“Ok.” Smiling at him, madly in love.
Later, they were sitting on the sofa, sipping a hot chocolate, the cat asleep with Armando in his bed, that luxury cat pillow empty in the living room.
Damian turned to Gabe. “We are leaving soon… and will spend Christmas in a warm place.”
“Oh… wow… you booked a holiday?” Still grappling with all that wealth they had, that lifestyle still surreal.
“You can say that, yes.” Keeping a smile, sipping his chocolate.
“What’s the little smile? Where are we going?”
“You’ll see. Somewhere warm.”
“Just tell me.”
Damian put his mug down and faced him on the sofa. “No. It’s a surprise.”
“I hate surprises.”
“I don’t care what you hate.” Smiling, stroking his hair back.
“Oh… is that so? Big boss guy.” Gabe smirked, putting his mug down.
Damian’s eyes darkened in that dim light. “Little fuck…” Pushing Gabe down on the sofa, roaming his sides as he pushed his T-shirt up.
They had packed a few weeks later, snow blanketing the city, but they were frantic, pushing their luggage to the door, the cat carrier too.
“Hurry up, Armando! We’re leaving!”
He darted out of his room, holding the pig. “Walter… we almost forgot him.”
Damian just smiled and opened the door. “The cab’s here.”
“We’re going flying!”
“Yes.” Ushering him out.
The porter was there to help them carry everything down.
Gabe was wondering why they needed some much stuff, but he kept quiet, unable to pry anything out of Damian, that smile in his eyes each time he asked, but he wouldn’t say a word.You’ll see…Kissing his questions away.
Armando wedged against the cab window, watching the city rush by, the cat meowing in her crate.
To the airport, that slight wind tearing at them, but soon they were in a warm lobby, going straight to the first-class check-in desk. Some people in uniform waving at Gabe. He was not used to being the customer, a bit stressed out, watching that huge queue lining up for economy. He held Armando’s hand whilst Damian checked in their luggage. The cat could stay with them, which was a relief.
Armando could hardly wait, jumping on his legs a bit. He looked up at Gabe. “How is it? Flying? Like a bird?”
“Yes. Like we’re inside a big bird.” Marveling a bit how Armando had adapted to his new life. Utterly at ease, his dark eyes scanning the people, that magic palace that an airport was to outsiders. He skipped besides Gabe to passport control, to security where they almost had to strip, and Gabe puffed when they insisted on patting down Damian. Rolling his eyes at him, at his dark smile.
Walking straight to the first-class lounge, the windows on the planes. Some puzzled looks, a vague irritation, when the people in there saw the kid, but Damian didn’t care, putting that meowing cat down next to a sofa where he sat. Gabe brought them some drinks and snacks. Armando was wedged against the window, his eyes wide on those metallic birds.
He looked back at them, his voice sharp in that plush space filled with elevator music. “Which is our bird?”
Damian smiled at a man raising his eyes, his lips pinched.Asshole.He turned to Armando. “That big one, the white and blue.”
“Oh! It’s big.” He rushed to them and climbed into Damian’s lap, reaching for some snacks. “We will sleep in it?”
“Maybe.” Damian looked at Gabe. “We should have bought the jet, socialist. Spare us people being shits over a kid and a kitten.”
