Lazy little V x Takemura ficlet I couldn't get out of my head. As always, gender neutral V for all your projection needs. 💕
The first time V kisses Goro, his entire body stiffens at the contact. Just for a moment. Then, hands on V's shoulders, he gently pushes them away.
"You are drunk," he says matter of factly.
V tries to move back in, but Goro is quick. In an instant he's on his feet, out of reach.
He speaks. "This is... Unwise."
V scowls at how goddamn formal that sounds, but when they start to respond, they realize through hazy eyes that Goro has already turned his back on them, and is walking away.
The hangover is killer. Johnny won't stop bitching either, which is not helping. "Can't believe you put our lips on that bootlicking lapdog." V ignores him and dials Takemura for the hundredth time today. They're not really expecting an answer at this point, but it feels like they gotta try.
Goro actually picks up. Before V can get a word in, he speaks. "I am outside your apartment."
V let's him in, the pounding their head making then a little bitchier than normal. "I've been calling all day."
"I am aware," he answers flatly. "I believe what I must say warrants a face to face meeting."
"Fine. Make yourself comfortable."
He doesn't even sit down. Those fuckass gorgeous eyes are staring right into V. "The moment in the market."
"Yeah, I uh..." They trail off, suddenly forgetting every practice conversation they'd rehearsed in their head all day.
Goro doesn't wait for them to sort their thoughts out. "I am not accustomed to such... Displays. I was not expecting that."
V shrugs, trying too hard to look nonchalant. "S'fine, I get it. No hard feelings."
Goro nods stiffly. "Still. You are owed an apology."
Now V kinda snorts. This is all too cold and proper, and it's starting to make them itchy. "For what, you not being into me? Fuck sake, Goro. I tried somethin' and fell flat on my face. Not the first time."
"You should not make such assumptions."
"I know, kissing you was a gonk fucking move. Sorry."
"You misunderstand," he responds, a small edge of frustration in his voice. "This is... Difficult."
Goro turns fully to V now, looking them dead in the eyes. It's a little unsettling, but V's okay with it. Johnny wasn't wrong and how pretty his eyes are.
"Gross, V," Johnny chimes in. V ignores him.
"Too much gets... lost in translation. I will use your own phrase. I am... Into you."
Johnny scowls. "I'm way too hungover for this shit," and vanishes.
Before V can formulate a response, Goro is talking again. "I find this phrase distasteful. It does nothing to convey the appropriate sincerity."
"Okay," V says, still off balance from the unexpected turn this conversation is taking. "What would you use?"
Goro answers firmly, without hesitation. He's thought about this. "You bring peace and chaos to my soul in equal measure."
"Well. Fuck." What do you even say to a lifelong warrior spouting poetry at you?
"Still," he continues. "To pursue this would be foolish."
V manages a slightly teasing tone. "Callin' me a fool?"
"I am referring to myself," he corrects. "You are... beautiful. Too much so. You must be treated with a level of tenderness I do not know if I am capable of."
V rolls their eyes a bit at that, mostly in an effort to hide how flustered they are at being called beautiful. "I fight and bleed every day, then get up and do it again the next day. I don't need tenderness."
Goro shakes his head. "I did not mean to imply that you need it. Only that you are worthy of it. I am not good at this."
V is pretty sure no one has ever told them they were worthy of anything before, much less that. It settles right into their soul, and they smile. "Haven't dated a lot, I guess?"
His brow furrows and he seems to be choosing his words carefully. "My encounters have been brief, and merely physical in nature."
"Okay, so you fuck," V shrugs, hoping their tone will lighten the mood. "Is that what you want here?"
Goro doesn't seem to be any less tense. "It is not all that I want. To be with you as I have with others... Would be disrespectful to you, and to my heart."
V softens a little bit at that. Goro is so damn earnest they can't help but be charmed, regardless of how stiff he is about it. "So what do you want from me?"
"I do not know." This is a lie, and V can tell. They can see a million thoughts tumbling over each other in his head, but he clearly isn't ready to speak them.
V doesn't push for more explanation. "You don't gotta know. We'll figure it out. I guess first things' first though. You wanna try that kiss again?"
If V didn't know any better they'd swear that old man just blushed. "I would like that."
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