Who's the most possessive? Who gets jealous the easiest? Do they give each other nicknames? Thoughts on each other's friends? A/N: Bold text is English
...
The monotone female voice echoed over the cacophony of people. People rushing to and fro, shouting after children or companions, the squeak and rattle of wheels, crying and screeching of sad or overjoyed emotions, the beeping of indoor trolleys. The large blue screen flashed and flickered as it refreshed in front of them. Sena's eyes darted over it anxiously while Shin kept his eyes on Sena. He'd been excited for weeks waiting for this day, but now he was looking more and more worried by the second, completely baffling Shin.
"They sent texts just moments ago," Shin looked expressively down at Sena's hand as his phone chirped once more. "She hasn't stopped sending texts."
"Well, yeah, but it's been so long since they got off the plane. What if they lost their luggage, or someone stole their passports, or they get mistaken for international fugitives, or-?" Sena babbled on and on, pupils shrinking and face blanching as he continued.
Shin's eyebrows jumped high with his incredulity, and Sena stuttered to a stop. With a broken laugh, Sena rubbed the back of his head. "It's just been over a year since I've seen any of them. I keep thinking they couldn't possibly be coming all the way here," Sena admitted with a sheepish smile as his tense, knotted-up shoulders beginning to slump.
"Your imagination is rather impressive," Shin noted, fondness filling him as Sena stammered and blushed more. Shin was smart, sure, but Sena was creative, a daydreamer to Shin's pragmatist. As much as it bewildered him, Shin couldn't help but enjoy Sena's wild flights of fancy.
Sena's wrenched open his mouth, apparently belatedly finding some words to say in his own defense—who knows why when Shin hadn't been negative about it—but he cut himself off with eyes widening over Shin's shoulder.
"SENSEN!" screeched a voice over the crowd.
The slender brunette flinched and grimaced before a reluctantly delighted grin broke through. Shin mouthed the name 'Sensen' to himself as he turned.
"Ems," Sena breathed, hand raising to wave towards the group that was being led by a maniacally grinning woman Shin's age or older. She parted from the group to rush forward and Shin stepped to the side just in time for the collision of her much larger, heavier body into Sena's slender, deceptively stronger one.
"My Skywalker!" the woman who could only be Emily exclaimed, smooshing their cheeks together as she hugged him tightly.
Shin turned back to the group to see the only other female snatch the handle of the forgotten rolling-luggage without missing a beat or slowing down. Among the group of men with her, she was just as taller, if svelte and curvaceous to their broad and heavier frames. Her skin was the same dark ebony of Panther's, with her thick hair in a short buzz. The woman got to Shin first, holding out her hand to shake as a pleasant smile curved her lush-lipped mouth. To the side, Emily was gushing at Sena in rapid-fire English while he struggled to keep up.
"My name in Taniesha Roberts. You can call me Tanny," the woman greeted in hesitant, but perfectly pronounced Japanese. Her startling light brown eyes darted towards Watt.
"That was perfect," the ex-quarterback assured her with a wink.
"It was," Shin agreed, taking her hand in a firm grip. Her smile became relieved and bright rather than perfunctory. "My name is Shin, Seijuuro. Most call me Shin."
When she returned his shake, he was pleased to note hers was steady and strong, even if uncalloused. Knowing his own… inability as well as he did, Shin made sure to note her physical attributes closely (as well as the young men behind her in turn). Emily was a few dozen kilograms overweight and pale like the typical depiction of an American, but Taneisha didn't share her girlfriend's generous figure, instead having a body that looked to be one of a routine gym-attendee, with heavily muscled thighs implicating rigorous previous training of some kind—perhaps track or soccer or a kind of dance?
"Of course we know who you are!" Panther exclaimed, his vibrantly bright smile lighting up his face. Shin blinked as Panther enveloped him in an embrace, back-slapping as he pulled away. Somehow, Panther had grown even taller, and his customary braids replaced with a more close-shaven, squared-off look. His memorable headband, though, was again in place; that would help. "You haven't changed at all, man. You've got the same serious face." Panther twisted up his own cheerful features into a scowl to mimic Shin's, but it didn't last very long when he burst into laughter.
"As Panther-kun said, we're not likely to mistake you for anyone else," Watt joked mildly in flawless Japanese. Shin did a quiet double-take and glanced at him curiously. Not just his Japanese skill had changed, but unlike his Japanese, other things hadn't quite improved. His muscles weren't as developed as they'd once been, his hair shaggy and long, and his handshake, though firm, less calloused than a seasoned player should be. Lastly, a thin blond mustache shadowed Watt's upper lip. The bespectacled American chuckled under his breath at Shin's look and scratched his cheek. "I've been taking classes in university. It was very embarrassing to see how much I got wrong as a teenager."
Shin shrugged. "You did well enough for someone self-taught. You improved immensely in that area." His eyes lingered on Watt's smaller muscles, making the blond laugh.
"I quit football when I entered college. I'm at MIT to get into the real NASA, ironically," Watt said with a shrug and grin.
"I'm real glad you can talk to the locals n' all, buddy," Homer said as he swept a large hand through his still lengthy wavy hair. It was actually a little bit longer, and fortunately unlike Watt, he'd retained the same physique he'd had in high school—that is: bulging and well-developed. He hadn't gained much in height, and his facial hair was shaped to encircle his mouth. He would be just as easy to recognize as Panther. "But now I don't know what's goin' on."
Watt huffed and shook his head. "I'll translate if it's important."
"I understand a little," Shin grunted uncomfortably. He never liked using a skill he wasn't particularly good at, such as English. He'd spent many years abroad, but his German and Italian were much better than his English. "I speak it less well, but I can comprehend it for the most part," he explained to Watt.
"I thought so. You understood enough a few years ago when we met." The tall blond turned to explain to the confused but patiently waiting Americans as Emily finally released Sena from her chokehold and swaggered up.
"So, you're the great and incredible Shin-san. Suze wasn't jokin' about the resting bitch face," Emily mused, pressing a dimple into her cheek with a fingertip and grinning.
"Don't be rude, Ems," Taneisha admonished with an eyeroll.
Emily flapped a hand and pffted loudly. "I'm just teasin'. He's isn't some delicate little flower, Tanny. Besides, it's a great bitchface, like, numero uno great. I look like an adorkable munchkin at twenty-one. It's all my extra fluff. Makes me look forever young." She winked at Shin and Sena playfully. Sena groaned quietly and dropped his head into his hands, but Shin merely scowled at her in puzzlement.
"I don't understand what bitchface means…"
"She's talkin' 'bout your gameface, man! You should try leaving it on the field," Panther interrupted with a loud laugh, arm winding around Shin's neck in a loose half-Nelson. Shin narrowed his gaze on Panther's brightly smiling face just a handful of inches above his own.
Shin wasn't inept. He was familiar basic colloquialisms. Of the Japanese vernacular. English was already rusty and difficult. It's strange, profanity-ridden slang was never something he bothered to learn or research. "My understanding is still unclear. I should leave my face?"
A mistake, obviously.
Fortunately, Homer came to the rescue. He stepped up, rubbing the back of his head and chortling. "All this English is prob'bly makin' his head dizzy. Let's get some grub and beer. We're legal in Japan, so let's have fun," Homer suggested. His suggestion was met with raucous cheers (though Emily did note with a laugh she was already legal back home) and fistpumps.
"Sounds great!"
.
"Are you sure you don't mind, Seijuuro?" Sena asked him again. If Shin were the hyperbolic type, he'd place this time at about the thousandth or so.
He placed the bookmark among the picturesque lines of Oku no Hosomichi, closed it gently, and set it on his nightstand. When he'd learned the group of Americans were coming all the way to Japan on very limited budgets, Shin and his parents had opened their expansive home to the tourists. They were currently scattered around the mansion, either strolling through the galleries and ballrooms—Emily said something about recreating a beautiful beast movie?- or checking out the grounds outside. Panther had been pretty wild over the sight of his father's pet peacocks waddling ostentatiously through the hedges. (His father had a strange sense of humor when it came to spending his vast amount of wealth.) Sena, however, had taken the time to sit alone with Shin in his bedroom, fidgeting uneasily and looking downright guilty.
"Sena, do I enjoy amusement parks?"
"…no…" the smaller man mumbled, tracing circles on the comforter.
"Do you think I understand that you need time with your friends whom you haven't seen in over a year on account of them living across an ocean?"
"Yeah, I mean, I'm not exactly in your head, but I get it that I'm supposed to say yes-"
"I enjoy spending time with you, Sena. But I do not always have to spend time with you. Emily and Tanny bought you that ticket to Dizzyland as a gift. I do not want to intrude on something obviously meant for you three," Shin assured him, hand reaching up to brush over Sena's frowning mouth. Brown eyes darted up as the frown slowly curved into a smile, an expression much more suited to him. "The others already agreed to spend the day visiting the other footballers and OU campus and I'll be acting as their guide. I'll be more than occupied."
"Okay, good. I'll spend you a bunch of pictures, too. Promise. And… uh… It's Disneyland," Sena said hesitantly. Shin merely stared back, nonplussed.
"Yes, that's what I said?"
Sena chuckled and leaned forward on his hands. He pressed a fleeting kiss to Shin's cheek, surprising a tiny smile out of Shin. "Thank you for being you."
"You've said that," Shin murmured, sliding his hand around the back of Sena's head to drag him closer.
"I still mean it."
In a moment, they'd have to herd together their guests for the welcome dinner Shin's mother had planned. But that was in a moment. He'd have a whole day without Sena even though they had planned to spend the whole summer together before Sena's American friends had Skyped with new plans.
They could wait an extra minute. Or five.
.
When Panther, Homer, and Watt learned that Shin still went up Mt. Fuji every summer for training, they had eagerly decided to spend an overnight trip up the mountain with him. Emily and Taneisha both agreed to join in as well.
Shin was more than amendable to the idea. He enjoyed the other men's company, and the two woman were… growing on him. Taneisha was smart, polite, and eager to experience as much of Japan as possible during their little more than two week stay. Emily wasn't much different, but Shin had the distinct impression that Emily was constantly appraising his interactions with Sena with a very shrewd eye… causing Shin to feel constantly vigilant in response. He felt like he was in a test without having studied extensively beforehand, but he had no idea how to explain it to Sena.
Especially without sounding condemning of someone clearly very important to Sena. Someone who did something for Sena that Shin attempted every single day— build up his confidence and self-esteem by making Sena's opinions and friendship feel valuable.
Because of this persistent awkwardness around her, Shin discreetly began to make simple, logical excuses to give Sena more time alone with the Americans. The Tokyo Disney trip was easy and honest enough. Shin had zero interest in going to amusement park ever again. The three men, plus Shin, who hadn't gone had instead gone on a more than pleasant trip to OU and then met up for an overly crowded dinner party planned out meticulously by Anezaki to welcome them back. After that, there were a few tourist-centric trips taken, whole days mapped out- literally on maps, with bullet points and timetables because Watt and Taneisha were that kind of organized- that Shin joined only occasionally, for a few hours here, half a day there.
Camping, however. Camping would be nice. He and Sena would be in their element, running side by side. They hadn't been able to in over a week by now and Shin… Shin missed those moments of synchronism. Even Panther wasn't quite the same. Too fast, too smooth, and too loud. He liked Panther, enjoyed pushing himself a little harder the few times they ran together—at Panther's earnest insistence, nonetheless—but Panther just wasn't Sena.
Perhaps Emily would see how they were together at their best and those strange, assessing gazes would end.
They gathered at the base of the mountain early of the morning planned. Joining them were Sakuraba, Monta, and Takami—which Shin was internally grateful for. He knew these people well, but even better, they knew Shin well. They knew Shin and Sena well. There was also enough of a social buffer that Sena was less likely to feel guilty if they ran ahead. Hopefully.
While packs were divvied up and the exact directions to their destination were discussed one last time, the two newest Americans took a moment to gaze up the side of the mountain through the morning haze. Awe and some incredulity shined from their eyes.
"It's gorgeous and smells so fresh. It's nice to get outside and go hiking every once in a while," Taneisha declared, bracing her hands on her hips.
Emily snorted and then burst into laughter. "S-Sorry, it's just. Me. Climbing a mountain. It's fun in theory, but you know I'm gonna be dragging you down? No way I can keep up with you, bae."
"You know how I feel about bae," Taneisha replied dryly. "But I love you regardless. Of course I'll keep pace with you, baby," she promised, swooping through the short distance to kiss Emily's happily flushing cheek. The shorter brunette preened and gave her girlfriend a besotted grin.
Shin stiffened at short, albeit affectionate, exchange, eyes darting towards Sena, knowing that any second- Shin barely restrained a sigh seeing the runningback biting his lip and glancing from Taneisha and Emily to Shin. Just as he'd thought-
"I… I shou-… I could stay back, too?" he offered hesitantly, almost reluctantly for someone usually so selfless.
"We can all meet your pace," Shin stated, turning to Sena for translation.
"Seijuuro, no, this is training for you! And I know how much you enjoy running!" Sena protested wildly, hands gesticulating along. The Japanese in the crowd blinked over in their direction, confused by a conversation they hadn't been following.
Shin shooked his head. "No, Sena, I run for fitness and because it's integral to my position on the field. I enjoy improvement and the game. I only find the act of running enjoyable with you."
Sena blinked in surprise and his whole face bloomed bright red. Chuckles of the others around them, belatedly so on the account of the Americans waiting for Watt to whisper the translation to them, had Sena's blush travelling all the way down to his collarbones.
"As friggin' adorable as this is, there's no need. I know how much you look forward to running with Susan. I'll have more than enough fun takin' my time with Tanny," Emily interjected, looking amused and- for the fleeting moment she glanced Shin's way- approving.
"Susan?" Shin repeated in confusion. While also trying to ignore the minute relief unclenching in his muscles at the American's look.
"Also, Sena, there are more than enough people who will be taking a little slower and can keep your friends company. Or do you think we're not entertaining enough?" Takami pointed out with a lopsided smirk.
Sena quickly shook his head. "N-No! Of course not, Takami-san! Thank you! Please take care of them." He bowed hurriedly, causing a few more laughs.
"This is just painful max, Sena. Start running before I kick you into it," Monta complained good-naturedly as he stretched.
"Why did she call me Susan?" Shin repeated adamantly.
"What are we waiting for? Let's go! I'm pumped to be running with the famous Eyeshield and Shin!" Panther exclaimed, arms swinging and grin blinding.
"Yeah, yeah! Let's do that, go on, Seijuuro!" Sena agreed, pushing Shin forward, his hands a pressing heat against Shin's lower back.
"You're avoiding my question."
He began to run anyway, mouth twitching up as Sena fell into step beside him. Panther was just a pace or two ahead, grinning and waving over one shoulder at them. With a brilliant laugh, Sena darted forward, his signature explosive dash vaulting him over the distance. A familiar thrill raced down Shin's spine and the chase began again. Due to the unpredictable terrain and slowly thinning air, Panther actually ended up keeping pace withthem, dark skin flushing and eyes brighter than ever. Maybe in this one instance, Sena might be able to win. Or perhaps, Shin might, seeing as he was even more familiar with this training than either of them. Sena never could beat Shin for outright endurance or stamina either, Death March notwithstanding.
They made it to the meet up hours later, panting and sweating, both Sena and Panther grinning and Shin more relaxed than he'd been in days. Both Sena and Shin had somehow come to a mutual unspoken agreement to avoid the viewing-point Shin had found, but the meadow they'd camped in was too nice a place to keep to themselves. Especially with the group they had coming with them.
A sharp, impressed whistle broke their huffing silence when Panther managed to get a good look around.
"Wow, great! Place much awesome look!" Panther rattled on in very, very bad Japanese, mostly a string of adjectives with positive meanings and an utter lack of any syntax.
"Every year Seijuuro is come here. When the sun is go down, you will be like a lot!" Sena told Panther eagerly and cheerfully while Shin busied himself with taking off his pack and setting everything out.
"We have some time before the rest arrive. You're not too tired are you?" Shin asked as he cracked his neck and raised his arms over his head to stretch. When he dropped his arms, Sena's eyes darted upwards and the flush from their run looked redder than before.
"W-What? Oh, yeah, no, I'd like to- I'll ask Panther-" Sena stammered, eyes darting around wildly. Shin narrowed his gaze at Sena's back while absently tugging his shirt back into place from where it'd rucked up. What was going through Sena's head? "Let's go! Panther said he found you in the woods all those years ago. He likes the idea of running around like… uh… Tarzan?" Shin shrugged at Sena's bewilderment.
"No idea what that means. But I do know a good path to run."
Sena chuckled. "Let's go then. Lead the way. Today you're the fastest, Seijuuro."
A brief twitch of his mouth betrayed Shin's amusement before he took off without warning. The yelps of the two young men behind him- both so different but so similar at once- had Shin picking up his pace just that much more. It wasn't often he could best these two and maybe he enjoyed it a little too much.
When they finally rolled back into the campsite where they'd left their bags, the rest of the group had already set everything up and were building up a pile of branches and twigs to get a small bonfire going. There were only a handful of tents, most of them having agreed to share sleeping places. The idea of sleeping next to Sena again had Shin's pulse picking up slightly. This place couldn't help but dredge of memories of then, of last year and the first time Sena had been under Shin. While they'd both agreed that sexual intimacy wasn't the first thing on their minds when alone together, and it was on Shin's mind even less, he couldn't help but think of it now.
At the most inopportune, inappropriate time, of course. Even though nothing like that could happen, the idea of falling asleep close to Sena was enough for Shin. It was still a rare occurrence for them and Shin was unashamed to admit he really enjoyed falling asleep holding Sena close, and waking up to Sena's grumpy or sleep-dumb moments.
Which was why, when Sena casually asked Monta if his friend had found his- Sena's- sleeping bag and if it was in their tent- his and Monta's- Shin felt gut-punched. He stared over at Sena's obliviously smiling profile with a scowl reminiscent of his most intense exercises. Monta caught sight of him, and his face paled drastically, eyes wide and baffled. With a shake of his head, Shin got to his feet and went to hunt out another water bottle from the small cooler Sakuraba and Takami had carried between them.
It made sense. Objectively. Why cause an uncomfortable situation when it could be avoided? Sena must've thought it would be less embarrassing or maybe he just didn't want Monta, the only other Enma student, to feel left out. Either option was reason enough.
So when did Shin stop feeling objective? And just when did he start becoming so greedy for time alone with Sena that giving up or sharing any of that time became… aggravating?
.
Shin knocked on Sena's door a few days after the camping trip. He might've felt privately… displeased by that night, but he'd been careful to keep it to himself. Now wasn't the time to introspect such inconvenient, selfish motivations. Not when Sena was trying to entertain his friends and Shin was hoping to continue to building upon his relationships with them as well.
Sena's friends were important to Sena, and therefore important to Shin.
Whatever problems Shin was having could wait until a time when Sena's focus no longer needed to be on hosting said friends and assuring their good time.
So Shin might be spending an extra hour or two in the weight room, or pushing himself a little harder on Mt. Fuji when he took his run up there, but it was only improving his overall conditioning, so why not?
The door swung up to reveal… Kaitani. In a beat-up t-shirt a size too big and baggy sweatpants. His hair was a mess and his eyes were blinking sluggishly.
"'Chu doin' here?" Kaitani muttered in bewilderment.
"Looking for Sena… and everyone else?" Shin replied slowly. "It's ten a.m. on a weekday. Why are you asleep?"
"It's called a nap," Kaitani snapped irritably. "And Sena crashed at Mamori-nee's place last night. So did everyone. I managed to get home because no way was I gonna share a futon with some giant ass American, but everyone went out clubbing last night, Shin. Of course no one's up."
Shin stared at Kaitani. Slowly, understanding dawned and the Enma player outright flinched in sympathy.
"You had no idea, did you?"
"Yesterday I went back to Mt. Fuji."
"And you don't have a phone and it was a last minute idea," Kaitani filled in. Shin shrugged a shoulder at that.
He didn't like the look on Kaitani's face. The pity lurking in his blue eyes.
"I'm sure you would've been invited if he could've gotten ahold of you- Fuck, what am I doing?" Kaitani muttered, dragging a hand through ivory hair. "C'min while I call up his stupid ass. I can't believe him."
"No, Kaitani, you're right. I don't have a phone anymore, and even if I did, no one could've contacted me while I was on Fuji. It wasn't Sena's fault."
But…
But.
"He still should've left you a message somehow. Or waited a day or something."
"I don't like clubbing."
"Yeah, but you don't like whatever just happened right now," Kaitani pointed out dryly, hand waving towards Shin's face.
Feeling left out. Excluded. Shin didn't like that the feeling wasn't new.
"When… when you discussed getting an apartment," Shin started slowly, awkwardly. It felt strange starting this line of questioning with Kaitani, as if he were talking behind Sena's back. He'd already began, and he couldn't help but finish at Kaitani's warily curious gaze. "Did he ever… want to invite me?"
That sounded… pathetic. That's not how he wanted it to sound. He huffed and dragged his hand over his face and missed the fleeting pained look on Kaitani's face. When he looked up, Kaitani's expression was inscrutable. At least to a man like Shin, who found facial expressions and subtler emotions hard to read.
"No, Shin. It started as a joke, something not-quite serious, and me and Monta kinda snowballed it. You got brought up when we signed the contract and forced Sena to accept the big room because of you and him." Kaitani crossed his arms and leaned against the doorjamb, obviously fighting a yawn as his jaw stretched oddly and his eyes slipped half-shut. He blinked himself back to wakefulness, looking contrite.
"You should return to bed. I'm sorry to have woken you, Kaitani."
"Riku."
Shin stared.
"You're dating my best friend," something strange happened to Kaitani's voice over the last two words, "the least you can do is call me Riku to my face."
"You call me Shin."
"Alright then. Seijuuro it is," Riku said with a shrug. Shin frowned and Riku laughed. "The difference is no one calls you Seijuuro except for Sena. Even Haruto normally calls you Shin."
"It's true." He nodded once and then stepped back. "Don't… don't mention this to Sena. Not until…"
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. It's between you guys. Don't let it lie, though, Shin. Seijuuro. If it honestly hurts as much as it looked like it did, it's important."
Shin blinked once, slow and startled at the stern and wise advice by the fellow linebacker (and safety).
"Thank you."
Riku shrugged again and didn't bother hiding his jaw-cracking yawn. "Sometimes Sena needs a little help to see what's right in front of him." The fond smile on Riku's face had the gears whirring in Shin's mind, before the ivory-haired man saluted sassily and closed the door.
As Shin walked towards the elevator, he had a vague idea that there were more than just a few things Sena was oblivious to.
.
Ever since the morning after the club incident, Shin tried a little harder to be there. He hadn't found time to talk to Sena about it, though. He listened to the chatter around him, the joking about things he'd missed, the embarrassing anecdotes and teasings, and kept calm and quiet. Now wasn't the right time. He would make more of an effort because it wasn't only Sena's fault Shin hadn't been available, and being mildly (only mildly) upset about it wasn't constructive. While also being a sign he wasn't fine with it. At all.
Clubbing wasn't his 'thing'. Amusement parks weren't his forte.
But Sena was.
It helped that during the moments when the group around him tangented off into reminiscings of things he wasn't around for, Riku's eyes would find his in the crowd with a wry, helpless little smirk on his face. A gesture of solidarity that went a long way to soothing his lingering… turmoil.
And it happened.
He never could have expected it. Never could have prepared for it.
The way Taniesha, Emily, and Sena tumbled into the door of the Enma shorties' apartment, laughing and wincing and holding various parts of their bodies stiffly. Even Riku and Monta looked bewildered when Sena yelped a second after knocking his right shoulder into the doorjamb.
"Be careful, Skywalker! You'll make it bleed again!" Emily warned anxiously, hands fluttering over his chest area. He laughed it off, rubbing the back of his head.
"It's fine, fine, Ems! Just the bump," Sena assured her.
"Are you sure? We brought everything we need to take care of it if we need to," Taneisha offered, eyes on his chest as well.
"What the fuck are you talking about?" Riku growled in flawless English as he stalked off the couch. Shin was a step ahead, face thunderous.
"What's happening!? Hey, come on, I don't know any English, guys!" Monta exclaimed from the couch where he was half-lounging.
"Sena was bleeding," Shin snapped, sounding angrier than usual in his concern.
"WHAT?! What happened?!" Monta shrieked.
"Whoa, whoa, calm down, guys! It's nothing! I mean it's something, but nothing what you're thinking!" Sena exclaimed hurriedly, waving his hands in front of him wildly, only to wince again.
"Stop that," Emily sighed in exasperation, gently pulling his arms down to his side. "And you two, you stop that, too! You're just working him up!" Emily scolded Riku and Shin.
"It's just a tatt, boys." Taneisha said calmly. Sena grimaced slightly.
"I not want to say it like that," he muttered.
"A. What." Shin stated flatly, voice toneless. Riku on the other hand looked livid. Sena blanched.
"What's happening?!"
"This moron got a tattoo," Riku hissed.
Monta almost fell off the couch and scrambled to his feet. "He got a WHAT?"
"Hey! We all did, me, Ems, and Tanny!" Sena protested.
"Hey, hey, back the fuck up. Sena is a gorramn adult. Are you scolding him?" Emily demanded furiously. Taneisha put her hand on Emily's shoulder to calm her down, but leveled her own glare at them.
"I wanna see!" Monta gasped, pushing past Riku and Shin. Sena glanced at the two fuming men behind Monta, but carefully yanked the neckline of his t-shirt down just far enough to expose the tattoo. It wasn't anything huge or elaborate. It was the number 21 in Deimon colors, which, really, made sense.
"Oh, MAX cool, dude!" Monta gasped. He frowned and punched Sena's shoulder. "Why the hell didn't you tell us? I woulda gone, too!" Monta exclaimed with a grin.
Sena's mouth twitched up. "It was a-"
"Last minute idea."
Sena froze and glanced up to Shin's blank face. He had no idea what his own expression was doing, but whatever it was, Sena looked somehow surprised and pained.
"Seijuuro?" his voice lilted upwards in question and concern.
"If you have a problem with Sena having bodily autonomy, you can fuck right off," Emily grumbled, arms crossing over her ample chest. She winced when the action pulled on her right arm.
"Sena, what is going on?" Taneisha asked, barely containing her own confused anger at the reactions.
"It's not about that! This is a huge fucking decision and Sena just completely ignored the idea that maybe his best friends and his fucking boyfriend would've wanted to be a part of this! How can you be so fucking blind, Sena?!" Riku yelled, hands in fists at his side.
"Riku, don't-"
Riku glanced towards Shin and huffed angrily. His arms crossed over his chest as he glared at the opposite wall. "Sorry, Seijuuro."
"When did you start calling him Seijuuro?" Monta asked in surprise.
"Seijuuro, what's he talking about?" Sena asked, glancing between in, clearly baffled and concern mounting.
"Okay, we're missing something huge…" Emily muttered, righteous anger gradually deflating. Taneisha frowned pensively and nodded.
"This isn't the time," Shin frowned in Riku's direction as the safety 'tch'ed loudly. "It isn't the time. Your friends aren't here much longer, Sena. It… It can wait." He scowled as his eyes darted down to where he knew the tattoo lay.
"…" Sena actually swiveled his head side to side to stare at Riku and Shin. "No, Seijuuro. I don't think it can. Ems, Tanny, I talk to Seijuuro, okay?"
"Uh, yeah, Sen. We'll umm… go find the boys?" Emily suggested, looking up at Taneisha.
"They're at the Kongou's. We can find it."
Riku stepped forward quickly. "No, I'm coming, too. I need to blow off steam anyway. C'mon, Monta."
"Wha? Me, too?!"
"This is unnecessary."
"No, it's really not," Sena and Riku said at the same time as they looked at Shin. He almost reared back at their identically stern expressions.
"This doesn't make us square, Sena. I'm gonna give you so much shit when I get back. Got it?" Riku threatened, rounding on Sena a second later. Sena blanched and stepped back.
"I know, I know. I'm sorry, Rikku-kun."
"Whatever. Monta, get your monkey butt in some shoes. Let's go."
"I'm not a monkey."
"Ah, I understood that. He does look like a monkey," Taneisha's eyes riveted to the half-eaten banana in Monta's hand. Her lips rolled together to hold back a smile.
They trooped out the door a moment later, Monta still protesting. Sena glanced to Shin expectantly, and Shin sighed. How could he explain something to Sena that he could barely explain to himself? He appreciated Riku's show of support, but he didn't exactly like being shoehorned into a conversation he wasn't ready for. With a drag of his hand over his face, he turned and made his way towards Sena's room. Sena made a small noise of surprise and stumbled out of his shoes to follow.
He'd never even made it past the foyer, Shin realized with an exasperated eyeroll to the ceiling.
The door to the bedroom snapped closed, but the silence remained. Shin stood across the room, back to the door and hands hanging at his sides. Breath huffed quietly past his lips and he shifted his weight. The confused jumble of emotions were beating at his skull, tugging to be forced into words, but they were too important to say quickly. He had to take his time, formulate the right sequence so his meaning could not be misconstrued. He wasn't angry. He was disappointed. But not… for the obvious and permanent reason.
"Seijuuro? I know that it was really sudden and probably really stupid, but I don't regret it, you know? I really like it and I think it was a good idea. I mean, the whole needles and pain part, that wasn't good-"
Shin turned, eyebrows coming together low over the bridge of his nose. Sena was leaning against the door, his weight mostly to one side, eyes on the floor, and his fingers fidgeting together.
"Sena, I don't care about the tattoo," Shin said quietly, firmly.
Sena's chin jerked up to meet Shin's serious gaze. "You seem like it…?"
"You're an adult. Those are your decisions to make and I don't want to make them for you. I'd never ask for that," Shin attempted hesitantly, his scowl darkening and his muscles tense and tight enough to hurt. He could feel his shoulders hitching up and his hands flexing minutely at his sides. "What Riku said… it was English, maybe you missed it…"
Sena blinked and cocked his head to dredge it back up. "The big decision. Made without you guys-"
"Made without me," Shin corrected quietly, jaw firmed and lips thinning as he glared to the side.
"It was just a spur of the moment thing! Tanny and Ems both have tattoos already and wanted to get one to commemorate their trip here and I was there and I just got sorta- it just sorta happened."
"Like moving into this apartment?"
Sena reared back, eyes wide and startled.
"Like sleeping in a different tent last week?"
"Wh-what? That was- I thought-"
"Or going out with everyone without me the other night?"
It was rolling out of Shin now, his shoulders hitched high and his hands in fists under his biceps, arms crossed so tightly it actively made his muscles ache.
"Seijuuro, I didn't- you…" Nonsense tumbled out of Sena's mouth in his cluelessness. As if he couldn't put his suspicions in words. Shin scowled darkly. "You… you wanted me to ask permission?"
"What? No!" Shin bit out, frustration making his words harsher than intended. Sena gaped. Shin closed his eyes and inhaled sharply through his nose. "I don't want to give permission, Sena. I just want to be a variable in your decision-making process. I don't like feeling unimportant to your life outside of our relationship."
"Wh-what?! Seijuuro, no, that's not what-"
"Don't tell me how to feel, Sena."
Sena rocked back on his heels, face white. Shin breathed heavily through his nose and dropped his gaze to the floor. Slowly, Sena made his way across the room and set both his hands on Shin's arms. Tension leaked from Shin's body at the warm touch. "When you make important choices, Sena, I want… I want to be there. I want to feel as important to you as you are to me."
The words were soft and… more vulnerable than Shin had ever sounded. Even saying 'I love you' wasn't this hard. He thought the most difficult hurdle, his uncommon face-blind condition, was behind them. But instead, this. This feeling that his impact on Sena's life was transient, intangible, was proving just as hard to overcome.
He hated the idea that ink staining Sena's skin could last longer than Shin's significance to someone he wanted to be with for the rest of his life.
"Seijuuro, that's not what all that was," Sena interrupted Shin's musing, voice soft and sad. "I'm so sorry I made you feel excluded. I was just trying… I was just trying not to bother you," Sena said sincerely.
Shin's head jerked up, nostrils flaring and expression obviously incredulous. "Bother?" he repeated. Sena nodded and smiled a little self-consciously.
"I thought about you every time, I promise I did. But I always brushed it aside. You're so practical, Seijuuro. And I thought, if I tried to contact you… for things you logically couldn't be a part of, because your school is too far away, or because you don't even like those kinds of clubs, or because you had better things to worry about then every stupid thing that crosses my mind, like how difficult it would be to sleep next to you and remember the last time we shared a sleeping bag…" he trailed off with a self-deprecating twist of his mouth even as he blushed. "I thought you'd just consider those things unnecessary. I didn't want to waste your time, Seijuuro," Sena explained, fingers twisting into the fabric of Shin's long-sleeves.
Shin dropped his arms, dislodging Sena's hold. Before Sena could dart away, Shin cupped Sena's face in both his hands and forced their eyes to meet.
"Nothing you tell me, nothing you do, is a waste of time to me," Shin stated firmly.
Sena's pupils dilated as he shook slightly beneath Shin's hands. "Yeah?"
"Yes." Their foreheads thumped together lightly and Sena's eyes fluttered shut, breath fanning over Shin's mouth. He closed the distance to brush his lips over Sena's cheek, down his jaw. Sena automatically tilted his head back and a surge of something like triumph burned low in Shin's belly. "I want to know the stupid things that cross your mind. I doubt they're as stupid as you think they are."
Sena laughed, his pulse jumping beneath Shin's lips. "I can do that. I mean, it'll be hard c-c-cuz- p-phone-" he broke off into stammers, pulse hammering as Shin placed a damp, open-mouthed kiss on the sensitive skin of his throat. His hands reached under Sena's shirt, slowly, carefully, dragging calloused fingers up the line Sena's abs. "S-Seijuu?"
His teeth pressed down harder as he sucked hard on the flesh against his tongue. A full body shiver preceded Sena melting into Shin's hands. Hands that were smoothing up higher and higher, fingers spread and palms flat to skin. The crinkle of something like cellophane had Shin stilling.
"T-That's t-the t-tattoo. I g-gotta- It's f-fine, though. You don't have to stop," Sena said, voice husky and tongue swiping over his bitten-red bottom lip. His hands were clutching tight at the loose fabric of Shin's shirt and shaking slightly.
"I won't," Shin replied, eyes on the reddening patch of skin on Sena's neck.
An idea, fleeting at first but hooking into his brain and growing louder, had Shin pulling Sena's shirt up. Being wary of the pain it might cause, Shin helped the smaller man pull the shirt off without him having to raise the arm closest to the tattoo too high. It was on the right side, but close to his sternum. The skin around the stark black and crimson red ink was aggravated and red. He had to push away the desire to press his lips there, to kiss away the pain it must be causing. Instead, he slowly walked Sena towards the bed even as his hands trailed down to Sena's pants.
"Uh… wh-what- I'm n-not c-complaining, but what are we d-doing?" Sena asked, face flushed and pupils blown.
"Leaving a mark," Shin replied absently as he yanked at Sena's jeans roughly to get the zipper undone. He had no idea why his hands were shaking.
"A-A what?"
"Hopefully more than one."
"Ah?" Sena broke off, confusion melting into something needy when Shin shoved his hands past the elastic waistband of Sena's boxers to grip his bare hips.
Sena's hands scrabbled uselessly at Shin's shirt, clutching desperately when the taller man pressed his mouth over Sena's heart, just past the plastic wrap and gauze-tape. The backs of runningback's knees hit the side of the bed and they went down, the descent quickly controlled by Shin and his firm grasp on Sena's smaller frame. His knee braced on the mattress, one foot still on the floor, and Sena caged between Shin's arms and thighs. His lithe body arched sinuously, Shin's mouth running dry at that sight even as he pushed Sena's jeans and underwear off in one smooth movement. He was back to hovering over Sena within a breath's time, mouth damp and hot on a peaked nipple before his teeth scraped over it. The small noise caught in the back of Sena's throat had Shin tugging a little harder, tongue laving between the gentle nip of teeth and less than gentle suction until Sena was almost writhing on the sheets, the tips of his toes bracing on the floor to arch closer.
The slurring stutter of his name had Shin's blood pounding just under his skin. But he was too preoccupied to really listen to whatever Sena was begging. It didn't sound like protests, so Shin pressed one more damp kiss to Sena's sternum and moved lower down. Another dark hickey bloomed just under his ribcage, and another on the smooth skin of his belly before he dipped the tip of his tongue in the dimple of Sena's belly button. The quiver had Shin biting just hard enough for the man beneath him to squawk and gasp. When Shin leaned back enough to survey the trail of marks down Sena's abdomen, satisfaction had his mouth curling up.
Maybe they weren't as permanent as the fancy inkjob, but it was just as much evidence, tangible and real, of Shin on Sena's body.
"Wh-Wh-Why are you still w-wearing clothes?" Sena demanded breathlessly.
Shin looked up to see the flushed, debauched face above him, the cherry red lips parted around pants and pupils blown so wide only the barest sliver of beautiful brown could be seen around the edges. Again, Shin cursed his condition knowing the moment he looked away, he'd forget the heart-stopping, pulse-jolting sight.
"Don't worry about me," Shin replied gruffly, pushing Sena further up the bed so he could get on his knees.
Sena's breath caught and he jerked himself upright, balanced on his elbows. He winced as the action pulled at his chest, but he ignored it so he could stare, with wide hungry eyes at Shin between his thighs.
"S-Seijuuro?" he exhaled, voice wobbling.
Shin nosed at his hipbone. The smooth, unblemished expanse of skin beckoned and Shin obeyed the call. The moment he dragged the spare flesh between his teeth, Sena keened, hips arching up. Shin smoothed his hands up Sena's thighs, curls of hair tickling his palms, to spread him wider. The harsh, too shallow breaths whistled past Sena's teeth, but Shin merely slid his mouth lower, pressing a damp, wide-mouthed kiss to the patch of smooth skin on Sena's inner thigh. The sound that escaped Sena was a sob of Shin's name immediately followed by pleading. Shin didn't so much as touch Sena where he was so obviously desperate for him to. Instead, he went straight to the other thigh, two mirroring marks right where the inseam of Sena's pants would rest. Every time he sat, or stood, or walked, or ran, any movement would drag along there, where Shin's mouth had left its claim. Where no one else would see or touch.
His grip tightened on Sena's legs, thumbs digging almost too hard into the trembling muscle.
"I… I like this," Shin muttered, thumb brushing over the almost purple hickey on Sena's hipbone. They were still in their awkwardly sitting/crouching position, their lower bodies hanging off the bed to brace their feet against the floor and breathing heavily as their skyrocketing heartbeats slowed.
A slight pause. "Really?"
"Doing the same to your back… I meant it. Soon."
"…. I think… I think I'm really on board with that."
"Think?"
"Know. I know."
Relief had Shin's shoulders slumping. "Good." Then, he managed to heave himself to his feet and tip Sena onto his back in the same motion. Sena yelped and let out a breathless laugh as Shin manhandled him up onto the pillows and crawled in after him.
"You get kinda one-syllable-y when you… you know."
"Yes."
Sena laughed again, and wrapped his arms around Shin's wide shoulders, ignoring the burn on his chest and the weird feeling of plastic pulling at tape. It felt weird and kinda… erotic to be completely clothed and feel Sena's bare skin under his hands. Shin literally snuggled closer, face tucked into the crook of Sena's neck and arms tight around Sena's bare waist. "So what happens if I get another tattoo? "
Shin grumbled in annoyance as Sena shook with his almost silent laughter. A long moment passed of just breathing in the scent of them, sweat and sex and the lingering shampoo on Sena's pillow while his fingers absently stroked from mark to mark, satisfaction curled in his stomach. Even though he was becoming quickly more uncomfortable in his clothes- specifically his pants- as time went on.
"Sena."
"Yeah?" Sena mumbled, smoothing his fingers through Shin's hair and pressing his cheek to the side of Shin's head.
"Should I call you… baby? Or… bae?"
Sena blinked wildly, Shin could feel the flutter of lashes on his temple, and then he guffawed, his whole body shaking until tears came to his eyes.
"Taneisha and Emily do it," Shin grumbled. He turned his head towards the pillow even as his ears heated.
"We are not Tanny and Ems. And that'd be the weirdest thing ever. I like how you say my name anyway."
"… Same."
.
When the Americans finally left, Shin was regretful. A little. He liked them well enough, and Emily had finally stopped giving him judgmental looks. But the teasing at his expense- including the name Susan (why?!) and dropping vampire jokes whenever the dark mark on Sena's neck peeked out from under his shirt collars- might not be much better...
However, he also had more than a month of sharing Sena only with his Japanese friends, which were high enough in number already. Going into his junior year was going to be even more difficult and he was hoping to get the most out of the remaining summer vacation. Before leaving, Emily had done him one more favor as an apology for being an overprotective dick (her words, not his).
He had a whole list of websites to research. She'd gone out of her way to highlight something called marking and he had a pretty good idea where that was leading.
...
A/N: YES there was a cut off and all the explicit sex was deleted. It can be found in full in the "Desires" part of the series on archiveofourown, chapter 2, under the same chapter name "Marks". I will not post the blatant sex scenes. You're lucky you got what you did, and you only did because the MARKING part was important. *smooches* sorry m'dears. Not on ffn.
Also, there's a short ficlet of what's going on with Riku on tumblr. I'll probably post it up soon, so look out for it if you want your heart broken, lol.
PS: Tanny is tawhn-nee, not tan-ee