How We Began

Part Eight

The scent of coffee, and a shaft of light, infiltrated his senses and Tsuki slowly opened one eye. Kuroo was seated at the table, his laptop open, and he was sipping from a mug of steaming hot coffee. Tsuki opened his other eye, and just gazed at his lover, enjoying the way the light hit his messy dark hair, his warm honey-toned skin, and the way he was focused on whatever it was he was doing.

"Keep staring at me, and I'll assume you're issuing a challenge," Kuroo said without looking over at him. But his lips tilted into a smile.

"Challenge, huh? And what sort of challenge would you assume I'm issuing?"

The coffee mug was slowly lowered to the table. The laptop was gently closed. Kuroo turned just enough to look at him fully, his head lowered just a bit, and the expression on his face was pure mischief. And desire.

"The challenge of whether I want to keep you in bed, or have you out of it," he replied, his voice heavy with innuendo.

Tsuki slowly eased himself up so that he was propped up on one arm, his head in his hand, and draped the other across his hip. The quilt had slipped down while they slept, so it just barely covered his lower half. Especially since he had one leg sticking out already.

"Oh, yeah? Sounds like you have quite the decision to make."

"At the moment, you're kinda making it real easy."

"Kinda?" He moved so that he was resting on his elbows. The quilt inched lower. "How 'bout now?"

"We've gone from challenge to dare," Kuroo said quietly, slowly rising to his feet, and prowling his way to the bed.

Tsuki stretched his foot out and tucked his toes under the leg elastic of Kuroo's underwear, slowly inching them inward. Not once did he look away from Kuroo.

"I dare you to... show me everything you know," he said, with a smirk and lifted eyebrow, his toes brushing against Kuroo's hardness.

Kuroo didn't need to be told twice.

He knelt on the bed, between Tsuki's legs, and crawled up to kiss him deeply. Then, moved down to his neck, where he left another mark, next to the one from yesterday. And he moved down further, using his hands, mouth, and teeth, to drive Tsuki insane with need. By the time Kuroo reached his goal, Tsuki was equally demanding and pleading with him to hurry and put him out of his misery. Kuroo looked up at him, face flushed, eyes burning with his own need, and smiled.

Kuroo didn't need to be told twice.

Later, they were both at the table, eating a late lunch delivered from the falafel place they liked. Kuroo used his laptop to cast an anime to the TV and they watched as many episodes as they could stand.

They finally used the hot tub, and Kuroo dared Tsuki to "show him everything" he knew. Which he did, renewing marks and giving new ones, and breathlessly laughing when Kuroo's eyes rolled back in his head. When he focused on Tsuki again, he smirked and said something about returning the favor.

Deciding it'd be best if they shower separately, for now, Tsuki went first, and sat at the table while waiting for Kuroo to finish. He ordered dinner from an American-style restaurant, wanting something different for a change. They were both starving, and not just for each other. As he waited, he pulled out his phone and started scrolling through his gallery, smiling at all the pictures he'd taken. It was true that many of his pics of Kuroo were with funny faces and poses, but there were several more that were actually really good. He'd need to load these up on his laptop once he got home.

Home. Despite Aki's advice, he did have to go back to the shop. There were several things he'd need before he left Tokyo.

Shit. He just had to think of that now. Now, when he was spending what was left of their vacation with the man he loved. The man he'd be leaving tomorrow. Suddenly, he wasn't as hungry anymore. In fact, he thought he might get sick if he ate anything.

Resigned to the mood shift, he looked around and found his jacket. In the pocket, he dug out the envelope his brother had given him.

To anyone else, or anyone not looking properly, they wouldn't see the tiny numbers in the lower right corner. Aki was right; it was in Mom's handwriting, so the letter was from her. He wondered what she could be writing to him about, or what sort of information she was giving him. The last letter he got from her was a few years ago, and nothing really of note.

Shrugging, he carefully ripped open the left side of the envelope and took out the letter. It was written using a combination of two older codes; the three of them had come up with them about a year after moving to the compound, when they began to realize things weren't what they seemed.

Deciphering the letter took a little time, due to the fact that years had passed since they'd used this particular code, but he adjusted quickly and read the letter.

He was almost finished when Kuroo stepped into the room, towel slung low on his waist, and another towel draped haphazardly over his head. Tsuki tried to put the letter away, but Kuroo reached down and slipped it from his fingers. Terrific. He waited while Kuroo looked over the letter. Waited for the questions that would come.

"This is what your brother gave you?"

"Yeah."

"Is this some sort of code?"

"Yeah."

"How come?"

"Mom wanted to send me some news, that's all."

"If she wanted to do that, then why put it in code?"

Tsuki knew at this point, he'd have to explain enough to try and staunch the flow of questions. Even as he thought that, he desperately wanted to tell Kuroo everything, too. If Kuroo knew what getting involved with him could mean for both of them, he might decide to break things off between them. And while that would hurt (it would hurt like hell), it would be for the best. For Kuroo, at least.

"My past caught up with me," he muttered, reaching up to take the letter back. "She wrote it in an older code, but it's one I remember."

Tsuki felt it when Kuroo sat down beside him. Neither said anything, but Kuroo leaned forward to rest his head on Tsuki's shoulder.

"I was wondering if you'd say anything, Moonshine," Kuroo said quietly.

"I wasn't planning on it, to be honest," he admitted, smiling a bit at the use of his new nickname. "There's way too much to try to explain, and even if I could, it's a lot to take in."

Kuroo sighed. "You don't have to tell me..."

"I know," Tsuki replied, chuckling a little when Kuroo's head snapped up. He reached for Kuroo's hand, weaving their fingers together. "I'll explain what I can, okay?"

"Okay."

"Like I said a minute ago, my past caught up with me. Akiteru showing up here was actually a good thing, as much as it galls me to say it."

"How was it a good thing?"

"Just his being here is a warning to me that my grandmother has discovered my whereabouts."

"Your... grandmother..."

"My grandmother, matriarch of the Tsukishima family, wants me dead."