We are angels with only one wing.
If we want to fly,
we have to embrace each other.
-Luciano de Crescenzo

~Chapter One~

The sun began to set. Darren sat on the beach, facing the green-blue sea, which now started to change its colour into light orange, which would soon be followed by a fascinating red.

Another day in Paradise. Another peaceful moment on the beautiful Hawaiian island where he had rented a house with a private shore to escape the touring stress, the interviews, the flights, the hotels, waking up not knowing where he was- not even which city, which country...

They had put their band to a rest which they both needed so badly. They had come dangerously close to a moment where they were only getting on each other's nerves, where the word "split" stood in the room more often than one time. Darren wanted to get away from all the craziness of stardom, he wanted to get away from Daniel, from everything. They had achieved so much, fame, money, had travelled every continent, but they had lost their girlfriends, wives who had refused to live a life lightyears away from normality.

And now it had come to a stop, Darren had rented the house and spent his days swimming in the ocean, diving, relaxing, letting his hair grow and simply doing... nothing.

It took him some weeks until he noticed that something was missing, but he could not define it. Something was missing when he came back from his first scuba-dive experience, when he found the large starfish on the beach, when he found the scary green spider in his bathroom...

It was the feeling to have someone to tell all these things to, to have someone to laugh with, to talk with. No, he was not missing something, he was missing someone.

He was missing Daniel.

They hadn't even telephoned, and Darren had felt no need to do so, he was too happy to be alone finally.

But then... He couldn't really define it, he was missing Daniel's voice, his presence, his music. He even missed now the little things that had gotten so much on his nerves- Daniel crashing into his room forcing him to listen to a new song, Daniel grabbing the morning paper first in the hotel and leaving it in a mess, Daniel digging through his shirts to borrow one when he hadn't had a clean one left. Now his shirts lay in the wardrobe neat and orderly and Darren felt the silly urge to fuss around in them just a little...

It was not that he had no company over here. Two days after his arrival he went to a cocktail bar and had met this beautiful blonde girl. Angie. She was pretty and funny and clever and everything, and they had danced, had kissed after quite a few Pina Coladas, but when she had whispered "My place or yours?", he had suddenly backed off, had promised to call her and had driven home in his new open jeep as if he was hunted by someone.

When he arrived at the house, he ran in, closed the door, locked it, looked into the mirror and asked himself if he had gone crazy- he could not explain to himself what had driven him.

Instead he suddenly wished he could talk to Daniel, like in the old times, just sitting somewhere, a beer in his hand...

Maybe the Hawaiian sun was too much for him. He had had the opportunity to spend a night with one of the most beautiful women he had ever met, and yearned to spend a boring evening with his old pal. Crazy.

All these thoughts went through his mind when he got up from the beach and walked inside. Time for bed.

He turned around, watched the last rays of the sun disappear.

"Why in the world am I missing you so much?" He asked aloud.


~Chapter Two~

Another day, another evening, another sunset. It had been a hot day, the beach was still warm, and Darren sat in the sand, wearing only a pair of Bermuda shorts, drawing meaningless patterns with his fingers, and he waited for the sun to set again.

Suddenly he heard someone approaching from behind and he wanted to turn around a little annoyed- why the hell could people not read that this beach was PRIVATE- when two hands covered his eyes.

Oh NO. Not her again. She had called him three or four times after that evening in the bar after someone gave her his phone number, and it seemed that now she had found out where he lived. Great.

He sighed. "Angie?!"

"Who is Angie?"

A voice, so familiar, he would have recognised anywhere.

He took the hands from his eyes. God, it felt so good just to touch him... Darren spun around. "Dan!!!"

And the sun that was about to set on the ocean, rose in Darren's face.

"Danny!!!" He threw his arms around his friend, pulled him close.

"What are you doing here? Oh, I missed you so..."

He stopped himself. What should Daniel think, that he was a sentimental wreck or what...

He laid his hands on Daniel's shoulders, held him away. "You look great!"

Daniel smiled. "You look... different... At first I was not sure if it really was you..."

Darren blushed. "Like it?"

//Why am I blushing?? I am acting really strange...//

Daniel reached out, touched Darren's long blonde hair. "Yes. Definitely yes..." He wound one lock around his finger, smiled. "It looks... romantic..."

Darren's face went a deeper shade of red. A compliment from his best friend, that should make him laugh... But instead he felt honoured and flattered...

CRAZY....

"Dan, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, I had a little free time and thought I could hop over and..."

Suddenly Daniel's face changed. He looked... insecure. Looked down.

"By the way.. Who is Angie? You thought I was her..."

Darren laughed. "No one. Just a girl who is... Well, she's a bit after me..."

"And you?"

"It's nothing, Danny. Nothing at all. I kissed her once, but nothing more happened."

//Why am I telling him this? Why am I so eager to let him know that this girl means nothing to me?//

Daniel looked relieved.

"I..." He looked up again. "I have to tell you something."

It began to race in Darren's mind. //He wants to tell me something. Oh God, he looks so serious. What can it be. NO. No, please, don't tell me you want to quit. Don't tell me you're leaving the band. Don't.//

He tried to smile. "Well, you could just call me, and you came all the way to tell me something?"

//Maybe it is something different. He met someone. He made up with his girlfriend again. He wants to marry. NO. Please... Don't... What the hell am I thinking? Why should it bother me if he's found a new love?!//

It hit him like a cannonball. Suddenly he knew.

//I love him. I love Daniel. No, I can't love my best friend. I do. I love Daniel. Oh my God....//

His hands shivered.

"What do you want to tell me, Dan...." //Please, don't say you're leaving. Please, don't say you...//

Daniel bit his lip. "Strange, I came over here and I was so sure, but now..."

He embraced himself and rubbed his shoulders. "I am not sure anymore if I should tell you..."

Darren felt tears dwelling up in his eyes.

//I'll cry. How embarrassing, I'll cry any minute...//

"Daniel, is it something good or something bad..."

Daniel laughed out short. "I really don't know... I thought, something good, but I'm not that sure anymore..."

Darren stared at him. "Tell me. Just tell me."

Daniels hands roamed the sand nervously. "I can't..."

Darren took a deep breath. "Alright. Close your eyes. I will close my eyes. It's okay, Dan, whatever it will be. Just say it."

He closed his eyes, said a silent prayer and waited.

He felt Daniels fingers brush his, felt how he held his hand.

//Why is he holding my hand?!//

"Darren, I thought a lot in the last weeks. I thought I would be happy not to see you anymore, but instead I missed you like crazy. And I feared that now that we are apart, I may never have the chance to tell you. Or that when I tell you, that it's too late."

Deep sigh.

"Darren, I feel more than friendship for you."

The words echoed in Darren's head. He can't have just said this. It can not be true. I am just discovering I love him and he tells me.... This has to be a dream.

Maybe I got him wrong... I'll make a fool of myself if I think...

"Darren... Say something... Please..."

Darren opened his eyes. He stared at Daniel's frightened face.

"What do you mean...?"

His trembling hands touched Daniel's face.

Daniel looked as if he was about to break their eye contact, but with all his will he took all of his courage together.

"I love you, Darren. I love you and I can not stand anymore not to be with you."

He bent forward.

"Push me away. Say that I am crazy. Tell me you never want to see me again. Do what you want. I had to tell you."

Their lips were millimetres away from each others when Darren confessed it.

"I love you too, Daniel..." He whispered.

He saw the bliss on Daniel's face before he closed his eyes. Their lips met.

//Our first kiss,// Darren thought. //I will never in my whole life forget this moment. Our first kiss.//

Soft. Soft and tender. Their lips parted and they looked at each other. Unbelievingly. Surprised.

Another soft kiss. Another. Then Darren dared to open his lips.

A deep kiss. Their tongues met, they held their breath, a little scared, dared to go on.

Their hands began to wander and they embraced. Sank back on the warm sand.

Neither spoke. They kissed, paused, looked at each other, kissed again. Nothing more.

Darren covered Daniel's body with his own and tenderness began to mix with something new.

Desire.

They saw it in each other's eyes.

Darren stroked Daniel's cheek softly.

"Let's go inside..." He whispered.


~Chapter Three~

Hand in hand they entered Darren's little beach house.

The first thing Daniel spotted inside was the huge bed.

He swallowed hard. He hadn't thought about what it would mean that suddenly they were together. He just knew he had to tell it to Darren, he was not able to hold it back anymore. But he never thought about the consequences. To be exact, he had only thought, feared, what would happen when Darren would have rejected him.

Darren sat down on the bed, reached out his hand. "Come here, Dan..."

Daniel nervously wiped his face.

"Darren, I..."

"No, Dan. I just want to hold you close. Don't be afraid of me."

Daniel sat down at his side, looked at him shyly. "I am not afraid..."

His fingers caressed the back of Darren's hand and he smiled. "Still can't believe we are here... that we really kissed..." His voice broke. "That you really love me..."

His eyes wandered over Darren's naked chest.

"I wanna touch you...."

Darren took his hand, laid in on his skin. "Do what feels right, my love...."

Daniel smiled. "That sounds nice... 'My love'..."

They lay down on the bed.

Daniel's fingertips began to explore Darren's chest. Played with his curly chest hair, touched his nipples.

Darren bit his lips to hold it back, but then a soft moan escaped his lips. Daniel stopped, looked at him insecure.

Darren took a deep breath.

"Daniel, I love you. With all my heart and soul. But..."

"But.. what happens now.. also... excites me. Excites my body. You set me on fire. Not only my soul, but also my body. And when you go on touching me, I don't know what will happen. I mean with me. I don't mean I would do something against your will."

Daniel sat up on the bed. He looked at Darren. Then he pulled his shirt over his head.

"We are both grown-ups. Either of us can tell the other when something happens he does not want to happen. But at the moment all I want to do is touch you. And hold you..."

It was an incredible feeling when they embraced again and pressed each other's naked chests together.

Softly Daniel let his fingers run through Darren's long blonde hair.

"You are so beautiful..." He whispered. "I wanted to dream about holding you.. Kissing you... But I didn't dare... I knew the chances that you would push me back were too high..."

Darren stroked his shoulders. "I'll never push you back..."

Daniel bent forward, kissed his throat. Paused. Kissed his chest. Slowly he moved down, enjoyed the warmth of Darren's skin... When he reached Darren's stomach, he felt something hard press against his chest.

Darren's hands caressed his head. "I warned you that you excite me..." He whispered apologising.

Daniel kissed his way down. "Same with me..." He murmured.

He laid his head on Darren's stomach. "It is so amazing. All the years... we were friends. And now..."

Darren stroked his cheek tenderly. "Dan, no matter what happens tonight... I will always be your friend. Forever. And when it turns out that what we are doing now is not quite what we expected it to be, then I promise you, we will still be friends tomorrow."

He breathed in deeply, moved his hips, moaned faintly. "But I really don't think we have to fear about that...."

Daniel smiled on his skin. "Same with me again..."

Slowly his mouth moved lower, reaching Darren's navel. Now he felt Darren's erection rubbing his neck. If he would move only a little bit lower...

He looked up. "I want to touch you... kiss you... But please don't expect too much from me..." He whispered.

Darren took his hand, kissed his fingers.

"I don't expect anything, Dan..."

Daniel took a deep breath and then he softly kissed Darren's cock through the fabric of his shorts. He was rewarded by a soft moan and a shiver of Darren's body. His fingers touched the waistband and his heart began to race when he slowly pulled them down.

He closed his eyes when he laid his cheek on Darren's groin, felt his erection pressed against his chin. He moved his head, let the velvet organ touch his throat, his chin... His cheek... He held his breath when he briefly let his lips brush over the top... Heard Darren whimper faintly...

He didn't dare go further. His head was spinning. He crawled up to Darren again, buried his face in his neck.

"Huuuuh...."

Darren smiled. "Everything alright with you..?"

Daniel nodded. "Can't believe I just did that..."

Darren stroke his back softly. "How did it feel?"

"Huh... Exciting...."

"It was amazing... Woah... When I felt your lips..."

"Do you want me to... go on...?"

"Just hold me, Dan. That's all I want."

Softly he pushed one leg between Daniel's legs, pressed it against his groin. "How's that?"

"Hmmm.... Fine..."

"Dan... Can I undress you...?"

"Please..."

Darren turned him around so that now he was on his back. He slipped down, opened Daniel's pants, pulled them down slowly. When he freed his erection, he smiled up to Daniel. He suddenly bent forward, placed a quick kiss onto it. Then he crawled up again, let out a funny squeak. "I dared it, too!"

They laughed, cuddled close.

"Oh, Daz..."

They explored their bodies with tender hands, felt their throbbing erections press against each other's legs...Sometimes touching...

Darren kissed Daniel's ear. "When you go on like this, I'm afraid I'll make a mess here..." He whispered.

Daniel chuckled. "I'm afraid you wouldn't be the only one..."

The feeling became so thrilling that their talking ceased. It was replaced by soft whispers, moans that became louder. Darren reached over to a small table and took a bottle of sun-oil. He poured some in his hand and brought it down between them.

Daniel groaned. To feel Darren's hand on his erection for the first time...

"Woah...."

He rubbed his now slick cock against Darren's leg, speeding his movements.

"Darren... Oh God.. Darren... You shouldn't have done that with the oil... I... can't... hold... back..."

Darren pulled him close, dared to put his hands on Daniel's buttocks.

That did it.

With a loud moan Daniel came, clinging on to Darren.

Darren held him close, and when he felt the hot liquid between them, he lost control. He pushed against Daniel's leg with increasing pace, digging his fingers in Daniel's back.

Daniel buried his face in Darren's silky hair. "Yes, my love... Yes...Come..."

Darren shivered violently, and then he followed Daniel over the edge.

It was silent in the room. It took a while before they let go and looked at each other. Darren held his breath. "Honey, don't cry... Hey..."

Daniel smiled through his tears. "It's okay... I'm just happy... By the way, your eyes are a little wet, too..."

They kissed, lay silent.

Daniel giggled. "I don't know about you, but I don't find it that comfortable to lie here with this sticky... Eh... Between us..."

Darren pretended to do some heavy thinking. "Well... How about a bath in the ocean..?"

The moon was so big and silvery that it looked unreal - like the airbrush painting of some extraterrestrial science fiction scenario . The ocean was a mix of dark blue and silver when they embraced in the water.


~Chapter Four~

Back in the bed, covered with a thin bedcloth, Darren snuggled up from behind to Daniel who lay on his side.

"Everything alright...?"

Daniel turned his head to him, smiled. "Yes..."

"Really?"

"Hmm..."

"Ah, I know you have something weighing on your mind. Tell me."

"Daz... What just happened was so... wonderful... But..."

Sigh.

"I don't know a lot about... You know... When two men are together... I'm afraid that when one day we want to go... further... that I'll spoil everything by doing something stupid..."

Darren kissed the back of his neck.

"And how experienced do you think I am in these matters... No more than you..."

"Daz...?"

"Yes?"

Daniel blushed. "You have never..."

"I have never been with a man before, Dan.... You are the first..." He kissed his ear. "I swear."

Silence.

"Darren... If we one day want to... do it...Do you think it would feel nice if we lay like this...?"

Darren breathed in deeply.

"Yeah... May be..." He caressed Daniel's hip, traced the soft line of his waist with his fingers. "Feels comfortable to have you in my arms like this... Very relaxed..."

"Do you think it hurts..?"

"I think it depends on the time you take for making love... If we'll do it slow... very slow... I think it would feel good then..."

"Darren...?"

"Honey?"

"We've got all the time in the world tonight, right?"

"Oh, Danny... Let's not hurry things..."

Darren wanted to tell himself that it was too early, but his body betrayed him. He already was hard again, and his cock was pressed with its length against Daniel's bottom.

Daniel slowly moved his hips, pressed back.

"I want you, Darren... I don't want to wait..."

"You're not afraid...?"

"No..."

Darren laughed nervously.

"Danny, now I am afraid.... Afraid to do it all wrong and hurt you..."

"Just take your time... "

He turned around a little, took Darren's face between his hands. "Let's do it tonight..." A soft kiss. "To seal our love." Another kiss. "To become one. Please, Darren..."

Darren's eyes were large and dark. "I want it, too, Daniel... And I promise I'll be as careful as I can..."

He softly kissed Daniel on both eyes, his nose, his lips.

"Please give me the sun-oil..."

Daniel handed him the bottle. One long, tender look and he turned back on his side, sliding his upper leg a bit forward.

"Good so?" he whispered.

Darren poured the liquid into his hand and reached down, tentatively stroking Daniel's bottom with it. Daniel reached behind, took Darren's hand, led it to his opening.

"Touch me..." He whispered. "It's okay..."

He moaned when Darren's fingers began to massage him between his cheeks.

"Mmm... I never knew I was... THAT sensitive there... Mmmmm..."

Darren bent forward, kissed Daniel's ear. "Relax...."

He massaged him, circulating his opening with small, firm movements.

Daniel shivered. "God, that's so exciting..."

He tried to figure out the feeling when Darren's cock would replace his fingers and would touch that sensitive point...push inside him... stretch him...

"Don't let me wait any longer.." He whispered. "I'm ready for you..."

He poured some sun-oil into his hand, reached behind and felt for Darren's erection. He stroked it softly, smiled when he heard Darren breathe in sharply.

With his heart beating loud and fast he guided Darren's cock to his opening.

Darren put one arm underneath Daniel's head, the other around his waist.

"Tell me if it hurts too much..." He whispered.

Daniel turned his head a little, let Darren kiss the corner of his mouth. "It will be good, I know it..."

He smiled. "Love you..."

Darren rubbed his cheek slowly on Daniel's cheek. "Love you, too..."

"I'll do it now..." He whispered.

"Please do it..."

Darren pushed his hips softly forward. He felt Daniel's opening widen a little, stopped when Daniel gasped faintly.

"Talk to me, baby..."

Daniel was breathing fast. "It's... strange..."

"Unpleasant?"

"No...Un... familiar.."

Darren pushed in slightly more.

Daniel moaned softly.

"You alright, Dan...?"

"Yes... Go on... Go on... Aaaahhh..."

"Am I hurting you...?"

"I don't know... It's so damn exciting, I can't even tell if it hurts, Daz... It feels so strange..."

Darren felt the muscles of Dan's opening close around his cock, pushed in deeper.

"Darren... Mmm... Wait... Hurts a bit... ..."

"Want me to stop?"

"No... Just wait..."

Darren held him close, wiped back his sweaty hair. "I won't move until you tell me..." He whispered.

Daniel breathed in and out slowly. He turned his head until he could see Darren's face and nodded.

"Please go on..."

Darren stroke his hip softly and pushed in a bit.

"Mm...."

"If it hurts, don't suppress it, Danny. Say it..."

"Daz, go on.. I want to feel you inside..."

Darren bit his lip and pushed deeper, waited, pushed deeper until he was completely inside Daniel.

He hugged him, held him close.

"You have me now, baby..."

Daniel sighed. "Still feels strange... But... Darren, it's wonderful... I feel so close to you..."

Darren kissed his shoulder. "That's what I just thought..."

"What do you feel, Darren..."

Darren closed his eyes. "It's amazing... Very..." He blushed. "Tight..." He breathed in deeply. "It's fantastic, Dan. Incredibly fantastic... Feels so good...."

They held each other close, and just laid there, fingers entwined. Daniel smiled.

"I can feel your heartbeat at my back..."

Darren's hand moved over Daniel's chest. "I feel yours too..."

Suddenly Daniel let out a soft moan. He breathed in deeply. Moaned again, louder this time.

Darren had never heard him that way. It seemed to him that he had never in his life heard anything so erotic at all.

"Danny..?"

"Oh Daz..."

"Yes, baby...?"

"Oh DAZ...It's... Oh God..." He began to move his hips forward, backwards, very softly. "Please..."

Darren pulled back a little and pushed in carefully to meet Daniel's contrary move.

"Oh, DARREN!!!! Go on... That feels.... Can't describe it..."

Darren pushed inside deep and began to build up a steady, very slow rhythm.

Daniel threw his head back. "Aaaahhh...!!!"

Darren's hand roamed Daniel's body, brushed his hard cock. Instinctively he wrapped his hand around it, began to add long strokes to Daniel's pleasure.

Daniel made a choking sound. "Ah... Aaahhh....!!"

Then Darren felt it coming.

"Danny... I... Any second..."

"Let go... Just.. Go... on.. Oh, Daz, Daz..."

They couldn't talk anymore. Lust and pleasure overwhelmed then and when it happened, Darren pressed Daniel so close to his body that he nearly took his breath away.

Daniel was shivering uncontrollably. Darren caressed his body, pulled the blanket up to his neck.

"Shhh... Danny... Shhh..."

He softly pulled back out of him, turned Daniel on his back, wrapped his arms around him.

"Look at me..."

They just looked into each other's eyes. Darren bent forward, kissed Daniel's lips, pushed his tongue inside. It was a deep, lustful kiss, full of trust and satisfaction.

"I love you... That was incredible..."

Daniel traced Darren's lips with his fingers..

"I never felt something like that."

"Tell me about it..."

Daniel brushed back Darren's sweaty locks and smiled.

"I think I'll make you find this out for yourself..."

Darren held his breath. "You want to..."

"Yeah... If you want me to...? I'm sure you'll love it..."

"If I WANT you to?!"

Daniel chuckled. "Was just a rhetoric question..."

He snuggled up to Darren.

"Are you tired?"

"No.. Exhausted... But so excited at the same time."

They kissed.

Daniel stroked Darren's cheek softly. "Good... I just wanna talk with you for a while, before we fall asleep... about us... what has been... what will be..."

The waves rolled on the shore silently. The moon was bright as maybe never before.