i can't remember where the sun was in the sky when i discovered him lying there. whatever reds or oranges, yellows, pinks, or purples staining the horizon outside were shielded by the curtains drawn tightly closed, teasing each other at the edges & casting a dim film of mystery across the room. the air was uneasy, his breathing slow & slightly labored. i was moved to worry until i noticed him hiding himself, all to no avail. even thru the slight shadows of the room i saw him curled upwards, tight against his stomach, just past his navel.

every skinny little limb he had was forgiven in this space.

i pretended not to notice.

i pretended, too, not to notice the swelling of his lips, flushed and forced into an embarrassed pout. my own mouth began to water at the sight of his bottom lip, freshly licked & parted a bit from the top just enough for his tongue, rushed w/ a shade of pink i'd never seen before, to look out at me. i bit my lip to hide the secret that i had a pair of lips that matched his perfectly--warm. wet. swollen to a pretty pinky-brown.

i walked to the window and moved to thrust open the curtains.

'no!!'

what? what's wrong w/ u?

'nothing. don't open them?' it was more a plea than a demand or request.

but baby, it's dark in here.. i want to see you.

'wait'

let me see you..

...i didn't want to see him. i didn't need to; i cld feel him enough in the air to know his body--he was laying on his back, right leg cocked, left extended. 2 pillows behind his head. both hands covering the thick coil of flesh pressed against his navel. having grown bored w/ the curtain game i walked over to the bed, sat next to him & whispered to him, thick-tongued and teasing

i see you...

and then we proceeded to set the air w/ a blaze that wld shame the sun; w/ locked hands we painted that dark room w/ the lie of sunshine and beckoned morning sing to our symphony of sweet sighs and x-rated love language.

evrything was wet. the air dripped so w/ our high-pitched professions that it summoned breezes to spit them out into the dampness of the walls. the curtains became unruly waterfalls, the floor a raging rapid that we contradicted w/ smooth, fluid strokes of our own. in those hrs we came rivers that wld extinguish the sun-

and after the deluge, we lay waterlogged against each other, gasping for breath, wearing each other like sweaters to guard against the chill of dryin sweat hidden in the flushed brown folds of our skin.

every swelling went down except for one.

i took his hand, pressed it firm against my chest & kissed his in the same spot.

'i love you'

i love you, too.