043 – Step-by-Step

They've been dating for three months now, and Takeru's sitting on the sofa in Daisuke's house wondering when the hell it's gonna be over.

"So," the red head says, grin stretching from ear-to-ear, "We have, DOOM, Cowboy Bebop ooorrrr…" He reaches into the pile of DVD's at his feet, "Ghost in the Shell."

"Don't mind either way." Takeru says, brushing the golden fringe from his eyes.

Daisuke's face drops, eyebrows fall to a world of discontent, "Well, we don't have to watch a movie, we could go out…to the cinema or something."

Takeru laughs aloud, casting his boyfriend (three months now), a peculiar look. "A movie either way…I don't mind, Dais."

So they head out, Daisuke tosses him his coat, pulls on a beanie and they're out the door, and into the street. The cinema's not far.

They've been dating for three months, and even here, on this kinda-date, Takeru's wondering when this is going to end.

When it comes right down to it, they fight an awful lot; tossing nasty comments at each other…it's a second nature. They make out, and they have sex and they grope and they have fist fights, but they never hold hands, they never caress, never hug or swap comforting words.

It's all harsh and rigid and wrong.

Takeru wonders how much longer that they can put up with this.

They see some shitty American-film, dubbed badly over into Japanese. The special effects are terrible, and Takeru doesn't really understand how people find Tom Cruise attractive.

They make-out during the climax, all the way through the credits.

The curtains pull in to a slow close, and the pair of them exit the cinema in an eerie synchronisation, and Takeru is still wondering how long this is gonna last.

Walking down the street, mere inches apart, but Takeru likens it more to miles…bombs could go off between them. Only, something happened, something broke this mutual understanding that Takeru had thought fairly obvious…

Daisuke had reached out, clasped his hand in his own, and they were…

They were holding hands. In the middle of Odaiba…in the middle of the street.

Maybe Takeru thought, maybe this wouldn't be over as soon as he'd first thought.

&&

Next up: 044 - Rainy Day