Notes: Written for the "Beauty" challenge on Livejournal's 30yyh community. Contains shounen ai. Re-written May 21, 2012.
The Gravity Of
By Jun-Ko
Yusuke is the most beautiful right after he's won his battles; not only because he glows with victory but also because there is nothing more beautiful to Koenma than the sight of cuts and bruises, the claw marks, the deep gaping trenches within his flesh, the evidence of error and triumph.
He sits licking his wounds, his jeans straining against the muscles of his legs, the realness of his body - Koenma feels his mouth go dry. Yusuke's hair is damp and he is slick and tired. The weight and mass and mess that sings of blood and sweat and something so solid that Koenma could reach out and touch it, touch him, and not expect him to disappear into mist like most of his dreams.
Koenma only has a short time to admire the carnage splashed on Yusuke's smooth tanned skin before the painting is wrapped up in gauze and this work of art scabs over and heals.
"You're beautiful," he says, without quite meaning to. He wonders, how must it feel to have blood flowing beneath his skin. He realizes, how lucky he is that Yusuke doesn't always look like this.
Yusuke stops, and smiles, looking at Koenma. Then tells him, "Shut up."