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Usually, people don’t come home to dead bodies. If they did, they certainly would have quite the time of their lives, perhaps in shock, in mourning.
Usually, people don’t come home to it being a complete stranger, sitting upon their couch as their loved ones sipped at tea at their side.
Usually.
But no, that was certainly not the case here. Rantaro stares at the definite culprit, Kiyo setting down his teacup with a sharp clink onto its saucer, golden eyes flicking to him with a smile in his gaze.
“ Welcome home, darling. How was work?” He greets him, as he does every evening.
Rantaro couldn’t muster up even a grunt of an answers, his attention focused on the body next to him. A feminine body, sat upon the couch in a graceful way, eyes lidded but unfocused. A cup sat in front of her, in the same pattern and colour as Kiyo’s. Her hands, delicate and thin, were folded over her lap, not a single mark on her skin. If Rantaro wasn’t as observant as he was, he would have mistook her for a real, living person sitting besides his boyfriend.
“ Korekiyo Shinguuji.”
“ Yes, that is me.”
He gestures to the body, displeased as he looks to him, Kiyo’s expression unchanging. “ What is the meaning of this.”
“ Ah, well. I found quite the loveliest woman while out walking. She had such a splendid attitude, perfect in her own manners. Does the name Lorraine not roll off the tongue quite nicely? It means ‘From Lorraine’ an old province of France, although derived from an old king. Lothair, I believe.”
“ Uh huh. And why is she currently dead in our living room?”
“ Well, if I told you would you forgive me?”
Rantaro sighs, crossing his arms and leaning to one side as he continues to stare his boyfriend down. “ Depends. Now, what in Ficus name did you do to the poor woman.”
Kiyo clasps his hands on his lap, sitting perfectly straight as he nods his head towards the corpse chilling on the couch. “ Well, I had invited her into our home for a nice chat and some tea.” He gestures to the two cups in front of him. “ She was quite a tea enthusiast and had become enchanted when I mentioned our highly rare imported tea from India. When I offered if she would like to accompany me for a while, she heartily agreed.”
Rantaro comes closer as he listens, sitting on the armrest of the recliner parallel to the couch, Kiyo continuing on. “ We walk together, Lorraine regaling me her tale of why she was walking on her lonesome in the park. A sweet tale of enjoying the sunset and feeling the breath of nature in her lungs as he maintained her health. She used to bring a dog along, a little schnauzer of sorts, but the pooch had sadly passed from a devastating cancer that left her heartbroken for months.” He puts a hand on his chest as he spoke, fingers instinctively grabbing at the locket around his neck and twisting it around.
“ And then… Let me guess, poisoned her tea.”
“ Oh goodness, no. However, I would not drink that if I were you. It is not poisoned, however I did slip… four tablets of Shuichi’s melatonin into it.”
“ You stole from Shuichi?”
“ Not steal, simply borrowed. He will not notice, he has plenty left within his bottle.”
Rantaro hums, still not entirely compliant with Kiyo’s story of casually drugging a woman and then murdering her in their own home, but he doesn’t say anything.
“ Now, as I was saying. I slipped in some melatonin, and she eventually fell asleep. I did offer her a taxi home, as courtesy, but it would’ve been pointless when I know she would be unconscious and likely difficult to wake.”
“ And then… You made a corpse in our living room.”
“ I suppose that is one way to put it, but yes. I slowly but painlessly granted her death within the confines of our home.”
Rantaro sighs, looking to the woman once more. It really is a pity, she looked young, with a life definitely ahead of her. It almost reminded her of his sisters, except he was certain they were all okay and alive, hopefully far from any threats of death. He wonders if Lorraine had siblings who cared for her, unaware that some man had whisked her away and ended her life tonight. That Rantaro had bore witness to her body, and know who was the culprit that made her take her last breath.
A morbid thought, and his face seemed to betray him, Kiyo standing up and approaching him, a thumb brushing against the corner of his lip.
“ You seem troubled at the sight of her. I deeply apologize if this is making you feel discomforted. Shall I dispose of the body so that you do not have to think of it?”
“ Y-Yeah… Just- Yeah.” Rantaro mutters, Kiyo nodding and stepping away. He watches with mute eyes as Kiyo takes the body of the woman into his arms — stiff now judging by how she barely moves any limb — and carries her away into the house. Rantaro leans forward and grabs Kiyo’s cup, taking a long sip. It truly was fragrant and rich, melting on his tongue and carrying away some worries.
Footsteps come closer, faint but progressively getting louder. Rantaro looks up to see Shuichi standing at the entrance that led to the rest of the rooms, rubbing at a tired eye. He must have been sleeping and just woke up.
“ Mm, welcome home Rantaro.”
“ Hey Shuichi. Did you just wake up?” Rantaro keeps his voice gentle. He didn’t need to startle him with any evidence that something was wrong. Even half-asleep, Shuichi was vigilant, able to spot out something even mildly off if Rantaro dared let him.
Shuichi nods, shuffling over to Rantaro and sitting on the actual chair cushion, head leaning against Rantaro’s side. He throws his arm over his head, fingers stroking the dark locks.
“ I felt something weird happen, but I don’t know what it was.” He squints, yawning before jerking his head at the teacups. “ Did Kiyo make those?”
“ Yeah. Don’t drink them though.” He clutches Shuichi’s head against him a little firmer, although not particularly desiring to crush him.
“ Hm? Why not…?”
“ Well… It’s late, you shouldn’t be drinking too much before bed.” Rantaro leaves it at that, Shuichi tiredly humming and nodding.
“ Mmm, okay. Whatever you say.” Shuichi yawns again, Rantaro petting the side of his head. Luckily he doesn’t press any further, Rantaro letting out a silent sigh of relief.
Kiyo comes back moments later, one body less, taking the teacups and nodding at the pair.
“ Hello Shuichi, did you have a nice nap?”
“ Mmhmm.”
“ That’s good. It is getting quite late so you may be back asleep soon.”
“ I don’t mind. I’m tired anyways, but I miss you guys.”
“ Sap.” Rantaro jokes, earning him a soft punch to the leg.
“ Says you.” Shuichi mutters, Kiyo laughing and walking off to clean up his mess. Rantaro watches him go before he unfortunately had to push Shuichi off of him so he could get up. Shuichi flops over, resting his head on his arms instead on the armrest as he watched Rantaro with sleepy eyes.
“ Where’re you going?”
“ I’m gonna get changed out and shower.” He felt gross, now for two separate reasons, Shuichi making a soft noise in response as his eyes drift close. He’ll be asleep again in no time. Rantaro walks away and goes to take a hearty shower, letting his mind wander elsewhere.
By the time he comes out all the lights were off except for a faint glow down the hall, Rantaro wrapping his towel around his waist and following the light like a curious moth.
Kiyo was inside, sitting on the far right side of the bed reading a book by the soft glow of the table lamp. The lump in the middle meant Shuichi came in here as well, gently moving up and down. Kiyo looks up from his book, silently greeting the man as Rantaro shuffles to the closet, dropping the towel and grabbing his night clothes. He comes over to the bed and climbs into the left side, Kiyo closing his book with a smile. Rantaro turns to him, hand settling in the dip between him and Shuichi’s head.
“ So… Where did you put it.”
“ Put what, Rantaro.” Kiyo croons, Rantaro staring at him blankly.
“ You know what.”
Kiyo quietly laughs and keeps it at that, sinking deeper into the covers. Rantaro stares at him for a few more seconds, giving up and sinking underneath the blanket as well.
“ Okay, don’t tell me then, that’s fine. Good night Kiyo.”
“ Good night, Rantaro.”
Rantaro shuts his eyes, waving away any thought of the possible places Kiyo could have possibly put a whole woman at in the solid silence.
“… Rantaro please close the door you’re going to let demons in.”
“ Wh- Shuichi go back to sleep.”
“ Aye aye captain.”