Title: Touch

Author: Eumenides (flowerofsin)

Pairing: Komamura/Tousen

Rating: PG

Warnings: the pairing itself is a warning, though nothing explicit happens in this fic.

Word Count: 1,132

Summary: Past fic. Tousen finds out about Komamura's secret.

In an area away from the training grounds in Soul Society, Komamura and Tousen sat under a large tree, its branches providing shade from the afternoon sun. Sajin leaned against the trunk, relaxed by the good meal he'd shared with the other shinigami as well as by their friendly banter. He watched how the cool breeze rustled Kaname's clothing as he sat nearby on the soft grass. The previous years spent in self-imposed isolation felt like a distant fading memory. It was nice, Komamura thought, to have someone that he could mark as a true friend.

After a few moments, Kaname turned to gaze in his direction to break the companionable silence that had fallen over them. "I was wondering," Tousen began before pausing as if unsure of the words he intended to speak. "Would it be alright if I saw what you looked like, Komamura?" When he was met with strained silence, Kaname imagined a quizzical look on the other man's face where it was hidden behind cloth. He just hoped that this was all it contained. "I mean with my hands," Tousen explained, raising them from his lap briefly as if in demonstration. "It's unnerving walking around in the dark without faces to connect to the voices and spiritual power I detect. I'm used to it, but it would be nice if-" Tousen broke off, ducking his head almost shyly. "I can understand if you think doing that is odd. Most people do," he added quickly, "so if you don't want to..." he trailed off.

Komamura frowned. He'd never told the other shinigami about his appearance, comforted by the fact that his friend would never know how different he was due to his unseeing eyes. He worried that Tousen would shy away from him if he knew just as others had in the past. It suddenly felt like the joy he'd felt at their friendship was about to come to an end. At noticing Kaname trying to hide a look of rejection at his continued silence, Komamura piped up despite his discomfort.

"N-no, I don't mind," he said hurriedly, pleased at how Tousen's face became hopeful once more. "It's just... I'm sure it's not like anything you would expect. I'm very different from everyone else around here."

Tousen gazed up in his direction. "That's alright. Things like that don't matter among friends." He'd heard the whispers of other shinigami speculating on what Sajin hid behind his shroud. Even if he was as disfigured as some of the other shinigami claimed, that wasn't something that would bother Tousen. He liked Komamura and wanted to distinguish him from the other faceless forms that inhabited his world.

Comforted somewhat by Tousen's words, Komamura raised his hands toward his head covering, but not before giving a circumspect glance to make sure that they were still alone. He drew the cloth from over his head, holding it tensely in his lap. Hearing the rustle of fabric, Tousen moved closer, raising his hands to rest on his friend's shoulders before sliding them toward his neck. As they reached their target, Komamura watched Kaname's eyes widen in surprise as he touched the fur there. Instead of drawing away as Sajin had feared he would, Tousen continued to feel along his neck before his hands traveled upward. With difficulty, Komamura suppressed a shiver at his friend's light touch over his head, fingers drawing slowly over his muzzle.

Tousen smiled finally, his hands still stroking through the fur on Komamura's neck and head. "You're rather handsome, Sajin."

Komamura ducked his head, frowning. "Don't tease," he said, suddenly depressed as he interpreted his friend's smile and words as humor at his expense.

"I'm being serious," Tousen reassured. "And I like your fur."

"There's nothing special about it," Sajin said, feeling strangely warm due to Kaname's stroking hands and the earnest look on his face. "It's just dog fur."

"No it's not," Kaname insisted. "It's different than that." His face was one of concentration. "I can't really find the right word. It's... more luxurious," he said finally with a smile. "It feels wonderful against my skin."

Komamura gazed at him shyly for a moment, asking, "Do you really think so?" after a moment. He supposed that Tousen's heightened senses due to his blindness made him enjoy the sensation.

"Oh yes," Tousen told him. Komamura watched the other shinigami bite his lip before asking, "Is this pleasant?" His hands moved up to scratch gently behind his friend's ears.

At hearing Komamura gasp and sensing him stiffen under his hands, Kaname began to pull away, worried that he'd upset or offended his friend with the gesture. But he soon found larger hands covering his own to return them to their previous position.

"I-I don't mind," Komamura said, his voice slightly roughened. "I was just surprised, that's all." Surprise wasn't the only thing that he was feeling now, but Sajin wasn't comfortable with divulging this to his friend. "It feels very nice."

"Oh, good," Tousen said, relieved. "I was curious if it was something you'd like." His stroking hands moved down the back of Sajin's head and neck before traveling upward again.

Unable to help himself, Komamura leaned down to nuzzle against the side of Kaname's face and neck as the other shinigami shivered. "How does that feel?" Sajin asked in a low voice, taking advantage of the proximity to take in Tousen's scent.

"Oh, it feels wonderful," Kaname told him, his voice full of amazement. His arm moved to hook around Komamura's shoulder in an embrace.

Being so close to the other shinigami had Komamura's heart pounding in his chest. Sajin's mind conjured the scene of the two of them laying nude on the soft grass, Tousen's naked body pressed close as he shifted eagerly against him, hungry for the pleasure that the brush of soft fur against his lean body gave him. Sajin felt guilty about the erotic turn his thoughts of Tousen had been taking lately. Perhaps it was because he'd never felt this close to someone before or found someone this accepting of him. It saddened Komamura that these dreams would likely not be fulfilled, even though there was a part of him that thought he was tarnishing their friendship with such fantasies.

Realizing that their free time was at an end for the moment, Komamura sighed. When Tousen pulled away, Sajin found himself missing his warmth already, as well as the feel of his deft fingers carding through his fur. He watched Kaname rise to his feet.

"Thank you for showing me, Komamura," Tousen said, his soft smile radiant. "I'm glad that you trusted me that much."

Komamura gazed up at his friend, taking Tousen's hand in his larger one. "I'll always trust you, Kaname."

End