{These characters are not property of me, except for that of Ryuuji. I would never attempt to claim them as my own. This story may not be used without my permission, and may not be used to make money in any way, shape or form. Characters and certain situations were created by Rumiko Takahashi, so don't try any funny stuff!}

Happy Birthday

by Lara Bartram

His birthday. He was 17. For most people, a birthday was a happy occasion. A party, friends, gifts, the usual. For Ryuuji, there were none of the usual trappings. He could have had a party, but he just didn't feel like it. He was sure his friends would have attended, they didn't hate him. But he just couldn't find any reason to be happy. His close friends had wished him a happy birthday at school and he had thanked them, but that was where it ended.

Another lonely walk home. Only this day, he was 17 instead of 16. Big deal. He looked awful and knew it. He felt worse. He didn't get very much sleep anymore, always wondering if his mother was going to creep into his room in the middle of the night and sleep in his bed. It terrified him.

He wasn't afraid of his mother really. But he couldn't figure out why she had to sleep in his bed... with him. Of course she was lonely; it was to be expected. Ryuuji shuddered as his home came into view. He just couldn't understand it, he didn't think he would ever be able to.

He walked up to the front door and looked at it. He didn't want to be there, he didn't want to go home, but he had no place else. He opened the door and walked inside. He was afraid of what might be waiting for him, what his mother might have done. He didn't want there to be a party waiting or a bunch of family. He just wanted to be by himself.

He found his mother waiting with a small cake. She smiled as he walked in. "Happy birthday, Ryu-chan."

"Thanks, Mom." He couldn't force any happiness into his voice, just a half-hearted thank you. He walked past his mother and headed for the stairs.

"Don't you want some of your cake?"

"Not now, I'm not feeling so good." He hadn't been feeling good for the past three months.

Her hand on his shoulder stopped him. He turned to look at her, knowing he would end up eating cake anyway. "Have some cake."

"OK, Mom." He followed his mother to slice the small cake and have some with her.

It was a simple chocolate cake with white icing. Ryuuji hated chocolate cake. It made his teeth hurt, but he ate it anyway, not wanting to disappoint his mother in any way. And his eating seemed to please her greatly. His mother had become a mystery to him, he was unable to understand her behavior.

"I got you something."

Ryuuji was almost afraid to know what it was. "Thanks, Mom."

She held out a brightly wrapped present. It had some weight to it and felt solid; no shaking parts. Ryuuji's heart fluttered at what the contents might be.

He peeled the paper back, seeing nothing but a plain brown box beneath it. Not a clue as to what it was or where it was from. He could feel his mother's eyes on him, watching his every move. He removed every bit of paper from the box and held it in his hands.

"Go on. Open it." She sounded excited.

Ryuuji slowly untaped the box lid and slid it off. In the box he saw black silk. He was afraid to touch it.

"Take it out. Look at it."

He set the box on his knees while he pulled out the silk. The first item was a pair of pajamas. Black silk. From his mother. He refolded the top and bottoms and set them gently next to him. He looked back in the box. Red silk. He pulled out a long robe, dark red, blood red in color. He swallowed and folded the robe, placing it with the pajamas. He looked in the box again. More back silk. He lifted the top layer. It was a full set of sheets.

"Aren't they nice, Ryu-chan? They're just like mine."

"Yes. They're very nice." 'Just like mine'. Just like a nightmare.

"Why don't we put them on your futon now?"

Oh please no. "OK." Weak, spineless, stupid.

The two went to Ryuuji's room. Ryuuji put away the robe and pajamas while his mother began putting the sheets on. He meekly helped her finish the sheets, making it look like a death bed. He could imagine what he'd look like in the black pajamas laying amongst the black sheets. He put one of the pillowcases on and watched his mother do the other. She seemed happy to be doing it, even though she normally despised doing any sort of housework.

Once the pillows were in place, Ryuuji picked up his blanket to cover the bed.

"Oh, Ryu-chan... won't this be nice?" She was laying on his bed, rubbing the corner of a pillowcase on her cheek. Her eyes were closed and she was smiling ever so slightly.

"Yeah. Real nice." Inside, he felt like he was dying. She looked like she was... He didn't want to think about it.

His mother raised herself from his bed and allowed him to put the blanket on it. She watched him straighten the blanket and tuck in the corners. "Later tonight, we can go out and get a birthday dinner if you want."

She was just going to smother him with kindness on his birthday and there was no way he could refuse it. "Sure, dinner out would be nice." It would get him away from his room and his birthday presents.

"Where should we go? It's your choice."

"I don't know. Anywhere is fine." Anywhere, anything away from there.

***

Dinner was as pleasant as could be expected. They ate without conversation and left shortly after they were finished. Ryuuji had rediscovered his appetite, if only for a few hours, and ate heartily. The food and the walk back home had tired him. He was ready for bed, he was ready to sleep.

Arriving at home, he went immediately upstairs. It was one birthday he would like to forget. He walked into his room, preparing to throw on a pair of shorts and tank top to sleep in. Anything less and he would be able to feel too much if his mother visited him in the night. He stood at his dresser, holding a pair of shorts in his hand when his mother spoke from his door.

"Why don't you wear the pajamas I got you?"

He turned and looked at her. "I... uh... OK." He looked back at his dresser and placed the shorts back in the drawer carefully. He pulled out the black silk, breathing heavily. He stepped to the side of his futon and laid out the pajamas with care. He looked at his mother. "Would you please?"

"Oh, of course. I'm sorry." She left his doorway, closing the door.

Ryuuji felt sick to his stomach as he removed his clothes, keeping his eyes on the pajamas on his futon. Reluctantly, he removed his underwear. He didn't want to, but he couldn't sleep while wearing it; it was just too uncomfortable. He pulled on the bottoms, despising the fact that they fit him so well. Then he pulled on the top, buttoning it up all the way. He didn't have a mirror in his room so he couldn't see just how sick his face looked.

He stepped out of his room, knowing his mother would not rest until she saw what he looked like. He knew she would be in her room; she had nowhere else to go without her husband. He stood in front of her door and inhaled deeply. He rapped twice and waited for her answer.

"Come in, Ryu-chan."

He opened the door but didn't enter the room. "I put them on, Mom."

She turned to the door and smiled at him. Ryuuji closed his eyes to the fact that she was dressed in only her lingerie. "Well don't you look handsome." She took his hand and pulled him into the room. She circled him, looking at the pajamas from every angle. He felt distinctly like a piece of meat. She tugged at several points, readjusting the fit. "You know how much you resemble your father?"

Ryuuji could only shake his head. His mental defenses were slowly breaking down. It was getting harder to ignore the fact that she was wearing so little.

"Come here and take a look at yourself." She steered him to stand in front of the full-length mirror. She stood slightly behind him and to the side. "Don't you think you look handsome?"

He looked at his reflection and had to stop himself from gagging. He did. He looked just like his father. He could remember his father wearing some pajamas very similar to the ones he was wearing. And with his mother standing behind him like that...

"Oh, look. It's not like that though." Her hands were at the buttons on his top. She undid three of them and opened the top, revealing his bare chest. "That's much better." She looked at him, waiting for some kind of reaction but he gave none. "So, Ryu-chan, do you like what I'm wearing?" She stepped in front of him, smiling the entire time.

Ryuuji's brain slipped right into neutral. He looked at his mother, at his mother's body. "Yes, Mom. It's nice." His voice held the barest tremor. "I think I have to go to bed now." He turned and left the room.

Returning to his own room, he shut the door, turned off all the lights and crawled into bed. He closed his eyes but could not get rid of his image in the mirror, looking like his father with his mother standing next to him.

***

The door opened silently. But not silently enough. Ryuuji shuddered in his futon, knowing what was to come. He just couldn't sleep when she was there with him. It was all wrong. He pretended to be asleep as the weight settled on his futon.

"I know you're awake, Ryu-chan. Don't pretend." Spoken as a command.

He rolled over, his eyes open but still blind in the dark. "I'm sorry, Mom."

"Don't be sorry. It's just not polite to do something like that to your mother."

"I won't do it again, Mom."

"I'm glad to hear it." A long pause. "But there's a problem."

"A problem?" Suddenly her hand was moving across his leg. He wanted to pull away even though her hand was on top of the covers.

"Yes. I've been getting soft on you. I can't let you run around and do whatever you want all the time like I have been."

"But I haven't been..."

"Don't talk back to me." Steady and even. Another command. "You can make up for your misbehavior very simply."

That didn't sound good at all. And when Ryuuji felt her slip under the covers with him he knew it wasn't.

"And how... What can I do?"

"Nothing difficult. It's a very small thing." Her hand was on his chest, on the exposed flesh.

"What?" He felt her move closer to him.

"Just one... small... favor..."

"Wha..." Her lips came into contact with his. This wasn't the motherly kiss that he received when his father was alive. This was full contact, slow and deep. He felt his mothers tongue worm its way into his mouth while her hands moved over his body.

She disengaged the kiss and spoke breathlessly in his ear. "Small really. Don't you think, Ryu-chan? So very small."

"Small..." He couldn't think, couldn't comprehend what had just happened. His mother had kissed him? Why would she do a thing like that? She shouldn't be doing things like that, he should make her get out of his bed. But he couldn't, he just couldn't defy his mother.

"Small," she replied and kissed his earlobe. She undid each button on his top and let her hand rest on his chest. She could feel his heart beat like that of a small animal. "Don't be frightened, Ryu-chan. I'll treat you better than that slut did." She ran her tongue down his jawline. He started to quiver beneath her hand. "Oh, my poor baby. It's only me, don't be afraid."

He couldn't help but be afraid. What was she doing? Why was she doing it? What was he supposed to do? His whole body was shaking but for the life of him, he couldn't make it stop. "Mom..."

"Yes, Ryu-chan?" She kissed his neck, keeping her hands to his chest. She didn't want to frighten him too badly, that would ruin everything.

"Why are you... doing this to me?"

She kissed the corner of his mouth. "Why? Because I love you of course." She pressed her lips to his again. When he didn't respond, she lifted her head and looked in his frightened eyes. "Kiss back."

She touched her lips to his, more gently, and felt him kiss her softly. She parted her lips and felt him follow suit. She sucked a little harder and he did as well. She broke the contact and studied Ryuuji's face. Still frightened, but she could see that spark that dominated the lives of all teenage boys. "That was very good. Now what can you do with your hands?"

He looked at her, still feeling confused. He liked what had just happened, but he hated it. It felt good, but it felt all wrong. "My hands?" She wanted him to touch her? She wanted more?

"Yeah. Like this." She took one of his hands in hers and placed it on her back. Then she took his other hand and placed it on her hip. Her hands returned to his chest and rubbed in slow circles.

His hand moved slowly, just rubbing her back. His other hand didn't move at all. "Like this?" That wasn't so bad. He could just hold her, give her a hug and rub her back. He had always liked it when he wasn't feeling well, someone rubbing his back.

"More, Ryu-chan." She kissed him again and felt him take some initiative. The hand on her back began to range further down, towards the high cut thigh of her lingerie. The hand on her hip wasn't going anywhere, but his fingers were twitching, fighting off her command.

She changed her position from laying next to him to resting a quarter of her body on his, her leg draped over his. She put her hand on his far shoulder and pulled it. He complied and rolled to his side, trapping her leg between his, his hands instantly getting better reach. The hand on her hip squeezed gently, unable to withstand the feel of warm, soft flesh beneath it.

She wanted to run her hands all over his body, take off his pajamas, wanted to make him hers... But he was already hers, her son... So much like his father. She could feel hardness against her leg and wanted it, but it was too soon. He couldn't even touch her without trembling; what would he do if she took his clothes off?

She settled for his chest and back, keeping her hands to areas she knew he was more comfortable with. She tried her tongue again, sliding it slowly into his mouth. He froze momentarily, but when she bent her knee and ran her leg against his erection he seemed to break down. He wasn't as experienced as his father, but that could be changed.

He opened his mouth a little farther to give her better access, beginning to respond to her needs, her desires. She explored his mouth, wanting him to do it back. One of her hands trailed down his back and rested on his butt, petting it through the silk. She had seen how tight and muscular it was when she had caught him with that girl...

She withdrew her tongue. That girl... The thought of her son with that slut made her angry, jealous. How dare that slut take what belonged to her? Her son had been tainted by the slut and now she had to restore his virtue.

"Mom?" He was looking at her, fear still in his eyes, some confusion, did she see desire? What would the fantasies of her 17 year old son be like?

Looking at his face, the anger washed away. So much like his father... "Don't worry about it, Ryu-chan. Just keep going." She kissed the end of his nose and raised her chin, exposing her neck to him. "Just keep going..."

He looked at her neck, then at her face. Her eyes were closed and her cheeks were flushed. He looked back at her neck, at each little indentation and line, every detail that screamed to be kissed and sucked and nibbled and licked. Something in the back of his mind rebelled though. His mother's neck... to be kissed and sucked... nibbled and licked... by her husband. By his father, not him. 'Just keep going...' But his father wasn't around and his mother wanted him to do it. 'You're the man of the house now Ryuuji. You'll have to do a lot of the things your father did...'

He lowered his head to her neck and tentatively placed his lips on her neck. He placed his lips on her neck again, more to the side. Then again.

"Kiss me, Ryu-chan. Suck, use your tongue..."

Ryuuji quailed at the thought. Is that what his father used to do? He kissed her throat then, lightly. It didn't seem to be any big deal, so he did it again. Then he did it and touched his tongue to her skin. Still nothing earth shattering. He moved a little lower and kissed the side of her neck, using a little more suction. He got to the point where her neck met her shoulder and tried using his teeth. Grabbing bits of skin between his front teeth and sucking gently, he worked his way down then back up.

He heard his mother sigh and stopped. "What's wrong, Mom?" He had done something wrong and would get in trouble.

"Nothing, Ryu-chan. You're doing very good. Keep going."

Keep going. He brushed away her hair from her ear and kissed it. Then he took her lobe in his mouth and sucked on it. Something primal in him responded. Sucking on that nub of flesh. He released her ear and worked his way to her throat again. If her sighs meant he was doing well, then he was doing very well. He dipped his tongue into the hollow of her throat the same way that girl had done on him.

His mother rolled to her back, removing her leg and hands. Ryuuji's hands were removed from her back and thigh. "Go down farther, Ryu-chan."

He moved his head down to the skin of her chest. It was smooth and soft and felt good against his face. There wasn't so much for him to nibble so he continued to kiss, sucking every so often. He felt the rise of her breasts, felt the material of her lingerie on his chest, and stopped.

Her hands moved to her chest while he watched them. She took hold of a lace near the top of her lingerie and pulled slowly. The loose knot untied and the lace pulled out of each hole, causing the lingerie to fall open. She continued to pull until it was undone all the way to her stomach, her navel visible.

Her hand trailed back up the strip of skin, over her breastbone, and took hold of the lingerie. Ryuuji watched, his eyes wide, his mother's skin slowly come into view. Then she pulled back her hand and her breast came into view. "Go on, Ryu-chan," she said softly.

He stared at her breast, at the erect nipple. He was throbbing between his legs, his hormones going completely out of control. His primal instincts were reminding him: this was his mother, his mother's breast, his mother's nipple... take it. It gave him food when he was little, it was his survival when he was incapable of taking care of himself. Incapable of taking care of himself... much the same way he had felt for the past three months.

He lowered his head and felt his mother stroke his hair. That was something else that had comforted him when he had nightmares; the petting, the close contact. He opened his mouth, not sure how he should go about taking the nipple. When he was an infant, it was a survival instinct, but now... He put his mouth around her nipple and sucked gently. A feeling of security flooded through him. He was safe with his mother, she would protect him against the cruel, uncaring world. He sucked harder, running his tongue over the nub, trying to coax milk from it.

He was an infant again, no worries in the world. His mother was there, she was taking care of him, she was feeding him. Her hand was petting his hair, while another was rubbing his back. She was sighing, happy to have her baby safe in her arms.

He felt her hand pet his back, the one moving from his hair to his chest and petting him there too. It moved lower, to his stomach, caressing the smooth skin around his navel. Then lower still, to his upper thigh, squeezing the thick muscle. He continued to suck at her nipple, unaware of what she was intending to do.

Her hand moved over a little to tickle his inner thigh. She began moving it up and down, moving ever closer to his groin. Then her hand was on his testicles, stroking them through the silk. Ryuuji released her nipple and shuddered at the sensation.

"Do you like that, Ryu-chan?" She kissed the side of his head, continuing to pet his back and stroke his testicles.

He never felt anything like that before. His mothers sure hand cupping his sac, fondling him in the cool silk... He laid his head on her breast and let the feelings wash over him. He knew what was about to happen, was ashamed to do it in front of his mother, but he couldn't stop her. It felt so good after three months of misery.

He grabbed her arm tightly. "M.. Momm." He thrust his hips towards her hand as he ejaculated in his pajamas. He grit his teeth as he continued to release his seed.

He finished and fell back to the bed beside his mother. She stopped stroking him and took him in a hug. He was shaking in her arms. "That wasn't so bad, was it, Ryu-chan?" She kissed his cheek and began rocking him. "Maybe we can try again another night. Maybe you'll feel better then."

He couldn't answer, he had no energy left. She held him close and rocked him to sleep. The words slowly filtered into his brain as he fell into an uneasy slumber in his mothers arms.

"Happy birthday, Ryu-chan," she whispered to him and kissed his forehead.