Hi there! This is Éthelwyn again. We were really happy about all your reviews this time! Thanks a lot, it meant so much. We were really starting to wonder if anyone bothered to read our story at all ;D Thanks also, of course, to anyone who favored and follows us.
This time around our story takes a little breather and concentrates more on the emotional side of the blossoming relationship rather than the physical. So, sorry guys, no lemon XD It's that first "morning after" with all it's awkwardness and emotional aftermath.
So, there are no real warnings for this chapter, except for a little angst, maybe and Gokudera's language, of course, as always ;D
As we really need to hear your opinions, we still encourage you to leave a review, even though there's no lemon as a reward this time ;D The two of us are thinking about new projects and have two or three ideas for follow-ups to this story, but we need to know, if you guys think it's worth it. So, any reviews mean a whole lot to us.
Now, I'm gonna shut up and hope you'll enjoy!
The next time he opened his eyes, bright sunshine was flooding into Gokudera's bedroom. Yamamoto shifted his head a bit to see the clock on the Italian's nightstand, noticing that it was a little after ten in the morning. The taller teen contemplated on whether to fall back asleep when he finally took in the feeling of warmth that surrounded his body. Glancing down, a heartwarming smile spread across Yamamoto's face at the sight of Gokudera fast asleep, and curled up against him. Yamamoto gently stroked the smaller teen's back as he continued to sleep peacefully, an idea slowly forming in the taller one's head as he did this. Since he was already awake, why not make breakfast for the both of them?
Excitement coursed through the Rain Guardian's veins as he thought over his prospects for a romantic breakfast, but another thought almost put a damper on his plans. Yamamoto just remembered that Gokudera didn't have any food in his house.
Feeling a little apprehensive at the thought of leaving the apartment to go buy food, but still loving the idea of surprising Gokudera with a hearty breakfast (and being able to buy groceries for the other, so that he wouldn't starve), Yamamoto decided to go in the end.
With some difficulties, since Gokudera was holding onto him with a vice-like grip, Yamamoto was able to disentangle himself from the other without waking him (Gokudera was usually a super heavy sleeper anyway), and from Uri who had made a nest for himself at the end of the bed. From there, the taller teen headed into the living room to get his extra clothes from his school bag and put them on. Then, before he left the apartment, Yamamoto tore out a piece of paper from one of his notebooks and started writing out a note for Gokudera, just in case the other woke up before he got back and found that he was gone.
"Good morning, Gokudera," Yamamoto whispered out loud as he wrote out his letter, "last night was amazing! I went out for a bit to pick up some stuff from the convenience store and will be back shortly. I'll see you soon, Yamamoto."
And then for added emphasis, the taller teen attempted to draw a heart at the end of his sentence but ended up failing miserably. Instead of erasing the sad excuse for a heart though, Yamamoto just added another note to the bottom of the page.
"P.S. that last thing was supposed to be a heart," the young jock wrote out as he ended his sentence with a crooked smiley face for good measure.
Lightly chuckling at how silly his note looked, Yamamoto tiptoed back into Gokudera's bedroom to see that in his absence Gokudera had unconsciously hugged Yamamoto's pillow to himself, and that he was still blissfully snoring away. Finding the sight adorable, but knowing he'd have to quickly make his trip to the convenience store if he wanted to surprise the other, Yamamoto just placed the note on top of Gokudera's nightstand and left the room. Making sure he grabbed Gokudera's keys on the way, the taller teen slipped on his shoes and headed out the door, ideas for breakfast running through his mind.
In Yamamoto's arms, enveloped by his heat, Gokudera had found sleep easily. His body being physically exhausted, coupled with the tight hold the jock had on him, helped keep him from moving about that night, but those weren't the only reasons. It was also Yamamoto's closeness. Being held by the other helped keep Gokudera's mind at ease for a peaceful night in body and spirit, too.
Only when Yamamoto left, did the feisty Italian become restless again. His soft snoring became more erratic, his hands searching blindly for the heat missing from his body. Though he could not find the heat, his body settled for the reassuring smell of the other when his arms pulled the still slightly warm pillow to him that Yamamoto's head had rested on only minutes prior.
Holding onto this poor substitute for the athlete's lean body, his snoring deepened and became more regular again; even though he started to move in his sleep without being held by those strong arms, and calmed by the taller teen's reassuring presence. Nonetheless he never stirred when Yamamoto came into the room, and slept on as he went again.
Deciding to implement a quick morning jog on the way to his destination, Yamamoto arrived at the convenience store that he visited with Gokudera the night before. Finding himself almost taken aback by the very thought of how fast everything had changed since last night, the taller teen waited for the glass doors to part before he entered, his mind going into super shopper mode. Not knowing what Gokudera would like for breakfast, Yamamoto decided to play things safe by buying whatever breakfast food he could think off.
As he grabbed a hand basket on the way in, he made his way through the aisles, grabbing multiple packets for miso soup, two big bags of rice, a couple bags of natto and nori, a carton of eggs, some mini sausages, two small cartons of milk (one for Uri, and one for himself), and some dried horse mackerel. And since he was planning on getting more groceries for Gokudera, he bought a couple packets of melon bread (because he knew that Gokudera liked them), some packets of green tea, packets of soba noodles, some cans of iced coffee, and several cans of fruit (since he didn't know what kinds Gokudera liked).
Feeling that his wallet was going to be severely hurt by the amount of food he was getting (and the hand basket was overflowing by this point), the taller teen decided that he couldn't buy anymore and headed towards the counter. He never thought he would be so thankful for the tips those girls from school always gave him at the sushi shop.
After some time at the checkout to get everything rung up, Yamamoto left with completely full hands and a nearly empty wallet. Despite this draw back though, the young jock didn't stop whistling a happy tune in an out of key fashion as he made his way back to the apartment. But before he could get too far, he noticed a flower shop nearby, and with his left over money bought one red and white rose in a small little vase (the red rose reminded him of Gokudera's storm flames, and the white reminded him of the silvery hair he loved so much). With his wallet completely bare now, and barely able to hold all of the things in his hands, Yamamoto slowly made his way back to the apartment, excited for when Gokudera would wake up.
With some struggle, the taller teen somehow made it back into the apartment without dropping anything or making too much noise. After placing the vase of flowers on the coffee table, Yamamoto set to work putting the groceries away, and deciding on what he would cook. Throwing some rice in the small steam cooker Gokudera owned, the taller teen got to work starting the miso soup and brewing the green tea, deciding that after he was done with that he would try to make some tamagoyaki with the eggs he had bought as well.
He really hoped Gokudera would love his breakfast!
It was Uri that finally woke up the sleepy bomber. Standing right in front of his face, he mewled, pawing at the pillow Gokudera still held. Yawning heartily, the Italian teen blinked against the light suddenly filling his vision. "Yeah...yeah...you'll get some food..." He mumbled, his mind slowly getting into gear. It was then that it hit him. He had a pillow in his arms, and as a quick check showed him, Yamamoto was nowhere to be seen. All the incidents of last night came rushing into his mind.
At finding himself alone the next morning, Gokudera's heart began pounding like crazy, his stomach clenching around the rock that had plummeted into the middle of it. Remembering his request, and the way he had clung to Yamamoto after, he felt shame flood him and self-resentment. No one ever wanted a clingy boyfriend, right? Of course Yamamoto had run the first chance he'd gotten!
Oblivious to Gokudera's growing self-hatred and agony, Uri just mewled again, head-butting him to finally get into action. Swallowing heavily against the feelings trying to rise up in his throat, Gokudera turned around to get out of bed, only to find a note laying on his bed stand. He hated to see how his hand was shaking when he took it up to read it. He feared the message those scribbled words held, certain Yamamoto didn't even want to look at him to tell him that what little they had had was over.
The message he read was nothing like it. He stared at it uncomprehendingly; reading it again. Gokudera gazed at the misshapen drawing. "Idiot," the feisty Italian mumbled to himself as an incredible relief flooded his system, and a genuinely happy smile formed on his lips. The heart that could never be discerned as such without the explanation underneath was the most beautiful drawing Gokudera had ever seen. Of course, he never would admit to it, but his eyes still traced its lines in wonder.
As all of this was taking too long by Uri's standards, he butted his head in between arm and midriff, looking at the thing that was holding Gokudera up, and mewling at it. "Alright, alright, you'll get your damned food!" He barked at the storm kitten. His smile returning, he carefully put away the note in the drawer of his bed stand. Getting up, he grabbed a shirt from his closet, putting it on and turning to Uri. With the jerk of his head being the silent signal, the kitten jumped to perch on his shoulder.
When he opened the bedroom door, a multitude of super delicious smells hit his nose, making his mouth water. He couldn't keep the appreciative moan from escaping his lips. When he saw Yamamoto busy at work making breakfast, he couldn't help but smile at the sight, either; flushing heavily at his own dreamy looks when Yamamoto turned. "M-Morning...something smells good..." He mumbled, interested in looking just about anywhere besides those beautiful hazel eyes.
"Morning!" Yamamoto greeted with his biggest smile, his hazel eyes shining with anticipation; even though Gokudera was too embarrassed to look at him at the moment. "I'm glad you think so! I haven't cooked breakfast by myself too often, so I'm still learning a bit."
The taller teen rubbed the back of his head sheepishly at that as he laughed out of slight uncertainty. He really hoped that Gokudera would be able to enjoy his cooking.
"I hope that you don't mind rice and miso soup for breakfast this morning. I'm also brewing some green tea, and making a side dish of tamagoyaki, but if you don't feel like any of that stuff I can make something else! I bought a whole lot of other groceries, so you can choose what you want your side dish to be. I bought some natto, nori, dried mackerel, sausages, and several cans of different fruits if you're more interested in those. I also bought some iced coffee for you if you don't want any tea, and I also bought some milk for Uri again; but you don't have to give that to him today if you don't want too. And I bought some packets of soba for you to eat later on in the week, and some packets of melon bread too. I basically bought everything in bulk, just in case, hahaha!" Yamamoto listed off at a slightly fast pace out of nervousness. He really wanted Gokudera to feel loved and cared for, but now after he was done listing off everything, Yamamoto began to fear that maybe he was acting a bit too clingy and beginning to overwhelm the other now.
But he couldn't go back. All the young jock could do was wait and hope that the other wouldn't be scared away, and that he hadn't gone overboard with his affection.
As Gokudera couldn't cook much more than cup noodles by himself, anything Yamamoto was making from scratch just was a small miracle to him. "I'm willing to try. If it smells that good, it can't be too bad," he decided, coming closer. He had more than enough experience with his sister's poison cooking (hell, he was the reason most of her recipes were invented!) to be sure that he could sniff out potentially harmful food.
Then Yamamoto fell into one of his nervous rants. A flood of information was dumped on Gokudera. He was starting to blink somewhere around the word tamagoyaki. Soon his eyes went wide. His gaze jumped to the doors of his kitchenette cupboards, halfway expecting them to spring open and spurt forth all the stuff that had to be packed tight in there.
"You're crazy," he breathed, shaking his head. "What the hell, Yamamoto? You...buying all that stuff must have cleaned you out; even with that crazy amount of money you were carrying around yesterday! You shouldn't throw around your money like that! You were paying for last night's dinner already! Who do you think can eat all that stuff? Some bread and eggs or even some rice would have been plenty enough for some breakfast!" His voice slowly rising as he spoke, Gokudera was barking by the end of his own rant.
Feeling ignored and hungry, Uri chose this moment to mewl right into the feisty Italian's ear and bit it before jumping down.
"AAAARGH!" Fists balled at his sides and looking for all the world like he wanted to blow up his pet, Gokudera stormed to the right cupboard, tore the door open and got some canned tuna out. Fuming, he crushed the fish and shoved it at the kitten. "I don't want to hear one damned mewl out of you for the next hour or you'll be back in that box faster than you can get those claws out!"
Uri gave no sign that he had understood or even heard his supposed master, but ate with relish. Sighing a little in frustration, Gokudera turned once again to Yamamoto. His features softened when his eyes met the soft hazel of the other's. "You shouldn't have," he said softly then. "I can't use at least half of the stuff…I...don't know how. You would have been way better off spending that money on yourself, or saving it."
Yamamoto flinched as Gokudera started raising his voice, the taller teen's happy attitude completely deflating with the other's unhappiness. He knew he had gone overboard, and now Gokudera was upset with him for buying so many things.
The young jock thought these things over as Gokudera started shouting at Uri and preparing his food. What if Gokudera felt smothered now from everything he had done? But when the silver-haired teen turned around and spoke softly to him, telling him that he didn't need to buy all that food, that he couldn't use it, and that he would have been better off saving his money, Yamamoto couldn't help but smile gently at the smaller teen.
Quickly turning around to shut off the burners to the stove so that the food wouldn't burn, Yamamoto made his way over to Gokudera and gathered him in his arms.
"I don't regret spending all of my money on you, Gokudera," Yamamoto said with a genuine smile on his face, his hazel eyes shining with devotion. "I wanted too. I wanted to make sure I got food for you that you liked. I admit that I got a little too excited and went a bit overboard, but I hope that you will be happy with the stuff I bought you. Just thinking of you not having any food for yourself in here…I just can't stand it, Gokudera. If you can't cook any of the food then I can come over and cook it for you! I won't be able to come over every morning because of baseball practice, but I get up super early to jog on my days off, so I can stop over and cook something up quick if you want! And how about you pay me back by letting me borrow your shower on those days? You don't want a stinky guy to cook your food, right? Haha!"
The taller teen's eyes became questioning then as he stared down into the other's eyes, a nervous chuckle leaving his lips.
"Is that alright with you, Gokudera?"
The little bomber had seen the disappointment in Yamamoto's eyes after his first rant. So when the jock turned away from him, even after his attempt at an explanation, he felt sad, but not surprised. His damned explosive nature! Why did he always have to get so fired up? While he was berating himself though, Yamamoto came to him and wrapped his arms around him. This did surprise the smaller teen, and he looked up questioningly at the other one. The deep caring the other guardian displayed was almost too much to bear. Gokudera's eyes shone with emotions. There was that part of him that had trouble believing, that did not dare to trust; that was searching for an angle to the other one's words. But the other part of him was yearning for someone to really care about him, and was craving the closeness; wanting to trust Yamamoto and have him around as often as possible.
The jock's offer sounded just incredibly good. Nourishing food in the mornings, and Yamamoto here with him. There was a fluttering in his stomach at these thoughts. The hazel orbs then implored him to take him up on the offer. Gokudera had to bite his tongue as a flippant remark wanted to escape; that he didn't want a stinky guy in his apartment at all. He was fighting his own defensive techniques to keep everyone at arm's length with his outbursts and self-dependent attitude.
Swallowing hard, he nodded, "Yeah, you can use my shower whenever you like."
It was all the answer Gokudera was capable of at the moment. He wanted to tell Yamamoto that he would love having him come here just to make breakfast for him, that he appreciated the offer, that the company would be worth way more than the food itself, but he just couldn't bring himself to say those words. He did raise his arms though, wrapping them around Yamamoto to stroke his back gently. Grateful, he looked into the hazel eyes, blushing slightly.
Never expecting the quiet and willing answer from the other, Yamamoto blinked down at Gokudera in total surprise. He really expected the other to say something off hand or even crudely (which Yamamoto didn't mind of course), but to hear how the other wanted him to come over and cook for him, and that he was allowed to use his shower whenever, the taller teen couldn't even describe the happiness that swelled within him then. Just imagining coming over to Gokudera's apartment after an early morning jog, and sharing a shower and some breakfast with the other, a deep, crimson blush flushed across his face. And when Gokudera raised his arms and wrapped them around his body, massaging his back and staring up at him with his shimmering emerald eyes, Yamamoto couldn't help but lean forward and place a soft, chaste kiss against the little Italian's lips.
"Thank you," Yamamoto murmured softly as he leaned his forehead against Gokudera's, gently pecking him on the tip of his nose before continuing with a sweet smile. "How about you go and make yourself comfortable on the couch and I'll dish us up some breakfast?"
The young jock waited patiently for the smaller teen's answer, hoping that Gokudera would agree, and excited to see the expression on the other teen's face when he saw the roses he bought for him that were sitting on the coffee table.
Gokudera had no idea why Yamamoto would be blushing at that moment, but he did like to see it. It looked good on him. Was it the thought about what they had done in the shower yesterday? What they might do again when he came over to make breakfast? While that thought was doing its own work on his blush, Yamamoto gently kissed him.
As their foreheads were touching, a small smile was gracing his lips, "Why do you thank me, stupid? Like you said, I don't want a sweaty guy touching my food." His voice held no venom; only soft warmth.
After he got a little kiss on the nose, Gokudera had to close his eyes as too many emotions threatened to overcome him. Taking a breath, he opened his eyes again, but tried not to fix on the hazel orbs that were so close to him. "Yeah, sounds good." Extricating himself from the other one, he headed over to the couch. Only when he reached it, there were two, long-stemmed roses standing in a little vase on the table. He stopped in his tracks, looking at them like they were aliens that landed right there in his living room, flying saucer and all. He was blinking profusely, like he couldn't believe what he saw. But the image just wouldn't disappear.
It was a sweet and very romantic gesture, but it was just too much. With the breakfast the other one was making for him, the offer to do this again, the sweet kiss, Gokudera's feelings were on overload. His diffused blush reappeared full force.
Pointing at those flowers, he barked at Yamamoto totally flustered. "Wha-what the hell is that, idiot? Wh-why would you do something like this?"
As Gokudera agreed to his suggestion, Yamamoto watched the other walk towards the living room with anticipation. And when the smaller teen stopped and stared at the flowers, and turned around to ask him flustered questions, Yamamoto couldn't help but chuckle as he started taking out plates for their breakfast.
"Because I wanted too," the taller teen laughed out with a caring smile, his eyes shining with all the love in the world. "You really mean a lot to me, Gokudera. When I saw those flowers on my way back from the convenience store, I couldn't help but think of you, so I bought them. Do…Do you not like them?"
Maybe he really had gone overboard…
Yamamoto's easy laughter didn't help the least bit in this situation. Gokudera was too used to things having an underlying message, a hidden meanness, or simply being some sort of trap. He looked at the flowers. Why would those soft, gentle petals remind Yamamoto of him? He wasn't weak like that! He hated to be seen as weak! But...but a rose had thorns, too. Did that mean Yamamoto recognized his strength, or did those thorns only remind him of the way he lashed out at people trying to get close to him? All the possibilities, most of them hurtful, were spinning in his overactive mind. They were driving him crazy.
His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides, his body trembled. He was trying, really trying, to open himself more to Yamamoto. Was it only so that the other one could hurt him even more gruesomely than anyone else could? Even while a part of him told him that the jock wasn't the type, that his fellow guardian was a kind person, that his friend wouldn't want to hurt him, he was just too used to it, and expected it from years of bitter experience.
Again he turned around to Yamamoto. His burning eyes hidden behind the curtain of his bangs, and his voice only trembled slightly when he asked the other one, "Why? Why did they remind you of me?"
Yamamoto paused in taking out the plates for breakfast as he stared at Gokudera's shaking figure, the young Italian's fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles were turning white. It was only too obvious that the smaller teen was upset.
The jock swallowed thickly, feeling his throat seize up with remorse for allowing himself to act all love-struck and go on a shopping spree for Gokudera. The feisty bomber was obviously upset with him for doing such things, and it tore Yamamoto up inside to know that he didn't like his romantic gift.
Hearing the other's question, and how his voice trembled, Yamamoto felt his heart spasm painfully in his chest. Why did Gokudera hate the flowers? Did they make him feel like the girl in the relationship or something? Because that wasn't Yamamoto's intention at all! He just wanted to show Gokudera how much he cared for him, so he bought him flowers. Wasn't that the normal thing to do when you were in a relationship?
"I…I…" Yamamoto stuttered out uncertainly as he tried to find his voice, his eyes welling up with hurt and distress. "I just…I knew that roses were a romantic gesture, so I bought them because the red one reminded me of your storm flames, and the white one was really pretty and reminded me of your hair. I…I also thought it was kind of symbolic, because roses are really prickly on the outside but are so beautiful on the inside. That's why the roses reminded me of you..."
The taller teen turned away then, unable to look Gokudera in the eyes because of the shame he felt for being so cheesy, and going overboard with his romantic gestures. He really needed to learn to better control himself. Gokudera was still so new to this. Yamamoto just kept on forgetting in his happiness that he needed to tread carefully or else he would only continue to hurt Gokudera.
"I'm sorry…" The taller teen choked out as he stared down at the plates he had just taken out of Gokudera's cupboard. "I know I went too far…I'll go return the flowers if you like…"
His flames...Now, here was a thought that hadn't crossed the sensitive bomber's mind. He easily jumped to conclusions that were hurtful to him, but that was his experience after all. Hearing Yamamoto's explanation though, was anything but. No matter the angle he looked at those words, they were still sweet and showed his care. Prickly on the outside, huh? He had that one right, Gokudera had to admit. Slowly, the tension left his body, and his hands unclenched.
When the last part of the explanation really hit him, and he compared it to the taller teen's reaction, the silver-haired Italian felt bad. Throwing his bangs back, he looked at Yamamoto, who was absolutely distraught. Damn. He even wanted to return the flowers to make him feel better. Gokudera swallowed heavily. He needed to make it up to the other one. He returned to Yamamoto. Hesitantly he put his hand on the jock's arm and made him turn around. There was a furious blush on his cheeks as he felt nervous and awkward about what he was going to do.
"P-please don't...they...they're beautiful. Thank you," stretching a bit, he gave Yamamoto a small, chaste kiss, turning on his heel right afterwards to return to the couch. He needed to retreat for a moment to regroup, somehow. Sitting down on the couch, he looked at those roses. A tiny smile tugged at his lips as he whispered, "Romantic fool."
Completely taken aback by Gokudera's change in attitude, Yamamoto could only stare after the smaller teen's retreating form, his lips still tingling from where Gokudera had just kissed him. The young jock wanted more of the other, though, then just a chaste kiss. He wanted to hold him and kiss the other till they were both breathless…
He wanted to push away the doubts he was beginning to feel around the other.
Yamamoto tried to tell himself that he was just over thinking and over analyzing the situation. Maybe the whole reason as to why Gokudera got upset was because he hated feeling like a burden to Yamamoto, and that he misunderstood something by the taller teen's intentions with the roses? But what if that wasn't the case? What if Yamamoto really was pushing things and coming on too strong to the other? Maybe this whole time, he was moving things along way too fast, and Gokudera was just going along for the ride, because he was lost and didn't know what to do considering the new situation he was in? Maybe that was the real reason as to why Gokudera had allowed Yamamoto to be so physical with him the night before…
The dark-haired teen just shook his head at his fearful thoughts as he started placing the food on their plates and in their bowls. He was crazy! He knew for a fact that Gokudera had wanted to be with him last night. Yamamoto had made absolutely sure that he wasn't taking advantage of the other! He was just letting his worst fears get to him; that was it. But the young swordsman still couldn't repress the slight doubt in the back of his mind concerning the roses he had bought, though. What if Gokudera had only said that he liked the flowers because he felt bad for misinterpreting their meaning, or because the other felt bad for hurting his feelings? The thought of the other still not liking the present he had bought for him, tore Yamamoto up inside, like Uri had done to his sock last night.
Doubting Gokudera's feelings towards him and the things he had done for the other this morning, Yamamoto tried to smile as he brought the food out to the living room, placing two cups of green tea, bowls of miso soup, plates of tamagoyaki, and chopsticks for the both of them.
"H-Here we go…" The taller teen stuttered out unconsciously as he looked at Gokudera while trying to cover up the doubts he felt. "I hope it tastes good. If you want any more I can just go dish up seconds for us."
And with that, Yamamoto sat down on the couch with Gokudera, making sure he at least put some distance between their bodies, so that he didn't come off as too clingy. He vowed that he would try to better control his urges of always wanting to be beside the other and touching him. After all, he didn't want to scare Gokudera away from him. But as he sat down and faced his food, he could see the vase of roses in front of him, staring at him in an almost mocking fashion. Swallowing thickly, Yamamoto just grabbed the firework-themed chopsticks and placed a piece of tamagoyaki in his mouth.
"…Do…Do you really like the flowers?" The young jock couldn't help but voice his doubts after he had swallowed, unable to meet Gokudera's eyes in fear of the rejection he would see in the other's features.
Until Yamamoto brought their breakfast, the little bomber had calmed down again. Even though Gokudera had seen that the jock had done more than one dish, his eyes still went wide as he looked at the food. "Wow, damn, I almost feel like we're over at the Tenth's with so much food around just for breakfast." Usually he just had a plain slice of toast on the go. Too hungry and eager on trying the food, he did not realize the way Yamamoto's smile looked forced.
"I bet it tastes way better than anything I could concoct," he said, trying to calm his friend's obvious nerves about the food. Grabbing the plate and chopsticks, Gokudera tried a first piece of the tamagoyaki. It might not have been the best he had ever tasted (how could anyone beat the Tenth's mother at cooking?) but it was very close, his hunger making it taste even more delicious.
Before he could compliment on the good food, though, Yamamoto asked him about the roses again. Taken aback, Gokudera looked at him, only now realizing the tenseness about the other. He also realized that Yamamoto sat pretty far away. Pretty far, that is, for the jock's standards. Although Gokudera appreciated his free space, especially while eating, that had never stopped Yamamoto from getting up close.
Although he had asked a question, the raven-haired jock didn't even look at him. What the hell had happened? What had gone wrong? Shouldn't he have kissed Yamamoto? Why didn't the other believe him? Setting the plate back on the coffee table, Gokudera turned around a bit on the couch to better face Yamamoto. "Yes, I do," he answered with more conviction. "After you told me why you bought them, I like them...very much so. Even if it's a hopelessly foolish romantic gesture." The last words were spoken so softly, they were almost a whisper, but as Gokudera was leaning ever closer to Yamamoto as he spoke, he was sure the other had understood him perfectly. He tried to get the athlete to look at him without touching him, unsure if he would want that at the moment.
He knew he shouldn't have taken the last part of Gokudera's answer seriously, that it was just Gokudera being his usual crude-self, but the words still stung Yamamoto in his vulnerable-like state. What did Gokudera's words mean? Did it mean that it was foolish to love him?
"Hopelessly foolish?" Yamamoto chuckled out dryly as he continued to stare down at his food. "Is that what I am? Am I a hopeless fool for wanting this so much? For wanting you...?"
The tall baseball player had the nerve to peer into Gokudera's eyes again, his own hazel filled with uncertainty and hurt. He should have been happy at least that Gokudera actually liked the roses, but that still didn't change the fact that he had hurt the other in some way by buying them in the first place.
"I know that everything is so new for you, and I've been really trying to control myself from going overboard, but sometimes I just become so happy and excited that I finally get to share myself with you that I forget to watch my actions. And because of that, I end up scaring you and hurting you."
Yamamoto looked away then as he leaned forward, his forehead coming to rest in his right hand as he placed his elbow on his leg for support; his other arm draped over his other leg, and drooping like Yamamoto's spirits.
"I really went overboard this morning, haven't I?" The taller teen whispered out despairingly, his features distraught. "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I'll try to control myself better from now on…"
Gokudera stopped abruptly in his forward movement when he heard that humorless chuckle. His eyes went wide when he realized his words had hurt Yamamoto. His hand that had gripped the edge of the couch for support as he had leaned forward, clenched around it. Why did he always, always, choose the wrong words? He was just incredibly bad at expressing his feelings.
When Yamamoto finally looked at him, the pain in the other one's eyes made Gokudera ache. Under different circumstances, he might have laughed then when the jock explained his thoughts. All of this here was Yamamoto holding back? How the hell would it be if he was going all out? Five-star candlelight dinner, stretch-limo and a room full of flowers? But the conclusion the other had drawn from his reaction was just the wrong one.
The hazel eyes left his again. Hunched, head resting in his hand, Yamamoto looked almost broken. How...? How could he have done this to the most super optimistic, and happy-go-lucky guy in all of Namimori? Seeing his friend this way, and knowing it was his fault, was actually painful. What the hell was he supposed to do? He wasn't good at comforting people! Panic was setting in. This was going so, so bad!
"I'm not scared!" He blurted out. The moment it was out, and in the way he had shouted it, Gokudera knew it would be received the wrong way. He needed to be sincere and open. Why was that so fucking hard? Swallowing thickly, he tried again. "I...I am scared...b-but not because of the food or the roses. You're right, this is new to me...it's new that someone really cares. I'm not used to someone thinking...good of me. It's scary...it's scary because I...I could get used to it...and I can't help the fear how easy it could be lost again, too. I can't help fear that this is too good, that there's a catch somewhere...there's always been a catch."
Gokudera sighed deeply. His words could be nothing but hurtful. Essentially, he told Yamamoto that he couldn't trust him. The sad thing was, his reaction to the roses had shown exactly that. He couldn't. But it wasn't Yamamoto's fault. He knew he could trust the other guardian, only all the knowledge in the world did not help dispel his bad experiences and the suspicions they grew.
Whether Yamamoto wanted to be touched or not, Gokudera needed to look at him. Taking him by the shoulders, he made the dark-haired athlete sit up again and look at him.
"Yes, Yamamoto, you are a hopeless fool for wanting me; for wanting someone with...so many problems. For wanting someone who can't see beautiful roses, but only hidden, hurtful messages. And for wanting someone who says he wants to trust, but fails miserably at the first small attempt," Gokudera's heart was beating painfully, his eyes shimmering as he tried hard to be honest and find the right words. Unconsciously gripping the other's shoulders a bit harder, he continued. "You are a fool...but...but I hope you can remain one…f-for me." His eyes were pleading.
When Gokudera shouted that he wasn't scared, Yamamoto visibly flinched at the outburst. Great! Now he had hurt the other again by saying he was scared. He really was on a roll here. And when Gokudera continued on in a softer tone, telling him how he really was scared about getting used to Yamamoto's kindness and fearing to be let down again, Yamamoto wouldn't lie; it hurt to think that Gokudera didn't trust him enough. But yet, it wasn't surprising. The taller teen knew the Italian had been through a lot in the past. Hell, that's why it took three years to just get to where he was now with the smaller teen, but it still hurt that he wasn't trusted after knowing the other for three years.
The jock's thoughts were interrupted though when he felt Gokudera grab his shoulders and force him to sit up. Hearing the other call him a hopeless fool hurt even more, but when he heard the rest of the bomber's explanation, when he felt the other's grip tighten on his shoulders and saw the pleading look in his eyes, Yamamoto's fears slowly started to ebb away.
Wanting nothing more than to hold the other then, Yamamoto did just that, wrapping his arms around the smaller teen tightly and bringing him in towards his chest. Burrowing his face into the crook of the other's neck, the taller teen just held the other desperately to him; like he feared he would disappear.
"I never want to leave. I just hate that I keep hurting you," Yamamoto whispered out hoarsely as he brought himself up to face the other, their breaths mingling as they faced each other; their lips only inches away. "All I want, Gokudera, is to see you happy. And that's the truth."
When those strong arms caught him in a tight embrace, the feisty bomber sighed in relief. At least something of what he wanted to say must have gotten through. Wrapping one arm around Yamamoto in return, he lifted the other to softly stroke the raven hair, unsure on what else to do, as the athlete still seemed distressed.
Finally, Yamamoto lifted his head again. His voice was raw with emotion. They were so close that Gokudera could almost taste the words as they left the jock's lips. "You don't...Not any more than I hurt myself. As much as I want to, I can't just stop being suspicious; even if it is you. I don't know if this means anything to you, but it is me, not you. I know I can trust you, but I can't help these dark suspicions rising in me. I promised to work on myself, but I can't change overnight."
His fingers spreading and diving into the thick hair, Gokudera smiled softly, "You make me happy. I'm happy that you are here, about the roses, and the breakfast, too. And I'm very happy that we can do this..." He closed the short distance; his lips touching Yamamoto's softly and moving against them slightly before he parted them, inviting the other one in. Unconsciously he leaned into the jock's body even more.
Hearing Gokudera's reassurance made Yamamoto feel a little better; even though the other's next words brought him back down to earth. He knew that Gokudera would be suspicious and that he couldn't change overnight. That was to be expected. But hearing the other tell him that he knew he could trust him was music to the athlete's ears.
Feeling the other massage his scalp a bit, Yamamoto leaned into the hand, closing his eyes in slight bliss as his Italian lover's next words sent shivers of happiness and anticipation down his spine. The taller teen hummed in approval when he felt the other's soft lips meet his, their warmth spreading to him and down to his toes. Yamamoto kissed back almost desperately until he felt Gokudera part his lips. The taller teen responded immediately, but not in the way the little bomber was probably expecting. His tongue entered the other's mouth, hungrily searching for its counterpart until they met in a slow passionate dance. This was short lived though as Yamamoto separated their tongues within the kiss, lapping at the other's tongue in an enticing manner while he retreated back into his own mouth. Yamamoto felt that he needed Gokudera more than ever. He wanted to feel the other take control.
Moaning yearningly, the feisty Italian's tongue greeted Yamamoto's when it entered. Their slow entanglement had his fingers moving in the other one's hair. But before he could fully enjoy it, it seemed to be over as the jock's tongue retreated. Gokudera mewled softly. Feeling the tender lapping though, he understood; following only too willingly.
A shiver ran down his spine as he tasted Yamamoto fully once again. Tentatively at first, he explored the territory again, soon stretching a bit for a better angle in order to reach every nook and cranny. Only when he felt satisfied that way did he nudge the other's tongue gently into another slow, intimate dance. His arm around Yamamoto was holding the jock tight and slightly stroking as his other hand massaged the back of his head.
As wonderful as it felt though, as much as Gokudera wanted to keep this up forever, they had to part for air sometime. Panting, his jade eyes looked into the hazel ones.
"That's one hell of a breakfast I could get used to," he breathed, licking his lips for a last taste of the sweetness of Yamamoto before he fully realized the deeper meaning of his words and blushed. Well...well, the jock had said he wanted to come over in the mornings, right? That wasn't any other suggestion on his part...
Yamamoto moaned ecstatically at feeling Gokudera finally enter his mouth, the smaller teen exploring every inch he could reach. The taller teen melted under the other's touches, lost in the heat and pleasure that the simple massages to his back and scalp produced. And when Gokudera nudged his tongue back into another intimate tussle, the warm, wet friction made his heart race. Yamamoto felt so lost within the moment that he could only consciously grasp at Gokudera's back desperately.
When he started to feel lightheaded from the lack of oxygen, he felt Gokudera pull away from him, a soft whimper leaving the jock's lips at the loss. But when he heard his lover's words and saw him lick his lips after their little excursion, all the blood in Yamamoto's body seemed to drain to his lower half, stirring it into life.
"I could too..." Yamamoto whispered just as breathlessly, a blush coming to his cheeks too at noticing his little lover blush as well. Taking one of his hands away from the smaller teen's back, the young jock reached up to cradle the side of Gokudera's face, his thumb gently massaging the other's cheek. He wanted the feisty Italian so much then; wanted the other to touch him in so many ways.
"I need you..." The Rain Guardian breathed out imploringly, his eyes searching out the other's. But before anything could really come from what Yamamoto had just said, a weird sound reached the two boys' ears.
It sounded like something was eating.
Turning his head to see where the noise was coming from, Yamamoto's eyes widened in shock at seeing Uri upon the coffee table, and chowing down on his tamagoyaki.
Gokudera saw a soft blush creep onto the jock's cheeks. The breathy voice made a shiver run down his spine. They were looking deep into each other's eyes, the smaller teen once again getting lost in those beautiful hazel orbs. He couldn't help leaning into the touch, sighing softly as the calloused thumb stroked his face.
When those next words left Yamamoto's lips in that breathless fashion, Gokudera felt light-headed as all the blood in his entire body seemed to have decided to rush downward. How could three little words have such a massive effect on him? All he wanted right now was to close the distance between them again, taste those lips, touch that body, and...
Why did Yamamoto not look at him anymore? Lost in his growing desire, Gokudera had not heard the tiny smacking noises. "What the fuck? Uri! You little beast! Get the fuck off that table!" He yelled at the storm cat. Uri knew full well, that he was not allowed on the tables or the kitchen counter, but that only stopped him most of the time. Him getting on the table and munching on the food Yamamoto had so lovingly prepared was bad enough, but what riled the feisty bomber up much more was the god-awful, super crappy timing his pet liked to display. "I'll bomb you into the next parallel time line if you don't get off that table right now!"
Ears laid flat against his head, and fur standing on end, Uri hissed at him, but he did seem to get that this time he had gone too far. Retreating backward a bit, he jumped off the table and was gone in a second, retreating into the bedroom.
"Damn...I'm so sorry, Yamamoto. Your food...I can't get him to listen to me. Not in a private setting, anyway. You...you said there were seconds, right?" Gokudera felt awful. He was blabbering about the food, but he was thinking more about the mood Uri had killed. On the one hand, he hated his kitten for it, still feeling the desire course through his body, but on the other hand, he was a tiny bit glad. As much as he wanted Yamamoto, this was getting too physical. He was supposed to go to the Tenth's again soon, to help him study, and they had this good food that was getting cold...
Hiding his eyes under his bangs, he couldn't look at Yamamoto then. "Wou-would it be okay if we just ate now? I need to go over to the Tenth's soon, you know?" He asked carefully. He didn't want to hurt Yamamoto's feelings again. "You...you can join, too."
The taller teen watched on as Gokudera finally caught on to the situation and started yelling at Uri; the storm cat hissing, but eventually jumping down from the table. He was disappointed with the cat's impeccable timing, but as he heard Gokudera apologize for what happened, and as he heard the other sadly suggest that they should just continue eating and head over to Tsuna's, Yamamoto couldn't help but agree; despite his disappointment.
"Of course I'll come over with you to Tsuna's," the dark-haired teen chuckled out lightly as he stroked the side of Gokudera's face again in a comforting manner. "After all, we weren't able to study too much last night, haha."
His features grew softer then as he stared deeply into the other's jade-green orbs.
"As much as I don't want to postpone…what almost happened…" Yamamoto spoke softly as he grabbed the plate that Uri had eaten off of. "…It's probably for the best considering the situation. I'll just go get a different plate and get our seconds. We should eat this up before our food gets too cold, haha!"
And with a gentle kiss to the other's forehead, Yamamoto got up and headed towards the kitchen to do what he had just said.
"Let's just enjoy the rest of our day, okay Gokudera?" Yamamoto said with a genuine smile before he disappeared.
The jock's answer came much easier and more lighthearted than Gokudera had expected. When his cheek was stroked again, he lifted his head enough to look into Yamamoto's eyes. He wanted to be sure the other one was really feeling the way he talked.
The smaller Italian had to smile then. "No...we didn't," he had to agree, not regretting one second of what had passed between them last night. Yamamoto then gazed so deeply into his eyes, it made his stomach flutter. Clenching his hands slightly, Gokudera had to agree nonetheless. "Yeah...it's for the best." Still, he swallowed audibly around those words that belied his body's wishes.
He took his plate up again. With a tiny smile he nodded then. "Yeah, let's do that." Taking up a piece of the tamagoyaki with the chopsticks, he tried the decidedly cooler bit. It was still tasty and good, so he started to shovel the pieces in his mouth.
When Yamamoto returned with a new plate and more tamagoyaki, the taller teen sat down next to Gokudera again, only much closer this time. As the two of them continued to eat and enjoy their breakfast, a sudden thought crossed Yamamoto's mind; a thought that left him apprehensive and unsure.
"Um…Gokudera?" The young jock mentioned slowly after swallowing a bit of rice, his hazel orbs searching out the other's green. "How should we act around Tsuna? Do…Do we tell him…you know…about us?"
Yamamoto waited patiently for the other's answer with his heart pounding in anxiety. He wouldn't blame Gokudera if he wanted to keep their relationship a secret. After all, it wasn't something that they could exactly state proudly to someone. He was even a little anxious of telling Tsuna about their relationship. How would Tsuna react? Yamamoto would like to think that his best friend and future boss would be a little freaked out but accept them wholeheartedly for who they were, but still…the thought of telling Tsuna at the moment just felt too soon for him.
But if they both decided not to tell Tsuna about their relationship, then how were they supposed to act around each other when they were in their other friend's presence? Yamamoto wasn't sure if he could go back to having Gokudera act like he disliked him again…
Even though the little bomber usually liked to have his space, especially while eating, he was actually feeling glad when Yamamoto sat down way too close this time. It was the best proof that they were okay again, and that felt very good indeed. He kept on eating until Yamamoto asked what was on his mind.
Gokudera's chopsticks halted in mid-air. This was something he had tried not to think about, but as they were both going to the Tenth's, he couldn't evade it much longer. He wasn't ashamed of his feelings for Yamamoto, but he also knew full well a lot of people would think he should be. That, in and of itself, would never stop him from shouting it to the world; even if it would just be to spite them. But the Mafia was a harsh world. On the one hand, a gay relationship was condemned in that world, and on the other one, any form of weakness was unscrupulously used. Them being together could be used against the Tenth, or they could be used against each other in a fight. That just couldn't happen.
But he didn't want Yamamoto to feel like he was ashamed of what they were doing, and what they tried to have, either. "Why should we, stupid? What we're doing when we're alone is our business, right?" He shrugged his shoulders. Only then he saw pain shimmering in those hazel eyes and he sighed. Not wanting another misunderstanding tainting their day just when everything was alright again, he knew he had to explain himself better.
"Don't think I feel ashamed or anything. I don't. But us being together…that's not looked too kindly upon by most people out there, and it's way worse in the world of the Mafia. If we were open about it, our enemies would use it against us and against the Tenth. We can't let that happen. We're his guardians, we're supposed to keep trouble from him, not invite it in." Swallowing around the small lump that was forming in his throat, Gokudera kept on. "And if they captured you, just to get to me, I...I couldn't bear that...I'd go crazy...We...We should keep this to ourselves and just act normal," he searched Yamamoto's eyes, hoping the other one understood his reasons, and that it was for the best.
Hearing the other chastise him at first for his suggestion made Yamamoto's heart clench painfully, even though he agreed with the other. As the taller teen berated himself for acting so vulnerable that morning, he heard Gokudera speak up again; this time, with a full explanation as to why they should keep their relationship a secret. Once his smaller companion was done speaking his mind and gazing hopefully into his eyes, Yamamoto couldn't help but smile softy at the other as he delivered a quick, chaste kiss to his lover's lips.
"I don't feel ashamed either," the young jock started out, his voice filled with sincerity, "even though I'm a little scared of seeing people's reactions if they found out about our relationship. I figured the Mafia was just as bad about this sort of relationship as Japanese society is too, and I agree that it would be for the best if it protects Tsuna, and you. I…I don't think I'd be able to live with myself if I ever let something happen to you…"
Yamamoto swallowed thickly then as he shook his head to clear his thoughts. He had been emotional all morning, so now was the time to smile and go on with the day.
"It's going to be a little weird though, haha!" The taller teen finally laughed out with a smile. "I'm going to have to get used to you treating me differently in public and when we're alone, but I'll do my best. Let's just finish our breakfast then and head over to Tsuna's. I bet he's still freaking out about the test coming up, haha!"
Gokudera was relieved that Yamamoto seemed to understand him. If they just had to fight some bitchy people, he really wouldn't care. He was used to taking crap from assholes like that, but with their other life thrown in the mix, it was just too dangerous. He felt a wave of warmth flush through him when Yamamoto stated he couldn't bear something happen to him either. It was such a new and special feeling having someone care about him like that; he really treasured it.
There was a slight change in the other one then, and his mood lightened up again. It was a good thing. That stupid-ass smile somehow just belonged on Yamamoto's face. Any other expression just felt wrong; except for that intense look he always had when he was in baseball-mode, or the way he looked at him last night.
Poking his elbow in the jock's ribs, Gokudera grinned slightly, "What the heck are you talking about, baseball-idiot? How do I treat you any different here?" He looked at his friend, hoping the other would see some of the feelings he held for him before he agreed.
They finished their breakfast then. Gokudera went to the kitchenette, putting the rest of the food in containers and into the fridge. "You can have the bathroom first if you want, I need to get my things ready anyway." Meaning, he needed to decide what to wear today, which could take a moment...or two. Something came to him then, and he blushed slightly. "Do you have some fresh boxers with you? I could look if I can find another pair that might fit otherwise." The one's Yamamoto had worn yesterday definitely couldn't be worn until they were thoroughly cleansed!
The taller teen was surprised when he felt Gokudera gently poke him in the ribs and jokingly respond to him. Yamamoto couldn't help but laugh at the other's words, agreeing with them to an extent.
"Haha, that's true that you don't treat me too differently here," the dark-haired teen mentioned with a huge grin. "But I at least can kiss you with a lesser chance of getting blown up! Haha!"
With their jokes and smiles aside, the two boys finished their breakfast happily; Gokudera storing the leftover food away for later, while Yamamoto did the dishes. When the last plate was dried and put away, Yamamoto almost tripped over himself in shock when Gokudera asked about his boxer situation. The taller teen heavily blushed at that as excitement gleamed in his eyes. Did that mean Gokudera was willing to share another pair with him? This was his lucky day!
"N-No, I don't!" The Rain Guardian said with too much enthusiasm considering the situation.
Seemingly realizing how weird he sounded then, Yamamoto blushed heavier in embarrassment as he rubbed the back of his head.
"I-I mean, I don't have a fresh pair with me. I forgot to pack some. But I'm still fine with the ones you gave me last night! And since I took a shower here last night, I don't have to take another one this morning, so…you don't have to give me another pair if you don't want to…"
Now practically dying from the embarrassment he had pushed onto himself from his excitement about receiving more of Gokudera's clothing, Yamamoto mumbled out a meek, 'Sorry…', before he headed towards the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth, afraid of hearing Gokudera's answer.
The happiness in the jock's answer did stump the smaller teen a bit, but this was Yamamoto they were talking about. This was the guy who got all excited about a little leather ball and a wooden stick, too.
Gokudera rolled his eyes at the other one's explanation. "Those were for sleeping, idiot," he grumbled out, shaking his head, only to feel bad a moment later when Yamamoto apologized.
"W-wait a sec. I'll go look if I've got another one that fits, okay?" He looked, hoping the athlete would stop his progress into the bathroom, and when he did he was off fast to rifle through his closet. He did find another pair, only it had a design of matches on it. Most of his things were fire or skull themed, after all.
Feeling a slight bit self-conscious about it, he returned to Yamamoto. "Here. They should fit, too...if...if you don't mind the design..." A rosy blush dusted his cheeks when he looked up then, hoping his friend wouldn't mind and take them anyway.
When he heard his smaller companion say that he'd go look for an extra pair of boxers, despite how weird Yamamoto had acted previously, it stopped the taller teen in his tracks on his trek to the bathroom. Yamamoto could feel his heart beat heavily against his chest as he waited on bated breath for the second set of boxers.
Seeing Gokudera finally step out of his room, Yamamoto's blush expanded to take up his whole face as he stared down at the black boxers with the match stick design. The young jock was speechless with giddiness as he stared at the piece of clothing that he would soon be wearing, staring at them as if they were a beautiful treasure.
"N-No, they're perfect," Yamamoto stuttered out as he took the boxers in shaky hands, his eyes never leaving the beautiful garment of clothing. "It's so cute and Gokudera-like…Thank you!"
And with a little peck to the other's lips in gratitude, Yamamoto quickly made his way into the bathroom, excited to try on his new piece of clothing.
After slipping on his new boxers and cherishing the feeling of them, despite the slight tightness he felt around his hips, and after washing his face and brushing his teeth, Yamamoto left the bathroom in higher spirits.
"Okay, Gokudera!" The taller teen called out with a huge smile on his face—he was wearing Gokudera's boxers! "The bathroom is all yours!"
The feisty bomber felt bad when he saw Yamamoto blushing that way. Damn! The other one surely didn't like the design, and thought it weird or something. But then he said something else entirely. Next thing Gokudera knew, he was kissed, and about a second later, he was alone. Not really too sure what exactly was going on with the jock, he stared after him for a moment before he went into his bedroom.
The moment he crossed the threshold, Uri was slinking around his leg, mewling up at him. He ignored the kitten for just about five seconds, until those huge, red eyes gazed up at him. Mewling again, Uri pawed the ground in the cutest fashion. Even though the storm cat had disturbed them on purpose, had scratched him viciously, and had listened to him even less than usual, the Storm Guardian couldn't help but bend down and take Uri up into his arms. While he was looking in his closet, trying to decide what to wear, he stroked a happily purring ball of fur.
In the end, Gokudera decided on low-riding, tight, black jeans (picking boxer-briefs to go underneath), a red t-shirt with a white, smoking skull, and a black shirt (worn open). As he had his clothes picked, the choice of belt was easy; taking the red one with the silver studs. This led to the matching two studded wristbands and three chains for his neck, the longest sporting another skull with glinting (fake) gem eyes.
Throughout this whole picking process, Uri had let himself be held, purring in satisfaction at being stroked and rubbed. Gokudera had put each item of clothing on the bed. When he heard Yamamoto, he nodded. "Yeah, okay, thanks!" Carefully he put Uri down in the middle of the bed. "You be good and stay here, okay?" Big, fiery eyes blinked at him and he got a mewl in answer. Gokudera decided to take this as a yes. He took the clothes and went into the bathroom then.
After washing and brushing his teeth, he changed into the new set of clothes, put on the jewelry, and pulled his hair back into a ponytail. Yesterday he had forgotten to take a scrunchy along, and his hair had driven him crazy. When he was studying or trying to teach the others, he needed his hair out of his face. Just for good measure, two hairpins were shoved into his hair at the top to keep any rebellious bangs in check.
Satisfied with what he saw in the mirror, he finally emerged from the bathroom. "You got your things packed?" He asked Yamamoto; about ready to leave. All he needed to grab were his glasses and the keys.
Thankfully, Gokudera was still in his bedroom after he had announced the bathroom was open, because Yamamoto was carrying the blue boxers with the cloud design in his hands, and he didn't want Gokudera to see what he was about to do. The taller teen felt a little guilty with his actions, but it was common for couples to share clothes, right? Still, it sort of felt like stealing…No! Gokudera had given him clothes to wear, so it was a silent invitation to continue to use them, right?
The confused Rain Guardian continued to think on this line of thought as he took his school bag and hid out of sight behind the couch until he heard the bathroom door shut; Gokudera undoubtedly inside. Making sure to work fast, Yamamoto opened his school bag and stuffed the cloud boxers in along with the toothbrush he was also carrying, his clothes from yesterday, and the yellow shirt Gokudera had given him to wear last night (he had placed it in his bag before he had went to shop for groceries that morning).
With the deed done, and his bag finally closed, Yamamoto breathed a sigh of relief before a slight frown came over his face. He was acting ridiculous! He was practically acting like a stalker! What if Gokudera found out he was borrowing the clothes he had given him a little longer? Would he be freaked out? Surely he would notice them missing, right? But even with those frightening questions at the forefront of his mind, Yamamoto still couldn't part with the clothes. To him, parting with the clothes that had been so generously given to him was like giving away Gokudera himself. Those clothes proved that he was truly connected to the other; even when they wouldn't be able to see each other. After all, they both led pretty busy lives outside their mafia world, so it was obvious that they wouldn't be able to meet up too often.
The taller teen gave a depressed sigh at the thought before he heard the bathroom door open, and heard Gokudera ask if he had everything packed.
"Yeah…" Yamamoto started out as he stood up from his position on the couch and turned around to face his smaller companion, but when his eyes finally settled on the Italian bomber, the dark-haired teen was struck speechless. The swordsman visibly gaped at the sight before him, completely tongue-tied with the beauty standing in the bathroom doorway. Gokudera knew how to dress in a way that made him look good, no matter what. Yamamoto practically drooled at the tight pants the other was wearing, and appreciated the other's choice of attire and accessories, but to him, the smaller teen's hairstyle was the cherry topping on the delicious storm sundae. The taller teen had always loved it when Gokudera put his bangs back, or when he tied his hair back into a ponytail, but seeing both of those hairstyles, along with the rest of the Storm Guardian's attire, sent all the blood in Yamamoto's body straight to his groin.
Feeling his lower half stir into life again, Yamamoto quickly looked away, trying to calm himself down and catch his breath. He couldn't afford to get turned on at the moment, but how could he honestly not when Gokudera looked so…so hot! Yamamoto honestly wondered how he was going to get through their future study session when his tutor looked so downright appetizing! Shit! And Gokudera was probably going to wear his glasses too (which was one of his other turn-ons concerning Gokudera)! Oh crap, he was so screwed! He was going to be hard for the rest of the day!
Yamamoto had to pinch the bridge of his nose and take deep breaths in order to calm down again. Oh man, he was getting so easily flustered and worked up today! He was usually so calm and collected, but it was hard to be that way now with how much his life had changed overnight. This was just something he'd have to get used to.
"Haha, sorry about that, Gokudera!" The taller teen laughed out as he finally turned to face the other again while he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. It was best if he just tried to brush everything off and enjoy the day like he was used to doing. "I'm finished packing everything up again, so I'm ready to go when you are!"
When he didn't see Yamamoto for a second there, Gokudera wondered where the other could be, but then he saw him get up behind the couch. The reaction he got as the jock turned to him was funny, unbelievably flattering, and actually made his stomach flutter a bit. The feisty bomber hadn't done it too consciously, but yeah, those jeans were supposed to make him look good for Yamamoto. They wouldn't be too comfortable sitting on the floor for the rest of the day, but seeing the look in the other's eyes right then was worth a little discomfort.
The effect he had on Yamamoto had made Gokudera actually blush a little. He had a genuine smile on his lips when the swordsman apologized. Thinking about what their day would bring, being so close, but being unable to show any form of affection, he decided to use this last moment. He approached Yamamoto. Smile still in place he looked up at him.
"Don't apologize for that, stupid", he said. "I liked it." Stretching a bit, he buried a hand in that thick hair and touched his lips to the taller teen's, moving them slowly for a moment before he receded. Softly, he massaged Yamamoto's skull while he looked into his eyes. There were things he wanted to say, but the words just didn't come to him; wouldn't make his tongue move. But he hoped his actions made his friend still understand some of them.
A shudder of delight traveled down Yamamoto's spine at seeing Gokudera smile, and at feeling those wonderful fingers in his hair again. It had been less than twenty four hours, but even in that time, Gokudera seemed to perfect the way he touched his scalp. He always applied the right amount of pressure, his fingernails digging only slightly into the skin, so that he knew that they were there, but that they didn't cause any pain.
The taller teen moaned slightly at feeling Gokudera's lips press gently against his then, but the smaller teen moved away all too soon. The young jock couldn't complain at seeing the affection that glistened in his smaller companion's eyes though; Yamamoto practically melting on the spot. Unable to hold back, the dark-haired athlete wrapped his arms around the other's middle, bringing him close as his lips descended upon Gokudera's. Yamamoto sucked on the silver-haired teen's lower lip; nibbling it gently in-between soft, passionate kisses. When he finally came up to breathe, the taller teen just leaned his forehead against Gokudera's, rubbing small, affectionate circles into the smaller teen's back.
"You have no idea how hard you're making this for me," Yamamoto murmured softly on husky breath as he stared deeply into Gokudera's eyes. "I won't be able to see you at all tonight after our study session, because my dad likes it when I help him out with the shop on Sunday nights. It's our busiest day, after all. And then I won't be able to see you tomorrow morning, because I have baseball practice…"
And with that, Yamamoto laid another loving kiss against the smaller bomber's lips, savoring each second that they were connected before they had to part for air again.
"Hopefully that kiss can hold us over until…whenever we can be alone again," Yamamoto whispered out with a slight chuckle. "We should get to Tsuna's now. I bet he's waiting for us."
With a small peck to the forehead, Yamamoto let go of Gokudera, who went and retrieved his keys and glasses after returning Uri back to his ring. As they stood before the door, ready to leave, they shared another affectionate kiss before they opened the door and stepped outside; their boss undoubtedly waiting for them and their study session.