Okay, for the record, I've never actually played this game. I don't even own an Xbox. xD All of my knowledge comes from watching a walkthrough on YouTube. However, my best friend adores this game and so I figured I'd give writing this pairing a whirl for her. 8D
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BOUNCY! I LOBE YOU!
"Irina's here!?"
For some reason, that had been the first thing to fly out of Rush's mouth when David handed him that flower. After all, this was her favorite kind – and Rush was fond of them too, he had to admit. Like he'd ever tell anyone, though.
Whoops, David was still talking. Better pay attention, Rush thought.
"I suppose you can rest easy, knowing she's out of Wagram's hands."
"Wha—no! Why didn't you take her with you?"
"Well, I didn't meet with her directly..." David gave Rush an odd look, an expression Rush couldn't help but think of as 'his' since David only used it around him. "What's wrong?"
"I...just..." Rush sighed and twirled the flower in his fingertips, glancing down at it. There was so much that was wrong. Irina had Marion's blessing and there was a chance she could use her power at any time. His father was in a coma and it was basically all his fault. His mother was off doing who-knew-what. David...
"Rush?" David's odd look morphed into one more concerning. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah. 'm fine." Was he really?
David put a comforting hand on Rush's shoulder. "If you must say something, now would be a good time to do so, before we go off to stop this war and get Irina – "
"Hey, Dave." Rush was glad Emma wasn't around, or surely he'd be scolded for interrupting the Marquis.
David, however, didn't seem to mind a bit, and even looked ever-so-slightly amused. "Yes?"
"Where'd you get this flower, anyway? I mean, you just said you didn't meet with her directly, right?" It would've been less suspicious if he had, since Irina loved having these flowers wherever she went.
A very interesting thing suddenly happened – the Marquis grew pale – well, as pale as he could get, anyway – and gaze fell to the ground the same moment his hand slid off of the other's shoulder.
Rush frowned. For some reason, the lack of eye contact bothered him more than anything. David always kept his eyes on him, no matter what the situation. Although Rush supposed since that David was such an important figure in the world, stuff like eye contact came naturally to him.
But not this – this embarrassed, sheepish, slightly worried look on David's face, and – wait, was he blushing?
"Uh, okay." Rush held up his hands. "Who are you, and what've you done with the real Dave?"
David's head snapped up and he looked Rush in the eye again, much to the brunet's relief. "Oh, I apologize," he said slowly, nodding a bit. "Perhaps now we should make haste." He started walking.
"H-Hey, wait a sec!" Rush grabbed David's arm and spun him around. "You never answered my question!"
"I'm standing right in front of you. It's the real me." The corners of David's mouth turned up.
"No, uh…" Rush held up the flower and twirled it a bit. "About, you know, where you got this."
"Oh." David's mouth settled back into a line and Rush blinked a bit. Wait, why was he staring at David's mouth again? "Well, if I may be perfectly honest..."
"'Course you can, Dave. This is me you're talking to."
"As though I could ever forget." And there was that little smile again. Funny, it only seemed to form when the two were alone around each other. "As I was saying – well, honestly..."
"Yes?"
Rush knew that standing in the middle of the road while everyone else was waiting for them was not the best place for a sudden heart-to-heart, but he wanted – needed to hear David's reason. He hadn't felt anything like this since discovering his power over the Remnants.
"I had it because of you."
Whoa, what?
"What?" Rush's eyes widened.
David nodded ever-so-slightly, still trying all for naught to appear proper and everything, but all the regality around him couldn't mask the very light blush that had suddenly returned. "I knew you were fond of them – that is, that they reminded you of Irina and all," he added a little too quickly. "So now I've taken to keeping one with me."
"How come?"
"It's if you should go off again while I'm tending to matters elsewhere." David nodded a bit, as though he was trying to convince himself that that was the real reason. "Yes, a little remnant of you, I suppose." He chuckled lightly.
Rush was still flabbergasted, a first for him around David. "I...but…you..."
"Yes, Rush?"
"..."
"...?"
After rocking on his heels a bit and looking everywhere but at David, then finally at him, Rush asked, "But...why would you want a...reminder of me?" He couldn't bring himself to use the other word.
David's blush intensified. "Why would I not?"
For some reason, in those four words, it all became clear.
Rush glanced over his shoulder to make sure none of the others were watching – and they actually weren't, for once – before swallowing heavily, praying to whatever God Emperor there was that his instincts wouldn't get him in major trouble, and pressing his lips to David's in a sweet, awkward kiss.
Rush's eyes were squinched shut, so he could easily feel David just stand there, stunned and motionless, before there were arms around his waist and lips kissing back just as awkwardly.
He was moving instinctively, which was good, since Rush's mind was too busy freaking and cheering about actually being right about this. Well, he assumed he'd thought right if David's positive reaction was any indication.
Much too soon, they pulled apart, and Rush was immediately staring with wide eyes. "Uhhh..."
David blinked and cleared his throat, letting his arms fall from Rush's waist only to bend down and pick up the flower that had unsurprisingly fallen from Rush's fingertips.
"And that," David said, handing the flower back to Rush with that little smile curving his lips, "is the reason I've taken to carrying it around." With one last little smile and a blush, he started walking back towards the others, no doubt getting his mind back on business.
As for Rush's mind, everything, without a doubt, suddenly looked a whole lot brighter.
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