Chapter Three

"Wake up, Hiro-san," Nowaki cooed.

"Ungh," he groaned, eyes still closed, "Too early. Sleep."

Nowaki began to rub his back is slow circles, a gentle sensation that he knew Hiroki loved and responded to in the mornings.

"It's 7 o'clock. You need to take a shower after last night. If you don't get up now, you won't have time to get ready."

Hiroki shifted onto his back and muttered, "I don't wanna."

"I know. But if you get out of bed I will make you something super yummy for breakfast."

"You just want me out so that you can make the bed up."

"Never," he said, and leaned down to kiss the other's forehead. "I want you in bed all day long, provided, of course, that I was in with you."

Hiroki blushed and looked away.

"I'll go start the shower for you," Nowaki said with a smile

Hiroki tried to get out of bed, he really did. But he found that standing hurt after last night when Nowaki, ahem, pleasured him with such relentless vigor. He forced himself onto his feet, and winced from the pain.

"Hey, Hiro-san, are you okay?"

"Yeah, don't worry. I'm good." He tried to downplay the aching in his bottom for Nowaki's sake. He always worried about hurting the smaller man.

"Hmm… Are you sure? I prepared you enough last night, didn't I?"

"Of course, Nowaki. Don't worry."

He was still skeptical but decided to let the issue go. Tonight, he would be sure to stretch Hiro-san out real well before entering him.

After the raven-haired man left the room, Hiroki stripped. He stepped into the shower and let the heated spray soothe his aches. He stood there, absorbing the warmth, oblivious to the world around him.

He didn't notice the Nowaki was in the bathroom and entering the shower until he heard him say, "Hey, Hiro-san, I'm coming in, okay?"

Hiroki gawked. "What? No! I'm trying to shower."

"I'll help you." He took a washcloth off a metal bar attached to the side of the shower and began to lather it up with a bar of soap. "I finished breakfast a little early. I came in here to get some hand lotion, but when I saw you through the glass door… well, I couldn't help myself."

"Stupid," Hiroki murmured. But he didn't say anything else. He enjoyed the younger man showering with him. Not that he'd ever admit it.

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

Hiroki and Nowaki got out of work at the same time, so they met up at a local deli. While Nowaki went to order the food, Hiroki secured a table near the back of the building.

When he saw the tall man holding two sandwiches looking around for their table, Hiroki waved him over.

"Ahh, here you are, Hiro-san," he said while putting the food on the table.

"Mmmm, I'm starving!" He rubbed his hands together with anticipation.

"Don't they give you an hour lunch break between classes?"

"Yeah, but there's always students who feel the need to come ask me questions about assignments. By the time we finish talking it's usually too late to get food. Besides, it's not like there's good food to buy around there anyway."

"Oh, I'm sorry. If you want, I can make you a box lunch for work."

"No, that's okay," Hiroki said. It wasn't like he needed lunch; Nowaki always made him a big enough breakfast to last through the whole work day.

"But, Hiro-san," Nowaki pleaded, clearly dejected, "you need to eat. It's unhealthy not to."

"Fine, fine. Make it if you want. Just don't complain when you are late for work because you had to make me food."

"Of course not, Hiro-san."

The tall man looked so pleased; Hiroki had to look away to keep his dignity. Why did he have to be so attractive when flashing that smile?

Nowaki reached across the table to grasp one of Hiroki's hands.

However, the smaller man pulled away before they touched.

"Not now, stupid! We're in public."

"And? You should care less about what people think of you."

Hiroki gestured with a tilt of his head to the right, where a middle-aged man was sitting. "Look, he's watching us."

"Like I said, it doesn't matter how people see us when we're together. I'm not ashamed to be with you." He said all this with a smile— a smile that made Hiroki feel like a shmuck. Like always, Nowaki was charming and sweet, while he himself constantly said insensitive blunders while wearing a frown. He really did need to make an effort to be more affectionate, at least when related to his lover.

"It… it's not that I'm ashamed. It's just embarrassing when people stare."

"So let them stare." Nowaki leaned across the table to kiss an unsuspecting Hiroki on the lips. Out of habit, the smaller man began to push him away, but quickly remembered that he was going to stop being so reticent and start being more overt with his emotions. Nowaki captured his chin with his hand and continued the kiss.

Nowaki was the first one to move away. "I think the man is still staring at us," he said.

Hiroki looked over, but immediately snapped his head back, eyes wide. "Yes, he is most definitely staring."

The man at the other table was looking right at them. He wasn't discreet like most people when they stared. Instead, his eyes were trained right on them, unblinking and unmoving. A slight smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, a fact that unnerved Hiroki. It wasn't a happy smile, like the ones that Nowaki gave him; it was something else, a smile laced with an emotion that Hiroki couldn't place.

"Hey, Nowaki, let's take the rest of this sandwich to go, okay?"

"Of course, Hiro-san." Nowaki leaned a little closer and lowered his voice. "I am rather eager for us to get home."

Isadora Yokwan, your review made me soooo happy! You have no idea of the smile I had after reading it. I try to maintain proper grammar (although I do start sentences with "but" and I don't always use complete sentences. But I read a lot of books and I have come to believe that that is allowed for literary purposes) because I edit and proofread all of my friend's papers for school (I, much like Hiroki, am a fan of the red pen). I am probably going to do a lemon next chapter. I am just worried because I have little writing experience and I don't want it to be a failure. I have an incredibly sick and perverted mind, and I am worried that I might go overboard.

SakuraKiss96, yours also made me incredible happy. I tried to make their emotions clear to the reader, but I wasn't sure if I was doing a good job. Thank you for reassuring me.

I love every single one of my reviews! So please, give me one. It would make me very happy!