🌸 Chapter 12: Love is the Answer Episode 1: Basket Case 🎧▶️📻 Previous (Let's stick together) - Next (Love is in the Air)
New Chapter!
It's finally spring and the Boys are back at Cahaya! Noxee and Saiwa missed each other so much <3 Angga came to the pier too, to welcome back his housemate Kiyoshi, former Resort collegue Jeb - and his new housemate Vlad. Angga was the only one still suffering from the energy drain and now that it was finally time to make him Noxee and Saiwa's first patient, stirred all kinds of mixed feelings in Jeb and Jack. Not only did Jack feel a sting in his chest because of Noxee, there was also this weird, unexplainable, irrational jealousy when he saw Kiyoshi hurrying to Angga as soon as they stepped off the plane.
It was late and they were tired from the flight, so after the 'welcoming ceremony', they all headed to their old and new homes. Since Angga was too weak to walk all the way to the pier and back, he and Noxee brought the motorbikes, and Angga took seat behind Kiyoshi. Jack: "Is it really necessary to hold so tight on Kiyoshi?" Jeb: "Are you really sure this kissing practise isn't affecting you too much? Usually humans only get jealous when they are in love with someone, right?" Jack: "Tch, I'm definitely not in love with Kiyoshi. This kissing stuff is purely for therapeutical and educational matters. Come to think of it, maybe the potions are too strong? You should ajdust them. Would make it easier for us to endure Saiwa and Noxee 'treating' Angga. We can't move another time because of this, I like it here." Jeb sighed and nodded: "I'll see what I can do." Jack was right, this madness was affecting them much too much.
When Jeb, Jack and Ji Ho arrived back at Imo Kim's house, they first checked in on their garden. Noxee had promised them to look after it - Queen Noxee Style obviously - it was glowing and sparkling all over! She hadn't bothered to weed, but the plants were doing well nonetheless. They'd still be busy with getting the beds back in shape tomorrow. Francine also promised to send some new seeds for Jeb to try out for the potions.
Luckily Noxee also left them food in the fridge, they were too tired to cook for themselves tonight. Usually Jack would be thrilled to eat food prepared by his precious Noxee, but he and Jeb were in a gloomy mood because of Noxee and Saiwa's upcoming 'treatment' of Angga. . .
After dinner, when Jack and Ji Ho already showered and Jeb was almost done, he heard yelling and hurried to finish - only to find his and Ji Ho's bed in the middle of the yard and Ji Ho and Jack engaged in a pillow fight! Jeb: "What the . . . ?" Jack: "Imo Kim's friend, Jill, remember? She brought the Ondol Bedding she kept safe as long as the house stood empty. We can finally sleep on the floor! Ji Ho and I set up everything already and I'll dismantle the beds tomorrow."
Jeb was curious, he hadn't slept on the floor since their plane crashed...
Jeb: "It's late and we'll be busy. Come to bed."
Despite his tiredness Saiwa sat with Noxee on their balcony to keep up. They'd facetimed and texted a few times, but it just wasn't the same.
Noxee: "I'm sorry it all went so utterly wrong on Valentine's Day, but rest assured, we're doing all we can to resolve the issues. And you'll see, Jeb will understand we have to make sacrifices to keep the members of our Community safe, and your and Wesley's engagement was such a sacrifice. Francine will talk to him and he'll support you even if we can't tell him what exactly we are about to do here." Saiwa: "I'm not so sure about that. It hurts him, I can see it in his eyes - before he runs off, that is." Noxee: "But that also shows how much he loves you, hm? Show him he doesn't have to worry that much." Saiwa: "I don't know. . ."
Noxee: "It will all be fine, I promise. The Regulator and I made progress too and soon we'll be in steady relationships, invite each other over, spend our holidays together, go on double dates. . . just imagine. . ." Saiwa laughed: "That sounds too good to be true." And too scary ö.Ö' A double date with the Regulator. . . Noxee, with a dreamy look on her face: "It's so worth fighting for."
When Saiwa eventually was alone in his room, he sighed and looked at the photo of Jeb and the others. Of course Jeb was worth fighting for. Every damn single freckle of him was worth fighting for. He just had to have faith. 'Just' in '' because he just wanted him so much it hurt.
And after a ride through the balm spring air to the other end of Cahaya's Main Island, Kiyoshi, Angga and Vlad eventually arrived at their home too.
Kiyoshi: "It's on the first floor, right next to mine. Nothing special, just a single room, but it's cheap and you have your own bath." Vlad: "That's more than enough, thank you for having me." Angga: "Don't worry, we're happy we found a new housemate to share the rent. You must be hungry, let's eat first?"
They sat in the yard. Angga: "We also only have this outdoor kitchen, but since it's warm here all year, it's not that much of an inconvenience and you won't live here for long anyway, right?" Vlad: "I won't?" Angga: "You'll move to a bigger place with your husband once you can afford it." Vlad almost choked: "My husband?" Kiyoshi: "Excuse him, it was a long flight." Angga: "Oh, of course. It's just people still talk about Ji Ho and what happened at the Resort, and they were kind of relieved he's 'taken' so he won't cause any further troubles. You have no idea. Though, not all people here. Many were sincerely happy he found good friends - and a man who loves and protects him."
Protect. That single word poked the Dragon inside of Vlad. Being apart from his mate after living together for so long now made it hard for Vlad to contain the protective and love deprived beast. He excused himself and retreated to his new room. Distracting himself with writing. Because he not only had a husband now, he also had a new job. Writing hot romance 'guides' for Wes and Leonard's 'Love Shack' . . . But writing about hot encounters between even hotter men wasn't helping much either. Since he only could write about the hot encounters he actually. . . encountered - with Ji Ho - and Wes. It couldn't be helped, he had to work to pay for his room.
'Do you have the time to listen to me whine? About nothing and everything, all at once I am one of those melodramatic fools Neurotic to the bone, no doubt about it
I went to a shrink, to analyze my dreams She said it's lack of sex that's bringing me down I went to a whore, he said my life's a bore So quit my whining 'cause it's bringing her down
Sometimes I give myself the creeps Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me It all keeps adding up I think, I'm cracking up Am I just paranoid? I don't know'
Basket Case - Green Day
Outtakes
Jack would like to paste a 'PERMIT ONLY' sticker on Kiyoshi too ;)
Saiwa and Jeb <3
Chapter 12 Playlist on -> youtube -> spotify
This was Episode 113 of all 🦩 Previous (Let's stick together) - Next (Love is in the Air) 🎸 The 'As if it's your last' Story Hub is -> here 🌸 Read Chapter 12 from the beginning -> here 🌸 Chapter 12 Episode Overview -> here (coming soon) 📻 Chapter Overview with all Chapters so far is -> here
