[one-shot] The Five Senses
Title: The Five Senses
Type: One-shot
Word count: 2,723
Rating: PG-15
Pairing: Ryo/Shige, Ryo/OC
Summary: Ryo feels Shige’s presence in many ways. Thanks to sanjihan for beta-ing and giving excellent suggestions.
1.
Sitting at the back of the rehearsal room, Ryo took a swig from a water bottle and wiped the back of his neck with a towel. The dance practice had wrapped up a few minutes earlier and the other NEWS members were also sprawled all around the floor, exhausted. All except Shige, who was still doing a last review of the choreography, and Yamapi, who was patiently assisting him.
Ryo watched as the two went through the more difficult moves. Shige was wearing a sleeveless T-shirt that accentuated his slender figure. Perspiration glistened on his arms and neck and formed in beads on his forehead, dampening his hair. Through his reflection in the mirrored front wall, Ryo could see his determined eyes, the serious expression that anyone who had the chance to work with him was certain to be familiar with.
There were two of them in front of the mirror, Shige and Yamapi, but Ryo’s attention was fixed on the former. At one point Shige noticed Ryo’s eyes on him in the mirror, and he kept his gaze focused on him as he did the rest of the choreography, like he was dancing just for him. The room was humid with the tang of sweat but that was not the reason Ryo’s breath suddenly caught in his throat; no, it was the way Shige raised his arms above his head and swayed his hips, eyes locking with Ryo’s the whole time. Ryo was glad they had just gone through a rigorous routine so he could use it as an excuse if anyone pointed out how his face was flushed.
The music stopped, and Yamapi gave Shige a high-five before the two of them went to fetch their towels. The other members had left the room to take a shower, and Yamapi followed soon after. Shige was the next to go. He said nothing to Ryo as he walked past him to the door, but as they exchanged brief glances they both knew they would end up in bed together that night.
2.
The smell of coffee permeated Shige’s apartment. Ryo sometimes thought he could detect it faintly on Shige’s clothes. When Ryo walked into the kitchen the next morning, he saw Shige pouring the dark liquid from his state-of-the-art coffee maker. Coffee brewed in Shige’s kitchen any hour of the day, actually, but nothing beat drinking steaming black coffee that Shige made for him first thing in the morning. He sat down at the table, accepting the cup from a smiling Shige and drinking in slow sips as his nose feasted on the sharp, rich aroma.
“Do you want rice or bread for breakfast?” asked Shige, pouring another cup for himself.
Ryo shook his head. “No, don’t bother. I gotta rush to a meeting about the new Kanjani single.”
“Oh, okay. You’re still coming here tonight, aren’t you? I’m making dinner.”
Putting the cup on the table, Ryo felt a sudden bitter taste in his mouth that had nothing to do with the coffee. “I can’t. My girlfriend... there’s this party her friends are throwing and she wants... I already said yes.” His ability to string proper sentences together had apparently gone out the window.
Shige seemed to tense all over at the mention of her. He spun around and pretended to busy himself with the coffee maker. “Right. I guess we’ll just see each other some other time, then.” His strained voice made Ryo feel ten times worse.
She was the proper lover, the cover Ryo used to maintain the appearance of a heterosexual idol. But oftentimes Shige seemed to feel she was Ryo’s actual lover instead of himself. She was the one who had the freedom to display her affections to Ryo in public, the one with the privilege to openly call him her boyfriend. Ryo had told Shige he was being unreasonable and if he was unhappy about it he should get a girlfriend of his own. Shige was never able to do that though. He went on dates occasionally, but more often than not it was he who found himself sitting home alone while Ryo was out somewhere with his girlfriend. Ryo didn’t like the situation either but felt it was the best they could do.
He went over to Shige and snaked an arm around him from behind. With his free hand he pushed away Shige’s hair and kissed his nape. The sweet smell of his body was mixed with the scent of coffee, intoxicating Ryo and making him want the younger man more and more. But Shige squirmed out of his embrace, muttering, “No. Just... go, Ryo. Please.”
Biting his lip, Ryo let his arms fall to his sides. He leaned over to kiss Shige on the cheek, but Shige turned his head away. Ryo lingered there for a moment, lips inches from Shige’s face but feeling like they were miles away from each other. Finally he withdrew and made his way to the door of the apartment. He looked back once only to see Shige still standing with his back to him, unmoved.
3.
Throughout the whole day Ryo couldn’t concentrate on anything. He lost count of how many times the other Eito members whacked him over the head for not paying attention. That strange bitter taste left in his mouth after the morning’s incident with Shige remained even as the night fell and he met up with his girlfriend. If she noticed anything different in his behavior she didn’t let it show. She looked excited and talked a good deal about this party they were going to, how fun it was supposed to be, blah blah blah. He didn’t even realize when he stopped listening.
The party probably would have been fun, if only he was in the right temper to enjoy it. What was usually good music to dance to now felt too loud for him; the dim lighting that would normally set his mood going simply made him dizzy. He ate a little but it didn’t make him feel any better.
He managed to stay for a little over an hour before telling his girlfriend he wanted to go, he wasn’t feeling very well. She was sympathetic and wanted to go back with him, but he told her to stay with her friends and enjoy the party. He could go home alone.
Only he wasn’t going to his own home - he went straight to Shige’s. He used his spare key and was not much surprised to find the lights still on. Shige was sitting in the living room, staring blankly at the TV.
Ryo sat next to him and tried to talk to him, but Shige refused to answer. After many unsuccessful attempts Ryo sighed impatiently and said, “Don’t be like this, Shige. Come on, talk to me.”
Shige still wouldn’t say anything, looking straight at the TV, and an annoyed Ryo decided to use a different tactic. He ran his fingers up Shige’s arm, his shoulder, making him stiffen a little when he reached his neck, thumb teasing a sensitive spot under his ear. Slowly Ryo began unbuttoning the top of his shirt, exposing the supple, tender flesh beneath.
He could feel Shige slowly coming undone as he dropped gentle kisses on his shoulder, tongue reveling in the taste of his skin. Shige had taken a shower earlier, Ryo realized, his skin tasting faintly like musky soap. His breath was coming out in short gasps as he shuddered under the onslaught of Ryo’s mouth. It didn’t take long before Shige allowed Ryo to lead him to the bedroom.
It was like Shige wasn’t really there though. His eyes were directed anywhere but at his lover, and for a moment it triggered a flash of anger in Ryo, pushing him to be rougher with Shige than he originally intended. He slammed hard against him without mercy; the low, breathless moans spilling from Shige’s mouth only gratified him in a perverse way. But it all instantly melted as he noticed the tears trickling down Shige’s face. When it was over he lay on his side facing Shige and put a hand on his cheek, asking gently, “Did I hurt you?”
Shige, lying still on his back, simply shook his head while the tears kept on flowing silently. Overcome with guilt, Ryo didn’t know what else to do and just wrapped his arms around him, this man that he loved more than anything else in this world, as though by clinging to him like this it would be enough to drive away his anguish. Moments later Shige said, “Stay.”
“I am staying tonight,” Ryo assured him.
Shige shook his head again. “Stay for good.”
Even as the words hung in the air between them they both knew what he was asking was too difficult, too complicated to achieve. Ryo could do little else but hold Shige tighter and thread their legs together, pressing his lips against the side of Shige’s face. He tasted of sweat and tears.
4.
They woke up in the morning, took a shower together and had a breakfast of toast and eggs. Shige was still rather quiet, but his mood had relatively improved compared to last night. He poured Ryo some coffee just like the previous morning. Ryo watched as the warm liquid, dark as the night they had left behind, made gurgling sounds when it dribbled into the cup.
The TV was on in the background, some kind of morning comedy show. Shige smiled a bit when Ryo imitated the comedian’s gag, and Ryo said, “See, that’s nice. I want more of that.” Shige’s tiny smile broke into a grin, and Ryo thought they were okay, at least for now.
Later they left the apartment for different destinations, Ryo to a photo shoot and Shige to his drama set. Ryo took a cab for fear of being late. He was looking out the window with his mind wandering aimlessly when he heard a familiar melody. The driver had put on the radio, and it was playing weeeek. Ryo chuckled when he noticed the guy was tapping a finger on the steering wheel, oblivious to the fact that his passenger was one of the people singing that song.
Shige’s part came next. His voice was as it always was - low and husky, with a rough edge that Ryo also recognized in his own voice. Listening to it always evoked certain emotions in him, making him warm and cold inside at the same time. It reminded him of the many times he heard Shige moaning his name while writhing under him in bed, of the quiet giggles he made when watching a funny movie, of the way his tone rose whenever they were having one of their intellectual arguments.
Ryo remembered that earlier, before they parted, he had framed Shige’s face in his hands as they stood in the hallway and said, “You know I love you, right?”
Shige’s eyes had shone with tenderness, even as Ryo noticed a tinge of uncertainty in them. He had nodded and, putting his hands around Ryo’s waist, leaned closer to whisper in his ear, “I love you too.”
Replaying the words in his head, Ryo was hit with a sudden rush of emotions. He knew what he wanted - Shige was all he wanted. He needed to stop hurting him like this, stop putting him second in his list. The thought of how much Shige had endured for him caused a lump in his throat. Flipping open his phone, he called his girlfriend and asked her to meet him later today. He had to tell her something important.
5.
After meeting her Ryo felt like a major weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He wasn’t proud that he caused her unnecessary pain but thought it was inevitable in this situation. He went on to work to record the new Eito single, feeling lighter than he had ever been in a long time. The recording passed smoothly, and as Ryo walked out of the studio he checked his phone to find three missed calls and one message from Koyama. What he read made him numb with shock.
Where were you?? Shige is injured. Accident during the drama shoot. They took him to the hospital but let him go home later. Go to him quick, he needs you.
Ryo didn’t know how he managed to hail a taxi to Shige’s apartment, because he was shuddering with dread. He dialed Shige’s number but there was no answer. He told himself Shige must be all right, he was probably just sleeping. The doctors wouldn’t have let him go home if the injury was serious. But still he remained nervous and lashed out at the driver, yelling at him to go faster. When he finally arrived at Shige’s building he rushed inside and found Shige asleep in the bedroom.
He didn’t look to be badly injured, thank heavens. His left foot and elbow were bandaged, but aside from his pallid face he looked decidedly fine. Ryo came in and sat at the edge of the bed, and his movements roused Shige. He smiled a little and said, “Hey.”
Ryo took his hand and squeezed it, half angry at Shige or at himself, he wasn’t quite sure. “Koyama told me you were hurt. What happened?”
“We were shooting a fight scene on a raised platform. My co-star pushed me too hard and I fell off.” Ryo’s widening glare prompted Shige to quickly add, “It’s nothing really, just sprained my ankle and grazed my elbow when I tried to cushion the fall. The rest are just a few bruises. I’m still a little dizzy from the impact but the doctor said it was nothing to worry about.”
Ryo gritted his teeth. “Dammit, Shige, you should’ve called me.”
“You never want to be disturbed while you’re recording. I’m all right, the staff took me to the hospital, and later Koyama came and brought me here. He still had work though, so he couldn’t stay.” He squeezed Ryo’s hand back reassuringly. “It’s fine, trust me.”
“No, it’s not,” sputtered Ryo, clenching his hold on Shige’s hand, which was callused from frequent use. “If you had... I’d never-”
“Ryo,” Shige interrupted. “Shut up and come here.”
Ryo looked like he was ready to burst, but he did as Shige asked. He took off his shoes, climbed into the bed and spooned around Shige’s body - slowly, cautiously, so as to cause minimum discomfort. Shige’s skin exuded a soothing warmth. Splaying his fingers on Shige’s chest, Ryo was put further at ease when he felt the steady rhythm of his heart.
“Do me a favor, will you?” he murmured. “Don’t fall off high places again. I don’t think I can handle the anxiety.”
Shige laughed quietly and laced his fingers with Ryo’s, replying teasingly, “Don’t worry. I’ll try to take better care of myself for your sake.”
Ryo started to shift a little but stopped when Shige let out a half-grunt of pain; he must’ve hit a bruise somewhere. Mumbling a quiet “Sorry, sorry”, he tucked his face into Shige’s neck.
They kept silent for a while, listening to each other’s breathing, before Ryo said, “I met her today.” Even without any names mentioned Shige would know who he was talking about. “I told her it was over, and we broke up.”
Startled, Shige turned his face to him. “Really?”
“Yes,” he replied, caressing Shige’s cheek with his free hand, his thumb gliding over his moist lips. “I belong to no one but you now.”
Because that’s how it’s supposed to be. This was the way he’s supposed to be, huddled close to Shige, basking in his warmth, gradually fading into him until there was no more ‘you and me’ but only ‘us’. Even though it would be harder for them from now on to hide their relationship from the public, Ryo would take the risk if that meant being with Shige, and only with Shige. He didn’t know how long they could stay like this, but dear God, he hoped it would last a lifetime.
Shige’s lips were quivering under Ryo’s finger as he muttered softly, “Promise?”
Ryo gently brought Shige’s hand to his lips, sealing his words with a kiss. “I promise.”
Type: One-shot
Word count: 2,723
Rating: PG-15
Pairing: Ryo/Shige, Ryo/OC
Summary: Ryo feels Shige’s presence in many ways. Thanks to sanjihan for beta-ing and giving excellent suggestions.
1.
Sitting at the back of the rehearsal room, Ryo took a swig from a water bottle and wiped the back of his neck with a towel. The dance practice had wrapped up a few minutes earlier and the other NEWS members were also sprawled all around the floor, exhausted. All except Shige, who was still doing a last review of the choreography, and Yamapi, who was patiently assisting him.
Ryo watched as the two went through the more difficult moves. Shige was wearing a sleeveless T-shirt that accentuated his slender figure. Perspiration glistened on his arms and neck and formed in beads on his forehead, dampening his hair. Through his reflection in the mirrored front wall, Ryo could see his determined eyes, the serious expression that anyone who had the chance to work with him was certain to be familiar with.
There were two of them in front of the mirror, Shige and Yamapi, but Ryo’s attention was fixed on the former. At one point Shige noticed Ryo’s eyes on him in the mirror, and he kept his gaze focused on him as he did the rest of the choreography, like he was dancing just for him. The room was humid with the tang of sweat but that was not the reason Ryo’s breath suddenly caught in his throat; no, it was the way Shige raised his arms above his head and swayed his hips, eyes locking with Ryo’s the whole time. Ryo was glad they had just gone through a rigorous routine so he could use it as an excuse if anyone pointed out how his face was flushed.
The music stopped, and Yamapi gave Shige a high-five before the two of them went to fetch their towels. The other members had left the room to take a shower, and Yamapi followed soon after. Shige was the next to go. He said nothing to Ryo as he walked past him to the door, but as they exchanged brief glances they both knew they would end up in bed together that night.
2.
The smell of coffee permeated Shige’s apartment. Ryo sometimes thought he could detect it faintly on Shige’s clothes. When Ryo walked into the kitchen the next morning, he saw Shige pouring the dark liquid from his state-of-the-art coffee maker. Coffee brewed in Shige’s kitchen any hour of the day, actually, but nothing beat drinking steaming black coffee that Shige made for him first thing in the morning. He sat down at the table, accepting the cup from a smiling Shige and drinking in slow sips as his nose feasted on the sharp, rich aroma.
“Do you want rice or bread for breakfast?” asked Shige, pouring another cup for himself.
Ryo shook his head. “No, don’t bother. I gotta rush to a meeting about the new Kanjani single.”
“Oh, okay. You’re still coming here tonight, aren’t you? I’m making dinner.”
Putting the cup on the table, Ryo felt a sudden bitter taste in his mouth that had nothing to do with the coffee. “I can’t. My girlfriend... there’s this party her friends are throwing and she wants... I already said yes.” His ability to string proper sentences together had apparently gone out the window.
Shige seemed to tense all over at the mention of her. He spun around and pretended to busy himself with the coffee maker. “Right. I guess we’ll just see each other some other time, then.” His strained voice made Ryo feel ten times worse.
She was the proper lover, the cover Ryo used to maintain the appearance of a heterosexual idol. But oftentimes Shige seemed to feel she was Ryo’s actual lover instead of himself. She was the one who had the freedom to display her affections to Ryo in public, the one with the privilege to openly call him her boyfriend. Ryo had told Shige he was being unreasonable and if he was unhappy about it he should get a girlfriend of his own. Shige was never able to do that though. He went on dates occasionally, but more often than not it was he who found himself sitting home alone while Ryo was out somewhere with his girlfriend. Ryo didn’t like the situation either but felt it was the best they could do.
He went over to Shige and snaked an arm around him from behind. With his free hand he pushed away Shige’s hair and kissed his nape. The sweet smell of his body was mixed with the scent of coffee, intoxicating Ryo and making him want the younger man more and more. But Shige squirmed out of his embrace, muttering, “No. Just... go, Ryo. Please.”
Biting his lip, Ryo let his arms fall to his sides. He leaned over to kiss Shige on the cheek, but Shige turned his head away. Ryo lingered there for a moment, lips inches from Shige’s face but feeling like they were miles away from each other. Finally he withdrew and made his way to the door of the apartment. He looked back once only to see Shige still standing with his back to him, unmoved.
3.
Throughout the whole day Ryo couldn’t concentrate on anything. He lost count of how many times the other Eito members whacked him over the head for not paying attention. That strange bitter taste left in his mouth after the morning’s incident with Shige remained even as the night fell and he met up with his girlfriend. If she noticed anything different in his behavior she didn’t let it show. She looked excited and talked a good deal about this party they were going to, how fun it was supposed to be, blah blah blah. He didn’t even realize when he stopped listening.
The party probably would have been fun, if only he was in the right temper to enjoy it. What was usually good music to dance to now felt too loud for him; the dim lighting that would normally set his mood going simply made him dizzy. He ate a little but it didn’t make him feel any better.
He managed to stay for a little over an hour before telling his girlfriend he wanted to go, he wasn’t feeling very well. She was sympathetic and wanted to go back with him, but he told her to stay with her friends and enjoy the party. He could go home alone.
Only he wasn’t going to his own home - he went straight to Shige’s. He used his spare key and was not much surprised to find the lights still on. Shige was sitting in the living room, staring blankly at the TV.
Ryo sat next to him and tried to talk to him, but Shige refused to answer. After many unsuccessful attempts Ryo sighed impatiently and said, “Don’t be like this, Shige. Come on, talk to me.”
Shige still wouldn’t say anything, looking straight at the TV, and an annoyed Ryo decided to use a different tactic. He ran his fingers up Shige’s arm, his shoulder, making him stiffen a little when he reached his neck, thumb teasing a sensitive spot under his ear. Slowly Ryo began unbuttoning the top of his shirt, exposing the supple, tender flesh beneath.
He could feel Shige slowly coming undone as he dropped gentle kisses on his shoulder, tongue reveling in the taste of his skin. Shige had taken a shower earlier, Ryo realized, his skin tasting faintly like musky soap. His breath was coming out in short gasps as he shuddered under the onslaught of Ryo’s mouth. It didn’t take long before Shige allowed Ryo to lead him to the bedroom.
It was like Shige wasn’t really there though. His eyes were directed anywhere but at his lover, and for a moment it triggered a flash of anger in Ryo, pushing him to be rougher with Shige than he originally intended. He slammed hard against him without mercy; the low, breathless moans spilling from Shige’s mouth only gratified him in a perverse way. But it all instantly melted as he noticed the tears trickling down Shige’s face. When it was over he lay on his side facing Shige and put a hand on his cheek, asking gently, “Did I hurt you?”
Shige, lying still on his back, simply shook his head while the tears kept on flowing silently. Overcome with guilt, Ryo didn’t know what else to do and just wrapped his arms around him, this man that he loved more than anything else in this world, as though by clinging to him like this it would be enough to drive away his anguish. Moments later Shige said, “Stay.”
“I am staying tonight,” Ryo assured him.
Shige shook his head again. “Stay for good.”
Even as the words hung in the air between them they both knew what he was asking was too difficult, too complicated to achieve. Ryo could do little else but hold Shige tighter and thread their legs together, pressing his lips against the side of Shige’s face. He tasted of sweat and tears.
4.
They woke up in the morning, took a shower together and had a breakfast of toast and eggs. Shige was still rather quiet, but his mood had relatively improved compared to last night. He poured Ryo some coffee just like the previous morning. Ryo watched as the warm liquid, dark as the night they had left behind, made gurgling sounds when it dribbled into the cup.
The TV was on in the background, some kind of morning comedy show. Shige smiled a bit when Ryo imitated the comedian’s gag, and Ryo said, “See, that’s nice. I want more of that.” Shige’s tiny smile broke into a grin, and Ryo thought they were okay, at least for now.
Later they left the apartment for different destinations, Ryo to a photo shoot and Shige to his drama set. Ryo took a cab for fear of being late. He was looking out the window with his mind wandering aimlessly when he heard a familiar melody. The driver had put on the radio, and it was playing weeeek. Ryo chuckled when he noticed the guy was tapping a finger on the steering wheel, oblivious to the fact that his passenger was one of the people singing that song.
Shige’s part came next. His voice was as it always was - low and husky, with a rough edge that Ryo also recognized in his own voice. Listening to it always evoked certain emotions in him, making him warm and cold inside at the same time. It reminded him of the many times he heard Shige moaning his name while writhing under him in bed, of the quiet giggles he made when watching a funny movie, of the way his tone rose whenever they were having one of their intellectual arguments.
Ryo remembered that earlier, before they parted, he had framed Shige’s face in his hands as they stood in the hallway and said, “You know I love you, right?”
Shige’s eyes had shone with tenderness, even as Ryo noticed a tinge of uncertainty in them. He had nodded and, putting his hands around Ryo’s waist, leaned closer to whisper in his ear, “I love you too.”
Replaying the words in his head, Ryo was hit with a sudden rush of emotions. He knew what he wanted - Shige was all he wanted. He needed to stop hurting him like this, stop putting him second in his list. The thought of how much Shige had endured for him caused a lump in his throat. Flipping open his phone, he called his girlfriend and asked her to meet him later today. He had to tell her something important.
5.
After meeting her Ryo felt like a major weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He wasn’t proud that he caused her unnecessary pain but thought it was inevitable in this situation. He went on to work to record the new Eito single, feeling lighter than he had ever been in a long time. The recording passed smoothly, and as Ryo walked out of the studio he checked his phone to find three missed calls and one message from Koyama. What he read made him numb with shock.
Where were you?? Shige is injured. Accident during the drama shoot. They took him to the hospital but let him go home later. Go to him quick, he needs you.
Ryo didn’t know how he managed to hail a taxi to Shige’s apartment, because he was shuddering with dread. He dialed Shige’s number but there was no answer. He told himself Shige must be all right, he was probably just sleeping. The doctors wouldn’t have let him go home if the injury was serious. But still he remained nervous and lashed out at the driver, yelling at him to go faster. When he finally arrived at Shige’s building he rushed inside and found Shige asleep in the bedroom.
He didn’t look to be badly injured, thank heavens. His left foot and elbow were bandaged, but aside from his pallid face he looked decidedly fine. Ryo came in and sat at the edge of the bed, and his movements roused Shige. He smiled a little and said, “Hey.”
Ryo took his hand and squeezed it, half angry at Shige or at himself, he wasn’t quite sure. “Koyama told me you were hurt. What happened?”
“We were shooting a fight scene on a raised platform. My co-star pushed me too hard and I fell off.” Ryo’s widening glare prompted Shige to quickly add, “It’s nothing really, just sprained my ankle and grazed my elbow when I tried to cushion the fall. The rest are just a few bruises. I’m still a little dizzy from the impact but the doctor said it was nothing to worry about.”
Ryo gritted his teeth. “Dammit, Shige, you should’ve called me.”
“You never want to be disturbed while you’re recording. I’m all right, the staff took me to the hospital, and later Koyama came and brought me here. He still had work though, so he couldn’t stay.” He squeezed Ryo’s hand back reassuringly. “It’s fine, trust me.”
“No, it’s not,” sputtered Ryo, clenching his hold on Shige’s hand, which was callused from frequent use. “If you had... I’d never-”
“Ryo,” Shige interrupted. “Shut up and come here.”
Ryo looked like he was ready to burst, but he did as Shige asked. He took off his shoes, climbed into the bed and spooned around Shige’s body - slowly, cautiously, so as to cause minimum discomfort. Shige’s skin exuded a soothing warmth. Splaying his fingers on Shige’s chest, Ryo was put further at ease when he felt the steady rhythm of his heart.
“Do me a favor, will you?” he murmured. “Don’t fall off high places again. I don’t think I can handle the anxiety.”
Shige laughed quietly and laced his fingers with Ryo’s, replying teasingly, “Don’t worry. I’ll try to take better care of myself for your sake.”
Ryo started to shift a little but stopped when Shige let out a half-grunt of pain; he must’ve hit a bruise somewhere. Mumbling a quiet “Sorry, sorry”, he tucked his face into Shige’s neck.
They kept silent for a while, listening to each other’s breathing, before Ryo said, “I met her today.” Even without any names mentioned Shige would know who he was talking about. “I told her it was over, and we broke up.”
Startled, Shige turned his face to him. “Really?”
“Yes,” he replied, caressing Shige’s cheek with his free hand, his thumb gliding over his moist lips. “I belong to no one but you now.”
Because that’s how it’s supposed to be. This was the way he’s supposed to be, huddled close to Shige, basking in his warmth, gradually fading into him until there was no more ‘you and me’ but only ‘us’. Even though it would be harder for them from now on to hide their relationship from the public, Ryo would take the risk if that meant being with Shige, and only with Shige. He didn’t know how long they could stay like this, but dear God, he hoped it would last a lifetime.
Shige’s lips were quivering under Ryo’s finger as he muttered softly, “Promise?”
Ryo gently brought Shige’s hand to his lips, sealing his words with a kiss. “I promise.”