[Koujurou/Masamune] let me count the ways

[getyourgunson]

BECAUSE PORN MUST BE HAD. Still set in canon, a few more days after these string of events.

It all started with a realisation.

If anything, Date was going to blame that he had little else to do other than lounging around his futon and room because he was still recuperating from his wounds and injuries and by now he definitely knew better than to

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[forbearanced]

Kojurou, on the other hand, did not catch a whiff of Masamune's internal turmoil at all

[getyourgunson]

For the most part, Date did well to not bother his retainer about anything, instead opting to stay on his futon and lounging about while quietly appreciating the company that was with him. Now that things were pretty much back to normal between them, the younger samurai really didn't like the solitude that came when he was stuck in his room with little to do - at least like this, things weren't as bad. Or to be honest, this was just kind of great.

Though well as much as he wanted to, there was only so long Date could stand the silence for. Turning around so that he could face his retainer instead now, the warlord propped his head up just enough so that he could look over towards Koujurou busying himself with the papers, trying hard not to think how strangely nice the elder man looked when concentrating so intently on his task.

...right. Uh.

"Koujurou," he called out, after a moment's pause.

[forbearanced]

Masamune's voice immediately drew Kojurou out of the mess of words and data and aggravation.

"My lord?"

[getyourgunson]

Date didn't respond immediately to that, instead opting to move himself closer to where the table (and Koujurou) was. He moved so that he was sitting right in front of it, and was silent as he looked at the elder man for a good few moments before he extended out his hand.

"Pass me some of those papers."

Timeskipping all over once more TWO DAYS LATER

[getyourgunson]

The time spent for his rest had been used well and good, and when Date woke up this morning he felt almost as good as new. His injuries were pretty much healed up by now, and he could feel the strength returning well into his body. Just another day or two, and he could finally be back in action once again.

A long awaited day, the warlord thought to himself with a small grin as he got himself up from the futon and slid the door to his room open. He had slept in, so it was already well into the morning and Date had to wince just a bit at the light that shone down. The sun certainly seemed a lot more brighter than usual today; maybe it, too, was telling him that his time for a comeback was soon.

Date grinned a bit more to himself at that thought. Just you wait, soon the One Eyed Dragon will be back to take the country once more.

TIMESKIPS ARE AMAZING FOR SLOW PAIRS.

[forbearanced]

Kojurou, in the meantime, had been up well before sunrise, and had taken off for the fields in his section of Oshu almost immediately. The man knew that he could very easily leave hard labor and matters of harvest to the servants of his family (and to his family, as well), but he took a special pleasure in working the land with his own two hands just as much as he enjoyed rearing horses, or fighting back-to-back with his master

GOOD AND AWESOME.

[getyourgunson]

Feeling much better right now, Date figured it wouldn't be that all bad if he actually got out of his room for some well-needed fresh air. He had been pretty much stuck in his room for... well, for a good long while already. Now that he was a lot better than last time, talking a walk to stretch his muscles wasn't that all bad. And this time, Koujurou didn't have a reason to chastise him for it

[forbearanced]

And he was, in fact, half a field away, working with a pick. Another swing or two, and he was straightening up, wiping the sweat off of his brow and catching his breath. The bandanna kept the hair out of his eyes, at least...

There were times when farming was harder work than killing people. That was the truth.

And the very next day:

[forbearanced]

In spite of the fact that the sun had barely started rising and the air was cold, there was something quite refreshing about splashing cold water upon one's face first thing in the morning. Kojurou wiped the excess water from his eyes and leaned over the basin, staring for a moment at his own reflection. He was awake and alert, ready to start training. He had decided that it was time to pay a visit to the dojo at the main house rather than work in the fields, especially in light of the fact that there was a chance that Masamune himself would turn up, raring for a fight

...brb nosebleed

[getyourgunson]

Date was up just a little later, mainly because he just needed that bit more rest to get himself right back into action and the fact that he had found himself much too used to waking up late after spending all this time injured. He was going to have to rectify that as soon as he could

Just as planned.

[forbearanced]

The all-out brawl was going better than Kojurou thought it would, and it wasn't because it was ridiculously easy: it was because his opponents showed a marked improvement since the last time he had volunteered to give them a chance to test their skills.

It ended, however, much the same as always: with the majority of the boys he had faced off against sprawled all over the place, and him pinning down the last one in a choke hold, waiting for the signal to relent. He eased up when it did, and flashed the groaning lot a crooked smile.

"You lasted exactly a minute longer than usual this time. Good work!"

Hnnnngh.

[getyourgunson]

It was impossible to stop staring, what with the way Koujurou was moving - even at his age he was still all lean muscle and sinew without even the slightest hint of fat, and Date could see those muscles rippling effortlessly as his retainer fought. Sweat glistened from the light of the sun, and somehow that made everything all the more appealing. For a moment, the younger swordsman couldn't help but think what it would be like to run his hand across that skin, hot and sweaty from that workout and feel those muscles shifting so minutely under his touch--

--okay, he was not going there.

The warlord shook his head, attempting to blink himself out of his sudden trance as he glanced down and without really thinking, turned around with the intention to leave. It was obvious that staying here for any longer wasn't really going to help him in anyway - especially when it came to Koujurou.

THREE DAYS LATER, IN THE NIGHT

[getyourgunson]

"...Tsunamoto looks kind of down lately, don't you think?"

"Didn't you hear? He got turned down by Katakura-dono for--"

"What are you guys gossiping about?"

"C-Chief!"

"What's up with Koujurou?"

"H-He turned down Tsunamoto's offer for a brotherhood contract! I that makes this the seventh..."

"...the seventh?"

"Yeah! He's had other offers before, but I think he turned them all down..."

"He's had other offers before?"

"...Chief, you didn't know?"

"..."

Thinking about it, I really don't know anything about him at all... Date thought to himself as he lay on his futon, staring blankly at the ceiling about him. This whole week had been nothing but tiring, and all the incidents with Koujurou really had not been helping with things in the slightest. That and added with the fact of what he had rather recently discovered...

The warlord grunted to himself as he rolled to the side, scowling just a little. Shit, why didn't I know any of this? Or rather, just how had he never noticed any of this? Now that he knew everything suddenly

[forbearanced]

His lord had withdrawn again, as predicted. This time, however, he had no idea why.

Kojurou had hoped, against all evidence, that he had been imagining things. Masamune was (in)famous, as it was, for his temperament, capable of moving from languid happiness to seething rage with liquid smoothness. Somehow, though, he couldn't be convinced that the young man was in "one of his moods". Something was amiss, and he didn't know what.

That was more disconcerting than it should have been.

Nevertheless, Kojurou conducted himself normally, busying himself with his duties and remaining close at hand, ever at Masamune's shoulder whenever he was required to be (and sometimes, even if the other had not asked him). At that moment, he was making his way to his lord's chambers, for the customary last report of the day. He stopped in front of the closed sliding doors, and dropped to the floor.

"My lord."

[getyourgunson]

The sound of Koujurou's voice (his current source of distress at the moment, as it were) brought him out of his thoughts, and Date pushed himself up from his futon, not bothering to grab his eyepatch since he'd be sleeping after this. He had been waiting for the retainer, of course - no because of the report, but the chance this meeting provided. This whole thing had been haunting him for the whole day already... if anything, Date really didn't want it to affect him when they started their campaign anew. He needed to clear it all up, here and now, before things got worse.

(And maybe settle all of his feelings once an for all, but Date liked to tell himself that could be done in due time.)

After making sure that he himself was properly settled, the warlord called out to his trusted general. "Come in."

[forbearanced]

Kojurou moved promptly, letting himself inside, coming to sit at the edge of Masamune's futon. He glanced up, briefly, at Masamune's missing eye.

"Should this wait until tomorrow?"

SUDDENLY WE ARE IN A SHOJO MANGA.

[forbearanced]

The move startled him a little, especially since Masamune rarely ever reached out for him - the younger man had stopped doing that the moment he had been old enough to wear armor and ride out to battle. What followed next, however, surprised him even more.

"...My lord?"

LOOOOOOOOOOL.

[getyourgunson]

"You heard me," Date quickly returned with an almost audible snap in his voice, gaze still set on their hands rather than Koujurou's face, and briefly he tightened the hold he had on his retainer's hands. "I'm not going to repeat myself."

Saying it out loud had been embarrassing enough as it was already.

It's your fault, bro. WHAT IS THIS HAND HOLDING.

[forbearanced]

And to that, Kojurou simply withdrew. He was suddenly reminded of all of the htithings he used to have to do, in order to get a much younger Masamune to fess up to anything. One of them involved taking away his support system, or whatever he happened to be hiding behind.

"I can only acknowledge what is said to my face, young master."

IT'S... I DUNNO, IT'S SOMETHING.

[getyourgunson]

All the younger man could do was to clench his hands when Koujurou withdrew, still keeping his gaze down only to finally get the courage to look up after a few moments. It was clear that he was nervous - or at least, was doing a good attempt of hiding said nervousness.

"I love you," he said again, voice softer than before, but still audible all the same.