log; complete

[prettywithawhip.livejournal.com]

when; 14 July, afternoon.
rating; PG-13. Manly love (o mai).
characters; Vincent Valentine (darkeningly), Kigai Yuuto (prettywithawhip)
summary; After a chance encounter, these two meet... is love in the air? Maybe.
log;


He had been rather lucky. How had it been possible that, when he had stepped outside to perhaps fetch more tea, he had bumped into that person he had been seeking? True, it didn't seem like much other than coincidence, but the city was so large, and he hadn't even known how to appropriately search for that man. Only an image was what he had to work off of, really... but he had been lucky that, as he stepped out from a small tea parlour, he had literally run into the guy in question. The invitation for tea in his own apartment to make up for his unusual clumsiness seemed only fitting to offer in recompense.

The entire time he had walked in front of the man in question, he had felt strangely light.

However, now he was at the door of his flat, and he felt just a touch more nervous. He hadn't really cleaned, had he? With as gentlemanly a smile as possible, Yuuto pushed the door open and gestured for the other to enter in. Had he even gotten his name? "I apologise if it's a touch messy," he remarked with a small chuckle. A pillow or two was out of place, one throw in disarray, a few teacups scattered here and there - it looked more lived-in than messy, but still. It felt monumentally important, somehow.



The morning had started with such an odd air. As though a longing had developed, something that had felt like he was nearly forty years younger, fresh for the emotions that he was feeling, experiencing them as joyously as one his age then should have. But then, he'd actually had a focus, someone to feel for. And right now... there was someone he'd laid eyes on, a memory that seemed to be so... vivid and at the same time unnatural. Why was he feeling this way for whoever this was now?

That was soon overcome with a wave of surprise when the person from his memory took life. It suddenly felt as though he was a shy Turk once again, watching the beautiful scientist out of the corner of his eyes, her movements, her gestures, wanting to provide her with anything she wanted...

And before he knew it, he was with this person. He was walking behind them, entering his house... so when he spoke, he stilled, then looked to a side, whispering, "If it were not, it would hardly look as though anyone lived here."


"Ah, but that's the point," he replied casually, slipping off his shoes at the doorway once he was certain that his acquaintance had followed him inside. It would have been terribly rude otherwise, and the last thing he had wanted to do was come off as rude. Especially to this man - and he had no idea why, really. "Had I known I would have a guest, I certainly would have at least dusted..." What he would have had need to dust seemed a mystery. All the same, he certainly didn't think he had made a proper first introduction.

Speaking of proper... "Oh! It must seem so odd that I've invited you over without giving my name!" he suddenly exclaimed, looking to the other with an embarassed smile. He had just been so anxious to get this man to accompany him in private - why, even he didn't know. Suddenly, he gave a polite bow to his company - as low as he could make it without looking utterly silly... those appearances were important, as vain as it all seemed. "Kigai Yuuto," he continued, maintaining a gentle, hospitable sort of voice. And once he rose, he made sure to remove the tan blazer he had worn to hang on the coatrack. "Would you like me to take yours, as well?" he asked, eyeing the cape. Surely that was as warm on him as that blazer had been... but he was still feeling a little warm...


He turned around, surprised by the hospitable nature the man seemed to have. His eyes went down to him removing his shoes, and wondered if he should follow suit, and where he would have hesitated from taking things off at all in front of anyone, he knelt down carefully, snapping the buckles off his shoes and slipping them off. Many often wondered why he wore shoes so odd, and his only reply was that they provided leverage... and that was something that would take a little more than a while to explain.

But that wasn't the case. When he'd set his shoes aside and stepped back barefoot, the man bowed to him, and that in itself made him still in surprise. Bowing wasn't really customary in his world except among Wutaians, so he looked at him before he blinked and the corner of his mouth turned up in a satisfied sort of smile. "It's nice to meet you." he greeted. "I'm Vincent Valentine." almost unhesitantly, he reached up to snap open the clasps of his cape-- for some reason, he didn't want to make the other wait, and sliding it off in a calm gesture, the motion causing a bit of his hair to fly gently, he then folded the material over his arm.

"Please don't mind." There was the gauntlet to worry about, and then turned his crimson gaze onto the hazel-eyed man. "You're already troubling yourself with this invitation."


A gentle smile crept on his face as he felt - no, he didn't just see that deep red stare - those eyes upon him. Did it suddenly get warmer...? "It feels more as though I've troubled you with the invitation, really," he replied, a slight shell-pink colour tinting his face unbeknownst to him. "Just to invite a stranger because I bumped into you - I am still rather sorry about that, really I am." He hadn't really noticed that his speech had sped up a touch - his nerves were starting to get the better of him, and yet he still exercised smooth execution as he slid past the other - Vincent, he had said was his name - and invited him to sit with a gesture. "Please do make yourself comfortable." And once he had conveyed the message, he dodged into the kitchen area with the pretence of making tea. Yes, that had been the idea, right?

"Do you have a preference?" he called to the other as he opened the tea cupboard and scanned over the tin labels. Earl Grey seemed too stuffy, jasmine tea much too refined, orange pekoe much too informal... oh, dear. It seemed a bit of a dilemma - just what sort of tea was appropriate to make for a guest he had plucked right off the streets? Even more, a guest that he had been searching for the entire morning based simply on appearance? Some sort of compulsion had driven him to it... was it perhaps that he seemed familiar?


This was getting even more intense the more he thought, yet why exactly, he had no idea. The way Yuuto looked at him, that flush of excitement he felt every time he felt the other man's eyes on him... it was making him feel like a teenager again and it troubled him in a good way. He was reminding him of the kind of woman he liked, and that in itself was giving Yuuto quite a lot of plus points.

When the other spoke to him, he noticed the blush appearing on his face and wondered how it would feel to have his hand running over that cheek. Surprised at his own thoughts, never having had them for men before, he quickly snapped himself out of it, and took off his glove off his right hand, tucking it into his pocket and beginning to remove his gauntlet, the arm under which would continue to remain gloved and sealed, but as the other called to him, he walked on over to the kitchen and looked at him, unconsciously eyeing that body. The man was fit... attractive. He wouldn't be surprised if he took morning jogs or worked out...

Raising his eyes to his face again, he leaned in the doorway. "I often have something called Assam. My companion Highwind has made me rather fond of the flavor." memories of Cid shoving different sorts of teas at him made him smirk a bit, and he shook his head. "You seem to be tense, Yuuto. I hope I am not making you.. uncomfortable."


Assam. Yes, he did have that in stock, didn't he? Or so Yuuto had thought... His eyes scanned over the tin labels once more - hadn't he organised these somehow? - seeing darjeeling, white tea, rooibos, jasmine.... "Aha~!" he exclaimed as he reached for the appropriate tin. He knew he had it, and with a triumphant sort of grin, he turned around and displayed his victory to Vincent. "You're quite in luck, Vincent. It looks like I have plenty left over." He found himself looking over Vincent's form a little longer than he had intended - the clothes, yes, he was examining the clothes. And just as suddenly as he had turned to face his guest, he turned back, reaching for the kettle to fill with water from the faucet.

He had noticed that subtle gaze that the other had cast upon him, and he knew he was being watched even as he was facing away from that intense stare. The thought made him a touch tense, but Yuuto found it worked to calm him if he pondered on that long dark hair. It seemed to fall perfectly about Vincent, and it didn't look too dirty or overdone. He seemed to visibly relax, and then his focus seemed to come back to him as he turned on the burner and set the kettle down on top of it. "There," he muttered, wiping his hands clean with a small dishcloth that hung neatly on the oven door handle. "It should be ready in a few minutes, I believe." He approached the doorway, looking to the man blocking his way.... then looking to the living room just over his shoulder. "Is there something else you need, Vincent?" he asked politely, blinking a little. Why hadn't he taken a seat yet? And why was he feeling a little warm again? The stove was over on the other end of the kitchen...


Wondering if he really had made the other man uncomfortable, the red-eyed man remained where he was, making sure not to look at him too long though so as to not bring him too much discomfort, though as he did move away , he paused when he noticed Yuuto suddenly in front of him. How long had he been out of it? Shaking his head quickly, looking down at the man, he could see his features much more clearly up close and realized he didn't want to look away.

Almost instinctively, he reached up to touch his hand to the other's shoulder and looked into his eyes. Hazel.. hers were similar, weren't they? And sandy brown hair... a sort of contradiction from the ethnicity he appeared to be. But nothing that seemed off... if anything, it just made him strangely attractive.

"..." words failed him, before he realized he had color in his cheeks and he coughed to himself "I'm... fine." he managed to say, before he tilted his head to a side. "You're... a very attractive person, Yuuto." he couldn't help but say, frank as ever.


He hadn't really felt the hand on his shoulder until he heard Vincent finally make a remark he hadn't thought he would hear. And then it seemed as though the heat emanating from the stovetop permeated the entire kitchen. Attractive... no, he certainly hadn't thought he would hear that from Vincent. And the redness he had seen on the other's cheek merely served as a reminder... he had to remain a courteous, polite host. Smiling gently, he moved from that hand that rested so comfortably on his shoulder, and he seemed to have an excuse when the kettle whistled - had he been standing there that long? "Ah, the water's done, isn't it?" he mused as he wandered back to the stove, busying himself instantly with preparing the tea.

Yes, it was true that he really did like hearing such things like that - it was always nice to be called attractive, after all - but it seemed to make a bigger impact than usual. It had seemed as such since he had remembered this man's face - any small thing that seemed related to him, well, it seemed more important than anything else. He casually, slyly looked over his shoulder to stare from the corner of his eye at Vincent - he was an attractive man, too. When he realised he had looked a touch too long, he quickly turned his attentions back to the tea. Was it two teaspoons or three...?


The looks weren't missed. If anything, they were being a little more than inviting to him, and he didn't hesitate any more, strolling into the kitchen and as the other turned his attention back to the tea, he moved inside and looked around himself, so he could be of some more help and perhaps, a little more satisfying to the man himself. He certainly didn't want to be a burden, though the reason why just made him wonder. Not that he minded, it just seemed so out of the blue.

"Do you need any help?" he decided on asking instead, figuring the other was too shy to really return compliments.


"Help...?" And once more, Yuuto looked back to Vincent, giving a look over his shoulder while he poured water into the teapot he had readied. Now he was closer. Would he have to move away again? The way he thought of it suddenly brought to mind playing hard-to-get. He paused, shaking his head slightly at the idea as it had popped into his mind. Playing hard-to-get implied he had an attraction for- ... well, he did. Thinking a little to himself again, he then set the kettle down and closed the teapot securely.

Playing hard-to-get seemed oddly alluring right now, and he wasn't sure exactly why, other than the man was quite appealing. Flashing a charming smile, he brushed past Vincent once more and headed to the fridge - coincidently, farther from his guest. "Ah, but guests have no need to help the host, do they?" he replied sweetly while tossing a look to the other before opening the fridge door. He had been certain he had left a pie or some sort of tart in there... and it would go dso well with the tea. But, then again, the tea probably tasted better when licked off someone else. Why did that thought pop up, too?


Oh this was growing a little more than interesting. He could see the coy advances, certainly he wasn't blind to this sort of attention. He remembered back in the day, how she would often drop rather subtle feminine hints so as to get his attention, or to just amuse him. He would do the same, perhaps lesser than her, but enough to let her know he had caught on and was offering the same. However, when the other moved away, he couldn't help but be even more amused than he originally was. For one, Yuuto, while acting like a coy woman, certainly wasn't one at all. He was quite masculine, had a bit of his own charm, yet this flirtation... he didn't know why, but it was rather intriguing.

"I don't like sitting idle." he told him calmly, as he stepped a small distance behind him, enough to give him room to move, but staying within touching range... and it felt strange, yet right. What if he... had an accident?


The gentle footfalls were enough to alert him that, yes, Vincent was following him. Though, for the moment, he ignored the sudden gap in distance being shortened, and he continued to bustle about through the fridge. Surely he had put it in here...? Once he found what he had been looking for, Yuuto let out another cry of triumph as he rose from his slightly hunched position. "I knew there still was some left," he chirped, smiling broadly even when he turned about to suddenly face Vincent.

Though he remained where he was for a while - how long had it been, really, that he stood there with that sundae cake in his hand and that seemingly foolish smile on his face? - he then moved away once more, retreating to the kitchen countertop near the teapot. "Surely you'd like something else to go with your tea, right?"he called as he opened another cupboard to pull out two small plates. Suddenly, he wondered if he kept this up that the other would lose interest... and then he prayed, for reasons unknown, that that wouldn't be the case.


A bit intrigued by this playfulness, Vincent patiently stayed back as far as approaching him was concerned. He just hoped at the same time that he wasn't coming on too strongly to the other man, though the thought made him still. Advances? He was... interested in this man, without a doubt. But the fact that he was becoming so attracted was just... sweet, in a sense. He didn't move when the other turned to smile, and only continued to watch him with a calm look as he worked.

"I'm alright with what is given to me." he answered quietly, moving his arms to his side. Then, in a bold gesture, he did move forward and stepped behind Yuuto to look over his shoulder. "That looks quite good, though." he told him, looking at the cakes he had placed on the plates now. Not wanting him to move away again, he moved his left arm over Yuuto's waist and the right hand under his wrist, tilting his head to a side.

"You should slow down. You're moving far too fast." he told him, half-smirking.


He honestly hadn't concentrated when Vincent was right behind him. And only when an arm snaked around his waist did he realise that, yes, Vincent was quite close. The thought was an electrifying one, and when he looked out the corner of his eye to see Vincent smirking at him, he paused and smiled faintly at the other. Was the attraction mutual...? But, then again, there always was the possibility of this being a mild joke. He'd play it safe, for the time being.

"Too fast, hmn?" he echoed, turning about to properly face the other. Well, he had been a bit rushed - he seemed to feel like that around this man, and he had no idea why. A humorously sly look crossed his face as he took the arm at his waist by the hand and negotiated his way out of the hold to move to examine the teapot. It was probably ready by this point. "I believe I might be working just fine, Vincent," he replied, taking out two teacups and readying the tea. Yes, it was ready by now... Assam tea, was it? Again, he eyed Vincent over his shoulder before he set it all up.


Such a tease. Vincent couldn't help but smile and that was something he didn't do so openly, but when the other moved away, he too, decided to be a bit of a tease and turned away. Of course, there was that mild fear that perhaps Yuuto DIDN'T like the attention though if that was the case, he wouldn't have let him hold him.

However, he did move back, to give the other enough room to move. Turning around, so that his back was to the other, he moved to busy himself with the removal of his gauntlet, which he took outside to keep on a side table. His hand under it, gloved, remained so. Yuuto didn't need to see the hand beneath it, only that it was a hand at all. Moving his fingers through his hair then, he then looked around the area that was his companion's living quarters.

"I'm not quite sure... perhaps you're trying to be impressive." he spoke calmly, teasing a touch as he looked back at Yuuto, waiting for his host to allow him to be seated.


"Impressive?" Yuuto called back, a chuckle of amusement accompanying him and the tea tray as he moved into the living room. "Hardly, really - I'd not want to make my guests feel so embarassed for me...." Once he made it to the coffee table, he set the tray down and looked up to Vincent. That warm feeling started in his chest once more, for some reason - strange thoughts, like how it would feel if, perhaps, he were given more serious attention.... such things like that ran through his mind as he straightened up, clearing his throat. "Ah, you're more than welcome to sit, you know," he continued genially as he smiled graciously to his guest.

And the whole time, he seemed unable to keep his stare off the other - a nice, sturdy build, not to mention that hair. Catching himself in such a train of thought again, he took a seat and began pouring out the tea in small white cups. A nice amber-like hue, almost red... like those eyes. Why was he so obsessed?


He was aware of the eyes on him, though he didn't make any motion to acknowledge it. Yuuto was playing hard-to-get and he'd give him the benefit of the doubt for now... though the more he did it, the more his own heart raced in a way he was absolutely certain it hadn't even tried to in the last thirty years. As the other began to pour the tea, his attention went to the other's profile. Such a demure, graceful man... almost feminine, yet not. And attractive... yet not in a way that he would be used to. He wasn't a warrior, at least he didn't appear to be.. and yet there was a charm around him that seemed to want to place him above all others.

Moving up near a seat, Vincent continued to watch him, before he did, slowly sitting down and waiting for the other to hand him his cup and ready his own, though when he did and turned to hand him his own, Vincent's half-gloved hand came down against the other's and taking it into his own, he looked up into the other's near-green eyes.

"I think that's enough..." he told him in a soft voice, urging him to seat himself. "I think you've worked enough."


A blankly surprised look was all that met Vincent for a moment. He felt warmer than if he had drank an entire cup in one gulp, but he wasn't sure why. Eyeing the hand on his for a moment, his eyes moved over that arm - such good muscle density there - to look directly at his guest. "Worked enough...?" Yuuto was hardly in control of what he said at this point - had he even said that? - all he could seem to see were those dark red eyes.... The rest wasn't all that bad, either.

Gently, so as not to spill any of that warm tea, he moved to sit. It seemed to take forever to get situated properly, for some reason. His eyes darted from the hand on his to the remaining tea - then to properly look Vincent in the face. That look of mild confusion barely furrowed his brow as he tilted his head in inquiry. "I haven't even gotten to pouring my own," he clarified, looking again to the tea tray expectantly, as though to will it to be poured itself.


"I'm sure you wouldn't mind sharing." Vincent couldn't believe his own words, and then, holding his own cup in a hand, he found himself smirking. It was an odd feeling, suddenly being the way he would when he would charm a woman back in the days that he was a Turk... the drive to go ahead and be as bold as he was almost felt as though he could truly feel again, and it was pleasant in itself. His hand, light as ever to the touch, moved over Yuuto's wrist and held his forearm, before he tilted his head to watch him closely.

"They say to drink tea from the same cup makes closeness grow..." his hand left the other's wrist and he smirked, holding up his cup to the other. "Perhaps you'd like to try that, Yuuto?" there was a hint of a challenge in his soft voice, as if cornering the other to do as he said. What had gotten in to him..?


Makes closeness grow... Yuuto contemplated over that - perhaps that, in itself, explained exactly why he still felt so warm without even a drop of that warm tea in his mouth. What was the meaning of this? Why weren't Vincent's clothes off yet? And why was he still thinking such strange thoughts? He blinked heavily, as though to expel such thoughts with motion. "Sharing, hmn?" he asked, still that blank confusion lingering in his expression and his voice. He hadn't ever heard that expression... but it made incredible sense.

He eyed the tea cup, then looked back up to Vincent. "I suppose that would be fine," he remarked before taking a small drought of the tea. It had come out a little stronger than he had intended, but still, it was delicious. A small little hum vibrated in his throat, and he smiled to Vincent happily. "It's rather good, Vincent - please, do try it."


Vincent couldn't help but enjoy the look on Yuuto's face right then. He looked so blank, yet interested at the same time. He wondered what exactly it was about this attraction he was having to this man, in particular. He was so... right. Everything about him was the kind of thing he liked in a woman, and as he took the cup back from him, he continued to watch his face, as though ascertaining that he wasn't making a mistake in judging him.

Then, it didn't matter. In a matter of moments, the cup was set to the side again, and his hand moved back to Yuuto's chin, tilting his face up to meet his. Then, without another word, he leaned close, and brushing his lips over the other man's, he slid his other hand close, cupping his cheek and drew him in, kissing his mouth fully, with the hint of a playful tasting suckle on the lower lip, marveling at the softness of his mouth. When he drew back, it was only to breathe the words, "It's better than good, Yuuto." as he looked into his eyes, smirking down at him.

Oh he'd done it, he'd done it... and he wasn't ashamed of it.


Once Vincent had been done with him, all that Yuuto seemed able to do was stare back, eyes widened with more surprise than he had shown previously. It had started so quickly, hadn't it? And, even though it had lasted a little longer than he may have liked, something inside him responded to it all. The attention was rather charming - as was the man perpetrating it all, really. Garnet-like eyes, that dark hair, and such a sexy grin to top it all off... it was almost too much to resist, really.

"I... see," he carefully said, looking to the tea cup that now sat in the other's hand. And he hadn't even had a sip of it.... A jaunty little smile seemed to mimic the smirk that tugged at Vincent's mouth as he took the tea cup from the other's hand to set it back down on the tea tray. Then, a little suddenly, his own arms snaked around the back of his guest's neck to pull him back for a slightly less chaste kiss in return. It had been a good thing he put the tea away - really, it would have been a shame if the tea had spilt onto the sofa or the carpet with such a quick motion.

And once he was done, he pulled back from the other's hold and reached for the barely empty tea cup. Shooting him a sly sidelook, he raised the cup, as though in a mimic of a toast, before taking another swill.


Suprise was an understatement when the other drew him back in for the next kiss. He'd tasted the tea on Yuuto's lips alright, and when the other pulled him in, it took all his effort not to pass out from the euphoria he felt. Not that he would, of course, but it was just a strangely pleasant feeling to not have to fear that he'd done something wrong, that he'd offended him by the gesture. This attraction, whatever it was, was gorgeous and pleasant-- and he wanted to savor it.

Perhaps, like Lucrecia wanted, he was ready to move on. It would be almost pitifully sad if he were to discover that this was nothing more than a curse driving him on..

The next look however, was an invitation on it's own and as Yuuto took another sip, it was Vincent's turn to take the cup away and as he set it aside on the table, he turned Yuuto's face towards him again. "Seconds without an invitation? I'll have to have my share on my own, then." And once again, the man's wrist was in his hand, his arm sliding behind the other's back and his mouth, now firmly pressed against the other's.

Tea wasn't meant to taste this good, he found himself thinking, and as he almost uncaringly drew Yuuto down against the couch, drawing out the kiss, he couldn't have had it better.

After all, presentation was what made the taste so good.


Yuuto even seemed a bit surprised when he was pushed back onto the couch's cushions, and a small sound of happy encouragement leaked into the kiss while his arms reached for Vincent's shoulders - he felt like he needed some sort of support to keep himself from fainting. How he kissed, how he tasted... even how he smelled was addicting, it seemed. And yet, as he returned the advances with a playful bite on the lip and slight clenching of his hand, he felt as though he certainly wasn't doing enough to return the favour.

When he had the chance to break that extended kiss off, Yuuto looked up to the other with a serene sort of smile on his face. He was positively attractive right now, leaning over him so forcefully, and he couldn't help the slight tinge of redness on his ears as he thought of it. Had time stopped, perhaps? Did it even matter? He shrugged it off as he started the next kiss - it was clear that he had much more passion invested in it this time. He pulled the other down to lie flush against him, and he didn't seem to have control as his knee bent slightly upward and his hands moved to brush through that hair lavishly. Had he not known better, they both might have been floating in midair.

The kiss wore off, and then he again stared intensely into those eyes the colour of garnets and rubies mixed together. So bright and lively.... "Excuse my manners," he quipped playfully.