Adoration of the Kings, Dossi, 1527
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"I'm still surprised you invited someone," Dahlia said, hauling her two personal luggages. "To be honest, I've never pictured you as the type to have friends, let alone choose to travel with one."
Josiah grimaced.
"I'm serious. When you were a kid, you always refused to share your toys, remember? Dad got on your case about sharing until you were, like, twelve!"
Oh, the wonders of youth. Defined as an early period of existence, growth, or development, youth meant the early stages of sculpting, the creation of a general shape and idea before the finer details were implemented. Before the masterpiece was completely perfected. If the foundation was obscured, the entire piece was ruined, forcing the artist to either make do with their mistakes or abandon it entirely. Youth was far more crucial than adulthood—after all, the softer the clay the more easily it's manipulated.
"Josiah, give the plane to Johnny."
"But Dad, it's mine! I saved up my own money so that I could buy this. He's only five! He'll...he'll break it!"
"Then buy another one. Didn't you say that you wanted to be just like me?"
"Yes...but..." The plastic Millennium Falcon trembled in his small hands.
"You think you'll get far in life acting like a selfish brat? Here's a lesson, son. You won't get anywhere without learning how people work first. Make Johnny happy, then his father is happy. Understand?"
"B-but—"
"Give him the damn toy!" his father shouted, raising his hand. "Or so help me I will—"
"Josiah?" interrupted Dahlia.
He shook his head conscious. "Right. Always a generous man."
She frowned at him.
"What?"
Dahlia opened her mouth as if to answer, but quickly shut it closed. He felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Josiah, is that you?"
"Isaac!" he smiled when he saw grey eyes. "I'm glad you made it."
"Just repaying that 'favor'."
"Dahlia, this is Isaac. Isaac, Dahlia."
He watched as they shook hands.
"If you don't mind, I'm going to buy a...blanket before we board," Isaac said, already walking away.
Dahlia smacked him in the arm when Isaac was out of ears' reach. "You never told me he was freaking gorgeous."
"I didn't?"
"No!"
"Guess I didn't think it was necessary. Keep your hands off, though," he said with a smirk, "I can share toys, but this one's mine."
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✦ *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
"Italy is lovely," said Isaac, as he and Josiah stepped onto the terrace of his villa. His eyes glistened with wonder and awe as he eagerly leaned over the railing. "And it's even better now that it's my favorite time of day."
Isaac must've been referring to the fact that it was dusk. As the sun set, the sky was a radiant blur of pink, purple and blue. The sun's rays made everything in its path gold. Reflections of light in the nearby ocean were gold. Isaac's disheveled hair was gold. His pale, smooth skin was gold, and the white cable-knit sweater consuming his body a similar shade. They must've been a peculiar sight for onlookers: a boy made of cold stone beside a blazing golden boy.
His eyes, well, they were still grey. And his lips also—they might've been the prettiest, softest shade of pink he's ever seen...
"Yeah, it's beautiful," he finally said.
Isaac continued to marvel at the view.
"...Josiah?"
"Yeah?"
"You're staring."
"Oh, s-sorry" he flushed, "you uh...have something on your face."
"Agh, that's so embarrassing." Isaac used his sleeve covered hand to wipe his face.
"Is it gone?"
"Let me get it," Josiah said, impulsively running his thumb over Isaac's faintly freckled cheek—though there was nothing there to begin with.
"Thanks," he said. They stood in silence. The ocean breeze blew strands of hair into Isaac's face and Josiah was tempted to brush them aside.
"Josiah?"
"Yes?"
"You can remove your hand now."
Josiah yanked it back. "Right. Sorry."
Isaac cocked his head. "You're so strange. I don't understand why everyone admires you."
Ouch.
"Says the one who wants to be blindfolded in bed."
"Hey. Don't say you're not into the idea."
"Touché."
Isaac chuckled. "I forgot to ask. Your sister told me she came here for a wedding. Are we going with her?"
"It's just one of her friends. She said we can if we wanted to. Do you want to?"
"Is there alcohol and music?"
"I would assume so."
"Then the answer is yes. Though I myself dislike the act of marriage."
Josiah frowned, as if to ask "why" without speaking.
"It feels like ancient ritual, made up by people who don't have the slightest idea what love is so that they can pretend that they are in it. I mean, look at how many couples are either divorced or unhappy. Weddings are good for few things: food, booze, gifts, and music."
"Straightforward as always," said Josiah. "But this time I don't think your opinion on weddings is valid. Talk to me when you've experienced anything beyond an eros love."
"My opinion won't change" he said stubbornly, "I've deemed it wise to abandon the L word entirely. I'll never deal with conflicts involving monogamy." Isaac scoffed at the end.
"What now?" asked Josiah, stunned by Isaac's rather pessimistic world view.
"I just think it's funny. Two fucked up people talking about love. We should be the last people to have opinions on this."
"Just because we're fucked up doesn't mean we're not human. Even if that's what they tell us." Josiah took another look at the view, then down at the people below. "My heart may only beat for men, but it still pumps blood through my veins. And although my lungs may fill with the smoke of cannabis from time to time, there is oxygen circulating my body. I like to think I'm human."
"Look at you. Getting all philosophical on me, Beckett."
"You started it, Harley."
"Yeah, well I start a lot of things. It doesn't mean you have to respond."
"How can I not?" said Josiah. He stepped closer to Isaac. They were face to face, but now that the sun had almost set neither of them could see much. "Everything you do triggers my desire to respond."
"Like that night in the cabin?" Isaac asked, stepping even closer.
"Exactly, but this time it was verbal instead of physical."
"Which do you prefer?"
"Hmm...let me think. That's a difficult question."
Their lips were centimeters apart. God, they were so tempting this close. But he couldn't tell if Isaac was being a tease or actually about to kiss him. They just stood for several seconds face to face in the dark.
"Josiah are you there? Oh there you are!" shouted Dahlia, opening the terrace door.
Both boys jumped apart in shock. "What do you want?"
"I came to ask about the wedding. Do you want to go? Because it's tonight and you should probably get ready soon if you are."
"Oh, yeah. We're going."
"Fantastic. Be ready in two hours."
When she left, Josiah looked back to Isaac, who was fidgeting with his oversized sweater. "You heard the girl. I hope you brought nice clothes."
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