Title: Fukai Mori (Deep Forest)
Author: kira
Rating: Adult
Characters: Bankotsu, Jakotsu (who else?)
Genre, Canon/AU: Romance, Mild Angst, Pre-Canon
Word count: 1500
Warning: Yaoi, oral, sex with what would be considered a minor.
Summary: Jakotsu wonders about the depths of Bankotsu's feelings for him.
Author's notes: Thanks as always go to my beta, Jen, for her awesome work in helping me edit this down so I could find enough words to end this. *huggles*
"Boku-tachi wa samayoi nagara...
ikite yuku doko made mo...
shinjite'ru hikari motome...
arukidasu kimi to ima..."
"We live our lives...
wandering to the ends of the earth...
Believing in you, now I begin my journey with you,
in search of the light..."
From Fukai Mori as sung by Do As Infinity. Words and translation courtesy of Anime Lyrics dot Com.
888
Bankotsu and Jakotsu walked through woods, the dappled sunlight creating deep shadows on the forest floor. It was several hours after the cross-dresser's first kill and he chatted excitedly about the experience, barely giving his friend a chance to even grunt in reply. Then again, Jakotsu was very passionate about most things. It could be something as simple as a token gift from Bankotsu, to learning everything he could about swordplay from the younger boy. He never tired of telling his young lover how great he was. Of course, the cross-dresser got very upset whenever a village girl would flirt with his young lover, and then Jakotsu would retaliate by gushing over some handsome guy who happened by. The eighteen year loved Bankotsu deeply and the fear of losing him, whether it was to some girl or a real threat like a youkai, increased his possessiveness of the boy.
As they walked along, Jakotsu would occasionally look over admiringly. The adrenaline and bloodlust from killing the youkai had worn off and he felt tired and a little off-kilter, but as long as his handsome lover was there for him, he knew everything would be alright. Lost in thought, the cross-dresser trailed behind his lover.
"Hurry up, Jakotsu, or I'm going to leave you behind," Bankotsu joked, unaware of how deeply those words hurt. All the cross-dresser heard was, "I'm going to leave you."
The eighteen year old, stopping dead in his tracks, felt his eyes welling up with tears. It was if his reason for being was suddenly taken away from him and he was at a loss for what to do. Jakotsu crumpled to his knees, sitting back on his heels, and shaking his head as a single tear coursed it way down his cheek. It hurt, watching Bankotsu walk away, and yet, the cross-dresser found he could not tear his eyes away from him.
Bankotsu kept walking, while carrying on a one-sided conversation for several paces, thinking Jakotsu was right behind him. It was only when he had asked him if he wanted to stop for lunch that he realized the cross-dresser was not there. He turned around, his heart constricting in fear at the thought that his lover was hurt when he saw him. "Jakotsu! Sweetness!!" he called out as he ran over to him.
The older boy simply sat there, crying softly. A few seconds later, Bankotsu was kneeling in front of him, and looking just as scared as Jakotsu felt. Heaving a loud ragged sob, the cross-dresser threw his arms around the startled fifteen year old, pulling him close. "Please don't leave me!" he wailed. "Everyone leaves me! Why do they always go?!"
"Sssh..." Bankotsu soothed, and not knowing what else to do, he patted Jakotsu on the back. "I'm not going anywhere..." he said softly. "I promise."
"Everyone leaves me!" Jakotsu ranted. "Everyone! My mother, my sister, Sparrow, you! They all go and leave me behind..."
"I'm not going anywhere without you," the younger boy avowed. "I swear it!" He gently wormed his way out of the older boy's vise-like grip. Sitting back on his heels, Bankotsu took the cross-dresser's hand in his. Reaching up, he pushed the hair away from Jakotsu's eyes. "Please don't cry, Sweetness," he said softly, looking the older boy in the eyes. Smiling, he said, "Your fangs are melting."
"Hunh?" The cross-dresser blinked.
"Your fangs... you know; your war paint. It's melting from all the crying."
Jakotsu, a slight frown creasing his brow, reached up with his left hand and touched his cheek. His palm felt wet, and moving it away from his face, he looked down at his hand. He giggled when he saw it was dark purple, the soot he used to darken his lashes mixing with the war paint.
Bankotsu laughed. "You look like a demented tanuki," he chortled.
The cross-dresser's giggled turned into laughter. "I do?"
"Yeah!"
The eighteen year old nodded. "I'm being stupid again," he said softly.
"Nah! Not stupid; cute! You always look so cute when you're acting silly," the younger boy quickly assured him.
Jakotsu smiled wanly at him.
"I promise not to leave you, ever! I swear I'll follow you into to death if I have to, but I will never leave you."
The cross-dresser's smile broadened. Leaning towards his young lover, Jakotsu tilted his head to the side and kissed him. Snaking his arms around the younger boy, he deepened the kiss, tasting the sweet flavor of the younger boy's mouth. Breaking the kiss, he whispered, "Thank you..." Thank you, Aniki-chan, for making me feel better...
Bankotsu shrugged. He stood up, and leaning over, he pulled Jakotsu to his feet, before bending down to grab his Banryuu. "Let's go. We need to find a stream so you can wash your face before you scare someone or something," he teased. "I thought I saw one up ahead."
"Okay..." Jakotsu kept up with him this time, even though his old insecurities threatened to overwhelm him again. He was very touched by his young lover's declarations of love, such as they were, and yet, he still had niggling doubts. If you loved me enough to follow me into death, why do you still chase after girls? So instead of chatting away to pass the time, the cross-dresser quietly walked along, a tight little smile plastered on his face.
The fifteen year old could tell something was still bothering his paramour, but he had no idea what. Mentally shrugging, Bankotsu chose to ignore it as the last thing he wanted was to listen to Jakotsu carry on like a girl again. While he loved the cross-dresser's duality, the younger boy sometimes found his girly ways annoying and his crying jags about his former life irritated him.
Lost in thought, they came upon a small clearing almost without realizing it. It had the look of a meadow going wild as the trees were younger and spread out, and the undergrowth denser than it had been deep within the forest proper. As luck would have it, there was a small stream bubbling up out a rocky outcropping. There was enough water for Jakotsu to wash up as well as for each of them to slake their thirst, before settling down to a simple lunch of onigiri.
Afterwards, Jakotsu reached into his kimono and pulled out a small lacquered box. Inside was his makeup, and with an ease born of practice, the cross-dresser quickly reapplied his fangs, using a small bit of polished silver as a mirror, followed by his lip-paint. Pressing his lips together, Jakotsu put his makeup away and smiled at Bankotsu.
The younger boy was pleased his spirits had lifted and feeling bolder, the fifteen year old kissed his paramour. Trailing a line of butterfly soft kisses down Jakotsu's neck, Bankotsu let his hands wander. He tugged on the cross-dresser's obi while the older boy pulled on his. In a playfully rough and tumble battle, they sought to each undress the other, despite the temporary barrier their armor posed. The eighteen year old declared his lover the winner, since he was completely naked as opposed to Bankotsu, who was still wearing his hakama.
Jakotsu lay back in the grass, the soft blades tickling him. Bankotsu trailed a line of kisses down Jakotsu's body, before engulfing his bourgeoning erection in his mouth. Something deep inside him told Bankotsu to forego his own pleasure in favor of his lover's. He bobbed his head up and down, occasionally flicking his tongue across the sensitive tip, while cupping the older boy's delicate sack.
The cross-dresser felt the waves of pleasure pooling deep within his belly. Even when Bankotsu scraped his teeth against his cock, did little to dampen them. The ecstasy built until it became too much for Jakotsu to hold on to. "Aaah... niiiii...kiiii...ch...an..." he cried out as he climaxed deep within Bankotsu's mouth. The fifteen year old carefully pulled away and swallowed the hot, bitter fluid.
He really does love me...Jakotsu thought happily as he dressed. And yet, I wonder..."Aniki-chan?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you care about me?"
"Of course I do! Why?"
"I was just wondering... We like to nookie and ummm..."
"Yeah...?"
"Well, you don't need to love someone to do that," Jakotsu stated flatly.
"I know..." Bankotsu said when it hit him. "You think I don't like you?"
"Yeah..."
"Well, if I didn't, I wouldn't have taken you with me."
Jakotsu looked at him in surprise.
"I like you a lot..." the younger boy admitted sheepishly.
Deeply touched by his lover's admission, Jakotsu, smiling shyly, added softly, "Me too..."
"Yeah?" the younger boy lay back in the grass.
The cross-dresser leaned over, kissing him in reply, his lover reaching up to pull him close.
Cuddling, they lay there, watching the clouds drift by. Jakotsu sighed contentedly, his earlier insecurities forgotten. He hugged the younger boy, deeply grateful for the freedom he had given him as well as the friendship that was blossoming into love...