It had been a month since taking his leave, and he loved it. If anything, it was his thing. He could disappear without any prior announcement and could go on for weeks on end without getting choked by the fear of missing out. Once he decided he'd had enough, Jackson would switch on his flight mode and forget that he didn't have a phone.
This was no exception. Since sending his departing broadcast message, his phone had been in flight mode and Jackson was clueless about what was going on – retrospectively speaking, he could not care any less – because he was having the time of his life.
It was a great mid-year vacation.
This all began when he woke up on an unsuspecting day and received a confirmation email from South African Airways. Malcom insisted that Jackson fly down. If anything, Malcom was glad that Jackson flew down. He knew that he had flown up instead, he wouldn't want to leave again and that would be dangerous.
Malcom was the most impulsive Jackson knew, and on a whim, he could call it quits on his job without having made plans for what came next.
The brewing back in Pretoria slowly dissolved as Jackson drew closer and eventually vanished at the sight of the 5'8 man who always seemed to catch his gaze laced with infatuation.
It was the same man that currently sat before him. Warm brown skin soaked by the hypnotic orange light of the setting sun, well-rounded eyes, Hollywood smile, broad chest – that had a hidden tattoo – and a low fade cut with the most discernible waves. Nothing like the skinny Malcom he knew when they first met.
He had changed, greatly. Not that Jackson was complaining. Change is good.
'Remind me why we couldn't just spend the evening back at the apartment and grab some pizza there?'
Malcom grinned and reached for the menu.
'Well a night in the apartment isn't the best way to say goodbye to a guest. Now, is it?'
'I mean, I am appreciative Malcom. But all this isn't nec—'
'Do not finish that thought,' Malcom smiled.
Jackson and Malcom sat on opposite ends of a two-person table right next to a panoramic, floor-to-ceiling glass window that gave arousing views of the glistening Atlantic Ocean. Bobo's, a famed eatery located along the Sea Promenade in Cape Town, was Malcom's favourite place to come grab a bite. He'd been doing so since he first moved here, and it's always been just him dining alone – if he wasn't in a rush for takeaways.
Today was nothing like those days.
The excitement of bringing his favourite person here was an unmatched feeling.
'I know, and for once, I am going to ignore that part of you because I really think you really deserve this.'
'But Malcom ...'
'No Jackson,' he said, light-heartedly.
Something about hearing his name being called by Malcom's silvery voice just sent all sorts of sparks flying in every direction.
Jackson groaned.
'Do I at least get you something in return?'
Malcom rolled his eyes. He hated it when Jackson did this. Dating back to when they first made their relationship official, Malcom could not get away with buying a gift for Jackson because he would always get something in return, almost immediately.
'Why can't you allow me to do something nice for you?'
'Allowing me to share your space for a month without me paying rent is you doing something nice, everything else becomes too much.'
