Talk To Me

43. Fight another day

"Your enthusiasm... to work out K is golden!" Wale was panting heavily. They had just completed a 10-kilometre run with Kind, though Wale stopped a couple of times to catch her breath, leaving Kind to jog on the spot as he waited for her to briefly rest up before continuing their run. It made Wale feel even more terrible that she couldn't tease him since she was busy gasping for air.

Kind loved that there were a lot of people around this time. If Wale had chosen an isolated place like before, his fear to go outside would have never gotten better. It felt good to see people around, things moving, and a lot happening...it made him feel alive and working out with Wale was the epitome of it all. After his kidnapping, he felt like he had just been walking through life, surviving it and not living. He'd never wanted to burden anyone with his fears. Going on vacation was a good idea after all.

"Where do you even get the energy to annoy me any chance you get? Looking at you now, it's hilarious that you're running out of breath." Kind asked as he laughed at Wale, whose panting had subsided, but had been staring at him for a while as if she too was wondering to herself why Kind loved working out.

"Let's go for a walk by the beach after dinner. There will be fewer people then." Kind said after Wale didn't respond to him. "Or if you have something else you want to do, we could do that too."

"Let's have sex again," Wale replied shamelessly. "We could do that too, right?"

"Are you crazy? You were dying just moments ago from running, how come you get a burst of energy suddenly when it comes to sex?" Kind was for the idea too but if Wale knew about it, she might just coax him right here, right now. Besides, his body was still recovering from today morning and yesterday night. There was no way he would let her have her way tonight.

"Let's go for drinks after dinner then. We are here to relax after all so why not." Wale said after seeing Kind deep in thought after a while.

"Nope! Not that. I know how I get when I'm drunk, I'll keep wanting to drink more and more and knowing you, you'd never stop me from drinking so let's do dinner, a walk by the beach afterwards, something else like falling asleep cuddling would be nice too."

"We can do that too K, whatever you want," Wale replied, her usual smile on her face. "But before all this, we should shower first. I'm feeling sticky from sweat and this heat is not doing much to help my situation."

That was the plan though, but as soon as they got to a little privacy, Wale was all over him, kissing him, taking off his clothes. "Wait! We said we are taking a shower first!" Kind exclaimed after finally breaking free.

"You go ahead first then. I'll use the other bathroom in the spare room once we get to the room." Wale replied calmly but seemed a little bit irritated. Kind figured he'd ask her what had been bothering her later, since she had been quiet the entire time they had dinner and as they walked by the beach, Wale had kept kicking the sand. Her body language gave away everything that it felt like she was growing anxious by the minute.

"What's up with you today? It's been a while since you stayed this long without teasing me. Looking at you now, you're even more irritable than when we got to our room."

"Don't worry about it, Bunny. Things will work out soon enough." Wale assured him.

"Just talk to me, will you? What are friends for anyway if you're not going to tell me your problems? Besides, you know everything about me and I always feel like you have a mountain of secrets with you, always solving everything by yourself. Don't you ever feel burdened?"

"We are not friends anymore K Bunny. I wish you'd start seeing me as your lover instead. That will make me really happy."

Wale's reply caused a little discomfort in Kind but he didn't want to show it. Suddenly, her phone rang but she didn't take the call after confirming the caller. Kind had wanted to ask who the caller was but assumed Wale would just find a way to stop talking about it.

"Let's go back to our room Bunny." Before Kind could answer, she'd grabbed his hand and was running towards the hotel. Why was she in such a hurry?, Kind wondered. They'd only walked for about forty minutes. Wale's excitement only fueled Kind's curiosity further so he cooperated and resolved to give her an earful if she thought they were going to have sex again, especially after she'd kept him up all night and today morning.

"Surprise K," Wale said when she opened the door to their room. There were rose petals on their seemingly retouched bed. Seems like the room had been replenished after they had left and two champagne flutes with a bottle of champagne were placed next to the bedside table. Kind turned to look at Wale when she suddenly extended his hand towards him, holding a bouquet.

"What the...what's going on and why are you giving me flowers...what I'm I a girl?" Kind asked, confused by the entire situation. What was Wale up to this time?

"Happy birthday K Bunny..." Wale hesitated before she added, "Will you go out with me please?"

Kind's eyes grew wide as he began to grasp the situation. He had long forgotten about his birthday. He hadn't realized how much the recent series of events had preoccupied him to the point of forgetting his birthday. Oftentimes, Wale would never remember such trivial matters, in fact, she had been the one always reminding her of Cherry's, Swalha's and her birthday, and what a move she had pulled to ask him that question he dreaded just on this particular day.

"Wale...I'm truly surprised you remembered my birthday," Kind replied as he took the flowers from her. A smile formed on his face after he smelled the scent of them. Laughing, he asked, " Was this what's been keeping you anxious since our run?"

"Yea. The guys supposed to set up our room came a little late and I really wanted to cheer you up a little. You were distracted a lot the last two weeks since we got here but this week, thankfully you've shown a great change in yourself it made me glad so I started planning for this. It's not much but I hope it makes you happy. As you are aware, I'm not very good with these sort of things."

"Of course, you're not you fool!" Kind replied happily as he reached to embrace Wale who hugged him more tightly. "The flowers were a bit much but I don't mind at all...thank you, Wale."

They kissed for a while before toasting in Kind's favour. Wale knew Kind had ignored her earlier question but chose not to bring it up again. Thinking to herself, she thought it would be alright to wait a little longer.

'Yea. I live to take a fight another day,' she said to herself.