EN AU: part one

[shattermelt]

Kippei was hungry, again, but that wasn't new. He was also busy, and that was. Sort of. He'd been continually busy since he'd woken up this time, and he was pretty sure that was unusual, not that he remembered precisely. Whatever. What mattered was now, and the fact that he hadn't just woken up, but he'd been jarred awake by something that it had taken him awhile to figure out--later, after he'd already reacted to it. He'd found himself tracking something, someone, following him to a place Kippei didn't recognize where there were far too many people. It was necessary, somehow, the sense of this human was fascinating.

Kippei had been watching him for several weeks now, which was keeping him busy indeed, and also frustrated, and had realised that the human was a pet (that should have been obvious, but he woke up slow, so sue him), his name was Shinji, and he belonged to a vampire named Akutsu. Kippei grinned to himself, showing all his teeth; it wasn't exactly a pleasant expression. Unfortunate that simply killing Akutsu and taking Shinji was likely to be more trouble than he wanted; he'd prefer to steal Shinji and disappear, but killing people, even other vampires, tended to make disappearing more difficult than he liked. Therefore, he was watching and learning the pattern of the house and working on coming up with another plan, taking the occasional break to feed when he really, really had to. It would be a hell of a lot easier if the human ever came out of the damn house. Jumping him would be easier, and stealing him too. Either, both, preferably both at once.

Comments

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

Shinji had been up all day, but he didn't want to go to bed because Akutsu and Sanada had gone out to feed and he wanted to make sure they came back okay. He spent a few hours practising some new dances and painted the background of a new pic but couldn't figure out what the subject was going to be. He felt something nagging at him and after another few hours of worrying what master was doing decided to go outside and dance in the backyard. It was cooler out than in, and the summer air was gentle and breezy, just the way Shinji liked it. He stuck the headphones on his head and shoved the old battered cd player in the front pocket of his hoodie and hit play. It was easier to move out in the open, with no fear of running into anything. Shinji somehow felt like he had an audience, even though it was pitch black and Master and Sanada were out. It made dancing better somehow.

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Kippei was almost purring with delight when he saw that the figure moving out of the house, finally, was Shinji--not only that, but doing it when his master and the other one were gone. Kippei knew the other one's name, but he'd forgotten it as usual; it wasn't important.

He started prowling closer, making sure that Shinji was alone, keeping his ears open for anyone else coming, but there was no one and Shinji was dancing and Kippei was thoroughly focused on the entrancing sight. He couldn't hear any music, but so what? He was hungry in all kinds of ways, and Shinji was perfect for all of it. He stopped to watch, at the edge of the yard, closer than he usually came, but unable to resist. Jumping Shinji sounded like a better idea all the time.

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

Shinji felt a growing sense of unease, but not the kind that said he was in danger. Rather, just as if something was there, watching and he opened his eyes and stopped, looking over his shoulder, making out the vague presence of someone. Shinji took a step back toward the apartment immediately, then remembered that no one was home. Damnit. Stupid to come outside when he was alone. But Akutsu would hear him, if he screamed loud enough; Akutsu would come. He felt a little better in that knowledge.

"Who are you?"

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Kippei grinned at him as he came closer, not bothering to slink or stay in the shadows, though it didn't matter much since it was night. Humans night vision was terrible. Instead he sauntered up and circled Shinji, who looked wary and a bit defiant--that was nice, and unexpected. Shinji hadn't struck him as the type for defiance.

"You don't need to know who I am," he informed Shinji. "I know who you are, which is all that matters." Shinji smelled good, and Kippei licked his lips, savoring the hunger. Mine. Akutsu was irrelevant. Shinji just didn't know it yet.

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

Shinji immediately didn't like that; didn't like it at all. His frown turned into a glare and he found himself turning in a tight circle to keep the man in front of him. Though, it was rather obvious it wasn't really a man. No, this was a vampire. And the only vampire Shinji had ever felt any kind of interest in outside of Akutsu. Worse, he hadn't been trained to be interested in this one; he had no idea who it was.

"Who are you?" Shinji demanded again, deliberately circling closer back toward the apartment, though he wasn't fool enough to think he could beat a vampire inside.

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

"Tachibana Kippei," Kippei told him, purring still and reaching out to trail his fingers through the ends of Shinji's hair. He'd never seen a human with hair so damn long. It was gorgeous and he wanted to touch it, couldn't help himself really.

"You are Ibu Shinji," he continued, leaning in closer to catch Shinji's scent better, though really it was so strong already he could practically taste it. No, tasting was a much better idea. He put a hand on Shinji's shoulder to hold him still, and put out his tongue to lick Shinji's cheek. "Mmmmm," he decided. "Mine."

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

The bastard knew his name, but that didn't freak Shinji out anywhere near as much as a tongue licking his cheek. Shinji squirmed out from Kippei, bolting for the door and realising he had fucking locked himself out. Pushing himself hard against the door he turned and glared and tried not to panic. But not panicking basically translated into getting very damn mad.

"Tachibana Kippei isn't Akutsu Jin and Master is Akutsu Jin so only Akutsu is allowed to touch me and even he has to have my permission and that's clan law so you have to obey or they'll kill you.." Which wouldn't really matter is Shinji was already dead but whatever. "I didn't say you could!" He had never had anyone just...touch and do what they wanted, besides Akutsu. It felt weird. "And I'm not yours, I'm masters! Master is Akutsu! You're not Master!"

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Kippei just grinned at him, a sly smirk of a grin as he followed Shinji over at a pace that looked unhurried, but relentless and determined.

"You are mine," he corrected. "Akutsu is irrelevant. I may kill him," he noted thoughtfully, "but I'd rather not deal with the consequences. Not that I wouldn't like to." He paused, tilting his head as if he were thinking, which he was, more or less, thinking out loud, as he came closer, crowding Shinji's space again.

"He should die," he muttered, half growling, "I want very much to kill him for taking what is mine. But if I take you back, he'll suffer just as much if I leave him living, and if I killed him I would have to deal with his clan coming down on my head. I'd prefer to just disappear and take you with me." He nodded, as if he'd come to a decision. "A much better idea." He grinned again, and put his hands up to slide them both into Shinji's hair, stroking the scalp as he pushed it back, running his fingers down through it.

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

Shinji was still trying to get over the shock of someone threatening to kill Akutsu when fingers slid into his hair. God, it felt good. Too good; it was distracting him.

"I'm not yours," Shinji ground out, pushing harder against the door, heedless of any injury he might do to himself. "I'm Master's, and if you lay a finger on him I'll never forgive you and I'll tell everyone about you and they'll hunt you down and kill you. Sengoku and Sanada and Tezuka and Saeki and Shishido; they will all tear you to shreds. I'm not going anywhere with you. I wouldn't have gone even if you hadn't threatened to hurt Master. I'll never hurt Master; you can't make me!"

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

"You won't tell anyone anything," Kippei told him, in a silky, sultry voice, his hands still running through Shinji's hair, stroking gently. "You will come with me, because you don't have a choice. You're mine, and I want you." He pressed himself closer against Shinji, making that fact very obvious. "But I won't make you hurt him unless you make it necessary. If you come quietly and don't make a fuss, I won't even touch him."

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

That was the choice? Akutsu safe for...whatever the hell this weirdo wanted? Shinji frowned darkly, because that didn't seem like much of a choice. He thought Akutsu could probably beat this guy, but he wasn't sure. Sanada and Akutsu together could, but he didn't want to have to tell them anything and didn't want to cause them any more trouble. They would send him away again.

"I don't want you." But that was a little bit of a lie because he really liked what Tachibana Kippei felt like and smelt like and looked like and damn it.

"Leave me alone!"

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Kippei smiled, a dark smirk that said he knew when he'd won. "No. You're mine," he said again, drawing the word out and tasting it before he leaned down to lick the pulse in Shinji's neck, scraping his teeth over it. He wanted badly to just let himself go, to go ahead and break the skin and taste Shinji properly, to feed the hunger inside of him, but he wanted more than that, and this was not the place for it.

"You want me," he told Shinji arrogantly. "You might not know it yet, but you do. Come with me, and I won't touch your master. If you don't, I'll take you anyway and kill him like I want to."

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

"I don't! I want Master!" But Master was out hunting with Sanada and Tachibana Kippei was right here and licking him and it felt freakishly good. But there was a default setting in his head that screamed that no one was to drink his blood; no one was to ever taste it except Akutsu. Master would know if someone touched him.

"I'm not yours...." But this bastard wasn't taking that for an answer. "I have to be back before dawn. I want to sleep with Master."

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

"Whatever," Kippei told him, his grin flashing again. Whatever to all of it. Shinji would figure out the way it was soon enough. Akutsu just didn't matter anymore, and Shinji was his. Kippei didn't care about any rules or technicalities. He wanted Shinji and he wasn't bringing him back, but Shinji didn't have to know that, yet.

"Come on, let's go," Kippei ordered him, taking Shinji's wrist and tugging him back toward the edge of the yard, out toward the street. He'd found a little place to crash nearby, though he hadn't used it much, but it was his and that was what mattered.

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

"No!" Shinji felt panic settling in his gut and fought futilely against the hand wrapped snug around his wrist. "Let go! You have to promise first!" But he had the odd sinking feeling Tachibana Kippei didn't promise things...at least, not things he didn't want to promise and he had made it pretty clear what he did and did not want. So Shinji resorted to his last option.

"AKUTSU!!"

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Kippei was faintly irritated. Damn human. He whirled around and clamped his other hand over Shinji's mouth, keeping a firm grip on his wrist and twisting it a bit as he pulled Shinji tightly against him.

"You're not listening," he growled in Shinji's ear, his voice husky with arousal and adrenaline. Shinji being so stubborn was strangely turning him on even more; he hadn't expected it at all, but he rather liked it. "You're mine. You're coming with me and I will kill him if I have to. You're making it much more likely."

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

The hand over his mouth terrified Shinji more than the pain in his wrist; pain had never meant much to Shinji. The only thing that had ever meant anything to Shinji was Master. He stopped trying to call for his Master, tears of frustration welling in dark blue eyes. It wasn't that he didn't like Tachibana Kippei; he thought the vampire was....terrifyingly perfect really. It was that he was trying to take him away from Master.

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Kippei relaxed his grip just a little, watching Shinji closely and holding him tightly against his chest. He had tears in his eyes, and Kippei craned his neck, leaning down to kiss them away, carefully licking the salty drops off of Shinji's lashes. Pretty.

He was rather impatient with Shinji's ridiculous attachment to his so-called master. Not that he didn't respect the loyalty, he just knew that it was misplaced, and surely Shinji ought to see that? Stubborn human. He eyed his captive for a moment, and glanced around to see if Shinji's scream had alerted anyone, but the night was still and quiet. Better to get him away sooner than later, though.

Rather than trusting Shinji not to talk, Kippei lifted him bodily into his arms, keeping one hand over Shinji's mouth, a slightly awkward position, but Shinji didn't weigh much. He grunted with satisfaction as he settled Shinji against his chest, and slipped out into the street, making his way toward the tiny place that was as much home as any other at the moment. They couldn't stay here, of course, but for now it would do.

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

Shit! Shinji panicked and clutched at Kippei, managing to throw his arms around the bastard's neck and hold tight; the last thing he wanted to do was fall and get hurt and have to explain this whole mess to Akutsu. Besides, Tachibana was nice and cold and hard and just exactly like Shinji liked his vampires.

"Yuoabjusas..." Shinji growled behind the hand, trying to tell him he didnt have to keep the hand over his mouth. He was a pet not an idiot. He wasn't going to yell if it meant making trouble for Master.

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Kippei looked down at him sardonically, catching the thought easily enough; Shinji was practically broadcasting it at him.

"You already did," he informed Shinji, untroubled by his burden as he kept walking. "I told you once and you didn't listen, I'm not taking any more chances. If you really don't want me to hurt him, then I have to make sure you don't make trouble." He didn't quite trust Shinji to keep quiet--the human was obviously obsessed with Akutsu, and Kippei admired his tenacity, but it made him dangerous and Kippei didn't want to deal with it.

He turned quickly into a side street and walked another short distance to the house, muttering to himself when he had to put Shinji down to unlock the door. It didn't look like much on the outside, but it was clean and dark inside--at least, it had been clean when he moved in a few weeks ago, and it was remarkably clean yet, mostly because he'd hardly been back. He'd spent most of his time watching Shinji. He kept his grip on Shinji with one hand, and pushed the door open, dragging Shinji inside and kicking it shut behind him before he finally let go. He made sure he was still standing between Shinji and the door--the only door of the single large room. Perfect.

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

The room was dark and it took a few minutes for Shinji's eyes to adjust. A bed, a table...small kitchenette. There was hardly anything here; it obviously wasn't the vampire's home, just a temporary stay house. And there was only one door, being guarded by a vampire who Shinji was starting to realise was...old. Much older than Akutsu, but not as old as Sanada. It was interesting, not that Shinji would ever tell him that.

"What do you want? I can't give you anything. Akutsu owns me, do you get that? And I love that he owns me; I dont want another Master, ever. Akutsu's the only reason I was born!"

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Kippei was shaking his head. Shinji was stubborn, but he would come around. Or he wouldn't; either way, he was where he belonged now. Kippei surveyed him with satisfaction, his dark eyes glittering.

"You're mine," he repeated patiently. "You belong to me. I want you and I am going to have you." He did get that Akutsu owned Shinji, but he also did not care. Owning things was as mutable as anything else. You could always lose them. If he remembered anything, it was that. "You don't have to give me anything. I don't care what you do, and I don't care what you want." Not entirely true, but mostly. True enough for now.

"You were born for me," he finished, and he believed it, absolutely. He didn't know exactly why he felt so strongly about this one small human, but Shinji was his in a way that went beyond stupid laws or clan rules or anything else, either.

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

Born for Tachibana Kippei? Shinji blinked at him, not comprehending at all. He was born for Akutsu Jin; to be Akutsu's pet. It was all he had ever wanted to be and all he had ever been. Who the hell was Tachibana Kippei anyway? Shinji backed up until his knees hit the edge of the bed and he sat down, head spinning a little. He had been dancing and all of a sudden some random vampire had come outta nowhere, bribed him into letting him be kidnapped and was now telling him he was born for him. Shinji figured he was entitled to a sit down.

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Kippei grinned again, a slow, wide curl of a very heated look. Now that was more like it. He stalked forward, slowly, coming closer to hem Shinji in against the bed. Kippei didn't want him leaving it.

"Mine," he purred again, leaning down to nuzzle Shinji's neck, unable to resist the temptation to lick him again, pushing him backwards and bending over him as he tasted the addictive skin on Shinji's throat. "I don't know where you came from, but you were made for me. Can't you feel it? I felt it, as soon as I woke up. You woke me up. I had to come for you."

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

"I'm not supposed to like you," Shinji mumbled, unhappy that he did and furious with himself for the degree of it. He shivered at the lick on his neck, shifting back, trying to get away, backing up into the wall and curling up there, staring at Kippei like he might bite...which...he might. It was scary as hell really. Shinji eyed him warily, wondering what the hell Tachibana Kippei intended to do with him now he had him here. He had to go home before the sun came up so Aku didn't worry...

"Don't bite me. I dont want you to bite me." Aku might hate him if he had the taste of another vampire in him. "I'll let you do anything else if you dont.."

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Kippei tilted his head, amused. Damn, who would have thought a human would have so much spirit? "You don't let me do anything," he corrected. "You want me to. You'll like it. You'll like it so much you'll want me to bite you," he assured Shinji confidently.

He crawled up onto the bed, moving closer, sliding his hand up Shinji's thigh. "You like it. You like it that I want you. You want me to want you. I'm going to make you feel so good."

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

"NO I DONT!" Shinji bellowed at him, kicking him where it would hurt, dead or otherwise. He scrambled into the corner and glared at the bastard, determined. No way was he getting another vampire's taste in him. Akutsu would smell it and taste it and know about it straight away and probably kill him. He didn't want Master to kill him; he would kill himself first. Wait...

"Bite me and I'll kill myself."

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Kippei winced when Shinji kicked him, and sat back on his heels, sighing heavily in annoyance. Damn stubborn bastard. Not that it mattered. He ran his hands through his hair, absently pushing the long black strands back out of his way.

"Damn, you're feisty," he muttered, but he was grinning again; it lurked at the corner of his mouth. "Feisty and beautiful, what the hell." He regarded Shinji for a moment, transparent wonder on his face. "They didn't used to make humans like you." He shook his head, dismissing it. Of course, that was why Shinji was his. Because he was perfect. "You won't kill yourself, beautiful," he told Shinji, looking amused. "I won't let you."

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

This vampire was insane. Not surprising really; old vampires tended to go insane, after all. But what the hell was the weirdo doing getting obsessed with someone else's pet, when they had only just met no less.

"I will! You don't get to choose if I kill myself; you cant stop me. I'm me, you're not me!" That grin was a bit freaky, but sexy.

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Kippei shook his head, reaching out again to trace the line of Shinji's collarbone. Really, it was hard to keep his hands off him. Something about him was just fascinating, and it made Kippei's whole body ache with hunger and need.

"I can stop you," he growled, a low rough sound and he was still grinning, rather like a wolf. He moved closer again, straddling Shinji's legs and sitting on them so he couldn't kick anymore. "I'm going to keep you," he murmured, leaning down to capture Shinji's hands and licking his cheek again. "You're mine," he breathed against Shinji's skin. "You're part of me, you belong to me. You belong here." With me.

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

Shinji struggled, but it was rather useless with Kippei sitting on him and holding his hands still and licking him and he had never felt so completely powerless. At least Akutsu took his thoughts and feelings into consideration and played by clan rules. Akutsu loved him despite what he wanted. Tachibana Kippei loved what Tachibana Kippei wanted, and that was that apparently. Still, Shinji shivered at the words; the kinds of things he had never imagined anyone would ever say to him. They made him feel...special. Like someone wasn't just waiting for an excuse to get rid of him. The kinds of things he had only ever dreamt Master would say to him. It damn near broke his heart to hear them from a stranger's lips.

"Who are you?" He didn't understand why it hurt so bad.

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Kippei studied him for a minute, the pain in the dark blue eyes, and it made him sigh. Shinji was making things more complicated than they had to be. He should realize that. It was very simple really.

"I'm yours," he said, shrugging matter of factly. Obviously, if Shinji was his then he was Shinji's. "What, you think I wanted a pet?" he asked, amused.

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

"But..." Shinji frowned, even more confused. "...I'm a pet. What else would you want me for, its what I am, Im not anything else." It was confusing and it hurt and he couldn't move or run away and he didn't want anyone to bite him; never wanted Master to hate him and he wanted to go home and it all piled up and he suddenly clenched his eyes shut and burst into tears.

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

"Mmmm," Kippei answered, distracted by the tears. Really not fair for him to be so damn pretty when he cried. "I'm going to keep you," he answered absently. How many times did he have to say it? Shinji was doing way too much thinking about this.

Kippei himself had hardly thought about it at all. It was just the way it was. Shinji was his, Kippei wanted to keep him, permanently, and the fact that Shinji was a human pet who belonged to someone else was a minor detail. "I want you," he murmured huskily, leaning down to lick the tears off of Shinji's cheeks. "I want you forever."

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

Keep him? Like...huh?

"Forever? You....you would never sell me? Ever? I can stay with you even when I'm old? All the way til then? Til I die? You would keep me forever?" No one ever kept a pet that long. It had to be a trick to get him to let the vampire drink, but it was tempting as all hell. Tachibana Kippei knew exactly the right things to say; the things Shinji most wanted to hear. The cool tongue on his cheeks made him shiver and lean in to the wet touch.

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Kippei leaned back a little, keeping hold of Shinji's hands, though he changed his grip so he was more holding them, caressing, than keeping them prisoner. He doubted Shinji could hit him hard enough to matter even if he decided he wanted to try. He tilted his head again, giving Shinji a half-puzzled, half-irritated look.

"Are you still not listening? I said that already." Several times. "I want to keep you forever. I'm not going to let you die. You're mine and I want you and I'm not letting go of you ever."

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

Shinji frowned, settling down because he had to think and panicking and crying wasn't helping when Kippei just took it as a nice excuse to lick him. Forever. But this wasn't Akutsu...Shinji wanted to stay with Akutsu for forever.

"Pets die, stupid. How old are you anyway? I didn't know they made stupid vampires."

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Kippei shook his head impatiently. Was he being dense on purpose? "I'm not the one who's stupid," he growled, moving his hands to Shinji's shoulders and shaking him a little. "Pay some fucking attention for once. I said I didn't want a pet. Humans die and I'm not going to let you. You can't stay a human." He let go and sat back on Shinji's legs, frowning a bit. He knew Shinji wasn't stupid; he didn't know how he knew that, but he did. He was being very incredibly stubborn, however, and Kippei was running out of patience.

"You know, I don't have to let you agree to this," he pointed out. "I don't know why I'm bothering to argue with you in the first place." He was muttering to himself now, more than a little annoyed. Actually he knew why he was bothering to argue--it had been fun and interesting and sexy, but he was bored now.

"Here, shut up," he ordered, and he pushed Shinji back down on the bed, leaning down to lick at his neck again, swiping his tongue over the pulse there and sucking on it briefly, and then, finally, sinking his teeth in with a soft growl and drinking deeply of that intoxicating blood. God, Shinji tasted as good as he smelled; it made him shudder with the shock of pleasure.

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

No! No, no no no no oh god no! Tears flooded down Shinji's cheeks and he went completely limp from the shock of it. No one else had ever bitten him; no other teeth had ever touched his flesh. No one had dared. It had never hurt so badly; nothing ever had. He just lay there, staring at the ceiling in shock, too stunned to move. Too filled with a desperation to believe it wasn't true to stop him from continuing what he had already started. It was done anyway; he would never be clean again. Master wouldn't want him...ever again. He was better off dead.

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Kippei drank more than he meant to--he had intended to make a point, nothing more. But Shinji tasted good, better than good, and it took him a minute to remember that this was not the best time and place to leave Shinji too weak to move. He licked apologetically at the wound, then looked up at Shinji, frowning slightly when he saw that Shinji was crying again. So damn stubborn. Kippei sat up, rolling off of him and then reached down to pick him up, pulling Shinji into his arms and swiping gently at the tears with the back of one finger.

"It's all right," he murmured, feeling relieved now that it was done, that link to Shinji's old life broken, for Kippei knew as well as Shinji did that Akutsu would not be happy to have his pet tainted by someone else. He was a little bit sorry, but only a little bit. If he was going to keep Shinji, there was no other way.

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

"It's not alright!" Shinji mumbled brokenly and he felt lethargic as all hell to boot. He wrapped his arms loosely around Kippei's neck, because he was all he had and he just cried for a life he had adored; still adored and wanted back and god, could Tachibana Kippei really give him even a tiny piece of that back? It wasn't possible surely; he had to die, but he couldn't even find the strength to struggle out of that strong grip.

"What did you do? What have you done? You ruined everything. I told you not to and you did...why did you do that, you weren't supposed to do that..." He was just mumbling incoherantly, no more able to stop his mouth than he had been able to stop Kippei.

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

"Hush," Kippei told him, tired of explaining, but he spoke gentler than he might have, enjoying the feeling of Shinji in his arms, right where he belonged. "I told you, I'm keeping you. Forever. Sleep now. We're leaving soon." He laid Shinji down again and curled up around him, sighing contentedly and nuzzling his temple, unable to keep from making soft little licks at the skin, down the side of Shinji's face and kissing the rise of his cheekbone.

"I promise, it's going to be alright," he said firmly, looking down at Shinji's sad, tired face, and thinking again how pretty he was when he cried. He smiled faintly to himself; Shinji would get over it, he was sure, but even if he didn't, he was still beautiful and he was Kippei's and Kippei was never going to let him go. He couldn't quite resist the temptation to kiss Shinji one more time, claiming his mouth the way he wanted to claim the rest of him, an insistent, relentless kiss, but slow and gentle for all of that. He'd told Shinji that he was going to like it, and Kippei was determined to show him that it wasn't the end--it was just the beginning of the way things were supposed to be.