Three Little Words

When Ritsuka got out of school, he was there, waiting by the fence, smoking on a cigarette with a glassy look in his eyes.

Ritsuka walked past him, pretending he didn't see the way that Soubi's eyes lit up a bit, nor how his pale skin seemed to illuminate.

After all, despite all his claims of love and devotion, Ritsuka knew that the only thing that kept Soubi with him was the rush of power that he felt when he challenged somebody. He knew that the only reason Soubi would ever hang out with a kid like him was that Ritsuka's hold over him was stronger than any drug. He knew that this adult wanted nothing more than to be the one who claimed his ears.

Ritsuka knew that all of Soubi's declarations of affection were superficial. He knew that Soubi was just using him.

He knew because he was just using Soubi, too.

They had walked in silence half way to Ritsuka's house and were already in the park before Ritsuka finally turned on Soubi, glowering and bristling.

"Won't you just go away?" He asked resting on a picnic table. He frowned down at the surface – rough and old, and rubbed his thumb along it, despite the threat of splinters.

"Is that an order, or a question?" Soubi retorted, a smile on his face and Beloved about his throat.

Ritsuka hesitated, and Soubi leaned in to steal a kiss.

"Leave me be." Ritsuka complained, half heartedly to Soubi. "Don't you know I can't stand you?"

If Soubi heard him, he paid him no mind. Instead, he sat down on the park table across from him, and gave him a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"I love you." He told him.

But Ritsuka only sighed. "Again with that?" He asked. "I thought you said that you had to listen to anything that I told you?"

"Yes," Soubi nodded. "I do."

"Then, why?"

Soubi shrugged, an elegant sweep of his shoulders, and reached his arms across the table for Ritsuka. But Ritsuka narrowly avoided him, slipping through his fingers like water. "Words have power." Soubi conceded after a long moment.

"I know that!" exclaimed Ritsuka. "So then why won't you listen to my words?"

Soubi smiled, and stood. "Because my words have more power."