One year later
„Peter! Thomas!" Willi was knocking at the door of their room loudly. He tried to behave like a seventeen year old, but sometimes he just couldn't help it and just be the "little" brother again.
He made it a habit of knocking, since he once run in on them while they lay in bed, naked, kissing wildly. He was so shocked, he couldn't speak for hours. They hadn't noticed him so they were both questioning him over their small dinner why he looked so confused.
He only blushed crimson red and shook his head. Frau Müller, who had been in the same situation once, whispered into Peter's ear, "He must have seen you two, you know…" Peter looked at Thomas, his own face turning red as well and Thomas could only mutter, "Oh."
After an awkwardly silent meal, Willi cleared his throat and finally asked bravely, "I thought only a man and a woman…um…do…," he studied the pattern on his empty plate carefully, "…kiss."
Peter and Thomas smiled at each other, then said, "Well," simultaneously. "The war has changed us," Peter stated. Thomas unceremoniously took Peter's hand, and kissed it. "No, men kissing men is not normal, but you know Willi, I learned one important thing while I was in battle and I hope you won't hate me for it." He was tempted to kiss Peter on the mouth in front of the two, but changed his mind. "I'm in love with your brother," he started and turned to look at Peter while saying, "And we have to treasure what we love in these times…" He trailed off, lost in Peter's eyes and he almost forgot where he was.
Peter just couldn't find any words and he did what Thomas didn't do before. He leaned forward to treasure what he loved and he kissed Thomas deeply right in front of his mother's and brother's eyes.
"It's right, Willi, for us." He confirmed after breaking the kiss.
"I wont tell anybody." Willi nodded his head and he suddenly looked like he was part of a big secret. "We wont, right mama?"
"Of course not." Frau Müller still felt awkward with that open statement of love between the two young men, but she really had no other choice. She liked Thomas a lot and she'd rather have them both beside her, than far away.
She smiled encouragingly.
"Peter, Thomas!" Willi knocked again.
"Come in," Peter answered from the other side of the door. "What's so urgent?"
The two young men sat at the table, which was full of pieces from a very old radio. They were trying to puzzle it together.
"There!" Willi said triumphantly and slapped a handwritten sheet of yellowish looking paper on an empty chair.
"The Great A comes to visit Hamburg." Peter read out loud, frowning. Thomas bent over the table to get a look too. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Oh God, you two don't get out much anymore do you?" Willi was scratching his forehead thoughtfully.
"Well, there's not much to go to." Thomas sighed somewhat frustrated.
"Oh come on, you are just too lazy. They're working hard at rebuilding the city, and things are getting better again." Willi straddled the chair, arms crossed on the back of it. "And you never heard of the Great A?"
Peter snatched the piece of paper from Thomas and read further. "The famous musician arrives straight from The United States, to play at the premiere show of the newly rebuilt 'Café Bismarck'…" Peter swallowed the lump in his throat, to finish lowly, "Saturday evening at nine."
Thomas didn't look up from the piece of cable he was twirling absentmindedly in his fingers.
Peter laid his hand on Thomas' arm, not able to say anything at all either.
Before the sad silence could overwhelm them, Willi jumped up and announced determinedly, "As one of the heads of the Swing Kids organisation of Hamburg, I'm inviting you two officially. And I won't take no for an answer." With that he started to whistle "It Don't Mean a Thing," and was out of the room.
"Head of the Swing Kids organisation?"
"Won't take no for an answer?"
"You've got a determined little brother here, dearest Peter." Thomas tried for his old nonchalance to not give in to the sadness. He moved to swing his leg over Peter's thighs and sat on his lap, the old chair protesting with a cracking sound.
He put their foreheads together, taking Peter's face in both hands, whispering, "You wanna go?"
Peter rubbed his hands over Thomas' back, focusing on his lover's eyes, "I don't know. You?"
"I don't know either."
They kissed very gentle and without any urgency for several moments until the chair gave a really dangerous sound.
"Bed." Thomas jumped up, fell onto the mattress and pulled Peter beside him. They stared wordlessly at the ceiling, lost in thought.
"It will be different." Peter said into the room.
"Yeah." Thomas just couldn't imagine going there again. His memory of it was how he'd wanted to beat Peter into a bloody mess when he was there the last time.
Again, Peter seemed to be able to read his mind. He rolled onto his side, studying Thomas closely. "Forget the last time, think of the times before." He swept his tongue over Thomas' warm lips, teasing, wanting to make him forget. His own memory about that fateful evening was buried deep inside his head somewhere. Everything that was Nazi didn't exist for him anymore.
"You used to be the King of Harlem." He kissed Thomas' chin and added, "My king."
That made Thomas finally chuckle and he wrapped his arms tightly around Peter's back and shoulders. "I have to think about it a bit more." He murmured into Peter's hair.
One part of him wanted to go and feel like set back in time, trying to enjoy their music again. But the other part of him just wanted to hide in a hole and never come out.
They lay in silence for a while. It had gotten completely dark and quiet. No sounds came from outside. It was almost scary.
"I miss our Swing." Peter whispered into the darkness. "I miss dancing." He felt Thomas' deep sigh rather then that he heard it. "Me too."
"So we go?"
"I think we could give it a try."
A few more minutes passed, Peter already thought Thomas had fallen asleep, when he suddenly said, a smile clearly hidden in his voice, "I have nothing to wear."
Peter burst into laughter, grateful that Thomas was able to shift the odd mood. He felt a smile creeping up his face as well, even though they couldn't see each other. "Now you sound like a girl." He grinned and bit Thomas' throat playfully.
"Girl?" Thomas took Peter by surprise and turned them around, muttering, "I'll show you 'girl'." And with that he pressed his erection into Peter's waiting one.
"Oh nice." Peter moved his hips upwards, pressing his hands onto Thomas' ass.
"Clothes." Thomas started feverishly to unbutton Peter's pants and the other way round. They couldn't afford any tell tail stains in their trousers or underwear since the water was rationed as well as the clothing.
As soon as they had everything off, they fell hungrily over each other.
Kissing, biting, rubbing, stroking.
They craved each others touches.
Cool hands on hot, sweaty skin.
Moist lips on tender flesh.
Groans, moans, utterly heartbroken sighs.
They knew where to caress or to grip tight.
They knew where to massage and to rub.
They knew how to satisfy each other completely until they lay totally spent and limp, panting.
They were made for each other.
+++++ To be continued ++++++