The morning arrived and the alcohol wore off. I woke up to the shower running. It was not Kyo, who slept next to me. It was not Trigman, who slept on the couch. It wasn't Priscilla and Harman, who had just entered the room without knocking.
"A little knock would be nice," I said in my barely woken state.
Priscilla had what seemed like a cup of coffee in her hand. I was thankful that she didn't decide to sip on beer first thing in the morning. She was wearing a white robe and big wayfarer glasses.
"I was just wondering when you are going for your crusade. And if Mappa would accompany you guys," Priscilla said. She walked over to me and forced me to make some space for her in the bed. I budged and she forced herself. Harman took a seat next to the asleep Trigman.
"We'll probably leave by the afternoon. I still have to talk to him about that. What will you guys do?"
Priscilla took a sip out of the coffee cup and said," Harman found two clubs who were eager to pay me for showing up. I'd probably do that. Maybe go to Ontario. There are good strip clubs over there."
I nodded, my eyes still half closed. Our brief chatter woke up Trigman, who proceeded to sit upright on the couch. He looked around the room to make sure who was where.
"Hey," he greeted everybody.
Priscilla took her glasses off and hung them in her robe, exposing her cleavage. "So, how long of a drive is it?"
"I haven't checked yet. Do you mind putting it on your cellphone and looking it up?"
As she took out her cellphone, the shower stopped. I told her the location we were headed towards: Osoyoos. She typed it up and showed me her screen.
Almost four hours. With no stops, that is. Not counting the traffic and bad road conditions, it would probably take five or so hours. I was already tired of the journey.
The door to the bathroom opened and Mappa entered the room. He had wiped his body off of excess water and was in the process of wiping his hair. But he didn't expect all of us in the room. neither did we expect him to walk out of the bathroom naked.
His perfectly toned torso and legs were for everyone to see. Not to mention the perfectly shaved crotch. I was jealous of his ability to get rid of pubic hair with surgical accuracy. As he opened his eyes, he saw three pairs of eyes staring at him. His body was being scanned by two women, and his husband. Harman, who was trying to gaze away, couldn't help but turn her head to this perfection of manhood. The fact that his mildly wet hair and him running a towel in his head made him a little bit vulnerable for us vultures to take hard looks at his solid biceps and seamless body that tapered to his penis.
Uncircumcised. That is what Priscilla thought. Surely, I knew. So did his husband. But it was perfect eye candy for a straight woman to have a long, limp penis in front of her.
Priscilla got off the bed and stood in front of him. Mappa, surprisingly, didn't take any effort to cover himself.
"Turn around," Priscilla said with a coy smile. Mappa, like a true gentleman, obliged.
His giant back seemed too grand for us to see. Seeing those muscles that protruded from different regions of flesh even made me feel some type of way. Mappa had let his towel rest at his shoulders and was just posing for us. Now that his penis was not in the way, our eyes were stuck on his firm buttocks. And the rich strong legs attached to them.
"Put your hands on your ass," Priscilla ordered.
"Alright, that's enough," Trigman stood up and blocked our visions by standing in between us and the beautiful Mappa. He took off his jacket and put it on Mappa's back. Then he pushed in back in the bathroom and closed the door behind him. He walked over to his briefcase and took off his black jeans and pink shirt. He marched back to the bathroom and tossed his clothes to Mappa. When he turned around, we were looking at his toned body now.
"Real funny."
"Damn, you got a beautiful bitch for yourself," Priscilla commended Trigman.
"Yeah, I'm really proud," Trigman barked sarcastically.
Priscilla and me looked at each other and chuckled. From the distance, Harman tried to laugh it off, but the situation was too weird for her.
Mappa came out fully dressed and Trigman rushed into the shower. He took a seat next to Harman, and Priscilla came back and sat next to me. Mappa turned to face Harman and whispered something that made her red in the face. She stood up and muttered 'coffee' before rushing out of the room.
"What did you say to her?" I asked.
"I just asked if she liked it," he said through his cackling laughter.
I thanked the god for a hearty start to this day.
Priscilla nudged me and swung her neck towards Mappa. I knew what she was getting at.
"Map, are you still adamant about not coming with us?"
"Yes." His answer was stern.
I fell silent. The whole room did. Nobody had the power to refute him. Not only because he was the eldest there, but also because I already knew how painful it would be for him. The sound of water running in the other room was the only sound we listened to for a long time. that, and the soft gushes of air Kyo let out while sleeping. In a way, it was profound.
No, it was not. It was falling off, just like I did not want it.
"Alright, I'll go with you," Mappa said while I wasn't looking. After I swung my neck towards him, he was smiling softly. I knew it was coming.
"I'll come, if you promise to pay me a million dollars in the next three weeks."
I knew he'd try to pull this trick. I hated it. I hated him.
"Please, don't, Mappa. Don't try to take it all on you. I know you better than anyone in this room. you're just trying to play the bad guy. But you should know my ledger is already in the red. It doesn't matter if you want to be the bad guy. I am worse."
That, made him sad. His soft smile disappeared. He was disappointed I saw through him once again.
The water stopped running in the shower and we half expected a little exhibition from Trigman this time. Alas, he came out with his crotch wrapped in a towel. He entered the room and immediately recognized the heaviness in the air. He didn't say anything. He just went towards his briefcase and quickly dressed up. After donning his gray pants and an accompanying shirt, he took a seat next to Mappa.
"You're coming with us. No questions about it. No more discussions either."
Mappa nodded.
Pricilla left the room for the much needed reunion. Trigman took Priscilla's seat next to me and threw the covers over his legs. He took a second to get comfortable. Once he fond his sweet spot, she lifted his left arm, like he was inviting me. I took the chance and jumped into his hug. He was warm. I wrapped my arms around his waist, and he rested his lifted arm over mine.
"Map, I don't mean to be rude. But there is a reason Mad has called us thousands of miles away. Just, humor her," Trigman took a stand with me. He became even more warmer due to the love he was spilling over me.
Mappa didn't respond. He took out his cellphone and started typing. I continued to rub my cheek over Trigman's shirt covered chest. This felt like home.
"Trigman, do you love me?" I questioned innocently.
"Yes. Yes I do," Trigman poured his affection for me in that small statement.
"Can you kill for me?" I asked another question.
"Yes. I can go against the whole world for you. And killing somebody is just the part of it. You know it first hand that I'd do anything if somebody comes in between us."
Trigman reminded me of the time in Nepal when we were kids. When we all lived in a run down room. when one day a boy from another gang came up to us. That day, when Mappa laid down at the doorway with a broken head. That evening, when I was almost raped. And that moment, when Trigman nearly beat that boy to death, permanently breaking his both legs and right arm. That second, when his calm stern eyes were bloodshot, full of revenge. That was the moment when he was known as 'Trigger'.
I had never seen Trigman like that. And he had never turned into Trigger ever since.
I hugged him tightly once again, and he moved his hand from my waist to my hair, softly brushing his strong fingers through them.
I closed my eyes and asked him one last question, one that I already knew the answer of.
"Bro, can you die for me?"
Trigman continued to brush my hair. He didn't answer. Not at the exact moment. I opened my eyes and saw him looking at me. He was smiling.
"No, I cant die for you," He said.
"I already have somebody to live for. I already have somebody to die for," He said, following it by a kiss on my forehead.
I guess that was true love.
The air felt a little lighter and breathable.