Stay Awake

Part 2

The first thing Kiku noticed was how easily Hercules smiled.
It wasn't an overly goofy grin or anything. Just a gentle turn of his lips as he talked.
They chatted about nothing for a while, favorite foods, favorite color, what type of stuff they're into, just vanilla stuff.
But by the time their food came, everything was quiet.
"First date?"
The pair jumped at the sudden interruption of their shared silence by the short Italian.
Herc was the first to speak up.
"Actually yeah, we met late last night, we were going to head up here but you guys weren't open."
Their waiter plastered on a bold smile.
"It's always so amazing when people find their soulmate. How did you two meet?"
Kiku blushed slightly and looked away and murmured, "on the train."
"Oh good, are the two of you having trouble getting to know each other?"
Herc sighed.
"A little"
"Complete opposites?"
The way he said it sounded like a question and statement at the same time.
"Not complete, but we are nowhere close to similar."
Their waiter shook his head slowly.
"Yeah, the same happened to me and my Ludwig. The first few weeks we were constantly trying to find something we had in common. After giving up and just moving in together, we discovered that that was just fine. It was just a bit hectic at times, but our differences where what made us compatible."
He finished by staring, glassy eyed at the ceiling clutching his tray to his chest.
Kiku shifted nervously.
"That was a lovely story, but I do believe someone is trying to signal you at another table."
The Italian's eyes snapped back to Kiku and then to where he was looking.
"Oh look at that. I guess I'll be going. . If you need a few conversation points, try favorite time of day or favorite animal. But hey, don't worry, the universe is a mysterious thing. You'll find your rythym"
Before Kiku could ask what that meant, the waiter was gone.
"That was strange", Herc murmured.
"Agreed."
"So where were we?"
"I think we were discovering we had completely different career interests."
"Oh yeah", the Grecian murmured remembering how his soulmate's eyes lighted up while talking about his interest in modern technology, while he had just gotten fired from his dream job at the college archive.
"We have to have something in common", Kiku noted stuffing some pasta in his mouth.
"Yeah. Can you think of anything we haven't compared?"
"Let's take Feli's suggestion. Are you a morning person?"
"You know his name?"
"He's a friend of a friend. I told you I knew one of the owners."
"Well anyway. I'm not really a morning or night person. As long as I'm reading or writing. Which I might be doing just a tad more of now that I lost my job."
It took Herc a second to realize what he said.
"You lost your job?" Kiku murmured worriedly.
"Yeah," Herc murmured looking down at the table.
"May I ask how?"
"I have hypersomnia which makes it hard to stay awake. My doctor had me transition to a new medication which should be better, but I had to stop taking the first pill to clear it out if my system, which caused me to fall asleep a lot for a few days. My boss got mad about it even after I explained and I got fired."
"That sounds unfair."
"It was, but hey I haven't fallen asleep all day, at least today."
"That's good."
"Yeah."
A few moments passed before Kiku continued the conversation.
"You said you liked to read?"
"Yep, my favorites are the classics and I've read through a few manga series. I can spend hours curled up with a good book, especially if one of my cats is sitting with me."
Kiku's face brightened.
"You like cats and manga?"
"I love them, I have two. Cats I mean."
"My apartment only allows one, but she's a very affectionate kitty."
Herc was practically beaming now that they had some common interests to talk about.
And talk they did.

The next hours flew by between discussing cat breeds and swapping book titles, most of Kiku's being Manga. Towards the end he even offered to work something out with his boss and get Herc a temporary job at the train station.
"That would be amazing", Herc gasped as he walked Kiku back station."
"A lot of the time they prefer the larger guys like yourself. I can only promise this is you can maybe stay awake for at least a few hours at a time, though."
Herc felt hurt and confused for a second until he saw Kiku trying to hide a smile.
Herc chuckled.
"I think I can mange that. My new medication is working wonders so far and as long as I'm moving, it's not that bad."
"I'll ask tomorrow."
By this time they had reached the station and the train was a few minutes away.
"This was definitely interesting."
"Yeah it was."
"Not bad, though."
"Yeah."
"Do you think we could set up a playdate for our cats."
"Is your's spayed?"
"I wouldn't have offered if she wasn't."
"Then yes, I would love to have a kitty play date."
The pair turned as a train horn sounded in the distance and the could see the lights.
"I guess this is goodbye for now."
"Yes. I guess it is."
Herc chuckled as a silly idea popped into his head.
"Do I get a good night kiss?"
He waited for Kiku to nervously fumble and stutter out an excuse, but what he got was unexpected.
"Oh, uh, if you would like."
Kiku continued to surprise Herc by pushing himself up on his toes in a futile attempt to reach his soulmate's face for a kiss.
Herc chuckled and gently pushed on Kiku's shoulder lower him.
"I was joking, but if you are serious, may I?"
Kiku nodded and pushed back up to meet Herc's mouth.
Just as their lips pressed into each other, warm and gentle, the train whipped through the station blowing their hair in all directions.
It felt like a movie or a novel or something more than real life.
Parting their closed lips, Kiku could feel Herc's smile before he saw it.
"Thank you," he murmured trying to control his excited breathing.
"You're welcome, now go catch your train."
"Okay, goodbye Hercules."
"Goodbye Kiku."
Herc carefully watched Kiku enter the train and once he was out of sight, Herc became physically ecstatic.
He threw his fist in the air barking out a loud, "yes!" As he relived the kiss.
It was so warm and tender compared to the make out sessions he often saw while on his way home.
Near by, as the train began pulling away, Kiku gazed lovingly from the second story of the train as his partner celebrated.
Once Herc was out of view Kiku settled into his seat and began happily daydreaming about a quiet home lined with book shelves, only shared between him and his lover.
And about twenty cats.