[ Beautiful? He blinks at that, somewhat inexplicably dumbfounded for a moment even as he colors lightly. That's -- not something he's used to hearing being used to describe himself. He stares as Shouto turns his head to brush an absent kiss against his fingers that leaves them tingling, and his expression just becomes so gentle and transparent when he feels his thumb rub the lightly sore spot on his throat. So caught his breath stills.
--it's strange, you know? His whole life he's throttled what he feels back so hard to keep it off his face and put something else there instead. Neutrality when his rage and disgust would have gotten him beaten. A smile when he actually wanted to cry. A pleasant demeanor and white lies to make everyone believe he was okay when he was anything but. And he can't do that with Shouto, not truly. Not about anything that matters. The idea actually becomes abhorrent. That's the thing that leaves him feeling more naked than anything. And even close to a year later he still can't understand why, except that it has to be because of that one simple thing:
I'm more comfortable being myself around you than I am with myself.
So he swallows, blinking rapidly for a moment like he's fighting back tears, before he ducks his head and... ]
1/2
--it's strange, you know? His whole life he's throttled what he feels back so hard to keep it off his face and put something else there instead. Neutrality when his rage and disgust would have gotten him beaten. A smile when he actually wanted to cry. A pleasant demeanor and white lies to make everyone believe he was okay when he was anything but. And he can't do that with Shouto, not truly. Not about anything that matters. The idea actually becomes abhorrent. That's the thing that leaves him feeling more naked than anything. And even close to a year later he still can't understand why, except that it has to be because of that one simple thing:
I'm more comfortable being myself around you than I am with myself.
So he swallows, blinking rapidly for a moment like he's fighting back tears, before he ducks his head and... ]