[RUNS INTO YOUR ASK BOX WAVING AROUND THE FORBIDDEN KISS SCENE KEKEKEKE]
(Reaction drabble ((kind of? like 50% My Imagination™)) to your wonderful drawing… As they say, an image holds a thousand words… ((and my indulgent ass wrote twice that. so.))
warnings for; slight power dynamics, vic's ‘romantic’ writing, kissing and heavily suggestive dialogue
Henry could barely breathe.
And it wasn’t because of something he caused.
It was because of the sheer proximity of the other.
He’d jammed his hand between them at the very last second. Acting off raw instinct, not logic, sloppy, a mess in his arms.
He didn’t know why he let it get to that point, feet clad in dress shoes dangling dangerously off the ground, back to the wall, front to a wall—
“What s’matter sweetheart?” Flowz’s voice came from too close. Henry could feel it rumbling through his chest. “You didn’t think I was a chicken, did you?”
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. He really shouldn’t have indulged him then. Stupid to come here in the first place, knowing Flowz would’ve been around.
A casual event, staff of Hallow Star mingling with staff of Virelux. An invitation Rani advised against refusing. He’d dressed nice, he’d done all the proper things, drank something scented like vanilla and cinnamon just for the occasion—
—but he didn’t mean to call any attention to himself. He meant to simply lurk and listen—
And now it was clear he hadn’t ever had a say. From the moment he locked eyes with Florian Vez across the room, before he had to flirt as he always did and convince Henry to take a swig of wine, before the flowery behemoth was on his sixth glass and challenging the smaller to keep up—
“I’d rather not, thanks.”
“Come on now, don’t be shy. I’ve made a lot of guesses about you, as you know, but I didn’t imagine you were a lightweight.”
The comment stuck, and Henry, incensed, drank one more glass. Two total. Enough to make him tipsy, laughing loud and playing into the delusional games the crafty CEO had set up.
As they went back and forth, Flowz’s inquiries got less and less… suitable for his liking. Cipher had to remove himself— but didn’t make it far, as Maddy of all people had taken an interest in the fellow. Meanwhile, Henry was caught in a web of tricky questions that flustered him as much as they provoked his mental defenses.
Eventually, they were so far into the fray that he couldn’t defend any longer, only make empty threats, and when thatproved useless, he said something that surprised him even in his slightly inebriated state.
“You smell delicious, and you’ve wandered right up to me, in my space, at my event. Who do you suppose would come to your rescue if I were to… I don’t know, whisk you up and have my way with you in another room?”
He’d actually guffawed at that, uncouth and raucous, inconsiderate, but at the very least, genuine.
That was still when he doubted the will of Florian Vez. Certainly, as dictated by his idea of common sense, one does not disappear with an attendee of one’s own event to partake in… inappropriate activity rather than hosting said event.
Looking back on it, trying to find a logical reason and ignore the glaring answer of the floral lunatic’s sheer conviction, Henry supposed the festivities were winding down. Those who were not made easy and careless with alcohol were preparing to say goodbyes or already arranging to depart.
No amount of logic could bring sense to Flowz’s decision following Henry’s slightly slurred, and infinitely damnable,
“What a disgusting comment. I dare you to try.”
Time had slowed around that moment. Flowz’s flower did something Henry missed, a whip or a shudder, he couldn’t recall. But the executive was very still for a moment…
Then, all at once, he was being hoisted around the middle, carried effortlessly, carted like a doll rather than a grown man. He remembered his almost equally damning yelp, and flailed for the entire trip until his back was pressed against a wall, Flowz’s weight settling on top of him, pinning him in place.
“Jesus Christ! You god-damn—”
But he’d squeaked, seeing the larger was fixing to crush his mouth shut with his own—
He’d jammed his hand between them at the very last second.
“Put me down.” He hissed from behind his knuckles, amazed and horrified by the way his hand barely covered the lower half of Flowz’s face. “Whatever this is supposed to be, I do not agree to it—!”
“Oh, but darling you dared me.” His voice bled sarcasm. Henry hated it. “You must have known I don’t back out. And I don’t back down. Surely you’ve been able to glean that from our dealings.”
It was his job to study people.
But even people, no matter how wealthy or self-assured or fucking shameless had limits. Had boundaries.
Henry’s boundaries were being quite violated right now— he went to fire off another round of insults, when something warm and wet defiled his palm—
“God—!” He half-hissed, half-whimpered, instinct telling him to yank his hand away, fear keeping it in place. He could feel Flowz’s breath on his face.
“Next time it’ll be my teeth.”
A horrible declaration. Henry’s drunken and wasted mind scrambled to find a way out of this.
For all his years scheming and every nick and scar he’d gotten along the way, he would lose himself to a wall of a man and his inability to feel shame and his stupid fucking mouth—
“Just one kiss. You get one kiss and then you will put me down and leave me alone for the rest of the night.” Henry hissed, growled, spat the words like poison, like venom—
His tone was far too pleased, he was enjoying every second of it, maybe just basking in the thought of Henry practically melting under him. The bubble boy loathed every thought of submission, so certainly earning it in any way shape or form, prying it from his manicured plastic hands, was a victory.
Even if it was so small as a kiss.
When was the last time Henry had kissed anyone, anyways?
Of course it had happened before… college dorm celebrations and young nights on the town… high school prom and all sorts of events…
And still it was a rarity—
Additionally, he was absolutely certain he had never let a man kiss him—
“Shut up. On the count of three, I will remove my hand. One kiss. They last, on average, seven seconds. Do not be a glutton.”
A laugh reverberated through the chest pressing into him.
“Perhaps you have been studying me.”
Though, Henry couldn’t begin to fathom why he’d wanted to taste him so badly…
He found his gaze roaming the room they were in, dark and spacious, the light from the main area shining in from the wall to his right, maybe twenty feet past Flowz.
He flexed his fingers, experimental, daring a glance at the other’s face. He wore his desire like he was proud of it— concealing nothing, not needing that damned silver tongue, speaking it all with his gaze—
He couldn’t bring himself to answer back, merely inclining his head the slightest fraction.
“I have one condition for you. For what is about to transpire.”
He grunted in response, overwhelmed by the imminence of it all.
“Then I will keep you here on this wall for the rest of the night. And who knows, by then, I’d probably have done morethan just kiss you—”
He sputtered at that, head reluctantly turned away, and cursed.
“Fuck. Fine. I will kiss you back.”
“And if you don’t get it right the first time, we will try again, and again, and again—”
His stare was now burning, acrid, giving in with a fight. He stared down the predator before him, unwilling to enjoy it for even a second.
Every moment felt like another shovelful of dirt from the earth; he was digging his own grave.
Resolve gave way to icy unease as he let his hand fall away, his protection, his shield, his barrier against the beast who for whatever reason had taken this undue interest in him.
Flowz was smiling under his hand, but he supposed he could have expected that, lips quivering, unprepared, out of practice, out of his comfort zone—
“Ready?” Came the honey-slicked, ever teasing tone.
Henry figured he was in too deep already.
He took it as an invitation not to kiss, for the spark in his eyes and the shudder that passed through him was nothing soft, nothing chaste—
He was pinning him to the wall before, and now he was trying to make him a part of it. Flowz didn’t kiss with just his mouth— his whole body leaned into it as if to explore Henry’s entirety instead of the small stretch he was permitted.
It was intense. First a tease on Henry’s lips, a tongue flicking out to taste his mouth as it had his hand— and then he bit.
He bit and Henry was amazed at how he hadn’t popped right then, opening his mouth to—
But Flowz went right along, tongue and teeth, relentless, eager, all hunger and desire, somehow closer, filling the air with his scent of faint wine and something smoky sweet.
Henry was so overwhelmed he almost forgot to kiss back. His eyes flew open— when did he close his eyes?— bedazzled, to find his partner staring straight back.
That sent a thrill through him.
His hands seamlessly found their places along Flowz’s head and shoulder. He snapped his eyes shut again and slowly pushed back, not meek, but subtle, searching for an in to exploit and maybe get some control back.
He didn’t get the chance for what felt like eternity. He almost didn’t want to. There was pleasure, there— something sick and twisted wrenched out of his gut at the feeling of being wanted. Flowz knew quite well how to wind the sensation up and pull it out, and for Henry, knowing that was a bittersweet sort of hell.
When he finally found his opening, he snatched it, not needy, but aggressive, vengeful. He didn’t want to return what he was given, no, he’d processed every second of it and planned to relive it later. Right now, he was focused on expressing his anger at being in his current position.
So he did what he could to get back at Flowz while trapped in the dangerously passionate embrace. His legs wrapped around his massive waist, and he took the opportunity to infiltrate the other, met with the taste of wine and other charcuterie snacks from the formal—
—and then, faint but sharp, unmissable, metal. Iron. A tang at the back of his tongue.
Henry was positively elated by that detail, searching for more—
He was gazing again, this time, curiously into the eyes of Florian Vez. Permanently half-lidded, but now they were fluttering, savoring the sensation, that wicked flower blossoming fully, shivering in delight, burning gold and pink—
Henry was appalled at the both of them.
He pulled away immediately, breaking the kiss, breaking the spell, suddenly devoid of the burning warmth and bliss the liquid courage offered.
Shocked into sobriety, he stared, dumbfounded at this man before him. This man he had just escaped the realm of proper acting and formality for to hide behind walls and kiss like lovestruck teenagers—!
“Put me down!” He’d half-yelled, half-shrieked, somewhat horrified at himself, instantly unraveling from the other, writhing against the wall.
“Leaving so soon? Don’t you think we oughta—”
The heel of his palm struck Flowz right near the base of his flower. The crime boss released him, stepping back, drinking in the sight of Henry clutching the wall for support.
“Seven seconds my ass…” The giant grumbled, low, taunting, and Henry couldn’t recall how long it had been.
“Deal’s a deal.” He continued, producing a cigar out of nowhere to light, barely concealing how he tracked the movements of the other. “You taste like heaven, too. I’ll have to keep that in mind.”
Henry barked a sore laugh, mirthless, devoid of humor. He hiccupped once, waves of whiplash washing over him.
He couldn’t tell if he wanted to burst his sides or burst into tears.
He knew he wasn’t about to do either in front of the mob boss who’d brought on the whirlwind of emotion.
“Well, sweetheart, you’re free to go enjoy your night,” Flowz crooned, saccharine, satisfied. “I know I’ve enjoyed mine.”
The smile on his face was all teeth.
Henry willed his legs to move. Forced them to after having the shape of Flowz pressed into them. He took one teetering step, two, three, four and formed a stream out of them, robotic, automatic, what he’d done all his life to simply survive.
“Pleasure doing business with you,” he was sure to say on his way past, smiled plastered on, brushing against the blooming bastard’s coat and shuddering as he did so.
He couldn’t tell if he’d meant the words or not.
Maddy’s voice. Maddy’s face. He was for once glad to see it.
“Mr. Williams.” He tried, straining for some semblance of control after whatever the hell he just went through. Her eyes were glossy with drink, however, and she barely registered the correction at all.
“Where’s Mr. Florian? His friend’s lookin’ for him.” Her smile was cheesy, soft, always a friendly drunk. Henry didn’t have to turn around to know Flowz was headed out past him, just kept his head down and watched out the tips of his eyes.
He went home that night and wondered.
Summoned up that feeling of desperate need he certainly felt from the other, shoved it back down, and drew it up again.
Played and replayed the feeling. Prodded the fallacies his mind gave way to when exposed to even just a glass or two of wine. Took it apart and put it back together.
He woke up the next morning and decided he was going to treat it like most things;
If he didn’t gain from it, he didn’t care. Despite whatever situationship status this Florian Vez continuously imposed upon him, he would treat the man the same and ignore his advances until the occasion arose that he could benefit from allowing them.
Even if that benefit was simply his own fulfillment…
Because Henry found, in all his deep thought, that he somewhat enjoyed the chase.
(…do critique if you find fault. I don’t share the kissing scenes I write so lemme know if this is any good lmao… wine n henry ain’t a good mix. 9/10 he gets a new spiral out of it lmao—)
AGGRESSIVELY AND PLATONICALLY SMOOCHES YOUR HEAD.
I MUST WRITE FLOWZ POV AFTER THIS.
STARES AT MY NOTEPAD AND GRINS.
Now I've got a project to do while my father is busy helping my Aunt!1!1!1!
Anyways. You. Wrote him so. Canon.
Flowz is a pusher. He will push to get what he wants. Yet, he will stop if he feels if the other is truly not wanting to give him what he wants.
I just KNOW that Henry would NEVER drink wine (or any type of alcohol) around Flowz again lmao..
(Flowz. Will attempt many times to do this again.)
this. This was delicious.
Love me some kissing scenes.
