Let us have a wonderfully boring day

'Being one of the house and being a son, they are not the same. Even though I was treated like one, the truth was always there, that I was a lowlife abandoned by his parents to die. You can say, I was one of their most trusted men." I pushed away the image from my head, but another one from the morning mercilessly invaded my head, where I saw him bowing his head to me.

A faint understanding was building inside me, even though it didn't have a face to recognize. I turned to face him and pressed, "They still call you Master Maxime, though."

"That they do," he laughed. "But I am not the master of that house. More like a decoy. There, look at that," he pointed to a huge building. "It's the oldest theatre in this town. You can see a hint of European architecture here. It is still used."

I took out my camera took a snap of the building, then a couple more of the market, and finally some of his. Caught unaware in my camera, he looked sad. This was the sadness that shatters a man's heart into pieces. This was a grief that shone inside a man, keeping him alive for a ray of hope. What could have make him so heartbroken? I could clearly recall the image of him smiling through his tears.

Maybe he had lost a lot, like I did. Maybe the hole in our hearts would fill in the coming days, now that we were together.

I didn't know what made me feel that way, but the thought made me giddy. The thought of staying with him and enjoy the small beauties of the life.

"Stop it," he laughed out loudly covering his face. A small sliver of disappointment touched me, and disappeared as it came. His laughter was contagious, that spread to my lips too.

"Why?" I asked taking another snap.

"Just, stop it." His cheeks had taken a beautiful pink, which made me giddier, which I didn't realise was even possible.

"I like the area around the hotel a lot. It is perfect for the content I post." That was the job I was doing nowadays, creating short documentaries on abandoned houses. It was amazing how many people wanted to watch these things online. I wished I could say they cared as well.

"Come, I will show you more."

We were all set to move forward but a lovely old couple almost blocked our path to greet us. "Master Maxime, you are back. Master—" they were stopped by Max. He started some small talk, trying his best to distract them from the fact that they caught us holding hands. The couple couldn't keep their eyes off me. In a while Max sent them off to the direction they came from.

"It's good to see you two together," the man said bowing his head and earned an elbow from the woman.

"They seemed lovely." I commented. My eyes followed them as the left in a rush.

"They sell vegetables here. They used to be regular vendor in the house, so that is how they know me." Max tried to explain.

"It seemed like they know me too, which I know sounds ridiculous," I inhaled and waited for another explanation from Max. He seemed to be busy watching something else—a house far away.

"Come on," he said after a couple of seconds. "Let us have a walk in the most beautiful road in this town, while you tell me more about your work."

This road was quiet, although the hustle bustle of the town was still audible. I walked with Max, taking snaps of the buildings, gardens and parks around us. The lady in the train was right about this place. This old town was a treasure trove for people like me. From personal experience I knew these photographs and videos would be very popular; which meant more views and earning for me and my team.

"Is money that important for you?" he asked when I shared this thought with him.

"It certainly makes life easier," I captured him again in my frame, one after another where his profile was visible. After some persuasion and something close to mild torture, he had coped up with the initial shock and embarrassment. He was still shy, and averted his eyes every time I focused my lens on him.

"I have done many jobs, some to earn, some to forget, some to remember, some to get lost in the crowd, some out of sheer curiosity, and some to get by with my life. My motivation has changed, but one thing had been constant for many years, I have worked."

"So you would call yourself a workaholic?" he said now, sitting on a bench on the pavement, properly posing for me.

"Someone once told me that it is what we do that defines us, not where we come from." That way, I could define myself as many things, most of them were not very favourable for my reputation. Summer told me the same every time we met-- I was a man to be avoided. It had been quite a while I had not talked to her, probably more than a year.

I ignored the curious passerby, and then some more who whispered among themselves. The old women obviously were gossiping about the two men who appeared closer than friends. I genuinely love this decade, and this city, where two men could hold hands in public without being cursed, or bruised. The maximum toll we have to pay is probably being the hot topic of gossip.

A group of young girls stealthily tried to take a couple of photographs, and got caught. I flashed them the best of my smile and asked Max to do the same.

"Is it a good idea though?" Max mumbled while turning his face away from the spying cameras.

"Why not? The world has changed so much. Nobody cares about two men holding their hands or kissing." It was in my mind since long, now I pulled him closer and placed a small peck on his lips. It did not satiate me. I held him tighter. His hands grabbed my shoulder while his tongue invaded my mouth. Good to know, I had the same effect on him. Behind us, the girls squealed loudly. I was certain that the moment was caught in their cameras.

"You did that intentionally," Max pulled away and said in an accusing tone. "You wanted them to see this." I laughed and let him go. "Now this photo will be everywhere on the internet. Are you sure you're fine with that? What about your girlfriend?"

I stopped on my track. What about her? I hadn't thought of her since I stepped in to this town. Knowing Amy, it would not kill her to break up with me, unlike some of my past lovers. The guilt felt terrible though. "I will call her and tell her about us."

"What about us?"

I will tell her how I have found the missing piece of my soul and that I will never look for anyone else in this life. My thought remained unspoken. I had nothing to justify my words or emotions. Though I had a faint memory, and abstract theory behind the pull between us, I could not use them to back me up. Exactly the way I could not tell the truth of my life to any of my lovers.

Thankfully, I didn't need to answer him right away. A swanky black car stopped in front of us, and a tall man climbed out of the driving seat.

"Master Maxime, we have been trying to contact you since last night. There is something you need to look into." The man completely ignored me and continued, "We tried to call you many times. Is your phone not with you?" I had not seen Max using a phone since we met. I almost thought he did not use any.

"It is broken. I have to buy a new one. Can you give me some time, I will come once I am free," Max said without looking at me. Feeling left out was not new for me. My life gave me many things, the perpetual feeling of being left out was one of them.

"But we need you now—" stopping the man midway Max raised a hand, and repeated, "I will come once I have time."

"I hope you remember that one of your actions have set motion to a chain of events, those are not favourable to us." The man finally gave me a look of fear and hatred and drove away. Curiously, it did not bother me as it should have.

"Has my arrival interrupted something important?" I asked Max remembering how he hadn't left my side since yesterday evening.

"Don't worry about it,"

But I couldn't stop worrying. I had seen him crying once, even if it was not in this version of reality, and I couldn't stop thinking about what was going to happen to him. Suddenly I had the urge of hurting the stranger with all my might.