Ivy
Summary
He's all over me
But I'm all covered in you.
A/N: Parts of this Fanfic were written immediately after the release of Evermore and at the height of my obsession with it. So yes, it is, in some sense, inspired by a TS song called ..surprise!surprise! IVY.
This is AU where 24 and 25 year olds Shinichi and Shiho met because of their works. I'm sure Ran exists somewhere but I don't care enough about her to include her in this .
P.S I worked on the rest of this story while playing Fearless (Taylor's Version) album on loop.
An unopened bottle of Sherry,
Blood red roses on the table,
Two empty wine glasses gleam on the candle-lit room.
A single awaiting shadow
The silver in his hair reflects the moon's own silvery light.
"Well, You told me I could use some romance. Happy now?" His voice was rough, it cuts through the silence swelling around the atmosphere and sent thunderous beats unto my chest.
His face tells me that he's bored and done with all the niceties and chivalry but the slight tilt on the edge of his lips betrays his perpetual indifference. I could tell that he's proud of his handiwork, he's never been the modest type.
One unhurried step followed by another and another was what it took to stand in front of him with what I hope to be a smile of a woman directed to her man as he takes her out on a romantic evening.
A single gleam cuts through the dimness as I raised my left hand to cup his face.
"I am. Thank you, love."
Tiptoes.
I stood on my tiptoes to brush my lips against his self-satisfied, smirking mouth.
Shiho
Smiling contently with my eyes closed, this feels like a dream.
The cold has numbed almost every part of my body except where his hands are holding me.
And time is inevitable but right here it freezes
Because against all the logic and rational thoughts, I let myself enjoy the moment.
Just a little more, I thought.
Let us stay like this a little longer.
Before my eventual trip to the contrast of reality.
Before I have to push him away again.
But wrong things are still wrong no matter how right they felt.
And soon enough the weight of this has burrowed in my skin.
" Kudo"
Shinichi
She tried to hide it but my hand was fastened firmly on her wrist.
Bile rose to my chest as I stare at the purplish spots painting her inner arm.
The storm brewing inside me threatened to break loose and I struggled for composure.
The slight quiver on her lower lip and the pleading in her turquoise irises nearly undid the little restrain I managed to conjure.
" What is it now? " I asked gently as she slumped on the bed.
The way she lowered her head and purposely let her fringe obscure almost of her face did not escape me. That was classic Shiho trying to hide her emotions, her pain.
I carefully kneeled in front of her as I tipped her chin up with my index finger. She could hide or lie to everyone else, but not to me.
My fingers gently traced an unseen but familiar trail on the milky white skin of her face. This made her respond to my gaze and those eyes, with all their striking colors and shadows still never fail to make my heart somersault.
After 2 years of knowing her, the effect is all the same.
"He had a bad day at work"
Overwhelming anger rose but I pushed it down. I can't lose my shit in front of her too. Shiho Miyano for all her intelligence, brilliance, and resilience, is still human—that I have learned. We met on a case where she worked as a forensic expert and me as the lead investigator and have become closer since then. It took a while before she trusted me enough to show her scars and vulnerability but after she did, it's like we shared this eternal bond and understood each other on a cellular level. I know the meaning behind every flutter of her eyelashes; she knows the words behind my silence.
Falling for her was easy and inevitable. The consequences aren't.
"I.. I don't even know the real nature of his work. We have been together for 8 years and yet, I don't know anything about him that resembles the truth."
I know the story too well, and it infuriates me. He basically embodies physical, mental, and emotional torture. Gin, as he likes to be referred to, is a purely vile human being if he ever qualifies as one.
Shiho's parents died when she was 8 and her sister took care of her until she followed them due to some accident when Shiho was 15 years old. Lost and lonely, she met Gin two years later who preyed on and exploited her emotional scars like a lion hunting his last victim before the winter.
I cupped her face as gently as I can and tried to meet her tumultuous eyes again. Pouring all the love and concern in that one single gaze and hope that it's enough to empower her this time.
" Stay. Stay with me."
Pain and longing flickered behind her lashes. "I'm scared. If he knew, who knows what he would do? I can't.. I can't risk him hurting you."
I ran my hands on my face in frustration. Both of us are aware of the possible drastic consequences of our relationship. Working in the police force, I dug into his past and his track record isn't exactly shining. Shiho, later on, became aware of that aside from actually suffering from it. She tried getting away from him countless times even before we met and a handful of times after. He finds her, every single time and uses threats to get her back.
I hated thinking about it. About how he hurt her in every aspect and still be allowed to touch her, to claim her as his with his noose wrapped around her neck, with his dirty hands that leave imprints or bruises like an artwork on her body.
"I can't lose you" she whispered with tears pooling in her eyes.
And I can't lose her. I can't lose her slowly in his hands.
It's like we're at a standstill.
The moment before you decide to jump or not. Whether the possibility of dying is worth taking than not moving at all.
" I can't lose you too, but is this all it is for us?"
The light on her eyes dimmed at that and I struggled to stand by my decision.
" I can't watch you going back to him every single time and I can't bear to see you broken down like this. I don't care about the consequences anymore, and I know that you don't like to put me in a dangerous position. I know that you'd rather break all your bones than to see me hurt but please..Just please.. .please let me fight with you, at least."
Holding her face in front of mine, so close as I could feel her breathe almost as if it penetrates my core, I met her tear-veiled eyes. " Let me fight for you. Let me fight for us too"
And as her face broke in tears, I crossed what little space we had between us to claim her.
Hoping that my lips can express the love that I can't put into words.
Knowing my girl, I know she understands.
And the slight tilt of her head told me that she did.
That the struggle is worth this.
That she is worth all of it.