Then a hand runs up to his chest, J.'s palm warm on his already steaky skin.
Body heat next to him.
Not a word, just a few more breaths.
A new day won't wash them away.
[24/24]
Body heat next to him.
Not a word, just a few more breaths.
A new day won't wash them away.
[24/24]
August 25, 2023 at 7:49 PM
Then a hand runs up to his chest, J.'s palm warm on his already steaky skin.
Body heat next to him.
Not a word, just a few more breaths.
A new day won't wash them away.
[24/24]
Body heat next to him.
Not a word, just a few more breaths.
A new day won't wash them away.
[24/24]
So they stay there, displayed on the ceiling like slides on a computer he's not able to turn off.
He watches them, stilling his breathing one second at a time.
[23/?]
He watches them, stilling his breathing one second at a time.
[23/?]
August 25, 2023 at 7:48 PM
So they stay there, displayed on the ceiling like slides on a computer he's not able to turn off.
He watches them, stilling his breathing one second at a time.
[23/?]
He watches them, stilling his breathing one second at a time.
[23/?]
He wakes to body spasms in his sleep.
His lungs search for air, paralyzed and burning.
There are images under his eyelids.
He opens his eyes to replace them with something, anything, but there’s nothing but darkness.
[22/?]
His lungs search for air, paralyzed and burning.
There are images under his eyelids.
He opens his eyes to replace them with something, anything, but there’s nothing but darkness.
[22/?]
August 25, 2023 at 7:46 PM
He wakes to body spasms in his sleep.
His lungs search for air, paralyzed and burning.
There are images under his eyelids.
He opens his eyes to replace them with something, anything, but there’s nothing but darkness.
[22/?]
His lungs search for air, paralyzed and burning.
There are images under his eyelids.
He opens his eyes to replace them with something, anything, but there’s nothing but darkness.
[22/?]
«Come on, I'm late.»
They stare at each other for a few seconds, A.'s teeth showing up white in a smile.
«Do you know her?»
The thump of a body slammed against the wall.
[21/?]
They stare at each other for a few seconds, A.'s teeth showing up white in a smile.
«Do you know her?»
The thump of a body slammed against the wall.
[21/?]
August 25, 2023 at 7:45 PM
«Come on, I'm late.»
They stare at each other for a few seconds, A.'s teeth showing up white in a smile.
«Do you know her?»
The thump of a body slammed against the wall.
[21/?]
They stare at each other for a few seconds, A.'s teeth showing up white in a smile.
«Do you know her?»
The thump of a body slammed against the wall.
[21/?]
J. grunts an uh-uh, his chin urging him patiently to spill it.
«I heard this one guy ask who the hell Björk was and I fucked him anyway.»
J. shakes his head and tries to hide an exasperated smile behind the palm of one hand, fingers scratching on his beard.
[20/?]
«I heard this one guy ask who the hell Björk was and I fucked him anyway.»
J. shakes his head and tries to hide an exasperated smile behind the palm of one hand, fingers scratching on his beard.
[20/?]
August 25, 2023 at 7:45 PM
J. grunts an uh-uh, his chin urging him patiently to spill it.
«I heard this one guy ask who the hell Björk was and I fucked him anyway.»
J. shakes his head and tries to hide an exasperated smile behind the palm of one hand, fingers scratching on his beard.
[20/?]
«I heard this one guy ask who the hell Björk was and I fucked him anyway.»
J. shakes his head and tries to hide an exasperated smile behind the palm of one hand, fingers scratching on his beard.
[20/?]
J. rolls his eyes up to the ceiling.
«Very mature.»
A. secures the key inside in his pocket.
«I agree, I've grown up a lot lately.»
J. stands there, arms crossed, waiting for things to get stupid.
«Like, the other day?»
A. gets a few steps closer, face all serious.
[19/?]
«Very mature.»
A. secures the key inside in his pocket.
«I agree, I've grown up a lot lately.»
J. stands there, arms crossed, waiting for things to get stupid.
«Like, the other day?»
A. gets a few steps closer, face all serious.
[19/?]
August 25, 2023 at 7:44 PM
J. rolls his eyes up to the ceiling.
«Very mature.»
A. secures the key inside in his pocket.
«I agree, I've grown up a lot lately.»
J. stands there, arms crossed, waiting for things to get stupid.
«Like, the other day?»
A. gets a few steps closer, face all serious.
[19/?]
«Very mature.»
A. secures the key inside in his pocket.
«I agree, I've grown up a lot lately.»
J. stands there, arms crossed, waiting for things to get stupid.
«Like, the other day?»
A. gets a few steps closer, face all serious.
[19/?]
She sits back down, hands in plain sight, don't let me stop you.
A. fakes another smile, meets J.'s eyes once more and raises two fingers from each hand, indexes and thumbs facing each other.
In Italian that means I'll kick your ass.
[18/?]
A. fakes another smile, meets J.'s eyes once more and raises two fingers from each hand, indexes and thumbs facing each other.
In Italian that means I'll kick your ass.
[18/?]
August 25, 2023 at 7:43 PM
She sits back down, hands in plain sight, don't let me stop you.
A. fakes another smile, meets J.'s eyes once more and raises two fingers from each hand, indexes and thumbs facing each other.
In Italian that means I'll kick your ass.
[18/?]
A. fakes another smile, meets J.'s eyes once more and raises two fingers from each hand, indexes and thumbs facing each other.
In Italian that means I'll kick your ass.
[18/?]
«I'll give you a hand» and Maria tries to get up, but is immediately stopped by a gentle pat on her shoulder.
«I just have to take it out of the oven. You guys can talk» and he smiles at the both of them.
[17/?]
«I just have to take it out of the oven. You guys can talk» and he smiles at the both of them.
[17/?]
August 25, 2023 at 7:43 PM
«I'll give you a hand» and Maria tries to get up, but is immediately stopped by a gentle pat on her shoulder.
«I just have to take it out of the oven. You guys can talk» and he smiles at the both of them.
[17/?]
«I just have to take it out of the oven. You guys can talk» and he smiles at the both of them.
[17/?]
Muscles in his face start to ache.
«Gloria, yes» another nod. «A muse of mine.»
J. comes out of the kitchen just before his mother can start listing all of her gay, black and communist friends.
«It's almost ready.»
[16/?]
«Gloria, yes» another nod. «A muse of mine.»
J. comes out of the kitchen just before his mother can start listing all of her gay, black and communist friends.
«It's almost ready.»
[16/?]
August 25, 2023 at 7:43 PM
Muscles in his face start to ache.
«Gloria, yes» another nod. «A muse of mine.»
J. comes out of the kitchen just before his mother can start listing all of her gay, black and communist friends.
«It's almost ready.»
[16/?]
«Gloria, yes» another nod. «A muse of mine.»
J. comes out of the kitchen just before his mother can start listing all of her gay, black and communist friends.
«It's almost ready.»
[16/?]
María, feling slightly more comfortable now that they've bonded of a rock band, slaps her hand on his knee.
His eyes hover towards the kitchen and clears his throat.
«Right? They don't make that kind of music anymore. Cher, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Gloria! What a woman she is.»
[15/?]
His eyes hover towards the kitchen and clears his throat.
«Right? They don't make that kind of music anymore. Cher, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Gloria! What a woman she is.»
[15/?]
August 25, 2023 at 7:42 PM
María, feling slightly more comfortable now that they've bonded of a rock band, slaps her hand on his knee.
His eyes hover towards the kitchen and clears his throat.
«Right? They don't make that kind of music anymore. Cher, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Gloria! What a woman she is.»
[15/?]
His eyes hover towards the kitchen and clears his throat.
«Right? They don't make that kind of music anymore. Cher, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Gloria! What a woman she is.»
[15/?]
«Oh» the same pretense. «Interesting.»
A. nods a few times, then a few times more, as if they could fill the silence in the room.
«I was crazy about Duran Duran» the woman lets him know with a bit of forced laugh.
«Really?» he asks, all amazed. «That's crazy.»
[14/?]
A. nods a few times, then a few times more, as if they could fill the silence in the room.
«I was crazy about Duran Duran» the woman lets him know with a bit of forced laugh.
«Really?» he asks, all amazed. «That's crazy.»
[14/?]
August 25, 2023 at 7:41 PM
«Oh» the same pretense. «Interesting.»
A. nods a few times, then a few times more, as if they could fill the silence in the room.
«I was crazy about Duran Duran» the woman lets him know with a bit of forced laugh.
«Really?» he asks, all amazed. «That's crazy.»
[14/?]
A. nods a few times, then a few times more, as if they could fill the silence in the room.
«I was crazy about Duran Duran» the woman lets him know with a bit of forced laugh.
«Really?» he asks, all amazed. «That's crazy.»
[14/?]
He's sitting there twiddling his thumbs, stiff back against the sofa.
A fifty-seven-year-old body at his side and some cheap perfume besieging his nostrils.
She may have spilled some room deodorant on herself.
«Mainly electronic» and pretends to smile.
[13/?]
A fifty-seven-year-old body at his side and some cheap perfume besieging his nostrils.
She may have spilled some room deodorant on herself.
«Mainly electronic» and pretends to smile.
[13/?]
August 25, 2023 at 7:41 PM
He's sitting there twiddling his thumbs, stiff back against the sofa.
A fifty-seven-year-old body at his side and some cheap perfume besieging his nostrils.
She may have spilled some room deodorant on herself.
«Mainly electronic» and pretends to smile.
[13/?]
A fifty-seven-year-old body at his side and some cheap perfume besieging his nostrils.
She may have spilled some room deodorant on herself.
«Mainly electronic» and pretends to smile.
[13/?]
A.'s the one leaning over now.
«What’s so strange about it?»
J. arches an eyebrow and «Oh, well... absolutely nothing.»
A. stares at him, theatrically insulted.
«It better» and elbows him lightly.
[12/?]
«What’s so strange about it?»
J. arches an eyebrow and «Oh, well... absolutely nothing.»
A. stares at him, theatrically insulted.
«It better» and elbows him lightly.
[12/?]
August 25, 2023 at 7:40 PM
A.'s the one leaning over now.
«What’s so strange about it?»
J. arches an eyebrow and «Oh, well... absolutely nothing.»
A. stares at him, theatrically insulted.
«It better» and elbows him lightly.
[12/?]
«What’s so strange about it?»
J. arches an eyebrow and «Oh, well... absolutely nothing.»
A. stares at him, theatrically insulted.
«It better» and elbows him lightly.
[12/?]
J. looks at him a little confused, then remembers the synsthesia and laughs a little.
«You should donate your brain to science.»
«Let them take it, I don't need it.»
J. contemplates the idea with a smirk.
«No, you don't, judging from the pictures you take...»
[11/?]
«You should donate your brain to science.»
«Let them take it, I don't need it.»
J. contemplates the idea with a smirk.
«No, you don't, judging from the pictures you take...»
[11/?]
August 25, 2023 at 7:39 PM
J. looks at him a little confused, then remembers the synsthesia and laughs a little.
«You should donate your brain to science.»
«Let them take it, I don't need it.»
J. contemplates the idea with a smirk.
«No, you don't, judging from the pictures you take...»
[11/?]
«You should donate your brain to science.»
«Let them take it, I don't need it.»
J. contemplates the idea with a smirk.
«No, you don't, judging from the pictures you take...»
[11/?]
Think of national flags, the association of feelings with a specific tone, fashion and how you dress and all that stuff. Without colour, we wouldn't be what we are, and probably not for the better.»
A. nods slowly, wrapping his head around it.
«I could go without for a couple of days.»
[11/?]
A. nods slowly, wrapping his head around it.
«I could go without for a couple of days.»
[11/?]
August 25, 2023 at 7:39 PM
Think of national flags, the association of feelings with a specific tone, fashion and how you dress and all that stuff. Without colour, we wouldn't be what we are, and probably not for the better.»
A. nods slowly, wrapping his head around it.
«I could go without for a couple of days.»
[11/?]
A. nods slowly, wrapping his head around it.
«I could go without for a couple of days.»
[11/?]
J. looks rather interested in whatever he found on A.'s phone.
They're going through each other's photo library.
«Close enough. They tried to explore the different facets of colour. Its significance in everyday life, art, the technological era, its role in history and society. (…)
[10/?]
They're going through each other's photo library.
«Close enough. They tried to explore the different facets of colour. Its significance in everyday life, art, the technological era, its role in history and society. (…)
[10/?]
August 25, 2023 at 7:38 PM
J. looks rather interested in whatever he found on A.'s phone.
They're going through each other's photo library.
«Close enough. They tried to explore the different facets of colour. Its significance in everyday life, art, the technological era, its role in history and society. (…)
[10/?]
They're going through each other's photo library.
«Close enough. They tried to explore the different facets of colour. Its significance in everyday life, art, the technological era, its role in history and society. (…)
[10/?]
And what else is there to talk about if you can't argue your preference for blonds over brunets, as if the reds didn't count for anything. You can take away yellow from van Gogh and blue from Kandinskij, but where else would you get Titian red?»
[9/?]
[9/?]
August 25, 2023 at 7:38 PM
And what else is there to talk about if you can't argue your preference for blonds over brunets, as if the reds didn't count for anything. You can take away yellow from van Gogh and blue from Kandinskij, but where else would you get Titian red?»
[9/?]
[9/?]
«Meaning, the world doesn't make sense if it's black and white. No traffic lights, no sunsets, the mess of figuring out which is the red apple and which one is the green apple, the red pill and the blue pill, the paper and the plastic bin, though haven't figured them out yet. (…) [8/?]
August 25, 2023 at 7:37 PM
«Meaning, the world doesn't make sense if it's black and white. No traffic lights, no sunsets, the mess of figuring out which is the red apple and which one is the green apple, the red pill and the blue pill, the paper and the plastic bin, though haven't figured them out yet. (…) [8/?]
«Then it's a gangbang of colour» J. confirms patiently, having decided to rest with his temple on A.'s shoulder.
«The world in colour» he lingers on the painting, no bullshit this time, as he scrolls through his library.
«Meaning?» his forehead gets wrinkty.
A. shrugs.
[7/?]
«The world in colour» he lingers on the painting, no bullshit this time, as he scrolls through his library.
«Meaning?» his forehead gets wrinkty.
A. shrugs.
[7/?]
August 25, 2023 at 7:35 PM
«Then it's a gangbang of colour» J. confirms patiently, having decided to rest with his temple on A.'s shoulder.
«The world in colour» he lingers on the painting, no bullshit this time, as he scrolls through his library.
«Meaning?» his forehead gets wrinkty.
A. shrugs.
[7/?]
«The world in colour» he lingers on the painting, no bullshit this time, as he scrolls through his library.
«Meaning?» his forehead gets wrinkty.
A. shrugs.
[7/?]
«The fuck is that?»
«What?» and when J. gets close, one of his curls tingles on A.'s cheek.
«This gangbang of colour» he betters the phone's viewing angle for him.
«What do you see?»
A. thinks about it, or pretends to.
«A gangbang of colour» he insists, face a deadpan.
[6/?]
«What?» and when J. gets close, one of his curls tingles on A.'s cheek.
«This gangbang of colour» he betters the phone's viewing angle for him.
«What do you see?»
A. thinks about it, or pretends to.
«A gangbang of colour» he insists, face a deadpan.
[6/?]
August 25, 2023 at 7:34 PM
«The fuck is that?»
«What?» and when J. gets close, one of his curls tingles on A.'s cheek.
«This gangbang of colour» he betters the phone's viewing angle for him.
«What do you see?»
A. thinks about it, or pretends to.
«A gangbang of colour» he insists, face a deadpan.
[6/?]
«What?» and when J. gets close, one of his curls tingles on A.'s cheek.
«This gangbang of colour» he betters the phone's viewing angle for him.
«What do you see?»
A. thinks about it, or pretends to.
«A gangbang of colour» he insists, face a deadpan.
[6/?]
His statue a few meters ahead still looks at the panorama.
«Ten minutes» he informs lazily.
They both know it'll be another ten minutes, and then twenty, and then thirty until night comes.
[5/?]
«Ten minutes» he informs lazily.
They both know it'll be another ten minutes, and then twenty, and then thirty until night comes.
[5/?]
August 25, 2023 at 7:33 PM
His statue a few meters ahead still looks at the panorama.
«Ten minutes» he informs lazily.
They both know it'll be another ten minutes, and then twenty, and then thirty until night comes.
[5/?]
«Ten minutes» he informs lazily.
They both know it'll be another ten minutes, and then twenty, and then thirty until night comes.
[5/?]