WHO: Joaco & Faihan WHEN: September 1, Evening WHERE: From the Crown to Faihan's Apartment SUMMARY: PART TWO: A mysterious cat appears. CW: N/A
Joaco was okay with that, the door opening, not so much, but he could deal with it. He counted walking Faihan back as enough of a victory. The whole city was lit up through a multitude of some sort of sustainable lamp-- it was hard to keep up with what each of them had behind them, and honestly right now he was enjoying the calming breeze of the night on his skin during their little walk.
âSo, do you live alone?â
Faihan had to admit...he felt a lot better with a win under his belt, and the fact that Joaco didnât love being the one ushered through doors was kind of funny, so his humor had somewhat returned even as the alcohol was wearing off.
He didnât often see the city at night anymore, but sometimes he thought he liked it this way best. All the lights blurred into a jigsaw of yellow geometry, and it was not so polluted, so he could see the stars.
âNo one else could possibly fit in that apartment,â he said, looking up at the sky. âBut itâs bigger than the closet I lived in before. Do you still live with your family, or are you on your own now?â He pointed to the sky. âAl-'Athra'ââthe maiden.â Or Virgo, as you probably know it... A lot of stars have Arabic names. Did you know that?â
âThe whole family lives together, more or less. Although itâs more like adjoined houses than anythingâŚâ Joaco couldnât begin to imagine what it was like to live alone, which was his problem with that setup more than the space. âI think I heard something like that before. Altair, Vega, and Deneb. Those come from Arabic too, right?â He cast his gaze to the sky as they walked down by one of the many small parks in Mar Luna.
âYeah,â he nodded, and...almost smiled. There was a glimpse of something like it for half a breath before it disappeared again. âAltair is âeagle,â Vega isâŚâfalling star,â I think?â His brow furrowed. âDeneb is âtail.â I guess itâs the tail of the swan...or the hen. Itâs one of the furthest stars you can see with your naked eye.â
Joaco listened silently, nodding his head. It was interesting, but Faihanâs passion for the topic had him wondering about something that he wasnât sure he would ask about. âI know there is a story for those in some cultures, but what about Virgo? Is there any reason why it was named that?â
He tapped his chin, trying to remember Virgoâs story. âI...donât actually know very much about Greek mythology...which is probably where it came from? So I have to look that up. Probably some mistreated âmaiden,â though. I think a lot of Greek constellations stories are like...consolation prizes for some kind of mistreatment? Donât quote me on that, though. As I said, I donât really know Greek mythology well. But um⌠Oh, you can still see Cancer in the morning sky, I think. Itâs kind of dim, so itâs harder to find right now. But if you wake up early, maybe you can find it.â
âIâm not a big fan of Greek or Roman myths, they are kinda rude.â Joaco wrinkled up his nose at the thought. âI probably have seen it, then, Cancer, I mean-- even if I didnât know it was that.â He looked over at Faihan, and he decided to take his chances anyway. âIt sounds like you love this stuff.â
âThey are...pretty questionable,â Faihan agreed. âThough surprisingly gay? I think. So much European scholarship has looked at the past andâŚâ He made a vague erasing-like gesture. âNice and tidy for the kids. I know more about Egyptian gods, because Jomana was obsessed when we were kids.â It was a little hyperbolic, but he was feeling kind of loose and prone to more excess than usual. âThatâs also gottenâŚâ Again with the hand motions, more prevalent now than before, at the bar.
âThatâs always a thing with history, isnât it?â Joaco let out a heavy sigh before he jumped up on a low wall to walk on it by balancing himself, arms outstretched. âThe winners always gets to write it and make themselves the hero, and stuff.â He shrugged his shoulders, jumping back down when he ran out of wall to walk on.
âBasically, academia is the worst. But, I still like looking at the stars. Maybe I like them more, because now I can without it beingâŚâ A test. A degree. A career. A paycheck. âI can look at them however I want now. I can love them without analyzing them. How many things are that simple?â
âMakes sense⌠It's like me with the sea. I would never want to be a scientist because I feel like it would take away the magic of it all.â He turned to smile over at Faihan. The bushes near them began to rustle, so Joaco looked over at them.
âSo you love the ocean, and I love the sky. We just need someone who loves the land, and weâll haveââ But his attention was diverted as Joaco looked to the bushes. He stopped, trying to see what Joaco had noticed. âIs it a stray?â he asked, tilting his head. And then he edged away a smidge, because he wasnât crazy about stray dogs. He was even a little afraid of pet dogs, depending on how big they were. Things with teeth should never be larger than a cat. That was his rule of thumb.
âWeâll have to do some casting to find them,â Joaco replied anyway as he continued to look at the bushes which were completely still now. âCould be, but those are never dangerous, just hungry.â If he had to be honest, some dogs with people were worse than the strays.â Joaco stayed where he was as Faihan took a step back.
âIâll remind you of that when itâs eating you,â Faihan muttered and pulled out his mobile phone, searching for the seldom-used flashlight.
From the darkness, and much closer to the ground, a pair of blue eyes stared at them.
After a moment, he found it, illuminating his electric aqua Converses (now approaching five years of wear and looking very much like they were five years worn). He glanced at Joaco in the circle of light. They both had large feet. Faihan thought it was too bad the saying was just another wivesâ tale, and then he thought it didnât matter anywayâhe was never going to know firsthand. Anyway, he needed to focus on the situation. There could be a rabid dog stalking them.
He aimed the light towards the bushes, and part of him hoped that whatever it was would just...run away. âSee anything?â
A very annoyed cat made a sound of disgust at having a light flashed at them, and then they sauntered off the bushes and inched closer to Joaco. âThis is what was going to eat me?â He laughed, looking from the black cat over to Faihan with an arched brow.
The black moved away from Joaco in disdain and then walked closer to Faihan just to stare at him.
Faihan, like most people, sometimes imagined what he would do in moments of alarm. Like, if he saw a shark in the water, would he swim out (despite being only a so-so swimmer) and rescue that five-year-old? If a robber came into the convenience store, would he use his boxing lessons and punch the guy out? Would he be able to do cool things under pressure? One never knew until the moment. In this moment, he just froze as something actually moved behind the beam. It was perhaps the less embarrassing fear-response option, but he still just stood there, stock-still for a moment, like a little Faihan statue.
And then he saw it was just a cat. A black cat with blue eyes, which he had never actually seen before, and well⌠His face did a thing. It was not the wary face of the man that Joaco had met in the bakery earlier, nor the sullen face of the man sitting across from him in the bar. It was the face of a completely new person, his dark eyes widening with immediate affection, making his features suddenly a lot prettier and softer and warm.
The cat didnât seem super skittish, but he still turned the flashlight off and pocketed the phone before slowly crouching and offering his knuckles for inspection. âAhlan, habibi,â he murmured, completely unselfconsciously. âWhat a pretty cat you are, mashallah.â
The cat immediately began to preen at the attention, inspecting the curious man just a smidge warily, but clearly appreciative of the shift in dynamics. Joaco just laughed at the exchange, scratching behind his ear. âAre you sure itâs not gonna eat you?â He asked, and it was as if the cat turned to glare at Joaco.
âIs there something about cats and your culture?â He had to ask because he felt like he remembered something or other about that⌠anyway, he crouched down too because it felt appropriate at that moment.
âMmm, cats are pretty important in Ancient Egypt, but I justâŚâ Faihan grinned foolishly at the cat. âIsnât she beautiful?â he sighed. Things that Faihan Helal loved: the stars, baking, super pop-y love songs, hitting things, and cats. âI wonder if sheâs hungry.â He contemplated whether it was wise to bring an older cat into his apartment with a kitten. Sukkar was getting bigger, but was she big enough to protect herself if the strange cat attacked her? It might not be a good idea.
âLook at her eyes. A black cat with blue eyes. Iâve never seen one like that beforeâŚâ He glanced at Joaco, also crouched now, and tried to school his expression. âYouâre a dog man, arenât you?â He tsked softly. âLet her have a sniff. You have to introduce yourself properly to cats.â
âAre you sure itâs a girl?â It was hard to see in the dark like this, but, well. Joaco squinted his eyes at the cat, and then the cat just stared back at him. Joaco stuck his tongue out at the cat and what followed was a hiss and disdain, the cat strutted away from Joaco and then back to Faihan, rubbing his face against his hand. âYup, thatâs a boy-- a really annoying one at that. See? This is why I like dogs better.â
Despite his words, the cat finally deigned himself to walk up to Joaco who extended out his closed fist. The cat pointedly didnât show him any affection, so he sighed softly. âI swear they think they are little overlords, each one of them.â
âIâŚâ Faihan paused; he was not sure the cat was a girl, but he frowned at Joaco when he pointed out that it was, indeed, a boy. âThatâs rude. You shouldnât just look. He might not want you to.â He looked at the cat, as though the cat could possibly understand and agree that it was a breach of etiquette to be checking out its hind parts. âCats are the best,â he added stubbornly. He had a suspicion that probably Joaco thought he thought himself a little overlord, too, but he had been compared to far worse things than cats in his lifetime.
Faihan wasnât wrong; that was exactly what Joaco was thinking.
âWhen I was little, I used to pretend to be a cat all the time. Iâd follow Jomana around on my hands and knees, andâŚâ The neighborhood kids had thought that was funny in a way that Faihan hadnât quite agreed on. âWhy are people so inclined to pick on cats?â he wondered. âUnlike dogs, theyâre usually just minding their own business. Anyway, he might be hungry, but Iâm a little worried about bringing a tom into the apartment with Sukkar⌠Would you come with me? That way you can hold Sukkar in case he doesnât like other cats.â
The arrival of this cat had unleashed something in Faihan. It was the most heâd said all night, but now he was animated, and not in an angry way. âWill you let me carry you?â he asked the cat.
âI mean, Iâm pretty sure heâs doing just fine.â Joaco sighed softly, but he wasnât about to argue with the crazy cat boy. He looked at the cat who was right up in Faihanâs space, so the answer to his question was incredibly obvious. Since it seemed like there was no other way around this, he stood up again, stretching his arms over his head. âAlright, letâs go.â
Faihan was still careful when he lifted the cat off the ground, hands beneath its chest and tail in a practiced move. Theyâd whined about getting a pet for most of their childhood, and only when he was a teenager did Faihanâs parents decide he might be mature enough to take care of a pet, so theyâd gotten him an ancient cat from the shelter, and it had lived three grumpy years in their house before disappearing in the night. Heâd never found that old tabby, but he supposed it was because the cat hadnât wanted to be found. Since then, he had longed for a friendlier cat to fill theâ
That is, he wasnât lonely. It was only human to want some companionship, though.
He looked very happy though as he led the way through the remaining blocks towards his apartment, in a nondescript building that looked like it had more units than a building that size probably should. The cat was content enough with being carried, so he didnât try to escape Faihanâs hold.
Despite making a VERY BIG DEAL about it before, now as he led the way up the steps to the second floor, he didnât blink when he said, âCan you get my keys? Theyâre in my back pocket.â It was, after all, for the sake of a pretty cat, and well⌠perhaps Faihan was foolish in his affections in more ways than one.
âHere?â Joaco didnât flinch as he stuck a hand into Faihanâs back pocket, feeling around for the key and-- âOh, in the other one you meant.â He repeated the action, and this time he was successful, the keys making a metallic click as he moved them around before opening up the door as instructed. At the second try, Faihan did squirm a littleâa small frown appearing and disappearing and a bit of clenching going on, because the second attempt did make him more aware of Joacoâs hand than the first.
âAfter you,â he said, pointingly opening the door for Faihan because Joaco, too, could be petty at times.
He rolled his eyes for the hundredth time that night. He considered asking Joaco to hold the cat for a secondâjust to be petty in return, because he had won the right to be chivalrous for the rest of the next, but the cat seemed to fancy Joaco less, and he didnât want it to run away, so he left it at the eyeroll.
He hit the light switch with his elbow. It was as he had said: a small apartment. The main sitting room shared its footage with a tiny kitchen, differentiated only by the pretty white and blue tiles that rose above the hardwood floors covering the rest of the room. To the right, through an open doorway, the dark box that was his bedroom peeked. The bed was, of course, meticulously made, and there wasnât a single article of clothing on the floor. This was visible even in the gloom.
The main room was similarly tidy and spare. He had a television and a low secondhand table that he had balanced it on, painted teal, but with a yellow pattern around the top, which was a simple pane of orange glass. The T.V. was oddly naked, because he didnât have a single gaming system attached to it, as one might expect from a bachelor in this day and age. A cracked, also-secondhand ottoman bridged the space between television and couch (though it was more of a loveseat than a couch). It looked like the usual build-at-home-off-the-internet sofa, though it was a cheerful yellow, and atop it slept a small black and white tuxedo kitten, curled against the single decorative pillow in the corner. She was still very small, only about five months old, though she was starting to have the look and size of an adult cat.
Against the walls, there were a few small pictures that seemed as though he must have gotten them from some kind of flea market. They were quaint images of dried clover and cats and the city skyline. Between them were a number of bookshelves in varying states of quality. It appeared that Faihan had not like that they were so different in appearance, because he had, in a sad attempt to make them more uniform, painted all of them a lavender blue. This did not in any way improve the abysmal quality of some of the older ones, which were crammed together in an obvious attempt to keep the warping frames from losing their shelves.
There were only two photos in the room, placed in some of the nicer bookshelves. One was of his high school baseball team, and the other was him and Jomana as kids near the pyramids during a childhood trip to Egypt to visit a great-aunt for her 90th birthday.
He clicked his tongue, and Sukkar raised her head, yawning wide. âSheâs small still,â he re-explained as the kitten tottered to the end of the couch and hopped down to see what the fuss was about. She was not used to new people, though she seemed pleased to see an unexpected face. Faihan turned his attention to the black cat, trying to see if it was safe to put him down with the kitten or not.
âAh, baby!!â Joaco crouched down to coo at Sukkar, holding out his closed hand at her and beaming at the cat. He stilled his movements in hopes that she would accept his affections. He was far too distracted by the kitten to pay much notice to most of the decor in the apartment or how he had two blue eyes trained on him. âHow are you, my wittle pwincess?â
Sukkar seemed more amenable to Joacoâs affections than the black cat had, though it seemed her first instinct was not so much to sniff by to try to climb atop the offered hand, meowing for...it wasnât clear what she wanted (though Faihan thought she probably wanted dinner), only that she wanted it immediately.
The black cat wasnât growling, though, or struggling in his arms it seemed, so he thought that perhaps it might not mind Sukkar. Still, he moved to his tiny counter space to lower the cat, putting a little distance between them, just in case, and then set about trying to find a good dish for the black cat to use.
All of this was done, in part, to ignore how cute Joaco looked right now, talking baby talk to the kitten. Joaco being cute was frustrating, because the number on that abandoned napkin had not been his own. Just a friendâs. And that still stung to think about, even after winning at video games and finding a pretty cat.
He finished plating a can of wet kitten food and offered it to the black cat.
âKittens are easier,â he said, not at all noticing how Joacoâs shoulders and spine stood out against his shirt crouched down. He swallowed. âLike kids. They donât know anything yet, so the way they interact with the world is simple.â He was aware, then, of the parallels in the room. Joaco and the friendly kitten. He and the more self-possessed black cat, both careful about how they offered their affections. âIf you want to make friends with an older catâŚâ But he stopped and shrugged.
Joaco lightly touched the kitten, careful to see if she minded it, although she seemed to take it just fine. âDoes your mwajesty want a wide? Hmmm?â He offered better access for Sukkar to climb on his arm before carefully holding her and getting up to look over at Faihan. âNah, Iâm good like this. You can keep the grumpy old man.â The black cat pointedly looked away from him before he began to devour his food.
âNice apartment,â he finally said, as he approached some of the younger pictures of Faihan. âThere you are!â He looked somehow smaller than he was already and that made him grin as he looked over at him from the corner of his eye. âThe uniform suited you.â
Faihan found himself jealous of the kitten, easily making her way into Joacoâs arms and affections. He liked the black cat already, if only because he felt a kind of camaraderie of rejection with the tom. He took some pride in the fact that it was a beautiful cat and clearly smart and discerning, so that Joaco preferred the kitten meant more about Joacoâs taste than the black cat or Faihan as a person.
He thought probably the fact that Joaco didnât know how to befriend adult cats was telling; he didnât really know how to handle Faihan either, and Faihan thought maybe he was being kind of stupid in thinking that a dog person would even want to learn the intricacies of befriending a cat...person. He ran a hand through his hair. He was overthinking this, and these analogies were becoming more and more embarrassing. At least, living in his head, no one else would ever know.
He crossed his arms, leaning against a counter, watching Joaco move through the room, but blinked in bemusement at the compliment before looking away, face heating. âEveryone looks good in a baseball uniform,â he muttered. Probably Joaco would lookâ
He sighed, pushing away from the counter. The only other man who had ever been in his apartment was Kaveh, and that, too, was, well⌠An impossibility. He supposed this space was doomed to be filled with cats. He was doomed to be an old cat man before he was 30.
But at least he would have the cats.
âJust like soccer socks always make peopleâs calves look...good. You said your family lived in adjoined houses or something? Do you get your own floor at least? OrâŚ? It doesnât seem like youâd have very much privacy.â
âYou think? I should have come in my soccer uniform then,â Joaco replied then immediately laughed, âjust kidding.â
Faihan sighed, eyes cast to the ceiling. Mixed signals, he thought and then unthought it, because Joaco had given him what he considered clear indications of disinterest all nightâbut then he reconsidered, because that remark felt like Joaco was suggesting he wanted Faihan to think he was attractive (if only he realizedâŚ).
Joaco lightly stroked Sukkar who was getting even more comfortable somehow. âAre you tired, my little pwincess? Do you want to go back to sweep?â He held her a little bit higher to look at her face before remembering to answer Faihanâs questions.
âYes. No. Yes, I mean-- I have a room and it has a door that leads to my momâs but also I have my own entrance and locks anyway?â It was hard to describe. âItâs nothing fancy, but I do have a bit of my own space.â The black cat was mostly done with his meal, but he was now looking around himself, seemingly bored of where he was already.
âA room next to your momâsâŚâ Like a chastity belt. Faihan nodded approvingly. This appeased himâallowing himself to believe that as much as Joaco knew about people, he might well only know as much about that as Faihan did. Never mind that intimacies could occur in more places than a bedroom. He preferred to imagine that Joaco, who was oblivious as the day was long and lived in a bedroom adjoining his mothers, was also a novice in these matters. Yes, Joaco might know everyone on the island and be unerringly likable, but he did not know about that kind of thing, which put him on Faihanâs level. It was a minor victory, but he was greedy for any win. Because Joaco looked cute carrying Sukkar around, and Faihanâs treacherous mouth quirked, pulled briefly towards his earâhe refused to let it become a smile.
âOh, not like that. My room is connected to her home,â Joaco offered a shrug of his shoulders. âI have locks windows and everything, so itâs more like an apartment, but it was her who insisted I needed more privacy?â Another shrug after he walked with Sukkar over to her bed.
Faihanâs smugness evaporated, mouth pursing again. Well, it was still a family home, so it would be weird to bring anyone there for any reason except a platonic one. Though now he wondered⌠Was Joaco even interested in that kind of thing? His mom was the one who suggested he needed privacy. Was he really that much of a saint? He looked back at the black cat. He knew the cat wouldnât also wonder the same thing, but still, he had found a sense of camaraderie with the cat that Joaco preferred less.
âWe should try to find his owner. He looks too shiny to be a stray,â he said momentarily, mostly to himself. âAnd heâs not afraid of people. I feel like youâre bad at naming thingsââ Feefee. ââbut I want to call him somethingâŚâ
âMaybe heâs an independent cat,â he offered as he crouched down to deposit Sukkar on her cushion, smiling as she curled up. âRest up your majesty.â Joaco stretched up into full standing form, scratching behind his head as he approached Faihan and the black cat. âIâll leave him at a shelter tomorrow morning if you want? They could take care of that.â
âNo! Donât take him to a shelter!â Faihan said, stepping towards the cat protectively. âTheyâll put him in a cage. I can make signs, and you can put those up instead. Then heâll be comfortable while heâs waiting to go home.â He shook his head at Joaco. Sometimes, maybe it wasnât even simple obliviousness? But some form of obliviousness mixed with a pragmatism that just⌠This man was a steel trap in some ways. You didnât suspect it, because he was so helpful and warm and kind, but some of the things he said and did. Crack. Just like that.
âHeâll be just fine. Donât you trust me?â Joaco looked from the black cat then over at Faihan in his eye, his gaze almost pleading when he asked that question. âYou canât inconvenience the princess with this rascal.â The cat made a dignified sound of protest.
Faihan hesitated, taken aback by the hint of pleading in Joacoâs face. Why did he even care if Faihan trusted him or not? And anyway, wasnât it obvious that despite his better judgement, he must? Heâd spent the whole evening with Joaco. Heâd allowed him to come into his apartment and make sure his kitten didnât get attacked. It was pretty obvious that he at least trusted him somewhat, probably more than he should with someone who could easily smash his heart in a million pieces. He made a vague gesture that didnât really indicate anything, not sure what to say.
Joaco smiled, deciding to take the gesture as an affirmation. The shorter man looked up at Joaco, shaking his head and looking as affronted as the black cat had before. âYou are very practical and nice, but you have no sense about peopleâsâ er, catâs feelings.â
âWhat do you mean?â Joaco frowned and tipped his head to the side.
âI mean, you areâŚâ He paused, trying to think of how to put it, â...inarguably good at people, but you donât⌠There are just some things you donât seem to get. Aboutââ Me. ââcats. Theyâre more complicated than that.â Joaco shrugged his shoulders as he smiled, seemingly not too bothered by Faihanâs assessment. âDo you want something to eat before you go?â
âOh, no, no--Thank you very much, but you donât have to worry.â He raised his hands up at the second question, shaking his head a few times. Joacoâs abuelo taught him from very little not to inconvenience others with his needs. âI should probably get going with this old man.â
âIf youâre going to take himâŚâ Faihan persisted, âYou have to promise youâll take him home, not to a shelter. He wonât like it there. Itâll probably only be for a few days. A black cat with blue eyes is pretty rare, so just...please?â
He had turned away, not sure how to deal with whatever was going on between them now, finding refuge in his refrigerator. âJust take it home and warm it up. I have plenty where this came from,â he said, freeing a single meal-sized container from a column of identical containers in the freezer.
Joaco glanced over at the cat who was now standing on a corner of the table and staring at him before turning to Faihan when he spoke from the direction of the fridge. âThanks,â he said simply, taking the container without a protest. He inspected the container some more before tucking it underneath his arm. âCooperate with me, please,â he addressed the cat before attempting to pick him up, lacking any of the devotion he had for Sukkar.
At least he didnât get clawed off.
âJust remember, adult cats...you need to approach them as individuals. Theyâll tell you what they want, but you have to be willing to learn their cues. Itâs not a one-size-fits-all thing.â As an afterthought, he grabbed a couple of cans of kitten food, adding it to Joacoâs load. âAlso, you should tell me how heâs doing, or if he needs more food.â
He did not offer his number, nor ask for Joacoâs. He supposed Joaco could shoot him a private message on the network...though more likely, would just appear outside the bakery and tell him in person. He seemed old-fashioned in that way.
And then Faihan paused, because he realized suddenly that the night was over. It had, after all, just been a getting-to-know-you between...he was hesitant to say âfriendsâ, but he thought perhaps they were friendlier than before. And his feelings had gotten a little bruised, but all in all, it had been...fun. Yes, it had been fun. He gazed a little longingly, not at the cat, but at Joaco as he stood by the door.
It might have been nice if it had been a date.
âBe safe,â was all he said.
âSure, sure--this one looks very uh vocal about his needs.â Joaco was juggling everything Faihand had given him in his arms. âIt might be fine without the cans, I think.â At least he wasnât about to deal with all of that on his way over to Taboga Town. He flashed an apologetic smile.
âOh right. BecauseâŚâ Joaco was the âfish boy.â Or had been. Faihan supposed it was kind of rude to call him that now. He grabbed the cans back, shoving them in his jacket pocket, where they bulged oddly.
He was still preoccupied with the fact that he wanted Joaco to be interested in him, but didnât know how to make that happen, or that he even could. And wellâŚhe had also just realized the question he should have asked first before anything else: Are you single? Because...Joaco did seem like someone who would be faithful beyond what most people would think necessary. That wasnât a bad thing. Thinking it did soothe his ego. But it wouldnât really explain why Joaco was joking about it being a date in public if so. Maybe he wasnât into guys after all and secretly had a slightly mean sense of humor? That would be horrible, and yet somehow knowing that there was a mean bone in Joacoâs body made him all the more appealing. But then again, probably it was because Faihan was just lucky he didnât just get up and leave at the bar. It wasnât his face, it was what was behind it, whichâ
He blinked back into the present. His eyes moved back to Joacoâs face. Joaco had been pressing him to be direct, and he now knew he was going to be, because his will seemed to be somehow weaker. He could not fathom how his will could be weaker than Joacoâs, but there it was. âSo, are you gay or no?â
At the sudden and abrupt, yet old question, Joaco laughed out loud, shaking his head a few times. He opened the door, and pushed it open with his elbow before he looked over at Faihan. âYouâre asking that now?â It made him grin in unblinking amusement. âManito⌠have you been thinking about this all night?â Joaco laughed some more, shaking his head a few more times. âYes,â he finally replied, stepping out of the apartment.
âAnyway, see you later, Fee Fee,â and with that, Joaco walked away.
He scowled, saying nothing, because his face was growing hot, and somehow he had the sense that Joaco had won. Ruffled, all he could really do was watch him laugh, use that horrid nickname, and walk away. There was no saving face, and well...things simply were what they were. It wasnât like he was ill-equipped to field that. But he did feel a little offended, so this timeâout of spiteâhe let himself enjoy the view, and only when the corridor was empty did he mutter, âBye,â and shut the door.