Melancholy Captivated

Chapter 2

Tatsumi was startled from the sudden knocking on his door at the time of the night. He set down his mug of tea on the coffee table and went to answer the door. He looked out the peephole and made a sound of bewilderment when he saw the top of familiar green hair. Of course it can't be helped that the hole on the other side was not meant for *5'4 people.

He cracked the door while cautiously peering his head out. What could this guy possibly want? They already had sex earlier today. Although he would not doubt Lubbock's stamina.

"M-May I help you, Lubbock?" He greeted wearily. Lubbock grinned.

"What's with the nervousness? I can't visit my own slave?" He asked and Tatsumi sweated.

"You never even visited until now." He muttered, especially irked at being called a slave, although he technically is one.

"That may be, so let me in." Lubbock said, walking inside past Tatsumi anyway. The brunette huffed and shut the door. Perhaps this could be a new step toward understanding Lubbock more.

"Would you like tea?" Tatsumi offered politely and gaped when Lubbock was already seated on the couch, sipping from his cup. "H-Hey!"

"Hmm?" Lubbock hummed, staring at him from the corner of his eyes. Tatsumi pursed his lips from the stuck-up action, but let out a deep breath. There is no point getting irritated at Lubbock of all people.

"Che, never mind. So what brought you here other than a surprise visit?" He said, sitting in a chair beside Lubbock.

"It's the 17th of December." Lubbock simply said, finishing the tea.

"... I figured." Tatsumi said with a raised eyebrow, pointing behind him at a calendar hung on the wall.

"That means a certain holiday is coming up."

"Christmas?"

"No, Thanksgiving." Tatsumi frowned at Lubbock's cocky sarcasm. "I want you to buy me a gift."

Tatsumi blinked at the request.

"A... gift?" Lubbock nodded and set to mug down. "B-But you're my boss... of course I'd have to get you something-"

"No!" Tatsumi jolted from the outburst and felt his own face redden when he noticed Lubbock staring down embarrassedly at his lap with a shy blush.

"I..." Lubbock began hesitantly, "I want you to think of me as a person. Equal to you. I want a gift. A thought out one. Something I would cherish." He explained with a burning face, his bright emerald eye continuing to shimmer at the floor. Tatsumi looked at Lubbock in slight disbelief that his own manager is asking for such a request, who also has a rather cute shy expression which is quite rare.

"Wh-why...?" Tatsumi asked. His question seemed to have made Lubbock even more uncharacteristically timid.

"I... never received a gift before." The older male admitted and Tatsumi's eyes widened. "I noticed in every book I read, the protagonist always gets a reward or some sort of present by just being their self. So... I'm ordering you to get me something special, or there will be consequences." Lubbock added and Tatsumi sweat-dropped at the demand.

"I don't understand. Why me of all people?" Tatsumi asked and Lubbock stood from his seat on the couch.

"You said you wanted to understand the real me right? Then do as I say." Lubbock answered as he went up to the front door and opened the door. "Besides... you're the only one I trust enough to go to."

Tatsumi was left with that when the door shut behind Lubbock. What he thought was a silly request is actually a serious context behind a favor. This left even more questions for him. Why has Lubbock never received gifts? What kind of relatives does Lubbock have? Is he still in contact with them?