Sweet Torture
 
by KatiKat
 
 
Tomomasa couldn't believe that Inori got Takamichi drunk.
 
The festivities were in full swing, humans and demons celebrating side by side the ending of the long war between the two races. It was a warm night, the sky was clear and stars sparkled merrily. The sake poured in streams, boars were being roasted on large fires in the open, everybody was in a good mood.
 
As was his habit, Tomomasa was surrounded by smitten ladies and was flirting in his usual manner, smiling and teasing and making the court maidens blush. But then he happened to glance in the direction of the large sakura tree under which his favorite palace official sat. And did a double take.
 
Takamichi was obviously and undoubtedly drunk. His long green hair looked disheveled, his glasses were sitting askew on the tip of his nose, his cheeks burned bright red and he was doing his best to uncross his eyes that were unhappily inspecting the bottom of his empty cup. He turned the cup upside down and shook it as if trying to squeeze one last drop from it. But when none came, he pouted sadly and pursed his lips. Immediately, the wickedly grinning Inori turned up, filling the delicate cup and making Takamichi smile his overly bright smile.
 
The General frowned. He had seen Takamichi drunk once or twice when they had overdone it together and he knew that drunk Takamichi equalled big time trouble. The usually serious and tightly restrained official acted in an... unpredictable manner. To put it mildly.
 
Tomomasa knew that he had to save the dignity of his best friend because if Takamichi did something crazy and humiliating in front of their friends and the Emperor himself, he would never live it down and would do something drastic like quitting his job or something similarly crazy.
 
With profuse apologies, the General quickly extracted himself from the cluster of female admirers and crossed the open space of the courtyard of the imperial palace where the celebration took place. The laughing people that surrounded the smiling Takamichi scattered under Tomomasa's withering glare, leaving the two of them virtually alone in the middle of the busy festivities. Especially Inori was affected by the 'you'll-pay-for-this' look Tomomasa shot in his direction. The red-head quickly scrambled away.
 
Tomomasa crouched down in front of his friend. "Takamichi?" he whispered, not wanting to startle the young official who was contemplating the bottom of his cup again.
 
Takamichi looked up, his shining eyes widening in happiness at the sight of the other man. "Tomomasa-dono!" he cried out happily and tried to throw himself in Tomomasa's arms, the abandoned cup falling into the soft green grass.
 
The General caught the green-haired man's arms before he could clasp them together behind Tomomasa's neck. "Takamichi, you are drunk, my friend," he said, his voice gentle. "You overdid it a bit tonight."
 
Takamichi frowned in puzzlement. "I did? But I feel so fi~ine!" he sighed out in content. Fortunately he adapted his friend's hushed tone.
 
"Really? But I think you would feel better at home," the General said, hoping that the young official would get the hint.
 
Takamichi frowned again. "I would?" It seemed that this prospect really intrigued him.
 
Tomomasa nodded. "Definitely." He really needed to get his friend out of there before too curious eyes or too curious ears spotted them.
 
After thinking about it long and hard, his lips pursed, eyes crossed, Takamichi nodded resolutely. "I think you might be right!"
 
And that was how Tomomasa ended up sitting on the veranda of Takamichi's house instead of enjoying the celebration with everyone else. Since the festivities were free and open to anybody, the whole town took part in it. Including all the servants. And to General Tachibana, it just didn't feel right to leave Takamichi all alone in the big house, drunk out of his mind. So he hunted through the house for sake then seated himself on the veranda, watching the stars.
 
He was genuinely convinced that his friend was asleep, so when the door slid open it took him completely by surprise. He turned around with raised eyebrows. "Takamichi?"
 
But the green-haired young man didn't respond to the unasked question. Instead as if in a haze, Takamichi moved towards the General. He was dressed only in a thin white yukata. It was a truly warm night and besides it was the only garb Tomomasa could find without intruding in his friend's privacy too much and at the same time it was put on easily enough even for a drunk and rather uncoordinated man.
 
Tomomasa blinked as the candle burning low in the room behind Takamichi outlined the younger man's silhouette and shone through the thin material of his gown, depicting his naked stature in every detail. Tomomasa swallowed as he felt the pleasant stirring in his groin. He had felt always attracted to his friend, but never truly acted upon it, since nothing was more important to him than the close friendship they shared. But now, in the face of such undeniable beauty...
 
Takamichi stepped even closer, then his hands moved to the belt of his yukata and untied it. The General's breath caught in his throat as the nightgown slid from one of the green-haired man's shoulders, revealing tantalising glimps of naked flesh. He had seen his friend naked before when they took a bath together in the town, but never like this. Takamichi had never undressed for *him*.
 
Suddenly Takamichi stumbled slightly, his legs refusing to behave for a moment. But this second was enough to break the trance Tomomasa fell into. He set the cup aside and jumped to his feet, then reached for his friend and pulled the yukata closed again, tying the belt firmly in place with a resolute tug.
 
Takamichi swayed slightly in place. He looked down at Tomomasa's hands that were still holding both ends of the white belt, then his bright, shining eyes travelled up to the blue-haired man's face. He frowned slightly. "Tomo... masa-don...o?" he whispered, confused. "What are... you... doin'?"
 
The General barked out a strained laugh. "What am *I* doing? What are *you* doing, my friend?"
 
Takamichi cocked his head to the side, pondering the question. "You said... but you... hm..." He obviously had to gather his thoughts first. "You wanted to come with me... to my house... I thought... hm..." He lifted his hand to push his glasses up his nose but discovering that they were missing, he let his hand drop and close into the General's flower-patterned kimono. "I thought you would finally..." He closed the distance between them and before Tomomasa could react, their lips met.
 
Takamichi tasted sweet but with the sharp bite of alcohol. His mouth was warm and all velvet. And it was heaven for Tomomasa. Heaven and... hell! His body reacted immediately to the close proximity of the man he had hid his desire for who knew how long now. He moaned silently into the kiss, then pulled away sharply. One more second and they would have been both lost.
 
"No," he whispered, his voice firm.
 
Takamichi blinked sluggishly. "W-why not?" he asked innocently. "I thought..." Then a sad look passed over his features. "You don' like me?" he asked, his voice breaking at the end.
 
Tomomasa sighed deeply, closing his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, he looked the younger man in the eyes and caught his flushed face in his hands. "Oh, Takamichi... if I could just make you mine... here and now... it wouldn't be too soon." He leaned down and kissed his friend on the forehead. "But when that happens... when," he stressed the word to reassure Takamichi, "I want you to be in your right mind. I want your full consent and participation. Because I don't desire only your body, but your mind and soul and heart too. I want you to remember every kiss and every touch. Do you understand?"
 
Looking at Tomomasa, Takamichi nodded. "Think so," he slurred. And as if this reassurance was all he needed, he leaned heavily into the General, eyes drooping, knees wobbling. "Sleepy," he mumbled.
 
Tomomasa smiled, then kissed the top of Takamichi's head tenderly. "Lets get you back to your bed, huh?"
 
Laying one strong arm around his tipsy friend's shoulders, Tomomasa led him back into the house, silently wishing for a good night sleep for Takamichi... and a cool, cold, icy bath for himself.
 
Gallantry was the cruelest torture invented by man.
 

The End