Work Text:
You stifled a loud yawn behind your hand, your eyes closing momentarily from the drowsiness. When you opened them again they were clouded with sleep and you had to start rubbing to clear your vision. You hadn't been awake for long and all you could think about was going back to bed again. It was just a lazy Sunday morning and you didn't really want to commit to getting out of bed.
You were reluctant but you eventually started your morning routine, dragging yourself from the warm confines of your bed. When you exited your bathroom, brush in hand you flopped down onto the bed with a loud thud. You barely even disturbed the person next to you. As you finished brushing your hair you looked to your partner. He had been awake long before you had and he was already finished with his morning rituals. He had taken to reading a book as he waited for you.
You were mildly surprised that he had still been reading it from when you first woke up. It was hard to find something that caught Izuru's attention for more than five minutes and you were a little curious as to why he hadn't put it down yet. Not that it really mattered, he was reading through the pages at an alarming rate and he would probably be finished by the time you made breakfast. As he continued to read, seemingly absorbed in his book, you took the time to simply look at him.
You still couldn't fathom why such a perfect being took any interest in you. He had tried many hobbies and it was always hard to keep his attention without him becoming bored with it. You were scared that you were going to be the same. Yet he kept coming back. It was something you couldn't explain and nor could Izuru, but you were happy despite his little quirks. Your eyes flicked over to his long hair and the way it shimmered in the morning sunlight. There was just so much of it. Part of you would love to delve your fingers through the thick mass and simply tie it back in different styles. There was a lot to work with so the possibilities were endless.
You frowned lightly when on closer inspection you could start to see the tangles forming in his locks. He had a lot of hair and grooming must have been a pain in the arse. You would hate to see such beautiful hair become an absolute forest of unkempt locks.
You scooted closer to him, trying to be quite and not disrupt his concentration. It was of little use, he was aware of you the second you sat down; he just didn’t give you any clear indication that he noticed you. Izuru was always aware. That was why he wasn’t startled when he heard you clearing your throat lightly beside him.
"Hey Izuru, can I brush your hair?" you asked.
He turned his head, his sharp crimson stare settling on you. You were always nervous when he stared at you. Those deep red eyes paired with his impassive expression were enough to make you squirm on the spot. You could never tell what he was thinking and he could be quite unpredictable. He was silent as he continued to stare at you and you briefly wondered if you said something wrong.
"You don't have to say yes-"
"It's fine."
His words were barely above a whisper but you heard him. He turned his attention back to his book and continued where he left off. You sat next to him for a moment simply dumbfounded. You still couldn't believe he agreed. You shook yourself out of your stupor before you grabbed a brush from the bedside table. You hesitantly reached out, feeling the long, silky locks tickle against your hands. You always enjoyed touching his hair and you were happy to do something like this. Feeling a little more comfortable you took a section of his dark hair, bringing the brush to it. Before you started you spoke again.
"If it starts hurting, just tell me okay?"
You got a soft grunt in reply as you heard him flick over a page in his book. You smiled to yourself as you set about your task. Now where should you start? You figured from the bottom and you could work your way up. You tried your best to be gentle. You didn't want to pull on his hair too hard in fear it might actually hurt him. As you teased the knots out of his hair, you didn't hear a sound out of him. He stayed perfectly still and he never once told you were being too hard, even when you had to pull on some stubborn knots. Not once did he flinch away from your touch. You worked in complete silence, concentrating on the task. There was a lot of hair but it was satisfying when you could run your hands through the soft locks without catching any tangles. As you started to run the brush through the hair on the back of his skull, you heard him speak again.
"I don't understand how something so mundane can feel therapeutic."
It was an observation and not anything you needed to answer but you felt the need to say something.
"You know it's a pretty intimate act, letting someone else touch your hair" you commented.
"More intimate than what we did last night?"
He replied without missing a single beat. You could hear the light teasing in his voice and it made your face explode with heat that made your ears burn. Your face was hot as the memories of last night resurfaced. You shook your head, focusing on brushing his hair again.
"You know, for someone who claims to have no emotions you sure are a smartass” you retorted.
You half expected a witty comeback but he didn’t say anything else, just simply flipped over another page in his book. As your fingertips reached his scalp, you could feel the scars on the back of his head. His mop of dark hair was able to cover up most of the lines but you could feel them when you brushed your fingers against his head. Your hand stopped when you heard him take a deep breath, the sound cutting through the silence. Your eyes widened slightly and you immediately wrenched your hand away.
"Did I hurt you?" you asked panicked. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine" Izuru replied. "You touched my scars."
"I'm sorry."
“It didn’t hurt.”
You bit your lip, resisting the urge to apologize again. Talking about his scars was a sensitive topic and you didn’t like to pry. He was usually very honest about anything you asked him but you didn’t like breaching a topic that would make him uncomfortable. You were aware of what his past was like and you really didn’t want to open old wounds.
"Keep going" he requested.
You stared at the back of his head in surprise. It was a strange request but you didn't mind at all. It was hard to find things he liked so you were willing to go along with it.
“Lay down” you said.
You placed the brush to the side as he closed his book. He leaned back, placing his head in your lap. His eyes fluttered close as you gently started to trace the scars. His wounds had healed long ago and his hair always hid his scars from view. But rubbing your hands against his head, you could feel every dip and bump in his flesh. You heard his quiet sigh and you smiled as you continued to massage his scalp.
You leaned closer to his face, carefully watching for his reactions. He wasn’t very vocal so you had to read his body language to gauge his reactions. You knew the roots of his hair were sensitive and you could see the small shiver that wracked his form when you touched them. His eyes opened and he suddenly caught your lips in a kiss. His hand was placed firmly on the back of your head so you couldn’t pull away. The thought didn’t even cross your mind as you melted against his soft lips. You gently placed a hand on his check as you leaned into the tender touch, brushing your lips back against his.
You parted from the kiss to stare down at him. His face was relaxed and you could see a shadow of a smile dancing on his lips. It was rare to see his impassive features soften and it made you feel warm whenever he relaxed in your company. He said he didn’t have any emotions but you knew better than anyone. It was something that you treasured dearly.
"Can I brush your hair more often?" you asked.
He hummed in content and it made you grin. A few ideas rattled around in your brain. Next time, you might try braiding it.