chapter 15

The raging storm made finding a safe haven for the night, a rather impossible task. After being turned away from the fourth hotel for lack of booking space, they drove off against the dreadful night and finally came across a hotel with vacancy.

"Finally!' Vukan exclaimed with gladness before getting out of the car.

He rounded the car and assisted Oliver who had managed to warm himself the car's heater, out. They took the puppy along too.

The hotel wasn't the best around and definitely wasn't something they would pickief they had their choice, but they figured it should do for the night since the bridge had been damaged and going back home would be an impossible task for Oliver. The option of taking him back to his place was viable, but navigating the terrain would be far more dangerous for them.

"We did not escape drowning, to come and die in a car accident", Vukan had stated before shutting down the idea.

Oliver continued to stare at the boy who was badly wet and doing his best not to show he was cold. Donning just his vest, the tattoo stretched from his left upper torso, right towards his arm and down to his wrist was magnificent to see, but it couldn't be well-appreciated or seen in full without proper light.

What Vukan had done was unimaginable for Oliver, three weeks back. He would never have likened bravery and selflessness with the young man who was now trying to book them a room.

Vukan returned with a frown and said, "Bad news. They have just one room but we have no choice but to rent it before someone else comes to take it".

"Are you sure this will do for the three of us?" Oliver asked to be certain.

Vukan looked over to the reception, nodded his head and walked back to make payment. He repeatedly told himself it was just for the night and that things would be better by morning. The most important thing was being able to get Oliver and the little puppy to safety. He wasn't sure about how he had managed to save two lives from drowning but he felt proud of himself.

"Here is your room key, Sir", the receptionist handed them a single key with a rather dusty key holder.

"You don't have to wonder if they ever get customers in here", Oliver whispered and Vukan laughed. "The little thing is getting warmer".

He handed the puppy over to Vukan while he unlocked the door to their room with the key they had been given.

"Here we are", Oliver announced as they tailed each other into the room.

The dusty room, with a stale scent wasn't as bad as they had thought it would be. The single bed was neatly laid and the drawers held fresh towels. A crate for animals laid in the corner of the room and Vukan lifted the puppy into it after ensuring that it was clean and free of insects. The puppy yawned, looked him in the face and barked softly before curling itself up to sleep.

"I need to check out the bathroom to see if things are hunky dory in there", Vukan said.

Oliver sat up, smiling to himself as he admired the man being in charge of not just him but of everything else. It was an odd sight and he couldn't quite remember when last a man went head over heels for him in the manner that Vukan was.

Vukan finally returned with a frown. 'The showr doesn't run properly, but there is water flowing in the restroom… hopefully, morning will come sooner than we can anticipate and tonight will become a memory".

He shuddered while he spoke but still managed a smile at Oliver before slowly making his way to the bed.

"How do you feel?" Vukan asked in a sincere and quite worried tone. "Do I need to get you an extra comforter?"

Oliver shook his head and blushed. "This is fine by me… I don't feel that cold anymore, but you obviously look cold".

Vukan played the words down and got up from the bed so Oliver could have it all to himself.

"I will make my place on the floor for the night… if you need me, I will be right here, not far away from you and our little buddy over there", he grinned.

Oliver continued to gawk in awe and disbelief all wrapped into one. He glared at Vukan, wondering if the protective guy was the same one who had messed up his sister's relationship. He tried to correlate the guy before him with the same one who had made snide remarks about the love quote in their school and who had rubbished someone's affections towards him in the most inhumane manner.

It was beyond remarkable, and above all, it was heart melting. His walls seemed to drop for Vukan and the magnitude with which he was weary of the boy slowly began to disappear.

"You should go to bed early", Vukan said from the floor where he folded himself up.

Oliver nodded, turned off the light and said his goodnight. Vukan did the same.

Few minutes afterwards, the lights came back on and Oliver sat in an upright position with his back to the wall. "How about we spend the night talking? I honestly doubt I'd be able to get some sleep in a place like this and you don't look comfortable on the floor either".

Vukan sat up as well and joined Oliver on the bed. "What do you have in mind?"

Oliver gave the question some thought, smirked and replied, "Do you believe in love?"

Vukan fell silent, eyed Oliver for a while and time slowly began to drag by between them. He understood what affections were and how emotions had the tendency to rule over thoughts and rational actions, but the concept of love wasn't one he'd often engage in. While he struggled to give an answer, he kept his face as straight and as devoid of emotion as possible.

Oliver stared at him for a while before looking out the small window overlooking where they had come from. Silhouette of the bridge could be seen tucked away into the night whenever flashes of lightning illuminated the skies. For a moment, they enjoyed the silence, subtly accompanied by rumbling thunder. The puppy seems to startle every time the lightning flashed, but mellows back into its sleep soon afterwards.

Vukan looked at the puppy and then over at Oliver before smiling, "He will be fine".

Oliver agreed and they barely broke their gaze from each other afterwards.

"Well, I believe in love and everything that comes with it", Oliver snickered before stretching some bit.

Since they were trapped in the dingy little hotel, he figured it wouldn't cost a thing to actually engage the person who had saved his life. He still had not said thank you in a proper or befitting manner but he was sure he would get to it in due time already. For the meantime, they would keep each other's company.

"You did? May I ask about it?" Vukan inquired with glee in his eyes.

Oliver cocked his head and dragged the comfort closer as a cold brush of wind coursed through the room for a moment. Vukan spotted the opened window and hurriedly set himself up from where he sat to go and lock it.

"Why did I even bother?' he asked sarcastically before swinging his arms in the air and pointing at the locks.

He pointed to the damaged locks and shook his head before watching Oliver tap a space by his side on the bed. Vukan looked at the floor, wondering if he shouldn't go over there, rather than impinge on Oliver's comfort. Yet, Oliver persisted, staring right back at him and somehow warning him not to return to the floor.

Feeling trapped on either following Oliver's desires or pushing through for his own, Vukan managed to follow the former and not the latter.

"So, what happened?" Vukan sought to continue their discussion from earlier before he got up to fix the window.