Tough Love (ManXMan)

Chapter 25.

Roman.

65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, I stop to take a breather and drink some water after the set of pushups. It hurt like crazy but I feel so out of shape that I had to get some exercise in.

I walk towards the bathroom to take a warm shower before getting some breakfast and making my way to the shooting range.

Looking around my apartment that I'm barely at, it's so boring and virtually empty with bland white walls, a TV set, a small coffee table, two couches, and my ironing pad in the corner. I'd never really considered it a home, more like a place to rest my head when I'm in the country though it was my option to live off base.

The kitchen had a couple of pans and pots, some eating utensils and of course a sparkling stove and an empty refrigerator. Which reminds me that I have to do a very dreadful thing, shopping ugh, grocery shopping massive ughh.

The only place that doesn't look so deserted is my bedroom, there was a poster that said 'Army Strong' on the leftmost part, then a framed picture of myself on graduation day from the Academy, a picture of myself, mom, and dad on my fifth birthday, and a picture of myself and Jalil in front of the armored truck. If only my mom were still alive this day, she would have loved Jalil so much I mean who wouldn't love him?

The other night two days ago had been entirely unplanned but he looked so beautiful and mentioning another mans name had set me on edge, and I felt the piercings had been calling out my name. It was a lot of things going on that night so don't judge me.

I turn on the faucet and the cold water hits me, I know I said warm but the cold water feels good on my skin too so I'll just stick with that, it's super weird but I've never been a fan of hot showers since I was younger.

My bathroom time is usually my me time to just think about the most random things like what my mirror looks like when I'm not looking at it. Or when people go horseback riding but my question is 'where else were you going to sit on the horse if not it's back?' Or where the air we use to blow out bands in public bathroom comes from. It's the most random things I tell you. But then sometimes it's not random like when I think of what to do after my service or settling down, or if I prefer British or American English more. But nowadays it's been thoughts of Jalil just front and center in my mind, I've never tried to be good for someone, nor have I ever tried to be remotely romantic. But for him everything came naturally to me. Whenever I shipped back home I'd have sex with different women or men every night just to release months of pent up testosterone, but I haven't even had the zeal to do so after two weeks of arriving home, and that's because of a certain person.

He's who I never knew I needed but have found and I'm never letting go, even for a second. I don't know how we're going to sort out our living situation yet, because it's not fair of me to tell him to up and move, drop school and everything to come to America. I also can't do that since I'm stationed here for now and I recently just re-enlisted for another six years. However, what we have going on is working for us so I'm happy.

I also informed a friend of mine stationed in New Zealand to help me keep Jalil safe because the threat of his father is still present and of course Elijah is keeping tabs on Rashid and his momma. Gotta do what you gotta do amiright?

I step out of the shower to my bedroom, get dressed, put in my boots, grab my Keys and wallet to head out to the shooting range. I open the door, and the surprise on the other side of it left me dumbfounded.

"You're....... here..... what are you...... how did you know where I..... you're here?" I don't know when I started to stutter but the surprise was evident as much as a Leopard in the mall. I stare straight at the man long and hard and childhood memories, teenage memories, moving out, and us being estranged all flash through my mind like a motion picture. I honestly have no idea what started the whole anger I felt towards him, but the fact that he got married to my mom's best friend had made my anger bubble over and here we are.