A Florist's Weekend

Where are my keys?

      "Okay, has anyone seen my keys?"  I asked very annoyed.  I'd only been looking for them for about an hour.  I knew I had left them right on the counter.  I remembered very clearly leaving them right on that counter.  That was yesterday. But I was only planning to leave them a few minutes. I told myself 'I'm just gonna grab a sandwich', I was really hungry.  I wanted to grab something to eat before I left to go see this movie, so I just set them on the counter.  Omi was in the kitchen; he had looked a little flushed.  I remembered, I asked him if everything was all right.  He said yeah, and smiled that little smile that only Omi can do.  I've begun to just call it the Omi smile.  I asked him where everyone was, and that's when he informed me that he'd just gotten home.  So in other words he really didn't know.  I shrugged.  So I didn't know where the other two were, it didn't matter to me.  But in reality, it did.  Or rather Youji did.  I had the idea that he was probably out ravishing some lady friend over a dinner and then, well that was the part I didn't want to think about.  The part I didn't like thinking about.  Instead I tried to decide if I wanted a ham or turkey sandwich.  Ham I decided.  So I went about making my sandwich.  I finished it and promptly ate it.  Like I said I was hungry.  I was just wiping up my crumbs when I heard the door open.  Now this is when I noticed that Omi wasn't in the room anymore, so I just thought that maybe he had left again.  Well he had left but that wasn't the reason the door was opening.  It was Youji.  He looked horrible too.  I gave him one good look over and knew he'd been drinking.  He reeked of alcohol.  I thought that it was kinda weird that Youji would be so drunk so early.  I mean it was barely eight o'clock.  I watched him stumble a bit before I walked over to him.  I didn't know what to do; he seemed so out of it, so non-Youji like.  I didn't even bother asking if he was all right.  It wasn't as if I couldn't tell by looking at him.  I just wrapped my arm around his waist and swung his arm around my shoulder.  I felt him leaning on me as I directed him towards his room.  I kinda used my foot to slide things out of the way because Youji's room was a mess.  His room is always mess.  I helped him sit on the bed.  He just about dropped.  I thought he'd fallen asleep.  I kneeled down besides the bed and started to take of his boots.  I finished and was leaving.  But I took one glance back.  I know why I had too.  I just wanted to look at him sleeping.  But then I noticed that he might get cold, and then he might get sick.  And well I felt bad about just leaving him like that.  So good old Ken here decided to cover him up.  Luckily most of the blankets were kicked off the bed, because I really didn't think I could cover him up if he were lying on the blankets.  So, I covered him up.  I was just about ready to leave when Youji started to talk.
     "Ken?"  He mumbled almost incoherently.  But I heard him.

      "Hai," I heard myself replying, even though I didn't remember telling myself to reply.

      "Don't go."  I was surprised at that.  His voice sounded so needy, yet I never thought that he'd be needing me to stay.  I told myself, that he just didn't want to be alone.  He could have just as easily asked Omi or Aya to stay and that it was only because I happened to be the one to help him to his room.  But that was all the time I had for thought as I realized that Youji was sitting up and had gotten a hold of me.  He not so gracefully pulled me down with him.  It wasn't threatening or lustful.  It was just needy.  I guess he just needed to be with some one, to be comforted with human contact.  That was something all of us needed.  Youji pulled me close.  I could hear the slow rhythmic beating of his heart and the warmth of his body.  Then there was the smell of alcohol.  I silently wished that Youji hadn't drunken so much, then maybe I'd have been able to smell Youji himself instead of the alcohol.  I stopped myself from thinking.  I wanted to stop thinking and just lay there.  I don't how long I just laid there half on top half next to him.  I know at some point he fell asleep and his grip loosened, but I never moved.  And at some point I fell asleep, because before I knew it the sun was peaking in the cracks of Youji's blinds.  Of course that wasn't the only thing that woke me up. Someone was knocking on the door.  I felt Youji stir next to me.  I looked over at him.  He seemed a little surprised to see me next to him.  He probably didn't remember anything, or at least I thought.  The person knocking on the door decided that they'd have better luck if the just opened it.  Of course it wasn't locked, because like I said I was planning on leaving.  I didn't see who it was.  Quite frankly I didn't care at the moment.  I just curled up next to Youji burying my face in his shirt.  Whoever walked in must be a little shocked, I thought since they hadn't said anything.

      "Yes?"  Youji asked first.  I could feel the vibrations, caused from him talking, as I laid next to him my head on his chest.

      "I..I …was.. just…looking for …Ken."  It was Omi.

      "Well as you can see he's right here."  He must have been embarrassed.  He kinda of muttered some kinda of reply and excused himself out the door.  As for me I never looked up.  I knew my cheeks were tinged with red.  I felt him lift my head up to meet his eyes.  They looked different.  I don't remember the last time I saw his eyes like that.  Heck, I don't think I'd ever seen his eyes like that.   He seemed almost happy.  "Ken, You didn't have to stay."  I smiled.  He was trying to thank me.  He didn't have to do that.  I should have been thanking him.  I glanced at the clock.  Oh no!  I was suppose to be at the park in an hour and I still needed a shower.  It was Saturday.  Every Saturday I went to the park to teach the kids to play soccer.  I already knew I was going to be late.  I started to get up.  Youji knew where I was going.  He knew where I went every Saturday and so he didn't asked why I was leaving.  Yet before I got out a range, He pulled me too him planting a soft kiss on my cheek.  However red they were then, they got even redder, if that was possible.  I stumbled my way to my bedroom and them to my bathroom, clumsily turning on the shower all the while the thinking, 'He kissed me'.  So now I'm still looking for my keys.  I had gotten no answer when I asked the first time so I tried again.  I was already late to the park.

      "Have you guys seem my keys?"  Aya glared at me annoyed.

      "Why don't you try retracing your steps?"  He answered in a tone meant for a child.
      "What do you think I've been doing for the past hour?"  I snapped angrily at him.  I wasn't a child.  He only glared at me.

      "Maybe you left them in Youji's room?"  Omi peeped in, blushing at the comment.  So did I.  But I know I didn't leave them in there.  However this seemed to peak Aya's interested, who kinda looked at me with a dumb expression.  If it was in any other situation I might have laughed.  I sighed.  Maybe I was just crazy and I didn't leave them sitting on the counter.  At this rate I'll never get to the park.  I growled frustrated.  I would have been to the park by now, if I had just spent all this time walking instead of looking for my keys.  I bent down to check the floor again.  Surprisingly enough they weren't there, just like they weren't there the other twenty times I had looked.

      "Hi, Youji."  I heard Omi say.  Youji must have come out of his room.  I felt him walk up behind me. 
     "Lose something?"  He asked teasingly.  I only had to glance up and give him the don't-start-with-me-glare.  He smiled at me.  He only smile and my whole glare just melted away.  "Come on, I'll drive you down."

      "Yeah but there's still the matter of my missing keys."  I pointed out.

      "So.  I'll help you look for them after you get back."  He grinned.  I knew I was done for after that grin.  I agreed and we left.  But I didn't miss the looks that we were getting from both Omi and Aya.  Although the looks we were getting form Aya weren't as readable as Omi's.  I shrugged.  I didn't care about it right now.  So we left.  The car ride there was quiet, but yet it wasn't an uncomfortable silence.  Nothing between us was ever uncomfortable.  That's one of the things I liked most about him.  We could just be together and I wouldn't feel the need to fill the silence with something.  I think that that's hard to find.  It's hard to find somebody who knows what you're thinking.  We pulled in to the park and I'm surprised that he also gets out.  I quirk an eyebrow at him.

      "I didn't think soccer was your sport."  I ask sarcastically.

      "Well you need a ride home.  So I figured I hang out till then."  He smirked at me.  "Or is that a problem?"  I shake me head.

      "Nope no problem here."  I answer, smiling.  The kids are upset that I'm late, but they understand after I explain what happened.  They're good kids after all.  We have a couple hours of playing time before the children have to leave to eat their dinners.  I waved to the last child as he leaves to go home with his mother.  I turned to head back towards the car.  Youji's leaning against it smirking.  He's like the cat about to pounce on a mouse, smirking all the time.  "What's so funny?"  I asked. He doesn't reply, only shakes his head and gets into the car.  I followed him.  I accept the fact that that's the only answer I'll get.  It's enough for me. It's enough for me to see him smile. That's always been enough for me.  We walked upstairs to the apartments.  He stops.  He pulls me to the side.  It's like he wants to say something.  I see his lips trying to form the words but nothing comes out.  I think he gave up on the words because I slowly see him leaning forwards closer to me.  I feel his breath on my face.  It smells like mint now.  It's so different from the alcohol smell it had last night.  I close my eyes.  The door opens.  Of all times, I look over it's Aya.  He looks at us with that same look he used earlier.  It's gone before I can place it.  It's covered up with a glare as he stomps off down the way we had just come.  I briefly wonder what's wrong with him before turning my attention back towards Youji.  I give him a questioning look.  He only shrugged.  He didn't know the answers either.  We walked inside.  Omi was gone again.  He seemed to be disappearing a lot more lately.  I wonder what he's up to, but only briefly for Youji's was leading me towards his bedroom.  I feel his lips on my neck, as he stands behind me, leading me closer to his room.  I don't mind.  I like being with Youji.  Needless to say I never did find my keys.  But of course I already knew they weren't in Youji's room, which is where I spent the night.