#goldtectonic

"You're trying to think of something you can do for me so you won't have to go do it."

Koujaku makes an apologetic smile. "That's not true."

"Liar," Aoba teases warmly, his grin broadening.

"Well," Koujaku says, leaning back on his hands. "It's...a little true."

Aoba snorts a small laugh, turning the page on his magazine again. "You're out of luck."

Koujaku inches one of his hands under the futon and slides it over to Aoba's knee, letting it rest there. "Really?"

Aoba pauses in reading, glancing over at Koujaku's face before dropping down to the futon that keeps the heater's warmth under the table. "Okay, Koujaku~" he purrs.

The screens on his Coil close as he lowers his arm, leaning forward on one palm across the corner of the table. His eyes, half-lidded, trace up the collar of Koujaku's shirt, the curve of his neck, the line of his jaw. His lips part slightly, and the hand that isn't bearing his weight slips up to cup Koujaku's cheek and pull him down for a kiss.

Lazy, but intense, Aoba leads, gently enticing Koujaku to lean forward. He doesn't rush, plucking at Koujaku's lips with soft pecks; when the kiss deepens it's because Aoba invites him closer. Koujaku responds instantly, lustily, feeling Aoba's hand slip around to the back of his neck. He hums softly, a faint grunt against Aoba's cheek as their mouths open against each other. His mouth tastes of tea, bitter and warm.

"Koujaku..."

"Yes?"

"Do you know what I want.... right now?" His hazel eyes look down at Koujaku's mouth, his neck, his chest.

Koujaku smiles softly, placing a smooch at the corner of Aoba's mouth. He loves it when Aoba talks like that, husky and close. "What?"

"Not to have to get out from under this blanket for any reason."

Koujaku laughs and Aoba laughs with him. "You're cruel, Aoba."

"No worse than you asking me to get out from under this table when it's not my turn!"

"I got it, I got it--" Koujaku scoots back away from the table, careful to leave the futon touching the ground so that all the warm air stays under the table. He picks up the thermos and steps down into the slippers at the edge of the room. They're thin, but they're the only protection between his bare feet and the cold floor, but they'll do. He really should wear socks.

He fills the electric kettle and turns it on, shivering slightly. "Hey, Aoba."

"Hnn?"

"When are they coming over?"

"Mink and Clear?" There's a pause as Aoba thinks out loud. "Ah, Clear said they would be over after Mink is finished at work, so.... six o'clock?"

Koujaku frowns, putting the thermos on the counter and looking at his Coil. "It's nearly four, isn't it?"

A cry of alarm comes from the general direction of the kotatsu. Fearing Aoba's burned himself on the heating element, Koujaku whirls, rushing back to the main room and nearly runs into Aoba jamming his feet into his slippers. "This is bad, I haven't even done the shopping yet!"

"Aoba--"

Aoba looks up at Koujaku, distress in his face. "I don't have time--"

Koujaku kisses him hard, and for a moment, Aoba forgets the crush of time urging him to get to the meat counter before all the good cuts are gone or the hourly sales expired. He seems to remember halfway through, whining into the kiss. "Koujaku--"

Koujaku releases him, letting him stumble into the genkan, watching as he puts his shoes on and winds a scarf around his neck. "Be careful."

"It's just up the street!"

"Those old ladies can be vicious about sales," Koujaku says as he ambles toward the apartment door, and he's only half joking. The electric kettle screeches, demanding attention, but it waits as Koujaku leans forward and steals a kiss.

Aoba's worried expression melts away and he beams at Koujaku, tightening his scarf around his neck; without long hair, he needs the scarf even more to ward off the chill. He picks up the umbrella leaning against the wall and then turns back to look at Koujaku, a determined look on his face.

"I'm going!"