The café was warm, filled with low chatter and the pungent scent of roasting coffee. A jazz band sent its smooth sound over the vast expanse of crowded tables. Seated by the window, Hyuga bent his head over his sketch book, silently absorbed in the task of laying out the scene around him. His pencil glided across the page; he glanced around frequently to take in the exact detail of a certain mug or a woman's blouse. Incessantly, he flipped the dark bangs out of his eyes.
"Hey, Hyu."
Rafael slid into the seat before Hyuga, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the table. Hyuga looked up, startled, as Rafael's shadow blocked his light. The strawberry-blond gazed at him with warm green eyes, a gentle smile playing on his lips.
"Rafael," Hyuga murmured, leaning back in his chair. He brought a hand up to loosen the plaid scarf wrapped about his neck. "I didn't notice you come in."
"Have you been waiting long?" Rafael asked, his voice low, smooth—a bedroom voice, Hyuga realized. The Japanese man felt a flush begin to heat his pallid cheeks. For the first time, he noticed Rafael's freshly pressed black suit, accented by a silky red tie.
"N-not really," Hyuga replied quietly. He was suddenly self-conscious of his own plain, homely clothing—the tattered pea coat that had been his father's, the thick wool scarf that his mother had made. He laid his pencil down across the page of his sketch book, averting his eyes.
"What were you drawing?" Rafael glanced down at the sketch. He noticed a waitress clearing a table nearby and waved her over.
"Oh! Ano..." Hyuga moved the pencil aside, hair falling over his eyes as he bent his head. "Just the café. The professor asked us to keep a sketch book. We're supposed to do at least one sketch per day, small stuff, usually, but I haven't done a full scene in a while."
"It's looking good, Hyu," Rafael chimed.
The waitress approached their table and they ordered their coffees, Rafael's a mocha with a triple shot of espresso, Hyuga's black. The waitress whisked their orders away, weaving through the cluttered tables back to the bar.
The fidgeting pair was silent for a few moments, Hyuga brushing the hair away from his face, Rafael shifting in his seat. Finally, Hyuga cleared his throat softly.
"I didn't know we were going formal today."
"What?" Rafael raised an eyebrow, leaning forward and cocking an ear toward his companion.
"The suit," Hyuga said. "What's the occasion?"
"Oh," Rafael chuckled. "This? It's nothing. I just wanted to look good for you." He looked at Hyuga, his charming grin widening.
Hyuga blushed at the frank confession. He swallowed, biting his lip.
"You didn't have to do that," he said, offering a nervous smile. "I feel under-dressed."
"Oh, no! You look great, Hyuga."
Hyuga raised his eyes to meet Rafael's, and their gazes locked for a brief moment. Hyuga recognized the want in Rafael's stare, the unnerving lust that was suddenly so obvious. The dark-haired man had to look away; he tried to think back to the last time they'd been together and realized that their last tryst had been over three weeks ago. His face heated. He could feel Rafael still looking at him, undressing him with those bright green eyes. The thought sent goosebumps racing down his spine.
The waitress returned to their table, setting the heavy mugs down before them. She made an offer that Hyuga couldn't quite catch, something about pastries, but Rafael sent her away with a thank-you. Then it was just the two of them again. Hyuga moved his hand to clutch at the handle of the mug, staring down at the steam wafting up from the dark, aromatic coffee.
"So," Rafael began, flexing his shoulders as he got comfortable in his seat. "How do you like your studies?"
Hyuga glanced up at Rafael, caught off guard by the sudden change in mood. Rafael sipped his coffee, steady green gaze watching Hyuga expectantly.
"They're, ah... They're alright. I enjoy them."
"Are you getting along okay at the university?"
"I guess so. Things are different here in America, certainly. I'm not quite used to everything yet."
They continued to chat, exchanging pleasantries as they nursed their coffees. Hyuga gradually began to relax as Rafael talked to him about art and school. Occasionally, their tongues would switch to Japanese, and this eased Hyuga, made him feel more at home. The time passed quickly; when the waitress brought their check Rafael immediately reached for his wallet.
"I've got it, Rafael," Hyuga offered.
"Oh, no, Hyu. I'm not about to let the university student pay."
Hyuga laughed quietly, sweetly, and Rafael smiled.
"I'm twenty-seven years old, Rafael. I can pay for my coffee."
"Probably so," Rafael mused, "but this is my treat, along with this." Rafael reached down to pull a heart-shaped box of chocolates from his bag, setting it on the table before Hyuga. "Part one of my Valentine's Day gift to you."
The gift, along with the casual statement, surprised Hyuga; he stammered out a thank you as he reached out hesitantly to lay a hand on the box, gazing speechless at Rafael. Once more, the two were left with their eyes locked.
"Hyu," Rafael said, and Hyuga couldn't help but jump slightly. "Would you like to come back to my place?"
~*~
Rafael's bed was unmade, his room cluttered with various papers, boxes and chests, and articles of clothing. Cigarette butts lay scattered on the nightstand, which was stacked with books and envelopes, a digital clock trying to hold its ground in a tiny corner.
The mess didn't surprise Hyuga. He'd been here before. Countless times, in fact. By now he knew the path to the bed and could make it in pitch darkness, with his eyes closed, backwards. He stepped gingerly, routinely, over the items littering the faded carpet, feeling Rafael's fingertips ghosting over his bare skin as he went.
He let himself fall back onto the wrinkled sheets, eyes straining in the darkness as he waited for Rafael to switch on the bedside lamp. He waited for what seemed like ages, sitting on the edge of the bed, listening to the soft rustlings of clothing being removed before the grungy yellow light illuminated the bed area.
Finally he was able to see Rafael, standing before him, smiling that sweet, innocent smile that made Hyuga's heart jump. Though the sight of the other man was familiar, his own body still responded as if this were the first time, butterflies fluttering in his stomach, a warm pressure coiling in his abdomen. Rafael was gorgeous. Slender yet lightly muscled, a track star since high school, tall and confident, with those warm, welcoming green eyes.
Hyuga swallowed, his gaze gradually lowering to rest on the impressive erection that laid flat against Rafael's tummy.
"Hyuga," Rafael said, his gentle voice husky with desire. He took a step toward the bed and Hyuga leaned forward obligingly, raising his trembling hands to rest on Rafael's narrow hips.
Almost immediately, Rafael's sure fingers found their way into Hyuga's black, silky hair. The touch sent shivers down Hyuga's spine as he took the head of Rafael's erect shaft into his mouth. Rafael moaned lightly, more of an exhale than anything, running his hands through the dark locks. He bent his head to watch as Hyuga worked his cock.
By now, Hyuga was an expert by experience, though Rafael's had been the first and only penis he knew besides his own. He had learned quickly over the past year and knew just what to do to make Rafael peak in a mere few minutes. Starting from the base, Hyuga ran his tongue along the sensitive veins that traveled up the underside of the man's cock before licking the slit at the tip and then sucking the whole head into his mouth, all the while gently fondling the tender sack that hung heavily below. It didn't take long for Hyuga to build up a rhythm, gradually taking more of Rafael's seven inches into his mouth as he went. The wet squelching sounds he created as he worked and Rafael's sighs and moans never failed to arouse Hyuga.
It took all Rafael had to keep from thrusting forward into the hot depths of Hyuga's throat. He stared with lidded eyes and parted lips as his lover pleasured him.
"God, Hyuga. That's it, baby. Damn, it feels so good."
The low, sensuous rumble of Rafael's voice gave Hyuga goosebumps. He moaned into the man's cock, feeling his own arousal quiver without being touched.
"Oh, fuck," Rafael groaned. "I'm close, babe."