Ryoku shifted, shaking off the tension in his shoulders as he stalked through the campus. It was nightfall, and everyone was asleep as per usual, however; Ryoku knew that his family was more known to be night owls more-so than anything. It wouldn't be too hard to find Haru, but Ryoku felt a shift of nervousness flow through his veins. Straightforward, to the point Ryoku was nervous. He could feel his palms sweating, the grimy feeling of the liquid between his fingers as he wiped them on his shirt. He sighed, running a hand through his loose locks before dropping his hands to his side.
"C'mon Ryo, don't be a chicken shit now," he spoke to himself, shaking much like a dog shakes water off of its fur. It helped release the tension that had suddenly built up in his muscles, and he stretched his arms over his head. He took a deep breath, releasing it slowly as he mulled over his words. He told Tora he wasn't going to back out now. He had to know. He had to know exactly how Haru felt about him. Maybe he had read too much into Haru's words. Perhaps that was how he felt about Kari, not him. But that did not quell the fear that welled up in his chest. He groaned in frustration, his nose twitching in the direction of a familiar scent.
"It's now or never," he spoke to himself, straightening his shoulders back out as he walked towards the spot where he could smell Haru. He found him, lounging underneath a tree, a scowl on his face. Leave it to Haru to be scowling at the sky. It pulled his lips into a light smirk as he dropped himself next to Haru, staring out into the distance as he kept his gaze away from Haru for the moment. "Hey," he spoke, cursing himself slightly for the unintelligent way he started the conversation.
It had been a few days since he had spoken to his sister, yet little had changed. Haru had not gone to Ryoku; nor had he really spoken to anyone else. Despite what his sister had told him, he still couldn't bring himself to believe what she had said. He wasn't sure what had turned his heart to stone; as far as he knew, it had always been this way. It was not something that he could simply relinquish, even to the one he wanted to most.
But perhaps it was a risk he needed to take.
He'd been so absorbed in his own little world that he hadn't even realized Ryoku had approached. When the other man spoke, he flinched rather visibly, glancing in the other direciton as he sat up. His heart lurched, his mind drawing a blank. In the end, he could think of nothing, say nothing. There was a warmth in his chest accompanied by an ache.
"I'm sorry."
He wasn't sure where it had come from, he had simply said it. He wasn't even completely sure what he was apologizing for, either. Because he'd hurt him? Or because he'd avoided him and his feelings? Or maybe, it was all of it.
Ryoku raised a brow at Haru's flinch, and inwardly flinched himself. He didn't mean to cause that reaction, he just wanted to greet his cousin, and speak of other things. He opened his mouth to start, but found he couldn't speak past the sudden lump that grew in his throat. He was slightly grateful that it was Haru that broke the silence, however; his brow ascended his forehead. He was apologizing? For what? He did nothing wrong. It wasn't Haru's fault that he decided to take his statement the wrong way. Ryoku, for the most part, was not an intelligent person, or not as intelligent as his older brother. He knew he didn't get some things, and he would take things the wrong way if they were not clarified, however; he did not give Haru the time or day to do so.
"Don't," he started, sighing and lowering his gaze to stare at the space between his legs. "Don't apologize, you didn't do anything wrong. I should be the one to apologize. I made a stupid mistake, and I paid the price for it," he spoke, a bit of firmness reinforced in his voice. He shifted so that his gaze was now fully on Haru, staring at him as if studying a piece of art to understand it. It was now or never. He would live the rest of his life in shame if he never said anything, and he couldn't go back on his word. As a man of his word, it was everything, and everything was riding on this one statement. Don't fuck this up Ryo.
"I love you."
For all intents and purposes, Haru's heart all but stopped in his ribcage. He...what? It took him a minute to sort through that one simple sentence, and to restart the organ in his chest. He'd thought that he'd misheard for a second, but one look at Ryoku's face ensured him that he hadn't.
Gods above, but they were both hopeless. Haru let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, and stood up, closing the distance between them. Well, if Ryoku could just come out and say it like that, then he had to as well. That funny little half smile played over his features before he looped his arms around the other's neck, locking lips with him. He knew that Ryoku, just like himself, had been with no one since their own last meeting, now more than three weeks ago.
"You idiot. I love you, too." There was a longing, a desire in his eyes. He knew of course, but he still wanted to hear it. "You haven't...been with anyone else?"
Ryoku could feel his heart stopping with each passing moment of silence. It was killing him, not knowing what his cousin was going to say, how he was going to respond to the confession, however; he could feel it slowly kickstarting again. It took a moment to realize that the gap between them had been closed, and Haru's lips were on his. He could feel his heart thumping wildly against his rib-cage, responding to the kiss with a slow kind of hunger as Haru pulled back, his trademark smirk returning to his face. Finally, after so long, so many years, the words he was so afraid of not hearing, were spoken to him, like a prayer he needed to be lifted.
"No one else. There is and will never be anyone else. You...haven't been with any one either, have you?" he questioned, his brow ascending his forehead as he leaned forward, grabbing Haru's lips and pulling on the bottom of his lip. He was being honest though, and that was saying something for Ryoku. There had been no one else since he and Haru had been together, and even now, there still was no one else. There could never be anyone else for him. He wondered, for a moment, if that was how his parents felt about each other. How they could just have that one person and be perfectly happy with it. His mother had told him of how his father used to be, and how in a way, Ryoku resembled him in those aspects, however; he had never wanted one person so much as he wanted Haru. Perhaps...
Haru blinked slowly, pulling back just enough so that he was able to look his cousin full in the face. There was a light dancing in his eyes as he shook his head slowly, replying, "I didn't want to, and I couldn't." He stuck his tongue out then, the metal spike gleaming. "I don't have the key to the lock you put on me."
"Would you like the key?" he spoke, all playfulness pushed aside, his eyes set in a serious tone. He stared at Haru, the statement obvious as to what he meant. He would give Haru a key, one that would bind the two of them much like his parents. It would come with a price; everything came with a price. It was one he was willing to pay, though, and if Haru was as well, he would do it. But he needed Haru to know, and to understand just what this price was. If he still accepted it, then nothing would make him more proud to do so, to give the mark to the one he wanted for all eternity.
"If I give you the key, there will be no going back. We will be as one. We will hear, feel, and know everything for the rest of our lives, not that I'm complaining. But it also means that our lives will be as one," meaning if either one of them died, the other would too. It was a great risk, one his parents knew all too well, and one he was willing to take. Besides, life without Haru wouldn't be life at all. He wasn't sure he could live a life like that, empty, and he was sure his parents felt the same way, just as Sora felt about Nicole and she him.
Haru's eyes narrowed slightly before tilting his head to the side. He was slightly surprised that he'd even asked, but then perhaps he shouldn't have been. He slid his hand to the back of Ryo's head, his fingers threading through his hair as he pulled his head downward, to the bare expanse of his neck that he exposed.
"I thought you'd never ask." he murmured, his eyes glowing vermilion.
Once he did this, it would seal all that they were, and all that they would become. He needn't hear anymore as his fangs elongated, his tongue wiping over the smooth surface of Haru's neck. With a swift movement, his fangs pierced Haru's neck, allowing the venom to seep into the wound as a mark began to form. For each Minamoto, it was different. Where his father's mark had been a moonflower, his mark was something different, more him. Once the deed was done, he swiped his tongue over the mark before pulling back, his eyes glowing a bright amber color.
"You know...we're never going to hear the end of it."
Haru smirked slightly before kissing Ryo again. "I think I can live with that."
"C'mon Ryo, don't be a chicken shit now," he spoke to himself, shaking much like a dog shakes water off of its fur. It helped release the tension that had suddenly built up in his muscles, and he stretched his arms over his head. He took a deep breath, releasing it slowly as he mulled over his words. He told Tora he wasn't going to back out now. He had to know. He had to know exactly how Haru felt about him. Maybe he had read too much into Haru's words. Perhaps that was how he felt about Kari, not him. But that did not quell the fear that welled up in his chest. He groaned in frustration, his nose twitching in the direction of a familiar scent.
"It's now or never," he spoke to himself, straightening his shoulders back out as he walked towards the spot where he could smell Haru. He found him, lounging underneath a tree, a scowl on his face. Leave it to Haru to be scowling at the sky. It pulled his lips into a light smirk as he dropped himself next to Haru, staring out into the distance as he kept his gaze away from Haru for the moment. "Hey," he spoke, cursing himself slightly for the unintelligent way he started the conversation.
It had been a few days since he had spoken to his sister, yet little had changed. Haru had not gone to Ryoku; nor had he really spoken to anyone else. Despite what his sister had told him, he still couldn't bring himself to believe what she had said. He wasn't sure what had turned his heart to stone; as far as he knew, it had always been this way. It was not something that he could simply relinquish, even to the one he wanted to most.
But perhaps it was a risk he needed to take.
He'd been so absorbed in his own little world that he hadn't even realized Ryoku had approached. When the other man spoke, he flinched rather visibly, glancing in the other direciton as he sat up. His heart lurched, his mind drawing a blank. In the end, he could think of nothing, say nothing. There was a warmth in his chest accompanied by an ache.
"I'm sorry."
He wasn't sure where it had come from, he had simply said it. He wasn't even completely sure what he was apologizing for, either. Because he'd hurt him? Or because he'd avoided him and his feelings? Or maybe, it was all of it.
Ryoku raised a brow at Haru's flinch, and inwardly flinched himself. He didn't mean to cause that reaction, he just wanted to greet his cousin, and speak of other things. He opened his mouth to start, but found he couldn't speak past the sudden lump that grew in his throat. He was slightly grateful that it was Haru that broke the silence, however; his brow ascended his forehead. He was apologizing? For what? He did nothing wrong. It wasn't Haru's fault that he decided to take his statement the wrong way. Ryoku, for the most part, was not an intelligent person, or not as intelligent as his older brother. He knew he didn't get some things, and he would take things the wrong way if they were not clarified, however; he did not give Haru the time or day to do so.
"Don't," he started, sighing and lowering his gaze to stare at the space between his legs. "Don't apologize, you didn't do anything wrong. I should be the one to apologize. I made a stupid mistake, and I paid the price for it," he spoke, a bit of firmness reinforced in his voice. He shifted so that his gaze was now fully on Haru, staring at him as if studying a piece of art to understand it. It was now or never. He would live the rest of his life in shame if he never said anything, and he couldn't go back on his word. As a man of his word, it was everything, and everything was riding on this one statement. Don't fuck this up Ryo.
"I love you."
For all intents and purposes, Haru's heart all but stopped in his ribcage. He...what? It took him a minute to sort through that one simple sentence, and to restart the organ in his chest. He'd thought that he'd misheard for a second, but one look at Ryoku's face ensured him that he hadn't.
Gods above, but they were both hopeless. Haru let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, and stood up, closing the distance between them. Well, if Ryoku could just come out and say it like that, then he had to as well. That funny little half smile played over his features before he looped his arms around the other's neck, locking lips with him. He knew that Ryoku, just like himself, had been with no one since their own last meeting, now more than three weeks ago.
"You idiot. I love you, too." There was a longing, a desire in his eyes. He knew of course, but he still wanted to hear it. "You haven't...been with anyone else?"
Ryoku could feel his heart stopping with each passing moment of silence. It was killing him, not knowing what his cousin was going to say, how he was going to respond to the confession, however; he could feel it slowly kickstarting again. It took a moment to realize that the gap between them had been closed, and Haru's lips were on his. He could feel his heart thumping wildly against his rib-cage, responding to the kiss with a slow kind of hunger as Haru pulled back, his trademark smirk returning to his face. Finally, after so long, so many years, the words he was so afraid of not hearing, were spoken to him, like a prayer he needed to be lifted.
"No one else. There is and will never be anyone else. You...haven't been with any one either, have you?" he questioned, his brow ascending his forehead as he leaned forward, grabbing Haru's lips and pulling on the bottom of his lip. He was being honest though, and that was saying something for Ryoku. There had been no one else since he and Haru had been together, and even now, there still was no one else. There could never be anyone else for him. He wondered, for a moment, if that was how his parents felt about each other. How they could just have that one person and be perfectly happy with it. His mother had told him of how his father used to be, and how in a way, Ryoku resembled him in those aspects, however; he had never wanted one person so much as he wanted Haru. Perhaps...
Haru blinked slowly, pulling back just enough so that he was able to look his cousin full in the face. There was a light dancing in his eyes as he shook his head slowly, replying, "I didn't want to, and I couldn't." He stuck his tongue out then, the metal spike gleaming. "I don't have the key to the lock you put on me."
"Would you like the key?" he spoke, all playfulness pushed aside, his eyes set in a serious tone. He stared at Haru, the statement obvious as to what he meant. He would give Haru a key, one that would bind the two of them much like his parents. It would come with a price; everything came with a price. It was one he was willing to pay, though, and if Haru was as well, he would do it. But he needed Haru to know, and to understand just what this price was. If he still accepted it, then nothing would make him more proud to do so, to give the mark to the one he wanted for all eternity.
"If I give you the key, there will be no going back. We will be as one. We will hear, feel, and know everything for the rest of our lives, not that I'm complaining. But it also means that our lives will be as one," meaning if either one of them died, the other would too. It was a great risk, one his parents knew all too well, and one he was willing to take. Besides, life without Haru wouldn't be life at all. He wasn't sure he could live a life like that, empty, and he was sure his parents felt the same way, just as Sora felt about Nicole and she him.
Haru's eyes narrowed slightly before tilting his head to the side. He was slightly surprised that he'd even asked, but then perhaps he shouldn't have been. He slid his hand to the back of Ryo's head, his fingers threading through his hair as he pulled his head downward, to the bare expanse of his neck that he exposed.
"I thought you'd never ask." he murmured, his eyes glowing vermilion.
Once he did this, it would seal all that they were, and all that they would become. He needn't hear anymore as his fangs elongated, his tongue wiping over the smooth surface of Haru's neck. With a swift movement, his fangs pierced Haru's neck, allowing the venom to seep into the wound as a mark began to form. For each Minamoto, it was different. Where his father's mark had been a moonflower, his mark was something different, more him. Once the deed was done, he swiped his tongue over the mark before pulling back, his eyes glowing a bright amber color.
"You know...we're never going to hear the end of it."
Haru smirked slightly before kissing Ryo again. "I think I can live with that."