A Heart Forged by Memories

“Get your fucking hands off of me!” Riku snapped.

“Please excuse my indecency.” Du Fu hummed, as he raised his hands in surrender. “I got distracted by your body.”

“Are you–?!”

“Certainly not.”

Du Fu straightened his glasses and pressed his lips into a thin line; he felt the nerve in his temple throb quickly. Despite him not being romantically attracted to men, he was still found Riku unruly and intriguing.

As a poet for the Court of Musicians, he had seen many of his fellow men get punished. And many more unfortunately succumbed to their injuries. But the youth who was currently in front of him, managed to survive one of the most brutal lashings he had probably ever seen.

So like an annoying mosquito that keeps pestering a human ear, Du Fu tried to ease into the conversation.

“Please let me explain myself.”

And immediately, Riku interjected.

“I'm not asking!”

“I was only looking at the scars on your back.”