[ It's kind of weird, but it's something he considers a very intimate gesture, so he doesn't precisely mind— but a part of him wonders if Tatsuma is taking into consideration how much something like this means to him. Though, if Sakamoto's lucky, he will find some place in his imagination when he's feeling particularly lonely, but no need to let him know that could happen right now.
There's some excess slickness from the lubricant around his butt and inner thighs, so he actually turns around to expose his backside to Sakamoto. This is especially embarrassing, for some reason, as he cooperates being cleaned up. Yeah, wipe his butt, I guess.
The tips of his ears are red. He mutters under his breath. ]
Clean yourself up too once you're finished. [ Nobody has ever done this with him, and it just feels very.. close.
It's because he's given his trust to him.
Zura is a complicated creature, though. These odd things mean so much to him even if it's a bit strange. ]
[Sakamoto is strange as well. He too feels an odd sort closeness as Zura present's his naked body, taking great care to wipe gently and make sure that no mess is left over. Perhaps it's because, though he knows he's leaving in a few days, there is a part of him that hopes for something more even though it seems impossible.
He doesn't think about how it will hurt to leave, and despite his love for the stars it always hurts to watch the Earth grow smaller and smaller from the window of his room. This is because while he loves his job, his comfortable existence comes with a heavy price (as all things do, nothing in life is free, something a merchant knows very well): There is always a chance he will never return.
Zura doesn't need to know that.]
I'm gonna shower, actually~!
[Sakamoto says this after washing Zura's rear and inner thighs thoroughly, then throwing the dirty towel in the bin for... Well. Dirty towels.]
I'll join ya later. That alright? It's only gonna take a few minutes! I'll be out in a lil' bit.
[Before he steps into the shower, Sakamoto catches a glimpse of himself and Katsura in the mirror, visible from the waist up. He's distracted by the feeling that worms its way into his gut, so he leans on his friend's shoulder with his elbow and whistles.]
[ Katsura's gaze follows Sakamoto as he shifts, feeling his hand slide to his other arm and gripping there idly, appearing rather shy for a moment. His blush dies down, slowly draining out of his cheeks as a more natural color takes place. Sakamoto makes a comment about looking good together and it only brought that weird feeling of uncertainty to spread over his stomach and then flood into his heart.
What did this make them?
He doesn't say anything and just watches Sakamoto as he goes to the shower. He wants to bathe too, but it's too late; he's so tired. Once his friend is preoccupied with the shower, he goes ahead and steadily makes his way out of the bathroom, bringing his hand to his mouth and nipping on one of his knuckles.
This happened with Takasugi, and nothing happened.
Takasugi, though, seemed to be absent from most kind of emotions— it was hard to know what all such a damaged soul could feel anymore. Sakamoto, though, was fragile in some ways— and bursting with emotion. Some he showed the world and some he concealed from the world.
Katsura crawled into bed. This was dangerous. It could be dangerous.
The second he feels Sakamoto's weight shifting into the bed, he lets a little pause occur before he throws his hands up and rolls onto his side, snuggling in close and hiding his face directly into the crook of his neck. His arms engulf his friend, holding tightly.
Goodness, Zura. Let the poor man get settled first. ]
[Steam exudes from the bathroom, there's the sound of a shower curtain being pushed aside, but harshly. Sakamoto wraps a towel around his shoulders, unaware that the door peeks open.
He looks at himself in the mirror as he dries himself off, expressionless.
The dates have been pushed up, the Kairinmaru is leaving in two days.
[Sakamoto's just barely swings both feet over the side of the bed, surprised by the koala arm latching onto him. He laughs, surprised and happy and guilty at the same time. Zura will be hurting soon, and it will be his fault...
All because he didn't think things through. A recurring pattern in his life, playing out like an instrument keeping time in a song, sans melody, always droning on.]
[ It was a strange emotion he felt. He felt confused, uncertain and afraid.. but one emotion that he is able to feel and pin point the most is .. happiness. He hadn't felt it and in such a genuine way in such a long time. He didn't feel like he could tell Sakamoto something like that, but maybe the way his hand traces over Sakamoto's skin is an indication; idly smoothing over the muscles of his arm and shoulder and eventually around a pectoral before resting on his abdomen.
His face is completely hidden, but he seems content. ]
You're here. [ —is all he ends up saying. You're here, he's here with you. They have each other. You're something he is going to hold desperately onto since you're nearly all he has left. ]
[Sakamoto's grip tightens instinctively. His throat feels so dry right about now, he attempts to muster up the courage to say what he should.
"Only for a little while."
But he is not a cruel man, he is weak, he is a coward. These are not things he can say, he doesn't wish to break his friend's heart so suddenly. The merchant can hear a ringing in his ears because he knows he's taken too much.
And the last reason, the greatest reason of all for his surprisingly tight lips: He wants to savor Zura's happiness, wants to watch how the joy colors his friend's face even in the dim light. Sleep tugs at his slowly drooping eyelids, and he silently savors the way Zura's fingers trace over muscles they really shouldn't touch, muscles that are tired and neglected and useless.
The ones he uses the most, after all, are the ones that help him smile.]
Yeah.
[They are strong too- It's hard to keep smiling, sometimes.]
Thank you. [ Sakamoto will see the very glimpse of a smile when he shifts to press his forehead against Sakamoto's, followed by a light and delicate kiss on his lips. This is your kiss goodnight, and probably your kiss goodbye. He wasn't sure how things will be or how hectic their schedules will be between now and later. Katsura knows this— whatever this is— isn't going to last long, but he also doesn't let it get the best of him. Instead, he just savors this time with him. He pulls away, finally following the warmth of his smile to break through. ]
Don't forget about me. [ He says, as if hinting that he is aware Sakamoto will be leaving soon. He pulls his gaze away, shifting back down onto the sheets and resting his head right above Sakamoto's heart, enjoying the melody of it's pattern that beats in his ear. ]
I know you won't. You never do. But it's important that you will never, because that is how I feel about you.
[ Even if it's a long time between seeing Sakamoto, he always seemed overjoyed to see Katsura; he knew somebody like Tatsuma could never neglect him and that is what made him happy.
Katsura is one who made a habit of sleeping with his eyes open when he felt unsafe, but with Sakamoto here, he was able to close his eyes. ]
[And Sakamoto continues to hold him, very quietly and very carefully, because in his arms is a ticking time bomb.]
'Night.
[He utters, hesitantly.
Sakamoto shifts in bed slightly, turning to look at the window. Some of Edo can be seen, as the curtain has yet to be closed. Blue eyes search desperately for some sign of stars, but they are invisible amidst the pollution and the bright, almost sinister, flares of artificial light. They leer and snicker, like a monster born from darkness.
Ah, darkness. The sky and his heart are one tonight.]
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no subject
[ It's kind of weird, but it's something he considers a very intimate gesture, so he doesn't precisely mind— but a part of him wonders if Tatsuma is taking into consideration how much something like this means to him.
Though, if Sakamoto's lucky, he will find some place in his imagination when he's feeling particularly lonely, but no need to let him know that could happen right now.
There's some excess slickness from the lubricant around his butt and inner thighs, so he actually turns around to expose his backside to Sakamoto. This is especially embarrassing, for some reason, as he cooperates being cleaned up. Yeah, wipe his butt, I guess.
The tips of his ears are red.
He mutters under his breath. ]
Clean yourself up too once you're finished.
[ Nobody has ever done this with him, and it just feels very.. close.
It's because he's given his trust to him.
Zura is a complicated creature, though. These odd things mean so much to him even if it's a bit strange. ]
no subject
He doesn't think about how it will hurt to leave, and despite his love for the stars it always hurts to watch the Earth grow smaller and smaller from the window of his room. This is because while he loves his job, his comfortable existence comes with a heavy price (as all things do, nothing in life is free, something a merchant knows very well): There is always a chance he will never return.
Zura doesn't need to know that.]
I'm gonna shower, actually~!
[Sakamoto says this after washing Zura's rear and inner thighs thoroughly, then throwing the dirty towel in the bin for... Well. Dirty towels.]
I'll join ya later. That alright? It's only gonna take a few minutes! I'll be out in a lil' bit.
[Before he steps into the shower, Sakamoto catches a glimpse of himself and Katsura in the mirror, visible from the waist up. He's distracted by the feeling that worms its way into his gut, so he leans on his friend's shoulder with his elbow and whistles.]
Ahhhhh! We look good together.
no subject
What did this make them?
He doesn't say anything and just watches Sakamoto as he goes to the shower. He wants to bathe too, but it's too late; he's so tired. Once his friend is preoccupied with the shower, he goes ahead and steadily makes his way out of the bathroom, bringing his hand to his mouth and nipping on one of his knuckles.
This happened with Takasugi, and nothing happened.
Takasugi, though, seemed to be absent from most kind of emotions— it was hard to know what all such a damaged soul could feel anymore.
Sakamoto, though, was fragile in some ways— and bursting with emotion. Some he showed the world and some he concealed from the world.
Katsura crawled into bed.
This was dangerous. It could be dangerous.
The second he feels Sakamoto's weight shifting into the bed, he lets a little pause occur before he throws his hands up and rolls onto his side, snuggling in close and hiding his face directly into the crook of his neck. His arms engulf his friend, holding tightly.
Goodness, Zura. Let the poor man get settled first. ]
1/2
He looks at himself in the mirror as he dries himself off, expressionless.
The dates have been pushed up, the Kairinmaru is leaving in two days.
What is he supposed to say?
All he knows is that he doesn't deserve this.]
2/2
All because he didn't think things through. A recurring pattern in his life, playing out like an instrument keeping time in a song, sans melody, always droning on.]
H'oh.
What's the matter? Did somethin' happen?
[It will, it will.]
no subject
His face is completely hidden, but he seems content. ]
You're here.
[ —is all he ends up saying.
You're here, he's here with you. They have each other.
You're something he is going to hold desperately onto since you're nearly all he has left. ]
That is what happened.
no subject
"Only for a little while."
But he is not a cruel man, he is weak, he is a coward. These are not things he can say, he doesn't wish to break his friend's heart so suddenly. The merchant can hear a ringing in his ears because he knows he's taken too much.
And the last reason, the greatest reason of all for his surprisingly tight lips: He wants to savor Zura's happiness, wants to watch how the joy colors his friend's face even in the dim light. Sleep tugs at his slowly drooping eyelids, and he silently savors the way Zura's fingers trace over muscles they really shouldn't touch, muscles that are tired and neglected and useless.
The ones he uses the most, after all, are the ones that help him smile.]
Yeah.
[They are strong too- It's hard to keep smiling, sometimes.]
Seems like it.
no subject
[ Sakamoto will see the very glimpse of a smile when he shifts to press his forehead against Sakamoto's, followed by a light and delicate kiss on his lips. This is your kiss goodnight, and probably your kiss goodbye. He wasn't sure how things will be or how hectic their schedules will be between now and later.
Katsura knows this— whatever this is— isn't going to last long, but he also doesn't let it get the best of him. Instead, he just savors this time with him. He pulls away, finally following the warmth of his smile to break through. ]
Don't forget about me.
[ He says, as if hinting that he is aware Sakamoto will be leaving soon. He pulls his gaze away, shifting back down onto the sheets and resting his head right above Sakamoto's heart, enjoying the melody of it's pattern that beats in his ear. ]
I know you won't.
You never do.
But it's important that you will never, because that is how I feel about you.
[ Even if it's a long time between seeing Sakamoto, he always seemed overjoyed to see Katsura; he knew somebody like Tatsuma could never neglect him and that is what made him happy.
Katsura is one who made a habit of sleeping with his eyes open when he felt unsafe, but with Sakamoto here, he was able to close his eyes. ]
no subject
'Night.
[He utters, hesitantly.
Sakamoto shifts in bed slightly, turning to look at the window. Some of Edo can be seen, as the curtain has yet to be closed. Blue eyes search desperately for some sign of stars, but they are invisible amidst the pollution and the bright, almost sinister, flares of artificial light. They leer and snicker, like a monster born from darkness.
Ah, darkness. The sky and his heart are one tonight.]