The last thing I remember, [ he interrupts, right before Takasugi can finish his sentence, ] is choosing to go home.
[ Rinne presses his words into the man's skin, enough for him to hear the crack in his voice and the way it crumbles in the face of a bitter reality. ]
After everything I taught him, my brother still begged me to come home. The brat came down the mountains, said he'd take me back. He wanted me to succeed our father...
[ Drops of the truth rolls down Takasugi's neck as Rinne scrambles to find the words for it. It isn't fair that Takasugi gives his life to someone who hasn't offered his own in return. Even worse is the way Rinne holds him close like he even deserves this. But at least Takasugi is here of his own volition. Neither friend nor family, but a chance meeting entirely by fate—nothing as binding as blood or birthright.
That's why he can let Takasugi touch him now. That's why he can let him carry a part of this shame. ]
No one thought he could do it. That's the only reason he went after me.
I mean... If someone left you, it's natural that you'd resent him, right?
[ Wait, stop. This was supposed to be a nice and fun shopping trip. He doesn't actually want to hear Takasugi's answer. He's nervous, he's afraid, and he's not meeting his expectations again, so... he starts to loosen his grip on Takasugi's waist. History will continue moving forward. His brother will continue to be without him, and they were only here to fit a jacket, anyway. ]
Sorry. Whenever I talk to you, I get so boring.
Edited (making the references clearer) Date: 2025-06-29 06:52 pm (UTC)
( wash it away. don't dig up those thoughts, shinsaku.
so much stays fugitive on the inside—the memory of his exultant smile and punishing fist. the carnage, the sight of his head in their arms. the whole lot of his useless students tripping over themselves for what they were going to do next. he wants to bite down, but the smell of blood is inconvenient. he wants to curl up, and be miserable at the momentary reminder of it all, but he's done enough of that.
rinne etching his story onto takasugi's skin, though? that's a song he's never heard before. that's someone who needs him. that's right. make this interesting.
so, while this is about him, it isn't about him. it doesn't need to be. )
If someone left me, I'd chase them down, resentment be damned. How do they get off, ditching someone as extraordinary as myself? Not on my watch. But I can't exactly speak for how your darling little brother felt, even if I'd be open to forgiving them as long as they had a solid explanation for me. And if they promised not to have fun without me again. Naturally.
( he pulls back on rinne's palm, lifting it to spin around and face him once more in one hilariously acrobatic motion. he holds rinne's arm up, attempting to gently guide him closer to the curtain behind them. )
But let's cut to the chase and get dressed. I can put it on myself now.
[Rinne smirks. If Takasugi wants to swear his undying loyalty to him, fine. If that's what he wants. But this? This is more interesting.
While Takasugi might be older, Rinne is taller. Stronger. He let Takasugi have his way with him all spring, but the man is no longer the carefree breeze he once was, is he? So he can take it when Rinne, with his mind now sound and clear, grabs him by the hand and finally pushes back.]
Ahh? We're not done talking, though?
[Because when Takasugi talks, Rinne thinks he sees something familiar shining through the cracks. Takasugi isn't his brother, so he can't give him all his answers, but when Rinne asks a question, he gets it right every time.
So Rinne laces their fingers together and pins that hand to the wall, hard. Give him more.]
I'm here telling you about how I gotta keep leaving my cute little brother behind, and now you're here all "me, me, me" like I fuckin' asked. Kyaha! But I guess I did ask, didn't I? Since I'm still in the business of stripping you down, why don't we get a little wild with it, huh?
[Rinne pulls the other kimono sleeve down with a sharp tug. Let him see it all. In his culture, no one is allowed to show skin to one another unless they're related, but as much as Takasugi denies it, to Rinne, he's already—]
You keep talkin' about making things fun for me, but your clingy ass doesn't run away from me like that 'til I touch a nerve. Spill.
Edited (just making this clear...) Date: 2025-06-30 05:43 am (UTC)
Is this why you're always pinning me? Because you're so pent-up?
( he chokes it out, his defense, weak against the desire that sears beneath his skin at having their fingers intertwined.
takasugi tries to make it sound like a warning, but it falls flat when so exposed.
revel in it, then—in his slender shoulders covered in black, clinging neatly against the cool of the wood. in the top that hugs the contour of his chest muscles so tightly, rising and falling with each tense breath. the hair on his neck prickles, but it's not entirely uncomfortable, and that's the issue. being handled like this is exciting, but it's running concurrent with his building upset, goosebumps spreading across his nape for how he much he does and doesn't want to bolt.
instead of baring fangs, takasugi tilts his head away, stubborn. )
You may have left him behind again, but don't kid yourself; he's probably searching for you right now, isn't he? For the way you talk about him all the time, he's just as stubborn as either of us. And you're lucky, to have that. Before I could return to his side, Shouin-sensei, he—
( it's pitiful, this story. why're they talking about this again? he glances at the jacket, abandoned, and then wrenches his eyes shut. against his will, red fur spreads from under the fabric of his collar and up the sides of his neck, crawling like a weed. )
But what good is taking it out on you going to do? Any resentment I carry is going nowhere.
[ Rinne’s breath catches as the corruption crawls up Takasugi’s skin. Once, not long after they first met, Rinne watched his broad back with yearning. The slope of Takasugi’s neck, the careless loop of his hair—so like the women of Rinne’s village, who tied their braids high before gutting deer and skinning hares. Back then, Rinne dreamed of pressing his face into the naked warmth of his nape, breathing him in until sleep came.
Now, he imagines biting down. He wants to press his tongue against the flesh, to draw both heat and the salty flavor of skin into his mouth. When Rinne sees the Natural Soul encroaching upon his territory, he snarls, shoving Takasugi’s hand against the wall as if that will stop it. ]
Don’t let it win.
[ Rinne’s touch finds Takasugi’s waist again, sharp claws and rough fingers tracing the muscles he had forged in his teacher’s name. They brush against the tight hem of his top, right below his chest, and a stray thought about some stupid brat worms its way in again. He grits his teeth and shakes it out. He doesn’t need his filthy desires now. Takasugi will sooner lose himself if he lets these feelings fester. He doesn’t need control. He needs somebody. ]
Just give it to me. All your resentment, all your hate—I deserve it anyway. You’ll finally be doing something that makes sense!
[ More than Takasugi’s devotion. More than Takasugi’s kindness. Resentment—that feels like a logical reaction to Rinne Amagi. A monarch should be able to understand the hearts of men. When Takasugi acts according to his human nature, Rinne can’t help but smile. ]
You just want your dear sensei to give you a fucking medal, right? ‘Cause you’re such a good boy.
[ Since Takasugi is a good boy, Rinne will throw him a bone: ]
You don’t need that.
[ Rinne seizes Takasugi’s wrist to press the back of his hand over Takasugi's own lips. Then he closes his eyes, draws a breath in, and on his palm, gives Takasugi a hard, claiming kiss. ]
it's true that he doesn't need the accolades, however nice they would be to hear. what he wants is out of reach and not even worth speaking, upsetting to the point of being absurd. to voice it out-loud would be clearing the fog that obscures his boundaries. to make it a reality would be revealing the furthest depths of his regret. and as much as he's already placed the burden of trust on him, how could he add to amagi-kun’s burden with what led him to burn it all down with his conviction?
that might be the root of takasugi shinsaku, so tender, but it isn't the root of a heroic spirit.
his blood boils in vexation. his bone structure threatens to shift. he matches rinne's forceful grip with that of his own, as if ready to snap that hand back to his wrist.
but before he can snarl back, the words sitting on his tongue, there are lips to his face, or lips to the front of his hand. takasugi freezes. )
( freezes, and inevitably breaks at the sight of rinne giving it his best effort.
what is he even doing? no one's ever done this to him before.
it sparks something in him nonetheless; the warmth of the kiss that flows through his hand, almost like he's trying to reach takasugi's vulnerability and devour it. his anger dissipates, the corruption that isn't gentle on them in any way stalling for how the encroaching fur settles. there's no way he can stay angry in a situation like this, the leftover ache in his chest just a thing that comes and goes inevitably.
playfully, he presses his own audible little kiss into the other side of his hand, though not as forcefully. )
Is this supposed to be chaste? I bet people back in your world are always telling you how cute you are. And if they aren't, they better start.
( it's all a little muffled by the hand stuck to his face, but he's smiling. don't worry about it. )
I thought you said you weren't going to kiss it better.
[Now it's Rinne's turn to freeze. After all his efforts to get Takasugi to open up, Takasugi is... making fun of him? Red-hot embarrassment floods his face before he can stop it. Ahhhh! Noooo! Don't kiss back like that! He was just trying to make their shopping trip fun, sexy and clean!]
Shut up! [He pulls the hand on his face away, but not the one on the wall.] I was taking pity on you. Faking all those smiles 'cause you can't get kisses... You're worse than Niki!
Edited (keeping track is hard) Date: 2025-06-30 04:37 pm (UTC)
You're not just anyone's idol, Amagi-kun. You're mine. The affection you carve out of the hollow of me is genuine.
( he clenches tight to the hand now trapped in his. )
And that's exactly why, ... I can't let you carry all this leftover spite. I never told you about the timeline I was in before this, did I? Where I wasn't always a "good boy", taking the lives of all the men who stood in the way of my reform. Men who were supposed to live on into the new age. Unless you can explain why I should, I’m not interested. And don’t say it’s just because I have faith in you.
Takasugi's amazing. A monarch like Rinne was never supposed to reveal the depths of his emotions. One word should be enough. Actions should speak for themselves. It's his first time meeting a man who can express his love this freely. The men from his country aren't always like that, but Takasugi tends to be an outlier. Is it because Rinne told him his feelings first? Oh, no. That was Rinne's first mistake — he spoiled Takasugi far too much. But when Takasugi holds onto his hand so firmly, Rinne can't even be sorry for it. Whatever Rinne puts in, Takasugi returns tenfold. That's all he's ever dreamed of.
That's something only his heroes are capable of.
The atrocities Takasugi has committed might be true, but Rinne doesn't care. Rinne looks away, but the touch of his hand on Takasugi's arm remains warm and fond.]
Because it's lonely. Carrying all those feelings for someone you still want to see... If the stars aligned for us to meet, then who else is gonna get it but me?
Edited (no. he should be embarrassed and suffer.) Date: 2025-06-30 06:55 pm (UTC)
it's a cut-open sort of devotion as he caresses rinne's palm, shaped by the want to give and give until he gives out. mel wonders if this connection is manipulative, but takasugi clings to it like he might die without it, where there's no denying the obvious anymore—that he's a lonesome soul. some people can outgrow others, and be more careful about where they plant their roots, but takasugi planted his ages ago. every time he comes to life, they're a part of him, and every time he tries to excise the part of him that hurts. only it's not so easy when that hurt is who you are.
but rinne says it out-loud for him. challenges him when he runs away. if only shouin-sensei were here to see it, that light in his eyes, like a student from the academy. rinne, who is often kinder than the cruelest thing that's ever been done to him.
it's times like these, when they come head-to-head, that takasugi feels a twisted want to take rinne's clumsy heart for his own. to reach beneath the clothing, and all the ugly words and shame, and love him like a soft breeze. but the weight of that, too, would change too much. takasugi already knows what's left of their boundaries, and so he slowly releases their hold, still coming down from the rush of adrenaline, it beating like a slow drum in his chest.
takasugi's careful, softly pushing rinne's hands away so he can finally grab the hanger that's been hanging on the wall, waiting for them to wrap things up. )
Then don't say you deserve it. Say something more poetic, like it's too late to turn me out, and we're bound by the frankness of our souls or something to share in the pain. Then I wouldn't mind saddling you with more of my baggage. After all, I'm supposed to be thinking about you forever, aren't I? And I'm not as lonely as I could be. Mmh. Not when...
(not when i have you, he wants to say. but that's too much. he won't embarrass himself. )
( ... won't embarrass himself, but the thought doesn't quiet the thump of his heart as much as he'd like.
with the long sleeves of his kimono hanging limply at his sides, takasugi patiently works each lean arm into the folds of the sheepskin jacket, stretching until his hands pop effortlessly out of the cuffs. then he adjusts the needed distraction, pulling tight at the frayed edges of the fabric to make sure it's secure.
hmm. he tucks an arm in, holding it up to inspect. shakes it a little. yep, it's on proper. )
Well? Do I look like the spitting image of a biker about to perform an iconic motorcycle slide?
( the patches of fur from his half-shifting itch at the collar, a reminder that he needs to improve his control. )
[On rare occasions like these, Rinne’s laughter is neither boisterous nor fox-like.]
You know Akira but not Alice in Wonderland?
[No judgement, though. Rinne’s been there. He's only pleased that he has an excuse to fix Takasugi's collar. He straightens it with a tug and a soft smile, his gaze lingering on the fur that had nearly taken over his favorite view before it falls to the straps keeping Takasugi’s decency together. Rinne used to do checks like this for Hiiro before he left for his training, then Niki before he went to school or on stage. Like them, Takasugi also trails off in a manner all too familiar, and Rinne just has to wonder exactly what makes others act this way around him. Frustrating, yet so terribly endearing.
Could Takasugi become an enduring fixture in his life, too? The jacket hides his lean limbs well, and Rinne almost forgets the grim future that awaits him. He wants to change it. Old habits resurface. Seeking the soft curls he hasn’t felt in ages, Rinne caresses the nape of Takasugi’s neck. It’s unbecoming of a monarch to encourage behavior so inappropriate, but it has always been Rinne’s nature to lure prey right into his maw.]
Yeah. Lookin' good, Prez. Makes me wanna join your biker gang! Or the Kiheitai, if you’re still recruiting. I don’t wanna go on hiatus, though…
[ He attempts the same soothing gesture that night, at that bar, the patches of fur a strange texture on his fingertips. ]
You’re lucky you stopped it. Coulda torn your kimono all up. Where would you even get a new one?
( takasugi expects the compliments, of course. as if he doesn't and won't look good in most attire.
but it's rinne's genuine laughter and the echo of that touch through his hair that make him feel what he shouldn't. does rinne know he's making it worse for him with how soft it is? probably. definitely. touching someone like this makes your intentions known, after all. takasugi swallows, hoping the growing heat on his furred neck isn't noticeable, as if he can help it. the more things happen, the more it seems like it doesn't take much to get him excited, and embracing one's base desires is surely more enticing thanks to his natural soul—chasing what flees him, lapping up blood like it's nectar.
still, it's tender. takasugi wonders idly, this time without drink, if it's meant just for him.
and thinks, twisted on the inside, about how much he'd really enjoy that. )
I wouldn't, probably. Which means I'd better get this under control before I end up nude in the middle of a street somewhere. I had to get some adjustments to it previously, but I'm a little too attached to change my look entirely. It's iconic, right?
( he says, like that's no problem at all. there's a pink flush to his cheeks as he freely relishes in the attention, doing a little double-handed peace sign. )
But, speaking of the Kiheitai. Maybe we should have a catch-phrase in a similar fashion to the chant I came up with beforehand. You know, a three-part phrase. Something like, "fleeing with your kill, they're still on your trail... yada-yada... 3kon." ( a beat. ) It's a work-in-progress. At any rate, I don't think this is the look. Let's try something else on. Something flashier.
[ Previously? So something like this has happened before? Rinne's always pulling away, turning around before Takasugi can even reject him, and he thinks he might do that today, too. Right now though, after all that's been said and done, running away with his tail between his legs sounds neither poetic nor interesting—nor anything anyone Takasugi would burden would do. But the thought of Takasugi naked is. Rinne draws in a deep breath as he lets his fingers linger on the flesh and fur before smoothing down his shoulders. That's it, he should control himself. Don't let the imprinting take a hold of you, Rinne-kun. Inhale, exhale. No surprises. No sudden movements.
Why is Takasugi being so adorable all of a sudden, anyway? This guy... ]
Nothing in this shop's as cool as your legendary getup, but we'll find something.
[ In a bit, though. It's cute that Takasugi's actually taking this idol business seriously. Maybe he's just putting in the things he likes the way Niki tends to do, but at least he's thinking about it. Good, good. He and Niki should both know the joy of what Rinne loves the most.
Which is why Rinne takes those peace signs into his hands and hums as he considers Takasugi's suggestion. He sways Takasugi's hands gently side to side. ]
"Hot on your trail, you'll weep and wail, gods will prevail, 3kon."
[ A beat. ]
You don't gotta use that. I'm just spitballing. The divine right of kings ain't something I got here, but the concept of an idol's pretty close to a god when you think about it...
[ Hmm. But something about this idea doesn't sit well with him. ]
Edited (just making this clear) Date: 2025-07-02 04:19 pm (UTC)
The divine right of kings, ... huh. But, you're right. It's hard to resist something so tempting.
( especially when it's right there in front of you.
he draws out his words slowly. carefully. there's no helping the saccharine invitation on his tongue anymore at this point, but he can, at least, try to remain himself in the face of rinne's smile.
there's a time to put on pressure, and a time to retreat, and takasugi reflects on what it means to be an idol. close to a god, he says? maybe, as a form of worship. he's encountered the divine and even attempted to recreate them in their magnificence under his control, and their indifference is both a harsh reality and a source of their power. but rinne mentioned that idols bring happiness. at its core, it's a deal more forgiving. )
I can't say it doesn't sound interesting when you put it that way. Maybe that's exactly what this humanity needs right now—something akin to a god, to ease their worries and illuminate their senses. Only better, in that we won't have to go silent without prayer. It doesn't need to be the same. We'll make our own way.
( last time, it ended in abysmal failure.
he lets his hands hang in rinne's, expression distracted, thumbs gently tracing the surface of rinne's hands. )
( then, eyes narrowing with the smile of a deviant: )
On that note, I'm excited to see you shine on a bigger stage. And for what comes next, of course.
( claws graze lightly at the skin of rinne's arm as takasugi lazily brushes past his wrist and onward, lingering purposefully near his elbow.
he pinches the muscle softly for his pulse, and maybe that'll spurn him into action. there's only so long takasugi can stay in this limited space where their bodies might meet, even if he's being a good boy, as rinne put it. )
[Rinne had always hated the beliefs of his village, but he's not much better, is he? Rinne furrows his brows as he struggles. His face glows red-hot. Their teachings and customs are so ingrained in his very being that going against them feels like a sin. A god that would mingle with and sing for the masses... The elders never would have allowed it. But again, Takasugi listens. Again, he's not just willing to break the rules, but change them entirely. His chest starts to hurt once more, and the more Rinne listens to this strange ache, he discovers how his heart has been skipping beats. It has been skipping beats for a long, long while.
Rinne opens his mouth to say something about taking on his burdens—another thing a god would do—but Takasugi's touch draws circles on his skin, lines up his arm, and when he pinches the tender spot there, Rinne gasps. Whatever Rinne had meant to ask about Takasugi's clothes catches in his throat and melts in the space between them. It's not that he hasn't gotten this sort of attention. He's usually much better at stopping it. But Takasugi said he was Rinne's, and back in that damned village, he was only ever allowed to own but one certain thing.
One certain person.]
Mm. Me too.
[But he says it so quietly, he hopes that Takasugi won't hear it. He will, though.]
... Does it have to hurt?
[What Takasugi said about piercings is still on Rinne's mind. He doesn't agree, not entirely. Takasugi goes through enough on his own. Besides, how would they even do it? He takes one tentative step forward, then another. Then, he takes the leather jacket off before finding Takasugi's narrow waist and meeting the jut of Takasugi's hips with his. The shape there is solid, certain and hot.]
( but the smile tugging mischievously on his lips stops once they're flush together, the swell of rinne's chest pressing against him. and the swell of something else.
the steady beat of his heart grows faster. he can change positions, and quit playing, but rinne's body is honest. takasugi doesn't have to guess what it means, his own excitement starting to pulse to life in response beneath his skin. he tries to think on the question being asked, but the thoughts are hazy, starting to melt together with the clear realization that rinne is burning in all his immaturity for this, and he doesn't mind it in the least. saliva catches in his throat, suddenly dry, that pulse point beneath his fingers all but forgotten.
still. does what hurt? their push-and-pull? the way their imprint wrenches feelings hidden to the surface? maybe something related to the group? or even...
that? but, that doesn't have to hurt. not at all.
takasugi stalls, feeling the heated impression on him freely, and honestly, it's bigger than he thought it would be. he tries to say something shameless, but he can't string it together when all his cool ideas are being wedged out of the way by shameless desire. he draws that hand on rinne's elbow down, clutching at his wider hips with both hands to draw him in even closer. to squeeze them flat against each other and feel the heat of their arousal connecting through the fabric. to rock his shoulders in against rinne's own, still bare without a jacket to cover them.
there's a sound of someone rustling the fabric in a nearby stall, but that doesn't matter. if anything, the danger only rouses him further as stares down, hovering his fingertips dangerously close to the crease of rinne's length. )
... Weren't we going to share in our pain, Amagi-kun? Mmh. It doesn't have to. But to let go, you first need to push yourself to the edge.
( he totally thinks rinne's talking about something else. but it's fine. )
Edited (to be less direct) Date: 2025-07-03 03:02 pm (UTC)
[ Let go? Of what? These inhibitions holding the last of Rinne's sanity together? This is so much different from the last night they were this close. At least he couldn't feel where Takasugi's body began and ended. At least they were alone.
In the quiet space between them, he can hear his heart pounding in his ears. Keeping it steady was easier before he knew the weight of what they were doing and what Takasugi wanted to put in his hands. It's strange, though. Takasugi would neither hide nor keep himself away from whatever he desired. He would never keep Rinne blind to anything Rinne needed to know. The emptiness Rinne is feeling, then, isn't a lack of affection.
It's something more dreadfully familiar. ]
... Is that what you're into?
[ It's an attempt at a joke, but the moment it leaves Rinne's lips, it doesn't sound that funny. He can't lie. He wants to know. He wants to be closer. Above all else, he wants to be gentle. ]
[ But being gentle doesn't always give him what he wants.
Sharing in their pain, was it? Then they should share in their pleasure, too. Rinne's fingers skim the man's slender waist, ghosting up the muscles tight across his stomach, his chest. He's wrestled with Hiiro and Niki enough to know where men are weak. ]
That what happens when you shift 'til your clothes rip?
[ Like a fox on a hare, Rinne strikes.
He traps him with the pressure on his hips, enough to crush him until a sweeter feeling ignites between their thighs. Claws dig into the fabric taut across Takasugi's back to keep him there. Their bangs brush against each other like flame touching flame as Rinne watches his broad chest push against Takasugi's with each heavy breath. No room for escape, no moment of hesitation. It's an unfair trick. It's nothing he should do to a hero. The other soul inside him revels so much in this shamelessness, Rinne has to laugh. But at least Rinne has Takasugi this close. ]
( he almost stumbles on his feet, rooted in place with hands that have tried to rip him raw as much as they've offered support. hands with sharp edges that he's held time and again thus far, to ease and to invite. rinne gathers to him and goes looking for answers, and it gets worse. this obsession of his is getting terrifyingly worse, like every touch is fingertips against his soulplace.
will he remember the way rinne breathes into him past this world? will he remember what compels him, what brings them closer?
it's his turn to try and stifle a noise in the back of his throat. an unbecoming little groan as he tucks in his chin. the pressure rises, and the delight with it, and it's unnerving how badly he want to shove him off, to squirm free and tend to himself. but it's just as enticing to stay caught in rinne's web, face hot with the frustration of this obvious denial. )
... I suppose, it's something like that. Not that I'm keen to admit it. Should I confess that I'm struggling to keep it down, with... how intensely we experience all these new sensations lately? Someone offered to put me out of my misery recently, funny enough, not too long before that night at the bar. I get overwhelmed, especially when it comes to things that really catch my interest. The way I feel about this world. The way I feel about Shouin-sensei. And—
( he digs his claws into the fabric of rinne's back, scratching. marking. )
The way I feel about you.
Edited (a little more pathetic) Date: 2025-07-03 06:44 pm (UTC)
[ Rinne hisses at the pain that rakes at his skin. He doesn't fight it. He thought Takasugi must have been hiding something grander. An enemy perhaps, or mission to exterminate an evil force greater than himself. He's worldly enough not to have the delusions of a simple child, but Takasugi spoke of so little, and Rinne never pressed, and they were having so much fun that he never had the courage to ask. Whatever burden Rinne wanted to carry, Takasugi was very good at hiding that.
The people he loves are all like that. ]
You've been suffering... because of me?
[ Rinne's body is rigid as it wars with his mind, heat blooming in all the right places as it screams wrong, wrong, wrong. Wherever Rinne goes, this is all his love will ever bring. This is why he felt that way in the forest. This is why he should have kept his distance. He should shove Takasugi out, say something hateful, and slam the door before he can follow. But he can't leave Takasugi here. Not when he can't be understood by anyone else. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2025-06-29 06:33 pm (UTC)[ Rinne presses his words into the man's skin, enough for him to hear the crack in his voice and the way it crumbles in the face of a bitter reality. ]
After everything I taught him, my brother still begged me to come home. The brat came down the mountains, said he'd take me back. He wanted me to succeed our father...
[ Drops of the truth rolls down Takasugi's neck as Rinne scrambles to find the words for it. It isn't fair that Takasugi gives his life to someone who hasn't offered his own in return. Even worse is the way Rinne holds him close like he even deserves this. But at least Takasugi is here of his own volition. Neither friend nor family, but a chance meeting entirely by fate—nothing as binding as blood or birthright.
That's why he can let Takasugi touch him now. That's why he can let him carry a part of this shame. ]
No one thought he could do it. That's the only reason he went after me.
I mean... If someone left you, it's natural that you'd resent him, right?
[ Wait, stop. This was supposed to be a nice and fun shopping trip. He doesn't actually want to hear Takasugi's answer. He's nervous, he's afraid, and he's not meeting his expectations again, so... he starts to loosen his grip on Takasugi's waist. History will continue moving forward. His brother will continue to be without him, and they were only here to fit a jacket, anyway. ]
Sorry. Whenever I talk to you, I get so boring.
( 1 / 2 )
Date: 2025-06-29 07:33 pm (UTC)takasugi pauses, throat tight for all the things he never gave a decent burial to, and for all the things he's feeling right now.
"resent? i hardly had time to grieve, much less deal with that."
"someone recognized your worth. several someone's."
"at least you were reunited."
they hold tight on a string about to be plucked, these old impressions and new ones, stirring and coiling dangerously in his chest like a snake. )
( 2 / 2 )
Date: 2025-06-29 08:12 pm (UTC)( wash it away. don't dig up those thoughts, shinsaku.
so much stays fugitive on the inside—the memory of his exultant smile and punishing fist. the carnage, the sight of his head in their arms. the whole lot of his useless students tripping over themselves for what they were going to do next. he wants to bite down, but the smell of blood is inconvenient. he wants to curl up, and be miserable at the momentary reminder of it all, but he's done enough of that.
rinne etching his story onto takasugi's skin, though? that's a song he's never heard before. that's someone who needs him. that's right. make this interesting.
so, while this is about him, it isn't about him. it doesn't need to be. )
If someone left me, I'd chase them down, resentment be damned. How do they get off, ditching someone as extraordinary as myself? Not on my watch. But I can't exactly speak for how your darling little brother felt, even if I'd be open to forgiving them as long as they had a solid explanation for me. And if they promised not to have fun without me again. Naturally.
( he pulls back on rinne's palm, lifting it to spin around and face him once more in one hilariously acrobatic motion. he holds rinne's arm up, attempting to gently guide him closer to the curtain behind them. )
But let's cut to the chase and get dressed. I can put it on myself now.
no subject
Date: 2025-06-29 09:05 pm (UTC)While Takasugi might be older, Rinne is taller. Stronger. He let Takasugi have his way with him all spring, but the man is no longer the carefree breeze he once was, is he? So he can take it when Rinne, with his mind now sound and clear, grabs him by the hand and finally pushes back.]
Ahh? We're not done talking, though?
[Because when Takasugi talks, Rinne thinks he sees something familiar shining through the cracks. Takasugi isn't his brother, so he can't give him all his answers, but when Rinne asks a question, he gets it right every time.
So Rinne laces their fingers together and pins that hand to the wall, hard. Give him more.]
I'm here telling you about how I gotta keep leaving my cute little brother behind, and now you're here all "me, me, me" like I fuckin' asked. Kyaha! But I guess I did ask, didn't I? Since I'm still in the business of stripping you down, why don't we get a little wild with it, huh?
[Rinne pulls the other kimono sleeve down with a sharp tug. Let him see it all. In his culture, no one is allowed to show skin to one another unless they're related, but as much as Takasugi denies it, to Rinne, he's already—]
You keep talkin' about making things fun for me, but your clingy ass doesn't run away from me like that 'til I touch a nerve. Spill.
no subject
Date: 2025-06-30 05:52 am (UTC)( he chokes it out, his defense, weak against the desire that sears beneath his skin at having their fingers intertwined.
takasugi tries to make it sound like a warning, but it falls flat when so exposed.
revel in it, then—in his slender shoulders covered in black, clinging neatly against the cool of the wood. in the top that hugs the contour of his chest muscles so tightly, rising and falling with each tense breath. the hair on his neck prickles, but it's not entirely uncomfortable, and that's the issue. being handled like this is exciting, but it's running concurrent with his building upset, goosebumps spreading across his nape for how he much he does and doesn't want to bolt.
instead of baring fangs, takasugi tilts his head away, stubborn. )
You may have left him behind again, but don't kid yourself; he's probably searching for you right now, isn't he? For the way you talk about him all the time, he's just as stubborn as either of us. And you're lucky, to have that. Before I could return to his side, Shouin-sensei, he—
( it's pitiful, this story. why're they talking about this again? he glances at the jacket, abandoned, and then wrenches his eyes shut. against his will, red fur spreads from under the fabric of his collar and up the sides of his neck, crawling like a weed. )
But what good is taking it out on you going to do? Any resentment I carry is going nowhere.
no subject
Date: 2025-06-30 02:14 pm (UTC)Now, he imagines biting down. He wants to press his tongue against the flesh, to draw both heat and the salty flavor of skin into his mouth. When Rinne sees the Natural Soul encroaching upon his territory, he snarls, shoving Takasugi’s hand against the wall as if that will stop it. ]
Don’t let it win.
[ Rinne’s touch finds Takasugi’s waist again, sharp claws and rough fingers tracing the muscles he had forged in his teacher’s name. They brush against the tight hem of his top, right below his chest, and a stray thought about some stupid brat worms its way in again. He grits his teeth and shakes it out. He doesn’t need his filthy desires now. Takasugi will sooner lose himself if he lets these feelings fester. He doesn’t need control. He needs somebody. ]
Just give it to me. All your resentment, all your hate—I deserve it anyway. You’ll finally be doing something that makes sense!
[ More than Takasugi’s devotion. More than Takasugi’s kindness. Resentment—that feels like a logical reaction to Rinne Amagi. A monarch should be able to understand the hearts of men. When Takasugi acts according to his human nature, Rinne can’t help but smile. ]
You just want your dear sensei to give you a fucking medal, right? ‘Cause you’re such a good boy.
[ Since Takasugi is a good boy, Rinne will throw him a bone: ]
You don’t need that.
[ Rinne seizes Takasugi’s wrist to press the back of his hand over Takasugi's own lips. Then he closes his eyes, draws a breath in, and on his palm, gives Takasugi a hard, claiming kiss. ]
( 1 / 2 )
Date: 2025-06-30 03:50 pm (UTC)it's true that he doesn't need the accolades, however nice they would be to hear. what he wants is out of reach and not even worth speaking, upsetting to the point of being absurd. to voice it out-loud would be clearing the fog that obscures his boundaries. to make it a reality would be revealing the furthest depths of his regret. and as much as he's already placed the burden of trust on him, how could he add to amagi-kun’s burden with what led him to burn it all down with his conviction?
that might be the root of takasugi shinsaku, so tender, but it isn't the root of a heroic spirit.
his blood boils in vexation. his bone structure threatens to shift. he matches rinne's forceful grip with that of his own, as if ready to snap that hand back to his wrist.
but before he can snarl back, the words sitting on his tongue, there are lips to his face, or lips to the front of his hand. takasugi freezes. )
( 2 / 2 )
Date: 2025-06-30 04:08 pm (UTC)what is he even doing? no one's ever done this to him before.
it sparks something in him nonetheless; the warmth of the kiss that flows through his hand, almost like he's trying to reach takasugi's vulnerability and devour it. his anger dissipates, the corruption that isn't gentle on them in any way stalling for how the encroaching fur settles. there's no way he can stay angry in a situation like this, the leftover ache in his chest just a thing that comes and goes inevitably.
playfully, he presses his own audible little kiss into the other side of his hand, though not as forcefully. )
Is this supposed to be chaste? I bet people back in your world are always telling you how cute you are. And if they aren't, they better start.
( it's all a little muffled by the hand stuck to his face, but he's smiling. don't worry about it. )
I thought you said you weren't going to kiss it better.
no subject
Date: 2025-06-30 04:29 pm (UTC)Shut up! [He pulls the hand on his face away, but not the one on the wall.] I was taking pity on you. Faking all those smiles 'cause you can't get kisses... You're worse than Niki!
no subject
Date: 2025-06-30 04:58 pm (UTC)( rude. )
You're not just anyone's idol, Amagi-kun. You're mine. The affection you carve out of the hollow of me is genuine.
( he clenches tight to the hand now trapped in his. )
And that's exactly why, ... I can't let you carry all this leftover spite. I never told you about the timeline I was in before this, did I? Where I wasn't always a "good boy", taking the lives of all the men who stood in the way of my reform. Men who were supposed to live on into the new age. Unless you can explain why I should, I’m not interested. And don’t say it’s just because I have faith in you.
no subject
Date: 2025-06-30 06:12 pm (UTC)Takasugi's amazing. A monarch like Rinne was never supposed to reveal the depths of his emotions. One word should be enough. Actions should speak for themselves. It's his first time meeting a man who can express his love this freely. The men from his country aren't always like that, but Takasugi tends to be an outlier. Is it because Rinne told him his feelings first? Oh, no. That was Rinne's first mistake — he spoiled Takasugi far too much. But when Takasugi holds onto his hand so firmly, Rinne can't even be sorry for it. Whatever Rinne puts in, Takasugi returns tenfold. That's all he's ever dreamed of.
That's something only his heroes are capable of.
The atrocities Takasugi has committed might be true, but Rinne doesn't care. Rinne looks away, but the touch of his hand on Takasugi's arm remains warm and fond.]
Because it's lonely. Carrying all those feelings for someone you still want to see... If the stars aligned for us to meet, then who else is gonna get it but me?
( 1 / 2 )
Date: 2025-07-01 02:57 am (UTC)it's a cut-open sort of devotion as he caresses rinne's palm, shaped by the want to give and give until he gives out. mel wonders if this connection is manipulative, but takasugi clings to it like he might die without it, where there's no denying the obvious anymore—that he's a lonesome soul. some people can outgrow others, and be more careful about where they plant their roots, but takasugi planted his ages ago. every time he comes to life, they're a part of him, and every time he tries to excise the part of him that hurts. only it's not so easy when that hurt is who you are.
but rinne says it out-loud for him. challenges him when he runs away. if only shouin-sensei were here to see it, that light in his eyes, like a student from the academy. rinne, who is often kinder than the cruelest thing that's ever been done to him.
it's times like these, when they come head-to-head, that takasugi feels a twisted want to take rinne's clumsy heart for his own. to reach beneath the clothing, and all the ugly words and shame, and love him like a soft breeze. but the weight of that, too, would change too much. takasugi already knows what's left of their boundaries, and so he slowly releases their hold, still coming down from the rush of adrenaline, it beating like a slow drum in his chest.
takasugi's careful, softly pushing rinne's hands away so he can finally grab the hanger that's been hanging on the wall, waiting for them to wrap things up. )
Then don't say you deserve it. Say something more poetic, like it's too late to turn me out, and we're bound by the frankness of our souls or something to share in the pain. Then I wouldn't mind saddling you with more of my baggage. After all, I'm supposed to be thinking about you forever, aren't I? And I'm not as lonely as I could be. Mmh. Not when...
( not when i have you, he wants to say. but that's too much. he won't embarrass himself. )
( 2 / 2 )
Date: 2025-07-01 03:12 am (UTC)with the long sleeves of his kimono hanging limply at his sides, takasugi patiently works each lean arm into the folds of the sheepskin jacket, stretching until his hands pop effortlessly out of the cuffs. then he adjusts the needed distraction, pulling tight at the frayed edges of the fabric to make sure it's secure.
hmm. he tucks an arm in, holding it up to inspect. shakes it a little. yep, it's on proper. )
Well? Do I look like the spitting image of a biker about to perform an iconic motorcycle slide?
( the patches of fur from his half-shifting itch at the collar, a reminder that he needs to improve his control. )
no subject
Date: 2025-07-01 04:35 pm (UTC)You know Akira but not Alice in Wonderland?
[No judgement, though. Rinne’s been there. He's only pleased that he has an excuse to fix Takasugi's collar. He straightens it with a tug and a soft smile, his gaze lingering on the fur that had nearly taken over his favorite view before it falls to the straps keeping Takasugi’s decency together. Rinne used to do checks like this for Hiiro before he left for his training, then Niki before he went to school or on stage. Like them, Takasugi also trails off in a manner all too familiar, and Rinne just has to wonder exactly what makes others act this way around him. Frustrating, yet so terribly endearing.
Could Takasugi become an enduring fixture in his life, too? The jacket hides his lean limbs well, and Rinne almost forgets the grim future that awaits him. He wants to change it. Old habits resurface. Seeking the soft curls he hasn’t felt in ages, Rinne caresses the nape of Takasugi’s neck. It’s unbecoming of a monarch to encourage behavior so inappropriate, but it has always been Rinne’s nature to lure prey right into his maw.]
Yeah. Lookin' good, Prez. Makes me wanna join your biker gang! Or the Kiheitai, if you’re still recruiting. I don’t wanna go on hiatus, though…
[ He attempts the same soothing gesture that night, at that bar, the patches of fur a strange texture on his fingertips. ]
You’re lucky you stopped it. Coulda torn your kimono all up. Where would you even get a new one?
no subject
Date: 2025-07-01 11:34 pm (UTC)but it's rinne's genuine laughter and the echo of that touch through his hair that make him feel what he shouldn't. does rinne know he's making it worse for him with how soft it is? probably. definitely. touching someone like this makes your intentions known, after all. takasugi swallows, hoping the growing heat on his furred neck isn't noticeable, as if he can help it. the more things happen, the more it seems like it doesn't take much to get him excited, and embracing one's base desires is surely more enticing thanks to his natural soul—chasing what flees him, lapping up blood like it's nectar.
still, it's tender. takasugi wonders idly, this time without drink, if it's meant just for him.
and thinks, twisted on the inside, about how much he'd really enjoy that. )
I wouldn't, probably. Which means I'd better get this under control before I end up nude in the middle of a street somewhere. I had to get some adjustments to it previously, but I'm a little too attached to change my look entirely. It's iconic, right?
( he says, like that's no problem at all. there's a pink flush to his cheeks as he freely relishes in the attention, doing a little double-handed peace sign. )
But, speaking of the Kiheitai. Maybe we should have a catch-phrase in a similar fashion to the chant I came up with beforehand. You know, a three-part phrase. Something like, "fleeing with your kill, they're still on your trail... yada-yada... 3kon." ( a beat. ) It's a work-in-progress. At any rate, I don't think this is the look. Let's try something else on. Something flashier.
1/2
Date: 2025-07-02 03:11 pm (UTC)Why is Takasugi being so adorable all of a sudden, anyway? This guy... ]
Nothing in this shop's as cool as your legendary getup, but we'll find something.
[ In a bit, though. It's cute that Takasugi's actually taking this idol business seriously. Maybe he's just putting in the things he likes the way Niki tends to do, but at least he's thinking about it. Good, good. He and Niki should both know the joy of what Rinne loves the most.
Which is why Rinne takes those peace signs into his hands and hums as he considers Takasugi's suggestion. He sways Takasugi's hands gently side to side. ]
"Hot on your trail, you'll weep and wail, gods will prevail, 3kon."
[ A beat. ]
You don't gotta use that. I'm just spitballing. The divine right of kings ain't something I got here, but the concept of an idol's pretty close to a god when you think about it...
[ Hmm. But something about this idea doesn't sit well with him. ]
2/2
Date: 2025-07-02 03:18 pm (UTC)But people can't resist playing with foxes, can they? Even when they're gods.
( 1 / 2 )
Date: 2025-07-03 03:58 am (UTC)( especially when it's right there in front of you.
he draws out his words slowly. carefully. there's no helping the saccharine invitation on his tongue anymore at this point, but he can, at least, try to remain himself in the face of rinne's smile.
there's a time to put on pressure, and a time to retreat, and takasugi reflects on what it means to be an idol. close to a god, he says? maybe, as a form of worship. he's encountered the divine and even attempted to recreate them in their magnificence under his control, and their indifference is both a harsh reality and a source of their power. but rinne mentioned that idols bring happiness. at its core, it's a deal more forgiving. )
I can't say it doesn't sound interesting when you put it that way. Maybe that's exactly what this humanity needs right now—something akin to a god, to ease their worries and illuminate their senses. Only better, in that we won't have to go silent without prayer. It doesn't need to be the same. We'll make our own way.
( last time, it ended in abysmal failure.
he lets his hands hang in rinne's, expression distracted, thumbs gently tracing the surface of rinne's hands. )
( 2 / 2 )
Date: 2025-07-03 04:12 am (UTC)On that note, I'm excited to see you shine on a bigger stage. And for what comes next, of course.
( claws graze lightly at the skin of rinne's arm as takasugi lazily brushes past his wrist and onward, lingering purposefully near his elbow.
he pinches the muscle softly for his pulse, and maybe that'll spurn him into action. there's only so long takasugi can stay in this limited space where their bodies might meet, even if he's being a good boy, as rinne put it. )
no subject
Date: 2025-07-03 05:33 am (UTC)[Rinne had always hated the beliefs of his village, but he's not much better, is he? Rinne furrows his brows as he struggles. His face glows red-hot. Their teachings and customs are so ingrained in his very being that going against them feels like a sin. A god that would mingle with and sing for the masses... The elders never would have allowed it. But again, Takasugi listens. Again, he's not just willing to break the rules, but change them entirely. His chest starts to hurt once more, and the more Rinne listens to this strange ache, he discovers how his heart has been skipping beats. It has been skipping beats for a long, long while.
Rinne opens his mouth to say something about taking on his burdens—another thing a god would do—but Takasugi's touch draws circles on his skin, lines up his arm, and when he pinches the tender spot there, Rinne gasps. Whatever Rinne had meant to ask about Takasugi's clothes catches in his throat and melts in the space between them. It's not that he hasn't gotten this sort of attention. He's usually much better at stopping it. But Takasugi said he was Rinne's, and back in that damned village, he was only ever allowed to own but one certain thing.
One certain person.]
Mm. Me too.
[But he says it so quietly, he hopes that Takasugi won't hear it. He will, though.]
... Does it have to hurt?
[What Takasugi said about piercings is still on Rinne's mind. He doesn't agree, not entirely. Takasugi goes through enough on his own. Besides, how would they even do it? He takes one tentative step forward, then another. Then, he takes the leather jacket off before finding Takasugi's narrow waist and meeting the jut of Takasugi's hips with his. The shape there is solid, certain and hot.]
no subject
Date: 2025-07-03 01:57 pm (UTC)( but the smile tugging mischievously on his lips stops once they're flush together, the swell of rinne's chest pressing against him. and the swell of something else.
the steady beat of his heart grows faster. he can change positions, and quit playing, but rinne's body is honest. takasugi doesn't have to guess what it means, his own excitement starting to pulse to life in response beneath his skin. he tries to think on the question being asked, but the thoughts are hazy, starting to melt together with the clear realization that rinne is burning in all his immaturity for this, and he doesn't mind it in the least. saliva catches in his throat, suddenly dry, that pulse point beneath his fingers all but forgotten.
still. does what hurt? their push-and-pull? the way their imprint wrenches feelings hidden to the surface? maybe something related to the group? or even...
that? but, that doesn't have to hurt. not at all.
takasugi stalls, feeling the heated impression on him freely, and honestly, it's bigger than he thought it would be. he tries to say something shameless, but he can't string it together when all his cool ideas are being wedged out of the way by shameless desire. he draws that hand on rinne's elbow down, clutching at his wider hips with both hands to draw him in even closer. to squeeze them flat against each other and feel the heat of their arousal connecting through the fabric. to rock his shoulders in against rinne's own, still bare without a jacket to cover them.
there's a sound of someone rustling the fabric in a nearby stall, but that doesn't matter. if anything, the danger only rouses him further as stares down, hovering his fingertips dangerously close to the crease of rinne's length. )
... Weren't we going to share in our pain, Amagi-kun? Mmh. It doesn't have to. But to let go, you first need to push yourself to the edge.
( he totally thinks rinne's talking about something else. but it's fine. )
1/2
Date: 2025-07-03 04:46 pm (UTC)In the quiet space between them, he can hear his heart pounding in his ears. Keeping it steady was easier before he knew the weight of what they were doing and what Takasugi wanted to put in his hands. It's strange, though. Takasugi would neither hide nor keep himself away from whatever he desired. He would never keep Rinne blind to anything Rinne needed to know. The emptiness Rinne is feeling, then, isn't a lack of affection.
It's something more dreadfully familiar. ]
... Is that what you're into?
[ It's an attempt at a joke, but the moment it leaves Rinne's lips, it doesn't sound that funny. He can't lie. He wants to know. He wants to be closer. Above all else, he wants to be gentle. ]
2/2
Date: 2025-07-03 05:20 pm (UTC)Sharing in their pain, was it? Then they should share in their pleasure, too. Rinne's fingers skim the man's slender waist, ghosting up the muscles tight across his stomach, his chest. He's wrestled with Hiiro and Niki enough to know where men are weak. ]
That what happens when you shift 'til your clothes rip?
[ Like a fox on a hare, Rinne strikes.
He traps him with the pressure on his hips, enough to crush him until a sweeter feeling ignites between their thighs. Claws dig into the fabric taut across Takasugi's back to keep him there. Their bangs brush against each other like flame touching flame as Rinne watches his broad chest push against Takasugi's with each heavy breath. No room for escape, no moment of hesitation. It's an unfair trick. It's nothing he should do to a hero. The other soul inside him revels so much in this shamelessness, Rinne has to laugh. But at least Rinne has Takasugi this close. ]
no subject
Date: 2025-07-03 06:11 pm (UTC)( he almost stumbles on his feet, rooted in place with hands that have tried to rip him raw as much as they've offered support. hands with sharp edges that he's held time and again thus far, to ease and to invite. rinne gathers to him and goes looking for answers, and it gets worse. this obsession of his is getting terrifyingly worse, like every touch is fingertips against his soulplace.
will he remember the way rinne breathes into him past this world? will he remember what compels him, what brings them closer?
it's his turn to try and stifle a noise in the back of his throat. an unbecoming little groan as he tucks in his chin. the pressure rises, and the delight with it, and it's unnerving how badly he want to shove him off, to squirm free and tend to himself. but it's just as enticing to stay caught in rinne's web, face hot with the frustration of this obvious denial. )
... I suppose, it's something like that. Not that I'm keen to admit it. Should I confess that I'm struggling to keep it down, with... how intensely we experience all these new sensations lately? Someone offered to put me out of my misery recently, funny enough, not too long before that night at the bar. I get overwhelmed, especially when it comes to things that really catch my interest. The way I feel about this world. The way I feel about Shouin-sensei. And—
( he digs his claws into the fabric of rinne's back, scratching. marking. )
The way I feel about you.
1/2
Date: 2025-07-03 07:29 pm (UTC)The people he loves are all like that. ]
You've been suffering... because of me?
[ Rinne's body is rigid as it wars with his mind, heat blooming in all the right places as it screams wrong, wrong, wrong. Wherever Rinne goes, this is all his love will ever bring. This is why he felt that way in the forest. This is why he should have kept his distance. He should shove Takasugi out, say something hateful, and slam the door before he can follow. But he can't leave Takasugi here. Not when he can't be understood by anyone else. ]
2/2
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:cw: incest vibes but i've been at this for a while now, so
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:1/2
From:2/2
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:🎀
From: