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Dorian Gray had been full of many surprises, from the moment he had seen him and then been introduced to him. The moment that he opened his mouth and released a laugh. That heavenly laugh of his, was music to Basil’s ears, lulling him into a sense of safety. The moment Dorian Gray had been revealed to him, Basil knew. Knew that he would do anything to keep him, to pull back the layers of who this young man is and treasure every single moment, every single word spoken would be a song, full of joy.
At present, the two sat at the piano in Basil’s home. It had been a hopeful gift from his parents, aiming for him to learn the instrument. Instead, the ivory keys had collected dust. Until Dorian. Basil was memorized as the other glided his hands over the keys with ease, his head bent slightly as he looked to where he would jump next. Basil could not see his face due to the curtain of golden curls and it took everything in him not to brush them out of the way so he could admire the sharp features that made up Dorian.
He hadn't realized that Dorian had spoken until he was gently shoved by the shoulder. He snapped back to reality, back to Dorian. He had a soft smile, almost shy, and Basil was reminded of spring, of the cherry blossoms blooming in the field just outside the glass doors. Birds chirping their morning song as he strolls through rows of flowers. Violets and roses, carnations and lilies.
“So what did you think?” Dorian had never played for him before, it had been another surprise of his. They had gotten back from a dinner at a friend of Dorian’s. It had been late as they stepped through the door and all Basil had wanted to do was lay across Dorian’s lap and be content with the world. He knew it was just a fantasy, that while Dorian had flirted back when Basil attempted, it was just how he was, there were no real feelings.
“Beautiful,” and he meant it. Basil didn't think there was a thing Dorian could do that wasn't beautiful. At that, Dorian’s smile split, going from small and shy to proud and giddy. He looks like the sun. No , he thought, the sun wishes it shone this bright . Greek gods be damned, the only deity that Basil would ever worship was the one sitting in front of him. “I don't think I've ever heard anything so wonderful.”
“Oh my dear Basil, stop before I start blushing like a girl.”
“It's true. I can't imagine playing a melody like that, or even at all. And as for you blushing, I would simply perish if you so much as turned the slightest shade of pink from my words.”
“Well if you wanted,” started Dorian as he turned away from him to face the piano, and he did indeed start to blush as he continued to speak. “I could teach you. Something simple of course.”
And that's how they spent the next hour, Dorian showing Basil how to work his way around the keys as the sun set behind them.
After failing to emulate what Dorian had shown him, he started gliding his hands back and forth until it began to sound decent. Dorian placed his hands atop his to stop Basil.
“I think that's enough for tonight.” He sounded like an angel. His hands, soft to the touch. They lay above his for a moment and then he snatched them away. Basil instantly missed the warmth they provided, but the absence of flesh upon flesh did not stop the fast beating of Basil’s heart. When he glanced up from his hands laying still on the piano, he saw Dorian holding the hand that he placed on Basil’s. He had a stunned look in his eyes like he finally realized something that had been hidden from him for so long.
After a beat of silence, Dorian looked up from his hands to meet Basil’s stare and it was like the two were looking at each other for the first time. Dorian’s hair once again was covering his face, like a curtain. Basil had a deep desire to know everything that was hidden behind that curtain. All Dorian’s secrets, his wants, his needs. He wanted to know what it would be like to run his hands through those loose curls, his hand sliding down his cheek to cup his jaw. And as he gazed into Dorian’s eyes he saw Dorian’s realization… that he too desired Basil. So this time he leaned into temptation.
Dorian only had a brief moment to get over his shock before Basil was gently brushing golden tresses out of his eyes and behind his ear. Only a moment to recover before a hand caressed his cheek, trailing down his jaw and to the back of his neck. Once Basil had one hand on Dorian to stabilize himself, he glided his other hand through the curls as they gleamed in the candlelight. His hair is so soft . Basil didn’t know what he was going to do next but that was okay because Dorian did.
At First, Basil thought he was dreaming, that he had fallen asleep at the piano, and that this was all a very lovely dream. He thought he was imagining soft skin and blushing cheeks beneath his fingertips. And Dorian leaned forward and kissed him. It was shy, gentle. Basil closed his eyes and sighed against Dorian.
And then the pressure disappeared from his lips and he opened his eyes to find Dorian blushing. Not the soft blush that he was wearing earlier but a bright red, down-to-the-neck blush.
“I-Sorry I didn’t…” He didn’t get to finish his sentence because Basil was already kissing him again. This time it was less shy. It was real, this is real. Basil was kissing a god and he was in heaven. He felt like Icarus when he realized he could fly. But instead of falling as he reached the sun, Basil simply took the sun's warmth and returned it tenfold. His hands wandered through his hair, down his neck, and chest. Every part of Dorian that Basil discovered was more beautiful than the last, and he wouldn't stop discovering the man until he stood in front of him, both of them fully exposed and all-knowing of each other. Their bodies, their habits, their secrets. Basil wouldn't stop until Dorian Gray was no longer a surprise to him.