"The Tower Of Babel..."

Chapter 24... Payback.

"So... you're gay?" Midas asked.

"What? Noooo! Of course not." I answered.

"But you like Babel."

"Yes. I do." I nodded. And I smiled.

"And Babel is a guy."

"Yes, he is. So?" I asked.

"Then that makes you gay, Tower!" Midas shouted.

"Well... it's not like that. I mean, am I?" I asked confused.

"You tell me. You come in here telling me you like Babel, but can't tell me if you love him or if you're gay. What's up with that?" Midas asked.

"Well it's not like I've had feelings for another guy before. I mean this is the first time. Plus, Babel looks so feminine. Or does that even matter?" I reasoned out.

"Ok. So between Sheri, who is a real woman, and Babel... who would you choose?" Midas asked all of a sudden.

"Babel." I answered in a heartbeat.

"And you tell me you're not gay?" Midas pointed out.

"Oh god, I'm screwed." I exhaled, face palming myself.

"Not yet. Besides, do you think you can bottom? Or would you rather be on top?" Midas started giggling.

"Bottom? Of what?"

"Ok, putting it gently... do you want Babel to fuck you in the ass?" He asked nonchalantly.

I think the blood drained from my face, and I was left open mouthed, unable to utter a reply.

"See! You don't have an inkling of what this relationship entails. You don't even know how to satisfy him. And yet, you've decided to blindly go through with it?"

"I know I don't have all the answers yet, uncle. But I really like Babel. I don't think I could handle losing him. I just want to make him happy. To love him. To stay close to him... always." I felt a burden had been lifted from my shoulders. It felt liberating to accept the truth, that I wanted Babel, with all my heart.

"Dear me, this is going to be painful for the both of you. Babel is already in love with you, I don't think there's any way out of it for him. And you... you're a mess! I can't trust you to make the right decisions whenever it involves Babel. You don't realize it yet, but you're just as much as in love with him as he is with you!" Midas looked at me, slowly massaging his nape.

"Part of me is happy for you Tower, I am truly happy for you. But, another part of me is scared for you too." He shook his head from side to side, unable to decide which emotion to prioritize.

"I'm also scared. I mean, what would others think of me now." I softly exclaimed.

"What others think of you is the least of your problems. If you really want to make Babel happy, then I'm pretty sure you won't even give a shit to what other people say. Besides, everyone will benefit more if you're honest about yourself than mislead the people around you." He explained.

"You need to choose, Tower. You can only keep one of them. You need to set the other one free. It won't be fair to keep either one of them hanging. Who ever it is you need to let go... do it gently. The sooner, the better." Midas advised.

"I don't want to hurt either one of them. Sheri was a good... friend. And Babel, well Babel is..." I couldn't find the right words.

"I foresaw this already. That's why I tried to put a stop to it! I intentionally said hurtful words to Babel that night, hoping he'd cave in and just abandon the whole plan Soul had mapped out. Instead, you had to come right in and build up his courage. Now look where it's gotten us." He raised his arms to emphasize our current state.

"It's funny how they say karma comes back to bite you in the ass. Well, this time it did. I tried to make Babel feel inadequate and unworthy back then, not knowing my nephew would be the recipient of karma's revenge. Now it's you who feels unworthy to be in a relationship with Babel." Midas lamented.

"It took all my self-control not to run after Babel back then. Not to comfort him. Not to take back the spiteful words I dealt him. I watched from the security cameras as he entered the pantry that night. The pitiful look he had on his face as he watched you and Sheri together. Then his retreating figure as his tears started to fall one by one, as he rode the elevator alone. And his fleeting blur as he ran from the building to hide in the park across the street, and cry his heart out in the dark. I felt so ashamed of what I did, but at that time I knew it was a necessary evil if I wanted to prevent further heartaches on both sides. Then, what I feared would happen transpired... you reached out to him and gave him strength to carry on. Now... all that started as a lie has become the truth. And there's no way we can take back any of it." Midas exhaled as if lost for a solution to the dilema.

"Who said I want to take it all back? I want to go forward. I want to make it all up to Babel. I want to show him that I'm worthy. That's if... he still wants me. If he still wants me." And for a few seconds, I feared that he might not.