Chapter 26 #2
Loris appears in the frame behind George and shakes his head to refute the statement.
‘Be useful, brother, and make some. Tea. Patty always had a great selection of infusions.’
‘You mean potions and, no way, I’m not rummaging through this house.’
‘It’s perfectly alright.’
‘At first glance, meaning the dodgy, witchy stuff is hidden behind cupboard doors!’
‘God, you’re such a wuss for someone who intends to rule several universes.’
Liv strides towards George to whisk him back into the kitchen.
Loris walks over to Charles, his eyes asking the question he tends to keep silent but never hides. So Charles reassures him with a smile and taps the free spot on the sofa.
‘So, George hasn’t told you everything yet?’
‘No. What happened at Phil’s party?’
‘I got drunk and stripped.’
‘Nothing I haven’t seen.’
Charles laughs and nestles against Loris, who points at the sheet lying on the coffee table.
‘What’s your verdict?’
Seized by an idea as they were leaving the flat, Charles brought the pastel drawing he did a few weeks ago during his confessions.
He doesn’t want to leave it at his parents’ house, and there will come a time when Loris’ place will be occupied by strangers.
Charles thought it could perhaps find a home at Patty’s, hung on the wall next to Fred’s unmeant artwork.
‘I don’t know, the colours might clash.’
‘Everything clashes with everything in here. It’d fit the vibe.’
‘True. Could you ask Patty for me tonight?’
‘Will do.’
‘Thank you.’
‘So… Is Charland at peace at the moment?’
Charles jolts back to survey Loris’ face. ‘Why do you sound like you’re about to wreak havoc upon it?’
‘No, I’m just checking that you haven’t got any Fred-processing to do, because I’m dying to show you something unrelated.’
‘Everything’s processed, and now I’m dying to see. What is it? Don’t tell me you’ve already sketched Liv’s character?’
‘Only in my mind. I want you to read an email.’
‘Colour me intrigued...’
Loris raises his phone, keeping a strong hold of it so Charles doesn’t grab it.
‘Dear Loris,
Thank you for this touching read. It brought a well-needed smile to my face and greatly improved my day.
I am sorry to confirm that I will not exhibit Kaunas in the foreseeable future. However, if you and Charles come to Florence, please get in touch again. It would be a pleasure to have you over, show you the painting and discuss the magic of Olwinski with you.
Until then, I wish you both all the best.
Kind regards,
Enrica Bianchi’
Charles twists his head aside so fast, all the nerves of his neck shout at once. ‘What?!’
‘It made me drop a pint glass yesterday. My fault for multitasking.’
‘But how? What? How?’
‘I contacted her a few days ago, via the website of the theatre she manages.’
‘To say what?’ Charles’ heart joins the shouting party. ‘What did you write that touched her to the point of offering to… Shit. Kaunas. Fuck. Putain. How? What?’
‘I explained that we’re obsessed with the Lands.
But she probably receives hundreds of requests a week from art vultures since her father died.
My only chance was to stand out in the email subject.
I had no bright idea, so I put that thing you said when you were drunk and stripping, “Liberté, égalité, Frappuccino.” It seemed peculiar enough.
Then I admitted to clickbaiting and… I think I’ve lost you… ’
Charles shakes his head. He’s still here, very conscious of what Loris has done. The consequences of his initiative are thrumming in his chest and smudging the colours of Patty’s living room.
‘You got this yesterday and kept it to yourself?’
‘It wasn’t easy, but I was worried that coming here could stir up sad feelings, so I saved the news to make you feel better after our visit, if necessary. Because you feel good about it, right? It’s not obvious…’
Charles nods but pinches his lips and leans against Loris, gripping the back of his jumper.
‘I teared up too during my shift. I had to escape to the basement to change a keg that didn’t need to be changed.’
The vision of an emotional Loris in the cold room doesn’t help Charles. Neither does the vision of Loris in front of Kaunas. Of them both in front of Kaunas. Of another moment sealing the certainty that their days together are far from being numbered.
‘Do you take sugar, Loris? Or whatever white substance is in that… What’s going on here? What have you done to my boy?!’
‘I think this is overwhelming joy.’
Charles gives George a thumbs up to confirm, sniffing in the wool of Loris’ jumper.
‘And no sugar,' Loris continues. 'I’m sweet enough.’
‘Blimey! I’m out of here!’
Charles flinches. ‘Loris. No.’
‘No?’
‘This is my mother’s favourite line. You can’t. Or add “honey” at the end while you’re at it.’
‘Sorry, I wasn’t aware you were allergic to it.’
‘Deadly. But it’s a bit of a relief that you’re so tragically flawed, because… Shit. How are you real? And how are you mine?’
‘Long story? Your fake girlfriend had a medical emergency so you showed up in my—’
Charles presses their lips together, pushing all his weight forwards to make Loris fall on his back. He lies down between his legs and grasps his hair, kissing him deeply and unrestrained.
‘Guys. Patty said to make ourselves at home, but she was adamant about not letting you engage in any sort of sexual activity on her furniture.’
Charles props himself up to meet Liv’s amused eyes. ‘So we can do it standing in the middle of the room?’
‘Technically, yes, but tea is ready.’
‘And you can’t be Chappy to the point of crying and not share the why with me,’ George says, his arms folded.
‘Fair…’ Charles leans back closer to Loris’ mouth. ‘Next time you have such an announcement, wait until we’re some place where I can properly express my gratitude.’
‘I don’t think I can top this one, but okay.’
Charles stands up, a smile spreading across his face.
He juts his chin at the door to ask George to wait in the kitchen and be patient for two more minutes.
Charles shouldn’t rouse his friend’s curiosity, as the news is Olwinski-related and will be a bit of a let-down.
But first, he wants to follow through with the exhilarating idea that has just taken control of Charland.
‘What about me?’ he asks in a hushed voice when Loris wraps an arm around his waist. ‘Can you top that?’
‘What?’
‘As soon as possible? Today?’
Loris comes to an abrupt stop, so Charles pivots to walk backwards, his pulse racing.
‘After your shift, that is.’
‘Yeah. Sure. Yeah. After my shift. That I’m gonna spend thinking about it. Thanks.’
‘You can escape to the cold room to change kegs even if they don’t need to be changed.’
Loris gurgles a confirmation.
Laughing, Charles whirls around and enters the kitchen.
His heart slows down but doubles in size when he faces Liv and George, seated around the table with perplexed and caring looks.
The Downeses are the one family he wants to answer to for his projects to come.
The trip to Devon next weekend, the graphic novel, Enrica Bianchi’s invitation and every facet of the future he’s drafting with Loris.
Charles will just keep quiet about his most immediate decision – until George gets him tipsy enough for an update on his sex life.
Loris pulls up the chair across from him, his eyes asking another question. Charles tangles their legs underneath the table and grins, to answer that, yes, he’s absolutely sure.
It became clear this morning, while Loris was using his fingers to provoke sensations Charles is getting addicted to, that it’s no longer enough. That he’s ready and longing to discover the same pleasure he’s learnt to give Loris.
Charles wants more and wants it tonight.
He’s spent an unhealthy percentage of adulthood putting off prospects he was apprehensive about, as well as thrilling ones he didn’t want to stop looking forward to.
He’s equally apprehensive and thrilled about this new first time with Loris, but he’s done postponing.
The past few weeks have been the most enriching of his life, because their days together seemed numbered, and he was determined to make the most of each.
The amount of sand in their hourglass may be increasing with every conversation they have, Charles has no intention to go back to overthinking and wasting any.
At 4pm, Loris heads to the North Haven to take over from Patty, and Charles follows his friends to their parents’ place. During dinner, he needs frequent tibia kicks from George to stay in the moment, his thoughts drifting towards the end of the night.
As soon as Loris texts him that he’s about to call last orders, Charles says goodbye to the Downeses to go wait for him in the flat.
He takes a shower, slips on Loris’ sweatpants and washes the dishes they left in the sink after lunch.
When the last plate is shining enough to blind him and Loris still isn’t here, Charles starts pacing the room.
After a few minutes, he stops to stare at the pub through the window, then slouches on the bed with a book, only to jump and pace again.
He eventually sits back on the edge of the mattress to improvise a rock version of Boléro on his lap.
Perhaps he should have put on a t-shirt to appear less eager to—
Loris storms in and, three seconds later, he’s standing between Charles’ legs, kissing him breathless, and highlighting how clothes are a complete waste of fabric.
They should live naked and embraced. Forever. In front of Kaunas. Enrica seems fond of them after a single email, it won’t take much persuasion to move into the painting room and live on love and iced grenadine alone.
‘Charles…’
Lying on his back, Charles raises his knees around Loris’ hips now that all the waste of fabric they were wearing is on the floor. ‘No. I haven’t changed my mind.’
‘Yeah, I can tell… But I wanted to say, about earlier, that was also the short story of how I’m yours. You showed up in my pub. The end.’
‘I don’t believe that. You had to make sure I wasn’t a true twat.’
‘Okay, it took two hours. You sealed the deal when you tipped me a tenner.’
Charles smiles and sinks the back of his head into the pillow. ‘Best investment ever. But I’d like to enjoy the full extent of my profits, so can you quit sweet-talking me as if you still needed to?’
Loris nods and takes a deeper breath. The sudden hot press of his hand on the back of Charles’ thigh sends a blinding wave crashing over him.
‘Talk to me, okay?’
Charles nods in turn, his throat tightening a little.
At first, he’s actually unable to speak, and he wouldn’t want to anyway, because the softness of Loris’ kisses, as he prepares him with his fingers covered in lube, is reassuring enough.
Charles feels himself opening up, slowly, until he doesn’t remember a time when he wasn’t ready for this.
Until his senses, already upside down, stop making any sense.
Until the need to receive Loris becomes unbearable.
He murmurs, ‘Now please,’ and lets go of Loris’ shoulders to clutch the sheet.
The pain is sharp, but unlike all the pain he’s experienced before, he doesn’t translate it as a signal that something is wrong within him. He accepts it as a herald of the unparalleled pleasure he will learn to relish and climax from.
And in the end, he doesn’t say much, as most words have also lost their meaning the second he became one with Loris. He only whispers his name, because it will always mean everything, and he screams it in silence whenever a spasm shakes his body that he’s discovering anew.
‘I can’t believe I got you for ten pounds… You’re truly underpricing yourself.’
Loris’ panting morphs into a jerky laugh. ‘Let’s not talk about money right after I fulfilled a pressing sexual wish of yours.’
‘Didn’t I make it clear that’s the only reason I’m in this?’ Charles caresses Loris’ flushed and sweaty face, enraptured as ever by the sight. ‘Thank you.’
‘How are you feeling?’
‘I’m glad I don’t have any obligations that involve getting up in the morning. But I feel good. Great, actually. Besides, that might be a misleading impression because my body is twinging in ways I’m not used to.’
‘I’m afraid it’s not, you’re gonna have to take it easy tomorrow.’
‘That’s alright. You’re working all day, and I’m soon to be broke, I can’t afford to pay someone else for sex.’
Loris smiles tiredly and closes his eyes, leaning into Charles’ palm.
‘How are you feeling?’
‘Amazing. I’m just also twinging in ways I’m not used to.’
‘From what?’
Loris looks at Charles with an intensity that melts and remoulds his heart before he even speaks.
‘Wanting you. All of you, at all time, and with all of me. With every cell of my being. It’s new. I usually manage to protect some so they can grow, multiply and bring me back to health if the relationship goes south. I failed with you. But it’s not twinging painful, only a bit scary.’
Charles swallows hard and wraps his arms and legs around Loris, to trap him with all the strength he has left. ‘You’re calling me a virus.’
‘You called me a prostitute.’
‘Let’s keep these pet names for the bedroom.’
‘No worries, I’m gonna call you “sugar” or “honey” in public.’
Charles scowls, and laughs, and moans into another feverish kiss, feeling it in his own cells that he holds Loris’ heart in his hands.