The sun gives light essential to life, but it also causes pain. Blinding, scalding and glaring down at the earth like a goddess up in the clouds. Motochika Chosokabe often feels Motonari is the same way. For all the pain and headaches he can cause, Motochika can't imagine a life without him. The pirate has always bluntly put his cards on the table when it came to his feelings for the easily angered Mori. He smiled that obnoxiously large grin and patted the sand next to him. "Relax will you, princess? No one is around, you don't have to glare at me like you just picked me off the bottom of your boot."
The slender warlord does not smile. He does not run warmly into his lover's arms. Instead, his scowl deepens. "Nothing mars the bottom of my boots. And something did dare, it certainly would be a higher life form than you." He steps forward bit by bit, his hips swaying as walks, as if the entire beach was his catwalk. Finally at the side of the bulky pirate, he glares down his nose as if to intimidate him.
Cho winces, but his smile stays firmly in place. "Remind me to call on you next time I need a shave, that razor wit of yours would do the job without fail." The ocean surf glides up to kiss Cho's heels. Cold as ice, the water may be, but to Cho, it is not entirely unpleasant. He lifts his head to meet Mori's glare, baring his pearly white's like a shark who's spotted a tasty morsel. Of course, the term "tasty morsel" would never be heard by Mori as a way to describe him, or more specifically his delicious ass, lest Cho decide that today was a fine time to die.
Motonari responded with a well thought -out, "Hmph." It was the most commonly used word in Mouri's vocabulary, save the words "idiot", "moron", and a growled and extremely well-punctuated ".." Any combination of those words made up his favorite phrases. He reared his head obstinately, as to not appear weak. With the grace of a ballerina, the general took his natural place at the pirate's side.
It irritated him.
The pirate towered above nearly everyone when in a standing position. (This was especially true for Motonari, with Motochika's monstrous 6' 4 dwarfing his own 5' 6.) It was a given that there was no competition when standing, but despite all odds Motonari had the slimmest hope that maybe, just maybe, when sitting down, the two of them would not be at such a distance.
Mouri practically kicked himself in the butt for being such an optimist.
He took his ire and directed it towards it's source: the pirate. "So you drag me from my duties to…what? Stare at the sea? Relax with you? Moron…."
"I find the sea has a certain calming effect, and I think you could use a break." Cho reached out to stroke Mori's cheek. Softer than anything Cho could ever imagine. "Have you been getting enough sleep?" He knew Mori hated being fussed over, but he worried sometimes that the tiny lord would exhaust himself to the point that he fainted or forgot to eat. Being the big lovable man that he was, Cho hated seeing Mori hurt or tired, sick or upset. Mori had no trouble reprimanding Cho for showering him with affection, but Cho couldn't imagine raising even a finger against Mori's soft, soft skin.
"I take breaks," Motonari countered, "My teatimes with Mitsunari are enjoyable. I get an almost intelligible conversation." He paused for a moment before adding an inaudible mumble of, "Unless he's ranting about Ieyasu. Talking about that man turns him into an angry, lovesick idiot…" Feeling that the conversation at hand had been lost, Motonari coughed and sat up straighter. "Anyway," he continued, "I am perfectly capable of sensing when I need a break. You are not my keeper."
Cho sighed and rubbed the back of his head. Often, he found himself with nothing to say to Mori's frowning face. Caring was met with all the acceptance of a cactus needle and compliments may as well have been pebbles in Mori's high heeled boots. Scorn would earn a slap to the head, and changing the subject would earn Cho: Dolt, Idiot, Imbecile, or his personal favorite, Giant Salt Brained Barnacle of a Man. "Mori…" Cho began, bit his lip, and then tried again. "Mori, would you say you loved me?"
The general had an impenetrable force field up at all times, but the giant salt-brained barnacle of a man had caught him off guard. "I beg your pardon?"
"I mean, do you put up with me because I treat you like a person instead of groveling at your feet? Because I let you hit me without flinching or crying?" Cho scrubbed his face with one hand. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, why me? What is it about me, the big dumb pirate you claim to hate so much, that you might actually care about in that dark little hole you call a heart?"
The slim general knitted his brow at the heartfelt string of insulting truths. Why did he put up with Motochika? It was true that Motochika never had, and likely never would grovel at his feet. It was also true he had never once flinched at Mouri's slaps, but simply grinned in return. Then again, neither had his only slight friend Mitsunari. Did that mean he loved Mitsunari, too? He tossed that thought away with a sneer of disgust. Ew, no.
Then why exactly did he tolerate the ginormous dufus? Certainly not for the sex; if anything, their relationship had every string possible attached. It was practically weaved from said fragile strings. Put too much pressure on it and they just might snap…
"You like swimming," Mouri stated abruptly. He was allowed to change the subject when need be. "Let's go for a dip." Before Motochika could open his oversized mouth, Mouri was up and headed for the frothy surf. He carelessly walked into the water; not one of his better plans. The icy surf lapped at his ankles, sending a chill down his spine. His eyes widened against his will, and he thanked Nichirin that Motochika couldn't see his face.
"The water's great," he called forcefully over his shoulder, slapping himself on the inside.
Cho watched Mori for a moment. He figured he wouldn't get an answer to a question he asked himself every night. Those evenings he lay alone in his quarters. Sleepless pockets of spending time with Mori, watching his face stay calm as he slept. In truth, he hated cruel people. He hated people who looked down on others, those who thought of themselves as better than the people around them. So if he hated Mori's harsh personality so much, what kept him anchored to the delicate, angry general's side? It could be the sex. Cho enjoyed the small moans and sighs Mori swore he never in a millions years would make. He relished Mori's petite figure, flaring hips and round, wondrous butt that Cho would risk a sharp smack to stroke or pinch for only a second. But lots of women had butts. Nice women with soft skin and warm arms and eyes glittering sweet nothing in the starlight. Cho could have a lover who clung to him, offering comfort and support but also acting seductive when the moment arose. Cho sometimes found himself terrifyingly jealous of Kojuro Katakura. True, Kojuro's lover was also a man, but Sasuke Sarutobi was Mori's polar opposite in terms of personality. Where Mori was cold to Cho and his needs as a man, Sasuke happily supplied Kojuro with equal parts sugar, spice and sexuality. Hell, even Ieyasu's lover, angry at everyone "I will kill you." Mitsunari Ishida would hug Ieyasu in front of other people. Cho, though he hated admitting it to himself, was even a little jealous of the one eyed dragon, whose clueless kitten of a significant other, Yukimura Sanada, offered himself to Masamune's embrace without a second thought. Mori would likely rather lose a hand than allow Cho to cuddle him in public. Actually he'd probably remove Cho's hands instead. So then, why did he stay? He sighed and dug one hand into the sand. Mori's affections were like grains between his fingers. He could see it, but it was so small, and blended in so well with the rest of his emotions that Cho often lost it before he could catch it, and keep it. Cho watched as Mori stood shivering in the ankle deep surf. Standing, Cho wandered into the ocean, the tide barely licking the tops of his toes.
The distinct feeling of having made a mistake nagged at Mouri's mind. Was it that obvious that he had avoided answering? Motochika, as cheerful and amiable as he was, had hesitated for a while, most likely lost deep in thought at what Mouri had done wrong.
He had done wrong. Goddammit.
Without turning to face his towering lover, Mouri spoke aloud. "Sorry." That was all his pride let squeak out. Sorry? You practically ripped his heart out of his chest and stomped on it. The small odd-pitched voice in his head declared.
"What am I supposed to say?"
Tell him the truth? That you're head-over-heels, drowning so deep in denial.
"We have something, I suppose."
Is it love?
"…"
The stick-thin general absently spoke and walked through the tide, his lover's eye following his steps. He moved left and right, pacing through the bubbling ocean water that froze his feet. Every now again, he responded to the voice, and out loud mumble that incoherently strung together half a conversation.
"You don't know me. I don't care if you are me, you obviously don't know anything. Fight you? You're a voice, you don't have fists. What, do you take me for a fool?...What do you mean only a fool would trip over his own feet whilst arguing with himself?"
Suddenly, the general acquainted himself with the force of gravity, and then with the wet sand beneath him. Before he knew what was happening, there was a splash and he was face down in the half-inch water. Gasping he sat upright in the ebbing water, soaked strands of hair clinging to his damp face.
Cho knelt next to him, hands reaching but not quite touching. He wanted nothing more than to sweep the soaked, scowling Mori out of the water. Cho could cuddle the damp form against him, mute to the grumbling, the curses hurled in his direction. He could kiss that wet forehead trailing salty strands of chocolate hair across it. He could do so much…wait. Cho smirked, mentally socking himself. Duh, nothing was stopping him. So Mori was a cold hearted pain in the ass? That wasn't going to change. Sliding his arms under the water and against Mori's back, Cho lifted him gently away from the rolling surf. He didn't hug him tightly, but tried without speaking to say "I'll let you go, if you pull away, I'm not going to protest."
Motonari let out a small cry, but fell silent after a quick realization. He's so warm. His large biceps pressed against Mouri's damp skin and a heat, so familiar, rose up from his back up to his cheeks. The simple caress of Motochika's fingers against his legs made the icy linger of the sea a distant memory. It was as if his touch melted away his hindrances. It was almost like…
It was the same as the rays of the sun.
His face coated in a heavy blush, the warlord pressed his head against Motochika's muscular torso. Just like the sun. I'm the clouds, the rain, the storm. And him? He banishes away that darkness. The sudden revelation was incredible to the narrow-minded general. The other warlords, with their lovers and their lights, had known that fact since they first admitted their feelings. Why had it taken Motonari so long to come that conclusion: Motochika was the light of his dull, repetitive world.
Motonari reached up gently and draped his arms around Cho's neck. He could smell the salt on him, either from the sea or from sweat.( Probably the latter.)
It was perfect . That was all he could ask for. The sun, the salt, the surf: Motochika was everything that made up his home. Pinching the back of Motochika's neck with his delicately pointed fingers, he mumbled softly into Cho's neck.
"If you drop me, I'll have to punish you."
Cho threw back his head and laughed. Mori was ever-changing as the tide. His mood was tricky, sometimes softly caressing the sand that lay waiting, other times smacking it so hard the stars came out early. He was the ocean, vast and enigmatic. And Cho, being the brazen sailor that he lived and breathed to be, coasted the swells and lulls of Mori's temper like a well-worn boat. He laughed at the towering waves that warned of a storm, and he sunk deep into the sun dappled reef that was Mori on a good day. Cho loved the ocean because it was a challenge. He loved the adventure that lay far out on the horizon. He loved Mori in exactly the same way. "You are the ocean." He declared at last, tightening his arms around Mori. Before his sultry passenger could protest, Cho silenced him with a soft kiss. He knew Mori may never admit what he felt for Cho, but that was all right with the blue eyed giant. The ocean held treasures and secrets deep within itself, and Cho was just the pirate to ferret them out, no matter how the tides turned. Cho would love the ocean until his last day on Earth. And there was nothing, no words or threats of violence, no shipwreck or tsunami that would sway his mind. Not now, not ever.