Dreamland (sequel to Screamland)

It has been six solid months since Kedamono and Popee started dating.

They finally have saved enough to move out of their boarding room that was out of a crumbling, old building. It was an old fashioned building that looked like it served as a trading post for soldiers in World War One, and the landlord was just as old fashioned.

When Kedamono told her that they had no money or job at the time, she(her name was Nina, a widowed old lady who had a very kind sensibility) allowed him to become the building’s handyman to pay rent and utilities. This was basically a full time job in of itself, yet, Kedamono wanted more for their lives. He got another job in order to save money, and start buying necessary household items and furniture as well. Popee was the student, studying and preparing in the day for a career in robotics as an engineer.

Nina was satisfied by the work her new tenants had done for her, replacing boards and windows, painting her rooms and general plumbing and electrical work, Kedamono had refurbished and recreated the once drab, musty and depressing building into something better and newer.

It made Nina especially happy to see the pair that walked in so unhappy now so exuberant and joyful, and she immediately saw why. She’d noticed they would hold hands often as they’d go in and out of their boarding room, with Kedamono sometimes wrapping his hand and arm around Popee’s waist in such a way that only implied intimacy and trust.

“You—-the tall one!” She pointed at Popee as the he walked into the building. Kedamono was at work at the moment and wouldn’t be home until later, and Popee had just gotten home from running errands.

Popee looked at her in a slightly curious and mildly confused fashion, and said, “Me?”

“Yes. You,” she said with a grin, “Does your husband still want to keep the room until the end of the month? He says the two of you will be leaving.” She grimaced, “Too bad! He was a good one. I think he works too much.”

Popee nodded. “Yes. I tell Keda that often.”

She eyed him strategically, “So he is your husband?”

Popee almost dropped his bags and blushed a deep red. “Ah… I didn’t say that, ma’am.”

“You didn’t say no either.”

“He’s my partner, ma’am,” Popee said in a defiant manner, looking at her directly.

She laughed, tickled by his tone. “Oh, please, don’t think I’m laughing at you, dear. I think it’s quite adorable. You two were quite miserable when you came here. At first.” She sighed and moved closer. “Will you two consider staying?”

“Keda wants to get a house. We’ve been saving for months.”

“Ah. Lovely. So I’ll draw up the paperwork for everything then, since this will be your last month. I’ll have an inspection done and we can end the contract. I appreciate everything your partner has done here.” She touched a wall near their door. “He is quite a good handyman.”

“Thank you, I will tell him.” Popee bowed and she smiled.

“I must give you two something for all of his hard work. Surely you know everything your partner has done is worth more than what I’ve given you.”

Popee shook his head. “Well… I appreciate that. But, we’re okay. Maybe instead put that towards some other pair of misfits in trouble—-and in need of a home.”

Her face brightened by the kind proposition, and she bowed in turn. “I am in awe of such a humbling request—-wow. I can’t imagine such a young man being so selfless.”

“Kedamono taught me that,” Popee said happily.

“He’s a bit older, huh?”

“Yeah. But he’s also wiser. And a very good provider.”

“You will marry him, right?”

Popee blushed again. “I… uh, he hasn’t asked..”

“Oh, dear. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”

“It’s okay. I do think I’ll be with him… a long time. Tonight is our six month anniversary.”

“Congratulations! Have fun tonight!”

They said goodbye and Popee went inside their room.

He started preparing dinner, Kedamono’s favorite spicy fried chicken and greens.

He started the homemade marinade, soaking the chicken in it with a cover as he chopped the greens and herbs and got the dry mixture ready. In about an hour, he had everything almost ready, and took a shower after cleaning up a bit. He had made Kedamono a scrapbook of their relationship together, of pictures and drawings, poems he had written and of notes he had put down about how he feels, and how life had changed for them since the circus. He also made a cake, a homemade lemon cake with buttercream icing, and decided to put on his special black and white kimono Kedamono bought him as a surprise the day he bought them their first set of furniture.

He put up his hair with sparkly barrettes and his glasses.

He kept thinking about how tonight will be the night—-the night they finally make love.

He knew his slightly older boyfriend was not a virgin, as he had a short but passionate tryst with a lady that had watched their circus in a cycle of a few days and one or two smoky nights, but he was a virgin, and this made him feel inadequate and nervous.

But now that he was twenty years old, he supposed by this point most men would’ve already lost their virginity—-and though Popee felt a bit shy in the ways of love, he was willing to learn.

He knew by the way Kedamono held him close at night, they bodies intertwined and overlapping in a secret pattern that felt so good and so perfect to both of them—-and he knew, there was a hidden passion between them stirring at night—-but he also knew Kedamono was very shy and too much of a gentleman to express this unexposed facet of their relationship to Popee.

So, he decided to make the first move.

Kissing, cuddling and even fooling around wasn’t cutting it anymore for him.

He even put on a bit of lemon lip balm, to make himself feel better(his lips were chapping and he wanted them to look better for Kedamono).

It was when Kedamono finally got home, that he saw the absolute adoration in Kedamono’s eyes looking at…

“Fried chicken!!!” Kedamono grinned.

Popee sighed, hugging him gently. “Yes.”

He smelled the delicious smells of the chicken and felt like he was in dreamland.

Then, Popee got jealous and leaned in almost aggressively, kissing him with tongue.

“Mmm!” Kedamono kissed back, blushing. “Popee, I missed you too!”

Popee grinned. “Yes. That’s better.”

Kedamono laughs softly. Popee thinks about how that’s the cutest sound ever.

****