Work Text:
Silently falling
A seed of tranquillity
Wanes winter’s numbness
Tsukasa opened his eyes, vaguely feeling that something was off, something different in this waking compared to the thousands before that. He took a second to push away any tatters of the rather pleasant dream he had and immediately saw it. A beam of light, thick and saturated was projecting from the break in the blackout curtains of his room. That beam sang of the day, wonderful and sunny. That beam also whispered to Tsukasa that for the first time in what he could remember, he was absolutely and unequivocally late for everything.
His heart dropped a beat as he went through everything in his morning routine that might have interfered with other people were he to skip on it. True, his tasks would be picked up by somebody else, that was after all the wonder of the resilient work structure he built alongside Senku. Yet he still felt guilty, as though breaking his usual pattern had meant that he was letting go of his commitment to the people around him, to his purpose. He was undeniably spiralling. Which could only be resolved one way. Tsukasa made to stand up from the bed aiming for his usual smooth and rehearsed motion and
– Hi dear. Leaving me so quickly? ;- said Gen smiling delightedly -; Maybe at least hear me out before storming off in a fury?
– Oh… khm… Hello, Gen… ;- pushed out Tsukasa, absolutely ambushed and instantly flushed by Gen being here. Being here still.
Finally, in a last snap-in of consciousness Tsukasa remembered last evening, Gen brushing his hair, humming something. The overwhelming feeling of warmth and comfort. Had he. Had he dozed off right then and there? And more importantly, had Gen stayed here with him the whole time?
– Thank you for yesterday, I haven’t felt so relaxed in ages ;- said Tsukasa, softly smiling at his partner -; I have to go now, but you could stay. If you want of course, no need for you to…
In an elegant, always elegant, motion Gen took Tsukasa’s face in his hands, making the man’s expression become a bit fuzzy and unfocused for a moment. He leaned in closer and, unexpectedly for Tsukasa, lightly kissed his forehead.
– You don’t have to go, love. Not today, not now ;- Gen whispered, looking deep and unflinching into the eyes of his partner. Sometimes Tsukasa thought that Gen could see into people’s souls. Now, without even realising so, he wished most of all to be seen by him, the bare truth at the bottom of his heart.
– But I have a schedule, people depend on me ;- protested Tsukasa, trying to gather the remains of his resolve. After all, this is who he was. This is who he must be, chosen to be.
Gen let go of his partner’s face and sat, not breaking eye contact. He splayed out the fingers of his right hand in the air and started bending them one by one.
– One. Your regiment has been notified that you might be absent, they have Moz as a backup for today. Yes ;- Gen’s eyes flashed for a moment with anticipated annoyance, quickly replaced by a comforting soft glow -; I know, still he will do for today.
Tsukasa sat there looking at Gen, his breath so quiet as to be imperceptible. A feeling of something important happening overcame him. Was this normal to feel? He interrupted the thought. A familiar effort, a life saving skill. He emptied his mind so that even a stray thought could not interrupt, could not ruin the moment that was being created.
– Two. The helping out you promised Senku was pushed two days forwards. I did start on it, threaded all the ropes though the hooks for the screen mounting. I know you hate that part. ;- Gen paused for a second and gave Tsukasa a quick smile -; But there is still enough left to do so you and Senku can get some of each other's time.
Tsukasa’s heart skipped a beat. That last part, the implied understanding and care, wrapped in the usual nonchalance of the Mentalist. He didn’t know where this was going but he knew that he wanted to kiss Gen about it.
– Three. I have gotten us both food and drink for the day and I would bring a change of clothes for myself, but you already have a stash ;- finished Gen with a devious grin spreading over his face on the last sentence -; There, everything taken care of. Well, almost.
This was a lot. Was it too much? What was it for? The concentration Tsukasa oh so trusted had given a crack and started seeping delight and bewilderment in equal measure. This was all going towards something and Gen definitely did a lot, thought a lot, about this moment. Was he going to ask him to do something? Was it just a gesture of affection? Scarily, was it just a minor gesture in the eyes of Gen, transformed into a heap of emotion but his… flaws? The last part of what Gen said caught him out of the spiral.
– Almost? ;- replied Tsukasa, voice suddenly unsteady. A slight difference, almost imperceptible, but one that felt like a crack of thunder in the presence of Gen -; do you need me to do something for you?
Gen’s smile turned from mischievous to comforting, tinged ever so slightly with melancholy. He shifted himself so that he sat now directly in front of Tsukasa, not having to crane his neck to the side. He took a moment, the notes of anticipation creeping into his expression, before replying.
– No dear. No, I don’t need you to do anything. We just need to take care of you now ;- Gen brought his face closer and closer to Tsukasa’s, going a bit past it so that his lips almost touched his partner’s ear and whispered, hot are caressing Tsukasa’s skin -; You will let me take care of you, right?
Unable, and largely unwilling, to stop himself from blushing, Tsukasa wrapped his arms around Gen’s waist. He wanted this man to be with him forever, to remind him of the taste of his lips every morning. If he wanted to do things this way today, of course he would play along. That would not be lying of course, but he, of all people, did not need to be taken care of, so letting Gen play this game would serve as a show of affection.
– Of courhhh… Yes. Yes, love. ;- responded Tsukasa, fumbling the words with his suddenly parched throat. A thought about needing to look into proper hydration popped into his mind and then another, about how this thought was so unbelievably Senku-like that it almost sounded like his voice. And then the next thought didn’t come, at least for a while.
Gen gently pushed Tsukasa to get him to lay down on the bed. As he did so, Gen mounted himself on top of his partner's hips and dropped on his hands, planted on both sides of Tsukasa’s face. Now, with their faces so close that the white locks of Gen’s hair almost touched his partner’s face he could see the results of his work so far and well, Tsukasa was definitely flustered, his eyes darting from Gen’s eyes to his lips and back. This was definitely a start.
At that moment Tsukasa was glad that he could control his breathing so well. Gen’s face was centimetres away from him and oh god how he wanted him to continue that motion, how he wanted to dissolve for a second in the depth of his eyes, in the soft and loving warmth of his lips. He had to be careful though, as always, to not let himself accidentally shatter the moment. So he waited, shallow breath a bit faster, letting his face do the work that his actions could not. Then finally, blissfully, with the corners of his mouth tilted upward, Gen leaned in closer and kissed him.
And the kiss was gravity, pulling Tsukasa into his partner and out of his body. And the kiss was a shore upon which he exhaustedly threw himself from the depths of a cold ocean. And the kiss was just their lips, familiar and intensely wanted, washing away the rest of their bodies and minds to allow for this moment to last, unobstructed.
Gen didn’t want to remember a time where he didn’t have this, the heat radiating from Tsukasa’s body below him, the desire and utter devotion that couldn’t help but make him feel, just for a moment, the most important and wanted and beautiful. And the kiss was a tidal wave submerging him into its craving embrace. And the moment has lasted forever because it could not in all its brilliant intensity exist in the regular time.
Gen looked at his partner's face, eyes unfocused and with pupils the size of a forest lake, breathing heavily. He brought himself down so that his lips gently touched the helix of Tsukasa’s ear and whispered, not even trying to make his voice sound even:
– You are safe. You are loved. I’ll protect you
All that Tsukasa managed in response is a quiet noise, somewhere on the edge between a moan and a whimper. He stirred then, apparently trying reflexively to regain the control that he was so sure he needed. But that of course was hopeless because…
– No dear, relax ;- continued Gen in a soft voice, charting a trail from Tsukasa’s ear and all the way to his collarbone with small gentle kisses -; you don’t have to do anything now. You don’t have to be anything for anyone. Except yourself, and I will take care of the rest.
Tsukasa’s face was so red that he could successfully pretend to be a setting sun. He didn’t know that he needed to hear this and inevitably, in any other circumstance, the words wouldn’t have that effect. But here, now, with Gen being so loving and gentle, he felt the last of his defences fall away. Something inside of him that he didn’t know was ever there was relaxing and he was overcome with affection for Gen, affection and gratitude. This of course, as Gen was continuing his journey of kisses was quickly joined by desire.
Gen was having too much fun. Of course exploring the body of his partner in this way was bound to be a delight but he felt like he could do this forever. An eternity punctuated by the soft noises that involuntarily left Tsukasa’s lips. His hands wandered around on Tsukasa’s skin, touching lightly sometimes, others pressing gently or even, in a specific spot just below his partner’s clavicle, letting the nails leave their mark.
He returned after minutes that could have been hours to see Tsukasa’s face, all the more flushed with colour but somehow, at least for the moment, in the depths that hid behind the facial expressions, a tiny bit more peaceful.
– Hi Tsukasa
– I love you ;- they said simultaneously, chuckling at the matched timing
– Hi Gen
Gen looked into his partner's eyes, exasperated and flustered but for a second, intensely serious.
– And I have always worked to protect what I love ;- he finally said, gazing into Tsukasa’s eyes -; you just have to let me. You always just had to let me.
– Of course ;- Tsukasa replied, eyes widened by the mess of emotions and realisations that exploded within him -; Of course dear, how could I ever not?