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11
11LA PEARL BOUTIQUE HOTEL
Empty dishes and stained cutlery infront of them, Banzi raised his hand and hailed a waiter into their presence. After handling the bill, they both stood up and left the place. It was a great meal accompanied by great conversation and great company; the night couldn’t be more perfect. Leaving the place, they caught a cab to take them to their final destination for the day. In the car, Thando couldn’t help but wonder how a ‘minimalist’ like Banzi managed such a huge bill and such a fancy place, so he asked.
INSIDE THE CAB
Thando: I’m going to be nosy, so bear with me. How did you afford such a fancy place? I remember you telling me that you weren’t so precious to your parents, so you had to work part-time at The Cupid.
Banzi: yes I did say that but assuming you don’t know my whole life story, maybe I am a rich prince of some kingdom.
Thando: you’re avoiding the question. You can’t possibly be that drunk.
Banzi: okay, I did not tell you everything. After my parents got divorced, I and my siblings got a stake in what was our dad’s in the marriage. It was ordered by the court. And that’s why I can afford such places.
Thando: then, why are you working at The Cupid then? If I lived your life, I wouldn’t.
Banzi: for fun, experience. It’s something I do because I want to. Besides if I didn’t work there I wouldn’t have met you… see it is not that bad of a thing, is it?
Thando: not flattering…
Banzi: whatever…
After a few minutes of chatting over general things the cab finally made a stop, delivered them, and drove off.
JUST OUTSIDE THANDO’S RESIDENCE
Thando: hey, you didn’t have to usher me home.
Banzi: I had to make sure you won’t be leaving to see someone else.
Thando: funny…bye
Thando turned leaving the man stunned on the sidewalk and not even looking back. Only he knew what was going on in his mind and for the other part he was trying to avoid a question he knew Banzi would probably have but when he called out to him, he couldn’t help but turn--- he felt obliged to. Crossing the street fast as a lightning bolt, Banzi made it to him in seconds. In this state he felt like the glass of aged wine he had was playing tricks on him. Without saying a word, the man put his lips against his.
Thando stood frozen, not in his right sense he believed, not knowing whether to reject the kiss or accept it. Even after seeing Banzi up close to him nothing in him tickled, no sparks, no butterflies just utter confusion. He felt lightheaded and that was from the alcohol kicking in, not from the kiss. This was just complicating things and he hated feeling this way, falling for this, and being unable to say no or reject the guy because of all the things he’d done for him so far.
After a few minutes of indulging in a non-consensual kiss, Thando pulled away leaving Banzi baffled but understanding.
Banzi: I’m sorry--- really sorry. I just couldn’t contr---
Thando: you don’t have to apologize. It is my fault, I should’ve made things clear, taken you out of suspense, and given you an answer to your request. But—
Banzi: no, no, no--- this is exactly what I did not want to happen. I didn’t want to make you feel bad or pressure you. I lost it for a moment, and I apologize but given the chance I’d make the mistake again.
Thando: wow, that’s some apologizing skills you’ve got.
Banzi: but seriously, it can’t be clearer than this how much I like you and how much I can’t wait to have you by my side, have you wake up next to me and sleep with you on my side. I had an amazing Valentine’s Day thanks to you, today was the best I have ever had, and I am counting on having more of such days with you. Have a great night--- tonight dream about me.
Thando: such ego! Bye…
Banzi: bye-bye
After a not-so-awkward after-kiss conversation Banzi tread away in the faint light provided by the streetlights. Tonight, he was going to sleep a happy man. Unlike some else, his day went perfectly, he finally got to show his feelings to the person he liked dearly. Besides the constant fear of rejection, he was happy and sure that his confidence would never betray him.
OUTSIDE LA MACARENA CLUB
Ms. Kai stood over a dead drunk sleeping Sandile as she ordered her boys to get rid of him. She had calmed down from the feud they had earlier. She was just feeling sorry for him now.
Ms. Kai: make sure he gets home safe and deliver him to his room. I don’t want to hear any excuses. Do a clean job.
The boys: yes, ma’am.
Like any club owner, Kai too had men to take care of the mess made at her place and run her personal errands. Sandile was both the mess and personal errand in this case.
INSIDE THE DORM ROOM
After taking a cold shower Thando retreated to the room and was disappointed to find the room dark and quiet, he had expected Sandile to at least be back by now. But who was he kidding? He was disappointed, yes---but what did he expect? It is not like Sandile would stay at home all day, he too had plans for the day and they didn’t include coming back early from his date and waiting for Thando. After sighing a couple of times, he decided to go to take a shower and force himself to sleep.
A few persistent knocks woke Thando up and dried him off his drowsy state. It was a foreign group of men at the door with Sandile who seemed out of his sense. It was not the regular guys who usually threw him on the floor and left without saying a word, these were new faces, and they were quite friendly. After helping Thando usher Sandile inside, they explained to him the state Sandile was found in and what had happened prior to that. It was not news to be happy about or celebrated but Thando’s emotes, and face said otherwise. He had totally forgotten about Banzi and the kiss.
After the men left, Thando prepared antiseptics to treat Sandile’s busted fist. It looked painful and was a little swollen. Of course, he did not know Sandile had violent behavior and did not hear the story about the fist, but it really worried him how he got so hurt. Sandile winced in pain as Thando rubbed the cloth with an antiseptic against his wounded and swollen fist.
Thando: I figured it’d hurt but you have to hold it in, I’m almost done.
Sandile: no, you’re not
Thando: you’re awake? What happened to you?
Sandile: nothing to worry about now, it is all okay….
With that said, he pulled Thando towards his face, close up, and looked directly into his eyes. Playing sleep in the car with those men was hard enough and having to wait until they left was torture. He had made his decision while lying cold on the streets that he was going to make every moment with Thando count and was done running away. Unlike with Banzi, Thando initiated the kiss, and it was well received by the other party. His body caught fire at the slightest touch, and he started heaving heavily as if his breath way was blocked.
He had never felt something like this before, this was unexplainable, an ecstasy that made him want to cry. Tossing the first aid kit aside with the cloth, the kiss got deeper. Sandile’s hands were soft and cold, but his body was hot as if he just came out of a sauna room. The more they kissed, the more he wanted and the more he ran wild and out of control, he felt he was not ready for a lot of things but wanted to do everything in one night, right here—with him, and no one besides him. After longing for a touch of delicacy for so long, their body finally got what they desired.
After a few minutes of loving up on each other, Sandile stood up to switch the lights off. Embarrassed Thando covered his face with the bed covers, he could not believe what had just happened. Replaying it back in his head, his checks flushed and the grinning smile not leaving his face. He watched his man’s silhouette as retreated to bed and wondered just what kind of fairy tale this was. They cuddled tight all night long to dawn.
THE FOLLOWING MORNING
The grey clouds covering the sky this morning made this a little more romantic than it would be had the sun been up and shining. Sandile was the first to roll out of bed. Despite his swollen fist and a little pain, he prepared breakfast and set the table on his own while Thando slept. This illusion was one he had dreamt of for a long time and living it truly felt like a dream. After finishing everything up he gently woke up Thando to come and eat breakfast. The room was a little small for the love that filled it, but it mattered not to the two. This was the unsaid relationship they both wanted.
What other fairy tale dream is there than having your crush love you back just as much or more than you love them?
Thando: you didn’t have to do this… seriously.
Sandile: I wanted to--- this is my way of apologizing after ditching you the other day.
Thando: the hell?! That was not a dream of just me hallucinating.
Sandile: no, and I’m sorry. I have no excuse.
Thando: forgiven… but not forgotten. How come you didn’t run this morning?
Sandile: I just have been through a lot; I have been running a lot and I am tired of it. That’s why I am here. Plus, it wouldn’t be fair to you. Resisting you and your charms is a task but you wouldn’t know. You’re the task that’s been making my life difficult for the past couple of weeks.
Thando: I feel like a bad influence now, I made you behave like that.
Sandile: that is not on you, that is solely on me being a coward, but I am glad I mustered the courage.
Thando: not as glad and grateful as I am for this breakfast, though you didn’t make it yourself. I have you to thank… so thank you for the food.
Sandile: I love how demeaning and praising those words sound. If you’re as grateful as you say give me a kiss then
Thando: but—
Sandile: please… pretty please
Thando: you win because you said ‘pretty’. I love being praised.
Sandile: come here…
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