Every couple had their fair share of traditions. One of Yuuji and Nagisa's was horror movies.
By "horror movies" they meant anything that looked scary and seemed like it might be good for a few screams or maybe laughs. And by "marathon" they usually meant only two or three in a row. Couldn't stay up too late after all, not with such an early morning start time, even on most weekends.
But on the few when they could, Yuuji would find himself carrying a pleasant jumping sensation around in his stomach all day, his excitement growing as the hours on the clock slowly ticked by.
A clatter arose as Nagisa tipped over a large box onto the floor, dozens of DVD cases scattering here and there. "There we go," said the young man, moving the felt container off to the side. The pile of DVDs lay centered in front of his knees. "We should be able to find some cool things here."
Yuuji flopped down beside Nagisa and began scanning through titles. "You know, we could just check out our options on the television," he pointed out. "Any rental-service you could name, I've got a subscription to."
"I know," Nagisa replied with an amused smile. He had probably noticed that about Yuuji's place already, Yuuji belatedly realized, but in all of the excitement Yuuji had forgot. "But hold on, I think there were some titles in here that we haven't gotten to yet…"
The man picked up a few cases, looking down at them and turning his head as if trying to decide between them. Yuuji cracked a quiet grin at the sight. Why yes, Yuuji had been informed, things did still count as a date even if they were in your own house.
"I'm pretty sure we've exhausted the Top 10 list of all-time horror films by now," Yuuji spoke again, still rifling through the media-box collection. "Why not try some of the newer releases?"
Nagisa shrugged. "Hm. Maybe, but if you ask me most of those seem to be based off of things like social-media stalkers and stuff. I'm not really a huge fan."
Suddenly Nagisa looked over at Yuuji, a mischievous sparkle hidden within his gaze. He held up the two DVDs he was considering. "By the way, Yuuji, why don't you tap into your great sense of taste? You could use it to help pick out movies for us."
Yuuji felt his face color in a mix of flattery and indignation. "It doesn't work that way!"
And it was true. His highly-developed sense of taste only worked for food, not on anything else. Although now that Nagisa had said it, Yuuji did sort of wish that his food-critic talent could carry over into film-critique. Then he might have been able to use it tonight.
Still, this was fun, Yuuji reflected, him and Nagisa both chatting away as the sounds of DVD cases clacked through the air. It was fun, to be here just the two of them.
To have the whole house to themselves, nobody else around, even Karma up and gone, the space available to do with whatever they pleased, even turn the house into their own personal cinema if so desired. At first, it had felt almost a bit lonely—pockets of rooms standing empty at a time, a tiny shock of surprise when running into each other around the place. But by now, the two of them had already largely adjusted to its new shape.
"Alright, I think I've got one. What did you pick?"
"Uh, I'm still deciding…"
Yuuji glanced at the title clutched in Nagisa's hand. For one moment, a dash of amusement ran through him as he thought of how different this was from the other man's usual fare. Nagisa's favorite genre of movies was actually Action, Yuuji knew. Things like Sonic Ninja, and American superhero franchises…the cheesier and more mainstream the better. Such a mundane set of preferences that Yuuji never would have guessed it. It was fascinating, actually.
The man also had a penchant for awful Spy-film comedies, Yuuji recalled. Nagisa had told him that he found them therapeutic. 'It's nice to be able to watch somebody go through important missions while acting like a complete buffoon,' he had said, watching while a harried spy tripped over his own shoelaces right into a net of laser-sensors, 'and still manage to get away with it.'
Yuuji inwardly shrugged. Ah, whatever. You could dabble in all the genres you liked, and also branch out to watch other things, but every once in a while it was just time for a good old horror movie marathon.
Especially with the way the two of them did it.
"Hey, we should try this one," Nagisa said, voice cheery. He dug through the movie pile and picked out a case, holding it out towards Yuuji. Yuuji took it and read over the back cover.
As the words passed before his mind, a cold chill sunk into the base of Yuuji's neck. "No way, man!" Yuuji protested. "That hits, like, every single one of my horror-movie phobias."
Nagisa sent an impish grin his way. "Exactly." Then he waved one hand dismissively. "Relax. We'll save it for last."
Yuuji jolted in place. For last? When the room was at its darkest and the mood had already been set two times over? "That's when everything's the scariest!"
Judging by the look on Nagisa's face, that had been precisely the young man's intention. The two of them squabbled back and forth for a bit, debating and jabbering about whether or not to include it. Yuuji put up a bit of a fight, but dimly, he could feel his resolve wobbling. On the inside, he realized that he would probably eventually give in.
And sure enough, within a few minutes, the DVD was being added to their 'to-watch' selection.
As Nagisa triumphantly added the case to their chosen pile, Yuuji's thoughts began to wander back to where they had been before. He suppressed an urge to shiver. Maybe they could use some of Nagisa's happy, mindless movies to relax after what they'd be seeing tonight.
Soon the two of them had settled down in front of the couch. The TV screen flickered before them, its width broad enough to make everything on the screen feel almost life-size. On it, the opening scene to one of the films played, showing a long, slow pan down a shadowy nighttime street.
The main living room was completely dark around them, the kitchen lurking as a hulking mass of silence over yonder. The lights were off. The couch existed as a firm wall to the back of them, good for leaning against. The two of them sat on the floor, surrounded by pillows and blankets, a makeshift nest that was both perfect for relaxing and perfect for fun. Nagisa started teasing Yuuji about what movies they had lined up for tonight, Yuuji snorting and digging into his manly pride, informing Nagisa that he wasn't scared, and that things would be different this time, you'll see.
Of course, no movie night would be complete without popcorn. Between the two of them tonight they had a giant bowl, along with two smaller bowls for personal servings, filled to the brim with popcorn that they had made themselves. And with Nagisa's cooking knowledge combined with Yuuji's access to high-tier goods, that made for some really damn good popcorn. Seriously, Yuuji reflected as he shoved another handful into his mouth, craving the next bite already before finishing the first, this stuff was basically gourmet.
Before he knew it, the two of them were engaged in a minor popcorn-battle, tossing pieces at each other in order to stave off boredom through the beginning movie scenes. They chucked kernels back and forth, salt sticking to their fingers and faces, getting pieces stuck in each other's hair and in the rug. Nagisa frowned for a moment after it became apparent that Yuuji had purposefully started to aim shots down the front of his shirt. He raised an eyebrow over at Yuuji. Yuuji took the hint and stopped, still laughing.
Later, he discovered that Nagisa had snuck half of the popcorn out from Yuuji's personal bowl and into Nagisa's own, with all the swiftness and secrecy of a ninja. Yuuji let it pass. He probably deserved that, to be honest.
The blood-curdling sounds of screams echoed from the television speakers as a tide of red splashed across the screen. A woman shrieked, then was eerily cut off as she suddenly found herself without her head. Yuuji watched all of this with wide eyes, trying to resist the tension he could feel seeping into his posture, attempting to switch his mind onto other thoughts in order to occupy it but finding rather quickly that he couldn't. He gulped, sweat building on the nape of his neck. Dammit, he knew that this stuff wasn't real. But the mood of it did get to him sometimes. Or not. It was an all-or-nothing thing with him, really.
By this point, he and Nagisa had used their movie nights to watch their way through most of the timeless classics along with some of the more well-known series. Nagisa had laughed for five minutes straight at how The Ring had practically made Yuuji go catatonic with fear afterwards. And currently, they found themselves on the sixth or so Saw movie. All of the important parts still managed to come across, even when translated from English.
While Yuuji descended further into the horror-movie experience, sinking back against the couch cushions and unconsciously gripping at the blanket beneath him, Nagisa tended to approach these movies with a kind of terrifying fascination. That often led to situations such as this:
Slowly, slowly, out of the corner of Yuuji's eye, with all the smoothness of a piston, Nagisa turned his head. "Y'know…" The man said, blue eyes staring at Yuuji out of the dark. "…I wonder how much force it really would take to rip someone's head off."
Yuuji shuddered. Even then, he couldn't drag his eyes away from the screen. "Don't say that, please!"
Nagisa would also tsk sometimes, mumbling things like that's not how that works, people don't die from that, or they should be more worried about infection, or that's not how bones really sound when breaking.
As the man muttered from beside him, Yuuji shook out his shoulders in an effort to stay lose. All of a sudden, despite the situation, a light thought floated through his mind. Hey, if watching movies like these could help exorcise Nagisa's darker talents, that was fine. Better the man use this as something like therapy rather than indulge that side of him in real life.
And hey. Yuuji smiled softly. Wasn't that the point of these movies in the first place? To get in touch with the most terrifying parts of the human soul, to exercise one's anxieties and get them out? Maybe screaming at these movies could also help them to deal with their own dark feelings and traumas, help them learn what parts were worth being horrified at and which ones were worth saving.
Time passed, the minutes stretching on and on into hours, countless ghostly women rushing at the camera, endless people being murdered on-screen and then showing back up in the most gruesome ways, one DVD finishing and whirring to a stop before being replaced by another. Try as he might, soon Yuuji found that he could no longer hide his reactions, becoming so tense that he would jump at the slightest sound rumbling out of the speakers.
"Oh my god, Yuuji," Nagisa said from beside him, sounding equal parts amused and concerned. "Just calm down."
"But I don't know which person the Devil is possessing yet!"
After a few more seconds, Nagisa shook his head. "Yuuji," the man said, the serious tone in his voice breaking through all noise in the background. "Are you sure you're having fun? I mean, why even watch these movies if you don't like them?"
"I like them when it's with you," Yuuji said, the words dropping from his lips automatically.
A slight look of astonishment passed over Nagisa's face. The other man didn't seem to know how to handle it, switching his gaze back towards the TV and falling silent, an embarrassed blush glowing pale on his cheeks in the faded-out light.
Yuuji blinked as yet another poor soul lost their life up on the screen. Dimly, he supposed that he was acting somewhat different here than how he might have acted if he were watching alone. Now that he thought about it, Yuuji recognized that he was exaggerating his reactions, playing up on his own fear. Yuuji had never really been one to shriek like a wimp and hide behind others. But he seemed to be doing it around Nagisa. And after only a little bit of honest self-reflection, Yuuji had come up with an idea as to why.
It was a way of flirting. Or at least, a way of having fun with the other person. This situation—the scary movies, and the way that Nagisa could stand them better than Yuuji could—flipped the dynamics between them. On these nights, Yuuji, the one usually so headstrong, the one that most people would probably look at first and assume that he would take the lead in the relationship, would be cowering and covering his face, yelping and shrinking down behind the smaller man, leaving Nagisa to take the reigns and be in the more powerful position.
Yuuji almost wanted to groan when thinking about it. It was pathetic—the kind of thing that a lovestruck middleschooler might pull. But then again, Yuuji realized, he had always been somewhat of a fool for Nagisa. And actually, upon further review, Yuuji had decided that he didn't really mind. He knew that Nagisa could be kind of sensitive about how others perceived him—an understated, easily missed presence, an even when noticed, he would be occasionally mistaken for a girl. So if flipping the dynamics between them could make Nagisa feel more like a man on these nights, or feel as if he could "protect" Yuuji, then that was fine and dandy.
An unexpected tenderness bloomed within Yuuji's heart. Yuuji had never really thought that he would be the kind of guy willing to step aside and let another person take the spotlight. But he was getting rather used to this give-and-take.
Gradually, Yuuji found himself sliding down against the couch cushions. He cowered away from each event on-screen, his back eventually coming to touch against Nagisa's chest and upper arms. Nagisa laughed and pulled him closer, wrapping his arms around Yuuji in a hug. Yuuji hunkered down even more, scooting back into Nagisa as he cringed back from the movie visuals. He was effectively resting in the man's lap now, head and torso squished up against Nagisa's chest with Yuuji's much longer body splayed out in front of them.
The feeling was warm, Yuuji discovered, and steady. Nagisa made for a reassuring bulwark behind him, the man's limbs wrapped around his chest in a way that was tight but not unpleasant. Nagisa let out a soft hum, moving to rest his chin on top of Yuuji's head. Only the material of Yuuji's hat separated them. The sensation made a certain heat rise to Yuuji's skin, his heart beating louder inside his ears for a moment, and no longer simply due to the effects of the movie. Snuggling up like this had changed their relative heights, Yuuji now receiving affection at a new angle than ever before, held secure in Nagisa's strong arms-
Yuuji snapped himself out of those thoughts, hoping that Nagisa wouldn't be able to see him blush. Damn, he used to think only girls said things like that. Well, whatever. Nagisa did have surprisingly strong arms, not so much bulky but toned, and they held more power than most people would ever have cared to guess.
Yuuji gave a mental shrug. It was fine, he settled upon. This felt too nice for him to want to stop, and anyway, super-muscly types weren't really his thing. He preferred people with a certain grace to them.
Yes, Yuuji decided a few moments later. In fact, this was just perfect.
The two of them stayed like that for a while, Nagisa draped around Yuuji, holding him close as Yuuji twitched while watching the movie, pretending to be scared until he was no longer pretending and then started to get scared for real again. Nagisa laughed every time Yuuji fell for a jumpscare, Yuuji being able to feel whenever Nagisa would react, the other man getting scared too in his own miniscule way. Every time the other man tensed, Yuuji would feel the press of Nagisa's arms move in around him. Despite himself, Yuuji couldn't help feeling a slight thrill at the sensation. Being like this was a surprisingly intimate experience.
Plus, he really was enjoying the new angle.
Soon, Nagisa began to fall into fright too, the cumulative effect of multiple movies and Yuuji's reactions taking their toll, a certain tremor of fear running constant through his limbs around Yuuji. Then they were both screaming together, holding onto each other like sailors to a life raft, Yuuji gripping a pillow in front of him with both hands as if to use it like a shield.
Afterwards (long, long afterwards, the images from the final movie still lingering on in Yuuji's head. It really did hit all of his most cliché fears, at it turned out.) they cleaned up, Yuuji managing to bring up his previous idea of having a spy-movie marathon sometime. He could tell by the interested flash in Nagisa's eyes that the other man agreed. Perhaps not tonight, since it was late, but another night. Definitely. For sure.
Nagisa smiled at him and winked. It's a date then, the man said.
A burst of affection spread through Yuuji's chest. Hey, he stole Yuuji's line. But that was fine, too.
Of course, the best part always came immediately after the movies were done.
Yuuji stood on legs that only shook a little and clung to Nagisa, his hand gripping the edge of the young man's sleeve, confessing in a timid-sounding voice that he was too scared now to traverse the dark living room alone, and no way in hell was he going down that long hallway, so would Nagisa please accompany him toward the bathroom? Nagisa rolled his eyes. But he agreed.
And as Yuuji watched the young man go on ahead, holding Yuuji's hand firmly in his, Yuuji had to hide another grin. He took in the straight line of Nagisa's back, his head held up and tall, the young man practically lifting at the shoulders with each purposeful stride. Yep. Nagisa, just like every other man in this world, definitely got a kick out of being able to "protect" his lover.
In return, Yuuji squeezed Nagisa's fingers, feeling the warmth of the man's hand covering his. Hm, a sleepy thought came to Yuuji's mind. This wasn't so bad every once in a while. And oh man, these rooms really did feel so dark and creepy after having watched all of that stuff…
Yes, Yuuji thought as he followed along behind Nagisa, this was one tradition that he felt would last.
Afterword: Whoo! I think I finally managed to loosen up my prose style a little bit and get closer to the style that I used to write FYA. So if Yuuji's narration seems a bit more lighthearted and flow-y in this chapter, don't worry, he's not OOC, it's just me being a terrible writer and finding myself unable to express his thoughts in a consistent manner. :') A large part of these dorks has remained the same at heart, even after growing up.
Oh and hey, I don't mean to conform to gender roles or make anybody uncomfortable when Yuuji starts referring to things like, "as a man blahblah" or "he thought only girls did blank". Upon reviewing the chapters in which Yuuji appears, I came to realize that I missed out on that aspect of his character—he's not outright sexist, but it does seem like he's grown up with a certain sense of gender roles. So I thought I should try to incorporate it just a little bit.