Angry Max is hot

Max was panting hard. "How could you be so irresponsible?" he was yelling at Vee even after five hours of the incident. "You could have killed him. You took him to dive in the most dangerous part of the river. Seriously, Vee, how could you?"

"How would I know that your boyfriend is so thick that he doesn't know the difference between—" before Vee could complete whatever insult he was going to spit at me, Max grabbed him by his collar.

"You know very well why he was not supposed to go there. Yet you took him. What were you trying to achieve?"

Max was furious. I never thought I'd see him this angry. He was trembling in anger. His eyes spilled fire. I held his hand and felt them shivering. "It's alright. I am fine," I whispered.

"First of all, you are not fine. Your face is pale like a ghost, body is cold. You feel like a dead body. Secondly, that place is not for swimming. Vee knows that very well, yet he took you there for swimming," Max yelled grabbing Vee's collars. "You were drowning when I found you. No, not drowning, you were sinking. Just like that. Like something lifeless."

I remembered that feeling inside me. I did not wan tot swim, I did not want to explore the place, to be honest, I was just feeling lifeless. Maybe that was why I wanted to float there, and probably wait to hear her voice.

"That brings me to my next question, why were you sinking? Did you have a death wish or something?" Max let Vee go and rushed towards me. He grabbed my collar violently in rage. "Why did you do that, Arin?"

His face was beautiful. Furious, enraged, yet so beautiful, so attractive that I couldn't take my eyes off. I had seen the lover, the responsible man; I remembered his vulnerable face, his tears and his innocent smiles too, but I could not remember seeing this face.

Shamelessly, I admitted to myself, I was turned on.

But his face also told me that he was not in the mood, and I needed to talk. Once again, I needed to talk. When had I started to hate talking?

Thankfully, it was not me who spoke.

"He wanted the same thing as I did. Isn't it obvious?"

Max tore his gaze off me and turned to Vee. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"I am telling you that he is ready for the rest," Vee said shrugging.

"He's not."

"He is. You don't believe me, ask him why he was there like that? He knew his undisturbed presence would call her upon. Why else he was there like that?"

My senses sharpened abruptly. "Who do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb, lover boy. You know who I am talking about. You heard her, didn't you? She talked to you. What did she say?"

I dropped myself in an old armchair.

Max had pulled me up two hours ago and brought me home. I didn't know how he managed to stay calm until we both dried ourselves and sobered up. We were in our room, all three of us were restless as hell. Vee looked disappointed, I was baffled by everything I had experienced, and Max was fuming.

And then the yelling, interrogating and cursing started. Max cursed Vee, Vee returned the favour, and I watched. My role as a mere spectator enraged them more. I wished I could stay like that for another hour or so.

"Why are you not talking?" Max asked me. He was still yelling, but there was a slight hint of concern in his tone now. "What did she say to you?"

"So, you all know about her? Who is she?"

"There are many names for her. The old kin just called her the red dragon. She is one of the few ancient ones, and when she speaks to you, that means there is something big coming." Vee huffed after saying every word in a breathe.

"Big bad, or big good?" I directed my question to Max this time.

"Lats time she spoke, this town was burnt down. Quite literally. So now, you may do your math." Vee spat .

"That is not entirely true. She doesn't represent anything bad or evil. She is just–there. The things she say are truth in riddles. Did she say anything to you?" Max sounded genuinely worried.

"I don't entirely remember what she said. I just remember her voice in my head." It dawned to me then. "This was why you took me there, didn't you? You wanted me to meet her."

"Well done, Sherlock." Vee grinned like a child who had committed a mischief and was proud of it.

"You are not allowed to see him anymore," Max announced. I was shocked to hear that initially, but then I realised it was not an order, just a suggestion.

"Right, real mature," Vee sneered. "You know, he might be your lover, but I was his friend. Well, more than a friend. There are things about him that you don't even know."

"Are you going to leave or not?" Max stood up and threw a pillow at him from the bed.

Once Vee left, Max focused on me. "Do you really not remember, Arin?"

"She didn't say anything important. It was more like threatening, actually. Anyway, you look hot."

Max lost his words and stared. "Huh?"

"You look hot when you get angry. Seriously hot."

Max frowned, annoyance dripped from his face. "Are you serious right now?"

"You have no idea how turned on I am right now. See for yourself," I said and held his hand. I took his hand to touch my skin. From my chest his hand traiked downwards, and we stopped where something else was awakening. He shivered a little.

"You are serious," he exclaimed. He had started taking off his shirt by now. I watched him as he undressed himself and focused on me. He took off my shirt as well and dragged me to the bed. His lips claimed mine.

His kisses trailed down through my body sending sparks to every inch of my skin. Today, he claimed me. His bites, scratches, made me moan louder and louder, at a point I felt scared of being overheard by the others. I let him take control of my body, enter me and kiss me. It was good to have under somebody. The warmth, weight of his body, his scent, everything about him sent me to oblivion.

After a long time I woke up alone on the bed. Max had left a note, he had to visit the police station for something. It was not serious so I didn't have to worry. I was not worried about the police. My worry was about something else.

My eyes were fixated on the ceiling. There were frescos, very old ones, Italian influence cheered proudly… there was something odd about that fresco. It was a stereotyped one, angels singing, birds flying in the blue sky, some of the angels playing harps, and one man was working on another man with some tools in his hands.

No, not another man, it was a statue. The man was sculpting a life size statue. His countenance was soft and gentle, filled with affection. The statue was oblivion of the affection he was being subjected to. There was a glow around the statue.

There were more similar pieces around the center pieces. The angels were surrounded by artists. One man painting a portrait, very vivid and bright. A dancer, dancing with a flight of swans, a puppeteer playing with his puppets.

What was odd about it was the brightness of the fresco. Until the last night it was just like the rest of the house. Covered in dust, old, almost discoloured and faded. How did it become so vibrant? Or was it my imagination?

I went to wash my face. When I returned, the ceiling was still vibrant, smiling at me.

If the sculptor was Max, then who were the others?

Who painted the ceiling?

I dressed up, ordered a back coffee to my room and opened my laptop. There were some mails related to the our channel. One mail from Jace, and one from Amy. I clicked on her mail in the end. I had to break up with her, in the best possible and mature manner. I loved her, not romantically, but I did care for her.

I decided to tell her that when we meet.

'Hey babe, your phone was out of network, so I am writing to you. I hope you will see this before you see me in person. I am coming next Friday, with a friend. Remember, once I told you about a couple's channel once, I am seriously thinking about it. Let me see you and I will explain everything about it.

Can you send someone to pick me up? I kind of feel weird and awkward in a new and strange place. Maybe send a car, if you are busy with your new friend?

Love you.'