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“What are we supposed to do now?” Andrés asked impatiently. “The mechanic can’t get here for another four hours and the others are expecting us to be back at the monastery for dinner in less than thirty minutes.”
“Yes,” Martín said as he rolled his eyes, “because we wouldn’t want to keep your dear hermanito or the children waiting.”
“Raquel is making food for all of us and my brother gave us strict instructions to make it back on time.” Andrés said calmly as he hugged his jacket closer to his body to conceal himself from the cool breeze of the night. “He is already upset with us because we left in the first place so why should we willingly anger Sergio anymore then we already have?”
“Since when do you care if Sergio is mad at you?” Martín asked as he rolled his eyes for a second time.
“I usually don’t but we need him for the heist.”
“We don’t need him for anything and considering he isn’t here to help us fix a broken tire I suppose he’ll just have to wait in the warmth of the monastery with his precious gang of misfits while we freeze our asses off out here.” Martín said as he yet again rolled his eyes.
“Martín I swear to god if you don’t stop rolling your eyes at me I’ll-“ Andrés began to threaten but his friend cut him off before he could even think about continuing.
“You’ll what?” Martín asked mockingly. “You’ll stab me with a fork?”
“That was one time!” Andrés exclaimed in frustration. “One time!”
“It would’ve been twice if I didn’t stop you from mauling that man that I was dancing with in the club we went to a week ago.” Martín said with evident disdain in his voice.
“And judging by your tone I’m guessing you’re still mad at me about that.” Andrés said with an irritated sigh. “I thought we’ve moved past this.”
Martín let out a bitter chuckle upon hearing his friends words, “No Andrés, we didn’t move past it, you moved past it.”
“Isn’t that the same thing?” Andrés asked dumbfounded. “I moved past it which means you should’ve moved past it.”
“Right.” Martín said as he overemphasized the pronunciation of the word. “I forgot that you don’t understand how human beings actually work.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Andrés asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Nothing.” Martín said as he waved off his statement with his right hand, clearly trying to dismiss the subject before a real fight could start to brew between the two temperamental men.
“No,” Andrés tutted, “you clearly have something to say so just go on and say it.”
“It’s not like he actually did anything to you. So I don’t understand your constant need to intrude in my romantic life. Okay?!” Martín exclaimed as he bent down to assess the damage on the tire. “You just couldn’t stand the fact that for the first time in months I was going to get laid meanwhile you’re stuck with fantasizing about a hostage you left behind who’s god knows where doing god knows what right now.”
“I don’t fantasize about Adriana,” Andrés said calmly, “and I could give less of a shit about who you fuck.”
Martín tried to keep the expression on his face as blank as he possibly could without giving away any indication that what Andrés had just said had hurt him way more then he would’ve actually liked to admit.
But then again? Martín thought to himself. How would someone else react if the love of their life said they didn’t care about who they fucked?
“Then why have you chased away every man that has ever pursued me since we’ve arrived in Italy?” He questioned harshly. “Are you that homophobic to even consider or accept the possibility that a man would be walking around the monastery by my side?”
“It has nothing to do with being homophobic.” Andrés deadpanned.
“Right.” Martín said as he began to mumble random strings of profanity under his breath just low enough so that Andrés couldn’t audibly hear what was being said about him.
“How about you come up with a solution and stop muttering under your breath.” Andrés snapped impatiently.
“We can just fix it ourselves.” Martín said as he pointed to the back end of the car and tried to level his voice so it would give them both a chance to calm down. “There’s probably a spare tire underneath the hatch to the trunk.”
“Aren’t there people for that?” Andrés asked in disgust.
“Yeah it’s called the mechanic that won’t be here for four more hours.” Martín replied dryly. “Besides why would we wait for someone to come and do it when we can just do it ourselves?”
“Right.” Andrés said in a weird tone of voice that Martín didn’t seem to recognize.
Was it uncertainty? Martín asked himself but his question was, unbeknownst to Andrés, answered when the elegant man standing across from him continued to speak in that same unrecognizable voice.
“Well why don’t you just do it because I’m definitely not touching that dirty old tire.” He said as he avoided eye contact with his younger predecessor.
Oh my god. Martín thought to himself as he looked at Andrés with his mouth practically hanging open in disbelief and joy.
The self righteous man that he had admittedly fallen in love with had finally and unknowingly revealed to Martín that he had no idea how to fix the predicament that had been bestowed upon them which meant he required his help and it wasn’t just for a heist.
So for once in his life he relished in the feeling of someone the caliber of Andrés needing someone like him for anything let alone something as simple as changing a tire on an old Jeep Wrangler and if Martín was to be just a little more daring with his words he’d say Andres needed him to be his teacher.
“You don’t know how to do it do you?” Martín asked as a smug look took over his face.
“Of course I know how to do it.” Andrés scoffed. “I’m just saying that there’s people who we can pay to do this for us.”
“Mhm.” Martín hummed. “And like I pointed out before they won’t be here for four more hours so why don’t you just help me?”
“I said that I didn’t want too.” Andrés responded smoothly.
Martín smirked, “Fine. I’ll do the heavy lifting but I’ll need you to walk me through it.”
Andrés scowled, “Why? Don’t you know how to do it?”
“Don’t you?” Martín countered with obvious skepticism.
“Well I suppose it doesn’t matter considering you’ll be doing it anyways,” Andrés replied with a smirk. “Isn’t that correct?”
“I distinctly remember saying that I’d do the heavy lifting as long as you walked me through it all.” Martín said with a serious look on his face.
“Ah so this is how it’s going to be?” Andrés asked with a frown. “You’re going to make it hard.”
“It doesn’t have to be hard.” Martín said with a shrug. “Just walk me through how to do it. That’s all I’m asking from you.”
Andrés didn’t respond. He just simply rolled his eyes and turned his head in the other direction.
Oh for fucks sake . Martín thought to himself with a sigh of disbelief. He’s giving me the silent treatment .
“Are you serious right now Andrés?” Martín called out to him with clear annoyance in his voice. “What are you? Five?”
“You’re starting to sound like my brother. Perhaps you should fix that before you adopt his habit of having a dull romance life as well.” Andrés said as he continued to stare off into the distance.
“Well a dull romance life would be better than none at all.” Martín shot at the older man with distaste but his attempt to be rude was to no avail considering he yet again got silence in return. “You truly are as bad as the others.”
Andrés whipped his head around upon hearing that statement and Martín inwardly cheered once they both made eye contact.
What?” He asked sharply.
“You’re acting like Tokyo and Denver when Sergio takes away their drinking privileges.” Martín said as he smiled.
Andrés glared at him, “Are you going to fix this or are we going to sit here for four hours in the cold?”
“ Hijo de puta !” Martín exclaimed in frustration. “Can you just admit that you don’t know how to do something for once?!”
Andrés just stared at him seemingly perplexed with Martín’s courage, “Of course I know how to do it. Don’t be foolish.”
“Then please explain to me how to do it.” Martín exasperated desperately but just like moments ago Andrés had chosen to remain silent.
It was clear to both of them that Andrés was not planning on admitting he didn’t know something let alone that he needed Martín’s help so the younger man reluctantly settled for the unverbalized victory.
“Fine,” Martín said with a sigh, “Let’s just say for shits and giggles that you do actually know how to change a tire. Would you be willing to allow me to bore you with a crash course just so I can refresh both of our memories?”
Andrés smirked, “If it’ll help you.”
“I can assure you that it’ll help my sanity more than anything else.” Martín said with a fake smile.
“Then by all means Mr. Berrote ,” Andrés said as he gestured to the flat tire that was connected to the vehicle, “start your lesson.”
Martín let out a sigh of annoyance, “I’m going to kill you one of these days.”
“Not if my disease kills me first.” Andrés reminded as if Martín could ever forget his friends impending death that loomed over both of their heads like a ticking time bomb with a broken clock.
“Do you see these bolts that are on the tire?” Martín asked as he made it a point to ignore the last comment he heard and he pointed to the five pieces of metal that stuck out of the tire frame while Andrés began to nod his head. “Those come off, one by one, but you always have to remember to take a bolt off opposite from the one you had just taken off prior. Although I’m sure you already know that.”
“Of course.” Andrés responded coolly.
“Right.” Martín said, clearly unconvinced. “Then after the bolts come off you put the tire on and place the old bolts on the new tire, but before we do any of that we need to jack up the car so the tire is accessible. Gravity plays a huge role when jacking up a car as you know.”
Andrés watched in boredom as Martín rambled on passionately about the science involved in jacking up a car with gravity as their only enemy but as always, regardless of his evident displeasure in the choice of conversation, Andrés listened attentively.
After all this was his ingeniero.
And when Martín was passionate about something that meant Andrés was passionate about it as well and tonight was no exception.
“Does that all make sense?” Martín suddenly questioned affectively breaking Andrés out of his thoughts.
Andrés looked at him with clear confusion written across his face, “What?”
“Does everything I just explained make sense?” Martín asked as if he were talking to a child and thoroughly explaining the rules to a game.
“Yes.” Andrés said dismissively. “It all makes sense.”
Martín just stared at him in silence.
“It all makes sense.” Andrés repeated patronizingly. “Didn’t you hear me?”
“I’m just going to call Helsinki.” Martín said with a loud sigh.
Helsinki? Andrés asked himself, offended.
That wasn’t an option to be sought out in his mind and although Andrés respected Helsinki from a professionals point of view it didn’t mean he liked the man.
If anything Helsinki angered Andrés more then he ever impressed him for a reason that was beyond his capability of understanding.
But even then Andrés had a strong inclination that his apparent distaste towards the man had to do with his infatuation with Martín. After all it was clear as day how Helsinki looked at his friend and Andrés would be damned if he’d willing allow both of them to create a connection at all let alone right in front of him.
“Calling Helsinki won’t be necessary.” Andrés said smoothly.
“And why not?” Martín choked out almost manically. “You’re clearly not doing anything to help nor are you admitting that you don’t understand how too.”
“And what does calling the big fat Serbian do for any of us?!” Andrés exclaimed as he walked dangerously close to Martín.
“Don’t.” Martín threatened with a shaky voice, his bravery and snarky comebacks now gone due to the close proximity of Andrés’ body to his own. “Don’t call him that.”
“And why shouldn’t I?” Andrés asked mockingly. “Why? Because he’s some hero? Some buffoon that’s going to come save us from being stranded on the side of the road?”
Martín could barely breathe let alone think but he still somehow managed to choke out one simple question, “Why are you so angry all of sudden?”
Andrés let out a hearty laugh, “I’m not angry.”
“Then what are you?” Martín whispered.
“I’m a dying man.” Andrés said simply.
Even through the unwavering nervousness Martín’s eyes still managed to turn to slits at that comment, “Yeah I know that already so stop reminding me.”
“You didn’t let me finish.” Andrés responded as he placed a hand on Martín‘s cheek gently, almost as if he was scared to break him. “I’m a dying man whose life has been full of unsuccessful marriages, but the one constant that has always been by my side throughout it all has been-”
“Sergio?” Martín guessed as he cut off Andrés before he could finish.
“Ah my ingeniero ,” Andrés said as he let out a chuckle at his friend’s words, “you are such an idiot sometimes.”
Martín was evidently confused.
“What do you mea...” He began to ask but a pair of soft lips crashing down on his own cut his sentence off completely.
Andrés couldn’t explain his need to kiss Martín like he just had. But he was man enough to admit that was an undeniable connection between them both and he was just too tired to fight it tonight.
“Andrés.” Martín mumbled out as his lips moved against the older man’s perfectly. “What are we doing?”
Andrés smirked through the kiss, “Are you being ungrateful? I mean isn’t this what you wanted all those years ago?”
Isn’t this what you wanted all those years ago. Martín repeated in his head like a set of annoying song lyrics he couldn’t quite bring himself to forget.
He knew exactly which night Andrés was talking about.
It was the night he had left Martín in the chapel, looking like a wailing rat that had just crawled its way out of the gutter.
They had kissed that night as well and it was hard enough for Martín to forgive Andrés for everything that had transpired. No amount of weak “heart to heart” conversations would fix the wound that was seared into Martín after the events that occurred and that’s why he had to stop whatever was happening between them before it could wreck him all over again because he knew he wouldn’t survive it.
“Andrés,” Martín said as he shoved him away, “I can’t do this.”
“What?” Andrés replied softly with a look of hurt etched across his face.
“You can’t do this to me again.” Martín exclaimed in frustration. “You can’t kiss me and then expect everything to be fine after what happened last time.”
Andrés’ eyes went wide, “Martín-”
“Don’t.” Martín replied abruptly as he fished his hand into his back pocket and reached for his cellphone. “I’m going to call Helsinki and tell him to inform Sergio that we’ll be arriving in the next twenty minutes. Then I’m going to fix the tire and we’re going to drive back in silence. Do you understand? Silence.”
Andrés just simply nodded his head without saying a word.
“Good.” Martín said as he avoided eye contact with his friend and made his way down onto the ground to inspect the bolts that were placed on the metal frame of the car and the silence between both men was overwhelming.
Well. Andrés thought with a frown as he struggled to recompose his himself. At least he’s going to fix the tire.