Chapter 8
Hiroki was standing in one of the dark corners watching Akihiko leading the mystery boy to another dance. Hiroki was smiling. That's the first time I have seen him truly happy. Hiroki leant against the wall arms crossed. He looked down and away from them.
"Hiro-san?" Asked someone beside him.
Hiroki lifted his head and looked up who was asking. Of course he recognized that soft and kind voice. And no one else didn't call him like that.
"O-oh, hello Nowaki." He stuttered little. Hiroki was crushing really hard on the tall guard. And all the things he had done to him and helped Hiroki with increased his feelings.
Nowaki smiled wide but the smile faded. "Why aren't you having fun over there?" He asked and pointed to the dance floor where lot of people were having a good time.
"I'm not good at dancing and there isn't really a person who I want to dance with..." Hiroki said blushing and looked away from Nowaki so he wouldn't see his red face. So embarrassing.
"Oh.." Nowaki said sad and looked down. No he understood wrong. It's you I want to dance with but.. It would look suspicious to others and Fuyuhiko maybe wouldn't like that. A grand duke of the king and a guard. But Hiroki couldn't control his heart and his feelings.
"No…I meant there..on the dance floor isn't anyone certain I would want to dance with. Maybe that someone is r-right beside me.." Hiroki muttered with a face red as tomato.
Nowaki's face lit up and smiled wide. He heard Hiroki very clearly.
"Hiro-san! You want to dance with me?" He asked loudly.
"Shh.. not so loud. Someone might hear." Hiroki shushed Nowaki. But Nowaki didn't care about others. He bowed and extended his hand to Hiroki smiling.
"Would you like to dance..with me, Hiro-san?" He asked politely.
Hiroki blushed really red, smiled shyly and placed his hand on Nowaki's. "Yes but… Wouldn't everybody see us there?" Hiroki asked unsure and nodded to the dance floor. Nowaki just smiled.
"Well, how about just here.." Nowaki said and led him a little deeper to the darkness of the corner. Nowaki placed his other hand on Hiroki's waist and held his other hand up where Hiroki's other hand was placed. Hiroki looked up little wider eyes and his gaze softened. He placed his hand on Nowaki's shoulder and smiled.
"Yes here's..nice."
They could still hear the sweet music even though they were a little away from the dance floor and the darkness and the dim lightning from the window where the moon shone brightly through. The atmosphere was romantic and it was just the two of them.
They looked at each other in the eyes with sweet smiles on their faces. Hiroki looked down blushing and leant on Nowaki's chest hiding his face. Nowaki looked down at Hiroki. He lifted his face up again and smiled. And to both of their surprise Hiroki stood on his toes and kissed Nowaki's cheek with a little peck. Nowaki's eyes widened but smiled. In return he kissed Hiroki's cheek. Both were blushing and smiling. They hugged each other and swayed with the music.
For a while they were quiet but soon Nowaki moved his mouth close to Hiroki's ear and so softly whispered.."I love you, Hiro-san."
Hiroki gasped and his heart just exploded. "Oh...Nowaki." Hiroki said a little wobbly.
Nowaki lifted his head with a smile still in his face.
"I have for a long time. Since I met you. Since I looked into your eyes, Hiro-san." Nowaki kept whispering.
Hiroki couldn't hold it anymore. Regardless of what others thought.
"I..I love you too." He whispered and looked deep into those dark blue eyes of the handsome man.
Nowaki looked shoked but grushed Hiroki into a hug. "Hiro-san! I'm so happy."
Hiroki just leant into him and smelled the lovely scent of the man. Nowaki seperated them little from the hug but still held Hiroki. He started to lean closer with his face and looked little lower. Hiroki noticed that he was staring at his lips and his heart started to hammer in his chest.
Hiroki also leant closer, closer and closed his eyes, waiting.
At the dance floor
Misaki giggled a bit as Akihiko led him again to the center of the room. "Isn't it rude to dance with the same person every time?"
"I don't want to dance with anyone else." Akihiko looked down at him. "Why would I want anyone else when I have you?" Akihiko put his whole heart into that sentence. Misaki smiled wider with red cheeks. The boy was a rare diamond. Everyone else he had met seemed like common stones in comparison.
The music started. Another slow and lovely song. Akihiko clasped the boy's hand in his and put other hand on Misaki's waist while the brunet placed his other hand on Akihiko's shoulder.
Two of them swept into the dance. They glided together across the marble floor, twirling gracefully through the turns. They moved together in harmony with grace. It seemed like they had been born to dance together.
Misaki felt like the whole world swept away leaving only him and Akihiko in time with the beautiful music. Misaki started to lose his nervousness. He leant his head on Akihiko's shoulder not caring who saw.
Akihiko smiled looking down at the sweet boy on his shoulder suprised but definitely pleased. He saw the boy smiling softly. He lowered his head to nuzzle his face into the chocolate brown hair.
Misaki felt hot all over and kept blushing. All too soon the music stopped and the dance ended. They had to seperate but they walked hand-in-hand away from the center.
"It's crowded in here", Akihiko said observing. "Do you want to step outside again for a while?"
"Oui, that would be nice." Misaki replied feeling the need for some fresh and cool air to the hotness in his body that was caused by Akihiko and his dazzling smile.
Akihiko led Misaki to the open doors on other side of the ballroom. It was another huge terrace where you could see even more of the big garden filled with pretty flowers. Not too far away, the clock tower rose into the night. It struck a quarter to midnight, the time when the unmasking would occur.
The terrace was empty. There were only two males walking to the farthest part of the veranda. Misaki placed his hands on the stone balustrade, looking at the view.
The sight was lovely. The light of the full moon cast everything in a white glow. Akihiko stood beside him, looking at the gardens and moon as well. They stood in comfortable silence.
The prince's mind was drawn to his memories from his childhood. He remembered running in the garden paths and reading books under the trees. Sitting in his mother's lap as they rocked in a chair, overlooking the palace grounds. Clinging to father's leg as the man tried to walk through the garden. Playing with Hiroki and showing him the secret places only they would know about.
Akihiko smiled at the sweet memories, sighing softly. The brunet looked at him. "What are you thinking about?"
"Just..thinking about the past", he said. "I remember playing with my father as a child. And spending peaceful time with my mother." He smiled.
Misaki also smiled. "I used to play with my father and mother too. Mom used to take me everywhere with her. All the neighbours would coo over how much I looked like her. And they always had time to play with me. Both of them always told me bedtime stories and tuck me in at night."
He sighed and looked down. "I just miss them so much."
Akihiko looked at the boy nd noticed a frown on his face.
"Once I was seven my father had to leave for a few days. He said he would be back soon but.. I was so scared. He had never left me before. I didn't even let my nanny come near me because I was afraid that he wouldn't come back. Three days later, I was in the library and he sneaked behind me and surprised me with a big hug. I was so happy to have him back and..he promised he wouldn't ever leave again."
A tear ran down his cheek. "I wish he had kept the promise", he whimpered sadly.
Akihiko cupped the boy's cheek lightly in his hand, brushing the tear away with his thumb. "He didn't mean to leave you. He loved you, mon cher." He whispered.
Misaki sniffled a little, blinking away the unshed tears. "Thank you. Akihiko." He said shakily. He looked into Akihiko's eyes in the dark. The light from the ballroom didn't reach this part of the terrace. The only light was from the moon and the stars.
Akihiko couldn't help but remark how soft the boy's cheek felt in his hand. His delicate face was slightly flushed from the tears and his eyes were shining like emeralds in the moonlight. He looked so beautiful. He had never looked more beautiful.
Akihiko started slowly lean in. The prince couldn't look away from those beautiful and mesmerizing eyes. The boy didn't pull away, instead he lifted his head higher and his gaze was locked on silver haired's lips. Akihiko's own eyes also lowered to the boy's soft-looking lips.
Misaki's eyes slid closed and soon he felt Akihiko's lips touch his. It was just a meeting of lips but it felt like fireworks and it made Misaki's heart race really wildly. His stomach felt like it wanted to take off. Akihiko pressed his mouth a little bit harder to Misaki's.
The prince felt a jolt of joy when the boy kissed him back. He took that as an allowance to take things a little further. He deepened the kiss. The boy moaned softly as Akihiko's mouth moved over his, creating a wonderful friction.
Misaki had never of course kissed anyone beside giving little pecks to his parents on the cheeks. The boy tried to follow Akihiko's lead.
The clock far away indicated five minutes till midnight.
Misaki sighed softly and let his arms rise and wrap around Akihiko's neck. Akihiko's other arm drifted to Misaki's back. It was placed on his waist and the other rose to Misaki's cheek and held it softly.
Feeling bolder, Akihiko let his tongue pass through the boy's lips, caressing Misaki's tongue and savoring the wonderful feel. The boy moaned again shuddering when he felt Akihiko's tongue rubbing his and opened his mouth a little bit wider.
Akihiko loved the touch of those soft lips and he bent Misaki a little without noticing. The feeling was making him dizzy. Mon dieu. Akihiko thought. He tastes so good. Something so sweet. Like paradise..
Misaki moaned pleasurably, how this, his first kiss could seem like so much more. He touched Akihiko's tongue with his shyly, following instinct since he didn't have experience. And this kiss was so intimate, he felt that he would pass out from the hotness.
Only one thing played in Akihiko's mind. This was meant to be. Akihiko knew he had found his soulmate. A kiss finished it being certain.
The kiss felt like it lasted forever and they pulled away to catch their breath. They looked with dazed eyes to each other and breathed heavily. Akihiko's hand remained in the boy's cheek and he caressed it with his thumb. Slowly he started to bring their lips back together.
Their lips were about to touch when Misaki saw the clock tower a mile away. The clock showed two minutes to twelve.
Mon cher = my dear
Mon dieu = my God, God heavens