96: Kiss It Better

The intensity of Stephen’s gaze made Inho tense up. Before Stephen answered Inho’s question, he reached between their glasses and plates to press his hand to Inho’s, interlocking their fingers. A burst of startled laughter from the table across the room made Inho flinch– did Stephen forget where they were? Stephen ignored the women and wet his lips in the tiniest hint of nerves before he finally spoke, “Believe it or not, that’s why I just flew across the world on Valentines day. Yes, I do want to get back together.”

Inho’s chest squeezed, tight, so tight, and his eyes prickled. He swallowed past the lump in his throat. “Then... should we get out of here?”

“Yes.” Stephen rose from his chair and started putting on his coat.

Inho startled like a nervous horse, “I didn’t mean right now. Ah– finish eating!”

“No, I hate it here.” Stephen’s eyes shifted briefly towards the tittering women, he pulled out money and dropped it on the table with a nod towards the flustered waiter.  “We can get room service at the hotel.” He plucked Inho’s coat from his chair and held it out for him to scramble into.

“Hotel? What hotel?”

“You’ll see.”

Stephen may have restrained himself with the restaurant, but he certainly didn’t hold back when it came to the hotel. Inho’s eyes nearly bugged out when the uber driver left them at the front entrance, and Stephen nearly had to drag him in to get him to unfreeze. In sweatpants and a hoodie he felt like a beggar walking into the glittering foyer. A million crystals hung on invisible wires from the 20 foot ceiling, swaying gently in invisible eddies of air.

Stephen sauntered them past the front desk where people in pristine uniforms waited attentively on nobody.

“Don’t worry,” Stephen hummed quietly in his ear, noting his discomfort, “When you pay this much for a room, you can wear whatever you want.

The mirrored elevator shot them to the top of the building so fast it made Inho’s stomach lurch. Stephen grinned at Inho’s reflection, then snuck a smooch onto his hair.

Inho had half expected Stephen to start tearing his clothes off the minute the doors slid shut, but when they reached their floor, he realized Stephen had been waiting for dramatic effect. It was indeed their floor. Stephen had booked them a penthouse suite, complete with sweeping views of the city, a massive marble bath on a dais peeking through the bathroom door, and a bottle of expensive champagne sweating in a bucket of ice.

Inho was stunned. “Isn’t this… a bit much?” he asked lightly, as they pulled off their coats and shoes.

“Well, how often does a man get to do this kind of romance-movie gesture?” Stephen beamed at him and caught his chin, tilting Inho’s face for a kiss. “Now it’s a little extra special. But… We should check out on time tomorrow– it’s expensive and I might be unemployed soon.” Inho frowned and Stephen laughed, then scooped him up and carried him bridal style to the bed before unceremoniously dumping him on the duvet and climbing on top to grin down at him with filthy intentions.

“Thought you couldn’t lift me,” Inho chirped, winded from the fall. Stephen’s fey attitude was catching and though still untouched, the desire in his eyes cued hot excitement to uncoil in Inho’s belly. But first, he put a calming hand on Stephen’s chest, “Let me shower first, and you must be starving– order something?”

Stephen rolled off him. “Sure, that’s a good call.” He reached his hands up in a long lithe stretch that caught Inho’s attention, and smirked, “Be fast though, or I’ll miss you.”

Inho rolled his eyes and stripped quickly to give Stephen a preview, before hustling off to the bathroom with a laugh, dodging the lustful grabs and dirty comments Stephen aimed at him.

When he got back to the bedroom, soft and scented with luxury moisturizers, Stephen was asleep. The room service menu had fallen from his lax hand, and he was still dressed, breathing the slow deep breaths of exhausted slumber. Inho suppressed disappointment. He’d suspected Stephen had been hiding his tiredness. Nobody was that energetic after such a long flight. He crawled naked up to Stephen’s still form, and admired him once more. He was just as handsome, unconscious. But without the perpetual spark of mischief and glee that danced in his usual expression, he looked like a painter’s beautiful muse, caught in perfect artful repose. Inho was tempted to take a picture but settled instead for snuggling up to him and inhaling his scent, woodsy and citrus as always. His heart beat gently in Inho’s ear, and for the first time in a long long time, Inho felt nothing but happiness. Safe, warm, and content, he drifted to sleep as well.

*****

Stephen woke up around 10 pm. His arm was completely numb under Inho, who was asleep on his chest, inexplicably naked. (Not that he minded.) He gently extricated his arm and Inho blinked awake at the disturbance. “How long was that shower?” Stephen asked him, “I must have waited hours for you.”

“You were out cold in under ten minutes,” Inho wriggled in closer and Stephen’s pulse sped up. His free hand gently massaged Inho’s shoulder, traced down over his ribs, stroked his hip bone, then smoothed over his butt.

Inho’s body reacted, his back arched and his breath hitched, but his expression was unexpectedly hesitant, “What’s wrong?” Stephen lifted up onto his elbow.

“Nothing.” Inho tilted his face up to look at Stephen, his dark eyes were tense and unreadable. “I’m cold.” He’d fallen asleep with wet hair, and his skin was prickled all over in goosebumps.

With a sudden bratty smile, he pulled up his knees and crept freezing feet up Stephen’s pant legs, pressing them to his shins. Stephen yelped at the shock. Then, ignoring Inho’s protests, gathered the bulky duvet to wrap him up tightly (trapping his arms first, of course, so he couldn’t struggle). He hefted his finished man-burrito into his lap..

Dumbfounded, Inho blinked out of his soft prison, his fluffy hair sticking in all directions. Stephen could barely suppress the desire to crush him into a tiny ball and shove him whole into his mouth. He settled for nibbling on Inho’s ear.

Squishy-snake-Inho struggled pleasantly in his lap, then eventually settled to accept Stephen’s nips and kisses. “I’m just grateful you’re here,” he said at last, in a small voice, “That you didn’t give up on me. I don’t know if I deserve another chance, but...you can’t take it back now.”

Stephen paused to chuckle at Inho’s faux defiance, hugging his head to his chest, “I won’t. We can both do better this time. We have some things to work on still...”

Inho nodded, “We just... we weren’t on each other’s team. And, I can’t do that again. I want to trust you, this time. I want…”

Stephen waited, it was true that Inho had betrayed him. He’d been willing to overlook it, but if Inho was going to bring it up first...

“I want to treat you like we’re on the same team.” Inho struggled a hand out of his blanket prison, and placed it on Stephen’s cheek, “Like you’re... my person, a part of me, like… like my family. Then maybe that’s better? Maybe we could be on the same side?”

“Family?” The word cut to Stephen's core like molten metal through ice. “Wait, are you saying you want to get married?” He shook his head, trying to cover his shock. “Inho, we’ve only been dating for like four hours.”

“What?! No! Not like… now! But I don’t know!” Inho floundered, “That’s not the point, I just want you to be as important to me as I am to myself. And, me to you.”

Stephen bumped his forehead to Inho’s; warmth suffused him, making him dizzy, “That’s so easy. You already are.” He kissed Inho’s lips gently. “Maybe you just need a little extra time to get there.”

Inho nodded, his expression easing.

“I can wait,” Stephen whispered.

“I’m so sorry. For leaving.”

Stephen petted his hair, “...don’t ever do it like that again, but I understand. I hurt you first.”

Inho nodded, squeezing his eyes shut and tears crept out. He hid his face against Stephen’s neck.

“Hey don’t cry. Everything’s going to be okay. Are you still hurting?

Inho shook his head, then nodded, looking lost. Stephen let out a breath, breathing the last of his resentment out with it. “I love you,” Inho said, then started to cry harder.

“It’s okay baby, I love you too.” Stephen placed a kiss on his forehead, then on his damp eyelids. “Don’t cry anymore, now. Everything’s going to be okay. I’m here. Let me…” He kissed Inho’s lips again. “There, let me kiss it better.”

The end.