Toxic [2gether]

Part 12

Sarawat slipped on a pair of round sunglasses to complete his bucket hat look, before mutely stepping out of the car and heading straight for the back trunk. Tine looked quizzically at the other man through the adjacent mirror on his side of the car and then spilled out as well, moving his long legs around to get the blood flowing. Sports cars had strange seats, they were too low and reclined too far back in an awkward way.

"What now?" He asked, looking around at the flora surrounding them, the fresh green color was almost blinding in its brightness after all the grays and silvers of the busy city. "Woah, there's so many people here today," Tine spluttered and spun around to take in the bustling jogging path that twisted by past the parking lot and disappeared further into the park, Tine's eyes trailing the heels of the numerous runners passing by. He could already imagine how packed it probably was inside the park if it was so busy just by the entrance.

"There's a quiet place that we can sit," Sarawat assured, coming to stand next to Tine, a solid hand on the strap of a guitar case. Tine had to do a double take of that, fine eyebrows arching, but choose not to question his attire aloud. It has certainly been a while since he last seen Sarawat haul a guitar around. "Let's go," the musician urged and nudged Tine's elbow to follow him, strangely avoiding Tine's gaze. Was he feeling shy? Tine grinned, his cheeks dimpling slightly. If Sarawat wanted to be secretive then he should hide his mouth and not his eyes, since each and every emotion was visible at the corners of his expressive lips.

"Wat! Wait for me," he called and trotted after Sarawat, gaze glued to his strong back, the black t-shirt accentuating his square shoulders and lean waist, the guitar case smacking against his side. Something went bump in Tine's chest. He was stunned to realize that this was a view he had missed seeing during all this time.

They stopped to buy cold drinks from one of the food carts that dotted the main path into the park. The thin plastic bag was rustling in Tine's hand as they made a turn onto a minor trail where a green lake was revealed as they stepped out from in between the dense array of trees and palms. The sunrays were gleaming on the reflective surface of the water.

The pair strolled over the green field, their shadows following them unevenly over the soft grass and settled under one of the tilting, overhanging trees further up the bank of the artificial lake. The foliage had potential of shielding from view, creating a sense of privacy.

"It's nice here," Tine commented, glancing up from his lounge against the tree trunk at the patchwork of glimmering sunrays filtering through the leaves above.

"Yeah," Sarawat replied, sprawling beside the other man. He was reclining on the heels of his sturdy hands, the pinky on his left hand grazing Tine's own. A smile blossomed on Tine's upturned face, his eyes turning into crescent moons as buzzing happiness filled his whole being, turning his core alight.

"Have you been playing the guitar?" The musician asked, his hand slowly creeping closer and then fully engulfing Tine's.

"Not really," he replied a bit regretfully, turning his cool hand around, palm up, to entwine it with Sarawat's warm one.

"Should I give you a lesson?" Sarawat glanced at him, sunglasses glinting and smirked.

"What, right now?" The musician shrugged, sitting up straighter to unzip the guitar case and take out the acoustic guitar. "What kind of date is this really?" Tine complained but actually sat up neater from his slouch, crossing his legs. His slacks strained over his thighs, creaking at the seams from the undesignated position. "Hey, actually," he said eagerly. "Can you play your song?"

"Which one?" Sarawat asked tuning the guitar, head bowed and the veins on his hands popping up and down with the motion, like piano strings.

He just had to make Tine say it out loud, huh. Asshole.