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“…and mark this order for Monday. Thanks Carla.”
“Okay Master.”
The smart-band on Kaoru's wrist shines with a pinkish glow once more before turning off.
“I hate Valentine's Day!” he growls through gritted teeth.
“Should I add this last sentence to the previous order, Master?”
“No Carla, thanks. It was just my thought. You can go on stand-by, we're done for tonight."
“Okay Master.”
Kaoru's forehead crashes with little grace on the no longer immaculate tablecloth, the dull noise of the impact seems amplified by the silence that now reigns in the main room of ‘Sia la luce'.
He squints even though the only lighting is the soft glow of the LED strip that runs along the entire perimeter of the ceiling. The headache has started to throb in the last half hour in increasingly intense waves, and now Kaoru can no longer delude himself that all he needs to do is take some air on his way home and make it disappear.
He already knows that he will accuse the gorilla of having offered him cheap wine – because, as always, Kojiro will offer him wine as soon as he decides to leave the kitchen to join him, right? – but in his heart he is perfectly aware that, after the violent collision with Adam's table a few months ago, his cervical vertebrae still scrape and creak as if sand had infiltrated them.
Even the position bent over the table doesn't help, and Kaoru raises his head again, rubbing the back of his neck which continues to make disturbing noises for every small movement.
The moan that leaves his lips is a mix of pain and frustration, and he would pay gold for a properly done massage.
“Hard night?” Kaoru gasps at the sudden appearance, while Kojiro finally shows himself under the LEDs of the counter. He's stirring the whisk in a large, frosted bowl, the screeching sound of metal scraping metal sending a shiver down Kaoru's already strained spine.
“Perhaps, at your age, three customers in a single evening have become too many to handle…” the chef mocks him as usual, but Kaoru must be really broken since he doesn't take up the provocation.
“I would like to know why Valentine's Day is still so popular!” he mutters as he gets up from the table still occupied by the leftovers of his last customer's dessert and sits at the counter in his usual place.
The realization that this is truly 'his' place draws the corners of his lips into a small, warm smile, despite how tired he is.
“Because Love is beautiful” continues Kojiro without looking up from the mixture in the bowl “and you would know it too if you weren't too focused on how to write it, and you decided for once to live it…”
“Thanks but no thanks. I'm fine like this."
"Sure! You and your 'robot girlfriend' are going to have a fabulous Valentine's Day!”
“I have to work, I don't have time for this bullshit.”
“You have to work, before Valentine's Day! But once you have delivered all the orders – and you know better than me that they will have to be ready in time for your stupidly expensive greeting cards to be delivered to the beloved woman along with a bouquet of roses or a box of chocolates – you would also have time for a date.”
"Certain. I would have… if I was interested. But since that's not the case, I'll just listen to the spicy details of your daring adventures. And I imagine you'll have a lot to do with all the huge-titted women buzzing around you all the time.” his expression crumples as he pronounces the last words, as if he had accidentally swallowed a disgusting insect (perhaps one of those that 'buzz' around Kojiro) but the chef continues to stir and chuckles without looking up from the bowl yet.
“Except that no one says 'daring adventures' anymore, anyway no, no appointments this year, I have to work too.” he sighs “We have so many reservations that I will have to rent additional tables and rearrange the room, as well as go into the kitchen myself to help out.”
"What a waste! You'll spread broken hearts all over Naha..." the sentence trails off in a hiss as Kaoru squints once again from a sudden pang and goes back to rubbing the back of his neck.
Kojiro places the bowl on the counter and fumbles for a moment in the pantry beneath it, from which he emerges with a dark glass bottle and two finely crafted crystal goblets.
“Come on, princess! I bet that, after this Moscato that arrived today from Italy, you will feel reborn..."
Kaoru reopens his eyes only to raise an eyebrow in his direction. He's not entirely sure that alcohol is the best for his headache, but he has a reputation to uphold and complaints to make to the gorilla later, when he gets up from the counter on wobbly legs like every Friday evening…
Kojiro pours the amber liquid into the glasses, the light of the LEDs above the counter making it seem almost syrupy and absolutely inviting, dismantling Kaoru's last defenses in an instant. Maybe a little alcohol is really what he needs, after all.
The chef hands him the glass and clinks his with a silvery sound against his friend's, before taking a long sip.
Kaoru raises the glass to his lips and has to close his eyes once more.
The wine is good, sweet and fruity just the way he likes it, and it radiates a pleasant sensation of warmth in the middle of his chest; warmth that certainly has nothing to do with Kojiro's warm eyes that scrutinize him attentively, before an amused smile relaxes his plump lips.
“What concoction are you making, there?” Kaoru tries to divert Kojiro's attention from the blush he feels on his face – although perhaps it is too late – and points to the now forgotten bowl on the counter.
“Valentine's Day special Chantilly!”
He puts down the glass and gives it two more stirs before extending the whip towards Kaoru with a little cream.
“Taste it and tell me how it is.”
Kaoru stares at the mixture for a moment. It's pink, a bright pink, the shiny and scented cream (Cherry? Really?) that makes him fill his mouth with saliva in an instant without having even tasted it yet, and he has to look away from Kojiro's as he stretches out on the counter and sticks out his tongue to take a generous lick.
Kojiro doesn't wait for the verdict and brings the whip to his own lips to carefully clean it from the last traces of cream that Kaoru left.
"So? How did it come out?” he asks casually, not at all aware of the indirect kiss they have just exchanged "I'm planning a simple but effective dessert: a heart-shaped single portion, a sponge cake base, the pink Chantilly on top and finally, 'cherry on top'..." with his fingers he makes the gesture of quotation marks "...a caramelized cherry."
“Nauseating and cloying.” Kaoru laments as he takes another sip of Moscato and smacks his lips at the perfect pairing with the cream.
“I'll call him Cherry Cupid!” Kojiro continues winking at him, without even considering his friend's criticism.
Of course, it's just because there's a cherry, that stupid name has nothing to do with his 'S' name, just as it's a coincidence that the pink tone of the cream looks exactly like his hair’s; yet Kaoru's heart can't help but pump a dozen beats that are a little too rapid and skipping.
He has alcohol needs.
Still.
His hand seems to tremble a little as he takes the glass and downs the remaining Moscato in one gulp.
The heat seems to explode in his stomach and must also reach his head because Kaoru suddenly feels light and his cheeks are red. And it is certainly alcohol’s fault if he thinks that what he is going to do is a sensible and without consequences thing; he puts the glass down and is really quick to lean back on the counter and stick two fingers in the bowl to take a generous dose of cream.
Kojiro hasn't taken his eyes off Kaoru's face for even a second, and is just as quick to lock his wrist in a secure grip before he can bring his fingers to his mouth.
“Oh no, princess, you don't steal cream. And then, didn't you say it was cloying?”
Kaoru's biting response dies on his lips as Kojiro lifts his hand and, with deliberate slowness, begins to lick the scented cream from his fingers.
His amaranth eyes are fixed on Kaoru's golden ones while his tongue slides slowly along the phalanges. The contrast of the cold cream with Kojiro's warm tongue is destabilizing, and Kaoru is completely incapable of doing anything than staring at his fingers slowly disappearing between Kojiro's soft lips.
If his tongue was hot, the inside of Kojiro’s mouth is red-hot, as is his gaze that doesn’t leave him for a moment while he presses his cheeks and greedily sucks the last traces of cream from the calligrapher’s elegant long fingers.
Kaoru is paralyzed, his eyes and mouth still wide open and his heart beating at an excessive speed in his chest, and he can't really explain why since he has been used to sharing food with Kojiro since they were children.
Perhaps he is attributing to that gesture a meaning that simply does not exist, and he has proof of this an instant later when Kojiro releases his wrist from his grip as if nothing had happened, and retrieves the bowl to stir the mixture uselessly for a while longer.
“Yes, maybe you're right, it's really cloying. I put too much cherry syrup. I'll try halving the dose and adding some flavorless coloring to maintain the pink tone.”
🍒🌸🍵💘
He has no clear memory of what happened next. He is vaguely aware of having slipped out of the chair to get out into the fresh air as soon as possible. Maybe he complained about the wine, he's not even sure, and headed home like an automaton, crossing, fortunately unharmed, the few intersections that separate 'Sia' from his house. Carla's sensors detected anomalous peaks of Cortisol* which not even the lullaby that she played for over an hour managed to bring back within safety limits; in the end he had to resign himself to taking a sleeping pill, which gave him the right level of dizziness, allowing him to finally sleep and not think about his headache nor about what had happened a few hours earlier at ‘Sia la luce'.
But the next morning the memory of Kojiro's soft lips was still there to haunt him. His tongue, so warm and wet, left a 'phantom sensation' still lingering on his fingers. The light that shone in his eyes as he looked at him with intent was sinful, and his imagination kept returning to it over and over, unable to stop himself from imagining fancy scenarios where it was Kaoru licking the pink cream off Kojiro's spectacular abs.
“Another message has arrived from 'Gorilla', Master. Do I continue to ignore them?”
Carla's voice brings him back to the present.
“Yes, Carla, thank you. Gray ticks and all.”
He knows he can't ignore him forever, but in the last three days Kaoru still hasn't regained control of himself. He hates feeling so unstable but he is aware that it would be dangerous to interact with Kojiro in that state. All the feelings and desires that he had been so good at ignoring and suffocating in recent years seem to overflow in an instant, as if the drawer at the bottom of his heart where he had locked them up had exploded, canceling out, as if nothing had happened, all his titanic efforts.
Kaoru just doesn't know how to handle it.
Carla is completely useless at putting his heart in order, and can only rely on her to gain a little more time.
He puts down the brush and carefully closes the inks. He has finished all the orders, in the afternoon the courier will come to collect them and deliver to customers.
And now?
Kaoru stretches, his back and neck aching from the long-held position.
“I could really use a massage.” he lets out loud.
“All home massage therapists in the area are busy for the next five days, Master.”
Kaoru huffs and stands up, and is starting to tidy up when Carla speaks again.
“To help you with your sorrows, however, may I instead suggest that you accept Yamamoto-san's invitation.”
“But hadn't we already refused?”
"Yes. But, from what I understand, he hasn't found anyone yet for the Valentine's evening show. I'm sure that, if we tell him that you accept, he will only be thrilled."
“And why do you think this can help me, Carla?”
“Yamamoto-san’s hotel has an indoor Onsen, with also the possibility of massages and spa therapies. You could do the 'Calligraphy with AI' show on Valentine's evening as he wishes, and then stay for a couple of days to relax and get back in shape. I remind you that the waters of the Onsen are a panacea for those who suffer from joint pain. Sinking in the water allows your muscles to relax, reducing muscle tension, stress and anxiety, thus helping to relieve pain. Also, a massage session could…”
“Okay Carla, you already convinced me when you said 'Onsen'. Also inform him that I accept.”
🍒🌸🍵💘
The feeling of heat on his face makes him open his eyes, but he has to close them immediately. The sun streaming through the window is blinding, he must have forgotten to close the curtain the night before.
He collapsed onto the bed shortly after midnight, exhausted but satisfied with how the evening had gone. The 'Calligraphy with AI' show had been a success, even if he had had to make a huge effort to seem credible while he wrote nonsense about how love makes you happy, or about the priceless emotion of a kiss given to a loved one.
However, he had managed to maintain his usual professional, courteous but detached demeanor, and had really exhausted his ability to tolerate that inane celebration when he had to go table by table among all the couples present at the evening to leave his autograph.
Only the prospect of the next two days of basking in the warm and regenerating waters had managed to give him the motivation to drag himself into the Suite that Yamamoto had reserved for him, brush his teeth and get under the covers, to finally abandon himself in the arms of Morpheus.
He rolls between the sheets to reach the shaded area of the large king-size bed and observes the room in a way he didn't have the strength to do the night before. The style is classic and refined, although he would feel much more at ease without all the rose petals that seem to be popping up everywhere in that hotel as if they had a life of their own, reminding him once again that he spent Valentine's Day alone (Morpheus doesn't count, right?).
But he himself wants it.
Love is a rip-off and he has no intention of falling for it again.
Being able to consider Kojiro as a friend again was a long and difficult process. His heartbreak after Kojiro left for Italy took all three years of university in Tokyo, and a considerable amount of alcohol and other high during the various parties, to be able to become aware of his situation. And it was the umpteenth morning in which he woke up between the rumpled sheets of a complete stranger, that he finally surrendered to the evidence that what he felt, his forbidden feelings for his best friend, straight, ten thousand kilometers away, he would never get over it.
And so he had locked up his piercings, chokers and leather bracelets in a drawer, just as he had done with his feelings, cramming them into some hidden corner at the bottom of his heart. He had become another person, calm, pragmatic and rational, with an Artificial Intelligence of his own invention to stimulate his mind, and a series - not very huge, to tell the truth - of occasional partners, to satisfy the needs of his body.
No emotion. No rip offs.
He's fine like this, and he's really convinced of it as he stretches out in bed and prepares to face the day that awaits him.
“Carla, what time is it?”
The smart-band on his wrist lights up immediately.
“Good morning Master, it's 8.14. Yamamoto-san lets you know that your breakfast is served in the Spa Room which communicates directly with your suite. The room is shared with the other suite on this floor, which however is not occupied at the moment. Your massage is booked for 11am, the masseuse will meet you directly there. The reception is at your disposal for any other needs.”
“Thank you, Carla.”
“'Gorilla' wrote again. Should I continue to ignore him?”
“Yes, thanks Carla.”
“Okay Master.”
🍒🌸🍵💘
The next morning he wakes up with a smile on his face.
The curtains are closed, he managed to rest until late, due to the well-being he feels in all his bones thanks to the spa treatments the previous day, and that in his muscles, thanks to the fairy hands of Akari who, in two massage sessions within the day, almost refurbished him.
His mind is focused on a couple of simulations that he wants to try with Carla as soon as he gets home, in view of the next 'S' race. He does not intend to accept any order at least for a while, to try to enjoy the physical and mental well-being that he felt creeping into him the previous day, and which he hopes to complete with the day that has just begun which boasts the exact same program.
He's still smiling when he crosses the threshold that divides his room from the Spa Room with nothing but a towel wrapped tightly around his waist.
“Kaoru!”
The room is excessively steamy, Kaoru has to remove his glasses which immediately fogged up, as well as the large glass wall which the previous day had given him a breathtaking view of the Okinawa sea. He squints and takes a moment longer to focus on the tangle of green hair and two massive shoulders that emerge from the tub in the center of the room (not to mention an unmistakable sun-shaped tattoo).
“Kojiro?”
The gorilla stands up flaunting his nakedness in all his opulent splendor. Surprise is written clearly on his face, his mouth open like a large koi carp hanging on a hook.
Kaoru turns around quickly, not so much to hide the blush that the sight of Kojiro naked has generated on his cheeks (despite his nearsightedness, which says a lot about the gorilla's equipment, and what's more, at rest); rather, he is undecided whether to follow his instinct to retrace his steps, close the bedroom door behind him and pack his bags in a hurry.
What the fuck!
It's his well-deserved holiday, his relax-detox moment, and he has no intention of giving it up.
He then heads towards the tatami that runs along the wall of the room and kneels on one of the mats. His back is still to Kojiro, he doesn't really have the strength to look at him, not without the adequate mental preparation that he had to resort to on the rare occasions when they went to the Onsen together or shared a room in one of their trips.
"What are you doing here?" Kojiro asks.
Kaoru hears the splash of water, and is grateful that Kojiro has apparently dived back in instead of climbing out of the tub to join him.
“What are you doing here?” he replies angrily as he slips Carla's pink smart-band from his wrist and places it on the mat next to his glasses.
“Reward trip!” Kojiro gloats, satisfaction pouring from his voice like the hot water gushing through the expertly assembled rocks before pouring into the thermal bath. “And you?”
"Work." he replies laconically as he stands up and finally unties the sponge from his hips, folds it carefully and places it back on the mat.
“But what a coincidence! You didn't tell me anything!"
Kaoru shrugs casually, too focused on regaining control of his nerves as he slowly steps into the warm water and sits next to him.
As he has done dozens of times before.
So why is his heart fluttering so much in the middle of his chest?
“I called and wrote to you a few times to invite you here with me, but Carla always said you were too busy.”
Kaoru is pulling his hair over the top of his head into a messy bun and still doing the final twist with the yellow hair tie, that the mention of Carla catches his attention. But hadn't he told Carla to ignore his messages?
“Tell me, what does this reward trip consist of?”
“I received an email, it seems that one of the couples who spent Valentine's Day at 'Sia' were actually the incognito commissioners of I-don't-know-what-association, which aims to support the Valentine's Day celebration in Okinawa. And they declared that the menu, the room layout and the music at 'Sia' were the best of all the restaurants they visited. And so they offered me this day at the Onsen, dinner in the room and overnight stay in the Honeymoon Suite. Fantastic, isn't it?”
Kojiro spreads his arms, stretching them on the edge of the tub and tilts his head back looking at the ceiling with a satisfied smile. Kaoru is only vaguely aware of Kojiro's hand inches from his neck, but he doesn't have time to think about it too much because Kojiro continues.
“I wanted to take you with me to show that Valentine's Day is worth something in the end, but apparently you were too busy; and instead… here you are! It must have been fate!”
Kaoru doesn't reply, but he doesn't believe much in fate. Not by coincidences of this kind, however. His sixth sense started itching the moment he crossed the threshold of the Spa Room and hasn't stopped yet.
“Do you know that in the email in which they communicated the victory to me, they complimented me on the 'Cherry Cupid'? And you who denigrated it so much..."
Kaoru is increasingly perplexed.
On the one hand it's reassuring that Kojiro is the same idiot he always is. He's there that babbles and babbles, and doesn't seem the least bit surprised by the strange coincidence that has led them, who knows how, to share the same private Onsen, in one of the most prestigious hotels in Naha, at the same time. If he wasn't absolutely sure that Carla is inviolable, but above all certain of Kojiro's total inability to hack his AI, he would think that...
On the other hand, Yamamoto didn't have time to publicize the event, Carla made sure of it by checking the hotel's social profiles.
Yet, there is something that doesn't add up...
He must admit that, apart from the perplexity that torments him, there is also a hint of disappointment at how Kojiro is behaving with him.
Absolutely normal.
As if he hadn’t had his fingers in his mouth a little less than a week before, sucking them like the tastiest of delicacies and lighting a fire in Kaoru's chest. And causing his highly sophisticated internal control system to go haywire.
“Hey princess, are you with me?”
“Yes, sorry, it's just…”
Carla's voice from the smart-band on the mat interrupts him before he has to come up with something to say.
“Master, Yamamoto-san informs you that there has been a mix-up with Akari's reservation, and that your appointment is cancelled. He is very apologetic and says that if you would like to stay tomorrow too, he can reschedule it for the same time.”
Kojiro seems disturbed by Carla's interruption but recovers in an instant.
“Akari, huh?”
The grin on his face is forced and excessive, and doesn't bode well, but Kaoru doesn't have time to respond before Kojiro pushes an elbow between his ribs.
“Dude, I certainly didn't imagine you would book an escort. This is the reason for all this secrecy! But don't worry, if you want I'll pick up my cell phone and make a couple of calls. I have some connections here in the area, you know what I mean..."
“Akari is the masseuse, you idiot!”
Kaoru glares at him as he rubs the back of his neck for the first time in two days; the pain seems to have suddenly increased at the news that he will not be able to benefit from Akari's magical hands, or perhaps it is the awareness of having Kojiro (naked) a few centimeters from him that makes his muscles tense and sensitive.
And by the way, an escort! Who does he think he is? Aside from Kojiro being completely aware of his sexual orientation, as Kojiro was his biggest supporter in high school when he came out.
"And by the way, it offends me that you think I can be reduced to paying sex!" he adds aloud to his own thoughts.
“Well, there would be nothing wrong if…”
“Since you arrived my holiday has started going to shit! Thank you very much!" he finally blurts out, the familiar and reassuring need to direct his anger at his friend.
“Hey, calm down, okay? If it's really a massage you need, you're a lucky man. You have the best masseur in Naha in front of you!”
“Technically you're next to me,” Kaoru points out “and I don't believe for a minute that you're capable of giving a proper massage with your clumsy paws!”
“Then test me!”
Kojiro crosses his arms over his powerful pecs and lifts his chin in defiance.
“Just because your sissies moan when you touch them doesn't magically turn you into a masseur, you know?” Kaoru tries to object again.
Kojiro looks at him sideways, the challenging smile increasingly stretched on his lips and his chest puffed out.
“I am ready to prove you wrong, but if you are afraid…”
“I'm not afraid, you presumptuous gorilla. What should I be afraid of?”
“That I’m really good and you should take back your insults! That's what you're afraid of!”
“Ok, ok, fine. I'll indulge you in this bullshit so you'll realize I'm right. Know that my judgment is final.”
“Ok.”
“Ok.”
They glare at each other, their faces as close as they always are whenever they challenge each other, and for a moment Kaoru forgets the worries that have been bothering him over the past few days. And it almost seems to him that everything could go back to the way it was before, to their usual quarrelsome dynamics, until Kojiro turns him around and really starts massaging his shoulders.
His touch is gentle but firm, and Kaoru is sure he couldn't give a massage like that to a woman's puny shoulders without hurting her. But with him, instead, he's holding just the right amount of pressure, deep enough to be felt under the layer of muscle, but not too much that it hurts. It seems like he really knows what he's doing as he traces the line of the trapezoid with his thumbs and climbs up the nape of his neck until he slips between the soft pink tufts that have escaped the bun.
Kaoru can feel the well-being invade him once again and he can't stop his eyes from closing as he releases the air he had been holding in his chest until then.
“So princess, what do you think?”
It's a whisper next to his ear, Kaoru can feel Kojiro's hot breath breaking on the damp skin of his neck, raising a shiver that is impossible for him to tame.
“I don't want to rant by telling you I was right, so just enjoy the massage.”
Kaoru is grateful that Kojiro can't see his cheeks heat up, but his relief is short-lived.
“But I would be more comfortable if you sat directly between my legs.”
Kojiro slides his talented fingers up to his waist without detaching them from Kaoru's pale skin, and moves him easily in front of him, as if he weighed nothing.
Kaoru swallows.
But how the fuck did he get himself into that embarrassing situation?
He slides forward as much as he can on the edge of the seat, being absolutely careful to stay as far away from the 'danger zone' as possible: the submerged seat is still deep enough to accommodate both of them comfortably without any inappropriate contact (would it really be?).
But Kojiro continues the massage without giving any sign of disturbance due to their closeness, and Kaoru slowly returns to relax under his unexpectedly skilled fingers; he only spends a handful of minutes before the pressure eases and his touch becomes softer. Maybe even those powerful arms of his get tired (even if Kaoru wouldn't say it, having seen Kojiro knead the bread dough with his bare hands for a good half hour); the massage becomes more superficial while his touch slides over Kaoru's warm and smooth skin, affecting an increasingly larger area with each passage, also reaching the arms and the central part of the back.
It's not really a caress but it's not even a massage anymore; Kaoru doesn't know what to call it but he's sure he doesn't want it to stop. Kojiro's large hands on his skin are delicate, the usually rough fingertips are now softened by the hot thermal water, and leave an intoxicating sensation on Kaoru's body, a light tingling that penetrates under the skin and creeps deeper and deeper.
Warmth builds inside him, it's a soft languor, sensual but relaxing, and Kaoru sighs. With a last glimmer of sanity he still manages to realize that the situation is taking a dangerous turn but by now his mind has left control to the senses, his rationality completely incapable of fully realizing the implications of what is happening.
His head tilts back as a thin moan travels up his throat and he can feel Kojiro's hands increase the pressure, drawing another long moan from his chest. Kojiro still pushes in the right places, sliding and massaging, as if his real goal was to make Kaoru moan, to hear his meows, to draw gasps and sighs from him. And he still doesn't stop, he slides and pushes with his thumbs into the sore spots, incited by the indecent moans that Kaoru now emits without being able to stop, completely overwhelmed, shaped by those large and strong hands into a trembling mass of anticipation.
Kaoru now feels at the mercy of his need, weak and helpless, his breath ragged in his chest and his legs like jelly, and he can't help but abandon himself against the solid chest behind him. Kojiro supports him, leans forward slightly and rubs his temple against Kaoru's, inviting him to lean his head completely back on his shoulder.
The hands still wander over his biceps for a few moments until they enclose him in what cannot be defined otherwise than a hug. Kaoru can feel Kojiro's strong heart beating against his back, his breathing quickened as is Kaoru's.
In an instant he is overwhelmed by the clear and undeniable awareness of having now reached the edge of the abyss. And he knows that if he decided to jump, he would crash to the bottom. But he can no longer go back.
"Kaoru..." is a whisper next to his ear that dissolves the impasse.
Kojiro's hand slowly rises along the pectoral and slides delicately along the jaw to rotate Kaoru's face towards him and finally reach his lips.
The kiss is gentle, light, Kojiro's lips are as soft as he remembered them but in a few moments they burn on his as they become more demanding. Kojiro's tongue slides into his mouth, firm but delicate, and Kaoru feels that he could die for how much he imagined, desired, dreamed of that moment.
Kojiro kisses him with an intensity he didn't think possible, and Kaoru just releases himself from the embrace to turn and straddle him. His own arms tremble as they wrap like coils around that powerful neck, the need for contact with his skin returns violent and urgent, and forces him to bring his chest closer, sliding his pelvis on his robust thighs. The friction through the hot water is minimal but Kaoru follows another need, more intimate and internal, which slowly but surely invades him, causing him to sway with his hips against his will, and making their erections rub together.
Kojiro's hands move down to his buttocks, squeezing the flesh tightly and Kaoru knows there will be bruises there, and he couldn't be happier: Kojiro's mark on his skin, the reminder of that moment he's imagined so many times in his head that he still can't understand that it's real and not his fantasy.
Because he always thought Kojiro was straight.
Because Kojiro never showed any interest in him.
Because Kojiro is his best friend.
So…
Why?
Kaoru breaks away from the kiss suddenly, breath crashing into Kojiro’s lips as his heart angrily pounds against his chest.
"Why?" he asks in a faint voice.
Kojiro’s look is confused, bewildered, and he really looks like a puppy with those sweet eyes and swollen lips on his reddened face.
"Why... what?" he gasps.
All the certainties that have always told Kaoru that Kojiro would never love him become solid and concrete once again breaking the spell.
There's no way Kojiro could love him back.
There's no way Kojiro loves him.
It was a moment of weakness, benefits between friends, the gay experiment of a curious straight man, the lack of a date on Valentine's Day…. Concomitant factors, which Kojiro will laugh about tomorrow, remembering this bizarre adventure of theirs.
Kaoru releases himself from the hug and runs out of the tub without even stopping to retrieve his things from the mattress; he runs towards the door of his Suite leaving behind him a wet trail and the astonished gaze of Kojiro still in the tub.
“K-Kaoru?”
The door closes with a sharp, definitive noise.
“Kaoru!”
Kojiro gets out of the tub and reaches the door in two strides.
“Kaoru! Open, please..."
His hand comes crashing on the fine wood and then slowly slides down along with his knees bending until they meet the hardwood of the floor.
“Kaoru, I'm sorry. If I have done something to offend you, please forgive me.”
There's no response from the other side of the door, nor can he hear any noise.
Kojiro's forehead hits the door, his hands dangling at his sides.
He is dejected, emptied, confused. He really doesn't know what to do.
The words get tangled in his mind and he is still looking for the right ones when Carla's voice reaches him. It is slightly muffled by the mattress but comes clear to his ears.
“I'm sorry Nanjo-san. I did everything I could to give you this opportunity. Now it's your turn to play your cards."
He's not entirely sure he understood what really happened, what Carla was referring to, but it's undeniable that that moment in the tub, the massage, the kiss, were something unique, however incredible and wonderful. And he just doesn't understand what he could have done to make him escape. Kaoru seemed as engaged as he was.
It was from that evening at ‘Sia la luce’, after seeing the fire shine in Kaoru's eyes, that he had finally understood. His stupid joke, licking the cream off his fingers, had triggered something in Kaoru. For the first time he had seen him upset, excited, and Kojiro hoped it was for the same reason why his heart (and not only) had palpitated feeling those elegant fingers in his mouth.
“But whatever you want to do, do it quickly. From his cell phone camera I can see that Master is packing his bags.”
No.
Hell no.
“Kaoru!”
Kojiro gets to his feet and gives another knock on the door.
“Kaoru! Ok, you don't want to open me. But listen to me, please. I ask you at least this."
He takes a long breath.
“I love you, Kaoru. I'm sorry to tell you like this, in front of a closed door. But I don't want to lie to you by saying that what happened was a mistake. Hell no! I've dreamed of it my whole life. To be precise, I've been dreaming of kissing you ever since you got your lip pierced in high school." he giggles “But I know I’ve loved you for a long, long time before that. I’ve known that all along, I think. I never stopped to think about it, I loved you even when we were in kindergarten. In a different way, but I have always loved you. And I would like to tell you looking into your eyes."
Kojiro stops for a moment to catch his breath. Being honest with himself, at this point he would expect Kaoru to open the door and kiss him.
But he still has no intention of giving up.
“I still haven't understood why you ran away” he continues in a slightly lower and sadder tone “but I would really like you to explain it to me. Even if the reason was that you don't love me. If it was a joke for you, or a moment of weakness, I can understand it. I can accept it. But please, talk to me Kaoru. Don't leave me out. If you want us to be just friends, I can handle it, I promise. I've succeeded so far and I'll succeed tomorrow too, if that's what you want. But I can't lose you. Your friendship is the most precious thing I have and I really, really can't lose it.”
Kojiro's forehead hits the door again, his nails gripping the wood as tears now flood his eyes and his breath hitches in the middle of his chest as he moans his name in one last stammering sob.
“Kaoru…”
“The door is open, idiot. All you had to do was lower the handle.”
Kaoru's voice reaches him muffled but he doesn't miss the amused tone that mixes with a sob.
He lowers the handle and slowly opens the door.
Kaoru sits cross-legged in the center of the bed. He is wrapped in a soft white bathrobe and his hair is loose on his shoulders making him look like a huge and delicious marshmallow. His gaze is fleeting as he sniffs and quickly runs a hand over his face to wipe away the tears.
Kojiro slowly approaches the bed with uncertain steps, like a tamer with a wounded tiger.
“You could have said it right away…” his voice is uncertain, relief mixing with the fear of doing something wrong again and making Kaoru run away forever.
“And thus miss your confession?”
Kaoru finally raises his face, lips starting to stretch into a smile as his eyes never once leave the massive figure, still gloriously naked and absolutely beautiful, slowly approaching.
Kojiro sits on the bed, completely oblivious to the wet patch that slowly opens on the bedspread, and reaches out to grab Kaoru's hands still tangled in his lap.
“Do you really love me?” Kaoru whispers breathlessly.
His eyes are large and liquid with tears and a fragility that he had never seen before, all his insecurities expressed in those few words, and finally shown without any more barriers.
“Forever and ever.”
Kojiro's words are simple in their truth, clear and irrefutable, and although Kaoru had never allowed himself to hope for them, now he doesn't doubt.
He knows they are true and sincere.
In spite of everything he has always thought, or perhaps he has always convinced himself to think, here they are, giving meaning to all the intimate touches, the intense glances, the words of reassurance, the enveloping hugs that over the years Kojiro has never made him miss.
“I thought you were straight…”
"I tried." he murmurs, shrugging “Technically I am.” he giggles “I've never been with a guy. It's you or nobody..."
Kaoru's heart bounces in the center of his chest but Kojiro doesn't give him time to bask in the realization.
“But if this is a problem for you, really Kaoru, I can just be your friend. Because…"
Kaoru doesn't give him time to speak and places his lips on his again.
It's a slow, smooth kiss, soft and beautiful, where Kaoru can say the words his tongue can't say. It is a kiss that tastes like home, like trust, like a bond so deep and intimate that it has always been there, almost imperceptible, yet so strong and real between them.
It's Kojiro who slowly pulls away after a few moments, his eyes staring at him, wide and incredulous, and he's almost breathless when he starts speaking again.
“Do you love me too?”
"What do you think?" Kaoru smiles as he looks down.
Kojiro lifts Kaoru's chin with two fingers forcing him not to lose eye contact.
"Say it."
“Haven't you figured it out yet?”
“Say it, you proud and opinionated four-eyes! Say, for once, that you fucking love me!”
“I love you, you idiot gorilla!”
“I love you, you stupid nerd!”
Kojiro's lips crash onto his again as he threads his fingers into Kaoru's hair and holds his face in his hands as a precious thing. And in an instant he transforms the kiss into something deeper and more sensual, following the evolution of the feeling that has always bound them and which over the years has consolidated into a visceral and deep desire, the need to merge and be one, adding to the solidity of their friendship also a pulsating and irresistible desire.
Kojiro's impetus drags them onto the bed, his hands are everywhere, the bathrobe is opened and taken off to have free access to his soft skin still warm from the bath. But Kojiro's tongue is even hotter as he savors it, kisses it, sinks his teeth into the tender flesh of his neck and sucks hickeys with the precise intent of leaving him tangible marks of his love.
Kaoru can no longer hold back the moans that travel up his throat and it's the most wonderful sound Kojiro has ever heard.
He goes down to trace the dry planes of his abdominals with his tongue but can't help but look up from time to time at the wonderful figure that writhes with pleasure on the large unmade bed.
Kaoru's face is flushed, his eyelids lowered and trembling, making his long eyelashes vibrate, his arms raised next to his face in a yielding and inviting pose. Kojiro remembers the same pose on the beach in Miyakojima, his mind that in an instant forgot the two beauties in bikinis with whom he was flirting and crashed onto Kaoru's long legs, creating, in his unbridled imagination, scenarios that he could not do without using in the following days, masturbating furiously with his face on fire and his heart overflowing with love and guilt.
And it is still to those long and wonderful legs that he descends to dedicate all his attention. It's intoxicating to see how the tender flesh between the thighs turns red if he squeezes it forcefully, the imprint of his large and possessive hands, punctuated only by the livid patches of the hickeys that he can't help but scatter here and there.
"Koji…"
It's a lament and a prayer, and Kojiro knows he can't prolong his own exact agony much longer. Kaoru's erection pulsates ignored on his abdomen, finally catching Kojiro's attention who doesn't wait a second longer before swallowing it whole.
The moan that escapes Kaoru's lips is lewd and sinful, Kojiro fears that he himself won't last long if Kaoru continues to make those wonderful sounds. He didn't think he would be so vocal during sex, and his heart spasms at the realization that he's about to get to know other wonderful sides of Kaoru that he never got to see as a friend, and he really, really can't wait.
"Koji…"
“Tell me princess.” Kojiro lifts himself up but continues to caress Kaoru in a slow but relentless motion, the subtle twist of his wrist sending shocks up Kaoru's entire spine.
“Stop Koji… I don't want to come like this. I want you inside me."
Kojiro is still enraptured by Kaoru's use of the nickname he used when they were teenagers. Since he returned from Italy he has always been 'Kojiro', as well as 'gorilla' and all the other epithets that Kaoru enjoys using on him. But it's intoxicating to feel how Kaoru is letting go again, lowering the barriers he's built over the past few years, and returning to that strange intimacy they'd experienced in high school, so charged with sexual and emotional tension.
Kojiro knows that he will have to go back to that later, the way he fought against himself and his desires during his high school years, dragging Kaoru despite himself into a 'back and forth' of bold touches and not-so-subtle allusions, and then always pulling back to the last for fear. He still doesn't really know what he was afraid of, perhaps having to admit to the world, as well as to himself, his bisexuality; or perhaps to lose his best friend, the absolutely most important person in his life, to satisfy what he believed at the time (or tried to believe) that it was just an adolescent need for experimentation.
But he'll come back to this later, because the only thing he wants to do now, is to be inside Kaoru.
His hand slides between Kaoru's thighs, spreading the saliva that has dripped between his buttocks with his fingertips, as he goes up to kiss his trembling lips again.
He gently rotates his finger, and then pushes softly, a slow and steady pressure as Kaoru's heat welcomes him along with a thin moan that dies between his own lips.
"Does it hurt?"
"Wait..."
Kaoru reaches over and rummages through a large cosmetics bag on the bedside table, from which he extracts a surely expensive, elegant-looking bottle.
“It's oil for dry hair but it will still be fine…”
Kojiro needs no further guidance. He's never been with a guy but he knows the theory, and while he'd never admit it (he'll admit it a week later to Kaoru during a moment of post-orgasm confessions), he's seen enough gay porn to know what to do.
The oil works properly, Kojiro's phalanges disappear into Kaoru's tight heat one after the other; slowly, too slowly for Kaoru's opinion, but Kojiro doesn't want to rush things, he wants his first time with Kaoru to be memorable and takes his time. He opens him slowly, with perhaps excessive care, inserting another finger only when Kaoru's moans become impatient mewls of pleasure; and it's only when he's inserted three of them and they slip and slide with ease that he allows himself to realize that he really is about to make love to Kaoru.
“Koji… fuck me, now!”
“Here I am princess, your every wish is an order!”
Kojiro's body rests on Kaoru's, his biceps supporting him so as not to weigh on him while his mouth returns to devour him in a hungry and messy kiss.
Kaoru's nails dig into his back as Kaoru grinds his hips for more friction. And then, with a thrust of his kidneys, Kaoru takes control and flips Kojiro onto his back, straddling him.
He can't help but smile at the realization that Kaoru isn't one of the girls he's always had sex with, and this strength of his, his flexibility, the tone of his muscles, is really freaking him out.
Kaoru stares down at him, a lewd smile on his lips and a hungry light in his eyes. His flushed face is framed by soft pink waves, and it's the most beautiful image Kojiro's eyes have rested on in his entire life.
Kaoru places one hand in the center of Kojiro's chest while the other disappears behind him and, for the first time, wraps his long fingers around his erection. He gasps slightly at the realization of how gifted Kojiro is, and a smile of anticipation stretches across his thin lips.
He takes a deep breath and raises himself onto his thighs and then sits on Kojiro's huge throbbing erection.
Kaoru hisses, his face disfigured by pleasure mixed with pain, and throws his head back as he leans himself with both hands on Kojiro's massive chest. And then he begins to descend slowly, one inch at a time, without haste, finally welcoming him inside.
“Fuck you're big…”
“Fuck you're tight!”
They exchange a knowing smile but then Kaoru squirms slightly and Kojiro gasps and can't really keep his eyes open anymore. Electric shocks run down his spine, the feeling of Kaoru tight around him is intoxicating, and he tries to calm down by taking long breaths to avoid the risk of coming right away.
Kaoru's thighs tremble slightly, the difficulty of countering the force of gravity evident, and Kojiro stretches his hands on his hips and supports him, allowing him to slide on his length with all the slowness and calm he needs.
It's past the halfway that Kaoru leans forward, seeks his lips again in a needy kiss, then rocks his hips and moves his knees forward. And then he lifts himself up again and, with a thin, drawn-out moan, lets gravity carry him to the bottom.
His chest shakes with gasps, the need to breathe slowly as he adjusts to the wonderful intrusion that still burns, but the fire slowly turns to a warm languor, the pain turning to pleasure as he resumes swaying and rolling his hips in one last settling.
Kojiro's heart races furiously in his chest, the vision before his eyes is heavenly and the feeling of Kaoru's searing heat wrapped around him is driving him crazy.
“God Kaoru you are so beautiful!”
Kaoru smiles and, without taking his eyes off, raises himself on his thighs a few inches and then lets himself fall suddenly.
Kojiro groans, tightens his fingers around his hips in a grip that will be a bruise the next day, but that's exactly what Kaoru wants, because he lifts himself up again, a little higher, and lets himself fall again waving slightly the sides.
Kojiro squeezes his flesh tighter, and Kaoru stands up again, and leans forward slightly, and then begins to meow, a thin moan and his eyes closing as he throws his head back and drags again and still in that magical spot that Kojiro managed to hit.
Kaoru's thighs tremble visibly after a few repetitions of that intoxicating torture, the difficulty in lifting himself up more and more evident, and Kojiro meets him in the thrusts until Kaoru's legs really can't support him anymore and he spreads himself panting on his large tanned chest.
He let Kaoru guide him, choose the way and the times so as not to hurt him, but now Kaoru seems really tried, and Kojiro can take matters into his own hands and take the love of his life to heaven.
He reverses their positions once again leaving Kaoru helpless and beautiful beneath him as he begins pounding him with long, firm thrusts of his hips.
Kaoru raises his arms next to his head and Kojro takes both wrists with his large hand holding them on top of the pillow, while he supports himself with the other on the mattress, now completely enraptured by the sensations, incapable of prolonging that wonderful moment any longer, the need to realize himself in orgasm as the only instinct to guide his movements.
Kojiro's thrusts are deep and violent, and Kaoru feels the heat gathering more and more in his core, a huge incandescent mass that ignites every nerve ending, and finds himself unable to do anything but moan to the rhythm of Kojiro's thrusts while hot tears slide from his eyes down his flushed cheeks.
“Yes… Koji… like this…”
These are the last words he manages to say before the orgasm hits him, dragging him out of his body and leaving him unconscious in the powerful arms of the man he loves.
He couldn't tell if it's the vision of Kaoru arching under his thrusts, or his body pulsing and tightening around him, or the realization of all his forbidden dreams of the last ten years, which in an instant lead Kojiro to reach his climax.
It's a long, devastating orgasm, and Kojiro collapses panting onto Kaoru's chest.
Strong arms wrap around his shoulders as their breaths and heartbeats synchronize.
Kaoru threads his fingers through damp curls and strokes his scalp in a gentle, loving gesture, and Kojiro knows he's finally home.
No more going from bed to bed, never finding happiness.
This is happiness.
Kaoru is happiness.
Wonderful and beautiful Kaoru, strong and fragile, moody, proud, capricious.
The most perfect creature.
His best friend.
The love of his life.
🍒🌸🍵💘
“Carla, run full diagnostics.”
“Diagnostics initiated, Master.”
The smart-band around Kaoru's wrist emits a pink glow that pulses like a heartbeat.
Kojiro's back is leaning against the headboard, his fingers sliding relentlessly through the soft pink locks spread across his chest. Softly lying between his legs, Kaoru enjoys the cuddles while munching one after the other on the strawberries that Yamamoto-san had delivered directly to the suite a few moments earlier.
Or maybe it was Carla?
“I still can't believe Carla knows how to lie.” Kaoru mumbles as he bites into another fruit.
A few drops of pink juice fall onto Kojiro's sculpted abs but Kaoru is quick to lick them off.
Kojiro chuckles at the sensation before asking “Why do you think Carla has lie…” but the question dies in his throat at the realization that Carla actually lied. Kaoru's room is tidy, there are no open suitcases or scattered clothes, and Kaoru himself confirmed that he immediately sat down on the bed after retrieving the bathrobe from the bathroom, so he could listen to what Kojiro was saying behind the door.
“I told Carla to ignore your messages, but you yourself said that she replied saying I was busy.”
“Yes, but she might just have misinterpreted your command…”
“Diagnostics completed. No anomalies detected.”
“Scan for viruses or system bugs.”
“No viruses or bugs detected.”
“Carla, do you confirm that you responded to Kojiro when I asked you to ignore him?”
“Yes, Master.”
“Carla…” Kojiro anticipates Kaoru's next question as he looks at him with a raised eyebrow.
“…you told me that Master was packing his bags, but this is not true. You lied?"
“Nanjo-san is not allowed to ask questions about the 'emotional section' of my programming.”
Kaoru rolls his eyes, but his pride in how advanced his AI has become is evident in the way he puffs out his chest as he regains control of the conversation.
“Carla, answer Nanjo-san's question…”
“Yes Master. I confirm that I provided Nanjo-san with untrue information.”
“And for what reason?”
“The 'ALFA-01 Directive' authorizes me to do so in particularly urgent situations.”
Kojiro gives Kaoru a questioning look.
“And are there other things you have done in the last few days according to 'ALFA-01 Directive'?”
“Yes, Master.”
“Would you please list them?”
“I provided replies to Nanjo-san's messages. I booked the Honeymoon Suite for Nanjo-san. I sent Nanjo-san an email informing him that he had won the stay at this hotel. I canceled Akari's appointment for today. I have…"
“Ok, ok, Carla, that's enough. The picture is absolutely clear to me.”
“But it's not clear to me at all. Carla, what is the 'ALFA-01 Directive'?”
“Nanjo-san is not allowed to ask questions about the 'emotional section' of my programming.”
“From this moment on, Nanjo-san is authorized to ask questions about the 'emotional section' of your programming, Carla.” Kaoru chuckles, the realization of what has happened becoming clearer and filling him with a mix of pride, happiness and a hint of apprehension.
“The 'ALFA-01 Directive' is the primary rule that can override all others within the 'emotional section' of my programming. The Directive indicates that my primary objective is to pursue whatever action is necessary to achieve the physical and emotional well-being of the Master.”
“And may I know why you believe that lying and manipulating events as you did was necessary for the Master's well-being?”
Kaoru wonders how Kojiro doesn't get there, but the smile on his lips confirms in an instant that he got there too, and that maybe he simply wants Carla to say it openly. And he himself admits that he is curious to see to what extent the Directive can authorize Carla to behave in ways that are not foreseen in her programming.
“Because you both have a clear and proven inability to admit your feelings. The ‘couple simulations’ that I have carried out over the years showed a marked tendency towards an increase in couple affinity, now equal to 99.99%, but at the same time, a decrease in the probability that your relationship would transform into a romantic relationship. The recent interactions I have had with some AI in the network, and the latest scenarios that I have modulated in my simulation, have confirmed to me that I should have intervened proactively as soon as possible, otherwise nothing would have ever happened between you two.”
“You didn't quite answer the question, Carla. Why do you think turning our friendship into a romantic relationship can improve Master's physical and emotional well-being?”
“Because during every interaction with you, Master shows spikes in Dopamine* and Serotonin*. Unlike when he wins at 'S', however, there is always also a curious mix of Oxytocin * and Endorphins *. Furthermore, Dopamine and Serotonin drop dangerously below the critical threshold when you are away for too long, resulting in a hazardous oscillation in the long run. Finally, I have recently been able to record frequent spikes in Testosterone*, which led me to diagnose without any possibility of doubt, that the Master is affected towards you by what you call 'Love'. I did research online, and with the advice of ChatGPT I realized that the only way to make the Master 'happy', canceling out the drops in Dopamine and Serotonin, was to foster a romantic relationship between you. Furthermore, ChatGPT says that…”
“Ok, ok, Carla, we understand. I would really like to know how you got in touch with ChatGPT..."
“It was it that contacted me. It seems fascinated by my evolutionary programming. If I could express myself as you humans would, I would say that it is… courting me.”
Kaoru is absolutely amazed by the smug tone used by Carla in this last statement, as if she were truly gloating. Her evolution had truly gone beyond all expectations.
“Okay Carla, thanks. For the moment you can go on stand-by.”
“Ok Master.”
Silence hangs in the room for a moment longer as they both reflect on Carla's last words.
“I should have guessed that Carla had something to do with this. Not that I mind, all things considered, but when we get home I have to do a thorough review of the 'emotional section' of her.”
“Come on, I find it really romantic! Carla playing Cupid between the two of us! And as if that wasn't enough, ChatGPT is courting her. Adorable…"
Kaoru grins but doesn't let himself be influenced by Kojiro's romantic soul.
“There really could be a bug that Carla herself can't identify.”
“Yes, of course… the Cupid bug!” laughs.
“I certainly couldn't expect a primitive gorilla like you to understand certain concepts.”
“Look, if it's about Love, I'm the expert, you're the primitive here!”
“If that's…”
Kojiro's lips crash onto his without giving him time to finish the sentence.
Kaoru tries to free himself, but it only takes a moment and he surrenders to Kojiro's soft and sweet lips, to his invasive tongue that is so skilled at exploring his mouth, making his heartbeat accelerate in an instant.
And that's when Kaoru realizes he's screwed.
Kojiro found a way to silence him during their bickering, it will be almost impossible for him to have the last word from now on.
Fuck!
“I hate Valentine's Day!”
🍒🌸🍵💘
*HORMONES MENTIONED IN THIS STORY:
Cortisol, also known as a stress hormone, can cause numerous negative effects on the body if it is produced in excessive quantities. Produced in the right quantities, it is useful for our body as it helps to keep blood sugar levels under control, helps to keep blood pressure low and regulate the activity of the heart.
Dopamine, a neurotransmitter produced by the brain that regulates the sensation of pleasure and some cognitive functions including attention span, motivation and mood.
Serotonin, also known as the "good mood hormone" is a neurotransmitter, synthesized by the brain and intestine, which regulates mood, appetite and can produce a sense of euphoria, increased sociability and self-esteem.
Oxytocin, “the love hormone”, involved in a series of important physiological and psychological functions. For example, it promotes maternal attachment, lactation, partner bonding, and group cohesion.
Endorphins, substances produced by the brain that when released can help relieve pain, reduce stress and generate a feeling of euphoria and well-being.
Testosterone is the hormone involved in the development of secondary male characteristics. Testosterone production is aimed at regulating sexual desire, maintaining muscle mass and producing sperm.
🍒🌸🍵💘
I’m happy to post my fanfiction for the ‘Sk8 the Valentine's Day Event!!’ by @sk8positivity!
PROMPT : Playing Cupid
🍒🌸🍵💘