Hirato felt simultaneously energized and drained and was glad to reach his bedroom at the middle of a curved, beige hall way, with a thin layer of white carpeting over the metal floor. He was surprised that, when he opened the door, the light, that panned over his horizontally positioned bed, revealed Tsukitachi was in it, to the left, in a beige short sleeved shirt and light blue shorts.
The corners of Hirato's mouth twitched up, while he closed the door, "And what are you doing here?"
Tsukitachi smiled at how well his friend could detect his sleeping (or non-sleeping) state, "The big wigs sent us here, and I knew you wouldn't mind."
Hirato had slipped off his jacket and now pulled off his shirt, "The same way I wouldn't mind that you took some of my clothes?"
Tsukitachi kept his eyes closed and smirked, "Yeah."
Hirato enjoyed the way he answered and went for his own pants, but paused, self-consciously, "Don't look. I'll be changing now."
Somehow, the mood changed from calculated teasing to both of them blushing and feeling fluttery in their stomachs. It made them turn their backs to each other and Tsukitachi reply, "I wouldn't have looked."
The confession made them blush again. Hirato finished getting dressed, in a white shirt and navy blue shorts, and went over to the bed. "I know you wouldn't. You're a gentleman."
Tsukitachi felt the cooler air creep over his back, when Hirato lifted the covers, but the warmth he felt from Hirato's presence, afterwards, put a smile on his face. He discovered the same level of enjoyment in Hirato, when he turned to face him. Their embrace, with Tsukitachi's right hand draped over his back, while he sifted his left hand through Hirato's hair, and Hirato clung to him, on his shoulders, with his wrists crossed together behind his neck, was a second nature safety net. They both poured love into each other's eyes, as they admired the other.
Hirato confessed, "I did miss you." which earned him a kiss on the cheek. He slid his eyes closed and Tsukitachi felt him smile, so he connected their foreheads after, with his own eyes closed.
"I missed you too."
They both wordlessly agreed to pull back again, with Tsukitachi elevated above Hirato, and they welcomed each other's hands slipping under their shirts to engage in a familiar, light, tickle fight. Their laughter was soft and controlled, affectionate and appreciative.
They came to a mutual end, when they were both overcome with tickled excitement, and Tsukitachi lowered himself, guided by Hirato. They squeezed each other and rocked back and forth, in a current of love. One time wasn't even enough.
Afterwards, Tsukitachi lowered himself next to Hirato, both of them half on their sides, with their heads resting on the pillows. Tsukitachi placed his hand under Hirato's shirt, on his waist and caressed him. Hirato smiled contently with him and guided his hand over to cradle his lower cheek.
Maybe, it was the charge Tsukitachi's movements gave him on such a ticklish area or that his face was so beautifully loving at that moment, but he moved in for a receptive kiss. It was still and begged for more on both ends.
Afterwards, when they locked eyes again, Tsukitachi gave him a dazed grin and Hirato gave him a closed-mouth appreciative smile. "Well, what did you think?"
"Finally," he answered, as he started circles on his waist.
Hirato smiled more, as he leaned in closer to show he liked being tickled, with a small chuckle added. He also pulled more of a smile out of him, when he stroked his cheek again.
"That tickles." Tsukitachi admitted.
Their faces were so close, so Hirato connected their foreheads, and pressed a well-received kiss into his cheek.
"Thank God for you."Hirato confessed with the emphasis of how much he meant it on every word.
Tsukitachi's sentiment was awarded in a kiss on his cheek, close to his mouth. He explained, afterwards, "There's a United Church of Christ church nearby tomorrow afternoon. I saw it on the map. It has a "God is still speaking," sign on it. They're people who believe in research about pro-gay or bi interpretations of scripture or who just knew it without intense Google searches. And then there's also people who are more conservative there for….well, you could only guess why." He realized he was blushing from the way Hirato looked at him, gratefully amused by the fact he had been looking at churches on the map. "It means they would marry us."
Hirato teased him, "But I only want to marry you. I think that's how it works, anyway. Legally, two people, who have reached the age of consent, get married in front of God and everyone. Well, I suppose marriage is about compromise. If you want ours to be a political statement, I can meet you half-way on that. You and me share a room, while everyone else stays in some of the others ones. How's that? Sound good?"
Tsukitachi had been rendered still from how embarrassed he was, but then he laughed, with his eyes closed. Hirato enjoyed the chance to watch him release his nerves.
When he was done and showed him a grateful face, Hirato confessed, "I saw that church too. The inside is nice looking. It will be nicer in person; don't you think?"
Tsukitachi took in the blush that bloomed on Hirato's cheeks, paired with his shy honesty, and extended a kiss on the lips to him.
They weren't about to get to sleep now. They discussed topics like their soon to be wedding church, how enough people must have noticed they wanted to be in a romantic relationship and how friendship and romance can look like the same thing, so only the people involved know if it is or isn't or what they hope it is or isn't.
Hirato also noted, "Kiichi's already like your daughter."
"Yes," Tsukitachi agreed with a chuckle, "although she usually lectures me on proper etiquette."
"Good. Her other dad will be right there with her."
"Oh no." he commented, as they laughed.
"Tsukumo will probably be gentler about it. She is to me."
Tsukitachi paused a moment. He scanned his soon to be husband's expression and considered how to approach this. "You might want to get her a date, before you tell her how much like a daughter you consider her to be."
Hirato furrowed his brow in confusion, "I know many people think she like me-"
"Not think, we know she likes you romantically." Tsukitachi told him.
Hirato offered him a look of slight disbelief and then he looked off to the side in reflection. Her desperate eyes came to mind. She had been so unloved by her old family, but could that really mean she loved him romantically? He turned back to his fiancé, after a few moments, when he was slightly closer to being on the same page.
"We better get some sleep now. We'll need to start early. Only the best will do for my Tsukumo."
Tsukitachi added, "You may not want to call her yours, when you approach her about this. You may not also want to directly say you're trying to get her a date either."
Hirato decided, "A relationship, not a date."
Tsukitachi nodded.