Living Room

Mori watched with a pain look as Kyuzo had flinched and thought about moving his hand away but he could find no other meanings of comfort, he softly petted the man's cheek, signaling he had meant no harm. Seeing the scared look made him nearly shiver to witness it and he stepped closer, soothing Kyuzo's cheek with a light brush of his thumb. He stared at the mask then looked away from it, staring back into Kyuzo's red eye with concerned black eyes. He wondered if there was anything he could for the pain but surely with the mask melded like that, it would probably hurt as much as to remove it then when it had been put on.
"Kyuzo, what happened?"
This was rather a rhetorical question. In all honesty, Mori would rather not hear what would come of it but to try and lift the burden from the man's chest, he would need some clue as to what had happened. Kyuzo was so innocent even if he believed himself not to be. No one like his friend should have been hurt and damaged physically as well as emotionally like this.

Kyuzo's expression became a pained one but it was trying its best to not look like one, feeling the touches and everything that he had gotten from Mori made his heart ache so much. His only eye that was visable became a hazed look as he looked to Mori and he tried to resist the urge to flinch again and actually he tried to lean into Mori wanting so much comfort from him. Kyuzo was so close to crying and actually he was just faintly crying he just couldn't feel it, he felt so numb at that moment as he had spoke. "The humans told me that they had my sister alive, They ambushed me soon after and did things to me. That is why I look the way I do." Responding in a trustworthy tone, he couldn't help but feel his voice crack. Kyuzo was in so much pain and he actually wanted Mori to do something about it, that was why he had came.

Mori clenched his teeth hard, hard enough to where in no less than a few minutes passed that his jaw began to hurt. It felt awful that even though he swore to himself that he could do nothing when his friends were in trouble. Th girl's words repeated over and over in his mind and he had to shake his head clear of his thoughts before returning his attention to Kyuzo, frowning at the story.

"Your sister? Is she..."

The black haired neko place his other hand on Kyuzo's cheek and softly patted it, the tips of his fingers barely touching the mask though he tried not to.

"Kyuzo, I'm so sorry."

Kyuzo's expression remained the same as he watched Mori's moves with his only shown eye, his feelings in his chest didn't help but he would have to live with it. Closing his eyes some to Mori's response he couldn't help but look rather pained by the mentioning of his sister. Kyuzo actually fell for a simple lie, he should of known that his sister was dead and was never going to return. Shaking his head making his bangs move lightly, Kyuzo opened his eye some as he tried his best to get rid of these feelings especially the one where his mask was being touched. It felt cold. "I should of known that my sibling was dead. It isn't your fault, it was my fault for falling for such a stupid lie. I just could not control myself. It was a weak moment for me."

Mori frowned at Kyuzo's words. He couldn't help but blame himself but then again, there was nothing he could do about it now so he might as well look forward. He focused on consoling Kyuzo, he noticed something was troubling him and he moved his hands away, sensing that that was the problem and he pointed a finger at Kyuzo, moving on to scolding.

"It was not your fault. You need to stop blaming yourself. You were weak and down when your sister passed away and they just caught you at the wrong moment."

Mori flinched at the thought and he hugged himself, his eyes lowering to the floor.

"I wish I could have been there...To help...To comfort...to do anything..."

Kyuzo made a serious expression. "Oi, you know good and well that I would never want you to go through the things I have. You have been through enough. You lost someone important to you and so I could not of asked you to help even though I actually wished you were there where I was but it was better that you didn't." Lowering his only eye, Kyuzo closed it soon afterwards and rubbed his eye with the back of his sleeve before looking down in a bit of glance toward his chest. Kyuzo then remembered that his bandages on his chest was still on him and he would have to take it off sometime or another since he didn't want Mori to see it. Happening to look back up, Kyuzo frowned some and he touched the top of his head trying to ease his worries.

Mori jumped at the serious tone in Kyuzo's voice and looked up warily as if he were being scolded after catching his hand in the cookie jar. He looked back down, his expression still holding somewhat of a sorrowful look as he hugged himself tighter. The look on his face practically saying what he was thinking.

Still.

There was no more need for all this pointless violence and this strange war that didn't even have anything going on at the moment.

"It dosen't make it right though."

Kyuzo noticed that he jumped and he felt his heart jerk which made him close his eye and he softly placed his umbrella down and after doing that did his hands shake some. After seeing Mori make such a reaction broke his heart way to much, Kyuzo didn't want to cause pain to Mori. Not anymore. "Gomen, I just wanted to think of your saftey." Kyuzo covered his mouth for it looked as if he was about to be sick. Shaking his head, Kyuzo softly reached for a embrace. Smiling weakly, did the 185 year old man want a hug after this time.

Mori stared at the ground, his expression lost and his ears drooping, unsure of what to say. He noticed Kyuzo's hand and how they were shaking and he blinked before regardign Kyuzo curiously. Seeing Kyuzo reach out made him instinctively walk closer and he wrapped his arms around his friend, burying his face in the foreign kimono.
"Kyuzo-kun. Please don't apologize."
He clung tightly onto his friend, having wanting to give him a hug of some sort from the beginning after not seeing him in ages but the way that Kyuzo had held himself made Mori believe that he was almost fragile this way?

Kyuzo returned the hug softly with his eye closed, he felt a little better but his pain in his chest remained. It made the 185 year old feel hopeless, Kyuzo didn't like to be looked on as weak now but he could not help it. Kyuzo seemed to cling to Mori without realizing it as his eye looked downward to the floor as he hugged Mori almost close to him in a desperate manner. That changed when his eye closed, Kyuzo silently sighed to himself but did not think of nothing about it as he remained in the hug for a moment longer. "Arigatou Mori-san."

Mori felt Kyuzo clinging to him, an inner desperate need that needed to be filled as well as his own, the neko sighed in a faint relief as he closed his eyes and buried his face into Kyuzo's shoulder. The black haired teen tried to comfort Kyuzo as best as he could, he smiled and looked up to his old time friend.

"Of course. I'll always be here for you."

Kyuzo narrowed his eyes some at those words, he had said that he would not come to be in a relationship but right now he needed something and well it was a small something and he was going to do it. That way it would ease both Mori and Kyuzo's pain. The 185 year old man wanted to ease the pain in the air as well as the pain which was going on in his heart and his chest. Kyuzo closed his eye and moved his head away from where it was, after doing that did he softly take Mori's chin and placed his own lips upon Mori's. Kyuzo made sure to make the kiss feel light which showed his side of caring. Since it had been broken due to the humans, Kyuzo wanted to give Mori a little bit of something. Seperating their lips, did Kyuzo say. "Arigatou, Mori-san."

Mori blinked as he felt Kyuzo's hand on his chin and he stared, confused, before feeling the man kiss him. He blinked once again slowly before relaxing. It wasn't the first time Kyuzo had kissed him. Feeling him pull away and thank him again, Mori smiled up to his friend and nodded once, fingering his lips for a moment. He looked to the side distractedly before glancing back to Kyuzo and remembering his manners. He crossed his arms and leaned back casually.
"Ah. Gomen, do you want to come in? Something to drink? I'm sorry about Yoshi, she's terribly shy."

Kyuzo's expression was almost a weak one as he shook his head. "Mori-san, I can not possibly ask you to invite me into your home. Can I just give you another kiss or something else..." The 185 year old male looked down before closing his eye before feeling himself almost choke on some unknown force but this was probably the last thing he does with Mori since well he feared he had put to much on Mori already since he had been through enough already. Kyuzo opened his eye and smiled some, it was better for him to share something with Mori. That way Mori will feel glad about his response which may in turn bring a bit of happiness to Kyuzo for he needed it badly. "You are free to decline my words, or think them as pointless or whatever. I just want to say something to you to make you feel happy and which in turn will keep you happy. I loved you, Mori-san. I feared of telling you it before but since I'm obviously at my weakest point I do not fear what may come to happen." Kyuzo turned himself to actually walk on but he wasn't leaving he just didn't want Mori to see such a pained expression on his face. Kyuzo was really at his limit, though he said he may never go into another relationship he actually wanted to with someone he cared deeply for and had come to know for a long time. Kyuzo trusted Mori and so sharing these feelings wouldn't be that bad or so he had come to think that, it was now all left to Mori to say something.

Mori froze at the look on his friend's face and he was quiet for a bit as he looked to the ground, slightly blushing at the request though he didn't understand why, he felt shy and he wasn't certain about anything anymore. The neko's ears twitched as he heard Kyuzo's confession and he was quieter for even longer, leaning on the doorway as he stared in surprise but not at Kyuzo. He didn't know what he felt anymore. He felt numb and he wasn't sure how to respond. He heard a flicker of clothing and he blinked, noticing that Kyuzo was turning around the the teen's hand immediately shot out and grabbed onto Kyuzo's sleeve, afraid he would leave.
"N-no! Wait! I-I won't decline yo-your words b-but I need..."
Mori didn't quite understand what he needed. He needed Kyuzo. The was mature and wise, even though he claimed it not so. He wasn't sure how to put Kyuzo, stronger than a best friend but also not a brother.
"...I need you. Please don't walk away again."

Kyuzo's eye went wide especially to the words from Mori and slowly he looked back before fully looking to Mori with a kind expression. This expression was something he would never show to anyone, except Mori. "Mori-san should know by now that I will not leave. I was just afraid of what you may come to say since well I am different looking not only that but my manners seem to be a little off as well?" Kyuzo closed his eye and let out a weak sounding chuckle before lowering his head and placing his left hand over his mouth showing how happy he was that Mori needed him. The 185 year old man would of been much worse than this if Mori declined his words.

Mori calmed down at Kyuzo's look and he listened carefully, his ears pricking and lowering slightly in light shame seeing as how he had just automatically assumed his friend was leaving. Giving Kyuzo a small, embarrassed smile, he nodded quietly and lossened his grip on Kyuzo's sleeve but did not entirely let go. His ears twitched again and he stared at Kyuzo curiously listening to his comment and he smiled in a way that said 'well duh' and he lightly shook his head in mock exaustperation.
"Nani? I've been with you for all this time throughout all your little make-up changes and gladly supported you and you Think I would abandon you this time? Neh, you're like a teenager testing his looks by expiermentign with different dyes and wardrobe changes."
He lightly scolded and yet it held a teasing behind his tone, feeling a little lifted now that he could tell that Kyuzo was feeling better.

Kyuzo looked to Mori and he smiled a little bit before closing his eye and nodding, that was all that he can do for now. "I know. For all that you have done for me, I am grateful to have you by my side. I am even more glad that you accepted my words." Kyuzo seemed to look down silently as the smile remained though it was a small one. Looking to the door did he frown some before looking to Mori again. "I haven't slept all that well, if you really want me to come into your apartment then well I will accept your offer." The 185 year old actually felt like he was still bothering Mori, and though he had declined the offer from before. Kyuzo felt that it was a good idea that he had done that since the girl from earlier seemed to not want to hear anything that he would of said. Shifting his eye nervously did it look like he was having a hard time trying to think of what he could do to make the situation less tense.

Mori blinked and smiled softly, chuckling at what Kyuzo said and nodding like he did though a bit more shyly.His slick black ears twitched and perked on his ears as he listened to Kyuzo and noticed that the man had come to frown and he stared at him, worried again for a moment before he smiled and slipped his hand into Kyuzo's.
"If you're tired, you can rest? Maybe you'll find sleep easier with someone your more comfortable around. The girls are probably awake and will be wanting to play so if you're uncertain around other people, I can send them to their rooms to play? I know they won't mind."
Mori tugged lightly on Kyuzo's hand as if experimenting then proceeded with pulling his friend into the house, being patient and slow in case he felt even a slightest bit of hesitance from the Eternal.

Kyuzo silently gasped to the touch from Mori but tried his best to calm himself, each touch he feels makes him scared and actually he didn't want to feel that way. Shivering softly did he close his eye some before following Mori. Kyuzo made sure to also take his umbrella with him and as they made it into the door did he place it in the holder for umbrella's and canes and such. "Mori-san, would you uh sleep with me? It may help me to sleep some." Kyuzo smiled a weak smile toward his friend, or actually the only one closest to him. Mori had been there for him so many times, and right now Kyuzo wanted Mori to take this abuse away that the humans had done on him. Admitting to his weakness, Kyuzo was fragile but only to Mori. Confessing to Mori was one step for him and now the next step was coming especially when he said to Mori almost desperately. "I also want you to only look at me tonight. Could you offer me this, Mori-san?" Kyuzo's body shivered, and his chest ached and he so desperately wanted it to stop. The only way would it come to stop is if Mori loved him, Kyuzo wanted to get use to being touched for his fear of being touched was just well stupid.

Mori blinked as he noticed Kyuzo shiver but he didn't say anything.. He didn't want to bring attention to in case his friend didn't really like talking about himself and he closed the door after them, glancing over to the girls, surprised but also in a way not really surprised that they had fallen asleep on the couch. While Spongebob played uncermoniously on the tv behind them, Mori glanced to Kyuzo, hearing what he requested and he came to grow a little at ease but also somehow a little nervous but he gave a silent nod, and looked down the hall to his bedroom. Couches were taken and his bed was probably the only thing that Kyuzo would be able to sleep on anyway. He lead the way down the hall, staring at the ground and he looked over his shoulder at Kyuzo and blinked in confusion before tilting his head at the way it sounded. He wasn't sure. But he also didn't want to make Kyuzo think that he was going to deny being with him at night when he fell asleep. Mori smiled to his friend and nodded. He thought it was just sleeping with his friend tonight, he wasn't quite sure if he meant it to be anything more so instead he just agreed then continued to lead his friend to his room.

Mori walked up to the door and unlocked it, opening it and walking inside, looking around curiously before he set his shoes down, seeing as how he still held his shoes in his free hands. he left them at the entry way and walked inside, his tail twitching as he observed inside, sighing just a little. Inhaling deeply before letting out a content sigh, happy that he was home and he observed a second time to make sure that it was not dirty or too bad in shape.
His ears flicked in approval and he turned to smile at his friend. "Home sweet home~."

Walking in after Mori did he come to smirk lightly at him, seeing Mori like this always brought a smile over his face. Though, it was only a smirk on his face now it pretty much meant that it was a smile. A pretty small smile which would probably get bigger, looking around randomly did he glance to Mori and chuckle softly. Kyuzo then decided to take a seat on the couch and sighed with his head back. "I have missed this aura.". Kyuzo was of course saying this only due to the fact that Mori was here with him and that they were within Mori's apartment. Kyuzo closed his eyes as he now smiled taking it all in ever so silently. It has been a long time since Kyuzo has been in Mori's room, and he had to admit he had missed it some what.

Mori walked in after Kyuzo into the living room and looked around, the scents of the usual apartment overwhelming him and essentially calming him as he walked behind the couch and leaned on the back, his arms folded and resting on the back. "Hm~. Yeah, it's been too long." He flicked his tail and laid his head down on his arms as his ears slumped a little just from being a tad bit tired.

Kyuzo's eyes lightly opened and he looked to Mori silently, a look of yearning came over his features but that went away when he smirked. "Watashi wa, anata o aishite imasu, Mori-kun [I love you, Mori-kun]". After saying this did he close his eyes, his book from before was laying in his lap now and his head still remained back on the couch. Kyuzo was tired and it was all thanks to his hard working and planning. Not to mention, the book on his lap can take a lot out of a person if one wasn't ready to take it on. Kyuzo had been reading that book for a while and since he had read it on and off today. It was only natural that he was sort of tired now, but he doubted he could be as tired as Mori right at this very moment.

Mori blinked his eyes open at the words spoken, quietly translating as he glanced to Kyuzo out of the corner of his eyes, buring his face into his arms, trying to hold back the flush of color that nearly flooded his face and he stood behind Kyuzo, nuzzling his face into the crook of the man's neck, his ears laid back against his head and he let out a soft sigh through his nose. The familiar scent, this scent most of all was what brought him a bit more peace that his apartment would have given him. "Hm...Kyuzo-kun..." He murmured through still lips as he closed his eyes again.