blue flames gaillard

"No. It’s more like…you’re going to really regret it if you’re not scarce in the next twenty seconds."

It wasn’t intended as a threat—it was more a genuine and friendly (if you could call it that) warning than anything else. There was nobody around but the two of them, and this nagging impulse was seriously…just…

…

"I'm finding it difficult to see how I will regret this in any way, though I am curious as to what you have in store."

King? I haven’t seen you for a while. What are you doing here?

Well, this was…great. It wasn’t enough that he felt like he was burning up on the spot—no, no, that’d be too easy. Obviously he needed to crave the feeling of kissing someone, too, and obviously the first person he saw again would have to be Olivier Gaillard.

Enter Kazuya and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

"Have you really lost that much of your touch, King?"

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

 ”Can’t I make an excuse to see my friend again?”

"..."

That had been it, then? Even now, after their ordeal was over, Aichi still accepted Gaillard as a friend...

He couldn't doubt the genuine warmth radiating from the other boy, nor could he stop a smile of his own from forming on his face.

 ”Eheh… heh… he……”

Well, this wasn't so bad, he supposed... It was a pleasant, simple meal in the best of company. Gaillard stayed silent as he ate for the most part, speaking only to answer Aichi's inquiries or contribute to any conversation that the other may have started.

Though there was something that had been nagging at the back of Gaillard's mind.

 ”You can’t reheat croquettes!” Aichi’s affinity for acting the part of the helpless victim was becoming too much of a norm; if they had been in real danger, it was possible that the other wouldn’t have been able to spot the difference. “They’d get all soggy and lose their crunchiness! And doesn’t hot tomato soup taste better fresh?”

Nevertheless, he may have somewhat played up an overdramatized situation in order to get Gaillard to come visit, but what choice did he have?

"...Aichi-san, if you call me, I'll come. There's no need to cry wolf..."

Just as long as it didn't become a habit... Otherwise, Gaillard wouldn't know what was truth and what was lie. (Regardless, he'd always come running anyway...)

Taking a small spoonful of the aforementioned tomato soup that Aichi had shoved onto his side of the table, he took a small sip. It was piping hot.

 ”I’m so glad you came!”

He was too bewildered to even protest, being dragged in easily into the room and onto the unoccupied cushion, watching with disenchanted eyes as Aichi piled more food onto his plate.

"Aichi-san, what--"

"...Don't tell me... This was your emergency?"

So had he panicked for nothing?

"Aichi-san...?"

Aichi was actually inviting him to stay over for a while? 

"...Is it really alright?"

"I don't want to overstay my visit, Aichi-san. And that Alcor might not take too well to my presence..."

Even though they had ultimately united for a like cause at the end of that whole ordeal... Gaillard could already envision the tension, not only for Alcor, but himself as well. No matter how you looked at it, it was hard to spend easy company in the presence of someone who had nearly killed you.

Yet, with Aichi looking at him so imploringly, how could he say no?

"I..I’m so glad… I’m so…!!" Words couldn’t express his gratitude towards the gods for bringing Gaillard back to him like this.. Apart of him simply wanted to hold tight onto the other and not let go for the longest time.

"But, you… Aichi-san, are you alright?" 

Even now… his concerns were focused elsewhere. So selfless. Just as he remembered… "I-I’m fine… don’t worry, it’s nothing I can’t handle at all, ah—" And then, something else completely unexpected was brought into light. Gaillard-kun… this guy… did he really come all this way for..? "You…" And through the small tears clinging to his long lashes now, Aichi let out a weak chuckle, taking the battery whilst wiping his eyes with the back of a sleeve. This was just too much…

Had he really come to be someone so important to Aichi? It was strange to think about, like the notion was so unattainable for him... Yet here it was. Gaillard didn't know what to make of it, but...

Being valued by someone like Aichi was nice. Having those feelings reciprocated wasn't something he was going to complain about. 

"...? Did you...not want it back, Aichi-san?"

Well. This was unexpected. He hoped that he hadn't unknowingly incurred Aichi's annoyance with this...

"I really don't have any use for it... It's rightfully yours." 

He stepped back, unsure of whether he was overstepping his boundaries or not. "Well, that's all I came for... I'm going now."

The knock had been abrupt—neither he or Alcor had planned for any visitors today—so who could it possibly be, sauntering over to Marigold at this time? Aichi hadn’t the faintest idea. Pushing through to open the door and reveal his guest, the tiny, bandaged grasp on the brass knob fell as he faced this presence, once thought to be long gone. It was funny, how seeing just a face brought upon a welling of nostalgia and relief; the feelings that had numbed themselves over time now so genuine and overflowing again… It was really him in the flesh, wasn’t it? He wasn’t dreaming right?

 ”Gaillard.. kun..” Though Alcor had reassured him from time to time that there had been no body present at the sight of the fire, with a lack of communication and any rebutting sign, a little part of him had begun to fall into a relapse—he even began to take the blame of that possible death himself; after all, he had promised Gaillard the opportunity to live peacefully again and reunite with his family.. And now that was all possible again. 

Aichi was hardly heavy, but the embrace was completely unprecedented, Gaillard stumbling back and just barely managing to catch himself before the force of it knocked him off his feet.

"Aichi-san...?"

Aichi had learned not to be afraid to touch him, but he had still often kept his distance, most likely out of the concern that he would get in the way. He never did, of course, but that he would be so upfront with this affection... Why, Gaillard didn't know how to receive it, holding himself somewhat stiff and unsure as to whether to return the embrace or not.

Had his absence weighed so heavily on Aichi's mind...?

"...I'm sorry for not coming to you sooner. I was...held up," he finally said, quietly. He moved slowly as if to hug him back, though stopped short halfway, his hands settling lightly on Aichi's upper arms. "But, you... Aichi-san, are you alright?" Well, he had to be, right? If he was up and about... 

Ah. He had almost forgotten the reason he had come here.