Love Thy Neighbor Part 8
Duo exited the bus and crossed the street to the three-story building housing the rehearsal hall. Jay Johnson sat on the front steps smoking a cigarette and studying the constant stream of people flowing up and down the street.
Two girls, one in pants that looked like the clingy material had been spray-painted on her slender hips and her walking partner in a short pleated skirt, ambled along the avenue. Cookie cutter men dressed in tailored suits, carried brief cases, shouldered laptop cases and talked on cell phones. Many women who appeared to be produced from the same corporate mold mingled among the nondescript throngs of humanity.
Jay took a draw on his cigarette then discharged blue smoke from his nostrils. "They look like cattle."
"What?" Duo asked as he eased down beside the observant choreographer and set his practice bag on the same step.
"Cattle...you know moooo."
Duo nodded in agreement, "Yeah like migrating herds in National Geographic or ants stirred up with a stick."
Jay gazed through the cigarette's wispy haze and thoughtfully deliberated the sidewalk scene. "Poor bastards." he commented then turned his attention to the braided dancer.
The bloodshot traces in Duo's eyes and his general lethargy were easy to read. "You look like shit." J.J. commented with his usual brutal honesty.
"I've already been told that."
"Too much bangin' the headboard?"
Duo shrugged, "Too much wine."
Another puff on the cigarette. "You gotta watch that pansy-ass excuse for booze." More expelled smoke, "It'll sneak up and pickle your brain."
"At least I don't have that nasty habit." Duo retorted cutting his eyes at the paper cylinder filled with burning tobacco.
Jay frowned down at the "bad habit" smoldering between his fingers. "We all have some kind of monkey on our backs." he stated then crushed out the glowing end, tossed the cigarette in the bushes flanking the steps and stood up with a weary sigh. "Let's get to work."
Duo gathered up his bag and followed J.J. inside. The door closed behind them muting the traffic noise and throwing up a barrier between the real world and the fantasyland of dance.
*********
Heero tugged at the shopping carts and, with some effort, finally freed one from the entangled row. Of course he had to pick the cart with a squeaky wheel that wobbled and pulled to the left.
It didn't take him long to remember why he hated shopping for groceries. Luckily it was mid-morning and most kids were in school but there were still enough whiny pre-schoolers and exasperated mothers to make up for the older student's absence.
Then there were the senior citizens who parked in the middle of the aisle to chat or took forever to choose a brand of peanut butter or sped around in battery-powered scooters like their were racing in the Indy 500.
Combine the hectic chaos of customers with the constant beeping from the checkout lines, outside venders and store employees restocking the shelves, piped in 70's music and the call for "Clean up on aisle seven." and Heero quickly became besieged by sensory overload.
His only saving grace in the muddled mess was that his shopping list was specific to his and Duo's dinner. He had decided on a menu of stir-fried shrimp with broccoli, carrots, mushrooms and water chestnuts. No white rice...long grain wild rice was the healthiest choice. Also included on the list: green tea, peanut oil and soy sauce.
For dessert, Heero remembered Duo's passion for strawberry cheesecake. The sweet treat was not as traditional as fortune cookies or sugar-sprinkled dumplings but he wanted their first private dinner to be special. He replenished his supple of custom-grounded cinnamon coffee, shuffled into the nearest non-express lane and resigned himself to a ten to fifteen minutes wait.
Outside the super market Heero hailed a cab since he didn't want to haul his groceries through two subway changes. A quick stop at the Green Thumb Florist Shoppe to pick up fresh flowers for the table and Heero headed home to get everything ready for a pleasant evening of good food and Duo's enjoyable company.
*********
Both the morning and afternoon rehearsal sessions were intense. With only four weeks until opening night Jay Johnson pushed the dancers to perfection. At 4:30 Duo flopped down on the bus stop bench then wondered if his tired legs would lift him up again.
"You have no one to blame but yourself." he mumbled out loud as every muscle registered keen protests over the physical exertion forced upon them.
The extra strength Advil Duo had taken after he showered and changed hadn't kicked in and he hoped his muscles wouldn't tighten up too much before it did. Even his braid sandwiched between the bench and his back pressed painfully into his spine. He tugged the long rope of hair over his shoulder and scowled at the bad braiding job he had hurried done then made a mental note to redo the disaster before going to Heero's apartment.
At his apartment Duo changed into gray trousers and a black and gray striped shirt and broken-in shoes. He rebraided his hair and shaved away a stubbly patch on his chin he'd missed in the locker room's awful lighting then finished the job with a splash of Old Spice aftershave.
At 6:45 Heero answered the knock on his door and offered Duo a warm smile. He was dressed in silky blue lounging trousers, a matching short sleeve pullover and soft cloth shoes.
"Relax." Heero motioned to the sofa, "Dinner will be ready in about ten minutes. I hope you're hungry."
Duo happily settled into the sofa's comfy cushions, leaned back and savored the wonderful aroma coming from the kitchen. "Dinner smells delicious and, yes, I'm hungry." he proclaimed.
The tuna salad on whole wheat and fruit juice he'd had for lunch had been worked off by mid-afternoon and the several bottles of water had been absorbed by his dehydrated muscle tissue.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Duo called above the tapping of a spoon on something metal.
Heero reappeared from the kitchen, "Nope, I'm waiting for the rice to steam. I brewed green tea, is that all right?"
"Fine. I'm glad we're having dinner here, I don't think I have the energy to go out."
"Rough day?" Heero wondered setting his hip on the sofa's armrest. "How did you feel this morning?"
"Once I got started I was all right but my stamina wasn't up to par."
"We have all evening to eat and unwind, why don't you take off your shoes and make yourself comfortable."
"You don't mind?"
"You aren't a guest, you're a friend and friends should always feel at home."
*********
Heero pulled out a chair at the kitchen table's end, "Please sit down." He waited for Duo to sit then took a chair on the side so he could easily serve dinner.
The table settings were yellow plates ringed in sage green. Round cups without handles matched the yellow and sage pattern. The customary knife and spoon occupied the plate's right side while a fork held its place on the left.
Cloth napkins embroidered with pale yellow flowers were folded lengthwise across each plate and a pair of chopsticks tied together with bright red ribbon laid horizontally across each napkin.
A square yellow teapot, suspended above the table on four rounded "feet", was decorated with twin emerald dragons. The ancient mythical creatures faced each other with claws and fangs bared. Golden smoke bellowed from their flared nostrils and their crimson eyes seemed to glow.
Two large bowls, one filled with the stir fried shrimp and vegetables and the other filled with long grained wild rice sat to the teapot's right. A smaller bowl contained honey to sweeten the green tea.
Completing the Asian theme, an elegant yellow vase with a simple arrangement of red and yellow pincushion chrysanthemums and feathery ferns graced in the table's center.
"Everything is beautiful." Duo praised his host's taste in both decor and presentation. "Especially the flowers. What kind are they?"
Heero's fingers gentle caressed one mum's puffy petals. "These are chrysanthemums, often called "The Flower of the East". They have been grown in China and Japan for over 2,000 years. In 767 the Mikado, meaning ruler of Japan, made the flower his personal emblem and issued a decreed that it could only be used by royalty."
Heero let his fingers slip free and redirected his attention to Duo. "Mums are also used to honor a special person." he declared with a humble bow of his head.
"You did all this for me?" Duo grinned; obviously pleased with the extra effort Heero had made just for him.
Heero returned the smile, "All this for you. Now pass your plate and we'll make our stomachs happy."
While Heero heaped on the food, Duo placed his napkin in his lap then untied the scarlet ribbon holding the chopsticks. "I've never used these." he admitted as he held one polished rod up at eye level and squinted at the odd wooden utensil.
Heero set down Duo's plate. "They're not hard to use once you understand the basic principle." he replied as he poured out the tea.
Duo wrapped his thumb around one stick and tucked the second between his index and middle fingers. The sticks tapped together once then slipped free from his unsteady grasp. "Would you be offended if I used my fork?"
Heero picked up the dropped sticks. "No, but try for me. Give me your hand."
Duo complied and held out his right hand. "Now you put this one here and this one here. Loosen your grip then tighten, see?"
Heero couldn't help but be amused at the acute concentration on Duo's face. The tip of his tongue protruded from his mouth's corner and his eyes focused until they were narrow slits of violet.
"I can't do this." Duo puffed in frustration as he chased a chuck of carrot around the plate.
"Everyone has to develop their own style. You just need to find out which way is the best for you." Heero proclaimed. "Wait. Put them down." he ordered.
Duo rested the sticks on his plate.
"Pick them up."
Duo paused a moment then picked up the wooden challengers.
"Now don't think, eat."
Duo's fingers folded naturally around the chopsticks and per Heero's instructions he didn't think about the method but the motive...food.
Soon Duo was pinching the tips together precisely enough to snare the delicious tidbits and was getting most of them in his mouth. Occasionally a morsel would escape but it didn't matter as eating had now turned into a game of fox and geese with Duo as the hunter.
However, he did use a spoon to eat his rice otherwise he would have had more of the sticky grains on his shirt or the floor than on his plate.
*********
Heero and Duo ate at a leisurely pace. Duo talked about his rehearsal, went into details concerning his role and happily answered all of Heero's questions. Duo was flattered by his friend's genuine interest. It felt good just to be able to talk and laugh and enjoy a meal without the distractions of being in public.
"Save room for dessert." Heero urged as he pushed his plate aside.
"Dessert!" Duo repeated with the same enthusiastic expectation he had displayed while wandering around Rosemont. "What kind?"
"It's a surprise. Why don't you relax on the sofa? I'll fix coffee then bring dessert to you."
"Only if you let me help you clean up first." Duo insisted.
Heero started the coffeepot while Duo cleared the table. They loaded the dishwasher, wiped off the table and countertops then Duo reluctantly left the kitchen.
After a few minutes, Heero brought in a tray with two slices of cheesecake, forks, mugs of aromatic coffee and paper napkins to lend a casual air to the after dinner treat.
"Strawberry cheesecake!" Duo cooed at the creamy cake smothered in whole strawberries and gooey syrup. "This is soooo good." He mumbled before he finished chewing. The pure pleasure of cheesecake made him temporarily forget his manners.
Heero set his empty plate on the coffee table and took a careful sip from his steaming mug. Duo swallowed the last bite and displayed a satisfied smile.
"I think you missed some." Heero announced. Using his index finger he wiped away the remnants of a stray strawberry stuck on Duo's lower lip.
Before Heero completed his cleanup task, Duo intercepted the fruit-laden finger, engulfed it with his mouth and sucked seductively.
Heero froze. His hand tingled as if an electrical current flowed between him and Duo. The warmth and wetness of Duo's mouth teased his finger as the suction held it in place.
Duo elevated his violet sight to meet Heero's enlarged pupils. There was a feral aspect in his focused stare, a predatory gleam like tiger eyes reflecting the moonlight. Then his tongue flickered over the enveloped fingertip and Heero flinched from the unexpected sensation.
Heero drew in a startled breath and struggled to raise his voice above a whisper. "Duo?" His tone questioned his friend's sudden flirtatious behavior.
"Hummmmm." Duo's lips vibrated, sending another shiver prickling over Heero's skin.
"Duo...I." Heero began but was distracted by the sexy dancer's next action.
Duo's lips curled back in a sly grin then loosened just enough to allow Heero's finger to slip out with a sharp pop. Without a word Duo leaned forward until he and the astonished architect were face to face.
"What?" Duo asked huskily, a hint of strawberry wafting on his breath.
Heero swallowed hard and tried to force his mind to produce just one coherent thought or his mouth to mutter a halfway sensible sentence but the only sound that rose from his throat was something akin to a low whimper.
"Tell me what you want." Duo demanded with a guttural growl that matched the primal desire dancing in his eyes.
Heero's lips parted to reply but all sounds were silenced by Duo's total mastery of the moment. It was as if time stood still and Heero was suspended inside an hourglass filled with strawberry scented sand.
"I know what you want." Duo cupped his hand under Heero's chin and moved closer for a kiss.
TBC...
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