Drawn to You

7. ... And Hua Cheng needs...

Hua Cheng washed that thick foam off his face, getting a slightly dry skin, which would be just right after some moisturiser. He couldn't help thinking of Xie Lian teasing him about an amazing skin meaning lots of sex (actually, it was Hua Cheng's teasing, thrown back at him by Xie Lian).

At the time he almost said, "As if", but luckily, he stopped just in time: that would be so lame.

He went to the kitchen and put some water to boil, and then walked to his closet to fetch something to wear, thinking: he actually hasn't been drinking, or partying, let alone lots of sex.

"Fuck! I must be getting old", he muttered to himself, unwillingly thinking of annoying Qi Rong. He pursed his lips and shook his head lightly as if to make thoughts of that person go away.

But at least that explained a lot about that onsen trip he did with Xie Lian, two or three weeks before. He put some jeans on and walked back to the kitchen, a t-shirt hanging on his shoulder, to make himself a cup of strong coffee. He then walked back to stand by the window, thinking.

They had stopped at Xie Lian's place and while he had gone to pack a change of clothes, Hua Cheng booked a stay at a small, low-profile ryokan with its own onsen in Hakone, around an hour and a half drive only.

Next stop was his place, and, looking at that supermarket across the road from Okachimachi Station, Xie Lian said, "San Lang, I'll go buy snacks while you pack". Hua Cheng reminded him of buying beer too, and after 20 minutes or so they were ready to hit the road.

After having arrived in Hakone, they had to drive for ten to fifteen minutes on a small lane uphill, and the ryokan at its end: it was indeed small, with eight or nine rooms overlooking a thermal lake, everything very simple but warm and cozy. It didn't have its own restaurant, but they could order from a place nearby.

After having two or three beers while relaxing in their room, they went straight for a good soak, as it was too early for dinner. That's when it happened (for the first time).

Just thinking about it made Hua Cheng feel his face burn while sipping on his coffee.

On the changing room, the showers all had screens, probably because they've been getting Western guests a lot these days, so he didn't see Xie Lian naked, but, he didn't need to: just looking at Xie Lian shirtless inside the pool, his skin rosey from the heat, his wet hair...

He laid on his stomach on a wooden platform, and fortunately the place was full of a thick steam, but even so Hua Cheng couldn't help noticing his well-toned arms crossed for his head to rest on, his broad shoulders, blushing face... the way Xie Lian smiled lightly, closing his eyes, his long lashes.

Hua Cheng got a hard on, for looking at him: there was no other way to say it. Xie Lian was hot.

It happened a few times. Hua Cheng always kept a safe distance, either looking away (which took some big effort) or, if there was no one around, he's sneakily rush to the cold showers.

"You're quite hungry, right? I ordered a big sushi platter", Xie Lian said smiling brightly, while holding a menu from a restaurant around the corner that could deliver the food in 20 minutes, "And hot sake too. We can chill with the windows open for fresh air: it's a thermal lake outside, it's not that cold".

Hua Cheng smiled, lying down lazily on the tatami, feeling that scent of rice straw. During the day they could drive around town, go for a walk around Lake Ashi, look for a soba house...

On another occasion Hua Cheng woke up in the middle of the night, again with a hard on from thinking of Xie Lian sleeping on a futon next to him, well within his reach –