Gladiolus and Kyrie spent the beginning of their dinner date together talking. The pair getting to know each other a better as they made their conversations. A few drinks helping both of them feel a bit more relaxed as they entertained each other. Each drink they consumed made with a bit more haste and carelessness as they became stronger after each refill. The simple dinner of noodles not doing much in the realm of mitigating the effects the alcohol they drank. Neither of them complained at the heat that ran down their throats. As the two spoke in more detail, Kyrie learned exactly how it was that Gladiolus came to be the future Shield to the king to be. In a way, she pitied Gladiolus for having such a forced responsibility placed squarely on his shoulders. "If the King dies, know that the Shield failed first." Gladiolus told her bluntly "The King won't die before the Shield." The man was no older than her, and he had already come to accept that he may very well die long before his time was really up. It was a fate he would have anyone believing he enjoyed.
"Would you chose anything else if you could?" Kyrie asked him, leaning heavily into the wingback chair, tracing the gold details that covered its arms.
Gladiolus spread his arms over the back of the loveseat his mass took over, "I don't think anyone's ever asked me that." The young Shield sat and thought for a moment on a life he might have had if his own destiny hadn't been written for him, unsure of how to even answer the question at all "I could ask you the same thing. What would you be if you weren't an escort?"
"Technically I'm a stripper." Kyrie stated "I just kinda escort on the side. Don't be mad, but it's a way to skirt the laws."
Gladiolus looked at the woman sympathetically as she swirled the last remnants of her drink before drinking it down, "I guess you gotta do what you gotta do. But seriously. What would you do?"
Kyrie looked up at the ceiling, closing her eyes as the dim lights hit her face, "I would have worked outside, studying the flora and fauna. I love plants and herbs. If you need a cure or a pick me up, I can make you one using nothing more than a few simple plants."
"Really?" Gladiolus stated. The shelf she had with many plants and drying herbs now making sense.
"Really. But…that doesn't pay off when you're an orphan abandoned even by your own siblings. Apparently war is more important than family. This whole war kinda screwed up my future." Kyrie chuckled as she stood up drunkenly "BUT who gives a shit really. I managed to fuck my way up to the top pretty well. I make probably more than like, half of Insomnia."
Gladiolus rose to his feet in a similar manner, albeit a bit more stable than her. Her words seeming void of any real emotions. He followed her to the small wet bar, stopping her from pouring another drink, "How much do you make?" he asked curiously "Can't be all that great, can it?"
Kyrie smirked a bit too confidently as she pulled a sticky not off of the mini bar fridge and wrote a number down, handing it to Gladiolus before seating herself on the bar. The Shield's eyes widening when he read the number. Proudly, Kyrie poured herself another drink, "Pretty good for a little nobody refugee from…." Kyrie paused as she held the drink to her lips, not taking a sip.
"From?" Gladiolus asked, his curiosity piqued.
"It doesn't matter." Kyrie chuckled as she finished off the drink in a single shot "What matters, is that I managed to stay alive right?" Kyrie's expression suddenly fell as she stared at the granite counter, eyes seeming to void.
Gladiolus, watched her expression fall and leaned down to see if he couldn't bring her expression back to life. When she failed to notice the man, he stepped forward, bumping her gently on the chin as he spoke softly, "It matters that you stayed alive, but are you really happy?"
Kyrie looked up at Gladiolus. I'm fucking miserable she thought to herself, unable to conjure the words out loud. She studied the hardened features that lay on Gladiolus' face. The large scar that covered his left eye attempting to overshadow everything. Even in her drunken state, Kyrie could see that Gladiolus' eyes held a different sort of story. A sort of thirst of lust, misery, and pride, all wrapped up in a sultry stare that made her heart stutter, even if only for a moment as desire began to take over her emotions. The feeling made stronger as liquid courage seeped its way into her bones. The longer she stared, the more her chest tightened. Gladiolus was not without temptation himself. The sad look in her eyes and her soft lips begging to be taken away from the conversation at hand and gods above, he knew he could do that without question and for a moment in time, they could both forget exactly what it was they were talking about to start. How convenient for him that she should seat herself at the perfect height for him to take full advantage of. The feeling only quelled by years of having to practice self-control to avoid unwanted allegations that could easily be placed on his head. The young Shield closed his eyes, taking in a large breath. The sound of the air leaving Gladiolus' lungs being the small snap to reality the pair needed as Kyrie looked away quickly and laughed nervously, "I'm as happy as I should be."
"For such an actor, you're a terrible liar" Gladiolus responded as he smirked and opened his eyes back up. He was greeted to the image of Kyrie holding tightly to the bottle of gin she'd been pouring. The cup she held having found itself abandoned on the bar. As she brought the bottle to her lips, the young Shield quickly stopped her "AND you don't need another drink." With his hand held gently on the bottle, he and Kyrie began a gentle game of tug of war.
"You're not my dad." Kyrie joked out "You can't tell me what to do." she exclaimed as she playfully tried to bring the bottle back to her lips. Gladiolus easily able to maintain his position and hand on the bottle.
"Nah, I'm your Shield though, and I'm cutting you off." he answered with a cocky tone, lifting the bottle higher, causing Kyrie's arms to have to stretch almost straight up to maintain her grip on the near empty bottle.
Kyrie laughed, "Um, excuse me. You can't pull rank here Mr. Gladdy "Daddy."
Gladiolus laughed as he cringed at her words, "Don't give away your fetishes just yet Kyrie. I don't know you that well."
"Eh. You'll learn them soon enough." she giggled as she tried desperately to bring the bottle back down from its elevated place in the young Shield's hand. "Oh come on. There isn't much left! Just let me finish the bottle at least. I might even share the rest with you." In her drunken state she stood up on the bar to get the height advantage over Gladiolus, fumbling as she reached towards the bottle.
"Huh. There really isn't much left, is there?" Gladiolus swirled the liquid in the bottle around as he fought off Kyrie.
"No. There isn't." Kyrie stated as she leaned her weight into Gladiolus. Her arm wrapped around his shoulders, neck, and head as she reached her free arm upwards to hold the bottle. Her breasts smashing shamelessly into the man's head.
Quickly Gladiolus brought the bottle to his own lips. The near half bottle that was left disappearing quickly from its glass housing, much to the dismay of Kyrie as she shouted at him and frantically grappled the bottle from his lips. As the bottle nearly emptied, she released her grip around the man's neck, sliding quickly down off the counter and ripping the bottle from Gladiolus' lips and spilling the gin all over both her and him. The pair laughed a little more wildly than they should have. The white shirt Gladiolus had been wearing absorbing some of the liquid, and the leather jacket he wore bouncing the liquid onto Kyrie acting as an almost instant karma. "Shit" Gladiolus laughed as he placed the empty bottle on the counter.
Kyrie laughed as she sulked, "Well there goes the neighborhood." She drunkenly handed Gladiolus a rag, using one herself to attempt to dab up the liquid from her shirt.
"Fuck the neighborhood." Gladiolus chuckled out as he wiped off his jacket. His shirt he wore effectively ruined from the gin. "Uh, Kyrie…" he said as he started laughing. He pointed to her and then his own shirt.
"Yes clothes, Gladdy. I'm wearing them too." she laughed, her arms sluggish and heavy as she braced herself against a wall.
"No smartass." he stated as he grabbed her and walked her over to the mirror she'd hung by the bar "Look at your shirt." He looked away from Kyrie's reflection and leaned his head heavily against the top of her's. The sensation in his face going numb as he became far more intoxicated than he preferred.
Kyrie blinked her eyes hard as she looked at her reflection, "Oh no." she said almost innocently as she covered her chest "Sorry about that." she laughed.
"I'm not complainin' about it." Gladiolus said "BUT I thought you oughtta know." A wave of exhaustion hitting the man suddenly as the world beneath his feet began to spin.
Another song shuffled through the playlist, and with it, a sudden burst of energy from Kyrie as she grabbed Gladiolus' hand, "Follow me!" she shouted. Fumbling through the hallway, the pair made their way towards the bedroom. Kyrie using her grip on Gladiolus' hand to keep herself from falling as the young Shield braced himself with the walls, minding exactly where he placed his weight as to not disturb the decorations that adorned them.
"How are you so energetic?" Gladiolus stated as his feet dragged. A smile glued his face. Gravity refusing to cooperate with him.
"I have to be!" she said excitedly as she nearly tripped entering her own bedroom. When she flipped the lights on, she released Gladiolus, spinning around proudly in her room as she flipped a singular light switch on, dimly lighting up the pole in her room "I owe you a dance!" she said as she placed her hand on her hip and gestured with her fingers for him to move in closer. Her attempt at being seductive nearly causing her to fall flat on her face.
Gladiolus braced himself in the doorway, "You have a stripper pole in you room." he said, slightly intrigued, slightly confused as he stepped in.
"Do you not?" Kyrie said as she walked over to the cold steel and grabbed it, letting herself swing round it once.
"No yeah absolutely. This is a totally normal thing that I have sitting by my bed." Gladiolus said sarcastically as he sat heavily on her bed. The mattress sitting far higher than he expected as he nearly missed and fell onto the floor. Kyrie giggled at his near misfortune. The only thing keeping her from hitting the floor were her fingers as they gripped tightly to the pole. She closed her eyes and swayed softly to the *music. Not dancing, but rather enjoying the rhythm as the remainder of alcohol in her system took over completely. What ever graces she might have been able to produce all lost. Gladiolus watched her the best he could with a haze and spin in his vision. The dim lighting she had set up bringing a sort of baroque feel to her. When his vision was able to straighten, there was something awfully satisfying to him about the way she looked swaying gently, looking to be a near perfect mess. "You should come back over here." he said softly.
"But I owe you a dance." she said, the sentence dragging out as she began to fumble. Gladiolus' sudden disruption making her stumble more.
"Don't make me come get you." Gladiolus said, reluctant to even stand again.
Kyrie grabbed the pole with both of her hands, rolling her forehead on it slightly, "…I owe you a dance…" she repeated again as she tried to get her body to cooperate.
Gladiolus heaved himself upwards off the bed and towards the metal pole Kyrie seemed so stuck to, "Don't say I didn't warn you." he easily lifted her off of her feet, crossing her legs behind his back as he began to fumble back to bed with her. Her added weight, even if minute, nearly causing him to fall.
"Wait." Kyrie said quietly as she extended and arm out behind Gladiolus "I have to turn out the lights."
Gladiolus sighed heavily, backing up a few steps. Kyrie's hand slapped the wall several times before she hit the light switch. The dim lighting from the hallway being all the light the young Shield had to work with as he walked as carefully towards the bed. He dropped Kyrie as gently as he could in his state onto the bed. The woman bouncing only slightly. Gladiolus lay with his face down in the sheets bent over the bed. He could feel Kyrie moving around on the bed before he felt the sudden slap of fabric on the back of his neck. He looked up, realizing that the small damp fabric was Kyrie's shirt, "What are you doing?" he asked as he went face down on the bed again.
"It's wet." Kyrie pouted as she struggled to deal with her pants. The woman feeling like the denim was restricting her "…these are uncomfortable."
"You really gonna take it all off?" Gladiolus asked, his face turned to the side as he watched her with one eye.
"The tag is hurting me." Kyrie drunkenly pouted as she struggled to get her jeans past her thigh.
Groaning, Gladiolus stood back upright and in one swift motion, had the woman's pants removed, "Better?" he asked as the room spun wildly.
Kyrie smiled as she crawled beneath her duvet, "Yessss." Gladiolus wobbled in place, beginning to walk back out to the living room to find a comfortable place on the floor to lay. "Wait. Stay here…" Kyrie suddenly whimpered pitifully.
The young Shield looked up at the ceiling, nearly making himself fall backwards, "That's a bad idea."
"…please...it's cold."
Gladiolus stood there briefly, taking a single step forward only to catch his balance. Turning back around, he saw the bed, Kyrie's back turned to him as she lay in a near ball alone. The soft bed and warm body in front of him far more welcoming than any floor could ever be. "Fuck it." he said, removing his leather jacket and letting it fall carelessly to the floor. He lay himself heavily in Kyrie's bed, making the woman roll slightly towards him as the bed dipped.
"Wait. Your shirt is wet. You have to take it off." Kyrie said as she rolled over and faced him, immediately tugging at his shirt.
"It's not a big deal." Gladiolus said as he gently moved her hands off his shirt.
"Noo. You're going to get hypothermia." Kyrie said with near 100% certainty. "You might get pneumonia."
Gladiolus laughed heartily, "That REALLY isn't how this is gonna work, Kyrie." the man losing the battle of wills with Kyrie as she became more frantic in how she was pulling up his shirt "Okay okay hold on." he then said, removing the slightly damp fabric from his flesh and laying back down "Better?"
Kyrie shook her head, "No."
Gladiolus smirked, "Why?"
"Your pants."
"What about 'em." he asked.
"They are making me uncomfortable." Kyrie again stated in a pitiful tone as she tried to undo his belt.
Gladiolus looked down at her, "What? How?"
"BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SLEEP COMFORTABLY IN JEANS." Kyrie exclaimed as she yanked part of his belt undone.
"Fine." Gladiolus replied drunkenly, kicking off his jeans as best as possible "Happy now?" Kyrie nodded as she pulled herself closely to Gladiolus, wrapping her arm around him and tangling her leg within his. The moment her warm skin met his, the young Shield went from exhausted, to wide awake. Fuck. Bad idea. He steadied his breathing as best he could given his newest predicament with Kyrie. The very nature of the situation he was in begging for a better ending than drunkenly falling asleep. As if on que, Kyrie's fingers began lightly tracing what ever bits of flesh they found. The Shield not complaining as they traced any bits of skin they wanted. The feeling not helping to calm him down one bit and if only purely out of instinct, he mimicked the action, tracing the skin on her spin. "Hey…go to sleep." He said bluntly, like a parent scorning a child.
"…can we not have fun?" Kyrie said, pressing herself more into him.
REAL bad idea he thought to himself yet again. He took in a large breath, wrapping his arm around her in such a way that Kyrie was no longer able to trace his skin so easily, "Maybe some other time. Can't do much but push rope now." he said with a nervous, lying chuckle.
Kyrie raised an eyebrow. Her hands one tracing the skin on his back now creeping closer to his beltline, "That doesn't seem like pushing rope to me?" she said.
"Well we're gonna pretend it is." Gladiolus laughed as he turned her to face the other direction before bringing her in close to him. Her back now laying flush with his chest.
Kyrie sulked and moaned slightly as her mind objected to having to exercise the slight self-control, "But that's no fun."
Gladiolus smirked, "Nah. No fun." He raised himself onto an elbow and carefully placed a long, soft kiss on her neck, warranting a sudden arched back from Kyrie "We'll have fun some other time. 'Night."
*Two Feet- Love is a Bitch
Thank you so much for your review CrossMyHartx! Much love to you and I'm glad you're enjoying the story thus far!
