Twisted (Fanfic100 #41)
Title: Twisted
Fandom: Prince of Tennis
Characters: Yanagi Renji, Niou Masaharu, Yukimura Seiichi, Sanada Genichirou, Yagyuu Hiroshi
Prompt: 41. Shapes
Word Count: 2,941
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Yukimura loves Sanada, Niou thought he loves Yagyuu, and Renji is caught in the middle screwing Yukimura and Niou. Somehow, Renji finds his conscience.
Author's Notes: Someone prompted me with “double helix” and this is what came out from it. Explicit m/m sex.
My LDT found here
Yanagi Renji sat bored in his biology class. He had read the material at least twice since they started this section. The teacher was droning on about the building blocks of life. Renji was sketching in his notes, thinking on the interesting shape of DNA. A double helix. It was complicated yet simple.
The same way his love life was starting to shape up.
Sanada and Yagyuu both would give him dirty looks during the day. They knew what their boyfriends were doing.
Renji didn’t have any idea what he was doing in the middle of this.
Yukimura was the first of any of them to teach Renji how good someone else’s hand there could feel. And he still reminds Renji of that from time to time - in the locker room after everyone else has left, or on days when he’s feeling lonely or bored.
Renji constantly reminded Yukimura that he had a boyfriend.
“He thinks he’s not ready for this. I am.” Yukimura said as he licked Renji’s ear. “And you seem to be too.” He said, pushing Renji down on his bed, sliding Renji’s pants off rather swiftly, licking and kissing his way to Renji’s cock before sucking Renji off and made him forget his moral quandary.
Renji scribbled down some notes during class. He never felt bad for anything he’d done yet. He’d heard some rumors about him. Why deny that which was true?
Though he wished the term “slut” wasn’t thrown around as much as it was. Renji looked up as a note was passed to him, his name written rather cutely on the outside of it. He knew who it was from. He read it quickly, and wrote his answer quickly, making it look like he was still writing notes as he did so and sent it back.
Eventually classes ended for the day. Renji approached the third floor toilets, not paying attention to some of the looks he got.
“You came.”
“Why don’t you ask your boyfriend?” Renji asked pointedly. He sighed a little. He knew why Niou came to him. “What did you to Yagyuu this time?” He asked as Niou snaked himself around Renji.
“Ask no questions, and I’ll tell you no lies.” Niou answered, a smirk on his face.
“You tell me that every time.” Renji answered, smiling a little. This was one of their little games - it was pretty much their own form of foreplay.
“You enjoy this, I think.” Niou said, pinning Renji up against the wall.
“If I didn’t, I wouldn’t do it.” Renji said, reaching for Niou’s belt, undoing it and opened Niou’s pants up enough that he could stick his hand in and stroke him. Niou’s gasps were enough to turn Renji on, but he ignored it.
“Don’t you…think there’s…something more to it?” Niou asked between gasps. Renji shrugged a little.
“Sex is sex.” He said, grasping Niou’s cock just a little tighter, sliding his hand just a hair faster. “Who cares how and when you get it?” He said.
“And you’re a slut.” Niou hissed out as he came into Renji’s hand.
“I can’t deny what I am.” Renji said, letting go and turning on the water to wash his hand off, but not before licking some of it off.
Niou also cleaned himself up before heading out of the restroom. He paused before opening the door. “Have you thought that maybe it would be better with someone you love?”
Renji frowned. “You’re one to talk. You can’t even fuck with your own boyfriend.”
“Point taken.” Niou said, finally opening the door and leaving the room.
Renji leaned against the sink, and looked at himself in the mirror. He didn’t care what anyone called him. It all ended the same, right?
Two days later, Renji was sporting a black eye.
“Yanagi-kun, have you considered maybe not sleeping with other people’s boyfriends?” Yagyuu asked pointedly while they were changing for tennis practice.
Renji froze a little, considering Yagyuu’s boyfriend was one of the ones that came to him for something on the side.
“No, I never thought of that.” Renji said sarcastically. “I know what’s said behind my back, and I can take care of myself, thank you.” He said coolly as he stepped out of the locker room.
Yagyuu frowned after him.
“Ever thought that maybe he just enjoys sex?” Niou said, pulling his shorts on.
“There is enjoying something, and enjoying something too much, Niou-kun. And Yanagi-kun seems to enjoy it too much.”
“Genichirou did that to you, didn’t he?” Yukimura asked as he stretched out with Renji spotting him.
“I deserve it, Seiichi.” Renji said, pushing on Yukimura’s back. “I…really do need to stop, but I really don’t know how.”
“Well, I don’t think Genichirou’s plan would work to well.” Yukimura said. “Considering it seems to leave obvious marks.” He said, gently touching the bruised eye.
“Seiichi…” Renji said. “Beating it out of me isn’t going to help.”
“You should find a boyfriend just as horny as you are.” Yukimura said. “You’re a good fuck, really, but after this, I think Genichirou may finally want it with me.”
“If he doesn’t, I’d be surprised.” Renji said. “We can talk later.” He said, pointing to everyone that was starting to gather nearer to them.
Tennis practice went as usual, though Renji swore there were more eyes on him than usual, and they were trying to kill him with just looks.
Renji didn’t even bother showering before leaving after practice.
“Renji! Wait up!” Yukimura called after him, jogging to catch up with him. “I said we’d talk later, and we’re going to.”
“Genichirou isn’t with you?” After that morning, Renji would prefer not to see Sanada for a while unless he absolutely had to. “Besides, you’re trying to break it off with me, and I knew you would eventually once Genichirou finally came into his own. I’m not upset.”
Yukimura just shrugged. They both knew they were just friends with benefits that would end once there was physical involvement with boyfriends. “You missed the epic fight in the locker room.”
Renji raised an eyebrow. “Oh?” He asked, not particularly interested. People fought in the locker room all the time.
“Yeah. Yagyuu finally broke up with Niou.” Yukimura said. That caught Renji’s attention.
“That’s rather surprising.” Renji said neutrally.
“I didn’t know you were screwing Niou too. Then again, I kept wondering why some people were calling you a slut.” Yukimura said, looking straight ahead.
“Seiichi, neither of you really meant anything more to me than good lay occasionally. You finally have Genichirou. I’ll just have to figure out something else.” Renji said.
“Or maybe you could learn what it means to be in a meaningful relationship.” Yukimura said as he paused. “You know, learn what love is.”
“I knew what it was once.” Renji said quietly. “I’d rather just be a toy than have something meaningful.”
“I think you don’t mean that.” Yukimura said. “And leave Niou alone. The last thing he needs right now is your brand of caring.”
“I promise nothing.”
That night rain was pouring down outside. It wouldn’t stop, and flashes of lighting occasionally lit up the dark sky. Renji was comfortably curled up with his favorite book in his favorite chair when the door bell rang.
As he was closest to the door, Renji answered it, surprised to find Niou of all people standing on the door step.
“Yo.” Niou said by way of greeting. “Can I come in?”
Renji nodded, stepping aside. “What brings you here?” He asked, having a feeling it may have something to do with the spat that Yukimura had told him about on his way home.
“What, I can’t just drop by to say ‘hi’?” Niou asked, his normal lopsided grin on his face.
Renji went to bring the other teenager a towel. “Well, considering what you usually want from me, and then there’s the fact that I’ve heard you’ve broken up with your boyfriend. After how many years?” Renji said, indicating for Niou to take a seat.
Niou flopped down on the couch. “I thought no one but Sanada could have a stick shoved so far up his ass. I guess I was wrong.” Niou paused. “Speaking of Sanada, you two must have had one hell of a bitchfight.” He said, indicating Renji’s bruises. “He finally figured out you were screwing Yukimura?”
“Apparently.” Renji said, sitting down at the other end of the couch. “Seiichi told me to leave you alone.”
“Yukimura doesn’t know shit.” Niou said, pulling his knees to his chest. “No, I take that back - he thinks he does, but he doesn’t.”
“Niou…” Renji frowned.
“He knows his tennis. I think he was kind of failing at the relationship thing. Come on, he couldn’t even get his huge brute of a boyfriend to screw with him? He had to be doing something wrong.”
“I don’t really think you’re in much of a position to talk, Niou. After all, I’m assuming that’s the reason you broke up with Yagyuu.” Renji said.
“He’s an ass.” Niou said bitterly.
“That’s the entire reason?” Renji asked, thinking there was more than likely something deeper than that behind it.
“And…the thing with you.” Niou finally admitted.
“Niou, I will be the first to admit that I have made some bad choices in the last few years. Bad choices that I’ve made because I learned I like sex. I like sex with other men. And I’m unashamed of who and where I get it from.” Renji said. “I know I should be more modest about it, but…” He trailed off. “As much as you might not like some of Seiichi’s ideas, I think he may have had some good advice for me. I think it is time for me to stop for a while.”
Niou looked over at Renji like he’d just lost his marbles. “Renji, why should you?”
“Because as much as I hate to admit that Seiichi may be right, sex isn’t something to base a relationship on.”
“It seems to work for you.” Niou commented. “It not like you’re a prostitute - that would automatically make it worse. And you don’t seem like the type that would want money for it anyway.” He leaned forward, twisting so he was sitting on his knees and starting to lean into Renji’s personal space. “And screw what Yukimura says. If you want to and if I want to do it with you, who is he to say we can’t?” Niou asked, crawling closer until he was on top of Renji.
Renji looked up at Niou, but averted his eyes. It was so easy to fall into familiar patterns with familiar people. Renji blinked, and for a moment he didn’t see Niou, but Yukimura for a moment. “Please don’t do that, Niou.” Renji said.
“Why not? I bet it would even feel like him.” Niou said, dropping the illusion.
“I need some time to think. And I think you need that as well.” Renji said, gasping as he felt a hand on his crotch. “Niou!” Renji hissed.
“Maybe what I need is you.” Niou said, rubbing Renji through his pants.
Renji politely pushed the hand away, and gave Niou a very serious look, shaking his head. Niou shrugged it off. “I didn’t think you’d be this serious about it.” Niou said, leaning back and flopping back onto the couch cushions on his own rear end.
Renji took a few deep breaths to calm himself. The ache in his groin would be there until he could take care of it later, but for now he was as calm as he could be. He looked across the couch at Niou, wondering just what was wrong with the both of them.
Niou had pulled his knees up to his chest, and was staring at Renji through his legs. Niou’s head was aching, his mind spinning wildly, thinking about how vulnerable the other man was looking and how easy it would be to just take advantage of the situation.
Renji finally stood up, not caring if Niou stayed, left or even followed him to the kitchen where Renji was proceeding to make tea. It was something to do to calm himself down. Pulling the kettle out, filling it with water - the motions were second nature to Renji. They were also calming.
Renji was pouring the water over the tea when Niou snuck up on him. Only Niou was pulling his usual tricks - and Renji found himself face to face with himself. It only shook him for a moment.
Niou grinned wolfishly at Renji. That seemed to make Renji almost give in.
“Please don’t do this.” Renji pleaded softly to Niou, wanting nothing more than to have this entire situation go ahead - one that he had so carefully crafted.
“Don’t do what?” His doppelganger asked, pressing Renji up against the kitchen cabinets. “Isn’t this what you wanted, Yanagi?” Niou lifted his hand up and stroked Renji’s cheek. If you couldn’t look your “twin” in the eye, how could he look at himself in the mirror? “Have you seen what you look like lately?” Niou asked. “Take a very good look.” He said, pulling Renji along with him to Renji’s room.
Once there, Niou proceeded to strip both of them, not dropping his illusion for one second. Every bruise Renji had, every mark from Yukimura and Niou’s marking him stood out on slightly tanned skin. Renji stared at the illusion - he knew it was nothing more than an illusion - and yet he couldn’t move or do much of anything other than stare.
“You let us touch you, you let us mark you when we belonged to others.” Niou started, choking up a little. He crawled on top of Renji, still maintaining his illusion. “And what do you have to show for it? Bruises that make it look like you’ve been abused, and a mentality that sex is fine wherever you can get it.” Niou took a deep breath as he felt Renji shaking under him. “Yukimura is right.” He finally admitted, looking away. “It’s better with someone you love - and I never loved him.”
Renji stared up at Niou as he admitted that. “Niou…” Renji reached, brushing hair out of his face and felt tears drip on to his bare chest.
“It’s what everyone expected. I never thought it would go anywhere - and then I saw you watching everyone. I started falling for you - I didn’t think you’d actually allow me into your pants!” Niou sobbed gently against Renji, finally letting the illusion drop. “I was jealous that you were screwing Yukimura too. I thought perhaps that he ordering you around, and then you tell me you’re only screwing us because you liked sex. That hurt more than anything. So I kept up the hope that maybe Hiroshi was the right one for me - but I kept coming back to you.”
Renji slid to the side and gathered Niou up in his arms. “Are you saying what I think you are?” He asked.
“I fell in love with you while trying to be in love with someone else. And you ignored it.”
Renji frowned. He really hated it when Yukimura was right. “I can’t say anything right now.” Renji whispered. “I think you need time to stop reeling from your break up, and I need the time to just think. I don’t mind if you want to stay, but we’re not going to have sex.”
Niou nodded quietly. “I wish I could say I was sorry for doing that to you, but I’m not.”
“I know you’re not. I didn’t realize you two had done so much damage.” Renji winced a little, not realizing how rough he had let them be with him - no wonder his back hurt occasionally. Renji laid back on his bed, stretching out against the other man. “I didn’t realize how...” Renji trailed off. How stupid he’d been? How Niou really looked at him and actually occasionally returned some of the actions Renji would perform on him?
“You can be dense sometimes, for being so smart.” Niou smirked. “Go to sleep.” He said, stealing Renji’s blanket before he could protest.
Renji sat awake, staring at his biology textbook again for the millionth time since they had started this chapter. Someone years ago had described the shape of the building blocks of life - the things that make things complex, yet are so simple.
And Renji realized something as he sketched the shape of a double helix in the margin of his notebook, and suddenly everything in his own life started making sense. Yukimura and Sanada had been one side and Yagyuu and Niou had been the other side, with him as the binding element.
Slim arms wrapped around him as he considered his problem. “Regretting anything?”
“Should I be asking you that?” Renji asked, looking up at Niou. “After all, I wasn’t the one who broke another’s heart.”
“I can’t say that I don’t regret it, but I think that he was right - we were too stale for each other.”
“So what are you going to do now?” Renji asked.
Niou chuckled softly. “I’m going to help you out.” He said. “I think Buchou may be right. Just... not in the way we think.” He said, leaning down to kiss Renji. “I like you, and I think I can be true to you, if you’ll try to be true to me.”
Renji almost choked at that. “You realize you may be asking for a miracle?”
“Miracles are for chumps.” Niou said, smiling, knowing that Renji and himself would be satisfied with this arrangement.
Fandom: Prince of Tennis
Characters: Yanagi Renji, Niou Masaharu, Yukimura Seiichi, Sanada Genichirou, Yagyuu Hiroshi
Prompt: 41. Shapes
Word Count: 2,941
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Yukimura loves Sanada, Niou thought he loves Yagyuu, and Renji is caught in the middle screwing Yukimura and Niou. Somehow, Renji finds his conscience.
Author's Notes: Someone prompted me with “double helix” and this is what came out from it. Explicit m/m sex.
My LDT found here
Yanagi Renji sat bored in his biology class. He had read the material at least twice since they started this section. The teacher was droning on about the building blocks of life. Renji was sketching in his notes, thinking on the interesting shape of DNA. A double helix. It was complicated yet simple.
The same way his love life was starting to shape up.
Sanada and Yagyuu both would give him dirty looks during the day. They knew what their boyfriends were doing.
Renji didn’t have any idea what he was doing in the middle of this.
Yukimura was the first of any of them to teach Renji how good someone else’s hand there could feel. And he still reminds Renji of that from time to time - in the locker room after everyone else has left, or on days when he’s feeling lonely or bored.
Renji constantly reminded Yukimura that he had a boyfriend.
“He thinks he’s not ready for this. I am.” Yukimura said as he licked Renji’s ear. “And you seem to be too.” He said, pushing Renji down on his bed, sliding Renji’s pants off rather swiftly, licking and kissing his way to Renji’s cock before sucking Renji off and made him forget his moral quandary.
Renji scribbled down some notes during class. He never felt bad for anything he’d done yet. He’d heard some rumors about him. Why deny that which was true?
Though he wished the term “slut” wasn’t thrown around as much as it was. Renji looked up as a note was passed to him, his name written rather cutely on the outside of it. He knew who it was from. He read it quickly, and wrote his answer quickly, making it look like he was still writing notes as he did so and sent it back.
Eventually classes ended for the day. Renji approached the third floor toilets, not paying attention to some of the looks he got.
“You came.”
“Why don’t you ask your boyfriend?” Renji asked pointedly. He sighed a little. He knew why Niou came to him. “What did you to Yagyuu this time?” He asked as Niou snaked himself around Renji.
“Ask no questions, and I’ll tell you no lies.” Niou answered, a smirk on his face.
“You tell me that every time.” Renji answered, smiling a little. This was one of their little games - it was pretty much their own form of foreplay.
“You enjoy this, I think.” Niou said, pinning Renji up against the wall.
“If I didn’t, I wouldn’t do it.” Renji said, reaching for Niou’s belt, undoing it and opened Niou’s pants up enough that he could stick his hand in and stroke him. Niou’s gasps were enough to turn Renji on, but he ignored it.
“Don’t you…think there’s…something more to it?” Niou asked between gasps. Renji shrugged a little.
“Sex is sex.” He said, grasping Niou’s cock just a little tighter, sliding his hand just a hair faster. “Who cares how and when you get it?” He said.
“And you’re a slut.” Niou hissed out as he came into Renji’s hand.
“I can’t deny what I am.” Renji said, letting go and turning on the water to wash his hand off, but not before licking some of it off.
Niou also cleaned himself up before heading out of the restroom. He paused before opening the door. “Have you thought that maybe it would be better with someone you love?”
Renji frowned. “You’re one to talk. You can’t even fuck with your own boyfriend.”
“Point taken.” Niou said, finally opening the door and leaving the room.
Renji leaned against the sink, and looked at himself in the mirror. He didn’t care what anyone called him. It all ended the same, right?
Two days later, Renji was sporting a black eye.
“Yanagi-kun, have you considered maybe not sleeping with other people’s boyfriends?” Yagyuu asked pointedly while they were changing for tennis practice.
Renji froze a little, considering Yagyuu’s boyfriend was one of the ones that came to him for something on the side.
“No, I never thought of that.” Renji said sarcastically. “I know what’s said behind my back, and I can take care of myself, thank you.” He said coolly as he stepped out of the locker room.
Yagyuu frowned after him.
“Ever thought that maybe he just enjoys sex?” Niou said, pulling his shorts on.
“There is enjoying something, and enjoying something too much, Niou-kun. And Yanagi-kun seems to enjoy it too much.”
“Genichirou did that to you, didn’t he?” Yukimura asked as he stretched out with Renji spotting him.
“I deserve it, Seiichi.” Renji said, pushing on Yukimura’s back. “I…really do need to stop, but I really don’t know how.”
“Well, I don’t think Genichirou’s plan would work to well.” Yukimura said. “Considering it seems to leave obvious marks.” He said, gently touching the bruised eye.
“Seiichi…” Renji said. “Beating it out of me isn’t going to help.”
“You should find a boyfriend just as horny as you are.” Yukimura said. “You’re a good fuck, really, but after this, I think Genichirou may finally want it with me.”
“If he doesn’t, I’d be surprised.” Renji said. “We can talk later.” He said, pointing to everyone that was starting to gather nearer to them.
Tennis practice went as usual, though Renji swore there were more eyes on him than usual, and they were trying to kill him with just looks.
Renji didn’t even bother showering before leaving after practice.
“Renji! Wait up!” Yukimura called after him, jogging to catch up with him. “I said we’d talk later, and we’re going to.”
“Genichirou isn’t with you?” After that morning, Renji would prefer not to see Sanada for a while unless he absolutely had to. “Besides, you’re trying to break it off with me, and I knew you would eventually once Genichirou finally came into his own. I’m not upset.”
Yukimura just shrugged. They both knew they were just friends with benefits that would end once there was physical involvement with boyfriends. “You missed the epic fight in the locker room.”
Renji raised an eyebrow. “Oh?” He asked, not particularly interested. People fought in the locker room all the time.
“Yeah. Yagyuu finally broke up with Niou.” Yukimura said. That caught Renji’s attention.
“That’s rather surprising.” Renji said neutrally.
“I didn’t know you were screwing Niou too. Then again, I kept wondering why some people were calling you a slut.” Yukimura said, looking straight ahead.
“Seiichi, neither of you really meant anything more to me than good lay occasionally. You finally have Genichirou. I’ll just have to figure out something else.” Renji said.
“Or maybe you could learn what it means to be in a meaningful relationship.” Yukimura said as he paused. “You know, learn what love is.”
“I knew what it was once.” Renji said quietly. “I’d rather just be a toy than have something meaningful.”
“I think you don’t mean that.” Yukimura said. “And leave Niou alone. The last thing he needs right now is your brand of caring.”
“I promise nothing.”
That night rain was pouring down outside. It wouldn’t stop, and flashes of lighting occasionally lit up the dark sky. Renji was comfortably curled up with his favorite book in his favorite chair when the door bell rang.
As he was closest to the door, Renji answered it, surprised to find Niou of all people standing on the door step.
“Yo.” Niou said by way of greeting. “Can I come in?”
Renji nodded, stepping aside. “What brings you here?” He asked, having a feeling it may have something to do with the spat that Yukimura had told him about on his way home.
“What, I can’t just drop by to say ‘hi’?” Niou asked, his normal lopsided grin on his face.
Renji went to bring the other teenager a towel. “Well, considering what you usually want from me, and then there’s the fact that I’ve heard you’ve broken up with your boyfriend. After how many years?” Renji said, indicating for Niou to take a seat.
Niou flopped down on the couch. “I thought no one but Sanada could have a stick shoved so far up his ass. I guess I was wrong.” Niou paused. “Speaking of Sanada, you two must have had one hell of a bitchfight.” He said, indicating Renji’s bruises. “He finally figured out you were screwing Yukimura?”
“Apparently.” Renji said, sitting down at the other end of the couch. “Seiichi told me to leave you alone.”
“Yukimura doesn’t know shit.” Niou said, pulling his knees to his chest. “No, I take that back - he thinks he does, but he doesn’t.”
“Niou…” Renji frowned.
“He knows his tennis. I think he was kind of failing at the relationship thing. Come on, he couldn’t even get his huge brute of a boyfriend to screw with him? He had to be doing something wrong.”
“I don’t really think you’re in much of a position to talk, Niou. After all, I’m assuming that’s the reason you broke up with Yagyuu.” Renji said.
“He’s an ass.” Niou said bitterly.
“That’s the entire reason?” Renji asked, thinking there was more than likely something deeper than that behind it.
“And…the thing with you.” Niou finally admitted.
“Niou, I will be the first to admit that I have made some bad choices in the last few years. Bad choices that I’ve made because I learned I like sex. I like sex with other men. And I’m unashamed of who and where I get it from.” Renji said. “I know I should be more modest about it, but…” He trailed off. “As much as you might not like some of Seiichi’s ideas, I think he may have had some good advice for me. I think it is time for me to stop for a while.”
Niou looked over at Renji like he’d just lost his marbles. “Renji, why should you?”
“Because as much as I hate to admit that Seiichi may be right, sex isn’t something to base a relationship on.”
“It seems to work for you.” Niou commented. “It not like you’re a prostitute - that would automatically make it worse. And you don’t seem like the type that would want money for it anyway.” He leaned forward, twisting so he was sitting on his knees and starting to lean into Renji’s personal space. “And screw what Yukimura says. If you want to and if I want to do it with you, who is he to say we can’t?” Niou asked, crawling closer until he was on top of Renji.
Renji looked up at Niou, but averted his eyes. It was so easy to fall into familiar patterns with familiar people. Renji blinked, and for a moment he didn’t see Niou, but Yukimura for a moment. “Please don’t do that, Niou.” Renji said.
“Why not? I bet it would even feel like him.” Niou said, dropping the illusion.
“I need some time to think. And I think you need that as well.” Renji said, gasping as he felt a hand on his crotch. “Niou!” Renji hissed.
“Maybe what I need is you.” Niou said, rubbing Renji through his pants.
Renji politely pushed the hand away, and gave Niou a very serious look, shaking his head. Niou shrugged it off. “I didn’t think you’d be this serious about it.” Niou said, leaning back and flopping back onto the couch cushions on his own rear end.
Renji took a few deep breaths to calm himself. The ache in his groin would be there until he could take care of it later, but for now he was as calm as he could be. He looked across the couch at Niou, wondering just what was wrong with the both of them.
Niou had pulled his knees up to his chest, and was staring at Renji through his legs. Niou’s head was aching, his mind spinning wildly, thinking about how vulnerable the other man was looking and how easy it would be to just take advantage of the situation.
Renji finally stood up, not caring if Niou stayed, left or even followed him to the kitchen where Renji was proceeding to make tea. It was something to do to calm himself down. Pulling the kettle out, filling it with water - the motions were second nature to Renji. They were also calming.
Renji was pouring the water over the tea when Niou snuck up on him. Only Niou was pulling his usual tricks - and Renji found himself face to face with himself. It only shook him for a moment.
Niou grinned wolfishly at Renji. That seemed to make Renji almost give in.
“Please don’t do this.” Renji pleaded softly to Niou, wanting nothing more than to have this entire situation go ahead - one that he had so carefully crafted.
“Don’t do what?” His doppelganger asked, pressing Renji up against the kitchen cabinets. “Isn’t this what you wanted, Yanagi?” Niou lifted his hand up and stroked Renji’s cheek. If you couldn’t look your “twin” in the eye, how could he look at himself in the mirror? “Have you seen what you look like lately?” Niou asked. “Take a very good look.” He said, pulling Renji along with him to Renji’s room.
Once there, Niou proceeded to strip both of them, not dropping his illusion for one second. Every bruise Renji had, every mark from Yukimura and Niou’s marking him stood out on slightly tanned skin. Renji stared at the illusion - he knew it was nothing more than an illusion - and yet he couldn’t move or do much of anything other than stare.
“You let us touch you, you let us mark you when we belonged to others.” Niou started, choking up a little. He crawled on top of Renji, still maintaining his illusion. “And what do you have to show for it? Bruises that make it look like you’ve been abused, and a mentality that sex is fine wherever you can get it.” Niou took a deep breath as he felt Renji shaking under him. “Yukimura is right.” He finally admitted, looking away. “It’s better with someone you love - and I never loved him.”
Renji stared up at Niou as he admitted that. “Niou…” Renji reached, brushing hair out of his face and felt tears drip on to his bare chest.
“It’s what everyone expected. I never thought it would go anywhere - and then I saw you watching everyone. I started falling for you - I didn’t think you’d actually allow me into your pants!” Niou sobbed gently against Renji, finally letting the illusion drop. “I was jealous that you were screwing Yukimura too. I thought perhaps that he ordering you around, and then you tell me you’re only screwing us because you liked sex. That hurt more than anything. So I kept up the hope that maybe Hiroshi was the right one for me - but I kept coming back to you.”
Renji slid to the side and gathered Niou up in his arms. “Are you saying what I think you are?” He asked.
“I fell in love with you while trying to be in love with someone else. And you ignored it.”
Renji frowned. He really hated it when Yukimura was right. “I can’t say anything right now.” Renji whispered. “I think you need time to stop reeling from your break up, and I need the time to just think. I don’t mind if you want to stay, but we’re not going to have sex.”
Niou nodded quietly. “I wish I could say I was sorry for doing that to you, but I’m not.”
“I know you’re not. I didn’t realize you two had done so much damage.” Renji winced a little, not realizing how rough he had let them be with him - no wonder his back hurt occasionally. Renji laid back on his bed, stretching out against the other man. “I didn’t realize how...” Renji trailed off. How stupid he’d been? How Niou really looked at him and actually occasionally returned some of the actions Renji would perform on him?
“You can be dense sometimes, for being so smart.” Niou smirked. “Go to sleep.” He said, stealing Renji’s blanket before he could protest.
Renji sat awake, staring at his biology textbook again for the millionth time since they had started this chapter. Someone years ago had described the shape of the building blocks of life - the things that make things complex, yet are so simple.
And Renji realized something as he sketched the shape of a double helix in the margin of his notebook, and suddenly everything in his own life started making sense. Yukimura and Sanada had been one side and Yagyuu and Niou had been the other side, with him as the binding element.
Slim arms wrapped around him as he considered his problem. “Regretting anything?”
“Should I be asking you that?” Renji asked, looking up at Niou. “After all, I wasn’t the one who broke another’s heart.”
“I can’t say that I don’t regret it, but I think that he was right - we were too stale for each other.”
“So what are you going to do now?” Renji asked.
Niou chuckled softly. “I’m going to help you out.” He said. “I think Buchou may be right. Just... not in the way we think.” He said, leaning down to kiss Renji. “I like you, and I think I can be true to you, if you’ll try to be true to me.”
Renji almost choked at that. “You realize you may be asking for a miracle?”
“Miracles are for chumps.” Niou said, smiling, knowing that Renji and himself would be satisfied with this arrangement.