The Red Shirt and The White Shorts
The room is quiet except for the muted sounds of the party outside coming through the walls.
Tyson wipes his nose, scrolling through his contacts for 'Dad'. His first instinct was to call Grampa, but it's past midnight so he's probably asleep. Tyson doesn't want to disturb him.
He dials dad and holds the phone up to his ear. Waiting as it rings and rings without an answer. He's sitting on his bed, freshly showered, in a clean t shirt and comfy shorts.
There's no answer.
He tries again. His dad doesn't pick up. He thinks of leaving a message, then changes his mind.
He lets the phone tumble out of his hand. It settles on the mattress.
The room is small. There are two small beds pushed up against the far wall and one window. It's sparsely furnished. A lone incandescent light bulb is attached to one corner.
Tyson's not exactly claustrophobic, but the silence in small spaces suffocates him sometimes.
When he's alone and there are people outside. Distant sounds of people having fun when there's nobody around him.
Tyson takes a sharp breath, climbing out of bed. He can't stay here.
His thoughts will consume him alive.
There's a sudden knock on the door. Two steady raps against the wood.
Tyson goes to answer it, wondering which one of his friends would knock and not enter right after.
He pulls open the door and peers out.
Kai
Tyson inhales through his teeth at the sight of him standing outside, dressed in a simple tan t shirt and jeans, his expression open.
He moves to shut the door immediately. Kai stops it with a hand.
"Tyson"
Tyson steps away from the door, turning around, his fingers reaching up to touch his own earlobes.
He lets him come inside. He knows he's not gonna go away without talking to him. He rather he does it in private than in public.
o - o - o
Kai shuts the door behind him.
The silence is unbearable.
He notes that his shoulders are too stiff as he stands with his back facing him.
Holding in too many things inside of him.
His hands are near his ears, covering them. He looks so fragile. Kai takes a step forward and sees him tense more in response.
He did this. He's responsible for this.
Kai raises a hand to run a finger along Tyson's shoulder.
He turns to him, his hands falling away from his ears.
His eyes are bright. Wide. Filled with hurt and resentment.
Tyson opens his mouth. Wanting to say something. Wanting to say too many things at once. Kai sees about ten different emotions flit across his features within the span of moments.
He's overwhelmed. His cheeks are flushed. His hands are curled like he wants to ball them, but is not sure.
He's holding in the same breath he took two minutes ago.
He's going to break.
Kai crosses the two feet of distance between them and pulls Tyson against his body despite his protests. Cradling the back of his head with a hand and bringing him closer till his nose and mouth presses into his shoulder. Gently.
He stays quiet but completely rigid in his arms. Tense as a rubber band stretched to its limits.
Kai waits.
And waits.
Till the tension in him finally snaps and Tyson melts into him with a sob. The thin fabric on his shoulder growing wet with his tears immediately.
"I'm sorry" He apologizes as Tyson shudders once. His hot breath touching his skin through the fine threads of the shirt. He slips his fingers into his soft hair. "I shouldn't have pushed you to go out there."
His heart is beating hard. Kai can feel the butterfly-like palpitations against his own chest. Against the forearm that he has wrapped across his back.
Another sob leaves him.
"Shh" Kai consoles him, stroking the back of his head.
Tyson's hands finally come up to circle his waist, hugging him back.
o - o - o
It takes a while for the heaving sobs to ease into quietly flowing tears.
He hasn't cried while he was completely sober in years. He didn't cry even when Mariah left him.
He'd kept it in. All of it inside. Telling himself he was strong. That it didn't matter much. That he was over it. Whatever it was, he got over it quickly.
And he was trying to do the same tonight. Brushing off his near-death experience as just another experience. No need to make a big deal about it.
He was a man now. And men don't cry.
He was okay. He was fine. At least he was telling himself he was.
Then Kai had come in and drawn him into his arms in a way no one had before, but he'd always secretly wished someone would.
For once, he didn't have to be the strongest person in the room, and it was like a dam had broken inside of him. Everything he'd been blocking away came gushing out.
He couldn't stop.
Kai stood there, holding him, letting him get it all out. Stroking his hair, telling him he was sorry he pushed him to light the fireworks, that it was never his intention to put him in actual danger.
Tyson closes his eyes. His nose buried in Kai's shoulder. Breathing in his woody scent. Listening to his voice murmuring to him gently, reassuring him. Apologizing to him.
He stays there for a while, completely soaking Kai's shirt. The material cottony soft and heavenly against his skin, but really really thin. Tyson pulls away when he notices he's starting to pay more attention to the feel of Kai's body against his own.
He sniffs, stepping away. Kai wipes his tears, his thumbs careful on his cheeks. Brushing Tyson's hair away from his eyes. "I'm sorry for what I said yesterday morning," he says, his voice low and soothing. "I didn't mean any of it." Tyson looks up at his face. And finds concern. It's the first time he's seeing that expression on his features. The first time he can read him like an open book. "They were words I tossed in the heat of the moment. "
Tyson nods, pulling in a deep breath. "You're alright" Kai tells him, stroking his hair, his shoulders. "You're alright"
Kai steps back. Tyson smooths his hands over his own face once, looking at the wet patch he left on Kai's shirt. The spot a deep brown while the fabric is a warm tan everywhere else.
"Do you want some water?" Kai asks.
"No" He licks his lips, wetting them. They'd grown dry. He tastes salt.
"Are you going to bed?"
"Yeah"
Kai stares at him for a beat. "Alright, I'll leave." He turns.
Tyson reaches out to touch his arm, stopping him. "I'm sorry" he says softly, "For slapping you." He takes his hand away.
Kai gives a shake of his head, his expression light. "It's alright." There's a hint of a smile on his lips. "I deserved it."
That brings a small smile to Tyson's face.
Kai gazes at him. "Goodnight"
"Goodnight" Tyson nods.
He's on his way out when he remembers something. "Lock your door if you're going to sleep," he turns to tell him.
"Why?" he asks confused.
Kai glances at the window. "More buses are coming. This place will look like madhouse soon."
Someone knocks on the door right then. Tyson's gaze jumps to it.
"Lock your door," he says, moving to answer. "Unless you want some stranger to crawl into bed next to you."
Tyson's still processing when Kai opens the door.
Eddie's standing outside. "Tyson, there's- whoa..."
"Excuse me" Kai moves past him, exiting to the hallway.
Eddie watches with a stunned expression as he makes his way down the corridor.
Tyson joins him in the doorway.
"What was he doing in here?" Eddie asks him, pointing at Kai's retreating back.
The building's shaped like a hollow rectangle. Rooms running along the four edges, and one huge garden in the middle of the ground floor, which can be viewed from all the floors.
"He came to apologize."
"Oh, so there's a heart inside that demon after all," he says, watching Kai disappear into another room on the same side of the same floor. Eddie glances at Tyson. "You good, bro?" he asks, rubbing his arm.
"Yeah" He feels elated. Serene. The after effects of having a good cry.
"You look like you cried. Your cheeks are puffy. Did you cry?"
"No" Tyson shifts his weight onto both feet. "You want tea?" he asks, not feeling like he wants to go to bed right away anymore.
"Nah...Oh! I almost forgot to tell you. A bunch of buses just stopped by. Dude, it's gonna get massive soon. We're gonna get laid!" He clutches Tyson excitedly. Then he reads his expression. "Unless you don't want to. That's fine. I understand," he adds quickly, patting his arm. "You go get your tea. Go to that outdoors tea stall down the block. Should be quiet now. Grab Kenny too. He'd probably wanna join you."
"Okay" Tyson grabs his wallet and keys. When he goes to lock the door Eddie stops him.
"What are you doing?"
"Do you want people to come into our room?"
"Fuck no. Lock that shit. We paid good money for it."
Tyson locks the room before heading out to find Kenny.
"Dad does this," Tyson sets the drink down on the table. "Drinking tea after midnight."
Kenny blows on his.
The glasses are steaming in front of them as they sit in the outdoors tea shop a few metres from the road. There are ten to fifteen other tables around them. A few other customers as well.
But it's quiet and the weather is great.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah" Tyson takes a small sip, careful not to burn his tongue. "Kai apologized. For...everything. He came to my room earlier." He shrugs. "It's cool." The buoyant feelings are still running through his system. Making the whole incident feel...special. Surreal. One of those moments in life you tuck in safe and cherish forever. It feels good to have resolved the hard feelings between them.
"You've forgiven him?" Kenny looks at him with two surprised brown eyes from behind his glasses.
"He was sincere," he tells him. "He kept saying 'alright' to me," Tyson grins, chuckling, "I don't think he does it often."
"Definitely not. Once every five years. Once every ten?"
They laugh.
Tyson takes his tea black. With a little bit of sugar. Kenny's trying out his style for the first time.
"It's not bad," he comments. "I could drink it when I'm working late."
"It does a good job of keeping you awake actually. Dad prefers tea to coffee. He thinks he's sophisticated, drinking tea and all." He snorts.
Kenny smiles, then goes silent, fingering the lip of his cup, thoughtfully. "He didn't," he asks hesitantly after a minute, "try to kiss you, right?"
"Kai?" Tyson puts his drink down. "No. Why would he do that?"
"Because I don't trust him with you," he bursts all of a sudden. "Tyson, I was scared to within an inch of my life. I think I aged by at least ten years when you went out there. My heart was beating outside of my chest!" This is the most animated Tyson has seen his friend in a while. He's livid. "I can't believe he made you do that."
"I went out there myself. I could have said no. I just, didn't want to look like a scared loser."
"Tyson" Kenny exhales heavily. "Having all of your limbs intact and living for another 70 years is worth looking like a loser for five minutes."
"I know that." He looks down at his tea. The tiny glass.
"Yes, you know that. I bet you knew that when he was challenging you too. Yet you still went forth and did it. I think you lose brain cells when you're around him."
Tyson laughs. Looking out at the passing cars.
"Stay away from him, Tyson," Kenny says quietly.
Tyson considers his friend. "Okay" he agrees.
"He's bad for you."
"I know" He nods. "I'm aware. I'll stay away." He keeps looking at him with those eyes. Still not convinced. As if Tyson's planning any different. "I'll go and hide in bushes when he's around," he swears.
Kenny cracks a smile, his attention diverting to his drink again. "Don't do that. That would be weird."
(1)
"Errrrbody in this bitch gettin' tipsy!"
J-Kwon plays on the speakers, loud enough to drown out everyone's thoughts as Kai descends down the steps. The staircase is crowded with people dancing. Someone's throwing up over the banister. His elbow accidentally brushes over a girl's boobs. She doesn't notice, too drunk. He doesn't pay any attention, not drunk enough.
He reaches the ground floor. He almost gets twerked on as he navigates through the bodies.
He pushes a couple making out aside to squeeze through the exit to the poolside.
Fuck, there's more room here. But he didn't come here looking for space. He grabs a plastic cup off the nearest table full of drinks. A bunch of guys are balancing empty cups on the side. Way too seriously.
He throws his cup back. It doesn't hit anywhere. He finds six packs under the table and draws a bottle out. He pops the top off and drinks as he walks toward the pool.
He spots Tala licking salt off of a girl's back on a lounge chair. She hands him a shot, which he inhales before biting the lemon she's holding in her mouth.
He finds Bryan a few feet away. Grinding against some chick.
Kai finishes the bottle in his hand. Places it on the edge of the pool before peeling his t shirt off. He tosses the shirt stained by Tyson's tears into the water, watches as the whole shirt gets wet. The dark patch he left becoming obscure.
He dives into the pool.
Swimming long and deep, the water gliding over him blissfully. Till he forgets all about it. The memory fading away to the back of his mind.
He turns around to watch the moon, arms stretched out, floating on the surface.
The moon rotates.
It starts raining ecstasy.
From a pipe in someone's hands, its end obstructed by fingers, causing the spray to deviate. It rains.
The droplets fall on his face. Hitting his forehead, his nose, his jaw, his tongue.
The drops roll down his tongue to the back of his throat.
The moon shrinks. Bloats. Bounces around the sky. The roof of the hotel. The hotel spins.
Tala raps. Spitting fire through a mic he stole from the DJ. Whom he interrupted while playing music so the crowd can hear his dope freestyle.
He mostly roasts Kai who sits on the railing beside him. Head bobbing along to the bad disses.
The crowd boos him after a while so he stops, Kai cackling his head off next to him.
He's inside again, clothed in a black tee. Between people in the packed lobby. Under the crazy disco ball. Sunglasses on. A hand up. A bottle in that hand. Biting his lip. Moving to the beat.
Nas rapping through the speakers.
He takes the glasses off, spins it around on a finger. Throws it above heads to Ian for safekeeping because that's eight hundred dollars.
There's a gunshot.
He's feeling himself. He brings the bottle to his lips, drinking.
Somebody sets a helium balloon on fire and makes it fly.
A grown ass guy drives a kid's bike past the lounge where Kai's sitting, one knee up, one leg stretched out, taking a minute to himself.
Tala films him from the chair next to him.
Kai poses for him when he notices. Two middle fingers and a smile.
Tala lets out a dramatic moan. "Awww, so hawt!"
Boobs are out.
Boobs have been out for a while.
Bryan finds a girl for Kai. He mimes sucking dick with his hand and mouth, before pointing at an empty room where the girl is waiting.
Kai tucks a condom packet between his teeth, grinning with all thirty two. Sunglasses on again for some reason. He bangs the door open.
He's on a chair. Legs splayed.
The brunette straddling him. She moves over him. Dry humping.
The room is dark. He stares at her. Her hands touch his jaw. She kisses his chin.
His lips part.
Her lips trail down his neck.
His finger traces over the edges of the condom wrapper.
He raises his head to kiss her. He hovers when she's inches away.
Pausing
She urges him closer. The feel of Tyson's skin flashes in his mind.
His eyes. The taste of his mouth. The curve of his ass in white shorts.
Him walking around the pool in that billowy red shirt. Its sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The outline of his waist visible through the fabric.
That fucking red shirt.
Kai lets his head drop back with a sigh.
Kai stands outside the same room a while later, leaning against a wall, smoking.
"One fucking time," he tells Tala. "One fucking time. That's all I want." One night to get him out of his system.
"That's all?" Tala snorts. "I thought you liked having him around."
"He doesn't feel the same. What do you suggest I do? Kidnap him and keep him against his will?"
"That might actually be a good idea," he jokes, then he sees Kai's face. He sighs. "You just want what you can't have, don't you?" He straightens from the railing, walking closer to him. He actually has an idea. "Take him somewhere," he suggests. "Somewhere he'll - I don't know - fall in love. Make him fall in love if that's what it takes."
Kai pulls on the cigarette. "Already tried that once. He said no."
"Ask again. They've shifted locations by the way. They caught wind of our visit. Fled to Dubai."
Kai raises his brows. "Couldn't tell me sooner, could you? How long have you known?"
"The location shift? Thirty minutes ago! Cut me some fucking slack, you were in the room with that girl. Was I supposed to interrupt you fucking?"
"There was no fucking, Tala," Kai looks away, blowing smoke. "We won't leave on Wednesday. We'll go on Thursday. One more day for them, and one more day for me. Any ideas on how to get Tyson on that plane with me?"
Tala shakes his head. "No idea. I'll let you figure that out yourself."
Kai stubs his cigarette out. "Why does he have to be so fucking difficult?" he asks, talking to himself.
"Isn't that part of his charm?" Tala teases, grinning.
A/N:
(1) Songs mentioned:
Tipsy (Club Remix) - J-Kwon
Nasty (Explicit) by Nas when Kai is vibing
Songs I listened to while writing the partying scenes (other than the ones I mentioned above):
Pretty Girls (Benny Benassi Remix) - Wale
Blow Up - J Cole
I haven't been interacting with my readers lately and we only have about 10 or so chapters left sooo...lets talk. Let's discuss. How have you been? How is your day? Are you doing good? I hope this chapter made it brighter. I hope you're shining like a sun. What did you think of the chapter? The story so far... Where do you think it's going? I have read your reviews and so many of them are so thoughtful. You guys are leaving actual reviews. Which is a whole ass TALENT. SKILLS BRUH. Even if you're not reviewing expertly and just saying whatever comes to your mouth (fingers? thumbs?) at the end of the chapter I treasure those too. You still badass. You still brave. There were some questions that you asked. Let me try and answer a few. Couldve composed pms but like, time? I do not have.
Someone asked me about the number of chapters that are left. I said 10 on TUMBLR. Including this one. So that makes it 9 now. But, it could increase if I'm unable to fit everything in just 9 more chapters. especially since the word count per chapter is max in the 4000s range. We'll see. But less than 15 for sure.
ScarletWitch-QueenOfChaos: oh my god, SWOT, you are SWOT. I LOVE YOUR NAME. Warrior will be finished before the end of this year. I promise.
Someone asked about a girl. I'm guessing that girl you were referring to was Ileana. We'll learn about her soon, baby.
There was also a question about the TITLE of the story. None of my titles ever make sense. Nor do they actually relate to the story. I was listening to a song. I got inspired. That became the title. Are you disappointed? I bet you are.
Hmm
I'd like to shout out to some QUEENS for their continued support and encouragement and feedback. In no particular order.
Macibacsi (mmmmwah), AlyssWonderland (I love you. I hope I made your day brighter), Cutetyhil (heart), Ellaorants (mwah), stormingflames (the cutie), Ana (mom 3), SWOT (The SCARLET WITCH) , Grab-my-digits-dude (The artiste), leucos (madame) and the GUESTS.
Thank you, Queens.
