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Citlali heard a knock on the door. He frowned the moment the sound came. What a nuisance. Seriously, did they not see the sign in front of the door that said “Do not disturb”?
“Go away! I’m closed for today.” He yelled.
To his surprise, the person on the other side had a familiar voice.
“Hey gramps. It's me, Mualani.”
‘Gramps’. He hated that word. Mualani called him that because he was an elder, but he had grown uncomfortable with that in the past few weeks.
So it was the Meztli guide—the source of his frustration and longing. Citlali wasn’t sure if he wanted to hear his voice or not. Reason told him he should rest, but emotion dictated that he does not disappoint the guest.
So the frustrated man ran to the door and opened it. The same old Mualani appeared before him. It was not the usual excitement Citlali expected from the boy, but a prying look in his eyes.
Citlali looked around to make sure no one was looking, then turned back to the guide.
“Come in.”
As the door was closed again and the two stayed seated face-to-face through the table, Citlali inhaled deeply.
“So first things first,” he stared straight at his guest, “stop calling me ‘gramps’.”
Mualani tilted his head and slightly frowned. Citlali expected that the boy had much to say and pry about. However, the outcome was different.
“Well, alright.” Mualani smiled. “If you say so.”
Citlali blinked, followed by three seconds of silence.
“What?”
“What?”
“So are you not gonna ask why?” Citlali began to raise his voice. “You’ve been calling me that since the beginning. Now I tell you to stop and you're not even questioning it one bit??”
“Umm.” Mualani hesitated. “I mean, I do wonder why-”
“Then let me tell you why.” Citlali held one finger to interrupt his guest. He breathed deeply trying to establish himself. The guest only looked back at him in confusion.
“I have been uncomfortable with that title coming from you. It wouldn't have been a problem had it come from anyone else.” He grimaced, thinking of the times Mualani tried to flirt with him. “You know the things you did to me right?”
As he said that, his heart went on drum mode. What if Mualani back down and just stop flirting with him again? Wouldn't that be what he want? Why did he feel so… no, not guilty…, heartrending, about the possibility that the boy is pushed away from him like this? He was unsure about the idea of them becoming a thing. At the same time, he dreaded the thought that they will never be together, that he will lose Mualani.
“I- yeah… I’m sorry.” Mualani scratched his head. “It was such a disrespectful thing to do to an elder.”
“Stop calling me elder.” Citlali blurted out.
Mualani looked back with caution. “But you are-”
“Mualani.” He interrupted him again. “I have questions for you. And you’d better answer it all truthfully.”
“Yes, gra-”
“Call me Citlali.”
Mualani pressed his lips. His red-blue eyes looked straight back at Citlali's purple eyes.
“Yes, Citlali.” He placed his hand on his chest. “You can count on me.”
Citlali crossed his fingers together.
“First question: Do you understand the weight of your actions? Just a yes or no.”
“Yes.”
“Are you truly serious about doing these… flirtings?”
Mualani opened his mouth, then closed it back. He nodded and gave his answer.
“Yes.”
“Do I look like an old man to you?”
“No.”
“Point out how.”
Hearing that, Mualani half-smiled. Citlali could tell he was trying to hold it back.
“Your young face, your beautiful skin, and your- cute demeanors.”
Citlali froze in place. His ears began to feel like they were placed in an oven. Normally, those words are merely flattery when a young person says it to an elder. But he knew Mualani was very serious about this, and that the boy didn't see him as just an elder. He knew he could not see Mualani as just a young client who sought out fortune readings anymore.
“I don't get it.” Citlali shivered. “What do you see in me? Why did you have to do this?”
Mualani sighed.
“Listen… Citlali.”
There was a brief moment of hesitation when he said the name without any title.
“It's fully understandable that you need to confirm things from me. But rest assured, I trust you with my life. I trust you enough to place my fortune into your hands, not once, not twice, but every day for a decade.”
Citlali did not respond. He felt shocked at what Mualani said. Many people trusted him, but Mualani just had to place this much faith into his reading. The astrologist disliked superstition, funnily enough. But this boy’s passion is- something else.
“We don't have to be a ‘thing’ if you are not fine with it.” Mualani shook his head. “We can still be friends. The important thing is I still trust you regardless.”
As Mualani said that, Citlali noticed his eyebrows grew tense. This wasn’t a rare sight. When Mualani still frequented him, he had happy days and weary days. But this time was different. Citlali knew that and his stomach felt like boiling.
He mumbled to himself. “No, this can’t be dragged out any longer. The readings were right, but…”
“Sorry?” Mualani blinked. “Can you repeat that?”
Citlali stared at Mualani with rounded eyes. His brain immediately went through a series of options within split seconds. It’s now. It’s now or never again.
“Mualani.” Citlali sprang up from his seat.
Mualani flinched a little from the suddenness. “Yes?”
“You said you are serious about this?”
“Absolutely.”
“Well, congrats.” Citlali smiled, he felt like almost choking. “We are a thing now.”
Mualani looked at him.
And he looked back.
“Hmmm.” Mualani’s eyes brightened up. A smile could be seen on his face.
“Hmmm?” Citlali repeated in confusion.
“I came here today because I heard you closed down and was worried.” He chuckled. “I’m glad I did.”
The fortune teller blushed when he heard the starry-eyed guy say that. It had been a while since he dabbled into romance again. It might take some time for him to adjust to this life. He had walked side by side with a man before, he had kissed before, he had participated in more than that. This time, though, it might be wiser to take a step back and let the partner take the initiative.
Mualani stood up and chuckled. “If you don’t know what to do next, shall we go to my tribe? We can bathe in the hot spring and go surfing together.”
Citlali liked that idea.