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“I want to have sex with you.”
Gold-rimmed glasses dipped precariously from the bridge of his nose, but Aventurine made no motion to adjust them. A beat of stunned silence stretched between them, space for Ratio to retract his words. But the frown etched on the doctor's lips remained, the rose tint of Aventurine's lenses a feeble filter against the intensity of those red irises dissecting him. Unease pricked at Aventurine, his silver tongue failing him, melted into a shapeless lump of dull iron.
Though his stupor only lasted a fraction of a second– the familiar arch of a smile returned on his lips, a mask of nonchalance hiding that brief lapse.
“That's not quite how you ask someone out, doctor,” he said, each syllable marked with a deliberate sultry cadence. He leaned back on the tall stool, crossing one leg over the other with a fluid motion. “Unless this is your idea of a joke?”
The air in the dimly lit corner of the bar was thick with the stale tang of spilled drinks and lingering cigarette smoke, clinging to Aventurine's expensive clothes like a second skin. The choice of venue initially struck him as odd – this wasn't Ratio's usual milieu. Though, it all made a twisted kind of sense now.
Across from him, Dr. Ratio remained unfazed, the golden laurel in his hair catching the artificial glow emanating from a nearby neon lamp.
“Far from it,” the doctor said, his tone pointed, “It was a straightforward request.”
Amusement bubbled within Aventurine at the utter strangeness of it all.
“Oh, but that didn't sound like a request, did it?” he pressed, catching the flicker of frustration creasing the crimson line rimming the corner of Ratio's eyes. “Not that I necessarily object,” he continued, readjusting his sunglasses with a casual flick of his hand. “Though, from a man of your eloquence, I expected a bit more… finesse.”
The corner of Ratio's mouth twitched, a silent rebuttal. “Transparency is more efficient in certain cases,” he retorted, his tone clipped.
Undeterred, Aventurine shifted slightly on the tall stool, his posture relaxed yet calculated. “Efficiency may be your forte, doctor, but seduction is an art form, not a formula…” He took a deliberate sip of his drink, the bitter fizz lingering on his tongue. “It's about understanding and catering to your audience…” He leaned closer, lowering his voice, “In this case, me."
“Which is precisely why,” Ratio countered sharply, "I left no room for ambiguity."
Aventurine's laughter echoed through the bar, maybe too sudden to seem genuine. He leaned back, the leather of the stool creaking softly under him. “Goodness, I had my suspicions…” he sighed, shaking his head with a hint of theatricality. “But it truly is a shame that such a striking man could be so devoid of romantic charm.”
“Is there a purpose to this charade?” Ratio drawled, a telltale twitch in his arms betraying something deeper than frustration. “Because frankly, empty compliments hold no sway over me.”
“Ah, so intrigue is not entirely lost on you.” He leaned over the counter on his elbow, smile still curving his lips when he saw that twitch again. He rested his chin on his hand, his gaze steady. “That veiled language is part of the dance, wouldn’t you agree? A lesson to keep for next time.”
“Ambiguity may be your preferred language,” Ratio said, but he seemed to lean a sliver closer nonetheless. “But vapid flattery is a waste of time– for both of us, I daresay.” His dark red eyes swept over Aventurine's tailored suit, lingering for a moment on the belt around his thigh, before meeting his gaze again. “Regardless of the facade you attempt to cultivate.”
Annoyance flared at Ratio's blunt observation, but beneath it, a strange thrill coursed through Aventurine at the man's blatant and persistent disregard for social niceties in a situation that practically demanded them.
“Granted, your bedside manner could use some polish.” He cocked his head on his palm, feathered earring brushing on his neck. “But isn't it refreshing to see an intellectual who sees beyond appearances? Bravo, doctor.”
“I was merely stating the obvious,” Ratio said sharply, his arms crossing over his chest, his need to appear objective overriding any desire to appear charming. His gaze darted away for a fleeting moment before locking back on Aventurine, something akin to disappointment surfacing in its sanguine depths. “From your reaction, I take it you're not interested.”
A sly, too-wide smile spread across Aventurine's face, failing to mask the disquiet coiling in his gut. The doctor's bluntness had, once again, thrown him off balance. There was an inexplicable honesty in Ratio's demeanor that night, a crack in the plaster that both terrified and enthralled Aventurine. He craved to see more.
“Hold on there, doctor,” he blurted, a playful lilt to his voice that couldn't quite disguise the hitch in his breath. He cleared his throat, the forced lightness brittle on his tongue, “There might be a chance to impress me… if you're willing to play your hand a little differently.”
But Ratio didn't budge. His posture remained rigid, arms a barrier across his chest. “This isn't some game, gambler.”
The curt insistence stripped away the last vestiges of pretension from Aventurine's face. That dimly lit corner crackled with unspoken tension, a dangerous edge Aventurine usually navigated with practiced ease. Now, it loomed precariously close.
Still, he couldn't resist the urge to push his luck. “Perhaps that's the crux of the issue, doctor,” he countered, his voice low. He eyed the tension tightening the cords in Ratio's neck, twisted vindication igniting in his chest. “You might benefit from learning to play a little, from offering something more enticing than a sterile proposition.”
A muscle ticked in his jaw. “A keen observation,” he said, his voice clipped with forced civility, fingers twitching against his arms, “Though coming from someone who mistakes a carefully pondered choice for a whim, I wouldn't expect much understanding of genuine desire.”
Aventurine chuckled, a dry, humorless sound. “Genuine desire,” he echoed, the words laced with mock reverence. “Quite the claim, considering the rather… blunt nature of your proposition, wouldn't you agree, Veritas?” He saw how Ratio's posture stiffened at the mention of his name, the conversation clearly taking a different turn than he'd anticipated.
“I won't deny, your request was certainly unexpected,” Aventurine continued, removing his glasses and tucking them away in a practiced motion. There was a shift in the air, a subtle hitch in Ratio's breath as their eyes met unhindered, and he pressed his advantage. “Maybe even a tad self-serving...” He held Ratio's gaze, his voice dropping to a husky whisper that carried through the low hum of the bar, “Or did you truly believe it only takes a snap of fingers to get me on my knees?”
The furrow in Ratio's brow deepened, that carefully constructed facade showing further strain. Something akin to panic crossed his eyes for a brief moment before he schooled his features back into a mask of stoicism. "You’re being absurd, Aventurine.”
Aventurine's response was a low rumble of empty amusement. "Oh, doctor, I believe you were the first to cross that line..." He leaned closer, tilting his head to study the tight bob of Ratio's throat with rapt fascination. “Tell you what, I won’t hold this misstep to you,” he purred, a satisfied smile baring his teeth in the face of Ratio's discomfort. “But that doesn’t mean that I’ll leave it be.”
Silence stretched between them, thick with the weight of his words. He stole a glance at Ratio. The doctor’s gaze drifted down to his untouched drink, deep distress seeping through the cracks of his stoic mask. A dark part of Aventurine reveled in unsettling the usually unflappable doctor so thoroughly.
But another, quieter part couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for being so merciless. Had he pushed too far, playing with a fire he hadn't fully understood? And why did he care?
The ice clinked softly against his glass as Aventurine swirled the clear liquid within, the motion more to conceal the shake in his hand than anything else. He knew, with a certainty that surprised him, that Ratio was attracted to him, even before his gauche proposal. And to be fair, the feeling was mutual. Ratio's handsome features and the hint of muscle definition beneath his tailored suit appealed to him from the first time Aventurine laid eyes on him. But the way Ratio had approached him– blunt, almost dismissive– left Aventurine unsettled.
He took a slow sip of his drink, the coolness a welcome contrast to the heat bubbling in his chest. There was a strange dissonance in Ratio's pursuit, his unvarnished desire so at odds with his insistence it was something serious. Perhaps his bluntness stemmed from a deeper well of uncertainty. After all, relationships within the IPC were complicated by an unspoken line. If that was the only reason holding Ratio back from showing interest in a conventional way… well, the thought sparked another kind of unease in his chest.
Just then, a hesitant touch brushed against the back of Aventurine's hand. It wasn't the touch itself, but the tentative, almost accidental nature of the gesture that surprised him. He stole a glance at Ratio, but the doctor's downturned lips mirrored his own bewilderment.
“Aventurine, I…” Ratio began, voice thick with an emotion he couldn't quite place.
His retort was sharper than he intended. “You certainly are persistent in your approach, doctor.” He couldn't quite muster his usual playful edge, not with Ratio's hand lingering so warm and gentle against his. And yet, pulling away felt unthinkable.
“Perhaps I did come on too strong.” The low murmur of the bar seemed to fade away as Ratio spoke, regret softening his usual controlled tone. “It wasn't fair to corner you like that. I just…”
Aventurine opened his mouth to counter, a witty remark dying on his lips before Ratio's wavering. “Tell me then, doc,” he said, leaning in subtly, lured in by that vulnerability. “What exactly were you hoping to achieve?”
Instead of the guarded response Aventurine had anticipated, Ratio let out a defeated sigh. “This isn’t how I usually operate, but…” he admitted, his voice trailing off. Then, in a move that slipped from Aventurine's notice, Ratio's other hand reached out, a gentle brush against his cheek. “I see the way you look at me too, Aventurine.”
Ratio's hand drifted up, a stray curl snagged between his fingers as he tucked it behind Aventurine's ear. The intimacy of the gesture snapped Aventurine's focus entirely onto the doctor. He hadn't realized how close they had drifted until this moment. Ratio's face loomed dangerously near– he could smell the subtle scent of his bath oils, his warm breath fanning over his cheeks in a way that made his head swim. The room seemed to shrink until all that remained was this tight pocket of space between them.
Aventurine's meticulously built shields began to wane under that heady gaze. Instinctively, he tried to pull back, a compelling urge for self-preservation warring with the unfamiliar sensations within him. Ratio's hand cupped his cheek, a surprisingly gentle restraint that held him captive.
“Don't,” Ratio whispered, a low vibration that resonated deep within Aventurine. “Not yet.”
The words hid a wealth of unspoken emotions– a plea, a revelation, an awareness that despite Ratio's assertiveness, the choice still resided with Aventurine. It infuriated him, how Ratio could so effortlessly bypass his defenses, disarm him, peel back layers he'd spent years building.
Denial, though, was rolling loaded dice. His body betrayed him as Ratio's thumb caressed his jawline. Light as the touch was, its effect was anything but. A tangled mess of desire and apprehension knotted in his chest, a chasm opening in his gut that left him gaping, speechless.
“Control, Aventurine,” Ratio's voice dipped to a near whisper, his words brushing against Aventurine's lips like a secret shared in the fading space between them. “You crave it, it's the very air you breathe.” His hand drifted lower, the warmth of his fingers a searing brand against the sensitive skin of Aventurine's neck. “And yet, here you are, letting it slip through your fingers.”
Aventurine swallowed, the heat blossoming in his core turning his mouth to sandpaper. “You don’t know me, doctor,” he managed, the smooth charm he usually wielded failing him entirely. “Don’t assume you do.”
“Maybe I don’t.” Ratio's touch lingered, a whisper of fire against his skin. “But control isn’t all there is to you, is it?”
The question hung heavy in the air, a challenge woven within the caress, a silken thread scraping against exposed nerves. Aventurine clenched his jaw against Ratio's palm, a feeble attempt at resistance against the current threatening to pull him under. He couldn't yield, not to Ratio, not to the unfamiliar yearning clawing at his insides.
"Care to gamble on it, doctor?" he countered, a low growl forced through gritted teeth. A humorless grin stretched his lips, vitreous and unconvincing even to himself. "Let's see who folds first."
An unexpected smirk surfaced, at odds with the storm brewing in Ratio's dark red eyes. “I'm attracted to you, Aventurine. More than I anticipated,” he admitted, his voice a low rumble. His hand brushed against Aventurine's nape, sending a violent shock down his spine. “More than is wise.”
A tremor ran through Aventurine's body, a disconcerting mix of fear and exhilaration. His instinct was still to pull away, to regain control, but Ratio's touch shackled him, a grounding force that was as unsettling as it was compelling
“My proposal still holds,” Ratio pressed, leaning in until his breath tickled Aventurine's earlobe. “I want to have sex with you.”
The raw desire in Ratio's voice struck him like a tangible blow. Though the words were the same, devoid of that detached veneer, they carried the weight of an unadulterated craving. Aventurine's heart pounded, the boundary between control and surrender blurring in the face of Ratio's undeniable honesty. His challenge felt childish now. The simmering attraction, a truth he readily acknowledged, seemed intensifying with Ratio's vulnerability. It teetered on the edge of an emotional landslide, a connection poised on the cusp of something more.
A shaky breath escaped his lips. “You…” he choked, the words trapped in his dry throat. “You don’t know what you’re asking…”
Dread tightened its icy grip around his throat. Ratio's touch lingered, too warm against his chilled skin. He flinched, the movement almost imperceptible, a tremor beneath the surface. For a moment, Aventurine couldn't bring himself to meet that intoxicating gaze anymore. He needed a crack, a crevice to let in some air, but the thought of exposing what lay hidden was a suffocating terror.
Ratio's hand on his nape tightened subtly. “If this is too much, I’ll understand,” he murmured, not a hint of dejection in his voice. “But I won't deny that this is far from a casual proposition.”
Aventurine's gaze snapped back to meet Ratio's, the raw hunger in those crimson depths undeniable. Was this what he wanted? The thought of surrendering so readily gnawed at him. There was a thrill, a long-buried urge whispering possibilities, but a part of him balked.
He swallowed hard, a wry smile pulling at his lips despite everything. The dim lighting accentuated the sharp angles of Ratio's face, his jaw clenched with an intensity that mirrored Aventurine's turmoil. Finding his voice amidst the tangled mess of his thoughts wasn't easy.
“I don’t always win my bets,” he finally admitted, a quiet defiance lighting his voice. With a swift movement, he reached out and placed his hand over Ratio's cheek, the warmth a stark contrast to the chill of his palm. He leaned in, his breath ghosting over Ratio's lips as he whispered, “But I'm not walking away from the table, not yet.”
He leaned in further, the space between them collapsing like a dying star. Ratio's breath hitched, his eyes fluttering closed as Aventurine's lips brushed tentatively against his. It was a shy exploration at first, a test of the volatile waters they were wading into. Then, a spark ignited.
Aventurine's fingers tangled in the silken strands of Ratio's hair as he deepened the kiss. The grasp felt like a subtle claim, a possession disguised as surrender. Ratio's response was immediate, a surge of heat that met Aventurine's with a raw hunger. His lips parted in unspoken invitation the moment Aventurine's tongue grazed them. Unbridled satisfaction swelled within him at the ease with which Ratio yielded, a guttural moan escaping the doctor's lips and vibrating deep within Aventurine's chest. The grip on Ratio's hair tightened, a grounding tether amidst an intense desire that threatened to consume him whole.
Suddenly, Ratio pulled away, his breath ragged, eyes blazing a dark fire Aventurine had never witnessed before in them. Rings of molten gold seeped into his red irises, holding Aventurine's gaze for a charged moment. “I'd say this…” he rasped, his voice thick with desire and a hint of regret, “This deserves more than a corner of a bar.”
A chuckle escaped Aventurine's lips, a breathless sound that echoed in the moist space between them. “Come now, doctor,” he teased, tracing the sharp line of Ratio's jaw with his index finger. “Don't tell me you didn't have this very intention in mind when you brought me here?”
Ratio conceded with a frustrated sigh. “It was one possibility,” he admitted, his grip tightening on Aventurine's hand. “Not the most likely.” He paused, the hunger returning to his eyes. “Shall we discuss a more suitable venue for this unforeseen development?”
The question hung in the air, playful yet laced with a seriousness that resonated with Aventurine. The answer was a foregone conclusion. At this point, Aventurine couldn't resist the pull of Ratio's body any more than he could resist the intense heat of his desire.
With a slow slide, Aventurine got off from the stool, running a hand through his mussed hair. "Let's just say," he purred, a devilish grin splitting his face, "your methods could still use some refinement."
“As long as it achieves the desired result,” Ratio said, closing the distance between them, “Then, I see no reason to change my approach.”