Revelations

Barely getting her warning out, Maka huffed as the door slammed and her weapon and his best friend went out on their self-proclaimed “Boys' Night”. Having completed their mission objective an entire day before their flight home would leave, both teams were able to relax and do as they pleased. For Soul and Black☆Star, that meant exploring the city and, most likely, doing something reckless and stupid.

“Yeah, yeah,” mumbled Soul, falling into step with Black☆Star as they left the hotel.

The early evening air was humid and warm, but a pleasant breeze washed over the two as they made their way down the street of hustling people and bright lights.

Looking at his friend, Soul asked, “So, what's the game plan tonight?”

The other teen shrugged, obviously distracted and entranced by the neon signs and loud chatter of the places they passed. “I dunno. Just whatever, I guess, as long as you don't wimp out and pull us back home before ten.” The “like last time” wasn't said, but Soul bristled defensively anyway.

“Dude, I got sick. And it's your fault for making us go to that shady restaurant in the first place, I have no idea how you weren't puking your guts out too,” Soul grimaced.

Black☆Star barked a laugh, “Because I'm too strong to be taken down by food.”

Before Soul could retaliate, Black☆Star stopped in his tracks and made him do the same.

“Hey, I know what we're gonna do tonight.”

“What are you–,” Soul began, but then his gaze followed Black☆Star's pointing finger towards a brightly lit building across the street from them. He stared blankly for a few moments, cars rushing by in from of them, and Black☆Star grinning eagerly at him from his side. A line of people stood outside the door to the club, laughing and yelling and, mostly, drunkenly flirting with each other. A blinking sign to the side of the entrance affirmed that, yes, in fact, Black☆Star was pointing to a strip club.

Soul whistled lowly. “Cool.”

Once they were inside the club, Soul realized their mistake.

The club was dark, though colored lights filtered through the smoky air by the stages, and the place was packed, and therein lay their problem, as it was mostly packed with men. Male patrons with tight clothing, male bartenders in form-fitting uniforms, and male strippers in barely anything at all.

Soul glanced at Black☆Star, who didn't seem to have noticed, and was chatting amicably with another patron.

“Hey, Black☆Star,” Soul shouted, trying to be heard over the booming bass. The other boy looked over at him curiously, and he sighed. “Did you realize that this is a male strip club?”

Frowning in confusion, Black☆Star glanced around quickly, and realization seemed to dawn on him when his eyes widened and he whispered, “Oh.”

Soul sighed again, aggravated that they hadn't actually realized until that point.

“Yeah. Well, we already paid to get in here, and I'm not about to waste twenty bucks. I'm gonna go enjoy the bar,” he jabbed his thumb in the other direction, “and drink until I don't remember where I am.”

Black☆Star shrugged and promised to meet back up with him later. Personally, he didn't care that they had wandered into a male strip club, though it had been an accident. He was pretty much open about his sexuality, and didn't have a particular preference, though he knew Soul did. So, he might as well enjoy himself while he was here.

He was about to follow Soul to the bar and have a few drinks first, but a blur of black and white in his peripheral stopped him in his tracks.

Without thinking, he blurted, “Kid?”

The other boy, who had his back turned to Black☆Star, immediately tensed up. He turned slowly, face warped into a sort of grimace when his eyes met Black☆Star's. Though his hair was an inky black the whole way through, his golden eyes gave him away. Seeing that Black☆Star was about to shout something else at him, Kid hurriedly stalked over to him, grabbed him by the wrist, and pulled him in the direction of lounge chairs and low tables.

Black☆Star fell into one of the chairs with a thump, and feeling pretty pissed off about being tossed around, he opened his mouth to protest. At least, he did, but anger turned into confusion when Kid was suddenly on top of him, straddling his lap in the low chair.

“Kid, what the hell?” Black☆Star sputtered, and Kid's face was just inches in front of him.

Kid hissed back at him, “What are you doing here, Black☆Star?”

“What am I doing here? What are you doing here,” Black☆Star spat indignantly.

The dark-haired teen quickly glanced around, making sure that no one was paying them special attention, and then he leaned back towards his friend.

“I'm supposed to be undercover, and you're about to ruin it.”

“Undercover?” Black☆Star's brow furrowed, and then he gave Kid another look-over. The lack of familiar stripes in his hair began to make sense. He hadn't initially given much thought to what the other was wearing, because he was still in a crisp white shirt, only this one had no sleeves, and was accompanied by a lazily wrapped tie down his torso. White cuffs hung off of the boy's thin wrists, and black jeans hugged the flare of his hips down to his ankles, a glinting silver chain accentuating the ensemble hung from one of the pockets.

Black☆Star sputtered, “As a stripper?”

Kid made a strangled noise in the back of his throat and looked incredibly uncomfortable as his face flushed pink.

He stuttered, “Well – I, yes, but it's –“

“And I thought you said hair dye didn't work for you,” Black☆Star continued, and he threaded his fingers through the dark locks to inspect more closely, but Kid batted his hand away with a scowl.

“Only for a few hours,” he replied, “and don't touch me, or else you'll be kicked out.”

Kid started to stand back up, until Black☆Star interjected, “Wait, Kid, tell me about your assignment. Soul and I are already done with ours, maybe we can help?”

The other boy looked at him and scoffed, “I don't need your help. Actually, Liz and Patty aren't even with me; my father believes I can handle this on my own. And I can.”

Barking a laugh, Black☆Star replied, “Please, you'd be lucky to have my assistance!”

Kid made an annoyed sound, but relented, since the blue eyed teen was unlikely to leave before he got what he wanted.

“Fine. But I'm treating you as a customer. You are not going to blow this for me,” he warned, shooting a glare at the other.

Black☆Star was going to ask what he meant by that, but in a split second, Kid was straddling his lap again. Only, this time, he was pressed chest to chest with Black☆Star, and his hips were swaying slowly, pressed down against the other's crotch. Black☆Star let out a startled yelp, and then Kid's lips were next to his ear, and whispered breath ghosted across the side of his face.

“Shibusen believes that the owners of this club are dealing magical items in the underground,” Kid whispered, eyes darting around the lounge to identify any prying ears, “We're unsure at this point if there are any actual witches involved, but that's likely where the illegal materials are coming from.”

Black☆Star tried to focus on his friend's words rather than the way he expertly ground down on his thighs. Tried to ignore the tingling sensation Kid's fingers left where they ghosted over him, and tried to block out the sensation of the boy's warm lips against his ear. It was, all in all, incredibly difficult.

“Kid,” he hissed lowly, “calm down a bit.”

Kid blinked at him. “What?”

At this point, the reaper's fingers had traveled down to the waistline of Black☆Star's jeans, holding him in place while he gyrated hard down against him. He was now leaning back a bit, as if to offer a teasing view, and Black☆Star had to force his eyes to stray away from the sliver of skin peeking between Kid's tight shirt and the line of his pants.

“You're, um,” he fumbled for words, and gestured to where he was developing an obvious erection, “kind of. Yeah.”

“I'm...?” Kid looked down. “Oh. Oh.”

Black☆Star looked away, flushing deeply while Kid chuckled lightly.

“That's kind of the point of this,” he said, and though his voice was confident, he shyly refused to make eye contact with Black☆Star, who was now gaping at him.

“Hah?” The other asked, eloquently.

Realizing that what he said could be misinterpreted, Kid flushed pink and made a strangled sound, stumbling over his next words, “I mean that, you know, it's what I'm supposed to be doing. As my job,” he swallowed, “giving a lap dance. It would be weird if you didn't, um. You know.”

Less embarrassed of himself, and more amused by Kid, Black☆Star pushed, “Get a hard-on?”

Kid coughed awkwardly. “Right.”

Black☆Star grinned wickedly. “Well, you're doing a good job.”

Tensing in surprise, Kid paused in his downward grind on Black☆Star, and stared at him.

“Sorry?”

Bending his arms behind his head, the blue-eyed boy settled back into the chair more, pretending to be more nonchalant than he was.

“I guess you're pretty good at lap dancing,” he drawled, acting like the way Kid moved against him wasn't driving him crazy. Kid scowled at him, and shifted so that his back was now pressed against Black☆Star's front, and the swaying of his hips drove his ass directly onto the teen's erection. Black☆Star let out a strangled whimper, and Kid smirked to himself, leaning his head back against the other's shoulder to whisper into his ear.

“Is that so?”

Black☆Star scoffed, hoping his friend couldn't hear the roaring of his pulse the way he could. “No need to get so cocky.”

“Me?” Kid snorted, “I'm the cocky one?”

They turned to look at each other at the same moment, not realizing the proximity of their positions until their noses brushed and they both sort of choked on their breath. Blushing, Kid swung around again to hover over thighs, his knees on the couch on either side of the boy, placing his hands on the other's shoulders for distance rather than support.

“Anyway,” Kid carried on as if nothing had transpired, “my shift ends in about another hour. If you really want to know more about this assignment, I'll meet you at the bar.”

Black☆Star blinked in confusion. “You have to go somewhere now?”

Kid sighed, “I can't just sit here all night and talk to you, I have to see other customers or the owners will get suspicious.” He paused. Then mumbled something unintelligible.

“What was that?”

Kid flushed again, and grumbled a little louder.

“Eh?” Black☆Star raised a brow at him.

Kid took a deep breath. “Nevermind, if you stay you'll find out.”

Black☆Star shot Kid a skeptic look, “Okay.”

“Right, well, I'll see you later,” Kid muttered, and he hopped up from the chair and stretched before walking away, Black☆Star staring after him blankly for a few moments. When he came back to himself, he pushed himself up slowly from his seat, and groaned at the ache in his back. He glowered at the bulge in his jeans, and resolved to clean himself up in the bathroom while waiting for Kid to finish whatever he needed to. He resolutely refused to look at any of the other dancers as he marched himself to the back of the building, bumping into a few stumbling drunks despite his efforts.

The bright light of the bathroom hit his eyes as a shock compared to the dim glow of the rest of the club, and he cursed, blinking away the spots of fluorescence in his vision. He walked over to one of the sinks and let the water run cold before he took some in his hands and rubbed his face in an attempt to cool himself down. He sighed, and a few minutes later he was feeling more in control, and the urgency of his arousal had gone down.

On his way out of the bathroom, Black☆Star collided with someone, chest to shoulder, and was about to yell at them to watch where they were going before he realized who he'd run into.

“Shit,” Soul slurred, stumbling backwards and gazing at his friend blearily.

Black☆Star laughed, “You look awful.”

“I feel fantastic,” Soul argued, slamming a hand on Black☆Star's shoulder for support as he swayed on his feet.

Black☆Star wrapped an arm around his friend's waist and snickered. “Meet any cute girls at the bar?”

“Yeah,” Soul surprised him with the affirmation, until, “but she's here for her bachelorette party.”

“Nice,” Black☆Star said, and he helped Soul walk over to one of the tables by the main stage. “I guess that's what we get for coming to a strip club.”

Soul grunted. “How about you?”

“Oh!” Black☆Star blurted, “actually, you'll never guess who I ran int–“

“Gentlemen and ladies,” a loud charismatic voice permeated the noisy club from over the speakers, “This is our last performance of the night. Please enjoy yourselves, and do remember to make it rain for these dancers.” Wolf-whistles and shouts sounded through the frenzied crowd, and people turned their attention to the stage in the center of the club when the strobe lights flickered and then focused towards it, music starting up again and the bass vibrating through the floor.

Distracted, Black☆Star flopped into a chair next to Soul and threw his feet up on the table in front of them. Whenever this performance was over, Kid would probably be done with his shift then, and they could actually talk. Just thinking about the other boy and the way he moved against him earlier made Black☆Star's cheeks burn and he tried not to think about Kid. He focused his attention on the men strutting onto the stage, but a second later he realized that was a mistake as well.

From beside him, Soul groaned. “I am not wasted enough for this.”

Black☆Star jolted upright, eyes wide and glued to the teen in the center of the stage. He swallowed, hard, and a buzzing sensation of white noise fogged up his head when glinting golden eyes met his. Kid tensed at the eye contact, and he looked away, cheeks dusting pink. It was apparent that of the five men on the stage, the four behind Kid served as background dancers, as they each latched themselves onto poles towards the back of the stage, whereas Kid headed towards the one in the front and center.

Black☆Star fisted the fabric of his jeans, his jaw aching from the way he grit his teeth just to prevent himself from drooling. The men on stage wore matching costumes, which looked very loosely based off of police uniforms. Pale blue buttoned shirts with black ties draped down the center, and black, tantalizingly tight shorts cuffed at the hem, making them even more ridiculously short. The belts decorating their pants held faux guns, and handcuffs dangled from the belt-loops. The item differentiating Kid from the men behind him was the police cap, the brim of which swooped low over Kid's brow, hiding his sharp eyes unless he looked straight forwards.

Just when Black☆Star finally thought he was gaining control over himself again– they moved. The tempo dropped suddenly but the bass vibrated more intensely than before, and Black☆Star did not care at all about the music when Kid grabbed the pole.

Similarly to the lap dance he'd treated Black☆Star to earlier, Kid swung his hips in time with the rhythm, each roll or thrust of his pelvis accentuated by the loud beat, and maybe, just maybe Black☆Star could have handled Kid dancing in front of the pole, with his hands traveling over his torso to reveal slivers of skin every so often. Except, when the reaper boy tossed his cap to the audience and then flipped himself easily into the air, effortlessly supporting himself on the silver pole which he wound himself around and ground against, Black☆Star melted.

Kid raised his arms above his head, gripping the top of the pole as he slowly slid down, back pressed against it until he was crouched on the stage, his lower body thrust out as an invitation to the crowd. Just as soon, though, he lifted himself off the floor again, curving around the pole and hooking his leg so he could flip himself upside down. The audience cheered and whistled while he moved fluidly, expertly, on the stage.

To Black☆Star's left, Soul made some snide remark about Kid being anal about perfecting his movements, but Black☆Star didn't hear him. He wasn't listening, and he didn't care, and he couldn't tear his eyes away, especially not when thin fingers slid under the tight shirt and actually ripped it away from his body. Not when Kid bit his lower lip, whether purposely or from nerves, and his hard expression became more of a lascivious smoulder. The prismatic lights streaming over the stage hugged Kid's body in a bright glow, and the dancers must have been covered in some kind of body glitter, because Kid's skin glinted where the lights hit it, and the lines of his muscles and movements became more exaggerated.

The black shorts which clung to his thighs didn't leave much to the imagination. Black☆Star traced the dips and curves of muscle which disappeared behind the shimmery fabric, and he could remember the way the boy's strong legs felt straddling him. He always knew Kid was flexible, he'd seen him fight and move effortlessly around opponents with a fluidity akin to water. But he hadn't noticed how incredibly attractive that flexibility was. He was realizing a plethora of things about his friend, it seemed, like that his thighs were thick and toned and gorgeous, and his hips incredibly feminine where they curved gently away from the taut muscle of his stomach and led into the strong lines of his thighs. He also realized that he wanted to get Kid into so many of the positions he was showing off on the pole.

Black☆Star's mouth was dry, and his blood was hot, heat pooling in the pit of his stomach causing shocks of arousal to tingle along his nerves. He licked his lips and tried to swallow, to ease the tightness in his throat, and he could hear his friend chuckling at him from his side, but it still didn't matter. The men on the back of the stage were stripping themselves as well now, sensually teasing the audience with deliberate slowness and sultry smiles, and still, Black☆Star's attention was glued to Kid. The boy was now kneeling on the stage, knees spread and his hands lazily unfastening his belt and tugging at the buttons of his shorts, then languidly pulling down his zipper. He rose to his feet gracefully, the loose shorts hanging low on his hips and the open fly showing off a neon strip of his thong.

Shouts of encouragement and lust pealed up from the audience, urging Kid to strip the rest of the way immediately. Instead, he sashayed back to his pole, the waistline of his shorts sinking dangerously low on his back, and he grasped the pole once more and hugged the silver tightly between his legs as he spun. Black☆Star watched his lithe body curl and flex, every movement smooth and deliberate, designed to ensnare the audience's attention. When he finally pushed the shorts down his thighs, whistles split the air. The golden-eyed teen kicked the shorts to the side of the stage, and ran a hand through his mussed hair, swiping the dark strands from his eyes for a moment until his bangs fell back into place over his sharp stare. The customers who'd gathered around seemed to love it, and Black☆Star had to admit, the heady gaze was definitely doing something to him.

His eyes raked over the smooth planes of Kid's abdomen, hungrily devouring the sight of the neon yellow underwear stretched over an obvious bulge. When Kid turned, slinking closer some admirers, Black☆Star was rewarded with a fantastic view of the other's muscled rear, the snug fabric hiding nothing. He turned slightly to see how Soul was handling the situation, but the weapon seemed to be ignoring the entire thing since he was trying to chat up one of the few girls in the crowd. The second he shifted his gaze back to the stage, he noticed hands, from men and women in front of Kid, shoving bills into his waistband. The reaper looked mildly uncomfortable, though the customers couldn’t tell, much too eager to put their hands on the dancer and grope his exposed skin.

Grinding his teeth, Black☆Star forced himself to not push the horny people off of Kid. They weren't supposed to touch him like that. But, he had to remember, Kid could handle himself, and it's not like they were hurting him. He groused to himself until his friend finally moved away from the grasping hands, some of the money falling to the stage as he walked. Black☆Star stared blindly at the retreating sight of his ass, nearly choking on his breath when the boy swooped down to grab his discarded clothes. In a daze, Black☆Star almost didn't register the voice calling him, until there was a warm hand on his shoulder.

“Black☆Star, man, stop daydreaming. Show's over, let's go,” Soul yawned, and tugged on his friend's arm.

“Yeah, uh, sure,” he murmured as they walked, and then shaking himself back into reality, “wait, no, I've actually got to meet Kid by the bar. He said he'd talk to me about the mission he's on.”

Soul groaned. “I wasn't even gonna ask why he was here. I'm trying to forget that I even saw that. Way too weird watching your friends pole dance.”

Black☆Star cocked his head distractedly, trying to understand how Soul felt, but, instead, heat surged down towards his forgotten erection as he recalled Kid's performance.

“It was hot though,” he muttered to himself, settling against the bar.

Soul was suddenly staring at him with wide eyes and a goofy smile. Black☆Star felt dread sink into his chest. He fucked up.

“Do you have a thing for Kid now, Black☆Star?” Soul teased, slapping his friend on the back.

Black☆Star flushed. “No,” he insisted, but the defensive rise to his voice just made the weapon grin wider.

“You were definitely checking out his ass, man, I saw you.”

“Che,” Black☆Star spat, “If that's true, then he should feel honored.” The blush still adorning the boy's cheeks made it difficult for Soul to take him seriously.

“I know you're into guys, but this is really gay of you.” There was no heat in Soul's words, just a smug smirk and a condescending hand on Black☆Star's shoulder. “How cute.”

Black☆Star tossed a weak fist at Soul's face in reply, and even in the weapon's inebriated state, he could dodge it. “Shut up, asshole,” he said. Before Soul could pester him any more, a voice called out to them from the hushed chatter around the bar.

They turned to look at Kid at the same time, and while Soul seemed relieved, Black☆Star pouted at the clothes from earlier now mostly covering his body. There was still a shimmer of glitter on his cheeks, and though his hair was still messy, Black☆Star was starting to make out faded white lines peeking through the ebony strands. Soul and Kid waved stiffly to one another, both too embarrassed to make eye contact, and then Soul pushed himself away from the bar.

“Black☆Star said you guys had something to talk about, so I'm just gonna head back to the hotel to get some actual sleep,” he dismissed as he shuffled away.

Kid scrutinized him briefly, “Was he drinking?”

Black☆Star snorted, “Yeah.”

Kid finally locked eyes with Black☆Star,“How?”

“Fake I.D.,” he stuttered, hiccuping a bit from the way his breath caught in his throat.

“And you?” Kid narrowed his eyes at him.

“Nah,” Black☆Star said honestly. He didn't care enough about drinking to go through the trouble of getting a fake I.D., preferring just to do it when the opportunity presented itself. Like, for example, at Soul's apartment, where his friend had a stash of alcohol. Kid hummed and leaned himself on the edge of the bar next to Black☆Star. Black☆Star, in turn, tilted away slightly to try to hide the bulge in his jeans from Kid.

Kid glanced around the area before he whispered to his friend, “Honestly, this isn't the best place to talk about it.”

He received a blank stare from Black☆Star. A pause, and then, “Oh! Oh, you mean, okay.”

Nodding, Kid took Black☆Star by the wrist and tugged him away from the bar, pulling him between the thinning throng of people towards the back of the club. Taken by surprise, Black☆Star stumbled a bit, and then righted himself to Kid's brisk pace. One of the security guards hovering around the back exit nodded to Kid, and Kid acknowledge him quietly before pulling Black☆Star along into a blocked off hallway.

“Where,” Black☆Star trailed off, assuming Kid would fill him in.

“One of the private rooms, there aren't any cameras or listening devices in there,” the reaper stated matter-of-factly.

Black☆Star was shoved abruptly beyond one of the numerous doors in the hall, and even when Kid locked the door behind them and flicked the light on, the room remained much too dim to see well in. Taking in what he could of his surroundings, Black☆Star gulped at the cushioned sofa in one corner of the room, which was next to a table with bottles and napkins on it. A sound system in another corner allowed Kid to turn down off the music in the room, and then it was just them in the dim light with muffled music smothered by the walls.

Kid started moving towards him, and Black☆Star's heart raced. He held his breath as Kid neared, and silently berated himself, because he should not be this turned on. His friend brushed by him to sit on the sofa, and Black☆Star breathed. Right. Kid wanted to talk to him. They weren't going to use this room for what is was –his cheeks burned– obviously intended.

Flopping on the couch next to Kid, the tan boy attempted to look like he hadn't been thinking of his friend going down on him.

“So,” he broke the silence, prompting an explanation of some sort.

Kid shrugged, “I'm not sure what you want to know.”

“I don't know, everything?” Black☆Star crinkled his nose, “I guess just tell me how it's going.”

“Hm,” Kid replied. He paused, and then, “I need to have sex with a client.”

Black☆Star jolted upright from the couch so quickly that his head spun. He definitely didn't hear that right, “You need to what,” he sputtered.

Kid's serious look was unchanged, though he seemed a little flustered by Black☆Star's display.

“I need the owners to trust me,” he said defensively, “in order to be a part of the assumed illegal auctioning going on. And for them to trust me, I think I'm going to need to have sex with one of our customers.”

Black☆Star blinked owlishly at him, “But isn't that, like, prostitution,” he exclaimed.

Kid's frown deepened, “That's exactly what it is, Black☆Star.”

“Then can't your dad get these guys just based on that?”

Kid sighed, “Yes and no. First of all, we're not after their leniency with prostitution, we're here on business about magical items and witches. We're going for the greater of two evils,” he jabbed a finger in the air, “plus, I may not even have to do that, it just seems like the quickest and most foolproof way to get through to those in charge.”

Black☆Star thought for a moment. “Then couldn't you just say you had sex with someone? Like,” he gulped, “the security guard saw you with me, you could say we had sex.” He was grateful for the bad lighting which his the red glow of his face.

Kid sighed, “If only. But, you're not actually paying me, so there's nothing to show for it. And I'm not talking about just any client, I'm talking about those who are influential when it comes to the underground auction. It seems like they pick a few dancers now and then to participate.”

“Participate?” Black☆Star asked.

“Sex, Black☆Star. Prostitution at the auction.”

“You're going to be sold for sex on the black market!?” Black☆Star yelled, grabbing Kid by the shoulders.

Kid shoved his hand over Black☆Star's mouth,“No, you idiot, I'm saying that's my way in to the auction. I won't actually have to do anything, because once I confirm the existence of magical items here, I can take these guys down,” he hissed.

There was a muffled “oh” against Kid's palm. Kid grimaced at the sensation and pulled his hand away, and Black☆Star noted the softness of his fingers.

“Well if you're going up against a bunch of witches, you're definitely gonna want me around,” Black☆Star grinned at him.

“If you stick around you'll probably scare them off by being too loud and obvious and they'll disappear,” Kid argued.

“No way,” Black☆Star pressed, “I'm stealthy as hell. They won't even know what hit 'em.”

Kid had to admit, Black☆Star had grown more mature over the last year, and he was decent with his stealth and overall skill. Still. One wrong move could blow Kid's cover, and he'd already taken a risk by just talking to his friend.

“I won't even ask Tsubaki to stay,” Black☆Star offered. Since Kid hadn't even brought his weapons along, Black☆Star assumed he was serious about not wanting to attract too much attention.

Kid's frown was still there, but his expression was less harsh.

“Come on,” Black☆Star swung his arm over his friend's shoulder, “it'll be like that time we partnered up to find Excalibur,” Kid grimaced, “except with witches and the black market. And without the obnoxious small thing.”

At that, Kid ducked his head and laughed into his hand.

Black☆Star smiled softly at his friend. The other teen didn't laugh often, and when he did, he had a habit of covering his smile with his hand. Pride and affection swelled in Black☆Star's chest, as it usually did when he succeeded in making Kid laugh. Kid looked up at him again, his eyes bright despite the lack of light, and a small smile curled his lips.

“Fine,” he said.

Black☆Star flashed his teeth in a wide grin, “I knew you'd see it my way. Besides,” he added smugly, “without me you'd be bored out of your mind.”

Kid raised a brow skeptically, “I think you mean I'd have peace of mind.” He sighed. “Anyway, just please try to keep a low profile. As long as you continue to act like a customer who's interested in me, everything should be fine,” he pursed his lips, “actually, we probably shouldn't even risk talking outside of the club. For now, just come back tomorrow night around the same time you came tonight, and I'll update you on what's going on.”

Black☆Star nodded. If Kid meant to exchange information the same way they had tonight, then– Black☆Star's face heated. That probably meant another lap dance. Which meant more grinding on his friend. Which meant more awkward erections. Oblivious to his friend's distress, Kid lifted himself from the couch, shrugging Black☆Star's arm from around his shoulder, and moved to the door.

“That's really all I have to tell you so far. I'm assuming that they're going to have someone tail me for a few days to be sure I'm not someone suspicious, so I'm not going to be able to track what they're doing during the day.” Kid gestured to Black☆Star, “So, if you could utilize your stealth skills and tail them for me, that would be great. Then we'll meet up tomorrow evening and tell each other what we find out. Sound good?”

Hopping up from the sofa, Black☆Star shook himself from his daze, stretched, and threw Kid a thumbs up.

“Yep,” he grinned. “You're gonna be so amazed by all the stuff I get,” his grin became sly, “in fact, I bet I can get more dirt on them than you can.”

Kid huffed. “It's not a competition, Black☆Star.” He side-eyed the boy nonchalantly, “But, if it were, I could definitely get more information than you just by showing up to work tomorrow.

“Oh? Is that a challenge?” The tan teen splayed his hands on his hips.

Kid grinned back at him, “Not a challenge. A promise.”

Black☆Star whistled, “You're on, reaper boy.”

Kid hummed approvingly, and then turned to unlock the door. He swung it open, but before he stepped out, he seemed to remember something, and turned around again, marching over to Black☆Star.

“Wh–“ he started, but then Kid shoved his hands into Black☆Star's hair and ruffled it roughly, and before he could recover from that, Kid started pulling at his shirt, making it hang oddly from his shoulders. The reaper stepped back and gave his friend a look-over, then nodded to himself.

“Uh?” Black☆Star asked, cheeks red again, “What was that about?”

Kid looked at him incredulously. “You just had a private session, remember? You need to look the part.” Understanding clicked in his head, but then Kid added, “Now, do me.”

Black☆Star squinted at him. “Huh?”

Frowning impatiently, Kid clarified, “Make me look messy. I can't do it because I can't see myself.”

Black☆Star thought he could feel his brain shut down. He nodded dumbly, hesitantly settling his hands in Kid's hair to repeat what the other had done to him. Despite the feeling of product in the dyed strands, Kid's hair was soft and smooth, and the locks tousled easily between his fingertips. The white in his hair was still incredibly faint, but Black☆Star could see the lines reappearing lighter than they were earlier.

Moving down to the other boy's crisp white shirt, Black☆Star tugged the bottom of it from the waistline of Kid's jeans, causing it to settle unevenly over his belt. Less unsure of himself, he grinned and popped up one side of Kid's collar, then unbuttoned and re-buttoned the top of the shirt wrong, and tossed his already loose tie over one shoulder.

Kid flushed.“Very funny,” he grumbled, pouting.

Black☆Star shrugged, “I don't know what you mean.”

Suppressing the urge to fix himself, Kid humphed at Black☆Star, and stalked back over to the door. “I'll see you tomorrow,” he said, “I'm sure you can find the exit on your own.” And then Kid disappeared into the hallway.

A few moments after he left, Black☆Star ventured out as well. He headed back towards the entrance, passing by the bouncer he and Kid passed earlier, who gave him a subtle nod and a smile. Right. He'd supposedly just had a private dance. Throwing his best self-satisfied grin at the guard, he strode by, trying to look as smug as possible. Though the strippers' shifts had ended for the night, a few people still loitered here and there in the club, chatting quietly. The bar portion would remain open for a while longer, and Black☆Star assumed it was to allow time for dancers to use the private rooms before the club completely closed.

When he pushed through the entrance doors, a breeze of cool air hit him, and he sighed in contentment. The club was smoky and disorienting, and the clearer air of the city was refreshing. Black☆Star guessed it was only an hour or two after midnight, and though cars still zipped by on the streets, it was much quieter than when he and Soul had first ventured out. Most bars and shops had closed, and only scatterings of citizens walked the streets, smoking or making their way home, some drunk and some simply exhausted.

Black☆Star concentrated on finding his way back to the hotel, remembering the vague direction from which he'd come. The place was flashy and large, and overall not very difficult to find, and so he wound up outside the doors about ten minutes later. While shuffling his way inside and to the elevator, tried to strategize how he was going to go about tailing the owners of the club, but exhaustion hit him like a wave once he'd left the noise of the club, and he'd never been one for making a plan anyway.

Opening the door to his and Soul's suite after a fumbled battle with the card key, Black☆Star barely managed to slip out of his shoes and jeans before he collapsed onto his bed. He groaned quietly, the noise no louder than his friend's snores from the other side of the room. The mattress was a soft pressure against the half-hard erection he'd been sporting for hours, and if he were any less tired, he'd consider relieving himself in the bathroom. Instead, he ignored the slight ache, and slipped into sleep.

Kid woke with a his head throbbing and a heavy ache in his limbs. His eyes fluttered open reluctantly, and his hand crawled around the side of his pillow to find where his alarm was blaring and shut it off. Sighing, he pushed himself into a sitting position, regretting it immediately when his vision swam and the muscles in his back protested strongly. He'd only been working at the strip club for a couple nights, and he was still utterly unused to it. He woke up with lights in his eyes and pain coursing through his system, though it was getting more and more tolerable each morning.

As he did every morning, Kid stumbled towards the bathroom, shoving open his blinds on his way, squinting against the late morning light as it streamed in. He turned the water on in the sink, letting it run warm before splashing it against his face, taking a nearby washcloth and rubbing the sleep from his eyes, the warm water soothing and refreshing. Afterwards, he blinked at his reflection in the mirror, noting with a vague downward tilt of his lips that despite all of his scrubbing in the shower the night before, glitter still stubbornly stuck to his skin. His hair stuck out messily in places, and as expected, the three white lines of sanzu were prominently displayed again.

He grumbled and pulled out one of many boxes of hair dye, and set to work. It took about twenty minutes for him to dye his hair completely black, and he had to repeat the process a few times a day. It was tedious, but important in concealing his identity. He briefly considered calling his father through the mirror, but ultimately decided against it, as speaking to him would most likely further aggravate his persistent headache. So, instead, he made his way back into his room and shuffled through his closet for fresh clothes.

As part of his cover identity, Lord Death had rented a temporary apartment for Kid in the city. Assuming Kid was being watched, which was likely because witches were always paranoid, they decided against a hotel as it would seem suspicious. The apartment was cheap, but considering that Kid appeared to be a runaway teenager, the run-down place was the best option.

Finding a suitable set of jeans and a shirt, Kid threw on a pair of sneakers and grabbed his key before heading out to find some breakfast. He worried for a moment that he might run into Black☆Star, but the other teen was most likely still asleep, and anyway, even if they ran into each other they didn't have to speak. Despite his friend's naivety, Black☆Star was conscientious when it mattered, and he'd most likely follow Kid's lead if he ignored him.

Even so, Kid swallowed nervously, he didn't particularly want to see his friend any time soon. Recently when he was with the other boy, his nerves frayed and he mostly felt confused and disoriented. He didn't like not knowing why he felt strange around him, and he definitely didn't appreciate the lack of control over his own body. Luckily the night before, Black☆Star had been so concerned about his own embarrassing erection that he hadn't noticed Kid reacting the same way. Kid grumbled irritably thinking about it. It wasn't as though Black☆Star was the only person he'd had to dance on, yet until that point he hadn't had a problem. None of the other patrons made his heartbeat race or his palms sweaty, and none of them made him feel slightly off-balance.

Irritation sped Kid's already brisk walk, and he found himself standing outside his usual breakfast cafe in a matter of minutes. He went inside and ordered distractedly at the counter, finding that his thoughts strayed towards Black☆Star. When he sat down at a table, nursing a coffee, he wondered if allowing Black☆Star to help on his assignment was really the best option. Realistically, Black☆Star could do things he couldn't do without raising suspicion, and he was skilled enough to be a help in a fight if things went south.

But, at the same time, Kid didn't want whatever he was feeling towards the other boy to interfere with his mission. If he got distracted at the wrong time, or lost control of himself, he could end up in a bad situation with powerful witches at his throat. He strummed his fingers against the top of the table as he thought. He still needed to come up with a plan to get into the auction. He knew he'd have to somehow seduce someone in charge, but he had no idea how to go about something like that. He still only had a vague idea of who was running the market.

He'd kept an eye on all the soul wavelengths of the people visiting the club, especially regular customers, and so far he'd felt two soul wavelengths that seemed to be repressed. He had to be careful to monitor his own, since any witch involved in the auction could simply step into the club and realize he was no ordinary stripper. It was an exhausting process, but necessary.

Kid finished his food slowly, and made sure to thank the cashier on his way out. There wasn't much he could do until his shift started later that evening, so he decided to spend the day exploring the city.

Just a few blocks away, Black☆Star was already ushering his friends out of the hotel. They'd all gotten up only about an hour earlier, and Black☆Star wasted no time in boasting that he was staying behind to help Kid on his mission.

“Are you sure he said he absolutely needs your help?” Maka asked.

Black☆Star huffed, “Of course. He basically said there was no way he could do it without me.”

Maka looked at him skeptically. “Just you. No one else. Not even your partner.”

Soul laughed openly, watching the two meisters banter.

“When you have me helping out, there's no need for anyone else,” Black☆Star drawled.

Rolling her eyes, Maka relented, and hefted her suitcase into the waiting cab.

Tsubaki, who was standing quietly to the side, smiled gently at her partner.“Just don't get into too much trouble without me, okay?”

Black☆Star thrust a thumbs up at her, and told her not to worry before shoving her bags in the cab's trunk as well, and slamming the door shut. He was antsy on his feet, anxious to start his part of the mission. He bumped fists with Soul and shouted his last goodbyes, and then the cab was driving off with his friends towards the airport.

He shouted excitedly into the air, startling passersby, and then jumped into action.

Kid clicked his tongue in annoyance after glancing at his watch. He still had the better part of an hour before he needed to leave for the strip club, and he'd been bored out of his mind for most of the afternoon.

He'd walked around the city for a few hours earlier in the day, meandering from shop to shop, but doing so had only actually held his interest for about an hour. He could feel someone's eyes on him, and knowing he was definitely being trailed was more of an aggravation than something he was really worried about. When he'd gotten bored of window shopping, he walked to a library and read for a while. After a few more hours of that, he stopped back by his apartment to summon his skateboard in private, and headed to one of the city's parks to practice a bit.

Finally, he'd ended up in the coffeeshop he was currently in, finishing his third cup of espresso for the day. He stood from his seat impatiently, the chair scratching loudly against the floor, and tossed his cup before heading out into the early evening. He probably wasn't going to see Black☆Star until a couple hours into his shift, but he was still excited, a jittery sort of feeling in his chest. He tried to ignore it and figure out how he was going to collect information that night before his friend showed up, because he'd stupidly agreed to his challenge.

Somewhat annoyed with himself, Kid strolled back to his apartment to get ready. He re-dyed his hair for the night, and changed into his uniform for work. Instead of the tie he'd thrown on the night before, he opted for a bowtie that wrapped around his neck and matched the white cuffs around his wrists, and left the first few buttons of his white shirt undone. He pulled on another pair of black jeans, which fit a bit too snug for his taste, slipped into his shoes, and then he was out the door again.

By the time he reached the strip club, the sun was barely peeking over the skyline of buildings, and there was already a line out the door. He slipped in through the back door, greeting the guard there, and made his way to the changing room. In there, he left his apartment keys and his fake I.D., and grudgingly picked up one of the bottles of body shimmer the club insisted on using. He grimaced and clamped his eyes shut, spraying the glimmer on his skin, where the coolness of it tickled.

He paused before leaving the room, and decided to use the makeup laying on the table in front of him, lining his eyes in kohl. Kid also grabbed one of the bottles of cologne, deciding that if the other men did it, then he probably should as well. Then, taking a deep breath, he emerged into the main section of the club, full of chatter, laughter, and music. As his eyes adjusted to the dimmer lighting, he scanned the room for any of the abnormal souls he'd sensed before.

His gaze settled on a man sitting in one of the booths further away from the center stage, surrounded by a couple other people with whom he was talking. Kid recognized him as a repeat customer, though not someone he'd interacted with previously. The man's soul wasn't being obviously restricted, but Kid could feel power emanating from it, and he frowned. If he was good enough at limiting his soul wavelength that Kid hadn't even noticed it's irregularity before, he must have a good handle on magic. The man wasn't one of the owners, so Kid deduced that he must be one of the suppliers, and thusly, a witch. Or, rather, a warlock in his case.

While men in the magical community weren't unheard of, they were certainly rare. Kid assumed that one of the reasons the club's relationship with witches hadn't been proven yet was partially because of this. Men were generally skimmed over when searching for establishments with magical influence.

Kid chewed at the inside of his cheek, considering how best to approach the man. His best shot at getting into the auction would most likely be through him, as he was probably the direct source of magical items illegally being sold. Before he could come up with a solid idea, the other man's eyes suddenly locked with his, and Kid froze. He cursed inwardly, berating himself for being caught staring. The magician probably suspected him now, because why else would someone just star–

He was gesturing for Kid to come over. Kid blinked. A sly grin adorned the magician's face, and the boy panicked silently, trying to keep a calm facade while strolling over to the man's booth.

“Can I help you?” Kid purred, trying to keep his gaze seductive rather than afraid.

The next thing he was aware of, he'd been tugged down by the wrist into the warlock's lap, and the man was softly cupping his face. Kid's eyes widened, thinking he was going to be attacked, but to his surprise, the man simply spoke to him.

“Yes, actually,” he drawled, the low tone of his voice sent shivers up Kid's spine, “I think I'd like a dance from you, pretty boy.”

Kid flushed, and chuckles from the man's companions drifted in the background. The warlock's slanted violet eyes were mesmerizing, and his chesire grin flashed sharp teeth. The man had long, painted nails, which stroked carefully over Kid's cheek, making his skin crawl. Kid swallowed his shock, and assumed his confident persona again.

“Sure thing, handsome,” he hummed, shifting so that he was straddling the other man's lap. He forced himself not to jerk away from the slender hands dropping to settle on his hips, and reminded himself that he needed to make this the best lap dance he'd given yet, or else he'd all but failed his mission. He had to seduce the warlock who was currently fixing him with a hungry gaze. Kid shuddered, and began to move.

Black☆Star stretched languidly, stifling a yawn as he stomped into his hotel room. All day, he'd been out running from place to place, trying to find out as much as he could for Kid. He hadn't considered the amount of research he'd had to do before actually tailing anyone, and by the time he'd found out who he should be following, there were only a few hours left in the day. There was a confusing network of higher-ups when it came to the strip club, and though two people were listed as owners on the building's lease paperwork, Black☆Star came to find that it was someone completely different pulling the strings.

In the end, he'd wound up returning to the hotel earlier than he'd planned, but he had enough information to make up for it. With that in mind, he wasted no time in changing clothes and rushing back out the door, nearly vibrating in excitement to see Kid and impress him with his new knowledge. Black☆Star whistled on his way to the club, and not even the long line forming outside of the place dampened his enthusiasm. When he thought about seeing Kid again, his stomach knotted and his smile widened, and he blamed it on being certain that he was going to win their bet.

When he made it inside the club, he started searching for his friend. He ignored the few guys who tried to chat him up, instead pushing by and scanning the thick crowd impatiently. A loud wolf-whistle from across the room caught his attention, and he looked over to where one of the patrons was getting handsy with one of the dancers. He was about to continue his search for Kid, when the boy on the man's lap turned slightly, and Black☆Star instantly recognized him, his stomach plummeting.

Kid was rocking his hips down against the man he was straddling, one of his hands pushing his bangs away from his forehead, the other resting on the man's shoulder. The man he was on was grinning slyly, lust evident in his hungry gaze, sliding one hand underneath Kid's shirt, and slipping the other around Kid's waist to grab at his rear. When Kid tried to turn around, the man's hand shot out from under his shirt and gripped the collar around his neck, yanking him down so that their chests were flush, and the stranger's lips caressed his ear.

Black☆Star wanted to vomit.

Kid's face was flushed, though it was nearly impossible to tell under the colored lights of the club. The magician underneath him was not shy at all about letting his hands roam over Kid's body, and his cool fingers stroked whatever skin he could get to. He dipped his hands under the waistline of Kid's jeans, under Kid's shirt and up his sides, and he'd groped Kid's ass more than once. Kid was about ten minutes into his lap dance when he man suddenly grabbed him by the cuff around his throat and pulled him down.

He froze when lips met his ear, but then the man whispered to him.

“It seems as though you have a jealous admirer,” he purred.

Kid frowned, and turned to look, but the warlock stopped him, “You can go take care of that poor boy in just a moment. When you're done with your shift tonight I want you to come find me. I have a,” he paused thoughtfully, “proposition for you. Okay?”

Kid nodded. This was it. The man was either going to offer him a spot in the auction or threaten him, and Kid was hopeful that it was the former.

The warlock chuckled, “Good. Now, run along, gorgeous.”

Released from the man's hold, Kid lifted himself quickly, trying not to appear desperate to get away. He threw the warlock a sultry smile over his shoulder for good measure, and then he left the booth. He spotted Black☆Star almost instantly. The other teen was glaring at him, and Kid frowned, wondering what had gotten the other boy so worked up. He went to greet him, but before he could say anything, Black☆Star was grabbing him painfully by the wrist and dragging him back towards the private rooms. Kid stumbled before catching himself and keeping pace, nodding dumbly to the guard outside the private hallway to let him and Black☆Star through.

“Black☆Star?” He tried.

The boy in question grit his jaw and kept moving until he found and open door and pulled Kid into the empty room, slamming the door shut behind them.

“Black☆Star,” Kid tried again, “What the hell are you–“

Black☆Star erupted. “What the hell am I doing? What the hell are you doing?”

Kid started at him, open-mouthed in surprise.

“Excuse me?” He spluttered.

“What the hell was that about?” Black☆Star growled, taking a step towards Kid. Kid stepped back.

“What are you talking about?” Kid asked, getting quickly frustrated.

Black☆Star huffed. “You, him, that–that smug asshole you were just with,” he explained exasperatedly, “I thought customers weren't allowed to touch you,” he said, “that's what you told me!”

Kid gaped at him. “Is that what you're concerned about?”

Black☆Star flushed. “No! Yes?” He looked lost for a moment, but then he was glaring at Kid again, taking another move forward. “Are you going to sleep with him?” He growled lowly.

Stepping back again, Kid narrowed his eyes, “No,” he answered honestly, “I won't have to.”

Black☆Star's heated stare lightened considerably, and that ticked Kid off more.

“Why does it matter to you?” He spat. “I told you in the beginning how this was going to happen.”

Black☆Star flinched. Kid felt a bit guilty for snapping at him, but he remembered how the magician had described Black☆Star's anger as jealous, and he decided to push.

“Are you jealous, Black☆Star?” He asked softly. Kid's chest tightened uncomfortably. He knew he should hope that his friend's answer was 'no', but – his stomach knotted –he also selfishly wanted the answer to be 'yes'.

Heat rushed to Black☆Star's face. “I–I– “ he stuttered, and made a frustrated noise in the back of his throat. 'Me? Jealous? Impossible.' he knew he should say. He should tell Kid that there was no way he'd be jealous. He opened his mouth again.

“Maybe,” he said.

“Maybe?” Kid repeated, frustrated, “Black☆Star, you either are or you aren't, you either want me or you don't, but I need to know which it–mmph”

Kid was interrupted by hands fisting in his shirt and pulling him forward into a brusque kiss, Black☆Star molding his mouth roughly against his and pushing urgently, making Kid stumble back into the wall. He yelped in surprise, giving Black☆Star the chance to deepen the kiss, and Kid moaned faintly when his friend’s tongue swept against his.

Black☆Star pulled back momentarily to breathe, eyes heavy lidded and pupils blown wide, sharing short breaths with Kid who stared back in a mix of awe and confusion. Kid swallowed, eyes flickering down to Black☆Star’s parted lips, and he didn’t have to say anything for the other boy to lean back into him, sealing their mouths again. Black☆Star slipped his hands from clutching at Kid's shirt, one traveling down to rest on his hip and the other tangling in soft raven hair, pinning him bodily against the wall.

Groaning, Kid wrapped his arms behind Black☆Star's neck, gasping when the boy's tongue swept along the bow of his lips before dipping back inside his mouth. It was messy and rough, but Black☆Star tasted nice and his mouth was hot and forceful against his own, and the soft push of his body against Kid's made his heart flutter and his stomach coil.

Black☆Star felt lightheaded and dizzy. Kid's lips were soft and warm, and the whimpers that escaped them ran straight to his groin. He didn't remember grabbing Kid or what possessed him to do so, but he wanted to, he needed to, and he had to get any traces of that other man off of him. He growled into the kiss at the thought, and Kid made a strangled noise, and then Black☆Star's mouth was off of Kid's and trailing wet kisses down the side of his throat. Kid choked on a faint gasp, subconsciously tilting his head to the side to allow Black☆Star better access. The other boy swirled his tongue under Kid's jawline, and then nipped at the skin, causing him to squirm.

“B-Black☆Star,” he panted, and the teen in question sucked at another patch of skin, “you– hnngh– can't leave a-any,” Kid hissed when Black☆Star bit the base of his throat, running his tongue over the sore area, “marks.”

Black☆Star paused in his ministrations, “Then cover them up.”

Golden eyes widened and Kid flushed, heat running from his cheeks to his lower body, and Black☆Star sucked another bruise onto his collarbone.

“Asshole,” Kid grumbled, but his cheeks were red, his eyes half-lidded and dark, his hair was a mess, and the words didn't hold much heat. Black☆Star glanced up at him and grinned, then pressed a chaste kiss to his lips.

“Oh, right,” Black☆Star blurted suddenly, startling Kid, “I found out where the merchandise for the auction is being held.”

Between the heat in his thighs and his desire to just continue kissing Black☆Star, Kid almost whined at the interruption. Instead, he cleared his throat and met Black☆Star's excited eyes, trying to ignore that he was still pinned against the wall by his friend's body.

“That's great?” He tried. It was good information, but he didn't understand why Black☆Star had to bring it up at just that moment.

“Remember our bet?” Black☆Star asked, his grin growing smug.

Kid's brow furrowed in annoyance, “Yes.”

“The loser has to take the winner on a date.”

Kid stared incredulously.

“That's the dumbest thing I've heard all night,” he said. Black☆Star's smile didn't fade, and Kid rolled his eyes and uttered, “Fine.”

Black☆Star pressed another happy kiss to his lips, making his face heat up again, and he wondered if Black☆Star was going to do that often.

He sighed, “Well, I'm pretty much in for the auction,” he explained, “I just have to go back to talk to that warlock after my shift ends.”

Blue eyed hardened, “Is he the man who was feeling you up?”

“Yes,” Kid answered, “and I'm fairly confident he's our main supplier of magical goods.”

Black☆Star grumbled unintelligibly. “I don't want you alone with him.”

Kid frowned, “I can handle myself, Black☆Star.”

Averting his gaze in embarrassment, Black☆Star scratched the back of his head, “I know, I know, I just. The way he looked at you,” he nearly whispered the last part, “I don't like it.”

“So you are jealous,” Kid smirked.

Black☆Star whipped his head around, ready to defend himself, but he realized Kid was right.

“Whatever,” he mumbled.

“You don't have to worry,” Kid stated matter-of-factly, “I'm not going to leave you for him.” Kid grimaced at just the memory of the other man's repulsive touch and the sly expression plastered to his face. When he looked back at Black☆Star, the other boy was grinning dumbly.

“What?” He asked defensively.

“Are we a thing?”

Kid blinked in surprise, and then realized what he'd said. He flushed and looked away from Black☆Star's hopeful stare.

“A-a thing?”

“You know,” Black☆Star tried awkwardly, “are we, like, together now? Are you my boyfriend?”

Kid refused to make eye contact, flustered and unsure of the jittery feeling in his stomach.

“I guess? If that's what you want,” he muttered, heart racing though he tried not to show it.

“Yes,” Black☆Star shouted, and then he amended, “Er, I mean, yeah. That would be. Nice.”

Heart pounding, Kid laid his hands against Black☆Star's chest, feeling the erratic beat of the other boy's heart. When Black☆Star looked down, Kid pulled on his shirt to catch him in another kiss. This time, it was hesitant and slow, and the sense of urgency from earlier dulled into languid patience. After a few minutes of open-mouthed kisses, they paused, smiling shyly.

“By the way, that date is on you,” Black☆Star teased.

Kid snorted, “And why do you think that?”

“Because,” Black☆Star said confidently, “I brought information. You just found a way into the auction.”

“The entire point of this mission was to get into the auction, Black☆Star, I don't see how that's any less important,” Kid stressed, frowning at the other boy.

Black☆Star chuckled, obviously proud of himself, and he finally turned away from Kid to flop himself onto the room's sofa.

“It's not that it's less important, but,” he sang, “the bet was about who could collect more information.”

Kid shot him a deadpan look. “How incredibly convenient.”

Black☆Star laughed again. “Anyway, I can give you the whereabouts of the storage unit, and you can do your magic-searchy-thing.”

“You mean I can search for residual magic wavelengths on the items,” Kid corrected.

“Yeah, that,” Black☆Star yawned. “My specialty is kicking ass, not that weird soul perception stuff.”

“Hmm,” Kid agreed, and then he glanced at the clock on the wall. “It's about time for me to go on stage,” he sighed, “I'm going to meet with the warlock afterward, so I probably won't be able to talk with you again until tomorrow night.”

Black☆Star groaned, “Lame.”

“Mhm,” Kid moved to the door, “Well, see you later, then.”

Quickly, Black☆Star leapt up from the couch and caught Kid by the arm before he left, “You're not gonna give me a goodbye kiss?” He pouted playfully.

Kid hmph'd and gave him a chaste peck, and then opened the door and sashayed out into the hallway, throwing a wave at Black☆Star over his shoulder. Smiling blankly at the hallway for a few moments after Kid had left, Black☆Star stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked out as well. Even if he wasn't able to speak with Kid again that night, he wanted to stay to see him dance again. His head buzzed in anticipation, and he was grinning to himself while he waited at one of the booths by the stage for Kid to come on.

“He's very pretty, isn't he,” a voice drawled from behind Black☆Star.

The teen barely avoided jumping from his seat, and he turned slowly to be greeted by a familiar face. His expression contorted into a grimace, and he deigned not to answer the man who took a seat beside him.

The warlock hummed in amusement, violet eyes glinting, “You're quite fond of him, hm?”

Again, Black☆Star ignored the man, eyes fixed firmly on the stage. The man tsk'd and leaned closer to Black☆Star, who did nothing to hide the distaste on his face.

“Well, I'm quite interested, myself,” he purred.

Black☆Star saw red. He clenched his jaw and held his fists so tightly that his dull nails drew blood. It took an incredible amount of self control for him to not send the smug man flying across the room, but he had to remember it was for Kid. His boyfriend had better appreciate his restraint, he thought, and the chesire man beside him laughed.

“Sorry,” he said, still smiling widely, “I didn't mean to rile you up,” a blatant lie, “I just wanted to express my,” a long tongue swept over his lips and his eyes narrowed mischievously, “desire.”

The magician leaned back against the booth couch, and Black☆Star continued to focus on the stage. Luckily, a few minutes later, the familiar voice from the loudspeakers came on and introduced the last performance of the night. Then Kid was on stage again, golden eyes dazzling under the strobe lights, sharp and beautiful. Black☆Star felt his breath catch. That night there was a sort of school-girl fantasy theme, and Kid was decked out in a sinfully short, golden pleated skirt, and a tight black and gold sailor-style top and scarf, with black thigh high stockings along the length of his legs.

Suddenly, Black☆Star was assaulted by mental images of Kid in one of the Shibusen girl's uniforms, and the rate at which his blood ran to his face left him dizzy. The new song started, and Kid strut his way to the center of the stage, wrapping his hand around the silver pole and lifting himself with an ease that made Black☆Star breathless. As Kid hooked one leg around the pole and slid downwards, he locked eyes briefly with Black☆Star, smiled seductively, and then flipped so that his feet were above his head and his short skirt did nothing to cover the swell of his thighs where they disappeared into lacy underwear.

The crowd around Black☆Star whistled, and he stared, enraptured by the flare of Kid's skirt and the flashing pale skin, and the bright golden eyes made more exotic looking by the rim of kohl. When Kid moved, Black☆Star could make out subtle similarities between his technique on the pole and the technique he used when fighting. Heat pooled in his lower belly, and he knew he wouldn't be able to watch Kid fight without thinking about this. The way his sleek legs looked wrapped around the pole, or bent towards his head, or the way his back arched when he slid down the steel, hands wrapping around the gleam of metal.

When Kid began to undo the buttons of his shirt, slowly revealing the smooth skin of his chest and the toned muscle of his stomach, Black☆Star noted that the marks he'd left were no longer visible. A possessive urge hit him, and he wondered if reaper healed that quickly or if Kid had covered up the bruises with makeup. When eager shouts of encouragement lifted from the audience as Kid tossed his shirt to the side, Black☆Star vowed inwardly to make sure he left marks Kid couldn't cover up next time.

On stage, Kid continued stripping, swinging his body to the beat, letting the short skirt fall low on his hips and hang there tantalizingly before he finally slipped it off. Left in stockings and lace panties, Kid pranced forwards on the stage, kneeling in front of patrons who stuffed bills into his waistband as he thrust his hips and arched back.

Black☆Star was frozen in his seat until he noticed the man next to him rise, strutting confidently to the edge of the stage where Kid was, and leaned forward to slip a twenty right down the front of his underwear. The man said something that was lost in the cheering of the audience, causing Kid to flush and nod before the warlock turned and walked towards the private hallway of the club, smiling slyly at Black☆Star as he did so. The teen decided that, when he and Kid took down the illegal underground of the club, he was going to kill that man.

It wasn't much longer before the performance was over and Kid threw a wink to the crowd before disappearing behind the stage exit. Black☆Star remained seated, even as a voice came on the speakers to inform the patrons that, while the entertainment part of the evening was over, the bar would remain open for a while longer. The crowd at the club thinned, some people loitered in booths around Black☆Star, chatting with friends, some were tossing back drinks at the bar, and some grinning men were pulled back to the private rooms by flirtatious strippers.

Black☆Star waited.

Stomach twisting nervously, Kid nodded at the guard on his way to the private rooms, restlessly turning the key in his hands. He'd changed back into his regular work uniform before going to meet the warlock in his private room. The man had slipped the key into his panties alongside the money, and whispered at room number at him. Kid scanned the doors for the one with the correct number, and he tentatively unlocked it.

As he stepped inside, closing the door behind him, a familiar voice lifted into the air. “There you are, my pretty dancer.”

Kid clenched his jaw, trying not to let his repulsion show, and instead plastered a provocative smile on his face.

The man grinned at him from a lush chair, teeth flashing, and beckoned Kid over to him.

Glancing around the room as he inched forward, Kid deciphered any possible escape routes in case they were needed, disguising his calculating gaze and curiosity. The room was different from the private rooms he'd been in, obviously tailored specifically to this man. The furniture was dark and expensive looking, placed artfully around the room, and consisted of a few couches and, Kid noted distastefully, a bed. There was a mirror above the bed, as well as a mirror over a dresser in one corner of the room, and plenty more reflective surfaces for the vain warlock to appreciate himself in if he so chose. The chair which the man was currently lounging in sat next to a window, conveniently enough for Kid if he needed it, and dark curtains were parted to allow the city lights to brighten the room.

Kid halted in front of the man, waiting patiently for an explanation. Instead, the man in the chair wrapped his fingers gently around Kid's wrist and tugged him down sharply, causing Kid to stumble into his lap. When Kid looked up at the man, long fingers caressed his jaw and lifted his chin, holding Kid still as he claimed his lips. The boy tensed in panic and surprise, torn between wanting to pull away and needing to stay and keep his cover.

“No need to be frightened, boy,” the man purred against his mouth, “I'm not going to hurt you.”

Kid didn't believe him, but he nodded anyway, and allowed the man to run his thumb over his lips.

The magician's gaze intensified, and Kid flinched, “I want you,” he said, “and I'm going to buy you.”

He licked his lips slowly and continued, “I don't know why you're here, but I know you didn't become a stripper for the hell of it,” he said, stroking Kid's cheek, “There's an auction, you see, a little monthly gathering we have here at the club,” his expression betrayed disgust, “Rich, pretentious men from all around. Men that would throw thousands of dollars for a night with a pretty boy like you,” he grinned again at Kid. “If money is of interest to you, then this is what you want.”

Kid nodded numbly. This was the invitation he needed.

“But,” the warlock warned, “I'll have you know that I'm going to be bidding on you as well. Are you interested?”

Kid gulped at the blatant confession, and he nodded again, not trusting his voice.

“Very well,” the man grinned, and he leaned forward again, catching Kid in another hot kiss. Kid squeezed his eyes shut in disgust as the warlock ran his tongue over his lips, and when the golden-eyed teen reluctantly opened his mouth, the man bit down hard on Kid's lower lip. He yelped in pain and surprise, the metallic taste of blood welling in his mouth.

“That's a promise,” the man smirked, licking the smear of blood on his lips, “for you and that desperate boy who likes you, that I always get what I want.”

The man motioned for Kid to stand up, and he did so on shaky feet. “I'll have directions delivered to your address,” he stated dismissively, “so you can go on home now.”

Kid left the room quietly, taking in a deep breath when he closed the door behind him. He walked distractedly back into the club, lost in thought so that he didn’t see Black☆Star approach so much as he felt his presence.

“Kid,” Black☆Star called softly, and the boy jolted into reality again, jerking his head towards the other.

“You okay?” Black☆Star questioned, scanning Kid for anything out of place, and his eyes narrowed when he noticed Kid’s bleeding lip.

“Yeah,” Kid started, but Black☆Star was already pulling him by the wrist out of the club, pushing by people in his way, ignoring their angered protests. Kid apologized over his shoulder, and tried to ask Black☆Star what the hell he was doing, but stumbled when he was jerked to the side, Black☆Star yanking him into the narrow alley between the strip club and the convenience store next door. Then, he was being roughly shoved against the brick wall, and greedy lips smothered his own.

Kid winced, his split lip stinging, but his pain turned into a moan when Black☆Star’s tongue brushed over the cut, lapping at the blood which pooled there. Pushing at Black☆Star’s chest, Kid tried to break away for a moment.

“Black☆Sta--rnngh”

The other teen pushed back stubbornly, his mouth forceful against Kid’s.

“Wait,” Kid tried again, gasping for breath when he managed to turn his head to the side. Black☆Star growled lowly, turning his attention to the length of Kid’s neck, nipping his way down the column of skin.

“We can’t --hrnngh-- do this h-here,” Kid groaned, but his hands stopped pushing at Black☆Star, instead curling into fistfuls of his shirt.

The likelihood of someone seeing them in the dark alley was slim, but he still didn’t want to take any chances. He allowed Black☆Star to mark up the skin he had so painstakingly covered with makeup earlier, and then the teen seemed to have calmed down considerably, kissing Kid almost apologetically.

“What was that about?” Kid asked, though he felt he had an idea.

Black☆Star sniffed, averting his gaze, “You smelled like him,” he grumbled, “and he hurt you. Asshole. I’m gonna kill him.”

Kid grinned at Black☆Star, “Okay,” he said.

Then Black☆Star was smiling again, “So, when do we get to take them down?”

Kid sighed, “Not sure yet. I still have to verify the warehouse you discovered, and if I find something there, then when everyone shows up at the auction, we take them down,” then he added, “and I won’t know when or where the auction is until tomorrow.”

Black☆Star groaned. “Then what am I supposed to do now?”

“Nothing, really,” Kid shrugged. “Tomorrow night I’ll let you know what I find out about the storage facility, and if I’ve received the information about the auction then I’ll let you know that, too.”

Disappointed, Black☆Star frowned, but he acquiesced and followed Kid out of the alleyway. Glancing around the relatively deserted area, Kid assured himself that no one was watching before he reached up and gave Black☆Star a quick peck.

“I'll see you tomorrow night,” he whispered, before turning on his heel and walking away.

Black☆Star smiled absently at the space Kid left behind for a few minutes before he, too, strolled home.

For what felt like the umpteenth time, Kid mentally reviewed his plan and made sure he had everything necessary. The strategy he had was virtually flawless, but an unexpected event, no matter how seemingly insignificant, could drastically change everything, and he needed to be prepared. The main objective of his excursion that day was to ascertain whether or not there were magical items being stored in the warehouse Black☆Star found the day before, and not be caught while doing so. The entirety of his mission rested on this, and so he was rightfully paranoid.

He'd determined that he was not being tailed anymore since the previous night, which was considerably lucky for him. Kid shoved the coordinates Black☆Star had given him into his jeans pocket, and stepped out of his apartment, checking his mailbox before he left for the afternoon. Inside, there was only one envelope, no writing or return address to be seen. Kid ripped open the envelope as he sauntered out of the apartment complex, rapidly reading the content of the folded letter within.

In plain, cursive writing, there was a short invitation to the auction. It mentioned that it was hosted by the strip club and would take place in the basement below, then listed a time and a date for when to arrive. Satisfied, Kid grinned and shredded the paper in his hands, tossing the remains into a trash can as he passed by. The auction was planned for the upcoming weekend, which was only another night away. As long as everything went as Kid hoped today, then it would all fall into place nicely and succinctly, and the mission would be over with in just a couple more days. He hummed to himself as he slipped inconspicuously behind a tall building, summoned his skateboard, and rocketed into the air.

It only took about twenty minutes for him to reach his destination, and when he did, he made sure to scan the area thoroughly for any guards. The storage unit was predictably innocuous, nestled between other units like it in a facility on the outskirts of the city. No armed security stood nearby, probably to lower suspicion from any authorities, so Kid relaxed a bit. He settled himself on the roof of a nearby building, far enough from the storage unit so that he wouldn't be spotted should anyone appear, but close enough for his soul wavelength to encompass the area.

Kid shut his eyes and concentrated on his soul, feeling it resonate and pulsate within him, and allowed it to surge outward. Steadily, he took a deep breath and searched for any nearby irregularities. He could feel residual soul energy from other people, clinging to items of sentiment and age, but this kind of energy didn't matter, and so he pushed further. Suddenly, he flinched, his wavelength coming in contact with a cold sort of power, an energy that seemed to leech life from the air surrounding it. Kid's brow furrowed. That was the kind of energy that only clung to magical artifacts and witches.

He shuddered in disgust. Coming into contact with something so completely drenched in malicious intent and dark energy was extremely unpleasant, though it did confirm Shibusen's suspicions completely. Kid exhaled and opened his eyes, standing up and recovering from the search. He looked around once more to double check for suspicious eyes, and then he took off again, back towards the city. Now that he'd substantiated his claims, he merely had to take action, and inform Black☆Star.

Back in the city, Kid walked up the stairs to his apartment. He was just a step from the door when he heard movement inside, and he braced himself before wrenching the door open and darting inside. From the kitchen, he could hear the front door slamming shut behind him as he stood glaring at the scene before him.

“What are you doing?”

Black☆Star peered at him from where he was hunched over the refrigerator door. “I got hungry,” he said simply.

Kid scowled, crossing his arms over his chest, “I mean why are you here, in my apartment?”

Standing straight, Black☆Star made an oh sound, muffled by the food he was shoveling into his mouth. He kicked the fridge door shut behind him, making Kid grimace.

“It's boring in that hotel by myself,” he admitted, shrugging, “and no one's keeping tabs on your place anymore, don't worry, I checked. And even if there were,” he added smugly, “I was so sneaky no one could've possibly noticed me.”

Kid looked doubtful, but he also hadn't felt the presence of anyone tailing him earlier, so he figured that the other boy was right. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose before turning away.

“At least sit at the table to make your mess,” he muttered, “I'm going to go dye my hair again.”

Black☆Star swallowed his bite, “D'you want help with that?”

Surprised at the offer, Kid glanced back at the earnest blue eyes over his shoulder. Dyeing hair was definitely easier with assistance.

Curiously, Kid asked, “Have you ever done it before?”

“Yeah, loads of times,” Black☆Star said, wiping his hands on his pants much to Kid's distaste, “Soul used to make me help him dye his hair when he thought it was cool. It was hilarious,” Black☆Star grinned, but at Kid's worried look, he quickly added, “'cause it was Soul, not because we did a bad job.”

Smiling, Kid relaxed a bit, and motioned for Black☆Star to follow him, “If you really want to, then.”

Black☆Star eagerly followed Kid to the bathroom, where Kid bent over to retrieve a box of dye from the cabinet underneath the sink. He handed the box to Black☆Star, who briefly looked over the instructions on the back of the box while Kid turned to do something else.

“Just a moment,” he said.

Then the reaper yanked his shirt over his head, folding it neatly before laying it on the floor next to the sink. He moved to do the same with his pants, but he noticed that Black☆Star was blushing furiously and glaring at the box in his hands.

“What's wrong?” Kid asked, hands stilled over his waistband.

“Why are you getting naked?” Black☆Star spluttered, eyes flitting from the box of dye to Kid's confused face.

Kid's brow twitched, “I don't want the hair dye to stain my clothes,” he stated, and then tugged his jeans off and laid them on top of his shirt. He held out his hand for the box of dye, but when he looked to Black☆Star, the other teen's eyes were raking hungrily over his body, absentmindedly licking his lips.

“Black☆Star,” Kid exclaimed, cheeks flaring.

Snapping back to reality, Black☆Star blinked questioningly at Kid, and then shoved the dye at him when he realized he'd been staring.

“S-sorry,” he muttered, gaze flicking to the floor.

“No,” Kid said quickly, “It's, er, it's fine.”

He hid his embarrassed blush by turning his attention to the box in his hands, fumbling with it to get it open. He then turned on the sink in front of him, ducking his head over the porcelain so that the water ran through his hair, and he threaded his fingers through the strands to dampen all of it. Bangs dripping in front of his eyes, he reached blindly for the sink's handle, but another warm hand covered his and he heard Black☆Star shutting off the water before a towel was tossed over his head and gentle hands rubbed the soft fabric against his scalp. Kid swallowed a low moan that threatened to tear from his throat, and when Black☆Star pulled his hands back he also took the open box from Kid's hand.

Kid brushed his tousled bangs away from his forehead in time to see Black☆Star leaning in, supple lips covering his own in a gentle kiss. Kid's eyes fluttered closed and he welcomed the soft press of his boyfriend's mouth, pushing back into it momentarily, before Black☆Star pulled away from him.

At Kid's questioning look, Black☆Star mumbled, “Your hair's cute all messed up.”

A light blush rose to Kid's cheeks, and he absently ran a hand through the damp locks, averting his gaze to utter an embarrassed thanks.

Breaking the awkward silence, Black☆Star cleared his throat and pointed towards the closed toilet behind them.

“Sit,” he instructed, rattling the box in his hand as explanation. Kid obeyed quietly, sitting stiffly on the porcelain lid. Black☆Star moved to stand in front of him, laying the towel over Kid's shoulders and emptying the contents of the box into his hand. A companionable silence fell over the two as Black☆Star turned to the sink to rip open the packets and mix them together. Kid watched him slip on the plastic gloves and shake the applicator bottle a bit before he turned back to the dark-haired boy. Black☆Star towered over Kid, and he slipped a finger under the teen's chin to tilt his head upwards slightly, golden eyes meeting cerulean.

“Close your eyes,” murmured Black☆Star lowly.

Kid's eyes fluttered shut as the other boy's hand threaded through his bangs, gently pulling them back. The pale teen flinched minutely when he felt the cool paste on his hairline, the nozzle of the bottle pressing lightly against his scalp as Black☆Star applied the dye. For a few more minutes, the taller boy moved his fingers through Kid's hair, lifting sections to add color and massaging the dye from root to tip of the strands. The comfortable touches caused Kid to doze slightly, sighing as gentle hands worked through his hair.

It had been a while since anyone had played with his hair. Liz and Patty sometimes ruffled his hair to mess with him or fiddled with it when they were bored, but the last time someone had really petted him like this was early on in his childhood when he was still just “Death's cute little boy”. It was embarrassing to him, but his head was very sensitive, and even the faintest bit of toying with his hair made his eyes flutter shut and his whole body relax.

“Hey.” A quiet nudge had Kid startled out of his reverie, and he blinked up at Black☆Star as he came back to himself.

The tan boy grinned at him, “I'm done, it's time to rinse.”

He made a small noise of acknowledgment, and rose from his seat to turn the shower on, letting the water run over his palm as it heated.

“Thanks for your help,” he smiled over his shoulder at Black☆Star, “I'll be out in a minute, then.”

“No problem,” the other boy beamed.

Reluctantly taking his cue to leave, Black☆Star peeled the gloves off his hands and tossed them before leaving the bathroom and closing the door behind him. He heard the shower curtain slide aside fully, and Kid's sigh as he stepped under the warm spray, and the blue-haired teen walked happily into the small living room to collapse on a couch and wait for Kid. A part of him wished he could join his boyfriend in the shower, but he wasn't sure that the other boy would be as eager about it as he was. So, instead, he flicked on the television, and sank down into the cushions comfortably.

As the minutes ticked by, Black☆Star dozed a bit with the television as white noise in the background, until he was brought back into awareness by the sound of a door closing. He shifted on the couch and peered over the edge to see Kid emerge from the bathroom, dripping with a towel slung around his waist. The boy offered a sheepish apology, something about forgetting to bring a change of clothes into the bathroom with him, though Black☆Star wasn't listening over the roar of blood pounding in his ears. His face was flushed and his eager eyes raked over the rivulets of water which formed on pale skin as dewy drops fell from inky wet hair.

Golden hued eyes fixated on the floor while Kid attempted to cross the room to reach his bedroom, embarrassed that he'd forgotten something as obvious as a change of clothes. He was about a foot away from the door when he heard a creak in the floorboards behind him, and he turned in surprise just as Black☆Star closed in on him.

“Wha-oof,” Kid's back thudded against the wooden frame of the door which Black☆Star crowded him against, and when he looked up in annoyance he was met by predatory eyes. He opened his mouth to protest, but then Black☆Star rocked his hips against Kid's, and the breath left his throat in a low moan.

Kid's brow furrowed and his eyes fluttered shut, panting lightly while the other teen pressed him against the door with his hips, grinding against him in rhythmic circles, his hot breath ghosting over the curve of Kid's neck before his mouth closed over the skin. Groaning, the reaper tangled one of his hands in the other's hair, gripping tightly as the mouth on him licked and sucked at the droplets on his skin, tracing the paths of water that lingered on him. He bit at the inside of his cheek to keep another loud moan from rising out of him, his own body arching against his boyfriend's to meet the thrusts of his hips. Black☆Star's fingertips trailed softly down Kid's sides, causing him to shiver, until they gripped hard at his pelvis, right over where the towel hung over him.

Black☆Star could feel the outline of Kid's budding erection forming underneath the towel, his own pressing hard at the confines of his jeans. He licked a long stripe of damp skin on the column of Kid's neck, relishing the taste of the other boy as he tossed his head back against the door. Sucking another bruise into Kid's throat, Black☆Star lifted his head to catch his mouth in a heated kiss, lips mashing with the other teen's roughly, his tongue demanding entrance as it glided over Kid's mouth. The raven-haired teen's mouth dropped open in a quiet gasp, allowing Black☆Star entrance, and he eagerly sought out Kid's tongue.

Trying to keep up with the fast pace of Black☆Star's kiss, Kid moved his mouth against the other's, their tongues sliding wetly against each other, until they pulled away for air. While Kid panted for breath, Black☆Star bit lightly on his lower lip, his hands digging harder into the smooth skin of his hips, shoving his own up against him in delicious friction. Keening, Kid clutched the back of Black☆Star's shirt, his grip hard enough to dig into the boy's back, causing him to make a guttural growl against Kid's mouth. The hand still lost in a mess of oceanic locks also tightened its grip, tugging on soft strands and sending a wave of hot pleasure down Black☆Star's spine.

He kissed the side of Kid's slack jaw, letting one of his hands slide underneath the towel to cup at the heat of the boy's arousal. Kid whimpered, bucking against Black☆Star's hand, the slick skin heavy and hot in his grip. Fumbling with the buttons of his jeans, Black☆Star pumped Kid's erection slowly, teasing at the tip with his thumb, smearing the precum that beaded there. The towel which had been draped around Kid's hips fell to the floor, but neither teen paid attention to it, since Black☆Star finally got his own dick free and wrapped his hand around both of their erections.

Stroking slowly, but with a firm grip, Black☆Star felt the warm bursts of breath which stuttered from Kid's lips against his ear, and he swallowed before speaking.

“Is- is this okay?” He asked, voice husky and hoarse.

Kid snorted, and let out a breathless laugh, arching his back to seek more friction, “You ask th-that -ahh- now?”

Black☆Star groaned when slim fingers joined his own, teasing at the head of his erection while he pumped at the base of both shafts.

“I didn't really-” he moaned, “-think this through.”

The heat coiled in the pit of his stomach started to unwind, and he could feel the pressure inside him rising, and judging by the minute twitches of Kid's arousal and the stutters in his breath, the other boy was reaching his limit as well.

“I'm not-” Kid gasped, “-surprised.”

Thrusting his hips faster into Black☆Star's palm, Kid used his own hand to thumb the slits of their heads, ripping moans from the both of them. Toes curling against the floor, Kid grasped Black☆Star's shirt with his free hand, as if pulling it would anchor him while his head felt light and pleasure curved against his spine, shooting through his lower body as the frantic pace of Black☆Star's hand picked up.

A strangled gasp wrenched from Kid's throat and his knees buckled, weight supported by the press of Black☆Star's hips against his own, and his vision sparked white when with one final squeeze of his arousal, he tipped over the edge. His mind was fuzzy and he could faintly make out the sound of Black☆Star's harsh breathing, interrupted by his groan when Kid emptied himself into his palm, slicking the boy's hand further as he jerked his own thick erection.

Sealing his lips over Kid's collarbone, Black☆Star sank his teeth into the heated skin to stifle his whine as he spilled onto his hand, warm and sticky against sweat slicked skin. Gradually coming down from his high, Kid's chest heaved and he leaned his weight against the door behind him, trying to ignore the mess on his stomach and the intense heat of the body above him. When Black☆Star's breathing slowed and their heart rates stabilized again, Kid sighed.

“Looks like I'm going to have to shower again,” he grumbled, voice hoarse and low.

Black☆Star chuckled into the curve of his neck, and then lifted his head to meet Kid's sated gaze. He pressed a chaste kiss against his lips.

“I could join you this time,” he offered, brow raised suggestively.

Kid rolled his eyes and pressed his hands on Black☆Star's shoulders to push him away. “I don't think I need help, thanks.”

He gave the tan boy a look-over, and added, “Though I suppose you need to be cleaned up as well.”

Grinning, Black☆Star followed his boyfriend into the bathroom, yanking his shirt over his head and kicking his pants off from around his ankles.

Kid sighed when he reached the shower stall, switching on the water and leaning in to tamper with the temperature. He jumped slightly when warm arms wrapped around his waist and Black☆Star rested his head on his shoulder, humming happily to himself. With his palm under the showerhead's flow, Kid fiddled with the handle a bit more, and when he was satisfied, he shrugged out of Black☆Star's hold and stepped into the shower. Barely a moment later, the other teen had jumped in behind him, sliding the curtain shut.

It felt a bit crowded to Kid in the small stall, and he carefully curved his body away from Black☆Star to avoid rubbing up against him. However, the blue-eyed boy didn't seem to have the same mindset, as he leaned into Kid to let the hot water cascade over him, his chest flush against Kid's side. Grumbling, the reaper pushed him away gently, but Black☆Star grinned and repositioned himself so that he was directly behind Kid with his hands running over the other's hips and his face nuzzling into a pale neck.

Flushing, Kid flicked Black☆Star's forehead over his shoulder, “Black☆Star, I'm trying to actually clean myself off.”

“Yeah, I know,” came the muffled response.

Making an exasperated sound in the back of his throat, Kid tried to ignore the hands sliding over his body, and focused on lathering soap over his stomach and thighs. Black☆Star's fingers ran through the suds over his navel, causing him to shiver slightly despite the hot pounding of water against him.

“I'll flick the soap in your eyes if you don't stop,” he warned, halfheartedly at best, and he offered the bar of soap in his hand to the boy behind him. Black☆Star scoffed, but took the proffered soap from Kid's hand, slipping away from his back so that he could clean himself off as well.

“Oh!” Kid exclaimed suddenly, startling Black☆Star, “I've been meaning to tell you, I received a note about the auction this morning, so we have a time and address,” glancing at Black☆Star, he pursed his lips and added accusingly, “I was going to tell you tonight at the club, but since you broke into my apartment I suppose that's not necessary.”

Black☆Star blinked and smirked at Kid through soaked bangs which drooped over his eyes

“You say that like you didn't enjoy yourself,” he taunted.

Kid crossed his arms over his chest and pouted, “Whatever.”

Once he rinsed the soap from his body, Black☆Star leaned over Kid to place the soap back in its holder, pressing his lips against the other boy's cheek with a smile.

Grumbling, Kid rubbed at the offended area with his palm, “Gross.”

“Gross?” Black☆Star exclaimed, feigning hurt, “You should consider yourself lucky.”

Kid poked his tongue out at his boyfriend, and switched the shower water off with one hand while the other grabbed at the remaining towel outside of the stall. He ruffled his damp hair with the towel, and patted his body down before stepping out and tossing it at Black☆Star. The boy made a disgruntled sound when the towel hit his face, but he dried himself off as well.

“I still have to go to work tonight, so I'm going to go get dressed,” Kid said while checking his hair in the mirror. Black☆Star grunted in response, hanging the towel back on it's rack.

Satisfied, Kid grabbed his dirty clothes and slid out from the bathroom, tossing a glance over his shoulder at Black☆Star on his way out, “Since I told you what I needed to, you don't have to come.”

Black☆Star frowned, and followed the ebony teen to his room, picking up his scattered clothes as he did so. “I think I'll go anyway, not like there's anything else for me to do around here,” he ran a hand through his damp hair, “plus someone's gotta keep an eye on that creepy guy,” he muttered.”

Though his boyfriend couldn't see, Kid grinned, and tossed the clothes in his arms into a laundry bin. “I highly doubt he's going to make any dangerous moves tonight.”

Black☆Star sniffed, falling back onto Kid's bed with his arms crossed over his chest, “Yeah, well.”

Slipping into his work uniform, Kid ignored the stare he felt coming from his bed, and straightened out the tie hanging over his chest. He then turned around to face his boyfriend who was still lounging lazily on his mattress.

“Then, if you promise not to start anything with the warlock tonight, I'll give you another lap dance,” Kid winked slyly at his boyfriend, and then turned on his heel and left the room.

Wide-eyed, Black☆Star gaped at the empty space Kid left behind him, and then yelled, “Did you just try to tease me?”

From outside of the room he could hear a muffled “shut up” from Kid. He chuckled, and then hopped up from the bed and walked out to the kitchen where Kid was grabbing a snack.

“Well it's working,” he said, leaning over the counter to smile at the frowning teen.

Kid rolled his eyes and snatched his watch from off the kitchen table, checking the time before he snapped it over his wrist, beneath the crisp white cuff which adorned his arm. He slid his house key into his pocket and swallowed the last bit of his food, and then he marched out the front door with Black☆Star close behind him. Once the apartment was secure, Kid faced the other boy, who was rocking back and forth on his feet in excitement.

“You know you can’t go with me, right?” He asked, a brow raised at the other. At Black☆Star’s bemused look, he clarified. “I mean we can’t walk to the club together. We need to keep up the appearance that you’re just another client.”

Black☆Star scowled, “Yeah, I know that.”

Skeptically, Kid nodded, “Alright. Then wait another thirty minutes or so before you head over, okay?”

The taller teen looked deflated, but he assured Kid that he would wait, and slouched back against the apartment building’s wall while he watched the boy walk away. He exhaled deeply and slid down the plaster, fidgeting anxiously as he waited. What he wanted was to be walking with Kid, holding his hand and making him smile at his stupid jokes. But, he knew, until their mission was over, he wouldn’t be able to do typical relationship-type things with him, and even afterwards he wasn’t sure what Kid would be comfortable with doing. Black☆Star grumbled to himself, and willed time to go faster.

Kid coughed into his fist when another plume of body glitter drifted up towards his face. His coworker looked at him apologetically from where he was helping the boy get ready. Kid had hardly made it through the door of the club before one of the managers who he barely recognized had grabbed him by the arm and more or less dragged him to the changing room. The man was spewing something about him being late and filling in for a name he didn’t recognize, and the words were coming at him so rapidly that the reaper was left standing in confusion backstage as several people bustled around him.

As it turned out, one of the dancers for that night’s special stage performance had bailed, and Kid was needed to fill in for him. The problem was that there was only an hour left for him to learn how to belly dance, and he was stuck watching one of the other dancers perform the movements for him to learn while another stripper helped him change.

“You just kinda--like this, you know?” The dancer looked at him hopefully, and he nodded, though he still felt lost.

His coworker hummed thoughtfully, “It’s mostly about feeling the rhythm, as long as you can improvise and keep to the beat, then you’ll be fine.”

Years of fighting had trained Kid’s muscles into responding exactly how he wanted, and picking up on the general movements of bellydancing wasn’t too difficult. There was a similar fluidity between dancing and the martial arts, and so some of the moves that the other dancer was showing him were reminiscent of his fighting stances.

When he was finally deemed ready for the stage, Kid took a deep breath, and released it. This was going to be his last night on stage.

Black☆Star grumbled in annoyance, throwing himself into one of the lounge chairs in the smoky club. He’d been looking for his boyfriend since he had arrived about forty minutes prior, but he didn’t see the reaper anywhere. He’d only been coming to the club for a few nights, but already the dense atmosphere and colored lights felt familiar. He’d figured out how to avoid colliding with the stumbling drunks, and the strippers that walked the floor had realized a while ago that he wouldn’t accept dances from anyone but Kid.

Sighing, the assassin figured that Kid would find him when he was available, and he relaxed into his booth.His eyes flitted over the throng of people, seeing neither his boyfriend nor the club's warlock. A few moments later, as he was fidgeting impatiently, a familiar voice came over the loudspeaker to announce the next stage performance. Laughing, excited patrons stumbled their way to the floor around the stage for the show, much to Black☆Star's chagrin, making it difficult for him to scan the club the way he wanted to. He was about to leave his chair to find a more isolated area when the lights went dark and the audience's cheers and whistles rose.

Distracted, Black☆Star turned his attention to the stage, and he swallowed thickly. Above the dancers, the lights came on again, streaming orange and gold beams onto the stage. The warm hues caressed the glittering skin of the dancers, making them seem almost ethereal. Black☆Star's gaze was drawn one in particular, surprised since Kid hadn't told him he'd be performing that night.

Golden bangles spun around his thin arms, which glinted in tandem with the body glitter which dusted his bare torso. Black☆Star eyes traveled down the toned stomach to where a long, fluttering skirt rested lowly on the boy's hips. A vertical slash ran up the side of the nearly transparent skirt, allowing for flashes of muscled thighs as the teen started to move. The shimmering fabric was mesmerizing in the way it twirled around the boy, sheer enough to see the outlines of his body underneath, where more layers of golden fabric obscured his skin.

More hypnotic than what he wore was the boy himself, moving fluidly across the stage as if it came naturally. Black☆Star knew without looking that everyone's eyes would be glued to Kid as he danced, shrouded in golden light which glinted off of his golden eyes and attire, making him seem absolutely exotic. He spun and his hips swung, the muscles of his abdomen flexing and rolling like waves, and it was a wonder that with all his movements that his skirt did not fall.

Transfixed by his lover on the stage, Black☆Star watched him slack-jawed, and his fingers remembered the feeling of soft pale skin under his touch, and the way those hips rolled against him when he held them. Teal eyes roamed Kid's body, fixating on the unblemished slope of his neck, where Black☆Star had left bruises hours before, reaper skin quick to heal the lovebites. Black☆Star teased his lower lip between his teeth, aching to set his mouth on the other boy again.

Kid was throwing sultry glances at his enraptured audience, and they eagerly tossed loose bills on the stage for him to bend and pick up, tossing a wink as he did so. Dark hair gleamed under the spotlights, familiar sanzu lines hidden under dye and glitter, loose strands falling over Kid's eyes, framing the gold orbs between slants of jet black. Too soon the performance was over, the club's music fading back into it's regular flow as the crowd around the stage cheered and hollered drunkenly at the dancers' retreating forms.

Knowing that Kid was most likely headed to the back to change, Black☆Star leaped up from his seat, catching himself on his weak knees and righting his balance so he could slip through the crowd. His jeans felt tight and his cheeks were hot, and the one thing racing through his mind was Kid, Kid, Kid. Catching sight of the other teen towards the hallway to the private rooms, Black☆Star smirked and moved briskly towards him, fully intending to pull the other into a secluded area and--

Kid jerked in surprise when an arm snaked over his shoulders, and faked a smile at the familiar tight-lipped grin of the taller man. Black☆Star grit his teeth and stopped in his tracks, glaring furiously at the magician who was whispering something into his boyfriend's ear. Kid looked incredibly uncomfortable with the man leaning into him, though the assassin knew he wouldn't say anything to jeopardize his mission. So, crossing his arms over his chest, Black☆Star ground his teeth and waited impatiently for the magic user to leave.

The second the lanky man had stepped away from Kid, Black☆Star marched over to him.

“What did he want,” Black☆Star grumbled.

Turning around, Kid smiled uneasily at his boyfriend, “He was just confirming that I was attending tomorrow night.”

Black☆Star wrinkled his nose, “Hmph.”

The shorter teen shrugged, and then grabbed Black☆Star's hand, pulling him past the guard and into the private hallway. The tan boy followed along easily until they found a room. Seeing that detested man had made cold hatred sink the heat in his body, but being alone with his lover stirred his arousal again. When the door was closed and locked behind them, he leaned down towards Kid for a kiss, but the boy ducked out of the way and sent him a disgruntled look.

“I didn't bring you back here for that,” he said.

Black☆Star frowned and watched him plop down on the sofa, “Then why are we here?”

Kid raised a brow at him. “To discuss a plan.”

“A plan?”

“Yes, a plan. So that we're not fumbling around uselessly tomorrow night,” Kid deadpanned.

Black☆Star snorted, joining Kid by straddling his lap. “Here's the plan; we show up, kill the bastard, and take out everyone else who shows up. Problem solved.”

He leaned down again to press his mouth to Kid's but the reaper rolled his eyes and pushed his face away.

“It's not going to be that easy,” he tried to reason, but Black☆Star just groaned against his shoulder.

“How about we talk about it, in like, twenty minutes?” The assassin ground his lower body down against Kid's lap to accompany his suggestion. Kid groaned, head falling back against the chair.

“You're horrid,” he breathed, eyes glazing over.

“I know,” Black☆Star hummed, grinding his erection against the strain in Kid's skirt.

Fixing his teeth over Kid's throat, Black☆Star was about to give the other boy some new marks, when he was suddenly pushed off his lap.

“Oh, shit,” Kid hissed.

From where he fell to the side of the couch, Black☆Star grunted in disdain. “What?”

“I can't get ejaculate on this, it belongs to the club,” Kid explained, gesturing at his skirt.

“So?” Black☆Star prompted, annoyed and aroused.

Kid glared at him, “That's disgusting, Black☆Star. I'm not staining this.”

“Then take it off!” Exasperation.

“No. I brought you in here to come up with a plan, not to have sex, stop distracting me.”

Black☆Star groaned.

Ignoring the other boy’s petulant stare, Kid readjusted himself and patted at the cushion next to him, inviting his boyfriend to sit. Folding his arms over his chest, Black☆Star huffed and sunk into the couch, impatiently glaring at Kid.

“Alright, Death God, what’s the plan?”

Kid leveled a look at him at the nickname, but said nothing about it as he began speaking.

“In order to prevent any extra calamity I think we should wait to attack until about halfway through,” Kid took a breath and paused for a minute, but when no rebuttal from Black☆Star seemed forthcoming, he continued his logic, “We can discreetly take out the warlock when he isn’t onstage and is isolated from potential accomplices. If we were to just blitz it, the crowd would panic and it would become much harder to eliminate our target.”

Black☆Star tilted his head in thought, his brow furrowed, “But how do you know we’re even going to get a chance like that? Who’s to say he won’t be surrounded at all times?”

“The function doesn’t allow for weapons to be brought in, and the underground mostly trusts each other during these kinds of auctions because of that. His guard will be down, and he’ll be easier to corner.”

Black☆Star looked doubtful. “I dunno. I think we’re leaving too much up to chance. We could waste the whole night waiting for some opening like that.”

Kid cocked a brow at him, “And your suggestion is…?”

In a flash, Black☆Star was leaning towards the reaper with a wide smirk on his face, the sudden change in demeanor causing Kid to jerk back in surprise.

“I say we just kill the asshole on sight, screw whoever’s in our way.”

In exasperation, Kid straightened himself up again, and scoffed. “As ambitious and lovely as that sounds, no.”

The tan boy shrugged. “That’s the type of plan that always works for me. I’m no good with patience and strategy, I leave that kinda stuff to you and Maka.”

Kid grinned fondly at him, rolling his eyes slightly. “Yeah, I know.”

There’s a brief moment of silence when the two boys were grinning sheepishly at one another, and then Black☆Star awkwardly coughed into the back of his hand, and Kid quickly turned his head and his gaze elsewhere, a red flush settling faintly along his cheeks.

“A-Anyway,” Kid swallowed, “I already know that we can get the warlock by himself.”

Perking back up, Black☆Star questioned him. “Really? How?”

Kid momentarily pursed his lips, and then sighed. “After each purchase, the ‘donator’ and the ‘customer’ are supposed to meet privately to complete the transaction.”

At the other boy’s blank look, Kid fidgeted. “What I mean is, if I go on stage, and someone bids on me, whoever wins will be escorted backstage to a private room where I’ll be, along with the warlock. Since he’s, well, technically my donor.”

Realization dawned on the assassin. “So I’m supposed to let you be sold?” He spluttered.

Kid groaned. “Black☆Star, you already know nothing’s going to happen. When the winning bidder comes to, er, collect, that’s when you come in. Then we can take them out.”

Black☆Star narrowed his eyes and let out an annoyed grumble, but didn’t argue further.

“Once we neutralize the immediate threat, then we can worry about the magic items being sold,” Kid continued. “The plan is to stick camouflaged tracking equipment to them so they can be tracked down and their collectors apprehended at a later date.”

“They’ll probably all be stored together, right? So if you can tell me where they are, I can take care of them myself,” Black☆Star offered.

Kid’s exhale hissed through his teeth. “That’s the other thing. We won’t be able to tamper with the artifacts before auction even starts. Security is the tightest before and after the auction. We’ll have to wait until that portion of the auction is finished and they move on to other items, and then you’ll have your opening.”

Despite his agreeable nod, Black☆Star grimaced. He wasn’t a fan of patience and precise timing, especially when he would be on high alert. It made his skin crawl.

Noticing the other’s discomfort, Kid added, “I’m sure it won’t take too long. You can handle it. Unless,” Kid paused intentionally, “you’d rather leave?”

Black☆Star jerked violently, and his gaze narrowed on Kid.

Expecting this reaction, Kid prodded. “My father did send me to handle this on my own. If you don’t want to, I’m sure I can take over from here just fine,” he shrugged.

Black☆Star bristled, “”Hey. There’s no place else I’d rather be than right here, kicking ass with you.”

Determination flashed through the blue-haired boys eyes, completely erasing the faraway look he’d held moments before. Kid grinned.

“Okay. Great.”

When Kid pressed up against him, and gentle lips slid against his own, Black☆Star blinked in surprise, not fast enough to react before the warmth was gone again.

It was hard to hide his own grin when Kid teased, “Now, if you’re done sulking, let’s go.”

He scoffed, “I was not sulking,” and draped an arm around the shorter boy’s shoulders. Kid only hummed in response, guiding them out from the private room and back into the crush of bodies in the club.

Black☆Star awoke the next morning with light burning his eyes. Groaning, he blinked groggily, trying to banish the spots from his vision. The blinds which covered the window he was facing stopped halfway, leaving the bright sun glaring directly into his face. When he tried to roll onto his other side, he realized that his arm was stuck. Curled with his back against Black☆Star’s chest, Kid slept on obliviously, seemingly not bothered by the blinding light.

The assassin softened and relaxed, appreciating the sight before him, trying to ignore his discomfort. When the ache in his shoulder and the numbing sensation in his forearm became too unbearable, he sighed and dislodged his arm from where it was trapped beneath his boyfriend’s sleeping body, being careful not to disturb him.

The previous night, Black☆Star had insisted on walking Kid home, which the reaper found ridiculous and much too paranoid. Because of his stubborn streak, and his boyfriend’s reluctance to really push the issue, Black☆Star had gotten his wish. When it had come to saying goodnight, he still hadn’t wanted to leave.

“The school paid for a hotel room, so you might as well use it,” Kid argued.

Black☆Star pouted pathetically, “But we weren’t dating then.”

The next few attempts at rebuttal that spluttered from Kid’s mouth afterwards were half-hearted and flustered, and the tan boy knew he’d won again. After promising that he wouldn’t try anything sneaky when they were in bed, Kid finally relented, and they both had fallen asleep grinning.

With a sudden deep breath, Kid was rolling over, squinting bleary golden eyes at him.

“Hi,” he yawned.

Black☆Star pressed a kiss to the other teen’s head, his ‘hey’ muffled by soft black hair. Crinkling his nose, Kid squirmed away from Black☆Star, stretching as he pushed himself up and off the mattress.

“I need a shower. And so do you,” he grumbled.

Watching the hem of Kid’s lounge shirt rise up over his navel with his stretch, Black☆Star grunted.

“It’s too early to be getting up,” the blue-haired boy argued.

Kid glanced from him to the clock blinking at the side of the bed, and then frowned at him.

“It’s ten in the morning, we slept in late enough. Get up.”

Black☆Star groaned, shoving his face into his pillow dramatically. “Don’t wanna.”

“Stop being childish, go get a shower.”

Smugly, the lazy boy peeked at Kid. “Sure, if you come with me.”

He cackled at Kid’s disgruntled expression and hopped out of bed, walking out of the room, speaking over his shoulder.

“Okay, okay, when you’re done, let me know.”

Once they had both showered, and Black☆Star was walking into the kitchenette with his hair still dripping into his face, he gestured to the plastic bag sitting on the table innocuously in front of Kid. Kid looked up at him over his breakfast from between his damp and recently dyed bangs.

“Those are the tracking devices for the auction.”

Black☆Star made a sound of acknowledgement, then turned his attention to the boy sitting across from him. He ignored the other’s protests when he reached over to snatch some bacon from his plate, and the disgust evident when he spoke around the food in his mouth.

“So, we’ve basically got the entire day free. Whatcha wanna do?”

Tossing a napkin at his boyfriend’s face, Kid snarked, “I was going to suggest going out for lunch, but I can see now how disastrous that idea was. Gross, Black☆Star.”

In response, Black☆Star smiled toothily at him. “You mean like that date you still owe me?”

“Probably not going to happen until you learn some manners.”

“Harsh.”

Kid allowed for him to take a few more bites of his food, clearing his plate so that he could shove it in the sink.

“We could go to one of the local libraries,” Kid suggested after a few minutes of companionable silence.

Black☆Star’s lip curled in distaste. “The only time I’m in a library is for detention.”

“I know,” Kid grinned, “that’s how we became friends.”

The assassin smiled knowingly back at him. “We’d better not try searching for any legendary weapons this time. They’re all real assholes in my experience.”

Kid turned back to the sink with laughter, rinsing off the plate he’d put there, and sliding it back into its’ place.

They agreed to walk to a library nearby, for lack of anything else to do. Black☆Star’s literature tastes hadn’t changed since the moment they met, and he was quickly engaged in a children’s book, snickering to himself as Kid delved into a novel next to him. A little less than an hour later, Kid set the book down with a sigh. The movement caused Black☆Star to jolt awake from where he was beginning to drift off and glance at his boyfriend.

“You done already?” He asked.

“No--well, yes, but not really. I just,” Kid sighed again, “I can’t concentrate.”

Black☆Star nodded in understanding. “I know what you mean. It’s like, jitters before a mission.”

Kid frowned. “Kind of, but it’s--”

“Not fear or nerves,” Black☆Star interrupts with a crooked grin, “it’s excitement. Impatience. I get it.”

Seemingly embarrassed, Kid nods at him. “Yeah. Usually there’s at least something to do, some other way to prepare. Right now it’s just waiting.”

“Well,” Black☆Star stood, “there is one thing that never fails to keep me numbed out before a job.”

The other boy looked at him with interest.

“Let’s go catch a movie. A really loud, really action-y one.”

“That doesn’t seem very,” Kid searched for the right word, “conducive.”

Black☆Star patted him on the shoulder. “Trust me on this, Kid. You absolutely won’t be able to think straight, or, more importantly, stress about the mission.”

Kid looked doubtful, but he decided to humor his friend.

To his surprise and Black☆Star’s complacency, the idea worked. They had wandered around until finding a theater and picked a movie at random. Once inside, the bright strobing on screen and explosions of sound had their undivided attention. When they left a couple hours later, Kid felt a lot more relaxed.

“Great movie, huh?” Black☆Star bounced on his heels next to Kid, beaming at him.

“It was a terrible movie,” Kid amended, “but it worked. So. Thanks.”

He awkwardly rubbed at the back of his neck, but smiled sincerely at his boyfriend.

The next few hours were spent drifting around the city. The two aimlessly wandering around stores, restaurants, and other attractions, passing the time. When the sun started to hang low on the skyline, casting a warm glow over the city, the boys headed back to Kid’s apartment. They had their dinner and changed clothes in relative silence, tense excitement hanging over their heads.

Kid was the first to leave the apartment, as usual, after reiterating the plan. As soon as Kid stepped through the entrance of the club, he was whisked away into the back by another stripper, whom he recognized as someone else the warlock had talked with on occasion. Wordlessly, he allowed himself to be guided towards the private rooms, passing the familiar guard, and then he was being ushered into what he remembered to be the magician’s personal room. He was momentarily stunned by the bustling going on, as people rushed around the room in various states of undress. Laughter, chatter, and smoke curled around the air, giving the space an atmosphere similar to the club itself.

“There you are, pretty boy,” a familiar voice drawled, pulling him from his trance.

Kid turned towards the man slinking in his direction, coughing into his fist when a plume of perfume engulfed him.

He looked almost apologetic when he spoke, “The regular changing rooms are still being used for the routine part of the club, so during the auctions everyone gets ready back here.”

Plastering a smile onto his face, Kid nodded, trying to ignore the chaos of men bumping into him and leaving trails of glitter and scent in their wake. Some of them were strippers like him, using the auction as a way of getting a bigger paycheck. Others had come with things they wanted to sell on the black market.

Kid startled when something thumped against his chest.

The man grinned at him slyly, amusement evident in his eyes. “Here, sweetheart, change into this.”

Flushing, Kid looked down and took the proffered garment that he was holding to his chest. A cool hand brushed against his cheek, cradling the side of his face, making him look up at the warlock. He clenched his jaw when the man leaned in to smack a kiss at his temple, attempting to hide his repulsion.

“I’ll see you later,” The man whispered, letting his fingers trail off of Kid’s face as he walked away. Kid shuddered when he was out of sight, and took the outfit with him as he silently lef and made his way to the club’s restroom.

He and Black☆Star had agreed earlier to reconnaissance in the bathroom, and while he waited, he felt more comfortable changing in one of the stalls rather than in the crowded room he’d left. Actually giving the uniform a once-over, Kid grimaced. It looked to be hardly more than lingerie. He carefully stepped into the leather bottoms, the material cold and tight on his skin. They were only about an inch in length, the stark black emphasizing the swell of his hips and leaving the creamy expanse of his thighs exposed.

The white top he slipped on could hardly be called a shirt, the material so sheer that it didn’t hide the muscle tone of his abdomen or arms. It was slit down the center and had a slack, open collar, mimicking a blouse though it lacked buttons. A slim black tie was also provided, fastened in a permanent loop, so that he could only slide it over his head and let it drape loosely over his chest.

Though the ensemble didn’t consist of much, it was still decidedly uncomfortable against the sensitivity of his skin, the leather too tight and the shirt too stiff. Exiting the stall with his folded clothes in hand, though, he had to admit that it accentuated every curve of his body. While he examined himself in the mirror over the sink, the bathroom door opened again, and he whipped around in alarm until he saw that it was his boyfriend.

The tan boy gave him a once-over and whistled in appreciation, causing Kid to frown, his cheeks flushing a dark pink.

“You know where the warlock’s private room is, right?” He blurted, “The fourteenth door on the left side of the hall? The room next to that is where the affected artifacts are being held.”

He hadn’t actually even needed to use his soul perception, the energy emanating from the room was strong enough to alert anyone of the presence of magic within. That, and the heavy amount of security lining the hall in general had piqued his suspicions.

Black☆Star nodded, his gaze flicking between the reaper’s face and his shorts. “Yeah, okay.”

Kid rolled his eyes, muttering ‘unbelievable’ under his breath. “Also, after my part of the auction is done, I’ll most likely be in his private room to wait for the client. I’m assuming you’ve already vetted the vents?”

Attention focusing on the matter at hand, Black☆Star gave an affirmative nod. He knew the routes of the ventilation system via the blueprints he’d managed to scrounge up days earlier, and before he’d rendezvoused with Kid in the restroom, he’d figured out where he’d be unnoticed when sneaking in. It wasn’t the first time he’d resorted to slinking around through air vents, and he doubted it would be the last.

“One of the openings is gonna give me somewhat of a view into the auction room, so I’ll have my cue on when to act,” he responded.

Seemingly pleased with that, Kid nodded to himself slowly. Everything really depended on Black☆Star’s timing and discretion, and the thought made him somewhat anxious He trusted the other boy, trusted him with his life, and Black☆Star had consistently proven he deserved that trust whenever their group went into battle. But control was something he’d always had trouble relinquishing, and trusting the rest of the mission to Black☆Star made him nervous.

Kid didn’t realize he was shifting restlessly on his feet until he felt a warm hand clamp on his shoulder, and he jerked his gaze up to meet reassuring teal eyes. “We’re gonna kick ass, Kid.”

Visibly relaxing, the reaper smiled softly at the taller boy. His tension wasn’t gone, but much of the stiffness on his shoulders lifted, and he replied simply. “Yeah.”

He teased at his lower lip with his teeth momentarily, before stepping forward to push his mouth to Black☆Star’s. The blue-haired teen happily responded, his hand sliding from Kid’s shoulder to cup the back of his neck, the other moving to rest on Kid’s hip and draw him closer. Arms awkwardly trapped between the flush of their bodies, Kid settled for grasping Black☆Star’s shirt and tilting his head further to deepen the kiss.

He let his tongue dance over the ridge of the other teen’s teeth, and moaned lowly when their tongues brushed against each other. The subtle grinding of Black☆Star’s hips against his own betrayed his own interest, half-hard erection straining at the tight front of his shorts. He pulled back with a stuttered breath, groaning when Black☆Star’s mouth chased after him, connecting with his a third, a fourth time, the wet smacking sound echoing in the otherwise empty bathroom.

Finally pushing at Black☆Star’s chest, Kid managed to dislodge himself from the heavy heat. He forced himself to step back as to not give into the temptation of his boyfriend’s hooded gaze, dark and focused on him with an intensity that made him shiver. The hand which still rested over his hip caressed circles against him with its thumb. Kid licked his lips, Black☆Star’s eyes following the motion, and he swallowed to try and get his voice back.

“I’m going to head back,” he murmured, voice low and throaty. “I’ll see you...soon.”

Kid stepped around Black☆Star to exit the bathroom, shuddering again when his shoulder brushed against the other boy’s, sending a jolt through his system.

Black☆Star’s voice was nearly a growl. “Right. Soon.”

The last thing Kid said, over his shoulder as he pushed through the door, was “The auction begins in an hour.”

Black☆Star heaved a sigh for what felt like the millionth time. He’d been crouched in the same position in the air duct for a little over twenty minutes, and his muscles were already beginning to cramp. In fear of drawing attention to his position, he stayed still, suffering through the pain silently. He thought, idly, that it was much easier to hide in vents before his growth spurt.

So far nothing exciting had happened, the auction only officially started ten minutes prior, and the man currently on stage was still giving his long-winded introduction. Black☆Star couldn’t really see what was going on--he was peering through a gate to the side of the stage, giving him a limited view of the first few rows of patrons and the left edge of the stage. But, he was able to hear everything, and that was really all he needed.

When the audience began clapping, startling him from his trailing thoughts, he nearly groaned in appreciation that the introduction was over. He still had at least a couple more hours of uncomfortable hiding, and he hoped that the actual auction portion would be more entertaining. He would never live it down if he missed his cue due to falling asleep. Besides, he would prove to Kid that he’d trusted the right person.

With that in mind, Black☆Star was prepared to endure whatever the night threw at him.

When the magically affected artifacts were finally brought out, he could sense it before the announcer even made it onstage. A wave of solid energy thrummed over him like a pulse, bringing a queasy feeling to his stomach. His toes curled and his head throbbed dully from the simple force of malevolent energy emanating from the items.

He grit his teeth, and raked his eyes over the portion of the audience he could see, almost in awe that none of them reacted in the slightest. He knew that it was a trained sensibility to notice magic auras, but that so many people didn’t even flinch at what made his stomach tie knots almost astounded him. It merely proved that the unsuspecting people really had no idea what they were bidding on or the severity of their actions, and it made his blood boil in rage.

Finally, after what seemed like ages of agony, the malevolent magic no longer felt like it was gnawing at his soul, and the artifacts were being put back in storage until after the auction was completed. Exhaling in relief, Black☆Star started moving again, crawling silently in the direction of the storage room.

He reached the grate of the room, watching the last few items be dragged in and left, and he waited to hear the latch on the door click locked before he set about entering the room. Silently, he maneuvered out of the duct and dropped to the floor, hyper aware of the palpable energy pulsing around him. He reached into the pocket of his hoodie, pulling out the bag of tracking equipment, and he set to work.

By the time he’d tagged each individual item in the dark room, he could feel a migraine setting in. Luckily, he hadn’t had any problems with being interrupted, and the camouflaging on the devices was so intricate that he didn’t worry about them being noticed later on. Though, he doubted the customers who purchased the items would notice any deviation in the artifacts anyway, as he didn’t believe any of them really knew a thing about witches or magic at all rather than the dark allure of it.

Silently, he exited as efficiently as he’d entered, leaving not a trace behind him but the muted scuffling of his trek back to the auction through the vents.

Kid blinked rapidly, still unused to the heavy feeling of kohl lining his eyes. He tried not to squint against the light burning against his retinas, and instead keep up his flirty facade, as if he wanted to be poised on stage, half naked and cold. The lights pointed directly at him left him with only a view of the wood paneling in front of him, leaving the audience behind the light as a black sort of void.

He would’ve found comfort in that, if he couldn’t still feel the stares of the men and women examining him, deciding whether or not they wanted to bid on him. He’d been coached briefly by the few other strippers also participating, told how to stand and what to do and when. Mostly it was a lot of bending over and showing off his body to prospective buyers, he’d let his shirt droop over his shoulders and tried to make his blind gaze to the audience lurid and seductive rather than indignant and repulsed.

The fact that he wouldn’t actually have to dance for the audience in front of him was a relief, due more to time constraints rather than routine. He did, however, have to endure a lot of touching. Not from the strangers who sat namelessly in the background, but rather from the warlock. As Kid’s technical donor, he was the one to “show off” his merchandise, guiding Kid into different positions with his cool fingers digging into Kid’s skin. It was difficult not to snap when the man was pressing himself bodily against Kid from behind, causing the boy to arch his back subconsciously to get away, which the sly man pretended not to notice.

Thankful when his turn was over with, Kid tried not to be too obvious when he scampered offstage. As was procedure with the auction, after the merchandise was showcased, it was moved backstage before the actual bidding began. He was thankful for that, as well, as he would’ve felt beyond embarrassed if he’d had to listen to people throwing prices around for him. He sauntered back to his private room with a content expression, blood thrumming with the promise of the mission ending soon.

He slipped by the guards casually, the men not sparing a glance at him when he walked into the warlock’s room. He closed the door behind him and waited, propping himself up against one of the room’s walls. In minutes, the magician would be walking into the room with his client, and then the final portion of his assignment would begin.

When the door clicked open sooner than he’d expected, Kid jumped. He watched carefully as the warlock strolled in, his stock grin in place, but when golden eyes darted to behind the man, he didn’t see any customer. The man’s smile widened, and he passed by Kid nonchalantly, and Kid’s gaze followed him to the automated coffeemaker stashed in one of the far corners of the room. The teen frowned, glancing between the door and the man who was apparently preoccupied with making a cup of coffee.

He sighed and resigned himself to sit on one of the many uncomfortable looking pieces of furniture decorating the room which wasn’t covered in bits and pieces of the hustling that took place earlier. Kid figured the client was going to come in after the rest of the auction was completed, and they would have to pass the time until then. As he took in the sight of glitter, trash, and mismatched parts of clothes strewn about the room, he assumed that the warlock would want to clean up a bit, anyway, before having someone else come in.

Kid was grimacing at what looked to be a cocktail of vodka and body shimmer on one of the small tabled, when a hand moved into his peripheral vision. He moved his attention to the hand in front of him, which was holding a cup of steaming coffee. He glanced up at the man who was grinning down at him, his manicured brow peaked over one eye expectantly. Kid smiled hesitantly back at the man, taking the cup into his own hands.

Satisfied, the warlock took a seat across from Kid, his own cup balanced carefully in one palm. Moments passed where Kid’s gaze flitted from his coffee, to the man sitting nearby, to various paraphernalia decorating the room. The magician’s eyes stayed glued solely on him, and Kid felt incredibly unnerved, trying not to let it show. He sipped at his drink as he thought the other man expected him to, and finally the gaze on him relaxed, the man savoring his own drink slowly.

Silence dragged on, and Kid became increasingly uncomfortable. He’d finished his coffee, not particularly memorable in any way, and was perturbed that the warlock still hadn’t said anything to him since making his entrance. His eyes were drooping in boredom, and he felt a yawn trying to claw its way from his throat. As much as it pained him, just to lessen the tension dripping from the atmosphere, Kid tried prompting conversation.

“So,” Kid wracked his brain for something to say, “how much did I go for?”

Mentally, he berated himself, frustrated with his sluggish thinking. Stupid, stupid question.

“Enough,” the man purred, smile turning flirtatious.

Kid tried again. “Who’s my client?”

The magician didn’t answer immediately, content to just continue smiling knowingly at Kid as he rose from his chair. Kid tried to follow the man with his gaze, but his vision was blurring, and he squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to clear it up, but when they opened again everything seemed even worse. His pupils wouldn’t focus on any one thing, and colors swept together like paint running over canvas. The world seemed to shift, and he was confused as to how the magician was suddenly right in front of him when he’d just been across the room.

He felt cool hands pull the empty cup from his grasp, and he swallowed thickly, his throat constricting and running dry. Kid felt utterly exhausted, and everything sounded like it had been submerged underwater, but he was able to make out the words whispered hotly into his ear.

“Me.”

Black☆Star was furious.

That in itself was an understatement. His blood boiled and his head clouded in rage, hands curling into instinctive fists so tight that his nails cut crescents into his skin. His teeth ground together to prevent him from yelling the way he wanted to, and his eyes burned in frustration. He was beyond fury.

He knew he could be slow on the uptake, but he never thought himself so utterly dense.

He’d waited patiently once the bidding on Kid had begun. Patiently would be a nice way of putting it, in actuality. It had been more similar to stewing in silent anger, listening with heated envy when numerous voices rang out with bids and offers. He was aware that there was no reason to feel jealous, not when Kid certainly didn’t want any part of it, and not when he knew Kid wouldn’t betray him. What limited sight Black☆Star had through the grate gave him a clear view of the magician he’d come to loathe to vehemently, with his familiar smirk and irritating arrogance. Not only him, but there were also people in the audience he could see who were making bids for Kid. And he hated them. He absolutely, completely despised them.

What he had missed, however, and what seemed obvious in retrospect, were the surreptitious glances being shared between the warlock and one of the bidders in the front row. The furtive nods given every so often. Black☆Star hadn’t even given the man a second glance until he’d been named the bid winner. And then his vision was tunneled on the man. And that was his second mistake.

When the warlock left the stage and didn’t reappear to talk privately with his winner, Black☆Star ignored the warning bells in his head. It didn’t click until around twenty minutes later, when he was getting increasingly frustrated with waiting for the man to leave the auction. If he left too early and made it to the room before the client did, it could cause an unwanted interruption later when he and Kid would deal with the warlock.

Black☆Star only realized, however, that the man wouldn’t be going back to the private rooms at all, until those twenty minutes had passed. And the pieces fell into place for him. And then, Black☆Star was moving as quickly as he could given his limitations, cursing himself and hoping that he wouldn’t be too late to stop whatever was happening to Kid.

He kicked his way through the iron grate of the magician’s private room and leapt to the floor in a blur of movement.

In front of him, the man was straddling Kid’s hips, the smaller boy pushed down to lie on the couch beneath him. Kid’s eyes were clenched shut, his expression twisted in disgust, thin wrists tugging weakly at the hold the magician had on them. The man was trailing wet kisses down the side of Kid’s neck, taking pleasure in the bucking of the boy’s hips as he tried to dislodge the larger, and mistaking the small whimpers as sounds of enjoyment.

Black☆Star didn’t hear the words the man whispered into Kid’s ear, only noticed the shudder he gave in reaction, didn’t watch the man’s hands roam over his boyfriend’s chest, just knew Kid wasn’t stopping him, and that meant something was incredibly wrong.

In the seconds it took him to kick his way into the room and take notice of that, the warlock barely had time to react and look towards the commotion before Black☆Star sprung towards him. He didn’t remember propelling himself forward, and he didn’t remember actually making contact with the man’s jaw, but he heard the sickening crack of broken bone and came back to himself when the man collided heavily with the wall. The man spluttered, surprise and anger etched into his typically stoic features, jaw twisted at an unnatural angle.

He glared up at Black☆Star, coughing blood to the side, and then despite the pain, he smirked when he recognized the other boy.

“Oh, cute,” he croaked, “it’s the boyfr--” Blood hiccupped from his mouth, along with a deep groan of pain.

Black☆Star glared at him from where his fist had buried itself in the man’s stomach, the force of his punch causing plaster from the wall to crumble around them. Relentlessly, he’d pounded the warlock with his wavelength both times, and it was a testament to the man’s own strength that he was still conscious. Despite his pained grunt, the man laughed, the sound choked by the blood pooling in his throat and splattering over Black☆Star.

“If you really want,” he wheezed, looking defiantly into Black☆Star’s eyes, “we could share--”

Black☆Star slammed his fist into the man’s stomach again, and the warlock doubled over, heaving and chuckling.

“Shut up,” the assassin grumbled. He watched passively while the man choked on spit and vomit.

“Careful,” the warlock ignored his warning, “your blood’s going to end up just as black as -” another punch in his abdomen, “-mine.”

Focussed so completely on the man in front of him, Black☆Star didn’t register the danger he himself was in, until he was suddenly wrestled to the ground. He flipped his attacker onto their back, ready to dole out the same treatment he’d been giving his other opponent, but he softened immediately when he recognized his boyfriend.

“Idiot,” Kid muttered, glaring as best he could while drugged. “He’s jus’ goading you. Pay ‘ttention to your surroundin’s,” he slurred, gesturing somewhere beyond Black☆Star’s head.

The blue-haired boy whipped around, just managing to dodge the projectile which whizzed past his face. He jerked backwards, watching the object impale itself in the wall, and then looked to where the warlock was pushing himself up the wall, cradling his stomach. The man smiled at him, his eyes holding a faint purple glow, a glow which spread like an aura around his body.

Black☆Star grit his teeth. Right. That must be the warlock’s magic. Some form of telekinesis.

He assumed it was rather weak, though, since the man seemed to only be controlling one object at a time. Black☆Star jumped backwards again, tugging Kid with him, when another blunt object came spiraling towards them, crashing into the floor where they’d been moments earlier.

Kid groaned, his head spinning and aching, his nausea worsening every time Black☆Star jerked him in another direction to avoid an attack. His frustration mounted as well -- as a Shinigami, whatever chemicals the man laced his drink with shouldn’t affect him the same way it would humans. He should’ve been completely fine. Though, it crossed his mind, he wasn’t sure if the same rules applied to potions made with magic. His vision spotted, and it was getting harder and harder to force his eyes open, or to stand without Black☆Star’s support at his side. His body began shutting down, and he only slightly registered his boyfriend gently setting him down on something, before the familiar warmth disappeared from his side again.

When Black☆Star was able to pin the warlock down again, he would not let the man back up. He threw fist after fist into the man, pushing his wavelength in with every shot, the physical exertion draining his energy. He held out long enough to use the warlock’s skill against him, switching their positions when the next shrapnel hurtled towards them, effectively stabbing the man through his heart. Anger and spite had him watching as the man blacked out, bleeding out slowly through his various wounds, rather than ending the ordeal quickly himself.

The body beneath him disintegrated slowly, leaving Black☆Star with the warlock’s soul, black bloodstains, and an unconscious boyfriend.

An all-encompassing warmth. A feeling of such comforting heat that seared through each limb and held thoughts in a pleasant disarray, a nice haze which felt like floating. It moved and it pulsed, though never leaving him. Kid dozed, content and peaceful, in a way he hadn’t felt in a while. His exhale became a sigh, and he curled backwards into the radiating warmth cradling him. Slowly gaining awareness, the pressure over his waist solidified into an arm, holding him against a chest, which presented itself as a solid wall of heat. His feet were snugly tangled with another pair, and warm breaths from behind him ghosted the back of his neck.

Becoming aware of his surroundings; the sound of his own pulse in his ears, the thrumming of the apartment’s air conditioning, cars passing by on the street below the bedroom window, the blankets strewn haphazardly over his waist and under his feet--also meant thoughts, and introspection, and memories. Which led his brain to replaying the night before.

Kid found that he recalled very little. He had vague, sporadic images, and the distant feeling of nausea and exhaustion. He opened his eyes cautiously, blinking a few times to adjust to his dawn-lit surroundings. Satisfied, he slowly tested out his limbs, tensing and moving them a bit, relieved when it seemed that the effects of whatever he’d taken had worn off, leaving him with only a dull ache in the back of his skull. Carefully, he tried to free himself from his boyfriend’s cling without waking the other boy, but by the time he’d managed to turn onto his side, Black☆Star was peering at him through sleep-heavy eyes with a soft grin.

“Hey,” he whispered.

Kid smiled tentatively back. “Hey.”

The golden-eyed boy followed Black☆Star with his gaze as the boy yawned and stretched, sitting himself up on the bed. The assassin smiled down at him, looking much more awake than Kid felt, and then rolled over so that he was nearly laying on Kid, supporting himself on all fours above him. Kid shifted to his back to meet his boyfriend’s eyes.

Reluctantly, he pushed gently at the other boy’s chest. “I should get up, I’ve got to ca--”

“I spoke with your dad last night, I told him we wrapped everything up.”

“We still need to boo--”

“He booked us a flight home for this afternoon.”

Kid grunted, slightly annoyed, but mostly relieved.

“I should still get up and pack.”

Black☆Star grinned. “Nope.”

“Excuse me?” Kid scowled.

“I’ll finishing packing up. You,” he emphasized with a kiss to Kid’s forehead, “need to rest.”

Kid groaned. “I’m fine. The worst is that I just don’t remember much. Care to fill me in on what I missed?”

Black☆Star hummed for a few moments, collecting his thoughts. “Well, by the time you passed out, the guy was pretty much down for the count. After that I just grabbed you and his soul and got the hell out of there. Which,” he smiled wider, “was pretty tough. I mean, I’ve told you before what a deadweight you are, right?”

Kid rolled his eyes.

“Anyway, somehow I managed to get both of our asses out of there without causing much of a fuss.” He paused. “Then again, I kind of just kicked through a couple walls near the end. But we were gone before anyone saw.”

“My hero,” Kid murmured, fond and exasperated.

Black☆Star’s smile turned toothy. “I am pretty great, aren’t I?”

Kid huffed a laugh, and ran a hand through his hair. His bangs fell over his eyes, and he was oddly grateful to see familiar hints of white coming back to the strands.

“So what are we supposed to do until this afternoon?” He wondered aloud.

Teal eyes glittered mischievously, “I can think of a few things.”

Kid snorted. “Yeah, right. I thought I was supposed to rest?”

“Don’t worry, they all involve the bed.” Black☆Star winked, and Kid pushed him off with a scoff, the boy falling next to Kid on the bed with laughter.

He was incredibly surprised, but not exactly upset, when he found Kid straddling his hips a moment later, an impish grin on the reaper’s face. Black☆Star’s lips parted automatically, ready and welcoming when the other boy’s descended on him. The kiss was lethargic and languid, slow presses of parted lips and teasing tongues. Their chests down to their hips were pressed flush together, and their thighs brushed with every subtle movement.

Black☆Star’s hands found their way to Kid, one wound through silken locks, encouraging deeper kisses, slight tugging stirring a moan from him. His other hand traveled down the expanse of Kid’s back, sliding over the curve and dip of his spine, down to the swell of his rear. Kid’s arms braced him on the bed, bent at the elbows, hands curved into fists around the sheets. Black☆Star nipped lightly at Kid’s lower lip, at the same time bucking his hips upwards and pulling Kid’s down.

They both groaned at the friction, breaking away from the kiss, Kid shifting so that he could get better leverage against the undulating of Black☆Star’s pelvis. The assassin took the opportunity to latch his mouth onto the pale skin he could reach, wet kisses down the side of Kid’s jaw to his throat, using teeth and tongue to draw out stuttered gasps from the boy. Kid swallowed thickly, Black☆Star’s tongue running along the underside of his jugular, and he rested his panting mouth on the curve of the other’s shoulder.

Gently guiding them into a sitting position against the headboard of the bed, Black☆Star tucked his hands under Kid’s thighs, lifting the teen into his lap, relishing the surprised yelp it prompted. He chuckled against Kid’s collarbone, feeling the other boy’s hands grip onto his shoulders to balance himself. When nimble fingers prodded at the hem of his tank top, Black☆Star wasted no time in tearing off the offending fabric, happy to have Kid’s cool hands tracing over his skin.

He curled his thumbs underneath Kid’s t-shirt, looking upwards into hazy golden eyes for permission. The reaper nodded, lifting his arms to allow Black☆Star to pull off his top. The blue eyes raked over his chest, which never failed to bring heat to Kid’s cheeks, so he pushed his hips down again, rubbing their straining erections against one another. The action succeeded in getting Black☆Star’s eyes to flutter shut and a groan to pass his lips, but when his eyes reopened they were much darker, pupils blown wide, gaze heated and focussed on Kid. Kid felt his pulse quicken, and Black☆Star’s tongue darted out to wet his lips, and then he was pushing Kid backwards, until his back hit the mattress and Black☆Star was kneeling between his parted legs.

Black☆Star leaned over Kid, pinning him in place while he kissed him again, grinding his hips downwards at the same time, eliciting a whine from the boy beneath him. Kid met Black☆Star’s thrusts with his own, arching his back to meet him with more pressure, his arms wrapping loosely behind his boyfriend’s neck. A thin sheen of sweat coated the skin between their bellies, slick and hot as they slid against each other.

Warm fingers ran over Kid’s chest, sending a shudder down his spine. He gasped sharply when thumbs flicked over his nipples, sudden shocks of pleasure racing through his limbs. Fingers pinched at his sensitive flesh, and he writhed, head thrown back with a guttural moan, and Black☆Star’s mouth was licking a line down his chest, tongue swirling and teasing at his peaked skin. The red dusting Kid’s face flushed down his chest, and he whimpered loudly when Black☆Star’s kisses moved down to his navel.

Kid’s jaw clenched-- he wanted, he wanted -- and what he wanted he wasn’t completely sure, but he knew it had something to do with Black☆Star and the way the other boy made his skin feel like it was on fire.

“Black☆Star,” he groaned, not sure what he was asking for.

In response, the other boy hummed, voice thrumming against Kid’s stomach. “Hmm?”

Kid’s hand tangled in oceanic hair, hips jerking upwards, all at once deciding what he wanted, unsure how to phrase it.

“I want t-to,” he licked his lips, frustrated, “feel you. I want-” Black☆Star’s tongue swept underneath his waistband, and Kid keened.

“Yeah,” Black☆Star nodded, mostly to himself as Kid’s eyes were fluttering shut, “yeah, okay.”

Kid yelped, eyes flying open, when cool air suddenly hit his arousal, his slacks and boxers being tossed to the floor. Black☆Star quieted him with another kiss, and then he straightened up briefly to pull off his own pants, flushing under the heat of Kid’s eyes on him. When his own clothes were kicked to the floor, he quickly pressed himself against Kid again, desperate for the feel of his body.

Kid wasn’t sure what to do with his hands, and they travelled everywhere. They swept over the planes of Black☆Star’s back and shoulders, appreciating the muscles as they flexed beneath his fingers, and he trailed his fingers down the lines of his abdomen, toned and hot. A low growl rumbled from Black☆Star’s chest, Kid’s fingers accidentally too teasing and light, and sending wave after wave of desire through him.

Black☆Star’s hands were firm and demanding where they landed, gripping at Kid’s supple skin, leaving faint traces of red from their indents. Growing impatient and needy, he nipped along Kid’s collarbone and shoulders, sucking bruises into the pale expanse, which Kid encouraged with whimpers and bucking hips. Their arousals rubbed together, straining and damp against their stomachs, leaking pearlescent trails of precum which smeared over their bellies as they thrust against each other.

Their pulses raced and their breathing hitched, familiar coiling and tightening beginning in their lower bodies, the heat between them mounting into a crescendo. Though his thoughts were disarrayed and scattered, Black☆Star wanted more, he wanted more than that, he wanted-

Breathlessly, “Do you wan--,” he panted, “Can I try--? I wanna--”

“Uh-huh-hnnn,” Kid nodded furiously. It didn’t really matter to him what Black☆Star’s idea was, he just wanted the pleasure to continue. When Black☆Star stopped moving against him, however, Kid nearly sobbed--he was so close-- but he didn’t even have time to glare at Black☆Star because a moment later a slick finger was pressing into him. His head snapped back against the blankets, and he hissed at the intrusion. The finger probed inside him, and Kid clenched at the odd feeling, and he considered asking Black☆Star to go back to what they were doing before but then--

“Shit,” Kid cried out loudly.

For a split second, momentarily, a sweet blinding wrack of pleasure hit his nerves, and he pushed back against Black☆Star’s finger eagerly.

“Do that again,” he demanded.

Black☆Star grinned, and then spat into his hand. Kid grimaced, but when a second finger slipped into him, thoughts of protest disappeared. It was uncomfortable, but not intolerable. The third finger edged near pain, but by that point both boys were achingly hard, and with a little bit of scissoring, Kid deemed himself ready.

“Okay,” was all he said, but the assassin caught his point, and slipped his fingers out with a wet pop.

Quickly but as thoroughly as he could, Black☆Star spat into his palm again and coated his erection, which was already somewhat slick with his and Kid’s precum. He lined himself up with Kid’s entrance, and looked up at the boy who nodded back at him, and then he was easing himself into the tight heat. Kid’s breath stuttered and he hissed, trying to relax around Black☆Star, though it was proving difficult. When Black☆Star had pressed in to the hilt, he paused for a moment, allowing for Kid to adjust, and though it still hurt, it wasn’t as unbearable, and he nodded again for his boyfriend to move.

Slowly at first, Black☆Star pulled himself out until just the head was resting inside of Kid, and pressed back in. The heat around him was incredible, and Kid’s muscles seemed to pull him in, urging him to go deeper into the slick cavern. He groaned with restraint, thrusting steadily when he wanted to lose control and just pound into the body beneath him, but he wouldn’t risk hurting Kid.

That was, until-- “Come on, Black☆Star.”

He smiled, grabbing Kid’s hips roughly to give himself better leverage, meeting the boy’s challenge with a hard thrust into him. Kid groaned, pleased, and he let his legs hook around Black☆Star’s waist, hands fisting in his blankets.

“Faster,” he breathed harshly.

Eagerly, Black☆Star obliged, pulling out of Kid again to thrust himself back into the tightness almost immediately, building up a rhythm between wet smacks of skin against skin. Kid moaned wantonly, back arching with each thrust to get Black☆Star deeper, crying out in ecstasy each time sparks of white flew across his vision. Black☆Star plunged into Kid, masking his own groans against the other boy’s damp skin, feeling pride swell with every mewl he drew.

“B-Black☆St-star, do--hahh, go hhaaaarder--” Kid panted.

Briefly, Black☆Star thought that it figured Kid would be just as demanding in the bedroom, but then he was pistoning his hips harder, his thoughts stopping completely. Kid trailed a hand down to his jutting cock, pumping erratically with Black☆Star’s thrusts, his back arching for contact. He was close--so, so close, and with Black☆Star hitting his prostate so frequently, he was going to come soon.

“I-I’m g-guhh-’nna cum, fuck,” he warned, raking his blunt nails down Black☆Star’s back.

Black☆Star growled throatily, biting the junction between Kid’s throat and jaw, his thrusts quickening even further as he neared his own edge. Kid choked on a whine when he hit his release, gasping and panting ah-ah-ah’s through his climax, as white cum streaked over his belly. Black☆Star pounded Kid harshly through his release, the overstimulation of his spent body had him keening the assassin’s name. A minute later, Black☆Star jerked and slowed, his erection pulsing, and then he spilled himself inside Kid, cum leaking slightly from his entrance.

Breathing labored, Black☆Star rested for a moment, poised over Kid, before he pulled out, flopping onto his back. He tried throwing an arm around the other boy, wanting, needing to feel close to him, but Kid slapped away his hand with a frown. Worried, Black☆Star’s brow furrowed, and he opened his mouth until Kid interrupted him.

“There is no way I am going anywhere near you until we clean up,” he grimaced, cum drying on his thigh.

Black☆Star laughed, much to Kid’s chagrin, but he rolled himself out of bed and walked out of the room, returning a few minutes later with a damp washcloth.

“How ‘bout this for now,” he offered, wiping the mess off of Kid’s stomach and thighs.

Kid hummed, “Fine. But we’re showering before we leave.”

Black☆Star smiled at him, and kissed his head where familiar white stripes were reappearing. He disposed of the washcloth and crawled back in bed, ignoring the blankets that Kid had shoved to the floor, content to curl up with his boyfriend. Feeling himself drifting into unconsciousness, he spoke up one last time.

“Hey Kid,” he murmured, “don’t forget when we get back home.”

Half-asleep, Kid muttered, “What?”

Black☆Star grinned. “You still owe me that date.”

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