Gabe smiled. “Careful…”
Damian grinned. “What could you possibly come up with? Come, let’s dig.” He took his T-shirt and pants off, hanging them on a tree. “Here. This is a soft spot, the earth is loose.”
They dug, using their planks, their hands, and made a makeshift trap, covering the twigs and branches with leaves. Leaving then, to sleep farther away not to alarm the animals, walking close to a small beach to camp. They built a small fire, just to cook some roots and keep the bugs away somewhat. Watching the ocean lap at the sand as they sat close to each other.
“So peaceful…” Gabe couldn’t get enough of the sky’s colors as the sun went to sleep.
“Uhum…” Damian was busy stoking the fire up, watching the roots so they wouldn’t burn. The night falling softly, bringing a small chill. They had their clothes on, the only clothes that remained, their T-shirts and pants, their flip-flops. Wondering what would happen if these fell into pieces, a small laughter in Damian, his hand grazing his torn pants. Watching his skin on his legs, hardened by the elements, and tanned by the sun, his hair growing back at a rapid pace.Unreal…But his legs were stronger, he could feel it, his feet still struggling to adapt, still blistered where the sand and dirt had rubbed it raw.
“What are you thinking about?”
He looked at Gabe. “Just thinking about what we’ll do when our clothes rot off.”
Gabe grinned. “Walk around naked.”
“Not a bad idea. Except that your snake will get in the way of everything.” Grinning back.
“Well, we could do like some savage tribes, just cover it with something, only the essential bit. Some indigenous folks put it in a bamboo stick, or something like that, and tie it up.”
Damian shook his head. “Fuck that. I’m not stuffing it into a tube.”
“Then you’re doomed to have it wave around and get caught in everything.”
“Let’s hope some clothes or fabric wash up. Worst case, we can cut up the tarp.”
“Yes…” Gabe pulled the roots out on large leaves, letting them cool. “Good thing we found these roots… whatever they are…”
“Yeah… life saver.” Blowing on that scorching food, their eyes on the violet sea. “I hope we’ll catch your pigs.”
“Our pigs.”
Damian grinned. “Ok. I know fuck all about pigs too.”
“Makes two of us.”
Laughing softly, eating, their eyes on the dying lights, stars creeping to the sky, dancing around a full moon. In that soft moment when that silver light took over, it dawned on them that there was nothing else, but that friendship built onto hate, twisted into love. Nothing else to build on.
Gabe turned to Damian, waiting until he looked at him. “So… this is what we have…”
“Yes…”
His heart sinking a bit. “I hope it will be enough… this island… to build a life and live.”
“If we take care of it, it will be.”
Gabe’s eyes welled up, watching Damian in that silver light. “How can we be so lost?”
Damian shrugged. “We think that we humans are everywhere, but we are tiny ants. And this planet is water, mainly. And we are in one big fucking pool, the island a speck of dust, so… there. That’s it.”
Gabe leant back, reaching for Damian. “Come here… I don’t want to be alone.”
Damian smiled but lay down next to him. “Clingy little thing.”
“That’s me.” He sighed. “It’s only been two weeks… seems like a year.”
Damian stroked his hair out of his forehead. “Yeah… it will get better. We will get used to it.” Leaning down to kiss his fears away. “Besides… we have each other now… imagine if we’d stayed like two assholes, always fighting… no sex? No cuddles…” He pulled Gabe close, trailing kisses down his cheek, his neck. “Mhm?”
“Yeah…” Breathing harder, wanting more.
