#ooc: I know this is littler shorter than my usual but left it open if wanted to do something with it

[oathofpromises]

“ i love you. i’m sorry. ” — Data to Hiroto

Hiroto's chest trembled with a mix of excitement and apprehension upon hearing those three words. When was the last time someone had spoken those words to him with genuine intent? Data wasn’t a liar; he had always been honest, ever since the day he met the brunet. But could the viper allow him to get that close? What if he saw something and ended up leaving, too? The little love Hiroto had left and the constant fear that somehow his heart would shatter if someone else came into his life only to end up abandoning him or, worse, stabbing him in the back. It was causing the viper felt overwhelmed, as he leaned against the table.

“Data…those words…please don’t say them to someone like me. I am the least suitable person to be graced with something so tender," Hiroto whispered, as his hand reached out and softly brushed the side of the brunet's face.

Data was a beacon of sunlight in the darkness, the one person who had seen Hiroto in his entirety and never judged him for his past. He had even forgiven the viper for attacking Stella, which still shocks him to this day. How easily the red mage had worked his way into the older Caelum heart, but all that would await Data would be pain. Darkness that would threaten to consume him too, and that was the last thing Hiroto wanted. He was too good for him, that much Hiroto was well aware of, yet he yearned to be close to him, even if that was selfish.

Gently, his fingertips brushed against the softness of Data's lips—a simple gesture that sent Hiroto's heart into a frenzy of butterflies.ed the viper; left his chest feeling heavier than before. The truth was, he longed for Dat’s presence, yearning for their souls to intertwine. However, a haunting trepidation enveloped his heart, echoing the realization that agreeing to the brunet's proclamation of love would eventualy lead to Hiroto destroying all that Data was.

Leaning closer, he felt Data's hand grip against him as he pulled the other so close. With Data's lips just inches away, he felt an irresistible pull to move closer. As time went on, his breath became increasingly labored, as though the atmosphere itself was infused with an undeniable chemistry. The notion of distancing himself from Data and fleeing appeared to be the most effective means of keeping the other safe, but the ache in his chest remained unrelenting. The gentle movement of his thumb against the sides of the other person's face held him in place, preventing him from leaving.

“You should run... All I do is destroy anything I care about,” whispered Hiroto, as his lips briefly pressed against the brunet’s. It wasn't a full-on kiss, but the fleeting touch of their lips sent a wave of goosebumps across his skin. The taller Miqo’te pulled Data even closer than his white tail wrapped around the bard’s leg’s leg.

"Please, push me away. I don't want to hurt you," Hiroto whispered, his hands gently cradling the brunet's face. As he kissed Data again, tears threatened to spill down his face, a mix of joy and sorrow. Why did it feel like paradise to kiss him? The way it made him yearn to be even closer was almost unbearable. They were already leaning into each other, their bodies positioned in a particularly intimate manner.

“You..changed everything.. I was okay with you all hating me. I could handle that. I have allowed no one close to my heart. Not since… It doesn’t matter. You make me question so much. All those feelings I had thought had gone are now flaring back up again. I burn for you, Data. I want you to flee, but the other part of me needs you close and I know how selfish that sounds. You turned my dark world into something brighter…and I don’t know how to handle that.”

One time, he had given his heart away in such an unreserved manner. He had faith that the people he loved most weren't going to abandon him, but in the end, they were the ones who stabbed him in the back. acted toward him as if he were a monster, and perhaps a part of him still harbored the belief that he was one. How else was he supposed to feel? Anytime someone got close, they would either stay for a time or end up leaving and the viper would once again be left alone to pick up what remained.

"Please don't say those words unless you truly mean them, Data. I can’t handle losing anyone else or being abandoned again…it almost killed me last time. Some part of me wishes it had.”

Hiroto took a step back, releasing his grip on Data, and deliberately turned his back on the other. It was best to just keep Data at arm’s length. To let him down easy and watch as he fell in love with someone else. It wouldn’t be that difficult. There were plenty of others out there that were much better than he was. They would take care of Data…give him the life he deserved. It hurt a lot to admit that to himself and did nothing but cause the ache in Hiroto chest to grow larger.

In the end, who could ever love a beast like me...

“I know…you care but trust me. There are better people out there that can give you the life and love you deserve. Don’t pick me…because I wouldn’t.”