a kiss to build a dream on [Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger, Marvelous/Joe]
Written as a response to the 12 Character Meme. The prompt was: "Captain Marvelous tries to kiss Joe Gibken. What happens?", from 
fairytales. Set pre-series. 747 words.
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a kiss to build a dream on
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Marvelous knows things are much more complicated than either of them have let on. It's been three days since Joe promised to be with him, "to your dream, and beyond", and yet he still hasn't come out of the quarters Marvelous offered him, except to eat and exercise.
Marvelous had no way of knowing beforehand just how silent and solitary Joe was going to turn out to be, but he is sharp enough to realise there is more to it than just that. It's not just Joe's personality, it isn't just Joe recovering from the constant fear of being on the run, almost certain of being caught thanks to the tracking device on the collar and running like hell anyway. Sometimes Marvelous sees Joe sneaking around with red eyes that are not from a lack of sleep.
Marvelous knows what it is to mourn someone you cared about. And not in the way of family, perhaps not even in the way of close friends - AkaRed had been a little of everything to him; father-figure, mentor, friend. Basco had been his friend, partner in crime, some-time lover. Marvelous knows relationships can be complicated, far moreso than can be put into words. Joe's grief could be some of these things, all of them, or none of them at all.
Somehow it's the same.
He leaves Joe to it, not bothering to worry. Anyone who has the balls to stand up to the Zangyack like that right in their own backyard can handle their own problems. Marvelous decides he will wait for Joe to come to him.
That's before Joe wakes him up the next night with a blood-curdling scream, followed by the choked cry of a name; "Sid-sempai!"
The next thing Marvelous knows, he's outside Joe's bedroom door and a clatter sounds as something flies across the room. He even hears Joe's indrawn breath, sharp as he realises that must have woken Marvelous up, and that there is no explanation for it. None that he is prepared to give, anyway. Little does he know Marvelous is already awake, and right there.
Marvelous leans against the wall, arms folded, one leg propped. After what seems like an eternity, in which he suspects Joe is waiting himself - waiting for the sounds that suggest Marvelous is up and about, woken by the noise - he hears the shuffle as Joe gets up out of bed tentatively and heads for the door.
He sticks his head out first, glancing around for signs of life, and because Joe is half-prepared for it, he only flinches slightly to see Marvelous lazing there against the wall.
Joe is still wearing bandages from his various injuries - sword slashes and electric shocks alike. Between that and the obvious tears that have been wiped away from his face, Marvelous can't hold back.
He had known from the first instant that Joe was strong. But that doesn't make him unbreakable.
Marvelous pushes off the wall and stands in front of Joe. He reaches out and places a hand under Joe's chin, tilting it up to look him in the eyes. Joe's face has the exact same look on it from only days ago when Marvelous had placed his hands on the shock collar.
A mixture of disbelief, awe, gratitude... and something else. Joe's eyes seem almost too far away, remembering other times and places. Marvelous narrows his eyes and wonders whose stance he is mimicking. Has someone done this with Joe before? Has someone stood taller than him, hand on his chin, and tilted it up until their lips met?
He only takes a split second to care about it. Then he leans down.
Joe kisses back. Joe kisses back with an eagerness that completely convinces Marvelous someone has done this to him before. His lips are full and his mouth clings, desperately seeking more. All of a sudden Marvelous does not want to be the replacement for this other person. He pulls back.
"I'll help you through it," he says roughly. Joe's kiss has affected him more than he realised. But his offer is real.
Joe snaps back to reality pretty quickly, but to his credit he recovers well enough to merely nod. He goes back into his room and shuts the door carefully behind him. Marvelous lets him go.
When he is ready to accept what Marvelous has to offer - and he will be eventually, Marvelous is almost certain of that - Joe will come to him.
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This entry was originally posted here on Dreamwidth. Comment there if you'd prefer!
fairytales. Set pre-series. 747 words.
-
a kiss to build a dream on
-
Marvelous knows things are much more complicated than either of them have let on. It's been three days since Joe promised to be with him, "to your dream, and beyond", and yet he still hasn't come out of the quarters Marvelous offered him, except to eat and exercise.
Marvelous had no way of knowing beforehand just how silent and solitary Joe was going to turn out to be, but he is sharp enough to realise there is more to it than just that. It's not just Joe's personality, it isn't just Joe recovering from the constant fear of being on the run, almost certain of being caught thanks to the tracking device on the collar and running like hell anyway. Sometimes Marvelous sees Joe sneaking around with red eyes that are not from a lack of sleep.
Marvelous knows what it is to mourn someone you cared about. And not in the way of family, perhaps not even in the way of close friends - AkaRed had been a little of everything to him; father-figure, mentor, friend. Basco had been his friend, partner in crime, some-time lover. Marvelous knows relationships can be complicated, far moreso than can be put into words. Joe's grief could be some of these things, all of them, or none of them at all.
Somehow it's the same.
He leaves Joe to it, not bothering to worry. Anyone who has the balls to stand up to the Zangyack like that right in their own backyard can handle their own problems. Marvelous decides he will wait for Joe to come to him.
That's before Joe wakes him up the next night with a blood-curdling scream, followed by the choked cry of a name; "Sid-sempai!"
The next thing Marvelous knows, he's outside Joe's bedroom door and a clatter sounds as something flies across the room. He even hears Joe's indrawn breath, sharp as he realises that must have woken Marvelous up, and that there is no explanation for it. None that he is prepared to give, anyway. Little does he know Marvelous is already awake, and right there.
Marvelous leans against the wall, arms folded, one leg propped. After what seems like an eternity, in which he suspects Joe is waiting himself - waiting for the sounds that suggest Marvelous is up and about, woken by the noise - he hears the shuffle as Joe gets up out of bed tentatively and heads for the door.
He sticks his head out first, glancing around for signs of life, and because Joe is half-prepared for it, he only flinches slightly to see Marvelous lazing there against the wall.
Joe is still wearing bandages from his various injuries - sword slashes and electric shocks alike. Between that and the obvious tears that have been wiped away from his face, Marvelous can't hold back.
He had known from the first instant that Joe was strong. But that doesn't make him unbreakable.
Marvelous pushes off the wall and stands in front of Joe. He reaches out and places a hand under Joe's chin, tilting it up to look him in the eyes. Joe's face has the exact same look on it from only days ago when Marvelous had placed his hands on the shock collar.
A mixture of disbelief, awe, gratitude... and something else. Joe's eyes seem almost too far away, remembering other times and places. Marvelous narrows his eyes and wonders whose stance he is mimicking. Has someone done this with Joe before? Has someone stood taller than him, hand on his chin, and tilted it up until their lips met?
He only takes a split second to care about it. Then he leans down.
Joe kisses back. Joe kisses back with an eagerness that completely convinces Marvelous someone has done this to him before. His lips are full and his mouth clings, desperately seeking more. All of a sudden Marvelous does not want to be the replacement for this other person. He pulls back.
"I'll help you through it," he says roughly. Joe's kiss has affected him more than he realised. But his offer is real.
Joe snaps back to reality pretty quickly, but to his credit he recovers well enough to merely nod. He goes back into his room and shuts the door carefully behind him. Marvelous lets him go.
When he is ready to accept what Marvelous has to offer - and he will be eventually, Marvelous is almost certain of that - Joe will come to him.
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This entry was originally posted here on Dreamwidth. Comment there if you'd prefer!