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"Iruma-sama, all clear here. But Valac is still playing with one of them"
"Alright, good job today. We can have a 'nice sleep' after this"
"Oh... Well, yeah..."
The magenta pupils meet with a pair of dark egyptian blue. There's an unspeakable message there that both of them already knew. A promise after one of them said 'that' word.
"The police are on their way here", the familiar deadpan tone from Opera, manage to waver the blue-haired's focus, but it wasn't enough to break the staring contest which their Don and his second in command had been doing for the past few minutes. "Let's go now, Iruma-sama"
The staring lasts for another few seconds before the pink-haired man averts his gaze away. Iruma let out a heavy sigh followed by a grim smile. It's already been two weeks and Alice is still avoiding him. If the latter keeps doing that, he has no choice but to use the last excuse Alice couldn't refuse. A straight-up invitation for a private time.
"Is that so?", a chuckle escapes from his lips. Instead, he changes his focus to the green-haired woman who is still busy breaking the unlucky man's fingers with her mace. "Clara! Just bring him with us, you can play with him some more in the basement!"
"Aye aye, Iruma-chi! Aaayy! Pera-san! Pera-san! Would you please help me to bring him?"
"I will, but let me join you later"
"Sure! The more, the merrier! Hey, hey hey! Do you hear that?! Do you hear that?! Pera-san will join us! Weewoo! We will play all night long!"
Just hearing her excited tone, already make the man cry and plead for mercy. But, no one can stop a happy Clara when she found a 'playmate'. Or more like, no one wants to mess with her in that state, but Iruma is an exception. She even clashed with Alice one time when he tried to pull her away from torturing a snipper, who tried to shoot Iruma.
"Twinkle twinkle little mice, how I wonder what you like? Break your legs or stab your eyes? Which is worse while waiting death~?!"
Iruma let out a hearty laugh when she laced to his arm while shouldering her bloody mace and singing the popular nursery rhyme, of course after she made a little bit of modification in the lyrics. As Clara happily trotted beside him, he knew that Alice is busy helping Opera douse the place with gasoline. Later... They will talk later, so he huffed a sigh and close his eyes for a bit as the warmth of fire permeated from behind his back, before throwing one last glance at the pink-haired man.
There he is, Asmodeus Alice, who is enchanted by the beauty of arson.
As warm and beautiful as the fire itself.
"I'll borrow the shower..."
"Azz-kun", he caught the latter's wrist to stop him from escaping the bed. They just finished their night activity, and as long as Iruma remembers, Alice never stays for the night and prefers to sleep in his bedroom. "Can we talk for a bit?"
"Sure, but after I clean myself. Is that okay, Iruma-sama?", even though he felt hesitant, Alice still pulled a smile and agreed. After all, he needs to face Iruma to end this unnamed relationship.
"Alright, don't make me wait for too long"
As he entered the bathroom, Alice let out a heavy sigh and stared at the bathroom mirror quietly. He should have ended this so-called intimate session earlier, that's what he thought as he let the cold water wash the remaining sweat and fluid from their activity. Staying by Iruma's side as his second in command is one of the best things that happened in his life, but it makes the forbidden love he keeps for the latter growing even more. He couldn't stop it and he doesn't want to let go of this feeling which sounds selfish, and Alice was aware of that since the first time he agreed to try doing it with Iruma.
These ugly and dirty desires are blinding him with a temporary euphoria, because once they finished the deed, Alice will be shaken by the reality. That's why it was his own rule to leave as soon as possible after he cleaned himself, no kissing and leaving marks, not doing too much, and pretending to enjoy this physical relationship. Even though his heart is sinking into the darkness deeper and deeper every day, he doesn't have the gut to refuse Iruma's invitation. He loves the latter too much. As soon as he finished showering, he put on his clothes back and walk to the single couch beside the window, where Iruma took a seat while gesturing him to come closer. He huffed a small sigh and pull a gentle smile as he walk there.
"I'm sorry for making you wait, Iruma-sama"
"No problem", chuckles lightly, Iruma pulled the latter's wrist to close their distance. "Sit down and let me dry your hair"
"No, it's okay-"
"I want to do it. So please, sit down"
And as he said earlier, he couldn't refuse any of Iruma's requests. After taking a seat on the floor in front of him, he could feel the warm air from the hair dryer and fingers touching his scalp while stroking it gently. He isn't worthy of these kindnesses and sweet acts. Gritting his teeth, Alice made up his mind and pushed himself to voice out the subject.
"Iruma-sama... Let's end this...", but in the end, he is still a coward, that's why he just muttered those words, which possibly couldn't reach Iruma's hearing because of the hair dryer's noise.
"Honestly, I'm always wondering, why do you agree to start this when you'll run away in the end", after a few minutes of silence, Iruma finally turn off the hair dryer and put it aside. His fingers comb the pink hair in front of him which feels so soft to the touch. "Tell me, Azz-kun... Are you finally regretting your decision?"
"I will never-!", Alice bites his lower lip to stop the words. No need to be so emotional, that's what he thought. Calm down. "I'm loyal to you and only you, Iruma-sama. I'll never regret my decision to become your underlings, and this burnt wound...", he touches the upper left side of his face, it feels rough, and sometimes, he could still feel the phantom pains of the blister. "... Is my vow to leave everything from my past to follow your step"
"Ah... I don't question your loyalty to me. I never question about that, I trust you"
Iruma smiled as he keeps combing Alice's hair while pausing his words. He wasn't sure if talking about this matter is the right decision because he is a selfish man, he wants Alice just for himself even though it's just his body. But, after he heard what the latter just said, he made up his mind and decide to tie down the pink-haired man to him whatever it takes. Yes, he did hear that Alice wanted to end their relationship, but he wouldn't let that happen, ever.
"What I'm asking right now is our relationship. What am I to you?"
"You're our Don in Famiglia, someone I look up to. Sure, there are nights with more intimate touch, but we aren't more than a superior and a subordinate"
"Are you sure?"
There's a long silence between them. Alice is busy with his thought, and Iruma is giving him time to think. They said, Alice is in love with him, but he can't just fall for that. What if they are wrong? What if Alice is already bored with him and wanted to end their physical relationship because of that? All the confidence he built before, almost crumbles in a second after the idea of his beloved second in command never really loves him or sees him as more than a superior. But, if he doesn't try to cornering the latter, he will never find out the truth, that's what his consigliere said.
"Hey, Azz-kun... Do you perhaps have a feeling for me? If it's true, then what are you afraid of? Because me too, I lov-"
"Stop!", he shouts in panic as he abruptly stands up. Alice clenched his fists while looking at his feet, feeling the dread from the results of his action, his willingness. "I'm sorry, Iruma-sama... But, please stop. Don't say it"
"Why?"
"I don't want you to be with me. You're a Don, Iruma-sama, you need an heir, a successor. Someday, you'll marry a woman and she will give birth to your child. I know you'll be a good father because you're strong, smart, and compassionate. Your future wife and kids will be the luckiest person in the world, and I'll be there to help you protect them. It'll be an honor for me. So, if you said it... If you said it...", all the tears he tried to hold, finally spilled out. It hurts, the thought of their future hurts him so much. There's no way this will work out. Even Iruma tells him that the latter love him too, the duty as a second in command, to support the Don in succeeding the legacy, is weighing down on his shoulders. "How am I supposed to live if you said it to me and marry a woman after that? I can't... I can't... Please have mercy on my heart"
Alice did say that he is strong, but if he wants to be honest, the said man is far more stronger physically than him. That's why, Iruma doesn't want to take a risk of Alice running away from him and chooses to pull him into his tight embrace. It saddens him after he heard what makes his beloved feel troubled, he wanna cry too and apologize to Alice as much as possible. If he noticed this sooner, if he wasn't a coward who just intend to hold the other with an unnamed relationship, this wouldn't happen. Alice wouldn't feel so stressed out about this. It's all his fault.
"Azz- no. Alice, please hear me out. Please, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry", he loosens his hug, before cupping the latter's cheeks. Iruma tried his best to wipe the tears, glad that Alice finally stop crying. Wet traces can be seen clearly on the pink-haired man's face, and Alice still looks so beautiful even with puffy red eyes. "The truth is, I was adopted by Grandpa, so I'm not his grandson by blood. He said he didn't have time for women or even romance at that time because he was busy managing the Famiglia"
"I just knew about this..."
"Because I never tell anyone about this matter before. Just Opera, Sir Kalego, and those old members who knew about this, they were here before all of you"
"That's right..."
"Yeah... So, it'll be fine if I don't have my own child as my successor. It'll be fine if I don't marry a woman"
This time, he can't hold back the tears and let them stream down his cheeks. It relieved him that he could clear the misunderstanding, which was always making a thick wall between them all this time. Pressing their foreheads together, Iruma smiled gently while looking at the pair of magenta pupils in front of him.
"And it'll be fine if I say to them that I love you and only you. So, please... Please tell me, do you love me, Asmodeus Alice?"
"Is it okay...?", he is scared, it feels too good to be true. But, he wants to believe it, to what Iruma just said for him. "Is it okay if I say it?"
"Yes, it's okay, Alice"
And that's the first time, likely won't be the last time, he pours out his feelings. Holding Iruma's hands tightly, he sobs and brings them to his lips as he says it all. "I love you, I love you so much, Iruma-sama. I love you since the first time I saw you, but I'm afraid... I'm afraid that you won't love me back! I'm afraid that you'll end up marrying a woman, and I'm not ready to see that!"
"I'm sorry! If I realized it sooner, if I try to reach your feeling sooner, and if I wasn't a coward, this won't happen. I'm sorry! It's all my fault!"
"No! Don't apologize, Iruma-sama! It's my fault too! And I'm more of a coward than you! Because, I-!... Because I would never have the courage to say it to you if you didn't do it first!"
Staring at each other faces for a few seconds, both of them are snickering as to hold their laughter, before letting it out. They are fools, but they love each other, so it will be okay. As long as they are together, even in this ugly and dirty world, they will be fine. Iruma grins when he saw the other's smiling face, an idea crossed his mind. Without warning, he grabs the latter wrist and pulls him down to place a soft kiss on his lips.
"I love you so much, Alice"
"Yes, I love you too, Iruma-sama... I love you so much too"
Honestly saying, he didn't predict their relationship will escalate this fast, because he just gave Iruma an advice yesterday, and today they have already announced the engagement date. No, more like Asmodeus is the one who is bragging to everyone in the Famiglia that he and Iruma will hold an engagement party soon, that brat even talk about it in their group chat. And what's worse is, he didn't get paid enough to deal with these noisy brats, that's what he thought as he grumbled quietly.
"Asmodeus called me this morning about the party... Well, it's rare seeing you played as a cupid", Shichiro turns his attention to the man who is occupying the couch in his office right now. "Kalego-kun?"
"I'm not. It just irked me, seeing two idiots pining for each other. And I didn't even get paid for this. Sucks"
Shichiro chuckles lightly as the amethyst pupils stare at him, looking annoyed. It may be weird, but he knows that Kalego actually cares for the Don who is so careless and sometimes put the latter in a troublesome situation. He remembered that one time, around two years ago, Kalego tried to fix the mess after their young Don and his underlings unintentionally trespassed another group's territory. That night, the dark-haired man came to Shichiro with his left shoulder pierced by a knife and a gunshot wound on his right thigh, but he pushed Iruma who just got minor injuries to him, and told him to treat the others first.
"Is it perhaps because of your personal experience?"
"Hm, let me think about it", put out his smoke on the ashtray, Kalego smirked and hold up his chin, a gesture when he shows his arrogance. "Nope. You confessed to me first, so I wasn't pining for anyone"
"You sure are cocky, huh?"
"I just have a high self-confidence"
That's right. Shichiro confessed his feeling first for this man, a grumpy and gloomy person who loves money more than anything. Until now, he still assumed that it was pure sheer luck to get Kalego as a lover without getting chased by some random loan sharks. Because this man is literally just having an eye for money, he even deceived or sold his ex-girlfriends' names and identities. Sometimes, Shichiro thought, like how could he fall for this sly swindrel of all people?
"So, what are you doing here again? Did Iruma ask for another batch of the new product? Or are you injured?"
"No, nothing about business", tracing up the white coat, Kalego pulled down the big man in front of him by his lapel and whispered the words in front of Shichiro's lips. "I'm here for a kiss from my favorite doctor and drug supplier. And if you're interested, maybe we can do more"
"You said, time is money. Then, won't you lose your money if you spend your time with me, Mr. Consigliere of Babyls?"
"Well, you'll pay me enough to stay the night, so why not? And the sex is great, it's a win-win deal"
"Ouch, that's hurt, you're just after my money and my body"
Honestly, Shichiro is always an exception for him, but let's not say it out loud and make the man have a big head. Well, even though what Kalego said is just an excuse for him to be spoiled by the mob doctor. He did deserve a reward though, after an exhausting day of works.
"Heh, aren't you the one who knows me the best, Shichiro?"
- End -