[ not an argument, though. not a no. just a lazy grin, a humming sigh, and shivers creeping through him under reki's diligent mouth. ]
It's yours. Anything you want. You deserve the world, and I'll make sure you get it.
[ sometimes, it doesn't seem like the world will be enough. like kojiro could drown reki in mountains of gold, flood him with love until he overflows, and it still wouldn't be enough. he'd deserve more and more, and kojiro could spend his entire life trying to measure up. but little by little, he tries; like now, with no expectation and his hand scrubbing through reki's hair, hashing out all these brilliant what-ifs like they -- finally, blissfully -- have a foreseeable future together. ]
But where you getting all these kids from? Am I still trying to knock you up? Got bad news for you on that front, beautiful...
[ as if the threat of reki showing up someday with one is real. hard to tell by the wild look in his eyes as his teeth sink in swift and sharp, stealing a quick nibble before he goes searching for another spot to torment. ]
You're not gonna do all of the work either. I promise.
[ which is the pulse of kojiro's throat, annoyingly resilient against a smaller mouth. there's a touch of leftover fire when he pulls kojiro into a kiss, nails raking over the rough ridge of his jaw indulgently. impossible not to feel obscenely spoiled when kojiro is so full of yeses and kicking up the sweetest tingles with those fingers in his hair, but his gaze falls on him soft and painfully open. ]
I've never wanted anything more than I want this, I'll do whatever it takes.
[ reki's gonna be photographing a marked man if he keeps this up, but for all kojiro knows, that's part of his angle. not that he's had much experience with it until recently, but there's a swell of pride that comes from looking at someone's bruises and remembering exactly how they got there. bonus points if you put them there. gold medal if it was with your teeth. why not immortalize that feeling?
so he indulges the little bites, melts into the fiery kisses, pulls at reki's lips with each pass, and grins through the nails pushing through his scruff. ]
Me too.
[ there's something absolutely heartbreaking behind his eyes when he fixes them on reki. even kojiro can't tell if it's sincerity or sadness. maybe it's a little of both. ]
Thank you. For everything. I'm gonna make sure you never regret this.
[ there's no severity to it; reki sounds amused, smiling against his lips when they meet again. it doesn't end so much as reki tips his head and turns it into a butterfly kiss, lingering close in his space with slow, soft nuzzles and a thumb stroking smooth over the curve of kojiro's cheek. if there's a more economical way to pour love into this man, reki hasn't found it; he's flooding kojiro in it, trusting he will see this deluge to where it needs to go. ]
No freakin' way you wanna go on a honeymoon to the States either. Not enough food and culture for you. Don't even try to tell me I'm wrong.
[ and just like that, he's gone, bending through kojiro's fingers like smoke and weightlessly drifting off the bed and to the floor. that drawer in the nightstand beneath the one with all the lubricant and drugs hardly ever gets any attention, especially now that it's become an easily accessible cache to pour all of the bolts and components that build up in reki's pockets before bed. navigating it requires shovel hands and a very, very specific idea of what one is trying to retrieve, so it felt like a safe place to stash the box he pulls out, which is tucked behind his back as he nudges the drawer shut and hovers near the bed. ]
I'll give you somethin' shiny if you tell me where you really wanna go.
[ kojiro has to stop and think -- really, truly think -- about his answer. Because why wouldn't he want to troll around los angeles for two weeks, fucking reki senseless with a neverending fade? isn't that what honeymoons are for? obscene amounts of sex (and drugs)? but then, maybe he's only wanting what he knows reki would love, and he's not bothering to take himself into account at all. wouldn't be the first time. reki's getting too damn observant for his own good, and for some infuriating reason, he won't just allow kojiro to spoil him rotten.
Something shiny. kojiro's gaze flickers warily to the arm tucked behind reki's back, and he purses his lips through a long sigh. ]
Sicily. [ predictable. as. fuck. but reki asked, and that's the first thing kojiro manages to land on, fomo the ever-present demon kojiro's forced to grapple. ] Palermo. I studied in Naples, but it was tourist season when I got to Italy, so everyone told me not to go. And then by the time autumn rolled around, I was too busy with work and classes to make the trip. But I always wanted to go back.
[ it's pretty obvious that reki has no idea what he's talking about. he'll google all those mysterious place names later — or, more likely, just ask langa where they are — but that's not what really matters. that light in his eyes has turned doubly bright at the suggestion and fair's fair; the box he's badly concealing is brought forward as he climbs back into bed, tucking himself snug against the heat of kojiro's body. ]
Can I, uh...
[ his fingers silently make up the difference for him, gentle, coaxing strokes down kojiro's arm and up the inside of his wrist. his thumb makes a few absent-minded passes over kojiro's palm before his eyes focus on the man above him. ]
[ bashful is such an interesting look for reki. not that kojiro hasn't seen it on him before, but it's such an elusive state, hidden behind sunshine and storm clouds. but an important distinction for this is that kojiro leaves space for his vulnerability. he lets reki curl against him, watches with a small smile while reki's hands play over his arm, and pointedly refuses to comment on the adorably flustered way reki stumbles over his words.
reki's got his hand already. he's running his thumb over kojiro's palm throughout the demand, so this is either metaphorical or stalling for time. regardless, kojiro's smile is nothing short of total serenity, patience incarnate when he lifts his hand along with his brow. ]
[ the problem here is that reki's actively throwing himself into a situation with no plan. voluntarily, because if he thinks too hard about this, that box is going to rot in the bottom of that drawer for the rest of their natural lives. kind of kills the point that way. ]
Don't get ahead of yourself.
[ good, then. if this hand is his, he can set himself upright and balance everything on his knee while he creaks open that box. the rings inside are simple: plain, silvery bands inlaid with a circle of vividly pigmented bloodstone, but there are more personal touches tucked away inside. reki doesn't even bother flashing them before he carefully slides one on to kojiro's finger. they'll get there. ]
I'll get you a better one someday. But these ones can take a fucking beating, right? It's the same metal I welded into your trucks so they don't crack anymore. Just gotta make sure to take it off next time you wanna drop some mouthy moron at a show or this thing is going straight through their skull.
[ no question, no qualm, not a beat missed before kojiro's reached up to cradle reki's cheek and pulled him into another kiss. it's all tenderness, sweetness, languid pulls through a soft smile. because the ring feels so right on his hand. not that kojiro's ever been averse to commitment, but it hasn't felt like this before. like he wants to. like it's the way things are supposed to be, and this ring is resting exactly where it's meant to, simply by virtue of the fact that reki put it there.
there's no rushing through these kisses. no desperation. just quiet gratitude soaked into every corner of them, and a love that can't be quantified with rings or words or promises. but when kojiro's satisfied that he's conveyed his point, he takes the other ring from the box, and carefully works it onto reki's finger. that's when he finally stops to admire them; holds his hand out next to reki's, and stops to really look at them.
the differences are so stark when their hands are beside each other like this. kojiro's hand is so much larger, darker. but these red-and-green stones are the perfect bridge for that gap, tying up all the contrasts and linking them inexorably. kojiro has to swallow hard past a lump that's suddenly rising in his throat, right before he links their hands together and grips reki tight. ]
They're perfect. You're perfect. Thank you.
[ And, just to be clear: ]
I promise I won't brain anyone with it, even if they deserve it.
[ it's not a surprising answer when kojiro's been threatening to wife him since the break, but reki's ears still burn when they pick up the words and seeing the bands in place hits a lot harder than he thought it would. nothing he's ever done has felt meaningful; there's a considerable weight to the image of their fingers intertwined, brightness and pride and security and a whole host of emotions he can't even name yet.
now isn't the time anyway. he doesn't think he's ever seen kojiro smile like this before and it sinks right into that internal mire where everything else goes to be discounted and dismissed, purifying the waters and soothing that rotten ache of anxiety. he likes them. kojiro likes them. all that hard work paid off. reki's grinning so hard that his face hurts. ]
You don't gotta promise that. It's just a warning. Brain whoever the fuck you want.
[ he still has that other hand to run softly-sweeping touches over kojiro's cheek and trace the line of his jaw. it's all that he can do when kojiro looks so handsomely content, when his heart is so full of all these imperative feelings that he suddenly can't get enough of him. not much room to maneuver when reki's breathing him in like he's the last gasp of air in a vacuum, but he works it out. ]
[ there's nothing else for kojiro now, no way he could ever dredge up this depth of emotion for anyone but reki. somewhere along the way, this boy seized a complete monopoly on his heart, and kojiro hasn't known peace since. it's a cool breeze on a sweltering day, but also every single soul-searing fire in hell; salve and sanctuary, lust and fixation. kojiro's hooked, and he never ever wants to be free of it.
but that's too easy to dismiss, and kojiro can't leave room for that with reki. so the sweeping hands on his jaw only serve to beckon him, to catch reki's lips in tender pulls and careful passes of his tongue. and every push is steeped in the sweetest, warmest affirmations kojiro can manage, low and rumbling against reki's lips: ]
no subject
[ not an argument, though. not a no. just a lazy grin, a humming sigh, and shivers creeping through him under reki's diligent mouth. ]
It's yours. Anything you want. You deserve the world, and I'll make sure you get it.
[ sometimes, it doesn't seem like the world will be enough. like kojiro could drown reki in mountains of gold, flood him with love until he overflows, and it still wouldn't be enough. he'd deserve more and more, and kojiro could spend his entire life trying to measure up. but little by little, he tries; like now, with no expectation and his hand scrubbing through reki's hair, hashing out all these brilliant what-ifs like they -- finally, blissfully -- have a foreseeable future together. ]
But where you getting all these kids from? Am I still trying to knock you up? Got bad news for you on that front, beautiful...
no subject
[ as if the threat of reki showing up someday with one is real. hard to tell by the wild look in his eyes as his teeth sink in swift and sharp, stealing a quick nibble before he goes searching for another spot to torment. ]
You're not gonna do all of the work either. I promise.
[ which is the pulse of kojiro's throat, annoyingly resilient against a smaller mouth. there's a touch of leftover fire when he pulls kojiro into a kiss, nails raking over the rough ridge of his jaw indulgently. impossible not to feel obscenely spoiled when kojiro is so full of yeses and kicking up the sweetest tingles with those fingers in his hair, but his gaze falls on him soft and painfully open. ]
I've never wanted anything more than I want this, I'll do whatever it takes.
no subject
so he indulges the little bites, melts into the fiery kisses, pulls at reki's lips with each pass, and grins through the nails pushing through his scruff. ]
Me too.
[ there's something absolutely heartbreaking behind his eyes when he fixes them on reki. even kojiro can't tell if it's sincerity or sadness. maybe it's a little of both. ]
Thank you. For everything. I'm gonna make sure you never regret this.
no subject
[ there's no severity to it; reki sounds amused, smiling against his lips when they meet again. it doesn't end so much as reki tips his head and turns it into a butterfly kiss, lingering close in his space with slow, soft nuzzles and a thumb stroking smooth over the curve of kojiro's cheek. if there's a more economical way to pour love into this man, reki hasn't found it; he's flooding kojiro in it, trusting he will see this deluge to where it needs to go. ]
No freakin' way you wanna go on a honeymoon to the States either. Not enough food and culture for you. Don't even try to tell me I'm wrong.
[ and just like that, he's gone, bending through kojiro's fingers like smoke and weightlessly drifting off the bed and to the floor. that drawer in the nightstand beneath the one with all the lubricant and drugs hardly ever gets any attention, especially now that it's become an easily accessible cache to pour all of the bolts and components that build up in reki's pockets before bed. navigating it requires shovel hands and a very, very specific idea of what one is trying to retrieve, so it felt like a safe place to stash the box he pulls out, which is tucked behind his back as he nudges the drawer shut and hovers near the bed. ]
I'll give you somethin' shiny if you tell me where you really wanna go.
no subject
Something shiny. kojiro's gaze flickers warily to the arm tucked behind reki's back, and he purses his lips through a long sigh. ]
Sicily. [ predictable. as. fuck. but reki asked, and that's the first thing kojiro manages to land on, fomo the ever-present demon kojiro's forced to grapple. ] Palermo. I studied in Naples, but it was tourist season when I got to Italy, so everyone told me not to go. And then by the time autumn rolled around, I was too busy with work and classes to make the trip. But I always wanted to go back.
no subject
[ it's pretty obvious that reki has no idea what he's talking about. he'll google all those mysterious place names later — or, more likely, just ask langa where they are — but that's not what really matters. that light in his eyes has turned doubly bright at the suggestion and fair's fair; the box he's badly concealing is brought forward as he climbs back into bed, tucking himself snug against the heat of kojiro's body. ]
Can I, uh...
[ his fingers silently make up the difference for him, gentle, coaxing strokes down kojiro's arm and up the inside of his wrist. his thumb makes a few absent-minded passes over kojiro's palm before his eyes focus on the man above him. ]
Let me see your hand real quick, man.
no subject
reki's got his hand already. he's running his thumb over kojiro's palm throughout the demand, so this is either metaphorical or stalling for time. regardless, kojiro's smile is nothing short of total serenity, patience incarnate when he lifts his hand along with his brow. ]
It's yours, babe.
[ is that metaphorical? who knows. ]
no subject
Don't get ahead of yourself.
[ good, then. if this hand is his, he can set himself upright and balance everything on his knee while he creaks open that box. the rings inside are simple: plain, silvery bands inlaid with a circle of vividly pigmented bloodstone, but there are more personal touches tucked away inside. reki doesn't even bother flashing them before he carefully slides one on to kojiro's finger. they'll get there. ]
I'll get you a better one someday. But these ones can take a fucking beating, right? It's the same metal I welded into your trucks so they don't crack anymore. Just gotta make sure to take it off next time you wanna drop some mouthy moron at a show or this thing is going straight through their skull.
[ speaking of getting ahead of yourself ]
If you... wanna wear it.
no subject
[ no question, no qualm, not a beat missed before kojiro's reached up to cradle reki's cheek and pulled him into another kiss. it's all tenderness, sweetness, languid pulls through a soft smile. because the ring feels so right on his hand. not that kojiro's ever been averse to commitment, but it hasn't felt like this before. like he wants to. like it's the way things are supposed to be, and this ring is resting exactly where it's meant to, simply by virtue of the fact that reki put it there.
there's no rushing through these kisses. no desperation. just quiet gratitude soaked into every corner of them, and a love that can't be quantified with rings or words or promises. but when kojiro's satisfied that he's conveyed his point, he takes the other ring from the box, and carefully works it onto reki's finger. that's when he finally stops to admire them; holds his hand out next to reki's, and stops to really look at them.
the differences are so stark when their hands are beside each other like this. kojiro's hand is so much larger, darker. but these red-and-green stones are the perfect bridge for that gap, tying up all the contrasts and linking them inexorably. kojiro has to swallow hard past a lump that's suddenly rising in his throat, right before he links their hands together and grips reki tight. ]
They're perfect. You're perfect. Thank you.
[ And, just to be clear: ]
I promise I won't brain anyone with it, even if they deserve it.
no subject
now isn't the time anyway. he doesn't think he's ever seen kojiro smile like this before and it sinks right into that internal mire where everything else goes to be discounted and dismissed, purifying the waters and soothing that rotten ache of anxiety. he likes them. kojiro likes them. all that hard work paid off. reki's grinning so hard that his face hurts. ]
You don't gotta promise that. It's just a warning. Brain whoever the fuck you want.
[ he still has that other hand to run softly-sweeping touches over kojiro's cheek and trace the line of his jaw. it's all that he can do when kojiro looks so handsomely content, when his heart is so full of all these imperative feelings that he suddenly can't get enough of him. not much room to maneuver when reki's breathing him in like he's the last gasp of air in a vacuum, but he works it out. ]
Just... stay with me, okay?
no subject
[ there's nothing else for kojiro now, no way he could ever dredge up this depth of emotion for anyone but reki. somewhere along the way, this boy seized a complete monopoly on his heart, and kojiro hasn't known peace since. it's a cool breeze on a sweltering day, but also every single soul-searing fire in hell; salve and sanctuary, lust and fixation. kojiro's hooked, and he never ever wants to be free of it.
but that's too easy to dismiss, and kojiro can't leave room for that with reki. so the sweeping hands on his jaw only serve to beckon him, to catch reki's lips in tender pulls and careful passes of his tongue. and every push is steeped in the sweetest, warmest affirmations kojiro can manage, low and rumbling against reki's lips: ]
You got me, babe. I'm here. I'm all yours.