Comfort.
The slow descent towards the immobile, frozen harbour of Yokohama City roused from within Atsuma feelings he had not cared to consider would occur to him upon the sight of his hometown in such a desolate, hopeless state – Instead of shedding a tear, he accepted the silent nod and encouraging smile from the taciturn Raigar; should he have been less distressed, he would have mused upon the way in which how the smallest of gestures from those you would expect nought from may sometimes be more appreciated than those from a familiar face.
Kiss.
Raigar was boring him, and though not one known for having a particularly vast attention span, Atsuma realised that he must do something to shatter the sleep inducing effects of the Knight's talk of Chess – Of all things, Chess! – In a flash, he crept his way to Raigar's corner, looking him directly in the eye before brushing their lips together; fortunately, this had the desired outcome.
Soft.
There was something different about this sexual encounter, compared to Atsuma's previous experiences – Void was the moment of the typically curious yet experienced, slow yet not without purpose touches from Toya – There was an evident absence of banter, as there would have been, should Atsuma be spending the evening alone with Makoto – No, with Raigar, there were no delays, no long and loving glances, and no words were exchanged between the two, though comforting strokes and eye contact could mitigate the potentially friendship ruining effects that removing one's undergarments could have.
Pain.
Their journey would be anything but relaxing; Atsuma had expected this, yet what he was not expecting was the blatant canyon that separated the skill and effectiveness of his and Raigar's skills – Atsuma was already on his fifth Cure Spell, whereas Raigar had barely needed one.
Potatoes.
"Finally, a change from rice," came the exclamation from Atsuma, whose eyes were illuminated with the delight of such a possibility – Raigar merely shook his head, thinking back to the times when provisions were so low, he had been expected to fight with an empty stomach for days; yet he could not bring himself to chide the excited Atsuma for his ungrateful attitude, instead smiling along with him in celebration.
Rain.
After the sweltering heat of the desert, the disoriented travellers missed the scent of oncoming rain, and Atsuma found himself clutching to a familiarly broad body, growling quietly as he felt his trousers stick stubbornly to his legs, reflecting miserably on how the Yokohama weather was always predictable for one to avoid the rain at all costs – Atsuma hated the rain.
Chocolate.
As Atsuma accepted the small token from the armour-clad Raigar, he marvelled at how in such a short space of time he had been totally read, absorbed and understood by the silent yet perceptive Knight – Upon inquiring about this, Atsuma received a brief pause, and then, "You're a simple character," Mercifully, Atsuma was effectively restrained from attacking the better man, mumbling something below his breath about the other purposes of chocolate, specifically those derived from – But not restricted to - bedroom activities.
Happiness.
The return to regular emotion after reaching his peak could have resulted in a mood shattering outburst, had it not been for the warm smile he had barely caught beneath Raigar's – surprisingly – long hair, before he offered another kiss to Atsuma's pliant lips, distracting him from the immense yet omnipresent task of saving – the formerly his – Toya, fearful that time to reminisce would remind Atsuma of the blissful happiness he had experience in Yokohama, inspiring a tearful collection of frightfully mature phrasing from the usually relaxed teenager.
Telephone.
"How would one use this 'telephone?'" Came the innocent question from Raigar, to which a sly smirk brightened Atsuma's features; "Well, I personally used them for something called phone sex…"
Ears.
Perhaps it was Raigar's experiences as a Knight that drove him to conceal his body with armour, yet Atsuma could not understand the purpose or function of his headgear – It only concealed more of the swordsman's body, causing the younger man to briefly, lazily, consider whether this was a reflection of Raigar's attitude to revealing information about himself, whether it be to a familiar face or not.
Name.
It had been a shock enough when Karin had first spoke his name correctly – Yet to hear one's name being torn raggedly from another's throat, in a tone of total ecstasy, the knowledge of this lost to the noble Knight as he dreamed on blissfully, gave Atsuma much to think about.
Sensual.
There was something uncannily feminine about Atsuma's walk – His hips would sway just a little too much, in a similar way that Yuki would hers, a feeble attempt to accentuate what just is not there – And many times it drove Raigar to question Atsuma's sexual identity, musing as to whether the fiery student's questioning of Raigar's sexuality was merely a ploy, aimed at distracting the others from an increasingly obvious possibility.
Death.
"You've killed so many men," It was something Raigar had taught himself to forget about, force himself to dwell on other, perhaps less meaningful and morally jaded things, and yet, he could not help but feel compelled to listen to Atsuma's whispered sentence to the bitter end, "So what do you think happened when they died – If – If my friends – Where do they end up?"
Sex.
Both men had done such things with others on many occasions, yet the nerves Atsuma particularly felt compared to those of his first time.
Touch.
The annihilation of Yokohama, and then the destruction of London City; Raigar observed as Atsuma looked over at the cost of his inability to control his Arm, and – As a gesture of comfort – He reached out to touch the teenager's Arm, the contact having the opposite effect, as Atsuma's eyes welled with tears once more.
Weakness.
In a moment of recklessness, and forgetting about ones self and your initial duty, Raigar charged, absorbing the flurry of water-based attacks that would have killed his fire-based friend, ally, and lover.
Tears.
"It is not a way of conceding to defeat, should you feel the need," Raigar assured his companion, his tactful approach much more welcome than the scorning one of (Lady) Karin, "It is nothing to be shameful of," With that comfort – Which, simultaneously, was the final trigger – Atsuma blinked and allowed his tears to fall.
Speed.
"Be quick," He growled, not meaning to sound quite so irritable as his pants were wrenched down, his cock exposed to Atsuma's greedy mouth as he sucked in more of Raigar's length, appreciative of the attention to his weeping head.
Wind.
… Similarly, Atsuma positioned himself in the path of the oncoming Air-based arrack, not wanting Raigar to be absent from battle.
Freedom.
To be released from duty would be to strike down (Lady) Karin and Yuki, halting their (terrible) attempts at flirting with his, and solely his, Atsuma – Raigar was not one for sharing - creating the perfect atmosphere for them to be together.
Life.
To live a life without passion could not be called so, Raigar believed, claiming it to be more of an existence, and to live, one must adhere to certain guidelines, and aspire to certain emotional states – These of which could be found with an evening alone with Atsuma.
Jealousy.
"Sometimes, when I see you looking at me, I see… A fire there?" Atsuma's question came, accusingly, the moisture he claimed to see in Raigar's eyes filling his own in betrayal.
Hands.
His hands had found themselves enclosed by many textures and touches – Makoto's, a soft, cleansed feel, of smoothness and perfection crafted for sexual audiences – Toya's, stained with ink from work, notes littering the warm palms – And now Raigar's, callous from years of swordsmanship, scarred from the occasions his guard found a distraction large enough to cause injury – These hands, Atsuma mused, had far more stories to tell than the suddenly superficial ones of his closest friends'.
Taste.
It was always Toya this, Toya that, and though being redundant to their other allies, the mere mention of the teen's name left a bitter stream of thoughts in Raigar's mind, and, like the aftertaste of (one of Lady Karin's) unpleasant meals, they would stick.
Devotion.
It was out of a sense of duty and the desire to maintain one's word, regardless of how damaging it may be to one's emotions, which Raigar held his tongue to solve this moral dilemma, watching helplessly on as his mistress chased after the one he wanted.
Forever.
Such a term was so ultimate, and so painfully sentimental that a blush rose to both of their cheeks at the thought of its application to their relationship, though they both hoped that their connection would take a long while to break.
Blood.
Despite seeing many wounds and death during his time as a Knight in the war against Kyoto City, Raigar could not suppress the twitch in his stomach that hinted at nausea, as he tended to Atsuma's extensive wounds, desperately wanting to associate the unfamiliar feeling with the sight of – so much - blood.
Sickness.
… Though Raigar's treatment of Atsuma's wounds was nothing short of magnificent, more vicious tactics in battle had caused irritation and infection that hindered the group's progress – Feeling helpless, Raigar merely dampened a cloth and pressed it gently to the student's forehead, hoping to cool Atsuma's feverish symptoms.
Melody.
… It was a difficult night for Atsuma – The itching of his wounds was unbearable, the desire to scratch the symptoms away so intense, that his hand was halfway there when a quiet distraction interested him enough to pause; Raigar was singing, the typically feminine activity most unbecoming to the Knight's masculinity, yet it was the only way to prevent Atsuma from worsening his condition.
Star.
The awkwardness had caused conversation to cease, the desire to talk palpable, yet almost unnecessary – All that needed to be said was evident from the stretch of silence that hung between them – And though Raigar seemed to be at comfortable ease with the quiet, Atsuma struggled desperately for something they could discuss – The trees, the midnight sky, the eerie glow of stars illuminating this moment from miles above – Anything.
Home.
"Yokohama City is…" Atsuma's voice allowed itself to silence itself in shock, the need to see his hometown for himself suddenly dissipating inside him.
Confusion.
It was too fast for Raigar, or even a neutral bystander, to comprehend fully – There were the subtle, then blatant questioning of his sexuality, then Atsuma's refusal to take a comfortable bed with the two girls, and now there was this kiss, and it stirred from within the warrior something he had not felt in many years, and like technology and the elderly, it confused Raigar deeply.
Fear.
"I'm terrified…" Sometimes, it was the simplest of things that inferred insecurity and loneliness, accentuated by the knowledge that Atsuma could not be assisted in anyway.
Lightning/Thunder.
A storm had been looming above the city for many days now, yet Atsuma – Having only recently awoken from a deep slumber – Cried out at growls of thunder in the sky; "What, I let the Tycoon of Thunder Devil Golem free, too?"
Bonds.
It was a wonder to Atsuma how Raigar could still maintain that he was not a masochist of some sort, as he idly showered sparks that smouldered onto the Knight's bare chest, the safety word they had arranged prior to this encounter never once leaving Raigar's lips.
Market.
"Lady Karin said I was getting in the way of her shopping, so I shall watch her from up here…" "… Raigar… That's sort of stalker-ish! Real creepy!" But even so, the absence of eyes on him as he wandered around Junk City inspired jealousy from Atsuma.
Technology.
It was odd, having been in one of the most technologically advanced cities in the world, and now seeing how those without such aids would work their magic to create weaponry, clothes and – Indeed, Atsuma's personal favourite – Food.
Gift.
Atsuma exercised every ounce of caution within him – Which barely amounted to anything, considering his 'act first, think later' attitude – As he approached the Sage, accepting his new weapon with an elaborate speech describing his gratitude.
Smile.
As his mistress had once said, being excessively perceptive was a strength of Raigar's – As Atsuma heard of his options in relation to saving Toya, hours stretched into days as the smile on the teen's face became more and more forced, the enormity of the decision before him so great, it seemed as if his personality itself would change.
Innocence.
Raigar spluttered at the sheer vulgarity of Atsuma's whispered invitation, wondering just who taught the boy to be so dirty, and yet remain oblivious to many obvious things around him.
Completion.
Whether it is sexually, emotionally or physically, Raigar felt a part of something for the first time in his life.
Clouds.
As reams of smoke billowed from the houses around them, they ran through the village streets, eyes burning from the smoke, skin prickling at the intensity of the heat, the skies above obscured by smoke clouds, a testimony to their supposed betrayal of the Shogun's orders.
Sky.
It was rare for the three of them to be together without the usual banter, yet the silence was not an uncomfortable one, as they – Atsuma, Toya, Makoto - lay close to each other in the fields surrounding Enchant University, lazily observing what lay above them – "Apathy isn't a sin…"
Heaven.
Everybody had their little place that they could call paradise, whether it be a reality or a mere fantasy – Makoto's Heaven in Yokohama was whenever he could be alone with Toya – Toya's was where he had time in solitude with his thoughts, before emerging to brave the world – Atsuma's could have been being anywhere where they serve exciting food, but that was before he met him.
Hell.
As Atsuma stared desperately into Toya's cool, hardened eyes, he struggled to form his words, pathetic and needy despite false starts and repetition – "I… I just… I can't kill you, Toya…"
Sun.
As they reached the middle of the Zuala Desert, Atsuma fell to his knees and gasped for breath, whilst Karin summoned her strength to shower the group with a water spell – Though revitalised, Atsuma stayed on his knees for longer than totally necessary, having found himself thinking inappropriate thoughts at seeing Raigar completely drenched.
Moon.
Hours had passed, and they were no longer looking at the daytime sky, but rather the moon and stars, cuddling closer together for warmth, hands occasionally wandering out of bounds in their playfulness, extracting nervous laughs and sighs, and the occasional gasp of one another's names.
Waves.
Atsuma looked over to where he, Toya and Makoto had spent a long summer's afternoon cooling themselves after a long day of studying, swimming and diving in the waters of Yokohama, and tried not to cry as ice obscured it's (once) restless surface.
Hair.
For a Knight, Raigar's hair was surprisingly long, having never cut it despite once being Captain of the Knights, and Atsuma tugged on it as he felt his completion draw ever nearer.
Supernova.
With a flurry of punches toward the Ice Queen in Atsuma's slumbering mind, he found himself returned to the world where he would converse with his Arm, and he screamed, unable to appreciate the unusual beauty of his surroundings, including the clustered formation of stars, only to see them erupt before his eyes, and he awoke, seeing a startled Raigar, holding his sword inches above his chest as he breathed heavily, chilled at the thought that, once again, Raigar had nearly been forced to commit murder.