CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
You say we're just friends
but I swear when nobody's around
You keep my hand around your neck,
we connect,
are you feeling it now?
'Cause I am
I got so high the other night,
I swear to God,
I felt my feet leave the ground
Khalid
"Thank you for smuggling me out of prison," Tyson was saying, the lights coming off the screen playing on the side of his face. "I am indebted to you forever, Mr. Hiwatari." He giggled, tugging on a licorice in his hand with his front teeth.
"Don't call me Hiwatari," said Kai, tearing his eyes away from Tyson's red candy-stained mouth. The walls of the hotel so quiet as though they were listening in on their conversation. The audio of the movie was set on low volume precisely so Tyson could talk Kai's ears off. He welcomed it. He hadn't heard him chatter away like this in a long time. "I hate that name."
"But it's your name," Tyson argued with a laugh stuck in the back of his throat. "And that's what your company is called. Hiwatari Enterprises."
"Hiwatari Industries," Kai corrected him.
"I-" Tyson cut himself off to stare at Kai like he was done with him, lips forming unsaid words and phrases and curses and whatnot before snapping them together in a tight purse. "My point still stands. If you hate it so much then why don't you just change it?"
As if Kai hadn't considered that option ages ago. He would've stripped himself of all of his association to his grandfather's godforsaken name and reputation if he could, but changing his name along with the company's title and trademark would have involved too much trouble. Trouble that wasn't worth his time. Or money for that matter. "Can't," Kai summed up his thoughts on the suggestion in one word for Tyson.
"Why?" His eyes were bigger than usual today. Had he always been that doe-eyed? He looked liked fucking Bambi as he waited for Kai to reply. "Too much trouble?"
Hello, mind reader. "Hn" Kai held out his palm for a candy. Tyson hadn't held back at all when he had asked him to order room service earlier. And Kai hadn't bothered to stop him when he'd gone from getting a lobster into the room to calling for all the varieties of confectionery available in the hotel's pantry because he was finally eating well. His cheeks were regaining their glow after weeks of being sunken and Kai longed to see Chipmunk Tyson again.
Tyson gasped dramatically. "You want chocolate?" He brought a hand to his chest in mockery. "Oh my God! Is this real? Am I dreaming?"
"Shut up and give me one."
Tyson laughed then grinned, eyes forming crescents and nose crinkling, pearly whites on display. "Really?" he asked, hand falling from his chest. "I thought it was unhealthy?"
Kai rolled his eyes. "Eating one candy won't kill me, Tyson."
"But I thought you hated candy?"
"I never said that."
Tyson gasped again. That was it. Kai dropped his hand. He didn't have the patience for Tyson's theatrics. He'd just wanted to try the licorice because the way Tyson ate the sweet made it look...Forget it. He didn't want it that much anyway. "Nevermind"
"No no no no," Tyson backpedaled, quickly schooling his expression and snatching up a gummy bear from his lap. Kai had been asking for the licorice but well, he wasn't going to explicitly demand for it. "Can I do it?"
Do what? Kai directed a baffled stare his way. Tyson's grin grew as he shuffled around on the couch to face Kai. "This is a legendary moment. Please?" he requested, holding up the sweet to Kai's mouth, purple light gliding across his skin.
Was he seriously offering to feed him candy? Kai couldn't decide whether he felt disgusted or intrigued. Tyson was a strange creature. His hand hovered near his lips and Kai stared in wonder as Tyson slowly and unconsciously drew his own lip into his mouth to bite down on it in excitement. God help him.
"You're crazy," Kai told him.
Tyson giggled again, the sound bouncing off Kai's ears in tinkles that tickled the sides of his neck as he leaned in, the line of his waist dipping as he stretched sideways on the couch to reach Kai. "Aw come on, I'll be able to brag about it for ages afterward."
"Is that really something to brag about?"
Tyson pouted, lips irresistible. Kai almost caved right then. "Don't ruin my fun," he said through the pout, nudging Kai with the gummy bear.
He was actually going to go through with it. He recalled Tyson's words clearly. 'I'm not interested in you. Not like that. Not anymore.' Then what are you doing, Tyson? thought Kai. What are you doing calling me to sleep over at your place? Coming with me to my hotel room and acting like you are you and I am me when we're not who we used to be anymore?
Kai opened his mouth, gaze on Tyson's brown brown eyes. He felt the brush of Tyson's fingers against his lips as the candy met his tongue, watching Tyson's pout smooth into a relaxed line. He closed his mouth, tasting the sticky tips of Tyson's fingers before he withdrew them. Kai saw the way Tyson's lips thinned as he retracted his hand and settled back into the couch. The tension between them thick enough to cut with a knife.
What a bad idea, Tyson. May be if you stopped lying to yourself we could be who we used to be again. May be. Just may be. Kai heard him draw a deep breath, the outline of his chest rising in the dim light. What even was playing on the TV? Kai had no idea. He'd let Tyson pick the movie and neither of them had paid attention past the first ten seconds; Tyson more interested in trying out all the different sweets and Kai in watching him do it.
Kai jutted out his chin, grappling for a safe conversational topic as Tyson tore open a snickers bar and began munching on it silently. The gummy bear tasted terrible. He swallowed it, extremely aware of Tyson's bright presence by his side. He wore a downy pink shirt with big white horizontal stripes and sleeves that cut off midway between his elbow and wrist, washed out blue jeans covering his legs.
It was hard. To have him near but not near enough. To want to touch him and have him in arm's length and not be able to reach out or tell him the things he wanted to tell him. And Kai didn't know what he wanted to say but he felt like he had a lot of things to say to Tyson. Pull him close and look into his eyes and tell him. Tell him how his heart was about ready to burst.
Kai turned his head toward Tyson and he glanced back at him, face open and soft. Do it, Kai, said the voice inside his head. Do it the way you did two years ago. Take him by the waist and make him remember. Kai curled his fist to keep himself from touching Tyson. If he wanted to, he'd come to me, thought Kai.
But he had come. He was here. What was he doing here?
The curtains were parted, allowing the city lights to stream in. They were fifty floors above the ground, the tips of other skyscrapers in the area visible from this high up. It seemed as though all the lights around them had been dimmed enough to highlight Tyson's presence in his room. On the couch. A foot away. Waiting for Kai to say something. To do something. Unwrapped Snickers bar forgotten.
He gulped, feeling like he'd swallowed a lot of air. His heart galloped away in his chest. The beats loud enough to be heard in the quiet. He lifted a hand, feeling like he was at the top of a rollercoaster, right before it fell. Tyson stayed still as the side of Kai's index finger grazed his chin. A jolt of electricity shot up his arm at the contact. His breath caught in his lungs as he brought up a thumb and hovered above his lips: slightly swollen and cherry stained from the red licorice he'd been sucking on.
Kai met Tyson's gaze, full of life, full of a light that did things to Kai's insides. His heart jumped at the glint he found in his chocolate irises. His thumb touched Tyson's warm mouth and heat pooled in his gut. He didn't flinch or create distance between them. He waited with dark eyes and Kai applied a tiny bit of pressure so that his thumb met Tyson's lower teeth and his mouth fell open, slicking the tip of his finger. His breath stuttered out over Kai's skin and he pulled out. Slowly. Tyson's saliva leaving a cold sensation on the patch of skin that had been coated with it as it dried.
What do you want, Tyson Granger? Kai wondered as he let his hand slide under Tyson's ear, thumb resting on his soft cheek. He leaned in, giving him enough time to move away. He didn't. Gaze steady on Kai's. The lights from the movie painted his face in different colours. His eyes were so beautiful. Kai loved the shape of them. Loved the way the thick, long lashes framing them made them look like they were lined with kohl. But most of all, the emotions he saw swirling in them. "Tell me to stop if you don't want to," he whispered to him.
Tyson's gaze drifted from one of Kai's eyes to the other. Then came back to focus on the first. He drew a breath like he wanted to say something and Kai waited, but nothing followed. Tyson blinked once, pupils wide; he wasn't high though. Kai let his gaze drop and listened to the way Tyson's breath hitched. He tilted his head and inched closer, his heart hammering so hard he was sure it was going to fly all the way out of his body. "Tell me to stop," Kai said again. Tyson did nothing. And Kai felt his stomach drop. What are you doing, Tyson? What are you doing? What do you want me to do?
This close, Kai could smell him. The shampoo in his hair, the soap on his body, the fake fruits on his breath. Kai leaned in till his nose touched the skin right next to Tyson's and he heard him make the tiniest of sounds. His fingers pressed into his neck and cheek and he kissed him. Tyson let out a sound of surprise as Kai poured two years worth of longing into the kiss. Tyson, he wanted to tell him. I didn't want to let you go. I didn't mean to walk away. I wanted to go up on our hill with you and hold you in my arms for as long as possible. I missed you. I missed your smile, your laugh, your jokes, your pouts. I loved you. I love you.
He kissed his upper lip, then his lower lip, wound an arm around his waist and pulled him close before opening his mouth and tasting him. Tyson kissed him back, with equal fervour, hands skittering up to his collar and the back of his head to drag him into himself. Kai pressed him into the couch and tilted his head further to get better access and Tyson started to moan beneath him. Their kisses were loud in the quiet room and Kai couldn't stop. Tyson's hand slid into his hair and he pulled, coaxing a broken sound from Kai. Two years. Two fucking years he'd been deprived of this. Kai wanted to pull him into his lap but he couldn't. He had to be mindful of Tyson's leg. He sucked in his tongue and felt Tyson shiver against him. He ran the hand he had on the side of his neck down to the front of his throat and squeezed lightly. Tyson's breath caught and he surged up against him. Kai yearned to put his hands everywhere. Turn him into a writhing mess under him. He pinned him into the couch cushion till he felt the pressure in his gut mount to a compelling need and then he had to stop. He pulled away. Slowly. Pressing close mouthed kisses against Tyson's lips and forcing himself to put distance between their bodies. Tyson chased after him, wanting more.
Kai stared at him, breathing heavily till Tyson opened his eyes and read his expression for a moment before the cloud of blatant desire in his irises cleared up and he fell back into the couch with a sigh, Kai's hand resting against his throat. He planted a kiss on the side of his jaw and let go of him. Tyson followed his actions with a hooded gaze, mouth still open and inviting. Kai fisted the cushion adjacent his head, licking his lips and finding the lingering taste of Tyson. "Not interested like that, huh?" Kai asked, voice filled with more air than actual sound.
The question seemed to snap Tyson out of something, vaporizing the liquid want in his gaze. He blinked, turning his attention to his lap where the abandoned Snickers lay, ready to ruin his jeans. Tyson plucked it from his lap and set it on the table after straightening out the wrapper. His movements notably sluggish as if coming out of a stupor. Kai released the cushion, watching as Tyson eased back into the couch, head still hung low. He let out a single, dumbfounded laugh, the corners of his mouth quirking up, revealing a bit of teeth. "Okay" he said, the syllables delivered with an airy mixture of astonishment and amusement. He fiddled with his hands, cracking his knuckles and lightly hunching his shoulders before raising his gaze to Kai's, stealing his breath for a moment. Tyson looked away again. "Wow" he said in a way that was barely discernible, the muscles in his jaw flexing as he clenched it. He appeared borderline embarrassed, but mostly confused. There wasn't anything Kai wouldn't have given to know what was going through Tyson's mind in that instant.
Kai had allowed him plenty of time to shove him off, but he hadn't. Why did he seem so surprised now? Tyson cleared his throat and lifted his head, then changed the topic. "My cast is coming off tomorrow," he announced cheerily, voice pitched slightly higher than normal.
Kai held his stare, letting him know he was choosing to let it go for now. "Is it?" he humoured him.
"Yep! Can't wait to walk again. Man, it's been a decade," Tyson sighed, shaking his head. His leg was encased in plaster which had once been neat and not scribbled all over with coloured sketch pens and Sharpies. No doubt the work of his friends and Tyson himself. They were extremely talented artists. The cast looked absolutely horrible. Kai glanced back at Tyson to find him snatching his gaze away from him. His heart thrummed quietly, bleeding colour into his insides, painting them with alien feelings. Feelings that felt new and old at the same time. He wondered if he'd ever been this much of a sucker for anyone. Or anything.
What are you doing, Tyson? What are you doing to me?
Kai watched him clasp his hands daintily, eyes on his joined palms, and then on the screen. The credits had begun rolling a long time ago, labels and company names were gliding up now. His lips tingled. Something in his chest popped and fizzed each time he snuck a look at the boy next to him. Jesus fucking Christ. What was wrong with him? He was gone. Completely gone.
A/N: HELLO, HAPPY NEW YEAR. IT'S 2020 YALL! HOPE YOUR YEAR'S OFF TO A GREAT START. By the way, these dumb boys are so dumb. God help them. This scene had to be a single chapter because I didn't want anything else taking away the importance of it. And it's the start of the year so let's start it beautifully. Hope you enjoyed. Thank you for reading. Leave a comment. I love you all. See you soon.