The Exquisite Pain

chapter three.

You walked to your bar after that... hand in hand. You had a faint blush on your face that had nothing to do with the cold, and he had a content smile on his lips that had everything to do with you. You probably looked like a real couple on the outside, and your heart swelled. He was going to try. And you were going to take the risk.

You drank and joked as per usual, but the bartender was giving you surreptitious looks between rounds. This was probably a little bit of whiplash for the man – a few weeks ago, the last time you were in the bar – you had slapped Satoru for kissing you, stayed away for weeks, and now here you are, holding hands acting as if nothing out of the ordinary happened. As soon as Satoru made a break for the toilet, the bartender, Ziko, approached you. You and he were on first name basis – this was your watering hole after all.

"Are you guys okay now?" he asked, leaning against the counter.

"Yeah, we sorted our shit out." you replied shyly.

"So, what happened? I mean, I thought you both liked each other from the beginning which is why I was shocked out of my wits when you slapped him for kissing you that night." He asked, with genuine interest.

"It was unexpected on my end... and we both have a few issues that make it a little complicated to just fall into a relationship, Ziko." you replied, your mood dimming.

"But you sorted it out?" he asked again.

"Yeah, we sorted it out for the most part." you smiled at him.

"Good. The bar isn't a vibe when he sits around moping because you're ignoring him." He said laughing.

"He moped?" you asked, your interest now piqued.

"Every single night." he said chuckling.

"Hey, Ziko. What are you guys laughing about?" Satoru asked as he sat back down next to you, placing his palm on your thigh. You jumped a little at the contact. This was a first, he was staking his claim on you thinking that Ziko was flirting with you.

"Uhm," you started and looked up to Ziko for help.

"Just about how much of a sour puss you were when Chia was away." He replied brightly, making you blush a deep crimson.

"That's not funny, Princess. I missed you!" he said pouting like a child, letting you know that he wasn't offended or embarrassed of his antics.

"Yeah, yeah. Sure, you did." You said taking a sip of your beer and glancing at him out of the corner of your eyes. He was joking, but you couldn't help the swell of hope from his words. Did he really miss you? Or did he feel guilty? Or both? Either way, if he was joking about it, there had to be some truth in there.

"I did!" he exclaimed, all playful.

You stayed until closing time that night, and you were sporting a decent buzz when you made to leave. You had taken your heels off long ago, opting for a comfortable drinking session as opposed to an elegant one. Satoru didn't seem to mind, in fact, he seemed amused by your lack of "propriety". Now, hopping off the chair and bending down to retrieve them seemed a little daunting.

"Need help, Princess?" Satoru asked, easily sliding off of his chair.

"Please." you said.

He knelt down, grabbed one shoe and ran his free hand up your calf, gripping it gently and lifting your leg to place your shoe on your foot and gently fasten the clasp around your ankle. Your breath hitched. He repeated the process on your other foot. By the time he let your leg go, your face was on fire and your breathing uneven. He wasn't playing fair.