Chapter 11 Double standards

"Hey, NuNew!" shouts Tutor, who is walking down the stairs from the upstairs bedrooms to the large living area, "Max asks to see you for a minute."

Yim is sitting next to the inwardly devastated Nat, peeling a mango. Nat looks very taken and since he refused to touch the thoroughly delicious lunch that Yim and Tutor had lovingly prepared, he at least tries to feed him the nutritious delicacy.

"You have to eat something, Nat!" purrs Yim.

But Nat's hearing is sharpened only to Tutor's words.

He was talking about Max.

The name of his love.

The Max who just walked up to the room and hasn't shown his face downstairs in an hour.

Zee held onto Nat's arm as he tried to follow Max upstairs.

"Nat, let him!", Zee begged him, "Come! Sit with us!", he pulled him onto the comfy couch.

And immediately Yim tried to take care of Nat.

Eat, drink.

Maybe make him laugh?

Just keep him company?

Or the television?

But Nat was in a constant state of denial.

He sat down on the couch, pulled his legs up to his torso, and leaned his chin on his knees.

Zee and NuNew exchanged glances and NuNew sat down on the other side of Nat.

He was to notice the closeness of Yim and NuNew.

And his big brother Zee was pacing around.

Tutor came back into the room after a while with a freshly made lemonade.

Zee gave him a look and the latter nodded.

So Tutor was told to take a look at Max.

So he ran up the stairs, knocked on the door of the bedroom of these estranged lovers and waited for Max to invite him in.

And when he was allowed to open the door, he saw Max lying on the bed, freshly showered.

"Hey, how are you?" asked Tutor, immediately regretting that question, "I mean, is there anything I can do for you? Do you want something to eat? Yim and I have been cooking. Tastes pretty good, actually. Can I get you something?", Tutor talks way too fast in his opinion.

He hates it when his friends fight.

He likes it harmonious.

It just doesn't always work out, but he hopes that the two of them will get it right again quickly.

The mood is oppressive and they both look really bad.

"Thank you, Tutor! Can you please just call NuNew for me?", Tutor's heart ached to hear Max's voice so sad.

And he ran right away.

NuNew is supposed to go to Max.

And Nat trembles as he sees NuNew and Zee exchange a look again.

Zee nods and NuNew stands up.

"Take him up something to eat! Maybe you can convince him," Tutor suggests, hurrying into the kitchen.

"Here!" exclaims Tutor, handing NuNew a bowl of ramen soup, "Max likes ramen. Maybe he can get some down."

Yim smiles enchantedly at Tutor's loving gesture.

But Nat is not at all in the mood to smile.

Zee sees the color change in Nat's face and shakes his head.

He can see exactly what battle he is fighting inside.

"You stay down here!" he whispers to him as he sits down in NuNews' still-warm seat.

And Nat has to watch as NuNew goes upstairs to his Max with a bowl of ramen.

His stomach cramps at the thought.

So with NuNew, he wants to talk.

Pictures in his head.

NuNew might be feeding him.

He sees Max lying in bed and NuNew brings a spoon to his mouth.

To his lips.

My mouth.

My lips.

Max is mine.

And Nat closes his eyes and suddenly feels Zee's hand on his head.

"Take it easy! Don't get into anything!", Zee whispers to him.

And for the first time in his life, Nat feels how much he doesn't want to.

Zee's hand on his head bothers him.

That hand has been on his head so many times.

But he doesn't want to feel it now.

Nothing and no one he wants to feel now.

He just wants to be with Max.

He wants to turn back time.

He wants to go to him and snuggle up to him.

And Nat gently removes Zee's hand from his head and buries his face between his bent legs.

Linger.

He needs to linger like this.

He doesn't want to breathe again until he knows Max is near him.

Zee, Yim and Tutor exchange glances and frown.

And they can't even exchange soothing words.

The fans have overheard too much anyway, and a real conversation wouldn't be for the public now.

But it is important for Max to talk to NuNew.

Who goes to his room without knocking first.

The bowl of soup in one hand and the fresh lemonade in the other.

He can only open the door with his elbow and just walk in.

Max is getting dressed and stands in front of NuNew in his shorts.

He takes the life-giving food from him and puts it on the side table.

"Thank you, NuNew!" his deep, calm voice rings out.

Max can't look him in the eye.

"NuNew, I'm sorry!" he begins and is interrupted.

"Max, your skin is completely burned. How long were you out in the sun? Didn't you put any lotion on before?" asks NuNew, concerned.

Max's upper body is very red and much more irritated after the shower.

"I didn't put lotion on before!" grumbles Max, "I didn't know what was going to happen. Why I'm running like a madman. The salt water and the sun hit," Max winces at his own words.

NuNew can see the agony he is suffering.

He feels sorry for Max.

Even though he would like to be pissed off at him.

He did hit his Zee.

But seeing him like this now, and knowing how it happened, soften NuNew's heart.

"NuNew, I'm sorry I hit Zee," Max apologizes, ashamed, "He was talking at me and just couldn't understand why I was mad. Well! I'm an idiot!" he stammers , "I saw red," he explains to himself with his head bowed.

"Max, you are an idiot! Right!", NuNew summarizes, "But I can understand why you were shocked. And Zee is always trying to be rational about everything. That makes me angry sometimes too," NuNew explains, searching Max's gaze.

Max's eyes look pained.

And NuNew feels him.

"Max, you don't have to apologize to me. This is your business. Do me a favor and eat something. I'll go get some burn ointment. Your skin doesn't look good!" declares NuNew and runs out of the room.

Down the stairs.

"Zee, do you know where we keep the medicine cabinet here?" he calls out, "Max's upper body is completely burned. He needs burn ointment badly," NuNew explains, suddenly seeing Nat jump up.

And no one can stop him.

"Nat!" shout Zee, Tutor and Zee at the same time.

NuNew is wide-eyed in amazement as he sees Nat walk past him with angry eyes.

He jumps several steps and quivers with anger as he yanks open the door to their bedroom.

Zee pulls NuNew into a hug and gives the other a look.

Both stand up and face Zee and NuNew.

A community of mourners, as they are in all cultures.

They sense a huge storm rolling in and seek communal closeness with each other.

And the loud banging of the torn open door resounds in the white villa.

Max startles at the assault.

He pours the first spoonful of ramen over his already burning torso.

Nat sees his Max sitting on the bed.

His Max.

And his skin is a testament to heavy moments.

And the few noodles adorning his strong torso soften Nat completely.

Max stares at Nat's curved in on himself, filigree body.

He sees dangerous sparkling eyes in a desperate body.

And Max's heart groans again.

He sighs deeply, allowing Nat to finally respond.

"Now you must be disappointed that it's just me. NuNew is still looking for an ointment to smear on you," Nat sneers in a shaky voice.

Max can't believe what he's seeing.

What he's hearing.

He feels a biting anger rising inside him.

Yet he loves that look so much.

His nong is so possessive.

He is not supposed to pay attention to anyone.

But after this day, Max really can't stand that look.

"You like to measure things with double standards!" he grumbles angrily.

And Nat doesn't understand.

"What kind of answer is that?" he asks snappishly.

"Feel it!", Max demands and gets out of bed, "Do you feel how this feels?", he walks towards Nat with tensed muscles, "And I'm not even giving you reason for this feeling!", Max resounds louder and louder, "And you?", his voice quivers, "And you!", the tone breaks in exasperation.

Max swallows it all down and takes a deep breath while standing only half a meter away from the person who hurts him so much.

"Double standard!", Max nods in disappointment.

Sadly.

Nat's eyes tremble with tension.

He still feels the flames of his jealousy.

And looks into Max's hurt eyes.

If only he knew what to say back.

He is empty.

His head is empty.

Max waits only a brief moment before he just gives up.

There's no point anyway.

Nat doesn't understand.

It's not his fault.

He's just young.

His feelings are above everything.

He can't grasp how Max feels about it.

"Leave me alone again, please!" he growls and turns around, "Or I'd rather leave you alone. It's your bedroom, after all," he says, grabbing his bowl and drink from the side table and heading out of the room.

Nat's body finally responds.

He turns around and grabs Max's waist.

He pulls him toward him and wraps his arms around him from behind.

"Max, please. Don't go! Let's talk! Don't go!" begs Nat, wanting so much more to say.

He does want to tell him how much he loves him.

He wants to tell him.

But the ears in this villa don't allow him to.

And the fans see Nat's hot tears flowing down Max's red back.

"Max, Nat!" suddenly rings out loudly in the sound system, "Get down there with the others, I want to talk to you via stream!", P'Aof's voice hovers over everything.

Max and Nat both widen their eyes.

Nat lets go of Max and wipes the tears from his face.

They both run down the stairs and see the others sitting in front of the big TV.

Close.

They look helpfully into the large projected P'Aof.

May he save them all.

And P'Aof sees the two wounded approaching.

Max sits down on the couch and Nat dares him to join.

"We've decided to have the challenge start early today. The input from the fans is calling for it. And there is a clear request for today's challenge.

I'll read aloud:

You've been fighting fiercely all day.

But you never go to bed until you have talked things out and made up.

You know exactly what your heart wants and needs.

No quarrel can separate you.

Show us a scene in bed where you face the quarrel and find a solution.

Make up!" reads P'Aof, looking serious,

"You have 10 minutes to prepare.

The couple that shows the most touching reconciliation wins today's challenge.

The fans vote.

In the name of love, get it together!"

And a heavy silence arises in the living area of the white villa.

Not even Zee can take the usual path and take the lead.

And the Four silenced friends look at each other.

Until NuNew swoops over to Max and Nat.

Both sit on the couch, lost in thought.

They go into them selve.

Each to their own.

And so NuNew decides to make a proposal to the others.