#047 Band - What Holds Us Together
Story: Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger
Characters: Cid Bamick, Joe Gibken
Prompt: #047 Band
Word Count: 1131
Joe had a lot of potential. Cid knew this and it was exactly why he'd taken the other under his wing during their training exercises. It wasn't that he was higher ranking than anyone else, no. In reality, he was a new recruit just like the rest of them. They had known each other in passing before joining, both thinking that they were doing the right thing and that the Zangyack wasn't... something like this. The pair had never spoken much, but Cid had always expected great things from him.
When their training started as a group, Joe was always falling behind. Cid couldn't be sure why. Maybe there were other things on his mind, or a past that kept holding him back. Cid could certainly relate to those things, but he never bothered to ask. Joe was a quiet person and if he ever chose to talk about himself, Cid would listen, but he would never force the other into that position.
As Joe continued working through his training, Cid kept a close eye on him. Whenever the other struggled through something enough that he couldn't get through on his own, Cid gave his assistance, but only as much as he felt the other needed. He never treated him like a child or looked down on him. Cid could tell the other appreciated it, and after awhile he couldn't help but smile when the other started referring to him as 'sempai.'
While Cid respected the other and had a bit of a developing older brother complex for him, he never imagined his feelings would take the turn they did. He found himself wanting to spend more and more time with Joe, even when they weren't training. Cid wanted to see the other's smile. He especially liked the soft and shy ones when Joe realized what he was doing and kept trying to hide his face so the other wouldn't see. His chest tightened every time he saw that look.
One day, Cid couldn't help himself. He couldn't remember what they had been talking about when it had happened. They had been training, so Cid might have complimented Joe on how he was improving, or what he'd been doing right. Regardless of what had led up to it, Joe smiled at him again and in an instant, Cid had reached out to turn Joe's face back towards him, closing the distance between them and pressing his lips against the other's. At first, Cid wasn't even aware of what he'd done. It took until Joe was grabbing at him, returning the kiss, for the realization to sink in.
After that, things completely changed. Cid noticed that Joe was performing better in his training, that he was more focused and less distracted. Even Cid's own focus was improving. He wondered if what had happened between them was something that needed to happen for both of them to start reaching their full potential.
Contact between them was sometimes short, but it was always enough to keep them going. Honestly, Cid enjoyed the light teasing he could now hold over his kouhai, whether it was something as small as brushing their hands together when they were in a large group or pulling him aside at the end of the day for a quick kiss in a dark corner. On one particular day, during a break in their training, Cid had slid the tie from Joe's hair, running his fingers through it and lightly tugging while he kissed him.
When they separated, both of their faces flushed and their breathing harsh, Joe turned his head away again. Cid couldn't help but smile, lightly nudging the other's chin. He liked to tease that every time Joe did that, it just made him want to kiss the other even more.
"You should get back." Taking a step away, Cid kneeled down to the floor, grabbing the hair tie up. When Joe reached for it, Cid jerked his hand away, waving his finger in a tsk-tsk motion. "Let me do it."
Closing the space between them again, Cid placed the band between his lips as he rested his arms on Joe's shoulders. He ran his fingers through the other's hair, carefully, trying to smooth it out the best he could and gather it into a ponytail. The entire time, Joe was trying to keep his head up, but the color on his cheeks wasn't fading.
"You're doing it wrong. It's too loose. ... I can do it myself."
Cid just ignored him, holding the finished ponytail in one hand while he removed the band from his mouth and worked on tying it. "Then you can redo it later when I'm not looking." When Cid finished, he pulled back, patting the other's shoulder and smiling. "I'll see you when you're done."
After awhile, Cid's habit of tying Joe's hair back for him became something of a ritual. At first, Joe was always complaining that Cid didn't have to do it, or that he was doing it wrong, but after Joe seemed to realize that it wasn't doing any good to complain, he stopped trying. Once their relationship intensified even more and Joe was spending the night in Cid's bed, Cid was being woken up every morning by a persistent Joe who insisted Cid tie his hair back for him before he returned to his own room. Cid couldn't help but laugh, sliding himself partway out of the sheets to run his fingers through the other's hair, giving kisses to Joe's bare shoulder as he tied the other's hair back.
Just before they separated on the night Joe escaped, Cid wondered if they'd ever have another chance.
Cid would never have wanted to admit that the night his life as that person ended was the only time he could ever remember shedding tears.
"You have to remember! Cid-sempai!"
Barizorg sat still, his back straight and his hands resting on his legs. The prince leaned against his side, mumbling in his sleep and holding tightly onto his arm. This happened quite often, the other wanting Barizorg by his side when he slept. The cyborg felt only a vague sense of obligation, knowing it was his duty to protect the other and do what he wanted.
He never moved during the night, when the prince had these desires. There was no need for him to sleep, or eat, or do anything that normal humans would want to do. All of his urges were gone.
That was exactly why Barizorg was surprised to find himself turned slightly, starting to bring his hand up to the side of the prince's face. He stopped before it touched, staring at his hand as though trying to understand exactly what his body was trying to do.
He set the hand back on his knee, staring at the wall once more.
Somehow, it felt as though something was missing.
Characters: Cid Bamick, Joe Gibken
Prompt: #047 Band
Word Count: 1131
Joe had a lot of potential. Cid knew this and it was exactly why he'd taken the other under his wing during their training exercises. It wasn't that he was higher ranking than anyone else, no. In reality, he was a new recruit just like the rest of them. They had known each other in passing before joining, both thinking that they were doing the right thing and that the Zangyack wasn't... something like this. The pair had never spoken much, but Cid had always expected great things from him.
When their training started as a group, Joe was always falling behind. Cid couldn't be sure why. Maybe there were other things on his mind, or a past that kept holding him back. Cid could certainly relate to those things, but he never bothered to ask. Joe was a quiet person and if he ever chose to talk about himself, Cid would listen, but he would never force the other into that position.
As Joe continued working through his training, Cid kept a close eye on him. Whenever the other struggled through something enough that he couldn't get through on his own, Cid gave his assistance, but only as much as he felt the other needed. He never treated him like a child or looked down on him. Cid could tell the other appreciated it, and after awhile he couldn't help but smile when the other started referring to him as 'sempai.'
While Cid respected the other and had a bit of a developing older brother complex for him, he never imagined his feelings would take the turn they did. He found himself wanting to spend more and more time with Joe, even when they weren't training. Cid wanted to see the other's smile. He especially liked the soft and shy ones when Joe realized what he was doing and kept trying to hide his face so the other wouldn't see. His chest tightened every time he saw that look.
One day, Cid couldn't help himself. He couldn't remember what they had been talking about when it had happened. They had been training, so Cid might have complimented Joe on how he was improving, or what he'd been doing right. Regardless of what had led up to it, Joe smiled at him again and in an instant, Cid had reached out to turn Joe's face back towards him, closing the distance between them and pressing his lips against the other's. At first, Cid wasn't even aware of what he'd done. It took until Joe was grabbing at him, returning the kiss, for the realization to sink in.
After that, things completely changed. Cid noticed that Joe was performing better in his training, that he was more focused and less distracted. Even Cid's own focus was improving. He wondered if what had happened between them was something that needed to happen for both of them to start reaching their full potential.
Contact between them was sometimes short, but it was always enough to keep them going. Honestly, Cid enjoyed the light teasing he could now hold over his kouhai, whether it was something as small as brushing their hands together when they were in a large group or pulling him aside at the end of the day for a quick kiss in a dark corner. On one particular day, during a break in their training, Cid had slid the tie from Joe's hair, running his fingers through it and lightly tugging while he kissed him.
When they separated, both of their faces flushed and their breathing harsh, Joe turned his head away again. Cid couldn't help but smile, lightly nudging the other's chin. He liked to tease that every time Joe did that, it just made him want to kiss the other even more.
"You should get back." Taking a step away, Cid kneeled down to the floor, grabbing the hair tie up. When Joe reached for it, Cid jerked his hand away, waving his finger in a tsk-tsk motion. "Let me do it."
Closing the space between them again, Cid placed the band between his lips as he rested his arms on Joe's shoulders. He ran his fingers through the other's hair, carefully, trying to smooth it out the best he could and gather it into a ponytail. The entire time, Joe was trying to keep his head up, but the color on his cheeks wasn't fading.
"You're doing it wrong. It's too loose. ... I can do it myself."
Cid just ignored him, holding the finished ponytail in one hand while he removed the band from his mouth and worked on tying it. "Then you can redo it later when I'm not looking." When Cid finished, he pulled back, patting the other's shoulder and smiling. "I'll see you when you're done."
After awhile, Cid's habit of tying Joe's hair back for him became something of a ritual. At first, Joe was always complaining that Cid didn't have to do it, or that he was doing it wrong, but after Joe seemed to realize that it wasn't doing any good to complain, he stopped trying. Once their relationship intensified even more and Joe was spending the night in Cid's bed, Cid was being woken up every morning by a persistent Joe who insisted Cid tie his hair back for him before he returned to his own room. Cid couldn't help but laugh, sliding himself partway out of the sheets to run his fingers through the other's hair, giving kisses to Joe's bare shoulder as he tied the other's hair back.
Just before they separated on the night Joe escaped, Cid wondered if they'd ever have another chance.
Cid would never have wanted to admit that the night his life as that person ended was the only time he could ever remember shedding tears.
"You have to remember! Cid-sempai!"
Barizorg sat still, his back straight and his hands resting on his legs. The prince leaned against his side, mumbling in his sleep and holding tightly onto his arm. This happened quite often, the other wanting Barizorg by his side when he slept. The cyborg felt only a vague sense of obligation, knowing it was his duty to protect the other and do what he wanted.
He never moved during the night, when the prince had these desires. There was no need for him to sleep, or eat, or do anything that normal humans would want to do. All of his urges were gone.
That was exactly why Barizorg was surprised to find himself turned slightly, starting to bring his hand up to the side of the prince's face. He stopped before it touched, staring at his hand as though trying to understand exactly what his body was trying to do.
He set the hand back on his knee, staring at the wall once more.
Somehow, it felt as though something was missing.