Chapter 29
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Note: This chapter contains material some might find objectionable (though not lemon; sorry guys). If you're easily offended, this is your warning to get out. If you flame me, then it will just make you look like a 'tard. You've been warned. On with the show!
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Blank settled himself comfortably down under the covers, and sighed contentedly before looking over at Kuja, who had seated himself in the chair by Blank's bedside.
"Kuja?" he asked softly.
Kuja looked up at him quickly, as though he had been startled out of deep thought. "Uh, yes?" he said.
"Just wanted to be absolutely clear about this. You are staying, aren't you?"
Kuja smiled self-deprecatingly. Blank thought it also looked a little sad. "Yes, Blank. I am staying."
Though he had known this already, Blank felt relief rush through him anew at these words. He hadn't realized how much it meant to him, to have Kuja say it out loud, to know for certain that he wasn't going to leave again.
"That's good," he said out loud, "because I love you."
An expression of shocked innocence descended on Kuja's face. He looked almost comical, and Blank felt in that instant a warmth inside him that made him absolutely certain of the words he had just spoken. He did love Kuja.
"I..." and now Kuja blushed. It was vivid on top of his pale complexion. "I love you too. I'm sorry if... if I scared you."
Blank grinned. "Not at all. At least, nothing I won't get over. Now-" he lifted the corner of his blanket invitingly, "-get in here, would you?"
Kuja's blush deepened, but he did as Blank asked and climbed into the bed, snuggling against Blank seemingly without meaning to. Blank wrapped an arm around him and held him close. It felt good to touch someone again, to have someone so physically close that he could feel the warmth seeping into his skin. He pressed his lips against Kuja's hair in a soft kiss.
For a long time Blank just laid there, listening to the soft sounds of their mingled breathing, appreciating the feel of the smooth skin of Kuja's back under his fingertips. (He had slipped his hand under Kuja's shirt.) But eventually a thought came to him, and he felt compelled to break the silence.
"Hey Kuja, you mind if I ask you a kind of personal question? You don't have to answer it if you don't want to."
Blank felt Kuja's body tense next to him, and he sought out Kuja's tail and stroked it soothingly. Kuja seemed to calm a bit at this. "Sure," he said quietly.
"Are you a virgin?" Blank asked.
There was silence for a long time, to the point where Blank began to think that Kuja would not answer him. But finally the response came, at a near-whisper. "No."
Blank said nothing, and after a moment of silence, Kuja continued nervously. "I-I mean, I haven't... not with anyone who wasn't... I mean, none of them wanted..."
"Shh," said Blank, cutting him off. As he was speaking, Kuja had become continually more distressed. But Blank understood what he meant. "You raped them," he said bluntly.
Kuja nodded miserably against Blank's chest. "I'm sorry," he said, and Blank heard the edge of tears in his voice. "I'm a horrible person." Kuja's whole body was trembling.
"No." Blank went back to stroking Kuja's tail, even as he pulled him closer with his other hand. "You were a different person back then. I understand. You're not like that any more. I know that; that's why I couldn't let you leave."
Kuja did not reply, and after a few more minutes of stroking, his trembling eased. "I'm sorry I asked that," Blank murmured. "I didn't mean to upset you."
"It's alright," said Kuja. "I want you to know about me. I don't want to lie to you, or to hide things from you. I want to be that different person for you. I want... I want this life to be honest. And real."
Blank smiled. "Love is about as real as it gets, baby."
Kuja looked up at him and returned the smile hesitantly. "I'm glad," he said.
Blank leaned down and kissed him.