It’s late when they arrive in the small town of Kurashiki. Nino looks out the car window in awe as they pass through the charming historical quarter. There is a shallow and mossy canal streaming through the area—a sleek mirror for the stars above. The streets are cobblestoned and lined with weeping willows softly fluttering in the nighttime breeze.

Nino’s sense of wonder only grows when they reach Haruka’s home and he is given a tour. The house is wide and flat, but beautifully sectioned off in square and rectangular segments. Each area of the compound is connected by elegant hardwood-floor hallways and open breezeways through outdoor gardens. Directly outside of Haruka’s bedroom is an impressive in-ground hot spring.

Nino walks around the perimeter. The silent steam is rolling and curling atop the placid green water. Tall bamboo stalks are pressed together to create a natural privacy fence around the large, open space. Here too, giant cherry blossom trees flank the bath area like knights watching over their king.

Nino turns to him and smiles. Haruka is standing near the glass doors and watching him as he explores the picturesque outdoor area. “Haru, your house is beautiful. This hot spring is incredible.”

“I am pleased that it is to your liking,” he says. “Would you like to try it?”

Nino walks back toward him. “Take a bath? Right now?” Haruka simply nods. Nino grins. He can’t stop grinning. “I would love to.”

After reaching down to hold both his hands, Haruka steps backward toward the open patio doors leading into his bedroom. “We should shower first.”

“I’m fine with that…” says Nino, his body hot and his nature within him pulsing and twisting in knots. If he isn’t out of this tuxedo and intimate in some capacity with Haruka soon, he might explode from the strain. He needs to touch and feel him. Badly. Without restrictions or hesitations.

Haruka urges him back into the room and closes the doors. Facing Nino, he smoothly slides his hands inside his tuxedo jacket at his shoulders, encouraging him to remove it. Nino shrugs out of it, tossing it onto a nearby armchair. Haruka pulls his bow tie apart with his long fingers, then unfastens his shirt buttons.

His gorgeous, wine-colored irises have already returned. Nino is mesmerized as he quietly leans into Haruka and kisses him, taking his bottom lip between his own before dipping his tongue into him. When Haruka’s hands are at his belt buckle, Nino pulls up from the kiss. “Can I undress you? Tell me how.”

Haruka smiles with his eyes, seductive and focused on Nino as he lifts his hands to remove his outer coat. It slides from his square shoulders, down his long body and onto the floor. He takes Nino’s hands, guiding them past his waist and around to the thick, knotted material of his belt at the small of his back. Nino holds him close as he unties it, the warmth of him pressed into his hips making Nino’s breathing short and his hands shaky. Haruka quietly sprinkles kisses on his face and jawline as he works. When the belt is finally loose, it unravels from his body and falls to their feet.

Nino unties a second, thinner belt before he finally pulls the beautiful material of the kimono from his shoulders, then lets it slide and fall from Haruka’s tall frame. But when Nino is met with another, lighter set of robes and belt, he laughs. “Why do I feel like I’m playing with a Russian nesting doll? How many belts and robes do we need?”

Haruka snickers, throaty and deep, while he continues littering Nino’s neck with kisses.

“Is there another layer underneath here?” Nino frowns, untying the third belt and holding in his laughter.

“No,” Haruka says, his voice muffled from his face being pressed into the curve of Nino’s collarbone.

Nino swiftly unties the belt, then parts the light material of the second robe at Haruka’s chest. He pulls it over his shoulders, urging Haruka to drop his arms and allow the fabric to fall from his body. When it does, he is completely naked. Gloriously so. His lean, sculpted body is washed in the moonlight spilling in from the glass doors behind them. Nino swallows, gratuitously taking in his beautiful almond skin, dark hair and bewitching eyes.

Haruka steps into him, pressing his bare body against Nino’s suited frame as he takes his mouth. He laces his arms around Nino’s shoulders and slides his fingers into his hair. Nino embraces him tightly, gliding one hand up his spine and the other down to grip the firm curve of his ass. Everything about Haruka registers as cool and refreshing. As if nature has uniquely cultivated him from its most beautiful elements—spring rain, the starry midnight skies and roses in full bloom.

As much as Nino loves the pressure of his body against him and the feel of his nakedness underneath his hands, it isn’t enough. He needs more. He wants everything.

Haruka breaks the kiss. Keeping their bodies tight and their foreheads pressed together, he whispers, “Shower?”

“Please,” Nino breathes. Haruka clasps his hand and guides him toward the master bathroom.

After what was unquestionably the most sensual shower of his life, Nino finds himself on his back in Haruka’s large bed, having (somehow) failed to reach the hot spring.

His eyes are closed as he lies against the cool, plush comforter, a thick pillow tucked underneath his hips and his knees comfortably drawn up. He exhales, stretching his lower back and relaxing his body around Haruka’s long, slick fingers pressed inside him. Haruka leans over, kissing a firm line down the center of his chest and toward his stomach while moving his fingers even deeper.

The heat of Nino’s aura is fiercely radiating outward like a smoldering fire. His eyes are burning bright and he can’t pull his nature back at all. Can’t contain it. Suddenly, it has its own mind and intentions. When he feels the hardness of his shaft sliding into the warm wetness of Haruka’s mouth, Nino arches his neck and groans loudly—the heat of his nature rushes down his abdomen and wills everything inside him to release.

Haruka twists his fingers, gently stretching Nino’s body as he licks and sucks his length inside his mouth—tasting and caressing him with his tongue. Nino writhes against the pillow supporting his lower back, teetering on the edge of climax. He lifts his head, breathless. “Haruka.”

He opens his evocative eyes. Slowly, Haruka pulls his head up. He moves to hover over Nino again, but Nino’s breath catches when he smoothly presses a third slick finger into his body. Nino swallows, his chest heaving. “I want you inside me. I’m ready.”

Leaning down, Haruka rests their foreheads together. Nino lifts his chin to catch his mouth, opening himself and wanting to deepen their contact. When Haruka parts his lips and meets his tongue, Nino sighs from pleasure. He tastes like his own rosy essence and sex. It makes Nino’s head spin.

With their mouths joined and moving together, Haruka removes his fingers. Nino feels him settling the tip of his shaft against the soft flesh of his body. Gently, Nino lifts his hips, encouraging the intrusion—wanting it like he’s never wanted anything in his long life. Haruka presses his tip inside and Nino breaks the kiss, sucking in air from the initial shock and satisfaction of the intimacy. Haruka takes his time pushing deeper, his wine eyes gradually morphing into bright crimson.

Soon, Nino’s body is completely relaxed—as if a switch has been flicked on. Or off? The warm pulse and fullness of Haruka has unexpectedly settled the deep discontent and angst he’s been feeling within his core for the past few months. He hadn’t realized how uncomfortable it was until this moment, when the thing is finally resting. It’s like a wave of loving calm is washing over him, swelling from within him.

He slides his hands down Haruka’s spine, then cups his ass, bringing him even tighter and deeper into his body as he spreads his thighs wider. “You feel really good like this, Haru… It feels like you’re calming something inside me.”

Haruka breathes, closing his eyes as he rests on his elbows. Nino slowly sinks his hips down, then rolls them back up into Haruka as he grips his cheeks tightly with his palms. Haruka’s red eyes flash open and he inhales sharply. He lowers his head so that his mouth is near Nino’s ear. He whispers, “You… were incredibly provocative tonight.”

Nino closes his eyes. Haruka kisses his neck as Nino repeats the movement with his hips, pulling away and then deliberately driving them back up and into him. Smooth. He swallows a groan from the slick wetness of their contact. Nino is breathless as he speaks, the pressure of arousal set firm in his belly. “Did I surprise you?”

Haruka lifts his head, lazily licking into him to press their mouths together before responding. “You did.” He sighs, staring into Nino’s eyes. “It was difficult… for me to focus.”

Biting his lip, Nino lowers his hips into the soft pillow at his back again, then grinds himself up and into Haruka’s shaft. Haruka gasps in a breath, clenching his burning eyes shut. Nino smiles, satisfied as he exhales. “Is that what turns you on, Haru? Diplomacy?”

“Perhaps?” Haruka says, his face devilish as he slowly rocks his hips against Nino’s body—smoothly pumping in a steady rhythm. “In association with you, many things arouse me.”

Haruka’s movement has rendered Nino speechless. He shivers, feeling the warm prickling of the orgasm building and expanding low in his groin. Nino lays his head back, opening himself and willing the sensation to overtake him. He needs relief from the heavy tension building between them.

Nino breathes in and the atmosphere unexpectedly shifts. His eyes flicker open as a beautiful crimson haze slowly caresses and moves up his body. It makes the dusty golden hairs on his arms stand straight.

This is Haruka’s aura. Usually it’s strictly stifled, and his aroma is subtle like the distant recollection of a scent rather than something active within the present.

Nino can discern it clearly now. It’s perfectly crisp, sweet and clean. A cool breeze on a vibrant spring morning. This is different from when he heavily presses his nature outward defensively. In this moment, it’s light and airy, like an enchanting, passionate fog slowly engulfing everything it touches.

With his senses flooded by Haruka’s essence, the need for him that lies deep inside Nino spikes. He wraps his arms around Haruka as he carefully shifts and rolls their bodies. When the purebred is on his back, Nino sits upright against his knees. He smoothly repositions himself back down, slowly taking Haruka’s shaft back into his body.

Haruka opens his mouth to speak but Nino rocks hard against him, making him exhale a rough grunt of pleasure. Nino repeats the movement again and again, needing Haruka to release—to let go and give in to this beautiful nature of his that’s somehow calling out to Nino.

With his body writhing underneath Nino and his fingers digging into his hips to encourage his movement, Haruka arches his lower back and cries out. He clenches his eyes shut, his entire frame trembling. Slowing, Nino closes his eyes. He gasps, surprised by the sensation of Haruka’s warm release making their contact even more slick inside him. Nino wraps his fingers around his own shaft and lifts his head, finally allowing his body to succumb to the abundance of sensations.

When his body unwinds from the height of pleasure, he looks down at Haruka underneath him. His breathing is ragged and his glowing red eyes are filled with the haze of sexual gratification. His hair is mussed as he lies against the pillow. For the first time since Nino has known him, he looks completely relaxed and open. Perfect.

Nino bends down toward his chest, gratuitously inhaling his intoxicating, rosy aura as it still envelopes them. Haruka lifts his chin and parts his lips expectantly. Nino meets the gesture, lovingly entwining their tongues in a sensual kiss. When Nino raises his head, Haruka’s fingers are tangled in the back of his hair. His voice is low and ragged as he stares into Nino’s eyes. “Would you like to feed from me?”

Nino’s chest tightens. “Are you sure?”

Haruka nods against the pillow, his burgundy eyes soft but unwavering. “You have consent.”

A new rush of warmth and excitement washes over Nino’s body. His heart swells as he moves one hand up to meet Haruka’s free hand lazily resting on the pillow beside his head. Smoothly, he slides their palms together. They entwine their fingers as Nino bends down once more, licking Haruka’s neck to savor the cool, sweet taste of him before softly biting into his skin.

He exhales a sigh as he feeds, amazed at the sublime pleasure of his blood—of everything they’ve done tonight. The rich complexity of Haruka’s blood is so filling and like nothing Nino has ever tasted. He can feel it coursing through his body and revitalizing him, strengthening him in a way that he has never experienced.

In exchange, he focuses his mind. Pouring his sincere love and desire into Haruka. He thinks about how elegant and intelligent he is, and how much he loves simply talking to him. He thinks about his deep, bubbly laugh and how it sounds to his ears like music or an exotic bird’s mating call. He thinks about his wry sense of humor, mesmerizing eyes and how, if he could, he’d be content to spend every single day of his life in Haruka’s charming, enigmatic presence.

Nino takes a breath and pulls again, but something happens. He opens his eyes, startled. It feels as if something has jerked or rumbled, but he doesn’t know if the shift has occurred within himself or if something happened externally within the room. He stops feeding and licks Haruka’s neck. He lifts his head. Haruka’s brows are furrowed tightly, confused and wary. He felt it too.