A BONE

Seimei was pleased, almost inordinately so.

The pair known as Heartless was notorious for their viciousness in spell battles and were nearly as feared as the Beloved pair.

Their arrogance had been palpable in the expanded battle system as they loudly declared their challenge, grinning like adults even as they held each others hand behind their tail-less backs like children.

'We accept,' Beloved never turned down a challenge. Beloved would always fight. And Beloved would always win.

They had been annihilated, decimated, swept away in current of unbreachable defence and lethally sharpened words, a flawless victory. Yes, Seimei was pleased.

The clattering sound of the shower died down behind the bathroom door and Soubi emerged a few minutes later, holding a hairbrush, bits of steam wafting out around his legs and quickly vanishing. He was dressed in a dark grey button-up shirt and black pants, the usual strip of bandages securely around his neck. Nothing seemed out of place as his bare feet padded quietly on the floor, like they had not just crushed one of their most powerful rivals.

Seimei considered his pet as Soubi brushed his hair in long strokes and the smell of water and soap reached his nostrils. Watching the sinuous ripple of Soubi's shoulders through his shirt, an idea struck him. Seimei's lips curled ever so slightly.

'Soubi.'

Soubi lowered the brush and turned at the sound of his name, giving Seimei his full attention.

'Yes, Seimei?' Soubi's voice was soft, but never weak. Well, never publicly, at least. Soubi had very quickly learned Seimei's number one rule; Beloved shows no weakness. A lesson Seimei had made sure he only had to teach once.

Seimei didn't speak immediately, holding Soubi's stormy gaze until it was lowered in submission.

'Lie down on the bed,' Seimei ordered calmly and Soubi turned without hesitation, lying on his back on the sheets Seimei knew to be clean. Seimei's lesson in the cleanliness he expected when visiting Soubi's apartment was another one that had never needed repeating.

Seimei approached the bed and looked down at Soubi, who lay motionless on the bed, eyes on the ceiling, resigned to whatever Seimei would decide to do.

With a leering smile, Seimei clambered on the bed next to Soubi, sitting on his knees at Soubi's side. For a moment longer he continued to study his Fighter's lithe form; long arms ending in pale fingers resting on the sheets, relaxed. The thin, but shapely contours of Soubi's legs were visible through the black formfitting jeans he wore.

Without speaking, but still smiling, Seimei began to unbutton Soubi's shirt, unhurriedly and precise. So close to Soubi, he noticed the change in breathing, becoming measured as Soubi readied himself for whatever he thought Seimei was going to do to him.

The last button fell victim to Seimei's confident fingers and he pulled the shirt open to reveal the expanse of Soubi's chest. The creamy skin was finely toned with muscle, mostly due to the fact that the Fighter didn't have a gram of fat, proven by the ripple of ribs and the jutting hipbones that lifted the hem of his pants off his taut stomach.

Seimei didn't wait this time, pressing his right hand to the pale chest in front of him, just over Soubi's heart. He could feel the tension that Soubi's face didn't reveal in the fast rhythm beating against his palm.

Not moving his right hand, Seimei curiously tweaked one of Soubi's nipples with the left, which instantly hardened at his touch and caused Soubi's measured breath to hitch, his heart beating in a pounding flurry.

Seimei continued to explore Soubi's chest, tracing the faint bulges of wiry muscles and digging his fingers into soft sides. Both hands returned to flick over hard nipples, kneading for a moment before giving a pinch. This earned him a soft hiss that Seimei was sure had been the first syllable of his name.

The body beneath him had grown rigid, all the muscles tensing as Soubi's black jeans already bulged in arousal.

Seimei's hand wandered further down, skimming over sharp hips, but sure to avoid the Fighter's sex. He slid a hand between Soubi's thighs and the blond made a strangled sound in the back of his throat as he stroked upwards, stopping just short of Soubi's straining crotch.

Again bypassing Soubi's obvious need, Seimei brushed the tips of his fingers against the soft skin just above the hem of Soubi's pants, watching his abdomen give tiny spasms.

Seimei was glad it was freshly showered skin he was touching, was glad that it was pristine sheets that Soubi now fisted, lips parted to emit short, strained huffs as Seimei's fingers gingerly brushed his covered erection.

Seimei pressed the pads of his fingers exploratory into the organ through the lairs clothes, disregarding Soubi completely, who panted and trembled from the effort to remain obediently still.

With a flick of his fingers and the soft sound of a zipper through the condensing air, Seimei plucked open Soubi's pants and pushed it down just enough to free Soubi's need through the boxer-briefs he was still wearing.

Seimei now gripped Soubi fully through the piece of underwear, wrapping his whole hand around the no doubt painfully erected shaft, just holding it, hot and throbbing.

Soubi pushed his head back into the pillows, unable to suppress a breathy moan, his knuckles popping out an almost translucent white through already pale skin.

Releasing him, Seimei pulled down the last vestige of decency in one smooth motion, watching Soubi's desire spring to attention. From the corners of his eyes he saw Soubi's mouth open further, but no sound followed this time.

Seimei pushed away the apprehension he felt at the sight of the drip of milky moisture that wept soundlessly from Soubi's body and again wrapped his fingers around the impossibly hot flesh. This drew a low, gutteral moan from Soubi, who's hips gave a little jerk.

Seimei moved his attention to Soubi's face as he languidly began to pump his hand up and down, intermittently stroking and squeezing the tip.

Strands of blond clung to Soubi's sweaty face, his mouth ajar as he drew laboured breaths, but his eyes were focused intently on Seimei, sparkling with an intensity the latter had not seen there before.

Seimei increased the pace of his movements, going faster, gripping harder and Soubi gave a whimper that Seimei found to be most pleasing.

Soubi's eyelids fluttered and slid shut as Seimei continued to stroke and Seimei used the unguarded moment to roughly twist one of Soubi's nipples with his free hand. Soubi gasped, arching off the bed and Seimei could feel the twitch where his hand still moved in a steady pace.

A more steady stream of moans and whimpers began to usher from Soubi as he was quickly becoming undone and Seimei wondered idly if he was aware of the weak thrust of his hips, counterpoint to Seimei's strokes.

'Sei-mei! Seimei!'

The name poured from Soubi's lips like a mantra, the only discernible word as Soubi's mind quickly unravelled into monosyllabic incoherency, repeating it again and again in ecstatic adulation, a grunting benediction.

He would not last much longer, Seimei knew. The hand on Soubi's nipple moved to tear away the bandages that had, until this point, still covered his proof of ownership over Soubi. Finding Soubi's throat, he pressed his fingers into the scars as his other hand set a punishing rhythm.

Pale blue eyes, but shining so brightly, found Seimei's and locked. Seimei didn't bother to hide the smirk that tugged at his lips as the final five, six, seven strokes and a sudden twist brought Soubi to a bone shuddering orgasm, his hips bucking wildly, mouth open in long stretched groan, but his eyes firmly and unwaveringly on his master's face.

Seimei sat back casually as Soubi's body went limp on the bed and regarded him as he tried to steady his ragged breathing and regain his composure, dishevelled, with glazed eyes.

Becoming increasingly aware of the sheen of sweat that slicked Soubi's skin and the moisture that ran thick and clammy between his finger, Seimei rose from the bed and purposefully strode to the bathroom for a long shower.

He didn't bother looking at Soubi or waiting for a reply as he spoke before closing and locking the bathroom door.

'Change the sheets.'

A/N: This started out as a test piece for a multi-chaptered fic I'm working on with these characters, but it sort of spiralled into gratuitous smut. I blame Seimei.

As always: please point out any and all spelling or grammar mistakes. Constructive criticism and comments are very welcome.