Silver
By: PhoenixJustice
Disclaimer: Not Equal is property of Ike Reibun; I only own this story and make no profit from it.
Warning: Rated T for incest, etc.
Pairing: Ryou/Konomi.
Setting: Post-manga, post extra chapters of the manga.
Summary: Konomi thinks he's getting silver hairs (and dreads the thought of getting older), while Ryou thinks he's just being silly.
Pt 3 of Snapshots.
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The first time Konomi rejects Ryou's advances, he lets it go; it didn't happen often, especially any longer, but there would be a few rare times where Konomi would become incredibly self-conscious about their situation and go off in another room for time to himself. Ryou could understand this; although he no longer shared the same sentiment, he knew that occasionally their relation to one another would pop up into Konomi's head and he'd push himself away, sure that his distance would help Ryou.
Of course that wasn't even the slightest bit true, but he allowed Konomi these things. He knew it'd all pass with time, as had so many other obstacles in their life. They had been through so much just to get to this point, so he had to be grateful for the things he had in life, that he had Konomi in his life in the way he wanted. In the way they both needed.
The second time Konomi rejects Ryou's advances (in his own way; he didn't outright say it, but he can see it in his face, his stiffening posture), it's disappointing (and he's left to take care of his arousal in their shower once more) but he again lets it go. At that time, Konomi had been fairly busy with projects and deadlines, so he can understand.
The third time, with no deadlines and no other situations that required a lot of attention, that Konomi rejects Ryou, he finally gets angry.
"What is it now?" He bites out. It wasn't often he ever got angry, especially at Konomi. They were so compatible-a sentiment that Konomi shared as well-that fights were incredibly rare. "You know that I don't mind your work; I love your work," He had, after all, been the one to introduce Konomi to copper plate ingraving, back in the past, after all (funny how time worked, sometimes.) "Or if you ever need your space, but this...can you not let go of it right now?"
Konomi's shoulders hunched (even now Ryou found him incredibly cute; tousled hair, glasses, casual clothes. Clumsy and smart and funny and self conscious, was Konomi. And Ryou could never love anyone else more.) They would sometimes skirt around certain words, if it were bothering Konomi (though he hadn't had to in a long time, as Konomi had gotten much better at saying it, that they were father and son, and not letting it bother him.)
His father, who still looked like he was Ryou's own age, pulls a bit on a sleeve of his long black sweater, looking away, face flushing cutely. It was faces like that that had kept Ryou from resisting his feelings, his want, of Konomi, even back in the past.
"It's not that." Konomi finally says.
Ryou tilts his head, taking the couple of steps forward that it took to stand in front of the other man. He takes him gently in his arms and although Konomi stiffens a bit, he doesn't try to move out of his embrace. He runs his hands down his arms, in what he hopes is a soothing motion.
"Tell me?" He asks him, a hand moving to brush aside some of the hair out of Konomi's face.
"I found some silver in my hair." Konomi mutters. "I didn't want you to-"
He stops as Ryou bursts out laughing, face flushing scarlet as his son continues to laugh heartily.
"This again? Oh, Konomi..." He wipes tears of laughter from his eyes. "You're so damn cute; makes me want to eat you up no matter where we are."
If possible, Konomi turns even redder. He brushes a hand through Konomi's hair. "We've already been over this; it doesn't matter. To me you're cute and you'll always be cute in my eyes. You'll always be my Konomi; that's all that I want. It doesn't matter if you're younger or older. Just that you love me."
"I love you." Konomi says. "It's all in me now, that love; I can scarcely remember ever feeling anything else."
He leans forward, grabbing Konomi's chin.
"I love you too." He kisses him. "It's this...this is happiness. This is what I want for the rest of my life."
The moment passes and he releases Konomi, poking him cheekily on the cheek.
"Complain about your hair again, I'm going to kiss you in the middle of everyone next time we go shopping."
"Ryou!"
Ryou grins.
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I hope you enjoyed this!
Let me know what you thought!
-PhoenixJustice