Latitude Adjustment

*He’s offering me a job*, Hikaru told himself firmly. *That’s all this is. A business arrangement.*

*Is it?* Darius’s eyes were dark, intense, fixed on Hikaru’s face. *Is that really all you think this is?*

Hikaru’s throat tightened, his mouth suddenly dry. “I need to think about it.”

“Think about it?” Darius’s jaw tightened, a muscle ticking in his cheek. “You’ve had weeks to think, Hikaru. What more do you need?”

*Time*, Hikaru wanted to say. *Space. Proof that this is real, and not just another one of your games.*

*He’s here*, the voice in his head whispered. *Isn’t that proof enough?*

Hikaru looked away, breaking the intense eye contact. “I’m sorry, Darius. I can’t give you an answer tonight.”

Darius was silent for a long moment, and Hikaru could feel the frustration radiating off him in waves. When he finally spoke, his voice was tight, controlled. “Fine. Take your time. But don’t take too long, Hikaru. My patience has its limits.”

He turned and walked away, leaving Hikaru standing alone at the bar, his heart racing and his thoughts in turmoil.

*He’s offering you a second chance*, the voice in his head insisted. *A chance to have everything you ever wanted.*

*At what cost?* Hikaru wondered. *My pride? My self-respect?*

*Would it be so bad?* The voice was sly now, tempting. *Working alongside him, as equals. Building something together…*

Hikaru shook his head, trying to dispel the thought. He downed the rest of his whiskey in one gulp, the burn of it grounding him. He needed air, needed to clear his head.

He stepped out onto the balcony, the cool night air a welcome relief. The city sprawled before him, a glittering sea of lights, vast and unknowable.

*You could get lost here*, he thought. *Disappear into the crowd, start anew.*

*Or you could go back*, the voice whispered. *Face the life you left behind. See where it leads.*

Hikaru leaned against the railing, his eyes closed, the wind tugging at his hair. He didn’t know what to do, didn’t know which voice to trust. All he knew was that Darius had found him, halfway across the world, and nothing would ever be the same again.

The elevator ride to Darius’s suite is silent, the air between them charged with everything unsaid. Hikaru keeps his eyes fixed on the numbers above the door, watching them climb higher and higher, his stomach churning with nerves.

*This is a mistake*, he thinks, even as his body thrums with anticipation. *Nothing good can come of this.*

*But what if it can?* The voice in his head is a sly whisper, tempting him. *What if this is your chance to finally have what you’ve always wanted?*

The doors slide open with a soft ding, and Darius gestures for Hikaru to step out first. His hand brushes the small of Hikaru’s back as he does, a fleeting touch that sends a surge of heat through him.

*He’s playing with you*, Hikaru warns himself. *Don’t fall for it.*

*Or maybe he’s not playing*, the voice counters. *Maybe this is real.*

Darius’s suite is expansive, all clean lines and modern furniture, with a view of the city that takes Hikaru’s breath away. He moves to the window, drawn by the glittering lights below.

“Whiskey?” Darius’s voice comes from behind him, close enough that Hikaru can feel the warmth of his breath on the back of his neck.

“Yes,” Hikaru says, not turning around. He hears the clink of glass, the splash of liquid, and then Darius is there, pressing a tumbler into his hand.

“To new beginnings,” Darius murmurs, his own glass raised.

Hikaru hesitates, then touches his glass to Darius’s. “To new beginnings,” he echoes, the words feeling like a vow.

The whiskey burns going down, but it’s a welcome distraction from the tension coiling inside him. He sets the glass down on the windowsill, his fingers lingering on the cool crystal.

“You shouldn’t have come here,” he says quietly, still looking out at the city.

“Why not?” Darius’s voice is low, rough. “I needed to see you. To talk to you.”

Hikaru shakes his head. “There’s nothing to talk about. I gave you my answer.”

“And I told you I wouldn’t accept it.” Darius moves closer, his chest brushing against Hikaru’s back. “I need you, Hikaru. I-” He breaks off, his voice catching. “I can’t do this without you.”

*He’s never said that before*, Hikaru realizes, his heart stuttering in his chest. *Not like that.*

*He’s just saying what you want to hear*, the voice in his head argues. *Don’t let him fool you.*

*But what if he means it?* Hikaru closes his eyes, the warmth of Darius’s body seeping into him, chasing away the chill of loneliness that’s been his constant companion these past weeks. *What if this is his way of reaching out, of trying to bridge the gap between us?*

“Turn around,” Darius breathes, his lips grazing the shell of Hikaru’s ear. “Look at me.”

Hikaru shivers, his body responding to the command before his mind can catch up. He turns slowly, his eyes fluttering open to meet Darius’s gaze.

What he sees there steals the air from his lungs. Darius’s eyes are dark with want, his expression raw and unguarded in a way Hikaru has never seen before. It’s like looking at a stranger, and yet somehow, it feels like coming home.

*This is it*, Hikaru thinks, his pulse racing. *The moment everything changes.*

*Or the moment everything falls apart*, the voice in his head warns, but Hikaru pushes it away.

He steps into Darius’s space, their bodies aligning perfectly, like two pieces of a puzzle finally falling into place. Darius’s hand comes up to cradle Hikaru’s face, his thumb stroking along the line of his jaw.

“I’ve wanted this for so long,” Darius murmurs, his voice husky with emotion. “Wanted you.”

*Then why did you wait?* Hikaru wants to ask. *Why did you push me away, over and over again?*

But the words die on his tongue, lost in the heat of Darius’s kiss.

It’s not a gentle kiss, not tentative or exploring. It’s hungry, desperate, like Darius is trying to pour all his pent-up longing into this one moment. Hikaru kisses him back just as fiercely, his hands fisting in the front of Darius’s shirt, drawing him near.

*Yes*, he thinks, his mind a haze of want. *This. Finally, this.*

They stumble back towards the bed, never breaking the kiss, their hands roaming restlessly over each other’s bodies. Darius’s fingers find the buttons of Hikaru’s shirt, tugging them open with impatient movements, his palms sliding against the bare skin of Hikaru’s chest.

Hikaru shudders at the touch, his own hands moving to Darius’s belt, working it open with shaking fingers. They undress each other in a frenzy of movement, clothes falling to the floor in a careless heap, until they’re both naked, skin against skin, heartbeat against heartbeat.

Darius pushes Hikaru down onto the bed, following him, covering him with his body. Hikaru wraps his legs around Darius’s waist, arching up into him, their erections sliding together in a way that makes sparks dance behind Hikaru’s eyes.

“Please,” he gasps, not even sure what he’s asking for. “Darius, please.”

Darius seems to understand, his hand sliding between their bodies, wrapping around both their cocks. He strokes them together, his grip tight and perfect, his thumb rubbing over the sensitive heads in a way that has Hikaru seeing stars.

*This can’t be real*, Hikaru thinks, even as his body screams that it is, that this is the realest thing he’s ever felt. *It’s too good. It can’t last.*

*But what if it can?* The voice in his head is a breathless whisper, drowned out by the rising tide of pleasure. *What if this is just the beginning?*

Hikaru comes with a cry, his release spilling over Darius’s fist, his body trembling with the force of it. Darius follows a moment later, his own pleasure painting Hikaru’s stomach, his forehead dropping to rest against Hikaru’s shoulder as he shudders through his climax.

They lie like that for long moments, breathing hard, their hearts racing in sync. Hikaru’s hands move over Darius’s back, tracing the lines of muscle, savoring the feel of him.

*This changes everything*, he thinks, a strange sense of peace settling over him. *There’s no going back from this.*

*But we can’t go back to how things were*, he reminds himself, even as Darius shifts, rolling to the side and gathering Hikaru into his arms. *Not after this. Not after everything.*

Darius’s lips brush against his temple, soft and tender. “Stay with me,” he murmurs, his voice a low rumble in his chest. “Please, Hikaru. Stay.”

Hikaru closes his eyes, his head nestling against Darius’s shoulder. “I’ll stay,” he says, the words feeling like a promise. “For tonight.”

*And maybe*, he thinks, as sleep begins to tug at him, *if we’re lucky, for all the nights to come.*