prompt: liquid courage

Fushimi/Yata; oneshot • Because all this time, Yata had been asking the wrong question.

XXX

Yata, for as long as he could remember, had only been drunk thrice.

The first time was when he and that stupid monkey became official Homra members. He didn't recall much about that affair besides a hazy memory of him asking where the fucking traitor (Saru-chan back then) was going.

("Oi, Saru-chan, where are you going?"

A smirk.

"You're asking me to stay, Mi-sa-kiii~?"

"Hah? I was only asking where you're going!"

...

"Is that all?"

"Huh? What else would I- oi! You haven't answered my question yet!")

Why they were together at one of the dimly lit spare rooms of the bar, he couldn't fathom. What they were doing there, he couldn't fathom as well. And why the other had a disappointed look on his face when he asked the question, he also couldn't fathom.

The second time was something he refused to ever talk about again. Let's just say it involved him wearing a dress, proclaiming his undying devotion to Mikoto-san (he couldn't look at his king for a week) and trying to coax people to enter Homra's bar (well, technically it was Kusanagi-san's but he doesn't know he termed it with another name)-all of these were, of course, with him being intoxicated.

He couldn't really remember much about that day (it was just all thanks to Totsuka-san's video collection). He woke up with the sun rays hitting his face; which was weird since from what he knew, the bar had a roof.

Kusanagi-san rampaged and demanded they all wake up ("Ahh, they look so cute lined up like that in the remains of the bar!" "Tatara, please don't egg Izumo to do more damage to our members." "Hai hai, dearest king!).

Let's just say that Kusanagi-san banned them from entering his bar for a month. ("Kusanagi-san, you can't do that! It's Homra's place!" SLAM "Well, it seems he can.") And alcohol was strictly forbidden (Chitose was just real good and Dewa has to make sure nothing leaks out).

But they didn't really dare drink with the entire Homra now (especially Yata since for some reason, Kusanagi-san has a radar when he's planning on drinking or smoking). They just didn't want to remember how much they made a fool of themselves that night-Totsuka-san's video were annoyingly extremely high quality ("A dress Yata-chan? Ohh, hello there princess!" "A thong Bandou? What were you saying again?")

The third time was right now, when Totsuka-san was finally released from the hospital for full recovery after the incident at the tower.

"Bottoms uuuup!" shouted Bandou as he sashayed over to Akagi who on the other hand was trying to keep his senpai from falling down.

"Kosukeee..." he heared Eric whine at his "caretaker".

"Ah, Eric, I think that's enough for you already."

"Noooo~"

He snickered as he saw Totsuka-san's video camera pointed to the pair already. Ah, that English speaking brat was finally caught on tape. He'd have to pester him about it tomorrow.

"Chitose!"

He whipped around and saw Dewa trying to move away from the resident Casanova.

"But you have to believe me! I looooove youuuu~" complained Chitose as he latched himself on Dewa once more.

Well, looks like the spotlight in the film viewing tomorrow wouldn't be the stray brat after all.

"Yata-san, are you drunk?" he heard Kamamoto inquire beside him.

He turned to him and did a double-take with what he saw (or at least what he thinks he's seeing.) Was it just him or did Kamamoto lose weight?!

"Yeah, yeah I'm drunk alright," he muttered.

The moment he saw Mikoto-san finally join in the drinking ("Izumo, stop shoving the alcohol in my face." "Loosen up, Mikotooo! Bwahahaha!"), he decided that he'd better leave now lest he wants a repeat on what happened the last time.

"Eh? Yata-chaaan! Where are you going?" Kusanagi shouted from the other end if the bar when he saw Yata stand up.

"Ahh, I'm tired already," he lied.

"Nu-uh! You are not allowed to leave unless you've drunk my special Liquid Courage!"

"Eh?! Kusanagi-san, I don't really think...so..?" he slowly stopped his response once he saw a demonic gleam from the second in command. "But I guess there's always room for another shot," he finished nervously.

"Hai, hai, Yata-chaaan~"

The moment Yata gulped down the drink, he had to hold on to the chair to steady himself.

Fuck. He was originally more drunk than he thought.

"Ahh~ I might have added more things to it. Wahahaha! Jaa, buh-bye Yata-chwaaan~"

Yata growled to the bartender and in his drunken mind, he failed to realize that the door he opened wasn't the one leading to the room of the bar but to the exit instead.

XXX

"Why did you leave?"

"I'll never leave you, Mi-sa-kiii~"

A hiss.

"Fuck you! I'm asking you a damn question here!"

"Ah, but it's not the kind of question I'd like to answer."

"Wha-hey! Come back here you traitor!"

"Don't worry your adorable self, love. You and I both know that I'll never leave you, even when you ask me to."

XXX

Really, that asshole always leaves him without answering his questions. Ugh. How fucking annoying. He'll definitely kill him once they meet again.

(He tries to ignore a traitorous voice in his head that tells him he's had so many chances to kill the other, only to recoil because in the end, he can't do it.

And then he'll see a flicker of a tiny hopeful look on the bastard's face behind his psychotic one.

And he never really understood that.)

The moment the cool air swept through him, he shuddered. What the...he wasn't at the bar at all!

And to make things worst, he realized that his feet had lead him to the number one place he'd never want to be in.

Scepter 4's building.

XXX

"When are you going to stop stalking me?"

"Stalking is such a strong word. I'd prefer the term, "Misaking"."

"What the fuck?"

"It's a new word I made which pertains to me doing an intense research on my Misaki."

"Man, Saru, have you got some loose screws already?"

"Your questions are annoying, ne, Mi-sa-kiii~"

"Fucktard!"

XXX

"Oh? Is that you Mi-sa-kiii~?"

Yata's blood ran cold and it would seem as if all his drunkenness were squeezed out from his system when he heard that voice.

"Am I supposed to believe that you just happened to be outside at the middle of the night when I coincidentally happen to be here also?"

"Yes," Fushimi replied as he gave him a sickly sweet smile.

"Your presence is annoying."

"Yes, but not hateful. In fact, I'd say that that's how you term your love for my presence."

And with that, he stepped closer to Yata and cupped his cheeks with both of his hands.

"Ahh, you're still oh-so adorable."

In the normal course, Yata would have spluttered some incoherent insults and attack the other already. However, in his drunken state, he noticed something he usually never bothered to before.

Fushimi seemed to have thought the same thing and peered closer to the smaller male making their nose touch.

"Is my Misaki drunk?"

But Misaki didn't seem to hear him and only looked at him more as a wave of remembrance swept through him.

("Saru-chan?"

A dark haired seven-year-old looked at his companion upon the mention of the latter's endearment towards him.

"What's wrong Misaki?" he asked.

The smaller boy pouted and looked at the other's hands meaningfully. When aforementioned boy seemed confused as to what he wanted, he huffed and pouted.

"Mou, Saru-chan, we've been walking for so long already," he started.

"Eh? Are you hungry already?"

"No!"

"Tired?"

"No!"

"Then, what is it?"

The orange haired little kid looked straight to his dark eyes, held out his right hand, and said in a loud voice (because really, Yata never did know how to lower it),

"You haven't held my hand all through out!"

He stood there, stunned, not at all minding the busy adults rushing past them. And slowly, a smile appeared on his face and he walked closer to his friend (his life and hope).

"I'm sorry."

And he carefully intertwined their small fingers together.

"Ne, Saru-chan."

"Hmm?"

"Stay with me forever?"

The dark haired kid laughed.

"I think you've been influenced by too many romance shows. You and I both know that forever doesn't exist."

"Does that mean you'll leave me?" a heartbroken look appeared on the smaller kid's face.

"Wha-" he panicked upon seeing such expression and thought on how to remedy it.

He gently kissed the orange haired kid at the tip of his nose, held his chubby cheeks and said,

"I suppose that if it's Misaki, the concept of forever can exist."

The other looked happy at his response.

"Stay?"

"Forever.")

If he didn't deem the situation as serious, Yata Misaki (in case, you still haven't figured out his first name) would have laughed.

All those times that the taller male looked at him with a weird expression of hope, and all those times that the taller male refused to answer his questions...it was all because he was asking the wrong question.

He finally understood.

(Wow, did Kusanagi-san add wisdom in his drink?)

But what could he do? It was all too late now. Saruhiko has turned over to the Blues already. Saruhiko has fallen and succumbed to the abyss already, so what can—

No.

Saruhiko wasn't completely hopeless (if his rare gazes were to be considered).

"Ne, Saru-chan," he started.

Fushimi looked taken aback with the usage of his old nickname and the sudden change in the other's demeanor.

(In Yata's defense the next day, he was completely drunk. He claims he would never have done anything like that if he was in his normal state. Although Kusanagi-san-)

"Stay?"

The quiet pleas of "Don't sell your soul to the devil", "Don't forget about your humanity", and "Keep holding on to your hope; things would be better one day" were left hanging in that one word.

After so long, Fushimi smiled-no, nothing like his mocking or bored or psychotic "smiles"; a sincere smile graced his features.

"Forever."

(Although Kusanagi-san said he didn't really add anything to his drink that night. Anna made her way towards him with her marble and softly remarked, "You've done a dangerous thing. If darkness truly does fully envelop itself, that obsession would be dangerous amd would surpass limits.")

And slowly, the ginger-haired male tip toed and gently pecked the tip of the nose of the dark-haired male.

("Ah, but the only anchor he has, can't just leave right?")

XXX

END

First, as you can see, I am in denial-Totsuka Tatara is NOT dead.

Second, there was a post I saw that said that Kamamoto would lose weight in Season Two? (there's a season two?!)

Third, this ship is just so fucking perfect, and I feel bad that I can't really give them much justice. OTL

Fourth, if you still don't know Yata-chan's first name after watching episode five, something is wrong with you.

Fifth, Fushimi's "MI-SA-KIII~" is the absolute best thing so far in the entire series.

And lastly, to the anon-san who gave me the prompt: liquid courage and yata, I hope this was okay. O.O