#tune in next week for MORE ANGSTTTT

[ikenbar]

Mr. Love: Ike’s Choice CH3 PT6

Warnings: The long awaited and inevitable angst. Sorry Lucy Lovers, I’m trying to make a title here and it is not going to do well when I have nothing but fluff for this guy; Talks about abuse, scars, self deprecation, confrontational men who care about stains in new suits,... Ok, there will be some fluff too. But don’t get your hopes up! I’ll make up for the bit of fluff with the all too familiar cliffhanger :D

(Chapter Three (Victor and Lucien) prologue and part one, and parts two, three, four, and five here~)

((Please read the author’s note (and the beginning of the story) on chapter one part one if you’re new here :D)) Chapter three:

Part six:

The restaurant we were in looked as if it came straight from Italy. Plants wrapped themselves around pillars and various paintings hung in between them. Small tables with a nice chestnut brown wood were placed seemingly at random throughout the restaurant with corresponding chairs surrounding them, giving the restaurant a nice homely vibe. The lights were dimmed and a slight tinge of yellow, bringing in a nice romantic atmosphere. 

The chatter of the patrons filled the room as nearly all of the tables were occupied with a hungry soul. The air was thick with anticipation as the smell of food wafted from behind the kitchen, tantalizing everyone inside of the dining room.

 Lucien and I were seated at a table next to the window, where I got a good view of the storm clouds blowing in from the hills. “It’s a good thing we came in when we did.” I said after the waiter left. “Though I didn’t bring an umbrella.”

“Me neither.” Lucien hummed, “But this gives us more reason to spend more time here. So we can wait out the storm.” I looked over to Lucien who was already looking at me with a smile. 

“I guess you’re right.” I sarcastically sighed, redirecting my attention outside as the first bits of rain hit the window, “Bummer.” I watched as Lucien’s reflection smiled adoringly at me before opening the wine menu that the waiter had left him. I felt a smile slip past my lips as I watched him. It quickly fell as a thought came to mind. I turned to look at Lucien, my sharp movements causing him to look up.

“You better not be thinking of paying for this meal.” I threatened. Lucien placed down the wine menu, still smiling politely.

“And what if I am?”

“Lucien, you have done too much already. You’ve already bought something for me-”

“It was from a thrift shop. It was really no trouble to get.”

“My point still stands.”

“Ike-”

“Lucien, I’m getting the meal tonight. That’s final. Besides, you’ve done more than enough for me already.”

“Oh really? How so?”

I opened my mouth but froze. If I were to say why, it would likely unload a bunch of prying questions. 

Am I really ready for that? 

As soon as I asked myself that, I had an answer.

“Because… you helped me trust again.” I looked down at the table, speaking softly but meaningfully, “I’ll be honest, I wasn’t looking forward to tonight. I thought it would just be me wasting your time as you tried to pry your way into my personal life. But, I was wrong. Tonight you showed me respect in a way I have never seen before. You put thought into every little detail and you did it all so I would feel happy and comfortable. No one has ever done that for me, except Bart and Maria... And Sam. And even then it took them a month to even get a word out of me. What I’m trying to say is… thank you. For this evening, for your time, for… everything.” 

Silence washed over the table. I looked up at Lucien. His eyes were large and full of a large mixture of emotions, making them hard to read. I kept my eyes trained on him for a moment longer before the awkwardness finally set in. 

“Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.” I coughed and looked down and away from his eyes as I struggled to find a way to change the subject. I felt something warm cover my hand. I looked up in time to catch Lucien take my hand in his and pull it closer to him.

“I’m glad you did.” Lucien smiled peacefully. Though he seemed set on his answer, his eyes were still incredibly hard to read. There was something almost unsettling about it. 

Still, his answer cleaned the anxiety in my chest and replaced it with a sense of relief strong enough to make me smile again. Lucien’s smile grew even larger as he watched me.

“I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen you smile.” Lucien’s voice was extremely gentle, as if he was scared the sound would scare my smile away. 

It nearly did. 

I felt my face flush as I looked down. His grip tightened on me as he used his free hand to force my face back up again. “Don’t stop.” His whisper was carried swiftly away in the chaotic room. I reunited my eyes with Lucien’s. After a moment, I sighed and matched his grip on my hand. My smile didn’t waver but my heart was getting increasingly harder to control. He knew exactly what to say and how to move to make me feel like I was the only woman in the world to him. Half of me felt jealous of all the women he must have had the practice with, but the other half of me was overjoyed that I was the one he was dedicating this moment to. A moment I had wished would last an eternity.

The waiter came back to our table. “Can I get you guys started with some wine tonight?” He asked cheerfully. The reminder of another presence in the room made me regain my composure and pull away from Lucien’s touch. Lucien smiled at the waiter and handed him back the wine menu.

“We’ll take your finest.” Lucien’s voice was sweeter than any of the desserts in that restaurant. The waiter grinned politely and nodded, leaving Lucien and I alone at the table again. I opened my mouth to speak but Lucien already knew what I was going to ask. “You aren’t paying for anything tonight.” He said with sincerity dripping from his tongue, “Your smile is payment enough.” My smile fell as frustration replaced what happiness I held. I was ready to debate with him but Lucien gave me a resolute look, signifying there was no way he was going to be talked out of it. I let out a heavy sigh and rolled my eyes dramatically.

“Fine.” I picked up the food menu in front of me, “I suppose I’ll have to accept this free meal from you this once. But don’t think you will talk me out of the next one.”

“The next one?” Lucien said in a teasing tone.

“Of course.” I looked up determinately at Lucien, “Do you really think I’m going to accept this perfect night without giving something back? Prepare to have your socks knocked off.”

Lucien laughed, “I can’t wait.” My smile returned as I looked back down at the menu. This night really couldn’t have gone better… Which is weird… Isn’t it? 

Lucien and I have only met once. How could he have gotten so many things right in so little time? How could he have known exactly how to make me so happy when all I did that night was push him away..? 

I shook my head slightly, warding away the anxious thoughts. He is a scientist. He could see things in me that I didn’t know I was revealing. He was just practicing his work… still… I slipped a hand onto my chest, hoping to stifle what uneasy feelings were growing there.

The waiter came back to our table and poured us a couple glasses of wine. We gave him our orders and he left us once again in silence. “Ike,” Lucien was the first to break it as I moved to take the glass that was placed in front of me. I hummed in response to his call and focused all of my attention to Lucien. “If you don’t mind my asking, what were your first words to your family?” The question was asked so simply but a train of thoughts and emotions hit me. None of them were bad though. My smile grew as I thought back to that day.

“‘Thank you.’” The words came as simply as the question did, “It was ‘thank you.’ I said it to Sam after he gave me a gift.” I thought talking to Lucien about my past was going to be the hardest thing I would do that night, but in that moment, it came as easily as taking a breath.

“Oh?” Lucien’s voice was slightly eager, “What did he give you?”

“An MP3 player.” I sighed happily as the memory of his big, missing toothed smile came to mind, “I was just about to go to the gym but he stopped me. He knew how much I liked going there and he wanted to give me something that reminded me of him while I worked out. He had surprised me enough that day that the words sort of… slipped out.”

“He surprised you multiple times? How so?” Lucien was obviously prying but I didn’t mind. For once in my life, talking to someone about my past was almost calming. 

“Well,” I began, reaching once more for my glass of wine, “I caught him being bullied at school that day. He was such a bad kid. Still kind of is if I’m gonna be-...” I had brought the glass to my lips and caught a glimpse of my reflection.  My eyes locked onto the scar on my cheek. For a moment I couldn’t speak. My mind went blank. Then a clear image of the warehouse explosion entered my mind.

 Someone is after me.

Someone knows every little move I made and was able to graph it out on a map. Not only that, but they were able to take pictures of me in those locations without me noticing. Someone was out there and was willing to hurt me or anyone I cared about to get to me. And I am sitting here, sipping wine with a man I barely know.  Lucien spent one night with me and knew exactly how to please me. How to break down the walls I had put up and get me speaking so freely and openly about everything, and he did it all while I didn’t suspect a thing. I was sitting there, spilling about my past as if it was nothing. Outing the very people who mattered to me the most.

“... Honest?” Lucien egged. My eyes slowly moved to him, then to the coat around my shoulders. He played me like a fiddle. 

And I let him. 

I stood quickly from my chair, letting the coat fall from my shoulders. “I… need to go.” I said quietly as looked around, struggling to find a way out of the restaurant without drawing attention to myself.

“Is everything alright?” Lucien stood from his seat as well, causing me to step back defensively in response. I kicked my chair into the one behind it, causing the man sitting in it to choke on his drink and spill it onto himself. He stood briskly from his chair, pushing me forward and making me lose my balance. Lucien moved quickly and caught me just before I hit the table. He held me tightly as he helped me back up and onto my feet. The man I had bumped into towered over the both of us as he glared at me.

“What’s the big idea?!” The man growled as he walked out from his seat. Lucien forced me behind him and held out a protective arm.

“It was an accident.” Lucien’s voice was calm but he an obvious defensive aura radiated off of his body, “We’re sorry for the inconvenience it has brought you.”

“Oh are you now?” The man closed the distance between him and Lucien, bringing his face right up against Lucien’s. Lucien stood his ground, “I hope you are willing to pay for some more wine, punk. And dry cleaning for this expensive suit.” The room became silent as the men talked. The only sounds were from the kitchen as utensils clanked and food sizzled. 

I started inching backwards and away from the situation. My back hit something hard and a loud clattering came from behind me. I turned around quickly to see a waiter with a teetering tray of food in his hands threatening to fall over. I reached out my left hand quickly to catch him. As I did, the cufflinks on his uniform caught onto my sleeve and, with the strength of his fall, tore a large hole in my shirt. Small gasps echoed through the room.

With the waiter’s arm in my hand, I pulled him up. “I am so sorry.” I quickly said, holding the waiter’s arms as he adjusted himself, “Are you ok? Are you hurt?”

 “Ike.” Lucien’s soft voice broke the chaotic atmosphere. I turned and looked at him. His attention wasn’t on me but rather my torn shirt, “...your arm.” I looked down to see that the sleeve had torn enough to reveal my abuse ridden arms. 

For everyone to see.

Embarrassment washed over my face as I tried pulling my shirt closed again. “It’s nothing.” I stammered over my words as I tried to maintain my composure, “It’s just… I…” I froze. I had spent so many years hiding that part of me. Am I really willing to let Lucien see that side? If not that night, was I willing to let him see that side of me.. Ever? The side that numerous people called a monster? That was used to fight for people’s entertainment? That withheld any sign of trust or reason from me? Even if he were trustworthy, was I really going to tell Lucien any of that? 

“... This... was a bad idea.” My voice cracked under the pressure I had presented myself with, “I’m going home.” With that, I pushed past the men in front of me and briskly walked to the exit.

“Wait-” Lucien started to call after me but was stopped by the man.

“Hey, punk! I’m not finished with you yet.” The man pushed at Lucien’s shoulder, “Your girlfriend can wait for you outside.”

“Ikamara! Wait for me!” Lucien called helplessly back to me but I didn’t listen. I turned the next corner and left him. Just like I should have at the beginning of the night.

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