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When Koujaku was close to the end, and he opened his mouth to say something, Mink was quick to silence him. He always said fool things when he was close to his release, and Mink didn’t want to hear anything Koujaku wouldn’t have said otherwise.
So when Koujaku arched up underneath him, his thighs hiked up around Mink’s hips, and ran his tongue over his lips, Mink leaned down to cover his mouth with a kiss. He made sure to be thorough, thrusting into Koujaku even deeper to encourage more moans and less useless chatter.
Koujaku responded, because he always responded, but after a moment, he turned his head to the side, breaking the kiss. His cheeks were flushed, his breath coming quick. He glanced up at Mink, his hands curling into the sheets over his head.
“Mink,” he said, his voice thin and breathy.
“Shut up, Red,”
“Mink, listen,” he tried again, and Mink cocked his head to show that he was listening, even as he continued with the harsh pace he had set.
“Can- Can you-“
“Spit it out.”
“Tie me.” Koujaku blurted, his eyes shifting away. Mink was surprised at the sudden request, but he couldn’t help but smirk at Koujaku’s nervousness.
“No.”
“No?” Koujaku echoed, glacing back at Mink. Mink took his wrists and pinned them back over his head, holding them there and adjusting his angle. He slowed his thrusts, and Koujaku squirmed underneath him, desperately trying to avoid his gaze.
“No. If you want to play with things like that, tell me before, not in the middle when all you want is to take cock.”
“I don’t-!” Came the protest, but a well-timed thrust turned the protest into a groan, and Mink wasted little time in finishing them.
After, neither of them spoke of it as they passed one of Koujaku’s cigarettes between them. Mink assumed it was one of those things said in the heat of the moment, a passing fantasy. He had told Koujaku that if he wanted it, he had to bring it up himself. Mink sure as hell wasn’t going to do the work for him.
So even if Koujaku seemed a little more subdued, he brightened with a kiss or two and a tumbler of bourbon, and he didn’t mention a word of his desire to be tied up while fucked.
And that was fine with Mink. Tying somebody with rope was for those who couldn’t control with word or hand; It seemed so much less threatening to Mink. And yes, he knew about the communities of sexual deviants, of people who enjoyed ropes and cuffs and leather and whips, and perhaps he had dabbled in it long ago, when he was angry and it was easy to find someone who wanted to be controlled. But he wasn’t sure if that was something he wanted to do with a lover, someone he never thought he would have for his own.
So the days wore on, and Koujaku acted normally, working and fussing over his looks and complaining when Mink moved his things. It was inevitable, though. Mink was spending more and more time at Koujaku’s place, enough that the old couple across the street no longer scowled at his motorcycle, but waved at him instead. Mink only ever raised a hand in greeting to the old lady, and only because she was bent and gnarled and she looked vaguely like Mink remembered his grandmother looking.
How sentimental.
He and Koujaku fucked a few more times after that, and Koujaku didn’t mention his previous request at all, so it wasn’t surprising that Mink had forgotten about it. He had other things to focus on when he had Koujaku naked in his lap, like the sweep of his dark hair and the flush on his skin and the way his lips tasted sweet and desperate when he was coming undone in Mink’s hands.
One morning, when he was watching a news briefing on his Coil and drinking lukewarm coffee like some sort of disgusting domestic creature, Koujaku came up behind him, rubbing his shoulders and fiddling with his hair. He waited, patiently, until the news ended before stilling his hands and taking a breath.
“Did you think about what I said?”
“What are you talking about?” Mink answered, drinking another mouthful of coffee. Koujaku didn’t answer for a moment, his hands shifting against Mink’s shirt.
“You know,” he said, caution lacing his voice. “About what I asked about. The other night.”
Mink grunted. “Yeah. What about it?”
He could feel the tension emanating from Koujaku, but he wasn’t giving up. He must really want it, then, if he was going to press on, even out of the bedroom. He couldn’t imagine why Koujaku would want to be tied so badly, but he supposed it wasn’t his place to judge his partner’s deviant interests.
“I, um. I want to. I mean, I want you to… Last time, you said that if I wanted to I should tell you before, so. I am.” Koujaku stammered out, and Mink glanced over his shoulder at him. His face was red, and he was avoiding Mink’s gaze. It was cute.
Mink shrugged, turning back to his coffee. “I’ll look it up.” That was all he offered as an answer, half hoping Koujaku would drop it for another couple of days.
But Koujaku lingered, rubbing his shoulders and sliding his hands around and down his chest.
“No need,” Koujaku murmured. “I know enough about it already. I mean… I’ve taken classes in shibari, you see. And I’ve practiced a lot on my own, so. I can show you everything you need to know.”
Ah, of course. But at least this wasn’t just a passing fantasy. This was something that Koujaku was invested in, and perhaps Mink should have been touched by the fact that Koujaku trusted him enough to offer this.
“Teach me, then,” he said gruffly, not very surprised when Koujaku’s hands tightened a little in Mink’s shirt. Koujaku’s hands were always so expressive, moving and shifting and opening and closing, constantly, and Mink constantly wanted to grasp them and hold them still.
“Really?” He breathed, sounding almost incredulous.
Mink looked up at him, studying his face and finding that he was nearly disgusted by the fact that he wanted to give Koujaku anything he asked for.
"Say, Red."
"Hm?"
"Come smoke with me."
So they ended up on the front stoop, sharing a cigarette and watching the old lady across the street water her potted plants.
"Red." Koujaku glanced over at Mink to show he was listening, taking a drag and passing the cigarette back. "I'll do it."
"Do what?" Koujaku asked, frowning. He was acting dumb. Mink could always tell. When Koujaku was really confused, he looked angry instead of adopting the stupid, sheepish look he had on his face now.
"You want me to say it?" Mink replied. "I'll do your shibari, if that's what you want. But it's on my terms, do you understand?"
He caught Koujaku's gaze as he said it, and Koujaku nodded solemnly. He fidgeted, reaching over to take the cigarette from Mink's hand. He took another drag from it, holding in the smoke for a moment before slowly letting it out.
"This isn't a joke, Red. You could get hurt."
"I know," Koujaku responded. "But I trust you."
Mink gave a humorless laugh. "Do you, now?"
Koujaku just shrugged, placing the end of the cigarette back in between his lips. Mink let him keep it.
Once they went back inside, Koujaku began to shift around again with unease, and Mink took enough pity on him to settle his hands heavily on Koujaku's shoulders. He leaned down just a little to kiss him.
"Calm down. Just show me."
Koujaku just nodded in response, his hands coming to rest on Mink's hips. "You know anything about this?" He asked softly.
Mink nodded, his own hands curling around Koujaku’s wrists. Surprise showed in Koujaku’s eyes, and his cheeks began to color as he realized that he would have less control than he thought. And that Mink knew more about his interests than he had considered.
“Koujaku,” Mink said, and Koujaku’s head shot up at the use of his name.
“Yeah?”
Mink gave a heavy sigh. “This isn’t some game.”
Koujaku looked away. “I know.”
“You could very easily get hurt. Or be unsatisfied.”
“I trust you.”
Mink stared at Koujaku, studying his face. His mouth was set, and he turned back to meet Mink’s eyes. He looked determined, his red eyes bright with the fierceness that had made him such a respected Rib leader in the first place. Mink sighed.
“Tell me your safeword.”
Koujaku smiled, squeezing his hand. “Benishigure.”
“And if you want out but can’t speak?”
Koujaku separated his hand from Mink’s just enough to tap his wrist three times. Satisfied, Mink studied Koujaku’s face and reached out to pull him into a firm kiss.
“I didn’t dabble in rope, so keep it simple. I’ll do most of what you ask, as long as you ask for it now, but I won’t be tied, do you understand?”
Koujaku nodded solemnly. “That’s fair,” he said. “I’ll accept it.”
“Still want to do it?”
“Yes.”
Mink hummed, leaning over Koujaku and tipping his chin up for another kiss. He could just taste the edge of cigarette smoke on Koujaku’s tongue, but he didn’t mind it. It was almost like taking a hit of something heavier than a cigarette, something luscious and smooth. He pulled back, stroking the backs of his fingers over Koujaku’s cheek.
Koujaku flushed, but he looked up at Mink. There was a conviction in his gaze, part of the banked fire that always burned there. Koujaku may have been a flirtatious dandy, but he was fierce and strong. It would have been disrespectful for Mink to deny it.
Koujaku surged up into the kiss, winding his arms around Mink's neck. Mink slid his hands down Koujaku's shoulders, slipping them under the neckline of his yukata. Koujaku's traditional clothing may have seemed unorthodox and silly at times, but he couldn't deny how much of a delight it was to be able to pull aside the rich cloth to touch Koujaku's warm skin.
And it was so easy to slide the fabric from his shoulders, pitted with scars and tattoos. It slipped down his back, and Mink pulled away from Koujaku's lips to kiss his shoulder, then his neck. He let one hand trail over Koujaku's jaw, down to trace over his throat.
Koujaku caught his breath, and Mink ducked his head to kiss the base of his throat before pulling back.
"Come on, then," he said, turning and leaving Koujaku half stripped and dazed in the kitchen. He made it to the hall before he heard Koujaku start to follow him.
Mink caught him as he entered the bedroom, steering him back and pushing him down onto the bed. He crawled over Koujaku, leaning down for another round of kisses. He reached to loosen the tie around Koujaku's waist and his yukata fell open, showing off his lean stomach and the black tattoos that curled around his side.
Koujaku tried to sit up, then, but Mink was ready for that. He lifted a hand to press just under Koujaku's chin, pushing him back down gently. Koujaku went meekly, his breath catching in his throat just from Mink's hand on his neck.
Mink kept it there, not exerting any pressure at all on his throat, but his fingers curled gingerly into the underside of Koujaku's jaw, giving the illusion that Mink could choke him at any time. Koujaku lay deathly still beneath him, his breath coming in shuddering exhales as he held on to Mink's wrist.
Mink kissed his mouth again, possessively, then moved down, keeping his hand carefully still on Koujaku's neck. He moved slowly, easing his knee in between Koujaku's legs; his yukata lay open beneath him, but there were no other clothes barring Mink's access except his underwear. Mink pressed his knee up against the cloth, brushing against the half formed bulge that was hidden there.
"What about this do you like?" Mink said lowly, leaning down to speak in Koujaku's ear.
Koujaku shifted just slightly beneath him, keeping himself as still as he could under Mink's hand on his neck. "I-" he began, and Mink moved his hand to grasp Koujaku's chin instead. His pupils were already dilated, and his breath was coming quick. "I like the power exchange," he admitted. "I want to give up my control for just a little while."
Mink could understand that. It wasn't something that he would want to give up, but he knew the pressure. How it would build, the weight of having to remain in control at all times, with no pause and no respite. If Koujaku wanted a release from it, he could grant that, if only for a little while.
Mink studied Koujaku’s face for a while, searching his eyes until Koujaku closed them with a careful exhale. He could feel how hard Koujaku was already, just from a little bit of submission, and if they both played their cards right tonight, this could open a world of possibilities for them.
“So show me a tie, Red,” Mink murmured, running his rough fingertips down Koujaku’s throat and chest, down to his navel. Koujaku took in a deep breath and sat up, pushing against Mink’s shoulders. Mink let him up, watching as Koujaku went to his wardrobe and pulled out a cloth bag.
Inside were several lengths of rope, both nylons and natural fibers, along with a pair of safety scissors and a small bottle that read ‘conditioner’ on the front. Mink sifted through the bag, choosing a length of jute and pulling it out to look it over. He held it up and inhaled the thick, earthy scent, unable to help but notice that the rope smelled vaguely of Koujaku, too.
Koujaku gently took the rope back from him, smoothing out the coils and looking up at Mink. “Can I demonstrate on you?” He asked, and Mink shook his head. “Okay.”
Instead, Koujaku pulled up a video on his Coil, a tutorial on how to do what Koujaku called a box tie. As he watched, Mink pulled Koujaku into his lap, his hand finding its way into Koujaku’s underwear. He toyed with Koujaku’s cock as they watched the video, twice, Koujaku trying to keep his panting to a minimum so that Mink could hear the instructions.
They were simple enough, he thought, and after the second time the video had ended, Mink gave Koujaku’s cock a brief squeeze and let go. He shifted away and stood up, taking the jute in his hands and loosening the knot in the middle. He took the bight in his hand, letting the ends fall to the floor, and he could have sworn he saw Koujaku shiver.
Koujaku eased himself off the bed, tugging off his underwear and letting his yukata slide the rest of the way off, pooling onto the floor. He stepped away from the pile of clothes, naked now, to stand demurely before Mink.
“Turn around,” he ordered, and Koujaku obeyed, turning his back to Mink and showing off the violent blooms tattooed into his skin. It obviously wasn’t Koujaku’s first time being tied; he seemed to prefer the role of rigger, but Mink had pegged him as a solid switch. Especially from the way he immediately spread his legs wider and settled his arms behind his back to be tied without being asked, his form impeccable.
“Remind me what your safeword is,” Mink said, smoothing out the rope and making sure it was folded over perfectly in the middle.
“Benishigure.” Came the confident answer. Mink had to admit that he was impressed. He had anticipated that getting Koujaku to submit so readily would come only after practice on both of their parts.
“And if it so happens that you can’t speak?”
“I’ll tap you three times.”
“And if you can’t touch me?”
Koujaku dipped his head a little. “I trust that you will keep an eye on me and know if something is wrong.”
“Good boy,” Mink said lowly, giving Koujaku’s ass a solid slap before threading the rope around his forearms. He made three loops around them and tied it off firmly before guiding the rope up and around Koujaku’s upper arm to cross his chest and his arm on the opposite side, then looped it around the strand leading away to create a balance around his torso. He then went back the way he had come, laying another track of rope just under the first, then knotted it just between Kouajku’s shoulder blades.
He didn’t have a lot of rope left, so Mink attached another length to the first with a simple lark’s head knot. He then took the jute back around Koujaku’s body, laying another two tracks just above his elbows and binding them to his sides. After he had secured that, too, he realized he wasn’t sure what step to take next. He had a bit of rope left in his hands and nowhere to put it, so Mink leaned forward to kiss Koujaku’s neck and murmur in his ear.
“Tell me what to do next.”
Koujaku took a deep breath and shifted under the ropes. “The lead in your hands,” he began. “Loop it under my elbow and come around front. Start with the right side.”
Mink followed the instructions, stepping around to look at Koujaku. His cheeks were flushed slightly, and he watched Mink with slightly lidded eyes. Mink smiled down at him, and Koujaku visibly swallowed.
“Ah… Loop the rope over top of the upper binding, please,” he instructed, and Mink followed. “Pull it back under my arm. Secure it to the… Yes. Now the other side.”
When Mink circled around Koujaku’s other side to repeat his actions, he found that Koujaku’s eyes were closed, his lips parted just so. He wondered what sort of pleasure Koujaku was getting from the feeling of being bound. Whether it was from the texture of the rope, or the submission, or the attention… Mink couldn’t be sure.
“Do it to the bottom bindings, too?”
Koujaku gave a small nod, and Mink did those, too, before finally knotting off the little bit of rope he had left in the middle. Finished, Mink stepped back and circled around Koujaku, studying his own work. It wasn’t professional, but it wasn’t sloppy, either. It would do. Besides, Koujaku looked good bound up in ropes, like a gift, like a prisoner.
Koujaku opened his eyes, looking up at Mink. He gave a small smile, his eyes slipping closed again as Mink leaned in to kiss him and pull down his hair. It spread across his shoulders and cascaded down his back, and Mink ran his fingers through it, pushing it all back over Koujaku’s shoulders and away from his face.
“It’s getting long,” he murmured, taking the tie that was in Koujaku’s hair and using it bind up his own long dreadlocks.
Koujaku gave a small nod, opening his eyes. “I should cut it soon.”
“Do what you like,” Mink said with a shrug. “But it suits you.”
Koujaku smiled, bending his head forward a little, his bangs falling into his face again to cover up the tattoo on his cheek and hide his eyes. “Pull it, if you like.”
Mink smirked, but said nothing, circling around Koujaku again, trailing his rough fingertips around one hip and across his lower back. Koujaku took a deep breath when Mink paused behind him, but remained in place until he was moved, turned to face Mink again. “Knees,” Mink growled, and Koujaku went, kneeling gracefully rather than dropping to the floor.
He glanced up, and Mink ran his fingers through that long, black hair, taking a fistful and pulling Koujaku to his crotch. Koujaku made a surprised little sound, but he adjusted quickly, nuzzling against the bulge in Mink’s pants. He mouthed at it, rubbing his cheek against it and shifting closer to Mink on his knees, and Mink couldn’t help but be impressed. While he had figured that Koujaku was a switch, he hadn’t expected him to be this good of a submissive, this eager or talented. It seemed as though Koujaku always had a surprise in store.
Mink pulled Koujaku back just enough to open his jeans, freeing his cock and raising an eyebrow as Koujaku’s cheeks reddened at the sight. He glanced up at Mink, then back down, running his tongue over his lips. But Mink wasn’t going to give him time to contemplate. He pulled Koujaku’s head forward again, and Koujaku began to repeat his earlier actions, mouthing at the length of Mink’s cock and rubbing it against his cheek. He finally took it into his mouth, sucking hard and rubbing his tongue earnestly underneath the head.
He paused when Mink tightened his hand in his hair, and glanced up. He swallowed around Mink’s cock and opened his mouth wide; it was the correct guess, because Mink took immediate advantage, jerking his hips forward and starting to roughly fuck his mouth.
Koujaku squeezed his eyes shut, trying to keep from choking, but Mink could hear the whimpering sounds he made and could see the tears that formed at the corners of his eyes. Mink pulled him off again and Koujaku gasped, breathing hard. There was saliva smeared across his lips, and he furiously blinked away tears. Mink gave him a moment to recover before dragging his head back, and Koujaku eagerly took him back into his mouth, bobbing his head quickly to try and mimic Mink’s earlier, brutal pace.
Mink let him try for a while, thrusting into his mouth every now and then to keep him on edge. He took another handful of Koujaku’s hair and pulled him all the way back down onto his cock, until he felt his tip brush the back of Koujaku’s throat. Koujaku’s eyes watered, but he kept them open as he looked up at Mink, pleading in his eyes.
“I look forward to fucking you,” he said with a small upturn of his lips, finally dragging Koujaku off of his cock. He stepped away as Koujaku choked and gasped for breath, bending almost double with his efforts and causing the rope to tighten around his body. “I wouldn’t mind coming down your throat, though. You’d like that.” To his surprise, Koujaku nodded, kneeling back up and looking at Mink with damp eyes. Mink gave a short huff of laughter. “Next time, then.”
He grasped the ropes in between Koujaku’s shoulder blades and hauled him to his feet, shoving him towards the bed. Koujaku went where he was pushed, stumbling under the sudden force, but Mink kept him upright. He bent Koujaku over the end of the bed, and Koujaku shifted forward just enough to be able to spread his thighs open. Mink shook his head, slapping Koujaku’s ass again.
“That eager?” He asked, squeezing his ass leisurely.
Koujaku shifted on the bed. “You’ve never been so rough with me, I got excited.”
Mink gave a gruff sort of laugh as he walked around the bed to rifle through the side drawer until he found a small container of lube. It was nice stuff, not some cheap convenience store brand. It was becoming more and more apparent that Koujaku liked to invest in sex, be it through a pricey brand of lube or through the time and effort it took to become so well versed in shibari. Mink supposed it was Koujaku’s own business, but he was finding that he liked each aspect of him, and especially this one.
The ropes looked lovely against his body, holding him in and almost seeming to trap those tattoos under his skin. Not to mention how submissive they seemed to make Koujaku. Mink could see him taking deep breaths as he waited, tilting his hips up a little to try and tempt him.
He wouldn’t keep Koujaku waiting, though. He poured the lube over his fingers, spreading the cool gel against Koujaku’s entrance, feeling him jump under the sudden chill. Mink placed the palm of his other hand on the ropes between his shoulder blades again, curling his fingers around them and pushing Koujaku into the bed as he pressed a single finger inside, up to the knuckle.
Koujaku gave a choked gasp at the sudden intrusion, but he relaxed after a few moments, and Mink took it as a cue to continue. He fingered him roughly, making quick work of scissoring Koujaku open. He arched under Mink’s hand, panting open mouthed against the duvet. Mink considered only giving him the preparation of two fingers, but he decided that he didn’t want to hurt Koujaku, play or no. He gave him a third finger and more lube, spreading him apart until he was rutting against the bed.
“Mink,” he said, turning to glance at Mink from over his shoulder. “I’m ready, please.”
“Sure?” Mink asked, parting his fingers inside of Koujaku again and wringing a gasp from him.
“A-ah! Yes! Don’t make me say it,” Koujaku pleaded as Mink pulled his fingers from his ass. He waited, pulling his pants open a little more and coating his cock with lube. He gave it several rough strokes, staring down at Koujaku with intent.
“Well?”
“Mink-“
“Say it.” Mink demanded, slapping Koujaku’s ass for the third time, driving a little cry from Koujaku. There was a red mark forming there from the previous slaps and the force with which Mink delivered them, and it looked almost as appealing as the ropes.
“What do you want me to say?” Koujaku panted, and Mink smirked.
“Say you want to be fucked.”
Koujaku made an undignified sort of squeak, but he arched his back as Mink dragged the head of his cock over his entrance.
“I- I want to be fucked.”
“Say you want my cock.”
“I want your cock, Mink, please,” Koujaku begged, his hands curling helplessly in his bonds. He groaned when Mink granted his request, pushing just the head of his cock past his entrance.
“Tell me how much of a cock slut you are. Tell me how much you love cum.”
“Don’t be unfair,” Koujaku whined, trying to push himself back onto Mink’s cock, failing when Mink held him down into the mattress. “I… I’m a cock slut,” he whispered feverishly, a blush staining his cheeks. “I want your cum, Mink, please. Come inside me.”
That was good enough. Hell, better than expected, and with one harsh thrust, Mink sheathed himself in Koujaku’s body with a grunt. Koujaku gave a short cry, his voice sounding hoarse with the force with which it was ripped from his throat. Mink began to fuck Koujaku in earnest, reaching forward to grab a handful of his hair and shove his face into the bed.
His other hand wandered down to pull Koujaku’s hips up and grasp the base of his cock, mimicking the feel of a cock ring and keeping him hard as he fucked him. He stroked Koujaku every once in a while, drawing more low cries from him, but he held off Koujaku’s orgasm until he felt himself nearing his own.
It wouldn’t take long, anyway. The spontaneity of the sex, along with the thrill of binding Koujaku up and being as rough with him as he had been was driving Mink to the edge faster than usual. Not that he would complain. It was still good, hot and hard, and Mink could feel the sweat trickling down his back from the force and the excitement.
He pulled Koujaku’s head back by his hair, making him arch up. The change of position seemed to force Mink’s cock against his sweet spot, because Koujaku began to groan louder, Mink’s name dropping from his lips in a desperate chant.
Mink loved the sound of Koujaku’s voice during sex. He enjoyed the sound of Koujaku’s voice all the time, he found, but when Koujaku was feeling pleasure, he seemed freer. Less controlled, and looser with his affection and his feeling. His moans were deeper, his cries louder, and every word said, while idiotic, was uttered with passion.
Mink began to stroke Koujaku more steadily, and Koujaku exhaled, dipping his head when Mink let go of his hair. He gripped at his own arms for some sort of purchase, writhing and bucking into the bed as Mink brought him to orgasm. His groans of release were sweet, even muffled as they were in the bed covers, and Mink closed his eyes to try and commit the sound to memory.
His own orgasm followed soon after, wrung from him by Koujaku’s body and his beauty and the sight of him bound only in ropes while Mink remained clothed. He came deep inside Koujaku, a low growl being the only verbal signal of the pleasure that tore through him. He stilled, bending over Koujaku with a harsh sigh, trying to catch his breath.
Once he had recovered a little, he bent his head to kiss Koujaku’s back, here and there in between the ropes and on the side of his neck. His jaw. His cheek. The corner of his mouth. Koujaku’s eyes fluttered open, and he smiled at Mink.
Mink straightened a little, still buried inside Koujaku. He gave a lazy roll of his hips as he began to untie the ropes, pulling them off with little finesse or patience. Koujaku didn’t complain, however, only giving a soft whimper when he was thrust into again. Once most of the ropes were off, Koujaku stretched out his arms over his head, and Mink ran his hands down Koujaku’s back, simply touching and feeling each muscle, each ridge of his spine. His hands ended up on Koujaku’s ass, and he squeezed the soft flesh, parting it and thrusting a few more times, watching his own cum be forced from Koujaku’s entrance.
Koujaku shuddered, and Mink finally pulled all the way out. He crawled over Koujaku’s body, and Koujaku turned over underneath him.
“Hello,” he greeted, a lazy smile crossing his face. Mink grunted, leaning down for a thorough kiss. “Thank you,” Koujaku said afterwards, and Mink studied his face, blissful and relaxed.
“What for?”
“Indulging me.”
Mink gave a small smile. “Anytime, Red,” he murmured, pushing Koujaku’s bangs out of his face. “Just one thing.”
“Tell you beforehand,” Koujaku supplied with a smile. “Fair enough.”
Mink nodded, sitting up and pulling Koujaku with him, off the bed and towards the bathroom. He didn’t mind wrapping his lover in his arms and sleeping covered in sweat and other things, but Koujaku was particular enough as it is. Especially since he was already running his hands through his hair, trying to smooth it down.
But Mink could soothe him with kisses and a rough embrace and a cigarette, and while they weren’t at the point where they could say ‘I love you,’ the closeness and the solidarity they shared over their bloodied pasts was enough. Enough to keep them upright, enough to keep them hoping.
It was enough to keep them alive.
