Disclaimer: "Your Body is a Wonderland" belongs to John Mayer. I am not John Mayer, believe me. "Murder by Numbers" belongs to many people and corporations, probably Barbet Schroder and AOL Time Warner among others. The closest that I come to owning MbN is my copy of the widescreen edition DVD. ::hugs DVD case:: And you can't have it, dammit, I paid almost thirty bucks for it at Suncoast! Mine! ::bites those who come too close::

A/N: The first time I heard this song, I was like, "This sounds *so* like a songfic I'd like to write..." and when I listened to it more, I knew I had to get the lyrics, because it is quite obviously the perfect romantic Richard-to-Justin kind of song. Please tell me what you think.

"Your Body is A Wonderland"
a murder by numbers.john mayer songfic by SchizoAuthoress

Two days left to winter vacation and Richard was dying from boredom. Okay, that was an exaggeration, but, damn! there was nothing to do in Wilmont. Richard's father had paid for Richard to spend the first week of the break at Lake Tahoe with a couple of his skater friends, supposedly skiing and snowboarding at the Sierra resort but really gambling in one of the casinos. And after that exciting start to his temporary freedom, Richard found that it seemed like everything else was just an anti-climax.

[We got the afternoon,
You got this room for two,
One thing I've left to do,
Discover me,
Discovering you.]

He decided to go over to Justin's house. It nagged at him that he was neglecting the boy who was his future partner-in-crime, among other things. Without a doubt, the reclusive loner-genius would be there; it wasn't like Justin had any friends at school.

Mrs. Pendleton was not at home. This was normal; she worked in San Luis Obispo, an upwardly-mobile workaholic of a business woman. Richard didn't know what she did, exactly. Justin probably didn't either, and neither of the boys cared much.

So he climbed up to Justin's bedroom window, noting as he looked inside how much Justin's room could have been the room of a twelve year old. He supposed that Justin had set it up that way when his parents moved to town and never cared enough to change it as he got older. The custom fire-and-brimstone screensaver was playing on the computer screen. Richard tested the window and found it unlocked.

He pulled it open and walked over to the bed, lying down and burying his face in the pillow, breathing in deeply. Essence of Justin; the soft herbal smell of his shampoo, the faint salt of tears that had soaked the pillow, and his personal scent, something like almonds and sweet aromatic spices and Ivory soap all together at once.

[One mile to every inch of,
Your skin like porcelain,
One pair of candy lips and,
Your bubblegum tongue.]

Justin came in a few minutes later, tossing a pair of gardening gloves on his dresser. "Hi, Richard," he greeted softly, almost nonchalantly. Richard sat up, grinning, as Justin came to the bed and lay down beside him, hugging him tight around the waist and resting his head on Richard's stomach.

"Where were you?" He asked. Justin shut his eyes, snuggling comfortably against Richard's body, and replied,

"In the greenhouse. You should see my orchids, they're really beautiful this year."

[And if you want love,
We'll make it,
Swimming a deep sea,
Of blankets,
Take all your big plans,
And break 'em,
This is bound to be a while.]

Orchids. That was another thing that reminded Richard of Justin; the delicate, exotic blooms that he spent so much time with were just like him. Unique, too pretty, and so very fragile...

[Your body is a wonderland,
Your body is a wonder (I'll use my hands),
Your body is a wonderland.]

Justin sat up, his long bangs sweeping forward into his eyes. The smallest suggestion of a smile touched his lips; he understood why Richard was really there. Finding that he didn't to explain himself, Richard pushed Justin's hair back, tenderly cradling the blond's face in his palms.

The kiss was gentle, the movement of their tongues blended together, tumbling into a familiar rhythm of passion and love.

[Something 'bout the way the hair falls in your face,
I love the shape you take when crawling towards the pillowcase,
You tell me where to go and,
Though I might leave to find it,
I'll never let your head hit the bed,
Without my hand behind it.]

When they pulled apart, Richard dropped his lips to trace a path of kisses along the soft curve of Justin's jawline, along the pale cloumn of his throat. A sigh of pleasure swirled from Justin's lush, rosebud lips as he embraced Richard around the shoulders and fell backward to the mattress with him.

[You want love?
We'll make it,
Swimming a deep sea,
Of blankets,
Take all your big plans,
And break 'em,
This is bound to be a while.]

They undressed each other quickly, but with an obvious familiarity and tenderness. Richard kept pausing in his task to lavish Justin with kisses, not that the other boy particularly minded such actions.

He caressed Richard's back and shoulders, reveling in the feel of those hard muscles beneath golden flesh, trembling with desire for him. For him! Sometimes, Justin found it hard to believe that Richard could ever want him, could ever need him and love him the way Richard whispered that he did when they made love.

[Your body is a wonderland,
Your body is a wonder (I'll use my hands),
Your body is a wonderland.]

"Damn," Richard breathed, drinking in the sight of Justin's body with appreciative eyes. His eyes drifted up into Justin's face to see his lover gazing at him with a quizzical look in his dark sapphire eyes.

"What?" Justin murmured softly, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because," Richard replied, gentle laughter in his eyes as he leaned over Justin's slender body, "You're unbelievably beautiful, Justin. Because," he paused for a deep, fervent kiss, sliding one hand up between Justin's legs, causing the boy beneath him to shudder with desire, "I love you so much."

[Damn baby,
You frustrate me,
I know you're mine, all mine, all mine
But you look so good it hurts sometimes.]

Shimmering tracks of tears slid down Justin's pretty face, wetting the sheets and wetting Richard's hands twined gently in Justin's golden hair. "Richard," he groaned sensuously, eyes closed, long lashes glittering with tear droplets, "Richard..."

Each intonation of his name carried some deeper meaning, Richard realized. Each time, Justin's voice was alive with love, gratification, ecstasy, and his persistent sadness. That sadness tugged insistently at Richard's mind; for some reason, it never went away, not even at times like these.

The idea that something had ever made Justin so sad was simply unbearable to Richard. He thrust deeper into the heat of Justin's body, eliciting a louder cying out of his name and a wordless, sighing moan.

"Don't cry, Justin," Richard gasped, "Don't cry...I love you..."

[Your body is a wonderland,
Your body is a wonder (I'll use my hands),
Your body is a wonderland,
Your body is a wonderland.]

Justin's dazed, pleasure-fogged eyes fluttered open to the cool, warmthless winter sunlight streaming through his bedroom window. Richard's eyes were still locked inexorably on his face, watching every emotion, every spasm of sensation passing over it.

Breathless, Justin watched Richard watching him, and saw, finally, the truth in the words that Richard always told him.

"I love you," Richard repeated with a quiet intensity, and he meant it. And Justin knew he meant it.

"I love you, too." Justin whispered for the first time.

~~finis~~