Chapter Ninety-Eight

The Reasons to Kiss You

Part 1 of 3

 

 

The most fascinating part of being in one's first-ever relationship at fifteen was wooing.

Pursuing. Trying to win your partner's heart over with a complex array of flirting, appeasing, coquetry, and seduction.

Nekohiko had heard a lot about these things, and he believed he had a pretty good grasp of what they entailed. Yes, most of this he had learned from books and legends about epic love stories between gods and Spirits, but it didn't mean he couldn't woo Abihiko over with some of their techniques. If they worked in legends and myths, no doubt they would work just as well on a real person.

And whatever Nekohiko didn't know from books, he aided with mimicking in real life. Such was life – whenever one went, he would no doubt encounter some obnoxious couples in love, being all touchy-feely with each other.

If before, Nekohiko had felt appalled at their displays of affection, nowadays, he felt intrigued. They were ample study material.

Something he could use to help him conquer Abihiko's... love, he guessed?

He didn't exactly know what he was conquering it for or what he would do with it once he succeeded. But his plans never went further than the vaguest milestones: become an Emperor, finish Binding School, seduce Abihiko.

The obvious things one might want in his life. But why he wanted them? Who cared.

He was very close to finishing the Binding School and improving his skill as a Wayfarer. And unlike the first thing on his to-do list, which was becoming the Emperor -- with seducing Abihiko, he could almost see the end goal in sight, too.

The Emperor thing was... harder to even comprehend. What was even going on with that? Nekohiko didn't know. After his and Suminoe's trip across the Empire to meet all the Great Lords and start the negotiations with them about supporting Nekohiko in his claim to the Emerald Throne -- nothing.

No news, no hints, no word from Suminoe about what their next step would be. All Nekohiko knew was that he needed at least one Great Lord to back him up. After that, the other Lords would follow.

But so far... it didn't even seem feasible that anyone would want to support him in an all-out civil war. Why would they? Did any of them have grievances with the Usurper? Not really. Nekohiko had a fight with him, but not any of the Lords.

So why would any of them join in?

...

Suminoe had told him they would. They absolutely would. There was a cause and there would be a reason for each of them to join sooner or later.

But Nekohiko didn't understand what made Suminoe think so. He relied on the Head Priest's superior wisdom and didn't spare much thought to his ascension to the Throne. For now, it didn't seem to influence him that much. He was only growing and training his best at becoming a better Binder.

The Throne concerns could wait, especially since there was nothing he could do against the Usurper. No army, no people to support him. Nothing.

There were other, far closer goals within the reach of his hand. And far sweeter ones, too.

Abihiko, being conquered -- wooed -- won over completely by him.

Yesss, to business, now!

 

 

---

***

 

The ghost essence of the enormous, haggard defiler demon splattered all over them both once they finished their suppressing spell.

All of it. The goo, the awful stinking miasma, the physical representation of rot and decay, and the Spiritual corruption that felt more like grease that splashed generously onto Nekohiko and Abihiko both.

The two of them stood in the center of the abandoned wing of the healing house. The house sat high in the Towa region mountains, and getting there had been such a pain. But it was heavenly-cool in here, and so quiet. A perfect place for a healing Shrine and houses far away from the turbulence of everyday life. And the owner of this place clearly agreed -- until one of the wings of their establishment had become corrupted with the residue of a patient who'd died terribly wrong here years ago.

And... alas. The place had become neither cool nor quiet.

It had become a boiling swarm of Demonic energies and essences.

Cue in -- Nekohiko and Abihiko.

And their masterful rendition of the combative exorcism.

Oh, how had Abihiko hopped and jumped and twirled all through the healing Shrine hallways, fighting off the malevolent Spirits and the imps! And how had Nekohiko elegantly taken care of all the actual humans still on the premises so that they wouldn't be possessed by the Evil Spirits.

They got it.

The two of them -- could even be called professionals by now, no?

Except that... the goo. The Demonic Spirit explosion after their exorcism.

That, neither of them had expected. And honestly, neither of them knew how to deal with it efficiently.

But it no longer mattered. The job was done, and the two of them could go back to their inn and... wash themselves off this mess. Hopefully.

Did Spirit residue clean up with lye and water?

They'd find out, soon enough.

Nekohiko trudged down the small mountainous path away from the healing houses and toward their inn not far away from here. His hands were busy wrenching his long hair dry off the remnants of the goopy slick that had gotten onto it. Beside him, Abihiko also hobbled on, his boots squelching with mush at every step and his clothes dripping slime like Nekohiko's did.

Nekohiko would snigger at Abihiko's queasy face if his own wasn't just as queasy.

But, to be fair, Abihiko looked adorable like this. Somehow, Nekohiko noted that, and recalled something weird from during their exorcism fight.

"What was that about the 'pass down the flame'?" Nekohiko asked, halting in the middle of the road to shake the goo out of his shoe. He leaned on Abihiko to do this.

The evening around them was thickening. So high up in the mountainous area, the late autumn and early winter was a harsh combination with the sodden clothes they wore now. Not much snow around yet, but the winds were chilly nonetheless.

Abihiko frowned. "Stop dawdling, we need to get to the inn quicker and get into the hot spring! What nonsense are you talking about?"

"This was the first time I heard of enhancing one's body temperature by breathing flame mouth-to-mouth," Nekohiko mused on after Abihiko pulled him onward by force. "I found it odd, that's all."

"Nothing odd," Abihiko said, testy. "Breath is held inside our bodies, so Binding fire through mouths seems very much obvious to me. Hands would only complicate matters, and breathing is natural anyway. What's so weird about it? You were being frozen over by that Snow-Feather Demon, and I had to warm you up. Whatever, enough about this -- what should we order to drink once we're there? I am starving, too, and I need a good meal..."

Nekohiko allowed himself to be dragged on, but he still blinked at Abihiko in stark confusion.

Was Abihiko... rambling? And changing the topic?

Why?

Very, very interesting.

Although Abihiko was very successful in shifting the topic of their conversation to much more pending issues like eating and warming up -- Nekohiko still was adamant about returning to his original question, even after they had each cleaned himself up in a preliminary dip in a tub and were ready to go into the hot spring.

Obviously, they couldn't clean themselves together, seeing as the tubs were small, and the ghost goo was plentiful on each of them. So Nekohiko didn't see how Abihiko washed up or how successful he had been with peeling the slime off.

He only saw Abihiko an hour later, when Nekohiko was waiting for him in the hot spring, already... mostly clean.

And very, very curious about something.

The snow flurried down softly, evaporating in the steam rising from the hot water. Nekohiko leaned forward on the rocky edge of the spring, anticipating Abihiko's approach. Even though he wore nothing on him but a thin layer of inner robes and the air outside was harshly cold, he didn't feel it; the hot spring canceled the chill out.

Yet most people did not wear anything when they entered the hot springs. Abihiko didn't. His hair was down, sodden and heavy with moisture, and Abihiko was wringing it to the side, exposing every last bit of pale skin in the moonlight.

And once Nekohiko noted that, he turned away sharply, giving Abihiko privacy.

Though why? Had Abihiko ever hidden his nakedness from him after the two had seen each other naked before?

Still.

Nekohiko felt it was too... big of a gesture, to be completely undressed together. If just one of them was -- it could be fine. Right?

Abihiko sagged down, reclining on the rocks, and let out a prolonged sigh. "Finally. That shit took me years to clean out."

Yes, the ghost goo had been hard for Nekohiko as well. But Nekohiko had dealt with it within half an hour. It had taken Abihiko two hours and Nekohiko having to wait for him here, hmpf.

Nekohiko couldn't help but creep closer to him and pinch his arm meanly in response. "You and your obsession with your appearance. How can someone be so shallow?"

Abihiko splashed water, annoyed by the pinch. "Shallow? I'm not the one who stares at his naked friend most creepily while he walks into a spring. I'm not shallow. I am aware of my effect on people, you included." He reclined again, eyes shut in aggravation. "Beauty is power with great responsibility. One has to honor it."

...

Aww. There was something about Abihiko being wounded by someone suggesting how vain he could be that always gave Nekohiko a surge of enjoyment at teasing him like this.

Nekohiko smiled.

Teasing Abihiko for any reason was fun, actually.

"Last week, when you and I were trying to carry that Golden Sun Water for the trials of the Water Imp Demons. You tried to do it in your mouth to not shed even a drop," Nekohiko began, amused. "I thought that it was an odd choice, but you insisted. And then, I had to take a sip of that water to pass the test--"

Abihiko obviously knew where this would go.

He cleared his throat, asking something insignificant about the food they would eat later. But Nekohiko was firm about finishing his question.

"--thus, I had to take a sip from your mouth directly," Nekohiko went on. He flicked his eyes at Abihiko and saw just how flustered Abihiko became.

He curled in, hugging his wet knees to his chest. He stared before him as though avoiding Nekohiko's eyes. It was good that the hot spring water gave people a flushed expression by default, or Nekohiko would think Abihiko was blushing again.

Just as he had blushed back when the moment Nekohiko was describing now -- had happened.

"It was an indirect kiss," Nekohiko ended with a proud nod. "Wasn't it? And today, too -- with the warmth of fire passed between us--"

"I have NO idea where you got this from!" Abihiko exploded, turning roughly in the water to fold his elbows on the rocks behind him. "Like I'd even want to kiss you, you dumb piece of wood..."

...

Nekohiko observed him, intrigued. "I thought that's what you and I should be doing anyway, since we are dating."

Abihiko's spine tensed. He swung around, instantly frustrated. "Are we, though?!"

"Yes, of course. We flirt and tease each other all the time. I am wooing you, like I told you."

Abihiko's stare seemed dazed and lasted a while. "Neko, you told me you will try to woo me three months ago and since then you only held my hand two times. I counted."

"..." Nekohiko scrunched up his forehead, unsure of what Abihiko was getting at. "I hug you in your sleep all the time. You start tossing about in the night, and I hug you."

"So you hug me while I am dead asleep?? Are you wooing a sleeping person?"

Seriously, why did he sound so stressed out about this? Nekohiko felt attacked.

"So you want me to kiss you more often?" he asked genuinely.

"Nooo!" Abihiko slapped the hot water, spraying drizzles. "I don't want anything from you. If that's not what you want of your own volition, I don't want it. It's just... I thought you saying you would woo me -- means something... more than just you hugging me while I sleep."

"Oh. But... it's not just hugging," Nekohiko began, wary, "I also tease you all the time and flirt with you."

Abihiko's glare had a confused quality to it. "...huh?"

Smiling, Nekohiko shifted to sit closer to him, and beneath the water, their thighs touched through Nekohiko's flimsy inner robes. Abihiko's face looked so sweet in the curling plumes of steam.

"Like I called you Abi and Abiko several times in these past months. Did you not notice?"

"How is that flirting?" Abihiko mumbled under his nose. "And you did that, like three times, too. And I'm not even sure how to take it because I have no idea what you mean by that. It sounds so weird, coming from you, too."

"I call you that because you're little," Nekohiko said, tender. "You're younger than me."

And I heard couples tease each other about age gaps all the time. That's what couples do.

...

Yet contrary to the effect he wanted to elicit in him, Abihiko scowled in aggravation. "HUH? What the hell are you even talking-- I am not little! You are only older by two months! What even--"

Ahh!

A strange rush of excitement surged through Nekohiko as he watched Abihiko sputter in indignation.

Abihiko was vulnerable about their tiny age gap? How cute!

"You are little," Nekohiko said, hypnotized by Abihiko's overreaction. "You are a little boy."

Abihiko's eyes could incinerate, it seemed.

"Small, tiny boy. Little Abi," Nekohiko murmured on, starting to smile at the pleasure it gave him to see Abihiko lose his cool. He reached out a hand to pat Abihiko on his head fatherly, but Abihiko splashed water into Nekohiko's face, then rushed to his feet and out of the spring.

"You... obnoxious. If this is how you seduce or woo people... heavens, do your skills suck!" Abihiko was fuming under his breath. He snapped the dry robes from the small basket nearby, and fumbled putting them on as he stormed out of the hot spring area.

Nekohiko was left alone to ponder about his own behavior.

And found that he had enjoyed it very, very much.

If only he could be sure that Abihiko enjoyed it, too. He had seemed so frustrated, though... did age matter to him that much?

Poor little Abi.

All through the evening, Abihiko didn't want to talk to Nekohiko, and Nekohiko wondered if it was because of the age taunts or because of Nekohiko asking him about all that "coincidental" kissing. It was impossible to tell. Abihiko was too touchy. Too inflamed by even the smallest suggestion.

He was so fragile, Nekohiko realized. His ego could not take a lot before Abihiko felt hurt by something Nekohiko did in the romantic sense...

It must hurt him so badly.

Yet he never showed that. It had taken him three months of endless waiting just to say something about his disappointment with Nekohiko's way of flirting. And even then, solely because Nekohiko had prompted him to speak it out.

If Nekohiko hadn't asked -- would Abihiko just wait... forever?

Like he had said to him before? That he would wait for Nekohiko if it took him five years or fifty.

Such thoughts swerved in Nekohiko's mind through the evening and when he went to bed alongside Abihiko. They filled him with sweetness he had never before experienced.

They gave him endless warmth. But also a subtle ache. In his chest -- a pang. Harder to breathe. Like a need he did not know how to sate.

...

 

 

---

***

 

Silence...

The two of them lay side by side in the silent night. All inns they had stayed during their Wayfaring were the same, and blurred in Nekohiko's memory even now. They had changed them almost daily, going around and searching for the next big Demonic Spirit to exorcise or purify. It hadn't all been adventure and fun. Most of the time, it was even dull since many of the Demonic issues that had come across were way beneath their combined level.

At first, they had flubbed around, trying to get the missions from the village elders anywhere they went. Rat infestations, retrieving lost trinkets from catacombs and ravines, carrying dangerous messages from one village to another... it had all made them regret becoming Wayfarers in the first place. But later, they had learned that the real quests were hidden within the urban legends and spooky stories and rumors about the dark Spirits somewhere in the wilderness.

With that, came travel. Through the night, into the wild and untamed lands, across the cold and chilly plains to get where they needed to go. Being so tired and overworked, they sometimes didn't even have time to eat before they both collapsed from Binder's fatigue in the small Bound huts they'd made from dirt or stone or wood lying around.

But it was a good kind of exhaustion.

It filled them with hope. And with exhilaration for the next day. They were finally helping the common people of the Empire in a real way! They finally helped combat the unfairnesses and fundamental injustices of this world. The small humans against the horrifying, heartless existence that cared little about them, and all the ways in which it manifested.

Cataclysms, diseases, famine, curses. At least some of those were caused by corrupted Spirits, and Wayfarers could truly take care of those.

Since then, they had been fighting every single day.

And it was amazing.

To fight together, to sweat and to pant and to grit their teeth against pain and fear, together. To rely so deeply on each other's strength and skill. To... trust. Completely.

Nekohiko didn't notice how he rolled in closer to Abihiko. But he did notice how naturally it felt to lift his arm and wrap it around Abihiko's waist and demandingly push him closer.

So warm, so cozy, to be together like this.

Then, as his hand lingered around Abihiko's torso he realized something else. That Abihiko was rigid beside him and that his body was slowly reacting to his proximity.

And Nekohiko didn't mind it one bit. Abihiko was still awake; he could hear it by his hitched breathing at Nekohiko's touches. So perhaps they could... do something about it?

...

Nekohiko didn't know how to do... all that, but he knew it was pretty easy, judging by how often their peers engaged in these activities with each other. It had to be much more fulfilling to Abihiko than mere kissing, too.

He was bound to like it.

"Don't," Abihiko rasped, frowning when he felt Nekohiko's gentle prod to tease him. "I said do not."

"Mmm?"

Nekohiko smiled, knowing that Abihiko probably just felt shy about it.

"Don't second-guess it," Nekohiko told him simply. "I really want to try doing it with you."

Abihiko glared through half-lidded eyes. His expression was both flustered yet cold.

...why?

"Do the sex," Nekohiko told him brightly. "You know?"

Abihiko still watched him with vivid displeasure, and Nekohiko started feeling insecure about it.

"I am not very experienced but I think it should not be that difficult to do? You can teach me what to do and how -- I want to learn. It sounds very... interesting, all the sex. No?"

"Yeah right. Stop talking nonsense." And Abihiko put his hand against Nekohiko's chest to push him aside.

But Nekohiko did not feel like being pushed away. Easily, he clasped Abihiko's wrists and forced them up, above Abihiko's head to stop him from resisting. There, he pinned his hands to the floor and leaned over Abihiko, feeling playful. But his tone was not playful at all. He was dead serious.

"It's not nonsense," Nekohiko said. "Never say that again."

Him leaning above while restraining Abihiko didn't work well so he slid on top of him instead.

Why not? Abihiko was clearly excited, and he had also hinted that he wished Nekohiko was more proactive with him. This felt only natural to do.

But that was when Abihiko actually screamed at him.

"Let go of me! I said no! Nekohiko!"

That scared Nekohiko, and his hold over Abihiko's wrists weakened. Abihiko used the chance and rudely slid him off himself, then rolled aside and stood up.

He was in such disarray. Tense, ragged breathing and gleaming eyes. "Not in the mood tonight!"

Nekohiko gulped, sitting up. "Because I called you small...?"

"What? No, stupid!" Abihiko stopped before the door to throw Nekohiko a stormy glance. "Just... not in the mood, that's all. Happens."

If not because of the age thing, then probably because of the kiss question. Gods, Abihiko was such a glass-hearted doll sometimes. Even the slightest suggestions that he yearned for Nekohiko when Nekohiko couldn't reciprocate -- hurt him so much.

"Your body seems to be in the mood," Nekohiko said, nodding at Abihiko's agitated appearance. "So we can do it. To relieve you, if you like. I would like that, too--"

As though giving up, Abihiko sighed. "Tsk, good night, Neko."

"But--"

"I'll take care of it myself, don't you worry!" Abihiko spat.

"Take care of what? Of your arousa--"

With a loud bang, Abihiko slammed the door behind him.

...

Nekohiko curled down in the empty bed, slowly tangling himself into his and Abihiko's blankets. His heart was in turmoil again, but not because of the small argument. He didn't think Abihiko was that angry at him. Just, vulnerable and trying to hide his embarrassment and needs from him.

But as before, when Abihiko's cute fragility about their age difference had shown, it gave Nekohiko... feelings he had never experienced before.

The feelings of a protective excitement.

His heart, feeling both light and fluttery inside. What was this? Actual attraction, now? Not in a physical sense, of course, but rather because... 

Abihiko being so embarrassed and vulnerable, it was...

Very nice.

Nekohiko couldn't help thinking about it no matter how much time passed. He could only wait for him to come back and wonder if he could try and push Abihiko into such cute shyness again.

And again...

Giddy with excitement, Nekohiko hugged Abihiko's pillow to his chest and imagined that he was hugging him, instead. He could not wipe his smile off his face.

 

 

---

***

 

 

The next day they were leaving again and going even higher up the mountains. Another legend about the Spirits bothering mountainous travelers in their journeys. Something about the forest tree Demons, their tangly, snaking roots and the jagged cliffs from which the travelers fell when they tripped on those.

Abihiko had a grand idea of disguising themselves as bushes so that the tree Spirits wouldn't notice them approaching...

Nekohiko wanted to question this ridiculously dubious method, but... he had no heart to disagree with anything Abihiko said today.

The after-shyness of their yesternight's separation for the majority of the night still lingered over Nekohiko and filled him with an odd sensitivity.

He wanted Abihiko to feel appreciated today. Cared for.

...maybe even wanted.

So he didn't argue. Tree-disguises? Sure. Why not.

Besides he was too busy recalling the letter he had received in the morning in his and Abihiko's room when they woke up. Ashflake had brought it, like some kind of a mysterious, foggy scroll which had dissipated right after Nekohiko read it.

A letter from -- Suminoe, of all people! Suminoe had frequently sent him money to take care of Nekohiko's travel in case Nekohiko needed something. Nekohiko never needed it, but he was still grateful for Suminoe's watchful care. But never before had Suminoe sent him Ashflake through the Spiritside!

Before, it had always been just regular dummy mail carriers or human messengers. Never Ashflake!

Today, a wholly different case.

Today, Nekohiko had found out that Lord Kazuragi of House Nagare had officially rebelled against the Usurper.

And so had done the entirety of the Nagare Lordship. All at once.

The Nagare people had pledged their loyalty to the true Emperor.

Even recalling this message made Nekohiko shiver in inspired animation.

His first official supporter among the Lords! Aaaaah, Nekohiko had finally gotten himself an army -- a people! A Lordship of his Empire that was on his side, not on Usurper's! So... what did it mean? What now?

Too many questions, not enough information to guess the answers! 

Kazuragi had obviously been absent from all the political issues for the last year. After Yakabe's death, nobody heard anything from Kazuragi, so reclusive he had become, and so turbulent. Nekohiko had often asked Suminoe about their political plans, but Suminoe had told him to solely focus on the Wayfaring for now.

So Nekohiko did. He probably wouldn't understand most of what Suminoe would tell him about the inter-politics between all the Great Lords, so Nekohiko had absolute trust in Suminoe.

He simply knew better.

Now, receiving this news about Lord Kazuragi's pledge of loyalty to him... this was so sudden. So stressful. And yet also -- so exciting.

Nekohiko wanted to know the details first, but he had no way to communicate with Suminoe in the same manner, so he already busied himself with plans on where he and Abihiko had to go next after these mountains to be closer to civilization so that he could send a missive to Suminoe straight away!

He could NOT wait!

He was so high with budding expectations!

He didn't even notice when Abihiko's bush idea started seeming less and less viable. Distracted, Nekohiko had allowed Abihiko to put twigs and Bind branches into his hair and clothes. Abihiko had made a wreath out of pine branches lying around and was desperately trying to fit them onto Nekohiko's head without hurting him with the needles.

"Ow. OW!" Abihiko muttered through his teeth when the needles stung him instead. "Stupid conifers! I hate conifers."

At least, Nekohiko came out of his daze.

And frowned. "I love conifers," he said.

Abihiko could only roll his eyes. "Of course you do."

"Conifers are the trees of my bloodline," Nekohiko agreed proudly.

"What does your bloodline have to do with it? You probably just like them because they have needles and keep everyone away from touching them, pfff. I wonder if you'd wish you had needles, too."

...

All of Nekohiko's elevated mood evaporated.

Was that what Abihiko thought of him?

"Do I keep you away from touching me?" he asked him, quiet. "Yesterday, I wanted you to touch me. I offered to touch you, too, but you went away..."

Abihiko's hands slowed down over the pine branch wreath on Nekohiko's head. Cautious, his eyes trailed downward to meet Nekohiko's eyes.

Abihiko already wore a wreath of needly branches on his own head, and, framed by the beautiful green needles, his pale face with red lips looked especially lovely in the chilly mountainous air.

The cold brought a shade of rose in his cheeks, and his breath came through his lips in silvery plumes.

These plumes scattered, but still touched Nekohiko's face. Which meant the two of them were passing the same breaths between them.

"No," Abihiko said finally. "It was just a joke in bad taste. I didn't mean it."

He wanted to add something else.

But the terrible rumble in the wooded distance spooked him and Nekohiko.

A clash. A noise of roots creaking and branches rustling against each other.

The Forest Tree Demons. Had they already found the two of them? They hadn't even had time to use their masterful disguises!

"Quick, into that tree," Nekohiko hissed, grabbing Abihiko's hand and rushing him toward the biggest normal tree trunk in the vicinity.

As long as it was just a live tree and not a possessed Demonic one, the two youths would be safe inside it, hidden well out of sight. Abihiko was busy preparing a few defensive spells around them while Nekohiko put his palm to the tree trunk to check it for signs of Spiritual corruption.

But it was fine.

A mighty, thick, ancient pine, proudly sticking out of the cliffside like a snag nail.

"Come on!" Nekohiko commanded, then, before Abihiko could react, Bound the two of them forward and into the tree's side. It accepted them as easily as warm water would, and the two of them disappeared within.

...

The rumbling advance of the Demonic Spirits still raged outside, slowly drawing closer. But inside the tree -- it didn't matter. Abihiko waved his hand through the wood grain as though through milk, and changed the aspect of visibility inside the trunk.

Little by little, the outside world became visible to them even though it still looked as if watching through a film of brown and grey, stripped with wooden matter.

But it was safe here.

And maybe even cozy. And it reminded Nekohiko of...

!

It reminded him of the first kiss they had ever shared! Yes, it had also happened inside a tree and... Nekohiko had lost consciousness due to loss of breathable air in his lungs...

And Abihiko had needed to kiss him.

All of sudden, Nekohiko remembered those two recent times when Abihiko was trying to find any chance for them to kiss.

Any chance at all. To share warmth between each other, and to pass scared water between their mouths.

Not a chance.

A reason to kiss him.

Dummy, Nekohiko thought, looking at Abihiko's profile beside him. With me, you do not need any reasons. None, you understand?

But of course Abihiko would not agree if Nekohiko told him that.

So Nekohiko knew what he had to do now.

With a flick of his fingers, he released all the air-Binding spells his breathing depended upon and gradually let himself start suffocating without anything to breathe with. His head dipped and his feet became soft, folding down beneath him.

"Neko?!"

Before he almost blacked out, he still noticed the utter shock on Abihiko's face as he rushed to catch Nekohiko by the waist, protecting him from falling down.

"What the hell are you doing?" Abihiko roared at him as Nekohiko slipped into the dizzy dreams of air-deprivation. He wasn't worried about his well-being.

Abihiko would take care of him. Nekohiko trusted him completely

"You... bastard, what the fuck is wrong with you!" Abihiko groaned, inching closer to Nekohiko's face to Bind the air into him in the most efficient way he knew.

...

Ha.

So cute, Abihiko, Nekohiko told himself, self-satisfied.

Whose seduction and wooing skills suck, again?