Sander and Robbe, Minute by Minute

The Two of Us, Together

Two months later

"Robbe?"

"Yeah?"

Sander looked at him, "Do you ever think about that night? The pub and those men?"

Robbe looked hesitant. And then he said, "Ya.. sometimes."

"Is it still bothering you?" Sander asked.

A beat. "A little, but each time it's not that much anymore, I guess. And you?"

Sander shrugged, "Same."

After a moment, Sander said, "Do you remember I told you the story about my friend that night?"

Robbe appeared to be studying him, "Ya."

He gazed at Robbe and said, "It's not a friend. It was me."

Robbe looked at him quietly. And then he said, "I kind of guessed that too, but I was not sure, it was just your face that night when you told me about it."

Sander nodded.

Robbe stroked his hand gently. "When was this?"

"Around two years ago."

Sander continued, "What's haunted me was not the pain. Bruises healed. But it was the helplessness of it, the humiliation."

Robbe hugged him and squeezed his shoulder.

After some moments, he asked, "Did you guys go the police?"

Sander answered, "No."

"Why?" He asked softly.

A pause. Then Sander answered, "I don't know. We didn't really see them clearly. And it's just complicated.." Sander trailed off.

Robbe waited, looking at him quietly.

Sander resumed, "I can't see the point. And I just couldn't stand the pity, the looks.. Anyway, going to the police doesn't really erase your trauma. Even if they were punished, it wouldn't make it go away." Sander shrugged, "And I just want to move on."

Robbe looked thoughtful. He said softly, "But, maybe, if we go to the police and they were caught, they wouldn't do it again to other people?"

Sander looked at his soft eyes and his gentle face. He wanted to say that people like that didn't really change, it took a miracle and the odds for that? But he loved Robbe for the way he saw people, his attitude toward the world. And perhaps he was right, after all, anything was possible.

Sander said, "Maybe I should have."

Robbe gave him a soft smile and squeezed his hand.

Sander smiled and said, "Anyway, next term I will have some spare time, and I am planning to take a judo class."

"What?" Robbe asked in surprise to the turn of the conversation.

"Ya, and it counts as physical exercise anyway, so two birds, one stone."

Robbe looked a bit puzzled.

"What?" Sander asked.

"Nothing, it just doesn't sound like you," Robbe said.

"It's not. But, it's useful and it could comes handy in a lot of situations. It's more about self-defence anyway and teaches more than just that also. I mean, why not? It could be fun."

"Hmm."

"I guess it's about control. Little though we have in this world." Sander continued with a smile to lighten the mood, "Still, can't count on luck all the time."

"Okay, I am joining in." Robbe said next to him.

"What? That's not happening."

"Hey!" Robbe punched his arm lightly.

"Ouch!" Sander cried out in mock-pain.

"I am serious. I told you before, I am not that fragile." Robbe said in that unyielding tone of his, that when it made its appearance couldn't be swayed by anything.

Sander gazed deep into that eyes and voiced the truth, "No, far from that."

Robbe smiled shyly. Then unexpectantly he said, "Let's go to the pub tonight."

"What? Are you sure?" Sander had wanted to go there, just to prove that he could. He wouldn't let some losers had some kind of hold over him. But he had wanted to give Robe some more time.

Robbe turned hesitant. Sander smiled and said, "We could wait."

A look of resolve came over Robbe's eyes. He said determinedly, "No, let's go tonight. It's our spot. They won't take it from us."

Sander stared at him in wonder. Robbe looked so beautiful at that moment, he felt an ache deep inside him.

Robbe looked at him, "What do you think?"

Sander ran his fingers through Robbe's hair at the back of his head. He grasped it, yanked the boy to him and took his mouth roughly. The fire burned in him, insatiable. When he let go of him, Robbe's lips looked swollen.

He caressed his lower lip tenderly, grinned, and said, "Sorry about that."

Robbe smiled under his thumb, "I am not."

Sander chuckled and whispered softly, "To answer your question, I think you are a marvel and I love you so, very much."

Robbe's cheeks redden. Sander laughed.

He resumed in a somber tone, "You are right, it's our spot. We are not going to make our world smaller just because of some narrow-minded losers."

Robbe smiled.

Smiling back, Sander said, "And it will be the two of us, together, like always."

Robbe took his hand in his and said, "Always. And we will protect each other, okay?"

Sander chuckled. He clasped that hand, "Okay."

After a moment, Sander said with a big grin, "I am still the ultimate protector though."

Robbe laughed that rich laugh of him and kissed him.