Tyler walked to Crepeville waring a dark blue dress shirt and gray pants. He was surprised to see that Crepeville, normally quiet on Saturday evenings as the kids went off clubbing, was surprisingly crowded...with single young men. "You're going to have to wait at the back of the line," snapped a nellie in a see-through tank top.
"It's not topless night!" Tyler snapped back. "What's going on?
"Excuse me, old man," another gay guy snappped. "You're going to have to wait in line to see the new waiter."
"It's okay guys," Ryoga showed up.
He definitely looked a little bit more fitting into the community. He was wearing
a tight fitting yellow T-shirt which happened to have a tiger on the front and
tight boot-cut jeans that wrapped around his tight muscular legs. He also had
a white apron wrapped around those tight jeans. He smiled that fanged smile
once again and a couple of guys melted in the background.
I'm sorry I was late," the blonde haired man tossed his suitcase into the back of Ryan's trunk.
"Oh no problem at all," Ryan grinned. "Not a problem at all.” Damnit Ranko. Riki is hot. Ryan tried not to stare at the blonde-haired, blue-eyed man who was now bent over giving Ryan quite an eyeful. Riki Ashetori was leaning over the trunk. He was wearing a white tanktop that accented his lanky yet smooth and lean white body. His tight Levis pants accented every single muscular part of his lower torso. The V-line that led directly down into his package that Ryan went ga-ga over was there too. The same V-line of Ryoga’s that made Ryan sweat. I am such a pervert.
"Are we ready to go?" Riki replied flashing his million-watt smile.
Ryan escaped his fantasy bubble. “Yeah,” he grinned back. “So, where do you want to go?”
“I’m kinda hungry,” Riki replied.
"Here you go," Ryoga smiled. "One garlic-chicken crepe topped with alfredo sauce. My specialty." He and Tyler were sitting at the back of Crepeville, away from the envious boys who hisssed at the mature Tyler. Ryoga produced a platter of the warm, wheat flour wrap delicately laced with white sauce and sparkling with green chives. The scent of warm garlic and ripe tomatoes waifed through the air. It was a masterpiece. Ryoga then sat down at the table, elbows on the table looking at Tyler eagerly.
"Don't you have something to eat too?" Tyler asked.
"I ate already," Ryoga smiled. "If you're the chef, it's polite not to have other people see you eating."
Tyler carved into the airy cake. The scent of strong garlic entered his nose like a narcotic. Even before he touched the dripping pancake into his mouth, he could taste the zing of the garlic, the softness of the chicken, the mixing of the herbs, the fluffiness of the crepe with its creamy egginess. Tyler put the morsel into his mouth and was transported into a heaven of melting flavors and melting cheese as his head swirled in ecstasy.
"Do you like it?" Ryoga asked eagerly.
"This is great!" Tyler replied, his mouth still reeling in ecstasy as the soft egginess disappeared down his throat. "How did you learn how to cook so well?"
"I used to work at an okonmiyaki* restaurant in Tokyo" Ryoga blushed.
“Mmmm…those pancakes are my favorite,” Tyler replied smugly. Going out with many Japanese guys had taught him a little bit about Japanese culture. He also would travel all the way to Japantown for his okonomiyaki fix once in a while.
"Well," Ryoga started blushing again. "I was um, really flattered that you asked me out. I've never done this before."
"You mean you've never gone out with a guy before?" Tyler asked.
"I've never gone out with a person before,” Ryoga replied shyly.
“Really?” Tyler looked shocked. “A hot guy like you has never gone on a date before?”
“Well my friend Ukyou set me up on a blind date…with a lesbian**,” Ryoga said. “I really didn’t know what to do about the fact she paired me up with a lesbian.”
Tyler laughed. “Yeah, that happened
to me once. I went out with a cute girl but when I told her I was gay, she became
a nun!”
The roof of the Yerba Buena Gardens*** was dark at night. The decision to go to Yerba Buena was made as soon as they left the airport. Ryan and Riki were debating where to go for dinner. Finally, Riki decided that he wanted to visit Yerba Buena Park. “Ranko said it’s the best place in San Francisco to view the stars,” Riki said. “Correction,” Ryan replied. “It’s the only place you can view the stars in San Francisco, especially on a foggy night like this.”
They sat right by each other, neither one ready to make a move. Ryan had a little black pig on his mind. Riki sipped his Styrofoam cup of tea and popped in one of the sushi rolls the boys had bought a few minutes ago.
“That’s Leo,” Riki said as he pointed up to a small group of blue diamonds enveloped in the dark silk blanket of space. “It’s not shaped the way it is supposed to be.”
“Yeah, if you connect the dots, it just looks like a bunch of tossed sticks,” Ryan replied.
“Well, you’re not supposed to connect the dots,” Riki replied.
“Omigod,” Riki realized. “Mars should be coming up. I always know when it is coming up but I never got the chance to see it.”
“What stopped you?” Ryan asked.
“Work,” Riki replied. “Grading papers mostly. Way too much work.”
“You mean you don’t make time to have fun?” Ryan asked.
“Well, being a teacher means that you have so many other people depending on you means I usually don’t make time for myself,” Riki said quietly. “But at least I’m doing something for the world.”
“Yeah…” Ryan felt distant all of a sudden. “Hey, how much more time do we have left before Mars shows up?”
"About fifteen or twenty minutes," Riki replied.
“Come with me,” Ryan grabbed Riki’s
hand.
Ryan was right. Duboce Park turned
from gay beach to cock beach every night.
“I actually know him,” Tyler said. Ryoga looked shocked. “He works at Injeanious.”
“So how come he doesn’t go to a club to find guys,” Ryoga asked.
“It’s not as easy as you think,” Tyler said.
“I’ve never gone to a club before,” Ryoga replied shyly.
“Honey, you are such a virgin!” Tyler exclaimed in shock. "What else have you never done before?"
Ryoga made his lips look very inviting.
“I’ve never been kissed.” And
with that, Tyler kissed Ryoga. And vice versa.
“Martin’s gonna kill me,” Ryan
smiled as he fixed up the telescope from the back of his car. “I know he really
wanted this telescope.”
“You don’t have to do this,” Riki replied politely.
“But I want to,” Ryan’s eyes started to glimmer, well to Riki at least. Finally the telescope was done. The tall, dark, erect eyepiece pointing to the sky, waiting for purpose. Fortunately, Riki was an expert with telescopes. He looked into the viewhole and started to adjust the telescope. In response, the telescope moved up and down until Riki exclaimed in excitement. “Behold,” Riki said. “The Lord of War arises.”
And they saw Mars emerge from the darkness. The God of War. The God of Lust in his manliness. Dark red and heart beating fast. His rage, his lust, his desire, his hopes reflected in the blanket of blue that surrounded him. But he pulsated boldly as the two men below looked up at him.
“Take a closer look,” Riki said.
“It’s beautiful,” Ryan sighed. He could feel his heart racing. He could also feel Riki’s hands touch his arms softly making his spine tingle.
“Um, not as beautiful as you,” Riki said quietly. “Or, not as handsome as you.”
Ryan felt like he suddenly fell into a hole. “Thanks,” he replied. “I need to tell you honestly, I find you really attractive too.” Riki turned to Ryan, his eyes gleaming blue with warmth…and something else. “Thanks,” he replied and he kissed Ryan on the cheek.
Ryan closed his eyes and gave into Riki’s dark blue eyes twinkling like the night skies. He gave into Riki’s blonde hair, his soft smile, his longing heart. Their lips touched. Only softly at first. The rough edges briefly meeting each other. Then it got deeper. The lips pressed on each other. Soft. In desperation. Ryan quivered. As he held Riki, he could feel Riki quiver too in nervousness. I’m making out with a really hot guy right now! They both thought. But that thought bubble popped was replaced with another one- Am I a good kisser?
Ryan drew Riki closer to his body.
He could feel the warmth of another man’s body next to his. Riki grabbed Ryan’s
firm buttocks tightly, enjoying the solitary ride he was going on. Their smooth
bodies rubbed together like marble on sandstone. Hands followed instinct.
Suddenly Ryoga felt a sudden chill down his back. “I have to go,” Ryoga looked away suddenly.
“Why?” Tyler asked. “Was it that bad?”
“No,” Ryoga turned back toward Tyler.
His eyes were gleaming with dark black, similar to the night sky. “It was that
good.”
Please be home. Ryoga prayed softly. He dashed up to Ryan’s door. He ran up to the top of the stairs of the building. The left door. That’s the one he led me into. “Open up Ryan!” Ryoga shouted. He pounded the door. He felt like a traitor. He felt like a traitor to Ryan’s kindness.
Ryan opened the door. He was wearing a dark blue thong. Sweat was dripping down his smooth body, lightly soaking the pouch, mixing with other juices. His hair was still neat but now also wet with sweat. “Um, hey Ryoga,” Ryan blushed quietly. And that’s when Ryoga knew.
"Who is that?" Riki called from the side.
"Um, just nothing at all,” Ryoga
looked crestfallen. He quickly turned away and ran down the stairs. "Um, nothing
at all." Ryoga looked up at
the night sky. The pulsating heart of Mars disappeared back into the dark enfolds
of the sky.
To "Riki," a yaoi anime character come to life who is just as sweet as his toon version. And to "Tarzan," my learn’d astronomer, who taught me the magic of the stars and of men.
CREPEVILLE (is a wonderful crepe chain found all over California. We even have one in Davis too! For those who do not know what a crepe is, it is a very thin small pancake, often stuffed and rolled up. The cuisine comes from France and was used for fast food. Savory crepes are crepes stuffed with meat and vegetables. Dessert crepes are crepes stuffed with fruit, Nutella, sugar, anything. My favorite savory crepe is coq au vin, chicken in white sauce, and my favorite dessert crepe is Sugar. The crepe only has sugar and you squeeze the lemon on the top. It is delicious and cheap!
Okonomiyaki, Japanese for “anything-goes,” is an eggy pancake stuffed with meat and shredded cabbage and fried on a grill. You top okonomiyaki with a savory barbecue sauce, bonito flakes, and seaweed. I know it sounds gross right now but it actually is really good. I only know one place in San Francisco that makes it.
The lesbian reference is a preview
of Book Two.
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