GOLD, INCENSE and MYRRH by Andrej Koymasky (C) 2005 written the 21st of February, 1994 translated by the author English text kindly revised by Brian
USUAL DISCLAIMER
"GOLD, INCENSE and MYRRH" is a gay story, with some parts containing graphic scenes of sex between males. So, if in your land, religion, family, opinion and so on this is not good for you, it will be better not to read this story. But if you really want, or because YOU don't care, or because you think you really want to read it, please be my welcomed guest.
CHAPTER 9 - Accomplice was the river
Alberto asked Rasim to try living with him. "I don't know if it would be good to live together, but I think and hope it will. Anyway, even if we decide we would not make a couple, I want to get a visa for you. Would you like to come and work at my disco as a waiter?"
"Goodness, yes, I'm thrilled. But you will really do this for me even if I'm not coming to live with you, even if I don't become your boy?"
"Definitely. I like you and besides I think that, if you want to change your job it is only fair I give you a hand. Also because by doing so, I can reward you for what you did for my friend Massimo. You are a likeable boy, and you deserve it. If you decide to come to live with me, I don't want it to be only because you need a visa. Sure, the salary I can give you will not be as high as you earn in the other way. But, if you decide to continue living by yourself, you would have enough money to provide for your family."
"They told you this also?"
"Yes, Massimo told me everything he knew about you."
"I was talking about how I earn my money, at present."
"Do you regret he told me this?"
"No, I asked him to tell you. But as you never before hinted at that, I presumed Massimo didn't tell you."
"I just didn't see the need to talk about it. I don't care at all what you did, but just what you are."
They tried living together. Massimo and Gilberto followed with interest the growth of their romance. Alberto found out that safest and simplest way to get a working visa for Rasim, was for the boy to go back to Morocco. So he left with him, taking a weeks leave. Once there, he made Rasim take the job offer letter, the contract, letter of guarantee and all that was needed to the Italian Embassy. In a few days Rasim got a regular working visa in his passport. Then, after passing by to say hello to Rasim's family on the mountainside, they returned to Milan.
Rasim started his work as a waiter and in his uniform he was even sexier than ever.
Gilberto once asked Alberto, "Rasim is so sexy. Aren't you afraid somebody will steal him from you?"
"No. He says he is only interested in me, and I trust him. He is an honest boy."
"But... are you in love?"
"I don't know, I don't think so. We like each other very much and fit well together. He takes care of me and I of him. He is a good boy, merry, helpful but independent, just as I like."
"If he is just as you like, why do you say you are not in love?"
"Perhaps out of fear. Or possibly for luck, who knows. But it suits us this way, for the moment."
Massimo and Gilberto, in reality, were sure that the two were in love with each other. Each of them when they were alone with Max and Gil, didn't have anything but praises about the qualities of his partner.
Massimo said to Gilberto, "I'm happy - we have good friends, a nice job, I found Roger and Rasim; I would have liked to find Rocco also, then everything would be perfect." "So, I'm not enough for you?" Gilberto asked him, cunning and provocative.
"Sure you are, silly man. You are everything to me. You had a wonderful idea, that night in the park, starting to play your guitar for me."
"Who would have thought, that night, that we were destined to become lovers?"
"That's so. Listen, next Wednesday can we take the car and go for a ride?"
"Sure. Where would you like go?"
"To the Novara area."
"You want to go to Diego's grave?"
"Not necessarily."
"We can take him a flower."
"Yes, possibly. But I want to take you to another place."
"Where?"
"You'll see. Can you restrain your curiosity until Wednesday?"
"I'll try, my love."
They left a little before lunchtime. They stopped by to leave a red rose on Diego's grave. Massimo took the drivers seat, then stopped in the country.
"Let's get out." Massimo said, taking a big bag from the rear seat.
"Here?"
"Yes. Just a ten minute walk and we are there."
"But where are we? Were are we going?"
"You'll see."
They walked in silence. The sun was warm and at one point Massimo pulled off his shirt and tied it around his waist. Gilberto followed suit. They followed a path amongst the trees, marked by tracks of bicycle wheels. After a bend, suddenly they were on a riverbank.
"This is the Agogna." Massimo said.
Gilberto understood at once - it was there that Diego and Massimo, both nineteen-years old, confessed their love for each other. It was here they came back to make love at each anniversary.
"Let's undress." Massimo invited him with a smile.
"You want to have a bath?"
"Yes, later. Now I want to make love with you. Here." He said opening the bag and spreading a sheet on the grass.
This new sign about how great was Massimo's love for him, moved him deeply. He pulled himself against his lover and, kissing and caressing him, started to undress him. They lay under the sun, in each other's arms.
"Do you know, my love, that you are wonderful?" Gilberto said.
"It's you who make me so."
"I love everything, about you."
"Everything?"
"Everything, yes. Your bright eyes, your sensual lips, how you smile to me, your hands when they touch me, your hard tits dark and sweet like blackberries, your strong arms embracing me tight, your flat tummy, your strong legs, your velvety butt so firm and welcoming, your balls so hard and yet so soft, this beautiful rod so tasty and juicy that I like so much having in me, with which you make me feel the strength and sweetness of your desire. I like each millimeter of your manly body, my sweet Max."
"I will never get tired of making love with you, Gil. You are so sexy, strong, gentle and each time we make love all my senses are heightened - touching you is sweet, looking at you is a delicious, listening to your voice is exciting, inhaling your manly aroma is wonderful and tasting you is a unique sensation. I would like to melt into you. My God, Gil, words cannot express how I feel for you, with you."
"But your body does it wonderfully."
They made love, tasting each other, caressed by the suns rays and a gentle breeze. They took each other, kissed, took each other again with a mixture of passion and tenderness, trying to make those magic moments last as long they could. And finally they came, whispering to each other their mutual love. When at last they relaxed, sated for the moment, they became aware that nearby there was a boy, leaning against his bicycle, looking at them, agape.
They laughed and gave him a gesture of greeting. "Did you see everything?" Gilberto asked him.
The boy nodded and blushed, then with a hesitant voice, said, "I didn't do it on purpose: I just came here to fish and you didn't hear me and... I never saw two men fucking together."
"Come here, sit down." Massimo invited him.
"Aren't you upset with me, since I spied on you?"
"No, not at all. You didn't do it on purpose, you said." Gilberto answered with a smile.
The boy let go his bicycle and went closer to them. He sat down on the grass, not far from them, then in a whisper said, "You were beautiful." And blushed again.
"Really? Possibly because we were not fucking, but making love."
"I don't understand. What is the difference?" the boy asked.
"A huge difference. Fucking is just an amusement, it is using the other for his own sake and pleasure. Making love means to love each other, and to try to make each other happy."
"And... you are in love?"
"Yes."
" And... is it good for a male loving another male?"
"It is good to love, it doesn't matter who, what's the gender. How old are you?"
"Sixteen, almost seventeen."
"You never fell in love?"
"Just a little and just once. But I've never made love, not yet. And when they talk about two men, they say bad things, but seeing you two, it seemed different."
"What's your name?"
"Stelvio. A funny name, isn't it?"
"No, it's nice, to me, right Gil?"
"Yes I also think it's a nice name."
"Are you serious? But I want my friends to call me Stiv."
"You shouldn't be ashamed of your name, on the contrary, you must be proud of it. One has to be ashamed only of dishonest things."
"But you two, you don't live together?"
"Yes, we do. We are lovers."
"A couple, then."
"Right."
"So, then, how come you don't make love at your home, if you have a place?"
"Because at times it is good doing it in the open, in the midst of nature. And here, usually, nobody comes."
"That's true, that's why I come here to fish. I like being by myself, at times."
"Now we'll swim, then we will leave you in peace to fish."
"Oh, you two don't bother me, you seem very nice. Besides, you got here before me. But really you were not bothered I spied on you?"
"We didn't know you were here, therefore we weren't bothered. We don't like doing it in front of others, but it happened, it just happened. It's good that it was you who saw us and not someone else."
"Why?"
"Because at least you felt what you saw was beautiful."
"Yes, it was beautiful, and also arousing. I would like, someday, to find a friend with whom to try, possibly right here."
"Or a girl?" asked Massimo.
"Or a girl, sure. But girls are way too simpering."
"How can you say that, if you never tried?"
"Well, one can see it in love movies - they like being mawkish, and making a lot of fuss. Possibly it is better between two men, isn't it? Like you two."
"The really important thing is to do it for love. Never forget it."
"Is it wrong to do it for amusement?"
"Well, if both the partners agree, it is not wrong. But doing it for love is far more beautiful; we can assure you of that. Before meeting him, I tried it with both boys and girls; there is no difference. What is different is if there is love or not. Therefore, rather than just trying to get a thrill, try to learn to love, Stelvio."
"I see. Thank you."
The two lovers swam, and Stelvio joined them, undressing himself totally and without any modesty. Then they lay on the grass, still naked and chatted for a while with the boy, who asked them lot of questions. Finally they got dressed and said good-bye.
"You see? A boy still simple, sound and clean inside, is not scandalized, he has no problem of labels - gay or straight. He accepts things for what they are." Gilberto said.
Massimo retorted, "But Stelvio is possibly oriented towards his own gender."
"That's not certain and anyway is not important. I liked that boy."
"Physically?"
"He's a nice boy, but just a boy. No, I liked his way to reason, to react, to look at facts."
"Yes. And he wanted to know about us and our relationship, but without malice, without morbidity."
"A clean boy. Let's hope he will remain this way."
"Max?"
"Yes, love?"
"When we realized that Stelvio was there, I could not tell you how moved I am that you took me to make love in that place. Thank you."
"I just wanted you to understand that there is no difference between Diego and you, inside my heart. You didn't take his place, you are different, you are... you. But I love you so very much!"
"But, my love, you must promise me one thing."
"What?"
"If... it could happen, we never know, but if... if I die, you have to promise me that you will continue to live and that you will be ready to recognize who is around the corner, waiting for you."
"Oh my God, Gil! I hope it will never happen... but I've learned my lesson. I promise you. I will never throw away the years of love that you are giving me, as I risked doing before. I promise."
"Thank you, my love."
Their life proceeded serenely. Gilberto was somewhat more passionate than Massimo and at times, even though he was sweet and tender, but he was also somewhat stubborn. Massimo was the one to yield more often, even though at times this was heavy. But he did so out of love and with love, therefore he was able to overcome the moments when he felt the instinct to rebel against Gilberto's intensity.
They were together for three years when a moment of heavy tension occurred. It all had started for a trifle - they had to decide where to go on vacation.
"I would like to visit one of the Greek islands." Massimo said.
"Oh no, please! They are crowded with stupid tourists in search of fantasy. Let's go to Scotland, instead. Look here, I passed by the travel agency to get some leaflets. What do you think of this tour on the northern islands?"
The discussed it and, as always, Massimo couldn't dissuade his lover and so at last he yielded, again. They went to London and from there, took the plane for Edinburgh then, by bus, reached the north. When they got to the hotel that the agency had booked for them, there was no room booked in their name and all the rooms were full.
"Let's go and look for another hotel." Massimo said, quietly.
"Absolutely not! I have the voucher here with the booking of the room here in this hotel, and we have the right to have it, they must give us one."
"But this is the receipt from the agency, not the hotel. And if the agency made a mistake, we cannot ask the hotel to take the responsibility, can we?" Massimo countered.
They started to argue. Gilberto didn't want to listen to reason. He started to quarrel with the hotel manager. Massimo felt embarrassed, because he knew that Gilberto was wrong to be so stubborn, and also because everybody's eyes were on them. Therefore eventually he took his luggage and went outside the hotel, deciding to wait for Gilberto to come out.
After about half an hour, Gilberto came out - he was furious, and ranted at Massimo. "Let's go look for another hotel. But it was wrong of you to leave me there alone!" he said angrily.
"Well, I was embarrassed, and I knew it would end this way."
"Oh yes? Well if you are so ashamed of me, you can go and look for a hotel for yourself, then!" Gilberto said with venom.
They quarreled. In the end, Gilberto left him alone and went to get a taxi. Massimo watched him going, dismayed and unbelieving. He waited for a while, thinking that Gilberto would come back. But Gilberto didn't show up. So Massimo looked for another hotel and fixed a room. He felt tempted to take the train and go back, but then he thought that doing so he would only worsen the situation - it was their first real quarrel.
He decided that, as usual, it was up to him to take the first step. Therefore he started to do a round of phone calls, from his hotel room, to all the city hotels, asking if Gilberto was there. At last he found him.
"It's Massimo."
"Hi."
"Can I come to your hotel?"
"Yes, sure. Where are you, now?"
"I found a room in a hotel near the railway station. I'm coming with a taxi."
"I'll wait for you." Gilberto said.
When they met, Gilberto lowered his head. "I'm sorry, Massimo, I had no reason to treat you in that way. I wasn't angry with you, it was not your fault."
"Gil, I love you, but... I feel we need to talk."
"I apologized..."
"Yes, and then? Are you aware that I had to look for you? I felt like taking the train back to Italy, instead of searching for you. But I love you, I didn't want to worsen the situation. But this vacation... really started on the wrong foot."
They talked for a long time and Massimo told him all he felt heavy about in his heart. They spoke frankly and Gilberto, who really loved Massimo, understood his reasoning. They made peace. But above all, Gilberto devoted himself to pay more attention to him, to meet his wishes, but also asked his lover not to wait until the next quarrel to speak to him frankly about what was troubling him.
"I don't want to risk a breakup with you, Max, believe me. I love you, even though at times possibly I don't show it, as happened before. But it is so easy to get the upper hand with you, who are always so yielding..."
"Then, you try to yield as well and you'll see that it will be easy to stay together, even easier than before."
That vacation really marked an improvement in their already beautiful relationship.
Alberto's disco celebrated the fifth year of opening with a calendar of fantastic parties. People came from all over the region and also from neighbouring ones. Alberto organized everything in a fine style, inviting famous singers, dancers, entertainers. They had five days of intense work, but everybody was happy, as the celebration gave them a gauge of their success.
On the fourth night, a young man approached the DJ's box. "Hi. Do you remember me?" he asked with a broad smile.
Gilberto looked at him, "You have a familiar face, but, you know, so many people come here..."
"To tell the truth, this is the first time I've been here. I didn't know you work here."
"Oh! So, were did we meet then? What's your name?"
"I'm Stelvio."
"You?! Oh goodness, you are a man, now. How old are you, twenty-one?"
"Nineteen, almost twenty. I'm really glad to see you again."
"You must have already seen Massimo, then, at the box-office."
"No, I didn't, as my friend went to pay. He works here too? I'll go and see him, now."
"Your friend..."
"Yes, his name is Gianni. He is twenty-three and we have been together for two years. But unhappily we still cannot live together."
"How did you meet?"
"There on the river bank, where I met you two. Gianni also came there to fish. So we became friends. After a few months he asked me to go camping with him. So, one night in his tent... it happened. I was in love with him but didn't know how to tell him, but he had read it in my eyes and understood so in the dark he asked me if he might hug me and so... well we ended up making love. It was my first time and, I swear, I thought of you two and it has been wonderful."
"Would you introduce him to me?"
"Sure. Wait, I'll go to call him."
Gilberto invited them to go to their home. Gianni was a simple guy, nice, with a solid body almost like that of a wrestler. He worked as a mechanic at Giugiaro's. He had an open smile and lively bright eyes and looked at his Stelvio with obvious love. He got on with Massimo and Gilberto at once. So he told them how Stelvio succeeded in making him settle down.
"Before meeting Stelvio, I went to bed with anybody I fancied, as soon as I realised they were game. I started when I was thirteen, with a boy who touched me at the parish movie theater, in my village. Thanks to him I learned where and how I could cruise, so I didn't miss any opportunities. When I was sixteen, I was expelled from the soccer team, because I was trying to fuck with all my teammates. To be honest with you, almost everybody was game, but one of them who refused my advances, instead of keeping quiet like others, went and reported me to the coach.
"Then, in the army, I used all my leave to go cruising. And as I didn't do it for money like some of my comrades, I had plenty of boys coming with me. Also three or four comrades, you know, those who pretend to be all he-man but, if nobody knows, are ready to turn around and to ask you to fuck them. Then, after army service, I started to go cruising in gay discos.
"Until I met Stelvio. At first, I must admit, I just thought I would have liked to fuck with him. But I didn't know if he was game or not, as I didn't meet him in a cruising place. But we became friends and I liked him more and more and gradually I realised I was falling for him and I also understood, by the way he looked at me, that he too was feeling the same attraction towards me. So, I decided to try.
"Just to think that I am his first and only man, makes me feel so proud. So, Stelvio, little by little, made me become sensible, even though at first I hurt him with my behaviour..."
"How do you manage to make love? You don't have a place, do you?" Massimo asked.
"No, we haven't, unhappily. And now Stelvio has to do his army service. But when it's over, we will look for a job here in Milan, and we'll rent a room together. For the moment, when in the evening I come back to my village from work, since Stelvio lives in a nearby village, he waits for me with his bicycle at the crossroad. We found an old farmhouse, isolated and in ruin, near the crossroad. We took my sponge camping mattress there. We are safe in there, because even if somebody came, we would hear him climbing the old wooden stairway and we can flee from another door, without being caught. It never happened, up to now. But when the weather is fine, on Sundays, we go to the Agogna bank, right where Stelvio first saw you. We would really like to be able to live together and possibly, in a little more than one year, we will be able to do so."
"Wouldn't your families oppose?"
"It is not so unusual that two young men working far from their villages share a room and the expenses, to save having to go back home every night. Anyway we are both of age and won't be dependent on them for money, once Stelvio gets a job."
Stelvio nodded and added, "Then, even if they realise what there is between Gianni and me, they accept us or they lose us. But we are determined, right chicco?"
"Sure. I am far too happy with my Stelvio to renounce to him, now that I've found him."
"If we can help you in any way, you can count on us, right Gil?"
"Right on."
So, the life of Massimo and Gilberto proceeded, caring about others, serene, with some moments of tiredness, sure, but also of true happiness. The only thing that at times Massimo regretted, was he never met Rocco again. Who knows if he was happy, where he was now, what he was doing? Who knows if Rocco sill remembered him? He couldn't know.
But Massimo remembered Rocco very well, his words and his comparison between life and incense. Yes, his life was once again lit and sent towards the sky a thin coil of smoke sweetly perfumed, Massimo was conscious of that. So he was grateful to his three Kings, but above all to Gilberto for his intense love, that not only didn't lessen in those years spent together, but on the contrary was more and more safe and sound, even though more sedate.
THE END
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