Hi Ria! <3 I'm sending you a few flower prompts to do with as you wish. (And if you get no ideas from them, don't worry about it. <3) So how about: Sorrel, Chamomile, and/or Larkspur. :)
PT! <3 Thank you so much for your prompts!! I've chosen one of them for now, but might come back to the others another time because they are all brilliant!
Larkspur - The first time I made you laugh.
So this is a companion piece to the first chapter of The Call that I simply had to write after our lovely chat about it. <3
I hinted that I would love to add a Shuuichi POV someday and here it is.
Rei is quite drunk in this one which is why he doesn't remember the scene in the fic, but Shuuichi never forgot it.
I hope you enjoy the pining! <3
(find the prompt list here)
“I wanted to see you,” Shuuichi says and feels like he can‘t breathe with Bourbon‘s heat sinking into his body. It‘s not the first time they are this close. There have been other instances, usually during missions when they fight back to back or are forced into close proximity because of the location. But it has never been like this, not something of their own choosing, and certainly not in such a sinful way.
He feels their bond burning between them and the whole truth spills out with it: “To see you dance, see you smile. You never smile at me.”
And he has such a beautiful smile. Shuuichi has witnessed it many times: his confident smirk when he solves a mystery, the cruel grin before he knocks out one of his targets, the soft smile reserved for Scotch. It‘s the last one he loves the most even though he can‘t deny the spark of jealousy every time he spots it.
They are close, Bourbon and Scotch, and he has heard the rumors about them, has seen with his own eyes how affectionate they treat each other when they think that nobody is watching. But Shuuichi has been watching. How could he not when this man is the other part of his soul, the one he is irrevocable in love with?
He doesn‘t hesitate to pull him closer, to confess his feelings and beg him to finally open up to him, to let them become one. It should probably matter more that he‘s a criminal and part of the organization Shuuichi has sworn to destroy but he decided months ago that he doesn‘t care. Bourbon is excellent in feigning cruelty, but he‘s not evil. Surely he must have his reasons to be here. Maybe the organization has something on him; they could be threatening him with Scotch or Bourbon simply round up with the wrong people.
Shuuichi can help him, he only has to convince him that he can trust him first. And what better way to prove this than a full fledged bond?
But he‘s clearly too forward tonight. Bourbon rejects him once again, and he is right to do so. Shuuichi shouldn‘t do this in a club with both of them drunk. His soulmate deserves better from him. Their world is manipulative and cruel enough. Shuuichi should treat him with care.
He will do so from now on until Bourbon understands that he is safe with him.
It also means that he has to let him go for now, as much as it pains him.
But he doesn‘t leave. He stays seated on his lap and stares at him with these beautiful blue eyes of his, even though Shuuichi is no longer holding him there. Shuuichi stays still, waiting for whatever Bourbon wants from him, and then-
“You said you wanted to see me dance. Watch me then.”
There is none of the agony he anticipated when Bourbon parts from him, not while their bond is still wide open between them. He follows the way of his body with his eyes, to the crowd where he is quickly drawn into another dance. It‘s not surprising that several people reach for him. He looks beautiful like this, somehow younger, free. Shuuichi wants this freedom for him, longs to see him happy every day of their lives.
He feels no jealousy here. These people, they don‘t matter to them. They are just nameless bodies Bourbon uses to taunt him. It is just another performance, but this time it is all for him. How can he not enjoy it?
They spend hours like this, Shuuichi on his seat and Bourbon on the dance floor. He watches as he laughs with strangers, how their hands wander all over him and how he moves against them as if he really wants them. He doesn‘t let them kiss him, though, as if he knows that this is the one thing Shuuichi wouldn‘t be able to endure to watch.
Maybe he does. This bond goes both ways after all. Their growing bond, he has to remind himself. They are not bonded yet, no matter how much Shuuichi already considers them to be.
He wonders if he will ever look at him like he looks at Scotch.
It‘s nearing closing hours when Bourbon tires. It‘s only natural, he has been dancing for hours, drinking several shots in between. If he hasn‘t been drunk before, he is now. His suitors notice it as well. They get bolder in their advances. Two of them start to kiss his neck, while their hands wander down his body, aiming for-
Shuuichi rises when they ignore his tired protest.
“He said no,” he says and grabs one of the hands trailing Bourbon‘s body. Irritated faces become fearful when they see his expression. He makes sure that they are gone before he turns to his soulmate. Who instantly falls against him.
“Bourbon?” he asks and tries to ignore how his heart seems to stop for a moment. He feels him breathe against his shoulder and there are slight tremors running through his body. Has this shaken him so much?
Cold, calculating anger fills him. He should have taught these people a lesson instead of letting them off so quickly. How dare they treat him like this?
He wraps a possessive arm around his waist. “Time to go.”
It doesn‘t take long to get them out of the club. Most people make way as soon as they see his face and the others are smart enough to follow suit. Shuuichi sighs in relief when they leave the loud music and the crowd behind. He doesn‘t care for nightclubs, usually he only sets foot in them for his job. But his need to be close to Bourbon has been stronger than his discomfort and isn‘t this the best reward? He‘s still leaning against him and allows him to lead him wherever he pleases. It‘s probably the drunkenness, but Shuuichi wants to pretend that he trusts him to get him home.
He leads him to his car, or rather Rye‘s car, a black, discreet thing he would have never chosen for himself. But it‘s fast enough and gets the job done. He opens the door for Bourbon and helps him on the passenger seat. It shows how far gone he must be in the moment, he would never let him manhandle him like this otherwise. It‘s both worrying and endearing.
Bourbon slaps his hand when Shuuichi reaches for the safety belt. “I can do that myself. I‘m not a child.”
“Of course,” he humors him. He still makes sure that he‘s safely buckled up before he starts driving.
It‘s late, but this part of the city never sleeps. He sees several groups of people wandering from one party to the next, hostess girls dressed up in maid costumes and flashing billboards advertising the latest media and products. It‘s a loud, colorful world, one his soulmate loves to frequent. Shuuichi wouldn‘t mind a quiet place from time to time. Maybe they could travel to countryside once this is over. Assuming they are both alive then.
They stop at a traffic light when Shuuichi notices Bourbon staring at him. “What is it?”
Bourbon reaches out his hand and grabs a strain of his hair. Shuuichi blushes. It‘s just a small gesture, more playful than anything, but it‘s the first time he touches him just for the sake of touching and it makes his heart race. “How long have you been following me? Tonight is not the first time, is it?”
The truth is that he always follows him whenever he can afford it. He can‘t help himself and why should he? They are soulmates. It‘s only natural that he wants to be close to him. But what if he doesn‘t feel the same? “Does it bother you?”
Bourbon laughs. It‘s a mirthless, hollow sound, but a laugh nonetheless. He‘s never made him laugh before.
“It really should. Most stalking cases end in violence after all.” But he smiles when he adds: “I guess it‘s alright if it‘s you.”
Shuuichi stares, mesmerized. This is a smile he hasn‘t seen before: small and fragile. A striking difference from the Bourbon he has come to know. That man never shows any weaknesses. He is strong and as sly as a fox, the one ally he has come to rely on the most because he knows that he will always keep up with him, if he‘s not already several steps ahead of him.
This is a new side of him and isn‘t this just what he wanted? “I want to meet every side of you,” he told him only hours ago. Now he gets to see one and it‘s more vulnerable than he could have imagined. It stirs hope where there has only been rejection before. Bourbon‘s words might bite, but his actions betray him. He wants to reach out to him as well. Maybe he just doesn‘t know how. But that‘s alright. Shuuichi will be patient. This is already more than he expected after all. He only has to prove to him that he deserves his trust.
Bourbon‘s fingers are playing with his hair now, but his blue eyes are still locked on Shuuichi‘s face. “You should keep driving, Rye. The lights have switched ages ago.”
Shuuichi‘s head snaps around in time to see the lights switch from green to red again. This time Bourbon‘s laugh sounds more honest. “Who would have thought? You can actually get distracted.”
“Only by you.” It‘s another confession. Those come far too easy today and Bourbon notices it as well, of course.
“I think I‘ve never heard you speak as much as tonight.”
“Do you mind?”
“Why do you always think I mind? No scratch that. I always complain about you.”
The lights switch to green and Shuuichi starts driving again. “You do. I don‘t mind. It means you‘re thinking about me.”
“Now you‘re flirting again. I don‘t mind,” he adds before Shuuichi can speak up again. “I like you like this. You don‘t feel as far away from me.”
It must be the alcohol speaking. Bourbon would never talk to him like this if he was sober. It doesn‘t mean he can‘t feel happy about his words. “Then I‘ll try to talk more to you from now on.”
“Good.” Seemingly satisfied Bourbon leans back in his seat and closes his eyes. He still doesn‘t let go of Shuuichi‘s hair. This, too, is new. He likes it too much to comment on it.
They spend the rest of the way in comfortable silence. It‘s peaceful in a way nobody‘s company ever is. This is what he longs for, he decides, for both of them to exist in the same space. And kissing maybe. He would really like to kiss him someday.
“We‘re here,” he says as he pulls in a parking spot next to Bourbon‘s home. The lights of his apartment are on, so Scotch is probably still up. Waiting for Bourbon. Shuuichi ignores the sting of jealousy when the other stirs.
“Oh,” he says. It‘s probably wishful thinking that he hears disappointment in his voice. “Thanks for the ride.”
Shuuichi smiles at him. “Any time. Good night, Bourbon.”
“Good night.”
He waits until he‘s sure that he‘s inside before he pulls off and heads for his own apartment. Today he has to leave him, but this night has filled him with hope. One day, Bourbon might want to stay by his side instead of another‘s and if that day ever comes-
He will never let him go.
