For Helcatari - Happy Winter Holidays
Title: Confusion is Nothing New
Author: dusk_eyed
Fandom: Mirage of Blaze
Warnings: Er. None, unless you count my concern over characterization.
Rating: PG
Author's Notes: This too sprang from my drabble offer a few weeks ago and would have been posted sooner had my internet not decided to have itself a wank session. The original prompt can be found there. Mirage of Blaze is one of those fandoms where I think everything is going to be a little AU because what a lot of us know about the story comes from the anime or from a little manga or from a tiny bit of the some 20 novels. I recently learned some things about the 20th novel that probably makes this definitely au but hopefully it's enjoyable anyway.
It was dark. It always seemed to be dark any longer when Naoe and Kagetora met. There was a dimness about the whole world through which they moved so that the daylight seemed distant and dim as if seen through dark glass. Kagetora wasn't sure how much longer he could continue this way, stretched between the requirements of living Takaya's life and the importance of the seemingly eternal battle.
His only relief these days was the sense of speed he obtained from the back of Takaya's motorcycle. That, and something that was beginning to be an obsession. Naoe kept pushing and Kagetora pushed back but lately, he was starting to wonder if there was any point to that.
Every time, he felt himself closer to Naoe, closer to something he only half understood that he wanted.
Seated as he was on the park bench, he tilted his head to look at Naoe through the veil of his lashes. Had he always felt the other's magnetism like a force that pulled him forward? Did his fingers always burn to touch Naoe? Did he always find himself thinking about the feel of Naoe's lips? He didn't know, couldn't know, but now he felt that draw and unconsciously licked his own lips in the effort to dispel the sensations.
Naoe turned to look at him and Kagetora avoided his eyes, unsure what might be seen in his own. Around Naoe, he walked a tight rope without a net, a blazing fire waiting to consume him if he should fall.
"What's wrong?" Naoe finally asked.
"Nothing," Kagetora answered, his voice rougher than he wished it to be and to his own ears sounding absurdly young. That was another thing he disliked, this knowledge that he was currently far too young to deal well with Naoe.
He kept watch straight ahead, but he knew without looking that Naoe was studying. He'd never met anyone capable of such a thorough examination without so much as a fingertip's touch. Kagetora concentrated with a flash of irritation on not showing that he was aware of the study.
"Something is," Naoe insisted, his voice low but still sharp as a knife in the darkness.
"Be quiet!" Kagetora hissed and then could have slapped himself for revealing his weakness so thoroughly.
Naoe bit off a curse, too quiet to be understood. He said nothing, the set of his shoulders defining his level of offense.
"I don't wish to be studied by you," Kagetora whispered vehemently. "I am not a lab rat!"
There was silence, fraught with resentment and irritated obedience.
That angered Kagetora even more, and he acknowledged to himself that he wasn't making much sense. He couldn't bring himself to apologize though, his pride and his resistance to the draw between himself and Naoe wouldn't let him.
He sighed instead. Then, tentatively, he did something he couldn't remember ever doing before. Kagetora reached out slowly and stroked his fingers through Naoe's hair. The other man went even more still, brittle with expectation, with needs that Kagetora felt that he could barely give names to.
"I'm in charge," he said clearly, though he couldn't see Naoe's eyes to tell him whether he was about to find himself attacked.
Feeling his way, Kagetora shifted until he leaned into Naoe's body. He wasn't sure what he wanted, wasn't sure where he was going but it seemed as though not touching Naoe was much too difficult. The other man went still until Kagetora could not hear him even breathe and he tugged lightly at Naoe's hair.
"Breathe," he urged. The word wasn't an order on his tongue, but it was a demand.
Naoe did and gradually, his arms stole around Kagetora. Kagetora let out a deep sigh. Perhaps this...whatever it was...wouldn't last forever. But it would last a little while. He tilted his head and watched the sun's glow begin to break over the broken line of the horizon. He wasn't cold any longer.
Author: dusk_eyed
Fandom: Mirage of Blaze
Warnings: Er. None, unless you count my concern over characterization.
Rating: PG
Author's Notes: This too sprang from my drabble offer a few weeks ago and would have been posted sooner had my internet not decided to have itself a wank session. The original prompt can be found there. Mirage of Blaze is one of those fandoms where I think everything is going to be a little AU because what a lot of us know about the story comes from the anime or from a little manga or from a tiny bit of the some 20 novels. I recently learned some things about the 20th novel that probably makes this definitely au but hopefully it's enjoyable anyway.
It was dark. It always seemed to be dark any longer when Naoe and Kagetora met. There was a dimness about the whole world through which they moved so that the daylight seemed distant and dim as if seen through dark glass. Kagetora wasn't sure how much longer he could continue this way, stretched between the requirements of living Takaya's life and the importance of the seemingly eternal battle.
His only relief these days was the sense of speed he obtained from the back of Takaya's motorcycle. That, and something that was beginning to be an obsession. Naoe kept pushing and Kagetora pushed back but lately, he was starting to wonder if there was any point to that.
Every time, he felt himself closer to Naoe, closer to something he only half understood that he wanted.
Seated as he was on the park bench, he tilted his head to look at Naoe through the veil of his lashes. Had he always felt the other's magnetism like a force that pulled him forward? Did his fingers always burn to touch Naoe? Did he always find himself thinking about the feel of Naoe's lips? He didn't know, couldn't know, but now he felt that draw and unconsciously licked his own lips in the effort to dispel the sensations.
Naoe turned to look at him and Kagetora avoided his eyes, unsure what might be seen in his own. Around Naoe, he walked a tight rope without a net, a blazing fire waiting to consume him if he should fall.
"What's wrong?" Naoe finally asked.
"Nothing," Kagetora answered, his voice rougher than he wished it to be and to his own ears sounding absurdly young. That was another thing he disliked, this knowledge that he was currently far too young to deal well with Naoe.
He kept watch straight ahead, but he knew without looking that Naoe was studying. He'd never met anyone capable of such a thorough examination without so much as a fingertip's touch. Kagetora concentrated with a flash of irritation on not showing that he was aware of the study.
"Something is," Naoe insisted, his voice low but still sharp as a knife in the darkness.
"Be quiet!" Kagetora hissed and then could have slapped himself for revealing his weakness so thoroughly.
Naoe bit off a curse, too quiet to be understood. He said nothing, the set of his shoulders defining his level of offense.
"I don't wish to be studied by you," Kagetora whispered vehemently. "I am not a lab rat!"
There was silence, fraught with resentment and irritated obedience.
That angered Kagetora even more, and he acknowledged to himself that he wasn't making much sense. He couldn't bring himself to apologize though, his pride and his resistance to the draw between himself and Naoe wouldn't let him.
He sighed instead. Then, tentatively, he did something he couldn't remember ever doing before. Kagetora reached out slowly and stroked his fingers through Naoe's hair. The other man went even more still, brittle with expectation, with needs that Kagetora felt that he could barely give names to.
"I'm in charge," he said clearly, though he couldn't see Naoe's eyes to tell him whether he was about to find himself attacked.
Feeling his way, Kagetora shifted until he leaned into Naoe's body. He wasn't sure what he wanted, wasn't sure where he was going but it seemed as though not touching Naoe was much too difficult. The other man went still until Kagetora could not hear him even breathe and he tugged lightly at Naoe's hair.
"Breathe," he urged. The word wasn't an order on his tongue, but it was a demand.
Naoe did and gradually, his arms stole around Kagetora. Kagetora let out a deep sigh. Perhaps this...whatever it was...wouldn't last forever. But it would last a little while. He tilted his head and watched the sun's glow begin to break over the broken line of the horizon. He wasn't cold any longer.