Banana Fish

Kong X Bones

"Intermission"

"Dude! Yo, dude! Did'ya get that stuff Eiji wanted? That – that noru or something?" Kong yelled after Bones as they left the Chinese grocery store.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it. And it's nori, asshole. Seaweed, ya know." Bones nodded knowingly, slowing to wait for the much larger Kong to catch up.

The two teenagers settled into a fast lope uptown, sharing the plastic bags full of weird Asian ingredients between them. They had to get back to the apartment before Ash woke up and Eiji needed this stuff for breakfast well before that. After they ate with Eiji, they'd catch some shut-eye this afternoon. 'Round five they'd go out and cruise the streets for news and then head back to keep a weather-eye on Eiji and the apartment through the night. It was a strange and disjointed life but they were used to it now. Besides, Ash trusted them to guard Eiji and that made both of them feel really good. Ash was the Boss and he was no third-rate player. It was an honor, watching the Japanese kid for him. 'Course, Eiji wasn't a bad guy either, even if he was a little dippy sometimes.

But what Bones really looked forward to were those quiet hours after midnight, when Ash would be out and Eiji would finally fall asleep. Then he and Kong would get another chance to be together, just the two of them, Bones thought. Times like those were definitely the best part of this whole camp-out gig, no lie.

Man, how it happened again? Oh, yeah, right. That's how it was…He and Kong had known one another from way back, back when they were kids in the same detention hall. Kong had always been this huge imposing dude who didn't say much and well, Bones, he'd always been kinda wimpy. He was short and thin, he admitted that, but that didn't mean he couldn't do stuff. He and Kong'd become friends because of that, 'cause Kong had treated him like a real guy from the start.

Some of those other pussies in school had hit on him, treated him like a girl just 'cause he wore his hair long and he was slight, but Kong had never done that. They had respect for each other all along. They'd been inseparable for years now, joining Ash's gang together, and before that skipping and then quitting high school together, tipping soda machines and robbing pay phones for pocket money when they were little kids. Partners-in-crime, just like in the movies. Like Bonnie and Clyde. 'Course, Kong wasn't the brightest bulb, but he had a good heart. He wasn't a bully even if he could mow you down without even blinking. Bones cared for him, trusted him to the death, and he was damned glad they were in this together. Kong was his rock, his best friend, and he figured if they were going to die for Ash's sake, then they'd do that together too.

It was funny though, how it happened, them getting together in the first place. It had been sudden-like. The night he turned sixteen they'd been sent out on a surveillance stakeout together and after it was over, when they were goin' home at dawn down some little back alley, Kong had backed him up against a brick wall and kissed him -- tongue and everything, a real French kiss. Bones had immediately decked him without even thinking about it when Kong finally let go. He could still clearly remember the way Kong had looked at him then, forlorn and stricken, like a just-kicked puppy. He'd felt so damned bad that he kissed Kong back just to make him feel better. Course, it hadn't stopped there. They were two horny guys who'd never had girlfriends, so they hadn't fucked around with none of that datin' and foreplay and shit. Hell, no. They'd been in the sack within minutes of him figuring out it felt pretty damned good when he and Kong kissed.

That first time, well, it had been a little rough. Kong was friggin' huge all over. He'd been on top at first and Bones seriously thought he'd die from being crushed before they figured out how they fit together. But for all his size Kong was gentle, so very gentle. Bones still shivered in reaction when he remembered how those large hands had felt him all over, running down his skinny ribs, through his hair, across his trembling thighs, caressing and stroking. And then Kong had licked him! Like a fucking popsicle! He thought he'd died and gone to heaven, it felt so good. So, of course, he'd had to lick Kong too, 'cause he wanted Kong to feel good. It had all been really great till Kong had shoved that friggin' telephone pole up his ass. He'd walked funny for days after that, pissed off at Kong and the entire world. Pissed off himself, too, 'cause he'd cum anyway, even with the pain. Twice.

A couple days after that, Kong had pulled him aside and shoved this little bottle under his nose, all grinning and happy like the idiot he was.

"Take a look at this! Ash said it'll work, Bones!" Kong had crowed cheerfully. "I can't hurt you if we use this stuff, Bones. Ash said so. He knows. So, um, can we do it again?"

Bones almost hit him just to wipe that silly-ass grin off his face and then decided it wasn't worth it. He'd just hurt Kong's feelings some more and he'd already been steadfastly ignoring the longing glances Kong had been casting his way these last few days. He grabbed the little bottle, grumbling under his breath, and eyed up the garish label.

"Dr. Desire's Lube Lotion? What the hell's this, Kong?"

"It's for your ass, Bones. You rub it on. And on me, too. So it won't hurt when we do it."

Bones' jaw flopped. He didn't say a word.

"I'm sorry." Kong hung his head, ashamed. "I was gonna say that before. ..I know it didn't feel real good for you last time but Ash says this'll make it better, cause it's like oil and it lube-re-cates you, like a car." Kong wrapped his unwilling mouth around the dollar word and looked back up at Bones expectantly, hopefully. Bones just stared at him some more.

"Why the fuck do you think I wanna do that again, moron?"

What, was Kong crazy? Even if it had felt great, at least most if the time, even if Kong was his best friend in the world, he still wasn't going to be his bitch just cause the lunkhead couldn't get a girl.

Shit, the asshole never even said jackshit about why he kissed me! Bones shook his head angrily. He wasn't budging, not on this. Not till Kong said something, anything.

"Umm…uhh?" Kong was puzzled, that was clear. His face wore a confused frown and he seemed at a loss. Bones silently thrust the bottle back at him, angrier than ever, and turned and walked away. He made himself not look back even though he wanted to see Kong's reaction so bad it hurt. Kong could at least follow him, damn it! But Kong didn't move.

It seemed their friendship was over, just like that.

Kong didn't come near him anymore and Ash paired Bones up with some other dude for running deliveries. Bones tried to ignore the aching hole in his chest. Maybe Kong didn't know any better, but he did. You didn't do shit like that to your best friend and not say anything afterwards other than 'Wanna do it again?'" Stupid ass! What the fuck was Kong waiting for anyway? Why the hell didn't he come over and say something?

It had gone on like that for a week or more before they'd gotten it straightened out. To tell the truth, Bones had been just about to give in and find Kong when Kong showed up one morning at his place. Bones had been tired and feeling cranky but the sight of Bones bashfully pushing his sneaker around in the dust on the sidewalk had made his heavy heart soar. At least the idiot had finally had the sense to come look for him.

"Ummm, Bones? Can we talk?" Kong was nervous, Bones could tell. He was cracking his knuckles and he only ever did that when he was worried about something.

"Yeah, I guess," Bones answered, casually leaning back against the door, a step above Kong on the sidewalk. He carefully concealed his own anxiety behind his cool stare down at his obviously apologetic buddy. Expectation bubbled up in his chest. This had better be good, he thought.

"Can I say I'm sorry?" Bones was still dragging his sneaker tip around in circles, sending up little clouds of dust. He stared at them, apparently fascinated. Bones willed him to look up. He'd know what to expect if he could just see Kong's eyes.

"Yeah, I guess," Bones answered nonchalantly, clamping down on his burgeoning disappointment with an iron will. This was it? He was supposed to ignore it? Kong was just gonna say he was sorry and it would be over, they'd just be friends again?

But it would be better than nothing at all, Bones told himself, desperate in the growing pause. He'd never been so lonely before in all his short life, these last few days without Kong by his side. If it was just a mistake, well, he'd get over it if he had to, if that's what it took to have Kong back.

"Can I tell you I missed you?" Kong's voice was so low, Bones almost didn't hear it at all. Bones nodded slowly. Maybe….

The pause was much longer, this time. Bones was almost ready to give up, give in, say it was 'alright' if he had to.

"Can I say I…love you?" Kong's voice had dropped to an almost inaudible whisper. Bones strained to hear over the noise of the traffic, the airplanes, the drone of the summer crickets that lived in the straggly weeds.

"What? What'd you say?" Bones leaned forward, pushing away from the door, peering intently at Kong' downcast face. He blushed, the heat sweeping his body, hotter than the pavement in front of him.

"I love you."

Kong finally looked Bones straight in the eye and Bones leaped toward Kong, launching himself off the step without hesitation, flying through the short distance that separated them like a rocket. Kong nimbly caught him mid-air, hugging him so hard Bones had no breath left to say it back.

When Kong finally set him on his feet he still didn't get a chance to say anything. His mouth was occupied with a long consuming kiss that must have scorched the pavement under their sneakered feet. He didn't get to answer Kong's unspoken question till they were both naked in his narrow bed upstairs, discovering that Ash was right about that lube stuff.

It had been like that ever since. Bones didn't think Alex or any of the other gang members ever caught on to the fact that he and Kong were a couple. He knew Ash knew, but that was okay. Ash was cool with shit like that and he didn't treat them any differently 'cause of it. Not that it mattered – he and Kong were a team anyway. That wasn't gonna change. And they'd get another chance to be together later tonight. He smiled in anticipation and felt the curl of desire warm his belly.

"What're you smilin' about, Bones? Something funny?" Kong looked over at him, curious.

"Nah, just you, asshole. Your face is funny. Race you to the apartment?" Bones took off, suddenly energized, plastic bags flapping in the wind, with Kong after him like a heat-seeking missile, laughing and shouting "No fair!" Passersby smiled after them, two laughing kids racing up the street into the faraway distance, having the time of their lives.