Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ The Boy on Page One ❯ I hate this love ( Chapter 6 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

"Hakuo? Did you hear me?" Nathen whispered into his friend's ear.

It was the most inopportune time to strike up a conversation, what with the movie a quarter of the way through. But, maybe that was the hitch? Nathen is not a fan of confrontations, and he was scared that those jerk's needless comments upset his friend too much, and he'd only make it worse while awkwardly trying to make him feel better. His best means of talking through trouble is to buy a meal, stuff your face, and just call the issue quits. All of his close friends are like that, they eat or they edit, or make new content.

Anything to ignore the pain. He knows that doesn't work, but, it helps him deal with bad situations. However, Hakuo is a talker with problems. A very scary - blunt - talker at that. It's hard to know what to do.

Hakuo turned his head and leaned towards him so suddenly, when whispering "Hmm?" they almost popped their heads together. "What'd you say?"

"I asked if you're alright?"

"Bad timing; but yeah, I'm alright." He glanced at the screen watching as Liam Neeson did his thing to some Ne'er-do-wells. Grabbing Nathen's shoulder, he whispers in his ear. "Don't worry about things like that."

"You sure?" he whispered back, coming in just as close since there's now dialogue coming from the screen.

"Yeah."

A man behind them leaned forward and hissed. "Get a room, freaks, or shut up. I'm trying to watch the movie."

Small thought about making a loud, obscene sound to show the guy the difference between actual noise and two people whispering so lowly that they could hardly make out what they were saying, but, again, the confrontation thing. What if the guy had a bad day, then what if he leaves the viewing room and waits around for them to kick their asses? Or shoot them. You never know with people. We live in a society where someone will spit in your food just for not responding to their greeting as brightly as it was given.

So, waving a hand of apology, he silenced himself and returned to watching the movie to completion.

...

"If I may quote: "That was cool! Don't change a thing!" ahaha," Hakuo feels great!

The movie really was good! Leave it to Nesson to really lift the spirits. They exit the room through the crowd of others; the creep from before looked at them with a sneer that clearly was silently calling them 'bratty kids'. That guy isn't gonna bring down the mood; however, leave it to bad timing of a tragic life to ruin it; out of a different viewing room walked the two guys from earlier. Ugh. But, a ray of light overruled the nuisances, as its bouncing over to them, all blonde and elated to see him. Hakuo braced himself for her greeting that would likely never change without his saying something to stop it.

"Hi, Hakuooo!"

"Hi, Delilaaah!" He matched puppy-owner-tone greeting for greeting.

"Hi, Mon-nnn," she cleared her throat then corrects herself from the force of habit. "Nate. Hi, Nate,"

"Wow," Squeaked 'Nate', as he's never been greeted that way before. It's always either Monkey or Nathen. No one but Hakuo, and their AV friends, use buddy terms with him.

"Hey, Lilah." He smiled; the side of him not instantly used to kindness suddenly found her attractive. Was she always so tall, her eyes so blue and lovely? Her hair shined like lemonade. Why does his long broken out of puberty voice always have to rear it's head on him? Can't it let him be a smooth talking, hot guy - just once!?

Noticing the direction they've come from, she asks. "Are you guys leaving?"

"Yeah. I scored some leftovers," Hakuo showed her the uneaten candy bars that he's bringing home.

Delilah smiled at his innocence. "What did you see?"

"Cold Pursuit." Nathen piped up.

"Ugh, not my style. I'm here for Madea."

"Alone?" Because Nathen noted that no one was around her, neither male nor female. Could be a good opportunity for him. "I could use a chuckle, I'll be your escort."

"Down boy, I'm so not interested. Now, if Hakuo wants to join me..?" she smiled all pretty, her expensive, and well taken care of, dental plan on display as she looks at him. Latching onto his arm, she stands beside him all girlfriend-in-love mode.

"Naah." He doesn't even look at her, as he's stuffing his leftover treats into the inner pocket of his padded coat.

She shrugged her shoulder, then released him. "Doesn't hurt to ask."

"It stung me pretty bad," mumbled Nathen.

Lilah snickered having found the comment to actually be cute.

"Hey, Lilah," Stan was saying practically into the back of her neck. He's so close his breath flicked her hairs in a scatter. "You're looking sexy,"

Delilah laughed, and called him a tease.

"The night's still young; there's a party at Jayden's, are you in?"

"I don't even know where he lives,"

Stan told her his blond friend's address.

"Okay. If my movie doesn't run too late, I'll be there." Lilah yelped then giggled cutely when Jayden joined his friend; he helped himself to a pinch of the young woman's rear.

Her ponytail swung about as she spun on her heel to swat at the offender. "You'd better stop before you lose that hand," her tone wasn't as threatening as her words.

"Why?" Jayden tugged his hand through his slicked platinum hair. "Word on the street is you're single."

"Doesn't mean I'm slutty," she clipped.

The pair of idiots pushed at each other, laughing at the imagery of her statement being the opposite as they wandered away for the exit.

"Yeah, I'll really go to some dumb party. Fucking idiots," she rolled her eyes. "Cousins. They're totally fine when alone, but together, douchebags."

Nathen, again, was startled by the switch flipping personalities going on around him. How many times has someone two-faced him, he wonders?

Turning her attention back to Hakuo, she's momentarily startled by the strange grin on his face. "Um, I'm glad to see you're out and about, Hakuo. I was so worried about you from before."

'You never even visited him at the hospital,' thinks Nathen. 'Are you kidding me? Now I'm doing it!' People with forked tongues can be contagious.

"You were? Thanks. It's nice to be seen." Replied Hakuo, coming back to earth from where he spaced-out to. He was brought into an abrupt hug, then he was waving goodbye to her as she walked over to the display counter for treats. "She's operating on a whole nother level, Nathe, just let it go." He says to his friend's fleeting attraction, that's written all too boldly over his pinched face.

"Daydreams are free, my friend," he zips his coat, bunched the collar around his throat then made for the parking lot with his friend beside him.

When they were out in the car, alone from the noise and people telling them to zip it; Nathen tried again to check up on Hakuo.

"So seriously, are you ok?"

Hakuo, who was leaned towards the vent to warm his face, looked over at his friend then straightened in his seat to reply. "I became ok with it. I quieted because I was thinking about how easy it is for anyone in the world to become desensitized to things that they've never experienced or it could ever experience. And we who've suffered from it can't." He rests his elbow on the door hand rest, then his cheek fell against the knuckles of his hand. "How can I get a chance not to care?"

Nathen totally got that. But, not knowing what to say, he replied. "I know what you mean."

Hakuo smiled sympathetically for his friend. Nathen is all nerves when it comes to the heavy stuff. "I think "that's rough, buddy" would have been a better response."

Nathen's cheeks rose with embarrassment. "Okay. But, to be fair, I couldn't tell if you were saddened by that or just stating facts."

Going by the tone of voice, Hakuo could have easily been saying that the roads might be icy. He's very hard to read, and if his expression was giving it away, it was hidden by shadows from the angle he has. The guy is set on neutral, and occasionally the program slips and an actual gauge can be seen of real, sincere happiness, sadness, or anger etc.

"Just the facts." Replied his friend. "I don't let lesser-than knuckle-draggers get to me."

Nathen was happy to hear that; it's not the first time he's heard people's rude thoughts about Hakuo over the past two years. The poor guy was in a coma for Pete's sake, and still no one cut him any slack - god help anyone who cares about Hakuo, if they had to suffer of those people having found out about his paralysis up until the day he was again talked about on the news because of what happened. He'd sure like to know who the hell leaked the situation to the media.

"Bye, Nathe," he walks away from the car to his home, hearing a bye in return before the car headed off to the Small home.

The next day…

It was all over the news. 2 guys found tied together on a park bench, one with the other's penis in his ass. It was a fiasco! Every news channel was flapping their lips about it. Speculating this and that, as they surely hadn't done it to themselves, but who would do such a cruel and very unusual thing? And to reveal that they are cousins really had tongues wagging that it might have been angry parents, having caught the young men in some lurid position and wanted to teach them a lesson. However, the parents angrily deny the accusation.

'Tch. Calm down people, only their asses were showing and barely at that,' thinks Hakuo, as he cruises out of the living room having heard enough. 'Why do I know that?' Wondered the young man. He wasn't there, and the news showed no photo or video of the scene. They did, however, show the world that it was Stanly Bendavid and Jayden Tewel. 'What are the odds those assholes got what they deserved? Sounds like perfect ironic justice to me.'

He grinned into a barked out laugh. Imagine their having to wake up with a dick in their ass, plus a news camera and cops in their faces! It's too rich! Yeah, whoever did that to them deserves a medal. Karma could be a real Prince.

After dressing comfortably, he joined his brother in the backyard for thirty minutes of a light workout, that stretched into 45 minutes due to Hakuo's needing a rest after the first 5 minutes. It was much needed, and he felt great afterwards. Maybe his brother's fitness psychosis wasn't so crazy after all. And he brought out music for them. It was a nice way to bond - Celes bonded in her own way by having warm drinks waiting for them once they were through.

Whilst drinking his chamomile tea, Hakuo eyeballed the pile of mail for him sitting on the corner of the counter closest to the kitchen exit. He wondered about the manilla envelope, but knew that if he grabbed one, he'd end up taking them all, and it'd likely piss him off. Why make a good day bad with nonsense? Besides, he's decided that he's going to hang out with Gev. He told the gothic babe that once he felt better, he was going to come after him. Full force. And he feels better. So as that famous announcer is paid to professionally say: Llllet's get ready to rumbllllleee!

He was sure to scrub himself extra good in the shower to remove the workout stink he sweated while out in the yard, then he washed his hair. He made a mental note to buy some dye, then flash of lightning, realized he could do that with Gev. They've done it before, back when he was Mamoru, surely he'd do it again with him as himself…

'Wait. It's a dumb idea. If I keep reminding him of Mamoru, he's only gonna see Mamoru.' Toweling his hair dry, he tosses the damp cloth into the clothes hamper then fishes around under the basin for the blow dryer. The last thing he needs is to catch a cold from a damp head. 'I'll go to the store,' he thinks as he enters his bedroom and checks the time. 10:15 am. 'Good. It's nice and early, but late enough for the Walmart up the street to be open.' He can get the dye, do the job, there's a conversation opener.

He thought with a smile as he stepped into his sneakers, that if his life was a book, it's very possible it could be a romance novel. It'd be the classic cliche of awkward silliness between two people, combined with the oddity of feeling like they're reincarnated fate. Why not? His entire life has had a supernatural element to it - he was a psychic for Pete's sake.

'Was… I hate using the tense in regards to that...' He thinks sadly.

He loves being a psychic. But ever since the coma and waking up from it, he's felt not even the slightest aura of his abilities. Its either depleted down to the root rubbings, or… gone. His hand flicked at the handle of the car door; son of bitch, he got shocked anyway. Why does the air have to hold static? What is the purpose?

Movement caught his eye, and he smiled sadly. A brown cat is chasing a cricket around the yard; since gaining the strange ability to see ghost, he hasn't seen Binks. He's seen other dead animals, but not the ragdoll. He figured it was a good thing, it means the cat has moved on and is now loving life on the other side, eating all the fish and drinking fancy oyster water. Why not; cats like seafood.

Climbing into the car, he starts it up then heads for Walmart to get his dye.

Montgomery, Pennsylvania.

A place steeped in historic locations and dated namesake, the little town can also be seen as a local hotspot for simple living as the beautiful greenery rolls on for miles. Surrounded by water, the town was once drowned under gallons of feet of it.

Hakuo liked that. Not the drowned town, no, that'd be ridiculous. But the water. He loves water. Even though the torrents in his mind are currently trying to drown him, the swirls and whirlpools will calm; the violent suction down below will subside; and he can repair his mind anew. Fill it up with better things that he's missed out on in life. Family, friendship, and his current venture… love. He didn't know he cared about the option until Gev London. His lax lifestyle, the depths of his devotion are awe inspiring.

Although, with his plans to subtract him from the nerd-herd, that's actually going to work against his liking devotion. But, he likes a challenge. And he knows it's love in his heart, because he wants to hug Gev, and wants Gev to hold him in return. Just the thought of it baked his cheeks with joy as a grin spread across his mouth.

"Where the hell am I?" he looks left then right.

It's not a big town, so he shouldn't be lost. The building should be somewhere around the corner from here.

"Wooow! Whaaat?" he double-checked the address saved in his phone's notes.

That's the address. That's the building name: 450 Green apartments.

The cream colored stone brick building stood grandly against the cool skyline, looking out over the parking lot and scenic city beyond that. Hakuo couldn't help but harrumph, that it's possible he and Nathen might be living in the wrong district as their place might not be near as nice as this - and he hasn't even been inside yet! He shuddered to think of how nice it would be. Hn. Maybe the outside is just a clean vanity, but inside is like a slum. He mused.

The car rolled through the lot, parking in the first empty space he could find. He headed up to the building and found himself at a pause. There, up on the second floor balcony, sat Gev London. He has his booted feet propped up on an outdoor table, his posture is leaned back in a slump. He doesn't have to wonder what he's doing as tendrils of smoke drift through the crisp air. Hearing a light cough made him smile. He likes observing the Russian in his natural state; Krenn observed something flying over the railing hitting the ground with enough force to shatter whatever it was, but it seemed intact.

Heading over, he sees a bite of bread that was quickly snapped up by three birds, ready to battle each other for the discarded morsel. Hakuo entered the building then travelled to apartment 22. He said a polite: "hello" to a family exiting their apartment, who took it upon themselves to say: "hello" to him. He wondered, when people do that sort of thing, if they're doing it because they're uncomfortable with his not doing it first? Or if they're just friendly and talkative? Maybe he can ask them.

Naah. He's not really that interested. With his fist he knocks on the door. It was quiet, then he hears Gev call out. "Just leave it!" A smirk touched his lips, and he simply knocked again. He can almost feel the agitation coming through the door towards him. When the door jerked open, he was sure a crude comment meant for a delivery guy was coming his way, but Gev's cool grey gaze registered him before it got out.

"Hey."

"I was in the neighborhood, thought I'd stop by."

Gev scoffed, and stepped aside for him. "You were in the neighborhood. We're an hour and a half away from each other on foot."

"But fourteen minutes by car." He entered the apartment.

He was right, being inside upset him. Its that nice. Creams, Browns, and marble. It's an open-floor plan so that the living room, kitchenette and dining room are ground central station. A short hall is off to the left where the bedroom is, and the open door across from there exposed the bathroom to save him the trouble of asking for its location. It kind of stung, as he received the grand tour, that the place was a single bedroom. Part of him kind of hoped they'd have two rooms, for company or a place to retreat during fights.

"My place is gonna look way better than this."

Gev scoffed. The fact that Hakuo said that meant he put 405 Green on high. "Want something to drink? Ludwig has teas."

"Cocoa if you have it, just warm milk if you don't." Taking a seat on the couch, he watches Gev bustle around the kitchen fixing him some milk. "I brought you a gift."

"Housewarming?"

"No. It's for White Day."

Gev's expression asked "Huh?" and Hakuo explained that, in Japan, on March 14th it's the day that the guy returns the love received from the girl on Valentine's day. Pouring the warmed milk into a mug, he brings it over to his guest. "But I didn't get you anything on Valentine's day."

Lowering the cup after a couple sips, he replies, "Details." then sips again.

They sit in silence, one thoughtfully drinking, the other quietly smoking; perched on the arm of the chair, his feet up on the cushion as he faces his guest.

"Are you alone?"

"Yeah, they're at work."

Baffled, Krenn asks with genuine shock. "On a Sunday?"

"We're planning on a vacation, Ludwig is working overtime, but Yakuza usually has work on Sundays."

Setting the empty mug down on the coffee table, he looked at Gev and smiled. 'Yyup, it's just as awkward as I thought it'd be.' He thinks. 'Come on, we used to be so natural with each other; is love really so powerful that it does this?'

"D'you wanna go do something?" Asked the unexpected-to-be-so host.

"Sure, I'll do anything. I don't know the area, so I'll follow your lead." Standing, he heads for the kitchen with the empty cup, cleaning it with a simple rinse before setting it down beside the pot that warmed it.

Gev grabbed his coat from the back of a dining room chair, where he'd left it when coming back inside from the balcony. Slipping it on, he walks out after Hakuo, locking the door behind them.

The awkward pair found their way to a place Hakuo chose as he searched his phone for things to do in the area. Painting with a Twist has five stars, and all the reviews were positive. It's a large room, lined with painting supplies, polished wooden easels, painting canvases strangely made of wood as well. The other non-artist mixed and mingled amongst each other, all couples except for a pair of women who were just friends. Gev noticed that all the places to sit contain the same materials and colors,.

"What is this again?" Because he doesn't have a clue.

Gev's never been to a place like this, the most he and his husbands do is go to the movies, beach - when it's warm. Then there's mini-golf, or they pop-off to concerts when they can afford it. But this painting thing… He doesn't even know what to do with the out-of-comfort-zone strangeness. Maybe letting Hakuo pick was a bad idea.

"Here, sit across from me," Hakuo took a seat. With a paint brush, he points to the seat across from him.

"I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone, in some really freaky old-school arcade," he looked left then right at his reason why he's so not digging it here, as he's currently being surrounded by strangers.

Ugly, overly perfumed strangers. Sitting down he half expected to log in as player 2 in Street Fighter II. Looking over the canvas intending to give Hakuo a dirty look, he's thrown off-kilter when receiving a very casual wink and smile from the guy.

'Stop reacting, Simple Simon, you know what he's doing.' He instructs his quickened pulse.

But, damn him, Hakuo is attractive.

Gev only just now noticed that his friend's hair is back to black. Considering how long it took for it to turn a deep Heather-grey, he figured it must be dyed. "Have you ever thought about purple, or dark blue?"

"Okay everybody," came the voice of their perky teacher; her pug nose is kissed with a smear of paint that caused both Hakuo and Get to exchange glances at her cliché before they rolled their eyes. "today we're doing a flower in a vase; so grab your brushes, get those smocks on, and let's paint by color!"

The ladies, and some of the guys, cheered for themselves and the coming achievement of their art.

"For what, my flower?" Asked Krenn to Gev's question.

"No, your hair."

"I'm not sure how it would work for me."

"Start with blue," says the teacher.

"God help us." Mutters the out-of-place goth.

….

"Well, I was gonna ask if you wanted to trade with me, but," Hakuo looked at his painting of a peonies in a thin purple vase, with a pastel blue background then at the pale-blue skull, smoking a cigarette wearing a pink hat that sort of resembled the black one that guitarist he likes wears, that his friend did. "But you probably don't want my pansy-ass flower to swap for that."

Gev shook his head. "Not a chance," he laughed at the disappointed expression on Hakuo's face. "It did come out pretty good."

It was actually a mess. It looked more like a lightbulb than a skull. The purple accents ran into a weird color because the pale-blue hadn't dried enough before the Russian slapped it together. An artist he is not, but for creativity it's all aces.

"It's the rare skull-alily, that grows in the black night of the moon's hour."

"Impressive." Hakuo nods. "I should have done my own thing, too."

"An ode to a mad clown?"

"You know it."

Arriving at the apartment, Gev opened the door then they head inside; though the setting was on low, the heater's warmth was appreciated as much as folding freshly dried laundry on a cold day. "I'm hanging this masterpiece in the bedroom." He traveled through the apartment to that very location, with his friend in tow. It was a nice excuse for Hakuo to get a peak inside their intimate space.

The room has pale grey walls with white trim paneling the bottom. There's a desk with two laptops atop it, one of them has the screen up but it's not on. The black chair at the desk is a folding chair, currently folded up and resting against the desk's edge. There's the side table with a silver lamp; the wood is rich brown looking almost black. The room's theme seemed to be hunter green, light grey, and black. What could suffocate was done refreshingly tasteful.

Gev tapped some nails into the wall then placed the painting on them. "Beast."

"Mine is going… I'm not gonna lie, I'm chucking it." He smiled hearing the goth's laughter. Its not a bad painting, but it's nothing he'd wanna keep. He just liked having spent time with Gev.

"I thought it was a lame idea, but it turned out to be fun."

"Would you go back?"

Nodding, he replied, "Not alone. If you wanted to do it again, I guess I'd go."

Sitting on the bed, Hakuo lies back. A nice big bed, made for three. Three people, close enough to fit on a single bed. "How long have you been living here?"

"About a year and four months." Sitting down on the bed with barely three fingers worth of a gap from the top of Hakuo's head and his hip. He looks down at him, absolutely in love with how Hakuo looks with his eyes closed. His dark eyelashes stand out so well against the pale-ash color of his flesh. Would kissing him be that wrong? Leaning over, he hurriedly pulled away.

Hakuo didn't notice because he'd closed his eyes when first lying back. He could use a nap. "What time is it?"

Gev looked at the digital clock on the wall. "One."

Opening his eyes, he sits up. "It's that late?"

"Why? Do you have to be somewhere?" He follows the fleeing Cinderella out of the bedroom to the front door.

"Yeah. I promised Nathe I'd be there for this video thing he's doing at his house." Slipping into his coat, he checked for his keys. After removing them, he turned to Gev then asked. "When's your next day off?"

"Sundays and Thursdays."

Saving it to memory; he wrapped his arms around Gev's shoulders and pulled him over to him, kissing him with lips parted, adding a little nip at Gev's upper. He also added tongue, just an uncertain and bashful brush of the tip just past the teeth.

"You smell like beef." He declared, and pulled away.

Gev smiled. "Yeah, that's the risks you run working at a grill bar."

Hakuo locked eyes with the his crush. He had yet to remove his arms from around him. "Don't be cold to me. I know it's a lie. We like each other, Gev…" His arms slide down from around his mutual crush's shoulders; his hands then caressed up along his neck up to his cheeks. "These things don't come with rules or instructions. We just realize that there is no right or wrong and we just love each other from there."

Gev scoffed. "You're so young to love and relationships, it's enough to knock someone on their ass."

"Is that bad?"

"No. I guess not, but, it sucks when that young interest wants someone who's taken." He raised his right hand and showed off his wedding bands.

Hakuo squints at the item. "You know how when you hold the wedding ceremony, and the officiant asks if there's any 'just cause' reason why people shouldn't be together? This is why… I see the way you look at me."

Gev shrugged his shoulder, and shook his head. "It doesn't matter."

Touching his chest, Hakuo says. "I feel the way you react to me."

Shit. The static hit him so suddenly that Gev yanked Hakuo against him, the arm around his waist lowered so that his hand is gripping his pursuer's buttocks, the other is firmly holding his back at the shoulder blades; and he kissed him, heatedly, ravenously. He kissed him like he missed him. And he has. He's missed him for nearly two long years, thinking he'd miss him for forever. They were just getting to know each other back then…

He shoved his tongue into his mouth. The appendage wanted to hold him as well. It writhed and curled anchoring their mouths just as his hold was anchoring their bodies. But he won't feel this anymore; if he could just have this one moment… This one times to get it out of his system…

But when the tips of his fingers found flesh past the back waistband of Hakuo's jeans, he fled. Pushing Hakuo away, he then shoved him out of the front door, closing it abruptly. He pressed a hand and forehead to it and took a breather.

Hakuo stood on the other side, as a mirror, and did the same. Then he turned, and walked away.

# #

It isn't shameful, right? It doesn't harm any one or change anything. He jerks off to porn, it means nothing. His hands grip both bed sheet and his length; he can feel the smooth stiffness of the thick veiny muscle's flesh contrasting against his rough callused palm. He moaned when the heel of his hand dug in just above the sack, and rolled firmly at the base of his cock.

"More, Gev," whispered the clueless Krenn.

Gev is hot and bothered, and the daydream seated on his lap is the reason why. The damaged but hopeful-for-his-love Krenn doesn't have a damned clue that this part matters. He can't go without wanting him. Hakuo said he can feel how he responds to him. It goes both ways. He, too, can feel how Hakuo responds when he wants to tear his clothes off. There's more to life than slapping flesh together, but dammit… just fuck! What is he supposed to do when this happens? It won't do to always give himself a hand.

"Oh fu...," he uttered, breathlessly.

The warmth of the heating system kicking back on drove him mad as the duct vent is right over the bed, and the hot breeze sent a shiver up his spine as it first cooled then warmed the semen sliding down his erupting mountain. The right corner of the sheet snapped free as Gev's position shifted and he rolled over onto his hands and bent knees. Then he's pounding into his grasp, no… not his grasp... He's pounding into Hakuo. His scared back bowed and pressed into him; the tantalizing Asian can hardly catch his breath as he rides the waves of a pleasure so good it's painful.

Gev's breathless panting turned almost feral as he released onto the bedding, falling into his own mess, exhausted. He swore to himself that that was it. Just the one time. They're friends… just friends.

At the Krenn home.

Hakuo is no better off. Although his journey wasn't taking off quite as easily as his desired lover's. There were many key differences: he's not nude, as Gev is, he's not firmly grasping the situation but rather slowly rubbing and groping it through his boxers past his opened jeans. Deep breath in, long breath out. He wants to do this, but nothing's happening. It's like he's trying to get a reaction from a toy that has no batteries and does nothing without the imagination helping it along.

'Don't tell me this is it?' he thinks. Opening his eyes, he found Gev in his room! His breath hitched from surprise of being caught in such a private intimacy with himself. But, strangely enough, it worked for him.

Gev was like a sexual archeologist, digging up and easily unearthing his fossilized sex-drive. He hummed as he felt something akin to a seductive shockwave. The image of his desired love smirked approval that he could bring this side out of him; seated in the chair at the computer desk, he licked the tip of his finger like a haunting voodoo master who's ghosting his intentions on him. Hakuo whimpered at the light of the dark magic; his breathing heavy, though it sounds so wispy on the way out, his lips part and just embraces the breaths.

He felt his ministrations then, so thoroughly its like enjoying really good, rich chocolate. It melts throughout you, encasing the taste buds as well as the sense of smell. The image of the Russian locked eyes with him, the grey storms teased him, telling him to take it further than foreplay. Is that what he likes? Is that the extent of his need? Foreplay. He was gung-ho when Gev's hand stayed at his side when they'd kissed earlier, but once it touched his flesh, that seeking hand that roamed with expertise… he was ready to bolt.

"Damn it," he muttered. It's no use. The moment is over. Expelling a breath of frustration, he yanked his hands through his newly dyed hair and thought about the other aspect of love. How can he keep the need going once he's hot and bothered?

A knock on the door brought him back to the reality of the situation, or what should have been a situation. Doing up his pants, he says "Come in." to whomever is there.

The door cracked open, and in walked someone unexpected. Sunny Quispe.

At the London's apartment.

After removing the bedding and taking it down into the laundry, Gev is in the middle of remaking the bed when Ludwig enters the apartment. Spotting his housework busy lover, he sneaked over to him, covering his eyes from behind.

"Guess who?"

"I'd guess, but I'm so infatuated with the delivery guy, I don't wanna say the wrong name." He turns around, smiling at whom he knew was Ludwig. His voice may be different but Eason doesn't have a British accent, plus, by now, he can tell them apart without looking based on verbal inflections, nevermind an accent. Footsteps as well.

"Somebody got you going," he returned the rapid-fire kisses as he speaks. "It smells like fresh cut sex in here. What, were you watching porn again; or maybe this is a scent trap? Huh? To bag a wild violinist."

They fell onto the bed, their legs mimicking their lips to intertwining. Ludwig was undressed from the waist down as though it was a matter of life or death; his stiffening length was blessed with the heat of Gev's mouth that's pole dancing up and down and all around it. And like a man on a bull, he grabs the back of his lover's ink colored hair like a saddle mound to keep him there while his free hand gripped the mattress's edge.

He wasn't cold, but now he's burning up! Ludwig arched from the bed, moaning as he bucks his hips into the engulfing wet. He yanked at the bunch of hair in his grasp when Gev's mouth relinquished part of the distance downward to allow his hands access to the base of his erection so that he could use his hand like a wrench. Palm flat, and grip coming from enclosed space between finger and thumb, he twist the base of Ludwig's member like it's the lug of a screw.

His body twitched and squirmed under the heavy fire; and just feeling that the brushing finger encircling his hole wanted access in brought Ludwig to an end as he shot into a vacuum pulling out his release. Calming his fire, he released the hold he took of Gev's hair. Panting, he stared up at the ceiling then at Gev, who crawled up the large bed to lay beside him.

"Please tell me you didn't spend money on that?" he points to the ugly skull painting that's nailed to the wall over their bed.

'About 36 bucks,' mused the semi-artist. 36 dollars to color in the dots. Get real. He'd be pissed, if it weren't for the fact that Hakuo had paid for both of them. He told him that since he picked the activity, it was his to pay for.

"Umm, a skull with cotton candy hair?"

"Close, it's a skull with an Ashba hat."

Ludwig looked mortified. "If you say so."

"I do say so," he kissed his neck.

"And what about this?" when Ludwig clutched the bed, he felt his fingertips brush something. Lifting it after a 7 second blind groping, he produced a second painter. "A peonies? How delicate," he snickered.

"Give me that," he swipes it away. Sitting up, he looked at the abandoned work of art; wetting his lips. "I didn't paint this one."

"Oh no, who did?" he expected Yakusoku to pop out from the bathroom or closet, but he's nowhere and it's too early for him to be home from work.

"Hakuo painted it."

That took him by surprise. "He came over?" he asked, because Gev could have gone to him.

"Yeah. We hung out at this paint by colors place."

Ludwig's brows furrow as he noticed the matching colors on the paintings. "…Gev, I think you might have a learning disability."

Gev looked at his lover then shoved him off the bed. The violinist responded with a laugh.

Back at the Krenn house.

Both of them, Hakuo and Sunny, want to say something, but it was hard to say anything when there's a jumbo-sized elephant sitting in the room between them. Better start simple.

"Hi." Says the room owner.

"Hey," replied the visitor.

Watching a tumbleweed roll by, Hakuo was suddenly feeling better about the unwanted awkwardness between him and Gev. That couldn't even scratch how awkward he is with Sunny Quispe.

"Was this a bad time? Should I leave," he notices the guy is righting pants.

Hakuo gave his on again/off again a rueful look. 'Had there actually been anything to walk in on, yes, but since there wasn't…' he shrugged his hand out. Stay. Go. What does he care?

Sunny made his way over to the desk where he sits on the available chair. Just as expected Hakuo got the usual song and dance of the saddened face with the pained toned, asking how he is. To which he replied.

"I'm doing alright."

Sunny was visibly relieved to hear that.

"Was there something that you wanted?" Because he still has yet to go to Nathen's house. But he wanted to get rid of his frustration that apparently was a bluff.

"Okay, so I know what this must seem like," he played on the end of one of his dreads, where a little silver leaf is clasped. "I come around you and act all hopped-up, then I get uncomfortable and brush you off…" Looking up at Hakuo he then looks back down at his hair to avoid the intense scrutiny. "But, I've had two long years to think about it, and… I think I'm ready to give it a try."

"Give what a try?"

"A relationship... with.. you," seeing the reaction he asks. "Why shake your head? Is it so impossible?"

"It's not, actually, but this is so not happening right now."

"How come?"

Hakuo steeled himself from an eye rolling accompanied by a 'duh', and instead explains. "Sunny, for two years I was in a coma, so for two years all you did was come to grips with the fact that you've been an unintentional dick to me, and that you miss me. That's not feelings of love, or grounds to want a relationship. If you missed me, that's great. We can try for a friendship, and it'll ride beside a who knows, maybe someday; but for right now… I'd say you're kidding yourself if you think missing me is a want for love."

"…Oh…" the earthy seemed genuinely saddened by the shoot-down. It had taken a lot to psyche himself up to come this far and ask for that much.

'The sad thing is, you're actually my relationship speed right now- according to Gev.' Thinks the mixed Asian. 'A novice of romance - at least insofar as dating guys. And you're terrified of gay sex, and I can't resurrect my penis to want it. Hn. We're a pretty good fit.'

Hakuo let Sunny hangout with him for ten minutes, before he told him that he's going to Nathen's.

If his life was a romance novel, it would suck. It would have epic fails, like today, all over the place. And worse than that, it'd turn into one of those reads where he uses Sunny to get to Gev. The old jealousy game. But he doesn't need cheap tactics like that. Not when the attraction is there.

He'll stick with the awkward romance, but hate the love song… At least until he gets it right.

X x X

Commentary: This is soon, right, but I've got some resting up to do so I put the chapter out sooner. Plus it's been coming in so clearly, I couldn't waste it. Thanks for reading, fav/following, and leaving a review if you choose to and I hope you do hahaha. I'm gonna make breakfast then sleep like a vampire. Thanks again.