Excerpt: Okabore ~Secret Love~

Snickering, Daitan lowers his own head and concentrates on eating his breakfast in silence, letting Kamoku be, knowing that the younger man had something on his mind that he wasn't quite ready to bring up yet. When they both have finished and the dishes are washed a put away, Daitan finally turns his full attention back to Kamoku, frowning slightly. "Alright, what's wrong? And tell me all of it this time."

Kamoku blinks behind the lenses of his glasses, his cheeks lighting up as he reaches up to push his glasses back up his nose again, even though they hadn't slipped so much as an inch. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do. You've been acting strange since last night. I've given you time, I've given you space, and I'm worried about you. So, tell me what's wrong. Please, Kam."

Daitan could see Kamoku stiffening, gearing up to resist and he sighs inwardly, defeat settling over him in a smothering cloud. Turning away, Daitan walks out of the kitchen heading for the living room. He stops in the hall, however, when Kamoku calls after him. "Alright, alright. It's Daisuke. Daisuke is what's bothering me."

Confused, Daitan turns and steps back into the kitchen doorway, to peer at his best friend who was still sitting at the table. "Daisuke? What the hell is bothering you about him?"

Kamoku stares hard into the coffee cup clenched in his hands, still sitting on the table in front of him. "He called you before you left. I know what he meant to you, but I also know how bad that break-up was. I just don't like the idea of him coming back into your life again."

Daitan stares at Kamoku through narrowed eyes, trying to judge the honesty of this confession. After a few moments, he shakes his head and sighs. "You're worried that I'm going to take Daisuke back and get my heart broken again?"

Kamoku shrugs, then nods. "Well, yeah. Like I said, I know how much he meant to you. I know how much you loved him."

Daitan moves completely back into the room and pulls a chair out and around so he can sit next to Kamoku, facing him. "While I appreciate you being worried about me, I can't help but wonder if there's not some other motive driving you behind the scenes. Are you jealous of Daisuke?"

Daitan holds his breath as he waits for Kamoku's reply. When the younger man turns a glare on him, Daitan doesn't move or speak, letting his best friend see by not changing the look on his face that he wasn't just teasing him. When he's satisfied that he's not being teased, Kamoku turns his attention back to his coffee. "Well, yeah, I guess I sort of am. I mean, he was your friend before he was your boyfriend, right?"

"Yes," Daitan says slowly, "he was. And he still is my friend. We needed some time apart of get over the hurt of the break-up, but in the end we decided to not let it ruin our friendship. You know all this already, Kam, you're my best friend. I tell you everything. What's wrong?"

Kamoku's shoulders hunch and he reaches out to push his glasses up with one finger. "I guess I'm afraid I'm going to be replaced. I mean, Daisuke is your age and you've known him much longer than you've known me."

Daitan is quiet for several long minutes as he digests this, wanting to tread carefully or else risk starting another fight with Kamoku. He could tell by then tension of his best friend's shoulders just how close they were to that eventuality. "Yes, he's my age, which is older than you, and I've known him longer than you. You have one advantage over him however."

Kamoku glances at Daitan from the corner of his eyes briefly, then darts his gaze back down to his coffee. "What?"

Daitan leans over and pulls Kamoku's hands away from the cold coffee cup, turning him in his chair to face him. Leaning forward, still holding Kamoku's hands, Daitan whispers, "I love you, Kamoku. You are my best friend, no matter how old you are or how long we've known each other. Nothing is going to change that. Ever."