Spitfire relented and ran a hand through his hair. He made an effort to fix its state state in order to give Kazu the few seconds of a headstart he;d need to win. He smiled wryly to himself as he took off, wondering if the boy had it in him to think up some kind of punishment for the loser.