Once A Tale (MXM, BXB)

The Tale of Yamata no Orochi: Bonus Short

It was always difficult to anticipate what would be waiting in a village for them. Orochi's appearance was unnerving enough even when he was bundled up: a hood over his hair and his snakes, long sleeves to completely cover up the patches of scales that adorned his skin. People could be nervous around him, people could avoid him altogether or they might call others who would grill Orochi on who he was and what his purpose was in their village, so unusual was he.

That had happened more than once, with Rikimaru always there to swoop in and save the day. Now, Rikimaru was another thing all on his own. His sharp features and intense gaze often cowed people and they were more likely to soften if Jinnosuke was brought up in conversation. He was an old, well-travelled enough man, and their sake was well-appreciated for miles all around.

Orochi hoped beyond anything this trip would be peaceful.

It was a small town, a town built up higher in the mountains which presented another challenge altogether. He'd gotten used to walking and hiking but found himself very ginger on rocky slopes. Rikimaru kept an eye on him the whole time, though Orochi remained proud and refused to admit he was having trouble. Honestly, he thought, there should be easier ways to climb a mountain than actually have to climb it.

But it was worth it.

"Yessssss," Orochi groaned as he sunk down into the hot springs up to his nose, the snakes in his hair writhing happily in the water. Like most reptiles, he loved the warmth and this was just an exquisite paradise. He would live here, he decided. He'd take over the inn built around the hot springs and he would claim this as an extended part of his home and he would spend all of the cold months here with Rikimaru in the baths.

"I'm glad you like it." Rikimaru lowered in opposite him, a towel held over his crotch as he settled into the water. Orochi eyed it narrowly, thinking that he really had no need to cover up when Orochi had seen it all before and Rikimaru stared back flatly at him as though he had read his mind. "Do you want something to drink?"

They'd served them a few drinks in pitchers to keep in their room, though deterred them from consuming sake in the hot spring.

What Rikimaru offered him was a glass of juice. Specifically, mikan. That's right, he thought he had seen some of the trees lining the path into the tiny town proper.

...it was delicious.

"Do you want to do anything else besides relax in the bath?" Rikimaru asked as he spread his arms over the warm stones behind him. His hair, usually combed back from his forehead, was wilting in the heat and falling slightly over his forehead, his face already reddening from the warmth. His muscular chest was damp and Orochi wanted to keep eyeing him all over but that stupid towel was in the way...

"We hardly need to do anything else," Orochi declared. "We have already reached paradise. We've crossed the Floating Bridge of Heaven and reached the High Plain of Heaven--" He stopped, scowled. "No, actually, forget that. Being in the place where all the gods dwell would be it's own particular kind of hell. I vastly prefer this."

Rikimaru snorted.

"Well, you can stay in here forever I'm sure, but I won't be able to," he said, drawing lines through the water with his fingers.

"Mmmm... no helping it. I shall get out when you do, and then we shall lounge in our room. This is the height of luxury, Rikimaru," Orochi said, lifting up his chin. "I would live like this with you every day."

"If we could afford it." Rikimaru smiled, a small one that softened the severity of his intense face. "Well, next time we should bring Dad. I can't imagine he'll complain about aches and pains once he gets in here and soaks them out for a while."

Orochi pursed his lips. "Your father and us..."

"You've got complaints?"

"We can hardly do anything when Jinnosuke is around," Orochi muttered, flexing his toes and shaking his foot back and forth petulantly in the water. His snakes nodded their heads in agreement, tongues flitting in the air in Rikimaru's direction.

"Is that so? That never seems to deter you."

Orochi fidgeted, deciding to chalk the heat in his face to the spring and not to Rikimaru's flat, knowing look or dry tone of voice.

"We're lovers. You're the lover of the great Yamata no Orochi," he said, affecting as haughty a tone as he could, "therefore it is my duty as your lover to please you. As you have no home of your own, I have no choice but to take my chances where I can."

"Hmmmm."

"I-- I have taken you to the forest sometimes, haven't I? Just the two of us?"

"There are yokai there. It feels like we have an audience all the time." Rikimaru frowned. "It's not great."

"It can't be helped! There is nowhere else unless we travel to a town and stay at an inn..." Orochi flustered and flexed his fingers, squirming under Rikimaru's gaze. He never seemed to get embarrassed, it wasn't fair. Orochi was so much older, wiser, a creature of great experience and yet this human he chose (yes, he chose and definitely knew everything would lead here right from the beginning) hardly reacted to many things. "Therefore, when we travel places I would rather it be the two of us so we can make the most of it."

Rikimaru hummed and shifted, moving closer through the water to Orochi. Orochi watched him with sudden, intent interest, perking up and sitting up straighter.

"It can't happen all the time," Rikimaru said as he settled next to Orochi, stretching his arm over the stones behind him. His calloused fingertips touched gently at Orochi's back, petting the place just below his shoulder. "But. I like it as well. Just the two of us. Without worrying about yokai watching or my dad walking in or all the other weird things that happen whenever we get close to each other."

Orochi brightened and leaned closer. His snakes were already on the move, slithering eagerly over Rikimaru's shoulders and he reached a hand up to his face, clawed fingertips tracing along the line of his jaw. Rikimaru turned into it, leaning into it with his eyes closing, content and accepting and Orochi's heart tightened fit to burst.

Ah, he loved him. It wasn't something that he said often but he thought it very much. With how perceptive Rikimaru was, Orochi was sure that he knew just how much he was loved. Or, Orochi hoped as much.

It embarrassed him a little to say it aloud yet.

But Rikimaru had probably overheated already, Orochi thought as he kissed him, felt too-hot lips against his own. He was used to the dry heat of summer, not the sultry steam and water of the hot spring. Still, Rikimaru didn't bid him stop, only wrapped a hand to the back of his neck and opened his mouth. Orochi snuck his other hand downward until he found cloth fabric, dragged the towel away slowly as though that would keep Rikimaru from noticing. It didn't work, of course. Rikimaru caught that hand with his own, but instead of taking the towel back he intertwined their fingers and squeezed Orochi's hand, surging in closer, licking into his mouth.

He kept it up for an admirable amount of time, for a human. He let Orochi kiss him again and again, move his mouth to his wet, heated skin, but when Orochi was nuzzling into his chest he put his hands on his head and gasped, "Too hot. Let's get out. I seriously feel nauseous."

Orochi pursed his lips. "There's a cuter way of saying that," he complained quietly and Rikimaru rolled his eyes at him.

If there was one downside to hot springs, Orochi decided later, it was that he had to spend almost a full half hour waiting for Rikimaru to cool down. He sprawled bonelessly on the floor, eyes shut against his dizziness while Orochi sat cross-legged next to him and used a fan to attempt to cool his overly hot body.