(no subject)
Title: Yumi
Author: sinemoras09
Characters: Adam/Yumi (actually Adam/Yaeko)
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 370
Spoilers: Graphic Novel #66
Summary: She's not Yaeko. She can't be Yaeko. But perhaps this once he can try.
Adam tries to find fulfillment by marrying Yaeko's great granddaughter. Based on the Graphic Novel, "The Ten Brides of Takezo Kensei." Written for un_love_you prompt #4, "I need to want you."
---
i.
The night is quiet, and inside it's dark except for the candlelight flickering in the corner. Slowly, Yumi unpins her hair, lets it fall in loose curls around her shoulders. Her hand touches the clasp at her throat, traces a line down to the rounded softness of her breast. The robe falls open. She waits, expectantly.
"I'm sorry," Adam says. "I can't do this."
Yumi blinks. She pulls the robe around herself, her eyes filling with tears.
ii.
When it rains in England, he thinks of Yaeko's face, the way her hair swept back and her hands moved almost carelessly. He thinks of crashing against the wooden steps, of opium and her dark, dark eyes. He's haunted by them. Tormented by them. He imagines their bodies lying sated in the grass, underneath dark stars and the petals and the rain.
iii.
"I do not please you," Yumi says.
"That's not true," Adam says.
"Then why won't touch me?" Yumi says.
Adam touches the base of the candle, watches the soft flame flicker in the dark.
"You would not believe the things I've seen," Adam says, softly. "I've traveled too far and too long, and all I want is peace. I am an old man, Yumi, and you...you are just a child."
"You are not that old," Yumi says. Adam smiles, then looks down at his feet.
"I'm older than I look," Adam says. His eyes flick upward back to hers. "You're still just a girl."
"And you are my husband," Yumi says. Her small hands lightly touch his chest. She moves to kiss him but Adam turns his head. "Please," Yumi says. She kisses his jaw. "Please."
"Yumi--"
She kisses his mouth. Adam breathes, then kisses her back. He dips forward and kisses her neck, the side of her jaw. He kisses her softly, feels her eyelids flutter. Pulling back slightly, he watches Yumi loosen her robe; a single perfumed shoulder peaks out from underneath the fabric.
She's not Yaeko. She can't be Yaeko. But perhaps this once he can try.
iv.
Yumi sleeps. Her body is warm and she breathes deeply, quietly, her skin glowing orange in the dim candlelight. It's only then that Adam stands up from their embrace, dressing quietly and tying on his robe.
There are bandits to the east. They ride horseback along the riverside, stealing from whoever wanders there by chance. Adam will walk by the riverbank with a satchel of gold. He will walk carelessly--perhaps drunkenly--until the sound of hoofbeats fill the air.
Arrows strike. They slam once, twice into his chest. He falls face first into the river, coins spilling onto the riverbank.
News travels and Yumi weeps. She does not know her husband watches with deep-hooded eyes, dressed in monks' robes that hide his face.
He leaves for England the next fortnight.
Author: sinemoras09
Characters: Adam/Yumi (actually Adam/Yaeko)
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 370
Spoilers: Graphic Novel #66
Summary: She's not Yaeko. She can't be Yaeko. But perhaps this once he can try.
Adam tries to find fulfillment by marrying Yaeko's great granddaughter. Based on the Graphic Novel, "The Ten Brides of Takezo Kensei." Written for un_love_you prompt #4, "I need to want you."
---
i.
The night is quiet, and inside it's dark except for the candlelight flickering in the corner. Slowly, Yumi unpins her hair, lets it fall in loose curls around her shoulders. Her hand touches the clasp at her throat, traces a line down to the rounded softness of her breast. The robe falls open. She waits, expectantly.
"I'm sorry," Adam says. "I can't do this."
Yumi blinks. She pulls the robe around herself, her eyes filling with tears.
ii.
When it rains in England, he thinks of Yaeko's face, the way her hair swept back and her hands moved almost carelessly. He thinks of crashing against the wooden steps, of opium and her dark, dark eyes. He's haunted by them. Tormented by them. He imagines their bodies lying sated in the grass, underneath dark stars and the petals and the rain.
iii.
"I do not please you," Yumi says.
"That's not true," Adam says.
"Then why won't touch me?" Yumi says.
Adam touches the base of the candle, watches the soft flame flicker in the dark.
"You would not believe the things I've seen," Adam says, softly. "I've traveled too far and too long, and all I want is peace. I am an old man, Yumi, and you...you are just a child."
"You are not that old," Yumi says. Adam smiles, then looks down at his feet.
"I'm older than I look," Adam says. His eyes flick upward back to hers. "You're still just a girl."
"And you are my husband," Yumi says. Her small hands lightly touch his chest. She moves to kiss him but Adam turns his head. "Please," Yumi says. She kisses his jaw. "Please."
"Yumi--"
She kisses his mouth. Adam breathes, then kisses her back. He dips forward and kisses her neck, the side of her jaw. He kisses her softly, feels her eyelids flutter. Pulling back slightly, he watches Yumi loosen her robe; a single perfumed shoulder peaks out from underneath the fabric.
She's not Yaeko. She can't be Yaeko. But perhaps this once he can try.
iv.
Yumi sleeps. Her body is warm and she breathes deeply, quietly, her skin glowing orange in the dim candlelight. It's only then that Adam stands up from their embrace, dressing quietly and tying on his robe.
There are bandits to the east. They ride horseback along the riverside, stealing from whoever wanders there by chance. Adam will walk by the riverbank with a satchel of gold. He will walk carelessly--perhaps drunkenly--until the sound of hoofbeats fill the air.
Arrows strike. They slam once, twice into his chest. He falls face first into the river, coins spilling onto the riverbank.
News travels and Yumi weeps. She does not know her husband watches with deep-hooded eyes, dressed in monks' robes that hide his face.
He leaves for England the next fortnight.