Work Text:
It was late afternoon. Around 9 pm. Aiden was walking toward home with a fast-food bag. He had finished work, and he felt like he needed to grab some food on his way home. He was really tired and annoyed because he argued with a customer for almost an hour. The lady was complaining that the piece of clothing she bought got ruined in the washing machine, and she was demanding a refund because it didn't have an "only wash it by hand" sign on the clothing. But Aiden was sure there was, and the lady just didn't notice it… Never mind, it was a complicated and long, tiring argument. He arrived at the apartment, grabbed the keys, and opened the door.
Meanwhile, James was lying on the couch waiting for Aiden to come home while being on his phone. Again. But this time, he wasn't scrolling through TikTok and Instagram; he was actually texting with his boss because he had a "plan for Saturday". He offered him (and his other employees as well) something which caught his attention. I don't know what they were texting about, but I know James replied with "Okay, I'll be there on Saturday. I'm sure he's gonna love it too. Thanks for this opportunity! You’re the best, boss!" He also sent a text to Aiden 20 minutes ago because he was kinda worried. “Aiden was supposed to be home by an hour ago,” - said James to himself. But don't worry, he said that he was fine, just went to grab some food for himself and him.
James heard the door opening sound, so he got up and went to the door to check on him. He noticed how tired his boyfriend was, so he came closer to him to give him a big hug:
- Aiden baby! How was work today…?
But Aiden just snuggled up to him and said:
- I just want to go to bed… I'm so tired.
James knew Aiden probably had to deal with "Karens" again, so he just smiled and said:
- Okay, I'll be waiting for you there! - while hugging and giving him a forehead kiss.
- I bought food!
- Awesome! Thanks, baby!
James gave another kiss on Aiden’s cheek, took the bag from him, and put it in the fridge. He really appreciated that his boyfriend cared about him and bought food for him, too. Then he immediately went to bed, waiting for Aiden to finish his night routine and have a nice little chat in bed while cuddling. Aiden came soon, still having a tired face, and was basically dragging himself because of the tiredness.
He went to bed, but instead of lying next to James, he scrambled on top of him and just lay there while hugging him. James didn't expect that, but he let it anyway because he found it cute. He even patted his head, while asking him how his day was:
- You don't have any idea how pissed off I am right now, James!
- Let me guess, Karens?
- Yeah...
- I knew it, haha. It was about the quality of the clothing, or she wanted to pay with expired gift cards?
- She was demanding a refund because she washed the clothing she wasn't supposed to, and of course, it got damaged. It was really tiring, I swear, my manager and I were arguing with her for almost an hour straight. You can imagine how I needed that after my 10-hour shift. We finally managed to tell her off, but she even treated us with a lawsuit, over her own carelessness. Also, I had to clean and pack a lot, which was honestly more bearable than arguing with those annoying customers. The worst part of it was that she even started to insult me like... ugh, these types of customers are the worst.
- I know, baby, I know. - said James in a soft voice and gave another forehead kiss to Aiden.
- Thank goodness I've finished this week, and my colleague is in charge for the rest of the week.
- That's great because I was thinking...
- Mmmh... Could we talk about it tomorrow? I honestly have no energy left...
- Fine by me. - said James while looking at Aiden with a loveable smile on his face
Aiden smiled too, got closer to James' face, gave a kiss on his lip, got off, snuggled next to, and hugged him.
- Good night Jayjay!
James chuckled and blushed a little because he loves it when Aiden calls him "Jayjay"
- Good night, Aidy!
The next morning, when James woke up, he noticed that Aiden was still sleeping fast. Man, yesterday’s work shift was really that tiring for him, wasn’t it? James smiled at him and got up from bed. He went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for Aiden, but he didn’t do it for himself, because he would rather eat the food Aiden bought. He was eating while scrolling through social media, but he was rather fantasizing about the program and the fun they would have on Saturday. He was planning to tell this to Aiden in the late afternoon, because he knew he was going to be very moody after he woke up, especially after all of yesterday’s mess. He also planned what they should do to keep Aiden in a good mood. Playing video games? Watching a film? Or even going for a sweet and long walk? Or maybe just letting Aiden do his own little things, which could put him in a good mood. The possibilities are endless…
Aiden woke up pretty late at around 11 AM, and of course, he was still in a pretty bad mood, but less tired. He notices the breakfast James prepared for him and a little note where “For Aiden baby!” was written. That was sweet enough to make Aiden a little bit happier. While eating, he was watching YouTube videos, probably something anime-related. James was having a shower and singing a pop song… very loudly and falsely, which Aiden could clearly hear. Aiden couldn't handle it, he paused the video and started laughing so hard he was having tears in his eyes.
When James came out from the shower, Aiden was still laughing, so he got confused a bit:
- What’s so funny?
- California Gurls by Katy Perry??? - Said Aiden while wheezing really hard.
James' face turned a little bit red:
- Oh, cut it off, I wasn’t singing that loud…
- Yes, you were! I didn’t know you even listened to Katy Perry…
- I was just… that song is just… It stuck in my head because of TikTok videos, okay! And I couldn’t handle it!
- Yeah, you’re right - said Aiden while chuckling - Haha, you singing to this song made my entire day! Haha!
- Well, at least I was able to put you in a better mood after yesterday’s work shift.
- Hah, don’t get me wrong, I still have a headache after that day, but I admit you did manage to make me feel better!
- See? It’s just my boyfriend's healing method!
- Yeah… If singing loud and badly in a shower counts as a healing method - said Aiden with a proud, smug expression on his face.
- Then that means, I should do it more often! Like every day!
- Haha, no way you’ll kill me at some point if you do it every day.
- Hah, I can imagine you rolling all over the floor laughing while having tears in your eyes. I now know the things that could make you laugh that hard are my singing and bad comedy movies.
- Hey! At least my sense of humor isn’t based on listening to people insulting each other.
- Haha, okay, whatever you say, my dear - chuckled James while rolling his eyes - anyway,s I hope you’ll stay in a good mood for today because I wanna ask you about something
- Ooooh, about what? - Asked Aiden in a curious voice
But James just looked at him with a big smug expression on his face:
- You’ll know later, I now want it to be a surprise for you. I’ll tell you around the afternoon
- *Gasp* a surprise? Let me guess… You want to propose to me, don’t you? - Said Aiden in a teasing voice
- Whaaaat? Aidy! - Raised James his voice but not in an angry way.
- Relax, I was just joking - Said Aiden while taking a sip from his tea with a smug look on his face - Can’t wait for the afternoon!
- Trust me, the surprise is going to be interesting and something you’ll never guess in a million years, unlike a proposal!
- Let’s just see then! - said Aiden and stood up from his chair, put the plate and the mug in the sink, and went to James:
- By the way, thank you for the breakfast, babe!
- You’re welcome, it's what “friends” do!
Aiden got the reference, and they kissed.
- Wanna continue playing the video game?
- Heck yeah! If only I could be player number 1
- C’mon, you're always player number 1! But I won’t complain this time, I want to keep the good mood up for today! - Said James and gave a wink to Aiden
They were playing video games until it was lunchtime. During lunch, they discussed what their plans were for the rest of the day, until the afternoon when James is supposed to tell Aiden the “big surprise”. They didn’t have a specific plan, so they decided to go do their own things and maybe watch a movie together in the late afternoon… of course, after James told Aiden the big plan. Meanwhile, Aiden couldn’t handle it but teased James about the surprise:
- Please, babe, give me a little hint at least!
- Nope, be patient and wait for the afternoon!
- But at least tell me when exactly?
- Hmmm… At around 6 Pm… or maybe 7…
- Oh, c’mon, don’t be such a troll!
James just chuckled. Aiden gave up asking James about this, so he pretended to be “uninterested”
- Then fine… Don’t tell me anything. I don’t even care about knowing it anymore. - said Aiden with crossed arms, and turned away from James in a very dramatic way. But he slightly looked back at James to see his reaction. James knew Aiden was pretending to be overdramatic and “offended,” so he played along and started to act the same
- Fine. Then see you later, I guess…
James got up from the chair and walked away dramatically from Aiden, who still had his arms crossed and pretended to be “offended”, but James couldn’t handle it, turned back, went back to him, gave a kiss on his cheek, and said:
- Patience!
Aiden couldn’t handle it well and started laughing.
- Hehe, I was so dramatic about this, wasn’t I?
- Don’t worry, I knew you were only acting to be offended about this, like when you pretended to hate me in the camp…
Aiden’s face turned a little bit red from embarrassment, and he wanted to close the situation:
- Okay, okay, I get it, I’m a “drama king." Okay, now please go and plan your little “proposal speech” or whatever.
- Okay, baby, what are you saying - said James, trying to act “cool” and walking away to his bedroom.
The afternoon came surprisingly fast. James was in his room thinking about that this time about to tell Aiden the surprise. He was also daydreaming about that day as well:
“AAA I can’t wait for Saturday, it’s going to be so romantic! Just me, my amazing boyfriend being…"
- OH C’MON ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?
James heard an angry scream from Aiden’s room.
“Huh? What is up with him? I should probably go and check,” - Said James to himself, got up, and went to Aiden’s room.
He opened his bedroom door and looked inside. Aiden was lying on his bed, being really upset again, and reading something on his phone. When he put it down, he put a pillow on his face and just screamed curse words.
James just stood there with a surprised face, because he honestly didn’t know what the fuss was all about.
- Umm… Aiden?
- James? Ugh, you can’t believe what just happened.
- Why? What happened?
- I thought I could finally have a not-so-frustrating working shift next week… UNTIL my colleague didn’t text me.
- Umm… What did she text about?
- She said that she take the entire next week off because of an urgent “family vacation” and said that I will be in charge of the ENTIRE NEXT WEEK! I asked if the boss knows about this, and she said, “Yes, so don’t be surprised when he texts me about the sudden changes in the working schedule.” UGH! I was happy about having a relaxed week again, but no. I have to work EVERY. FUCKING. DAY. NEXT WEEK! Can you believe it? You see how TIRED I was after just one day, but for an ENTIRE WEEK? Now that's gonna cause my death, I’m sure. Horra,y my entire day is ruined again!
- Um, well… - James doesn’t know how to respond to that one, but he tried - maybe… It won’t be as hard as you think. Maybe… If you won’t concentrate on the negative things, maybe it won’t be as tiring as it always is. I can relate to your problem; you can imagine how often I as well came home from work while being tired and annoyed.
Aiden just rolled his eyes and (sadly) started to take out his anger on James
- Yeah, right - said Aiden in a petty voice
- I'm serious! You may not see how hard I work too, but I have my own work issues as well!
- In this case, when do you have to go to work?
- Well, I’m actually free this week and probably for the whole of next week as well, but…
- Pfft. Lucky you, at least you don’t have to work 10 hours straight almost every day. - Said Aiden in an annoyed voice and crossed his arms - I don’t even understand how you can 'relate to my problems”. How it is it possible for you to come home 'tired and annoyed' after a few pictures were taken of you while wearing fancy clothes? How can it be that tiring, to be honest?
James was really shocked about why Aiden suddenly started to shit on his job as a model.
- …Why are you acting like this all of a sudden?
- Because I just had enough of enduring all of that shit that happens to me at work for that little salary, while you spend all day in a studio posing for some… snobs to take pictures of you in their crappy brand and make a living out of it! - Complained Aiden and get out of his bed
- If you can’t handle it, why won’t you just quit?
- No, I don’t want to!
- Why?
- Umm… I have my own reasons!
- Oh yeah? And what are your reasons?
Aiden suddenly starts to have a worried and scared expression, but quickly rushes it off with:
- Umm… It doesn’t matter, I just feel like working, because… I want at least one of us to have a real job. You with your modeling stuff, and also with your influencer and social media bullshit, the way I see it, they shouldn’t count as a “real job” just because you make a lot of money… UGH THIS ISN’T FAIR!
James couldn’t believe what he just heard.
- Aiden, please, can’t you just calm down and explain to me what you mean that my job doesn’t count as a “real job”?
- BECAUSE YOU DON’T DO SHIT, UNLIKE ME! AND YOU GET WELL PAID FOR IT, UNLIKE ME!
- I Don’t do shit… unlike you? Well, to your surprise, I actually have to deal with WAY MORE things than you, so…
- Like What? Posing like a… bragging idiot while smiling handsomely just for the photographer to take some high-quality pictures of your fancy-ass brands and sell them to advertisers. Oh god, how tiring. Let me wipe my sweaty face with my well-earned paycheck. Seriously, a fucking mannequin can do that too. - Said Aiden in a mocking way
- Oh, so what are you saying about modeling is… that you think…
- I THINK IT’S A WORTHLESS JOB, IT HAS ALMOST NO PURPOSE, AND I CAN’T SEE THE REASON FOR IT PAY SO WELL. AND I BET IT’S NOT EVEN HARD TO GET IN, YOU JUST HAVE TO LOOK PRETTY EVEN IN THOSE OVERPRIZED RAGS, AND BOOM, INSTANT MONEY, INSTANT FAME, INSTANT LUXURY!
- Oh please, DON’T ACT LIKE YOU ARE A BRAIN SURGEON OR SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WORK IS SOOOOO MUCH IMPORTANT THAT MINE AND WITHOUT WHICH OUR SOCIETY COULDN’T EVEN EXIST!
- I’m not saying that I, as a cashier/ cleaner/ loader/ is that big of an impact on “our society” I'm just SAYING that all that hard physical work I DO is not paid off enough. While you're getting the TRIPLE amount that you ACTUALLY DESERVE!
- …You saying that I don’t deserve as high a salary as you do just because you do more physical work? Okay, then WHAT IF I QUIT? HUH?
- ARE YOU FUCKING STUPID? WE WON'T BE ABLE TO LIVE ON MY SALARY. I JUST TOLD YOU HOW LITTLE I EARN!
- Then I don’t understand your problem. If it's that big of a deal for you to bear all of the physical work you KNOW YOU’LL HAVE TO WHEN YOU APPLIED TO THIS JOB, WHICH YOU DIDN’T EVEN NEED IN THE FIRST PLACE!
- And also because I have to endure way more problems mentally than probably you. To your surprise, it’s not just physically, it’s also mentally tiring as well. Remember when I also told you about those annoying ass customers who…
James just… had enough. He couldn’t take Aiden’s bullshit anymore:
- MENTALLY TIRING MY ASS, YOU DON’T GET HALF OF THE SHIT I GOT AT WORK, THE ANNOYING CUSTOMERS ARE NOTHING COMPARED TO THOSE ANNOYING PEOPLE I HAD WORKED WITH! - Snapped James at Aiden
- Oh boo hoo, somebody told you that your hair doesn’t stand well, or you don’t stand well! Have you ever been threatened with a lawsuit or been attacked personally in the middle of your work shift??
James was done. He knows that Aiden is in a “bad mood,” and he can’t really have an honest and calm conversation with him. It wasn’t a debate anymore; they were arguing and yelling at each other at that point. It was really tiring for James that Aiden was assuming all those things about his job, as a model.
- I… I just can’t continue this… I feel like…
- Just admit it, I'm in the right… - Said Aiden “proudly” but noticed that James started to have tears in his eyes, which made Aiden feel a little bit concerned - … Aren’t I… babe?
- DON’T! Please don’t call me “babe” right now. I… – He couldn’t find the words because of how upset he was at that moment - “Have I ever been threatened with a lawsuit or been attacked personally? I don't know, ” HAVE YOU EVER BEEN FUCKING INSULTED, BULLIED, MENTALLY ABUSED, BODY SHAMED, BLACKMAILED, OR EVEN SEXUALLY HARASSED? LIKE ALL THE TIME??? AND HAVE YOU EVER LEFT YOUR FUCKING JOB BECAUSE YOU COULDN’T TAKE ALL THAT TORTURING BULLSHIT ANYMORE!?!?!
Aiden was really shocked, but he couldn’t answer. He was just staring at James.
- Yes Aiden. The modeling studio where I'm currently working isn’t my 1st one. The first one where I worked for like 2 and a half years was such a hell to me that I couldn't handle it and left, even if they paid a third as much as my current one. You can’t… (*sniff*) You can’t imagine what I have been through. Do you think your workplace is exhausting and unbearable? Well, guess fucking what I was CRITICISED CONSTANTLY “OH YOU LOOK SO UGLY IN THIS ANGLE, UGH YOU LOOK HORRENDOUS, THESE CLOTHES DON’T FIT YOU, OH YOUR HAIR LOOKS RIDICULOUS, YOU LOOK SO FAT … ”
- Wait… Did they actually say all those negative things to your look?
- OF COURSE, THEY CRITICIZED ME ALL THE TIME! MY HAIR, MY HEIGHT, MY WEIGHT, THE COLOR OF MY SKIN, MY NOSE, MY LIPS, THE WAY I STAND, LOOKED, SMILED, THE THINGS I ATE… I WAS NEVER PRETTY ENOUGH FOR THEM! NEVER! AND WHEN THEY STARTED TO SAY NASTY THINGS ABOUT MY BUTT AND DICK SIZE WHEN I WAS TRYING ON BOXERS. THAT WAS SO DAMN UNCOMFORTABLE. They gave me so many insecurities about my body image that…
- Wha… WHAT??? But I… but, but… But you look so handsome, you’re hot, you’re perfect, I mean, I and probably others find you so attractive, how could they say all of that… I thought you would only get some minor criticism, but not actual insults.
- Nobody is perfect, Aiden, not even me. And those asshole agents don’t really see you as attractive, they always pick out every one of your flaws because their goal is to make the pictures more attractive to the consumers, they honestly don’t see you as a real person, more like an object. They need to sell those “overprized rags”. They need to look as good and attractive to others as possible. And no, a fucking mannequin can’t do that job. Modeling isn’t just about posing and smiling. There are reasons why they are tips and lessons about modeling, and actually, starting it as a full-time job isn’t going as smoothly as you think.
- Were you aware of those things when you first joined the industry?
- Well, not really. I was only focusing on the fun and rewarding parts. When I first applied, I think having a lot of followers back then also gave me a little more advantage. And also was good for me because when I got the job and started to promote them, I got almost twice as many followers on my social media, which made me so happy, but… also wanted more… so I… started to date him… Yes, I met him at that modeling studio, he was my workmate and…
That was really shocking to Aiden. He thought James explained everything about his ex to him, but… He didn’t know that working at that abusive workplace and being in his abusive relationship were at the same time… Oh, man.
- Oh no, James it's okay…- Aiden tried to comfort him
- NOT. now… Never mind, I don’t want to talk about him anymore… The point is. That at the beginning they might look kind and helpful… but later, when I started to realize how… Evil, all of them were; it was “too late”. I was “popular,” I was well paid, I signed the contracts, and my agent filled my schedule with shows and meetings. I felt like I couldn’t escape. It started to become worse when my workmates started to compete against each other. They often, and sadly, I too started to blackmail each other to get the role. The spotlight. And things also started to become way worse when I broke up with him… Almost every single one of my workmates turned against me and started to bully me, my ex started saying nasty and personal things about me as well, but… And the most uncomfortable part of my job was when the photographers started to sexually harass me... And my agent… Not doing shit…. In order to… stop it or protect me… I can’t… - James started to cry - I CAN’T FUCKING CONTINUE THAT ANYMORE I’M SO FUCKING GLAD THAT I HAD ENOUGH AT SOME POINT AND WAS MANAGED TO BREAK UP THE CONTRACT AND LEAVE THAT PLACE THE FUCK ALONE… I WILL NEVER EVER GO BACK TO THAT TORTURE CHAMBER I…
James continued to cry while being so angry that he felt like he could explode at any moment, so he stopped ranting, and after a 12-second complete silence, he finished his sentence:
- ... Just to let you know... My job wasn't as easy as you think, and my current one isn’t as well. It's much more comfortable and enjoyable now, but I still have to deal with problems there, too. You should be thankful that at least in your job, annoying customers are the worst you have to bear. I… I honestly expected better from you, Aiden - Said James in a quiet and deep voice. He stopped crying, but still had tears in his eyes.
They just stand in the living room. It became so quiet suddenly that you could hear the sound of the clock ticking. Aiden couldn't say a word; he just touched his left arm and looked away with a sad and worried expression. The two emotions he felt at the moment were guilt and sadness. He was guilty about what he said to him earlier, how ignorant and disrespectful he was towards James and his modeling career. He was feeling really bad because he knew he just hurt James' feelings. He wanted to make things better, he knew he had to give an apology, so he tried:
- James, I'm... - said Aiden while getting closer to him, intending to hug him. But James just gently pushed away Aiden and said in a sad and quiet voice:
- Not... Not now, please. I'm not in the mood for that. - Said James in a sobbing voice. He was this close to start crying again, so he covered his face with his hand and tried to stop sobbing. After 15 seconds of silence, he said to Aiden:
- Probably... we should... sleep separately for tonight, I just need to... I need to be alone. Sorry.
Aiden had a shocked expression because he never expected that James would say that to him. Even though he admitted that he needed the nights when they are sleeping together while cuddling, he knew he was serious. He now knows how hurtful his words were. He felt so stupid at the moment, but he didn't say anything and respected James' choice. He felt like he, too, could burst into tears at any moment.
But he didn't want to.
They were both just standing in Aiden's room when James had enough and slowly walked away from Aiden and left his room. But he said one last word:
- I’m sorry.
Aiden couldn’t believe what just happened. He never thought such a nice day could be ruined by an unexpected argument. An argument that he basically started. If only he hadn’t ranted about his unexpected working schedule and insulted his boyfriend’s job, a job that is very important to him. Also, he shouldn't have assumed all of those things as well. He felt like a… jerk. A real jerk. What James felt when he pulled that prank on Aiden. He swears he never wanted to hurt him like that, but his anger was just too strong… No, no, he can't just blame that on his poor behavior; he needs to act better, to control his emotions better, he’s mature, he’s an adult, and he needs to know better.
“Wh… Why did he apologize? Should I be the one apologizing?...” - Said Aiden to himself while still standing on that one spot, where he stood when he listened to James exposing his past workplace.
This night was really odd for both of them. After they were done with their night routine, they just said goodnight to each other, not using any pet names, and went to their own room.
“Huh, I feel like I haven't slept in my own bed for ages. I hope everything will be okay between us tomorrow. I need to apologize to him. This time, I was the one who was in the wrong, and I really feel bad about what I said.”
Aiden went to his bed, grabbed his teddy bear, and just lay there looking at the ceiling, waiting for himself to fall asleep, but he couldn’t. His mind was very busy and full of thoughts. He was thinking about their argument all night. Even when he finally fell asleep at around 1 AM, it still haunted him in his nightmares. It was horrible. He was having a nightmare about James leaving him for a "better boyfriend who understands him better and respects his job, unlike him..." His nightmare was so scary for him that he couldn't handle it and started crying, really loudly, while saying things like:
“Please, don't leave me!”
“I'm so sorry, I'm really sorry!”
“I swear I'll never say mean things about your job, but please, please forgive me, babe, please!”
James was awakened by those sounds but didn't guess at first what was going on. Then he gets that Aiden is probably crying about this situation, or he's having another panic attack, he couldn't decide, but it didn’t matter because he immediately got out of bed and rushed toward Aiden's room, opened the door, and looked inside. Aiden was still crying and saying things, having nightmares. He didn't hear his boyfriend come into his room. James slowly started to get closer to him and started calming him down:
- Aiden? Aiden, it's okay, I'm here. Aiden!
Aiden finally woke up from his nightmare:
- J… James. Is that you? You didn't leave me?
James was shocked by what Aiden said. Leave him? No, I’m sure he would never!
- It's okay, Aiden baby, I'm here.
Aiden stood up while still crying, but James gently hugged him and brought him closer to him:
- I'm here, baby, I'm still here…
Aiden was trying to calm himself down, but he couldn’t decide to forget about their incident for a moment or apologize. He didn’t think about a proper apology that he could give to James in order not to have that tension between them anymore, but he didn't know how, so he just said:
- I'm… sorry. I'M SO FUCKING SORRY, I WAS A HUGE JERK, PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME FOR THAT…!
- Sssh. It's okay darling, I'm here and promise I won’t leave you! I'll always be at your side, just please, don't cry.
But Aiden couldn't stop crying. He and James were still hugging on the side of his bed. He didn't want to let his boyfriend go, so James just grabbed Aiden, gently held him, and brought him to his room while still holding him. He carefully put him down on his bed, and they both lay down. Then, they cuddled. Like every regular night. The tension was still there, but at least Aiden was finally calm:
- James, I'm really so…
- Shh… We will talk about it tomorrow, let's just sleep. Good Night, Aiden!
- (*sniff*) Goodnight James…!
The next morning, when Aiden woke up, he noticed that James was still sleeping fast. Man, yesterday’s argument was really tiring for him, wasn’t it? Aiden smiled at him, but still feeling guilty, he got up from bed. He went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for James (and himself) this time. He made the same breakfast as his boyfriend did yesterday. When he finished eating breakfast, he went to his room to do his own little things.
James woke up pretty late at around 11 AM, and of course, he was still in a pretty bad mood, but less tired. He notices the breakfast Aiden prepared for him and a little note where “For Jayjay! I’m so sorry again for the mess I caused!” was written. That was sweet enough to make James a little bit happier. While eating, he was thinking about how to properly fix this problem and how they should make up again. He knew only a calm and well-handled talk could fix it. For everything to go back to normal. James, after finishing his breakfast, went to Aiden’s room to check on him. He knocked on the door, which Aiden couldn’t hear because he was listening to sad music. James slowly opened the door, looked inside, and noticed Aiden lying on his bed with a headphone on his head. He took off his headphones and noticed James was standing at his door with a hopeful smile on his face, but Aiden got scared and looked away from him. James slowly went to his boyfriend’s bed, sat down, and said:
- By the way, thank you for the breakfast, babe! - And held out his hand to him.
Aiden grabbed James’s hand and pulled him up from the bed closer to his boyfriend. They were now sitting on the side of the bed, looking at each other. James with a hopeful smile and Aiden with a hopeless frown. James put his right palm on Aidend's right cheek, gently holding and touching his face. James slowly got closer to Aiden’s face and gave a sweet and gentle kiss on his mouth. Aiden was a little surprised, but he closed his eyes, put his hands on James’ shoulders, and just enjoyed the long kiss. After that, Aiden slowly pulled his head away and lay on James' chest while hugging him:
- I’m so sorry for everything I said yesterday. Please forgive me!
- It’s okay, it’s okay. I forgive you. It was just a misunderstood argument, nothing tragic. This happens between couples. But why did you think that I would leave you?
Aiden pulled away from James’ chest, raised his head, and looked at him while having tears in his eyes.
- Because… I had a nightmare. You're leaving me for another boyfriend who respects you better… This is why I cried so hard last night.
- *Gasp* …Aiden I… - said James in a worried voice and hugged Aiden hard - I would never… I would never leave you for this… no, no baby, I’m so sorry for yelling at you. I didn’t do it because I hated you or something, I… I didn't want to scare you. I promise I would never leave you because of a stupid argument.
They were just hugging each other. It became so quiet suddenly that you could hear the sound of the clock ticking. They couldn't say a word, just hugging, while Aiden was still crying a little. Then James broke the silence:
- Look, when I said “We should probably sleep separately for tonight”, I didn’t really say it because I started to hate you or something…
Aiden got a surprised expression on his face and looked James in the eyes again:
- Then why? Why did you say that?
- I said it… because I started to remember those awful days and moments at work again when I started ranting… And I really needed some alone time that moment to think… more like to process… The things I just said, the bad memories that came back… (*Sigh*) In one word… It was never because of you. This is why I also said “sorry” but didn’t have the energy to properly explain at the moment, why… Sorry for the misunderstanding, baby.
Aiden understood what James was trying to say. He gets it now that James never started to feel hatred toward him. He really needed some alone time to cope with his thoughts, not to push him away.
- I get it. - said Aiden in a quiet and sad voice, still having tears in his eyes - Sorry for overreacting last time, I was just so scared and… Never mind. But I want to apologize for the hurtful things I said. I never wanted to rage, but I was just so angry at that moment that I couldn't control it, and I started to say my mean thoughts out of anger without properly thinking. I swear I will change my opinion and…
- See, that’s why I was mainly and still kinda mad at you - said James in a serious voice.
Aiden saw his serious look and started to have a worried expression and said:
- You were mad… because of my harsh opinions… Right?
- No, you dummy… - But James didn’t finish the sentence, had a big sigh, and just turned his head away from Aiden - I was mostly mad because of your attitude and anger. You see, as much as you like to say about yourself, “You think you’re so mature for your age”. But the way you handle things, that makes you mad… Isn’t really “mature” in my opinion.
- What… What do you mean by that? Well, I think I can see why, but explain to me - Asked Aiden in a worried and curious voice
James was silent for about 10 seconds. Suddenly, he turned his head and looked at Aiden with a worried expression:
- … James?
- You promise you won’t get offended by the things I will say. I do not intend to shit on you, I just want to teach you a lesson… To give you an awareness that you might not see right now.
- Okay, I promise. Whatever you want to say, I’ll handle it maturely.
James had another big sigh and just looked at the ground… He didn’t want to face Aiden.
- Remember the time when I “betrayed” you in Disventure Camp? The “Karol incident”?
- …Yeah?
- I don’t want to blame the whole thing on you, I admit, tricking you like that was a dick move from me, but I feel like… The way you reacted, talked to me, and handled the situation was kinda… The way I see was kinda… Childish and pathetic.
Aiden was quite shocked by this sentence, but didn’t say anything. He just wanted to hear all of James’ thoughts right now.
- Like… when I tried to apologize and explain why I did this… You just wanted to brush it off and didn’t even want to understand the points I was trying to make. I know I upset you, but being mad at me like that and being so salty about the incident for I think 4 episodes straight… was kinda pathetic. I’m sorry, but your hysterical attitude, man… In yesterday’s argument too… You can be so petty sometimes, and it actually hurts my brain. You also need to think smarter and control your emotions because… It’s not a good thing if you upset yourself that way and say things without properly thinking through them. This… I mean, I would like to change your poor behavior, not your opinion. Yeah, I was also mad that you assumed things and said them out loud, but that's not the main point here.
The silence hit the room once again. James was still staring at the ground, but Aiden just stared into the air, having a shocked expression. He didn’t really realize his behavior and attitude towards James at the beginning of Disventure Camp. But now, as hurtful as it was to him to hear what his boyfriend just said… He was actually glad for him. To “teach him a lesson,” as he said.
- I understand. I agree with your point, I can be really petty sometimes, and I DO need to change. But I didn't honestly realize my "childish" behavior at the camp. I thought… I was… I'm just…
- You thought you were the smart guy, the one on the right, the "mature one" and the true "victim". Right?
Aiden blushed a little because of embarrassment:
- Yeah, and I'm sorry for being so determined about it…
- It's okay, that situation was really complicated in any way. There wasn't a right and wrong, I admit, we both had our reasons and misses… And I'm also sorry for my scumminess. But back to yesterday's mess… You now see why I tried to make a point by comparing that situation to the camp one.
- Yes, I see. I promise I will do better next time and won't assume and tell my hurtful opinions out of anger, and also do more research. By the way, the things I said… About modeling, were kinda mean and offensive, weren’t they? But now that I see the other side… You said you didn't want to change my opinion. But why? I now want to, after hearing your stories, because I feel bad for being an ignorant piece of shit, I never mean to offend you…
- I’m not saying you should keep your opinion the same, and don’t change it forever. I just want you to form a better understanding and maybe see things from a different, more diverse perspective. But when I said that, because I wanted to tell you, your opinion wasn't the main problem, the issue I had.
- I get it, but I still feel really bad for my ignorance and that I assumed a lot of things.
- And I'm glad about that. But don't get it the wrong way, you are still free to have your not-so-positive opinion about modeling and other things as well. But maybe don't say it out loud, especially to a model like me. And ESPECIALLY if you think you know everything while doing 0 research or not having enough knowledge about it. Also, you don't need to tell every opinion you have. Sometimes it is better to keep it for yourself. I have my own critical and negative opinion about a lot of things as well, but I know there are moments where telling my honest and hurtful opinions about something would be very inappropriate, and I wouldn't let my anger be stronger than my brain and make me rant and say things out of anger, without thinking.
- I understand… - Said Aiden in an ashamed voice
- I’m also not saying having an opinion about something while being ignorant is an unforgivable act. I get it, you didn’t know the behind-the-scenes, I understand you form an opinion about something by knowing only the common and bright side of it. It’s not a big problem, I explained some things you didn't know and things others won’t really want to tell you about. It’s okay to feel bad. I’m here to comfort you, even if we talk about situations that might be uncomfortable for both of us.
Then James gently hugged Aiden again:
- In conclusion, I didn’t say all of this to guilt-trip you or make you suffer; I want you to learn from your mistake. Don't assume, maybe don't say every opinion out loud, and try to change your behavior and attitude. Okay? These were all just lessons, like when you taught me a lot of things about transitioning and hormones. Or when you taught me a lesson about not doing secret pranks on you for a TikTok video.
- Oh, I get it. - Said Aiden in a confident voice - Well, thank you so much for everything you said, I promise I will do better next time! You are truly the best, babe! -Then he gives a kiss on James’ cheek. James then turned his head and kissed Aiden on the mouth.
- And also thank you for “coming to my TED talk,” Haha - Said James in a humorous voice
- It was more like a “ JAMES talk” because your name is James, not Ted Hahaha - Laughed Aiden awkwardly. James just looked with a bland stare and burst out laughing:
- … Pffffft Hahahaha, that was so bad, baby… I love your humor so much, even if it can be really bad… at times, haha! - Laughed James - You are so cute when you are trying to be funny. - Said to him in a flirty voice, coming closer to Aiden while blushing a little.
Aiden started blushing too, didn’t know what to do, so he grabbed James by his shirt, looked him in his eyes, and kissed him in the mouth again. Now James had a surprised expression, but closed his eyes and put both of his palms on Aiden’s face. Now they were both blushing hard, the soft kiss which quickly turned into a make-out. Well uh… I see they both get a little carried away (haha), because then James put one of his hands on Aiden’s back and gently laid him down on the bed, put his head on his pillow, and went up as well to be four hands above him. They were both staring at each other, but James slowly started to get down, putting his head on Aiden’s chest carefully - because he didn't want to squeeze or hurt him - and put his arms around Aiden’s back.
- What are you doing? Remaking the “tent scene”? - Said Aiden with a smirk, while blushing
- Just… This feels so good after this long conversation. - Said James in a comforting voice while his eyes were closed- Admit it, you wanted this as well, don’t you, Aidy baby?
- Yeah - said Aiden in a happy and calm voice. His face was as blushy as in the “tent scene”
Aiden starts to pat Jame on his head and play with his hair. James giggled because he likes when Aiden did that. He opened his eyes, looked at Aiden, put his left palm on his face, and started to kiss him… on the neck. Aiden then turned tomato red, looked down at James, gently put his hand on James' mouth, and said:
- Please, not right now, I don’t want to.
- Oh, okay, sorry - Replied James, stopping doing it and putting his head on Aiden’s chest again.
- It’s okay, - Said Aiden while the hard blush slowly went away - Let’s just chill, or talk about something… else.
James understood it but wanted to ask Aiden really badly about something, which might be related to their incident… He didn’t want to ruin their moment, but since he wanted to properly close the case and wouldn’t bring up their drama again, he asked anyway.
- Can I ask you about something… which is kinda related to that talk? But I promise I won’t start another “JAMES” talk again.
- Haha, okay, and I’ll promise I will handle it well, whatever it is.
- Tell me the truth. Why do you insist so badly on having a job anyway? I make enough money; we can afford for you to just quit. We won’t be starving or something, so you don’t have to worry. You would be calmer, relaxed, and also wouldn’t have to deal with annoying customers if you just stayed home.
Aiden starts to have a scared expression, which James notices:
- Oh no, no forget about this question if you…
- No, it’s okay. The truth is… I’m aware of all of the things you just said. I’m not worried about financial issues, and I also made up the whole "one of us with a real job" sentence, it's actually something else…
- What? - Asked James in a surprised voice - Then, what are your real reasons?
- You see… I feel as if I have a “rich boyfriend”, while myself being unemployed and living on only his salary, and him buying me stuff… That… well, someone said that would make me the “woman” in the relationship. And I don’t want that label. That is why I wanted to have a job in the first place, to not feel like a…
James' jaw dropped when he heard this
- What… Aiden are you… Who said such bullshit like this?
- … My mom - replied Aiden in a sad voice
- WHAT? - Raised James his voice while having a shocked expression
- When I first told her about our relationship, she immediately started assuming I’m dating you ONLY because of your looks and money. I tried to explain, and I even wanted to show our scenes in Disventure Camp and prove to her that we truly love each other… But she didn’t want to listen. And she even said a “joke” about it... Which hurt me, like really bad.
- What did she say?! Only if you want to tell me.
Aiden started to have tears in his eyes:
- She said she just found it “funny” that I wanted to “become” a man so badly, and ended up being the “woman” of the relationship…
James was shocked and angry… at Aiden’s mom. He notices that Aiden started to sob, so he put his palm on his boyfriend’s face, came closer to him, gave a kiss on his cheek, and tried to comfort him:
- No, no Aidy, don’t cry, please, forget about your stupid mom, her opinion doesn’t matter. I’m here, don’t worry, you are not the “woman” one, you never were and never will be. It doesn’t matter if you have a job or you are unemployed; we are still equal in this relationship. I’m so sorry about what happened to you. Please don’t cry, baby! - Said James in a comforting voice and gave a kiss on Aiden’s mouth.
It worked because Aiden started to calm down. He looked at James with a blushy face, and he, too, put his palms on his boyfriend’s face. Then he gave another kiss on the mouth as well.
- I love you so much, babe!
- I love you too, Aidy!
They were both looking at each other with blushy faces and in a romantic way. Aiden felt like starting a conversation:
- I bet it was a big surprise for both of us that we found our true love in a TV show because I wouldn’t have guessed in a million years that…
- WAIT! THE SURPRISE! - Said James loudly and put one of his hands on his face, rubbing his eyes - Ugh, of course, I knew I forgot about something! All this drama made me forget about an important thing, the surprise!
- Wait, you're right, we did forget about it, didn’t we? Haha.
- It was on my mind, but ugh… Never mind that, I feel like I should tell it now to pump up the mood and not forget it again!
- I’m all ears babe!
James lifted his head from Aiden’s chest, stood on his knees - still above him - grabbed Aiden’s left hand, and looked into his eyes. But before saying anything, Aiden said it in a confident voice:
- I knew you were going to propose to me!
- Aidy, stop with your proposal mania! Let me speak already!
- Okay okay, sorry… I’m listening.
- My boss has messaged me about something. He offered us a day when we can take free pictures with whoever and in any clothes we want. They even let us choose from the wardrobe, which is really cool because it has so many cool and good quality clothes. Just imagine, the photographer taking romantic boyfriend pictures of us together, or even just solo pictures too. You would look so gorgeous in those high-quality pictures, wearing what you want and without other people telling you what to do. I feel like this could be a date as well. A unique kind where everything would be free! It would be tomorrow afternoon. What do you think?
Aiden was really surprised indeed.
- Oh my… James, that’s… SO COOL OMG! A photoshoot day? Just the two of us? Doing and wearing whatever we want? *Gasp* Yes. Yes, yes, yes, that would be so romantic and awesome! AAAA I can’t wait for tomorrow! - Said Aiden in an excited voice and blushy face.
- I knew you would say yes! I’m also so hyped about our photoshoot date!- Said James in an excited voice while still holding Aiden’s hand - Until then… What should we do? We have plenty of free time left until tomorrow afternoon
- Well um… I was thinking about… umm… Until then I… We should… - Stuttered Aiden
- I see, somebody is a little too excited, isn’t he? - Said in a flirty voice, which made Aiden a little bit nervous and blushy again
- Well yes but I… I honestly don’t know. What do you want to do?
James just smiled at him. He knew what he wanted to do:
- Can I borrow your phone?
Aiden grabbed his phone from his night desk, unlocked it, and gave it to James: - Here!
James opened Spotify, got out of bed, put on romantic music, and reached out his hand to Aiden:
- May I ask you for this dance? - Said James in a charming voice
Aiden started to blush and nodded. Then he grabbed James’ hand, got out of bed too, and went closer to him. He put his left hand on James’s shoulder, who put his left hand on Aiden’s waist. In the beginning, they started to slow dance, but as the music became faster, they moved faster. They did every type of cliché romantic dance move you see in the movies. They felt like dancing all day, but all of this drama made them really hungry, so they turned off the music and decided to go eat lunch.
Later…
It’s bedtime. They both went to bed, getting ready for tomorrow. But they couldn't really sleep because they were too excited. Their heads were full of thoughts like what they should wear, how they should pose, or how many romantic boyfriend pictures they should take.
- James, can you sleep?
- Honestly, No.
- It’s because you are excited about tomorrow, aren’t you?
- Yeah, it seems like I am haha!
- Me too, looks like we both can’t wait for tomorrow. What should we do to fall asleep fast?
- What if I… Tell some stories about my current modeling studio. To not just talk and think about the bad stuff. To see what my work is like now than then.
- Sure! I’d love to hear some of the fun stories, not just the nightmares.
Aiden snuggled up to James and listened. James embraced Aiden around his neck and started to say:
- After 1 year of taking a huge break from modeling, one of my friends suggested going back to the industry, but to a small studio where he currently works. I refused first because I was afraid the same thing would happen to me over again, people were gonna treat me the same… Never mind, let’s not talk about the bad stuff again. So after applying to that studio, I was surprised because people were already much nicer to me, and my friend already told them that I’ll come eventually. When they hired m,e I felt much happier, and they even threw a mini party, which caught me off guard, but in a positive way. Everybody was so friendly, but I had a bad feeling that they might let out their “true nature” once I got a serious position, like in the last workplace. But they never changed. They stayed as friendly, kind, and fair to me as on the 1st day.
- Did you tell them about your last workplace?
- Yeah… I told them everything about that studio. They weren’t surprised because they knew some of the horrible stuff that happened there, and to my surprise, some people went through the same as me. Who has worked there but quit because of the horrible working environment. They said leaving that crummy place was the best decision I could ever make. And they were so right!
- Wow, I’m so glad you found the perfect working place eventually!
- Yeah, me too. I have so many fun memories there. Like when one of my workmates brought her dog to a photoshoot, and the dog went crazy and made a huge mess in the studio. Haha, we had to clean up the whole place, which was exhausting but fun. Or when another worktime of mine kicked the door so hard it felt out of its place, and he had to fix it. Not to mention the number of pranks we pulled on each other. We throw parties too, every once in a while. I got so drunk at one point that, no joke, I started talking about how good my ass looks. And the others start to compare my ass to other hot and famous guy models. Then everybody basically started rating it. I remember the lowest I got was an 8.5/10. Haha. Those moments were gold.
- Haha. Okay, the last one was hilarious! Your current workplace sounds like a lot of fun. I’m glad that… *yawn* you have finally… found… the perfect… place. - said Aiden in a tired voice and fell asleep.
James smiled at him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He knew his stories would make Aiden fall asleep faster.
- Good night, my dear! - said in a sweet voice, and lay down to fall asleep as well.
Later the next day…
- C’mon James, hurry up! - said Aiden in a hurried voice
- I’m coming, I’m coming! Just checking if I turned off every light in the rooms. Have you packed the clothes you would like to wear?
- Of course, I did!
- Okay, I think I checked everything! Let’s go, baby!
They grabbed each other’s hands and went to the car. Aiden sat in the right front seat because James was driving. - By the way, Aiden still can’t drive, but James promised Aiden to help him to get his driving license.
They were driving for almost an hour because the modeling studio was in another city. They were listening to each other’s Spotify playlists in the car and singing along with some of the songs. When they arrived, James parked the car and walked inside the studio, where a lot of people greeted them, including James’ boss, who had served the whole program. The boss then greeted the others and told them where to find the dressing room and when each member could come, according to the list. James was 3rd on the list, so he and Aiden had some time left, so James decided to show off the whole studio to Aiden. Aiden was amazed at how gorgeous and modern the hall and the whole studio looked.
- James! Your turn is about in 5 minutes! - said his boss
- Okay, we’re coming! Aiden, do you want to change?
- Ummm… Yeah, there is an outfit I’d really want to wear. Can you accompany me to the dressing room?
- Sure! By the way, which outfit would you want to wear?
Aiden just had a smug expression on his face and said:
- You’ll know later, I now want it to be a surprise for you. I’ll show you in 10 or 15 minutes. I need to do my make-up too.
- *Gasp* a surprise? Let me guess… You brought a bunny suit with you, didn’t you? - Said James in a teasing voice
- WHAAAT!? JAYJAY! - Raised Aiden's voice but not in an angry way. He also started blushing really heavily.
- Relax, I was just joking - Said James with a smug look on his face - Can’t wait to see it!
Aiden just smiled, grabbed his backpack, rolled his eyes, and went to the dressing room. - See ya later, babe!
James smiled at him and went to the room where the photo shoot was happening. When the 2nd person on the list came out, he quickly checked himself on his phone and went inside.
- Hey James! - Greeted the photographer
- Sup dude!
- So? Who is the special one you brought to this event?
- He’s in the dressing room.
- Is it Aiden? Your boyfriend from that TV show?
- You guessed it! Haha.
- I knew it. You wanna wait for him, or do you want to take solo pictures first?
- Let’s do some solos!
- Okay then!
James took some pictures where he posed as if he wanted to seduce people behind the pictures. He smiled, he looked handsomely at the camera he even turned his back to show off what he had to show off. His manly-man butt. At that moment, Aiden came inside and said in a calm and seductive voice:
- Okay Jamey, I’m heeere…! - But he immediately froze down and started to blush because of what he saw. James is posing as if he wants his face and his ass to be seen in the same picture at the same time.
James quickly notices Aiden and what outfit he was wearing. Black pants, a red vest with a heart in it, a black shirt, and some accessories. He also put on eyeliner, eyes shadows, and a little face blush. James immediately started to blush:
- Oh wow… Aidy… You look… SO GORGEOUS! AAAAA YOU LOOK, FANTASTIC BABY!
- Oh ummm… Do you really think so? Well, thanks um… By the way, you look so handsome as hell, babe! - replied Aiden with a stuttery voice and a blushing face.
- Aww, thanks! But I haven't changed anything about my look. I left the house in this outfit, Haha... Remember?
- Ooooh, right right, I forgot it, umm... haha silly me. - Laughed Aiden nervously
James just chuckled.
-See? He is indeed the special one I brought with me for this special event. The love of my life!
- I see, I see. Great choice indeed, James! - said the photographer
This made Aiden blush again.
- What are you doing anyways?
- Well. I thought I might take some solo pics when you were still dressing. I’m gonna take some more, and then the boyfriend's pictures can come. Okay?
- Well okay… I’m just gonna watch you and… gonna let myself be amazed by your… handsomeness. - Said Aiden in an awkward voice and standing next to the photographer, with a little blushy face.
The photographer had a smug expression on his face while looking at Aiden.
- Okay, James, now take off your shirt and pose!
James knew what this was about, so he had a smug look on his face, too, while looking at the photographer and then at Aiden. He unbuttoned his shirt and slowly took it off in a sexy way. Aiden's whole face turned red while sweating and trying not to go feral.
- U,m hehe, is it hot here? I'm getting a little hot, huh? I need to cool myself down.
- Here, a magazine you can fan yourself with. - Said the photographer
Aiden tries to cool himself down while trying to not look at James.
- Thanks, umm... what type of magazine did you give me?
- The concept version of our male swimsuit and underwear modeling magazine. By the way, James is on page 12
- A male… WHAT? - Shouted Aiden and looked at the cover. He drops it down while trying to hide his even blusher face.
- Shitshitshitshitshit WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME, GOD DAMN IT!
But James and the photographer just laughed. But Aiden slowly started to look at it again anyway, picked it up, and went to page 12. Then he immediately dropped it down and started blushing hard again.
- SCREW YOU, JAMES! WHY ARE YOU SO HOT???
James and the photographer started laughing even harder.
- What’s wrong, baby? Have you never seen me in my underwear before?
- Wait… Hadn’t he?
- Of course, he had. Not just in underwear, he also saw me butt-naked multiple…
- SHUT THE HELL UP!!!! - Shouted Aiden with a tomato-red face
The photographer started to wheeze really hard.
- Okay, okay, okay, I'm shutting the hell up. Let’s start taking the boyfriend's pictures then.
- Finally… I had enough of your handsomeness anyways…
Aiden went to James, who hugged him. Aiden appreciated it but said:
- Please, no more Jerk-face James during the photoshoot, okay?
- Okay baby. I promise I’ll shut my big jerk face and let you enjoy this amazing moment with me.
- Okay okay. - Rolled Aiden his eyes but also smiled
- Kiss? - Looked at James at Aiden with puppy eyes
Aiden looked at him with a bored expression and said nothing.
- …No? Umm… Well, okay, then I guess… - But Aiden put his palms on James' face and gave a kiss on his mouth, which made James blush.
- You may be Mr. Jerk-face, but at least you are my Mr. Jerk-face. And I love you the way you are!
- Aaaawwwww - That made James blush even harder. - I love you too, Aidy!
- Aaaawwwwwwwww! - Said the photographer. - So are you guys ready?
- Yeah! Shoot those pics!
They took so many romantic pictures together. Ones where they hug, kiss, and hold hands. They looked so happy in every picture… They also loved every single one of the photographs the photographer had taken. Sadly, the fun came to an end when their time was over. But they didn’t mind because, as they said at home, this was one of their most fun and romantic dates ever.