The Chariot and the Fool

(Evening after the general sweep and infiltration of Madarames palace)

Ren sighed and plopped his stuff down on his makeshift bed. He was tired after the cognitive palace. The phantom thieves had only been in their like twice, but they’d need to explore it more. Dust was on the windowsill but he brushed it aside and placed his butt on the windowsill as he kicked his feet up on the chair, and placed Mona down on the bed. “Meow,” Mona purred instinctively, then froze; ears flicking back in embarrassment as he remembered he wasn’t actually a cat. He swatted half-heartedly at Ren’s fingers when they drifted down to scratch behind his ears anyway.

Ren’s phone buzzed insistently in his pocket. “Zzzt…Zzzt…Zzt…Zz-“

He fished it out. The screen lit up with Ryuji’s contact screen.

“Hello?” Ren spoke with the phone on speaker.

“Yeee-llow”, chimed Ryuji on the other end. “How are ya feelin’ after Ann’s plan to go and seduce yusuke- I mean, ‘model’ so we can collect info bout’ this mysterious Madarame?”

Ren exhaled through his nose, gaze drifting to the dusty rafters. “Honestly… I’m still not sold on it. But I trust her judgment.”

“…..”. Radio silence on Ryuji’s end. Ren could hear the faint sound of a random tv show in the back. 

“Ryuji? You there?” Ren asked.

“Hmmmmm,” Ryuji coyly hummed on the other end, “How bout’ I come over at 5 to brainstorm?” 

“…Sounds good, I’ll be downstairs with Sojiro.”

“Alrighty!” “Click” . Ryuji hung up.

Ren glanced over at Morgana, who had already surrendered to sleep, tiny chest rising and falling in perfect rhythm. He sighed, grabbed a spare long-sleeve off the floor, and headed downstairs to brew coffee while he waited.

-20 minutes later…-

*Ding ding ding* Rung the cafes bell.

“Good afternoon Mr. Sakura”, said Ryuji as he slipped into Rens booth.

Sojiro glanced up from the counter, checked his watch, and tipped his fedora with a dry smirk. “Good afternoon to you too, kid. You boys behave. I’ll be out late—lock up when you’re done.”

Ren nodded as Sojiro told him to lock up and left.

Ryuji leaned forward on his elbows. “Alright. Let’s get some actual ideas goin’.”

-30 minutes of brainstorming later-

“Mementos….” Ren said, then paused. To type some more on his laptop to look up information on Madarame.

Ryuji then spoke: “Natsuki Nakanohara… why was he shit talkin’ Madarame?” 

Ryuji continued. “Even though we we’re in the palace for about an hour or so, his babbling was pretty concerning”

They both sighed.

“Hey, I just remembered- wheres Mona?” Ryuji asked.

“He’s taking a nap” Replied Ren.

“A nap, huh?” Ryuji checked his phone, then flicked his eyes back up to Ren. “This is goin’ nowhere, man.”

“I agree” replied Ren as he closed the laptop with a soft click. “….Maybe you wanna take a break and spin back on this later?”

“Sure, but i’m feeling kindaaaa sore rn” Ryuji stretched and revealed his stripped lime green and pink underwear band as he fell to the side of the couch and horizontally stretched with his hands in the air revealing his lower v-line.

Ren’s gaze snagged unintentionally—on that exposed strip of skin, the way the happy trail darkened from bleached blond to his natural black hair color. 

Ryuji’s trail wasnt the same color as his dyed hair…. He wondered if his bush was the sam-

“You think Sojiro’s got somethin’ special stashed in those coffee jars back there?” Ryuji waved a hand in front of Ren’s face. “Earth to Ren. You’re doin’ the zoned-out thing again.”

Ren felt for something in his left pocket, a leftover muscle tea from a vending machine at school & a new line of Takemedic that Takemi wanted him to try out. He vaguely remembered about her mentioning that its best taken with some hot tea, but might have a side effect. 

What was that side effect?  

“Y-yea sorry, I got lost in thought” per usual. “Hey…. You wouldn’t mind me making you some… tea? I know we’re in a coffee shop but it helps relax your muscles” 

Ryuji shook his head, “Nah I wouldn’t mind at all, I know your specialty is  making coffee, but how bad can tea be? I think I’ve tried that brand before.” 

He sat up straighter. “Hey… there’s that public bath right across the street, yeah? I passed it on the way here. Brew the tea, toss it in a flask, and we can soak while we talk. Kill two birds.”

Ren nodded his head, and thought about the book he read, Yoncha Walker 04 (guidebook entry on the local sento the quiet luxury of steam and silence), and promptly said“sounds like a plan!”

Later at the public bathhouse…

Thick clouds of steam curled upward like ghosts. Ren leaned his head back against the tiled rim, eyes half-closed, sweat already beading along his hairline. The heat sank deep into his bones, loosening everything.

Ren opened his eyes and wiped away his sweaty face “Phew” he deeply sighed. He could see the bathhouses steam rising.

Ryuji took another long pull from the flask, throat working visibly. “Damn… this is hittin’ different today.” He set it aside on the stool with a soft clink, kicked his legs out, and sank lower until the water lapped at his collarbones. “Looks like we got the place to ourselves, Amamiya.”

“Seems so.” “Hows the tea?” Ren cupped his hand on his neck and leaned back a little.

Ryuji sipped the rest and smiled with a quiver on the side of his grin. 

“It’s great man” Ryuji set the flask down to the side on a stool, as he kicked off the yellow basin that was in the bathhouse as the steam enveloped him. 

Ren could barely see him now through the haze and made a mental note to turn the heat down when he had the chance. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh of relaxation as he leaned his shoulders on the rim of the tub. He thought about Madarame… were the mementos rumors true? and that blue haired boy… what was his name again? He heard a low blur-bubbling sound…. A set of bubbles like someone…. Went Under… the… water?

Fingers walked slowly upward, teasing the edge of the small white towel knotted loosely around Ren’s waist. Under. the. water.

An aphrodisiac. Thats what the side effect was. 

Rens eyes jolted open. “Unngh!” he moaned as he felt pressure on his shaft. “R-RYUJI?!” He darted his eyes to the shadow under the murky steaming water. He then saw blondes rear end upright and grabbed his hair.

*COUGH* Ryuji spat the water out as he was interrupted by being pulled up from Rens cock.  

“R-Ryuji what are you doing?!” Ren exclaimed with a concerned laugh.

Ryuji wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, grinning despite the cough. “You really think I’m dumb enough not to notice you slipped somethin’ extra in my tea?” 

Rens eyes darted away. “W-what? I-“ he paused. “I… didn’t actually think itd be an aphrodisiac! This ‘doctor’ I go too said it should be safe for consumption and it’d be a sort of …‘boost’. ” He looked at Ryuji sheepishly . “I thought youd benefit from it cause you said you were sore.”

Ryuji grinned softly & flushed red. He burst out into a chuckle: “Damn dude, what a fuckin’ misunderstanding.”

(￣▽￣;)

Ren’s eyes betrayed him; sliding over Ryuji’s flushed chest, the solid, sweat-slick planes of his pecs, the soft baby-pink nipples drawn tight from the heat. Years of track had carved him lean and strong, every line begging to be traced.

Ryuji noticed. Of course he did.

He shifted, water sloshing as he sat back on his heels, ass submerged again. “You don’t think I’ve caught you starin’ at me since day one?” 

“Well I mean-“ Ren paused. “I thought you were straight”

Ryuji let out an even louder laugh than before. 

“Sorry for the queerbait, man. Or… straight-bait? Whatever.” His ears were scarlet beneath the steam. “I swing both ways. Ann’s got the curves that kill me, but you…”

He leaned in, close enough that Ren could feel the heat rolling off him in waves. Steam curled between their faces like a secret. )^o^(

Ryuji leaned in closer with the steamy fumes enveloping Rens side peripheral. “Soooo…. are ya gonna let me finish the job orrrr-“ Ryuji was promptly cut off by a door knob turning to the entrance of the bath house.

“Shit!” Ren hisssd. He looked at Ryuji and how close he was- This wouldn’t look good. 

Ryuji snapped his head to the door and was about to dart to the other end when he looked at Ren coyly. He then turned his head and placed his finger on his lips like a shushing motion. 

Ryuji took a deep breath, grabbed the yellow basin for a pocket of air and dove down. 

The door swung open

Ren’s hand flew to the upturned basin, bracing it over the water as Ryuji’s head bumped the bottom with a muffled gag. Pleasure spiked white-hot up Ren’s spine.

The old man that had entered the room coughed when the bathouse fumes hit his face. “Excuse young man *cough*, have you seen- he waved his hand around trying to clear the steam, to try and look for his missing object. 

“Found it!” The old man exclaimed as he grabbed his wet towel. The Steam happened to also let up as it slowly seeped out the ajar door.

As the steam cleared up, Ren made eye contact with the man, right as Ryuji hollowed his cheeks and sucked.

“I think I’ve seen you around town before young man! Though im sorry if I mistook you for someone else *cough* *cough*, my vision isnt the best these days. 

Ren placed his hand over the yellow water basin that was upturned as he felt ryuji’s head hit the bottom of the basin after a soft gag on Ren’s tip.

Ren softly moaned at the action. 

The man who now was about to exit the area half turned and questioned the soaked black haired boy: “Did you say something young man?” 

Ren placed his other hand over the basin as he felt his load seeping out into the crevices of Ryujis warm throat and sporadic tongue … he was getting close. He looked at the man and responded “H-huh? No sir I just said ha-“ Ren cleared his throat & replied with a shaky voice: “~Have a good day~”. 

“Oh! You too. Didn’t catch your name, son?”

Ryuji’s fingers dug into Ren’s thigh, stroking the tense muscle, then drifted lower, teasing the sensitive skin behind his balls, rolling them gently while his mouth never slowed. Ren’s hips jerked involuntarily; he pushed down harder on the basin as Ryuji gagged softly around him, occasionally coming up for a pocket of air under the bucket to drip saliva on Ren’s tip. 

“My name?” Ren rasped, waving a shaky hand through the steam. “Amamiya Ren.”

“Amamiya-kun!” The old man beamed. “Hope to see you again.” He shuffled out, muttering about the steam as the door finally clicked shut.

Ren waited three heartbeats, then flung the basin aside.

Ren then waited for the man to leave the changing room area and once he heard the door shut to the actual door entrance , he tossed the yellow basin over to see Ryuji’s damp head and flushed red face. 

“Ry-Ryuji if you keep g-going like that…” 

Ryuji’s pace sped up as he clamped 

onto his buddy’s toe that was cramping as his muscles involuntarily seized due to the overwhelming pleasure. Ren said in a staggerd breath on the lisp on high pitched moan: “Im gonna cum-!“ Ren motioned for Ryuji to come up off his erect member but Ryuji braced for impact and clamped his mouth as Ren’s hips involuntarily bucked down Ryujis throat. 

“Mhmmpf!” Ryuji gargled. Ren felt a sticky stream on his anterior shin and looked down to realize Ryuji had came aswell. Ren pushed Ryuji’s head up as cum flew from the blondes lips. Ryuji fell back and chuckled. 

Ren was panting and tried to collect himself as his erect member slowly retired from full mast. Cum dripped from Ryuji’s chin; he wiped it with the back of his hand. 

“Well dude…..” Ryuji sheepishly chimed “I never thought nut could taste so good” He scratched the back his head as he looked at his sweaty black haired buddy.

They sat there panting, steam curling around them like smoke after a fire. Ryuji’s cock softened slowly against his thigh. Ryuji rinsed off, limbs loose and heavy, and padded to the changing room to towel dry and slip into his briefs.

Ren followed a minute later—towel clutched loosely at his waist, not bothering to tie it properly. He stepped up behind Ryuji, whos forehead pressed against the locker, shoulders rounded, posture defeated like he expected this to be the end of whatever fragile thing had just cracked open between them. 

Ren quickly put on his clothes and began to stand up looking like he was going to leave, but then Ren’s fingertips ghosted over the damp nape of Ryuji’s neck, light as a question.

“Meet me at the cafe after we infiltrate Madarames palace at the same time tomorrow“

Ryuji was taken aback. He turned around to confirm with Ren but all he saw was a foot out the door and the jingle of Leblanc’s cafe’s bell.

-End of chapter 1-