Timeless

Stupid Gorilla and Pinky

Kaoru POV
Kojiro. So, sweet. I woke while he was still sleeping. He had held me the entire time. His strong arms wrapped around me. I clung to his warmth for a few more minutes. Sadly, I couldn’t stay here until he woke, no matter how badly I wanted it. Carefully, I rolled off of him. Leaving Carla under him, I walked to the pool.
Kojiro and I had been coming here for years now. This was our spot. No one else knew about it. How no one found it, I wasn’t sure. As children we laughed as we chased each other. It was here Kojiro had taught me to skate. In these tunnels, he gave me a love that would last my entire life. I heard him move. One last smile at the memories, and I had to insult him again. It was our thing after all.
“Hey, sleepy head. Your snoring was beginning to give me a headache.” I mocked. He was still sitting on the boards. His green head tilted back, looking at me through his lashes. How could one being be so perfect? I wondered.
“It’s not my fault I didn’t sleep well last night. I was under the assumption my best friend didn’t want to be my best friend any longer.” He growled. This shocked me. What would make him think that? He wasn’t looking at me as he maneuvered to get ready to stand up. I smirked. Time to play my own little game.
“I don’t.”  I stated calmly as I twisted to fully look at him. He froze, on his hands and knees. One foot ready to push off of the ground to stand. I was surprised to see sweat beading on his brow. His hair fell down covering his face. I couldn’t see it, but I knew the feeling well. How many times had he helped me when I was having a panic attack? I lost count actually. Kojiro Nanjo don’t you know, you are the only person who has ever seen me weak. I love you for the very fact, you have never made me feel weak. You lend me your strength all the time. Now let me give you some back. I started walking to him. Peering out from under his hair, he saw me. The ugliest words he had ever spoken to me came out of his mouth then. He shoved my skateboard towards me. I let it go by, bumping gently against the rock side of the pool.
“Take it and just leave then!” He cried. Oh, my sweet boy. Sometimes I think we make such good friends because we are both broken in different ways. You mend my pieces together, and I can fix you, can’t you see it? I knelt down by his head.
“You really are a stupid gorilla.” I told him as I cupped my hand under his chin. Lifting his head, forcing him to look up at me, I smiled. “I can’t be your best friend, if I am to be your boyfriend, now can I?” I asked tilting my head. I waited until I saw the recognition of my words shine in his brilliant red eyes. Then, I leaned forward. This should have been our first kiss. Not the one he had surprised me with.
Our lips touched together. I pressed mine firmly over his. Feeling the fullness of his overpower my thin ones. It was just like him to be bigger than me in every situation. His body shifted. No longer was he trying to get up. Instead, he sat back down. He didn’t pull away from me.
As he moved, his arms encircled me. He drew my body against his. Pressing me into his lap. Folding me in his arms. I fit perfectly there. His mouth returned the pressure of the kiss. His tongue licked lightly at my lower lip. I opened a small space for him, so unsure, yet determined. I would make this work.
His tongue slipped inside my mouth. Whenever Adam had done this, it was by force. He always felt slimy, and tasted like mints. I didn’t like mints. Kojiro was gentle. For as big as he was, he had the kindest soul. Carefully he probed around. Licking my tongue but not dominating me. He wanted to explore, so, I let him. He tasted like coffee. I giggled slightly. I loved coffee.
“Stop laughing, it’s not like I have much experience with this.” He stated separating our mouths.
“With kissing a guy?” I asked.
“With kissing in general.” He answered. I drew further back to look at him. I couldn’t hide the shock on my face.
“All those girls…” I whispered.
“I never kissed a single one. They would force me to kiss them, but I never returned it. Sorry, Pinky, you’re the only one I ever wanted to kiss.”  He confessed. I felt my cheeks grow warm.
“Last night when you kissed me…” my voice trailed away as I realized the significance of that moment.
“It was the first time I initiated it, yeah.” He muttered.
“I’m so sorry, Kojiro. You shocked me so much, I couldn’t respond in time. Then it was over and you and Adam both vanished!” I hated how my voice shook at that. I had felt so alone. I had put everything on the line for him. His words from earlier rang in my ears. He had spent the night thinking I was throwing him away! How could he think like that?
I slapped him hard across the face. So hard, my hand stung. “How could you think I would ever throw you away?” I yelled at him. One hand left me as he rubbed his cheek. He glared at me.
“You have a bad habit of not telling me how you feel!” He snarled back. I folded my arms over my chest glaring at my knees.
“You should know better, stupid ape!” I spat. His soft chuckle vibrated throughout my entire body.
“When did I fall in love with you?” He whispered in my ear. “Was it that first day in school? I saw you sitting all alone. You looked terrified. I just wanted to talk to you. Or…” He went on stroking my hair. “…when you were learning how to skateboard? You were so elegant. I knew then that I loved watching you move.” He murmured.
I laid my head on his shoulder as he continued. “I knew by the day you first passed out at seeing your own blood, that I was hopelessly devoted to you. I stayed to sing to you so you wouldn’t feel alone. Between kindergarten and then, when did I fall in love with you?” He whispered.
“I know when I fell in love with you.” I told him. He chuckled.
“It was that awful kiss, wasn’t it?” his chest rocked with his laugh.
“No, it was when you sang my favorite song, while starring in my eyes.” I stated. I felt his body tense up. I pulled away to look at him. His mouth hung open, eyes wide. He sat staring at nothing for a long time.
“ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME!” He yelled. I flinched, shaking my head.
“You’re telling me all this time, we just wasted!?” I could tell he was still upset, but he was trying to control it so as not to worry me. “What the hell was your relationship with Adam for then?” he demanded.
“I loved you, but I never thought you could love someone as needy as me.” I confessed. “You were the only one who has ever seen me weak. How could you love that?” I dropped my head to press it against his chest. “You have always been so strong…” I whispered.
“Oh, Kaoru…” He kissed the top of my head. “Who is the idiot, now?” he asked. “I became strong, for you. You needed me to be your strength, so I was.” He shrugged. Then tightened his arms around me.
“Well, you are mine now. There is nothing you can do about it.” He stated. I snuggled deeper into his chest.
“I think you have that backwards, gorilla. You are mine, so, you have to deal with it.” I smirked against his neck He snickered.
“I think I can live with that.” We sat in silence for a time.
“We should get married in France.” He said out of the blue. “French people don’t care about two guys marrying each other.” He added. I sat up.
“Who said I wanted to marry you?” I asked. He laughed.
“I told you, you’re mine, for life. I will never leave you, Kaoru Sakurayashiki. Not unless they rip out my heart.” With that he pressed his forehead against mine.
“You would so haunt me.” I muttered. Throwing his head back his laughter filled the cavern.
“You bet your sweet ass I would!” He laughed harder. It was a sound I loved more than almost anything. I smiled.
“Take me home. I’m hungry.” I whined.
“Anything for my princess.” He stood up, lifting my body with his easily. He set me on my feet. I lightly punched him in the chest.
“Gorilla!” I muttered with my cheeks heating up. He chuckled as we got on our boards. I hadn’t charged Carla and she was running low on battery power. I switched her off. For now, she would just be a regular skateboard, not like I didn’t know how to use one. I smiled as the wind caught my hair. I saw the ape sail passed me. I speed up.
On impulse I reached out to take his hand. Mine felt small in his meaty paw.  I felt protected holding on to him. He turned to look back at me. The look in his eyes made my face heat up again.
“Stop looking at me like that!” I demanded.
“Like what? Like I’m in love with my boyfriend?” He asked. My face went even hotter at those words.
“Yeah.” I mumbled. He laughed heartily at that, but didn’t let go of me. We reached his place close to four. He gave me some dried cherries and cheese to hold me until he could have dinner ready. He liked to talk as he worked.
“So, where should we go on our first official date?” He asked. I looked up blinking at him. He smirked as he stirred something in a frying pan. “I’m off tonight, or is that too short of notice?” He asked, concern clouding his features. I smiled. Shaking my head.
“No but, can’t we stay here? Watch movies? Or something?” I asked.
“Well, my mother’s will be out of town for a week, so sure. But then this isn't our official first date. I always cook for you and we watch movies.” He stated.
“Yes, but we don’t snuggle on the couch when we do.” I pointed out. I giggled as his cheeks colored. He finished what he was cooking in silence.  He sat a plate of stir fry before me. Adding some fried dough and a bowl of mixed fruit. Then he leaned his elbows on the counter to watch me a little.
“Kaoru Sakurayashiki, will you go out with me next Saturday?” He asked. I swallowed the mouthful of food I had just put in my mouth. With a tiny smile, and a hot face I nodded.
“I would love to.” I whispered.
“Good.” He went to fix his own plate. We ate in companionable silence. In the living room, after he insisted on cleaning up the kitchen and washing all of the dishes, he offered me a choice of movies. With my selected pick in, he sat beside me on the couch. I stood putting his right leg up along the back of the seat. I sat down, pulling his other leg up to keep me secure, I laid against his chest.
He covered us with a blanket, before wrapping his arms around me. I was definitely secure now. He kissed the top of my head. Gently he took my pony tail out to run his fingers through my hair. Where ever he got the brush from I wasn’t sure.
“You haven’t brushed it out since last night.” He murmured. I laid still letting him do it. When it was tangle free, he just played with it. Running his fingers through it or just twirling it around his finger.
“I like this.” I cuddled down further into him.
“Me too, Pinky.” He cooed. I closed my eyes.