Author's Notes: What would it be like if Gojyo was my coworker, you ask? Well, I think it'd be quite an interesting experience.. Ah yes, these are the things I ponder while folding clothes all day long. x3
P.S. I cannot wait to quit this job someday..
Ying To My Yang
Damn hangers. Damn pants. Damn polos...
...DAMN HANGERS!
Rinyue thrust the plastic onto its bar. "Stupid things," she mumbled, escorting herself to the far corner of the store.
If there was one thing she couldn't stand working in retail, it was closing for the night. Nevermind the entire day she'd just wasted away, straightening piles of clothes with a fake smile, pretending as if the store was the best thing since sliced bread. She sighed. At least there was money to be had. And the shift was nearly over.
She let out a screech as the ladder she'd been occupying slid out from beneath her, leaving her clinging to the flimsy, plastic shelving. Peering over her shoulder, she caught sight of someone she'd been avoiding since day one - that arrogant, sordid, redhead.
"That's what you get for throwing my cigarettes out," he shrugged, leaning against the wall.
"I told you I was sorry, " she grit out, knuckles turning white. "I thought it was empty."
The man's memory flashed back to the night they'd been stuck with trash duty... Both were bickering nonstop, and he'd been the one to break the camel's back. He recalled when she'd shoved him against the metal dumpster, aggressively planting her lips upon his, and then backed away, a pretentious smirk playing on her visage. It wasn't until she'd tossed the pack into said dumpster, stamped the compress button, and skipped back into the store that it registered he'd been fooled.
"Yeah, right, " he scoffed, taking his leave.
"Gojyo, wait!" Too late. The shelve's placeholders gave, and she, along with a dozen or so piles of clothes, toppled to the floor. She lay there for a moment, absorbing the surge of pain from colliding with linoleum. Her eyes closed, and she exhaled, reopening them, only to find two carmine irises staring back.
"You...suck," she breathed.
"Nah, I'd rather get right to business, but if that's how you like it..."
She squirmed. "D-Did you just make a sex joke?"
"Who said I was joking?" He gave a playful smirk, grasping her hands and hoisting her up.
That stupid redhead. With that stupid, cocky smile. And those stupid, lusting eyes. And that stupid, stupid, stupid, body of infidelity.
That stupid, repulsive, degrading, undeniably, overly attractive redhead.
After an hour of sorting, folding, and replacing shirts, Rinyue stood on yet another ladder, stocking rack after rack of clothes. It wasn't until she glanced down the long hallway that she saw an ajar door of a large, walk-in storage closet. A dim light was emanating from within, announcing someone's presence.
She stepped off the ladder and cautiously peeked around the door's edge. And, in a failed attempt to stay silent, her head bumped it, causing a low, metallic creak to sound. Crap. No sense in hiding now.
Pushing the door open, she came face-to-face with her coworking nemesis once again.
His eyes were wide for a moment, having expected a manager, or someone else who could cause him trouble. He relaxed, however, letting out a sigh, along with a cloud of smoke that whisked away through an open window.
"What are you doing," she asked. Dumb question.
"What's it look like," he shot her a quizzical glance.
There was a momentary pause while the duo stared at one another in an awkward silence. Finally, she sighed, allowing the door to click shut behind her. She needed a break, she decided.
"Oh, so you're not gonna play tattle-tail today," he mocked, taking a long drag.
She smirked, suppressing a laugh. "You and I both know I only said something once."
"Yeah, and that 'once' nearly got me canned."
"And that would've been such a tragedy for all of us." Her voice laced with sarcasm, she let her lower lip jut out in a portrayal of her sadness.
"Ha, ha." He stamped out his cigarette. "Ya know," he paused, exhaling, "I think you really would be bummed if I left."
Her brow furrowed in puzzlement.
"No, really," he went on, "you and I are like..."
"Peas in a pod," she joked, gaining a smile from him. "Ah, yeah, let's face it, you're the ying to my yang, Gojyo."
He sensed the leak in her voice. Another long silence passed between them before either spoke.
"You're a prick."
His crude response only caused her to laugh. "Well that's fine. The feeling is mutual." And with that, she made to turn, to go back to her unfinished work. She didn't have time for his nonsense. She didn't even know why she'd allowed herself to stay in his presence for that long.
The door wedged open, it slammed shut suddenly, startling her. When looking to her left, she caught sight of those same, rouge eyes she'd been trying to avoid. Gojyo hovered behind her, his palm firmly pressed against the door's surface. Turning to face him once more, she stiffened under the sudden closeness as the aroma of smoke passed by her nostrils. She didn't have to look up to know he was staring.
"You don't get it, huh?"
"Get what," she scoffed, still not making eye contact.
His feet shuffled, inching closer, a smirk skittering across his lips. Bringing a hand up to her chin, he tilted her dome upward. A wave of heat rushed over her as she allowed herself to meet his gaze. She needed to regain her cool, and fast.
"You're not like other girls, are you?" His question puzzled her, and she didn't reply. "I'll be honest, since day one, I've been trying to convince myself that you were the same. Just another piece of eye candy, ya know?" She rolled her eyes, making him chuckle. "Damn cute, even when you're not trying."
She blushed.
"Please, Gojyo, spare me. I'm not falling for it."
Letting out a heavy sigh, he came eye-to-eye with her, a sense of seriousness ascending. With only mere inches between their lips, Rinyue opened her mouth to speak. Her tone came out frantic, trying to stop him from doing anything regretful. "Don't do this, if you don't mean it." Such a girl remark. The redhead only chuckled again, moving in once more. She quickly dodged him, fidgeting ever so slightly as she pressed herself further into the door. "I'm serious, Gojyo." Oh how she wished the wall could consume her.
Another sigh escaped, this time long and exaggerated. He stood straight, cradling either side of her jawbone in his hands, and brought his lips down to meet hers. It'd been a bit harsher than he'd intended, but he wasn't about to let the moment pass. Though he found it rather difficult to convey any true emotions of love, and those surrounding found it hard to trust him, he admitted to himself that there might, just perhaps, be something there. And whatever it was, he would take his chances.
Breaking the benevolent kiss, he let his hands fall, one lingering, gently resting it near her collarbone. A strong, unnerving silence followed. Rinyue let out a staggered breath, trembling as she brought her hand up to his, slowly removing it from her skin. Then, with acute prowess, she spoke. Perhaps not against him, but her own revved emotions.
"Nice try."
With that, she turned, exiting the room and leaving Gojyo in solitude. She didn't believe there was any plausible way he could change with the snap of her fingers. He was a lecher. That was it. If he had meant any of it, however, she knew he'd come around. But, no matter how much it hurt to leave him standing there, she knew she couldn't trust him.