tornheart | you leave me little notes on my pillow

Entry tags:

hiei,
kurama

you leave me little notes on my pillow

Who: Vincent & Kit
When: Sept. 16th
Where: Green Valley School
What: Apparently some people take offense to others sleeping on benches.

[it's been almost a day and a half since his roommates were brainless enough to lead the police right to their apartment, and Vincent still hasn't managed to muster up any feelings on the matter beyond severe exasperation. he'd spent far longer in more dire circumstances immediately following his flight from home; all things considered, this was just a minor annoyance.

even so, hanging around various parts of Hagu had only served to keep his irritation hot rather than further cooling it down. for a change in scenery he's made his way to Eddan's most prestigious academic facility, although the choice has its practical components as well. even without a uniform it was easy to mistake him for merely another student hanging around after school, including (as he found out soon after his arrival) 'borrowing' a blanket and pillow from the nurse's office.

it's late in the day now, the realm of students with extracurricular activities, and Vincent's made himself quite comfortable on one of the many benches scattered around campus. he'd kept to one beneath a tree earlier in the day, but the weather had promised to get a bit windy during the night and so he's moved so as to avoid waking up covered in nature's refuse.

he seems to be pretty comfortable all the same, stretched out bodily with his legs crossed and guitar resting peacefully by his feet. it had been a small mercy that he'd been on his way home from practice when he'd heard the stupid news, preventing his precious instrument from suffering the same temporary lockdown as the rest of his belongings. a sloppily folded newspaper obscures most of his face from view, although the telltale smoke trail curling over the paper makes it easy to guess what else he's doing back there.

it's not the smartest thing to be doing when you're trying to lay low, but nicotine addiction is an ugly thing. every now and then Vincent pauses in his progress through today's sudoku to look over at any students he feels are staring at him too long, leveling a truly frightening glower their way. go on, it seems to dare them. just try and report this to a teacher.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[...oh, he couldn't not take the bait, it was right there, plain as day, and perfectly within reach. Ignoring such a perfect opportunity would be wasteful! And a complete shame.]

You think I'm interesting?

It's not a compliment.

[could he voice be any flatter? only if someone put it through a hydraulic press.]

[Nope, it was too late. He'd given Kit an inch and, true to his namesake, he was going to run wild with it.

Leaning closer on the couch with a mile-wide grin, he poked teasingly at Vincent's shoulder.]

So, that's a yes. I'm flattered. I didn't know you thought so much of me.

I don't. I'm just interested in seeing how much more of an idiot you can manage to make yourself.

[that shoulder poke was met with both a sour frown and Vincent pressing his fork against his overly touchy companion's cheek to try and push him away again. leave, you asshole.]

[Without really knowing why, Kit leaned closer, the flesh of his cheek continuing to press against the prongs of the fork in Vincent's hand. He knew better than to dare the other boy this way, but there were times when resisting was futile. Especially when Vincent let slip little hints that he wasn't as awful as he would have others believe.]

You don't have to make excuses. I'm interested in you, too.

[he pushes back stubbornly, bracing his free hand against Kit's chest to add even more weight to the fight - as if slowly crawling closer and closer to impaling his cheek wasn't enough of a threat.]

I'm sure you've got a lot of projects like that.

[The other boy's hand did nothing to deter Kit. Remaining steadfastly in place, he even dared to snatch a morsel of food off Vincent's plate, deciding that perhaps he was still a little hungry after all.]

Are you jealous?

[He had projects, after all. He would admit to that. He had a whole notebook full of them...]

Why should I be?

[um, fucking excuse you. a normal human being would simply accept that they'd lost that minor encounter and continue grumbling on in fighting to win the war, but as his companion must have discovered by now, Vincent was far from normal.

with an outraged furrowing of his brows the hand holding the fork drops it into Kit's lap as he moves to try and physically pry open the other boy's jaws and retrieve his piece of breakfast. the hand on his chest curls tightly in his shirt, pulling his roommate closer.]

[The very picture of unadulterated innocence, Kit promptly swallowed the morsel he'd stolen to prevent Vincent's prying fingers from snatching it back. And then, with all the audacity of a smug three year old, he bared his teeth and smiled. Using the surrendered fork to take another stab at the plate of food in Vincent's lap, he held out a piece of potato for the other boy to take. Not that he'd make it easy. He had no intention of letting those jaws successfully snap at the food.]

You shouldn't be jealous. You're easily one of the most interesting people I've met.

[ugh, that asshole. it had always been a possible outcome, but he'd been hoping that his actions would have been quick enough to get him to spit it out before that happened. if Kit were a dog, he'd definitely be one of those annoying ones who started chewing faster when they noticed you saw them take forbidden food.]

You didn't answer my question. There's still no reason to give a shit about where you drop your attention.

[his companion wanted to act like a toddler, huh. well, fortunately for him Vincent had the nonexistent temper and attitude to out-toddler any amateur performance such as this one.

as soon as he'd finished spitting out his retort Vincent is moving, closing the minuscule gap between them. he surges forward with the attention of snatching that damn piece of potato and trapping it between both their mouths, turning it into a battle for dominance, but even if he'd denied the food he still intends to hold fast to the liplock. one way or the other, he'd wipe that grin off Kit's face.]

[Kit had an answer ready to throw back in Vincent's face, but when the other boy leaned forward to capture that morsel of food, Kit's only thought was keeping it away from him. And the only sure way to prevent Vincent from stealing back what he had stolen first, and to keep it from landing on the floor, was to eat it himself. It was the perfect plan.

Until Vincent's mouth crashed into his.

Whatever smartass remark he'd had prepared instantly fled Kit's thoughts and he stared wide-eyed at the other boy. Or what he could see of him, that surly face pressed so closely to his own. What was he even doing? What point was Vincent trying to prove?

Kit still couldn't move, every part of him as rigid as stone. This made no sense. But he knew one thing...

Vincent's lips were warm and salty, fitting neatly against the shape of his own and tasting faintly of breakfast. It was strangely...pleasant.

A thought which had him swiftly relinquishing the stolen food, surrendering it to his guest at the same time his hands shot out to push the other boy away from him.]

[even as his tongue snaked out to try and wrest the potato bit away from his companion, Vincent himself couldn't help having similar contemplations. this was an act of war, plain and simple, yet he found that it was far less of an odious task than he'd assumed it would be. everything felt right, as if puzzle pieces had finally been slotted into place.

thankfully he has no inclination to dwell on the implications of such a revelation, nor does the world allow him to even make the attempt. Kit is clearly as rattled by this little trick as he'd anticipated - it isn't long as all before he's not only giving up the prize but shoving him back forcefully.

he allows himself to be moved quite readily, the triumph of a hard-earned victory more than enough to make him a little more complacent than usual. he grins widely at the other boy, already starting to chew his retrieved morsel. clearly there are no regrets here.]

Too easy.

[Brain still more than a little scrambled, Kit was unable to find the same sort of humor in his loss as Vincent. He was tempted to drag the back of his hand across his mouth to remove the taste of the other boy from his lips, but there was no way such a gesture wouldn't be interpreted as an insult. So he just sat there instead.

He wasn't entirely sure why he should care what the other boy thought after what he'd done, of course...just as he wasn't sure why he felt inclined to avoid instigating a fight through hurtful actions or words. By using that sort of underhanded and insensitive tactic, Vincent had stooped incredibly low. Worse still was the fact that Kit knew why it bothered him, even though it didn't quite suppress the urge he felt to want to clobber the smaller teen. Even if the brief contact their lips made was nothing more than an ace up Vincent's sleeve...he'd liked it.

A lot.

Which wasn't something he could say. Or if he could, it wasn't something he would say, especially not after having just invited Vincent to stay with him in the dorm.

By the time he could actually move again, he was clearing his throat and sliding off the couch, taking his empty plate with him and handing the dropped fork back to his guest.]

Just so you are aware, it will take more than that to convince me to rescind my invitation for you to stay.

[the thrill of victory is still running strong through his veins, but there's a nagging feeling in the back of his mind that will eventually make itself known whenever Vincent finally settles down: he's a bit disappointed by the other boy's reaction.

but for the moment he simply chuckles, taking the fork back and nonchalantly beginning to dig back into his plate. it was nice to have the upper hand on throwing Kit off for once.]

Is that so? Guess I'll have to take off my pants next time.

[he could leave it at that and really, he probably should. he'd made his point. but Vincent has never been one to understand restraint...and so when the other teen gets up and makes to walk to the kitchen he leans forward and pinches him right on the ass.

again, it's far less disagreeable than he'd anticipated.]

[If only Vincent had left it at that, Kit might have been able to restrain himself. But of course he hadn't. He'd felt the need to take things one step further, as usual. And this time it was one step too far.

For a brief second it wasn't red that Kit saw, but blistering hot white.

With a shuddering breath, he dropped his plate with a loud clatter upon the coffee table and glanced back over his shoulder as the smaller teen reached towards him. Lightning quick, his hand shot out and caught the other boy's wrist in a sharp, unrelenting grip, twisting it painfully in the opposite direction. His eyes were flashing with warning, other fist clenched at his side.]

Try that again and I will break your arm. Do you understand?

[He never had liked people touching him from behind. And even if Vincent was his partner...there was only so much disrespect he could tolerate.]

[it's not the anticipated result of his action, but Vincent would be lying if he said that this didn't excite him just as much - if not more. the smug grin on his face widens into something challenging and a little crazed. his wrist aches under the other boy's grip, but the pain only goads him on further.]

Why wait? Do it now.

[or maybe he should prompt the retaliation a little further? with that thought in mind Vincent rises up from the couch, standing so close to his partner that they're practically pressed up against each other. come on, then. escalate this.]

[What was it Vincent had said to him the night they first met?]

Only people who think themselves worthless blindly chase that thrill.

[He held Vincent's twisted arm for a moment longer before, with a violent shove, he knocked the other boy back onto the sofa. It didn't get more sit down and cool off than that, especially as Kit took a breath, and then collected both plates before heading to the kitchen.

This was fine.

He'd made his point and Vincent knew there was a line drawn now. As disrespectful and antagonistic as he could be, he wouldn't forsake those boundaries, would he?]

[he's sharp enough that he can recognize his own words when they're thrown back at him, but it's the denial of a fight that rankles him more. Vincent grunts, trying and failing to withstand the superior force acting upon him. all it results in is him hitting the couch at a strange angle.

it's not like Kit to reject a fight when the both of them are free and able, even more so when he was obviously riled up. it's the curiosity over something so obviously amiss that prompts him to violate even his own set of rules and follow after the other boy into the kitchen. prideful as he was, soothing a bruised ego mattered less in this instance.]

And people who are afraid?

[With considerably more care than he'd demonstrated a moment ago, Kit placed both plates and forks in the kitchen sink. As he turned on the faucet and the sink began to fill with water, he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and seriously considered ignoring his guest.

Of course, that would only prove harmful to the both of them. Vincent had lashed out at him the night before for even seeming like he was disregarding what he'd been saying. Doing so now, when tensions were obviously running so very high, would lead to a more serious exchange of blows...]

Fear isn't what stayed my hand.

[He added a little soap to the water and then turned off the tap before turning to look at his guest.]

Neither of us has anything to gain by fighting right now. That's all.

[Or so he said.]

[without so much as a pause he hoists himself up onto the counter right next to the sink, providing himself with a better vantage point and Kit with nowhere to hide. moving away before finishing the dishes would only prove avoidance.]

You make it sound like that's a difference from any other fight.

[of theirs, anyway. there was nothing practical or tangible for either of them to gain from clashing so often, and yet they continued to do so. why? because it provided an incomparable thrill. so, then, what else but fear could keep the other boy from licking some of that up?]

[So pushy...

But there was little to be done about Vincent's forcefulness if Kit wasn't willing to push back.]

The difference is clear. For our first fight, neither of us was in his right mind. The following confrontation was owed as per my promise. And the rest...

[Good grief. They really fought a lot with each other, didn't they? Kit sighed as he sunk his hands into the water and began scrubbing clean the plates.]

...those were the result of poor judgment and a lack of self-restraint.

[He paused then, adding quietly...]

I like to think I can enjoy your company without always resorting to violence.

[Or at least, he didn't wish the fights between them to come from a place of darkness or hate. They weren't Hiei and Kurama, not yet, but Kit wanted very much to preserve that partnership.]

[there had been worse situations in their past where self-restraint would have been more than welcome, and yet it had failed to make an appearance. what made this instance so different?

the nagging voice in the back of his head knew, but up until this point Vincent had still managed to ignore it. it's only when he catches the soft postscript to the conversation that it's thrust front and center, unable to be ignored.

did Kit really..? no, that was ridiculous. just the thought of it was making his heart pump faster in what could only be involuntary panic.]

I'm not here to be enjoyed.

Of course you aren't.

[Kit wasn't a fool. He wasn't operating under any misconceptions about why Vincent was there. It was for himself, obviously. As was everything the smaller teen ever did. That was why he'd even followed Kit into the Kitchen and why he was prodding now at an open wound. He didn't know how to let sleeping dogs lie, and wasn't inclined to if he could make them spring into action instead.

He wasn't there to be enjoyed. But everyone else where there to entertain him.

The thought made Kit feel bitter...but realizing that he'd been washing the same plate for a few minutes snapped him out of that emotional pitfall.

He set the clean plate aside and moved onto the next...]

I suppose that settles everything. You do your thing and I will do mine. We'll stay out of each other's way.

As if it could've been any other way.

[but he's not satisfied with that decision, even as he readily agrees to it. not going forward and certainly not with all the uncomfortable questions still swirling unanswered in his head. leaving things the way they were would be akin to abandonment, and that was simply unacceptable. he never backed down, and he certainly wouldn't do so now.

for the moment, though, he simply watches his companion finish up the dishes. as Kit is putting the second plate away he reaches out, catching him by the chin and tugging him to face him. he holds him there for a moment, as if gathering up mental strength, and then leans in to kiss him again.

it's a kiss this time, not a military gambit or show of strength. there's clearly very little experience behind the gesture, but the softness of the gesture cannot be denied. after several moments Vincent pulls away and wordlessly hops down from the counter, starting off towards his bedroom. if he was being entirely honest, he couldn't explain why he'd just done that.]

[While Kit failed to respond to the kiss, he also failed to push Vincent away. There'd been plenty of time. And if he'd really wanted to, he could have easily taken one of the forks still in the sink and stuck Vincent's hand with it. He'd had no shortage of ways to prevent their faces from coming close together or their lips from meeting.

But he'd done nothing.

And he continued to do nothing as Vincent hopped off the counter and walked away. He forgot about what was left in the sink. Forgot about drying off his hands. And he didn't dare turn to watch the other boy go. He wasn't sure what to think let alone say.

One moment Vincent was telling him he wasn't here to be enjoyed, the next he was kissing him. The mixed signals he was giving were giving Kit a headache...]

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