Work Text:
Friday, 3 August 2029
Nahyuta had a twenty hours long journey behind himself, when he finally landed in LA. He was tired, a bit hungry and irritable, but tried his best to remain civil. And with the knowledge that Simon and Klavier were going to get him at the airport he actually managed to achieve to do so much.
After endless waiting at the baggage reclaim and the nerve-wrecking procedure at the customs, he finally got out and immediately searched the for the blond and the black-haired among the crowed. Luckily his panda was just as tall as ever and he had soon found them standing near a pillar.
“Hi!”, he greeted them with glimmering eyes as he walked towards them.
Simon uncrossed his arms, but his calm expression did not change. What a stoic man he was. Klavier on the other hand started waving the second he spotted the prince and quickly took him into his arms as he had reached them. The friendliness of this man was more than welcomed by Nahyuta. It was something he often missed in Khura’in.
“Welcome back. How was the flight? You had a two hours delay, right?”, Simon started to converse with him and took the luggage right of his hand, as he started walking towards the airport carpark.
For once the other two were able to keep up with him and followed him quickly. Nahyuta rolled his eyes at the delay and said: “You tell me. It was a rough flight but nothing too bad. I had had way worse flight experience than that.
But I’m tired, nevertheless. Flying gets to you the older you become.”
Simon raised an eyebrow and Klavier laughed at that statement.
“I’m feeling antique when a twenty-six-year-old talks about being old”, Simon snorted and made Klavier laughing even harder.
“Oh, but are you not ancient, my panda? Thirty is quiet the age, isn’t it?”, the monk teased and smirked smittenly
Simon huffed at that and turned his head away. He was quick to retort for once, Nahyuta noticed warily. But he had no time to brood about it as Klavier involved him in a conversation right away. He wanted to know if Apollo was doing okay and he and Nahyuta had been able to solve that strange case about the red nun.
Nahyuta answered his questions briefly and did not go into detail. He was simply too tired to face Klavier’s full-fledged enthusiasm. Still he was glad that he was talking to him. The man always managed to make him feel welcomed. As if he had arrived home.
When they finally arrived in the parking lot, Klavier asked if he was staying at the Gatewater Hotel again, what the monk confirmed. After Simon had put his luggage in the trunk he got into the back seat and let Nahyuta take the passengers seat as usual. Soon Klavier drove off and told Nahyuta some stories about the shenanigans Kay had been up to. He actually managed to get a little laugh out of the tired monk, as he told him that the young woman had managed once more to startle Sebastian by talking to him through the vents.
Nahyuta almost saw the image from confused prosecutor scratching his wavy hair in a daze in front of his eyes. These two really were something else, he thought and let a content smile take over his face.
“Ah, ja, we’ve arrived, my dear friend!”, Klavier announced happily as he spotted the hotel.
Nahyuta thanked his friend for driving and was about to turn to the backseat to do the same with Simon, as the tall man already was about to step outside. Quickly he exclaimed that he would help him get the luggage in his room and bid Klavier a good night. Before the rock star could interfere, Simon already countered that he would take a taxi to his apartment, so Klavier would not have to wait for him.
Before either man could say more, Simon was outside and unloaded the vehicle. Nahyuta gave Klavier one worried look, but the blond had no answer either. With a shrug and a look that wished him good luck he told Nahyuta goodbye and let him get out.
When Nahyuta finally stood on the street, Simon had already got hold of his suitcase and Klavier drove off with a wave. Curiously the monk eyed his boyfriend but said nothing. The man was not in an approachable mode right now, and it would be of now use to try and question him right now.
So, they entered the hotel, and Nahyuta got the key card for his room. Swiftly they moved into the elevator to the sixth floor. With no difficulties Nahyuta navigated them to his room; he had always resided in this hotel when he came into the states and thus was fairly familiar with the place. Gracefully he opened the man in black the door, to which he got a muffled thank you and followed the man inside.
Without much noise Simon put the suitcase next to bed and stood still for some seconds. Nahyuta observed him sceptically and leaned his back against the wall, while stemming his hands in his hips. Yes, Simon was quiet. Yes, he could be blunt and standoffish. Yes, he was not the easiest man to deal with.
But he rarely failed to make snarky remarks and normally observed the people around him meticulously. And now he had barely spoken more than two sentences and merely glanced at Nahyuta at best. Something was off.
Cautiously Nahyuta asked and raised his eyebrows: “I appreciate your help Simon, but I truly am rather exhausted, and would like to lay down soon. So, if there is nothing on your mind, would you mind leaving or…?”
Simon looked up from his black boots and exchanged a look with the monk. Somehow Nahyuta just saw that the man had something on his mind, the thought might even lay on his tongue, but apparently the samurai could not get it out.
Instead he nodded and said: “Of course. Don’t let me bother you any longer.”
With that he took a step towards the door and was actually about to leave just like that. Now that was too ridiculous for Nahyuta and he walked over and stopped Simon while stepping in front of the tall man.
“Simon.”
The man stopped and quickly looked at him. He was definitely antsy, maybe even … nervous(?) Nahyuta realized. With a frown he laid his hand on the elder’s shoulder and tilted his head in question.
“I…
Shouldn’t I leave…?”
Well, that surely was an interesting tone Simon just used. Calm, almost motionless and small was his voice and made Nahyuta’s frown even deeper.
“Should you, really?”, Nahyuta asked back and pulled his hand away from the other’s shoulder.
Now Simon cleared his throat and slightly turned away from the door. Good. Now they were on the right track. With sharp steps Nahyuta went over to his bed and motioned him to sit down next to him.
Simon came closer but chose not to sit down but to lay against the wall. Nahyuta sighed internally at this stubbornness but let it slide for the moment. This was not the time for bickering.
For some time Nahyuta simply waited. Forcing Simon to talk did not seem like a good plan, since the man was rather bad with being put on the spot. Also, he was too tired to argue with his partner right now and thought that he would open up eventually.
But nothing came. Nahyuta waited and waited and Simon still said nothing, nor did he move. He was frustratingly still and slowly Nahyuta’s patience run out. As he felt the annoyance arise, he sighed stood up and went over to the suitcase. With swift movements he opened the bag and took his hygiene products out to put them in the bathroom.
The sudden movement and noise had pulled Simon out of his trance. Wide-eyed he stared at the actively moving man in front of him and slightly opened his mouth. He only watched him as he passed beside him and brought some stuff into the bathroom. When he came back, Nahyuta shot him a meaningful look as he almost floated back to the suitcase.
“What…?”
Nahyuta had been crouching over the bag and now looked back up to Simon. With raised eyebrows he explained: “Don’t worry. I’m still waiting for your answer. Since nothing is coming, I decided I could as well just unpack my stuff, right? But if you have decided to speak now, please go on. I can continue later.”
Simon sighed and scratched the skin over his right eyebrow and glanced to the side. Then he took a hasty breath and looked back to Nahyuta, who rose up again.
“Are you really happy with me?”, Simon finally said and addressed the matter that had shut him down the whole night.
Nahyuta blinked confused. This came out of the blue to him. They have not been together for a long time, not even two months, and they had a long-distance relationship, but it wasn’t going badly, to be honest. Their video calls were frequent and vivid. He had even had the impression that Simon actually had started to be more open and had also found himself to tell the man more than he had before.
Now clearly worried he went closer to Simon, who frequently looked between up to him and then back to the floor.
“What gave you the impression I would not enjoy your presence? I don’t understand?”, Nahyuta asked and realized that more concern had gone into his voice than he had intended to.
Simon managed to hold eye contact and opened his mouth once or twice, before finally saying: “You don’t give off that impression. That’s not it… But…”
“Simon”, Nahyuta tried to reassure him, “I assure you I am happy with you. If that was not the case, I would tell you. I would tell you if my feelings changed.”
Simon made a pained face and turned away form the other in order to pace around.
“Can you really be happy with someone like me? I’m not easy and I don’t reciprocate your feelings the way you do, and I don’t want you to feel bad about it, or think you would not be important or lovable enough…”
“What are you talking about? I knew exactly what I was getting myself into – Simon’s lips flinched at that – and you even explained to me why you would like to be with me, even though you are aromantic.
I know that you care about me a lot, you’re literally saying it all the time and it shines in your actions as well. You really don’t need to worry that I would feel bad about it.”
Again, Simon looked at Nahyuta and the monk finally could interpret the emotions in his expression; desperation, sorrow and pensiveness lay in his eyes. And again, he tried to formulate an answer but this time the samurai did not succeed. He remained quiet and stared at his shoes.
“Or…”, a horrible thought dawned in Nahyuta’s head, “are you not feeling comfortable with me feeling differently about you than you about me? Does it make you anxious?”
Shocked Simon looked up and said simultaneously: “No! No! NO! Yuta – that’s – that’s not it. Not at all! It’s just…
Well… I …”
Helplessly Simon let himself drop down on the bed. Cautiously Nahyuta took place next to him and laid his hands in his lap. He could not help Simon explaining his feelings. He could not read his mind.
“I don’t know… I just…”, he broke off again and gave the monk a distressed look. “I really don’t know…”
Gently Nahyuta laid his hand on Simon’s back and shushed him.
“Take your time. I’m listening.”
Simon’s eyes lingered on the monk’s face for some seconds. Then he looked at his fidgeting fingers and let out a huff.
Unsure Simon glanced up at him and said slowly: “It was so sudden. I did not realize how fast we decided this…”
Nahyuta was puzzled at that statement but did not say a thing. He had a feeling that his panda had not finished yet.
“I didn’t think it would change much between us, and, I mean, it didn’t really. But still… I wasn’t prepared to…”
Simon bit his lips looked intensely on his hands. And then Nahyuta saw a very visible flush creep on Simon’s cheeks. Oh, that was new.
Just as new as the clearly embarrassed, quiet murmur Simon ushered: “… miss you this much…”
Nahyuta felt a smile fighting its way on his lips and a slight hotness raising in his cheeks. It took some moments before Simon looked up and saw that touched and slightly amused expression in the other’s eyes. He felt even hotter, grabbed his arms and stared embarrassed at the wall. What would he do to just be swallowed by the floor?
“Oh Simon, you don’t need to be embarrassed! It’s okay”, Nahyuta told him with a small laugh escaping his mouth.
Immediately Simon buried his face in his hands and Nahyuta leaned in closer and said gently: “I’m sorry. I did not laugh at you, really. It is just so cute for you to say this! I’m very touched, Simon. Just look at me, and you know I’m telling the truth.”
Finally, Simon managed to glimpse at least at the monk and got a smitten smile in return. He felt his blush getting even worse and mumbled: “I feel like a fool.”
Nahyuta laughed and hugged him from the side.
“You are a fool, my dear panda.”
Simon untangled his position and gave the monk a wary smile. Nahyuta’s eyes shone bright and his expression was loving and gentle. Simon just could not feel bad anymore looking at that.
“And I missed you too.”
Oh, wow. Now Simon felt ecstatic. He had not felt like this in ages. Of course, Nahyuta would look at him so smitten after he had just said the same thing some moments ago.
So, the samurai let out a breathy laugh and said: “Really? Even when your mother was so unpleased by your choice? I’m surprised that you even like to hear my name after she must have complained about me nonstop.”
“Ah, she did not complain about you. She won’t judge you before she actually knows who you really are. She’s simply not pleased with me choosing a man”, Nahyuta said while rolling his eyes. “Not even because she’s against such relationships, but because she knows about the stigma and worries about the people’s reaction.”
“So, do you think she’ll come along, when she meets me? I said to be horrible at first impressions, you know”, Simon wondered a bit playfully.
“You ARE horrible at first impressions. So, I’m not going to get my hopes up, but it doesn’t matter anyway. My mother might disagree as much as she wants but I like you, Simon Blackquill and you’re not getting rid of me any time soon.”
“Promise?”
Fondly Nahyuta took Simon’s hand and kissed the back of it.
“Promise”, he whispered against the rough skin and gave him the softest look.
By now Simon’s smile was wide and the usually faint wrinkles around his eyes became deeper from the motion.
“Then you are just as much of a fool as I am”, he muttered and squeezed the monk’s hand.
Nahyuta did only respond with an amused laugh and laid his head on Simon’s shoulder. Finally, he felt how the older laid his arm around him and pulled him closer, like he usually did. It was good to feel that kind of care and love again from him.
“I’m sorry for being annoying. I should have simply talked to you”, Simon said after some time.
Nahyuta blinked his eyes open. Had he dozed off for a second? He surely hoped not and told the samurai without moving an inch away from him: “Yes, you should. But it is fine now. We’ll do better the next time. It’s the first time for both of us so it was to be expected that things would not go so round.”
Nahyuta felt Simon nod. Oh, why was this man so comfortable to lean on? It would be so easy to just fall asleep and…
“You are really tired, aren’t you?”, Simon asked as he shifted to the side and brought some space between the two of them.
Slightly offended by the sudden disappearance of his pillow Nahyuta pouted and wanted to retort as Simon shyly said: “I should not bother you any longer. You need some sleep after such a long flight.”
“No!”, Nahyuta immediately ushered without thinking of anything else to say.
Questioningly Simon eyed him, maybe a little hope hiding itself in his eyes. Sheepishly Nahyuta brushed his bangs to the side and said to the samurai: “You could stay here, I mean. I am tired that’s true but there is enough space in the bed and hadn’t we agreed that sharing a bed was, uhm, nice, right?”
Simon gave him a shy smile as reply.
“I don’t have any clothes here… to sleep in, I mean…”
Nahyuta only raised his eyebrows at that. This was not an argument he could possibly take to account.
“Oh please, you can just sleep in your underwear. It’s not such a big deal.”
“But I’ll be cold!”, Simon replied actually quite seriously.
At that Nahyuta gave him a gentle look and shook his head in amusement.
“Just keep the t-shirt on. You won’t be cold with me next to your side”, Nahyuta assured him and stood up.
Simon looked after him but did not talk back. The monk’s arguments weren’t so bad after all. He then observed Nahyuta’s movements and realized that he had started to change. Without hesitation he had put away the white overcoat and now pulled up the red shirt he wore beneath. For the first time Simon could see the two tattoos on his back (a four-leaf flower between his shoulder blades and three circles on the lower half of his back), and the band tattoo on his right upper arm.
And next to that Simon also got a better look at the slender frame of the man in front of him. He was so thin. It was almost worrying.
“Is something wrong?”
The monk had turned around. Ah, there was the one on his collarbone. Oh, and was that some sort of a three-leaf flower just above his solar plexus? He hadn’t joked when he had told them that he had fifteen tattoos.
“No”, Simon finally said, “I – I’m just surprised that you change so fast in front of me. When you first stayed at my flat back in March you would not show any skin in front of us.”
“Ah that”, Nahyuta remembered and untroubled unbuttoned his trousers.
“I just tried to keep these secret – he vaguely pointed to the simplistic flower tattoo on his chest – since it was hard to guess for me how you guys would react to them. But since I have already told you about them, it doesn’t bother me anymore. Also, I am not ashamed of my body, so I really don’t mind you seeing it.”
The trousers had fallen, and Simon realized that even on Nahyuta’s legs were band tattoos. He really had been thorough when he had them done. And then Simon’s eyes fell on a rather badly healed scare on the left of Nahyuta’s abdomen. He stared at it silently. It was some sort of cut wound, probably not a too sharp blade and whoever had stitched it, had not stitched it properly.
“And what is it now?”, Nahyuta asked feeling Simon’s eyes on him again.
“Scar…”
“What?”
Puzzled Nahyuta stared at Simon, but quickly realized what he was talking about as soon as he followed the look of the samurai.
“Oh, this one. Yeah, I got that when I was around seventeen and was helping the dragons in a riot. Some guy of the military got me and Datz tried to stich me up. He did not do the best job but that’s how it is. I sometimes feel it a little, when it gets cold. Also, it feels funny, when somebody touches it. It’s a bit like little electric shock, nothing too bad.”
Simon only grunted. He did not like this. Not at all.
“What?”
Unhappily Simon shifted around and made a sour face. He did not want to explain himself, but then again explaining was better than being quiet with Nahyuta. So, he sighed and straightened up before telling him: “I just don’t like the idea of you being hurt. I do understand that it happened years ago and that it might happen again, since you’re in such a public position, but I dislike it nevertheless.”
Again, the samurai had started staring at his hands and Nahyuta raised his eyebrows. There was a lot of insecurity and worry in a man who usually insisted that he was doing perfectly fine, Nahyuta thought and sighed.
Slowly he walked over to the man, with his still folded PJ in his arm. He let himself drop next beside him and said: “I must say you surprise me, Simon. I am almost sure that you have mentioned to be scarred and hurt yourself in the past, so I just assumed you would not be worried by one, single, small scar. It is really nothing too dramatic.”
“If you say so…
… I’m not going to talk about the scars on me, if you’re waiting for that.”
Nahyuta stopped himself from moaning and just nodded. To talk about the prison scars evidently was pushing too much out of the samurai. He should have known that and started to unfold the short PJ pants and pulled them up to his hips, before he threw the top over his head.
Quickly, he excused himself to brush his teeth and gave the samurai his chance to undress while he was in the bathroom. As he came back Simon had got rid of his black GYAXA sweater and the black skinny jeans. Now he was only dressed in a light grey t-shirt and a pair of black boxer shorts and sat crossed legged on the bed waiting patiently for the monk to join him.
Nahyuta smiled at him in amusement and noted in the back of his mind that his samurai had quite hairy legs and forearm. And that this hair looked just as fluffy as the one on top of his head.
Quickly he slid on the bed, to Simon’s left, and pulled the covers up in patient awaiting. Hesitantly Simon followed and slipped under the white blanket, before Nahyuta covered them under it. And just as that was finished Simon felt how the prince laid his left arm over his chest and pulled him as close as he could. A laugh tickled in his throat, but he supressed it and stretched his right arm out to turn of the light off.
And so, a quiet darkness entered the room and buried both men in their warmth. Simon was not used to the room and felt himself shift around a little in unease. But again and again he suddenly felt Nahyuta’s breath on his shoulder and smelt the unique sent of incense and the weird flowery soap he used to wash his ridiculously long hair. And it calmed him down.
Simon smiled as Nahyuta’s forehead softly brushed his cheek and turned his head to face the other properly. Through the mild light falling through the window Simon managed to make out the silhouette of Nahyuta’s face. It was so round and silky, he realized on a new how different his own skin was. So rough and bumpy from acne scars back in his teens. And his jawline and cheekbones were so much sharper than the others. The man next to him was so different from him and yet so similar in some respects. It was simply dazzling.
A simple light was reflected in Nahyuta’s eyes as he opened them and took a look at his samurai. He could see more of Simon’s face, than he could of his, and thus he was able to notice the incredibly mellow expression in his face. Lastly his look landed on the eyes of the other, framed by those long dark lashes. Automatically his hand got up to Simon’s face and after a little hesitation he brushed the thick long bangs aside to get a better look of his eyes.
Simon let him do as he pleased and just relished the tender hand on his skin. It was not something that happened to often and even he had not though that his skin hunger had become so huge.
“Simon?” Nahyuta’s voice was a mere whisper.
“Hm?”
“Is a good night kiss appropriate right now?”
Simon grinned for a second.
“Yeah it is.”
Slightly Nahyuta lifted his head and came closer to the samurai’s face. Trustful Simon closed his eyes and felt not a second later how Nahyuta’s lips met his. Neither of them opened their mouth and there was no force pushed into the kiss. Nahyuta’s nose tip brushed along the right side of Simon’s nose and the samurai felt himself smile into the others lips, what Nahyuta immediately mirrored.
Then he drew back, laid his head down next to Simon’s and whispered something in khura’inese. Simon repeated it gently and felt how the other fell asleep after it. Silently he tried to make a mental note of the phrase and closed his eyes as well. It was time for him to rest with Nahyuta to his side.