Page 40 of The Sixth Spring

“It’s–it’s a human thing. With your mouth.” He fumbled to explain something everything adult human knew. “It’s–it’s how we start these interactions.”

Itori tilted his head. “Oh. I am sorry. Have I hurt you–?”

“No, no,” Will was quick to assure him. “No, it’s–you didn’t know. I just–” He tried to scrape up words.

“Show me,” Itori said.

Will bobbed his head. Show him. Okay. He could do that.

Sitting, they were of a similar height. Will licked his lips as his hands found Itori’s shoulders. “Um, you can tell me if you don’t like it. It’s not–it’s not mandatory.” He wanted to be as considerate as Itori had been with him. It wasn’t like Will had a wealth of kissing experience; he was likely to be bad at it.

“I understand,” Itori said.

Nerves of excitement fluttered in Will’s belly. Somehow this felt even more damning than his enjoyment of sex. He’d never related to the period of adolescence where the other boys had been excited to have their first kiss.

But now, over a decade later, here were the feelings, fresh and alive inside him.

Will leaned forward slowly. Itori didn’t move, didn’t do anything but settle his hands around Will’s middle. The touch bolstered his courage.

Gently, carefully, Will touched his mouth to Itori’s. He felt the warmth and the strange, smooth texture of his mouth against Will’s own. He held it only a moment, and then pulled back.

“That’s a kiss,” he said, more confidently than he felt.

“Do you do it just once?” Itori asked. His gaze was on Will’s lips, and it made him feel like he was sparking.

“No. I mean, you can. You can also do it as many times as you like. It’s–” He almost said an exchange, but those words held a different meaning to Itori. “It’s an intimacy. To show someone you care about them.”

“I see,” Itori said. “Can I try?”

Will made a soft sound of agreement. Then Itori was cupping his face and leaning in, pressing his mouth to Will’s.

He felt that one all the way down his body, a rippling and twisting heat. A kiss was such a small thing, and yet it felt like it shook his very atoms.

Even his breathing was shaky when they parted.

“Yeah, like that,” Will said, his voice a whisper.

Itori’s thumb drew lines over his cheeks again. “You grow hotter. Is it good?”

“Yeah, it’s–it’s called blushing. It’s good.”

“Good,” Itori said, and then leaned in to kiss him again. “I can kiss you while I touch you?”

“Y-yeah,” Will said.

“Can we get you out of these coverings?”

Will made quick and fumbling work of standing to get out of his wet clothing. The self-consciousness rose again, and he shoved it aside. Later, when Itori was gone and this was all a squirreled away dream, he could dwell on those feelings. Right now he wanted to be present.

When he was finished undressing, Itori guided him down onto his lap like he had last time.

Will’s body throbbed from the steady attention. The second he was situated in Itori’s lap, he leaned in to kiss him.

It was still a soft thing, a closed mouth pressing of his lips to Itori’s. Will knew there were other ways of kissing, but didn’t know how to jump the gap yet. Everything was so new and exciting. He both wanted to rush forward, and take his time.

But there wasn’t enough time, that was the problem.

Itori’s hands ended up on his waist again, on his bare skin. One hand moved in to wrap around Will’s already stiff length. He groaned and tilted his head forward onto Itori’s shoulder.