Don't Blink, You Might Miss
Prompt: Somebody told me by The Killers (Song)
Genre: Lost and found love
Pairing: Rochu
Summary: Ivan's girlfriend ghosted him 5 months ago. In a nightclub, he heard a rumour that a girl in the club had a boyfriend that mysteriously look like the girlfriend Ivan had last year. The only problem is Ivan still can't get over her.
A/N: This is an original fic, unposted. At this point, I just wish I am able to come up with better titles for my stories. This fic was inspired by a song by The Killers, it's a really catchy and brain washing song. To be very specific, I just really love that one line in the chorus, it just makes you think who is this mysterious person that is going around having boyfriends and girlfriends.
"SHOT, SHOT, SHOT, SHOT, SHOT!" The hypnotizing chant sounded on as a row of vodka shots are placed in front of Ivan.
Ivan raised his left hands up with a one, his right hand steadied, ready to grab the vodka glass. Two, his hands signal. The chanting around him getting more and more excited. Three. His fingers grabbed hold onto the first shot, and he gulp down in one shot. The chanting turned into a roar, as he continued to gulp down the hard liquor one after another with no hesitation.
As the last shot of vodka goes burning down his throat, Ivan let out a satisfied sigh and slam the last shot against the table, boasting his feat, he look up to find his friends all cheering on, louder than the deafening music in the nightclub.
Ivan click his tongue and gave a smirk. "This is nothing." He declare, wagging a finger from side to side, his face slightly red from the heat and the alcohol.
"Hey, hey Ivan!" Somebody from his circle shouted over the blaring music.
"Yeah?" Ivan shouted back, not knowing who is shouting back at.
"That girl over there. At the bar." the guy pointed pass him.
Ivan turns around to see. There are so many people hanging around the bar, but it is obvious to Ivan which one his friend was talking about. A petite girl with long, straight, and black hair, busty with a low-cut spaghetti strap dress and most of all, she is Asian descent. Ivan turn back around; his mood instantly change for the worst.
"Looks hot. Maybe she can be the cure for your broken heart tonight." His friend added on, not knowing that he have stepped on a landmine.
"ARE YOU MOCKING ME?" Ivan shouted, pulling up that guy by the collar. With a fist held high, he is ready to strike the moment the guy says anything.
"No, no!" the guy quickly replied, his hands in front of him in a defensive position. The girl sitting beside him stood up immediately and tried to persuade Ivan.
"Peter means well, it's almost a year since she left. And I-I know that girl! She's in my school. I-I heard a rumor about her and your girlfriend."
Ivan's attention instantly turn to the girl beside him. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
"I-I only heard of it recently, and it's honestly quite ridiculous, So…. So, I didn't tell you about it."
"I told Peter before that every single one of you will let me know ANYTHING about my girlfriend. So spit it out now, what have you heard?"
"M-My girls was telling me that… Her... boyfriend sort of look like your ex-girlfriend."
"She is not my ex-girlfriend." Ivan corrected her angrily. "She is my girlfriend."
"Ahh, yes, yes. I'm sorry, her boyfriend looks like your girlfriend."
Ivan's grips loosen, Peter and his girlfriend fell backwards, slumped down on the booth seats. He turned around and walk towards the girl sitting alone at the bar, seemingly baiting.
Humph, Ivan let out, eyes narrowing at the prey in his eyes.
He soften his expression and let out a charming smile. His choice of a white, long sleeve Henley shirt modest enough about his wealth, but tight enough to show his physique, paired with a blue denim jeans and boats shoes, he is charming enough for people to believe in his boy-next-door looks.
Ivan walks up to the empty seat beside her and gestured for the bartender. "Vodka neat for me." He raised up a four with his fingers. "Would sex on the beach be fine for you?" Ivan turn to the lady and casually asked.
"I have a boyfriend. But yeah, sex on the beach..." The girl trail the words, "is fine I guess." Her eyes flutter up and down over at Ivan, obviously not that into him.
"Chaser sir?" The bartender asked.
"No." Ivan replied. Then, turning back to the lady beside him, he continued: "So I've heard. And I want to meet your boyfriend too."
"Finally, a gutsy one, huh." She commented, slightly amused.
"Heaven ain't close in a place like this."
The bartender placed down their drinks and went away. Ivan immediately gulp down one shot, and with a sigh of satisfaction, look up to the lady.
The lady took a sip of her drinks, facing slightly towards Ivan.
"What's your name?" Ivan initiated.
"What's yours?"
"Ivan."
"Tracy."
"What's your boyfriend's name?"
The lady took another sip, glancing at him. "Why?"
Impatience starts surfacing on Ivan's face, and he poured the remaining three shots of alcohol down his throat. He gestured the bartender again and ordered another 4 more. Then he order a bottle of Dom Perignon champagne for the lady.
The lady heard the order and almost magically, fully turned towards Ivan now, she is all smiles as she slowly lean closer to him. "Well, if you have to know, his name is Gary, we broke up some time ago, but if you are interested in a threesome, I'm sure we can always find some other ways."
"That's a pity."
"Why?" The girl asked sweetly, pressing herself closer to Ivan. "You swing the other way?"
"Because I've heard a rumour that you had a boyfriend that look like a girlfriend that I had in February last year."
"Such coincidence?" Tracy replied laughing, obviously high from the alcohol in her system to notice anything weird from Ivan's words. "Ah! Speak of the devil." She gasped all of a sudden.
Ivan followed her gaze and turned to his back, an androgynous looking person squeeze through the crowds to reach the bar, before gesturing for and speaking to the bartender. Long, hair tied in a ponytail, dressed in a red shirt and jeans, the person stood around waiting, shaking with the flow of the music, and turning his head around to observe his surrounding before meeting eyes with Ivan. Slowly, he turn his head forward at the bartender.
"Order anything you want, and put it on my tab." Ivan said, downing all his shots, one by one, before moving towards the person.
"Hey, are you done?" Wang Yao shouted over at the bartender before feeling a dreaded looming presence from his left. He took a glance up and find a tall, blonde hair man looking down on him. One that look like he could beat him to pulp if he wants to.
"Yes? Can I help you?" Wang Yao asked, giving out an awkward smile.
"You're Tracy's boyfriend, Gary."
"Ex-boyfriend is the correct term." Wang Yao corrected him. He moves his body to his side a little and wave at Tracy. The smell of vodka coming out from this man in front of him is thick enough to make him drunk.
Ivan narrowed his eyes against the man in front of him. A silent annoyance and anger slowly building up in him.
"Nice to meet you! Have fun with Tracy, she's very nice." Wang Yao add on, turning to the front at the bartender. He started shaking his legs, restless from the wait.
"Yao! Jun says to add on 5 more dozen of beer." Another person pops out of nowhere, slapping Yao by his shoulders and said.
"Tch, are you sure? We can't even finish the 5 dozen the other time." Yao replied.
"Yeah, yeah, just do it!" The person confirmed, his eyes glancing over at Ivan, his face changed before looking back at Yao.
"Ah, fine." Yao replied with a hint of annoyance. That person squeeze back into the crowd, disappearing as fast as he came.
"Hey! I would like to make another order. 5 more dozen of beer to table 16! Yeah, you'll bring it all over? Great. I'll go back to my seat then." Yao said.
"Yao? Isn't Gary your name?" Ivan asked, face letting out an innocently perturb expression.
Wang Yao turn to face him and replied: "That's my Chinese name. I'm sorry but if you will excuse me, my friends are waiting."
But before he could take another step, his wrist is grab on tightly by Ivan's fingers. "What do you want?" Yao asked, startled, trying to pull his arms free to no avail.
"You might think that you can fool me..." Ivan speak, "But you can rest assure that you did not."
"What are you talking about?" Wang Yao widened his eyes, body tilting as he tried pulling free, his shoes slid against the floor, creating a squeaking sound against the unbudging Ivan.
"You are coming with me." Ivan declared, gesturing to the bartender to put whatever Yao just ordered on his tab.
"No... Why should I !?" Wang Yao squeeze out of his mouth between the exertion of trying to pull free. Oh my god, I'm dead. I'm dead. I'm dead. I should have listened to my friends when they asked me to do weight trainings with them! Yao thought anxiously.
"Hey! I am talking to you! Fuck you! What gives you the right to take me away! Let me go! Let go! Let go of me!" Yao kicked up a fuss and shouted as Ivan drag him out to the entrance.
Biting cold air freeze their body the moment they reach the outside. Wang Yao let out a shudder as the air enters his lungs, he left his jacket with his friends as it was warm inside, but this night air is too freaking cold.
"F-F-Fuck you! I'm calling the police." Yao shouted, shivering against his thin cotton shirt. Touching his jeans pockets, he realise with deep dread to find that its empty. He suddenly recall his stupid idea of putting his phone in his jacket. "Fuck me." He mumbled under his breath. "What do you want?" He demanded, his voice now loud and clear without the booming bass and noisy cheers.
Ivan look down on the face, his expression filled with bitter tenderness and vexation. His fingers still grip on tightly on the small wrist, as though if he let go, he would never catch this person again. "Why did you leave me without a word?" he questioned quietly.
"What are you talking about?" Yao asked.
"Stop denying!" Ivan growled, he pulled hard inwards and lean his face in as close to Yao's as possible and in his face, he whisper: "Don't you know my darling, I see more clearly when I'm drunk."
Wang Yao stopped moving, the hair on his back stands, from the cold or from the fear, he is not sure. "I-I still don't understand what you are talking about..." he stutter, eyes avoiding as the pressure becomes thicker than the cold around them.
"Stop lying to me. You're my girlfriend." Ivan cried out.
"Fuck off." Yao retorted, he raise up his forefinger and continued: "One, I'm a dude. In case you are too drunk to see. Two, I like girls. Three, I've never met you before. And four, if you are not letting go this instant, I will punch you in the face."
Ivan was about to reply when he felt it in his stomach, a slight wince surfaced and disappear on his face. Wang Yao was horrified to see that even his fist failed on him in times like this, and it even hurt so badly because of the cold.
"Ahhh, hurts" Yao mumbled his grimace as he shook his fist in the air. Then he caught the change in expression in Ivan's face, his purse lip and furrowed brow looks like he is fuming. Ivan raised his other hands, and Yao reflexively hide his head with his arms. Perhaps a punch would have been much better, but what welcomes him is not anything like that, it is a torrential downpour of vomit. The half-liquid and stomach matter concoction drench Wang Yao from the head, all the way down to his whole body. As he slowly put down his arms to look at the damage, another projectile pour down from his head down his face.
Wang Yao let out an indignant whining sound, his face scrunch hard from keeping the unholy liquid from burning his eyes and face. It smells so horrible with vodka and acid, and the cold is freezing these nasty stuffs on his face. He use his free fingers to wipe as much stuff out of his face as possible and picking the pieces off his body and head. He look up indignantly at Ivan and as much as he doesn't want to open his mouth, he shouted: "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!"
He immediately spit out mouth after mouth of saliva, he could taste the disgusting stuff in his tongue.
Ivan started snickering, then as Yao started spitting on the floor and making weird facial expression, it turned into a full-blown laughter. "Stop laughing! It's not funny!" Yao protested. "Let me go!"
"I'm sorry." Ivan finally calm down enough to say it, though he was still giggling from time to time.
"No! I don't want your sorry! Let me go! I need to wash these things off. This is absolutely disgusting!" Yao cried, stomping on his feet like a little child.
"No, I'm not letting you go. But I'll fix it. Come." Ivan chuckle, as he started walking, pulling Yao along. The poor man, traumatized by the situation, let himself get lead away.
Ivan let him down across the street where a hotel was situated. Wang Yao was complaining of the cold and sneeze a few times before they reach the hotel. Ivan check themselves in and they soon arrive in the room. It is a prestigious hotel, and the room was of decent size, the only few available currently. But Wang Yao could not care less and rushed to the bathroom to immediately take a bath.
"I washed my hair two god forsaken times and used up all the shampoo and it still smells like your vomit!" Wang Yao complained angrily as he came out in a towel. "And what am I supposed to wear!?"
Ivan gestured over the bathrobe on the chair nearby.
"This? What about my clothes?" Yao asked.
"Washing. Should be done in the morning." Ivan shrugged, lying on the bed looking at Yao.
"What? And I'm supposed to stay here till morning? My phone, my wallet, my everything is still at the club! Argh…" Wang Yao sat down on the chair, rolling his eyes at this situation.
"Come back to me." Ivan suddenly said.
"What nonsense are you blabbering about this time?" Yao look over at him with a hint of disdain.
"If I must spell it out that clearly to you, I would. I met a girl I love last year, February. Mysteriously, she disappears all of a sudden one day. I look for her every single day, everywhere. But it turns out that I have been looking at all the wrong places. What I should be looking for, is a guy. So, all that is left is: Why? Why did you do this, and why did you leave me?"
"I don't know what you are talking about." Wang Yao slumped back onto the chair and turned away.
"Doesn't matter. You're not leaving me again." Ivan answered.
After a few moments of silence, Yao finally said: "Eh, can I borrow your phone?"
"No." Came the answer, then the door rang, and Ivan went to get it.
"Why!? I just want to call my friends to bring me a set of clothes and my phone and wallet." Yao whine.
"I'll get you new ones. Tomorrow." Ivan replied as he came back with a few bottles of vodka, setting them on the table.
"Are you serious?"
"Yeah, I am."
"No." Yao stopped, took a breath of exasperation. "Why are you drinking again? You just fucking puked all over me. Don't you feel sick or anything."
"I'm okay. Except for my heart." Ivan ramble, opening up the vodka. Twisting the cap off, the smell of vodka filled the air, watering Yao's eyes.
Ivan fill the cup with vodka and started drinking it down like water. Wang Yao widened in eyes in shock, "You're crazy! Ivan Braginsky!" He shouted, as he rush over and snatch the cup and bottle away from the man.
"You will die early if you drink like that." He scolded.
"I didn't tell you my name."
Wang Yao stood there in shock; tongue tied. Ivan didn't introduce himself when they met, and he stood far away from the queue when Ivan was checking in at the lobby because of the smell. His brain churn out excuses after excuses, but none are convincing even to himself.
"You broke my heart when you left. You broke my heart... If I am not drunk today, I won't be able to see you at all. So, tell me why, won't you?" Ivan said, almost pleading now.
The tone in Ivan's broken voice ignited the guilt in his heart again, it crawls under his skin and gnawed at his conscious. Before long, Yao responded: "Y-You remember Jun?"
"No."
"He's my friend, and he's from your school. Everything started from a dare by him. He dared me to get into a relationship with you, then to dump you in front of everybody. He said that when it's all done, he would bring me along to the fashion show next week." Yao explains, slowly and carefully, afraid that any word might trigger the drunk man.
"Have you ever loved me then?" Ivan asked. "Just a tiny bit?"
"Huh?" Yao let out in bewilderment. "Why would I love you? I'm not a girl. I mean, your girlfriend would be really lucky, you might not be the best person around, but you are really nice to your girlfriend..."
Ivan remained quiet; the room is so silent that Yao could hear Ivan's harsh breathing. Ivan did not look at Yao, he only kept staring at the other unopened bottles on the table.
"I... I do like you enough." Yao mumbled. "You... are pretty nice to me when we are together. And you... do have quite a good-looking face."
"Can we start from there then?" Ivan asked, he glance over to Yao.
"What? What do you mean?"
"Do you have any girlfriends or anybody you are interested in?"
"Not now..."
"Then come back to me."
"What? No." Yao replied, flustered, his face was unusually red. "You are nuts!" He walk over to the bed and plopped right down, snuggling underneath the soft and comfortable blanket. He put the bottle on the dresser beside and took a sniff at the pure distilled alcohol in the cup, taking a sip of it. He made a wrong choice of letting it sit in his tongue for too long and it burns.
Wang Yao started coughing violently, Ivan soon caught on it and went over. "You drank it?" Ivan asked, amused.
"This is horrible!" Yao continued coughing. "It burns."
Ivan pat on his back as he took the cup away from him, he drank the remaining spirit down. "You're not supposed to let it touch your tongue, and it's supposed to warms you up in this weather."
"You are really crazy." Yao commented, looking at the empty cup in Ivan's hand. Now that Ivan is sitting on the bed beside him, he suddenly remember how much bigger and taller Ivan is compared to him.
I'm in a very weird situation right now, Yao thought. He could feel Ivan's hand lingering on his back, he could smell the alcohol and light perfume coming from Ivan. And worst of all, he's still in the towel.
He felt Ivan's hands moving up, and lightly touching his hair, straightening the wet strands away from his face and neck. Ivan's gaze is soft, his thumb lightly brush across Yao's lips. Then bringing it to his mouth, Ivan wrap his mouth around his thumb, tasting it.
Wang Yao's brow furrowed lightly. Ivan slowly moves in, placing his hands over at the back of Yao's head. With widened eyes, he could only stare as Ivan place his lips against his own, tongue moving in and swirling it against his. They have kissed before, but that was when Wang Yao was pretending to be a girl.
The soft, wet, and slimy organ slither in his mouth, sending a lightning of intense pleasure through his body. Wang Yao quickly pulled apart, turning to his side, breathing hard, he is suddenly afraid of this feeling. "Y-You're not angry that I cheated your feelings?" Yao asked, looking back at Ivan.
"Not really. At least not as much as I thought I would be. Maybe I have Jun to thanks, else I would have never thought I would love a person this much. Much less a guy."
"That guy hates you." Yao let out a chuckle. "He wanted to embarrass you."
"But you didn't. You just went away. Why?" Ivan asked, moving in closer again.
"I-I..." Yao stutters as Ivan pushes his nose between his neck. "Do you remember that time when we went to your house for dinner with your family and I accidentally broke that necklace your family was intending to put it up for auction?"
"Yeah." Ivan whispers, nuzzling, and pushing the body on the bed.
"You found out and you told your parents that you're the one who did it. You got scolded and punished badly for it." Yao continued. "I think that's when I decided that I don't want to hurt your feelings."
Ivan smile, reminiscing the times. "I thought you got angry and left me because of that. But it's okay, you are back." He raised himself up, with Yao underneath him, "Can I have a taste of you again?"
Yao nodded lightly. He don't know if he like boys or girls, but he do know that he likes Ivan, whether or not these feelings will turn into love, he don't know. Whether or not if there's a future for them, he don't know. But he do know that if Ivan is asking him so sweetly, he wants to say yes.
Ivan leaned down and kiss him again. He deepened it, tasting the vodka in his lover's mouth. Deciding that this time, he will never let this person go ever again.