They burst out laughing, even with that fatigue. Gabe followed Damian to the beach, putting more logs on that pyre, fearful of how much wood it was eating up.For what?Days now. Not even a sound above that calm blue ocean, in that clear sky.
They scraped some limpets off again, and some snails, found a couple of urchins, so dinner was there, barely, but they ate them, almost raw, impatient as their hunger tore at them. Drinking plenty to trick the brain. Feeling a bit better, lying on palm leaves put near the fire, their eyes in the stars.
Gabe spoke first. “If we had met in real life, would you have talked to me?”
“We met in real life.”
“You know what I mean.”
Damian turned to him, laying on his side. “I would have ignored you, probably.”
Gabe looked at him, smiling. “You were a real asshole on that plane.”
“Yeah… no point in denying that…”
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why being an asshole?”
Damian shrugged slightly. “Why not? It’s easy, gives you power, I guess. Or power makes you into an asshole, maybe, and then it’s a circle. Drinking doesn’t help, of course…” A bout of craving at the word, so he shut his eyes a bit. “Not that it matters now… here… I mean, it’s tough on you, I guess.”
“I prefer to have you than being alone.” It was the truth, even if he resented it.
Damian smiled. “Well, I’ll take it as a compliment.”
“You mustn’t have had a lot of those.” Teasing a bit, but Damian just smiled, pensive.
“I got a lot, actually. Other business people. The usual suck-ups… Women…”
“You had affairs?”
“More than one. One-night stands, hook-ups on party boats. Name it…”
“You like sex, then?”
Damian laughed. “What…? I don’t think we should discuss this.”
“We should, there’s just us here. And I want to know.”
“Ah… fuck it… Sex? I mean sure. But I needed pills to get it up… Fuck… why am I even telling you this?”
“Pills? Like what? Viagra?”
“That, sure. And coke. A potent little mix.”
“You seem like the alpha business male, though.”
Damian laughed. “Why, thanks. None of those alpha male bosses could get it up without a boost… so… I guess your dreams go down the drain with my confession…” He looked at Gabe, his eyes gleaming. “And what about you? You like sex?”
“Sure. I used to… at least…”
“You never wanted to try it with girls?”
“No… I knew young… and you? Ever wanted to try with a guy?”
Damian froze and turned on his back. “No.”
