Bastian and Tristan's flat, a bright Saturday morning of August, one week after the concert.
A slow classical music was playing on the living room turntable, Tristan was comfortably curled up in his favourite armchair, reading a book of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle while Bastian was pouring some coffee in two mugs. He took them and went out of the kitchen, passed in front of Kim's terrarium, and pouted.
-"Here, your coffee old man! I may go for a stroll in a moment, do you want to join?"
-"Old man?? tsk..." Tristan's face showed briefly his irritation but he smiled when he looked at his friend, he was luminous in the morning light, a true firefly, in pink pyjamas, but still.
-"Nah, thanks, I have a rehearsal at 10. But if you want you can come with me!"Bastian frowned, thought about it but finally replied by the negative, he really wanted to walk for a bit and after the last weekend he had enough metal music in his ears for the next decade.
-"But I plan to go again tomorrow, and you better come with me, you're rusty ojiisan!"
-"It's not because you say it Japanese that it doesn't hurt my feelings, Buddy, and I invite you to give a two hour show representation! I bet you won't last 15 minutes! BWAHAHAH!"
While Tristan's laugh was covering the music, Bastian flew away in his room to get dressed. Less than one minute later he went back to the living room, wearing only his underwear and one sock. He was intensely staring at his phone, his face red as a ripped tomato, and asked:
-"It's you? It's you who gave my phone number to Dorian?"
-"Huh, yes, I couldn't resist. After last Saturday they were so head over heels for you that I finally gave it to them. I shouldn't have? What have they written?"
-"That after thinking about it for a while" *not that long* mumbled Bastian "they mustered up the courage to send me this message, that they can't help but remember the time we spent together, and that if I agree, they would like to see me again."
-"Hey! That sounds pretty cool! But what's with this long face?" asked Tristan when he noticed that Bastian didn't seem to be very enthusiastic.
-"Well, I don't know, it's true that they gave me quite an impression, but I have a weird feeling about it, I can't explain why though." Bastian sighed, "Ahh Tristan, what should I do?"
-"Why not meeting them once again? And at this moment you'll see if you want to keep going or not. And I know you, if you say no, you'll regret it and will complain about it for years! Usually you're not this shy!"
-"I am not shy! It's just that this time I am nervous! I can't stop thinking about it, what if it doesn't work, or worse? If it does!" Bastian was almost crying in the living room, his hands shaking like crazy and shoulders trembling under his nervosity. Tristan came next to him, wrapped his arms around his frail body and gently, with his left hand, placed his head on his shoulder.
-"Shh, don't be so nervous Buddy, I am here, it's gonna be ok, huh?" and after a while he asked "Why would it be worse if it work? Sorry, but I don't get it."
-"I may project too much, which is not in my habits, and I can't explain why, but I feel that if I see Dorian it may lead to something else than just few hotty nights."
Tristan looked at his friend's eyes, an interrogative expression on the face:
-"That's what I don't understand, Bastian, why would it be an issue? Haven't you told me the other day that you were tired of these meaningless encounters?"
-"I did, but I wanted to rest for a bit, just sharing few moments with you, or else." And he whispered "and I am not ready to let someone else in." but Tristan didn't hear the last part, or intentionally ignored it.
-"But you can take your time, no need to rush things! And seeing Dorian from time to time won't prevent us from sharing moments together. See? We don't have the same work schedule, you can meet them when I am at the care centre, so you won't have any regrets! What d'ya think about it Buddy?"
-"Well, you are probably right, but will it be ok for you?" Bastian looked at Tristan, suddenly concerned by a weird and heavy feeling, "I know that you don't mind being on you own, but..."
-"Yup" Tristan didn't let Bastian finished his sentence "I'll be alright Buddy, and after all, introducing Dorian to you was my idea. And now, finish preparing yourself, or else you'll stay here doing nothing, and we both know how it could end."
