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2015-12-04
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exposing

Summary:

Yukari takes advantage of a rare moment alone with Nagare to...

Notes:

after seeing this rather shocking reveal about nagare, i just had to. the idea behind this has been in the back of my head for a while now, but not knowing for sure what nagare's chest looked like... this takes place sometime before sukuna joins the j-rankers, and assuming that his clothing was a little different back then, because now his 'under' shirt is a pull-over type. (maybe iwa-san switched as a protective measure...)

Work Text:

Yukari opened the sliding door to their homey little living room stage. "I'm ho~~me," he called out cheerfully, though Nagare and Iwa-san had to have already been aware.

"Welcome back," Nagare replied dispassionately.

Yukari looked around. Kotosaka was napping on his perch, but... "Where's Iwa-san?"

"He had to step out for an errand," Nagare informed him.

"Oh?" Yukari bit the inside of his lip to contain his excitement. He slipped Ayamachi off his back, and set it down gingerly next to the couch. "And he left you all alone?" Yukari pouted cutely at Nagare.

However, Nagare was, as almost always, engrossed in whatever was on his screens. "I am not helpless," Nagare countered defensively.

"Of course not," Yukari took off his gloves and jacket, and put them down on the table. "I've just never known Iwa-san to leave you alone. He's quite the doting papa!"

Nagare blinked, and spared Yukari a glance. "He does, though. Sometimes. For... short periods. ...Especially since we knew you would be back soon, anyway."

Yukari couldn't resist grinning at that. It seemed he was being trusted. Naturally, that felt good. But even more so... Yukari glided over to kneel down at his King's knee. He looked up at Nagare's face, waiting to be noticed.

Nagare didn't look his years. He seemed innocent and sheltered, which was true, but only partially so. He blinked three times, and then he looked at Yukari.

"Is there something you want? Yukari?" he asked.

Yukari took a deep breath, and then he smiled shyly. "There is, but I don't know how to ask. Or if I even should. It's not very attractive of me," he admitted, batting his eyelashes.

"...Ah, your aesthetics. Well. Just ask," Nagare commanded.

Perhaps it wasn't truly a command. Did Nagare really see himself as a King? It didn't matter to Yukari, who did see him so, but. "It's just... I... I want to see your body."

That was a misleading way to phrase it, but it was would suffice. It produced the desired effect, after all. He had Nagare's complete attention.

"My...? Are you expressing sexual desire for me?" Nagare asked, though his tone would seem to imply that he found that doubtful.

"Would that really be so strange?" Yukari wondered, winking at Nagare. "However, that's not it, not precisely. If I were making an overture to you, I wouldn't be so hesitant. There's nothing more beautiful than two people finding pleasure and comfort in each other's embrace, after all," he smiled coquettishly at Nagare.

"If you say so," Nagare passively did not disagree.

"I am not asking for that reason, though. Shamefully, I'm asking because... I'm... curious." Yukari bit his lip, and then held his hand out, palm forward, toward Nagare's heart. He held it back, though, not even touching the buckle of Nagare's straitjacket.

Nagare looked down at himself, and at Yukari's hand. "Ah. I see. ...You wouldn't like it, though. It's not. Beautiful."

"On the contrary," Yukari leaned forward, putting his arms on Nagare's chair. "Scars are by definition very beautiful. They are signs of the strength of one's desire to live. They are proof of what you have overcome. They are evidence of your accomplishment." Yukari tried to keep himself in check. He didn't believe that he and Nagare saw eye to eye perfectly, but he did feel as if they had more in common than he'd had with Ichigen-sama. However, he didn't want to frighten Nagare with his passion. Plus, it was one thing to talk of scars from a swordfight, or a battle. Nagare's wound was...

Different.

Nagare watched Yukari with interest, and then he slowly tilted his head, considering. Yukari's heart pounded with hopeful excitement. "Yukari. Tell me. Were you in love with Miwa Ichigen?"

Yukari blinked. He leaned back by a few millimeters. Ah, but... if he was asking Nagare to expose himself, then... "I... don't know," Yukari smiled, afraid he might look self-depreciating. "I used to think I was. And then, I started to wonder... I doubted myself and my relationship with him. That was... probably the beginning of the end."

"Because he had taken on a new disciple?" Nagare prompted.

Yukari laughed. "If that were the case, I probably wouldn't have been able to resist taking Kuroh-chan's head," Yukari teased, though it was most likely the truth. "No, though... seeing Ichigen-sama with Kuroh-chan... did cause me to face certain. Truths." He shrugged.

Nagare slowly narrowed his eyes. "Your answer is not satisfying, Yukari."

"I'm sorry, m'lord," Yukari smiled openly. "Love is complex! Have you ever been in love?"

"No," Nagare answered swiftly.

"Ouch," Yukari made a show of pouting. "You need to be more tactful, Nagare-chan. You could really hurt my feelings with that honesty."

"Are you in love with me?" Nagare asked coolly.

"I might be," Yukari winked. "A little bit."

"A little bit?" Nagare echoed, incredulous. "I do not think you can only be a little bit in love."

"That's how love starts. You fall in love with a smile, or a laugh. The way his hands look when he's cutting vegetables. The way he watches you from behind his bangs," Yukari leaned down to look up at Nagare's piercing blue eye. His belly roiled a bit, and he felt embarrassed and happy to just talk about these things, but. "It's little bit by little bit.

"When I was younger, I was enchanted by the idea of love at first sight, thinking that true beauty could be like a lightening bolt, changing a person. But I'm more mature now. I don't want to dive into love, sight unseen. I want to be drawn in, one touch, one glance at a time. Little bit by little bit. Maybe that's how you know the difference between real love and wanton desire." He put his head down on the arm of Nagare's chair, and smiled up at his King.

"I do not understand," Nagare stated.

Yukari laughed, and backed off. "I'm sorry, m'lord. I'm being unpleasant, aren't I?"

"No," Nagare cut Yukari off. "It's not unpleasant. You may see."

"I may?" Yukari leaned forward, excited.

"Yes," Nagare nodded. "You should prepare yourself, though. It is not what you are thinking."

"Thank you, m'lord," Yukari bowed to his King, and then he moved forward. Under the straitjacket, there was another whole layer. Yukari wasn't even completely sure what it looked like, so. "Mm. Would you be more comfortable on the couch, perhaps?"

"If you think so," Nagare replied indifferently.

Yukari stood up, and then he looked at Nagare, patiently waiting.

Nagare made a small motion with his head, and the lock on his chair disengaged. The screen in front tilted and turned up, and the arms opened enough for Nagare to get out.

Yukari leaned down and scooped up his King easily. He lifted Nagare up, and held him firmly in his arms. "You're so light," Yukari murmured, taking Nagare to the couch. His nose brushed through Nagare's hair. Nagare smelled nice.

"Yes, I keep fit, despite my infirmity," Nagare replied with just a touch of pride.

Yukari beamed as he put Nagare down. "Yes, you do." In fact, Nagare was so slim, there was room for Yukari to perch himself on the edge of the couch next to Nagare.

With careful, gentle fingers, Yukari opened the buckles on Nagare's straitjacket. He got each of them undone before he unwound Nagare's arms, setting them at Nagare's sides, and then opened the straitjacket, pushing the material back. He untied the simple tie at Nagare's neck, and then he worked each button down. The shirt Nagare wore over the long skirt had a ruffled collar, but was otherwise plain. He waited until the shirt was entirely unbuttoned before he moved to open it, but first, he looked at Nagare's eyes.

Nagare was watching him, as Nagare always watched him, with fascination.

Resisting the urge to kiss his adorable King, Yukari opened his shirt.

And then Yukari felt a shock unlike any other rip through him.

"It's... it's a hole," he gaped. Indeed, on the left side of Nagare's chest, there was a slightly imperfect circle, with nearly surgical edges, and it went all the way through his torso. Green electricity formed a pseudoheart in the middle of the hole, with cracking lines of energy swirling around to touch the edges. But, Yukari could see all the way through. He could see, cast in the green light of Nagare's electric heart, the fabric of the back of Nagare's shirt.

"Indeed. I have a hole in me," Nagare replied calmly.

"I'm... I'm so sorry, my lord," Yukari swallowed hard. "I didn't mean..."

"I told you it was not what you expected," Nagare replied with something akin to humor. "It is not beautiful."

"No," Yukari jerked his head, shaking it. "No, you're wrong. It's... it's the most incredible thing I've ever seen. You..." Yukari put his hands on Nagare's skin, not even enjoying the feel of Nagare's flesh as he should, but his hands moved closer as he looked to see... the edges of the hole, it couldn't just be open, could it? Or...

"Please don't put your hand in my hole," Nagare instructed patiently. "It is uncomfortable."

"No!" Yukari pulled his hand away, moving them both to Nagare's waist. "I wouldn't..." Yukari licked his lips.

And he looked at Nagare's body.

Nagare was pale. Of course he was, since he kept himself hidden. He was thin, too, even scrawny. His body wasn't toneless, though. Iwa-san was careful, wasn't he, to exercise Nagare as best they could. And it wasn't as if Nagare never moved, was it? However, since he depended on his power as King to live...

Yukari bit his lip, his eyes fixed on Nagare's electric heart. Nagare... depended on...

"Yukari?" Nagare questioned.

He was aware on some level that his fingers were digging into Nagare's sides, but he couldn't help it. His heart was pounding and his vision was swimming. "I'm sorry, my lord. I am... overcome. You..." Yukari blinked a few times, shocked to realize that he was close to tears. "You should have died. You could be... dead. You..." Yukari's head felt too large.

Nagare... should not be in the world. Was that it? No, it wasn't. It was the power of a King that endangered him, and it was the power of a King that saved him.

Yukari put his head down on Nagare's belly. He let out a long, ragged breath, and he could feel Nagare reacting to the feeling of it. He listened to Nagare's body. It was different, because... because there was no heartbeat, of course. But.

"Yukari," Nagare said softly.

Yukari closed his eyes, and pressed his face to Nagare's skin.

Gently, Nagare's fingertips touched Yukari's face. Nagare's other hand was on Yukari's hair. Yukari's eyes opened widely. He'd... never seen Nagare use his arms before.

And now, Nagare was touching him.

"I am alive," Nagare stated, his voice honeyed.

"Yes, you are," Yukari said resolutely, beaming. He closed his eyes, and he let Nagare sift through his hair, run his finger along Yukari's cheekbone.

Nagare was alive. And. Yukari was now fully aware that he was touching Nagare, that Nagare was already half naked for him, and was touching Yukari. Yukari wanted...

He wanted... a lot.

The sound of the door slamming open was like a bullet to Yukari's brain.

"Iwa-san has returned! And, I got the hamburger steak you like! I... OY." Faster than Yukari would have thought possible, light grey fog covered Nagare's body, and what had been warm and enticing suddenly became cold and frightening.

Yukari jumped away from Nagare's body, holding his hands up, but it was too late. Iwa-san had dropped his groceries and was glaring at Yukari. "Now. Now, it's not exactly what it looks like..." he started, knowing those words might well be etched onto his tombstone soon.

"Welcome home, Iwa-san," Nagare said calmly.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Iwa-san demanded of Yukari.

"No, see," Yukari backed off, having to feel his way around the low table. "I was not taking any advantages, I asked..."

"Let me rephrase that," Iwa-san pulled out his gun and pointed it at Yukari's head. Flecks of shimmering grey power swirled around the barrel. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"Now, come on! That's a very serious thing, please don't point that at me!" Yukari begged.

"Iwa-san," Nagare said.

Iwa-san and Yukari froze.

"It's all right," Nagare declared.

Iwa-san scowled. He narrowed his eyes. He did not lower his weapon. With a tick of his head, he dismissed Yukari. "Go on, get washed up for dinner," Iwa-san threatened.

Yukari bowed to Iwa-san, and then he moved around the table and off the stage to the darkness, where his room was.

It had been worth it. It had absolutely been worth it, he thought to himself as he bit the inside of his cheek to stop the hysterical laughter that was bubbling up inside him.

Nothing in his life had even been so worth it.



"Iwa-san. It's been a while since I've seen your weapon," Nagare commented.

Iwa-san let out a long breath, and then he put his gun away. "Nagare, just what were you thinking?" he asked plaintively.

"Yukari was curious," Nagare replied, as if that was a complete answer.

From Iwa-san's sigh, he knew that it was not. Iwa-san knelt down, and lovingly redid the buttons of his shirt. "I've warned you, you have to be careful with that one. I agree, he's more than useful, and he definitely seems on board with your dream, but he's... he's still dangerous!" He fussed, getting Nagare's arms in place to do up his straitjacket.

"Do you think that because he's homosexual?" Nagare asked.

"What?" Iwa-san looked at him, shocked. "No! That's not... and you shouldn't even ask... he was propositioning you, wasn't he?" Iwa-san growled.

"I do not think so. He was curious. It only seemed fair." Nagare replied flatly.

"...Are you... in him?" Iwa-san asked in a hushed voice. "I mean... I don't care, either way. People are people. Most people are shit. Everybody is just trying their best. So, whatever... but..." Iwa-san's forehead wrinkled up.

He was worried about Nagare again. Nagare smiled softly for him. "I do not know. I do not think it matters. I agree with him, though.

"He is beautiful."

Iwa-san shook his head, chuckling bitterly. "Well, he should be, with the amount of time he puts into it..."

"Iwa-san. Thank you for your concern," Nagare said soflty.

Iwa-san shook his head, and finished buckling up the straitjacket. "You have found so many was to age this already old man. Take pity, will you!" he teased, picking Nagare up effortlessly.

Nagare relaxed into his arms. "I'm looking forward to the hamburger steak."

"Of course you are! My hamburger steak is the best!" Iwa-san laughed, putting Nagare into his chair. Once he was in, Nagare locked it with a tiny flick of power.

Kotosaka suddenly cried out, flapping his wings. "Steak! Steak! Chicken is better!"

Iwa-san waggled his finger at Kotosaka. "Nothing out of you! You slept on duty, you rotten bird! Be careful, I bet you'd fry up easily!"

Kotosaka took off, shedding a few feathers on Iwa-san's head. "Can't catch me! Can't catch me!"

"Wanna bet?" Iwa-san growled.

Nagare smiled.

It was possible he understood Yukari's strange a little bit in love concept better now.

He could think about Yukari's breath on his belly anytime he wanted.