Makarovia? Where The Hell Is That? Freshman Year - 4. Chapter 4

We met Ted in his frat house. We followed Ted to the room he shared with one other, that wasn’t there. It was a guy’s room. Clothing scattered and little cluttered, except for the desk where his computer monitor was on a page preparing to receive what Ted wrote. Peter and I sat on Ted’s bed as Ted did the simple niceties as we met with him, like offered a drink, asked how our day was…he was being patient. Then he leveled a look at Peter.

“Why the secret, Peter? You are a prince, so why keep that a secret?”

“When I first got here…in the West.” Peter began and I saw a little of that Peter that I first met. I reached over and took his hand, causing him to smile at me and look up again more confident. “I was raised in Makarovia, but I was…” he looked at me, “how do you say…ізгоєм?” He did speak English well, but his accent was…not difficult to understand, if you listen.

“Outcast.”

Peter nodded with a smile. “Thank you…I was outcast.” He smiled a little shy and shrugged. “I made myself an outcast.” He looked at Ted more directly. “I was unprepared to meet anyone.” He looked at me, bumping his forehead against mine lightly. “I wasn’t prepared to find Eric. I did and we fell in love.” He shrugged. “You now know I’m a prince. You know the title and I can only imagine what you think that means.” He chuckled. “I’ve seen movies. The Princess Diaries? A princess who didn’t know she was a princess? Only this is reversed. I knew I was a prince. You didn’t. We aren’t a big country. We don’t have the grand palaces and unlimited wealth.”

“But you are in line for a throne.” Ted said again more as a question.

Peter nodded. “I am.” He sighed. “But I am next to the throne. My brother will marry. He will produce the next king or queen. I accepted that a long time ago.”

“But right now…” Ted stressed sitting forward. “You are in line. One assassin, a disease or accident; you will be king!”

I looked at Peter. He was very uncomfortable with the idea. “My mother is queen. She would probably step in.”

“How old is she?” Ted asked.

Peter nodded. “She is nearly fifty.”

“She might buy Makarovia some time, but she can’t have another child, can she?” Ted pointed out. “You’re it!”

“I know!” Peter said a little louder, not angry, but he knew. He didn’t want to think about that. It probably had been on his mind a long time. His hopes that King Olek would marry and have a child was what he held on to all that time. Then he said softer. “I’m sorry.” He waved his hand to Ted and rubbed his face. “I know.”

Ted tried to understand. “From what I read…” he chuckled, “and really, there wasn’t a lot about Makarovia. The throne has had everybody from Ukrainians, several Russians…your mother is Russian.” Ted tried to remember what he’d read. “There was a Romanian in there somewhere…” He looked at Peter. “Well…someone has to come up with an heir.” He looked at me. “Your boyfriend…”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” Peter said quickly. “He’s my fiancé.”

Ted’s eyes widened. “Okay, your fiancé…what will he be other than your husband? Will he become a prince?”

Peter looked at me. “Yes.” He shrugged. “My mother became queen by her marriage to my father. Eric will be a prince by marriage to me.”

Okay, I wasn’t stupid. I knew there would be something like that, but me? A prince? Hearing Peter say it just sounded…odd to me.

“As I was saying,” Peter said quietly. “We aren’t a rich country. There have been powers that took control many times. We are independent now and want to stay that way.

Ted nodded. “Yeah, yeah…” he pressed on. “But is Eric going to be in a position to take the throne?”

I sat up a little more when he asked Peter that.

“Your mother did,” Ted said logically. “She was Queen Consort, but now is a real reigning Queen!”

“And does a good job.” Peter defended.

Ted let out a grunt. “You’re not getting it. Maybe you’re not understanding what I mean, but I can’t speak…” He waved his hand again, “whatever you’re speaking to each other.” He looked at me. “You could be in line for the throne! Didn’t you realize that?”

I shook my head. “I don’t want the throne.”

Ted again nodded. “Yeah, yeah…” said again. “I understand that, but one more time. A plane crash or something; all of them are gone. You would be next in line if you are left!”

My grandmother was right. I needed to think about the ramifications. I hadn’t even been to Makarovia yet.

Peter was now looking at me…he hadn’t thought of that either, but recovered. “I have no doubt if that happened…” He said to Ted. “I know he’d do a good job. He already has ideas for improving Makarovia.”

Ted nodded and got up as he thought. He turned back. “The big dinner at the White House…what was that about?”

“I can’t answer that,” Peter said, now not uncertain, but as a ruling member of the royal family. “I will say…there is a reason. It will become public knowledge, but until it does. I won’t say.”

Ted nodded again. “It must be big, whatever it is.”

“It is.” Peter agreed.

“Okay. Tell me about your family. Your brother? He is king now.”

“Because my father was King,” Peter replied. “Our father died when I was about six, my brother, Olek took his place.”

“What do you think about life here?” Ted asked. “How does it compare to life in Makarovia?”

“I wasn’t ready for life here. After my father died, I was kept at the palace and taught there. Until I got here because Eric didn’t know who I was then…I’d never even seen the inside of a mall. I’d seen them on TV, but was never able to go.”

“Really?” Ted asked.

“Yes.” Peter nodded. “That’s why I liked being just a man here. With the freedom to go where I wanted to go. I would not give that up.” Then he looked a little uncomfortable. “And there was…” he was searching for a word again. “How do you say Спотворення жорстоке?”

I frowned and argued in Makarovian. “You were not disfigured!”

“I was!” Peter argued back.

“Guys!” Ted said urgently. “English speaking person here. I have no idea what you just said.”

“He thinks he was disfigured.” I said to Ted. “His acne.”

Ted nodded. “Oh.” Then he shrugged. “I’ve seen worse. There were no real zits or blackheads.”

“You can’t have.” Peter snorted. “I had it all over.” He motioned over his chest.

“His acne was a form of acne called Conglobata Acne. He’s still undergoing treatment.”

“So, it was more than just zits.” Ted said to confirm.

“No, much worse.” I said.

Ted nodded, but was ever the reporter. “Let’s go back. You and Eric going to marry, right?”

Peter nodded.

“There’s only one that is a prince and came out as gay.” Ted said. “That was in India, I think. There are plenty people in royal families that are gay, but it’s kept secret. Or at least try to. You’re not even trying to hide it! Just that alone is going to attract serious attention.”

Peter and I explained why Makarovian society was more tolerant.

“So there would be no objection.” Ted said. “No one objects to you two getting married?” He grinned. “Not that I proposing you do, but my cousin married his partner when it became legal. You guys will do that. Publicly.”

Peter nodded. “Of course.” Then he looked a little smug. “It was never illegal Makarovia for anyone to marry.”

I rolled my eyes when Peter said that and looked at Ted. “We’re not as evolved as they are, apparently.” I grinned at Ted. “When we told his brother and mother, they were very happy about it.”

Ted rose from his computer chair and did a slow circle, thinking. “Really!?” He was getting excited about the story he was going to break. “Oh, this is going to be huge!” He looked at us again. “I don’t know what’s happening with the White House and all those other countries there with you…that will be big, you say. This alone is going to be enormous!” Then he sat down again. “Just to be correct when I write this…” Ted scrunched his face. “Your mother is not King Olek’s mother, right?”

“No.” Peter chuckled. “Olek’s mother died. My mother is our father’s second wife.”

Ted nodded with a grunt and then pressed on. “No one in Makarovia will object to a gay king.”

“No,” Peter said.

I thought a second. “The problem was always about the line of succession. There are other ways to have a child now.”

Peter nodded to me. “There is.”

I brightened. “Maybe we could use that with Olek.”

Peter smiled. “I was just thinking that.”

“I guess we need to contact your brother.”

Ted looked at the two of us. “This story will be in school paper tomorrow.” He warned. “It’s connected to the national feed. This is one big secret that will come out like gangbusters.”

“Gangbusters?” Peter repeated. “I don’t know that word.”

“Later.” I kissed him quickly.

We went back to Peter’s temporary home to make the call. We sent a request to King Olek asking him for a video call. It wasn’t long before we got the reply for us to make it happen. It was a secure channel, that’s why we came here to use their computer. This way we could not only hear King Olek, but see King Olek. Say what you will, but King Olek was a very handsome man! He had that black hair, a trait he shared with his brother. Whatever else, the two Ivanov men were obviously athletic. You could tell not only in the way King Olek’s clothes and Peter’s clothes fit, now that Peter was wearing clothes to see that.

“To what do I owe this call from my favorite brother?” Olek greeted amicably. They might have different mothers, but the two were close.

Peter grinned as his brother and his friendly greeting. “Well, the news about Eric and me is going to come out tomorrow.”

King Olek nodded. “Hello, Eric.” He greeted. “I take it things are still good between you two still.” He said but had no doubting it wasn’t good.

Peter chuckled. “They are. What you and mother said at the White House…thank you. However, that isn’t worldwide. This may and will be soon.”

King Olek nodded. “There will be countries that don’t like that.” King Olek simply shrugged. “But we have a resource now that if they want part of it, they can’t say a word about it.” He said simply

Peter nodded. “Has the time for the world to know what that resource is going to be soon?”

“Forces are arriving this week.” King Olek said softly. “Soon there will be a military presence on Makarovian soil. We have gotten word of potential enemy presence trying to find out what that is about.”

“Potential enemy? Like who?” I asked.

“Ukraine and Russia. I don’t even have to guess about them.” Olek said a little terse.

“Spies,” I said.

“Precisely, but with a kingdom this small, strangers in our midst is easy to find.” King Olek nodded. “And there has been a gathering of Russia’s troops near our eastern border.”

“The eastern border; in what country?” I asked trying to remember the map. “Slovakia? Poland?”

King Olek smiled when I knew that. “Poland. From what I’ve been told, they are just having…” he did the air finger quotes, “exercises.” He shook his head. “I don’t want to have happened what they did to Ukraine.”

“That would be tough to stop, Your Highness.” I nodded.

King Olek laughed lightly and looked closer in the camera. “Okay, Mr. Richards.” He said mockingly formal. “I think under the circumstances…the titles and all that should go. I’m Peter’s brother. I will be your brother.” He smiled again relaxed. “I’m Olek to you. Okay?”

“Sure.” I nodded happy it was all so…friendly. He was a nice guy.

“Russia wouldn’t dare an incursion!” Peter stated in disbelief.

Olek chuckled. “Oh, yes they would, but having the presence of American, British and German forces here will keep them at bay.”

Peter nodded his head. “When everyone believed we were nothing but a burden, they threw us away to fend for ourselves.”

“Now, they want us back,” Olek said. “They just don’t know why yet.”

“But with other powers there, they won’t risk it,” I said.

“They still might try. The Ukrainians and Russians will think they are entitled to it.” Olek shrugged. “At least with Western forces there, they will think twice rather than cause an International Event. So far, there are America and British forces and promises to ensure our right to govern ourselves. Half of the profits we keep, the other fifty percent they are splitting and negotiations are continuing.”

“With the German and French?” Peter asked.

“They say they will help, but I don’t sense that’s their true stance. If we let up a fraction, I think they could threaten us, too.” Olek confessed. “That’s why I insisted all meetings be recorded and stored in a few places. No one will be able to deny what has been proposed. The other countries will ensure the other country complies.”

I nodded. “Wise.”

“Crucial.” Olek pointed out that correction. “Now, about this story coming out about you and Peter, don’t worry about it.” He chuckled. “But it will be momentous! You will become the first couple like you to openly marry…for love.”

“So, I’ve been told often today.”

Peter looked at me. “It’s not too late.” He said softly. “We don’t have to go forward with our plans.”

“We really don’t have any plan except to marry.” I couldn’t believe it! “We can’t break up!?” I stood up. “How can you think that would work? I fell in love with Peter, not Prince Petro. I’m not breaking up with you. Are you saying you want to break up with me?”

“No.” Peter shook his head. “But I’m considering you. This may be more than you bargained for.”

I sat by him again. “No couple has a clear shot at life. There will be problems. This is ours. I gave my heart to you. I don’t want it back.” I looked at him. “We joked around, but you did ask me to marry you. I said yes!”

Peter pulled me back down beside him grinned, bumping his forehead to mine gently. “I don’t want to give your heart back.” Then he looked at Olek. “So when are you going to get serious with someone?”

Olek looked surprised. “How could I? How can I? I’ve been busy.”

Peter nodded. “I know. But we have to plan for a future in Makarovia. If the monarchy is to survive, we need to do things. Like marry and produce an heir. Do I need to explain that biologically? Perhaps make a diagram of what to do?”

Olek chuckled. “Since the discovery of our Uranium, I’ve done all I can to do, always thinking; what’s best for Makarovia? Women I meet are too fleeting. We go out, we don’t see one another often enough to form a relationship, but I’ve made inquiries…” Then he frowned. “A diagram? I know what to do and have done it a few times…” Then he called Peter a word I didn’t know in Ukrainian, Russian or any word I knew in Makarovian.

Peter looked at me and whispered. “That’s Makarovian for wiseass.”

“Oh.” I nodded but was smiling at Peter's and Olek's exchange. They were really and truly brothers! They didn’t just love each other. They liked each other. They were good friends.

Peter chuckled when he looked back at Olek. “Well, I wanted to make sure you knew. Women love a stud like you.”

Olek, only a few times laughed heartily, but he did now. “A Stud!?” He did sit a little straighter. “Perhaps, but shouldn’t there be love? You have to become friends with another person for love to form. I haven’t had time.”

Peter smiled. “But needs to be done. If the monarchy is to survive.”

Olek nodded sadly but looked at his brother. “Should it survive?”

I was surprised to hear Olek say that.

“Why shouldn’t it survive?” Peter asked.

“A monarchy was a good idea, when countries were small, like Makarovia. Now you have countries like the United States, a monarchy would be hard to maintain, but in Makarovia which is poor financially, and an education isn’t always possible, but most graduates manage to go to colleges outside Makarovia, stay because they are offered jobs. Careers. They don’t come back. Now we have a chance to educate and keep what we ourselves grew. Why, right now, we are building more schools, hospitals, and libraries in the bigger towns. Our country is old. The cities and towns are old. We will be making money soon, we can begin improvements, create business and industry…more than smelting iron ore. Is there anyone in our country that you would think would make a good leader right now? A President? Anyone?”

Peter grimaced. “Not really.”

“Anyone who would have been a good candidate moves away and never comes back.” Olek smiled and looked closer at the screen. “This monarchy has another generation or two, but we need to have governors, mayors and that needs teachers. And to be honest, I was looking for you as a possible contributor for the succession. Eventually, there won’t be a monarchy in Makarovia.”

Peter nodded. “And I still can, and so can you. We discussed this, Eric and I…there are other ways to create an heir.”

Olek nodded. “I’ve thought of it.” He grinned. “I’m just thrilled you are interested in this, Peter.” He shook his head. “For years you didn’t seem interested in anything to do with the upkeep of Makarovia. It’s hard work. It was a brave decision to go to the West to get an education. I’m glad to see it’s paying off.”

Peter nodded. “I was a bit antisocial, but loyal to Makarovia.”

“I know you are loyal. Antisocial? Ya think?” Olek said ya think in perfect English.

I laughed at his joke. “That was pretty good, Your Highness.”

Olek grinned. “Olek!” He growled and shook his head.

“Sorry…Olek.”

“Now his mother….” He held the sound of dread. “I still feel like I should call her Your Majesty or something even today! It took me five years before I could call her Alla.”

I smiled. “I don’t think I could ever do that.”

“No.” Peter smiled at me. “It may be possible she will let you call her Mom.”

“Until someone asks me officially, that’s all moot,” I said in English. I didn’t know the word for moot in Makarovian.

Peter and Olek chuckled. But Peter bumped foreheads with me. “You know I love you.”

“I do.”

Olek cleared his throat. “Well, don’t worry about the media coverage. It’ll all be good. We’ll handle it on our end.” He looked seriously at us. “Be ready on your end.”

“We will do our best,” Peter assured. “We just wanted to warn you,” Peter said. “Well, that done. I’ll see you back in Makarovia.”

“Did you invite Eric?” Olek asked hopefully.

“He did,” I said. “I look forward to seeing Makarovia. What I’ve gotten from the internet about Stryia shows a charming city.”

Olek chuckled. “Charming. I suppose it is. If I don’t see you sooner, I’ll see you there.” He looked at Peter. “I love you, Peter.”

Peter nodded. “I love you, too.” He smiled.

“I’m really starting to love you, Eric,” Olek said. “You’ll be a welcomed asset to this family.”

“I’m loving you and Queen Alla,” I said.

“We’ll talk again,” Olek said and cut the connection.

Peter grinned at me. “So, what do you want to do now?”

I smiled a little slyly. “I was thinking…about leading you further down the road to debauchery. Have you ever been to a night club?”

“A night club.”

I nodded. “As this will be your last night as just plain Peter, we need to end this with a bang. Tomorrow you’ll be Prince Petro of Makarovia to everyone on campus and probably Boston. Does that sound okay?”

Peter frowned a little. “I’ve never been to a night club. I’ve seen them in movies….but…”

“I chose one that’s geared for us,” I said.

Peter grinned at me. “Wow, they have a night club for men to come out as a prince and gay?”

I gave him a friendly swat. “If I didn’t love you, I’d kick your royal ass.” I pulled him close and got serious. “Now…about what you said…” I kissed him gently. “I love you, Peter.” I saw him smile at that. “You and I are going to marry. Please, don’t ever doubt that. This is new to me. When you mentioned we didn’t have to go through with this…relationship…that bothered me.”

Peter bowed his head a little, but I pulled his face back up for him to look at me.

“I just know…” Peter began. “This life I asked you to join with me will require more than just walking down the aisle.”

“You thought this would scare me away from you?” I asked.

He shrugged a little. “It might have.” He saw my face and hurried on. “You’re not just going to marry me! You’re be married to Makarovia. I would have asked you sooner, but…” he again shrugged, “…there was that dinner.” He brightened. “Which you did great!” He kissed me. “You kept me from making a fool of myself…”

“Peter,” I said in sort of warning.

He nodded. “I know…you said I wouldn’t…but there were a few times, I began to retreat, I know it. You pulled me back!”

I pulled him into a hug and held him there. “I don’t know what happened to you. I don’t know how you felt growing up.” I said softly. “But never…” I said firmly, but softly, “…I mean never doubt my love for you. I will always be at your side. I won’t ever leave you.”

I heard his hitch in breathing and felt him tighten his hold on me. “Just keep telling me that.”

“I do better than that, Peter,” I said quietly. “I will prove it, by doing what I said. I’m not leaving you.”

There’s nothing sexier someone a little vulnerable. He needed me and I needed him. I had begun to get a better, clearer understanding of Peter; his issues with that horrible acne and his lack of trust and no confidence, I understood more. His father dies when Peter was five. His mother was Queen and had obligations. His brother was King and also had obligations. I understood that in his time of emotional need, he was often alone. The acne just forced him to stay away and hidden from the world. Developing social skills and coping skills requires interacting with people. The paradox was…he was taught what to say and do socially. He knew what was required. Add to the fact, a mother that was super beautiful and very confident, but had things she had to do. Then a brother that was very handsome and also very confident, but also very busy with duties and obligations. At a time when a person’s personal confidence is at its lowest as a budding teenager and he stayed away from people because of his medical condition. It was a wonder he found the courage to even venture to Boston to go to school. He had abandonment issues. His mother and brother loved him very, very much…that was evident, but Peter’s very soul seemed to be damaged. If by telling him over and over that I loved him helped, I’d do it gladly. I knew that the most important thing was if I did what I said. I could never abandon him. I would help him heal.

I kissed him deeply and then held him back a little. “You’re going to dress a little…more…” I grinned, “sexy.”

Peter grinned. “I am?” He looked down at what he had on. “What should I wear? I’ve never been to a night club.”

I nodded. “I’ll put it out.” I kissed him quickly and then stopped. “You can dance.”

Peter gave a shrug and nod. “I have…in my room to videos and music.”

“Good enough.”

It was colder now in Boston. He looked sharp in the electric blue shirt and leather jacket. Not a bomber jacket or anything like a biker, but a nice black leather coat. The black pants that showed he had a nice butt! The pants just hugged his butt showing he had a very good shape. I wore a nice red shirt and black pants.

I had done some research and found a nice club near the Northeastern campus. Jocks! There was Hooters where assets of women were in the name and we had Jocks! Perfect name for a gay club, that or they could call it The Banana Hammock. It was not far, but I drove us over to Jocks. I looked at Peter as we approached the club’s entrance hand in hand. He was staring at the people going in…all guys in various…couples or hoping to become a couple with a lone guy there…even if for one night. It was near a university, so most of the guys were at least legally old enough to drink, but young. There were the daddies there, but with younger men. Peter was smiling we heard the fast-paced music and bass thumping rhythm. This was unknown territory for Peter. He said he’d seen clubs on TV, but he was here now.

“Do you want to do this?” I asked him.

He nodded readily. “Absolutely!” He smiled at me. “This is exciting!”

Inside the music was naturally louder, but we could make out the tune better. It was music to dance to, which many guys were doing. Hanging our coats up, I grabbed Peter’s hand and led him out on the dance floor. Peter was looking a little more nervous. He wasn’t feeling the freedom yet. But he might if I supported him.

“You don’t have to dance at all if you don’t want to,” I said loud so he could hear me. I waved at the other guys. “There are good dancers and really bad dancers.” I waved toward a guy…I’m sorry, but he really didn’t have a sense of rhythm, but he was smiling and enjoying being with his date! “No one will care,” I said pulling his face toward me and kissed him gently to take his mind off the other guys. “If you want, focus on me. Dance for me.” I pressed my forehead to his and looked in his grey-green eyes.

He smiled, shrugged and began to move. It didn’t take too long before he and I were dancing up a real sweat! He was good at dancing! All that time back home dancing to videos and music paid off!

I don’t know how long it was, but I was getting winded. “Let’s get a drink,” I said regulating my breath.

Peter nodded but breathing a little harder as I was. He threw his arm around me. “This is fun!”

“That’s what the place is for!” I said as we walked to the bar. “It used to be the only place those of us who are gay had to gather, meet and have fun. This is like that, but freer. They have clubs in Makarovia?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know.” He said sadly. “I never went. I’m sure there are.”

“With as many gay guys welcome in Makarvia; there has to be.” I smiled. “And you and I find out and will go there! If they don’t, we’ll start one.” I wondered if The Banana Hammock would translate in Makarovian?

I wasn’t a big drinker, but there were a few drinks that I liked. White Russians were my favorite. Naturally, it’s Russian! I loved many things, but I loved someone that had Russian in him. Knowing Makarovian history better, I bet he had a lot of Russian in him.

Drinks got and I heard the call of nature. I moved closer to Peter’s ear. “I’ll be right back.”

Going into the bathroom, I chuckled at what I found there. I wasn’t surprised. There were guys here, but they weren’t having to use the bathroom at all, but it was quieter so they could have conversations. The booths were being used, but not for doing what it was there for. Then again, may they were. But four legs in one booth, facing the same way with pants loose or toward their ankles? I just hoped they were being safe. I headed back to Peter. The club was crowded, I winded through bodies until I saw Peter…he was holding his hands up to stop someone. I saw who it was…Brad. The guy at the frat house that Ted and he shared. The guy who asked me if I wanted to have fun with him that night? The ass? Brad was getting dangerously close to Peter who was shaking his head, but Brad reached down and stroked the front of Peter’s pants at the crotch! I instantly closed the distance, grabbed Brad to turn him around and punched him as hard as I could in the face making him spin around, almost colliding with others who were watching it happen at the bar. His hand came up holding his mouth and nose.

“Don’t you ever touch my fiancé like that again!” I shouted to Brad with my fists still held to go again. Peter put his hands on my shoulders.

“It’s okay,” Peter said in Makarovian.

“No, it isn’t,” I shouted back, not angry at Peter, but Brad. “No means no! Ted told you that when we met, Brad. I told you no and Peter told you no.”

Brad turned wiping his nose as red stained his hand. “You think you can take me!?” He shouted coming toward me.

I cocked my head. “You want to find out?” I came closer to Brad, yes, I was up to the challenge. Right now, I could kill him!

We were all jumped, startled at a loud “BANG!” Turning to the bar, one of the bartenders had a…bat? It was long and wooden, shaped like a bat…kind of. It was shorter. Bigger than cop’s billy club and it wasn’t being used to hit baseballs.

“Knock it off, Brad!” The bartender shouted. “No.” He shook his head. “Leave, right now.” He pointed with his bat toward the door. “Leave or I will throw your ass out and bar you from coming in here again!”

Brad looked as if he was going to take on the bartender. I stepped in front of Brad. “We can go outside and you can see if I can take you.” Looking in his eyes and slight stagger. “You’re drunk again! Ted told me you were an ass. Jesus, you are pathetic!”

The bartender was coming over the bar. “No.” He was big! I mean very big. “Do what you want outside, but for now…” he grabbed Brad by the shirt and drug him towards the door.

I turned to see Peter smiling at me and even laughing lightly. “My hero!” He grabbed me in a hug. He pulled my right hand up and looked at my knuckles, then brought my hand up and kissed the slightly damaged knuckle. “I was fine.” He said grinning. “I could have beaten him.”

I nodded. “I’m sure you could, but nobody touches you without your permission. I just saw red.”

Again, languages are tricky and translation was not always accurate. Direct translations, like red or green don’t mean the same things. “Red? A color again?” But his eyes widened as he got it. “Oh, yes. Red. Anger. Like a red thing the matador uses to make the bull angry. I get it.” He grinned hugging me again and kissed me gently. “I love you.”

The bartender came back…without Brad. “You two okay?”

Peter didn’t let me go but nodded. “We’re fine.”

“Did I hear you say fiancé? Does that mean you’re getting married?” The bartender asked smiling.

“When he officially asks me.” I grinned and saw Peter roll his eyes again.

“Huh?” The bartender asked.

“It’s complicated. He asked me and I said yes.” I said. “We are getting married.”

“Congratulations?” The bartender was a little mystified.

“You’ll understand when the NSUNews comes out in the morning,” Peter said again accented in English. “You do get that here?”

The bartender grinned. “Of course! Most of my clientele comes from Northeastern. I advertise in it.”

I nodded. “Read it in the morning.” I grabbed what little was left in my glass then turned to Peter. “Another dance, or do we head home?”

Peter smiled. “Home. With you, I’ll always be home.” He looked at the dance floor. “Maybe a dance or two more.” He said. “And then we’ll go home, and you and I can touch all we want. We have our permissions.” He kissed me again. “I love you, Eric.”

“I love you, Peter.”