Careless Whisper Chp. 18

     “Get out…,” Strify stated firmly anger radiating from his icy blue eyes.
    Kiro took a deep breath and rounded the counter into the living room. “I know you’re probably hungry…,” Kiro began. “Just sit down and relax and then we can talk over dinner. Please, just give me a chance to explain things.”
    Strify made a small pained expression before dropping down onto the sofa. “Fine…, explain all you want. It doesn’t mean I’ll be listening.”
   “Well..,” Kiro continued turning back towards the kitchen. “The pasta’s done and the bread should be ready soon.” He didn’t really know what to say next. At least Strify wasn’t running away. Maybe if he got him drunk he’d listen to him? No, that wouldn’t work. Strify was probably on pain killers. He wanted make him easier to talk to, not kill him.
    “Since when do you know how to cook?” Strify questioned with fake interest.
   “Well, Shin helped me.”
   “Shin’s a worse cook than you are,” Strify laughed. “Maybe you’re actually trying to poison me.”
   “Yu helped too. Also, why would I poison you?”
   “I don’t know. It’s not like you ever take other people’s feelings into consideration before you do things.”
   Kiro tried to ignore Strify’s comment and began setting the table. He had expected Strify to be a little hostile towards him. He deserved it. He just didn’t know how to get him to listen to him. If Kiro was in Strify’s situation he wouldn’t listen to him either.
    “Dinner’s ready,” Kiro announced placing two plates of steaming spaghetti on the dinning room table. Strify didn’t acknowledge him. He just kept starring at the blank television screen like it was actually on. “Is your hatred of me going to cause you to starve?”
   “I can go half a day without food.” Strify stated flatly.
   “Strify…,” Kiro whispered. “Please…?” Kiro sat noisily down in his normal seat at the dinner table, placing his face in his hands. Unexpected tears began to trickle down his writs. This entire situation was so out of control and crying wasn’t going to fix it. Yet, that was all he could think to do.
    A soft noise drew Kiro’s face from his palms. Strify now sat silently across the table from him. There was an odd look upon his face. It was as if he was pained by Kiro’s tears and at the same time full of rage.
    “This food better not kill me or I’m so coming back and haunting your ass.” Strify stated with mock seriousness before taking a bite of spaghetti.
    Kiro smiled weakly as he took a fork and twirled in around in his own plate. “At least you’d be talking to me.” Strify didn’t respond to his reply. He just kept noiselessly shoving food into his mouth. “Why don’t we listen to some music?” Kiro suggested fumbling with the stereo remote. “Music always makes things easier to handle…,”

I’m never gonna dance again this guilty fear’s got no rhythm. Though it’s easy to pretend, I know you’re not a fool. I should’ve known better than to cheat a friend…,

    The radio began playing an all too familiar melody. Kiro quickly shut it off and smiled awkwardly. “Never mind, bad idea.”  Strify just rolled his eyes and kept eating.
   The rest of the meal was spent in an uncomfortable silence. Kiro had given up trying to apologize to Strify. Maybe Shin was right and it was time for Strify to suck it up and make the next move?
    Desert was set up in the living room. Kiro sat across from Strify on the large black leather sofa watching him eat his cookie in silence. This was ridicules. They couldn’t spend the rest of their lives in this state. Just as Kiro was about to finally say something Strify leaned forward and placed his empty plate on the coffee table. As he did so there was an obvious sign of strain. Strify’s thin shoulder and neck muscles tensed painfully under his white cotton shirt.
    Kiro rose from his seat and rounded the back of the couch. “Lean back…,” Kiro ordered quietly. Strify slowly obeyed tilting back gradually. It was clear that the accident had caused more damage than just a broken leg.  
   Ever so slowly Kiro slipped his tiny hands over Strify’s tense shoulders kneading the flesh beneath his shirt.  There was a small protest noise from Strify, but he was quickly silenced by the relaxing movement of Kiro’s hands.  “How long have you been so bent up?” Kiro whispered shifting his fingers so that they could snake underneath Strify’s shirt collar.
    “Since the accident…,” Strify sighed relaxing into Kiro’s touch.
   “Why didn’t you get Yu to…?”
   “I was too busy being pissed off to think about it. Plus, I couldn’t stand for anyone else to touch me. I don’t know why…,”
  “Strify, will you please listen to me now?” Kiro questioned releasing the top button on Strify’s shirt. The only answer he received was a soft sigh.
    “I never meant to hurt anyone, most of all you. Yu and I had been teasing each other for weeks before you made any indication of interest in me. At the time I wasn’t sure how to deal with all that secret attention. I just wanted to see how things were going to develop before I made any rash decisions.  After a while I came to realize that unlike with Yu, you seemed to actually…,” Kiro’s words trailed off. He didn’t know how to explain things. If he kept talking in circles Strify was bound to give-up and kick him out.
    “Care about you.” Strify finished.
   “Yeah…, with Yu it was just a stupid game. When I was with you it was more than that. I could see that you cared about me a lot and I couldn’t seem to get you out of my head. I mean I wasn’t sitting around lusting over you…, well that was part of it…, shit this isn’t coming out right.”      
     “Shhh..,” Strify moaned helping Kiro undo the last button on his shirt.
    “That night when you found us I was trying to break things off with Yu. I was going to tell him about us and explain how I felt about…,”
   “Shhh..,” Strify breathed leaning slightly forwards, so that he could slip his shirt off.
   Kiro took the second shush as a sign to stop talking. Sometimes words weren’t necessary. Letting out a nervous breath Kiro began massaging Strify’s pale white shoulders. The pained look that has occupied  Strify’s  face earlier was replaced by one of total relaxation.
   Kiro’s petite hands trailed delicately over Strify’s shoulders and began to play along his chest. He made slow leisure circles with his nimble fingers causing a faint moan to escape Strify’s lips. Leaning farther over the back of the couch Kiro began to plant soft kisses down his neck. Strify’s eyes fluttered shut at the feeling of Kiro’s gentle lips upon his flesh.
    “Does this mean you forgive me?” Kiro questioned pulling Strify’s head back so he could reach his lips.