To Dian, life in Corfu seemed like a never-ending celebration of anything that could be celebrated. The only condition was presence of at least dozen of people otherwise it was not considered seriously. Just a week later after Γιαγιά's birthday, Dian found himself with Thanos on a wedding of somebody that even Thanos seemed not to know that close.
In meantime, they attempted a celebration of the Holy Spirit in a nearby town that the celebration culminated in jumping over the bonfire. Especially for the children, that were jumping over their own little bonfire, it was an event to remember and to repeat the next year.
Pulled by the mystic atmosphere and the radiating joy, even the calm Thai boy did not need to be persuaded for long. Joining the snake of young men and women sliding across the town's square, rippling over the orange sparkling flames, stopping and joining the celebrating youth again, he enjoyed this simple demonstration of unity, until even the strongest lights faded off in the night.
To get back to earth, the very next evening they run into Thanos' friends that dragged them into a bar to celebrate, well, Dian was not sure what.
And as he read, this island has a Saint Patron to be celebrated every week at least. So who knows what's on the agenda this Saturday or the days after...
But the event tonight was huge.
The luxurious hotel was all booked out for the 300 guests that were invited from all over Greece and abroad. About hundred more were expected to drop by somewhen during the night to give best wishes to the spouses. And to have some drinks and meze and dance...
The daughter of the hotel's owner, their only child, was getting married.
Spiridon, her father, had only one regret and that was that the bridegroom was not anybody from the Pantazis boys...
He was a very close business partner of Thanos' grandfather, despite their age difference. The hardworking man made it high in the accommodation business with his three hotels and he knew he owes it all to the certain sum of money that the old Pantazis borrowed him decades ago to start his first business.
Because of this, Spiridon wished so much that his personal patron could be here tonight. He wanted to show him what he achieved in full glamour. But the old man does not travel anymore. The thirty years went by so quickly since they first met.
However the gloomy old man ordered his three grandsons to represent him on the wedding instead. And for the peace in Crete, especially having his father's wellbeing in mind, even Thanos agreed to do so. After all, it is just a wedding of a good family's girl that they once were planning to match with him. Until his great escape abroad solved the "problem".
"So how exactly did you made me to come with you to this spectacular event?" Dian was looking around at the enormous flower decorations and thousands of glittering details and wished he could merge with the staff that seemed to outcount the guests.
"Maybe because I forgot to tell you how big it will be. On purpose," the golden sparkles danced amused in his blue eyes when this confident young man smiled at the slightly insecure Thai boy.
Dian made a loud sigh in disagreement.
"Relax, it will be fun. But if you should not enjoy it, here is the key to your room," Thanos handled a cardkey to Dian that remained in surprise.
"But we are only half an hour away from Kerkyra, I could easily go back to my apartment."
"Nope, believe me, the last thing that you want, is to try to reach one of the few taxis on this island, late at night, when you are tired. That's why I told you to take your things for a sleepover."
"But I thought the hotel is far away---"
"Well, they offered the rooms to our family and our friends, that come with us tonight, so we should not refuse, right?"
Dian lifted his eyebrows.
"You are here with me, do not worry, really," Thanos' sudden change to soft voice showed he was talking seriously. "If it makes you feel better then let me tell you that there is about a dozen of maid's friends from USA and some others from France. She spent there two years on exchange trips. So you are definitely not the only no-Greek guest here."
Dian nodded.
"Are you ok with it? You do not have to push yourself if you do not feel comfortable..."
"I am fine, I guess I just needed some reassurance..." Dian looked around on the everpresent chaos: "Looks like a wedding in Thailand. Just less colorful," he narrowed his eyes.
Thanos did not like the sudden feeling of panic he could not control. Seeing Dian narrowing his eyes in nostalgia, he imagined him feeling homesick...thinking about returning...
His chest felt suddenly heavy what only assured him that he must find out... There will be no better chance than tonight.
"Surprisingly, I do not miss this part of Thai life," Dian added smilingly, pulling his Greek friend back to the fuss of the present and unknowingly melting the stone that was about to remain on Thanos' chest for the whole evening.
But this boy definitely had the magical ability to heal all those dark emotions.
Just by few words spoken.
Thanos wondered in a brief thought if someone could be a witcher placing heavy spells on one's heart unintentionally, while in the very next moment, being the merciful healer of all the inner pains he just brought about...
"Αθανάσιο, εδώ είσαι!" the proud father of the bride was approaching Thanos loudly. As mentioned before, he would be also proud of the groom, if only the groom was this perfect Greek man and not the one his daughter chose. At least if he was a Greek! "But, he is French," the man frowned his eyebrows at this thought.
The conversation was quick and Greek and the man left the same way he came - like a storm.
Dian thought he heard mentioning Nikos' name.
"I need to go to the lobby to ask his wife about some arrangement for tonight. To be specific, Nikos promised to make some dance performance, but he will not make it to come in the end."
Meanwhile they made their way to the entering hall despite all the guests arriving and flowing further to the dinning room in opposite direction.
The bride's mother seemed disappointed in the first part of the conversation where Dian could understand only Nikos' name again, but then her face lit up soon after. She called a small boy to come and they discussed something all three together. With a triple "ok", Dian and Thanos left to put their bags into the rooms.
"The room is big like my apartment but as you said I will not waste more of my nerves on this," Dian just stated with a pocker-face when he closed the door of his "room".
In the end, they ended up alone in this part of the fifth floor, where only three exceptional rooms were situated. Nikos did not arrive and Spiros refused to sleep in the hotel.
"He is just being polite, nobody wants to have nightmares on a night like this," Thanos chuckled although one could not be sure if he does not mean it seriously.
All rooms and the private lobby as well faced the Albanian coast that could be now only guessed by the towns' lights visible in the distance. The night arrived.
On their way down in the elevator they could hear the music already resonating through out the whole hotel. Mixed with guests' laughter and mumble it was clear that the party began.
Dian could not believe how many people appeared in the conference hall in the 20 minutes when they were away. Despite the celebrating chaos, when these two handsome men in their perfect-fit suits entered the hall, they naturally attracted attention of all the nearby present persons.
And yes, there were a lot of single ladies...
They did not even have time to take their seats when the groom popped up in front of them. He looked a bit nervous but who would blame him. "Hello, you are Athanasios, Nikos' brother, am right? I am the groom and..." he took a deep breath in: "they said that Nikos could not come because of the weather or cancelled flight or so..." He was obviously getting into panic.
Thanos put a hand on his shoulder to calm him down: "Do not worry, Nikos told me what to do. Everything will be as if he was here," reassured him about something that Dian knew nothing about but that he should find out in the next few minutes.
Just when the groom joined back his spouse and her gloomy father, the dancefloor got lit up by spotlights. The musicians were already taking their place to replace the electronic device.
But first...
Somebody took the microphone and invited to dance the just married bride and groom.
After the most magical moment of every wedding, the animator of the evening continued speaking and speaking for some minutes till the first tones of another song lifted an excited applause in the audience. Obviously, everybody knew what was about to happen just by hearing this short piece. However, the dancefloor was still empty.
"Could you please hold my jacket for a moment?" Thanos asked his friend just a second before he smilingly appeared on the stage under the strong yellow lights.
Dian remained petrified on the spot from surprise. Was this what they were just talking about with the groom?
A surprise dance for the bride and the guests?
How could Thanos just so confidently step up and dance? No rehearsal?
How Dian wished he could just dance like this - from his heart...
The audience started clasping the well known rhythm that even Dian was already aware of.
The "Αθηνά μου" was a hit among the young people in Greece and not only there. An exceptional song from an exceptional young singer. A song about searching for one's love in the streets of Athens - what could be more Greek than this?
...maybe just a perfect dance to it's zeibekiko rhythm...performed by a perfect Greek young man...
Dian looked around and invisibly sighed. Everybody was hypnotized. The young beautiful maids the most...
Μα σε ψάχνω απεγνωσμένα στην Αθήνα μου
Μα σε ψάχνω απεγνωσμένα στην Αθήνα μου...
The melody gradually changed.
A small boy of about 10 years entered the parquet and to the big surprise of all the present started his own dance to another of notoriously known songs. Thanos kneeled down at the edge and encouraged the boy with clasping out the zeibekiko rhythm with other guests.
The bride was so moved by the little boy dancing to Έρωτας αρχάγγελος, the "Archangels of love", that she almost cried her perfect make-up down.
And yet...the performance was still not over.
When the music changed again and the voice of a legendary singer started confession of his love, Thanos was on the dancefloor again.
But this time, he made just few moves and then theatrically called out somebody to join him.
Now this supposed to be the peak of the event!
The groom changed with Thanos and to shock of his father in law performed a perfect dance to the catchy melody of Ρόζα.
Even Spiridon had to admit that all the long dancing turns that this song required were something that his French son in law must have trained for months to be this perfect.
"Looks almost like performed by a Greek...maybe he could become a 10% Greek in the end...once."
But for tonight, the peace between them was set.
And the real Greek celebration of a wedding could start!
* * *
Despite the great atmosphere and friendly people on the wedding, Dian could not relax himself to enjoy it in full. Yes, sure, he was careful as not to drink too much alcohol, almost nothing. He did not want to repeat the embarrassment like the other evening in the taverna...
But although another cup of wine would surely loosen his inner tension to some extend, he rather did not want to risk what would come out to surface this time...
...because although together the whole evening, Thanos was not able to speak with him at all.
A chatty flock of girls of all nationalities appeared around them right after the dance ended and made it impossible to even have a minute of peace in the next three hours. Not even to talk to other male guests.
Later, Dian finally excused himself and disappeared in the bathroom.
Thanos tried to made the same escape but stumbled over one of the maids that was obviously tired of the society for tonight.
The moment Dian came out from the restroom, he could just catch a picture of Thanos leaving the hotel through the front door with this maid. Laughing when the girl accidentally fell into his arms...
"That's it, Dian. This is the moment you had to see to finally stop thinking about nonsense..." And turned to go to take his jacket left on the chair in the hall.
A short message vibrated his phone: "I'll be right back. T."
"Sure, hm. Whatever," noted Dian for himself. He was annoyed by his own attitude but he could not help himself.
He made his way back to their table, took the jacket but his way back was hindered by the elderly part of bride's family that came to look for Thanos. Since he was not available, the second handsome guy was fine as well.
Dian had to be very patient to refuse all the offers of raki and champagne explaining that he is not used to alcohol that much... In the end, he had to ingest at least a piece of baklava, what was a cruelly sweet traditional pastry made from honey and nuts... Just a bite sends your blood-sugar sky high.
Finally in the lobby, he took a deep breath and mentally agreed that this evening is over. And maybe tomorrow he should think again about the future plans.
He let the elderly women take the elevator first and silently waited for it to return from the fourth floor.
As everything here, also the lift had its own slow pace...
"Wait for me!" A familiar voice made Dian's heart skip. He should have taken the lift with the women...
Thanos smiled widely when he approached his friend. His eyes were radiating relief but his whole behaviour looked a bit tense.
"They are waiting for you there..."
"I made my appearance. The rest of the night is in my hands."
"So that you could leave with the French girl?" Dian asked a bit provocatively.
"Yes, I asked her if I should accompany her to her room," the azure eyes sparkled teasingly. Dian remained poker-faced. Thankfully he was an actor before...
"She was tipsy and the way to her room in the other building leads along the swimming pool..." Thanos was enjoying the little flash of realization in Dian's face.
"But I hurried to be back in time."
Now this finally returned the voice to the silent boy who automatically asked: "In time for what?"
The door of the elevator opened and Dian entered inside. "What is there more to happen tonight?"
"In time for a question..." Thanos smiled lightly still standing motionless outside.
The younger boy turned to face him with a puzzled look on his face.
"...and the night...depends. On the answer."
Thanos finally entered the little room of the lift and stopped a bit too close in front of the elegant Thai man.
Dian was able to grasp a shallow breath before he turned completely paralyzed by the short distance between them. The sound of the closing door seemed a mile away.
"So, now that there are no crowds around us like last time..." Thanos moved another centimeter closer and lowered his voice: "...and most importantly, now that we are both of a clear mind..."
Dian's memory suffered a sudden shock therapy.
"The question is..."
How could he know...?
"...can I kiss you?"
The elevator started its mission heading slowly towards its terminal stop...
All the flashbacks of the dream that he was trying to forget crossed Dian's mind. The realization that it all might have been real, woke up a flock of panicking butterflies in his stomach.
And in an instant he got heavily addicted to this unknown feeling.
Dian knew immediately that he will not leave this chance to fade away into a mirage again.
First floor passed...
Although almost invisible, the light agreeing nod was all that Thanos was waiting for - to let a little butterfly of his own land on Dian's lips.
If the tickling feeling before was confusing, then Dian did not know what was coming.
Once he opened his mouth to receive the true kiss, his blood seemed to start flowing again. However, his whole body was on alert trying to manage the overwhelming emotions.
On the other hand, his mind simply surrendered and stopped functioning.
Who needs to think in a moment like this anyway...?
They both dived in the deep kiss that let the whole reality flow away.
Following the days after the dream, Dian fantasized a real kiss would free him from the torture of his own thoughts that were returning continuously to the same scene.
Only now he understood how absurd this misleading idea was.
There was no satisfaction coming at all. Instead, they just wanted more...
But the fifth floor had to come at the end and this time and the sound of the opening door pierced through the air.
The little sweet butterfly flew away. Too early!
Silently calling to chase him after...
Dian clenched his fists. Once he regained the control of his legs, though still half charmed, he stepped out of the lift and stopped in front of Thanos in the middle of the lobby.
Standing on a neutral spot, they both knew the end of this evening is still open.
The metal door hid the sharp light inside the elevator and made the room return back into its softness of the few mood lamps which were illuminating the room.
Dian was desperately trying to think what he should say. Should he say anything at all...?
"If you ask me about tonight..." his friend whispered just before he moved closer and leaned over Dian's shoulder: "then I would reply..."
The butterfly appeared again and landed softly on the side of boy's neck.
"...that..."
Thanos continued kissing up the burning skin of the boy that he was inexplicably attracted by since they first met. And the need to come closer to him was growing bigger every day.
The wish to be allowed to possess him for a moment.
"...I would like to spend it with you..."
The hot whisper right next to his ear made Dian tilt his head in thrill.
All that Thanos wanted in this moment was to hold the body in front of him. But the boy still did not express his decision. Thanos did not want to press him in any way. Although he was desperate at the thought that he might be rejected, he knew this must be a common decision of them both.
Now the time came for the unspoken question.
The memory of the passionate kiss just a few moments ago gave Thanos the hope and the confidence for the next move.
The beep of the room's electronic lock did not leave any doubts.
Dian stand alone in the middle of the lobby.
Left to decide for what he wants.