Earth dropped its load on your tongue and let it sit there until your throat dried. You could swallow every piece of it. Human meat, animal meat, grass meat, concrete meat. The world was a large sphere floating in between what they knew as the universe. An orbiting object that twirled at your command. The scent of wet soil and grass loosened the tense surface between Yoonjae's shoulders, Andrei could tell.
The older man watched his soon-to-be limp with his body boxed into a rectangle. His lips were forced into a flat line and his jaw clenched hard enough to shake the very ground they moved on. His knuckles grounded himself to the world, holding onto his pants for help. They were pink and pulsing. Blood shot through and through yet strained at the muscles holding the most.
"I-I really didn't mean to make him uncomfortable. I-I implied he was a bad father, right? I think I did...goodness. I fucked it up. I should've listened to you. It's not my place," he ranted. Even though his tone strangled itself like a child with a flower, choked at the neck, you could see the faux glisten in his doll-like eyes. They'd been like that for the past twenty minutes. Big and wide, yet sad. They carried a decadent ocean that hit the sand ruthlessly. Heartbroken.
"Hm," Andrei blubbered cleanly. His phone filled his hands, even as his heart twitched at the sight.
"God, I feel so mean.." His voice cracked.
"Hm." Andrei nodded along with the same frown he'd been holding since the left. Rough and twisted. They'd only known each other for three days yet it felt like three years, had it been too soon to introduce him to the family? Other than the more obvious fact: Yoonjae was a resident in the apartments Arseni owned. He had a right to see it, on personal business or not. It shouldn't have ended that way.
Not with Yoonjae apologizing until his voice cracked and Arseni slowly backing away.
Fuck. Andrei just nodded.
His phone buzzed in the back of his pocket, vibrating throughout his entire body. He grabbed it with the leisure palm he used for everything else.
Senya Seni
ur bf es muy adorable
super tinyyyyy
he's a foot higher than Gaia.
ANDREI
Yup wtv
Do you think he's good for me?
Senya Seni
he's genuine, sweet, bubbly, and good with kids.
I think he's good in general, but he's polar opposite with you. I mean, what do you even have in common?
ANDREI
I hate when you put your psychologist cap on. It's so annoying.
Senya Seni
no ajhdsjsjj
that's just a general an analysis gurgle gurgle
ANDREI
It's stupid
Senya Seni
ok
yo y mi Gaia are throwing frat party tmr
bring boyfriend
ANDREI
He's freaking out because you
I don't know
Told him off ?
Can't remember
Did you smoke? You seemed a little all over.
Senya Seni
I always am gurgle gurgle
im not u bud
I don't want my lungs to die
ANDREI
You're so stupid
I was talking about weed
Senya Seni
oh nah
not today
Gaia need me
Daddy needed me
he says polina got expelled again
she's just like her brother
adorable
ANDREI
Ok wtv
So what was going on today?
Senya Seni
uh I put the "shower heads" together on the buildings and I decorated vacant units that people who aren't in our current building could move into
I got Saint a new job
he got fired from McDonald's for making burgers with weed in it for him and Giulio
it's adorable
oh I didn't tell ur bf off
I would never.
he's just kinda mean
I think because im a single dad he thought I abuse my little girl + leave her alone for hours
it really hurts my feelings the people you date always just don't like me
ANDREI
Most people don't really like you Senya
Senya Seni
why do u think that
ANDREI
It's always been like that
Don't worry
It doesn't mean much. You have your world.
You're in college, you have eleven years left, you have a daughter, and your papa's vory. I have mine, boys, sex, school, and art. We're just different so don't compare our lovers
Senya Seni
don't embarrass me gurgle gurgle gurgle
ur boyfriend is cute
ANDREI
Stop talking like that about him
Senya Seni
chill I don't like dick
that's gay
just come to my frat tmr for the party gurgle gurgle
ANDREI
We aren't going
Those kids are a problem
Senya Seni
sucks
those kids r my friends
ANDREI
Those kids are just weird x
Senya Seni
Giulio goes to my school
he's studying Scientology
he's going to be a teacher of it or some shit
idk he's my lil bro
cutie pie
ANDREI
He works for you Senya
And he's like what? 16/17?
Senya Seni
he turned like 19 last year sometime
he's a genius
he is the future
just like Gaia
he likes reading books to her
I love Saint but that mfer is stupid as shit
he knows how to count and package weed but cannot entertain for shit
me and Giulio are going to get a drink later
ANDREI
No.
Senya Seni
okay gurgle gurgle
peace out bro
and ps. ure not older than me so stop it
idgaf abt ur asshole of a boyfriend & i don't like how u talk down on me in front of others
it's weird & glitchy
I'm just doing my best in this shitty world
Andrei put the phone where it belonged and sighed. He wiped a hand down his face, the aroma of rain thicker than the shallow fog they walked into. The union street apartments sat in front of them. He walked groggily, behind his soon-to-be at the building. His eyes drooped with exhaustion and he yawned. A small sound pickled out.
It was high and dry, his back arched like a cat. His eyes were drawn to the way Yoonjae looked. The boy was only putting on the code, but grace drifted off of him. Like dust. It fell. Each movement was poised and proper. Even when he wiped his eyes. The digits clacking under his fingers, the way he swayed his hips as he stood, the way his lashes bat as though they could wipe away the embarrassment bleeding into his cheeks. He sniffled as if none of it happened.
The older man rushed a hand through his hair. He couldn't watch this. Yoonjae shouldn't be sick with tears or guilt or shame. He made an assumption. He acted on it. Though he didn't trust Andrei, he doesn't deserve to wallow in self-pity.
"Stop crying, beautiful," Andrei began. The mass of a muscle moved up. He followed Yoonjae into the building and wrapped one long, strong arm around the boy's waist. He could feel him stiffening. The aroma of vanilla cream clung to Yoonjae. It was almost as innocent and sweet as the boy himself. It made Andrei's fingers tingle and his eyes soft. "He doesn't think that way of you, okay? You made an effort to save a little girl, that's okay. I know you meant well, we both do."
"I should've just listened to you," Yoonjae cried, his voice cracking.
"No. It's okay, no one is mad at you or judging you, okay? Why don't we just go back to my place and watch a movie?"
Yoonjae wiped his hand so hard it left his face white. He stared at Andrei, pausing abruptly. "Why would you want to-to d-do that with me?" he whimpered.
The blonde man shrugged. A frown came upon his face and stayed there. "Because you're cute, sweet, and interesting. I want to get to know you. We're not dating, by the way. We've only known each other for a few days, I don't want to rush that," Andrei said. His voice was soft and tender, creaking at the edges as he couldn't handle the weight of something delicate in his grasp all over again. Sculptors could be broken without a word. Yoonjae could tip over his own mistakes and never straighten out.
His gorgeous eyes, wide and lingering, flickered. They glistened with unshed tears while his mouth dipped into a deep frown. "Really?"
"Of course. You're my type and you're different from people I usually go out with. So, I want to take it slow and just...know you, little prince."