Year of the Rat

Chapter 6

Once again, Ging finds himself standing in front of Pariston's apartment door. To ease off some of the tension in his shoulders, he exhales deeply, feeling just some of that weight lift. He really could not put a finger to why he was so keen to agree to meet him, why he did not argue with the rat, why he could not stop thinking about him. And so with much hesitation, he lifts his hand and knocks on the firm door.

"Coming!"

Ging waited for what felt like hours, but were actually just several seconds, before the arrogant blonde finally opened the door to let his beloved guest in, greeting him with a smile, as always. Ging's eyes seemed to have lingered on his mouth for longer than they needed to. He never really acknowledged just how white his teeth were. They seemed as artificially white as the teeth you'd see on commercials for toothpaste or minty chewing gum. They also appeared perfectly straight, perfectly in line. He caught himself wondering if they were naturally so or Pariston had grown up with braces. Ging tried imagining those wires around the blonde's teeth in his usual smile; it just felt off, it was not right.

Suddenly, without any sort of warning, Pariston pulls Ging in for a hug. It was tight but not entirely suffocating. However, it felt as though it was also intended to be dominating or possessive, but that was likely just a reminder that the boar was just a pawn in his intricate game, which possibly neither knew the goal to. The shorter man naturally did not reciprocate this gesture, as he knew he needed to regain his authority. He cannot let the sparkling manchild take over, he just could not.

Despite his efforts to stay strong, Ging's keen nose, a trait he had inherited from his upbringing on Whale Island, picked up the opulent scent of Pariston's cologne. It smelled sharp and masculine, and yet was delicate and feminine. It was difficult for Ging to entirely pinpoint the scent, his mind was too fogged to think straight. He was being lulled and drawn into Pariston's warmth, he--

Pariston abruptly ended his trance by pulling him inside. Ging was mentally cursing at himself for once again falling for the other man's tricks and deceiving behavior. He refused to lose to this arrogant son of a bitch, he would not be able to forgive himself if he did. Thus he made the mental note to remain entirely on guard for this visit.