Something's missing.
The thought strikes him, fast and sharp like an arrow out of the shadows, and he's much too drunk, isn't he? He's sure he hasn't had that much. He stumbles outside, rests against the wall.
Delic taps his foot to the beat pulsating from inside the club, looks up at the sky.
The city lights are brighter than the stars, he muses. What would it be like to share this with someone?
What a strange thought - is he lonely? Is what he's been feeling sadness?
The funny feeling that creeps up in his chest -
It can't be. It's just the alcohol.
This is the dream that's become my everyday existence - I'm happy, aren't I? Why wouldn't I be?
How could I be tired of this already?
"Delic!" Psyche Orihara's voice pulls his head out of the clouds. Delic turns to his friend and tosses him a lazy smile. It's fine, it's all fine.
"What? I'm on break."
"Time to come back inside! It's Friday, you know we'll be busy!" Psyche grins. "I get to sing tonight, are you with me?"
"Ah, you're singing?" Delic says, surprised. "No, I'm not. My throat's been hurting, actually."
Psyche gives him a look. "Has it? Is that why you've been sounding huskier?"
"Maybe." Delic laughs, shrugs.
"Boo!" Psyche pouts. "I sound better with you!"
"I know." Delic smirks, following him back inside. He pauses to give Yuki, a fellow hostess, a kiss on the cheek. "How are things?"
Yuki had mentioned something about girlfriend trouble last Tuesday.
"Yuki's been proposed to again!" Psyche says, a bit smug that he knew this first. "And she threw wine at the guy cause he was really sleazy!"
"What he said." Yuki says with a little laugh. "Oh, welcome, welcome!"
A group of girls have entered, quietly giggling.
Yuki greets them, and then the girls separate, each led away by a host.
The shortest one stands before him. She's not bad looking, with dark bangs and wide brown eyes, and Delic wonders if they'd ever end up being something more like what happened with Tsugaru and Psyche.
I just knew when I saw him, Delic!
Was he supposed to 'just know?' Feel butterflies and see fireworks? Psyche may be a romantic, but he isn't. What a stupid mood he's in tonight, really!
But he can't help thinking -
Is that what's missing? Love?
Maybe it'll find him soon enough... It wouldn't be that bad, if he could be smiling and laughing like Tsugaru and Psyche. Those two, who are always curving in so close into each other, so utterly happy that the other is by their side.
The girl is blinking up at him expectantly.
Delic puts his hand on the small of the her back, smiles. "Hello."
Her smile is shy but steady; she takes the drink he offers with a soft thank you.
Yuki drifts by them, bracelets gently clinking, almost in beat with Psyche's love song. No doubt Tsugaru would be in the crowd somewhere.
Lucky Psyche, getting to sing tonight. But hell - my head aches.
He can't wait for this night to be over, when he can go home and sleep.
It happens as he brushes his lips against the girl's cheek.
Yuki's voice floats over, saying I'm sorry I don't have the money right now but if you'll just wait -
He bids goodbye to his client, edges over to see what's going on. Psyche is still singing - clearly he hasn't noticed, and Delic feels a flash of annoyance towards his friend, but if their positions were swapped, he wouldn't notice either.
Two men in dark suits are standing there, and Delic flashes them a cheery grin before tugging on Yuki's arm.
"Help me with something?" He asks. "In the back."
"It'll be a moment." She smiles, grasps his hand. Her slender fingers have a surprisingly tight grip.
Yuki takes him out the back door and breaks into a sprint.
Delic's legs feel like they're about to give out.
"Hey, where are we going?" He coughs. This is the fifteenth time he has asked her, and this is the fifteenth time that silence is his answer.
He desperately wants to know what's going on. The city lights are a blur, dust is swirling up into his eyes, and her hand is clammy in his - this is not the calm, clean woman who works alongside him on Fridays. This is a frantic mess of a girl who's made a mistake.
And she's dragged him into it.
They stop at the station, where she removes her heels and answers his questions in a breath. Her name is Yuki, she's not a spy, sorry, and she needs to leave, but she brought him along because those guys could've killed him.
She goes up on her toes, kisses his cheek. "You've been a friend to me - sure, it's our job, but you didn't let go of my hand the entire way, you know?"
Her sad smile, twisted up at the corner, makes his head hurt.
"Who's chasing you?" Delic asks. "Who were they?"
"Have you heard the name Hibiya?" The very woman who has shared drinks and laughs with him is now shaking. "Promise me you'll stay away from him, and then maybe I'll see you again someday. I'd like to."
"Same here." Delic takes her hand, puts on his familiar, confident grin. "You'll be okay. Don't worry." The words feel heavy, but it puts a spark in her eyes and she waves to him as she gets on the train.
He wonders if she'll be alive tomorrow. How far would Yuki be running? Would someone be waiting for her when she got there? There are six men in suits among the crowd, but they could be anyone.
Hibiya... Who are you?
He sheds his white jacket - it's too hot, really, to be running in suits - and calmly begins to ask around about a man named Hibiya.
The Prince feels sick, like his throat might close up and then he won't be able to speak.
The murmurs of your highness are low and anxious.
This is what his family has disintegrated into, and it's so, so cold.
(don't leave me behind!)
Closing his eyes, the Prince lets himself be carried away.
When will he just be able to sleep?
He can't sleep yet - it's too crowded in here, voices whispering and curling around him like cigarette smoke.
He looks up to see that there's a man standing in front of him, cigarette clamped between his lips (so that's where the smoke is from) and dressed in an odd combination of pink and white - somehow, it fits him. His underlings have shifted back into the dark corners, but he can feel their eyes on him.
He stands, manages to keep his voice strong. "What do you want?"
The court is closed. Come back tomorrow.
The man is looking at him curiously. "You're Hibiya?"
"Yes." Hibiya responds, lifting his chin. "Who are you?"
"The name's Delic."
"Delic." The name rolls off his tongue pleasantly, easily. A strange name for a strange looking man. "What's brought you here?"
"Come outside with me, and we'll talk there." Delic jerks his head towards the door.
Like he'd go somewhere with a complete stranger! His gun is at his hip, but what a shame it would be to mar such a handsome face. He likes this man, this Delic. There's an air about him.
Ne, he'd make a fine jester.
"Very well." Hibiya replies, waving his underlings away. "Leave us be. You get two minutes."
Hibiya is a pale, slight child, nothing like Delic would've imagined. He's clad in a white shirt, white boots and black pants, a gold crown crookedly placed on his dark hair. It almost swallows him up, his clothes, but his face is so very serious.
He's beautiful, fiery eyes gazing up at him - and he barely reaches Delic's shoulder when he stands, how cute.
I want to take care of you.
Hibiya follows Delic outside, blinking up at the stars. "... They are nice."
"Don't you come out at all?"
"Not much." Hibiya murmurs, tugging uncomfortably at his shirt, making sure it's perfectly crisp.
Delic chuckles. "Tell me about you. How old are you?" The Prince could be a man, could be anywhere from sixteen to his twenties.
Please be in your twenties. I don't wanna go to jail.
"Why should I tell you that?" Hibiya says suspiciously, nose scrunching up, and God, he's cute. Really, really cute - how can this be the guy Yuki's running from?
Yuki...
"What do you do?" Delic says lightly, but his eye is beginning to throb in irritation. How stupid of him, getting hung up on Hibiya's looks; must be the alcohol? But still, it wasn't that much. "You and your boys."
"I do not do much." He sighs, folding his arms. Either he's cold or uncomfortable, or both. "These minutes are passing far too slowly. Make your point."
"You know a girl named Yuki?" Delic keeps his tone casual, throws in a charming smile.
"Ah. Are you her boyfriend, then?" Hibiya tilts his head, his curious almost-gold eyes fixed on the host. "Swooping in to get revenge?"
"I'm just her friend."
"She made a deal and she couldn't hold it up... If you make a deal with me, I expect you to keep it."
"... So, anyone can make a deal with you?" An idea forms in the host's mind. It buzzes in his stomach, fills him with an impish excitement.
Immediately, those eyes snap back up to him. "Do you desire one?"
"Very perceptive of you, huh?" Delic murmurs. "Yeah. I do."
They're standing close, close enough for the gun to jab into his stomach and finish him, because this boy is told be to ruthless but there are ways to get into his favor. Others say he's simply a pawn for something greater and Delic just wants to know - to know absolutely everything about the beautiful boy in front of him.
"Then request it and be on your way." Hibiya says quietly, tongue flicking out to lick his lips.
Is he nervous? He can't be, not with the way he's looking up at Delic through his eyelashes.
"Let me stay by your side." Delic says, the words stumbling out, because hell! How can he think straight with those golden eyes looking at him like that?
"... What?"
"I want to get to know you."
Tear me apart but just let me glimpse inside your mind - what's going on behind your eyes?
Hibiya blinks in surprise. "Why would you want such a thing? Why would I allow it?"
"Because I'm going to make you fall for me." Delic says cheerfully. "I've never failed."
For a moment, the only sound is cars rushing by and the pounding of Delic's heart
( it goes, oh God oh God danger danger danger - )
and then the Prince speaks.
"There's a first time for everything. If you lose?" A smirk dances on his lips, his hand ghosting back down to his gun.
"Do what you wish with me. If you lose, you're going to let Yuki off the hook." There's determination in Delic's eyes. "Prepare to lose."
"I should be telling you that."
There are no fireworks or butterflies but something's twisting inside of him, and this could be it, this could be what's been missing.
"We'll see." Delic hums, and bids him goodnight.
a/n: Hibiya's not a literal prince in this - I thought this angle might be kind of interesting, let me know what you think. Feedback is much appreciated!