This chapter is a little shorter. Sorry...
"Hey, Romano! Do you want to go to the bar today?" It was about two weeks after the uneventful sojourn into the park, and Antonio had shown up at the front doors of the Veneroma headquarters again. Romano fitted the silver key into the doors' lock. As he turned it, he looked at the other man.
"Are you going to keep inviting me to your reunions with friends?"
"Do you want me to?" No, Romano wanted to say, but it would have been useless. He just grunted and made sure that the doors were properly locked. Antonio continued.
"So, it's Gil's turn today and we're going to the bar. You'll like it!"
Right.
Just like he had liked it when they met two weeks ago.
But it really was pointless to argue because Antonio was too dense and too strong. What a migraine-inducing combination.
"You're still going to drag me there even if I refuse, right?"
"Probably!" Remembering how his arm had nearly been ripped out of its socket last time, Romano sighed in defeat.
"Fine. I'll go, but I won't like it."
"That's right, Romano. You'll love it!" He scowled.
"Come on, you idiot."
Gilbert and Francis were already sitting at a booth in the dimly lit bar. Antonio wormed his way through the narrow gaps in between other personages, with Romano following closely behind him. He had never been to a bar before; they were too low scale for a person of his stature and reputation to be seen in. The smells and sounds of the place intrigued him, though. But he kept close to Antonio, since he had heard that bars were rowdy places. They reached the booth, and after Romano had warily dusted off the seat, sat down. When Antonio had finished making his customary "Hi, guys!" the four began ordering rounds.
"Beer for me!"
"Wine, please."
"Er… I'll have wine too."
"Tomato juice!" At this, Romano looked at Antonio incredulously.
"You're ordering tomato juice?"
"Yeah! Do you want some?"
"…No. I just assumed that people usually went to bars for liquor, not juice."
"Whatever he drinks is his own business." Gilbert interjected angrily. "Lay off him!"
"You're getting pretty protective," Romano scoffed. "I never took you for a mother hen."
"Shut up."
"Come on guys, stop it. Romano was just curious, Gil. And I drink tomato juice because I like tomatoes a lot." This last piece was directed at Romano with a beaming grin. The designer looked away embarrassedly.
"Whatever." Things still didn't add up, though.
But a few glasses of wine later, all was forgotten. Those who had chosen alcohol were in various levels of tipsiness. Antonio had just finished his fourth glass of tomato juice. He leaned back contentedly.
"I think that's enough for me, guys! I'm going home now."
"I'll take you." Gil stood up. Even though he had downed several mugs of beer, he did not seem too affected.
"Thanks, Gil!" They left after saying goodbye. Meanwhile, Francis and Romano looked at each other blearily. The former slyly smiled.
"Well, it seems that we're alone."
"Hmph," his companion grunted, taking another draught of wine. Romano was the most drunk out of the group. He was not on his guard in the least, and Francis intended to use that to his advantage.
"How exactly did you meet Antonio?"
"He—uh—was hitchhiking."The wine made Romano's tongue loose. Small burps accompanied his speech.
"I see. And what did you think of him at first?"
"Annoying." Francis chuckled.
"And now? What about now?"Romano did not answer, but his cheeks flushed red.
"Could you possibly have feelings for him?"
The question hung between them, suspended only by the transparent thread of suspense. Then, ever so slowly, Romano nodded. He leaned back in an almost guilty manner. In a sudden flash of insight that only the drunk seem to have, he realized that he did indeed like Antonio in a romantic way. There was no use in denying it. He also realized that if his feelings were not reciprocated, he would not wait until later but would kill himself then and there. This was a sad state of affairs that he found himself in. When had Antonio, this person whom he had met only a month or so ago, managed to make his way into his heart? His life would never be the same again. Francis noticed that Romano was visibly drooping.
"There is no shame in being in love, my friend. And I think that you will be pleasantly surprised when you meet Antonio again." With that cryptic statement in mind, Romano finally succumbed to the fatigue that was plaguing his senses.
Francis watched him for a while; then he roused himself and beckoned to a dark corner in the bar. Antonio and Gilbert emerged.
"Did you catch all of that?" their blond friend asked.
"Yup! Thanks, Francis! I owe you and Gil a lot."
"So, what do we do with him?" Gil eyed Romano's limp form. Antonio pondered the problem.
"Well…"
As always, comments are duly appreciated!