Nagare

A/N - Here we go again!! Another one! This was written originally for Undying Devotion's Summer Challenge....but it may become part of the major arc I have in the making....because it got away from me, and came out perfect. I know anyone who knows my stuff is probably currently ogling the rating going "NOT NC-17??? The hell??" Well, it's not. It was supposed to be...but the muses took it away and made it heavy on the emotion and plot, instead of sex. I still adore how it came out. So there. **Grin** A few warnings: Although there's practically nothing sexual as far as behavior goes in this, Bankotsu is fifteen. So be warned. Also be reminded that things were different in feudal Japan. There's also implications of...stuff, as far as Jakotsu's past goes. Nothing overtly too disturbing. Have fun, and I hope you enjoy, dear readers!!!

**disclaimer** Roses are red, blood is red too, I'm making no money, so please do not sue.

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It was seriously hot.

Two boys were on their way northeast, following the trail of a murderer they had heard talk about. Ever since Bankotsu had come up with the idea to start a small, elite band of mercenaries, they had been on the move. The two had heard dozens of rumors of killers, rapists, and other such assorted baddies, each more traumatic and bloodier than the last. Each time, Bankotsu had switched trails, eager to get the best of the best. That was when Jakotsu had decided that going through towns was a bad idea. Since hearing of the huge, hulking monster that killed with bloodied claws, they hadn’t stayed the night in a town. Jakotsu was beginning to regret putting his sandaled foot down.

It really was very hot. Even for the middle of summer. The owner of the last inn they had stayed in said that the local priestess had forecast a scorching summer, and from the feel of his light blue yukata sticking to his back, arms, and thighs, Jakotsu had to admit that sounded about right. As if the heat wasn’t enough, the damnable season just had to add humidity into the mix. Jakotsu could swear the air had never felt so thick and heavy. He had given up on trying to keep his face free of sweat, and had even forgone makeup. Bankotsu had given him an odd, somewhat amused look, and Jakotsu, in a fit of rather foul temper, had fussed at him. He had long since mentally apologized for it, but had yet to voice it out loud.

As such, the two were rather somber and reserved as they trudged along. They hadn’t spoken since Jakotsu’s outburst that morning, and the atmosphere between them was becoming strained. Jakotsu kept darting looks at his friend, but Bankotsu seemed determined to carry on as they were, his face carefully blank. The only thing that betrayed the stress they were both under was the whitening of his knuckles around the hilt of Banryuu.

Jakotsu stopped and shifted the bulk of Jakotsutou as it lay across his back. His shoulders were beginning to hurt, and a sharp pain lanced up the side of his spine as he rolled them. Letting out a startled, pained noise, he gritted his teeth together. Bankotsu stopped and turned, looking back at him. He raised an eyebrow and Jakotsu frowned, beginning to walk again. Every step jarred the sheath across his back, and pulled on his strained shoulder muscles. That pain was there, just slightly, with every step, and Jakotsu bit his lip. He was used to dealing with pain and knew how to muffle the noise of it. Bankotsu expected him to keep walking, and so he’d keep walking. It wouldn’t do for Bankotsu to decide now that his friendship and skill at killing weren’t worth putting up with him for.


Bankotsu snuck a look over his shoulder at Jakotsu. The older boy had his bottom lip sucked into his mouth, and Bankotsu could see the skin turning white where he was biting it. Half of him couldn’t help but worry for his friend. They’d been together a little over half a year already, but there was so much still that Bankotsu didn’t know about his strange acquisition. He watched as Jakotsu reached down and pulled the yukata free from where it was sticking to the back of one thigh, never losing stride as he did, and as more pale skin was revealed by the action, he quickly turned his eyes front again, a flush spreading across cheeks already pink with sun. Jakotsu’s action brought his attention to the fact that his own loose clothing was sticking in places, and since most of these were under his armor, there was no dignified way to go about unsticking it. Jakotsu had tried to tell him, this morning, not to wear armor, as he had packed away the makeup he had sullenly refused to wear. Bankotsu’s stubborn pride had caused him not to listen, especially after Jakotsu’s little fit.

He snorted under his breath. The other boy was more of a brat than he let on sometimes, and of course he had been right. The armor only conducted heat, as well as keeping his own inside, and Bankotsu was sweltering. He could feel the sweat rolling down the sides of his legs inside the baggy hakama, and he felt horrifically gross. At the sound of a sudden, choked off and quiet curse, Banktosu turned to look at Jakotsu again. Charcoal grey met blue head on, and Bankotsu was reminded, not for the first time, that he wasn’t the only one with stubborn pride. Many times Jakotsu’s had gotten him in trouble, from what Bankotsu saw, and it had many quirks. One of the most habitual seemed to be the desire to cover up pain. Bankotsu had entertained himself before with ideas of what Jakotsu’s past might hold, and knew that somehow this was a key. However, once he had figured that out, he found that he wasn’t so sure he wanted to know anymore.


His gaze stayed locked with that of the taller boy, and he could see it in those glittering eyes. Jakotsu was practically daring him to say anything, to mention anything. So he didn’t. He watched as Jakotsu slowly, stiffly began walking again. Jakotsu passed him, and Bankotsu turned to follow, noticing how carefully his friend carried himself, and how rigid he kept his shoulders. His eyes wandered to the lethal sword in its deceptively beautiful sheath, and from there, he couldn’t stop himself, his gaze wandered down further, to light blue fabric soaked and clinging to the curves of Jakotsu’s body. He looked away, blushing again, this time in shame. Jakotsu was obviously hurt, and it wasn’t helping anything to simply ogle him. Besides, Jakotsu seemed totally oblivious to any of the fifteen-year-old’s admiring glances. Sighing quietly, Bankotsu began to walk again.


It hurt. Each step it was getting worse and no shifting of the sheath on his back helped. He and Bankotsu still hadn’t spoken a word to each other, and the sun was high in the sky now, beating down on them both through the trees they walked under. Jakotsu felt the agonizing urge to simply fall to his knees and begin to cry. This had to be close to the worst day of his life since meeting the longhaired boy. He was thirsty, his lip was numb where he still held it between his teeth, his cheeks were burning, and he felt like he’d never be clean or cool again. The pain in his heart was almost as bad as the pain in his back, and he longed to speak to Bankotsu, to apologize, to say anything. At a gritted out curse behind him, he stopped and turned. He turned too fast. The color drained from his face as his fists clenched hard, waiting for the stab of pain to lessen.

This couldn’t be good. Pride was one thing, but if something was seriously hurt, he should speak up. Silently, he watched with feigned disinterest as Bankotsu furiously ripped at the buckles on his armor, shedding it as quickly as he could get them undone. As the chest plate came free, Jakotsu found he couldn’t stop himself from staring. The smaller boy was barely decent under the metal. His white haori was clinging to every plane and curve, and was completely soaked through. Jakotsu’s eyes widened as they trailed over Bankotsu’s torso, watching his hands as they worked.


Suddenly aware of eyes watching him, Bankotsu looked up to see Jakotsu looking at him strangely. If he hadn’t known better, he’d have called it appraisingly. The minute he looked up, however, Jakotsu jerked his head to the side, and Bankotsu watched in concern as the small bit of color that had leapt back to Jakotsu’s face drained again. It had to be his neck…or his back. The gods knew he wouldn’t fault his friend for it! His own shoulders were protesting Banryuu’s weight, and had been for a good hour! Bankotsu decided that this had gone on long enough. At some point, someone’s pride had to give, and he was starting to wonder if his could even last against his companion’s.

“Jakotsu.” The first word spoken since early morning. Jakotsu’s eyes slid to their corners, meeting his, and Bankotsu saw it again, as clearly as if Jakotsu’s voice was begging him. Midmorning those eyes had been daring him to say a word, now they were pleading with him not to. Carefully not giving away how much this facet of his companion disturbed him, Bankotsu stretched lazily, hearing his neck and arm joints crack.

“Jakotsu, you hungry?” He opened one eye and looked at his friend. Jakotsu was standing rigidly still, head bowed just the very slightest bit.

“I can keep going, Aniki.”

Bankotsu winced noticeably. The older boy’s voice was low, almost a growl, and laden with pain. He recovered quickly, hoping Jakotsu hadn’t seen his reaction, and decided maybe a trip to the stream they had been walking in hearing distance of for the past hour and a half would be a good thing.

“Well, maybe you can..” he forced his voice to be light, “but I can’t. I’m absolutely starving, and I feel nasty.” He opened both eyes then, watching Jakotsu. “There’s a stream not far…we could find a place to camp---”

“We can’t camp yet! It’s only midday!”

Bankotsu sighed. He wasn’t going to make this easy, was he? Then again, he thought, he wouldn’t exactly make it easy himself. Jakotsu was desperate not to show any kind of weakness or pain, and Bankotsu had to admire it even as he mentally cursed the boy for being a stubborn fool.

“We can just camp for a little while, ne? Eat some lunch, take a swim…”

Bankotsu didn’t believe it possible, but even more color drained from Jakotsu’s face, leaving it a color disturbingly like wet paper. But he gave in, and turned slowly, beginning to walk towards the sound of rushing water. Sighing in relief, Bankotsu stuffed his armor into their already large pack, and hauled it up onto his back, picked up Banryuu, and followed.


~TBC....

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Like it? Hate it?? Wanna know where the sex went? Leave me a review!!!

~Tareacel