There are a lot of things that make Siegfried think of Roy. Tigers. Lions. Glitter. Sequins. Magic. But most of all, there is chocolate.
The first time he sees Roy aboard the BREMEN Siegfried thinks of chocolate. His hair is somewhere between black and brown, the color of rich dark chocolate, and his eyes are a lighter shade of the same.
Two days later Siegfried and Roy perform together for the first time. After the show Siegfried would have invited Roy for a drink, had he not been just fifteen. They go for ice cream instead. At the end of the evening Roy kisses Siegfried, a just friends, thanks for the ice cream type kiss. In his room moments later, Siegfried finds himself wiping chocolate from his face and wishing for more than just that one kiss.
It doesn't take long for him to get what
he wants—and more. "Can you keep a secret?" Roy asks on
the way back to their rooms after another show, another trip to the
cafeteria for ice cream and Coke.
"What kind of
secret?"
Then Roy's hand, still sticky from his dripping
ice cream cone, closes around Siegfried's and draws him into one of
the rooms along the corridor. "This is Chico," he says and
there, lying on the bed, is a cheetah. "He's mine," Roy
says and begins to explain to Siegfried about him childhood, how he
got the cheetah, and how he ran away. Those chocolate eyes are
growing wet by the time he finishes and Siegfried cannot help but
reach over and hug him. Roy holds on tightly and Siegfried can
feel hot wet tears falling on his shoulder. They sit that way
for the better part of an hour until Roy raises his head and wipes
his hand across his chocolate eyes. "Thank you," he
whispers and, though he still fights tears, he presses his lips
against Siegfried's.
Siegfried tastes chocolate on Roy's
lips and doesn't make it back to his room until the sun is well
into the sky the next morning.
Later on in the Jungle Palace two lonely boys who have become legends make their way to a candlelit bedroom. Tonight's activities are Roy's idea and Siegfried goes along with it because tonight is the 20th anniversary of their first night together. Chocolate syrup, cold from the refrigerator, meets hot skin and produces gasps of pleasure. This time Siegfried is unsure if Roy tastes like chocolate or the chocolate tastes like Roy.
For
months Lynette and Siegfried have been making plans for Roy's
birthday party. The guest of honor knows something is up but he
doesn't know any details. The cake is chocolate and the ice
cream pistachio.
But in the early morning hours of October
3, 2003, when Siegfried finally has his Roy all to himself the only
thing he can taste is a mixture of chocolate and Roy.
It's March now, six months after Roy's birthday party and the accident that nearly ended his life. It is the housekeeper's day off so Siegfried and Roy are on their own for breakfast. As they are trying to find something neither of them can make a mess of, the phone rings. Roy does his first interview since October. When Siegfried kisses Roy after breakfast he still tastes like chocolate.