chapter 30

Vukan struggled to get an impression off Oliver's face as they sat in stoic silence around the dining table. His mother had whipped out her best dishes, while she employed Gemma's assistance in the kitchen. It was meant to be a bonding exercise rather than a simple meet-and-eat, considering the hellish situations that had occurred between them recently.

Vukan locked his gaze on Oliver, expecting him to say something about the note he had sent him. He didn't want any information of whether or not the flowers had been well received, but something or anything at all about the note would go a great deal to warm his heart. It was all he looked forward to in their time that morning.

It was what kept him awake through the night and the aftermath, a headache, was slowly beginning to set in.

"Vukan", his father called out to him. "I need your help out back with the barbeque".

Vukan acknowledged by bobbing his head. He got up, walked past Oliver and did his best not to acknowledge the boy's presence. Things were still rather tough between them and it was perfectly understandable. Vukan had slandered his entire family and gone as far as to insult their existence. While Oliver had not voiced out, it was perfectly okay for him to hold some great deal of resentment.

"He will be back", Henry Adamson whispered to Oliver before smiling at him in a rather odd manner.

Vukan went out back to join his father while their mothers were in the kitchen laughing and seemingly having a wonderful time. Everything felt perfect for everyone else besides him and Oliver. It felt frustrating that the reason for the breakfast was for them to make peace with one another, and yet, Oliver was still giving him the silent treatment.

"I can tell you're trying your best to connect with him", his father stopped abruptly before speaking. "I have been watching you two, but you have to give him time".

Vukan looked back and shook his head. "I don't think this has anything to do with time".

He believed differently and would stand on the premise that it had everything to do with Bruce Scott and the relationship Oliver had with the boy. The thought and the mention of the name even while it was inside his head, filled him with envy and jealousy. His eyes threatened to water, but he managed to keep himself firm in resolve because his father was standing right before him.

He turned his head to the side instead, took in some much needed breath to steady his pulse, and then looked back at the man.

The man held his son in his gaze for a while. "I don't know how this is going to turn out, but I need you to give the boy some time to clear through his thoughts".

Vukan acknowledged his dad's advice with a subtle nod. It wasn't as if he was going to buy into it. He had plans put into place already and would enact them if need be, depending on how the day went with Oliver and his family.

"Food should be served in about twenty minutes!" Gemma Douglas screamed from the kitchen.

"You might want to go and clean up", his father noted.

Vukan sniffed himself and realized he was ripe. He had not even thought of getting himself cleaned for their visitors because all he thought about was how receptive Oliver would be of him. He shot the silent boy another gaze before marching up the stairs.

"I doubt he wants to have anything to do with me", Vukan concluded half=heartedly as he disappeared from sight.

Oliver found himself finally breathing out and loud in what he could only attribute to be relief. To think he could hold his breath and prevent himself from being emotional around Vukan was impossible, yet, he had not expected his emotions to threaten to get the better of him. He told himself he didn't feel anything for Vukan, repeatedly and he chose to believe it.

Yet, as minutes trickled by and his memory continued to recall the words Vukan had etched into writing in one of the most beautiful penmanship he had ever come across, Oliver couldn't stop himself from blushing. Blood rushed into his cheeks aggressively and he stole further peeks at the note which he had brought over with him.

He couldn't quite believe Vukan was capable of such lovely words. Considering when they first met and how much he had gotten to dislike Vukan even before they spoke, Oliver continued to find himself contradicting in thoughts and unsettled in mind.

"This is all because he saved me from drowning", he muttered to himself.

He badly wanted to believe it was the reason he felt uneasy around Vukan all of a sudden. It would explain a lot since there was a part to him that felt as if he owed Vukan for saving his life.

"Just focus on the meal and do what you can to make them believe all is well", he told himself.

It was the plan; smile some bit, laugh when necessary or if need be, and give Vukan's parents who were so generous to want to make amends, the opportunity to believe that all was well. It was the only way if he wanted to honor his parents' request and if he wanted to get them off his back.

"Food is ready", Agatha Adamson finally announced.

Gemma Douglas looked around the room and asked, "Where is Vukan?"

Oliver shrugged his shoulders, feigned ignorance of where Vukan might be or could have gone and looked down at his feet to avoid further questions.

"Can you kindly go and get him? He should be up in his room readying himself to come down", Vukan's mother said. "He takes his time at times, but we don't have all day".

"Darn it!" Oliver fumed before tossing the napkin on the table and marching up the stairs too.

He mumbled incoherently, hoping Vukan wasn't about to think the world of him coming to his room and that they would simply head down immediately without any drama.

"Vukan", he called out in a subtle tone, hoping to be heard the first time without having to go into Vukan's room.

The last time had been quite tense, with Vukan's lingering scent remaining on him and his clothes until he got home. He spent the night having some rather odd dreams about Vukan as well and he thanked his tars for not being able to remember them vividly by morning.

Having heard nothing, he called out again as he stepped closer, "Vukan".

Vukan's room door was open and humming sounds could be heard coming from the bathroom. Just across from the hallway where Oliver stood was a huge drawing hung atop the drawing board with half of it showing. Vukan had the other half closed and it steered Oliver's attention towards entering the room.

Carefully and in hopes of not getting caught, Oliver stepped into the room and felt his knees threaten to buckle almost immediately. With a gasp and his eyes widening, he clamped his eyes shut before slowly allowing them to open again almost immediately. To his left was Vukan having his bathe without actually locking his bathroom door.

With his back to Oliver, it became a free show with his tastily nude body on show.

Oliver had not seen such perfect physique in nude and in person before him. Vukan's tattoo of large bird wings stretched across the upper section of his back and right around the joints of his arm. They looked beautifully, well-crafted and mesmerizing. Oliver bit his lower lip unknowingly, folded his arms and watched Vukan have his bath.

He wished he could remain there for as long as possible. He wanted to run his fingers across the tattoo on his back as he caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a flame themed tattoo running along Vukan's left arm.

"Oh my God!" he mumbled in lust before dodging as Vukan began to wash his body clean of soap.

It granted Oliver the moment to step forward and peek at the drawing on the board. Carefully and in bid not to attract Vukan's attention as the boy continued to sing atop his lungs, Oliver let off the covering to a loud and unexpected gasp leaving his mouth.

What he saw was nothing short of remarkable. The drawings, which were mostly of him, sent him taking steps backwards to get a good view of what they were about. He looked around and spotted one of him on the bridge, with his eyes looking so soulful and filled with pain at the same time. The clothing reminded him of the day in particular but he wasn't sure if Vukan was there or if they had begun to talk then.

Compelled and intrigued to see more, he quietly looked through the other drawings and each left him in awe more than the last one did. They were perfectly drawn to capture and depict varying stages of his emotions at different times. Oliver recognized some and didn't others. Regardless, they brought a warm smile to his face before he abruptly turned around to see Vukan standing directly behind him.

Doing his best to catch his breath, Oliver said, "You almost scared me to death".

Vukan's piercing gaze lingered on Oliver, refusing to look anywhere else.

"I… I just came in", Oliver stuttered as he tried to lie his way out of the odd situation. "I was told to come get you".

"Thanks", Vukan replied.

Oliver paused as his eyes began to peruse Vukan's chest. His "flame-themed" tattoo was in full view now and Oliver found himself wanting to touch it. He reached his hand over and felt the smooth skin, riddled with quite an interesting tattoo which ran through Vukan's upper arm and down the left side of his chest and abdomen.

Oliver clamped his eyes shut to savor the moment; he wanted to feel everything and commit it to memory if he had to. He liked the fact Vukan wasn't speaking. It was perfect that he wasn't using any words. Their breaths grew wilder and Oliver could barely commit himself to steady his hand any longer. He simply wanted more.

"Oliver", Vukan's voice broke through Oliver's trance-like state. "Is that all? Is that why you came up?"

Doing everything within his power to comfort himself, Oliver struggled for words as he tried to convince himself and Vukan that he had come there just to call him.

"Yes", he said bluntly and walked past Vukan in a hurry.

Vukan reached out and grabbed Oliver by his arm, before pulling him close to his bare body with his towel just about covering his lower half. His eyes searched through Oliver's while they remained silent, and his hand made no move to let the boy go.

"They are expecting us downstairs", Oliver mentioned before yanking his hand away from Vukan.

He marched away, pausing just to get a glimpse of the tattoo on Vukan's back before disappearing from sight.

Vukan felt his heart slice in half. He had expected Oliver to tell him something more. He wanted to believe the boy had come up just for him, but that didn't seem to be the case. He wanted to believe in Oliver and everything they had shared. It was all Vukan wanted, but things didn't seem to be working out that way.

Hurt, disappointed and pained, he kicked hard at his stool and sent it flying across the room in rage. The stool shattered against the wall, with pieces flying around and just about managing not to touch him.

���What was I thinking?" he asked himself. "I brought this on myself".

He walked over to his backpack and took out a plane ticket he had printed out in the dead of the night.

"I wish I didn't have to use this", he said to himself.

He really wished he didn't have to.

***

"The meal was awesome, Mrs. Adamson", Oliver said as he wiped his mouth clean.

Through their meal, neither had looked in the other's direction and Oliver in particular had done everything he could to ensure that he didn't have to. He simply focused on his meal, ate in silence and contributed to his parents' attempt at humor as best as he could.

Vukan on the other hand, kept to himself, toyed with his meal and barely ate at all. He felt himself riddled with guilt for his actions during their last time together. He wished he could find a way to negate the day and prevent his anger from getting the better of him. He wished someone in the form of Jae, who knew how to assist him in keeping off trouble, had been around.

"Maybe Oliver and I would be together by now", he thought to himself.

As long as it was wishful thinking, he was fine with it. He would pick it over what they had going on in that moment.

"We should thank you guys for showing up and for forgiving us for our last episode", Henry Adamson led a toast to his friend and family.

Vukan did well to indulge himself in the toast as he drank heavily and wiped his mouth clean. He shot up from his seat and took a moment to pause before sighing aloud.

"I feel distressed and need some time", he said. "The meal was lovely though and thank you Mrs. Douglas for helping out".

Gemma Douglas chuckled as her face flushed red. "Don't mention darling".

Vukan paused for a moment, looked at Oliver intensely and hoped the boy would at least say something or even speak with him. Oliver remained mute, prompting Vukan to head off. His mind was made up; he believed Oliver could never feel anything for him. Their relationship might have been 'fine' before the series of incidents, but that was all it was bound to be; fine.

He wanted more, but he wasn't in a position to ask for it. He wished for more and to be more with Oliver, but Oliver would take his Bruce Scott, even while the boy was dead, over him. It was saddening, but also the reality to life he felt he needed.

"I will be fine", he told himself as he left everyone at the dining table.

He would find a place. He would find a way. He figured being around Oliver was becoming increasingly unhealthy and he could not see himself continuing to live that way. Vukan figured it was time for him to make use of his ticket and that was precisely what he was going to do.

A lost man like he felt needed to find where he could call home. Vukan knew it might not come easy, but he had to try. He was tired of being in pain. He was tired of feeling so much hurt over one person.