Apoapsis

Kageyama Tatsuya

1巻

A/N: Konnichiwa and Hajimemashite! Greetings, everyone. I’m deeply sorry for not being able to post anything whatsoever in such a dreadfully long time. (Sumimasen!!) I’ve been sick with everything in the world, and when I wasn’t at death’s door, I was overly busy with making up everything I was missing. It’s been a vicious cycle, but now with finals out of the way for another year, I can now return to my life online that I have missed oh so much. Of course, it’s also very busy since I’m working on over twenty pieces of original fiction. Ah well, with a little luck and loads of skill, I’ll have it all finished on schedule. Fate has a way of being as cruel as possible. To my loyal friends Cyric and Dark: thank you so much for all your support and kindness when I needed it most. By the way, if any of you reading this would like a copy of my personal draft (with all my comments — such fame they have — included) e-mail your request to from the address where you want it sent included. And now, without further ado, may I present my first published YAOI work in ages: Apoapsis!! Enjoy! – Tatsuya

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Space: it is the ultimately endless cosmos, which science tries to rule as no more than finite. True space, however, is not so easy for mortals to explain. The divine forces, endlessly bending and twisting the celestial realm, first one way then another; what exists one day vanishes the next, forever lost to the eternal void. For those bodies cast beyond, does life end? What exists on the other side? Mass quantities of explorers were lost in numerous attempts to discover those answers in programs built on the neoprinciple: “The Apoapsis Formula.” In the end, most systems could not afford to push for the continuation of the missions, both due to financial concerns and the astronomical loss rate. The infinite rifts throughout the heavens are scattered according to no definite pattern, constantly collecting entire, unsuspecting galactic systems. Galactic Rift – GR-2993 – is one such situation… Chapter I

Jishin Arashi, the majestic flagship for the fleet of Caeruleus, drifted around the beautiful azure sphere below as it swirled with its elegant clouds. From his place aboard the bridge, a man watched out the window for any signs of hostile activity. “Admiral Plutonius, I beg your pardon,” the boy said quietly as he approached, “but we have received word that our reinforcements have been collected for launch early next month.”

The flaxen man’s dark eyes turned toward the young messenger, “Very good, Rutherford. I’m sure you’re rather excited about meeting the next batch of newcomers.” The boy lowered his eyes, letting out a quiet, little wheeze. “I’m sorry, Joey. You must miss him, especially after all this time,” the man added, holding the sobbing boy in his arms, “I’m sure it has left a mark on you that will never fully heal, but you have friends here now to help you move on…”

“I’m not ready to move on yet!” the boy snapped, “It feels like he only left this morning; I didn’t even get to say goodbye to him before the ship lost contact with his pod. It still feels like any other two-week mission he’s ever been on since I’ve known him. It’ll be a cold bed and no one to talk to; the usual situation whenever he gets involved with a mission. I can’t explain it, but I have this feeling deep inside me that somehow, against all odds, my love is still alive out there somewhere. We don’t know what it is like on the other side of the break. I won’t accept his death until I know the truth about all of this,” Rutherford’s light blond hair glistened as he turned away, still sobbing and rubbing his reddening cheeks of warm tears, “I’m deeply sorry, Admiral, for my lack of control. I believe I’ve said too much, for what it’s worth, and I think I’ll just head back to my quarters for the night to get some rest. These past few weeks have been exceptionally rough for me.”

Without a word, the man touched a hand softly to the boy’s shoulder as the figure moved away from him into the shadowy hallway. “This field of operation is too rough on these kids,” the admiral told himself, “particularly since half of them don’t even make it back home. At the current rate, who knows when we’ll run out of our invaluable youth?” He turned from the window and sat down on the bench by his leg, his head trapped in confusion’s cage.

Joey Rutherford’s passcard slipped through the slot, and the door to his room slid open with great speed. The area was quite cramped and was always cramped, but especially at night. He flipped on a small desktop light with the switch just inside the doorway. The soft glow of the bulb made the shapes slowly more apparent. He laid his keys on the shelf, which hung over the back of the bed directly in front of him, and slipped his shoes and socks off. He ran his hand over the soft pillows piled atop the sheets as he made his way through the narrow path between the bed and the rolling chair against his computer desk. Walking further to the end of the room, past a small bench was his bathroom/closet combo. Two empty boxes were still sitting in that second hallway to fill with all the precious items he had shared with his lover. Seeing them again hurt his heart; it bothered him that the Jishin Arashi would let a priceless life slip away without a fight. Yet here they were, ready to pack his belongings away as though he had never existed. Rutherford walked slowly through the darkness, feeling for the light switch with his left hand. His fingers suddenly slammed into the switch, and he yanked his hand away, rubbing his sore fingertips. He flipped the lights on in the bathroom, and closed the door behind him. Running the warm water for a moment, he eased his throbbing hand into the soothing warmth. He grabbed a navy washcloth from the basket beside the sink, and rinsed his face, still red from crying. As he rubbed the cloth over his eyes, he could hardly keep the tears back.

At eyelevel attached to the mirror was a handwritten note, which read: “My dearest Joey, as I write this, I am preparing to board the explorer. We have no idea how long how long this trip will last. As the ambassador to the Royal Circuit, negotiations will be very difficult. Get some rest, and don’t wait up for me. I love you very much and hope to see you soon. – Rei 零” Joey smiled and ran his fingers over the note while letting his thoughts flee to his lover.

His eyes and nose were already missing Rei more than Joey himself would admit. He stripped quickly, and climbed into the hot streams of water. The soothing flow reminded him of his lover’s embrace as it coated him with its softness. Rising steam was slowly drawn through ceiling vents as Joey tilted his head back, the heat flowing through his blond hair. He twisted the handle until the water cut off, and he dragged the towel off the shelf, wrapping it around his waist before pulling the shower curtain back. Stepping out onto the soft mat, he turned to his left and entered the small walk-in closet. He opened a drawer on the right-hand side of the closet; dropping his towel, he pulled on a pair of white briefs and a heather gray t-shirt. He flipped the light off in the room and stepped back into the main bathroom. A hairdryer sat on the counter, merely begging him to grab it, but he threw the towel over his head, rubbing his head furiously, just as Rei had done for him so many times before.

It was not like before. Rei had always made it a point to keep in touch with Joey when missions came up, but now, the boy had a strange feeling in his very soul. An undeniable wave of sadness swept over him in the past few days. Joey had always been the strong silent type, except that he sort of lacked the strong aspect. He had always kept to himself and held only two friends dear to him. He had met Rei the day he arrived on the station, the Jishin Arashi. Neither of them really knew where they were going but somehow bumped into each other. Natural chemistry between the two fostered love for both boys, and within weeks they were bound to each other. One ring had to be created uniquely for each of them, using the carbon in a lock of the other’s hair to create a diamond-like gem, an immortal reminder of the love they would always share.

Some said that sort of love could only be found in fairytales, but behind the scenes, Rei and Joey fought often, physically and otherwise. That was when Joey had first met Brandon O’ Coileáin, the boy across the hall. He would often run to Brandon for security from Rei since the man was a violent and unpredictable force. Not all nights were the same, and Rei would become frequently agitated by problems he had dealt with at his office. Long days led to longer nights as Joey fought to keep himself out of his lover’s way. Brandon was a generous boy, who had many experiences like that of Joey and offered the boy shelter when he needed it most. Perhaps the most interesting quality Brandon possessed was his extreme shyness, especially around Joey; when Rei was around, the boy’s personality was always much more lax. The relationship between the two of them had become so strong through the years that at one point, many thought they had secretly hooked up without Rei’s knowledge, though Rei knew his mate well enough not to buy into such tales. When Rei had first left, everybody noticed, but not even Brandon had come to comfort the boy this time. With Rei away for more than a week beyond the original projection, Joey had wished the boy would come to visit him and take some of his pain away. Joey Rutherford had given Brandon a passkey to the room when they became closer friends so he would have a chance at getting away from Rei in a dire situation. Joey had never asked why Brandon felt so deeply for him, but surely those answers would be there if he got curious. After all, with Joey and Brandon, nothing was ever kept secret once the questions starting flying. But why didn’t Joey’s guardian rush to his side this time? The room across the hall had never felt more out of touch than at that instant.

Apoapsis

Joey studied himself in the mirror before taking his lover’s note in his hands again. He turned the bathroom light out and carried the note with him back to the bedside. He reached over to the door and pressed the response switch1. He always slept with his nightlight on, just in case anything was to happen during the night without Rei there to protect him. He tossed several pillows on top of the chocolate comforter at the foot of the bed and climbed under the soft beige sheets. He clasped his hands and whispered, “Please, don’t let anyone through this door tonight.” Then he rolled over, his back to the door, and drifted into a peaceful slumber.

“Surrender the gem, and I shall spare your life,” a threatening voice whispered from deep within the shadows. A mere ghost of a cackle echoed behind the statement as the firelight flickered across the walls.

Rei’s lustrous, silver hair and vivid green eyes glinted softly in the light of the dancing flames, “I’m afraid you are mistaken if you believe I would so much as consider surrender anything so precious to the likes of you! I still require the jewel for the time being.”

“Well then,” the dark one whispered, malevolence engrained into his voice, “your time has come. Die…” A brandished blade flashed before his face followed by a flurry of flames, and Joey’s eyes burst open, his alarm quietly vibrating under his pillow. The violent images rushed through his mind once more as he switched the buzzing clock off.

“No, no, no!” the boy cried, “Not another dream about him…” Joey took his head in his hands, and sat up slowly, his mind reeling from yet more graphic images of the same nature that had been plaguing his sleeping hours for over a week. He peeped through his fingers at the clock on his computer screen to his right, which read 0524. “Aw man, I’ve got about five minutes to get to my post!” he shouted in agitation, “Why today of all days?” He flipped the covers back and pulled on a pair of black jeans over his briefs, fastening the brown leather belt around his waist before grabbing his gray dress shirt and dashing out the door. These hallways were still dark in this wing of the station, though he could see the faint light of the café up ahead, the neon signs bidding him welcome as he rushed through the doors. He ran to the back wall where the schedule had been posted and saw his name penciled in for the 0540 slot. Joey rubbed his head; he hadn’t been as late as he thought. Still it was nice to be early every once in a while. He walked behind the counter and saw his manager sitting back in a black lounge chair, holding a steaming cup of coffee.

“Morning, Joey,” the older man smiled. “You’re here early, and I admire your commitment to the job in light of all you’re going through.” A piercing gaze from the boss met Joey as he stood in the doorway. Despite Pascal’s words of appreciation, there was something uneasy about the man as he reclined in the chair, his slender fingers tracing the rim of the mug over and over.

“Thanks, Mr. Pascal,” the boy began timidly, “but I need this job to keep my mind off what’s been happening recently. So as much as I would like to say the two are unrelated and accept your compliment, I have to admit I’m having a difficult time right now.” Apprehensive eyes shifted quickly from the man to the floor.

“Well let’s not dwell on such things when we need not, eh?” the man told him, gesturing to another gentleman sitting against the far wall, “We were just talking about you not a moment before you walked in. Mr. Boyd Okami, this is my favorite kid around here, Joseph Rutherford. Joey, this man will be your new advisor. Impress him with your skills, and you’ll go a long way in this business.” He cupped a hand over his mouth and whispered, “He’s an excellent judge of character.” Pascal glanced between the two and awaited a response.

Joey just stood there, speechless. There was no response, no gesture of gratitude, nothing at all. His mind suddenly caught up with him, and he bowed slightly, “It’s an honor, Mr. Okami.” The name had thrown him when he first heard it; there was an almost unnatural effect on him to have to pronounce that word from his lips. It was the familiarity, the altogether similitude of the word that tugged at his very heart. Okami was Rei’s last name. He took his head in his hands for a moment, “Would the two of you mind if I stepped out for a minute or two?”

Pascal shrugged and, clasping the mug in his other hand, waved his hand in the boy’s direction. Boyd piped up from across the room, “Go ahead, Joey, but don’t be gone too long.” With that, he made his way out the office door and down the steps to the common room, which already had a good number of readers hooked on the latest novels.

Apoapsis

Joey Rutherford walked over to the candlelit room and peered inside. His eyes immediately jumped to a hooded figure with its head buried in folded arms on the table. He had seen kids rest their heads this way in classes before, but never in a bookstore of all places. He approached quietly and gently pulled the hood of the heather gray jacket from the head beneath, fine hair clinging to the inside of the warm fabric. The boy underneath was sound asleep, and Joey marveled at his beauty. His hair was trimmed back very much away from his ears, those locks completely pervaded with blond highlights, slightly darker hair hiding beneath the upper layer. The boy’s pale face held such relaxation as he slept; one should think he had not slept in ages to fall into such a deep slumber. Joey softly brushed the delicate bangs from the boy’s dark eyebrows. It was his simply adorable Brandon O’ Coileáin, asleep, once again, in the oddest of places. That elegant being stole his heart and speech time after time. Seeing the cute boy shivering inside his jacket, Rutherford tucked his head back inside his hood and draped one of the store’s comfort throws around him to keep him warm. Looking over at the clock, he could see that the breakfast session would begin very shortly, so the newly employed barista rushed back to the office to get his orders for the morning hours.

Wandering back up front to the bar, he pulled his black apron over his head. His eyes still didn’t want to focus this early in the morning. Green eyes squinting in the bright lights, he could see several small groups of people already sitting around at the circular black tables. Joey dragged his fingers over the cold keys of the register, entering his access code and verification into the system. His thoughts ran together in his head; a new boss on top of all the other problems he had already meant only more confusion for his troubled mind. Glancing over the counter to make sure no customers were on their way, he squatted and reached under the counter to grab his novel to go with his steaming mug of coffee. “Now, this is more like it,” he thought as the hot steam and sweet fragrance of coffee filled his head. He flipped the book open to where he had left off only the day before. His eyes scanned the page to find his place. As he turned the page slowly, his eyes caught a slender figure approaching slowly. Wearing blue jean shorts and a black tee, his steps quickened toward the counter, his gray jacket covering shivering arms. As a warm hand reached over the book and rubbed across his fingers, Joey’s eyes shot to the slightly taller blond boy standing in front of him, “Brandon…You’re finally awake, I see.”

“Hey, Joe,” the fair-haired boy smiled timidly, stroking the hot cup of coffee to his left and keeping his eyes lowered, “I, uh, was just thinking about you this morning and thought I’d stop by to see you.” Brandon’s almost hesitant appearance struck Joey first of all; his apprehension was nothing new, but somehow, something was different. Joey stood puzzling over the silent blond, not uttering a sound himself. The sweet and slightly deeper voice of O’ Coileáin kept quiet. After a moment, those blue eyes shifted, and the boy slowly spun Joey’s book around, flipping it closed to view the cover. “So you’re reading some of Fujimoto Datsu’s Suna Shigure this early in the morning? I’m too tired to grasp any of it; I hardly understand his work when I’m completely awake.” He chuckled lightly, tracing the embossed kanji on the cover, “I buy his books for two reasons: one, I love his commentary and two, because I know I’ll never be on that level in my life.”

Joey grinned, “If you think he's hard to handle, don’t even touch Kageyama Tatsuya. He writes so you think you know what’s going on, and then at the last second, you have no idea what’s going on. Actually Tatsuya has another slash story coming out soon. I hear it’s supposed to be a tragic love story with a slight twist.” He reached behind the counter and pulled out a slip of paper, “If you want to reserve, I only have two of these left. He’s an extremely popular author from our era; you really should give him a try.”

A shiny gold coin slid across the counter before Brandon picked up the reservation and stuffed it into his pocket, “I’m a firm believer in attempt before refusal.” He grinned at his best friend before turning his head toward the specials sign, his eyes glancing back awkwardly at Joey every few seconds.

Sensing something much more serious was on his friend’s mind, he wanted to ask what was wrong, but the words to form the question would not come to him. At length he asked, “Is there anything I can do for you? I mean, if you need anything at all, I’m here for you.” The tense feeling in his chest passed as the boy’s face turned back to him.

“I know you are, Joey, and thanks for looking out for me.” His hand left the mug and slid across Joey’s wrist again to touch his watch. “Do you think you could come by and see me tonight? I’ve got a lot I’d like to talk to you about, that is, if you aren’t busy later…” Uncertainty was engrained into his voice as he made the attempt to conceal his irrepressible feelings.

Deep blue eyes stared at the cashier as the boy flipped through the schedule packet. “No,” Joey smiled, “I don’t work again until tomorrow afternoon. What time should I be at your place?” Already the air was so tense that it could be sliced with a knife. After all, it had been a very long time since the two had been together. Still Joey stood, turning the thoughts over in his head, thoughts of a long lost Rei and fresh Brandon within his grasp.

“Whenever you feel like dropping by,” Brandon sighed, all emotion fading from his face as though he was strangled by the words. His gaze strayed back to the eating area, “I really should get going before any real customers show up. I’ll see you later, right?”

“Yeah, I’ll come by after work. Take care of yourself, and have a good day. If you need anything else, you know where to find me.” Seeing the kid nod at him almost apathetically, he grabbed the boy by his tee and pulled Brandon closer to peck him on the cheek. “See you tonight, kid,” Joey whispered in the boy’s ear.

Brandon’s eyes closed, and his face flashed red, “Yeah…I’ll be waiting for you. Please, don’t be too late.” Then he turned away and strolled out of the café where he was steadily swallowed by the shadows of the corridor. Joey looked away from the fleeting figure and turned to the affairs at hand.

Apoapsis

Lights outside the large octagonal room began activating, illuminating hallways all over the facility. “Joey,” a deep voice called from the backroom, “Switch to the dinner menu and change the book of the day while you’re at it.” The blond raised the black section of countertop to his left and walked around to the outside of the counter to flip the board around. When he made it back to the computer, he clicked on the “new book” option, and the wall behind him displayed several new releases and discount prices for each. A quiet bell rang in Joey’s ear as his shift concluded.

Pulling the dark apron over his head, he headed into the back to logout of the system. “I’m leaving,” he called to any supervisors, who might be listening. He would need to hurry out in order to have enough time to get cleaned up before stopping by to see Brandon, a different boy from the one who had become his friend while Rei was aboard the ship. As he turned to the numeric keypad and punched in his ID code, he felt a large hand on his back.

“Don’t jump like that,” the man chuckled, “I just wanted to personally thank you for all your hard work today.” Dark eyes shifted underneath bushy black eyebrows as the wrinkles of the smile slowly faded from his face as he stared at the boy.

Joey smiled back at the tall businessman, “Of course, Mr. Okami. I have to admit this is my favorite job of all the others with which I’ve had any experience, namely craft mechanic and robotics assistant. This café offers both an excellent meal and a good book to go with it. There is no other place like it, even onboard other vessels.”

“I’m glad you so enthusiastically deem us such a success,” he affirmed. “We are certainly proud to have a diligent young man, such as yourself, on the team with us. You are the kind of person that makes our district function properly. If you ever need a letter recommendation, I would be honored to take care of that for you.” Seeing the boy nod with a grin, he continued, “Now, I noticed a young man talking with you earlier today; is he a friend of yours?”

“Yes, sir…we’ve known each other for a while now,” the boy’s eyes fell to the floor, “O’ Coileáin was close to Rei as well; in fact, that’s the reason he came by earlier. I’m supposed to stop by and see him tonight.” He looked back up at the man, who was quietly assembling the information in his head.

“I see what you mean,” he smiled, “and it’s good that both of you have someone to talk with at times like these. You can tell O’ Coileáin that if he needs a job, we’d love to have him around here. At least that way, you could see each other a bit more than at present.” Mr. Okami reached into his pocket and pulled out two crimson tickets, “I want you to take these and treat Brandon and yourself to dinner on the house tonight. You’ve been through a lot recently, and I just want to help you as much as I can. Here’s my card, and if you need anything at all, my phone is always on.”

Joey took the papers from him with a trembling hand, “You are far too kind, Mr. Okami. Thank you so very much for all you’ve done for me. I don’t know how I’ll ever make this up to you.” Then he bowed courteously and dashed from the room, narrowly missing the door as he ran.

Boyd sighed with a cheerful grin, “You already have, Joey. You already have…” He turned his back to the closing doorway and the fading light and returned to the conference where everyone else was waiting.

Apoapsis

Joey was all but exhausted when he finally made it all the way back to his room. It was rather unlike him to run anywhere at all, especially so late in the evening. Checking his watch again, he slipped inside his room and pulled his dress shirt off before dashing to the closet. He grabbed a white t-shirt with an elegant black dragon sketched around the front and back. His heart quickened its speed as he pictured seeing that cute blond next door. As he left the closet and walked carefully down the narrow hallway, he pulled his black belt off and tossed it onto the bed. Then he turned off the lights and, closing the entrance behind him, headed for the door across the hall.

He reached out with his right hand and tapped softly on the portal. Inside, he could hear stirring and quickening footsteps. As the door slid open, Joey once again met face-to-face with Brandon O’ Coileáin, who bid him come inside the apartment. As he stepped into the room once again, memories rushed back to him, memories of Rei pounding on the door, long conversations with Brandon, coffee and late-night reading. Joey turned around to see blond hair close the door and lock the entrance behind him. Brandon’s presence had shifted somewhat since Rei vanished; now he was much more agitated, troubled, quiet. “Joey, please make yourself at home; you’re family after all.”

Joey walked to the black sofa and plopped down in one corner amongst vibrantly colored, fluffy pillows while Brandon did the same on the couch opposite him. “Brandon…” he started nervously, only to be stopped with the flash of a hand, blue eyes staring deep into him. At that moment, the air in the entire room grew increasingly tense, stifling Joey’s attempts at asking the flaxen boy anything on his mind.

“Please, Joey,” the boy said, all emotion absent from his face and his eyes on the floor, “let me say what I need to while I still can. Rei was a very special person to both of us, and I know we are supposed to keep hope alive when one of our own goes missing. Since you’ve kept up with news as much as you could, I’ll just skip to the current as much as possible. Contact with the capsule was lost last week, and at that time, no escape measures had been taken…” Brandon’s eyes filled with tears, and his voice trembled again and again as he spoke. “Today, reports have suggested that,” he hesitated, “Rei was lost…somewhere near GR-2993.” The boy buried his head in a pillow, muffled sobs locked inside.

Rutherford’s wounded heart lost its grip on that final string of hope and slipped deep inside his chest. He fought to keep himself from crying in vain and collapsed across the couch, warm tears flowing quietly down his cheeks. Sadness and rage battled inside him as he lay there, struggling to see Brandon through his blurred vision. Joey could still hear the wheezing of the boy across from him. As he struggled to sit up again, he could feel all energy in his body failing as though some vital organ had, at once, been snatched from him. He knew at once why Brandon had been so lifeless recently. Joey stood and took a seat next to the boy on the couch, overcome with absolute misery. A trembling Brandon fell into Joey’s warm embrace, the two quietly mourning the loss of such a magnificent person.

Joey ran his fingers through the boy’s soft hair, “Do you really believe those reports? I mean, do you think they’re telling the truth?” Through his voice alone, his apparent disregard for the reports was more than noticeable. Questions raced through his eyes as he puzzled over his friend’s expression at the suggestion that some of the information may have been deliberately altered.

“Well,” the boy paused, “that is to say…I really don’t know, kid. I don’t exactly have a reason to doubt the reports, but as much as I want to know something as opposed to nothing, I can neither confirm nor deny any of it. The only way we could ever know for sure would be to join a convoy and search for him ourselves.” On his back, he could feel Joey’s breathing suddenly stop and his heart jumped. Brandon sat forward and looked over at the blond, not sure what to make of the wild eyes he met.

“Brandon, you’re a genius! We can go look for him together! I’ll get a pod together and surely a number of our crewmembers will help us, right? It couldn’t be more perfect, and we can save Rei!” Empty eyes stared back at him silently, telling him the idea would never work. Joey’s mien, though joyous at once, had been hushed in an instant. Those steel-blue eyes always said so much without a single word. He could feel the tension becoming strong in the room again as he sat there on the sofa. “Umm…listen. I’m sorry about all that; it’s just for that split second, all I could think of was seeing Rei again,” he explained. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to know he’s alive, and I know you must feel the same way,” the boy sat across from him silently. “I should probably go…I know you’re busy enough as it is.”

He stood and walked to the door, but as he reached out to grab the doorknob, a warm hand took his own. Joey turned back and smiled at the boy holding onto his arm; blue eyes flashed at him, “You can spend the night here if you’d like.” It was that sentence, that very phrase Joey had heard so many times before. Whenever Rei had left him alone, Brandon always offered him shelter at his place; the idea had always given Joey that sense of comfort he was needing. Though something was different this time; the boy was silently asking him to stay with him for once. In Rutherford’s mind, O’ Coileáin had been doing him a favor by offering him a place to stay; now, it almost felt as though the boy was actually asking him for his own personal reasons for once. “Please, Joe,” he pleaded, “I don’t want to be alone anymore.” Joey turned to him and grinned at the taller boy with muted desire in his eyes.

O’ Coileáin dragged the shorter boy from the doorway, a smile shining on his face as they made their way back into the living quarters. After sitting together for a few moments in silence, blue eyes glanced over at Joey, “I’m getting hungry; any ideas about what we should do for dinner tonight?” Joey smiled at him and plunged his right hand into his back pocket to pull out the pair of tickets. “Where did you get those?! Does this mean I don’t have to pay for once?”

Joey smiled, “Dinner is on the house tonight. You have had to pay for quite a bit lately, but now that I have a better job these days, I can afford to buy for once.” He walked over to the wall and slipped the two papers through the slot as a digital number “15” popped into the numeric display for minutes remaining. As he sat back down, Rutherford breathed a sigh of relief. At least now he could relax; Brandon had been so tense before that he was expecting the worst tonight. In the end, all he really needed was little time so the boy could warm back up to him. He shifted his gaze from the folded hands on his lap to the grinning boy next to him.

O’ Coileáin placed a hand on Joey’s thigh, drawing tension to the boy’s formerly relaxed leg, “Did you remember to…Oh, never mind.” His eyes turned away from the blond, a tear slipping down his face. The room was silent, and Rutherford couldn’t think of anything useful to say as it was. After a few moments, the silence broke as Brandon turned back to face him, “Listen, Joey, I know it’s been a while since we’ve been together. Times have been rough ever since Okami left us, and I know neither one of us really wants to accept the saddening news that has made its way to us of his fate. There has been little time when I don’t think of him and the pain you are going through right now; I loved him…so much! That’s why I wanted to ask you…well, that is, so that neither one of us has to go through this time alone…” He glanced up to see Joey’s heavy eyes staring at him; the boy’s face was so expressive, the occasional nod affirming each part of Brandon’s drawn out question as if all the while he had been thinking of asking him the same thing as well. “Well,” he continued, his voice shaking with the rapid pulse of his heart, “I was wondering if you want to…uh, if you would want to…and I’m sure you’ve been thinking the same thing too. I care about you so much, Joe. You’re one of the cutest boys I’ve ever laid eyes on, and whenever I’m around you, I feel so content. I know I’m not the easiest person to talk to, I can be rather shy at times, I can’t say what I need to say when I need to say it, and I’m not the strongest person around…but if anything ever happened to you, you know I’d be there in an instant!” Joey simply smiled at him, tears in his eyes as O’ Coileáin fought to ask him the question he had so long expected. “Of course, I know you’re always there for me, too; it’s just that…What I’m trying to say is…” he clenched his fist on his leg, “Joey, would you want to…be my lover? …I mean, it’s totally fine if you don’t! I understand if you don’t like me the same way…Sorry for asking.”

Joey just sat there on the couch just staring at the boy’s bright red face as he went over that question again and again in his mind, “Brandon, relax and let me talk for a minute. What you speak is the truth. I have thought of asking you this question for some time. While it is true that Rei has been MIA for a while, even if he were still around here, I don’t think he would mind if we gave it a try. Besides, there are already so many rumors about us being together as it is. You’re adorable, Brandon, not to mention funny and sensitive. It was extremely admirable and brave of you to say that just now, even at the fear that I would reject your valiant effort.” He grinned at seeing those steel-blue eyes widen as the taller boy braced for that icy punch of rejection. “I don’t see any reason,” Joey said, looking down at his lap, “why we shouldn’t go through with this.” He raised his eyes once more as a rigid O’ Coileáin fell back onto the pillows with a smile on his face.

Brandon sat back up and threw his arms around the boy, “You have no idea how much this means to me. I love you, Joe.”

“I love you back,” Joey mused softly in his lover’s ear. The dinner bell chimed over his shoulder, and, smiling to himself, Rutherford grabbed two plates.

Apoapsis

1 Switch next to all doors in ship allows members passing by the door to know if the occupant is awake (if the small light is on) or asleep (if the small light is off).