Ahhhhhh here we are at the near end of our adventure. You guys have been really good to me and for that I am truly grateful. Thanks you guys! Love you :3 Sorry this chapter took sooooo long. Life is busy xD.

A knock on the front door made Takano jump slightly, he'd been working on Ijjuin's manuscript but he happily relinquished it for the distraction. He opened the door and smiled wearily. Ritsu pushed his way inside the apartment with a convenience store bag, it contents were rather obvious. Ritsu placed the booze down and sat in front of the coffee table.

"Well what is the occasion for boozing it up?" Takano opened up one of the various snacks in the bag and popped a calorie heavy chip into his mouth. Ritsu shrugged and downed his beer can.

"Nothing special really. Just thought you could use some distraction." he gestured toward the discarded papers. Ritsu had only come to see Takano's face but there was no way in hell he'd say anything of the sort. They ate and drank in comfortable silence, they simply enjoyed one another's presence. Slowly Takano leaned into him, now laying onto his lap and crossing his arms above his head.

"I love you and...I have missed you so damn much." Takano leaned up to kiss him firmly, Ritsu leaned over so he could feel the fullness of his lips. Ritsu shifted out from underneath Takano, he made it so they were both sitting up, the stack of now meaningless papers fell off the couch. The kiss deepened at the new position and Takano groaned at Ritsu's silent eagerness. It had been two weeks now since they have last spoken with each other. Ritsu's mother had made her husband extend the time just so that she could teach her son a lesson. The two men broke apart with slight pants. Unsteadily Ritsu turned away and took a timid sip from the can of beer. Takano threw his head forward so it landed on the younger's shoulder. Ritsu started slightly but tolerated it as Takano's warmth conjoined with that of the alcohol. Takano wrapped an arm around his back and slid it up and down. Ritsu's eyes widened as a shiver enveloped him.

"Not tonight... This entire relationship has been going backwards since the start. I just want things to have some sort of order and stability. It's not organization. That's not necessarily what I want but if this got serious enough that we went public... what would I say to them? If they ask us how we met or how our relationship is? I want to know how to be able to give them a response. This has been our problem since day one. I've said this before." Ritsu gripped his can tighter so his knuckles were white. His face darkened at his own words. Serious enough? Surely they were serious enough, right? They've gone through so much together, how could they not be anything but devoted? But... if they truly thought about it though they really weren't as solid as they fooled themselves to believe.

Takano frowned and couldn't bring himself to look into his lover's eyes. Takano didn't know what they could call themselves in public, he didn't know the answers to the questions Ritsu was asking. He cringed. They hadn't been on a real date. It was always just him dragging Ritsu out against his will. Takano had never once courted him in any fashion. Not back then or now. Slowly Takano reached out and gripped the younger man's hand. He loved Ritsu and he knew that Ritsu did too but when had they ever brought this to the next level. Takano claimed rather vocally that he wanted to step up a level but he hadn't taken that step with Ritsu.

They sat silently with their hands interlocked, they drank with saddened looks. How long could it last really? If things are still like this they wouldn't get far at all.

"I'm sorry. I just have no idea how to go about this. I just want you all to myself. Say that you'll allow that. If you won't then I don't know what I would do with myself." the voice was gruff from emotion and finally Takano brought himself to meet the green eyes that went far deeper than anyone knew. Lips touched Ritsu's forehead in a attentive way, Takano was left with nothing to say. He just wanted to hold Ritsu. A hand reached up to tangle themselves in smooth dark hair, bringing the head closer to him. Ritsu sighed as warm hands cradled him in away he would never allow unless he was tipsy.

"As long as it goes both ways. Prove to me that your mine as much as I am yours. Show me that I'm not some sort of passing infatuation or possession. Prove to me that your mine." the seriousness in his tone was thick with intoxication. Ritsu didn't really know what he was saying nor did he know what he was asking of Takano. The words came out unintentionally and with a start Takano realized that this was something Ritsu needed, even if he himself didn't realize it. When drunk Ritsu was inexplicably truthful to his own heart. Takano was brought back to the time when a drunk Ritsu revealed his jealousy over Yokozawa.

Takano pushed Ritsu away from him. He lied on his back and threw his arms out. He'd been way too selfish, he didn't realize it until now. He was Ritsu's as much as Ritsu was his. He would do this for Ritsu's sake. He loved him. He would do anything for him, this included. Takano will give himself to Ritsu, it didn't matter all that much. Ritsu already held his heart and soul, he could have his body too. Takano wanted to give him everything. Ritsu's eyes widened in confusion, Takano was splayed out in front of him in a rather appealing way.

"Here's your proof. Take me. I'm all yours right? Go ahead, it's yours for the taking." Takano was smiling softly up at his lover. Ritsu blushed deeper but it wasn't from the alcohol. Through the haze of intoxication he finally understood what Takano was saying. He shook is head quickly and distanced himself away from him. He hadn't meant for Takano to do that. Takano threw his shirt off with slow movements, he wanted them to get past this. It was trivial.

"I didn't mean...I-"

"It's fine. I want you. Do you not want me?" he whispered sadly.

"No! It's not that!"

"So take me." the no nonsense tone in Takano's voice made him tremble. It was horribly awkward for him but it was also incredibly intimate. Ritsu's body leaned over so that it overlapped Takano's, he leaned in hungrily for a kiss.

"Don't. That's not what I meant. I do want you. Maybe.. someday I might want to try but I don't think either of us are ready for that to happen. Thank you. I...lo...love you." he broke from the kiss with a flushed face. He deeply appreciated the gesture, his heart ached with a beautiful loving but he couldn't bring himself past the embarrassment. His forest like eyes swam with happiness.

Takano lifted Ritsu into his arms and walked over to his bedroom, he grunted for Ritsu was not the lightest. With loud protests and curses he set his fuming lover on the bed.

"Let's sleep together. Just sleep. I promise not to do anything." he curled his body around Ritsu's hoping for his warmth.

~~~PAGE BREAK~~~

The next day all was restored to normal, the literature department and the shounen department were quite sad to lose such exceptional employees but all was well. Hatori and Kisa decided to throw a party for the couple to celebrate which automatically meant going to eat at a restaurant. Thankfully though it was just the four of them so Takano could flirt all he wanted with Ritsu.

"So?...How are things?" Kisa's suggestive tone had not gone dismissed by Ritsu and he twitched wildly. It was a little awkward at first between them all but it would seem that faded away.

"They would be better if you didn't have that glint in your eyes." Ritsu retorted chugging the rather large glass of alcohol down.

Takano snatched it from his hand and slid all beverages away on the other side of the table. Love Ritsu he may, the man was a damn awful drunk. Hatori watched this in amusement and sipped his drink quietly. The night went well and they all had a very decent buzz going on as of now. Takano was holding his lover's hand with no shame and this made the night even better. It was clear that it had to end here or they would all need rides home. Takano bid goodbye to his friends and instead if driving home he drove himself and Ritsu to the ledge overlooking the city that they had gone to on Christmas Eve. It was pretty late but nonetheless he had wanted to come here with Ritsu.

"What the hell? Last I check, we don't live here. Let's g-" his protest was cut off by a heated kiss that made his body quiver.

"I love you. I know our lives have been turned upside down thus so has the order but starting tomorrow morning I am going to court you. I will make you fall deeper in your love for me until you're incapable of untying yourself from me. I promise you that I will try with all my might, please. Don't deny me." the sweet threat threw the green eyed man off kilter for a few moments.

"Why in the morning and not now?" this was the only question he could get out due to his shock. Takano grinned mischievously at the passenger, he loved Ritsu but he wasn't ever going to change.

"Because I want my fill of you for one more night before we start things over." he unbuckled his seatbelt and turned the car off. Unexpectedly he hopped into the back of the car and patiently waited for Ritsu to follow suit.

"Will you allow one last night?" Takano's hopeful look struck his heart hard and he hesitantly climbed in the back with him. Warm hands came to cup Ritsu's cheeks as he was kissed tenderly and pushed down to the cushioning of the car. Their hearts raged wildly inside of their chests and soon breaths were becoming mingled together. Small gasps escaped from the kiss and heated the moment more.

Takano slid his shirt up in awe, Ritsu's body was absolutely perfect. His hips were set high and he was taller than average people but still somehow perfectly shorter than himself. Ritsu's skin was pale and flawless, he wasn't scrawny but deliciously lean. His eyes stood out more due to the creamy pale skin and his dark hair complemented it in a way that made his heart race. Ritsu was beautiful. He was sexy. He was handsome and everything else under the sun. To Takano nothing could ever look this amazing.

Ritsu's breath hitched in excitement as his lover trailed his body with his tongue. A pink nub was caught between hot lips and a hotter tongue. Ritsu cried out and searched the man's eyes.

"One more night... for now. I'll allow it so that we can finally head the right way with this. I love you."

SORRY it ended badly but this is indeed the end of THIS story. There will certainly be more, I promise. Like, Review, and Follow but most importantly... KEEP SMILING!