Title: Cherry Vermouth

Author: LavenRain96

The smell of alcohol and the sound of laughter were one of the many things that weren’t uncommon in the dimly lit streets of Shibuya. With the day being near its end, it was still festive with people either having a walk outside to enjoy the scenery or bond with friends to talk about their day. It was a curiosity of Yuuichirou to see this many people stay up this late for that, but then again, who was he to judge when he was doing the same thing but for a different reason.

Inhaling deep, Yuuichirou stood up and straightened his attire. Singing on stage with the eyes of strangers looking at him made him nervous, yet as the curtains lifted, his head raised up as he looked over the many patrons tonight… and he immediately caught blue eyes staring at him behind the bar counter. Yuuichirou caught the daze and pink dusted his cheeks whilst he made his way to the microphone stand, lifting a hand to take it.

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to Shibuya Dice Bar. I’m Yuu, your singer for tonight.” Yuuichirou greeted in a merry tone despite his eyes never leaving the bartender’s gaze as the crowd applauded for his entrance, prompting him to start singing.

Minutes turned to hours as song after song was sung by the raven. Jazzy music and lyrical notes blend together into a harmonic melody that had customers requesting Yuuichirou to sing more. However, just like any other show, Yuuichirou’s performance must come to an end for the night, leaving clients on edge as they voiced out their excitement to come back for more.

Yuuichirou deemed it as another successful concert, and the plentiful gifts sent in his dressing room were the proof of this.

Yet, he didn’t feel any sense of gratification. There was something lingering in his tongue that told him that he was still missing something. The presents weren’t enough.

Yuuichirou sighed softly in frustration. The sensation of incompleteness wouldn’t leave him and it would most likely bother him the entire night.

“… Maybe a drink will help get this feeling off my chest.” He murmured whilst he check the clock hanging on the wall of his dressing room.

He still had a time. A drink or two wouldn’t hurt.

“Hey, Mika…!” Yuuichirou called out when he spotted the bartender. “Is the bar still open?”

Mikaela stared blankly for a moment before he sighed. “You shouldn’t be drinking after a perfomance, Yuu. It can lead to unnecessary problems.”

“Well, I’m in the mood for one cause I want to let loose. Just one drink, please?” Yuuichirou pouted at the bartender who all but frowned at the singer before he sighed in defeat.

“–Cherry vermouth, on the house.” Mikaela presented the drink to Yuuichirou in a sherry glass once the both of them were in the bar counter. “After that, drink some water and go to sleep.”

“Yeah, yeah…” Yuuichiro pursed his lips before he took a small sip of his drink. The sweet taste of cherry and grapes graced his tongue, making Yuuichirou feel a bit better with how delicious it was.

He continued to nurse his drink when he curiously looked up to Mikaela. His eyes stared at the bartender, watching him clean the counter and the used wineglasses around. It was industrious of Mikaela to work despite closing hours and Yuuichirou couldn’t help but be awed by it, finding himself admiring the bartender which left him a bit warm.

“Nee, Mika… I caught you staring in my performance. What’s that for?” Yuuichirou asked suddenly, sounding a bit drunk.

Mikaela paused before he answered. “… I find your performance to be superb as always. I expected nothing less from the raven nightingale.”

For some reason, that made Yuuichirou frown.

“That’s it?” It sounded like a growl before Yuuichirou reached up to grab Mikaela by his necktie, shortening the distance between them. “Come on, say something different. I know you weren’t just staring because of my performance. There’s something more, right?”

Blue eyes meet green ones in a quiet arguement before Mikaela sighed and coaxed Yuuichirou to unhand him.

“You’re drunk if you’re assuming such a thing, Yuu. You need to rest.” He simply said with an indifferent face.

The cold reply widened Yuuichirou’s eyes in shock and something similar to rejection. The feeling of it made Yuuichirou purse his lips as he let go of Mikaela’s tie relunctantly whilst he nodded his head slowly.

“Right, I’m sorry… I got carried away…” Yuuichirou apologized softly before he stood up from his seat. “The drink is great, Mika. Have a good night.”

Mikaela nodded as he took Yuuichirou’s glass to wash whilst Yuuichirou left for his quarters with a heavy feeling in his chest. He hoped sleep would be kind to him since he needed all the energy he could get. He needed to be focused and perhaps feel better after the misunderstanding with Mikaela.

Who was he to hope for something from Mikaela? They were only co-workers. Mikaela wouldn’t just have feelings for him so suddenly. The blond was just that hard to get.

…

“… You’re becoming quite sharp.” Mikaela chuckled as he looked down at the unwashed glass. He brought it near him, smelling the sweet concoction that he made that had Yuuichirou’s scent in it.

He reminisced Yuuichirou’s lips on it and he couldn’t help but to tilt it so that Mikaela’s own lips could touch the place where Yuuichirou’s once was, indirectly kissing him.

In back of his mind, he wondered if Yuuichirou knew the meaning of ‘Cherry vermouth’ with how long they were working in the bar. But it seemed that the raven was so innocently oblivious to the message, and Mikaela was endeared by it.

“Cherry vermouth means…” He murmured softly as he downed the remainders of Yuuichirou’s drink, licking his lips at the lingering sweetness. “You’re mine and I’m yours, Yuu-chan.”

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