Anchor
Written by: RinoaDestiny
#10 – In the Loop
"Kagura-san's calling," Kyo said, seeing the name and phone number appear on his smartphone's screen. He put down his chopsticks and picked up the device. Across from him, Iori slurped down a mouthful of noodles and then pointed with his utensils. In any other household, this would be considered rude, but it mattered little to this apartment's occupant.
"What does she want?"
"Dunno."
"Put her on speaker phone."
Kyo tapped the speaker phone icon, put the phone back on the table, and leaned forward in his chair. "Hey, Kagura-san. What's up?"
"Kusanagi-san," their Sacred Treasures leader said, a smile bright in her tone, "how are you today?"
"Doing okay. Wasn't expecting your call."
"It's the usual. I expect some Orochi-related disturbances this year, so I'm requesting your help."
"Lemme guess…you want me to team up with you and Yagami this year."
"Yes, actually. I'm anticipating coming back, so forming a team would be nice."
Kyo raised his head and met Iori's equally surprised gaze. "Does Yagami know about this? You usually reach out to him first, right?"
"I haven't been able to reach him lately."
"Oh. Why's that?"
"Don't know. He's always unavailable. Have you seen him around, Kusanagi-san?"
The smirk on Iori's face almost made him snort. The other man had pulled out his phone, typed something quick in it, and showed him his screen. You wanna tell her or let me do it? Odd that it felt like an inside joke, but then again, Chizuru wasn't aware of the significant change in their relationship. Or the fact that he and Iori frequently met up and that the redhead was within arm's length right now.
"About that, Kagura-san…"
"Yes?"
He gave Iori a look that handed him the reins; the man lightly scoffed. "Kyo's with me, Kagura."
A surprised sound over his phone's speaker. "Yagami-san? You're there?"
"Kyo's with me at my apartment. What's this about coming back this year? You're finally returning to fight?"
"Yes." A moment's silence. "Kyo's with you?"
"Yeah."
"Why's he with you? You don't sound like you're…fighting."
This time, Yagami flicked a returning gaze back to him, like trading off a baton in a race. Kyo took the hint. "We're together now, Kagura-san."
"Together? What do you mean, Kusanagi-san?"
"I'm no longer with Yuki." He let it hang there – let Chizuru deduce the meaning behind those words. At the mention of his ex-girlfriend, he saw Iori's expression undergo a subtle shift. Reaching across the table, he entwined his hand with the other's, observing how Iori's slender and longer fingers contrasted with his, pale against tan.
"You mean…you two are…"
"Yeah, like that." He doesn't mention anything about sleeping with Iori or any of the other intimacies they've shared. It's best left unspoken – something between them.
"I don't believe…" A moment's silence broken by laughter. "When did this happen?"
Relief etched in Iori's face, plain in his eyes. Kyo was also happy Chizuru took the news well. If she disagreed, then it'd be difficult going forward, considering their team dynamics. "Yagami can share that…" He passed the conversation back to Iori, a brief glance easily read. "…if he wants."
"Yagami-san? What –"
"A kiss instead of a punch and the rest…" The man across from him shrugged, nonchalant. "Kyo can tell you the rest."
"No fair! Kusanagi-san, what happened?"
"Yagami decided the best way to end a fight was to kiss me." He smiled at Iori, saying this and was rewarded by the sight of Iori turning red as his hair. "Rather obvious by then, right? Instead of knocking his lights out, well…" He chuckled. "It's been interesting…this and Yagami." Another overt glance and from how the other's fingers tightened in his hold, Kyo surmised Iori was in need of a cold shower after. "I don't think we'll have a problem teaming up this year."
Light merry laughter. "You two are…"
"Unpredictable?"
"I'll concede on that one." Pause. "How are you going to handle the tournament this year?"
"Still figuring that out."
"You're not rivals anymore. Not if what you say is true."
"It is." Iori's tone was curt; yet, less harsh with Chizuru than it would've been with anyone else. "There's been some difficulties."
"Such as?"
Kyo sighed. "I lost a sponsor. We believe they found out about…us."
"Have you found a replacement sponsor?"
"No. Not yet."
During the length of this discussion, Iori's bowl of noodles had cooled, steam no longer rising. Kyo looked at the hallway past the eat-in kitchen, but it was hard to tell the passage of time from here. Sure, his phone had it down to the hour and minute but it always felt different depending on the circumstances. Hours could feel like minutes and minutes like hours. Holding Iori's hand – the calluses on his fingertips stirring recent memories – Kyo waited for Chizuru's response.
"There are probably sponsors that won't mind."
"Which ones?" he asked, wanting to know. Kagura-san was a host of the tournament one year – the year she looped them into the anti-Orochi business – so information like this was within her purview.
"Look for the ones run by younger people. They're more encouraging on that front and less likely to judge."
"Do you have any names?"
"I can get you started, but you need to do your own research, Kusanagi-san."
A smirk from his red-haired lover; Kyo rolled his eyes.
"She's right, you know." Iori's expression softened into one of quiet amusement. "Have to put some effort into something you want."
"Will you help me?"
"Sure. But you still need to look. I'm not like Yabuki, Kyo."
"Won't ever mistake you for him."
A cheerful laugh emitted from his phone. "I'll send you a link, Kusanagi-san. You and Yagami-san can look around. Good luck."
"Thanks."
"Kagura," Iori said, directing his end of the conversation towards the one who initiated all this. "If you're forming an official team this year, I'm in."
"Yeah. Count me in as well. Might make it easier."
"So you won't have to fight each other?" Chizuru over the line, a thinker's tone shading her voice. "Hard to fake hatred if you don't carry it anymore."
"Yeah. That's part of it," Kyo admitted, idly running one of his fingers upwards towards the skin beneath Iori's ring. The other man watched him, eyes half-lidded. Kyo wondered if the sunlight in the main room was bright or mellow. How it'd look, casting the other's form in light and shadow.
"Part of it?" The redhead across from him scoffed. "All of it, you mean."
Kyo snorted.
"I'll call again after we receive the invites. Please do pick up next time, Yagami-san."
"I will if I'm not busy."
"Talk to you, then. Kusanagi-san, it's been nice speaking to you. You and Yagami-san take care of each other, okay?"
"We will."
Chizuru ended the call and Kyo watched his phone revert to its home screen. Within a matter of minutes, it'd soon go dark. Lunch over – Iori no longer interested in his food – Kyo disentangled his fingers and stood. His chair scraped along the floor, metal against plastic tiles. Iori, too, had risen and his gaze said everything for him.
Kyo closed the distance. "You look like you need a shower."
"Later."
"Now?"
"Yes."