TOPTEN

glistening

"What's up, why are you here so early?"
Ken couldn't help but ask because he thought maybe he had missed a wake-up call or something and he was late for something. Especially because he's never seen any of his friends this early in the morning.

"No, just coming to spend time with you." Joseph watched as his friend come closer to him, hugging him as he sat next to him.

He loved how affectionate they were to each other, the whole friend group was.

The two had found themselves watching a tv show marathon, hadn't ever seen the show before today, and catching it on a rerun marathon at that, they sat quietly watching it as they ate junk, only commenting when the show would go on commercial, quieting down again once it returned.

"I'm telling you, that bitch Alison ain't dead, bro!" Ken yelled as he spoke his mind about the previous few scenes he had seen just a few minutes ago, rushing about as he tried to get some more food from his pantry.

On his way back, the quiet man on the couch spoke, catching him unaware as he stopped mid-way through the kitchen, near the counter,

"Tell me something, you and Ten fucking?"

Simultaneously, the microwave beeped just as the doorbell rang, too.

Joe smiled as he went towards the door, seeing his friend semi-scurry off to the kitchen, mentioning he needed to get his food. Joe rolled his eyes as he thought it over. Yeah right, food, his ass.

"Oh, nigga." Joe giggled to himself when the aforementioned man, affectionately named Ten, was there standing over the threshold.

He slinked his way through the doorway and into the home. Settling on the couch, going for the long end of the roundabout couch.

After he had settled in he went to ask where his look-alike was until said the man had emerged from the kitchen, with food in hand.

Opting to sit near him, Ken acknowledged the relaxed man, as he passed by him.

Happy that he hadn't missed a thing of the new show he grew to love.

The two men who had been watching the show informed their friend about how much he would like this show and that they will explain anything to him about it during the commercial breaks.

As another commercial came on, Ken felt himself moving forward,

"Huh, Ten."

Ten turned his head, lifting a bit, opening his mouth as he was fed some noodles drenched in sweet sauce and hot sauce. His mouth was dancing, the food was so good. After chewing, he looked in the man's direction waiting for one more forkful, after finishing that, he was enticed,

"See, this is why I love you so much!" He semi shouted, just before the show began again.

With the show back on, no one could speak and that left the last thing being said, looming in the air around them.

Ken was beside himself. Their group always said "I ten you" never actual "love" Granted it was he who came up with the phrase because of his love for the man named Ten but that's what the phrase was for, to ease the love word from coming from his lips.

The afternoon went on into the early evening when Joe found himself leaving the home and leaving the two alone.

Ten was too enthralled in the show that he had just been introduced to not only a few hours ago, that he hadn't noticed Joe kissing him on his hair, goodbye, or that he was left alone with the man of his secret desires.

All alone.

The marathon was over now, at least for the day.

"You ready?"
Ken asked as he saw Ten still sitting down.

Looking his way as he heard his friend's voice, he nodded as he stood up trailing behind him, allowing Ken to lead the way out.

Ten couldn't get his mind around why he was feeling extra possessive today, it's not like today was any different than any other.

He didn't even know where that came from, he just said what he was thinking. Ten mind was consumed with getting his thoughts together and settling his breathing heart to a regular beat.

He came into reality when he saw said friend heading up the stairs.
He, however, couldn't move fast enough. He knew what was upstairs as it was their nightly routine at least it had been whenever the two were in town together.

Ten made sure the downstairs area was secured before ascending the stairs behind his footsteps. Ten crossed the threshold, sighing when he didn't see anyone, but when he heard a shuffle from the closet, he turned and quickly backed out of the room and a bit further down the hallway, laying against the wall, breathing deeply before walking back down the few steps of the hallway back to the room.

Ten reentered the room.Leaning against the doorframe, he watched from the entrance of the closet.

Ken stood frustrated, fumbling with the buckle at the front of the jeans, gently pulling the buckle apart and releasing it, allowing him to continue removing his clothing from his skin.

Turning towards the shrill of the water as he heard it hit the tiled floor of the shower.

Ken slipped by him and into the fogged-filled room, stepping into the mist the heated water created.

Ten joined him, discarding his clothing where he stood, doing as he's done all evening, following behind Ken.

One step at a time.