Alone Together

Omi woke to the sound of Aya humming gently. The sun was already high in
the sky shining through the blinds in the window to the bedroom and
showering the cuddling pair in the glow of daylight. As his blue eyes
opened slowly, Omi found himself waking up pressed entirely against
Aya’s warm body. The boy’s head was resting on the soft of Aya’s
shoulder, his forehead tickled by his koibito’s red forelocks. Aya was
lying on his back, staring up at the ceiling, wide awake. His arm was
around Omi’s slim shoulders as they had been all morning, holding the
curled-up form close. 

Long dexterous fingers tapped out a rhythm on Omi’s shoulder as Aya
hummed very softly, deep in his thoughts as he stared upward. “What are
you singing?” Omi asked softly. 

Aya looked down in surprise, previously unaware that Omi was awake. Warm
blue eyes looked back earnestly. Aya felt awkward suddenly. Even though
the two had done no more than sleep in his bed that night, it was the
most intimate experience he had ever shared with anyone. He didn’t know
what to do in the aftermath. “It’s called ‘Beautiful Alone’,” was all
Aya said. 

“It sounds sad,” Omi commented. He’d intentionally skipped more intimate
pillow-talk to keep Aya from feeling uncomfortable after their first
night together. 

Aya shrugged. “I dunno. My sister just used to like it a lot because she
said that one of the singers sounded like me.” 

Omi smiled as he saw Aya’s eyes take a faraway look for a moment as the
redhead recalled the memory of his sister’s words. “Sounds like she
really looks up to you. She’s even hearing your voice in her favorite
music,” he commented. 

Aya smiled, not knowing how to accept a compliment. He was about to
struggle with what to say next, but never had to as a loud voice was
heard down the hall. 

“AAAyaaaaa!” Yohji hollered loudly. Aya always hated how he’d yell from
another room at the top of his voice instead of getting up, walking to
where he was, and speaking in a normal tone like a civilized person. “I
think Omi went out! He’s not in his room!” As the loud voice grew
louder, Omi realized that Yohji was heading walking down the hall and
about to open Aya’s door. With an “eep!” he hid under the covers and Aya
tried to assume a casual stance as Yohji opened the door. “Anyway, Aya,
Ken got to come home last night so you can say hi if you want. I just
wanted to tell you it’s time for brakfa-aaAAA-OH-my-god!” he finished as
he saw the innocent blue eyes peeking out from under the comforter of
Aya’s bed. “Uh… If you were hungry… That is…” he finished lamely,
dumbfounded at the sight of Omi and Aya in bed together. With a libido
like his, it wasn’t hard to imagine the conclusions he was leaping to. 

“I’ll do that,” Aya said coolly. 

Yohji closed the door with a look on his face that said, ‘I did *not*
just see that.’ 

As Omi snuggled closer to Aya when they were alone again, the two
decided that it would be nicer to sleep in. 

It was late afternoon that same day when the flower shop had just
closed. Omi was doing his pre-calculus homework on a low table in the
living room and eating candy. It was one of those bulbous round
lollipops which are more flavorful (and expensive) than the usual
variety. Aya was listening inattentively to his stereo and watching Omi
lick the sucker. Despite the fact that Omi was completely oblivious to
the fact, the gesture was easy to interpret as sexual. Aya subtly
watched as Omi tightened his lips around the round head of the candy and
slid it back and forth between soft lips. Every once in a while, Omi
would tuck the candy into one cheek so he’d have his hands free to turn
his pencil over and erase. But usually that hand was working constantly
to slide the little cardboard stick back and forth, popping the lollipop
in and out of his mouth. His lips were getting sticky. Aya blushed with
embarrassment as he felt himself getting a hard-on from watching Omi
suck it… 

“Hey, Aya,” Yohji piped up from where he was changing the dressings on
Ken’s bare shoulder, “There’s no mission tonight. Ken ‘n’ I were going
to go to a movie, then check out that new nightclub. You and Omi wanna
come?” 

Aya turned around on the sofa he was relaxing on and looked at the other
two. “No thanks,” he said. Most people would have followed up the
decline with a reason why not, but Aya seldom did. 

“No fanks!” Omi called, his voice slurred from the candy in his mouth. 

Yohji shrugged. “Suit yourself.” Ken buttoned his fancy “clubbing shirt”
on and the two walked out the door, arguing over who got to drive. 

Aya kept watching Omi licking his lollipop, his libido and imagination
stirring to life. Aya and Yohji had left so they had the house to
themselves… But Aya had never done this kind of thing before and didn’t
know how to initiate it. Omi must have finally sensed eyes watching him
because he looked up and met Aya’s lustful gaze. “Nan’ dez ga?” he
murmured around the candy, slightly worried at the aggressive look in
Aya’s eyes. 

At a loss for what to say, Aya heard himself ask, “What flavor is that?”
 
Omi pulled the candy out of his mouth with a soft popping sound.
“Cherry!” 

/How appropriate…/ Aya thought to himself. He turned his face upward,
closed his eyes, and sank into his usual pensive mood. “Is something
bothering you?” Omi asked, his voice very near. Aya turned and opened
his eyes to see Omi with a tender look on his face, standing at his
side. 

“I was just wondering what exactly couples actually *do*…” Aya said
awkwardly, “I don’t even know what I’m supposed to say or…” 

Omi sat down gracefully on the big leather sofa right next to Aya. “You
don’t have to say anything if you don’t want. We can just sit here
together and see where that takes us,” he said gently. Aya let out a
breath he didn’t even realize he’d been holding until Omi rested his
head on Aya’s shoulder. Aya could smell Omi’s downy hair from where he
lay and he could feel the rise and fall of Omi’s chest as their bodies
were pressed together… It was peace. Aya suddenly remembered the happy
times in his youth when he felt so close and loved by the family he’d
lost. It made all the confusion and heartache that comes with love worth
it… 

Aya put his arm around Omi and leaned his head into the boy’s. He
slipped his hand into the collar of Omi’s shirt where his hand lay so he
could feel the silky smooth skin of the boy’s chest. 

“That lollipop was pretty yummy, Aya,” Omi said shyly. A playful flirty
tone that the redhead had never heard before crept into Omi’s voice.
“Would you like a taste?” 

Aya looked at Omi in surprise, but not disapproval. When Omi leaned in
to kiss his lover with cherry-flavored lips, Aya met him half way. Their
mouths were timid and uncertain at first. They tentatively explored each
other’s mouths and let their tongues touch. Aya felt embarrassed and shy
at first. He usually felt irritable and defensive when put into a
situation where he didn’t know what he was doing, but somehow Omi didn’t
make him feel that way. He allowed himself to relax and return the kiss,
long and gently. He felt so warm and close, he wished the kiss could
have gone on forever… 

Omi broke the kiss off briefly, lowered demure blue eyes and kissed the
hollow of Aya’s collarbone. Aya gasped at the sensation, and held Omi
tightly against him as he felt the little tongue trace the fine lines of
his neck and shoulder. He longed for Omi to kiss the rest of his chest,
but his lover couldn’t reach very far with his mouth because the collar
of Aya’s shirt was in the way. As if sensing Aya’s need he heard Omi ask
softly, “Is it okay if I…?” he had his hands hooked under the bottom of
Aya’s shirt. 

“Yeah,” Aya sighed in pleasure and Omi gladly drew off the soft shirt.
As Omi continued to lap at Aya’s slender belly and toned chest, Aya held
the boy tightly and longed to stroke the bare skin of the back which was
bent over him. 

“May I…?” Aya started to ask, tugging at Omi’s shirt. 

“Yeah,” came Omi’s voice of urgency and Aya impatiently took the thin
top off. The half-removal of the clothes turned out to not be enough. As
their kiss intensified in passion, Aya unfastened Omi’s shorts on
impulse and slipped a hand inside the boy’s boxers. Omi gasped and
quickly mimicked the action, letting Aya’s jeans and undergarments drop
to the floor with a thump. In a tangle of limbs, they undressed each
other completely, totally consumed by the passion of a desire long-felt,
but never satisfied… 

Aya woke up from the dream, aroused and confused. Omi was not beside him
this time. The sheets looked so empty without the sweet little body
curled up next to him. The other pillow looked lost and forlorn. /Sad
awakening…/ he thought disjointedly. Realizing he was already terribly
late and that everyone else must have already opened shop, Aya leapt out
of bed and started pulling his clothes on. The dream he’d been having
made it harder to fasten his pants. 

Upstairs, he could already hear Ken’s voice laced with excitement as he
was telling Yohji an interesting story. He opened the door to the flower
shop and was flooded with the garishly bright morning sunshine. Omi was
nowhere to be seen. Probably out making deliveries. 

“No way, you’re putting me on,” Yohji was saying in dismissal, “Just
‘cause *she* told you that doesn’t mean it’s true.” 

“No! Omi told me!” Ken insisted, “He seemed all embarrassed, but said he
had to tell somebody so we’d know where he is tonight in case we need
to… Go out late.” 

“Seriously, Ken,” Yohji argued, “There’s no way Omi would agree to go on
a date with Ouka. He doesn’t even like her.” There was a chorus of
disappointed “Awww!”s from the local school girls who were disappointed
by the thought of Omi with anyone else. 

Ken smiled. “Aw, don’t be jealous just ‘cause he’s getting more action
than you are,” the young man teased, “I think it’s sweet! He’s going to
dinner with her family so he can meet them and then they’re going to
that stupid new romance movie about dinosaurs.” 

Yohji pointed an accusing finger at Ken’s face. “Now I know you’re
pulling my leg! There’s no way that Omi would be caught dead in a
theater showing ‘Jurassic Love’!” 

Ken laughed. “Trust me! He looked pretty mortified at the thought, too!
He looked so depressed when he was telling me about how it happened!
When she asked him out, she said that she’d already told her family that
he was going. When he tried to protest about the movie, she said she’d
already bought the tickets and didn’t want to waste them. I think it’s
cute! I dunno why you’re so negative about it all.” 

“I just think he likes someone else instead is all,” Yohji continued,
shooting a surreptitious look at Aya when he was sure Ken wasn’t
looking. “I don’t think he should let Ouka fool herself into thinking
there’s something between them if his heart lies with another.” Aya made
no motion to indicate he was listening, but secretly agreed. 

“Aw, jeez, Yohji!” Ken said, punching his friend in the shoulder
playfully, “Stop being so pessimistic! Omi’s so young! At his age he
shouldn’t be thinking about settling down with one girl, he should be
dating lots of different people!” 

Each word struck Aya like a blow and he felt the pain as he started to
wonder if what Ken said was true. He had thought Omi wanted a monogamous
relationship, but… 

Omi walked into the shop at that moment and started right back into his
work without saying anything, humming merrily. Yohji and Ken quickly
resumed their work, pretending nothing had happened. 

Aya listened to Omi’s happy humming and felt jealousy clench at his
insides wondering where he had just been… He felt something wet running
to the side of his hand and looked down. A crimson bead had kissed a
bitter trail from his tightly clenched first to the edge of his palm. He
was bleeding. He had thought it was a sweet and beautiful rose he’d been
holding all along, but the thorns were cutting deep just the same…