The snow had stopped its torrential downpour before dawn and for a short time , the clouds had cleared from the sky . The sun was already filtering cheerfully into the room , dappling everything with golden light .
Schuldich woke slowly from a pleasant dream ; popping one jade eye open , and then another , momentarily disoriented and thinking that he was still hunched over his desk at the office before he blinked his eyes still fogged with sleep . " Damn ." he muttered groggily , " Forgot to close the curtains ..." He yawned and was about to stumble out of bed when he remembered that he didn't have to go to work .
With a drowsy half-grin , he snuggled back into bed but stiffened when his back hit something soft ... something solid .
Definitely not a pillow .
He turned and met a shock of chestnut hair , just slightly visible above the covers .
A slow smile spread on his face when the bedcovers slid slightly downwards to reveal a certain brunette , sleeping serenely and looking much younger than his eighteen years .
He looked perfect .
Schuldich crawled gently out of bed and stole to his desk where he had placed his camera the night before . He was aware of the strangeness of having an obsession with taking pictures . He had never had a passion for photography before , but now , here he was , always finding himself itching for his camera early in the morning when Ken was around .
Adjusting the lens and pulling the curtains wider to allow just the perfect amount of light , he snapped a picture and then another and another , all from different angles and perspectives , until the roll of thirty-six was consumed and his camera refused to obey him .
The brunette stirred from under the bedcovers , apparently disturbed by the sound . When he opened his beautiful eyes and saw Schuldich , a faint smile working up his features ; like someone waking up to the sight of a good friend or lover .
Schuldich was surprised by how domestic it all seemed . It was as if they had known each other forever , and they had been living together for years . Like an old married couple .
He grinned .
It struck him how strange it was – for him to fall for a boy so young – so guileless , nearly eleven years his junior ; he had always been so concerned with his image ... going out with glamorous men and women alike , mostly supermodels of every sort ; being seen with the rich and famous ... but he had never felt this comfortable waking up with someone else in his bed , even though it was all innocent .
" Guten morgen , mein schatz ." He said cheerfully as the brunette stretched , seeming at ease with the environment ... and the situation they were in – not at all bothered with the fact that he woke up in Schuldich's bed and the said redhead was half-naked and taking photographs of him so early in the morning .
Schuldich wondered if he wasn't really troubled by those facts at all – or it still hadn't registered in his sleep-fogged mind .
" What'd you say ?" He asked , obviously still half-asleep .
" I said , 'good morning' in German ." Schuldich translated , omitting to translate the latter words . He replaced the camera on the desk – he was going to develop them himself later . He flicked open his cigarette case and lit a stick .
So , he had finally and openly admitted to himself that Ken was indeed starting to mean something to him .
" You sleep good ?"
" Yeah . I think I gripped you too tight last night , maybe you got cramps ." Ken apologized ; he wrinkled his nose at the cigarette . " You know , that thing can kill you ."
Ken knew they had slept together and he wasn't freaking out ! " Well , we all have to die sometime ..." Schuldich uttered .
Ken's eyes glazed slightly , but soon , he grinned as he looked up at the redhead with a large yawn . " You want some breakfast ? I'm willing to cook gourmet eggs sunny side up and bacon ."
" Thanks ... but I'll cook . I owe you a meal , don't I ?"
Ken shifted silently and propped himself partly up on his elbows on the bed and gazed at Schuldich with his beautiful grey eyes . " Listen , Schuldich ... there's something I have to tell you ..."
Schuldich was suddenly disconcerted by the uncertainty and discomfort he saw in marking those depths . His lopsided grin faded slightly , suddenly apprehensive without wanting to show it . It was so unlike the Ken he knew .
He put the cigarette on the large crystal ashtray that sat beside his camera and folded his hands against his chest , a brow raised in puzzlement.
" The thing is ..." Ken looked down at his restless hands , a bit embarrassed .
Should he tell Schuldich ? Now ?
Schuldich slowly took a seat on the edge of the bed and raked the tangled mass of his auburn hair with his fingers , trying to make some semblance of order in those fiery waves . " Ken ?" He asked gently and leaned down to get a clear look at Ken's face .
Sunlight streamed from the window and danced on the brunette's , emphasizing the faint tinge of red marking his cheeks .
Why was he blushing ?
" I don't know how to tell you this ... we ... I mean ... we've known ... each other for just a short time ... but – well , I think ..."
Schuldich smiled and took Ken's hands gently in his own ; maybe he knew what the brunette was trying to say – because he felt the same thing as well .
" I love you , Ken ." he said gently , his hands brushed on Ken's shoulder and out of the blue , without any warning , he was pulling the slighter frame against his chest .
Ken's eyes widened in disbelief , in surprise but also in relief and elation . A thousand emotions coursed through his body , each one fighting for supremacy .
Schuldich loved him !
He had been so afraid to tell Schuldich , he didn't know if the redhead would take the news lightly ; if he was going to throw Ken out of his apartment and tell him that he never wanted to see him again ... but ... Schuldich felt the same way !
He had never felt this happy in his life . He had never felt safer ; never been so close to forgetting that ...
" Was that what you were trying to tell me ?" Schuldich looked meaningfully into his eyes , his own jade eyes seemed so mesmerizing . Ken had never seen eyes so green like Schuldich before .
He nodded , still unable to find the right words to say . He opened his lips , but no words came out . A nervous smile graced his lips as he lost himself in the unfathomable depths of the emerald pools .
Schuldich could no longer restrain himself , all the hours of deep thought that he had spent just pondering about what he really felt , all the unspent emotion that had lain dormant in him for years , he yearned to release . He yearned for those soft lips .
Without warning , he leaned forward and captivated Ken's lips with his own , mesmerized by their tenderness and colour and basked in their delicious taste .
Ken relaxed in his arms as the kiss grew deeper , intensifying , and it seemed like a beautiful eternity before they separated to gasp for breath .
Dear Lord . He loved this man-boy . He loved his perfection and his innocence ; his generosity , his guilelessness . He loved everything about him !
" I guess I've been afraid to admit that to you myself . But the truth is , Ken Hidaka , I love you – whether you like it or not ."
Ken laughed softly as he gazed into Schuldich's earnest face .
Life was bliss . He wanted to skip going to work that day and kiss Ken all day long .
† † †
FF.net has been having problems for two whole days now , maybe longer . I hope it gets fixed soon .
Brizey : Nope , the hiatus on Cry of the Captive probably won't take too long . I'm trying to write a phrase or two a day ! *lol* I can't believe that I'm so busy I can't even write a whole page . ^__^
Rosethorn : Hello there ! I'm glad this is the first Schu/Ken fic you've ever seen ! *jumps* O__O;; *shrieks* OUT OF THE BED ROSIE !!! OUT ! ^__^
Schu : We could do a threesome if you like .
Ken : WHAT ???!!!
Schu : *trying to appease the brunette* I was kidding ! Just kidding ! *awkward grin*
Whisper Reilman : Hmmm... I think Aya would win . He has a sword after all . And he likes to 'shi ne' . His shout alone is fatal . Of course Schuldich has his gun and his voice . Now that could kill . Really ? You make me happy by being happy ! ^___^ Strangely though , I've never tasted pocky ! I've never even seen one ! How DOES it taste and what DOES it look like anyway !? ^__~
Mariki : I don't think so ! Hmmm. Maybe Takehito pays attention to Seki , but that doesn't mean he gives a damn about Ken !(Who , by the way , I love better than Seki but I like Seki coz he's got this damn cute voice –yuphedoeshaveagoodsingingvoice - and he's still the seiyuu of Ken after all) Whew . Just a small itsybitsy trivia . Ken is my perfect guy . Really . I mean it . I'll probably look for a boe like him . ^__^ Ken's story SHOULD BE NEXT or I'll STORM to Takehito's office and shi ne HIM !!! *coughnoincestcough*
Misura : *runs away at the squealing* Hypers ! O___O;; and innocence ??!! You're right , I can't imagine that word describing Schuldich . O___O;; *lol at that* That's not silly at all . Sometimes little things can make our lives happier . Even this uh humble fic . *grinz* ^__^
Jenken : I guess he didn't spaz out too much ne ? *lol* Schu for a blanket *lol* I can imagine a sheet-thin Schu snuggling on top of a sleeping Ken . *oooohs and awwwws*
Dan : Yup he's gonna appear ! Wait for him in the next chapter . It's gonna be the basis of the next SIX chapters ! YUP ! SIS ! (don't I make you guys sick ! O__O;;) *lol* *glomps Dan*
Ran Mouri : *LOLLLLL* Oh nooo ! Crawford seems to haunt all of my fics lately ! ^__^ even Ken's ... Ken's ... waaaaah *glomps Crawford*
Anna Hibiki : They do ne ? ^___^ Schu's soooo sweet and Ken's soooo perfect ... *sighs dreamily*