+1
Bansai wakes up, the syllables of his commander's name still on his lips as he sits up in the dark. His hands are trembling and he could swear he can sense something burning in the air, the smell twisting his insides. His body feels heavy and he's too scared to look down and see how it looks like, feeling the phantom clutch of his strings all over it.
Instead, he chances a look beside him, and a breath of relief escapes him at the sight of Shinsuke's prone form, sleeping next to him. They stopped the cannon and defeated Utsuro months ago, Bansai reminds himself. He doesn't remember all the details, being on the verge of passing out when it happened, but he remembers the new promise he made with Shinsuke, and how strong his faith in Shinsuke felt, enough to block out the pain and his surroundings.
Shinsuke stirs, woken up by the heavy breathing and commotion, his one eye opening without hesitation, sharp and unmuddled by sleep.
"Are you alright?" He asks, rising up on his elbow to get a better look at Bansai.
"I... daresay I am," Bansai answers in a shaky voice, the pit in his stomach lessening, but still there. "Just an unpleasant dream, nothing else."
Shinsuke's eye is still on him, watching him carefully and Bansai tries to muster a weak smile. It doesn't seem to work because it just convinces Shinsuke to sit up, his hand hovering over Bansai's arm for a second, like he's approaching a frightened cat he's scared will run away, before he hesitantly places his hand on it. Bansai has an inkling Shinsuke is the more frightened one of the two.
He tilts his head and leans to slowly pull Shinsuke into a kiss, drawing strength and comfort from it.
"It feels good," Shinsuke says with a wicked little smile when Bansai breaks the kiss, prompting him to raise an eyebrow inquisitively. "Being on the other side of this scenario for a change. Knowing that you have your demons, too."
Shinsuke steals another kiss then lays Bansai down, his breath hot against Bansai's neck as he sneaks a hand into his underwear, trying to get him hard. Bansai closes his eyes and tries to enjoy the sensation, but then Shinsuke starts kissing down his body, and it feels like every time he presses his lips to Bansai's skin a bullet hole is reopened, and all progress is lost.
Shinsuke pulls his hand out, noticing that Bansai's gone soft again and his approach isn't working, and lies down next to Bansai. Bansai turns to his side, staring back at him. There's an unreadable frown on his face and Bansai wants to reach out and wipe it away. He wonders if the sounds of cacophony coming from Shinsuke mirror the way he feels, and if Shinsuke can sense the same sounds coming from him.
Shinsuke breaks the silence first, his gaze fixed on Bansai as he speaks out in a firm voice.
"You're mine."
"Yes," Bansai confirms.
"And I'm yours" remains unspoken, but Bansai knows it's there. He can hear it in the way Shinsuke tears his gaze away, lightly tracing his fingers over Bansai's arm.
Shinsuke suddenly moves, hooking his leg over Bansai's, and Bansai welcomes the intrusion, moving to wrap his arm around him, the familiar warmth of his commander tangling his fingers in his hair keeping him grounded as he closes his eyes, allowing himself to drift to sleep again.
They're harshly woken up in the morning, the Shiroyasha's voice ringing through the house, accompanied by his dog's barking, and for a second Bansai regrets that they decided to settle in Edo, and so close to Kabuki-cho, too. (Decided might not be the right word, Bansai muses. Guilt-tripped into it would fit better.)
"Oi, anyone home? I need to ask for a ti-i-i-ny favour. Hello?"
Shinsuke rolls over and buries his head under the duvet, grumbling how he's going to murder Gintoki, and Bansai can't help but smile. There's no cause for concern. After all, he's been saying that for the past ten years and it still hasn't happened.
Bansai can hear the sound of Takechi's footsteps on the tatami mats passing next to Shinsuke's room, then his monotone voice politely asking the Shiroyasha to keep it down, and he decides to check out what all the ruckus is about, too. He gets up, pulling on a pair of pants and an old black band shirt then stops and turns around right before the door, his fingers reaching for the wallet in his back pocket.
"Shinsuke?"
"Mm?"
"Yakult for breakfast?"
"Mm."
"Alright," Bansai says, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards in a small smile as he slides the door open. "I'll make sure it's waiting for you."