Hero and Perfect

Chapter Twelve.

Hero was happy.

He was sitting back on a long chaise on the deck, with his knees up, wearing a long black satin robe that Perfect had given him.

He was relaxed. Just feasting his eyes. Lazily enjoying the  supremely satisfying view of Kim Perfection , eating strawberries.

Perfection was seated on Hero' s lap, straddling him.
Leaning back on Hero's bent legs, wearing  nothing but a long rope of fine pearls looped twice around his slender neck and the matching pearl earrings that Hero had purchased for him  for his twenty first birthday present last year.

Just those and the thigh high, ribboned, pale pink silk stockings he had purchased  for himself in Helsinki .
He was dipping the berries in whipped cream , then licking the cream off them.
He bit into the juicy fruit.

Allowing the sweet red juices to run  unchecked, down his chin onto his chest, as he gazed  languorously at Hero, smiling at the way his lover's eyes darkened as he watched him .

The strawberries were much larger than average. Dark and sweet. Their fresh strawberry fragrance filled the air around them both.

Hero had arranged to have  them flown in from a specialty seller, direct from Japan.
There were four of them.

They had cost a small fortune. He had checked before he ordered them and had been told to please go ahead with their purchase.
He was glad he had listened to his instincts . The ones that had said " these" when he had been planning this event.

He had bookmarked that order and placed another to be picked up the morning that he had originally thought Perfect would be arriving back from the island, intending to surprise him with them.

Strawberries were Perfect's favourite fruit.

Hero decided just now , watching  Perfect's agile pink tongue dart out and lick the cream off another one , that they were also his favourite.
They hadn't left the bedroom except for a few minutes yesterday. For water, and mimosas. A shower that quickly devolved into a steamy exploration of how many times Hero could make Perfect say ' yes'.

They hadn't bothered with food.

They had been far too busy devouring each other.

They had finally fallen asleep, well into the evening, and had slept all through the night.

Deeply. Peacefully.

Hero , used to rising at dawn, had woken first.

He gently eased out from beneath Perfection, who had fallen deeply asleep , laying mostly on top of him.
Perfect had protested , muttering ' No', but he had curled up around the warm pillow Hero placed into his arms to ease his leaving the bed.

Hero stretched, practiced the forms, then showered quickly.

He padded silently down the stairs , made fresh coffee, prepped for breakfast, then went back up to retrieve Perfection, bringing the luggage Perfect had brought with him, up to their room.
He chose to wake him gently.
  Slipping back under the fine sheets, pulling him close, kissing his forehead.
Perfect had opened his eyes and gazed up at him, smiling in drowsy contentment.

" Hero.  I'm so happy...I dreamt I was flying in the clouds..." He yawned and stretched  in Hero's arms, smiling , then murmuring softly as Hero kissed his neck.
Hero laughed quietly. "Cloud bunnies need rest, and they need to eat as well."

Perfect was too thin.

It was obvious they had both lost their appetites these last few months of the interminable separation.