More Than This

1 Whitechapel, London, England February 2012 The cold, rainy weather of a London winter meant that some days were the perfect day to stay inside and keep warm with your loved ones. The flat was warm and homey, even if the weather was cold and dreary. The smell of pancakes and warm syrup started to fill the space. It didn’t take long before the scent reached their bedroom and the two noses still under the covers. A hint of earl gray tea also meandered down the hall, just enough to wake the sleeping. As warm as the bed was, the breakfast and company in the kitchen was more appealing. Preparing Sunday breakfast was one of Sergio del Mundo’s favorite ways to spend his time. Getting up before his partner, Akemi Hashi, he had the music on low while cutting fruit very quietly after making the pancake mix. A year and a half had gone by since the car accident that almost killed him. That almost killed him and Akemi, yet Sergio’s physical injuries were much more severe. The extent of damage to the left side of his body was extreme and nearly kept him from ever walking again. His left hand was crushed and was still a source of pain and frustration. Over time, the feeling in his left leg had nearly returned completely and Sergio was getting around much better. His assistance dog, Gracie, had decided to stay in bed where it was warm and cozy. Gracie knew he’d be okay in the kitchen without her these days, so thought it was acceptable to sleep in. Plus, Akemi had his arm wrapped around her when Sergio sneaked out of bed. Cooking quietly in the kitchen with his family asleep in the bedroom, he thought about what to do the rest of day and the decisions that lie ahead. There was a lot thoughts floating around in his mind. Talking about it was different than thinking about it. A lick on the nose was the nudge Akemi needed to get up. “Morning lady. Do you smell that too?” Another lick from Gracie with a paw on the shoulder this time. “Do you want to get up now?” Two kisses and quiet ‘woof’ meant yes. “Okay, let’s go.” Grabbing his robe on the way out of their room, Gracie ran ahead to hopefully clean up the floor a little before Akemi came in. There was bound to be something that fell for her to eat and, lately, Sergio wasn’t one to pick stuff up right away. “Morning. Hungry?” Sergio was cooking in his pajama pants and robe. No shirt underneath and the robe hung open just enough to see that he was getting his six-pack back. Swimming had become his new sport of choice, since not dealing with gravity was helpful. Though, having scars on his back from multiple surgeries exposed was difficult and took time before he could swim without a suit that covered his torso. To work on his balance, his physical therapist, James, had prescribed yoga classes. They would go together to make sure Sergio would go at all since he didn’t believe it counted as exercise. That was until the first class that kicked his butt. Learning to live within his limitations was more difficult than the poses. With the strength in his left hand weakened, he had to learn not to push. It was a lot of hard work, with a lot of success and some setbacks. He was getting stronger every day and starting to feel more like himself. The scars on his hand and forearm were slightly less visible, even if he didn’t have the grip he had before. That left one still cramped up sometimes, which kept him from going back to work as a surgeon. Though, he wasn’t sure he could do that again mentally. He had to find something. “Yeah, but I’ll settle for pancakes first.” Akemi reached his arms around Sergio’s waist, sliding one hand down the front. His fingers wrapping around Sergio’s cock, leading to a deep sigh as Sergio leaned back against Akemi’s chest. Kissing Sergio’s neck, he rested his chin on Sergio’s shoulder. “What got you up so early? I’d think you’d be tired from last night.” They were both tired from last night for very good reasons. They had returned about mid-day from a weekend in Paris where they visited with Sergio’s brother and his family. The kids were getting bigger and were now at an age where they talked to Sergio and Akemi about school and life’s problems for 8 and 10-year olds. It was a good opportunity for them both to practice their French and spend time with family. The relationship Francois and Sergio now had was stronger and more supportive than it had been. They shared stories about their personal lives and their relationships. It was comforting for Sergio to know that his brother and his wife had struggled in their marriage too. The trip was a nice re-connection with family. Saying good-bye was harder than it had been in years past, but they had things to get back to in London. Once back in London, they did some grocery shopping and then headed home to celebrate Valentine’s Day. After getting take away at their favorite Indian restaurant, they enjoyed a late lunch on their living room floor in front of the fireplace. The late lunch ended with them spending the rest of the day naked, wrapped around each other for hours. A few breaks for snacks here and there, but their bodies were never far from each other. Getting their sex life back on track was a big step for them. The trust they had lost was reforming in a slightly different way. Akemi was more open to trying things they hadn’t tried in a while as long as Sergio was honest about how things really felt. No hiding pain that was injury related, physical or mental. Things were better between them, but still a struggle at times since neither of them were very open about their feelings. Talking wasn’t their strong suit. “I wanted to cook for you today. Have a seat while I finish.” Sergio twisted enough to kiss Akemi before flipping the pancake onto a plate. “Though, I kinda like your hand where it is.” “My hand likes where it is too.” Slowly pulling his hand out of Sergio’s pants, Akemi’s fingers lingered as they glided across his skin. His touch led to Sergio’s eyes closing and he leaned in for another kiss. Once there was no pancake on the pan, they could kiss for an extended period of time. Both robes fell to the floor allowing their skin could touch. Their hands spread out across each other’s backs, bringing their bodies closer together. No longer afraid of bringing attention to Sergio’s scars, Akemi’s fingers ran up his back to his neck where he could run them through Sergio’s long, silky, black hair.