His Tiny Sun

Chapter 33 - Walk in the Woods （Beach Saga, Part 5）

CHAPTER 33

Walk in the Woods (Beach Saga, Part 5)

Jonah put Marina’s empty glass on the bar and took a seat, recalling how nervous she’d looked earlier. She must have sensed that Eric was about to blow up. They seemed extraordinarily close; it was possible they had something like Sean and Isabel going on, where they could practically read each other’s minds.Well, to be fair, Flavien’s selective behavior toward Alan was nothing if not blatant.

At any rate, it was a good thing that Eric was able to wait until he’d dragged Flavien away before lashing out. Meanwhile, the three pests could keep enjoying themselves to the fullest, without any drama ruining their day.

Jonah had never seen Eric exercise so much restraint before. All the more reason for Jonah not to lose his own temper today. If Eric could hold it in, then so could he.

Nicco made a bottle spin in the air, then caught it and started pouring with one fluid motion, while dancing to the beat of the annoying music.

Show off.

Nicco’s shirt had a few more buttons undone than before, giving a clear view of the chain he was wearing around his neck. A pendant in the shape of a cross dangled behind his pecs, making Jonah scoff internally at its obvious purpose: luring the observer’s gaze to his chest.

Who are you trying to score?

Show off or not, Nicco looked like he was having a blast. It made Jonah wonder what it would be like to enjoy his job. There was the occasional day when Jonah worked on a stimulating project, but overall, he was getting sick and tired of his current profession. He couldn’t even bring himself to consider working part-time over the course of his studies; the mere thought made him want to simultaneously punch a wall and wrap himself in a tight burrito of blankets.

Perhaps he could try working as a barman over the weekends, Jonah mused, as he studied Nicco’s moves. Jonah had great coordination, and with his looks, he’d undoubtedly rake in phenomenal tips, which would allow him to keep going to therapy .

“Hey, your friend with the red sunglasses. She single?”

Bingo.

“She is,” Jonah said. “But don’t get your hopes up.”

“Lesbian?”

“Nah. She’s just not interested in being in a relationship—and before you ask, she’s not looking for a hookup either.”

“That’s a shame,” Nicco said as he squeezed the juice from a lime wedge in one of the glasses. “I love women with an appetite. I can’t stand those who order a green salad with a glass of water when I take them out to dinner. What’s even the point, right?”

Jonah shrugged. “Marina’s single. I think. She doesn’t look like the sort to order a green salad.”

“Nah. Can’t do. That woman’s head over heels for that Eric dude.”

Jonah raised an eyebrow. “You’ve got that wrong, man; they’ve known each other since they were kids. She’s like his sister.”

Nicco shook his head, his smile turning a shade of smug as he crushed mint into one of the glasses. “Maybe for him, but she feels differently.”

“And how would you know that?” Marina wasn’t exactly chatty. There was no way she would have discussed such personal matters with a stranger, never mind the fact that she hadn’t left Eric’s vicinity once since morning.

Nicco grinned. “Because it’s my job.”

“Your job is to mix drinks.”

Nicco put the glass down and wiggled his index finger. “No, my man. My job is to observe .”

“Observe? You a spy or something?” With Flavien, one never knew. Nicco would be a shitty one, though, seeing as he straight up admitted to having been watching them. Unless that was part of the act…

Nicco laughed as he crouched down to grab a bottle of sparkling water from his mini fridge. “I’ve worked in clubs for close to a decade. Trust me, our job isn’t just to get people drunk and look amazing doing it.”

“Enlighten me.”

“We gotta know the state of our crowd at all times.”

“The state of your crowd?”

Nicco placed two fingers in front of his eyes, simulating a laser gaze. “You gotta start watching them as soon as they walk in, and make a mental image of all your patrons. How they act, who they came with, the reasons they’re there. Are they looking to have a good time with their friends, or are they just hoping to secure themselves a good fuck? That way, you know right away when something’s wrong.”

“What do you mean?”

Nicco put a straw in each glass, one red and one blue, then placed both drinks in front of Jonah. “Do you know how many times a week we save vulnerable patrons from predators?”

“Uh…no.”

“Far too many, let me tell ya. Scumbags are a constant in this world. We always gotta watch out for people who seem to have been drugged against their will, or don’t have the faculties to give informed consent, so we can warn security.”

“Huh…never thought of that.” In truth, Jonah had never been to a club. He knew nothing about nightlife, apart from the occasional uni party he went to with Sean and Isabel. Maybe becoming a barman wouldn’t be such a good idea after all; he didn’t think he could resist the temptation to punch those predators’ faces until they were no longer recognizable.

Nicco held his gaze while tapping his temple with his index finger. “We learn to read people.”

Jonah smirked, seizing the opportunity to lighten the mood—he would rather not think about punchable scumbags for too long. “Yet you didn’t know if Isabel was single.”

“Ha! You got me. She’s an exception to the rule, though. I had a feeling she was single, but she also seemed unavailable, you know? You just confirmed my hunch. The blue straw is the virgin one, by the way.”

Jonah’s smile widened. “That’s easy to say after the fact.”

“Fine, then. Go ahead,” Nicco said with a challenging spark in his eyes. “Ask me anything.”

“Anything?” Jonah echoed, to which Nicco responded with a nod. “Alright. Why don’t you tell me why Flavien is such a pain in the ass?”

Nicco burst out laughing. “He really is something today. He’s not usually that bad, though. I’ve never seen him this nervous before.”

“What’s different today?” Jonah asked, even though he knew the answer to that question.

Nicco leaned against the bar, a smug smile growing on his lips. “You sure you wanna know?”

What the?

“Yeah.”

“Flavien wants to win Eric back.”

Jonah huffed a derisive laugh. “Don’t need to be a genius to figure that one out.”

“And,” Nicco stretched the word out, pointing two fingers at Jonah’s chest, “he’s trying to make him jealous…with you.”

Jonah curled his lip. “With me? Dude, that’s ridiculous. I have a boyfriend.”

“So? No offense, but—”

“— Don’t ,” Jonah spat out as he sprang to his feet. Whatever sentence began with those three words wasn’t worth his time.

“Hey, relax,” Nicco said as he nonchalantly leaned against the shelves behind him, clearly not intimidated in the slightest. “I was just gonna say that low self-esteem can give the illusion that someone’s just a pawn, you know?” He made a dismissive hand gesture. “Easy to push aside.”

“Well he’s not.”

“ Obviously .”

Jonah held Nicco’s gaze, his anger easing slightly at how genuine he sounded. “Why would you tell me this, though? Sounds like a stupid way to get yourself fired.”

Nicco shrugged. “We both know you’re not gonna tell him. Besides, you would have figured it out soon enough; you’re clearly immune to Flavien’s”—he gestured vaguely—“ self .”

Jonah sat back down at the bar. “And what am I supposed to do with that information?” Not that he needed anyone’s advice, but he still didn’t comprehend why Nicco was telling him all this—and if it was even factual in the first place.

“I think you already know the answer to that question. Speaking of…” He grabbed a pretzel from a bowl and plopped it into his mouth. “Anything else you wanna ask me?”

Very subtle , Jonah thought as he watched Nicco chew on his snack. He doubted Nicco’s act was part of Flavien’s ploy, but still, he’d be damned if he let the man collect the slightest piece of information from him. “Why don’t you tell me what else you observed ?”

“Where to begin…” Nicco trailed off, rubbing his chin in mock-contemplation. “There’s a lotta tension between you and Eric, but you’re with his friend now, so I’m guessing it’s you who dumped him, and it’s pretty re cent too.”

“Couple months ago.”

“Ha, see?”

Jonah gave him an unimpressed look. “Eric has a big mouth. It’s not exactly classified information.”

“Alright. Alright.” Nicco held his gaze for a few seconds, then continued, “Sean would like to connect with you more, but he doesn’t know how to open up.”

“We’ve known each other since high school.”

“And how many heart-to-heart conversations did you have during that time?”

Jonah crossed his arms. “Emotional constipation isn’t exactly rare among cisgender heterosexual white males. Again, not very impressive.”

“Mm-hm. Mm-hm. Tell me how being into dudes has made you the open-hearted, emotionally connected individual you are today.”

“Did Flavien pay extra for you to piss me off?”

Nicco burst out laughing. “Aw, man.” He shook his head as he shoved another pretzel in his mouth. “Flavien really has a type.”

“I’m nothing like Eric,” Jonah groaned.

Nicco gave him an obnoxious smile, which slowly faded. “Seriously, though, you should consider giving him some slack.”

Jonah narrowed his eyes. “Who? Eric?”

Nicco nodded slowly.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Nicco tapped his temple again, then cast a glance over Jonah’s head and turned around to start wiping bottles.

Huh?

Jonah heard footsteps coming, then a brown mass appeared in his periphery with a loud huff. Jonah looked over his shoulder—no sign of Flavien—then back at Eric, who was staring blankly at the bottles in front of himself. If he’d been putting on an act before, he surely wasn’t anymore; a thick mix of frustration and lassitude was emanating from Eric. “Hey,” Jonah said tentatively.

Eric looked at him, his eyes like two empty voids. He nodded, then stared back at the bottles like they were mini lighthouses in the turbulent sea of emotions he was drifting in.

Nicco gave Jonah a look , then resumed wiping the bottles that were already pristine.

Jonah wrinkled his nose. Alan was too drunk to deal with this shit right now—and he shouldn’t have to anyway, seeing as he was at the core of Eric’s concerns. As for Marina, Jonah had a feeling she wouldn’t be the right person for the job. Otherwise, Eric would have gone back there directly, rather than dragging his depressed carcass to the bar.

Especially since he’d made the decision not to drink…

Unless he’d changed his mind…

But then, why hadn’t he ordered yet?

Nicco gave Jonah another obnoxious look .

“Hey uh…” Jonah cleared his throat. “Wanna go for a walk…or something?”

Eric looked at him again, this time with a big grimace on his face like Jonah had just said the most revolting thing. “ Why ?”

“Never mind,” Jonah hissed through gritted teeth as he stood up.

“Wait.” Eric sighed. “Yeah.”

Jonah held Eric’s gaze for a few seconds, searching for any signs of hostility, but all he saw was exhaustion and sadness. “I just gotta bring this to Marina.”

“On it,” Nicco exclaimed, snatching the glass from his hand.

“Ah. Thanks,” Jonah said. “And hey, could you bring Alan some water? And tell him I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

“Will do!”

“Thanks.” Jonah took a long sip of his mojito and internally thanked his past self for ordering it. “Where should we…”

“This way,” Eric said as he stood up and started walking like a furious madman.

Jonah drank some more to refrain himself from spitting out a remark as he fell into step with Eric, who was walking straight to a small forest next to Flavien’s house. Jonah would regret it; he could feel it. There was no way this could end well.

Fucking Nicco.

The air got cooler as they walked past a multitude of trees and shrubs, the shitty music fading steadily into the background. There was nothing relaxing about their improvised walk in the woods, but the luxuriant vegetation surrounding them was enchanting nonetheless. Jonah took good note of the perfect spot for a make out session away from prying eyes. Maybe he could come back here with Alan later.

Just as they couldn’t hear much more than the sound of their soles crushing the forest floor, Eric stopped abruptly, turned to face Jonah, and crossed his arms. “Go on. Say it.”

“Huh?”

“Tell me how much of a shitty person I am.”

Jonah took another long sip as he gathered the strength he needed to ensure this conversation didn’t end with his fist in Eric’s face. “I had no intention of doing that.”

“Then why?”

“Why what?”

“Why lure me away?”

“I didn’t lure you anywhere,” Jonah said with badly contained exasperation. “ You led me here.”

Eric scowled. “Don’t be a smart ass. You know what I mean.”

Jonah closed his eyes as he downed his mojito.

Do it for Alan.

Jonah took three long breaths.

Do it for Alan.

Jonah opened his eyes. “You looked like you needed—don’t know—to talk. Or something.”

Eric gawked, his arms dropping to his sides as he blinked repeatedly like an idiot. “Really?”

Jonah threw his head back and sighed at the sky. “Yes. Really,” he grumbled. He glared at the tree leaves that were fluttering over his head while he waited for Eric to share whatever was on his mind, but only faint music reached his ears. It reminded him that Alan was waiting for him on the beach.

Jonah looked back at Eric to urge him to get on with it, but he was forced to abort when he found Eric sinking to the ground with his face buried into his hands.

Shit.

“I’m such an idiot,” Eric mumbled.

“Wh—” Jonah pressed his lips firmly together to shut his mouth. Whenever Jonah retreated within himself like that, his therapist gave him all the time he needed to regain control over his thoughts before asking him any questions. Surely, there was some merit to it because Jonah always ended up spilling the beans .

Jonah regretted not bringing his phone, though; he wouldn’t be so tempted to rush Eric if he could send Alan a text telling him not to worry.

“Today’s such a disaster,” Eric lamented. “I can’t believe I thought this was a good idea.”

Jonah huffed, marking the end of his resolution to be patient. “Have you seen Alan and the two pests? They’re having the time of their lives. That’s not really my definition of a disaster.”

Eric dropped his arms to his sides and gave Jonah a teary-eyed gaze. He looked so pathetic, Jonah had to resist the urge to seize him by the shoulders and give him a few slaps to make him snap out of it.

“The world doesn’t revolve around you, Eric,” Jonah continued. “Give your friends some credit—they can take care of themselves. I mean, Flavien sure has been a pain in the ass, but there’s no surprise there. Nobody expected him not to be.”

“I guess…” Eric trailed off. A faint smile grew on his lips, but it abruptly disappeared. “He’s been giving Alan so much attitude, though.”

“That’s ‘cause Alan’s perfect.”

Eric chuckled, but his smile faded again. “He is. I don’t deserve him.”

“Well, that’s for him to decide. And trust me, you’re important to him.”

“I am?” Eric asked with big imploring eyes.

Jonah couldn’t believe his ears. He had no idea Eric was this insecure.

Jonah had let himself get fooled by Eric’s boisterous persona. Had he known, there was no way he would have hooked up with him. Jonah couldn’t bring himself to regret his decision, though; if he hadn’t fucked Eric, he would most likely not be with Alan today.

It was an uncomfortable thought to have while isolated in a forest with Eric, who was kneeling in front of him and looking at him with those eyes . “Of course, idiot,” Jonah spat out. “Now stop moping, already. Unless you want everyone to believe I kicked your ass and made you cry.”

“ Hell no ! You couldn’t even if you tried,” Eric exclaimed as he sprang to his feet.

“Don’t challenge me. ”

Eric held his head high as he started walking back toward Flavien’s house. “I’d win.”

Jonah snorted. “In your dreams.”

“I’m taking combat classes.”

“You had one class.”

“It’s one more than you.”

“I’ve been boxing for four years.”

Eric slowed his pace and looked at him, all animosity gone from his face. “I didn’t know,” he said in a disheartening voice, before looking back into the distance.

Jonah felt like a piece of shit as he was reminded of how little he’d shared with Eric when they were seeing each other. The only thing Jonah had told him was that he had plans to get into medical school, as it was basically the most effective pick-up line. Other than that, Jonah had left him completely in the dark. Eric only found out where he worked because he saw Jonah’s ID card in the glove box of his car.

Jonah stopped dead in his tracks and started talking before he changed his mind. “Hey, um…”

Eric halted as well and gave him an inquiring—and wary—look.

“I’d like to apologize. About the way I treated you when we were…you know. I assumed you weren’t looking for anything serious, but I didn’t bother to actually ask your opinion. I just chose to believe whatever was more convenient for me because I’m a self-centered asshole.”

“Hm…” Eric balled his hands into tight fists as he stared into the distance for a moment, then relaxed them and looked back at Jonah. “I guess that makes two of us.”

Jonah gave him a quizzical look.

“I knew you weren’t looking for more.” Eric shrugged. “I guess I was trying to convince you otherwise.” His face fell, his gaze following suit as he stared at his feet. “Can’t blame you for liking Alan better.”

“It’s not—” Jonah groaned at the sky. “Listen. Eric. This has nothing to do with you. Alright? Five years ago. I lost someone I loved. He was k—he d-died. After that, I—” Jonah flinched as he suddenly found himself in Eric’s arms. “Uh…”

“I’m so sorry,” Eric said in a broken voice. “I can’t begin to imagine.”

Jonah swallowed around the painful lump in his throat as he awkwardly patted Eric’s back. If they were in a shitty movie, now would be the time for someone to appear out of nowhere and catch them hugging in the woods, drawing the stupidest conclusion for drama’s sake.

“Sorry,” Eric said as he let go, wiping tears from his eyes.

“What I’m trying to say is…” Jonah said, his voice wavering. “I wasn’t looking for anything serious because I didn’t think I could ever…feel anything like that again. But then Alan, he…proved me wrong.”

“You love him?”

Jonah squeezed his empty glass as he regretted every single decision he’d made in the past fifteen minutes. He’d backed himself into a corner like a moron, and now he had no other option but to tell Eric the truth. “I think…I do,” he murmured, his heart feeling as though he’d just jumped from a twenty-story building. “But please don’t tell him. I haven’t…yet.”

“I won’t.”

Jonah exhaled a long breath to calm his racing heart, making a conscious effort not to break the glass he was holding. There was absolutely no way he’d survive the weekend. He was already far beyond his limit. He was going to have to call in sick on Monday.

“Don’t go thinking I won’t keep an eye on you, though,” Eric continued. “My promise still stands; if I ever find out that you hurt him, I’ll punch you in the face.”

“I’ll be watching you too,” Jonah said, grateful for the change in topic. “And if I find out that you hurt him, I’ll punch you in the face.”

Eric offered his hand, which Jonah shook. They stared fiercely into each other’s eyes, neither wanting to let go of their increasingly tight hold.

Until Jonah heard Alan call his name.

He let go of Eric’s hand and rushed out of the forest, nearly crashing into Alan on his way to the bar.

“Jonah!” Alan exclaimed as he wrapped his arms around his torso and squeezed tight.

Jonah returned his embrace, pressing his cheek against the top of his head and letting out a long sigh. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to be gone for so long.”

“I was worried,” Alan murmured.

“I wanted to text you, but I’d forgotten my phone.”

“What happened?”

“We went for a walk. ”

Alan pulled away and squinted at him, the look on his face bordering comical. “A walk ?”

“I’ll tell you all about it later.”

Alan frowned. “I don’t understand. What’s going on?”

“Trust me. Don’t worry about it,” Jonah said, caressing his cheek.He couldn’t revisit his conversation with Eric yet. He needed to calm down. And to think.

“Okay…” Alan said reluctantly, but he put a smile on his face all the same, and to Jonah’s supreme relief, changed the subject. “You’ll never guess what.”

Jonah moved his hand to the back of Alan’s head and stroked his hair tenderly. “You found another hermit crab?”

“Aww, I wish!” He looked over his shoulder in the least subtle way possible, then continued, “No.Flavien came to talk to me.”

Jonah tensed. “He did?”

“Yeah, and…I think…I kinda like him now.”

“That’s great news,” Jonah said with as much enthusiasm as he could muster. He doubted it had been out of the goodness of Flavien’s heart, but Alan didn’t need to know that. Not now, at least. Jonah desperately hoped there wouldn’t be any more drama today. He’d had his fill for a whole month.

“Hey lovebirds! You coming?”

Jonah jerked his head to the right, finding Eric staring at them with his hands on his hips and an obnoxious grin plastered on his face. Jonah gave him a vigorous finger, then pulled Alan close and gave him an equally vigorous kiss. “Wanna go for a walk in the forest?” Jonah asked, once he was certain Eric was gone. “I found the perfect make out spot.”

Alan bit his lower lip and nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, please.”

Jonah sighed as he realized he was still holding the damn glass. “Just gotta bring this back.”

Alan snatched it from him and threw it into a bush.

“Wha—did you just…”

“We’ll pick it up later,” Alan said as he interlocked their fingers together. “Let’s go, doctor. I’d rather not be late to my appointment.”

Jonah’s bathroom break would once again have to wait.