Nick and Troy pulled up to the Bazarr, exiting the car and making their way to the entry.
Troy had slid the jars and wooden box into his satchel, so no one asked any questions. They didn't care if anyone did, anyway.
As they walked through the gate, Troy half-saluted the man in the toll cage, nodding and walking through. Since the Proctors had left, a few of the vendors had stepped up and started directing the place again, and that included El Matarife. And because of that, his errand boys gained free roam. They no longer had to trade their way into their home.
They walked through the tented plaza and used the corridor to cut through to the bar.
Once inside, Troy sat his satchel onto the bar and unloaded the contents as Troy slid onto a bar stool.
El Matarife examined the jars and then grabbed the wooden box, running his rough hand along the cover. "You open it?" He asked, cutting his eyes in between the boys.
"You'd know if we did?" Nick asked, making eye contact with the older man across the bar, who nodded. "So did we?"
"No," he gruffed and slid the box onto the counter behind him. He grabbed one of the jars and twisted the lid open, digging for a second then pulling out a small baggie with about a dozen white pills. He slid them across the counter at Nick.
"Gracias," Nick said, nodding at El Matarife.
"What are they?" Troy asked, eye Nick and the bag cautiously.
"Does it matter?" The old man retorted and turned his attention to a few men who walked in and sat down the bar from them.
Nick pulled the bag across the bar and slid them into his jacket pocket. Troy shook his head, resenting the older man for his form of payment. But, if that's what Nick wanted...
Nick hopped off of the bar stool and ducked out of the barroom, Troy trailing behind.
They found their selves in the bustling plaza, surrounded by various venders and tables.
Nick ushered Troy to find a table and walked away, towards a vendor that had smoke roiling up from a grill set inside the roofless shed.
Nick took five credits from his shower ring and slid them across a makeshift counter, returning to the table Troy picked with a platter of mystery meat.
"Bon a petit," Nick said and slid into the plastic seat across from Troy.
Troy scrunched his nose at the younger boy. "Could you at least tell me it's beef? I like beef." He used a plastic fork that Nick had furnished to poke at the specimen on the plate.
Nick laughed, "It's whatever you want it to be."
"That doesn't help," Troy said and stabbed a piece of meat with his fork, popping it into his mouth. Surprisingly it wasn't that bad. It was covered in a barbecue-type sauce but the inside was a little dry, like pork.
They sat there in silence a few moments before Nick eyed one of the cantina girls walking by. He stuck his arm out to brush his hand against hers to get her attention. She stopped and turned towards the table, smiling at Nick.
Nick turned on the charm, and Troy quietly seethed, deciding it better to stare at their shared plate than at Nick ogling the girl in front of him.
After trading a few phrases in Spanish, Nick winked at the girl and she turned and walked back to the cantina. Troy rolled his eyes.
"Is there anyone here that you won't undress with your eyes?" Troy asked, half-serious.
Nick turned his attention back to Troy and away from the girl's sauntering, retreating figure. "No," Nick said, looking hard at Troy. Troy wasn't sure how to take that. "I don't really have a preference though." Troy rolled his eyes again. "But, I got us drinks," he finished.
Troy opened his mouth to object but Nick cut him off, "Before you scold me about liquor, I got you a sweet tea."
"Thanks," Troy said and took another bite. It tasted pretty good, he concluded. After a few minutes the girl came back and sat two translucent plastic cups in front of the boys. Nick slipped her a credit and beamed a killer smile at her as she walked away.
"So, let's get this show on the road," Nick stated and pulled out the small baggie from his pocket. Troy eyed him cautiously, but didn't say anything. How well had that worked the last time?
Nick pulled a few white pill out of the bag and slid it back into his pocket. He popped two into his mouth and grabbed his drink to wash them down. He slid a pill across the table to Troy.
They made eye contact, Troy silently pleading with the younger boy, but obliged anyway, taking the pill into his hand and bringing it to his mouth. Nick smiled and looked into the crowd then back at Troy. Troy took the opportunity to pocket his pill. He took a gulp of his tea to placate Nick.
They finished their meal and Troy dumped the saucy tray into a waste bin near the tables. He drank down the rest of his tea and tossed the cup as well.
"This place is really big," Nick observed, walking next to Troy. Troy nodded in agreement.
"There," Nick said, pointing at a ladder that sidled a building in front of them. "I wanna see from up there."
Troy followed him to the base of the ladder, letting Nick climb up first. They reached the top of the landing and looked out onto the busy center of the Bazarr. They stayed silent a few minutes, Nick leaning forward on the rails and watching the bustling mini-city below as night began to fall. Nick watched as sets of twinkling holiday lights that were strung up throughout the center flickered on, engulfing the entire area in a light glow.
Troy watched Nick lean against the railing, watched the slow rise and fall of his breathing. After another few minutes, Troy was sure that Nick's drugs had begun to kick in. He was rocking back and forth a little bit against the bannister, humming something slightly familiar.
"Let's go for a walk," Nick said. Troy sighed and headed down the ladder. Instead of climbing all the way down, he got about two rungs from the top and gripped the sides, sliding down the ladder.
Nick watched in awe. "That was really cool," he called down to Troy. Troy shook his head and laughed.
"Do it, then," he challenged the other boy.
Nick rubbed his hands together in preparation and began descending the ladder. He gripped onto the sides and started to slowly slide down. About halfway to the bottom he lost purchase and came off backwards. "Shit!"
Troy immediately stepped forward, raising his arms, and he caught Nick as he fell the last few feet. Nick's moment knocked him back a bit, but he still stayed upright.
Nick was now leaned against Troy, his back to him, much like earlier in the trailer house. He had his arms crossed on his chest and Troy's arms were wrapped around him from the back, hands gently folded over Nick's own. He could feel Troy's hot breath on his ear. Feel his unsteady breathing. Between the normal, comfortable uncomfortableness Troy being close gave him, the drugs for sure didn't help. Nick felt a sort of electric tingle, spreading from his hands, up through his elbows, around his neck, where it met with the spreading heat Troy's breath caused to his ear.
They stood like that for only a moment before Troy took a deep breath and released the younger boy, gently nudging him forward, back to the ladder.
"Try it again," he soothed, exuding confidence in Nick.
Nick shook his head and took a moment to rub his palms together. Now that he was farther away from Troy he noticed his palms burned slightly, tinged red from the friction of the metal.
"Come on," Troy coaxed, walking to the ladder himself. "Trick is, just pull your sleeves into your hands a bit, turn your feet inwards a little to where the arch of your boot is on the sides. "Now, try it again."
Nick looked from Troy to the ladder and finally obliged, walking up to the ladder.
He squeezed his eyes shut a moment to clear his brain fog. He climb part of the way up the ladder and followed Troy's instructions, sliding the cuffs of his jacket into his palms and using the sides of his boots to grip the ladder. He slid down with ease, landing at the bottom with a bounce.
Troy clapped for him, which caused Nick to smile gleefully. "Told ya you'd get it."
Nick slung his arm around Troy's shoulder, causing the taller boy to stoop slightly, but he didn't mind. They made their way through the plaza and out of the gate.
After a few minutes of walking they found a few roaming dead and released them. Nick sliced one open and they began putting on their bloody makeup.
"I still don't like this," Troy voiced, wiping his shoulders down with the rotting blood.
"Well, go wash off if you think your camo will work," Nick said, finishing up drenching his hair and slicking it back.
They started walking off into the city, passing by abandoned buildings, abandoned cars, walkers who paid them no mind. The boys found themselves at the entrance of a large, fenced-in park.
Troy took the lead and strolled in, walking through the overgrown grass to a large, dried-out concrete fountain that sat in what seemed to be the center of the park.
"Oof," Troy grunted and plopped down against the base of the fountain. "My fiery feet."
Nick took a spot next to him and leaned his head back against the cool concrete.
They sat in silence a few minutes, Troy eventually shifting position and opting to lay on one side, leaning on his right arm, facing Nick. Nick sat with his head back, still, his eyes closed.
Troy observed him, wondered what he was thinking in his drug-induced haze. Troy remembered having to stumble a bit on their walk, giggle at inanimate objects, any action he could take to fool Nick into believing he was high, too.
It was Troy who broke the silence. "What do you miss most? About before?"
Nick slowly opened his eyes and looked at the older boy in front of him. He took a deep breath, thinking about it for a moment. Searching through his brain fog that he was quite enjoying in search of the words.
"The noise."
Troy only nodded, waiting for him to continue.
"There was always something to listen to before. Gloria reading to me when we were high. People hollering in the streets. Glass breaking. Sirens. There was always noise. Now, save for the undead, the world just doesn't make noise."
Troy listened intently, always interested in learning what went on in Nick's mind. He ignored the knot that formed in his stomach when Nick mentioned Gloria. That didn't matter anymore. She was dead and gone. That life was dead and gone. Nick caught Troy off-guard when he voiced his own question.
"When was the last time you did something for the first time?"
Troy looked down at the sidewalk, preparing his answer. A million thoughts raced through his mind as he took a sitting position. He took a deep breath before answering.
"Now," he voiced, and in one fluid motion he was inches from Nick's face, searching hazy brown eyes for any sign of resistance, before grabbing Nick's face with his strong hands and plunging his lips forward, colliding against Nick's. He kissed the younger boy hard.
A starburst met Troy's closed eyes and after a second it seemed Nick returned the kiss, leaning forward slightly and taking his right hand up and sitting it on Troy's that was still gripping his face. Troy had never felt warmer than he had in that moment. He didn't care about the bitter blood that covered both of their faces. He didn't mind the concrete biting into his knee as it dug down.
After a few moments Troy pulled away, dropping his hands, eyes flitting between Nick's eyes and his lips that were so soft just a moment ago.
He stood and took a few steps back, before turning and walking swiftly towards the gate they had entered.
It took Nick a few seconds to realized what had happened. After a moment he brought his hand up and rubbed at his slightly sore lips, watching Troy's retreating figure. Troy had kissed him. Hadn't he? He wasn't that far gone to have imagined the whole thing, he thought. He couldn't have. He pulled himself up, swaying a bit as gravity leveled his hazy mind back out.
He followed Troy, about ten yards behind him, all the way back to the Bazarr. When Nick made it through the gate, he lost sight of Troy in the crowd. He opted to go to the small community building and rinse off, before heading back to their room.
Troy wasn't there. Nick's foggy mind was frantic. But Troy was a big boy, he could take care of himself surely. The thought wasn't as convincing as he had hoped it would be. And he still found himself sitting up on his cot, leaning against the corner, watching the door.
It didn't open in the time Nick sat there waiting, until finally his eyes slipped closed and he fell asleep, thinking about Troy's lips on his.
On the other side of the Bazarr Troy, still bloody, pulled himself onto a booth in front of El Matarife's bar. He stared at the dented surface of the bar until the older man's gruff voiced pulled him back to reality.
"Need something?" He asked, leaning onto the bar in front of him.
"Anything," Troy admitted. "Literally, anything."
El Matarife nodded and grabbed a glass, pouring a deep amber liquid in until it was half full. He slid the glass in front of Troy.
Troy took it eagerly but faltered putting it to his lips. Lips that had just been on Nick's. He squeezed his eyes shut and downed the whole glass, relishing in the burning it gave his throat, as it took his mind away from other things. He coughed slightly and sat the glass back down. Resting his head onto his hands and feeling the burn slowly reside.
"This about Nick?" The older man asked.
Troy looked up, "What do you mean?"
He took Troy's glass and filled it half full again. "I'm not blind, boy."
Troy broke eye contact, looking to his glass. He sipped this one, wanting the burn to last longer, to divert his attention from what he had done. Had he just messed everything up? When they were so good, already?
"Don't take it to heart," El Matarife said to him. Troy looked up. "He's got a gypsy soul to blame and he was born for leaving."
Troy let that sink in. "I'd follow him into the dark," he said and downed the rest of his drink, turning and ducking out of the door. He went to the common building a rinsed off his face, arms and hair.
He walked slowly back to their room. He wasn't sure what he would say to Nick, or what Nick might say to him. He was scared, and anxious, and confused and ecstatic and warm from the liquor.
He made it to the door and paused before turning the latch slowly. He found Nick already asleep, sitting, leaned on his cot. He couldn't possibly be comfortable like that. Troy walked over quietly, trying not to disturb him.
Nick was still fully dressed. He must have been sitting up waiting on Troy. That made him feel bad. Troy leaned closer to the bed and pulled Nick's boots off, tossing them towards the trunk at the end of the cot. He wrangled the blanket from under the younger boys legs and placed his right hand gently on the back of Nick's neck and the other under his back. He slid Nick down in bed slowly, trying not to wake him. He was successful, and Nick continued to sleep peacefully.
"Thanks, Troy," Nick mumbled, shifting a bit and burying his face into his pillow.
Troy smiled and pulled the cover over him, slipping his own boots off and dropping onto his own cot. He fell asleep listening to Nick's even breathing and feeling the ghost of electricity, still embedded in his lips.