"Richie!" Sentarou called when he heard the basement door open and footsteps descending the steep metal stairs. The bespectacled boy smiled softly when he saw Sentarou, then approached the piano. "Pops said we should play a song from this Grant Green record. You wanna pick one?"

"Grant Green? I don't think I'm familiar with that name..." Kaoru said taking the record from Sentarou. He only got to study it for a few seconds before it was snatched out of his hands. "Hey! Sen!"

"You said you aren't familiar with the name." Sentarou echoed, slipping the record out of the cover. "The only way to get to know an artist is by listening to them, right?"

"R-right..."

"Was Ri'ko up there when you came in?"

"N-no...her father said she went to buy groceries."

"Oh? But she did that the other day- Argh! This thing never works when I want it to."

"Let me try." Kaoru offered. Sentarou retreated to his drum set and experimented with it until he heard Kaoru make a noise of triumph.

The record started after the initial static faded, immediately an upbeat melody drifted and filled the room. Sentarou left his drums and a took a seat on the couch, he closed is eyes and relaxed completely. Just listening to the fast-paced and alluring notes of the trumpet and base. He cracked one eye open and saw that Kaoru was still standing, not completely immersing himself into the music.

"Sit with me Richie." Sentarou patted the empty space next to him. "And listen."

Kaoru let himself go limp against the green fabric of the couch, tilting his head backward so that he was staring at the ceiling. He couldn't focus on the music like Sen wanted him to, there were too many thoughts going through his head. He was thankful that Sen wasn't looking at him, then he would have noticed the blush covering his face. He'd come to terms with his feelings for his friend a few weeks ago and this hadn't exactly been easy concealing it.

The raven-haired boy figured out for himself exactly why Ri-chan was in love with him. Who wouldn't be? Sentarou is wonderful, absolutely perfect in his own way. He helped him on so many occasions and accepted him wholly, despite his odd temper and often weird behavior. But what Kaoru loved the most about him was that dazzling honest smile he showed only when he played the drums. The pianist felt his face burn brighter just picturing it, He covered his face and groaned inwardly.

A half-hour later, the record ended the room becoming completely silent. Kaoru sat up, nearly falling asleep when the music began to sound father away and the different songs blended together as one continuous stream of jazz beats. After slipping the record back into its case, he turned around to find Sentarou snoring lightly on the couch.

Rolling his eyes, Kaoru went to go wake him but stopped completely in his tracks when he stood directly in front of him. He sucked in a breath of air and shook Sentarou, "Hey, wake up. We still need to pick a song to play."

Sentarou reached out a hand and clasped Kaoru's wrist, not completely awake yet. "The beautiful angel has returned to me. You need a proper greeting."

"Senta-whoa!" Kaoru exclaimed before being pulled onto Sentarou's lap. He couldn't believe what happened next, the drummer traced Kaoru's lower lip with his thumb, and brought him closer. Was he about to kiss him!? Kaoru couldn't believe the thought, even though it was about to happen!

"Ah...Richie. What are you doing?" Sentarou asked nonchalantly, his fingers still curled delicately around Kaoru's chin.

"I'm not doing anything!" Kaoru defended, he quickly got off of Sentarou's lap and hurried back to the piano bench. "You feel asleep while the record was still going."

"Oh. Sorry." Sentarou stood up and stretched until he heard a satisfactory crack. Then he crossed the room and settled back in his place with his drum set. "So..." he began, twirling a drum stick, "You got a song in mind?"

"I liked the 5th one...but I don't know what it's called."

"Fifth one..." Sentarou mumbled, tapping his drum sticks lightly on the cymbals, "Hmm...Oh! It's called 'Alone Together'."

"Alone Together?"

"I bet you like it because there's a solo for the pianist in the middle!" Sentarou accused jokingly. "There's no room for improv for me! It doesn't have a lot of swing to it either, but if we can put our own spin to it, we can make it sound better than the original."

"Are we going to make this into a medley?" Kaoru asked, he idly played a broken version of 'Moanin' on the piano, humming when he started to get into it.

"Nah. It sounds great by itself." Sentarou answered. He played along with Kaoru. Needless to say, an hour long jam session followed and the two boys were broke into hysterics when the last note from the cymbals finally subsided.

They found themselves sprawled out on the floor, laughing and singing "My Favorite Things" as off key as possible. Kaoru cherished these moments, how light his heart felt and relaxed he was around Sen. Sure, he couldn't look him directly in the eye, unless he wanted to turn red.

"Richie, days like these...are the kind I want to last forever."

"Same here." Kaoru said softly, propping his elbows up and resting his head in his hands. "I feel at ease."

Sentarou mirrored his movements, grinning goofily. "That was the plan."

"There was a plan?"

"Yep." Sentarou shifted and removed Kaoru's glasses, setting it down on the floor. "Get Richie relaxed around me. That's why is just you and me today."

"You wanted us to be alone?" Kaoru said in disbelief.

"Yeah...y'know, you have long lashes for a guy."

"I didn't ask for them-"

"They're pretty." Sentarou reached out a hand and brushed a lock of hair behind Kaoru's ear. "Like your eyes."

"Sen? Are you still sleepy or something? Do you know what you're saying?"

"I do."

"T-then..." Kaoru began cautiously. "Are you going to do something about it?"

Sentarou sat up and answered just as cautiously, "That depends, will you let me?"

"That depends, what are you going to do?"

"I could..." Sentarou chose his next words carefully. "Kiss you."

"Where?"

"Wherever you want me to."

The two boys awkwardly inched closer to each other, exchanging hesitant but flirty stares. Sentarou wet his lips and Kaoru gnawed at his. Their hearts thrummed wildly, looking for a sign, anything that told the other that he wasn't ready for this. They didn't realize how much they wanted each other until the distance between them became unbearable.

Sentarou leaned in, but Kaoru put a finger to the brunet's lips, "Wait." He tugged at his uniform shirt, exposing a pale shoulder. He blushed at the look Sentarou gave him before speaking shakily, "Here... and...if you feel...the way I think you feel, leave a mark."

Kaoru shuddered when he felt teeth scrape against his collarbone and shoulder. He tilted his head to the side, letting Sentarou claim his body and maneuvering him so that he was straddled by Sentarou. Kaoru wrapped his arms tightly around Sentarou's neck, trying to control his breath, which was becoming increasingly difficult. The intense kissing began to take a toll on the darker-haired boy, he couldn't speak coherently or think clearly.

He could only feel.

Kaoru felt Sentarou's wild heartbeat, mirroring the quick beats and rapid taps on his drums. But...then again, maybe that was his own? He couldn't tell anymore, they were so close together. He liked Sentarou's warm fingers brushing against his skin, Kaoru could feel the lingering warmth of each place he touched and it sent chills throughout his body.

The fabric of his uniform shirt slowly slid off and was quickly discarded somewhere in the room, Sentarou took no time working on the smaller boy's belt buckle. Kaoru realized what Sentarou was trying to do and panicked.

"S- Sentarou! Wait... we can't! Not here anyway."

"What? Why?"

"The instruments...and this room. It's too..."

"Too what?"

"This is where we practice! Anywhere else but here...if we do, I'll never be able to focus again. It'll be too embarrassing, I just couldn't." Kaoru went to retrieve his shirt. Sentarou stood up and quickly caught him in his arms.

"Richie," he breathed huskily in his ear, "Richie, are you giving me your permission?"

"Absolutely not." Kaoru said firmly, keeping his red face in control. "Not here."

"But somewhere else?" Sentarou pressed, he wanted Kaoru to say it. IF he would. The taller boy simply waited, hoping for the answer he wanted to hear. When waiting proved to be too much, Sentarou switched tactics. He kissed Kaoru's ear and let his hands travel lower until he was palming Kaoru through his pants.

Kaoru moaned loudly when the first waves of pleasure hit him, this was something new, he already decided that he would like to feel something like this once more. The raven-haired boy's legs turned to jelly and he fell to his knees. Sentarou thought that Kaoru wanted him to stop when Kaoru's hand covered his own, but his eyes widened in mild surprise when Kaoru started moving with him. He showed where to apply pressure and where to be gentle and Sentarou was rewarded by getting to see a very subdued, very aroused Kaoru Nishimi.

"God, Sentarou..." Kaoru purred, slipping out of his pants. Sentarou let him climb on top, "Don't you have any self-control?"

"You're one to talk, I'm not the one naked. Weren't you the one who said You didn't want to do anything here?"

"I really don't care anymore." Kaoru kissed Sentarou soundly then licked his lips. "Do what you want."

"Oh, Kaoru... you really shouldn't have said that." Sentarou growled.

So WOW, things were getting hot and heavy. Sorry to anyone who was disappointed that they didn't go all the way.

Kids on the Slope will forever be one of three titles that will make me cry at the very mention of the title. The other two are: Auf Wiedersehen Sweetheart and We'll Meet Again, the absolute best fanfics EVER written.)

I couldn't really find any M rated Sentarou x Kaoru fanfics, so I hope you enjoyed this 99.999% canon couple~