Magnetize

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Final Act

Midorima POV

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When I opened my eyes, the first thing I felt was that my arm was dead. Completely useless. It lay throbbing while a heavy thing draped over it.

I moved my head, I had only realized that I was lying, but it was not my room. The smell was different. It was dim in the room, not completely dark but the light was already out. It meant that it was early in the evening.

I turned towards my dead arm.

Even in the dimness, I could make out the sleeping features of Takao, my all around annoying ex-teammate from Shuutoku. I say annoying because he was the type of person who couldn't keep his mouth shut. Always yapping about something half of the time, even when we had examination weeks and all that.

Always yapping. Like a puppy. I never had a puppy.

I slowly inched towards him, using my other hand to lift the soft black strands of hair away from his face. He had soft facial features for a boy, but even so, no one would mistake him for anything else. He was a guy. A male like me.

So why did the mere sight of his innocent sleeping face make me feel this restlessness inside me, as if I had all the questions the universe wouldn't be able to answer?

I never felt anything, even a slight buzz of attraction to other guys. To me they were just the same type of species that I was, with a pair of bollocks and and a dick hanging between the legs.

But whenever I looked at Takao, there was this – this, like I mentioned before, this restlessness, this small awareness of him. There was always this nagging thought, wanting to know what his reactions would be to certain things, wanting to see the expressions his face could make.

Wanting to know what would put a flush to his cheeks.

Wanting to know how hard the planes of his bodies were. And having embraced him a few moments ago, I could tell his body was hard all over. It wasn't soft like a girl's. It was a man's body, honed and made tough by countless of hours training in basketball.

Yet, even after knowing that, I still couldn't stop the blood from flowing down to my nether region, stiffening my cock, making my mouth feel dry.

My lip was still throbbing in pain.

I leaned down, running my chapped lips over his temple. He smelled of cologne and clean sweat. I wanted to pull back, I had just come in his mouth a while ago, but now I had another raging hard-on. I hoped he wouldn't see it when he woke up. He'd make fun of me. What was I? A dog during the mating season?

I needed to take care of it in the bathroom. The normal me would have immediately done that, eliminating any source of weakness that anyone might hold over me.

But the newness of these sensations that I had just shared with Takao, the complete trust in him, made me just lie there, not wanting to do anything about my erection. Even though my dick was aching, I felt completely at peace. Just by lying there with Takao beside me.

I shifted, so that I lay on my back, making sure I didn't disturb him. He just had a game today. And we had such a rough day with my teammates.

They had never been completely hostile to me, since they were thinking it was Takao who had always been seducing me. That was partly the reason why I had wanted us to just remain as friends. Because I could not always be there for him to protect him from other people's prejudices, so I always felt it was better to hide this – whatever this was that we felt towards each other.

In the end I realized some things really cannot be hidden.

Especially now that both Takao's team and my team had an idea that there was really something between us. In the past I might have denied it vehemently. But now I just did not see the point anymore.

What was that policy in the military?

Don't Ask, Don't Tell?

I know in the US, gay people are more aggressive in showing the definition of who they are.

But it's not the same in Japan. People generally didn't talk about it if people were gay or straight. It was an exception though in our case, since Takao and I were both in the spot light. We were the epitome of athletic masculinity. If we had been just normal students who did not play basketball, we could have done what we wanted.

But the reality was that we were both athletes. And there were no gay basketball players in my school or in Takao's school.

It made me contemplate what I would be doing in my future.

There was still that NCAA offer hanging over my head. And possibly, a chance to get drafted in the most prestigious ball club in the US.

There were two parts of me that could not stand without the other. I was – I cringed mentally – probably, yeah, gay. And I was a basketball player. They were what made up who I was. I could not just be gay. And I could not just be a basketball player.

They both completed me.

And in the real life, they would never go hand in hand.

Could I just choose one?

My thoughts were broken by the R-R-R-R-R which vibrated on the bed.

I felt Takao stir, opening his big black eyes at me, and yawning so wide I was able to count how many molars he had, down to the one that was missing. He reached above him for the cellphone in his jacket. With sleepy eyes, he read his mail. "It's Gorou. He said he's not coming home." He turned to me.

"Hey," he said, his voice scratchy.

I simply gazed at him, letting him know I had been awake for awhile.

He suddenly got up. "Uhmm... Is this – uhh – okay?"

"What about it?" I asked.

He was wildly gesturing with his hand. "This. Uhm... am I smothering you? I can move away a little."

Indeed, our legs were tangled with each other's. I had to snort. "I think the virginal act is a little old. Considering I just came in your mouth," I commented dryly.

Takao gasped, an almost funny sound if I thought he was just kidding. But he was serious. He tried to get up but I held him back. "What is it, now?" I huffed.

"I feel sticky. Yuck."

I tried not to roll my eyes. "Well, it's your jizz."

"Shin-chan!"

"What?"

"What's up with your language? How crude!"

"It really is your jizz. It won't kill you. Would you stop squirming? I haven't worn my glasses for a long time I'm getting a headache."

"Do you want an aspirin?"

"No."

Takao did not stop with his inquisitions. "Okay, water?"

"No," I grumbled.

"Let me turn on the fan,then."

Annoyed, I pulled him roughly towards my chest. "I just want you. Okay?"

Takao stared at me for a moment, gaping like a fish. I used my thumb to close his mouth. I knew I was being uncharacteristically open with my emotions. But I couldn't help it. There was no more reason for me to hold anything in, was there? Especially after what we had both been through.

I decided to shock him more. I purposely leaned to put an open mouthed kiss on his lips. There. That should shut him up.

After a while, he was breathless. "Uhmm – Shin-chan?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you wanna – uh – shower?"

I shrugged. "Yeah. I also feel sticky."

"No, I mean – uhmmm – with me?" Takao asked shyly.

My erection twitched inside my pants. I reached down, grabbed him by the back of his head and angled my lips so that when my tongue penetrated his mouth I could sweep inside him fully. He was startled but after a second he was kissing me as passionately as I was kissing him.

We were running out of breath when we separated. Looking eager, he knelt and began stripping his pants and boxers, giving me a full frontal view of his leaking cock.

This time, he sounded bossy when he barked, "Get naked."

The he went to the bathroom at a half-run, his tight ass bouncing.

I also shed my pants and underwear, my hard member slapping against my stomach. I wish we'd fit in that ridiculously tiny bathroom of theirs.

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We tried going all the way while in the shower, using liquid soap for lubrication since we both didn't have lube or lotion and it seemed too rude to snoop in Gorou's things for one.

We didn't know how difficult it could be. I knew I was big. Of course. I had gigantic shoes. You do the math. I could only put the tip in and Takao looked like he was going to break in half.

Frustrated, we both just jerked each other off until we came. When I told him it would probably take a while before we could try anal again, he looked at me with this puzzled expression and told me we'd be trying it again the next time we had an alone time.

And that, oh, yeah, it was nearly the Summer vacation and that we could fool around when we came home for the summer.

"Let's have sex in your room," Takao suggested, nuzzling my throat.

I lightly slapped his bubble butt cheek. "Doesn't it hurt?"

"Well, yeah, it does. But I still want it."

Smiling against his hair, I held him tight. Here was one person who would always want me, no matter how imperfect and moody I was. Come to think of it, he was really the only one who stayed with me. After all these years.

We held each other tight inside the tiny space, as the water jetted against our skin.

I stayed the night, of course, sleeping while Takao snored on top of me. There wasn't really any other choice. His bed was also ridiculously small and I did not want to sleep in the other bed.

I wore my spare pants the next morning, while Takao lent me one of his bigger shirts. Today was Sunday. No school. No game. It was vacation for both of us.

So we decided to buy a new pair of glasses, replacing the one I had stepped on.

"Hey, remember the time when you lost your glasses in high school?"

"How can I forget?" I snorted at him, while we walked down the street, looking for the right shop. "You teased me so much for having a girly face."

Takao laughed heartily. "Well, your face was girly."

"I shouldn't have shaved that day."

Takao turned up at me, watching me closely. Since we were walking shoulder to shoulder, even without my glasses I could still see him, though it was a bit blurry. "Your face isn't so girly now," he said.

"Tsch."

"Yeah, your face looks... hard and – imposing and mature..."

Again I tsched. "Mature. Does that mean I look old?" I snapped.

Takao said, "No. It means you look hot."

I wished I had my glasses. Whenever I couldn't find the appropriate response, I would keep on adjusting my glasses.

Takao was still smiling cheekily at me.

"You might want to wipe away that smirk off your face, otherwise you might find yourself bent over the nearest vehicle," I growled in the most mature voice I could make.

His smile did disappear. In an awed voice he said, " When you learn how to flirt, you go all out,huh."

I just shrugged at him, hiding my own smirk.

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I had the best weekend of my life with the best friend I could ever find in my existence. Where can you meet the greatest friend that you can also fuck, huh?

When I showed up at the club, I decided I didn't care what anyone there would think of me. Let them guess and wonder what my relationship with Takao was. I honestly didn't care. I wouldn't flaunt it of course, but I figured it was time I stopped being unsure about it.

In general none of my teammates gave me a hard time. They called me their ace, so I knew I was important. I made them also realize that. I would only start listening to any of their opinion if they could beat my 99.99% accuracy in shooting hoops. Sure I had an off-night when Takao and I quarrelled but it wasn't going to happen ever again. So my game was back.

On Monday I had a game. Takao and I discussed about what our behavior would be in public. And we came to an agreement that it was better for him not to watch my matches, and vice-versa.

We won, of course. I easily scored forty points and fifteen rebounds. Whenever one of my teammates missed a shot I would growl at him. I know my attitude was being bratty again, but I couldn't help it. These people hurt the person I valued most in my life. They should spend their time making up for that.

That Monday night when I came home I decided to call Takao's phone. When I opened my phone, there was this message from him. "Hi, Shin-Shin. I'm so beat today. I'll sleep early, okay so I might not be able to call you. Take care."

I felt a little bad that I couldn't talk to him. But it was okay. I could call tomorrow.

The next day when I was free, I called again. It went to voicemail. After a few hours I tried again. Still voicemail. I sent a couple of messages asking about him, but I didn't get a response until the next day.

Takao's message: I'm sorry I wasn't able to return your call. Since it's the last week before summer vacation we have tons of homework. I'll call you when I get the chance.

I knew I was getting worried for nothing. In the past we had gone on without messaging each other for as long as weeks. But that was before. We hadn't been fucking then.

I couldn't help but feel disappointed. Did this mean I was the only one who felt excited about communicating with each other?

Wednesday I tried again, and like what happened the last couple of days, it just went to his voicemail. In my frustration I hurled my phone on my bed, as I sat on the floor, huddled in my dark room. Why would Takao choose this time to abandon me, when he knew everything was still so brand new to me? My sexuality, our relationship, my basketball career...

Suddenly my phone beeped. I got a text message from Takao. It said: I'm so sorry for being so busy, Shin-chan. I promise I'll make it up to you. I love you, okay? Don't forget that.

That idiot. Making me so worried about this – this thing between us.

So this was how it felt to be attached to someone. It had always been basketball for me. I lived and breathed for basketball. Now I had to consider Takao's welfare and whereabouts before I could be calm enough to sleep at night.

But he said he loved me, right? Takao rarely lied.

By Thursday I did not even attempt to call him. I got another message though saying he was still so busy and that he loved me. I tried to be content with that.

Last Sunday, before Takao and I parted we talked about leaving together to go to our hometown. But since I couldn't get ahold of him, I didn't know if I should wait for him or what. By Friday night my clothes were all packed. I had a couple of weeks of vacation before I went back for our basketball training camp. I was sure Takao would also be back for his team's own training camp.

My sempai had already left in the afternoon so I was alone in the room. I fiddled with my phone. If Takao didn't call tonight, I'd call tomorrow to ask when we'd go home.

Could he have gone home first? I gripped my phone. That would mean he would have left me. And Takao would never do that.

He wouldn't.

I sighed, placing my smartphone flat on my face. I didn't think worrying and thinking about someone was this difficult. And Takao said he had been in love with me for years?

How could he have managed that?

I was slowly driftng off to sleep when the phone in my face suddenly rang and vibrated at the same time. I cursed, startled.

When I looked at the caller ID my heart started slamming in my chest. Takao!

"Hello?" I said to the phone.

"Hey, Shin-chan!" he sounded cheerful, like he hadn't been making me feel miserable this past week.

"Yeah, what is it?" I grumbled. I couldn't help it, I was pissed.

"Awww, don't be upset..." he purred.

I snapped, "I'm not upset." I think I said it far too quickly to be convincing.

Takao let out a soft chuckle. "Yes, you are."

"Well, I think you know why I would be upset right now!" I accused him.

I thought he was going to give me a ton of excuses about being busy and shit. I was preparing for another rebuttal. But he just sighed heavily. "Yeah, baby, I know. I'm sorry. Can we – talk?"

I sat up, thinking that there was something more to his tone of voice that he wasn't telling me. "Where are you?"

"In the station near your dorm. Maybe you can come down for a while so we can talk. I need to be back to my dorm before midnight."

I looked at the time. It was already 10:45PM and I knew it took fifty one blasted minutes to get back to his university. Like, we only had less than 30 minutes to talk before he had to hurry back? Well, that's bullshit. "Come up here, Takao. If I don't see your scrawny ass in ten minutes in front of my room I'm going back home tomorrow without you!" I yelled.

I heard him take a deep breath. "But your roommate – "

"Has already left."

"Wow. So, it's just – the two of us? I like that."

"Shut up. Ten minutes." Then I hung up the phone.

And sure enough, eight minutes after I heard his soft knocks on my door. I opened it wide, my face a mask of utter annoyance.

And as always, he was smiling brightly at me. "Hi," he piped up.

"Hn." I turned away to walk over to my bed. I heard him close the door.

I was preparing to ask the crucial first question of why he didn't bother calling me. But when I turned to him, he hurled himself towards me, pushing me down with his weight until we fell on my bed.

"Takao – what the – "

He began kissing me in earnest, wrapping his arms tight around my neck, as he straddled my waist. I was effectively pinned under him. It was ridiculous. He was so small compared to me but I felt his deperate need to get close to me, to burrow under my skin.

He was shaking.

I pulled away. "Takao, what's wrong?" I asked, concerned.

He merely shook his head and kissed me again. "Please, just... Dammit, I missed you so much."

With shaking hands, he tugged down the shorts I was wearing, revealing my half hard member. Takao wasted no time. He knelt before me and swallowed me to the root. I was shocked as the tip of my cock nudged his throat. I wasn't fully erect yet.

After a few minutes I was painfully hard, sliding in and out of his mouth. His eyes were closed, both of his hands gripping me, while his mouth steadily sucked.

It was unbelievably hot, watching him lose it like this. He fucking missed me? Then why didn't he just call me?

I suddenly grabbed him by the pits and pulled him up. His eyes flew open, looking alarmed. 'Shin-chan, I want to – "

"Ssshhh, not like that. C'mere..." I laid him on the bed, unfastened his jeans, pulled down his zipper and took out his hard cock, enveloping it and mine in my large hand. Takao spread his legs even wider to accomodate me in between.

I stroked up and down on both our shafts vigorously, watching him writhing underneath me, his face flushed with heat, his mouth gasping out soft moans. I leaned down and kissed his precious mouth, tasting myself in it.

We were both close, I could feel it, I could feel the tension in his shoulders, the strain in his neck. After one week of not seeing him I was also ready to lose it, I was so mad at him. And I missed him like hell.

I gripped more tightly.

With a keening cry, Takao came all over my hand. I kept on pumping until I felt my own orgasm claiming me.

It took a few minutes befre our breathing became even. I lay face down beside him, almost on top of him, allowing our mixed cum to cool on his shirt.

"Shin-chan?"

"Mmm?"

"Were you waiting for my call?"

I did not lift my face. It was pathetic to hold a grudge against him. And now, it embarrassed me that I had sounded upset over the phone. I sounded like a diva.

Takao shifted on his side so that he could bury his face on my neck and wrap both his arms and legs around my body. "I resigned from the team," Takao whispered.

That was when I looked at him, shocked with what I heard. "What?"

He received my incredulity with a soft calm smile. "It's done. I'm choosing you over everything. I'm choosing us."

"When? Why?"

He closed his eyes as he explained. "I resigned last Tuesday. Finished all the paper work by today, on top of my real homework. So see? I really didn't lie to you. I have a lot of homework for the summer. They're retracting my scholarship."

"You – what? Then how will – "

"I also got a student loan. I already told my parents about my losing the scholarship and they were willing to send a little money every month. I calculated my expenses and I think if I don't spend a lot of money going out I will be able to manage, between my parents' money and my loan. Besides, since I have so much free time now, I can get a part time job."

"Takao!" I roared at him. "Tell me why you resigned!"

"I don't see the point of it anymore, Shin-chan. During junior high and high school, when I think back on it, the only reason why I wanted to excel in basketball was because you were there. And now that I have you, I'd rather have you than basketball. From here on out, while we continue having this relationship it would be almost impossible to avoid all the pressures and prejudices coming from people who don't approve of us. It's not that I'm a coward. But I want to make it easier for you, Shin-chan. I can lose basketball. You can't. And I don't want you, too."

I loomed above him, trying to read into everything that he was saying. He was still smiling serenely. I cupped his face in my hands, carressing his cheeks. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I know you will stop me. And I want it to be my decision, so if I ever regret it in the future I don't want you to have anything to do with it. That was why I didn't talk to you since Monday. I wanted to think about it on my own, so that whatever the outcome will be, then I'm the only one responsible for it."

"You should have told me."

"I know. But I know I still did the right thing. It will be easier for you to play if no one knows me or if I'm not a public name. I want us to last. And I want you to keep playing. I can give up basketball. I'm not planning to play after I graduate anyway."

"But don't you – don't you feel bad about giving it up?" I asked gently.

Takao tried another smile, but that was one I noticed the slight trembling on his chin. "It's just like losing an arm. It would hurt and I would miss it. But I'll live. Yeah – " His voice broke. "I will live."

I sat up, pulling him to my chest, tucking his face under my chin. I felt his shoulder shake a little, and right there and then I knew he was crying. I didn't want to watch him cry so I just let him carry on, my hand soothing his back.

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Later after we had both calmed down, him from crying and me from utter shock, we lay naked on my bed burrowed under the blanket. Takao looked completely calm and collected now as he ran his fingers on my spine.

Now it was my turn to make my announcement.

"I'd like us to live together," I declared.

"Haaa?" Takao asked sharply.

"You heard me."

"But you have this dorm," he countered.

I stubbornly said, "I'm not wasting any more time being apart from you. You make the most stupid decisions when I'm not around."

Takao pouted, glaring at me. "It wasn't stupid! Now we don't have to face each other in the court and fuel all those rumors going around the district. This is lying low, my style."

"Lying low is not quitting."

"To me they can be the same."

"I'm not going to accept the NCAA offer."

Takao shot up so fast my vision spun. "What the hell are you talking about? Just because I quit doesn't mean that you also – "

"With all due respect to you as my – "I coughed. " – lover, I had wanted to tell you this earlier this week if only you had picked up your phone."

"But – but why?"

"I want to play basketball, Takao, don't get me wrong. But I want to do it in Japan. I will play until I graduate."

"But you could be an NBA player by that time!"

"You suck in English, Takao."

"What does that mean?" Takao asked, tugging at my shoulder.

"It means I want to live together here, not in America. Their ways are not our ways. I can always use my talent in basketball here. Besides, don't you want to have a doctor for a lover?"

'Well, yes – but –"

"But you always thought I would choose basketball over Medicine. Yes, that may be true. But I'm not choosing it over you. I can always coach if I want to. You know how schools need part time coaches these days. I can squeeze it in during my practice. I can do half and half."

Takao still looked crushed. "Are – are you sure?"

"To tell you the truth I've never been sure about that NCAA thing anyway. That's why I asked you. Here. Remember?"

"How could I forget?" Takao said.

"We probably shouldn't come home yet. Not tomorrow."

"Why?"

"We're looking for an apartment first, then I'll be off to training camp. After we settle everything here, then that's when we come home."

"Are you sure?" He still sounded tentative.

My response was to pull him towards my naked chest, feeling the hard planes of his body and loving every stretch of skin my hand could touch. "I'll tell you when I change my mind," I said, trying to kid him.

"What?!"

"Just shut up and sleep. You said we'd have sex in my room."

"In your parents' house," Takao clarified.

"This is still technically my room," I argued, nipping his earlobe. I felt him shudder against me.

I lay on top of him, feeling him spread his thighs so he could cradle me between his legs. I braced my weight on my two elbows knowing I was too heavy for him.

"I love you," he mouthed.

Chuckling, I lay my forehead against his. "I'll wake you up when I get horny."

"Shin-chan! How crude!"

I hadn't realized until then that the only genuine times I laughed in the past was when I was with Takao. Not trying my luck in NCAA was a very small price to pay in order to keep this this thing between us alive.

I loved basketball, yes, but if Takao was not there, it would hold no meaning for me.

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And this story happened ten years ago.

Now I'm a certified Internal Medicine Specialist, working for a hospital and coaching part time in Shuutoku junior high school basketball club. Yes, I came back to my old high school to coach.

I still live with my partner Takao who works in a trading company.

We continue arguing over the smallest of things, like whose turn it is to take out the trash, or to air out the futon. Sometimes our full blown fights will last for a whole day, but by night time we have to kiss and make up because we both can't sleep if there's an inch of space between us on the bed. Until now he snores on top of me.

And until now we cannot get enough of each other.

He still can't drink alcohol worth shit.

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Peace out everyone. Thanks for the lovely reviews.