On The Hill (GiriPan)

8

Kiku sat at his desk. He tried to do things, to draw, to write, to read, but he was, once again, distracted. All he could think about was Heracles. His hand went to his cheek, where he had kissed him the day before. The taller boy's lips were soft and his breath smelt like olives.

More than anything, Kiku wanted to see him again. So much, in fact, that when someone knocked on his door, he half-expected, or at least wanted it to be Heracles. Instead, his father stood there, a tray in his hand. Kiku realised that he had been calling him for lunch for about half an hour.

"Oh. Dad. Sorry."

Wang handed him the tray. "It's fine. Given what you asked me the other day, you've had a lot on your mind."
Kiku just nodded.

"Did you tell her?"

Kiku shrugged.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I was kissed on the cheek before I could say it." Kiku avoided any pronouns.

"By the same girl? That's great!"

"It is. I'm just a little... distracted, you know?"

Yao stroked his son's hair. "That's only natural. You're in love."

"Arigatou, dad."

"When can I meet her?"

"Him," Kiku found himself saying, "It's a... guy." Huh. So much for avoiding pronouns.

Yao found himself putting his arms around his son. He told him it was okay, that he wasn't going to judge him by his sexuality. Kiku, unusually for him, returned the hug. When he pulled away Wang's shoulder was soaked. He'd been crying. Kiku had been crying.

"You can meet him soon."

"I'd like that."

"Arigatou," he repeated, "arigatou, arigatou."

.oOo.

Heracles lay on his bed, face down like always. Kiku... He was etched on his mind like a mosaic on the floor of a temple. His deep brown eyes, his soft voice... He couldn't think.

Then again, he thought, that's love.

He reached down and his fingers connected with Hera's head. He'd gotten to know his cats so well he could identify them by touch. He went through them in his head, looking for distractions, trying to think about anything but Kiku and his smooth skin and sleek hair and faint smell of soya sauce and-

He sighed. No use trying not to think about him. He occupied his every thought. Couldn't sleep, couldn't eat.
Even Sadik was worried about his little brother. Not to the point of talking to him, of course. He refused to admit that he cared about him and Heracles wouldn't tell him a thing anyway. But watching from afar honestly upset him. He didn't like seeing his little brother like this.