Here's the second chapter-
He watched another couple of people leave, as the bar was now almost empty. The band was packing their stuff, getting ready to leave, after a long night of having played. He’d offered them a couple of beers, and they had kindly accepted them, before asking him for his help. Little did they know that he was also a singer. He never mentioned it because it wasn’t exactly something he wanted everyone to know. For the moment, he enjoyed being able to lay low for a while, until the storm passed, and the festival season started again. Douwe cleaned his side of the bar, and thought of the young Frenchman he’d met. He’d found him handsome, and the way his eyes lit up, as they had spoken about subjects he’d truly enjoy made his knees weak. Amir was interesting, and more like extensively kind. Douwe’d noticed in the way he talked about his boyfriend, or ex-boyfriend, and the way he’d wanted to help him out, pay him and how he wanted to go home at all cost, to not worry anyone, even though his home was the worst place for him to be right now. Douwe sincerely hoped that Amir’s boyfriend would see reason, and start loving his new-made friend again, because everything about Amir was amazing, so far. As he thought it, Douwe frowned to himself, cleaning the area beneath the tabs again. He had been crushing on a few guys before, and he had not found himself thinking of a man in this way for a long time. It didn’t bother him so much, however. What was bound to happen would happen, and to him it was just the natural flow of life.
He watched Anna come back, and it was clear that she felt guilty about Amir, as she searched the room for her friend. He walked to the bar, and as the two of them knew each other quite well, and she had told him about Amir being one of her best friends, he knew she would probably look for him. So, as she was about to ask, he grinned.
“Did you have fun?” he asked with a naughty smirk plastered on his face. He watched Anna’s cheeks get red, and grinned. “You’re looking for Amir?”
“Yeah, did you see him? Please don’t say you let him go home drunk, all on his own?”
“You know me well enough to know that I wouldn’t do that to a friend of yours. He’s in my spare bedroom. You should go check up on him.”
Anna nod, and brushed her short and flaming red hair back behind her ear. She walked past him, behind the bar, and got to the staircase, as Douwe gave her the keys. As she strutted past, she whispered loudly that the singer of the band had been a good one night stand. He laughed, and told her to hurry up. He got the last glasses and beer glasses washed, before drying them all carefully and then leaving to put the chairs back on the tables. As he did it, he hummed soft tunes, to a song that had been on his mind for a couple of days now. He’d heard it on the radio, this morning, and he’d liked the lyrics so much they kept playing on repeat in his head. He loved music, more than he loved himself. He lived for it, like he always said to his friends. One of his mates helped him out with cleaning, then went on, and went home. Making sure all the doors were locked, he’d go and sweep the floor the next morning. This Amir-business had him hooked, and he wanted to know if he was asleep already. He grabbed the money from the cash register, and then walked up to his apartment. As he opened the door, he saw a crying Amir, in his underwear, hugging Anna, who seemed quite helpless. Douwe didn’t want to make it more awkward, so he decided to go to the kitchen in the meanwhile, to get Anna and maybe even Air something to drink. He loved the friendship Anna and Amir had.
“Anna, Amir, would you like some water?”
Amir just sobbed against Anna, and Douwe felt his heart break, several times, as Amir muttered something about not being worthy of Jake’s love and of Anna’s friendship and his kindness. Douwe got them some water, and put their cups on the table, before getting up, and giving Amir a big hug. “It’s going to suck, but you can always come to my bar, even when we’re closed, it doesn’t even matter that much.”
Amir cried a little louder, before actually getting near him, and thanking him. Anna decided she had to get home, and he nodded. “I’ll call you tomorrow.” Douwe watched Anna leave, before turning to Amir, and throwing him a shirt of his, that he’d think would fit the other man. Amir seemed to be holding back, and Douwe reassured him, telling his friend and crush that it was okay, and that he needed something to sleep in anyway.
Amir nodded, then sighed. “What?” Douwe asked. Amir didn’t dare to look at him, and Douwe knew something was up. He neared him, and waited for Amir to say something.
“I can’t sleep alone.”
“That’s okay. We can share my bed, if that reassures you.”
Amir didn’t dare look at him again, clearly embarrassed, but Douwe didn’t mind, and he told his new friend. The latter seemed to cheer up, and got to Douwe’s bedroom. Douwe, however, was having his own kind of problem. He got undressed and was about to hop into bed as he found Amir gazing at himself in his mirror, wearing Douwe’s shirt. It fit him to perfection, subtly showing off muscles Douwe’d really enjoy having. He didn’t say anything as he saw Douwe enter the room, not wanting to make something more awkward, before laying down under the covers. Douwe slipped under the sheets on the other side of the bed, and asked if he could turn the light off. After ten minutes, he felt himself fall asleep, and Amir was clearly experiencing the same thing.
