Chapter Text
Yoru and Chamber were in the same predicament they had started in. Half dressed, locked in the medbay room. But, for once, Chamber was silent.
And Yoru hated it.
He kept on stealing looks at Chamber and looking away before golden eyes caught him looking.
He was more hurt than Yoru had thought too. Sage had had to heal him far more, the Sentinel having had spend a good thirty minutes bandaging himself.
She'd spared them the lecture though, seeing the dead look behind Yoru's eyes and the unsettling one in Chamber's. And because she knew Brimstone would be on his way.
A part of Yoru wanted to talk to Chamber. Properly. Without pretenses of injuries and bets and brothers…just talk. Yoru was delusional for wanting that, he thought.
Yoru was scrolling his phone. He wanted to leave and go to his bed and pass out until they...he...inevitably was sent out again. Not stuck, forcing himself awake, scrolling his phone dully like it contained the most interesting thing in the world.
News flash: it fucking didn't.
Behind him, Chamber had given up, fallen asleep on the chair he'd sat in an hour ago. What was Brimstone so busy with anyway? Planning another godforsaken mission, if he had to guess. Yoru glanced over at Chamber, the man slumping awkwardly over on the chair. Yoru laughed to himself softly; Chamber was far too tall, larger body barely fitting into the chair on the uncomfortable looking angle.
He was going to wake up with the world's worst back pain. Tentatively, Yoru walked over, footsteps light. He wasn't sure if he was about to cop a punch to the gut by being so quiet and waking him up...but....
He couldn’t sit by and let Chamber endure more pain. For their bet, he told himself. For their bet.
Slowly, he touched Chamber's shoulder, expecting to struggle to wake him up. Instead, his eyes open wide, arm snapping forward. Yoru barely had time to blink before Chamber's hand was grasping his wrist hard and he was being pulled forward.
"Merde-" he swore under his breath, head dropping as he chuckled quietly, "are you trying to scare the life out of me?" His accent was thicker, still stumbling into the waking world. His hand still grasped Yoru’s wrist. He was much closer than before, more than close enough to feel Chamber’s warmth against his skin.
It was strange to hear such a strong accent from the man. It wasn’t that Yoru didn’t notice it usually, it was more than obvious (as was Yoru’s own accent), but it was even stronger than usual.
Yoru liked his voice.
“Sorry,” he muttered, turning back to his obligatory phone scrolling, “making sure you don’t wake up in pain from your old man back. For the bet.”
“Yoru, was there a proper reason you woke me or-“ Chamber chuckled with a half yawn, his voice approaching as he perched on the bed next to Yoru. “Because I don’t think a sore back would win, considering the amount of holes in you.”
”Thought the bed would be more comfortable.” As soon as he’d said it he was thinking about last night. Their shared bed. The closeness. His name in the morning…. Yoru spoke softly, feeling like it was nighttime and he was obliged to keep his voice down.
“And here I was thinking you were angry at me.” Chamber said softly, leaning on his hand as his focused remained trained on Yoru as if he was the most interesting thing in the world.
“I still am,” Yoru simmered under Chamber’s look, “you used my own name against me.” He finally shot a properly angry look over at Chamber: a look summarising all of the frustration he’d been holding back for a day.
“I’m sorry I-“
”I’m not done.” Chamber mouth clicked closed with Yoru’s dark eyes not leaving his. “You won’t explain what’s happening with your…brother or some fucking shit. And on top of it all you won’t stop flirting with me for a goddamn second.”
In his angered burst of speech his eyes had dropped from Chambers, motioning around wildly. And yet he couldn’t feel completely pissed. And Chamber couldn’t seem to take it seriously either because he leaned in and murmured softly.
“Do you want me to stop flirting with you?” his voice dropped lower, hand resting on the chair right next to Yoru’s thigh. Before he could try and breathe his breath caught in his throat.
His face was immediately hot and any annoyance dissipated. He was engulfed in Chamber’s
familiar scent and his warmth. Any thoughts in his mind were switched off as all he was focused on was Chamber.
The hand brushed his thigh moved to be fully on his thigh as Yoru shifted forward closer to the bed Chamber was on. Everything was happening all at once whilst Yoru was barely thinking.
“I suppose silence is an answer,” Chamber chuckled, golden eyes seemingly brighter as Yoru caught his look. His fingers shifted up to his hip whilst Yoru tentatively moved his hand to the back of Chamber’s neck.
A spare hand shifted onto the small of Chamber’s back, they shifted under the bottom of his shirt. His hands were just as warm as they had been when they’d fallen asleep and he’d woken up being held.
The hand guided him closer. Their faces were inches from each other, Yoru not even sitting on the chair anymore and rather hovering in the air in front of Chamber.
Until another tug and he was fully sitting on Chamber. If his face wasn’t flushed before it was now. His whole body was burning up, absorbing Chamber’s warmth.
It was all happening again. The hand placement, the warmth of Chamber’s breath, the smell and the feeling the fucking everything-
“Chamber-“
He’d gotten away with his usual behaviours and hadn’t answered a single question.
A click was the sound of the door unlocking and Yoru had never moved faster. All catlike instincts took over and he was jolting away from Chamber, flailing backwards and almost falling over.
The door was opening just as Yoru managed to catch himself and was left standing strangely in the middle of the room. His shirt was riding up and his face was flushed. Chamber’s was shirtless, his own face slightly flushed.
But he still looked smug.
“Look, you two-“ the man entering the room began and cut himself off quickly. He went quiet, observing the scene in front of him. Chamber turned his face away, adjusting his tie and Yoru tensed, the look of wanting to hit someone growing on his face.
He tugged down his shirt quickly, the motion making him turn to face towards Brimstone. "Can we fucking leave yet?" He asked abrasively, and even Chamber stared at the humorless, dry and bare anger in his words. It was rare to see him properly angry - all shattered pieces and edges on full display.
Everyone expected Yoru to say more, but he couldn't manage another word. That was the only question he had left to say, disappearing into his room the only thing on his mind.
"No," Brimstone continued, figuring whatever he thought was unfolding hadn't been, "you two are obviously not listening to Sage or Viper, and your reckless attitude is on the path to getting someone hurt."
Chamber saw Yoru crack before Brimstone did. The older man continued prattling on about reckless behavior and injuries as Chamber observed the subtle changes in Yoru's demeanor:
His breathing rate increased, tired body tensing more. His fingers twitched, wanting to move. His eyes were flittering around until they set on Brimstone and remained unmoving.
"Veuillez ne pas, mon cheri." Chamber murmured softly, voice lower than usual. He hadn't intended to draw Brimstone's attraction to him, but it was either that or Yoru did something reckless - exactly like Brimstone was telling him not to do.
The second Yoru heard his voice it was like his anger dissipated. His shoulders dipped and he swiveled his stare. Trying to figure out what Chamber was on about, the Sentinel succeeded at diverting his attention.
"I wasn't..." he glanced back at Brimstone, "... going to do anything." He muttered, flopping back into his chair and folding his arms over his chest.
Once more, Chamber had read his mind. But in this case, his thoughts were more than obvious with the look in his eyes and his twitching fingers. He hadn't even needed to speak French to know that Chamber had said something to tell him to calm down.
"Look," Brimstone cleared his throat and spoke awfully loudly. "I don't know what's going on between the two of you but-"
"I'm afraid it's none of your business, in fact, it's just as much so as your right to critique our performances." Chamber seamlessly responded before Brimstone could fill his ears with more drone-like noise.
He looked surprised, having thought that Chamber, like Yoru, hadn't been listening.
He...wasn't even right.
Brimstone had more than enough rights to get them both in trouble for breaking the fraternization laws, but the conviction Chamber had was more than enough to convince everyone in the room.
"You're acting like we're running in and getting our heads blown off." Yoru scoffed. "I didn't die this time round. My only error was caused by not sleeping enough." Yoru opened his eyes again to glance over at Chamber, feeling the hand against his chair. The start of his speech faltered, and he smiled ever so slightly.
Chamber was never going to outlive the happiness the slight look from Yoru spurred in him.
"We do what you ask, you pay us and train us; that's our contract," Yoru said, "we're not dying a bunch, or even once the past mission."
"That's not my main concern," Brimstone said quicky, redirecting, "you're using materials. Healing and medical equipment. Also you both know it hits a point where you're so injured that you're out for months."
"When?" Yoru half scoffed half breathed, exasperated. When did it hit the point where their injuries were extreme enough that they'd be left alone.
"The main reason I'm here is the bet that you're apparently having." Yoru rolled his eyes and turned partially to Chamber, chair swiveling so his leg rubbed against Chamber's hand accidentally.
Next to him, Chamber let out the same weary sigh. He caught the way Brimstone's eyes shifted from his, knowing that Chamber already knew what he was going to say.
"So?" Chamber asked, his usual, cocky voice coming back, "we make bets all of the time."
Instantly, Brimstone had the expression that most people had when talking to Chamber. Extreme annoyance.
"Not bets that are putting some of my best agents in more danger than you're usually in!" Brimstone snapped back, but Yoru had stopped listening to his argument.
"But the bet doesn't matter if we're not being sent back out again," Chamber said, backing Brimstone into a corner, pushing until the older man slipped up.
"Chamber..." Brimstone looked sheepish, scratching the back of his neck. Yoru had never wanted to punch him more.
"Tomorrow morning?" Chamber asked softly, guiding the conversation from one that Brimstone couldn't win. Brimstone nodded and Yoru's head snapped over to him, about to ask. "Where?"
"Pearl." Brimstone said with a sigh, knowing he was beat. He was trying to argue with the two most stubborn members of Protocol, and it was obvious that he wasn't going to win.
Yoru let out a string of Japanese swears, and Chamber merely stood, hand leaving where it was on the chair. He motioned his shoulder, Yoru shooting a harsh glare at Brimstone before the door was slamming behind him and Brimstone was left in an empty room.
"My room, mon cheri," Chamber said, quickly moving through the halls, clearly aiming to pass through the kitchen and continue upstairs to the agent rooms. Silver labelled doors passed at a blur as Yoru struggled to match his quick pace, walking at the awkward speed that was a bit too slow to be running or jogging but almost too fast to be walking. Why was he in a hurry?
Yoru had even left before him and Chamber had caught up.
"Huh?" he gasped, "why are you walking so fucking fast?" He reached for Chamber's shoulder, fingers snagging his dress shirt. He felt like he was pulling nonexistent stitches, his still healing body begging him to stop. It rose a fiery pain, running back and forth jaggedly, dancing along his ribs.
If he was trying to outrun Brimstone it didn't make any sense. It was obvious the man wasn't going to pursue, giving them the reprieve of the small amount of time they had to sleep and eat.
Yoru's fingers closed around Chamber's shirt, finally making the man stop for a moment. He wasn't out of breath like Yoru. His face was unnaturally still, clear of a flashing grin or any emotion behind his eyes.
"I'm afraid I don't want to have any conversation in the hallway," Yoru untangled his hand from Chamber, letting himself step back from the taller man, all too aware of their closeness - like usual. What conversation?
"About what?" Yoru snapped back, starting to walk slower down the smaller hallway, bumping the elevator button with his elbow.
"You know what." Chamber gave a look of disdain towards the elevator. Yoru knew he'd wanted to take the stairs; but he didn't know if he could force himself to the kind of torture of a few flights of stairs.
His whole body was on fire.
The doors pinged open, elevator alerting them of the doors opening. Chamber held the door open, allowing Yoru to step in. At least chivalry wasn't dead. If it was for Chamber Yoru would know something was properly wrong.
Yoru had thought Chamber was ignoring it, not...weighing on his mind that it was the first thing he wanted to talk about. Yoru had always assumed he was private with his life just because...but he seemed to be a man with secrets to keep.
"I didn't think we were going to have that conversation," Yoru leaned against the railing, head tilting up as he drew in a long, lazy breath. Next to him, Chamber hit the button for the level of their rooms, impatiently clicking the door closed button a few times. "If you want me in your room, just tell me."
Yoru hadn't thought about what he was saying until the words were hanging in the air. He tilted his head down lazily, face heating as his eyes shifted to the side. Chamber hadn't spoken yet, but Yoru could feel his playful smile, bright eyes on him again.
"No," Chamber said, chuckling slightly, humored by Yoru's slip up, "that's not what I was trying to do. I just know my room is void of cameras and isn't bugged." He motioned towards the camera, hand raising to run over the smooth mirrored wall of the elevator. Behind them, the doors opened.
Finding what he was looking for, Chamber lifted something from the mirror and held out a small chip for Yoru to see. Yoru grit his teeth. It was a tiny camera. Chamber crushed it between his fingers, a slight buzz sparking, signifying that the Sentinel had broken it.
"How did you see-"
"Reflects ever so slightly in my glasses," he explained with a shrug, "any objections to my room?" Chamber motioned out, guiding them out of the elevator as they began walking again, slower. Yoru was still in slight shock that he'd never noticed the cameras. He reminded himself to punch Cypher the next he saw the creep.
Silver labelled doors, marked with codenames and initials of real names marked each door. Yoru still remembered the dinner when agents tried to guess other's names by the initials. Phoenix hadn't been hard with a j name, but he'd almost gotten Yoru, ("Ryu, like the streetfighter dude?"), but Yoru had laughed and shrugged it off, heart racing.
Everyone had left Chamber alone, but the V.F on his door now felt more real. The doors felt like just part of a map, of a battlefield that Yoru knew like the back of his hand, with nothing behind them. But the understanding of Vincent being…the name of the person behind the codename was surreal.
Yoru entering the room when Chamber motioned for him to was his agreement to Chambers prior question.
If the Frenchman’s cologne had been strong before, it was a punch in the face entering his room. It lingered in everything. Yoru found himself breathing in deeper. Like being in someone’s house for the first time, Yoru didn’t know if he was allowed to sit.
He stood awkwardly in a few steps from the doorway, observing the room. It was well decorated, all furniture well crafted and fitting. He had a few plants in the room and his smaller window was open. It would’ve been open for light, but now the moon light was shining in.
Chamber flicked the lights, casting light upon the sketches around the room. Gun sketches, drawn in random pens and pencils - all in varying colors- were strewn across his desk. Yoru didn't expect it from someone who praised himself on being so organized. Throwing a glance over it, a slight look of annoyance crossed Chamber's face before he was crossing the room and tucking them away. He piled them, eyes drifting over them for what was probably the first time in days if not weeks.
"I can assume you want to sleep and shower," he said softly, pinning up a fallen sketch for a gun skin for an operator. He was speaking from his own exhaustion. It was a familiar blue and black. Yoru nodded, making a noise in his throat to confirm. Chamber didn't even need to ask, it was more than presumable.
"We could always have this conversation later," Yoru murmured, crossing the room to join Chamber at his desk. He lifted a few drawings, sifting through them quietly. Next to him, Chamber was surprised at his interested. His eyes were on Yoru - the Radiant could feel them - but he chose to ignore it.
"Later?" Chamber chuckled, pinning up another gun skin on the wall. The Sentinel was smiling naturally, for once his pretty, golden eyes skirting around the drawing. They were running out of time, so the concept of postponing their...discussion seemed inane.
"I have an idea," he said softly, voice quiet despite them having a whole room of privacy to be loud. Chamber nodded, hand 'accidentally' (Yoru told himself it was), brushing Yoru's. "The only other place that isn't bugged is the roof."
Chamber raised an eyebrow, gasping quietly to himself. "Ah, very clever, you're right," he turned to Yoru, smile creasing next to his eyes. Yoru felt his heart warm and face flush at the small amount of praise he was eating up. "Cypher won't waste a meticulously made camera on the roof."
"Yeah, and the roof is just...nice sometimes."
"You go up there?" Chamber said, surprised and completely unaware that Yoru made a habit of spending time on the roof. The roof was supposed to be out of bounds, but it wasn't like there was anything that shouldn't be found up there. Chamber had only been up there a handful of times, quiet moments, to stare off into the abyss. He didn't make a habit of it. "It's not exactly the safest thing, no?"
Yoru laughed, brightly and genuinely - too comfortable in the situation to even notice himself laughing like Chamber did. Chamber didn't do anything but notice Yoru's sweet laugh. He was busy committing it to memory.
"We work a job where people shoot guns and throw fire and shit at us, falling off a roof doesn't scare me," after his laughing fit ended his voice quietened, taking a softened edge again. "It's really quiet. Makes the ringing in my ears stop."
Chamber knew the shrill echoing in his ears far too well.
Yoru breathed in deeply, before he smiled again. "It's cold and windy as fuck though." He turned to Chamber, waiting for a charming remark, but instead Chamber was smiling stupidly at him.
He was memorizing Yoru's smile.
"How come you're still here then, if we're going to the roof?" Chamber asked, amused how much Yoru was beginning to drop the act of disliking him. Yoru bumped him with his shoulder, grinning. Chamber didn't really want him to leave.
"By the looks of your massive bed, I'm using you for it," Yoru said, turning to motion towards Chamber's lavish bed that he wanted to sink into. He'd partially forgotten how tired he was.
An idea filled Chamber's head. He leaned on the desk, eyes half-lidded. "Oh so you want to be in my bed?" He murmured, voice dropping sultrily.
The reaction was instant.
Yoru's face went red as he cleared his throat. His hair fell in his eyes as he pinned up another gun skin - one that he liked: it was golden, pink, purple and orange. A familiar color palette.
"Shut up," he grumbled, sorting through the drawings again. "I'm just...looking through these then I'll go. Does four am work for meeting?"
"I'm in no hurry for you to go," Chamber admitted, being full aware of how it sounded and meaning it the exact way he'd said it, "but yes, leaves time for packing ."
Yoru nodded, smiling softly. His attention shifted back to the drawings. There were so many. Had Chamber been working on these during missions and quickly adding them to the pile?
Yoru wanted to see other drawings.
There was another flash of blue under the mountain of paper - there were surely hundred there - and Yoru searched for it. He sought out the difference. Chamber, seeing it too, raised a hand to stop him.
"Cheri, wait I-" he began but Yoru had plucked the drawing from the pile, lifting it to his eyes.
"Chill," he said softly, "these are cool."
Then Yoru look at the paper in his hands. And he stopped breathing.
His eyes ran over the drawing of a familiar face, fingers running along the pen etches of sharp cheekbones and harsh dark eyes. A shiver ran through Yoru. He didn't know what to say.
He was holding a drawing of himself. It was completely accurate down to every mark on his face. Before heh could think, Yoru cast it down, searching through the pile. He saw more and more of his face. They seemed to be drawn during meetings or random periods, each one different. There were a few of others - of Viper, Phoenix, Gekko - but mainly all of him. Him laughing, pouting, looking thoroughly pissed, smiling-
Everything.
"信じられない..." he muttered under his breath, unsure of what to say other than it. He dropped the last of the drawings back on the desk. His face was hot and his palms were sweating.
"Yoru, I-"
"These are really good," Yoru mumbled, wishing he was wearing a jacket to pull it up further. But he was bare, in a t-shirt, in a room with a man who he'd slept almost naked with, looking at the tens of drawings of him, as if he was his muse. "Really...fucking creepy but good." He laughed softly to himself, face boiling hot. He knew his face was red.
Next to him, Chamber was suffering the same thing, face tinged pink and looking more flustered and not well put together than Yoru had ever seen. And he was loving it. Just to rub it in, Yoru took one of the drawings and pinned it up. He smiled at Chamber, watching as the Sentinel seemed to settle, overcoming the shock at Yoru's overly calm reaction.
He softly brushed Chamber's hand with his, before he made for the door, not thinking about what he was about to do but knowing it perfectly.
"おやすみ, Vincent," Yoru said, nodding softly as he held the door open, letting Chamber breath a soft,
"Sweet dreams, cheri," back at him.
Yoru couldn't sleep.
He couldn't fucking believe it. After all the wanting for sleep, he just couldn't. He didn't know what he was doing with Chamber. Kissing his double and thinking it was him, sleeping in a bed with him, being in his room, patching up his wounds.
It was...terrifying.
He was out of his depth. He hadn't dated someone...in literal years. And out of everyone it was Chamber. Why was he even thinking about dating!?
The memory of lips against his and the deep breath of cologne filled his mind and he couldn't even distinguish between which time it was.
He was praying it wasn't the time when he'd kissed his double...brother...
Yoru hadn't told him yet. He hadn't said anything yet, holding the secret in until Chamber told him everything. But then Chamber would want to know why he'd done it.
Yoru let out a frustrated groan, hand raising to his face. What a fucking mess.
And the way he'd said goodnight to Chamber with his name? He was being a giggly bitch and he had barely even cared in the moment. He'd been...content.
He rolled over, legs kicking and thrashing around as he tried to untangle the sheets from his legs. He was tired and emotionally exhausted and injured, and still, he couldn't sleep.
He breathed in and wished he was breathing in cologne. A certain...person's cologne.... He was going to slap himself. Like he was still at Icebox - still encapsulated in its freezing snow - he was cold. He hadn't showered yet; Just dragged his sorry ass to bed.
Finally reaching over to slam his hand to flick the lights on, a frustrated groan bubbling up in his throat. Light flooded his eyes, annoyance flooding in with it at how bright it was. He sat up, stretching his torso up until his spine clicked. It felt like his sore bones and muscles had clicked into place, an all too good feeling filling him.
“Fuck…” he groaned deeply, swears tumbling out of his mouth to be muffled by his hands. He knew he couldn’t sleep, not like this, not with all of the thoughts racing in his head. There was only one place he knew he could properly sleep.
And it was the last place he wanted to go.
Dragging sore and aching limbs from his bed, he practically stumbled into the bathroom. His clothes hit the floor, and he leaned forward onto the sink. It seemed like he was getting worse as the days went on.
He asked himself when it all ended.
The questions about the end point started making him think towards the future. And the near future that was tomorrow morning was staring him down more than his own gaunt face in the mirror. Sage was right: he needed to eat more than protein bars.
Yoru finally entered the shower, letting the water swallow him up. It didn’t feel enough to wash away the weariness and the pain. At this point, he was sure that the pain was embedded into ever cell of his being, something he was meant to accept.
Most of the time, it was a dull ache. A buzzing of hornets under his skin and entangled into his muscles. Times, like now, the hornets were angry, aggressively attacking every part of his body. It had started a few months ago, something he knew Sage might be able to fix.
He didn’t want to bother her.
Letting the water suffocate him, surround him, muffle the thoughts with the sound of a deafening rain storm. Until Yoru turned the knob and he was left with the silence of his thoughts.
Drying himself, Yoru tugged on joggers, loose and hanging off of his hip bones. Considering his next actions, he pulled on a shirt, careful of his shoulder. He towel dried his hair, doing his best to rid it of the water.
When he was done he stared into the mirror again and asked himself if he was stupid. After everything that had been happening, it seemed like the answer was yes. Their superiors were right; he was reckless and being a moron.
It felt like that was the last option anyway. Any ounce of patience or common sense was flooding out of him rapidly with the gravity of his situation wearing him down.
His situation being the mess that was Chamber. His relationship with the bizarre man was drawing his every second of thought, every ounce of energy as he tried to figure out what to do. What to say. That he was falling for the one man he’d said he hated and that he’d kissed his apparently insane twin brother.
Yep. Mhm.
Yoru was going to slam himself head first into the glass to make the thoughts stop. But a trip to Sage wasn’t going to solve any of his problems but push his trip to the roof back. And leave him with a scarred face and a head full of problems.
So he packed a bag and dumped it by his door so it was ready when he was shipped out at the crack of dawn like he was nothing more than a parcel being sent and returned, over and over again.
He breathed in deeply. What was he doing? He banged his head against the wall a few times. And because he was stupid he cracked open the door at midnight and began stalking through the halls, looking for the door with a silver label.
A silver label marked VF.
Walking, he thought about the few hours prior, when he’d been with Chamber. In his room. Holding perfectly drawn pictures of himself. So well done, it was like Chamber had committed his face to memory.
Yoru didn’t know how to lie to himself that Chamber hadn’t.
But he thought about the way he’d laughed and smiled, and how warm his face had gotten thinking about his bare skin against Chambers. And he felt the wanting tug to feel it again.
When he got to the door he wanted he paused. The weight of the world balanced on his shoulders as he balanced his decisions. Turn around and wait four hours for a conversation that was going to happen anyway. Or just…
Yoru knocked on the door.
Guilt seeped in as he heard the noise of sheets being pushed aside and a loud sigh. He’d woken him up. Well, it was too late to back out now. Before he could even consider running, the sound of a lock sliding grated and the door opened.
“Ah-“ Chamber managed, glancing behind him at the dark room to the electric clock, “it’s not 4 am yet, if I’m not mistaken.” he whispered, voice deep and husky with sleep. He was still smiling softly, but even Yoru knew he looked like shit by the slightly concerned look Chamber was giving him.
There was something different about his face. It took Yoru only an instant to figure it out: he was missing his glasses.
Yoru was shivering lightly, the cold working its way in. It was making his body ache more. Chamber knew it too.
Like it had been earlier today when he’d woken up Chamber, his voice was deeper and heavier accented as he spoke softly, leaning on the door frame.
“Can I help you, my dear?” he asked, eyebrow raised. Yoru was calling bullshit if Chamber didn’t know why he wasn’t there. He’d even pushed the door open more and Yoru knew it wasn’t to show off his lush bed.
The quality of Chamber’s bed wasn’t the reason Yoru wanted to be in it. The humiliation of letting himself up such a childish thing was back, heating his face and holding his words back.
“Come in?” Chamber asked softly, and Yoru smiled. Mindreader. Yoru was glad he was, for once. The Radiant followed in behind Chamber, the second he entered the room he was engulfed in the strong, familiar, calming smell of woody cologne.
Worse than before, Yoru stood anxiously in the middle of Chamber’s room, unsure of what he was doing. Chamber’s golden eyes glowed in the dark, watching him, observing.
”You think too much,” he finally said, and Yoru laughed. He didn’t know what else to do. “You should know better than anyone that I'm not going to judge you, so, please, tell me what’s wrong.”
Yoru breathed in deeply, nodding because Chamber was right. This was the same man that had stood by his side whilst he was having a panic attack, carried him bleeding, cooked dinner with him, slept in a bed with him for his own comfort.
Even with his position as the king of denial, Yoru couldn’t pretend he didn’t trust Chamber. He couldn’t pretend that he didn’t see every soft look, feel every little touch, hear every sweet, albeit flirty, comment directed towards him.
He couldn’t deny the truth that was staring him in the face.
“I can’t sleep,” he admitted, hand wiping down his face as he pressed his eyes closed. Chamber could read him well enough so that he motioned towards the bed and Yoru followed.
He sat on the bed, practically melting into the satin sheets. He shifted the covers of him, the duvet groundingly heavy and warm. Next to him, Chamber slid into the bed.
“I’m sorry for waking you,” Yoru muttered, rolling over to face Chamber. The man chuckled, eyes closing for a second.
“It’s no problem, really,” he smiled, eyes opening once more. Yoru’s eyes had adjusted to the dark, running around Chamber’s face. “But you do realize you can move closer to me.” His voice dropped to an even quieter whisper, like he was afraid of Yoru’s response.
Yoru smiled softly, grinning wider than he wanted to. “You can just ask me to,” Yoru muttered, but he shuffled over, barely hesitating before his bare skin pressed against Chamber’s and muscled, firm arms wrapped around him in response.
His head rested on Chamber’s chest, breathing in deeply, content, like this is what he was meant to be doing. All his thoughts were numbed, mind just on Chamber. He felt the rumble of Chamber’s chest as he laughed. "Using my own words against me?"
Yoru nodded against his chest, fingers travelling over Chamber's golden marks. They went down his neck and over his shoulders, trailing over his chest and down his stomach. And down his waist band.
When Yoru glanced back up, Chamber's eyes were watching him closely, deeply staring into him. Yoru felt his face warm, but he kept his hand on the golden marks on Chamber's chest. He could feel Chamber's even heartbeat under his fingers.
"Like them?" he asked softly, and Yoru nodded. He could feel the Radianite running through the tattoos - the same way it was racing through his own bloodstream and engrained into his bones.
"Mmm," Yoru hummed, head dropping back on Chamber's chest, fingers beginning to trace the tattoos over his shoulders and biceps. "They're made from Radianite." He remarked and Chamber's hand ghosted over his. His larger, warm hand guided Yoru's fingers back up his arm, over his collarbones and up his neck.
"Yes," Chamber said, voice dripping with a small bit of ruefulness, "I burnt them into my skin."
Yoru breathed in quickly, his quiet gasp filling the room. His eyes widened, rolling over so he was chest to chest with Chamber. He went to speak but his voice cut off, realizing how close he was to Chamber. They couldn't get closer other than...
Yoru ignored it.
"Did...that hurt?" Yoru asked, his fingers above Chamber's ear, on the tattoo. They were warmer than the rest of his body, like he had an in-built heater. Chamber's golden eyes flickered from his.
"It still does, chaton."
Yoru ran his fingers over Chamber's tattoos, stroking his forehead softly. Chamber's hand dropped from his, instead finding itself on the small of his back. The Radiant shivered as Chamber ran his fingers over scars - ones he knew glowed a soft blue.
"Badly?"
Seeing him shudder, Chamber moved his hand back until Yoru arched his back, moving back into the touch. Chamber smiled softly, fingers continuing mapping up his back. Chamber shook his head, fingers rubbing circles on the small of his back.
"Not anymore, just bouts of pain, easy to ignore." Chamber's fingers shifted up higher under his shirt, running over a large scar on his back. Something told Yoru that the golden marks hurt more than Chamber was letting on. "What about you, dear? These aren't normal scars and I'm afraid you do bleed blue."
Yoru chuckled lightly, head dropping before he sat up properly. Chamber's hand stayed where it was as Yoru pulled off his shirt, dropping it on the floor. "No shit. It's a side effect of being a Radiant."
"And does it hurt?" Yoru almost reused Chamber's words of using his own words against him. Yoru shifted, all too aware of the pain running through his bones. He laid back down, chest against Yoru's.
"Not really."
Chamber ran his fingers over Yoru's shoulders and arms, feeling the aligned scars on his shoulder. Yoru glanced up at him, but Chamber was looking at his arms and back. He was littered with scars, it was true. But the look Chamber was giving him felt different.
"I can tell they do," Chamber responded and Yoru closed his eyes. He could read him far too well, as always.
"How?" Yoru ran his fingers down Chamber's warm skin, feeling the shudder beneath him. "How do you tell? You can always read me, and I don't know how you fucking do it." Chamber seemed surprised for a second and Yoru didn't blame him. He hadn't exactly tactful with his words.
"You don't exactly have a poker face," he finally said and Yoru opened his eyes. Poker face? Sure, he wasn't subtle all the time, but he could tell despite Yoru's expression. Yoru would even gamble that Chamber could tell without even seeing him.
"No, that wasn't my face."
Chamber sighed, but smiled softly. "Okay, okay, fine, my dear, you got me. It's the way you carry yourself, the way you look from me, how you breath, how you gesture. All of it tied together is how I 'do it'." He grinned, cocky as ever as Yoru just stared at him.
"You're fucking crazy," Yoru laughed quietly, feeling Chamber's hand on the small of his back. "You don't do it that well for anyone else." He reasoned back and Chamber nodded.
"No, I...pay more attention to you."
The honesty threw Yoru off. His breath caught audibly and he looked up at Chamber.
"I hate to remind you but...you are in my bed, laying on me," Chamber raised an eyebrow and smirked, "without a shirt on." He added, just to annoy him. Yoru sighed, eyes rolling as he settled again.
"Shut up."
"But I can tell, you flinch when you stand, you were struggling to keep up earlier today," Chamber remarked and Yoru just listened. "You should go to Sage." Yoru shook his head, finger tapping along Chamber's tattoo before he traced a Fibonacci spiral.
"Nah, she can't fix it, I've tried. It's just Radiant shit. The same stuff you burnt into yourself is infused into my blood," Yoru reminded him and he heard the slight noise from Chamber. He knew it was guilt that something that Yoru hadn't wanted he'd done willingly to himself but Yoru didn't blame him. It wasn't his choice. "It's just a flare up, anyway, cos of the injuries."
Chamber tensed.
"Yoru-"
"The bet is still fine," Chamber almost laughed in spite at the tables being turned with Yoru reading him. "I'd be getting hurt anyway, it makes it not boring as fuck." Chamber nodded but the guilty look on his face was still there. "Vincent." Yoru said softly and Chamber nodded again, understanding in his eyes.
"May I say your name?" Chamber asked softly, his spare hand playing with Yoru's fluffy hair. He'd wanted to do that for so long. He curled part of it around his fingers, watching Yoru's eyes press closed and he nuzzled into Chamber's hand. He half expected Yoru to purr.
Yoru said his following words with a soft breath out, "I only had a problem originally because you used it against me," Yoru said softly, "I'm surprised you thought that was going to work."
Chamber tapped his fingers up his back, touch feathery and light. "I wasn't really thinking." He felt like adding, 'just like I'm not now,' but he kept it quiet. All his thoughts were on Yoru. "Anyway, Ryo, I thought we were going to sleep?" He put all the emphasis on Yoru's name, dropping him voice lower and his accent thickening.
Yoru's eyes snapped open, fingers pausing on his chest. He laughed softly but Chamber could hear the nerves in it caused from the butterflies crawling up his throat. "Not if you talk to me like that we won't." Chamber grinned, familiar grin on his face. Yoru rolled his eyes at the look but his face was incredibly hot.
"Oh?" Chamber hummed, and Yoru stayed deathly quiet, afraid what the overly flirtatious bastard would say. "As much as I would enjoy that, you have slept...twelve hours out of a 168 hours week, and I'm slightly worried for you."
Yoru felt like reminding him of his own lack of sleep but instead he smiled, leaning forward so his breath was ghosting on Chamber's lips. "You forgot the fifteen minutes of sleep." His heart was so loud, he was sure that Chamber could hear it in the quiet room. But if he could, he didn't say anything, instead his hand cupped Yoru's jaw and his lower hand clamed on the Radiant's hip, thumb caressing small circles into his porcelain skin.
"Oh, that makes it so much better." Chamber laughed softly before he guided Yoru's face in closer and gave the smaller man a second to think before he pressed their lips together. Yoru's mind went offline, but he leaned into the kiss and cupped Chamber's jaw properly, brain relying on his heart to guide his body.
The butterflies were swarming.