CHAPTER 06
Shadows began to fill the room as the sun dipped below the horizon, darkening the blood and gore stains that decorated the peach-colored walls. Hiro and Kane had yet to move from their kneeling positions beside their dead brother. Akio's heart had long since stopped beating, and the crimson life fluid that had been spurting from the boy's gaping wound was now dry, taking on a rusty hue.
Exhaustion claimed their bodies halfway through the day however, so they missed the myriad of oranges and pinks that had danced across the sky. Leaning heavily against each other, they slept like a baby does - too deep for even the greedy fingers of nightmares to reach.
A ringing phone jolted the unconscious teens out of their reverie. Rising to his feet all too quickly, Hiro clutched at his stomach as it threatened to join the crisp stains already tainting the bedroom. Kane held Hiro upright with one arm as he grabbed at the phone with an absent hand.
"Kane?" a tear-roughened voice asked softly. The longhaired teen could picture his friend on the other end of the line; those blond locks disheveled, green eyes puffy from crying.
"Hai, Lukas-chan?" the now oldest triplet replied, his own voice strained. Hiro stood up on his own two feet; his chromatic eyes slipping back to the corpse. Gentle hands picked up the comforter adorning the twin bed shoved in the corner, carefully draping the heavy blanket over Akio's headless body. Soft conversation carried on in the background, falling on deaf ears as it reached the youngest boy's ear.
"Sayonara, nii-chan," the writer murmured, performing an old Japanese prayer learned from his childhood. Faintly, he heard Lukas' distressed words from the phone pressed in his brother's ear, but chose to ignore it as his mind began to process everything that had happened in the past twenty-four hours.
It all seemed so surreal - their oldest brother was dead, their parents were still away in Japan and now their childhood friend was heart-broken. It seemed somehow, Lukas knew that Akio was no longer among the living. Later, he would mention a letter, but now tears muddled all of the blond's ramblings.
Calling the police around 7am led to a shower-less morning, and many repetitive questions. The men and women in blue left at 8am, putting in a call to the local morgue; promising to call the Mendego parents once they had returned to the station. It was a call none of the officers wanted to make - there was never a good way to tell parents that their child was dead, much less killed himself.
Once the undertakers arrived, black hearse and all, Hiro and Kane had to face the music. Akio was dead, and now two men were zipping up the body bag that held their brother's corpse, shaking their heads and sighing softly as they carried it back downstairs.
The carpet was unsalvageable, the walls untouchable; the once light room would forever be tainted with a multitude of sins.
Now that the immediate issues were taken care of, the twins collapsed on the couch in the living room. Deep sighs escaped their lips. "This doesn't make any sense, nii-chan," Hiro said, brushing a few long ebon strands out of his face tiredly.
"I know, otouto-chan. But what's done is done, I'm afraid. I wish we could somehow alter the past... But for now, we simply need to accept Akio's choice, no matter how much we dislike it," Kane chose his words carefully, his mind mulling endlessly over his older sibling's actions that had ended his young life.
They had both known Akio was suffering, but it was obviously much deeper than they had once believed. Seeing their brother breaking under the pressure was painful, but he refused their offers of assistance. He insisted he could handle everything himself, that he had it all under control. The fallacy of his words lay on a cold metal table in the morgue on 7th Street where the morticians did their best to find a way to preserve the body long enough for a funeral to take place.
A thousand, hell, even a million corpses couldn't have prepared the unlucky pair that got the 'pleasure' of cleaning up the teen's body. Rust and dark grey flakes that used to be liquid seemed to be everywhere, and appeared to be quite content in remaining as stains on the once vibrant olive skin. Short midnight black strands of hair were found clinging stubbornly to the nape of what remained of Akio's neck, which came as a surprise to the man who was given the task of cleaning up the gaping hole that used to support a delicate skull.
Silver shears found their way into the mortician's hand, skillfully clipping off the hairs to be collected in a small Ziploc bag. Later, it would be labeled with a Sharpie and placed into a shoebox containing various other belongings of the Mendego boy. Removal of the tainted jeans revealed slim legs, like those of a dancer, though they would never grace a stage again. For now, they left the cotton boxers on the corpse's hips.
The woman who had gathered up the teenager's socks, pants, wallet and a folded sheet of paper placed them in the aforementioned shoebox, ended up sliding the body into the capsule-like freezer. Her partner had already left, probably stalking down the ever-elusive cup of coffee. A tear ruined her poker face as she shut the door, finalizing the end of one Akio Mendego; an aspiring actor as well as older brother to Kane and Hiro and eldest son to Amaya and Gavin Mendego.
She didn't know how anyone could handle the death of a loved one, much less one that is self-inflicted. The god of death, Shinigami, had never graced her doorstep, nor that of her family, at least not since her birth.
'Which reminds me,' she thought absently, turning out the overheads as she left the room, 'Papa's birthday is in a few days...' A mental list of gift possibilities filled her mind, pushing the memories of Akio's headless body to the back of her mind to later haunt her dreams.
A half-hearted attempt at dinner resulted in peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, accompanied by tall glasses of 2% milk. While Hiro was cleaning up the minimal damage the counters had suffered during the preparation process, Kane answered the phone when it rang.
It was one Officer Leon, calling to let the twins know that their parents were unreachable at this time, but the police would keep calling until they could get a hold of them. Kindly, Leon suggested the boys go about the funeral arrangements themselves, and take a week or so off of school to adjust to the new life they had been thrown into head first without a warning. Chartreuse eyes met across the kitchen, and the older boy thanked the man on the other end for his thoughtfulness before hanging up.
"Mom and Dad aren't at home. I think they may be at those hot springs in the middle of nowhere Mom took us to way back in the day," Kane said, the memory skimming over the surface of his mind before disappearing. "Officer Leon thinks we should take some time off of school while we get the funeral put together."
"Mm, okay," his brother replied shortly, the gears in his brain already whirling in thought. A mischievous light touched those apple green eyes, the first sign of life to shimmer since the suicide. Without another word, he walked purposely to the living room, grabbing the newspaper off the end table. Hiro settled onto the couch, his twin following suit, peering at the newsprint curiously.
Flipping to an advertisement, the younger teen pointed at a furniture ad. "I think it's time to sell our twins and perhaps use the money for a queen-size. What do you think, nii-chan?"
Kane laughed, the very sound seeming unreal to his ears, but that failed to stop him. "I think you might be onto something, dear brother." He leaned over, placing a quick kiss on his twin's cheek.
Moments later, the newspaper crinkled to the floor, forgotten as Kane pushed Hiro onto his back, kissing him tenderly on the lips. Tongues danced in a battle as old as time, hands caressing pale skin here and there. Licks of pleasure slowly dissolved all the brooding thoughts that lingered in the minds of the brothers; replaced not too long after by dreams that left smiles on lightly bruised lips.
The next couple days dragged by, punctuated occasionally with perks, such as the removal of the twin beds, and the addition of the beautiful queen with an extra bedside table. On the other side of the spectrum, there was the funeral planning and an unexpected flood of phone calls triggered by the obituary in the local newspapers. Flowers filled the viewing room that held Akio's closed coffin, soon spilling out into other rooms and beginning to take over even the Mendego's townhouse.
Hiro and Kane left their brother's room alone, not even attempting to clean the stains out of the carpet or the walls, the bedroom door staying closed. On the mantle over the only fireplace in the house, the twins set up a memorial - a framed school portrait from the previous September surrounded by white candles they burned when they woke up and before they retired for the night.
While Kane was shopping at the market for some more snack goodies 3 days after the 'event', Hiro drove to their high school to gather up the homework they'd be missing. Periodically, they had to abandon their homework or other chores to finish up the funeral arrangements. Otherwise, their time was consumed with the massive amounts of assignments they had received from their AP classes.
The funeral took place on the next Saturday - 25 June - a day full of sunshine and blue skies. Amaya and Gavin still weren't home, which was surprising to everyone, since it was known by all that Akio was the favorite son. Memorial candles covered every available space in the church, burning merrily in stark contrast to the event that the entire town, and then some had gathered to witness.
Lukas had taken a plane back to New York in order to make the funeral, promising his parents to return once everything was taken care of. He sat beside Hiro and Kane in the front pew reserved for family, and followed their example by giving a speech of his own. Somehow, the crowd wasn't shocked to learn of the relationship the blond and actor had shared; it seemed kind of like a fairy tale, minus the suicide. Childhood friends becoming star-crossed lovers? It was everyone's secret wish, a fantasy that usually faded with time like all of one's childish dreams.
Before the church emptied so its' occupants could make their way to the cemetery where Akio's body was to be buried, his twin brothers stood once more, moving to the podium. A hidden cue and soft music filtered from speakers just out of sight; and then almost like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the ebon-haired boys raised their voices in song. It was beautiful, unexpected, but thrilling nonetheless.
They had mulled over their choice for days, sorting through Akio's CDs, looking for the perfect song, the ultimate goodbye. A melody that melded with the lyrics in such an intricate matter that it was impossible to hear without feeling some form of emotion. Their choice of songs may have seemed odd, but the words from the morning of their brother's suicide wouldn't stop playing in their minds.
Two voices blended together into one, rising and falling like the gentle summer breeze they would soon encounter outside, the very one that was waiting to tease any and all loose locks of hair. Vienna Teng's "The Tower" poured effortlessly from their lips, the words heavily laced with raw emotion that threatened to overwhelm the pair as that cursed day replayed itself before their unfocused eyes. Akio's headless body, the gore and blood spread thickly over the carpet and splattered everywhere else. Swallowing hard between verses, they plunged on.
When the last note came to a close, there wasn't a soul in the crowded church that remained untouched. Many had tears in their eyes, and felt no shame as a few slid down their cheeks. Applause burst out, everyone forgetting what funeral etiquette they had acquired from previous experiences. As if they were one giant being, everyone rose to their feet, applauding vigorously still with a few whistles of appreciation mingling with the rhythmic clapping.
They spilled out onto the green cemetery lawn, weaving in and out of the tombstones with a certain grace that was only blessed upon large groups of people on a mission. Their destination? The Mendego plot that held generations of the Mendego ancestors, while the most prestigious were tucked away in a stone mausoleum. A fresh grave gaped open, scents of dew-damp dirt and bouquets of flowers filling the noses of the mourners.
Six pallbearers brought the rosewood coffin to the site, suit jackets already shed in the warm weather, revealing button-up shirts of white and soft pastels. It was set on a faux gold stand, the arrangement of roses and lilies spilling over the sides in an elegant spray. Three plush chairs were set up beside the casket stands, and it was Hiro, Kane and Lukas that claimed these seats; their faces blank yet their citrine eyes were full of sorrow.
A priest read passages from the Bible, but the three boys closest to the dead teen couldn't tell you what happened if you asked later on. Everything soared over their heads, going in one ear and out the other. Tears coursed silently down their cheeks as the priest recited the lines everyone associates with death, "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust."
One of the pallbearers removed the spray of flowers from the coffin, handing it to Hiro who held it precariously in his lap. Ever so slowly, Akio's casket was lowered into the ground. Kane, as the now oldest Mendego son, was given the honor of shoveling the first clump of dirt onto the coffin, the sound echoing in his ears as he handed the shovel off to his brother. Hiro did his shovelful, as did Lukas, and then they returned to their seats, eyes downcast.
The lunch reception was a blur to the teens, as people flooded their townhouse. Countless mourners came up to the twins and their blond friend, offering their condolences and extending a helping hand to cook and clean for them. Politely, they declined every offer, assuring their friends, family and even strangers that they'd be all right, but thanks anyway. Fake smiles were plastered on their faces, belaying the true emotions the boys hid deep in their hearts.
Well after dinnertime, where none of the mourning teens ate, the townhouse finally emptied, leaving the three boys by themselves. Their fridge was overflowing with casseroles and other microwavable dishes, while loaves of breads and pans of baked goods claimed the counters. Somehow, they had made it up to the bedroom the twins shared; all of them collapsing upon the sheet-covered pillow-top mattress, sighing with relief that one ordeal was over. The phone on the bedside table was blinking, signaling that there was a new message waiting to be heard.
Curious to see who it was, Kane leaned over, tapping the PLAY button with his index finger. A robotic male voice broke the silence, saying there was one new message from 4:56pm of that afternoon. Following a short pause came Officer Leon's voice.
"Hello boys, it's Officer Leon from the PD. The funeral service was beautiful; you did a wonderful job with it. I'm terribly sorry about your loss as you already know, but I'm afraid I have more bad news for you..." his voice faltered for a moment, causing the hearts of the young adults to skip a beat.
"I received a phone call from your grandparents in Japan. They said your mom and dad never returned home from the hot springs. There's a report in a local newspaper that a bus went off a mountain road just two days ago, and we have reason to believe that your parents were on that bus. I'm sorry to say that there are no known survivors."
Another pause, and the officer continued, his voice noticeably strained, "If there's anything we can do for you, please don't hesitate to call. Just ask for myself or Officer Madeline, we'll do everything we can to help you out." The man left his desk number, along with his home number, apologizing once more before hanging up.
Silence returned like a beggar child, gnawing at the minds of the boys as they tried to comprehend what the man had just told them. Akio had been buried that very morning, and now their parents were missing somewhere in Japan and suspected dead? What had the Mendego twins ever done to deserve such punishment, losing the only family they had, save for their Aunt Lillian. But she was a busy woman, and they immediately discarded the idea of moving in with her; she wouldn't know what to do with the teens. Her intentions would be good, but she was a single woman who didn't exactly carry that motherly instinct that most women seemed to be blessed with.
Finally, Hiro and Kane lifted their heads, meeting Lukas' eyes without an ounce of shame or fear. The blond knew they didn't want his pity, perhaps not even his sympathy. All he could manage was an "I'm sorry," before he pulled the younger boys close, hugging them tightly.
"I'm so sorry," he whispered, kissing their hair, trying to put a rein on his emotions but failing as the tears escaped.
The string of tragedies - Akio's rape and then his suicide, the death of their parents - seemed to be over. Lillian, who agreed to pay their rent until they went to college, granted financial aid. Both twins had been accepted to University at Albany, which wasn't really a surprise; Hiro's writing was powerful, speaking directly to the heart, while Kane's art tugged at the soul in ways never imagined.
Lukas had returned to Texas soon after Akio's funeral; not staying for parents' funeral on 2 July since it was a private ceremony involving Lillian, the remaining Mendego sons and grandparents, and a balding priest. Not much time had passed before the blond teen made the decision to stay in Texas; unable to call New York home any longer due to all the unpleasant memories that lingered.
The remainder of their pre-senior summer passed without a hitch - Kane winning a couple art shows while Hiro obtained a paying job in a major e-zine that wanted to publish his writing. Though the townhouse was much too large for just the two teens, they refused to give it up until the last minute, not wanting the memory of their brother to belong to someone else just yet and perhaps be altered.
Searching the death-tainted room after the double funerals resulted in some interesting fines. Hiro had decided to search under the twin-sized bed, while his brother sorted through the surprising multitude of notebooks that Akio had scribbled in. The task took nearly 2 weeks to read through every tattered page, to search the hundreds of photographs that were shoved in a shoebox under the bed. Both articles revealed something they had suspected and witnessed only once, the summer preceding their junior year of high school - the one they never spoke of, and tried desperately to forget.
Akio, the idol of their once small town, had dirty secrets that were so dark that if even a whisper was breathed concerning them, he would have been ruined. Not that it mattered now, obviously, but still the twins refused to speak of it. Plus, who would they tell? Lukas had faded out of their lives since he left in late June, starting over in Texas, leaving New York and its' bitter memories behind. There was no reason to let Lillian in on their past; she had enough on her plate as it was. And no matter how many times she insisted otherwise, Hiro and Kane felt like they were only adding to her troubles.
The prize money from the art shows and the monthly paycheck from Hiro's e-zine went towards groceries and the occasional tank of gas. Marbles, the name they had given their pickup on one occasion or another was used only when truly necessary; they rode the bus or subway to most places. Even the money gained from selling their parents' Honda wasn't much help, except for adding to their slowly growing college fund. They had both received generous scholarships, but those didn't cover room and board or food and drink for that matter.
Senior year began in September, but before that, countless invitations to party the night away, drink yourself into a drunken stupor and the like came from all of Akio's old friends. The brothers turned down every single one, preferring the company of each other in their lonely townhouse then to be with piteous strangers; people who wouldn't have given them the time of day if their older brother was still alive. But, the cold truth was, Akio really was dead, buried 6 feet under in an expensive rosewood coffin that hardly did the half-Japanese youth justice - not that much could be granted, mind you, since he was indeed a headless corpse.
Nightmares plagued Kane and Hiro on a regular basis, leading to many restless nights spent clinging to each other out of fear and an instinctive need for comfort. Dark slashes of purple stained the delicate skin beneath their startling apple green eyes, hidden whenever those ebony tresses were unbound. Still considered the two most beautiful young adults out of both of the sexes, they had to be the most reclusive as well. Just like the summer, they declined every party invitation. Nervous peers would ask them out, fidgeting relentlessly, but shot down gently nonetheless. When they left their townhouse to go out on the town, the twins were never without each other.
Some suspected a relationship lurking under the surface, though no one ever got close enough to discover if it was true or not. Few people got to see the inside of the Mendego house after that fateful summer, and those who were lucky enough only saw the downstairs.
Occasionally, Hiro and Kane splurged on accessories to liven up their parents' modern decor. Swathes of rich silk hung over plain linen curtains, adding a hint of Arabian flair to the windows while various deity statues were scattered around the house. The only room that remained untouched was, of course, Akio's. It still bore the bloodstains and now unidentifiable grey matter - they didn't have the heart to change it. Though most would have considered it sickening, it was a "living" embodiment of their last memory of their dearly departed brother.
The memorial that conquered the mantle only a few months before had spread to include pictures of Amaya and Gavin. Every morning and night, like clockwork, the boys lit the candles and recited an ancient Japanese prayer that lingered from the teachings their mother had blessed them with. They allowed the candles to burn for 30 minutes, as the twins went about their usual routines, returning to each other's side half-past the hour to pray again and blow out the candles.
But the school year had started, Kane and Hiro's final year at the high school. Once again, they took several AP classes, also making time for their favorite electives. No matter how busy their schoolwork made them, when night fell, they always returned to the same queen-sized bed to retire. Usually, they were so tired from school and their personal projects that only a goodnight kiss was shared before they would drift off to sleep. But, if they had the energy, the brothers would make love between those satin sheets, another one of their shopping impulses.
Winter Break was spent in British Columbia for the two weeks the Mendego boys had off. Though they only had each other, and it was more then enough for them, it would be their most memorable Christmas. Barely a month over 18, they boarded a plane on 17 December, surprised to see that the tickets they held were for first-class seats in a private jet - all courtesy of Aunt Lillian who always looked out for them though she was busy as hell maintaining a law firm all on her own.
Arriving in late afternoon, a taxi was waiting for them outside of baggage claim to take them to a lavish hotel in the heart of Vancouver. It was a standard room, with a single queen-sized bed instead of the normal two. Taking up the extra space was a sitting area with a well-loved sofa and matching armchair, surrounding a coffee table and 26" TV. Painted walls of peach and a deep wine colored carpet were well accented with white curtains with dark crimson overlays. A bathroom made up a corner of the large room, equipped with a corner shower and then a Jacuzzi tub in the other.
The roughly 8 hour plane ride had exhausted the teens, who opted for a night in instead of going out on the town like they had originally planned. Hiro called a nearby Chinese place he had found in the bedside phone book, requesting a large amount of take-out to be delivered to room 56 on the 4th floor. While his brother was on the phone, Kane channel-surfed, looking for something worth watching while they enjoyed their fast food dinner.
It appeared the hotel had satellite and cable, which was lucky for the twins since most of their favorite movie channels were now available. Nothing of interest was on though in terms of 2-3 hour sessions of absolute laziness, so the older of the two settled for G4-TV. X-Play was on, a sure source of entertainment so he gave up his search, squirming to get comfortable on the couch.
A knock at the door came just as soon as Kane had found the perfect position for comfort. He expected Hiro to answer it, so he made no move to answer the door. A muffled call from the bathroom reached his ears, "Damnit! Nii-chan, can you get that? I bet it's the delivery guy."
"You've got to be kidding me..." the citrine-eyed boy muttered as he reluctantly got up, grabbing his wallet from the coffee table in the process. Peeking through the crack in the bathroom door that spilled a ray of light on the carpeting, Kane caught a glimpse of Hiro fussing with his hair in front of the mirror. It seemed he was trying to do something that involved braids and various clips; as amusing as it was, the delivery boy was getting impatient.
Lillian had quite generously filled their wallets before they left, so they would have enough money to last them the entire two weeks. Opening the door, the longhaired teen leaned lazily against the doorframe, eyeing the delivery boy curiously. Whoever was upstairs certainly had blessed this child - depthless cerulean eyes and golden spiked hair to match. His skin was pale, but it suited him well.
"Th-that'll be $22.50, please," Edan said, willing his eyes not to linger on the bare torso before him that was as pale as his own. Now, Edan had a girlfriend waiting for him at home, a pretty little brunette who went by Ari. And he knew he wasn't gay, but somehow, he couldn't help but stare at the dark-haired beauty that was acting so nonchalant, as if he didn't even care that he was wearing only a pair of plaid pajama pants.
Equally pale arms slipped around the waist of the boy who was absently flipping through the wad of bills in an oriental style coin purse, something rarely seen outside of Japan these days. A small frown creased his brow as he attempted to figure out how much to tip the boy whose eyes were focused now on the identical face that was perched on that delicate shoulder.
"Nii-chan, need help with that?" a soft voice asked, elegant fingers reaching out and plucking the money out of the other boy's fingers, pulling out exactly $30 and handing it to Edan. Those lips curved in an almost sultry smile when apple green orbs met ocean-blue. Kane took the plastic bag containing their dinner from the blond's seemingly nerveless hand.
"Thank you, Edan-kun," the older twin said, bowing his head slightly. This action snapped the delivery boy out of his reverie, breaking eye contact with the porcelian-skinned boy that clung to the other. A swift nod of his head, and the flaxen-locked teenager turned on his heel, lifting a hand in goodbye. The twins returned the gesture before pulling back into the hotel room.
Kane set the Chinese food on the coffee table, while Hiro turned down the lights. In the glow of the TV, the painter could see that his brother had indeed gone all out with his hair, and the style looked incredible on him. Multiple braids looped around his head, the lower half of his silky tresses left loose to cascade down his back. The upper sheath, braids and all were pulled into a sloppy bun that somehow made the hairstyle look all the more elegant.
All the young man needed was a ball gown and a crystal tiara, and he could pass off as a prom queen. A blush dotted those pale cheeks when Hiro's arms snaked around his waist once more, pulling the half-naked boy close to his lean frame.
�So what did you think of Edan?� the younger teen asked, his voice laced with a smirk.
A shrug accompanied a reply of, �Who cares? It�s not like we�ll see him again.�
Hiro snorted, �Just for that, we�re eating out Chinese for the next two weeks, and I�m asking for Edan every time I call.� He stuck out his tongue in a childish manner; only to have it devoured moments later by Kane�s sweet mouth.
They tumbled onto the couch, sharing tender kisses and nips until Kane�s hip somehow hit the volume up button on the remote. There had been a pause of silence between commercials, and then all of the sudden, X-Play returned in full surround sound. Jumping apart, both frantically reaching for the remote to turn it down, they couldn�t help but start laughing.
Another quick browse of what was on led to the unusual pair watching 10 Things I Hate About You for the hundredth time. Slurping up the noodles their chopsticks held, they quoted various scenes, giggling like fools whenever Julia Stiles tore her �nemesis� Joey down.
Down in the staff room, all the maids and busboys could talk about were the exotic half-breeds that had come in by taxi earlier that day. Their ebony hair that swished with every step their dainty feet took, their nearly alabaster skin which seemed odd but not in a condescending way. Sharp chartreuse eyes that could hold a person captive � and they were staying for two weeks? It was a blessing, really. They seem to be quite wealthy, and the fact that they were sinfully beautiful didn�t hurt in the slightest.
Yes, it was going to be a wonderful winter, the staff concluded as a soft bell rang at the front desk. Two of the men stood in unison, waving to the others as they straightened their ties, leaving the remaining men and women to gossip over the Mendego twins.
Much like New York City, the days were spent as eager tourists, while the remaining nights were wasted away in various nightclubs, every dance holding a million meanings as the boys grinded to the music.
Christmas snuck up on Hiro and Kane, for they had lost track of time, just happy to be together and away from their mundane New York lives. Weak winter sunlight filtered through the mostly closed curtains, tickling the older twin into the land of the consciousness. A groan pushed past his dry lips; he wanted nothing more then to snuggle deeper into his brother�s embrace, but a glimmer of wrapping paper out of the corner of his eye made him forget sleep for a few moments more.
Pushing himself up on his elbows, Kane rubbed wearily at his eyes, believing he was seeing things. But as he reopened those brilliant chromatic orbs, it was obvious that the mountain of presents, and the Christmas tree that hovered protectively over them, weren�t figments of his overactive imagination. Gently, he shook his twin awake, his gaze still locked on the presents.
�Hiro-chan� there�s a Christmas tree, with presents. Lots and lots of presents,� he said, a hint of awe evident in his voice.
�Baka, what are you talking about?� A bleary eye opened to read the red digital numbers of the clock that wasn�t too far away. �It�s 7:23am, nii-chan. I know last night was pretty wild, but you�re not making any sense��
Ebon hair all mussed with sleep fell into Hiro�s eyes as he sat up slowly, throwing a mock-glare at his lover. Leaning heavily against the headboard, body weighted down with fatigue from what little sleep he had gotten during the night, blurry citrine eyes fell on the objects of Kane�s gibberish.
There really was a Christmas tree, simple but elegant all in the same breath, and beneath its� evergreen boughs were a multitude of presents that just didn�t make any sense. Where had they all come from? And how in the seven hells had everything arrived in their room? Hiro vividly remembered locking the door before collapsing on the bed with Kane, exhausted from the hours of shameless dancing and bone-shaking music.
Fueled by curiosity, the brother slid out of bed, walking slowly to the suspicious tree as if it would disappear if they got too close. They kneeled beside the small evergreen, each grabbing a beautifully wrapped box and peering at the labels. All of them were humorously sent from Santa, which brought smiles to their faces.
Nine am found the Mendego twins in a sea of wrapping paper and curled ribbons; a variety of presents surrounding them. It seemed Lillian had had a bit too much time on her hands, for most of them were from her. Surprisingly, half-a-dozen of them were obviously from their childhood friend who now called Texas home. A letter was included in one of the presents from Lukas; it was an apology and a summary of his past 5 months living in the southern state all rolled into one.
At one point, Kane had flipped the radio on, twisting the tuner-knob until the sweet sounds of Matthew Good filtered through the speakers. He made a note of the station, 91.3 The Zone, which seemed to be the local source of modern rock. "Running Away" by Hoobastank soon filled the hotel room while the teens attempted to clean up the wrapping paper that covered every free inch of carpeting.
Somehow, balls of wrapping paper ended up being thrown across the hotel room. Laughter overrode the music, and they ended up in a heap on the floor, sides sore from laughing so hard, chests heaving with each breath. Ebony waves obscured their faces, so anyone that entered the room would be unable to see how close the two brothers really were. Their lips were locked in an exquisitely sweet kiss, long fingers caressing soft skin and entwining in midnight tresses.
Since arriving in Vancouver, Hiro and Kane had been too tired in the evenings, or to be more accurate, early mornings to act on the deep affections they harbored for each other. Instead of getting up and stumbling to the bed like most couples would, the twins remained on the floor amid the bright colored paper and curly ribbons.
Gentle hands removed plaid pajama pants and boxers that boasted reindeer and holly leaves. Loving touches and heated kisses were shared in the most intimate way, the two of them yearning for that closer union, the one that would push them over the brink of sweet oblivion.
Kane pinned his younger brother beneath his own body, rocking his hips teasingly against Hiro's, a delightful shiver dancing down his spine as his lover arched his body up, a desperate moan pouring from sweet swollen lips.
"You're so beautiful, Hiro-chan..." he murmured, nuzzling an elegant neck lovingly.
When the artist pulled away to retrieve something small, his brother moaned in protest, reaching for a pale arm but missing it by a few inches. Kane returned to his koi's side, a slim tube of lube in the palm of his left hand. Lowering himself on his brother once more, he undid the cap, slicking two fingers with the cool gel.
Even if sex wasn't something new to the young men, they were almost always gentle, as if it was the first time every time.
With a tenderness reserved for lovers alone, Kane lifted Hiro's hips a bit, using those cool fingers to carefully prepare the wanton writer below him. As his brother set to stretching him, Hiro writhed, his nerves sparked with pleasure as Kane slid in another finger, brushing a spot deep inside.
"Ahh!" Hiro cried, his lithe body arching hard beneath his 'tormentor'. Dancing on Kane's lips was a devious grin as he lifted his brother's hips a bit higher, driving three fingers into Hiro slightly harder then usual.
Soon, the barely older teen pulled out his fingers, leaning down to lap up the moisture that had gathered at the tip of Hiro's erection. Moving back up, he kissed the submissive boy deeply, pressing the head of his own length against the puckered entrance of his twin.
"Please... Kane..." came the low whimper from the passion-drugged teen writer. The other young man didn't need another hint; he picked up the lube with two fingers without even tearing his attention away from marking Hiro's neck with his lips, teeth and tongue. He squeezed lube onto his throbbing arousal, smoothing it over himself, sighing softly.
Hands moved under Hiro's knees, boosting up those dancer's legs up and over the artist's narrow shoulders. Pleasure hazed citrine eyes met as Kane pushed slowly into the tight heat of his twin who winced just barely, biting his lip. A quiet hiss escaped his bruised mouth, a subtle reminder that there's a terribly thin line between pain and pleasure. Their rhythm was slow as always, but as they continued, Hiro pushed his hips hard up against Kane, an obvious request for the seme to increase his pace.
"Harder, nii-chan..." he pleaded, his head thrown back in ecstasy.
Kane obeyed his brother's wish without a trace of hesitation, changing his angle slightly, thrusting deeper into the frail body beneath him. His tactic was well received as Hiro arched his back high, a loud gasp being pulled from his throat as the head of his brother's erection brushed up against a wonderful bundle of nerves.
Reaching between their sweat-slicked bodies, the sound of crinkling wrapping paper and ragged breathing the only noises in the faintly sunlit room, the older boy gripped his brother�s sex, squeezing gently before setting a steady rhythm that mimicked his fast thrusts. It had never been like this before; never been so urgent, such a need consumed their lithe bodies. Hiro whined low in his throat, tilting his head up to suckle like a kitten on his reflection�s earlobe, drawing a soft purr from him.
�Oh� Hiro�� the teen on top groaned, feeling the licks of flames from earlier turn into molten lava in his veins, pooling straight to his groin. He felt himself swell, but held back, wanting to feel that delicious heat tighten around his length as orgasm claimed his twin.
He was going to get his wish too, for Hiro began to tremble almost violently. Smiling, Kane leaned down, kissing his brother deeply, dueling with that sweet pink tongue in a timeless dance. He never slackened in his pace, pounding into the boy that gave himself so willingly. Swallowing the moans and whimpers that escaped from Hiro�s lips, Kane felt his other half go rigid as ecstasy claimed its� prey, shaking him like a child�s toy in the hand of an eager baby.
A soundless scream melded into a desperate cry as the young writer rode out the waves that threatened to consume him. His brother�s name was summoned to his tongue, departing from his swollen, nearly bloody lips on the wings of a sigh. Kane froze mid-thrust as his own orgasm rocked him hard, stars dancing before his eyes. Whatever strength he had drained out of his limbs in a heartbeat, his arms turning into jelly, dropping him onto his brother with a soft grunt of surprise.
It never failed to amaze him how taxing sex could be on the body. Though both teens were painfully thin, they retained a grace and strength that seemed almost unnatural. Hearts racing, threatening to burst out of their chests; breathing coming hard and fast out of lungs that desperately needed oxygen. Thoroughly sated, the twins snuggled close to each other, forgetting for the time being that there were sure to be stains from their activities on the carpet.
�Merry Christmas, Hiro-chan,� Kane whispered, licking a blush-tinted shell of an ear with a lazy tongue.
�Hmm, Merry Christmas to you too, nii-chan,� came the sleepy reply, citrine eyes once lust-darkened slowly regaining their brilliant glow.
Exhaustion overtook the young men, leaving them to sleep in the pale sunlight that was creeping towards its� zenith. At one point, they rolled over together, still completely lost in their dreams. The ever-present wrapping paper made a series of noises that went unheard. When they awoke, sometime in the afternoon, they found ribbon entwined with their legs and some of the bright colored paper clinging stubbornly to their once sweat-covered bodies.