Fanfiction!

[unwritten-icons.livejournal.com]

Whoo. Two posts in a row! XD Don't know what spurred this exactly..but when re-watching some scenes between Nami and Kenshin, I do have to wonder.

Title:  Peace
Author: Unwritten_icons (Or Anithene..eh, I go by whichever.)
Rating: K
Pairing: Uesugi and Nami
Genre: Fluff/general
Warnings: None
Synopsis:  Beneath his devout talk and fierce persona there was only this, a person who surfaced when the sight of blood and carnage had simply become too much. Nami and Uesugi share a quiet moment after a battle.

There was something red smeared across his lips.

 

Nami felt compelled to brush it off, but her fingers twitched back into her palm and beneath her uchikake. The stench was awful – a pore clogging, musky blanket of sweat, filth and rotting flesh. She was thankful that her Lord wasn’t able to see her flinch, as her head was bowed low and almost to the tatami.. “Is there anything I can do for you, Lord?” She asked serenely, hoping that he didn’t sense the wavering in her voice that would surely give her inner revulsion away. There was a moment of silence dappled only by late bird calls and flames dancing in the floor lamp beside her. Goosebumps began a swift trail down her back, rippling along her arms and setting color to her otherwise pale skin. Nami shook the feeling away, although familiar, it was no less comfortable. She was cautious to admit that Uesugi had always evoked it from her, with just a movement of his hand or the sound of his voice. She was hesitant only because he abstained himself from the company of women and men. And acknowledging she had such feelings for him would be dishonorable.

 

His sigh was long, tired, utterly spent. “Water to wash the blood away, and a comb.” Nodding, the woman was instantly up and out of the room to retrieve the items. When she came back, the sight she found could only be described as surprising..and a touch of endearing. Only Nami had witnessed Uesugi’s transformation from a confident dragon to an ordinary man. With his back against the wall, head bent in twisted ribbons of hair, Uesugi looked less like a Lord and more like a man tired of war and blood than ever before. His armor was already removed, leaving him in a spare black suikan draping lifelessly against his lupine figure. There was no denying that she treasured such moments that no one else had ever seen. Beneath his devout talk and fierce persona there was only this, a person who surfaced when the sight of blood and carnage had simply become too much.

 

It was only after he lifted his head did Nami realize she had been staring. “My apologies, Lord,” she admonished herself, carefully kneeling before him and offering the bucket of water, setting the cedar comb at its side. From this proximity the smell clouding around his form was strong, the vivid smudges of copper along his face the first thing her eyes took in; Then it was his expression, struggling to settle between truly weary and faintly glistening joy. Nami watched demurely as he reached for the cloth in the bucket before his hand recoiled, a hiss slipping between his teeth. She blinked up at him and moved in closer, hands already hovering above his arm. He either didn’t notice or was too occupied with his pain to care. “I..tore a ligament in my shoulder not very long ago. I’m sorry.” His hand twitched away from the cloth to rest in his lap, sleek eyes averted and full mouth in a tight frown. Men and their pride, the woman thought, wordlessly lifting the wet cloth, What would our nation do without it.

 

“May I?”

 

There was a strange light in his eyes as he nodded. She dismissed it as firelight and gingerly began patting the cloth along the edge of his mouth. Why he didn’t use his other hand, she didn’t question, not allowing such a rare opportunity to pass her by, content with this simple act of helping him. Was she the first woman to ever touch him? Her skin made no contact with his, but even still, there was warmth there that no touch could replace. She ran the cloth along his elegant face like one would with porcelain, carefully dragging it across his brow, beneath his cheek, rubbing away more than dried blood as she did so. Neither spoke – words would only botch the moment – one content with cleaning, and the other, with accepting. She had enough of his heart to break him. She knew it. He knew it. These seemingly insignificant moments had created a strange, yet nonetheless intoxicating bond that neither were wont to sever. On some evenings he would talk to her of war, when his blood was hot and the dragon could no longer be quelled with sutras. Yet on others, he would confess to her his frustration with the world with an air of tranquility, and she would listen with the patience only a good friend had.

 

At one time, lovers would have been an incorrect description. Now, she was beginning to have doubts. As she slowly knelt behind him, loosening the magenta cord from his hair, letting the tangles fall between her fingers, she knew there was something deeper. It was almost a tangible synesthesia of heartbeats, mingling with the soft shadows on the wall and the rustle of silk. Soon that smell of death had lifted with each stroke of her hand, the cedar fragrance titillating into the air in its wake. For his sake, she pretended not to notice the low growl which vibrated up his chest, and for hers, he ignored the flash of wrist she exposed as she set the comb down. Uesugi noted with a rare smile that she wore a bright yellow uchikake over a subtle blue kimono, tied near her waist with a pink obi. “Thank you,” he breathed, securing his hair once more with the cord, laughing quietly in the gloom.

 

“Such a bright kimono for such a cloudy day, don’t you think, Nami?”

 

Once more, she was before him with her head tilted as if nothing was amiss. “Yes, Lord. If nothing else, I can cheer you and your men with bright colors even if the day is not so joyous. Forgive me for my uselessness,” She made a move as if to bow, pausing when he lifted his hand and flickered his fingers upward. Large black eyes rose from the floor, questioning, soft mouth parted just so in anticipation. If asked about it later, Nami would have been the first to deny that his hand had come dangerously close to her face, more to save him the embarrassment than herself. The next thing she would reject was that his smile seemed sad as he pulled it away. “Weak and revolting as humans are, Nami, I believe everyone has his or her own use in this world. Mine is to protect Echigo. Yours, perhaps, is simply keeping me company and to scold me when I become too arrogant.” Their coupled laughter fell easily into the air, stopping after a moment only to catch their breaths.

 

“Yes, Lord. I will keep that in mind.” She wiped a stray bit of hair from her face and tipped her head politely. Uesugi closed his eyes for a moment, breathing deeply, a different light about his face than previously, posture relaxed yet not fatigued. “I hope my allies have someone like you to return to, Nami, their arrival would surely be unhappy otherwise. But, I believe you should go now, as I have praying to do for the next battle. Please be sure to clean the rag before you put the bucket away. No one likes the sight of blood.” He tried his hardest to switch back into his usual tone, even yet not overly demanding his requests. Nami bowed, gathered the utensils, and closed the door behind her.

 

She watched his shadow through the shoji for a moment, grinning softly as she recalled him reaching for her with his injured hand, and left to do his bidding.

Comments

[karadin.livejournal.com]

This is very well written, thank you for posting! I really enjoyed the character of Nami, and I fell in love with her when she took a spear to Kansuke and made him recite the sutras!

I write historic fiction as well, would you care for any critque on this?

[smilingcrescent.livejournal.com]

head bent in twisted ribbons of hair, <-- I really liked that image...all of your images of hair, actually, were quite nice. It's easy to imagine, and so tempting (coupled with Gackt's face...) to seek out a picture, or a shrine. ^^ hah, yes, it is nice imagery.

It's a sweet story.

[littleflapper.livejournal.com]

Beautiful fic :) thanks

[cyanidedreams61.livejournal.com]

This is a really wonderful fic, I enjoyed it very much! Thanks for posting!

Com is now MEMBERS ONLY

[karadin.livejournal.com]

please come back and lock this post, gomen

[gackt29.livejournal.com]

It's beautiful... Good job! :D