| Title: Of Past and Present Author: Kitsune Spirit Warnings: shounen ai, angst, swearing, sap, male/male kissing, language, translations at bottom. PG13. Part 11 ~a voice never sounded so sweet~ Zesian awoke the next day surrounded by warmth, opening his eyes he blinked away the sleep that hung onto him. He shifted to move but couldn't. Looking down he saw that arms were wrapped around him. The events of the night before flooding back to him and tears sprang to his eyes. He felt like an idiot crying in front of the older man, he batted the tears away and tried to untangle himself from the man holding him. His act was stopped abruptly when the arms tightened in response. Sighing he lay his head back onto the chest behind him, closing his eyes he realized it wasn't so bad. /this actually feels nice/ he commented to himself. He was slowly drifting off to sleep caught in limbo between sleep and being awake when he felt the other man move. Slowly the arms untangled from him and shifted him softly to the side. He kept his eyes closed thinking it'd be less embarrassing for them both but turned his head with slitted eyes to silently watch the man who was sitting next to him blushing. Feeling the need to get up he shifted to the other side. Turning over before pretending to wake thinking he'd fooled the man next to him. /I saw you watching me little one/ Kala-nesh thought, a gentle smile breaching his face. As Zesian moved he stretched, getting the kinks out of his neck. The soft voice behind him startled him. "Ohayou" came the gently spoken greeting. Zesian flinched a little before turning as he stood giving Kala-nesh a smile and nod as if returning the greeting. He moved out to the kitchen area unwrapping food from the day before and brought it in, sitting down next to the priest they ate, Zesian stopping to write every now and again. 'I have to go into the village, I have something to get.' the priest read the note and smiled looking up, "nani?" Zesian grinned and shook his head tapping his nose /it's a surprise/ he thought. Checking on the priest's bandages which was now making him blush more and feel strange inside at the close contact. Zesian went out to the stream. After bathing like every morning he brought in a basin of water for the priest to do the same. Zesian lent him a kimono thinking it would keep him warmer than the sheets, it wasn't very nice, used for warmth more than show but he smiled "arigatou" and had left it at that taking the thing and laying it next to him. He had managed to turn in time before the priest shook the cover off of himself so he could wash. /wish I'd given him the thing before/ he thought, though at the back of his mind a voice whispered /iie, you don't/ Kala-nesh tried to hide his smile as Zesian turned a brilliant shade of red before waving as he left the house. This gave Kala-nesh plenty of time to think as he washed. When he found out the truth of what had happened Kala-nesh had been shocked. Zesian ceased to amaze him, how someone who had been a mercenary al be it not a violent one, but could still... he could be so innocent and vulnerable. Shaking his head he pulled the amber bangs away from his face, wishing he had a tie. It was very rare that he wore his hair down and it became annoying briefly wondering why he kept it so long. The hair was so dirty and the basin wasn't cutting the job of washing it. Getting an idea he slowly stood, waiting for any dizziness to hit. When it didn't he unlatched the door placing the kimono on a chair he moved outside after looking around for anyone. He wasn't a naturist and didn't want to be showing anything off to some passerby unless it was Zesian. He blushed at the thought /what the hell are you doing thinking about him like that/ came the nasty retreat from his mind. Shaking his head again he slowly eased into the water, "kuso" he screeched. The water was freezing; he couldn't fathom how Zesian stood it every day. Washing quickly and soaking his hair he moved back into the cabin. Looking around now that he could move freely he had to admit that it was rather homely. Although very wooden it was furnished just right, soft material cushions of reds and golds furnished the main living area. The futon he had been lying on for the last few weeks a rich red, black trimming lined it, and on the cover itself a dragon neatly woven, he hadn't noticed it before as it was usually buried under the thick piles of other blankets. To the side, thick woolen blankets used to keep the chill of the night away offering some comfort to them both the previous night. Walking around drying himself with what he'd presumed of as a towel, he took some more food, looking in the cupboards and the desks, he felt guilty it was Zesians private stuff but he wanted to learn more about the man he was currently living with. A bronzed, if not bruised object caught his eye, the wooden frame was woven with dragons, the same as the futon. He thought it must have been custom made it was so delicate in apparel. Turning it to its face he held his breath. In the frame was a well-drawn portrait, it looked to be of Zesian at a younger age, guessing him to be around 16 or 17 and an elderly man. Kala-nesh presumed him to be Zesians father, well the man he had called father. Placing it away he moved to the chair, taking his kimono and dressing before he sat back down, checking on his own arm. It was healing well and he had to give the kid credit. Smiling he found a book Zesian had been reading and started on it himself. After two hours Zesian still hadn't returned and by now it had begun to rain, and it was raining hard. Kala-nesh thought that a storm was coming corrected when a brief flash of lightening caught his gaze. He had been sleeping when he heard the paddle bike stop outside, propped against a wall and sounds of wet clothing on skin before the door opened. Looking up he saw Zesian soaked to the bone from the rain, his light blue kimono drenched and clinging to his skin seductively, the cloak over his shoulders had done little to shield him from the rain. Starring Kala-nesh couldn't help but laugh at the scowl adorning Zesians face. "Didn't think it'd rain ne?" he smiled trying to hold back another oncoming giggle. Zesian glared at him, he hated being teased. The only reason he'd gone into town was to pick up the package he wanted for Kala-nesh and didn't appreciate being teased for it. He stomped over to the giggling man and threw the soggy package in his lap before turning on his heel more than angry. /I shouldn't have bothered/ he thought /he probably wont like it anyway and then I've wasted all that money on it/ sniffing he went and got changed, before stalking back out and lighting the fire before sitting down next to it, away from Kala-nesh and with his back to him. Meanwhile Kala-nesh had stopped laughing and had opened the package, the paper and binding lay on his lap, his hands running through the thick soft kimono which had come in the package. Looking up at Zesian he realized why the younger man had gone into town. It was for him, and he'd done nothing but laugh. He held the garment up, eyes running over its beauty. The kimono was a simple black, but had a glorious amber/gold sash and collar that was obviously meant to set off his eyes and hair. On the front which would cover the right side of his breast was a symbol, the 'crest of eternity', also in golds and browns. It must have cost the other a small fortune. /Shimatta/ he thought. How could he have been so mean to him. Slowly he got up and crawled over to him cringing as Zesian flinched away from his touch. "Zannendearu" he whispered. Zesian didn't move so Kala-nesh knelt in front of him, cupping his cheek so he'd look at him "arigatou Zesian" he whispered smiling. He dropped his hand and fingered the fabric again. Zesian made hand motions to the fabric, without his paper he couldn't write but hoped the other understood his silent question. Kala-nesh looked at him then back to the fabric. "I like it very much, it's beautiful" he whispered. The other shrugged a small smile gracing his lips. "Doushite ne?" Kala-nesh asked. Zesian shrugged again lowering his eyes. Kala-nesh was bewildered that the man could do such a sweet thing for him, he wanted to give something back to say thankyou and a thought came to him. /I just hope it works/ he thought as he grazed his knuckles against the others throat, wide eyes focused on him. Kala-nesh could almost hear Zesian thinking 'nani?' and smiled. Kala-nesh put both hands to Zesians throat, stroking it, before closing his eyes, focusing. He went into a trance stroking his fingers and palms over the silky throat, brushing the adams apple before stilling his hand on the one spot he needed to heal. Gently he applied pressure to the area, it wasn't comfortable as Zesian made quite clear scratching at the hands but Kala-nesh held on. /kami let this work/ Kala-nesh prayed. After some moments the pressure eased off and Zesians hands lay limply at his side. They both opened their eyes at the same time, Zesian looking at him through hooded lids. "Doushite?" /what the/ "nani?" Zesian grabbed his throat looking at Kala-nesh, eyes wide with wonder. "My.... My voice" Zesian babbled. Although the voice was croaky he was talking. "I don't understand, naniyue ne?" Zesian coughed and Kala-nesh allowed him to babble before answering. "I healed you"... he whispered "I wasn't sure if I could...I hadn't in a while. It was to say thankyou for the gift". He smiled as the wide glistening eyes trained their focus on him. "Nani?" he asked again smiling before tackling the other man to the ground in a hug "arigatou Kala-nesh" he said grinning. Kala-nesh looked up from his position underneath Zesian smiling, his gaze taking in the happiness of Zesians face. /His so beautiful/ he thought, before realizing how close they were. He held his breath. His face mere inches before Zesians /please kiss me/ he thought. Zesian seeming to have read his mind closed the gap between them, brushing his lips gently against Kala-neshs Kala-nesh closed his eyes, sighing into the kiss before opening them when he felt the touch was gone and so was the body weight on top of his. He opened his eyes to see Zesian scrabbling to his feet. /what have I done?/ the younger man thought before turning his back on Kala-nesh a sob racking through him. ~TRANSLATIONS~ Ohayou: good morning Nani: what? *excuse me?, huh?* Arigatou: thankyou ne: *put at the end of sentences that tells you its a question, must answer it. example: we're going out ne?* Shimatta: Damn it Zannendearu: *to be sorry, to regret* Doushite: why? what for? for what reason? Kami: god Kuso: shit |