#come home to me. ( skarletchains | main )

[soulfulempathy]

@skarletchains

As the sun went down and evening took hold, the leaves, the grass, the vines that snaked tendrils up the tree bark and moss that blanketed the rocks, all dimmed in color, surrounding him and Kurapika in different shades of deep, dark green. If it weren't for the full moon, casting a golden light over the entire clearing, Yuki would've had to rethink the plan.

A gust of warm wind made the trees shudder, but as it crossed the river, it picked up a crisp scent and ruffled Yuki's hair with a cool, encouraging touch. He was nervous. He knelt at the river bank with a small boat, carrying a tea light beneath a small lantern. It would follow the tide, to go wherever the gods willed it. Or...maybe to be guided by the hands of the people he and Kurapika loved and missed.

Yuki had brought the lighter he mostly used to light the candles at home. He tried again and again to strike a flame, only to be greeted by a lackluster spark every time. He shook it. It felt hollow. A frown of concentration had pulled at Yuki's lips, and he could feel himself getting frustrated.

He took a deep breath, his eyes sliding closed. There was no reason to be nervous, except...he didn't want to imagine what it would feel like to be rejected by the man he'd fallen so deeply in love with. But the memory of the day they'd finally admitted they belonged to each other, the smile on Kurapika's face and the sweet kiss he'd drawn Yuki into...maybe his boyfriend would surprise him again.

When he struck the lighter this time, a strong flame ignited, and Yuki smiled gratefully. He touched the flame to the wick of the candle, and looked at Kurapika as he set the lighter aside.

"I never prayed, when I was a kid," he said, incredibly distracted by how Kurapika's eyes had caught the light of the lantern and the moon, turning them from a lovely brown that warmed and cooled in an instant to a beautiful, rich gold.

He allowed himself to look, feeling his heart stutter in his chest as he was reminded just how gorgeous his boyfriend was. Yuki softly cleared his throat. "But I think it's okay to just remember them, for a minute. Only if you want to," he added quickly.

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For a moment he thought he'd been caught, only to suppress a smile when Kurapika continued. Yuki did his best to look serious, though his eyes were as warm as ever. "I think it's only fair if you buy me more. Or it'll really be no-nut November for you." Now he raised his eyebrows suggestively.

"But…" There was a small grimace of reproach, letting out a silent sigh afterwards. Kurapika looked at Yuki in the eyes, to let a smile gently tug at the corner of his lips "You're a terrible liar, Yuki." A pause, to add an instant later "I know you'll buy more"

[soulfulempathy]

@skarletchains

For five blocks, he ran.

Yuki's heart thundered in his ears, each powerful beat driving his legs forward. People stared. Their surprise and alarm vaguely occurred to him, and soon he slowed down. Soon he fought to catch his breath, holding himself upright with the help of a brick wall. It hurt. He wanted to claw his heart out of his chest and leave it here on the pavement, lifeless and bloody.

Yuki touched his cheek and looked at his hand, like the tears on his fingertips surprised him. Why? Was it because he didn't understand, or was it because they weren't justified? With the back of his hand, Yuki wiped at them, and forced himself to keep walking.

Raito had reacted the exact way Yuki had expected him to: unwilling to admit to what he did, trying to shift the blame back onto Yuki. That was what Raito did best--denied, manipulated, lied. But he hadn't expected the violence. The bruises on Yuki's wrists throbbed and ached, already turning black and purple in color. Raito had come frighteningly close to hurting Yuki again. And all Yuki could do was cry, beg, and run away.

Not even the shame he felt could bring color back to Yuki's face. Though the tears eventually stopped, there was still clear evidence of them, shown in the red-rimmed eyes and the tear tracks on his skin. He'd been hoping to look perfectly normal by the time he arrived at his front door. How stupid he'd been.

He'd told Kurapika just enough to keep him from following after Yuki. It didn't matter now. With a shallow breath in, Yuki opened the door, closed it behind him, took off his shoes. He was shaking. He couldn't look at Kurapika in the living room, not yet.

Not yet.

[soulfulempathy]

@skarletchains, continued from here

In the back of his mind, Yuki could feel Senritsu's sincerity. She wasn't lying to him, wasn't embellishing her words, wasn't giving him false hope. He couldn't bear it if she was. Yuki gave no response to her words, though, until he heard Leorio's name leave her lips. He tensed a bit and immediately cursed himself. This was not the time to hold a grudge, to let his contempt for the doctor come before Kurapika's life.

With an idle nod of agreement, he and Kurapika were alone. Yuki was tired. He'd caught a glimpse of himself in the bathroom mirror, when he'd gone to splash water on his face. He'd looked dead on his feet. No doubt Kurapika would be worried if -- when he woke up.

Soon Kurapika began to make quiet noises of pain, his face twisting up, and Yuki relented. With one hand he dug the phone out of Kurapika's belongings, and with the other he brushed his boyfriend's hair back from his burning forehead. Yuki's hands shook as he kept hitting the wrong buttons. Eventually he managed. The phone rang a few times, and an eternity later, Leorio answered.

Yuki's voice was trembling and he hated it. This was the last person he wanted to show weakness to -- but it was unavoidable. Only when Leorio agreed to come to the hospital did he relax a bit, his gratitude clear in his voice, and he hung up.

It felt like hours before the door opened, and a familiar aura raised Yuki's head. He looked over his shoulder, and for the first time since he'd met the man, Yuki was relieved to see Leorio in the doorway.

"He's in pain," Yuki said, his voice rough with exhaustion and emotion. "The fever isn't breaking. No matter what the nurses do, he's..." The breath he drew in was quiet and shaky, and his mental energy was given to Leorio, ready to catch a lie.

"Can you help him?"

[soulfulempathy]

@skarletchains, continued from here

He did as he was silently asked, getting up from his seat and easily sliding into Kurapika's lap. As Yuki slid his arms around his neck, he pressed his lips to the other's cheek, trailing more kisses along the line of his jaw and a few to his neck. The nickname made him smile, as it always did, and he finally pulled back to look lovingly into Kurapika's eyes.

"It's okay," he chuckled. "I just like watching you work. Or do anything, really."

Yuki's smile dimmed a bit as a thought returned to his mind, the curve of his lips having fallen just slightly. As he idly played with a couple strands of blond hair, he tried to keep his voice light, though he found himself somewhat nervous to bring it up. "Hey...can I ask you something?"

[soulfulempathy]

Kurapika took Yuki's hands gently in his own and brought them to his lips. He first gently kissed Yuki's left palm, and as he moved to his right palm to also leave a soft kiss, his now free hand circled around the other man's waist, gently bringing Yuki towards him. Kurapika kissed his right palm, then the inside of his wrist, his forearm, his arm, up his shoulder, sighed a soft kiss on his neck, his jaw, and goes to softly kiss his forehead. His lips remained there for a few moments, before leaving a small kiss on the tip of his nose and finally kissing his lips sweetly.

@skarletchains

Yuki was quiet as Kurapika pressed his lips to his palm, his initial confusion replaced with adoration. He hadn't said anything about this heavy weight in his chest, or the way his head throbbed, leaving him overwhelmed and prone to emotions Yuki would rather bury than face. He was always fine. He had to be.

But Kurapika pulled him close and trailed kisses from Yuki's hand to his neck, goosebumps spreading from the sigh against his skin. He closed his eyes, his finger sliding into Kurapika's hair. Though he wasn't okay, he felt the tension in his body ease with every kiss, and the storm brewing in his head passed without so much as the rumble of thunder.

Yuki's hand slid from blond hair to cradle his cheek as Kurapika pressed a tender kiss to his forehead, and his eyes finally opened with the kiss to his nose, unable to help the small smile that curved his lips. For a moment, he feared that was the end of it, and Yuki's gaze dropped to his boyfriend's mouth. The smile faded and his lips parted instead, just slightly.

As though answering Yuki's silent plea, Kurapika leaned in and kissed him. It was slow and sweet, gentle as he handled Yuki with care. Something no one else had ever done before. Yuki spent so much of his life soaking up every bit of twisted affection he'd received, only to feel the pain of betrayal, of broken trust slice him open like a blade, time and time again. He'd spent even more time convincing himself he deserved it.

Kurapika held him close and kissed him like he was someone worth loving. Yuki trusted him completely, and that was both terrifying and invigorating.

When Kurapika pulled away, Yuki chased his lips, bringing him into another kiss, as intense as it was soft. Desire coursed through his veins as he craved even more of Kurapika -- longing to be closer, in any way he could. And once he broke away, Yuki pressed his forehead against the other's, his fingers gripping his hair firmly, but not too tight. Like he was grounding himself.

Then Yuki smiled again, as soft and warm as a beam of sunlight, his eyes still closed.

"How do you always know what I need?"

[soulfulempathy]

@skarletchains, continued from here

Kurapika didn't make a sound, which was impressive, but his aura called to Yuki like a beloved song he'd known his whole life, familiar and calming. Yuki pushed his wet hair back with both hands as he faced the stream, letting the hot water fall on his chest, trickle down his stomach.

As soon as Kurapika touched him, his body responded in kind, sending goosebumps across his skin. His lips were warm as they trailed from Yuki's shoulder to his neck, and he easily let his head fall back with Kurapika's guidance. He sighed, content, and reached back to rest his hand on the back of Kurapika's neck. And Yuki's heart stuttered when he felt his hard cock press against him.

He pressed his hands against the wall as Kurapika pushed him flush against it, his chest against the tile. From this angle, his ass was nicely presented to Kurapika. Yuki smiled. "Absolutely," he said, looking back at him with heat in his eyes. "But I am lonely...Maybe you could help me?"

[soulfulempathy]

@skarletchains, continued from here

He'd felt Kurapika's aura shift from idle to lethal in an instant. Suddenly the hand around his throat was gone and he was looking at Kurapika's back, trying to hide his cough. The other's movements were quick and seamless, and in a flash, he felt intense pain radiating from the man as he cradled his bleeding arm.

Yuki hadn't exactly intended for it to go this way -- but as Kurapika's expression started cold and dangerous, only to shift to soft and affectionate once he turned back to Yuki, he found himself returning that smile with a warm one of his own.

"I'm okay." As an afterthought, Yuki dropped his hand from his neck, not wanting to further concern Kurapika. But his next words brought warmth to Yuki's cheeks. He'd said it without thinking. But he wasn't going to take it back.

"I agree." His smile softened as he tilted his head. "I guess I could've asked you a better way."

[soulfulempathy]

@skarletchains continued from here

He wasn’t sure what possessed him to say it, but Yuki was pleased by Kurapika’s reaction. He easily let the other man pull him in, one knee on the couch cushions and his hands braced on the back of it, and smiled.

“A long time, huh?” He asked, his voice low. The idea sent a shiver down his spine. Being blindfolded and tied up while Kurapika teased him however he wished. Feeling the cold ice cube on sensitive skin as goosebumps raised, trying desperately to keep still. Needless to say, Yuki was a fan of the idea.

He brought his other knee onto the couch as well, now straddling the other man’s lap. “I’m sure I have a blindfold somewhere,” he mused, and stole a kiss. “Unless you’d rather keep reading.”

[soulfulempathy]

@skarletchains

They'd taken him from his apartment. His door was busted down and, though Yuki had fought back, against that many people it was almost inevitable that he would be beaten unconscious and dragged out.

Now he was tied up with his arms behind his back, a pounding headache just the cherry on top of his aching body. There were cuts and bruises all over his skin and the familiar ache of broken ribs didn't help things. He was half-laying right across from the door. And when it opened, his panic spiked.

"No," he mumbled, still feeling like he might pass out. But he had to warn him, before it was too late. Louder, Yuki said, "Get out of here."

[soulfulempathy]

@skarletchains

[soulfulempathy]

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@skarletchains

Whenever Yuki makes Kurapika smile, he knows it's a big deal. He's learned the little things about him, what kind of books he likes to read, what kind of food he prefers, etc. Yuki pays attention to those things, which is why he knows what to get Kurapika for takeout dinner and never gets bored with him in a bookstore.

It's starting to become more than sex to Yuki. But he isn't sure how to bring it up, or if he should at all. Kurapika isn't easy to read, either. So if Yuki were to ask for something more serious, he'd be in the dark about how Kurapika would react. He doesn't want to ruin what relationship they have, but he also doesn't want to stay that way forever.

[soulfulempathy]

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@skarletchains

[soulfulempathy]

Silent scream

Silent Scream

@skarletchains

In the dead of night, Yuki couldn't breathe. He was being suffocated, tormented by the pain in his chest, unrelenting and all consuming. Surrounded by the ghosts in his room. Kurapika lay asleep next to him and Yuki tried to ignore it all, tried to be silent. But the desperate need to move, to escape soon overtook him, and he found himself clawing the blankets away. He found himself on the balcony of his apartment, clutching the railing with white knuckles.

His name was said somewhere behind him and Yuki closed his eyes. There was a question in it, concern, and it sliced through his chest with jagged claws.

"What am I doing?" Yuki asked the street below, illuminated by a dying lamp. Empty. Horrifically empty. "I'm letting him get away with what he did."

Tears hit the pavement and Yuki was shaking. His grip tightened, his teeth clenched. What a miserable excuse for a son he was, for a brother, to forget about his family this way. To try and forge a life worth living when they hadn't been granted the same luxury. When the man who had ended theirs continued to breathe.

"I'm trying to move on when I should be -- I should be making him pay for it." Yuki ripped his hands through his hair, his elbows braced on the railing, tremors rolling down his spine. "I can't keep standing around," he said quietly, the voice of reason eerily absent. "I can't move on."

With a deep breath in, Yuki finally straightened up, wiping his face.

"I'm going after him."

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@skarletchains

Yuki buys extra of the apple and cinnamon body wash during the holidays (the only time it's available) because he knows Kurapika likes it and uses it but pretends he's not stealing Yuki's. If asked, Yuki is just stocking up.

Yuki can and will distract Kurapika if he's working too hard. Kurapika will do the same if Yuki's pushing himself too hard. Sometimes they push themselves too much at the same time and are forced to spend the day laying on the couch/bed together, to make sure the other can't go past their limit.

Of the two, Yuki is more likely to tell silly jokes, but occasionally Kurapika will blindside him with something (said in his most serious voice) that catches Yuki off guard and gets him to laugh for a good while -- and probably earns him a kiss.

[soulfulempathy]

(Pushing too hard meme)

Kurapika hadn't noticed at first, he was too focused on rereading a contract for Mr. Nostrade and making sure there weren't any loopholes that could harm the family that the detail had slipped through his fingers. Usually he's good at reading Yuki, dealing with expert liars on a daily basis while unmasking them had made him very skilled at reading microexpressions and eyes.

Kurapika lifted his eyes from the contract and watched him walk from the living room to the kitchen again. He was quiet, and now he realized how quiet everything had been since he arrived. Usually Yuki would ask him how work was, if he wanted to eat something, if he needed anything, but today was different, something was up. From his spot on the couch, Kurapika looked at him more closely: He looked tired, exhausted, like he had been working all day without stopping, he knew that feeling "Yuki, you should go to sleep, or at least take a nap"

When his comment was completely ignored, Kurapika frowned, a mix of worry and intrigue drawn on his face. He left the contract on the coffee table and got up from the couch, going to where he was and took his face, forcing him to look him in the eyes. Then he understood the situation. He understood it when he saw the dark circles under his eyes, he understood it when he saw his gaze, he understood it when he saw how his skin seemed thinner and paler up close, he understood it when he noticed the tiredness that pulled down the corner of his lips. He noticed how Yuki seemed to want to fade away at any moment.

"Okay, now I understand the situation" He understood that too. He had lived it too many times for it not to be a familiar feeling. Bending slightly, Kurapika nimbly lifted Yuki over his shoulder and carried him to their bedroom, completely ignoring any kind of complaint Yuki might make or if he tried to wriggle out of his grasp. Closing the door behind him, Kurapika dropped Yuki onto the bed and he climbed astride the other holding him in place, and holding himself firm so Yuki couldn't push him away.

"Listen to me well, you're going to rest and you're going to get a full 8 hours of sleep. We can do this the easy way or the hard way, you decide." Kurapika's hands traveled to his own belt, opening it and removing it to make makeshift handcuffs and hold Yuki's hands firmly above his head. "Tell me, are you going to be a good boy or a bad boy?"

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@skarletchains

He knew he looked like a corpse. He knew he was being quiet, he knew Kurapika would notice. But he seemed distracted by paperwork now, and his body screamed for the plush comfort of their bed, for his boyfriend's arms around him as he drifted off to sleep. But Yuki's thoughts raced too quickly for him to relax. He made himself useful around the house and refused to sit, knowing he wouldn't be able to get up again.

Kurapika said something to him, but it was drowned out by the noise in his head. Only when he felt hands on his face did he seem to come back to reality, just in time to meet Kurapika's eyes -- and curse himself. Whatever Kurapika could see through them, now he had. Yuki should've been more careful. He's worried. Maybe you should let him in.

Suddenly he was tossed over Kurapika's shoulder and he blinked in shock. Though he made a small attempt to get free, he soon stopped to put a hand to his head, dizziness taking over his thoughts like a disease.

"It's okay, I'm -- " He was cut off when his back hit the mattress. Yuki tried to sit up, but Kurapika was on top of him, holding him down. He opened his mouth to protest again -- but Kurapika spoke first, and the tone of his voice stole the words from Yuki's mouth. Then, his boyfriend reached for his belt, and Yuki frowned in confusion. He didn't feel any kind of lust coming off Kurapika. By the grace of the gods, he didn't feel much coming off him at all, to which he had this lightheadedness to thank.

As his hands were pinned above his head, Yuki felt himself give in, the tension in his body finally easing.

"Kurapika..." he trailed off, but to Yuki's surprise, a tired smile came over his lips.

"You know I'm always your good boy."