If the Galanthus blooms
If the Galanthus blooms
Uruha/Kai
PG-13 (mild allusions to sex and one cuss word or two)
1,724 words
Note: For the uruai writing challenge for day 14th. I'm late. I'm sorry. This was the beautiful prompt.
December 23rd, 2003
Kai waited outside behind the small venue as the meager staff loaded the last equipment into the van. His hands shook slightly as he took a drag of his cigarette, internally scolding himself for lending Ruki his coat. Being generous didn’t mean he had to freeze. But Ruki had been the one who invited him to join the band (and everywhere else they decided hang around). It was only natural Kai felt that sense of gratitude towards the vocalist.
So shivering in a single t-shirt in the back alley wasn’t too much of a sacrifice in exchange for a bit of camaraderie.
And perhaps some acceptance from the others.
The rest of Deadman’s band members filed out in pairs, animatedly chatting about which bar they would go to and who would buy the first round. His own members followed closely behind with Aoi sporadically yelling out names of unknown places where they could supposedly get cheap drinks.
Uruha looked at him momentarily, nodding his head as a signal to tag along before walking past him without a backwards glance to make sure he actually followed.
Ruki snatched the cigarette out his mouth.
“Hurry up if you want your smoke back,” he joked while taking a lungful of nicotine. The Marlboro was waved around like bait to draw Kai in, and he chased after it like a piece of candy.
It was a game of cat and mouse; the closer he came, the faster Ruki moved.
When they finally arrived at a hole in the wall, Kai attempted for the last time before long fingers wrapped around his forearm.
Uruha took the last puff and crushed the bud under his shoes.
“You two play too much. Stop wasting things.” Uruha shoved Ruki through the door and dropped Kai’s wrist unceremoniously.
****
Inexpensive alcohol flowed like waterfall and Kai cringed at every joke Reita told in between numerous trips to the bathroom. He hunched himself over at every good-natured slap.
Reita didn’t meant to hit too hard.
And Kai couldn’t help that he bruised like a peach.
He excused himself to the bathroom; quick observation of the cracked porcelain and graffiti on the walls made his stomach churn dangerously.
Cool hands held his hair back as he ungraciously emptied the dinner he hurriedly consumed earlier. The stench made his eyes water and he silently apologized to the one helping him in such a pathetic state.
Drinking was never Kai’s forte.
Stumbling to the sink, he fumbled with the nozzle and splashed his face with warm water, waking himself up instantly.
Uruha’s reflection stared at his own through the broken mirror.
Kai turned around, face pink with embarrassment and tried to apologize properly. Uruha handed his wallet over and Kai unconsciously touched his back pocket.
He groaned inwardly.
“You forgot it at the venue,” Uruha smirked.
Kai side-stepped towards the door.
“Thanks, “ he chuckled nervously. “I owe you one.”
“Two.”
“What?”
“You owe me two, genius.”
Uruha was halfway out the door, announcing that Kai would pick up the tab.
The rowdy bunch cheered, uncivilized hoots and birdcalls echoing for more alcohol.
Kai handed his debit card to the waitress, instructing her to charge it when they were all done ordering. He wasn’t even sure if he had enough money left on there.
Walking passed the table with a believable excuse for fresh air, he stepped back out into the night; still without a coat and heart still full of dreams.
****
It was Uruha’s turn to take Kai in for the night as the train stopped running and his home was too far from the venue. They said their farewells with warm wishes from their fellow touring band. The wind whipped against Kai’s face as he struggled to keep up with
Uruha’s long stride; hands habitually moving to his back pocket to make sure his wallet was safe.
They reached the small flat fifteen minutes later and he was quickly ushered in straight to the living room. Uruha looked at him, eyes squinting every so often before loudly snickering.
“What?” Kai was cold and irritated, slumping down on the couch.
“You have…dandruff.”
Uruha sauntered into his room and slammed the door shut before the new drummer was able to reply.
He made his way towards the hallway mirror. White flakes dotted his raven hair.
It melts instantly as his fingers touched it.
Kai glanced outside the foggy window, hands rubbing the condensation off the glass.
It was the first snow of the season.
December 24th, 2007
An initial simple flurry transformed into a furious blizzard, drowning the roads with snow that rapidly packed itself into ice. Kai pulled into the only vacant parking space at the end of the lot; the hotel must be fully booked by now as he scanned the expanse of all the cars.
Inclement weather and Tokyo shuts down.
“It’s only ten more miles until we get to the others,” Uruha gritted, his frustration seeping the entire vehicle.
Kai stared at him incredulously, hard and unflinching.
“Do you not see what’s going on outside?” his tone exasperated as if he was talking to someone younger.
“I’ll drive if you’re scared.” He reached over to attempt snatching the keys from Kai.
“Just because you’ve been driving longer doesn’t mean you have more experience.” Kai unlocked the doors and grabbed his bags from the backseat.
“Don’t patronize me, Yutaka. Hand over the damn keys.”
“I’m not ready to die. Now get out or sleep in the car.”
Uruha grimaced, wondering why they were both so angry. He walked behind Kai towards the hotel entrance, hands in his coat pocket fumbling with his mobile. The others were only a speed dial away.
As expected, only one room was unoccupied. If Kai wasn’t in such a foul mood, he would’ve enjoyed the antique French décor, the exaggerated scrolls and vines of the dark, wooden bedposts and the writing table mounted on bronze. Uruha set his bags in the corner and headed for the coffee machine even before taking off his coat.
“You won’t be able to sleep if you drink that,” Kai stated the obvious as he headed for the shower. He only received a grunt in response as the aroma of coffee permeated the room.
He locked the door and undressed himself, clumsy fingers working off the buttons of his shirt and jeans. The mirror revealed a tired looking young man, eyes gaunt and defeated, shoulders slouched unnaturally. Kai silently chuckled, bitter and desperate; his mind turning gears searching for something, anything, tangible.
Uruha paced back and forth, mug of coffee half empty as he listened to the running water. The feeling of anxiousness flipped his stomach for unknown reasons. Slamming the cup down unintentionally, he kicked off his shoes and removed his clothes, storming his way into the bathroom only to stop short in front of the mosaic shower glass; Kai's body in the middle of the stall. The colour of his flesh incandescent in contrast with misty shower door.
“Hu…hur…hurry up and finish so I can shower and sleep too.”
The water was turned off immediately. Kai stepped out wet and bare, strolling passed him without a second thought.
Uruha’s arms worked faster than his mind ever intended and pulled the smaller man, clutching him protectively against his body.
“Enough,” he breathed into Kai’s hair. “More than enough.”
****
Uruha made love to Kai. Once-twice- devoured him until his whole body smoldered a bright scarlet, sating his hunger for everything pure and chaste. He tasted that refined mewl falling from a delicate pout, drunk the graceful movements from those perfect hips; holding him possessively through his final shudder before whispering sweet declarations while still buried deep inside of him.
Want you- teeth marks on his shoulders would last two days.
Need you- crescent nail imprints on Kai’s bottom (some had broken the skin) would perhaps heal at the end of the week.
Love you- his heart remained intact with an extra piece from the drummer.
And Kai stayed awake. He ran his fingertips all over Uruha’s face from his forehead to his chin, trying to understand and make the mismatched pieces fit together; angles and odd shapes colliding in every corner.
December 25th, 2011
It’s warm. So fucking warm.
Kai stirred on the hotel bed, burying his face into the closest pillow as the blankets pooled down to his waist. The heater was on too high, he thought, as he kicked his feet from under the covers. The position he was in surely wasn’t the most comfortable, but it provided the slightest cooling relief he unconsciously seek throughout half the night. He remembered the thermostat reading a higher temperature than he’d like, yet never bothered trying to adjust it because there were too many buttons.
And simply, he was too tired.
Somewhere in his fleeting awareness he recalled asking Uruha for some assistance because he was just so damn hot, only to receive a filthy pick up line from the guitarist.
The pillow shifted.
His eyes fluttered open and he struggled to free his arm trapped under his own body in a panic.
Calloused hands caressed his naked back reassuringly as Kai’s vision came into focus; head tilted up from what was clearly a human shoulder and not a cotton pillowcase.
“It’s snowing,” Uruha whispered, voice rough and cracked with sleep.
Kai lifted his head towards the window.
The feathery flakes made its home on the balcony railings, slowly piling up on the wrought iron scrolls and tendrils. The contrast of black and white most beautiful in the early hours.
“We should go out,” Kai mumbled into Uruha’s neck.
“No. No we shouldn’t.”
“No?”
“No.”
Kai was silent, smiling to himself as he played with Uruha’s pendant.
“What? No more fight left in you after all these years?” Uruha pinched his hips playfully before pulling the covers back over them.
His hands wandered all over the expanse of Uruha’s chest before traveling to his upper arms.
“Okay.”
“Okay what?” Kai raised his head in confusion.
“We can go out, if you want.” Uruha’s fingers danced down Kai’s spine, fox-trotting on his lower back. He placed butterfly kisses all over Kai’s’ neck and shoulder. “But honestly, I’d rather not.”
Kai’s laugh rung out melodiously like a carol on it’s own.
Uruha/Kai
PG-13 (mild allusions to sex and one cuss word or two)
1,724 words
Note: For the uruai writing challenge for day 14th. I'm late. I'm sorry. This was the beautiful prompt.
December 23rd, 2003
Kai waited outside behind the small venue as the meager staff loaded the last equipment into the van. His hands shook slightly as he took a drag of his cigarette, internally scolding himself for lending Ruki his coat. Being generous didn’t mean he had to freeze. But Ruki had been the one who invited him to join the band (and everywhere else they decided hang around). It was only natural Kai felt that sense of gratitude towards the vocalist.
So shivering in a single t-shirt in the back alley wasn’t too much of a sacrifice in exchange for a bit of camaraderie.
And perhaps some acceptance from the others.
The rest of Deadman’s band members filed out in pairs, animatedly chatting about which bar they would go to and who would buy the first round. His own members followed closely behind with Aoi sporadically yelling out names of unknown places where they could supposedly get cheap drinks.
Uruha looked at him momentarily, nodding his head as a signal to tag along before walking past him without a backwards glance to make sure he actually followed.
Ruki snatched the cigarette out his mouth.
“Hurry up if you want your smoke back,” he joked while taking a lungful of nicotine. The Marlboro was waved around like bait to draw Kai in, and he chased after it like a piece of candy.
It was a game of cat and mouse; the closer he came, the faster Ruki moved.
When they finally arrived at a hole in the wall, Kai attempted for the last time before long fingers wrapped around his forearm.
Uruha took the last puff and crushed the bud under his shoes.
“You two play too much. Stop wasting things.” Uruha shoved Ruki through the door and dropped Kai’s wrist unceremoniously.
****
Inexpensive alcohol flowed like waterfall and Kai cringed at every joke Reita told in between numerous trips to the bathroom. He hunched himself over at every good-natured slap.
Reita didn’t meant to hit too hard.
And Kai couldn’t help that he bruised like a peach.
He excused himself to the bathroom; quick observation of the cracked porcelain and graffiti on the walls made his stomach churn dangerously.
Cool hands held his hair back as he ungraciously emptied the dinner he hurriedly consumed earlier. The stench made his eyes water and he silently apologized to the one helping him in such a pathetic state.
Drinking was never Kai’s forte.
Stumbling to the sink, he fumbled with the nozzle and splashed his face with warm water, waking himself up instantly.
Uruha’s reflection stared at his own through the broken mirror.
Kai turned around, face pink with embarrassment and tried to apologize properly. Uruha handed his wallet over and Kai unconsciously touched his back pocket.
He groaned inwardly.
“You forgot it at the venue,” Uruha smirked.
Kai side-stepped towards the door.
“Thanks, “ he chuckled nervously. “I owe you one.”
“Two.”
“What?”
“You owe me two, genius.”
Uruha was halfway out the door, announcing that Kai would pick up the tab.
The rowdy bunch cheered, uncivilized hoots and birdcalls echoing for more alcohol.
Kai handed his debit card to the waitress, instructing her to charge it when they were all done ordering. He wasn’t even sure if he had enough money left on there.
Walking passed the table with a believable excuse for fresh air, he stepped back out into the night; still without a coat and heart still full of dreams.
****
It was Uruha’s turn to take Kai in for the night as the train stopped running and his home was too far from the venue. They said their farewells with warm wishes from their fellow touring band. The wind whipped against Kai’s face as he struggled to keep up with
Uruha’s long stride; hands habitually moving to his back pocket to make sure his wallet was safe.
They reached the small flat fifteen minutes later and he was quickly ushered in straight to the living room. Uruha looked at him, eyes squinting every so often before loudly snickering.
“What?” Kai was cold and irritated, slumping down on the couch.
“You have…dandruff.”
Uruha sauntered into his room and slammed the door shut before the new drummer was able to reply.
He made his way towards the hallway mirror. White flakes dotted his raven hair.
It melts instantly as his fingers touched it.
Kai glanced outside the foggy window, hands rubbing the condensation off the glass.
It was the first snow of the season.
December 24th, 2007
An initial simple flurry transformed into a furious blizzard, drowning the roads with snow that rapidly packed itself into ice. Kai pulled into the only vacant parking space at the end of the lot; the hotel must be fully booked by now as he scanned the expanse of all the cars.
Inclement weather and Tokyo shuts down.
“It’s only ten more miles until we get to the others,” Uruha gritted, his frustration seeping the entire vehicle.
Kai stared at him incredulously, hard and unflinching.
“Do you not see what’s going on outside?” his tone exasperated as if he was talking to someone younger.
“I’ll drive if you’re scared.” He reached over to attempt snatching the keys from Kai.
“Just because you’ve been driving longer doesn’t mean you have more experience.” Kai unlocked the doors and grabbed his bags from the backseat.
“Don’t patronize me, Yutaka. Hand over the damn keys.”
“I’m not ready to die. Now get out or sleep in the car.”
Uruha grimaced, wondering why they were both so angry. He walked behind Kai towards the hotel entrance, hands in his coat pocket fumbling with his mobile. The others were only a speed dial away.
As expected, only one room was unoccupied. If Kai wasn’t in such a foul mood, he would’ve enjoyed the antique French décor, the exaggerated scrolls and vines of the dark, wooden bedposts and the writing table mounted on bronze. Uruha set his bags in the corner and headed for the coffee machine even before taking off his coat.
“You won’t be able to sleep if you drink that,” Kai stated the obvious as he headed for the shower. He only received a grunt in response as the aroma of coffee permeated the room.
He locked the door and undressed himself, clumsy fingers working off the buttons of his shirt and jeans. The mirror revealed a tired looking young man, eyes gaunt and defeated, shoulders slouched unnaturally. Kai silently chuckled, bitter and desperate; his mind turning gears searching for something, anything, tangible.
Uruha paced back and forth, mug of coffee half empty as he listened to the running water. The feeling of anxiousness flipped his stomach for unknown reasons. Slamming the cup down unintentionally, he kicked off his shoes and removed his clothes, storming his way into the bathroom only to stop short in front of the mosaic shower glass; Kai's body in the middle of the stall. The colour of his flesh incandescent in contrast with misty shower door.
“Hu…hur…hurry up and finish so I can shower and sleep too.”
The water was turned off immediately. Kai stepped out wet and bare, strolling passed him without a second thought.
Uruha’s arms worked faster than his mind ever intended and pulled the smaller man, clutching him protectively against his body.
“Enough,” he breathed into Kai’s hair. “More than enough.”
****
Uruha made love to Kai. Once-twice- devoured him until his whole body smoldered a bright scarlet, sating his hunger for everything pure and chaste. He tasted that refined mewl falling from a delicate pout, drunk the graceful movements from those perfect hips; holding him possessively through his final shudder before whispering sweet declarations while still buried deep inside of him.
Want you- teeth marks on his shoulders would last two days.
Need you- crescent nail imprints on Kai’s bottom (some had broken the skin) would perhaps heal at the end of the week.
Love you- his heart remained intact with an extra piece from the drummer.
And Kai stayed awake. He ran his fingertips all over Uruha’s face from his forehead to his chin, trying to understand and make the mismatched pieces fit together; angles and odd shapes colliding in every corner.
December 25th, 2011
It’s warm. So fucking warm.
Kai stirred on the hotel bed, burying his face into the closest pillow as the blankets pooled down to his waist. The heater was on too high, he thought, as he kicked his feet from under the covers. The position he was in surely wasn’t the most comfortable, but it provided the slightest cooling relief he unconsciously seek throughout half the night. He remembered the thermostat reading a higher temperature than he’d like, yet never bothered trying to adjust it because there were too many buttons.
And simply, he was too tired.
Somewhere in his fleeting awareness he recalled asking Uruha for some assistance because he was just so damn hot, only to receive a filthy pick up line from the guitarist.
The pillow shifted.
His eyes fluttered open and he struggled to free his arm trapped under his own body in a panic.
Calloused hands caressed his naked back reassuringly as Kai’s vision came into focus; head tilted up from what was clearly a human shoulder and not a cotton pillowcase.
“It’s snowing,” Uruha whispered, voice rough and cracked with sleep.
Kai lifted his head towards the window.
The feathery flakes made its home on the balcony railings, slowly piling up on the wrought iron scrolls and tendrils. The contrast of black and white most beautiful in the early hours.
“We should go out,” Kai mumbled into Uruha’s neck.
“No. No we shouldn’t.”
“No?”
“No.”
Kai was silent, smiling to himself as he played with Uruha’s pendant.
“What? No more fight left in you after all these years?” Uruha pinched his hips playfully before pulling the covers back over them.
His hands wandered all over the expanse of Uruha’s chest before traveling to his upper arms.
“Okay.”
“Okay what?” Kai raised his head in confusion.
“We can go out, if you want.” Uruha’s fingers danced down Kai’s spine, fox-trotting on his lower back. He placed butterfly kisses all over Kai’s’ neck and shoulder. “But honestly, I’d rather not.”
Kai’s laugh rung out melodiously like a carol on it’s own.