Of Cookies and Brownies

Chapter 5

Joy ballooning in his chest, Shin was elated at the mock secretary's word as they crept into his ears. They were coy, unsteady, and vibrating with uncertainty, but they were honest and true. He himself was marveled at how such simple words could affect him so deeply, but instead of wasting time to question the sensation, he swooped Sena into his arm, bridal-styled, and carried him off to Sena's bedroom.

Shin was able to figure that the boy's bedroom wasn't on the first level of the house, so he ascended the flight of carpeted stairs, Pit tailing behind. He probably thought they were playing some sort of game and didn't want to be excluded. At the top of the stairs, Shin stops. He looks down to his little brunet cradled carefully in his arms.

Still a bit dazed by all that has happened so quickly, he falters when responding "T-To the left. First door."

Shin hurries into the room, beating Pit as he kicks the door closed in the cat's face with his foot. There, he sets Sena down with the utmost delicacy, his eyes showering him with adoration whist feasting upon him. Sena arms go to cover his chest, instantly feeling exposed although he is still grabbed in that super sized hoodie. A smile quirked the corner of Shin's mouth at Sena's shyness. Sena barely had time to notice as that faint smile quickly descended upon him, Shin wasting no time in claiming Sena's soft lips.

The kiss was slow, but very heated and enticing. The weight of Shin above him excited Sena, the stifling heat making him feel as though he would melt straight though the mattress. He tried his best to contain himself, to keep from melting, but he couldn't hold back the desperate moans. He was burning up. 'Sh-Shin-san, Shin-san... Help. Help me with all this heat.' He cried out in his thoughts, even sounding wanton to himself. Sena tried to translate this through the kiss, grabbing almost greedily onto Shin as he pushed back with the little force he could muster.

A loud gasp erupted from the smaller boy's throat as Shin's skilled lips traced over the column of Sena's smooth neck. Sena hadn't realized he was holding his breath, but the burning of air in his lungs made his body feel even more sensitive. Shin was sucking and nipping at Sena's neck quite ravenously, like a man being greeted with food after days of starvation. He thought, for just a second, that Shin's ministrations would leave a very bruising and questionable love mark, but the notion was wiped from his mind when Shin caused a particularly delicious sensation that ripped forth his name from Sena's mouth.

The torturous slow grinding of Shin's hips had Sena arching off the bed, wanting to match Shin's movements but not knowing how. "Sena..." his tone was a deep, smooth bass hushed flush against his ear, stirring more of that uncontrollable heat within Sena."I want you, Sena..."

Amidst his daze, confusion did little to make itself obscure. Shin wanted him? How? He had him. He always had. And he especially had him right then. But the distinct buzz of pleasure and urgency, as well as all of this heat, told Sena that he definitely didn't want Shin to stop. Whatever it was Shin wanted he would give it. And this desire for Shin to not stop was enough for Sena to believe he wanted Shin in the same way.

"Shin-san, I..."

"Sena... Sena..."

"Sena!" The call was a much harsher whisper than of Shin's rich baritone. Sounding more like a primal shriek, it roughly brings him out of fantasy, sending a needy and almost painful ache to his groin. His cheeks heat as he tries to blink away his stupor, then looks to the source of the stern call, off to his right.

Monta.

"Stop daydreaming, MAX! Or do you want detention!" Monta rasps. "Gay Paris called on you to read!"

"I heard that, singe-san(1)! DETENTION!" snaps the blond-haired Shigure-sensei. His leer, as cold and sharp as icicles, pierce through the long, platinum lashes of his hooded jade eyes.

"But...-! Mukii!" Monta cries, giving up immediately. It is always an uphill battle between him and Shigure-sensei, with sensei at the top laughing pompously. Any retort on his part will just earn himself more detentions.

Sena sighs, a little disappointed at the reality setting in. He flushes from ear to ear, not being able to help himself and feeling very embarrassed by his own desires. His short-lived fantasy was nothing like what took place last night. After the two broke away somewhat awkwardly from their embrace, Sena scrambled away, up to the bathroom adjacent to his room to splash cold water on his flamed face. He thought he could feel Shin's faint smile as he watched the little brunet flusteredly retreat, but knowing that the stoic Oujo knight rarely smiled gave him little relief. But he could still definitely feel his eyes on him.

Shin followed Sena upstairs shortly after, to find Sena in his bedroom, preparing sheets. There had been two pillows on the bed, side by side, and one comforter, a second one in Sena's arms. Sena looks up as Shin enters the room, freezing as if he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar thirty minutes before supper.

Giving Sena no time to react other than with his cheeks flaring scarlet once more, Shin stripped himself of his uniform, right in front of Sena, down to his boxers. He folded up the uniform in a meticulous way that made Sena believe he did so religiously. Shin then set the clothes to the side, grabbed the pillow from the bed and the comforter from Sena's little arms, and left the room, descending down the flight of stairs once more. Sena thought he had read enough of Mamori-nee's boys' love manga to know what happens when to guys that claim to like each other spent the night together for the first time. 'Manga are just fiction anyway...'

"Now... Kobayakawa-kun~? Would you care to finish were Tanaka-san left off?"

Sena fumbles with his literature textbook, his uniform still feeling unbearably tight around his crotch, despite the fact that the uniform still fits him way too loosely. He has no idea where was left off or even what was being read. The text had been closed the entire time Shin was eating at his neck.

"Page sixty-three, second paragraph," Monta whispers to Sena, his tone quiet and deflated of energy. Sena graciously flips through the book, finding the correct page and stands to his feet as he begins to read. He is silently grateful to his loose uniform. The hem of the green blazer concealed the effects of his fantasy.

"I... I think they're in here, guys..." A boy's voice barely quivers the surrounding air. Though the current situation called for hushed tones, his usual voice was sufficient, with its tranquil timbre too soft to frighten a mouse. Sidling against the hallway wall, he turns his head slowly, his dark eyes, darker than a starless night, peeping through equally dark bangs into a classroom that would usually be empty at this hour. "Do you have the tape recorder ready, Maia?"

"I have it right- eek!" The girl, Maia, as she is leaning over to hand the dark-haired boy the recording device, squeals. "Kyohei!" She whips around, her chestnut pigtails swinging with a relentless quickness. "Stop that! That's just the kind of behavior that got us where we are now, idiot!"

Behind her, with a guilty hand hovering just over her pantyline, another boy, this one with sunset-blond hair, smirks a lop-sided grin with little regard for the warning. "You never minded before, Mai-chan. But if you're going to complain, don't be so inviting."

"This and that are two different things." She huffs agitatedly, though her tone never rises above a tremble. "Fumio, here."

"Thank you." The reply came automatically as he accepts the device from Maia. He peeks back into the classroom. Three figures were in the back, football players. One tall with glasses, 'Takami Ichirou', one equally as tall but with blond hair brighter than they own Kyohei's, 'Sakuraba Haruto', and the last only slightly shorter but far more muscled, 'Shin Sejirou'. They seem to be in some sort of deep conversation, completely oblivious to the little disturbance just outside the room. Fumio sets the recording device down on the floor, the receiving end edging barely into the room, just enough for the make-shift funnel, made out of a paper cup and taped around the recorder microphone, to be pointed into the room and at the three football players.

"Fuck that bastard Hiruma. Why the hell are we doing this during our lunch break?" Despite his statement, Kyohei still kept his voice quite.

"Because some of us actually want to go to universities and have real jobs." Maia hisses back. Fumio waves his hand behind him, motioning for the two to silence their petty quarreling.

"You vanished after school yesterday, Shin. The coach was very worried. And I even took the liberty of calling your house after practice, only to find you missing..." Takami drawls with deliberate faux-sincerity, his hand sliding up to adjust his frames resting on the bridge of his nose. "So..." He pauses, his glare sharp and gleaming with intellect. "Where were you?"

Sakuraba, looking awkward and uncomfortable, answers when the room begins to settle on dead air. "Maybe decided to train on his own for some time. You know Shin likes nightly jogs around the area."

Purposely mistaking Shin's muteness for dumbness, Takami replies, "Oh? Did you get lost along the way? You could have used a payphone, given the slim possibility that you may have not broken it this time."

Shin did not allow himself to be baited by Takami's words, his hard stare never once flickering from Takami's.

"M-Maybe You just called at the wrong time and-" Sakuraba starts again, but Takami promptly interjects.

"I called his house five times yesterday evening, all within two-hour intervals of each other." The quarterback quips with a hint of superiority, shutting down Sakuraba's defense. "After he left the school grounds, he never went home. Even this morning, his parents never saw him. They were very worried and called. I left them a message that their son is at school and well."

The blond was left with nothing to say, knowing the truth from Shin earlier that morning.

Seeing how words have failed both Shin and Sakuraba, Takami takes this as his cue. "I think... Shin was with that Deimon Secretary. You spent the night at Kobayakawa Sena's house." Takami grins darkly. "What? Trying to protect your little boy toy from me? Or are you making a move? I have men on watch. They've reported to me Kobayakawa's status. And he looks perfectly fine." Takami continues to taunt. "Did you get cold feet? Did your boyfriend reject you?"

Shin's eyes widened, but only barely. He figured with Takami's family's money, he could definitely hire someone... But... Was it necessary to go this far?

"The game is tomorrow afternoon." Shin finally speaks up with an indignant resonance that is not to be questioned.

"Oh, you want to take things slowly with the boy. How sweet."

Sakuraba is a little shocked, rising from seat atop a desk. "Shin... You can't be serious." He looks at his friend incredulously. "You're really going to rape Kobayakawa-kun?"

Shin winces slightly. He didn't even say anything that could lead to that conclusion, had he? Had his friend had that little faith in him?

"Be quite, Sakuraba." Takami says, causing the blond to cut him a stiff glance. "Shin's just weighing the situation accordingly and taking appropriate action. Smart man."

Sakuraba looks backs to Shin, his oceanic eyes softened to weary and concern. 'I hope you know what you're doing, Shin.'

"Takami, you asshole!" Maia whispers condemningly, leaning over Fumio and supporting herself on his shoulders. "How dare you talk to Sakuraba-kun like that! I ought to take this to the student council! We'll see how long he's playing football after that!"

Fumio just shakes his head silently. Kyohei, not even bothering to take a glimpse into the room, huffs and rolls his eyes, leaning against the hallway wall like the bad-ass he thinks he is.

"But knowing you, I can't just take your word for it, Shin." Takami reaches into his white blazer pocket, fishing out what looked to be a very old and simple flip phone and charger cable. "Here. Take this."

When Shin doesn't budge, Sakuraba holds his hands out for Takami to place the items. "What's Shin suppose to do with this? Call you when he finishes... you know..." his words die off, not wanting to think of the worst.

"Of course not. A gentleman would never kiss and tell, right? But..." Takami tilts his head back as he smiles in a devious manner, the reflective surface of his glasses becoming white and opaque from the gleam of the florescent lights. "If I were to happen to overhear, that would be a different story."

"What do you mean?" It was Shin this time, the sneer in his voice far from pleasant.

"I intend to call you on this cell phone. At that time, attach the charger to the phone and plug it into a wall as close to Kobayakawa's bed as possible. Then, press this button here-" He pauses his explanation to flip open the slim mobile, indication to a large blue button in the top center of the keypad. "Press this to put the phone on speaker. I will, on my end, put the phone on mute. That way I will hear everything, but no sounds from my side will come through and ruin your 'mood' or whatever."

"Hiruma... could probably easily hack that..." Fumio muses to himself in such a low decibel that he may have very well said it in his head.

"And try to conceal the phone in the room if you can. It would probably be less suspicious that way." Takami tacks on at the end.

"As if everything else involving this plan isn't suspicious." Sakuraba spits.

"Just be glad I didn't decide to have you carry out this sort of plan on that monkey boy." Takami spits back. "You can barely hold your own against Raimon Tarou, but Deimon will completely cave without their little gopher runningback."

Sakuraba motions as if he's about to say something else, his face a contorted in disgust at the thought of raping Monta, when the school's great carillon bells resound, the lot of massive copper bells ringing melodically from high in the school's courtyard, signaling for the end of lunch break as well as the next classes that are soon to start. Fumio is quick to snatch up the recording device, the paper cup crumpling to a compact size as he forces the recorder into his pocket. He straightens up, Maia jumping back as well, and grabs her hand, guiding her down the hallway with a quickened pace.

"H-Hey! Where are we going Fumio?" Her words are broken by the gallop, her lengthy pigtails whipping behind her as moves to keep up, much like the tail of a horse. She glance back briefly, only to notice Kyohei still leaning against the wall with no intention of moving. He hadn't even cast them the slightest of glances as they rush away.

"To inform Hiruma, of course." Fumio's almost soundless voice had Maia believing, for a moment, she read his mind.

Classes for the day have ended over at Deimon and Sena found himself strolling the halls filled with bustling forest blazers all by his lonesome, though this fact made no difference to him. Normally at this time, both he and Monta would be heading for the clubroom for practice, but having "earned" himself a detention this morning, Monta was stuck doing busywork for their eccentric blond English teacher. It couldn't be helped, especially since Shigure-sensei seemed to have it in for Monta.

As Sena walks, he keeps his mind preoccupied with thoughts to make up for the absence of his friend. What about him having fubar'd Hiruma's plan at that scrimmage? And Shin confessing to him... What suppose to happen next? Sena's never been in a relationship, so he doesn't know the etiquette or what to expect. Shin spent the night and left for school in the morning without saying more than a simple "good bye". Sena didn't even know if he were going to be coming back. And the game is coming up fast and he's only been attending morning practice due to Hiruma's mandate.

A game against Oujo...

Something in him sparks with realization, a tiny prickle stinging at his chest. Shin just confessed to him... and now he would have to face off against him on the field tomorrow afternoon. Maybe... Maybe that's what Shin was warning him against. His own feelings and how they could be no more than star-crossed lovers because of the school's blossoming rivalry. But Shin always seemed the man to be very composed, so much so that his feelings would never hinder him. Or... maybe he was trying to keep Sena from revealing his own? To make it easier on him...?

'Shin is such a kind soul...'he thinks to himself, then realizing that he just placed himself in the role of Juliet.

The walk was a lot shorter than he remembered, Sena thought, now at the entrance to the football clubroom. Getting lost in his thoughts worked, but... he also took notice to more of his blundering, which didn't leave him feeling too good about himself. As he reaches for the knob, he stops, the faint murmur of voices emanating from beyond the door.

'Is Hiruma-san having a private meeting with someone?' He knows he shouldn't have, but Hiruma usually only has private meetings with Sena, being Eyeshield and all. He leans closer to the door, his ear almost pressed flush against the metal door.

"The Fucking Yankee is on his way with the truck." 'Sounds like Hiruma-san, of course.'Sena would recognize that careless usage of foul language anywhere. "Fucking Tails. Fucking Smartass. You two be sure to load it up as soon as he gets here. And be careful with the shit or your asses are mine."

"Yessir!" came the unison reply. It was very faint and hard to tell, but Sena could hear another voice. The louder one has been a high soprano of a girl. The other was overpowered by the girl. It was hard to make out. But either way, the meeting seems to be concluded, Sena guessing that he arrived around the end. Figuring that it would be bad for him to be caught eavesdropping, he turns the knob and forces the door open, his face a mask of the best surprised look he could manage.

"O-Oh! Hiruma-san! Excuse me! Am I interrupting?" He gasps for effect, hoping to not sound too overboard. He stares around the room at its occupants. There's Hiruma, a boy with hair so black it looks like it negates the light around it, a girl with really long identical pigtails, and Hiruma's little cherub cousin.

Thankfully, Hiruma didn't catch on. "Not at all, Fucking Shrimp. Just finished." The captain snaps back to the girl and the boy whom seem to have frozen on Sena's arrival and snarls, "What the hell are you fucking brats waiting for, a diamond-encrusted invitation? GET GOING!" If Hiruma's bark wasn't enough to get them going, the massive gun he produced from behind his chair surely did the trick. As far as barks and bites go, Hiruma's bark was just a modest introduction to the hell that was his bite. Sena too almost wanted to run out of the door with the fleeing couple.

Placing the gun across the table top, Hiruma drops back down into the seat next to his younger cousin, Kazune sitting mutely and keeping his eyes to the floor. "What do you want, Fucking Shrimp? Didn't I grace you with no afternoon practice until Saturday's game is over?" Irritation is faint in his demon rasp as if he were fatigued. His eyes were on Sena, narrowed and beady, his short brown lashes barely noticeable against the dark circles around his eyes. He didn't get a good look at Hiruma during this morning's grueling practice, but now the Devilbats' captain looked utterly worn.

"I know, Hiruma-san... It just feels a bit weird to leave the school grounds without stopping here first."

"What am I? Your fucking wife?" Hiruma banters, his lips quirking up in a smug grin. "Just go home and do whatever it is Fucking Shrimps do. And don't be late tomorrow."

"Ah, alright..." Sena turns away and walks out the door, it swinging slowly shut behind him. Just before the door completely sealed, he heard Hiruma's voice again, but not for him.

"Fucking Halfling, don't forget to give the Fucking Manager my message." He couldn't make out what Kazune said in response, but he wondered, 'What does Hiruma-san need to leave a message for? Is he going somewhere?'Then he remembers from what he overheard moments before, about loading up a truck.

Sena had the creeping feeling that he was going to find out very soon.

A surge of happiness ran through Sena upon reaching the front gate. Shin had been standing there just as he had the day before, his crisp uniform almost blindly bright under the intense overhead sun. With his broad, squared shoulders set in a fine line, his chest out, and his chin out, Sena imagined Shin to be a majestic stallion mounted brilliantly at the top of a summit or a fearless prince, or better yet, a knight.

And what do knights, princes, and stallions all have in common? 'They all escort princess.'Sena thinks dryly. Despite his obvious inferiority to Shin, he still liked to believe he had some sort of semblance of masculinity. He plays American football. That's a rough, dangerous, and very manly sport. Delicate damsels wouldn't be caught playing something so... raunchy.

He greeted Shin warmly, trying to do away with the thoughts that threatened his masculinity. He asked him of his day, receiving very brief, often monosyllable, replies. He also asked Shin, wondering this from yesterday, how he reached Deimon as quickly as he did.

"I walked," was his reply. Nothing about his appearance contradicted his claim. No sweat stains that breached his white uniform and none beaded around his hairline. His cobalt mop was the usual Shin shag it always was, mussed as if he had woken like this but still presentable.

"Shin..." Sena finally breaks the nestled silence, the soundtrack of the suburban street life doing nothing to spice up their walk. "I... I realized... We have a problem, don't we?"

Shin's gaze locks on the smaller boy at this, his eyes questioning.

"Tomorrow... We'll be facing each other on the field..." Sena articulates. Shin holds his gaze, still failing to see the problem. "Last night, we... You told me how you felt. And I told you. And now we have to fight tomorrow on different teams..."

A small smile plays on Shin's lips. "Is that really a problem?" He takes Sena's smaller hand in his, surprising Sena with the unexpected, but not unwanted, contact. "All's fair in love and war." He recites the age-old idiom. Sena is a little unsure of how that fits in this case, but he doesn't interrupt, intrigued by Shin saying so much. "Think of it as a friendly wager between lovers. Come at me with everything you've got."

Sena's eyes brighten with the last of Shin words. He did understand. Just because they were an item...

"Wait..." Sena says, his fingers clenching apprehensively in Shin's grip. This warranted Shin's attention once more. "Just... what are we? You didn't really say and I don't want to assume..."

"Yesterday," Shin beings, "You asked if I like you like a b-" but Shin immediately stops, sensing something unusual. Sena's eye widen, his sweet chocolate eyes shining with worry. Shin, having halted his pace, turns and looks behind where they stand on the side walk. A ways away from them, two blocks or so, a truck was cruising down the road, only stopping when the two of them had. The truck is a light magenta, like a color that could be associated with strawberries. On its front was a golden pin-stripe grill, an equally golden emblem in the shape of outstretched chibi wings mounted on the grill. Sena recognizes the emblem as the Angel Crepessymbol, a mobile convenience store that sells crepes and other delicious treats. Mamori had always loved the AngelCrepestrucks. There was never a day that past without purchasing cream puffs for herself and young Sena of years before.

Shin could still hear the soft purr of the truck's small engine, even at their distance, which meant that it was not parked. With his fingers still laced with Sena's, he takes the boy and continues down the sidewalk at a much hurried pace. Sena does his best to keep up with Shin, but allows himself to be whisked away.

And just as Shin predicted, the truck starts rolling again. A light tap to the gas to get it going, but it keeps a constant cruising. After walking a whole five blocks, Shin stops again. They both look back to see that the truck has stopped as well. Panic rises in Sena's heart. "A-Are they f-following us?"

"I think so..." Shin glares back at the stationed vehicle, trying to peer through the front windshield. But with the window being slightly tinted as well as the glint of the sun off its surface, it was impossible to see the driver. Shin feels a disgusting crawling in his skin and the notion of being watched by Takami's henchmen. He was sure he could take out a few thugs, no problem, but anything may happen if he took his eyes off Sena for even just a second.

"Sena... We have to run."

"Wh-Where?" Sena quakes with fear.

"We have to out run the truck first... then to your place." His hand in Sena's tightened almost painfully. "Whatever you do, don't let go."

Sena's cheeks flush a cute cherry red, a color Shin probably would have adored inwardly, but now was not the time for that. "On my count, start running. One..."

As if the truck could hear Shin, its engine revved loudly. "Two..."

"Three!" And the two take off running at godly speeds. The Angel Crepes truck screams with a thick puff of black smoke, burning rubber as it charges behind them. They cut through lawns and yard, between houses, and through alleyways, the truck blasting through every obstacle in its path like an armored tank. Even taking sharp corners, the truck squealed like a dying cat, drifting the corner and continued like a bat out of hell.

Sena tried to turn to ask if Shin had any idea who may be piloting the possessed demon truck, but the words burned in his lungs. Even the slightest wasted breath was enough to make his vision spot with colors that weren't there. Instead, he put his efforts into keeping up with his rival, his grip still as taut as when they started.

With the truck still hot on their heels, the two run up a hillcrest. At the top they see Seiko Mart, the double-entranced corner store blooming like a miracle. Wordlessly, Shin dashes through the entrance, Sena close behind. With the speed of the truck, they can hear it even inside the walls of the convenient store, zooming to the opposite entrance. They don't run out that way, instead exiting the way they had entered. Sena glances behind him, noting that the awful jerk of a cashier wasn't working his shift right now.

Still taking strides as if each step were his first, Shin makes his way up the steps of Sena's house, his breath still coming evenly. Sena, on the other hand, looks like he wants to roll over and die. "Sena, the door. Open the door!"

He fumbles with his keys, missing the lock a few times before sliding it home, giving the key a twist and collapsing as the door swings open freely. Shin braces his little brunet, slamming the door shut and bolting all the locks possible with his free hand.

"I... I'm home," Sena gasps like a beached sea-creature, his cheeks hollowed and his lips O-shaped. Having just been outside in the bright sun his eyes have not to the shade contained in his house. His eyes, half-lidded and weary, lock on Shin, unable to make out his face past a dark phantom smudge.

"Excuse me for intruding," there is a hint of airy wistfulness in his voice, as if it were said on the end of a chuckle.

END OF CHAPTER.

Sorry guys! Yaoi will be in the next AND FINAL chapter! I PROMISE!

I've sat for almost 2 days writing this. It's getting much longer than I'm use to D:

As for number notations, I only have one :3

(1)singe-san: "singe" is French for "monkey"

But yes... thank you everyone for staying with me through this :3 This will be my very first fully completed series as well as my very first full on hardcore yaoi! :O

Stay tuned because IT WILL BE EPIC.

And leave reviews please~