Notes Left on the Doorstep

Terrible in Person

When Giyu opened the door, Sanemi stood there shivering and speckled with raindrops. His smile was large and playful.

"Where's my damn cocoa?" he asked.

Giyu's mouth fell open at the sight of the man he had only seen through windows. The man he had spoken to only on paper and through electronic devices. Giyu felt like he had walked into a dream, like a beloved character had walked off the screen and on to his doorstep. Though Sanemi was no stranger at this point, Giyu had no idea what to say to him. His thoughts scattered. His breath abandoned him. His sight wavered. Only his heart continued to function, pounding with the thudding grace of a pile driver.

Sanemi put his hand on the door. "Aren't you going to let me in?"

Giyu responded with a gaping stare.

Sanemi pushed on the door a bit. "Giyu?"

"So handsome," Giyu thought very out loud. Embarrassingly out loud. He clapped his hand over his mouth, as his cheeks explored every shade of red known to man. "Crap!" he also thought out loud.

Sanemi chuckled. "Sweet talking me already?"

"Oh jeez, I can't believe those are the first words I said to you in person. I haven't even said hello yet."

"You haven't let me into your house yet either."

Giyu's cheeks invented three more shades of red. "I told you. I'm terrible-"

"You're doing just fine. Shall we get to those drinks before they get cold?"

"Oh! Right! Crap! Yes. Of course. Door. Open. Enter. In." Giyu stepped back and opened the door wide. Sanemi stepped inside, past the still shell shocked Giyu. Sanemi flashed his playful grin again. "You can shut the door now."

"Oh! Yes. Shut. Cold. Door. In. Already. Right." Giyu didn't know what he was saying.

Sanemi gave Giyu a friendly jab in the shoulder. "Don't be nervous. I'm harmless. Mostly."

"He touched me!" was the only thought Giyu's mind could extract from the anarchy of neural activity in his brain, but Giyu's mouth decided it wouldn't say them, much to Giyu's relief. He drew in a deep breath in a marginally successful attempt to settle his nerves, then got his feet to ferry him, almost stably, to the kitchen. Sanemi followed close behind.

"I like what you've done with your place," Sanemi remarked.

"Thank you," Giyu replied, his voice barely audible. He gestured to the small, square kitchen table where sat the two mugs of cocoa he had prepared. "Please have a seat."

"Whoa! They look even better in person," Sanemi said.

"Do they?"

"Just like you." Sanemi winked.

"Gah-chih-fuuu-mmhh-ki-chuh." Giyu.exe was no longer functioning.

Sanemi pulled out a chair and gently guided Giyu to it. The two of them sat across from each other at the table. Giyu passed a long, slender spoon to Sanemi with a trembling hand. Sanemi steadied it, sending a fresh rush of red to Giyu's cheeks, and to his own.

"How should I approach this?" Sanemi asked.

"Carefully," Giyu whispered timidly.

Sanemi took the spoon and shoveled a mountain of the poofy white cream into his mouth. It made it in, but not without leaving Sanemi with a whipped cream goatee.

Giyu giggled. He offered Sanemi a napkin. "I said carefully."

Sanemi took the napkin, wiped his face. "You expect me to hold back?"