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Crescent Moon[]
Shigenaga woke by the uncomfortable sensation of Vladik's nose boring itself into his pectorals, he scowled at the situation before he lowered his gaze to look at the offending individual himself. He had never been a particularily affectionate man, not even in his younger days and he found the whole situation to be quite unnerving, while he knew this man posed no threat to him, he still mentally berated himself for letting him get this close.
The warlocks eyes furrowed in silent contemplation as he regarded the man snoring beneath him, the human was a man he had long had deep troubles with respecting, and he knew he still didn't - at the time he was merely tolerating his presence. Vladik had no resolve, no dreams no nothing beyond wanting to end his curse, he claimed to despise Shinigami yet he was all too eager to follow him, oh, he might pretend that he didn't want anything to do with him but it had long since become clear to the crime lord just what he actually sought...
Pathetic
Love.. it was such a thorn in his side, he had lost more good men and women to love than he had lost to ambushes, street riots and Hollows. As long as Vladik's ties of loyalty were split between his deal and his heart, he'd make for a poor subordinate; he'd need to set the record straight somehow - Quincy were rare to come by, and their abilities were always highly useful, he'd have to make sure he got the most out of this arrangement.
Indeed, in spite of the human's intentions, his growing uncertainty and emotional state hadn't escaped Shigenaga's notice; he could feel the intensity of his gaze when the Quincy thought he wasn't looking; could feel his presence grow ever stronger in his mind. He had the tools, the flimsy emotions and sensations of the human would provide him with new possibilities, he just needed to find the most appropriate way to deal with them. The course of action was clear though, he needed to make certain to make the other man fall in love with him and him alone - if he did, he'd keep the newest addition to his innumerable resources forever.
While Shigenaga calmly thought over all of this, Vladik was much less calm. His dreams were filled with the terror and uncertainty of his childhood years. He awoke with a start, violently wrenching himself free of the embrace he had held Shigenaga in the majority of the night. For the moment, he had forgotten Shigenaga was even there. His mind fell solely on Abram. He needed to find him and make sure was okay after yesterday's events. The nightmare had only intensified this desire. Furthermore, anxiety was welling up within him. There had been another figure in the dream. A man Abram's age, but, he felt a certain similarity to, yet he couldn't remember the man's name. When his breathing had finally slowed and he had calmed down, he glanced back and remembered Shigenaga, who had been watching him silently.
Immediately his eyes narrowed. Shigenaga was bearing the same look of contempt he usually wore. Not a good start to the day. Sighing to himself, and without saying a word to the Shinigami he had slept with, he scooted out from beneath the comforter and on to the floor, throwing on a casual shirt and shorts and walking from the room. Whenever he was anxious like this, Vladik couldn't remain still. Even for Shigenaga. Pushing his way through the hallway and into the living room, Vladik scuffled around for his cell phone. It took him a few moments, but he found it nestled in between two of his sofa cushions. He brought up Abram's name on the screen and punched the "call" button. Several moments later, after listening to the dial tone and the voicemail message, there was no answer.
"Shit..." he cursed under his breath.
In frustration, he lashed out, punching the wall to the side of him, creating a loud thud on impact. He had to admit, he was at least enjoying the freedom of having his own emotions under control. It was an odd, yet liberating feeling. Nevertheless, his anxiety was mounting. If Abram wouldn't answer his phone, Vladik would just have to pay him a visit in person. He didn't know how Shigenaga would feel about it, but, at the time, he didn't care. After all, he had been the cause of what had made Abram fly into an emotional breakdown. Slipping shoes on, he darted one last time towards the bedroom.
"I'm going." he declared. "You can come or you can stay, I don't really care. Do try not to break anything while I'm away if you decide on the latter."
Sitting upright in the bed, the Shinigami viewed Vladik through unreadable eyes as he took note of the other man's behaviour. Shigenaga had to admit he was oddly facinated by the complexity of human emotions, they appeared mostly irrelevant to him of course; but his actions were amusing nonetheless. However, he had matters to attend to and he couldn't let this human distract him any further than he already had, he would accompany the Quincy to meet his friend - in the likely scenario that he was about to break his heart, it would be a worthwhile endeavour.
To voice his approval, the warlock spoke "I'll come with you, I find myself intrigued by the human world - I've never actually been outside Soul Society for real before"
In the rare cases when he was, it was largely limited to striking deals with the various chivalrous organizations operating in the area, they were well-paid to serve as his eyes and ears within the human world, Karakura especially - after its public reveal as a town of immense spiritual concentration, it had been quite important to his business.
Standing up the warlock walked over to fall into pace with Vladik's gentle steps as the latter made his way out of the bedroom, then he lunged forward playfully to wrap his arms around the Quincy and pull him backwards towards his chest, as he leaned forward and purred slightly in his ear, his voice dark and rumbling...
"...Morning"
Vladik was taken aback by this display of affection. He had become so anxious because of the dream he had experienced during the night, he had forgotten all about the night before with Shigenaga. The sudden waver of his emotions threatened to send him over the edge and cause him to cry. Abram wasn't answering and he knew it was likely because the boy was disgusted by him. Melting into Shigenaga's arms he gave into his beneficiary's warm embrace, seeking solace in him. His rumbling, deep voice send shivers down his spine. He couldn't help but feel disgusted in himself. How could he ever feel this way about a Shinigami? It was complete blasphemy. The Shinigami had done everything they could to ruin his existance. Even this man didn't seem to fully care. Then why? Why?! Why did these emotions gurgle within him, just underneath the surface. Why did he melt when this man kissed him? Why did he feel so at ease here in this man's embrace?
Vladik knew that Shigenaga likely didn't even love him to begin with. He was just a means to an end. Another resource to be used to achieve his own ends, and yet, Vladik could not deny the new feeling rising in his chest. Was it love? Had this man placed some sort of vile enchantment upon the rings he had given him to force him to fall in love? Or was this, in fact, stemming from the need, the craving, the hunger he had deep in the pits of his soul to be held and know that all was going to be okay. And there, just for a moment, he let the feeling wash over him like a tidal wave. It was brief, but oh, how sweet the feeling was! And then, as soon as it came, disgust and resentment quickly came to take its place. Vladik freed himself of the Shinigami's embrace and glanced back at him with a hurtful glare; studying the man behind him.
Strong. Not just in his abilities, but Shigenaga's very demeanor was strong. His eyes were strong. And yes, his body was strong too. This man, who had obviously been through some of the same pains as Vladik himself, was very tough, very resilient. Perhaps it was that fact that made this man an utter asshole. Vladik always liked being able to see the strength in men. It was one of his biggest turn ons, and Shigenaga was full of it. Yet still, with the hurtful look in his eyes as he glanced over his shoulder, and his back to the Shinigami, he began to speak;
"Do not do that if you do not mean it." he managed to croak, his voice hoarse from the intense emotion welling up behind it.
Shigenaga scowled at the comment, and quickly withdrew his arms from around Vladik's waist, confirming the humans suspicions regarding the sincerity of his unusually affectionate gesture. Although, whether he had done it to make his own inexplicable ends meet was still uncertain. Was it sincere, was there ulterior motives involved? It was hard to tell with Shigenaga, living in the kind of world he lived, and dealing with shady fellows on a daily baiss had served to strengthen him, Shigenaga knew how to disguise his true intentions, twist unrelated aspects into something to use.. yet another resource. He knew when to withhold information and his personal feelings, and he knew when it was beneficial to share both; unfortunately for Vladik however, Shigenaga had decided that the truth was of no significance in this matter.
In light of this Shigenaga's face was devoid of any true emotion, but it was far from featureless - for the warlock knew that to keep their face blank and without any true expressions or features made for an imperfect disguise. So, he let a slight self-pleased smirk dance across his lips. While it would appear sincere to anyone else, the warlock knew that Vladik was unlikely to buy into such a shallow facade; not at this point. Truthfully enough, Shigenaga soon dropped the smirk in favor of speech; and his voice was not the usual? baritone, but was instead saccharine and laced with contempt and sarcasm. But beneath it, there was a hint of something else, perhaps something he didn't want Vladik to discover, perhaps?
"To be a human gifted with incredible powers, you're still a weak one and perhaps that very weakness is the reason why he's avoiding you? You want to get in contact with him, but is it truly for his sake? Or is it merely to lessen your lingering feelings of guilt? Although you profess to love him, your actions towards him are ultimately selfish in nature, you refuse to give him the time to properly think about the issue because of your fear"
"You're clinging to him, refusing to let him go - constantly throwing yourself at his feet like a repentant hound. Your pathetic grovelling will only serve to further alienate him, as you're forcing him to make a decision earlier than he would've liked. Besides, when you do meet him - you're only gonna lie to him anyway; you're gonna explain your emotions in a way that will serve to make him feel comfortable, covering it up with painted shields and empty promises. You've got no intention of telling him how you truly feel do you?" Shigenaga's voice changed at this point, replaced with a variation of his common baritone, one that was darker still and slightly husky.
"You're not gonna tell him how a single look at him ignites a pyre within you, a burning desire that threatens to consume you from within. You're not gonna tell you the prime reason you want to defeat your curse is to allow yourself to remain close to him. You're not gonna tell him how you whisper his name into your pillow... or my chest, whichever was most readily available - and you're definitely not gonna tell him how you wish to pound him against every solid surface in his entire... home" the way Shigenaga said the last word suggested that he thought that if Abram's apartment was anything like Vladik's, it could just barely be considered a home.
Vladik's eyes caught Shigenaga's and held his gaze. His eyes reflected the menacing anger that was building within him. The Shinigami's words weren't hurtful, so much as they were enticing. It was as if he was baiting him to do something. Vladik did not like being manipulated and played like an instrument. Storming across the narrow hall until he was directly in front of Shigenaga, Vladik reached out and seized hold of the Shinigami's collar; something that could either ignite the man's anger, or shock him. Likely both.
"Now you listen here," Vladik growled, his voice vibrating off of the walls. "What I intend to tell Abram is my own business. You don't understand love at all. Sometimes sacrifices have to be made. Sometimes they hurt. You saw the way he reacted yesterday. Of course I'm not going to tell him those things! Especially that last one! I am going to comfort him. Because he is my friend and..."
Vladik's voice trailed off. He considered what Shigenaga said. Considered the things that had transpired over the last two weeks in the pursuit of his adoration for Abram. He also thought of the new feelings that had both appeared and fluctuated widely concerning Shigenaga; a man who's mystery and charm were quite alluring, yet whose personality and behavior were utterly repulsive to him. Then there was the fact that he was a Shinigami. Grabbing the remainder of his things from a small nightstand in the hall, nearby where they were standing Vladik turned around and began to head back towards the door before finishing his statement;
"...and because, I love him." he surrender, finally able to say the words without spiraling into a maddening transformation. The sheer wave of love he felt for Abram, for his Abram, washing completely over him, threatening to drown him. "More than any being in these dimensions."
With that, Vladik charged out the front door. Whether the Shinigami followed him would be up to Shigenaga. He didn't care at the moment. He would deal with his bargain with Shigenaga after he took care of Abram.
Shigenaga watched Vladik leave, his arms folded neatly across his chest, he was through mocking the other man for his saccharine delusions, he was confident he would have his sweet dreams shattered soon enough, for now he needed to get dressed. The warlock opted to take this chance to rummage through the humans clothing, he had to admit that he found the prospect somewhat exciting; and in a brief sprint of childish glee he set to search in all drawes, closets and wardrobes for something that caught his fancy: he set his sights on an outfit consisting of jeans, a belt and a black A-shirt. Looking in the mirror, he concluded that the fashion of mortals was most peculiar. The A-shirt was a bit too tight, as it was intended for a male smaller than he himself was and it thus rode up slightly at his hips, the jeans were in a similar state of disarray and the warlock clicked in annoyance at this.
He despised tight clothing, and unfortunately for him, most of what Vladik had were small enough to feel constricting on his body, eventually though he found a pair of billowing shorts, they were more elastic and roomish than the normal variety and he felt content moving around in them. When he was fine with his choice he set to follow after the Quincy, it'd be silly to lose his charge simply because of something as superficial as human fashion. Exiting the house and using a single.. somewhat amateurishly performed Shunpo movement to catch up with him.
"So then, Spice.. where is that wimp of yours located?"
Vladik hadn't even made it to the end of the block when Shigenaga caught up to him. "Spice". Shigenaga been calling him that for quite some time now, and Vladik didn't entirely understand the meaning of the nickname, but he shrugged it off nevertheless, secretly happy that the Shinigami had decided to follow him. He had only just begun to acknowledge Shigenaga's question when his eyes caught sight of what Shigenaga was wearing. They were his clothes, that much was certain, but Shigenaga was a larger man, both in height and in musculature, than Vladik, so the clothes were very tight on him; the shirt, in particular, riding up on the sides.
Vladik felt his face getting hot, though he did what he could to hide it. The way the clothes accented Shigenaga's muscular frame was a delightful surprise to Vladik; one he had certainly not expected. It then struck him that this was the first time he'd seen Shigenaga in normal clothing; human clothing. The man was extraordinarily handsome in this outfit and, before long, Vladik began to notice that he had perhaps stared too long. Turning around quickly before Shigenaga could see him blushing, Vladik finally responded to the Shinigami's question;
"Two streets east of here, on the corner." he said abruptly. "That's where his apartment complex is. Are you sure you want to come along with me for this? I know you have," he paused to choose the right words. "Business, here in the World of the Living, to take care of."
When Vladik looked away, his eyes briefly connected with Shigenaga's own; and at just that passing glance he would make note of that the Shinigami was highly aware of just where and what he had been looking at, if he disappoved of it he didn't let it show, but there was a certain glint in his eyes when they met his, although it was hard to glean the exact emotions and impressions they hid from a man who had grown so accustomed to wearing his own face as a mask as Shigenaga.
He was silent for a while, but then, even as they enclosed upon their destination he began to speak, his voice for once exempt of any feelings, like if he had remembered something he thought fit to share. While he spoke he looked directly at Vladik, his eyes intense and his features blank "You don't have to avert your gaze, you can admire me as much as you like - I don't care: it is precisely pigs like you that make my business profitable, young men with dirty needs" Shigenaga chuckled darkly at that, but it was a humorless chuckle, one devoid of mirth.
Continuing, his tone seemed to change somewhat, becoming more serious, as if he considered his words to be important "You know, a long time ago I used to actively look for glances quite like the ones you gave me, I searched for them in crowds, looked at how others gazed at me. Whenever they looked at me like that it meant I could find work, that I could get a meal and a warm bed, they paid me well for the pleasure I offered in exchange for the money. It was profitable work really, and I never left anyone out, whether they be old or young, I was willing."
Shigenaga frowned, although whatever the reason it wasn't inexplicably shown, as it appeared that Shigenaga cared very little for what he had done in his youth; and the way he spoke of it reminded of a casual conversation if nothing else, just a trivial detail about his life he had deigned to share. "The day after our night of fun, I'm certain you noticed that you're not the only Quincy I have in my employment, as a gesture of respect, I'm gonna tell you who he is. The man's name is Raphael, he's an old accomplice of mine; and as you might have guessed one of my former lovers - he was originally a customer of mine, a man looking to relieve some stress - however we soon understood we held similiar goals and values and that's how our partnership started" Shigenaga obviously knew quite alot more about who he was, but it was pretty easy to imagine that he wouldn't tell him.
"But yes, I will be joining you to visit that friend of yours, I'm eager to see your reaction when he turns you down. My business can wait"
Vladik scowled slightly at this. What possessed the man to be so spiteful, the Quincy would never know. Turning again to face his mission, Vladik began to trudge once again down the pavement. There were no further exchanges between them as they walked towards the Yomiyama Apartments, but inside Vladik, a storm was brewing. His "inner world", while, not all that like a Shinigami's, was drenched in storms and Shigenaga's presence was only intensifying it. Shaking the cloud from his head, Vladik's frustration finally won and he broke into a sprint, leaping high into the air, all whilst gathering reishi and solidifying it beneath his feet. In that instant, he was airborne; a nice little trick of the Quincies which allowed them to move at higher speeds — Hirenkyaku. He had no doubt that Shigenaga would be close behind with his own Shunpo, but Vladik paid no head. He would no wait any longer.
Flying across the skies, the apartment complex came into view immediately, dropping out of the sky into the parking lot. Before he approached any closer, Vladik turned to Shigenaga, whom, as he had suspected, had followed him through the skies. His look had become stern, and he surveyed the Shinigami with none of the admiration he had previously had in his eyes. When he spoke, his voice was stern, deep, but not threatening.
"Remain here." Vladik said simply. "I will go in alone. You can get your kicks off my reaction when I return, but this conversation must be private. The last time you were involved, I ended up in this situation. I need to do this myself."