A Good Man

"Sakunosuke, you're a good man."

That's it, that's what led to this. Oda couldn't believe the weight of those words upon his heart. Damn you, Kakuzo. He did not want to think harder on himself and his actions as he already did.

He was a killer, was. How he was trying to atone for all that now, sworn to a life where he would take no more.

It didn't change how he saw himself, still.

Did he say that to make him feel better? Did Kakuzo speak out of pity? Were his words sincere?

His thoughts were interrupted by a soft arm snaking around his bare chest. He made a disgruntled noise at the interruption. Soon enough, Kakuzo lifted himself up to prop himself over Oda's chest, eyes sleepily gazing. "Trouble sleeping?" His voice was soft and delicate, almost soothing. Oda looked Kakuzo in the eye, blinking twice before deeply sighing. "Yeah." He muttered out. Kakuzo smiled and laid his head down from his previous position. "Tell me about it."

Oda wrapped his arms around Kakuzo's thin waist, the warmth of their bodies mingling. The other man adjusted himself into a more comfortable position, laying his head down once more and looking up at Oda with expectant eyes. "Do you really think I'm a good man, Kakuzo?" His words were heavy, a little overtaken with an expectation he wasn't so sure would come out of this. Kakuzo gave a small 'hmm' and hoisted himself up to his elbows, the blanket sliding down his shoulders to reveal his milky skin marred with bruises and love bites. He stared Oda dead in the eye, as if expecting that Oda already knew the answer. When nothing was said between the two, Kakuzo started.

"I believe goodness is a conscious effort, Saku." He said. "I don't know, it just feels that way. Maybe we're just too used to being around men without morals that we see ourselves better than them from a moral standpoint." His slender fingers tapping away at Oda's chest, which heaved heavily. He said nothing, seemingly formulating a response. Kakuzo took this cue to continue. "You make a conscious effort to be a good man in a place where men are not. Needless to say, I think it's comforting to have that here." Oda brought his hands to the small of Kakuzo's back and held him close, the thinner man resting his chin on his hands, leaning into Oda's embrace. "Thanks." That was all he could muster.

Kakuzo let out a soft giggle, leaning into kiss Oda's jawline. "Don't think too hard on it, Saku." He spoke lightly. "You also know it, but you're denying it because God knows what. The kids think so, I think so, I'm sure Ango thinks so, too." Then he paused, gauging how much Oda was listening to him. Oda's eyes were fixed on him, knowing he wasn't done.

"Even Dazai thinks s—"

"Alright, I get it, that's enough Kaku." Oda cut abruptly.

A quick shift in position, and Kakuzo was thrown off back onto the mattress beside Oda, who brought his arms around Kakuzo. There was a small smile on his face, one of relief. Kakuzo couldn't help but giggle, bringing a hand to caress at Oda's stubble. "Who knew you'd be asking for this kind of validation." The older man sighed and rested his face in Kakuzo's pink hair. "Sometimes I just need a reminder."

Kakuzo wriggled slightly, just enough to roll over and face Oda, who looked more relaxed than he was earlier. It brought a smile to Kakuzo's face, and he brought his lips to the older man's forehead. "Now can you sleep?" Oda let out a small chuckle and brushed some pink strands off his lover's face. "Yeah."