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"Ramuda. This is unexpected. I'm sorry, but this isn't really a good time." Gentaro said. He began to close the door.
"Sorry, sorry~." Ramuda said, pressing both his hands together apologetically while stopping the door with his foot. "The thing is... I made a teeeeeeeeeeeensy little oopsie, and now some real nasty guys are hot on my trail. I just need somewhere to lay low for a little bit until I can make... other arrangements. Pretty please?"
He could hear the twinge of desperation in his voice, and he hated it. This was not who he was - or at least, not who he wanted to be. But he didn't have much of a choice left.
Gentaro went silent for a few seconds, then sighed. "Alright." he said. "Come in. For all of our sakes, I hope you weren't followed."
Ramuda quickly entered Gentaro's apartment, procuring to close the door behind him. "Don't be silly, I'm not that careless~" he said playfully, taking a seat on the couch. "Thanks Yumeno-sensei~ I've always liked it here."
Gentaro frowned. "At least show some manners. Take off your shoes."
"Alright, alright. I was just in a bit of a rush, for obvious reasons~" Ramuda answered lightly, slipping off his sneakers. He was about to add a retort, when he was interrupted by a voice approaching from across the apartment.
" 'Taro?" Dice called out with a yawn, walking into the living room. "Who was at the door?"
Ramuda immediately noticed Dice was not wearing much at all. In a rare show of courtesy, he averted his eyes just in time for Dice to start yelling.
"What the hell?! Why is he here?!" he exclaimed, ducking behind a wall and out of view. "You could'a warned me!"
"I'm just as surprised as you are." Gentaro said calmly. "Please keep your voice down. It would seem our fearless leader is currently being hunted. He will need to stay here a while."
"Dammit 'Muda, why're you always gettin' caught up in crazy shit? And draggin' us into it, for that matter." Dice grumbled. "I'm gonna go get some pants. Fuckin' hell. Now you know what my dick looks like."
"I wasn't looking." Ramuda said - you know, like a liar. "I'm curious now, though."
"Shut up, ya pervert." Dice said, returning in a significantly less nude state. "Dont'cha know it's rude to show up unannounced?"
"It was an emergency. Maybe you shouldn't be casually nude in someone else's apartment." Ramuda retorted. Dice turned crimson red.
"Shuddup. You're always causing trouble. Dammit. I guess none of us should leave till you deal with whatever the hell is happening, right? I mean, if you're a target..." Dice trailed off.
Ramuda smiled sweetly. "I wouldn't say you're that important."
"Oi oi..." Dice began, but was interrupted by Gentaro.
"Can the two of you be civil for a minute?" he said, exasperation evident in his voice. "I'm going to brew us some tea."
"Aw, I'm just teasing~ You know I love you two." Ramuda said. Gentaro rolled his eyes and left fro the kitchen. With that, Ramuda turned to Dice. "So, why WERE you wandering around naked in Gentaro's apartment?" he asked with a devilish grin.
Dice's face flushed. "What are you, a kid? It's pretty fuckin' obvious, innit?" he said.
"Hey, I resent that~ I'm not a kid, and I can very much prove it." Ramuda replied with a wink. "Just ask any of my nee-sans~"
"Jesus christ, you really are a perv." Dice grumbled, averting his eyes.
"You're so vulgar, the two of you." Gentaro said, returning with three cups of tea. "Ramuda, don't be meddlesome. And Dice, you should know by now not to take his bait."
Dice huffed, taking a cup from Gentaro and taking a sip. "Dammit, this is too bitter. Don't ya ever put sugar in this stuff?" he said exasperatedly.
"It's not good for you." Gentaro replied simply.
"So, how long has this been going on for?" Ramuda asked, taking his own cup. He slipped a hand into his jacket pocket and pulled out a handful of sugar packets, tossing one to Dice and adding the rest to his tea as Gentaro watched with distaste.
"Hm. A week or two now, I'd say." Gentaro replied after a moment's thought. "I really wish you wouldn't do that." he added, pointing at the sugar packets. "Its a waste of perfectly good tea. I would have made you chocolate had you asked."
"Eh? But I love Yumeno-sensei's tea~" Ramuda replied. "Back on topic though, why didn't you guys tell me?" He pouted.
"It's a bit difficult to explain." Gentaro said. "The time never seemed quite right. That, and..." He hesitated.
"We were kinda worried 'bout hurtin' your feelings, okay?" Dice quickly interjected, giving Gentaro a look. "Like, ugh, how do I explain this... We're a posse, right? We didn't wantcha to feel like the odd one out, 'f that makes sense."
Ramuda blinked, somewhat surprised. It was slightly unusual for Dice to be so tactful. The fact that they were both taking his feelings into account... For some reason it made his heart ache. Trying to shake the feeling, he put on his trademark smile.
"I'm touched~! But this has no reason to change things, right? We're still a unit, all three of us~ As long as you two don't leave me solo, everything will be like always." he said.
Gentaro returned the smile. "You should know by now we'd never do that." he said.
"Yeah. Even though you're a huge pain in the ass sometimes, and you're always bringin' trouble with ya, you're still our leader. We ain't forgettin' that easily." Dice added.
Ramuda sniffed. "My posse... Wah, I'm so touched!" he exclaimed, tacking Gentaro and Dice both with a hug. "I'll never leave you guys either!" he said.
"Ya better not, or I'll kill ya." Dice grumbled.
"As if you could!" Ramuda retorted with a laugh.
It had been surprising, at first, having somebody be loyal to him - and not out of fear or a sense of debt, but out of genuine respect -, but now nothing felt as right as being in the arms of his posse. Well, not like that of course. It was clear Gentaro and Dice were already spoken for by each other. "And I'm happy for them." , he thought.
He could hear Gentaro's voice in his head now. Uso desu yo.
Ah ah ah, there came those meddlesome thoughts again. That was no good. He'd told himself from the beginning not to get attached. That they were just a means to an end. And when he'd grown close, too close to think of discarding them at the end of his plan, he still told himself not to yearn for what he couldn't have. To not ruin what he already had. But here he went again. Ironic. Under his candy-coated outer layer hid a dark, calculating mind, but it could never overpower the part of him that lay deeper still. This saccharine heart of his was going to land him in serious trouble.
Finally pulling away from the hug, Ramuda took his teacup back into his hands and took a sip, buying himself some time to think. His rational mind was currently fighting a losing battle, but now was not a good time to give in to the desires of the heart. He needed Gentaro's - and come to think of it, this was probably Dice's home now too - sanctuary. Though, if he was being honest, that was true all of the time - not just when he was on the run. If his shadier acquaintances were getting on his nerves, or if it had been a hard day at the studio, or simply if a dark cloud was hanging over him, he could always count on Dice and Gentaro to bring some light into his day. Ironically, despite appearances, they were the rays of sunshine. Perhaps it was better he didn't rain on their sunny day.
"You're uncharacteristically quiet." Gentaro commented. Ramuda suppressed a snort. Perceptive as always.
"It's kind of weirdin' me out. Cat getcha tongue?" Dice said.
Ramuda forced a smile. "Now now, can't I enjoy some peace and quiet every so often~?" he said.
"That's a lie." Gentaro said. "What's on your mind?"
Ramuda stared down at his cup. Damn it all. He wasn't going to do any thinking like this anyway. Might as well just spit it out. Worst came to worst, he could just disappear. For good.
"You're so perceptive, Yumeno-sensei~." Ramuda began lightly. "Can't hide a thing from you, can I?"
"You're avoidin' the question." Dice pointed out.
"Alright, alright. The thing is..." Ramuda swallowed, suddenly more nervous than he'd ever been. Once again, not who he was, nor who he wanted to be. But Dice and Gentaro always had a way of laying him bare. Maybe that could be a good thing. "We've always been Fling Posse. The three of us together, in everything. Why can't-" He averted his eyes, opting instead to look at the door. "Why can't it be the three of us in this too?" he finished, so softly it was almost a whisper.
A terrible silence hung in the room for a moment. Then Dice opened his mouth.
"Whaddaya mean? It's already the three of us." he said. Ramuda looked up sharply, a questioning look in his eyes.
"He's right. This is still somewhat new to the two of us as well. It was never our plan to exclude you." Gentaro replied. "We haven't seen you in the past few days. We planned to bring it up next time we all got together, but - well, simply put, you caught us red-handed."
Ramuda sat silently for a few moments, waiting for the inevitable uso desu yo. But it never came.
"You're... not lying?" he said, hating how childish his voice sounded suddenly. It was unlike him to be insecure. But he'd been doing a lot of things that were unlike him today.
Dice shook his head. "Geez... What's it going to take to get through to that sugar flooded brain of yours?" he said. Then, he leaned in and firmly planted his lips on Ramuda's, pulling away after a few seconds. "Damn. Ya really do taste like candy." he mumbled, flushing.
"My my. You seem to have committed the unbelievable feat of rendering Ramuda speechless." Gentaro said with a slight chuckle.
Shaking himself from his stupor, Ramuda finally accepted that what was happening was, in fact, real, and not a dream or a practical joke. And almost as soon as he accepted that, his heart soared and his mind (the devious little thing) started filling with possibilities. Wonderful, lecherous possibilities.
Now composed, a playful grin rose to Ramuda's face. "You guys are so sweet~ But judging from the state of things when I arrived, it seems you got started without me!" he said with a pout. "Don't you think you owe me some fun?"
"I always knew you were a perv." Dice grumbled. "But... I'm not complainin'."
"Mm. I suppose we do need to pass the time somehow. And we're certain not to be interrupted now." Gentaro mused.
Ramuda slid close to them both with a grin.
"Well, what are we waiting for then?"