Technicolor Daze [Currently Being Edited]

twenty-two.

Monday, May 19th, 2014

"Good afternoon Elaine," Theo typed on the keyboard as he responded to the last email of the day. It was already five past six and Theo had finally completed all of his tasks for the day. He'd spent the whole day somewhat distracted, texting Noah whenever the other man was available and thinking back to the time he spent with Noah over the weekend.

After arriving home the previous night, he put his laundry up to dry on the balcony before calling Noah and talking to him until he eventually fell asleep. They just talked about everything and nothing at all, but Theo lived for those moments. He yearned to feel close to Noah, even if it was just listening to his voice.

It had been a long time since he dropped his guard with someone. Since he allowed himself to be fully vulnerable around a lover. He'd forgotten how much he enjoyed relinquishing control and being completely intimate with someone like he'd done with Noah.

He'd surrendered himself to Noah.

But had Noah surrendered himself to him?

Theo wasn't sure and that question was eating at him.

It also didn't help that he still wondered what had exactly happened the night he found Noah crying at the Carmo Gardens at 3 am. Noah had never mentioned it again. What secrets was he hiding? Theo wasn't sure if he was too much of a coward to bring it up again or if he was more afraid of what he'd discover.

Stop thinking about it, he thought to himself.

As soon as the last email was sent, he logged out of his account and grabbed his things before bidding his colleagues a lovely evening and leaving the office. His phone buzzed in his pocket while he was waiting for the elevator.

It was a text message from Joel, "Hey, wanna meet at 7 at Café Catedral?"

"Make it 7:15. Only leaving work now. I'll text you when I'm on the bus," Theo quickly replied to the text message before the elevator doors opened. He stepped into the elevator and pressed on the button going to the ground floor. He was deciding whether he'd catch the team member shuttle bus or if he'd walk to the Taipa village and get a bus there. He checked the time and he knew he could still make the team member shuttle bus if he walked fast.

"Ok, I'm nearby, so just let me know and I'll head there when you're close by," Theo received a reply from Joel as soon as he stepped out of the elevator, but he didn't reply. Instead, he pocketed his phone and dashed all the way to the pick-up location for the team member shuttle bus.

He made it just in the nick of time. The bus would take about forty minutes to get to the city center and he needed an extra ten minutes to get to Café Catedral from the drop off location. He checked the time and saw that it was twenty past six, so he was sure he would make it on time.

Once the bus was almost done crossing the bridge, he sent Joel a message, letting him know he was arriving at the city center.

"Okay, I'll head to the café now. See ya!" Theo pocketed his phone after reading the reply.

The shuttle bus soon stopped near the Sintra square and Theo got off it and made his way to the café located near the Senado Square. He walked at a leisurely pace as he smoked his first cigarette in hours. He hadn't had one since his afternoon break and had been craving the sweet taste of nicotine the whole bus ride. By the time he arrived at their meeting spot, Joel was already standing outside the café.

"Hey, man. It's been a minute," Joel hugged Theo tightly.

"Geez, no need to smother me," Theo said with a hint of sarcasm.