#ssp!au

The morning Isagi came back, you learned from his explanation that he was held up by a group of friends. His words tumbled out the only way they knew, telling you how, because of his friends, he had missed his subway, and then, along his run here, an old man had needed help with his car. He would have contacted you, but his phone had run out of battery. All of his ramblings in quick succession relieved you to no end, but you were so shaken, none of your words came out right in response, and it wasn’t until Isagi took your hand in his and asked if you were okay that you realized you were shaking.

“I thought you quit because of what I…” you were able to say once his warmth reached your fingers. “Because of what I said to you. You looked hurt. I’m sorry—”

While his distance felt intentional despite your connected hands, he had quickly placated you. “Ms. Sato, don’t worry. I’m okay, really.”

You hated this smile of his, though. It was so obviously fake.

“I don’t know what came over me, either. If this was a mistake, I’ll accept that responsibility. I’m okay with it.”

His kindness drowned you. The way someone years younger than you was handling your tumultuous decisions better, extending kindness where there should’ve been seething, hurts you worse. What’s more, it’s as if he were implying that it was okay to get closer to him. As if you could continue to flounder, and he would let you, no matter what that did to him. And he didn’t look down on you for it.

All of this makes it too difficult for you not to reach for him again, like experiencing a high from a drug and knowing it won’t be the last. Still, reaching out implies taking account of your actions, and that dividing line is much too thin for you to bear. You just can’t. So you continue this way, going in circles, wanting to get away but not getting anywhere.

Isagi steps in with a large box in his arms. “All of your packages just came in, Ms. Sato. I’ll bring them back here.”

You watch him, leaning back against the wide oak table against the wall. “Thank you. Jay didn’t come in?” The notion is odd to you.

“He said his schedule was packed, so he couldn’t drop in to chat,” Isagi says with a shrug as he sets out to grab the rest of the boxes.

Jay doesn’t usually pass up the opportunity to open his mouth, especially around here, but you assume he must really be busy for him to drop off the packages for Isagi to haul in. It is a good haul this time. Your eyes scan the boxes, which are beginning to fill up the floor. With a sigh, you start to unpack them onto the table.

“It’s a bit slow out there. Do you want any help?”

Not a bad idea, considering the volume of boxes. “Sure. Here, if you could sort through the new tools and foams, that’ll be a big help. Oh—” Noticing the sweat dripping down his neck, you change course. “Grab a water first. Thank you for bringing all of these in.”

That makes Isagi smile and dismiss the concern. “I’ll be alright, Ms. Sato. Thanks, though.” He crouches beside you before the box of supplies and pops the tape.

You hold down the urge to sigh again; he’s been saying that a lot lately. He’s obviously hot, but it’s like he was raised in an oven with the way he reacts to working up a sweat. He’s used to it, he’ll say. You know you get cold easily, but that’s no excuse for others to overheat.

Thoughts wander as you go about unloading the vases onto the table.

Isagi rummages through his box as well, sifting through the levels of scissors and shears and wondering how anyone thought packing these together with the vase foams made any sense. He guesses this is why you want him to check on them. So he does…until he doesn’t.

He really does try to do a good job and follow what you say—but there’s—

There’s a gold chain around your ankle, and it catches his attention. A single charm of a tulip dangles on the side of the bone. A tulip. His eyes widen.

His hand reaches out before he can even think—

“Oh—” The touch doesn’t make you jump, but you look down at Isagi spacing out with his finger pressing the cool metal against your skin. “…Isagi?” You blink a bit in realization.

Oh.

Oh no.

Since the anklet is worn so close to the floor, you assumed it would go unnoticed. Not that it’s a secret that you had bought it not long after your first kiss with Isagi and the surprising comparison he made of you. It’s just a bit embarrassing to admit how much it meant to you. You don’t move, hoping that the delicate charm didn’t unbury those memories for him.

A couple of seconds pass before Isagi comes back to himself and sees what he’s doing. His head flies up, and his face blushes red with embarrassment. “I’m really sorry! I don’t know what I…what… It’s…a beautiful chain, Ms. Sato… I’m sorry.”

You crouch down with him.

After everything, he confuses you like this. He may be a masochist, because you really thought you had hurt him before, what with his distance, so why come to you again? Maybe there’s a bolder person underneath this layer of shyness, or maybe he is actually okay with this. Maybe you shouldn’t have bought this anklet.

Under your gaze, you watch as his blush reaches his ears. “Isagi,” you say softly.

“Yes?”

“What exactly do you want me to do?” It would be better to hear it from his own mouth.

Isagi’s eyes flutter in confusion. “Huh?”

You hug your knees and shrug. “I’d like to know on the chance I make another mistake.”

His throat bobs as he swallows thickly. “Oh,” he says. “I mean, mistakes happen… And I wouldn’t be mad at you for making them…”

It’s almost like a spider setting up shop between two roses. Your heart thumps harder in your chest. Isagi has no idea what it means to extend too much kindness. What would happen if you decided to take more?

“Honestly…” His eyes flit to yours before dropping to your ankle. “A flower should bloom however it wants…” He slips his fingers under your anklet. “You could do anything, Ms. Sato.”

Isagi has no clue how you’ll test his limits if given the permission.

You poke his shoulder and push enough for him to plop onto his rump.

“Ah—” He looks at you in surprise before laughter bubbles out of you both.

“Even this?”

“Yeah, that’s fine too—” He’s taken off guard when you then lean in and kiss the corner of his mouth. His eyes shimmer.

“And this?”

The contact leaves tingling in its wake, and he touches where your lips were. “Yeah… Of course, that’s okay, even if you did it again, and again…”

You can’t help but feel endeared by him in such a state, this young man, completely capable of asserting himself, submitting on his backside. “Is that your answer for everything?”

He chuckles. “Most likely.”

This is how you wish you appeared to others whenever you couldn’t bring yourself to say no. If you were only as endearing as he is. You find yourself in his space next, his face cradled in your hands, and your mouth on his.

------------------------------

A/N:

So who believes Jay was actually busy... haha. Originally I was gonna have him text y'all later on asking if you knew Isagi was dropping slurs on him, but I decided to keep that out. Just know Isagi had some words with him aklsjdklajsd

These two are idiot for idiot, your honor. That damn anklet. The tulip is blooming alright. She's so baaaaad.

And Happy New Year, everyone!!! Thank you for reading Blue Hour up to now. It really means a lot!!

Key: Sketch, Art, Drabble, Writing, Lore Relevant Asks

[Links in (mostly) Chronological Order]

REFERENCES

[Part One] ✦ Seven + ✦ The Incarnation and their Sponsor [Part Two] ✦ Kim Dokja Ver. 1 ✦ Secretive Plotter ✦ The Kkomas ✦ ???

PART ONE

✦ Kim Dokja Can't Sleep ✦ Necklace ✦ The Fate That Defines ■■ ✦ "One" of the Gourmet Association ✦ "One" ✦ 【■■■】 ✦ Deviate - End of Part One ✦ End of Part One: Bonus!

PART TWO

✦ Sponsor and Incarnation ✦✦ AWOL ✦ [A huge fate is hoping for ■■■■■■.]  ✦✦ Defiers of Fate, I ✦✦ Defiers of Fate, II ✦ Interlude ✦ KDJ GIF ✦✦ The Blur Between the Lines, I ✦✦ The Blur Between the Lines, II

PART THREE

✦ ???

FEATURED ASKS

✦ Peace Land and Eight ✦ Incarnation Shin Yoosung ✦ KimCom and the Kkomas ✦ 【■■■】 - SP's reaction ✦ Uriel's OTP? ✦ The Identity of the Kkomas ✦ YJH's thoughts on SP? ✦ SSP!AU for Ao3?

FANART ‼️