• seventeen •
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I drag my feet across the floor as I'm out shopping for ingredients with Soryu. If I was with someone else that I feel comfortable with, I would rant out of how bloody my vagina is and use that as an excuse to do nothing for the rest of the week. Yes, ya girl is on her period. Stupid mother nature didn't give me a warning few days ago.
And to my goddamn luck, I bring a dress. I should've changed when I had the opportunity. These cramps are getting milder. Earlier I was bubbly and laughing, now I'm complaining because Wolverine is gnawing at my insides.
I groan out just as I hear Soryu complain, "Why am I the one running errands? Isn't this Inui's job?"
I give him a what the fuck look. "You're the one who wanted me to come along with you,"
"That's until Inui was taken away." It feels weird going to the grocery store with him. I snicker to myself as we return to the entrance for a basket since we forgot it when we walked in. We must look like a couple.
"Something funny?" He growls.
"No," I chuckle as I pick up a shopping basket. "Maybe I'll make omelets with a demi glace sauce." I ignore him and start talking. "I saw it in a cooking book the other day I was at the library." I voice out my thoughts. Okay, lowkey I wanted to know what else you can add to omelets so I can make them for myself more often.
"Whatever you want." Soryu says with disinterest.
"That might not be enough food, so I can make some tacos al pastor, too" I joke for tonights dinner.
"The others won't like it," Obviously he didn't get it.
I look at him with wide eyes. "I'm just joking." He looks away awkwardly.
"Oh,"
I head over toward the vegetables section, Soryu silently follows me. I kind of have an idea of what else to make. "Hm... Lettuce, tomatoes,"
"Hey, what's that?" I follow his surprised gaze.
"Hm? Oh, it looks like they're giving away samples. Ooh, free food," I stray toward it but Soryu stops me, tugging at my arm.
"If they leave food out like that anybody could come and poison it." He says, scolding.
"Or the maker could poison it himself," I make a face and suck my teeth, sending him a glare. "Thanks a lot. Now I can't look at it the same anymore. Besides, nobody's going to poison it," I continue with the vegetables, throughly annoyed now.
"I know, but," He begins, but changes topic when something else catches his eye. "What's this?"
"Bitter melon," I answer after glancing at it.
"So that's what it looks like as a whole," He says with a surprised look.
"What do you mean?" I frown at him.
"I've never gone shopping like this," He answers. "So I've never seen vegetables whole like this before."
I snort. "Really?" Though a strange feeling wells up inside of me. It's a first to show the great Soryu Oh something he doesn't know. As we continue our shopping, I cast a glance at him while he looks a little suspicious as we walk around while I explain the various things to him he's curious about.
"Hey, isn't that..?" "One of the people who always goes into the Ice Dragons office?" "That woman has been spotted recently there, too." I hear some women whispering as they look over to us. I glance over and they quickly look away, flustered when they meet my piercing gaze. That's not whispering at all.
I'm fuming now. I squeeze the handles of the basket in attempt to calm me down. They shouldn't be so blunt about it. At least WHISPER about it! "Hey, I'm used to it. But as for you..." Soryu says calmly as he notices where I'm looking.
"I couldn't care less," I roll my eyes. "Some people just need to learn HOW TO WHISPER AMONGST THEMSELVES." I blurt out loudly and a few heads turn our way. I continue walking with a deliberate look on.
"Hey, quit that." He growls.
"I'm just saying some people need to mind their own business." I flip my hair and trot over to another section. I groan out inwardly. I just need chocolate and a goddamn book right now! I'm suddenly in a bad mood. I grab a packet of Oreos and walk away, Soryu stays behind looking at me curiously. I return and grab another packet and walk away more satisfied, grinning.
"Besides," I say when I feel Soryu next to me. "You shouldn't get used to that. Just don't give two shits about them. They shouldn't be judging a person they don't know and they shouldn't be scared of you."
Soryu says before I continue my rant. "I'm in the mafia. Of course they're scared of me. And I could say the same about you,"
"I'm only a subordinate in this," I reply in a matter of factly tone. "Besides, you don't make enemies unless you absolutely have to, right?" Okay, Reina, stop talking. We get it! You low-key care for him. But once I start, I can't stop until I say what I wanted to say.
"You..." Soryu stops himself from saying something. I glance up to him confused. He clicks his tongue. "Being with you is so confusing,"
I look up to him, frowning. "What, how?" I think I'm pretty damn awesome. I feel offended.
"No one's ever said anything like that to me before." He answers.
I'm taken aback by his answer. I bite my lip and look away, my heart pounding. "Oh um, I had no idea."
"It's all right," He says. Before, Soryu said Mei Ling was wrong to expect happiness. But is that really true? I wonder why he said that. I think to myself as I finish up, even though I already know the answer to that.
When we step outside after we're done, it starts raining. "Woooww, really?" I complain. "What now?" I look up to Soryu, hoping he has a plan because I don't and I don't plan on making one up right now. All I want is to curl up in bed now.
"It's quite a way to the hotel," He answers. "I'll go back and buy an umbrella. Wait here," He shields himself from the rain with his hands and goes back the way we came. For some reason, I feel bumped and am expecting something else. A foreign feeling to me. Usually I could care less if they left, I'm always fine with myself, that's how I grew up; alone. But this time it's different. I shake away the feeling and ignore it.
After standing alone as the rain intensifies for a few minutes under the shed, I turn around and bump into someone when I take a step and almost fall backwards.
"Hey! Watch—"
"Hm? Are you talking to me?" A man says, not letting me finish.
I narrow my eyes at him and say coldly, "You're in my way."
"Hey, you're beautiful, you know that?"
He completely ignored me! "Yes, I know. Thank you. Now can you—"
He chuckles, interrupting me once again. I grow furious as he says, "You waiting for a guy? Why don't you forget about him and come with me?" A wicked smile appears on his lips. "We can go to that hotel right around the corner to get out of the rain," I quirk an eyebrow at him. Is he trying to flirt? I've seen other dudes do better. I put a hand on my hip. "C'mon, let's g—Ahh?!" The man freezes the moment he sees Soryu, who's looking on from behind me. "W-W-What, your boyfriend is that guy with all the muscles?!"
I turn around and smile at Soryu, putting a fake act on. "Hey, babe, you're back."
"If you have a boyfriend you shouldn't be dressed like that, then!" He says quickly and pushes me away, then takes off running.
I catch myself before I hit the floor, but I fall anyway due to my heel getting stuck in a ghost hole. I'm drenched in water now as I land on the ground. I groan at the pain on my bum. "Stupid bastard," I mutter to myself as I try to get up myself, but Soryu ends up helping me.
Though once I'm on my feet, I almost fall again. I grab onto the nearest thing near me, which happen to be Soryu's arms as he steadies me, his hands on my waist. My breath gets stuck in my throat. "You all right?" He tilts his head to the side, peering at my face, concern fill his eyes.
My cheeks heat up, I look down to hide myself. My heel broke and I twisted my ankle. "Yeah, just, my heel broke." He sure as hell has muscles. Though I ignore the pain in my ankle, or at least try to. Great, now I can't walk for two reasons.
I try to balance myself on my own as he takes off his jacket and puts it around my shoulders. Not being able to control my emotions or pounding heart, the heat rushes to my cheeks again. I grow frustrated with myself. "Wear it, and try not to bring a dress next time it rains."
"How was I supposed to know it was going to rain?" I snap, and look down at myself. My face goes red. The dress is stuck to my body and you can almost see right through it! So that's what the guy meant when he said I shouldn't be dressed like this. Oh god, I'm so embarrassed. "Thanks, though," I end up adding, sheepishly. I keep my head down to hide my red face and try not to limp toward the grocery bags I left on the ground by the entrance.
Soryu notices I'm having trouble and gets them for me. "You're clearly not okay." He says.
"Yeah, I think I twisted my ankle." I answer sheepishly. Get a grip of yourself!
Soryu gives me the umbrella to hold and turns his back to me then crouches down. "Hurry up and get on before the rain increases." He orders.
"Soryu, I'm wearing a dress," I put on an excuse as my cheeks burn up. This is so frustrating. Control yourself, Reina!
"But you can't walk." So I get on his back carefully since he's right. I lowly gasp when his hands touch my bare legs. I swallow hard and try to ignore my pounding heart and heated cheeks.
He carries me on his back down the quiet, misty road. He lifted me up so easily. I feel his warm body against my wet dress and my thoughts go back to his hands on my legs; my cheeks redden more, if that's even possible. At least he can't see me. But it feels like he can hear my heart beating this fast and loudly. I try to cover up the sound of my heart by talking. "Aren't I heavy?" Stop being so nervous!
"About what I'd expect. Not heavy, but not light, either."
My fault for asking. He should've just said I'm heavy. I'm probably am. I grow self conscious. "You—"
"You smell different," He says suddenly.
"Oh." Fuck. He doesn't like perfume! "You know, I think I can walk on my own now. I feel better now,"
"You said you twisted your ankle," He points out.
I sigh, giving up. "Sorry, I was just trying to make an excuse so you don't hate me for wearing perfume. You hate it, right?" I mumble out, not thinking twice about it. The hell did I say!? I take his silence as a yes. I swallow nervously. I just had to wear a strong perfume today, of all days.
"No. I don't hate how you smell, Reina." My heart picks up speed and my cheeks warm up again, I feel butterflies in my stomach. Who am I kidding? I feel the whole jungle inside my stomach.
"I—"
"You're gonna end up biting your tongue if you keep talking," He urges me to be quiet in a none offensive way, and now I'm more aware of the sound of my pounding heart. Though we're not talking, it doesn't feel awkward like I thought it would. Come to think of it, I'm actually very comfortable.
"We're almost there," I hear him say.
"'Kay," I respond, secretly wishing that this moment could last even one second longer.
+++
I'm still on Soryu's back when we reach the guest rooms floor. I glance inside the opening that leads to the executive lounge and find it empty, besides Mamo smoking away by the window. He turns his gaze in our direction as we pass by and I don't know if he caught sight of us or not since we disappear behind the wall. Soryu opens the door to my suite and doesn't set me down until I slide down his back to sit on my bed. I see his back is wet because of my drenched dress. I take away his jacket in fear of the same outcome.
Though it's worse. I look up to him as he now looks at me. "I'm so sorry," I hold it out to him sheepishly, but take it back. "I'll wash it if that's okay with you." He takes it from my fingers and sets it down on one of the chairs.
"Its fine. I'm not worried about that," He crouches down before me and carefully takes my heels off. I hold in my breath as I feel his fingers against my skin. I swallow to control myself as he holds my bruised foot up to inspect it. "You're going to need ice," He says and disappears out of my room.
I sigh and try to calm myself down. What is wrong with me? It has to be my bruised ankle and period giving me these symptoms. Mother nature, the universe, and I are more of foes than allies. I hate them and they hate me, that's why things like these happen. End of the story.
Soryu comes back with an ice pack and something I don't recognize; little packets in his hand. "Why are you doing this? I can do it on my own," I say to him, trying to sound tough as he crouches down before me again.
"You're hurt," He says. "Can you bring your leg up?" I struggle to do it, so he helps me.
"What're those?" I ask as I reach for one of the little packets, my fingers barely touching one on the bed next to my legs.
"Heated gauze," Soryu answers. "It'll help you from getting a cold."
"Um," I hesitate. "I would—um, I would like to take a shower first." His eyes fix on mine. I involuntary hold my break. I brake our gaze and try to stand, he holds me up by the arm.
"You got it?"
"Yeah, I got it." I answer calmly despite myself. I limp hurriedly into the restroom to escape him unintentionally and heave a deep sigh once out of sight. I rest my head back against the door and close my eyes. I can't have feelings for him. My heart needs to stay out of this.
I take longer than usual in the shower. Peeking through the door as I hold the wrapped towel around my body against me, I look to see if Soryu is in the room. I open it more and stick my head out. "Soryu?" I get no response. Maybe he left. I hurriedly limp over and lock the door to my room and change into my blue unicorn onesie I brought along from home. I sigh.
Amanda, my old roommate, has a lion one and we would watch movies all day in them when we had time, which was rare. I wonder how she's doing. I shake her out of my thoughts, and head over to the kitchen with my hoodie on.
"What the hell are you wearing?" I hear Soryu's voice behind me and something tugging at the unicorn ears on my hoodie. I turn around to face him, astound glaze his eyes. Oh, I guess he didn't leave after all.
"I thought you left?" I inquire, confused.
"Only to take a shower," Only. What does he mean by that? Though I don't ask. And that's when I notice his hair is still damped, almost covering his eyes. I blink at my thoughts, stunned. I always notice everything, or at least try to, but I was looking directly into his eyes and didn't notice his hair almost covering them.
I turn around, my heart pounding and limp toward the kitchen. Oh my God, Okay, calm down, Reina. No, this is bad. VERY bad, it's getting out of hand. My heart just needs to stay the fuck out. How do you turn off feelings?
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"Why is it Christmas Eve? What about Adam?" "It's not about Adam and Eve. It just means a day before Christmas. Stop being sexist." "Well someone is not having a very good Merry Christmas Adam."
MERRY CHRISTMAS ADAM EVERYONE!!!!
lolol jkjk it was a joke i found on tumblr. MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE OR MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!! 🎄🎅🏼🎁
so lemme continue really quickly with how i came up with the title since i told ya last chapter i was gonna explain it to you all. so it all started of with me trying to mix up Reina's gang, the Black Crowns, and Soryu's gang, the Ice Dragons. i think you sort of just figured it out but lemme explain.
at first i came up with some weird ass mixture that i am not going to mention because ew. i then tried some kind of word that'll describe the whole plot, that didn't work. so i just mixed the two gang names; black from the Black Crowns, and Ice from, obviously, the Ice Dragons. and tadaaa! Black Ice was born. and because it just sounded cool lolol
again, MERRY CHRISTMAS (EVE) PUTAAASSS!!! ('puta' means 'bitch' in Spanish ((or in any Spanish speaking region; Spain and Brazil)) lolol I'm such a bad influence 😈 (; ) stay fab xx ✨✨