Indecent Exposure (Private)(18+)

[Sathenus]

Enid couldn't help but laugh softly when Devon joked about being careful of foreign men around her son, because she knew there could have been a little truth to that as well. "I wouldn't worry too much about it, Devon. Kario will definitely be hanging onto every word they say but at the end of the night it's you he'll be going home with. His heart seems to be hung up on you after all, and I don't see that changing. Not with the way his eyes sparkle when he looks at you, not to mention you make his smile brighter than I've ever seen it." Enid said giving Devon a warm smile. Her son seemed to be truly happy with Devon and clearly loved him tremendously. She didn't see any man coming between them, French or otherwise.

 

"I wouldn't think too much about it though." Enid added after a few moments thinking about her son and how he had always seemed to be entranced by foreign accents and how he could so easily lose himself in their culture. It made her wonder if this was something Kario would end up growing out of it or losing an interest. It was possible, though not necessarily likely. Pushing those thoughts from her mind she decided to leave it at that, almost positive that Kario and Devon would do just fine and that the politician didn't have to worry about her son leaving him for anyone.

 

It only seemed to make her smile grow and her feelings for Devon solidify when the blonde told her how what he shared with Kario was special to him. "That's really great to hear." She admitted to him with a bright smile. It really was great and she hoped that their feelings for each other wouldn't go anywhere. That they would continue to love each other and their relationship would stay strong no matter how much time passed. "I sincerely hope you and Kario end up having long lives together. You both deserve to be happy."

 

"That's sweet!" Enid said glad to hear Devon say all of that and that he found her son to be kind and considerate. The way he seemed to like her son's perspective and personality was also just as sweet to her, so glad that Kario had found someone like Devon who could appreciate him for him. She had always been happy her daughter had gotten so lucky to find such a nice man in her life, and she had always worried about Kario. She worried about her other son as well, but Enid knew deep down that he was a lost cause and that there was nothing that she could do about him anymore. At least Kario seemed to be getting a second chance and could make a better life for himself. "At least two of my kids seem to be heading in the right direction now." Enid mused with a small smile.

 

Devon telling her how things had been when he was born and how their parents had not taken care of anything until that point made her give the man a curious look. Not so much for the last minute planning and items that had to be gathered but what seemed like the complete lack of effort or interest in it by his parents. "That doesn't seem very personal at all. One of the best parts of being a parent is getting to be a part of your children's lives, not just in their upbringing but in regards to the things they wore, how their rooms were designed, the items they had." After a moment she stopped to take in a bit more as she sighed. "I can't say I understand your parent's way of raising you, or how they had gone about a lot. But our families do come from completely different backgrounds, in how they lived and the parts they played in each other's lives. But from what I have seen and from how much Kario loves to talk about you they raised a great son. You should be extremely proud of who you are, and they should be extremely proud of you."

 

Sure Enid was sure that Devon like everyone else had his problems, was sure that there were things his parents may not really like. In the end he felt that Devon was a great guy, he was kind and considerate as well, even if others may not have always seen it. "You're a kind and considerate person too, not just Kario. Don't sell yourself short. I've seen it from you, every time you speak to my son, every time you help him through his troubles. I couldn't ask for a better man to take care of him. With you... with you I know Kario is safe and loved." Enid felt like this was something she needed to express to Devon especially after learning how they had really met. But she was being completely honest right now, Devon cared for her son, loved him, was kind to him, considerate of his feelings and did everything he could to help him through her son's many issues. Enid could only imagine what Kario had gone through, what he continued to go through. With Devon she knew that he would get any help he needed, while having an amazing person backing him up along the way.

 

"Maybe..." Enid said thinking about it and still not quite sure why Devlin wouldn't have tried again for a daughter, even if she had another son she would have hoped that she would be happy all the same. Clearly it wasn't the case though, and for whatever reason they had not tried again. Devon told him that she would have to ask his parents that and she already knew that she would not be getting the answer then. Not really sure how she would even ask such a question, or when it would ever be appropriate time for her to do so.

 

It appeared that Devon would be more than willing to come to the birthday party of her granddaughter which made her smile happily. "They're your family too." She said nudging the other gently and encouraging Devon to refer to them as his family as well. "You're with my son after all, that makes us family." Enid added with a warm smile. Being asked what her daughter would want them to bring for the birthday girl made her think about it for a moment. "Honestly? Anything for a young child, it could be something to help her learn and build developmental skills like you would normally see advertised for small kids. Or you can get her some children books. My daughter sits down and reads to her kids every night, I'm sure they'd enjoy some new stories." Enid said before she pat his arm gently. "Anything you get for her daughter I am sure they would love it."

 

 

 

 

Kario definitely wasn't expecting Devon to lean down and give him a loving kiss, the blonde's hand on his cheek though he was more than happy to return the kiss. Not caring that there were people around, in this moment they were the only ones who existed. When the kiss broke there was a bright smile on his face, instinctively he turned his face into the hand letting his eyes drift shut. He loved the touch, even innocent touches from Devon never ceased to make his heart race and to make him incredibly happy. Dark eyes moving from Devon's face back to the Senator when he said that the governor was a good man, Kario fully agreed after all.

 

Harvey had to ruin the moment though, and his dark eyes darted towards him for a second as his face flushed red and he glanced quickly away mumbling something softly almost along the lines of an apology. It was a reaction that came out of him before he could stop it, even taking a step further away from the man and feeling the instant urge to put even more space between them. The man being angry or frustrated with anything that had to do with him had always ended painful, and even though he knew that this wouldn't be the case again now it was so ingrained in him. Just like his reaction when Devon had used an angry or upset tone with him and he had cowered before his boyfriend, the same instinct was kicking in and making him want to disappear.

 

This time Jens speaking up had actually come as a welcome surprise, instead of an unwanted one. Even if he knew the man wasn't gay him stepping in to this degree was still something that Kario had to admit he appreciated. Though it probably had nothing to do with him, it was still something that at least made him feel a little better. Even though he knew both his father and Devon would also step in if needed or when necessary. The last thing Kario wanted was for his father to cause a scene, and he could see that the man wanted to do nothing more than just that able to see the anger quickly rising and coming to a bursting point.

 

As things continued to unfold though Kario was tempted to leave with his father before Devon had even responded to his question. But suddenly Devon was speaking and what he said made him look at the other stunned. That was something he had not expected to come out of his boyfriend, especially since he always seemed to hold himself to a certain high standard all of the time. Or at least... most of the time. If anyone was going to comment on Harvey having gone to the brothel he had expected it come out of himself especially since the man seemed to be against any display of affection Devon gave him as well as his presence here at all. He completely understood why of course, knowing a lot about him to be able to start quite the scandals there, but that was not who Kario was. Especially dating Devon, he couldn't and wouldn't be that type of person. That wasn't even the type of person that Kario was normally.

 

Devon seemed to think it was a good idea, or at least wasn't going to tell him no, since he was soon answering his question and nodding his head. Kario had just stepped to the side to take his father's hand and drag him away when Harvey apparently had enough and was storming away now that his secret was out to the group. It made Kario let out a relieved sigh though and his body visible relaxed now that the man wasn't anywhere near him. Unfortunately, he'd probably have the same response to many of his old clients. But Devon was right, at least now he didn't have to leave anymore and he could even see that his father was starting to relax though he was still clearly pissed as well.

 

"Very funny." Kario said with a roll of his eyes and playfully smacking his boyfriend's arm. "We both know he wouldn't appreciate that and I'd rather go after anyone else... even your father." He groaned at the idea of even going after Devon's father. The man still hated him, and that was being nice about it, but he would prefer Andrew Ashfield over Harvey Flint anytime.

 

"I definitely can't complain to no reason to leave though. I would much rather be by your side all night." Kaine added with a soft laugh before he was glancing back towards his dad. "You on the other hand should go calm down... have a drink or something... wander around." Kaine tried to suggest though the look he was given stated the older man was going nowhere if there was even the slightest chance that Harvey may come back to start shit again.

 

"I'm good. You know I don't drink much unless it's a holiday, and no offence to Devon but his birthday or election day don't qualify as either." Kaine replied his tone making it clear he was still quite pissed off. The fact that he had held his tongue at all was a miracle in Kario's book and he didn't want to press the matter any. His mother on the other hand seemed upset but was otherwise handling better. Sighing Kario rubbed the back of his neck realizing that situations like this were something that he and his parents would most likely have to get used to.

 

Turning back to Devon he tried to give his boyfriend a smile but it didn't really end up that way. "Well... tonights been eventful." Truthfully, he was over it already. Wanting tonight to end so they could head home, he could make his boyfriend a treat and then give him his own birthday present before they could go to bed and hopefully sleep today off. Whether or not Devon was the governor, though he still had his fingers crossed and plenty of hope that he would end up getting reelected.

[-Hideki-]

Devon laughed when Kario smacked his arm saying that he’d rather go after anyone else than Harvey, even Ashfield Senior. Despite his laughter the whole thing made him angry inside, especially when he had seen Kario flinching away and making himself small at the other man’s verbal lash out the Governor had felt the urge of lashing out at Harvey…. physically. It took him a lot of discipline to be civil around Flint now and to not give him a taste of his own medicine. The politician still remembered the bruises on the young male’s body when he had visited the brothel one day and Jens saying that Harvey mistreated and abused the female prostitutes too didn’t make it any better but even worse since he had harmed even more people.

 

Kario’s father had a harder time hiding his anger and his rage about the bigwig from the automobile industry than Devon though and understandably so. Had Ashfield not been in politics for quite a while now and hadn’t he been taught how to remain calm in a multitude of situations, how to act professionally he probably would have responded a lot different than that. Heck, he’d probably often react a lot different than he did. But either him or his boyfriend’s father beating the shit out of Harvey wouldn’t be beneficial for any of them and thus the black haired male’s suggestion that his father should go somewhere to calm down, maybe having a drink was a good idea.

 

His lover’s father however saw it differently and apparently also didn’t drink with the exception of holidays and his birthday and Election Day celebration didn’t count. “None taken.” Ashfield let him know with a chuckle when the man had informed him just about that and that he meant no offence. “Heck, I don’t even see this as a holiday either. I am not exactly sure whether I even see it as a celebration. What I am sure about, however, is that I’d absolutely love to be completely wasted right in this moment.” the blond man jested but damn did he wish he could actually drink at least something. It might make the whole ordeal a little more enjoyable or at least less exhausting and awful.

 

When Kario tried to give him a smile and exclaimed that the party so far had been “eventful” a snorting laugh came from the Governor and he raised one eyebrow. “That’s one way to put it.” Devon remarked finding that he’d much rather have had an uneventful day when this was the definition of eventful. If they had thought that this had been everything there was to come they had been mistaken though. There were so many people and hands he had shaken that someone reaching out their hand to him made him want to jump out of the window and run (not that it was possible considering the floor of the building they were in). And his mother had had to keep his father from knocking a journalist out with a chair as if it had been Smack Down vs. Raw because he had asked him the name of his lover he was leaving his wife for, great uncle Cornelius had slapped the butt of the women who had helped with his campaign while his cousin had been talking about her boxing career to Michalski and a scene had been caused around Stewart because at least four of his mistresses and his wife had been on the same party and his mother’s embarrassing drunken birthday speech was yet to come during dinner because everyone would be gathered around the table and no one would be able to run and avoid it granting her the attention of all of the guests.

 

Nonetheless he was glad when they had finally made it to the dinner table because it meant that once this was over the results of the election would be in anytime soon. Devon, who had promised to make things right with Lukasz for Kario had taken the opportunity and had arranged that Lukasz was sitting next to Kario instead of sitting in between all the businessmen at the other end of the table. This however had had the result that he had to relocate great uncle Cornelius and his cousin to the business side of the table where they now sat opposite to Jens’ family.

 

Ashfield sat to Kario’s right, his father to his right at the head of the table together with his mother, Clarence followed opposite of Devon, then Kario’s mother, Kario’s father and Lelani. The food was delicious and there were a lot of different dishes that were offered and the Governor was thankful for a moment of silence where he had his mouth stuffed full with food and couldn’t engage in any conversation.

 

However that tiny moment of peace was gone too soon when he heard Cornelius loudly tell his World War II stories to the Benninghofens, including the little kids, almost yelling as he usually did because he was hard of hearing and couldn’t hear himself talk otherwise. And the old man was as graphic as always about it, descriptively telling the tales of the horrors of war, talking about slipping out on intestines, about blown off faces, how he had rammed an enemy soldier a knife through his eye, ripping it out together with the knife in the process and other such gruesome stuff that wasn’t exactly meant for the ears of little children. And as though he had seen it coming the little girl looked shocked and scared and she started to shake and to loudly cry uncontrollably, jumping down from the chair, running away, obviously terrified of Cornelius, who had stopped for merely a second before he was continuing to speak, fearing for her eyesight, while Jens’ little boy was trying to make a professional, brave face, failing at it, while his mother was running after her little daughter to comfort her.

 

Ashfield rubbed his hand over his face, taking a deep sigh before he was putting on a gallows laugh as he laid his hand onto Kario’s arm to get his attention whispering:”I hope you appreciate the effort I made to make it right for you with Lukasz here when tomorrows headlines will read:’Former Governor’s great uncle makes little half-Indian foreign girl cry with gory, brutal war stories.’” he told him when Clarence got a notification on his phone that showed the newest video that his son Henry, the one with the frog avatar, had uploaded, where he claimed Ashfield and Claris were related and part of the same organisation that conspired to destroy their race.

 

A sad expression appeared on Clarences’ face and he sighed deeply. “I really don’t know what to do with this boy anymore. I am so sorry Devon.” he apologised. And Andrew Ashfield was snorting. “You always were too soft with that wobbly clown. You should give him a decent flogging. Will fix it and set his head straight.” the silver haired man who ran a business empire declared. “No! That would definitely not help him.” Clarence shook his head, vigorously. “You don’t know how it is to have a difficult child who makes you worry Andrew.” the old man said about his adult son and Andrew Ashfield snorted. “Well, look at it from the bright side. At least your son is not a whore!” he stated and threw a disgusted gaze at Kario, as though he was a stain on the dinner table. “And he doesn’t risk everything you have built for him, the path you had laid out for him by ruining his marriage with the perfect model wife you have found him and then being dumb enough to not only run into a gay brothel during the time of his campaign but publically claiming the whore as his boyfriend like an ungrateful moron.” he had to vent his frustration, his anger and his disapproval about his son because Claris had managed to win one of the big cities in their state already.

 

And Devon blushed, feeling degraded and humiliated that his father would speak about him like this in front of his boyfriend’s parents, refraining from defending himself because he didn’t want to cause more of a scene in front of Kario’s parents and definitely not in front of everyone else, thus he looked onto his plate like a beaten dog.

[Sathenus]

If Kario had thought that matters were eventfull before he clearly had misjudged how the rest of the night would go. As it turned out the scene with Harvey was starting to look rather good, and he found himself in more than a couple of moments where he would have jumped back into the unpleasant man's company. It had seemed like forever when they were finally sitting down for dinner, and once more he was met with a strong sense of unease, especially sitting so close to his boyfriend's parents. Devlin was the only one who liked him after all, but Devon had done something unexpected when he noticed that Lukasz ended up sitting on the other side of him. This was a pleasant surprise and he was happy to be able to take the chance to speak with the other man again. Especially considering the fact that he was the only other person his age here, there being a huge gap between him and anyone younger, and a significant gap between those older. Knowing that Andrew wanted Lukasz for his company too and the fact that the other man didn't seem to have immediate problems with him made Kario all the more willing to form a friendship.

 

As he was speaking with Lukasz and enjoying the food -since Devon was quite preoccupied in shoveling food into his mouth- he heard the voice of Cornelius seemingly engulf the table almost as though it was drowning out any other conversations. His dark gaze darted down the table to where the practically ancient man was sitting and retelling some rather gruesome war stories. Suddenly Kario understood why the old man was normally kept well under raps and when he had first been told about the man and these stories he had seriously thought Devon was overreacting. Not to say that was something his boyfriend did often, but it had seemed to him that no one would do such a thing no matter how far gone their memory was. For such stories though he had to give Cornelius credit for all the details he did remember... it was incredibly graphic after all. Just as the poor girl was jumping down from the table and running off in tears he felt his own heart ache for her a little only able to imagine what she must be going through.

 

Suddenly he felt a hand on his arm getting his attention and his gaze moved from the scene at the other end of the table to Devon who was saying he hoped he appreciated what he had done to make things right between him and Lukasz mentioning what the headlines would probably be come morning. "I do really appreciate the effort." Kario said at first giving his boyfriend a loving smile before he was continuing, "As for your Great Uncle... I do have to give that part of his memory some credit. It's definitely far more graphic than I would expect from someone in hi state." He felt the need to be honest here as well. Kario hadn't even noticed that Clarence had gotten a notification on his phone since he had been talking with Devon at the time.

 

At least... Kario had been unaware until he heard the comment from Andrew and the look he got making his face instantly flush a deep red. He was silently wishing that the man would leave it at that, considering calling him a whore seemed to be his favorite way of referring to him. Trying to be as small and unnnoticable as possible Kario was distracting himself with the hem of his shirt, keeping his gaze on his lap and hoping that Andrew would become distracted by something or someone else. It appeared as though he wasn't done there though, voicing his frustration with Devon as well. Even his boyfriend didn't say anything and looked ashamed and he understood why, now was not the time or place to fight or argue about this. It was something that Kario had to completely agree with even if he could see his father's irritation at Ashfield Senior making such a comment about his son, but also about Devon. Kario knew his parents really liked the blonde man, and didn't have a problem with how they had met and come into their current relationship. At first his father had been mad, furious even, but it had been more about the fact that he had lied to them and had not intended to tell them the truth not about the actual terms in which he had met Devon. If his parents could be so accepting and open he couldn't understand why Andrew had to be the way he was, especially when Devlin even treated him kindly. Clearly his boyfriend's parents couldn't be further opposites though, where Devlin had been kind and welcoming Andrew had been cold and hostile. The older man took every opportunity to make some sort of comment on him and make his feelings clear, Kario just hoped that if the man couldn't at least learn to tolerate him he'd at least grow bored of insulting him at every opportunity.

 

The only positive thing that Kario could think of at this point was at least dinner would be over soon, then the results of the election shouldn't be far behind and no matter what the results of the election were he had his own birthday gift for his boyfriend that he was very much looking forward to giving him. A light but tasty snack upon their return and then... maybe a nice dessert to follow that he was sure would be quite pleasing for them both. Not that he doubted for a moment that Devon wouldn't like and be pleased with the food he had planned to make him. Kario only hoped that he would be able to make this a tradition of their very own, something nice to look forward too after a long and distasteful day. It made him feel bad that this was what Devon had to look forward to every year on his birthday, still strongly believing that ones birthday should be all about them.

 

Waiting until Andrew Ashfield seemed to be distracted by Clarence again he cleared hs throat softly and reaching over, gently resting his hand over his boyfriend's and giving the blonde a small encouraging smile. "Just think, sexy. We're even closer to you getting my birthday present." He mused his smile remaining firmly planted on his face. His present was the only one that Devon would be getting tonight, remembering his boyfriend telling his parents that he normally didn't have the opportunity to open his gifts until the next day. Not that he minded, since it meant that what little time Devon had tonight after the party and the election results was for him. Well... and who knew what. If Kario was being honest he had no idea how tonight would end if Devon did get elected, much less if he didn't. Though he was still locked in the mindset that there was absolutely no way Devon wouldn't be reelected, gay or not.

[-Hideki-]

The tension caused by anger and shame got relieved somewhat when he felt his boyfriend’s hand on his own. Ashfield intertwined his fingers with Kario’s under the table and the words he spoke to him were like honey in a bitter tea to him. “The thought about your birthday present is the only thing that keeps me going here.” the blond man whispered with a slight smile on his lips, pressing them onto the younger male’s cheek. And indeed all he wanted at this point was to finally know whether he had won or lost and to then go home and entrust himself to his lover, wishing the man would spoil him a little. Not to mention that he was horny for him as well. It felt like it had been an eternity since they had last fucked even though it had barely been about a week now.

 

Andrew Ashfield however was getting incredibly pissed that his agitation against his son and his son’s boyfriend didn’t have the wanted effect. It had seemed as though he had managed to shame Devon for the behaviour he didn’t like for a moment but then Kario had taken that burden away and neither his son nor the black haired man seemed to care about it anymore, touching each other in front of his very eyes, showing affection. This, to the business magnate, was blatant disrespect of his authority and his person and he would not accept it and not be ignored. He certainly didn’t let some sissy rat gain more influence and control over his son than he had.

 

Thus he turned to Clarence again. “Give me an hour with your son Clarence and I’ll turn that wobbly conspiracy theorist into much less of a disappointment and disgrace and a better heir than my poor excuse for a son.” Ashfield Senior stated and the chubby old man was looking at the phone and then at his old friend not thinking that Andrew tempering with Henry, who was as depressed as he was racist, would have been a good idea at all. He was too shy to say that though as he didn’t want to offend Andrew and hence said nothing when the other man continued. “I am sure that he would never be that much of a weak moron to let some stupid low class skank play him like a fiddle to rip him off and exploit him for his money because his cock does the thinking for him.” the silver haired man with the icy gaze hissed loudly, taking a breath to continue, feeling like punishing Devon for ignoring him and keeping that whore against his advice.

 

“Oh shut up Andrew!” a voice spoke firmly and angrily in a tone that clearly showed how much the person despised Andrew Ashfield. Leilani’s gaze was full of loathe when her dark eyes stared directly into Andrew’s without giving him an inch. “Devon has nothing but been the perfect son to you and you always failed to appreciate that. You on the other hand, you have been the disgrace and the disappointment as a father. God, you’re probably the worst father I have ever gotten to know. You have been nothing but controlling, cold and cruel to your son. It always broke my heart to see this back when he was little and I always wanted to take him with me and his grandfather and give him a warm and loving home he deserved. Your father said you got this elitist coldness from your mother but frankly I don’t care, you are a shitty father and a bad person!” she stated and Andrew looked baffled for a moment because no one had ever back talked to him like that but then he got extremely angry.

 

“What else to expect from a Taiwanese illegal slut who did the same thing with my father as to support what this immoral little shit does and how my son is acting like a blind moron.” he started but the woman from Hawaii didn’t let him get any further. “Spare me the Taiwanese thing; it gets old after almost half a century. You are like a broken record repeating the same dumb things again and again and repeating something doesn’t make it true and doesn’t make it less moronic either.” she barked at him. “I really wished that he would have had a loving and caring mother at least but instead he seemed to have no mother at all. Just an ignorant narcissist who cared about clothing more than her own son and who left him completely alone, showing him how uninteresting he was to her.” Leilani ranted. “You know what; it is a wonder that Devon has turned out this great with such horrible, incompetent parents! He is a good and successful person and none of this has anything to do with either of you!” she stated and at this point Ashfield’s father looked as though he wanted to shoot her right then and there but not even he would be able to buy himself out of that so he didn’t do it.

 

Instead Devlin Ashfield, gulping down a lump in her throat was raising from her chair but she didn’t say anything to Leilani, she didn’t even look at her. Devon’s mother just grabbed her glass and slightly knocked her knife onto it, making the glass sound melodically through the room. Once the people got quiet and she had their attention the woman went away from the table a little so that everyone could see her well enough and the Governor buried his face in his hands. “And here it comes.” he stated muffled down by his own hands. He didn’t want to look and if he could he would have liked to hold his ears shut. His mother, year after year, searched for the most embarrassing stories from his childhood, all of them presented in a way that made her look as though she had been the perfect mother and would draw attention onto her. And this time, after Leilani had called her a bad mother, she would probably give a speech that was worse than all the previous once combined.

 

However when his mother started to speak he was slowly removing his hands from his face since there was no childhood story. Instead she was saying how proud she was of him, addressing the scandal that had struck him lately and how he had not been letting this get him down, how he had continued to fight and worked even harder. She was talking about how, despite all that, she was finally seeing him happier than he had been for a long time, how this made her glad about his relationship and that he wasn’t hiding anymore because her son had nothing to hide. She talked about what a lovely couple the two of them were and how they reminded her of when she had first fallen for Andrew, adding the joke that the two of them had been a lot feistier though. It got more serious when she pointed out how awful she found it that he had had to take all the harassment for being gay, that she really hoped that the people would turn out better than that in the end and see that her son was a hard working and smart man who had the best interests of the state in mind. Stating that she found it appalling how being gay could still affect ones career and that it should just be normal at this point and that powerful men shouldn’t have to hide themselves for who they loved. Then she did say something about his childhood but nothing embarrassing, she referred to how he had always been somewhat different but how he had also been really talented and ambitious and how she was happy and glad to have a son like him and that she didn’t want him to change wishing him a happy birthday.

 

Once she was finished the old senator applauded even louder than everyone else totally feeling the speech, even getting up from his chair, accidentally hitting the guy next to him with his elbow. When Devlin Ashfield returned to the table and sat down on her seat she had tears glistering in her eyes and she looked at her son, reaching out her gloved hand to pat his saying:”Happy birthday Devon.” to him another time, this time a lot less theatrical and his mother’s speech had made Andrew Ashfield go rather silent, not even complaining about her comparing their love to Devon’s and Kario’s even though he definitely disagreed wholeheartedly.

 

This moment had been unexpectedly and utterly positive for the blond male as he had never heard his mother say that she was glad to have him or happy that he was her son and this lifted him up some more and helped him to go and face the screen to wait for the results with the other guests more energetically and positively. Standing there, looking at the screen he was growing more and more nervous internally when the reality of this hit him. If he lost it would be over soon now. He would not be the Governor anymore and his political career would be at its end.

 

He squeezed his boyfriend’s hand as the tension grew within him and as though he could read his doubts Smith placed himself next to him, took a gulp from the beer that he was drinking thanks to Jens and Harvey who have gotten it before, looking at the screen and then at Devon when he asked:” What are you going to do if you lose fag?” Ashfield Junior looked at him with his golden eyes. “I’m going to make a vacation in Sweden.” he answered with a sarcastic smile aware that Smith would not get what he was referring to. “What? Sweden? Why would you go there? Their immigration policy was so bad that half of it is now under Sharia law already?” the handsome bodyguard stated and Ashfield raised an eyebrow. “Where did you get that from?” he wanted to know. “I read it online. The ‘Jonas Show’ reported on it first I think!” Smith let him know and Devon nodded knowingly as it was quite telling. “Aha. I mean if that fat dude yells it into the camera it has to be true. I think I’ll risk a trip there anyway.”

 

The bodyguard didn’t say much to this though and instead asked another question. “What’s with your whore? Will you take your whore out on the vacation?” the man was curious talking about Kario as if he wasn’t there and wasn’t a real person to start with. “Don’t call my boyfriend a whore! He is not a whore, Smith and you will not call him one!” Devon demanded the other but this left Smith unimpressed. “It’s a fact though Ashfield. You might not like it but your gay boyfriend is a whore. I have seen it. He awaited us on a bed naked and your dad bought him from a brothel for you. He is basically your sex slave.” the bodyguard declared and Devon looked as though something had gotten stuck in this throat and Smith had spat him in the face at the same time. “He was selling sex, yes but he is not anymore. I ripped the contract. He is not my whore and absolutely never was my sex slave, what the hell Smith!” the politician sighed. “We are a normal couple and if he wants to go on any vacation with me he can and if he doesn’t want he doesn’t have to.” the man made that very clear.

 

“Huh? And you really think he doesn’t only keep fucking your old arse because he wants your money and that life standard?” the bodyguard found. “He isn’t fucking my arse at all and you sound like my father.” Ashfield countered and Smith grinned. “Your father is a wise man.” he stated and Devon didn’t say anything to that. Hence Smith looked at the screen again. “I am really curious how that’ll go out. I voted for you!” he told him and genuine surprise was written over Ashfield’s face. “You did what now?” he asked completely baffled. “You voted for me?” he asked a confirmation. Smith snorted. “Yeah, obviously.” he said as though the question was completely obsolete as the answer was obvious. “Do you think I vote for that inane Commie cunt because you’re a faggot?” Smith rhetorically asked. “Hell no!” he answered the question himself and the blond still looked somewhat unbelieving. And for the first time he thought that his chances of winning probably had been a lot better than he had initially thought if even someone like Smith had voted for him.

[Sathenus]

“It’ll be a great way to end your birthday for sure.” Kario said with a bright smile appearing on his face. A soft but pleased blush appeared on his face when Devon kissed his cheek clearly not caring who was around when showing this sign of affection. It made his heart skip a beat before it began to race, and he felt himself holding his boyfriend’s hand even tighter now. He loved his boyfriend more than anything else, and being able to take away the shame that he had felt thanks to his father’s words was something he was happy to do. Kario had long since come to terms with the fact that Andrew Ashfield didn’t and most likely never would like him or the fact that he may someday be part of the family. At least… he really hoped that he would be part of his boyfriend’s family someday just as he wanted to make him part of his own.

 

Taking away such things and bringing a smile back to his boyfriend’s face was one of the many things he wanted to be able to do for him. Devon was definitely the most important person in his life, and he wanted it to show, wanted it to be clear to everyone that he was here for Devon. Not here for the man’s money, not for the lifestyle it threw him into, but for the blonde as a person. Kario would happily and eagerly choose to be homeless again, or living with his parents once more as long as he had Devon at his side. The fact that the older man offered to pay for him to go to school, got him the things he did, and constantly told him not to worry about money only showed that Devon really cared about him and didn’t want him to struggle or think about how much money was being put into it. However, Kario did, he mentally took note of everything Devon did for him, of the money he was spending on him and he’d be lying to say that it didn’t often make him feel bad for allowing Devon to do so. But then he remembered what his boyfriend had said at the Farmers Festival, how the blonde would buy him whatever he wanted too whether or not Kario gave him permission to do so. It definitely didn’t make him feel any better about the amount of money that was spent on him, but it made it easier to at least come to terms with the fact that Devon would do what he wanted with his money no matter what anyone else said.

 

Drawn from his thoughts when he heard his boyfriend’s father speaking again he glanced towards the older man with a raised eyebrow. “I’m a skank now?” he replied not really feeling that insulted by it. He’d prefer being called that over a whore or slut any day, especially since he knew that Devon knew the truth about him. What the blonde’s father thought of him was starting to bother him less and less, especially as the man only seemed to try harder to get to them. Sure it would hurt to continuously be called a whore or slut by his boyfriend’s father, or talked down too and he was definitely still scared of the man. He couldn’t let his fear continue to stand in the way of his happiness though, and Devon made him incredibly happy. Kario was finding having so many other people around makes it easier for him to not let such comments affect him as much as they would in other circumstances. Even if men like Harvey continued to get to him no matter what the setting was, this wasn’t something that could happen overnight after all.

 

Lelani was the one who spoke up though and started to tell the man off, Kario’s dark eyes moved towards her as she spoke. It kind of hurt to hear how even she had wanted to take Devon home with her and his grandfather because of how his boyfriend’s parents had been when he was young. Just because he loved the man so much that he hated hearing how unhappy he had been and what he had gone through because of his parents. Kario liked to think that Devon was always happy, but that just wasn’t realistic. He knew that, but it didn’t make it any easier for him to hear these things. Even if it seemed a bit harsh to say all of that in front of all of these people deep down he knew it had to be said.

 

Devlin was getting up a moment later and getting everyone’s attention just as Devon was burying his face in his hands. Instantly Kario was rubbing the man’s back in an attempt to sooth him knowing that his boyfriend had been dreading his mother’s usual birthday speech all day. As she got everyone’s attention and started her speech though it was not remotely what Kario had expected and as the governor was lifting his face up from his it became apparent it wasn’t what he had expected either. The speech had nothing to do with what he had done as a child, or was embarrassing, but how proud of her son she was, how he had faced this scandal and overcome it, and about the two of them. Everything she said honestly made him really happy and was quite sweet, it seemed that it was that way for multiple people at the table as well. She concluded her birthday speech by wishing her son a happy birthday before she was retaking her seat and wishing him a happy birthday once more.

 

It seemed to turn around their whole night, at least to the younger man who was far more happy to end up facing the screen with his boyfriend, hand in hand as they waited for the results of the election. He had to admit that he was feeling more and more anxious the longer they were waiting, but he was hopeful that his lover would be reelected. Feeling as though the members of their state would know he was the best choice and that his sexual orientation didn’t change that since they had liked his policies even before they found out he was gay. Kario still had a hard time understanding why it was such a big deal, but he knew deep down he’d never understand it.

 

Smith was soon moving to stand on his boyfriend’s other side, and Kario glanced towards the other man when he started to speak asking Devon what he was going to do if he lost the election. The comment he made after about him had Kario rolling is eyes and sighing not surprised that the man was acting like he didn’t exist. That seemed to be rather common from people too, at least from those who were close to or at least knew Devon. That didn’t mean he liked it, it was getting pretty old actually, and he was finding himself a little frustrated that this was their way of dealing with him by acting like he wasn’t standing right there and could hear everything they said. Unless of course, that was the point of them doing so to get under his skin. Which wouldn’t be all that surprising though it didn’t make it any less annoying. Devon was quick to tell Smith once more that he wasn’t a whore and not to call him one, but Kario couldn’t expect Smith to stop calling him that when Andrew continued to do so. He could only imagine what he said when the two of them weren’t around, though he doubted that the grey haired man sad much if anything about them when they weren’t around to hear the insult. Finding that Andrew Ashfield probably didn’t think about them, or more specifically him unless necessary.

 

At least the bodyguard had voted for Devon, not that Kario was all that surprised. If he was being honest, he would have been more surprised if he hadn’t figuring everyone who had been invited to this and could vote had voted for his boyfriend. His mind was torn from his thoughts when he realized that they were just waiting for the votes to finish being tallied and then they’d be announcing the winner. It seemed as though the suspense in the room was growing from everyone not just them.

 

Without realizing it he was biting his lip and holding Devon’s hand tighter, eyes glued to the screen waiting for the results. They were all standing around waiting. The moment the results appeared on the screen and the winner was announced all was still for a moment. It took his brain a minute or two longer to process the result than it should have but a huge smile appeared on his face before he threw himself into the other’s and giving him a passionate kiss. “Congratulations! I told you that you’d win!” Kario said happily when the kiss broke and he was beaming happily up at his boyfriend. It seemed that the voters really didn’t care that the blonde was gay, or at least enough of them didn’t care to where the older man had still managed to win the election. It made him incredibly happy, and he hoped that it would make Devon quite happy as well since it meant his political career wasn’t over after all.

 

The congratulations for winning the election seemed to happen instantly afterwords, his parents appearing and congratulating the governor as well. Kario was glad that even his parents were expressing they were happy that Devon won. It meant a lot to him, especially knowing that his parents really didn’t like or care for politics to begin with. This felt like one of the biggest wins of his life, even if it was more of a win for the politician. “This definitely makes tonight much better.” Kario said happily.

[-Hideki-]

At one point the only thing left in the crowded hall seemed to be him and the screen. His body was tense, his hands were getting sweaty, he felt like he had a rock stuck in his throat that was preventing him from breathing and his heart was beating like the drums in an extreme metal song. Ashfield was eye in eye with the reporter on the screen as if he was a primordial man facing a sabre-tooth tiger. There were so many thoughts running through his mind that his brain failed to compute them and they disgorged into giant puddle of nothingness leaving him unable to think clearly.

 

During the last minute, seconds, before the winner was announced he was feeling his heart that had decided that it, other than Devon himself, was a fan of Death Metal instead of Country now somewhere in his guts and when he was finally relieved from awaiting his judgement the billionaire’s racing mind failed to process the words that had been spoken, the numbers that were shown on the screen as well as the reactions of the people around him who were tuned down and blurred and who hadn’t really reached him during the last minutes.

 

For a moment he just stood there. Stood there like one of his statues. Staring at the screen. And then the message finally got through to him. He. Had. Won! He. Still. Was. The. Governor! And that was when the tension left him and a massive relieve kicked in, followed by a feeling of bliss that lifted him up into the air. Literally. Because he jumped up cheering like Smith did when his favourite football team was winning the Super Bowl.

 

When Kario approached him or rather threw himself at him Ashfield was not only embracing him but he was spinning him around as he was kissing him as though he hadn’t seen him in years and was just returning from abroad and was glad to see him alive and well. “I won!” he exclaimed louder than he usually would, continuing to display a level of unprofessionalism he hadn’t displayed during his entire political career but he didn’t care. After all of this, he was allowing himself this moment without a thought.

 

The new-old Governor was experiencing the rest of the night in a rush. Shaking peoples’ hands, hearing the congratulations of the guests, giving interviews, feeling like a hero because Claris hadn’t gotten him down! She had not managed to ruin him! He had survived this! Survived the ‘Gay Brothel Scandal’. The congratulations from Kario’s parents meant a lot to him especially considering how they thought about politics and politicians as a whole so it was definitely a highlight amongst all the people who expressed their approval of him winning.

 

The old Senator seemed to be glad that his recommendation hadn’t ruined Ashfield’s career after all, even Jens Benninghofen looked pleased with the outcome which of course wasn’t because he had taken a sudden liking into Devon but because of the plans for international business and corporation the blond politician and the magnate from the German steel industry had made that could now continue. Maybe he was just imagining things but he had had the feeling that he had actually gained some respect from Jens for the plans because Ashfield didn’t care that it wasn’t well received in Washington because it was an active step against their current line of politics. However the man really didn’t care about the enemies he was making when it came to this. Free trade, economic freedom, these had always been values that the Ashfields had held high and sacred almost and economic protectionism by the government was the exact opposite of that and he wouldn’t stand for it.

 

And this night not even Harvey’s face could ruin the high he felt and when great uncle Cornelius patted his shoulder saying:”Congratulations Andrew! It’s about time. About time we’ve got an Ashfield as President. I know you’ll make our nation proud.”, he didn’t even care to correct him and just smiled widely saying:”Absolutely, thank you uncle Cornelius!” to the ancient man. The mood in the hall had shifted a great deal in general. Even Stewart, despite the drama that had been going on with his wife and his mistresses, was almost smiling as he approached Kario and him and as most of them did he didn’t only shake Ashfield’s hand but Kario’s as well lacking the animosity he had shown the black haired man previously. It appeared that now, that his candidate had won, he wasn’t seeing as much a threat for his success anymore and couldn’t really care less whether he was with Ashfield or not.

 

During the time on stage, the time of his speech, the rush, the high, that incredible feeling of victory that had his system overflowing with dopamine was continuing and not cooling down just one bit. Actually the speech just intensified the rush and the fact that he had Kario standing back on stage behind him made it even more glorious for him. Before it had always only been his parents. And his father had tried to keep the black haired man from entering the stage as it made the relationship appear more official but he hadn’t succeeded as Devon had held the black haired male’s hand when he had gone up there. And even Andrew Ashfield’s attempts of shoving the younger man back, overshadowing and blocking the view at him got thwarted by his wife Devlin who slapped his arm, corrected his posture and whispered something into his ear, what would make some embarrassing picture of the imperator of the Ashfield Corporation.

 

All of that Ashfield Junior didn’t see and notice though, he was busy with giving the speech and oh boy was he giving the speech. The man had written two speeches, one in case he’d win and one in case he’d lose and he was so glad that he didn’t have to read the ‘loser speech’ that it made this speech extraordinarily great to hold. When he was at the end of the speech he held in for a moment to think and then he did something he hadn’t planned, he improvised to say something that felt important to him in that moment.

 

He talked about what he had gone through during the last weeks, what he had feared and how glad he was to see that his fear had not come true and how proud he was of the people and their state and that his win was a sign, a message, that disproved the negative stereotypes that many people had against the people in their state. That the fact that he could win an election and be their governor as a – now – visibly gay man was defying those who thought they were all reactionary.

 

Yes, he had gone off track with the speech but he felt great about it. He generally felt great about this birthday now, forgetting how exhausting he had found the entire thing earlier and the celebration got a little later after all and the exhaustion and tiredness was wiped away by the rush he felt that made him believe that he could pull out trees with his bare hands.

 

Nonetheless he headed home before the party would come to an end. He had said his farewell to some people, including Kario’s parents, and had then left together with his boyfriend. The only presents that were laying in his car was the one from Kario’s parents, the entire rest would be delivered to his mansion the next day. The blond man was singing along to Dolly Parton in his car happily - his heart had stopped playing Death Metal for good for tonight - even though he sang as badly as he danced and he was pretty much looking forward to let the night fade away together with his lover in his mansion, not even caring about or paying any mind to the security convoy that was accompanying his car in case someone was a little too unhappy with his re-election and decided that they wanted to get rid of him at all costs.

 

Once back in his mansion and in his living room the lights were turned on and Ashfield reliably threw his tie and his jacket onto one of his favourite statues, slipped out of his shoes which he left where he had taken them off and jumped over the backrest of his leather sofa, throwing himself down on it, taking a deep, satisfied breath, an accomplished grin on his face. He sat back up the next moment and looked at his boyfriend. “Soooo….” he said before he grabbed the man and pulled him over the backrest onto the sofa with himself, smirking as he was lying down, holding the other, pressing a kiss onto his lips. “…. shall I unwrap your parents’ presents first or would you like to give me your present first?” he asked, curious what the black haired male had in store for him, what surprise was awaiting him after the rollercoaster that had been this campaign and election day.

[Sathenus]

He wasn't surprised that Devon had caught him when he had practically thrown himself at his boyfriend. Surprise hit him when he was spun around the moment they connected, their lips meeting in a passionate and loving kiss. His dark eyes drifted shut, arms wrapped around his lover's shoulders tightly. A bright smile was appearing on his face when his feet landed back on the floor firmly, standing pressed against the older man his eyes sparkling happily. He was as happy as he could possibly be that Devon had won the election, knowing he would have felt terrible if he had lost. Feeling as though it would have been his fault.

 

The news of Devon winning the election was the best possible news they could have gotten, and it made him all the more excited for them to be alone tonight and be able to spend time together again. Knowing that dating the governor meant that his lover was often busy and may not get the chance to spend time with him without the man being utterly exhausted again for awhile. This unprofessional side of Devon, the side that so happily exclaimed that he had won made his heart swell even more so glad to see how happy this made the older man. "You won!" Kario replied his smile not fading in the slightest as he leaned up for yet another kiss.

 

It was instant after that, everyone congratulating the politician even his parents who he was glad to see genuinely express their support and happiness that he had won. It made this whole night seem like the best of his life, even if he still held the day he had been freed from the brothel and entered a true relationship with Devon as the best day of his life. After that things seemed to actually move quite quickly for Kario who found it relatively easy to ignore how his lover's father seemed to do all he could to keep him out of sight. A silent chuckle leaving him when the man's wife had smacked him on the arm and said something in his ear after correcting his posture when Andrew had once more tried to hide him from view and make it seem like he didn't exist.

 

Before long they were in the man's car again and on their way back home, the gifts from his parents were sitting in the back seat and Kario -who knew exactly what was in the boxes since he had asked his parents to get them for Devon- was quite excited for his boyfriend to get to see the gifts. There was a reason after all that his mother had indicated that she wanted them opened at home. But there was another part to his parent's gift, and the fact that the coincided with his own surprise for his boyfriend just made them that much better.

 

Upon their arrival at the mansion Kario gathered the two gifts from the back seat before he was joining Devon heading inside and into the living room. Setting the two boxes down before he was turning to his boyfriend who had already thrown himself down on the couch. An amused look crossing his face when the older man started to speak before he too was pulled over the back of the couch onto his lover. Happily and eagerly returning the kiss before he was asked if the blond should unwrap his parents' presents first or if he would like to give him his surprise present.

 

"Actually, my parents' gifts coincide with mine. Let's just say what they got you will be something we will both get plenty of uses out of." Kario replied with a dirty smirk on his face. Shifting so his legs were on either side of the blondes and he was straddling his lover's waist easily resting above him. Running his hands over the blonde's chest before he was glancing back towards the boxes. "I could let you open them... or... we could just move to where you get all three gifts at the same time. It's up to you sexy." He mused his dark eyes moving back to the older man meeting the other's golden gaze.

 

An innocent look crossed his face at that point along with a bright smile, "Then I can make us a nice little dessert before bed!" It was clear he was still intent on making something special for the older man tonight to end the day on a positive note that was completely focused on his boyfriend. It being Devon's birthday meant he really wanted to do whatever he could to make sure he had a great birthday, even if winning the election had probably already been a fantastic birthday present. It wasn't his present. There had been no way for him to ensure the blonde had won, but he was incredibly happy that he had.

[-Hideki-]

Kario’s present was the only one he was really curious about and had been looking forward to. Presents had never been important to Devon because he could buy everything that he wanted to have anyway and in case it wasn’t some seldom antique item he had searched for and had wanted to have but not found and not gotten there was absolutely no way to buy him something he wished for because he simply bought what he wanted to have. Hence it was always about the gesture.

 

With Kario it was different though. Kario was different. For one his present was important to him because he loved the dark haired man and second of all he was sure that the other hadn’t just bought something expensive and exclusive to give him but had put a lot of thought and effort instead of money into it. This was something he absolutely adored about the man that his world wasn’t built on money, profits and luxury goods, that he held different values and that other things were important to him.

 

Hence it fed his curiosity when his boyfriend told him that his present and his parents’ presents coincided. The hints the other dropped didn’t really help him to figure it out much though they merely served to confuse him. Something that they both would get plenty of use out of? He mused. And then he saw that dirty smirk playing around his lover’s lips and his mind went completely off track, followed by an unease and an explosive blush on his face. What had he told his parents? He wouldn’t tell his parents about their sex life now would he? No. Had that been the case Kario’s father wouldn’t have been that nice during the party he was certain.

 

His confusion was furthered though when the other man said that he could open the gifts on the sofa or they could go where he could receive all three gifts at once because the first thought popping up on his mind was the bedroom. It turned out that Kario had meant a room that Ashfield barely ever used though and thus wouldn’t have thought about in a trillion years – the kitchen!

 

Devon laughed about himself. “The kitchen! Of course!” the blond man smiled, still chuckling. “Alright. Lead me into the kitchen then.” he decided anticipating to finally get to know what the other man would give him for a birthday present. And once they got up from the sofa he gave the black haired male his hand and let him pull him into the kitchen.

 

His kitchen was shining luxuriously as always. It looked exactly the same as it had looked when it had been first built about eight or ten years ago. And although the kitchen was designed neatly and he had taken thought into it as well it was the only room that didn’t tell a story and that didn’t have any self designed statues in it.

 

“Here we are.” Ashfield said and sat on the counter looking into Kario’s dark eyes.

[Sathenus]

Kario had happily scooped up the boxes that were his parents' presents and lead Devon from the living room and into the kitchen, pulling his boyfriend over to the counter he set the gift boxes on top of it turning back to the older man who still seemed incredibly confused which only amused Kario more. "So this is just the first part of my gift, but it made it easier for my parents who still don't know you all that well while making the presents meaningful still." Kario explained a little taking the gift his father had gotten his boyfriend and holding it up too the older man so he could unwrap it.

 

The younger man did discuss some things about their relationship with his parents, none of it had to do with their sex life though. That was both embarrassing and none of his parents business. Knowing he'd never betray his boyfriend's trust like that. No. The gifts he had worked out with his parents would allow them to do more together and bond over something that Kario thoroughly enjoyed and thought that Devon would enjoy as well. His father's present was simple and probably not immediately obvious though this gift didn't particularly have anything to do with the kitchen either. The gift was actually quite innocent and maybe even more confusing for his boyfriend. A decent sized book sat nearly placed in the box, a shiny ribbon that was a dark green -Kario's favorite color, pine green- sat atop the book though it was clear it was actually attached to the binding like a built in bookmark. He waited for his boyfriend to pick the book up before he explained the reasoning behind this particular present.

 

"It's a scrapbook, so we can document our first year together. My dad made one for my mom for their one year anniversary and it meant the world to her. She still has it, cherishes it and cries over it sometimes. It helps her remember how amazing that first year had been for them. My dad and I thought it'd be special and good for us to do the same. To be able to make the scrapbook together so we can always look back on this year and how our lives tangled together, how we grew as people together and any or all adventures we take this year." Kario explained blushing a little. The book was completely blank right now, especially since Kario had been unable to think of anyway to start such a thing off. But he had loved the idea and thought it'd be great for them to do. The way it coincided with his mother's gift probably wasn't clear since you didn't need to be in the kitchen to do a scrapbook. "I thought the first entry or one of them could be this part of my present and my mother's gift." He shyly commented.

 

Once he threw out the now empty box he grabbed his mother's gift and held it up just like before so the politician could open it. His mother's gift was meant pretty much just for this room, though Kario was already so sure they'd get plenty of use out of it. The first item in the box sitting folded nearly on top was an apron. They had already discussed how Devon didn't have one and so when he expressed to his mother how he wanted to be able to bond with his boyfriend in the kitchen just like he had with her -conveniently leaving out anything sexual that may arise- she had instantly asked if Devon even had an apron in his kitchen. When he had told her no she had been happy to pass on the one Kario had used to cook and bake with her since he had been a teen. "It's the very apron I used you wear when cooking and baking with my mom since I was sixteen, she thought we could make some new memories with it." He explained a bright smile appearing on his face. The remaining item was similar to his father's gift in the sense that it was a book with a ribbon marker, this ribbon a deep purple. This book wasnt empty though, it was filled from front to back with family recipes that had been passed down from both sides of his family for generations.

 

The book was a way to help Devon become close with his side of what was to be part of the blonde man's family. While allowing them to bond over something that the older man had never been given the opportunity to do with someone or probably at all. "It's filled with a bunch of my families recipes so you and I can cook together like I did with my mom and with my dad. And to help you become more connected with my side of your growing family." He explained no less happy and excited by the idea. "Some of the pages in the back are empty so we can add in our own recipes, but for the most part the book is completely filled." He added. Then a smirk appeared on his face, "I promised I'd teach you to make hot chocolate, so that is what we are going to do. A new entry for our scrapbook, a recipe from our lovely new recipe book and our first reason for one of us to wear our new apron! I suggest you put it on since I'll just be instructing you on how to make it." Kario's smirk turning into yet another bright and happy smile.

 

He tossed the other empty box now, the dirty smirk returning to his face. "After we enjoy this nice sweet treat we'll end the night with my final gift for you. That's a complete secret though. You'll have to patiently await me getting it ready for you after we enjoy our little treat." He told his handsome boyfriend. With that he signaled for Devon to put the apron on while he flipped to the page in the book with the recipe for hot chocolate, having made sure that his lover's staff had gotten everything they'd need to make it. Setting the open book on the counter beside the stove and asking the older man to read the instructions while he was gathering the ingredients.

 

This felt like it'd be a great way to relax together at home after everything that had happened at the governor's birthday and election day party. It has definitely had its ups and downs, but Kario was thoroughly happy that it was finally over. Now that it was just the two of them in the quiet of their home he could feel more at ease. The younger man was definitely happy for Devon that he had won the election, but he knew it meant more busy days and late nights. Things he didn't particularly like but accepted because it came with something that made the man he loved happy.

 

Pushing aside thoughts of how the night had gone until this point and about how he'd still have many long days alone while his handsome politician was working Kario started to place the ingredients down beside the book. "Finished?" He asked wondering if Devon had finished reading the instructions yet or if the older man needed more time.

[-Hideki-]

Ashfield didn’t have any idea what’d await him opening the first present and his boyfriend had done well making this enthralling. The blond considerately and carefully unwrapped the present and when he opened the box his golden eyes fell onto a book with a leather cover and a green ribbon. It was a beautiful book indeed but there was no title on the cover. He picked it up and opened it and there was a little confusion to see when he realised that the book was empty.

 

Sure one could always use paper but Ashfield found that the book was too nice to just scribble work stuff into it or make notes on its pages. It wasn’t like he was an artist and he hadn’t written any stories or made sketches and notes for artists and architects for them to realise his visions decently in years either.

 

Thus the nice book was definitely rising the question what he shall do with it. Fortunately he had Kario who explained the meaning to him and suddenly there was this shine, this glimmer in his golden eyes that had already been deemed lost before he had met the black haired male and he suddenly understood the value of the book and saw it in a completely different light, not just a nice book, that looked too nice to write something into.

 

“That’s awesome! It’s a marvellous idea!” he rejoiced with an enthusiasm that was bordering on euphoria to fill the book with memories and anecdotes, to conserve the feelings that went with them for eternity to revisit. “It’s something you put photos and tickets from events and things like those into, isn’t it? And then you can watch it together while drinking a nice glass of wine, listening to music, dwelling in nostalgia.” the billionaire imagined.

 

It was the first time Ashfield would have something like that. His family had never randomly taken photographs, the hadn’t owned photo albums at all. They had only had professionally made photographs and framed portraits, photos from articles in the news papers and only had taken photos of achievements because those were all that had mattered. So if Devon had won a trophy, his father had taken a picture of him and the trophy to memorise a victory of the Ashfield family. But there had never been casual photos of fun moments or the like. His parents had not cared if something hadn’t been marketable or served to further the brand.

 

Hearing that Kario found that the first entry could be connected to his mother’s gift or his own only made him more curious about those and he was more hasty when unwrapping the second gift. When he found himself looking at an apron an eyebrow shot up in question as he wasn’t quite getting it. “You don’t expect me to cook now do you?” he asked because he really couldn’t cook and he knew that Kario knew it. “Or does it mean that you’ll cook for me from now on?” he asked with a smirk, finding that idea a lot more appealing than doing anything in the kitchen himself.

 

The black haired had something to say about the apron as well though and apparently it was his own apron and his mum was giving it to them to make some nice new memories together with it. And when his lover smiled at him that warmly and happily Ashfield beamed back at him not any less brightly.

 

It appeared that there was another item under the apron though and it was yet another book. This one looked used though and when Ashfield took the book with the purple ribbon from the box and opened it this one wasn’t empty but filled with handwritten recipes for cooking and baking. He didn’t know what caused it but looking at the book gave him a familiar and cosy feeling. He imagined a family standing in the kitchen together preparing a meal for a holiday celebration with their own traditional family recipes that everyone had been looking forward to.

 

And this time he had gotten it right. It was a book passed down from generation to generation in Kario’s family where everyone added their own recipes and it was not only a lovely tradition, it was an honour to Ashfield to be given that book by the other man’s mother. Not only that it also showed that they really welcomed him into their family and that they approved of their relationship and saw it as something worthwhile, something that would last and that they wished them well and to stay together.

 

Knowing that actually left him speechless! And being a professional politician and a businessman he usually wasn’t ever speechless. He just stared at the book with glowing golden orbs before he turned his gaze to Kario who was telling him that he had planned for them to make hot chocolate together and that one of them – and he suggested Devon to – wear the apron and that this could be their first entry for the scrapbook.

 

Devon was still overwhelmed with happiness about all of this and to be allowed to feel a part of the other’s family that he remained without words. Instead of speaking he took the other male’s face between his hands and kissed him passionately and lovingly. “I love you Kario! This is wonderful! I don’t think I’ve ever got such a sweet birthday present.” Even people like Jeff and Sven who had thought about what to get Ashfield hadn’t done something this personal and unique as they had still been holding onto the idea that the gift had to be something impressive while now what appeared to be the most unimpressive thing he had ever gotten impressed him the most of them all.

 

“I want every page of the empty book to be filled with an unforgettable memory. And I will make sure that this year will be a remarkable one for the two of us despite my work, I promise you that. “ he assured the other, still holding his face between his hands, pressing another short kiss onto his lips. “I probably won’t come up with a new recipe but you can try new stuff and experiment in the kitchen and use me as a test subject.” he grinned.

 

Ashfield had almost completely forgotten that this was not all. That Kario had more in store for him and frankly it would not have been necessary at all, the man was more than happy with what he had already gotten from Kario and his parents and it was already the highlight of his birthday – alongside getting re-elected as an openly gay man – already.

 

While Devon took the apron in an attempt to wear it as the other had asked him to the dark haired male was opening the recipe book at the right page and taking the apron the Governor got concerned that this would not fit him. That he would be too broad. Kario was rather slim after all but when he carefully put it on hoping not to rip it apart he figured that aprons weren’t like shirts or trousers and that it was fitting him okay.

 

Upon trying to read the instructions he struggled though. “Wait a second.” he excused himself and went into the living room to get his reading glasses and when he found them he looked at them and sighed. He probably would soon need glasses all the time and then look even more like Andrew Ashfield. Well, he could try contact lenses but he couldn’t stand the feeling of something in his eye. At least Kario liked him with his glasses on.

 

Returning to the kitchen with the reading glasses on his nose he gave the other a smile. “I am back.” he said, took the book and intently read through the instructions. “I see. I guess I can give it a try.” Ashfield supposed. “I mean it sounds easy enough…. But that’s probably misleading.” he laughed and started to do as it said in the instructions, glad for the insightful tips his lover added.

 

When everything was done, the kitchen a mess and two cups of hot chocolate were standing before them, Devon smiled. It looked a lot better than his usual attempt and he was actually quite proud of himself. Then however, he suddenly got an idea and a craving and went to the wall where exquisite liquors were stored and he took an expensive rum and returned to the counter, pouring some of it into one cup of the hot chocolate. “Do you want some too?” he asked his boyfriend, pointing at the rum.

 

Then, the bottle of rum in his left hand, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and placed himself at one side of the two cups on the counter, asking Kario to stand at the other side before he took the first photo of them for their new book.

[Sathenus]

It wasn't hard for Kario to see the initial confusion upon noticing that the leather bound book wasn't only lacking a title but that the pages within were completely empty. It did amuse him a bit which was one of the reasons why he had decided to explain the purpose behind the book. After he had done so the way his boyfriend's eyes seemed to light up and glimmer made a happy smile cross his own face. Absolutely loving the idea that Devon was so approving and saying that it was a marvelous idea. "That's right." He agreed with a nod. Confirming that the book was something they'd put photos and tickets from events and things like that into, allowing them to always look back onto this first year together and everything they had done together.

 

The idea that this was just the beginning of the rest of their lives together was one that was truly exciting to Kario. Even if he was also a bit nervous since this was the first serious relationship he had ever had. Not to mention the first relationship where both sides felt the same thing and were serious about each other. It was already easy for him to think that this next year was going to be the best year of his life. Thinking about what lied ahead for them made him all the more eager to experience it, especially with the blonde politician by his side. Wondering for a moment how things would be years from now, still hoping they'd be together with no end in their relationship to be seen.

 

He was quickly drawn from such thoughts when Devon moved to open the next gift, he was more eager and hasty in opening this gift making him laugh softly. Upon the apron being revealed he was met by curiosity and confusion again so he was happy to explain it. Even if he did like the idea of Devon cooking for him there was no point in getting too excited by the idea. Knowing that his boyfriend wasn't a cook and expecting him to do so after a lifetime of not cooking wouldn't be fair. "I'll definitely start cooking for you more though... I would hope I may be able to convince you to help me in the kitchen sometimes." Kario said with a small smile.

 

Thinking about the two of them in the kitchen together made him even more eager to start cooking for Devon more often. It didn't matter to him how much help the older man was going to be, any help would be greatly appreciated. "I'll be sure to cook for you anytime you want." He added after seeing the smirk on the blonde's face causing an amused smile to appear.

 

Upon uncovering the old book beneath the apron that was filled with family recipes Kario got a little worried since Devon wasn't saying anything at all. Instead the man was just standing there holding the book in his hands. After the silences seemed to spread he was about to speak but Devon was soon taking his face between his hands and pulling him into a passionate and loving kiss that Kario returned without any hesitation. As the kiss broke Devon was telling him he loved him that the book was wonderful and he didn't think he had ever gotten such a sweet birthday present. The happiness that he felt at hearing all of that was something he had not expected, but it meant a lot that the politician clearly loved the gift.

 

"I'm sure you're right and that this year will be an unforgettable one. It'll be filled with all kinds of amazing moments that we can share forever." He agreed with a nod. It was amusing that Devon was alright with him experimenting in the kitchen with new recipes and using him as a test subject for them. "Alright, I'll cook for you all the time as long as you promise to try whatever I put in front of you." Kario let the other man know with a laugh. "I do hope that I can convince you to help me out in the kitchen sometimes though. Even if you don't cook or anything we can still have fun in the kitchen together."

 

Leaving his sexy boyfriend to put the apron on he gathered the ingredients and smiled when he returned. "Fits pretty well considering our obvious size differences." He mused thoughtfully. This was a sight he was definitely enjoying, and he was kind of eager to see it some more. Trying his best to behave though and allowing Devon to lead in making their hot chocolate he only stepped in to help when Devon asked him too or if he just wanted to give a little advice of his own. When they finished the kitchen was definitely a mess but they had fun all the same.

 

Amusement appearing on his face as he watched Devon move and grab some rum before returning and pouring some of it into his cup. A soft laugh was his response to it but he thought that it was a good idea all the same so when he was asked if he wanted some too he nodded. "Sounds like a great idea to me." Kario admitted watching as Devon poured some of the rum into his cup as well. Kario was already eager to taste it when Devon seemed to have another idea as he was pulling his phone out and placing himself to one side of the cups on the counter and was asking him to move to the other side.

 

Agreeing he moved to the other side so that Devon could take the picture. Once the picture was taken he was eager to take the cup in his hand and finally take a sip. Humming happily he smiled at Devon, "This is really good. Even without the rum it'd be great." Kario praised his boyfriend. Even if it was just hot chocolate it was still really good, definitely a lot better than his first attempt and the molten ball of chocolate that they had weeks before. "Now, lets go drink our drinks and watch a movie or we can even just talk. Since you were so busy today with it being your birthday and election party. It'll be nice to just relax together."

 

For now he wasn't going to worry about his own gift for Devon. There was plenty of time for them to get to that, he really just wanted to spend more time with him. "I hope you had a great birthday." Kario said as they moved into the living room to sit down on the couch and get comfortable together. "Dinner wasn't as bad as I feared either." Kario admitted once Devon had sat down with him. Even with what his boyfriend's father had said and the way great uncle Cornelius had pretty much traumatized Jen's daughter and probably even his son the meal had gone relatively well.

 

"You'll probably be really busy tomorrow right?" He questioned thinking that since it was the day after election day that Devon would be quite busy. Which was definitely a bummer, since he had already been gone for a week and today had been far too busy to really enjoy. Though it was expected it still sucked. Missing having some actual time with Devon more than just a few minutes in the morning or at an event where there were tons of people. Sure it was to be expected but it was still disappointing sometimes.

[-Hideki-]

“I doubt that I will be much help in the kitchen. I will be more likely to stand in your way but if you insist.” Ashfield shrugged, agreeing to join and help the other in the kitchen from time to time although the billionaire would probably become a massive pain in the arse or a distraction in the room he had barely ever made use of.

 

Ashfield waited to take the first sip until he had made himself comfortable next to Kario on the sofa, feeling as though he wanted to sink right into the cosy upholstery and not move or get up from it anymore ever. While he was happy with the rewarding outcome all of this had been exhausting and this was the first quiet and relaxing moment that he didn’t spend sleeping since over a week now and sitting down like that he felt how tense and sour his body was and how much his neck hurt.

 

The blond male grabbed the hot chocolate and took a few sips himself and he loved it. It actually tasted good as though they had bought it in a caf?. “It’s good. Surprisingly good considering that I messed with it.” the Governor expressed, taking some more sips before he turned to his boyfriend who was sitting next to him, laying his head onto the backrest of the sofa.

 

“As for what we’re gonna do now, I suggest we relax, talk and watch some 90’s series in the background. How about ‘Unhappily Ever After’ or ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’?” he suggested, before he told the home cinema to turn on via voice control.

 

Devon had always found the ‘Fresh Prince’ extremely hilarious and had felt that having someone like him back in their private school or at their dinner parties would have been quite hilarious and would have made stuff more interesting.

 

When his lover said that he hoped that he had had a great birthday Devon found himself grinning. “It wasn’t a total disaster.” he answered. “Better than my birthdays usually were.” the blond man found. “All thanks to the best presents of them all that life gave me….” he stated, slinging his arms around Kario, “… You and the popular vote.”

 

Upon the mentioning of dinner and great uncle Cornelius the Governor left out a snorting laugh. “Yeah I feared that it would turn into a greater shitshow. Maybe it wasn’t as awful because my mother surprised me with the speech she gave instead of the usual catastrophic, embarrassing one. It was actually incredible nice.” the blond found and his voice made it clear that this was quite unusual and that he had reckoned with everything but not that. “Well, it probably was thanks to Leilani calling her a bad mother and her narcissistic pride and ego that didn’t want to take that from her and needed to demonstrate otherwise and prove her wrong but still… it was a good speech.” Devon found, emptying the hot chocolate before lying down on the sofa, resting his head on Kario’s lap.

 

His tired golden eyes looked up into the dark ones of his boyfriend and he reached out his hand and let it trail through the man’s black hair and down his cheek. “Certainly.” he answered the other male when he assumed that he was going to be extremely busy tomorrow. “Not only tomorrow though.” he told him.

 

“There’ll be a lot to do. Things have piled up during the campaign, it stole quite some time I could have used to work but campaigning is necessary unfortunately.” the Governor told the other. “And then there is this thing with Jens.” the blond man remembered. “He wants to open a company and research centre for future and green technologies.” Ashfield told Kario. “I was confused too when I heard the word green in combination with Jens and he said the following: ‘I don’t give a ratsass about environmentalism, regulations and prohibits. If the climate is changing again as it always did since the beginning of time without humans even being around it’s on the people and the market to provide the solutions out of their own merit and not the government. Only through new technologies, science, creative ideas and adapting to the new circumstances will our species succeed and survive. And there is a market for succeeding and surviving now isn’t there? There is a demand, it’s the future and I would be stupid not to act and let this profitable opportunity pass me by now wouldn’t I.’”

 

When the Governor had finished quoting his father’s business partner he looked back to Kario again. “I asked him why he wants to build this promising company here and not in Germany then and he said this:’You’re thinking I am not patriotic enough? Let me tell you this: Our government is going the wrong way about this. They are going against progress and against the market and the economy. They chose the way of senseless regulating, restricting and manipulating the people and if they go further down this path those politicians will govern us back into the Stone Age by banning and over regulating all kinds of shit in the name of the environment without their measures actually helping, achieving or solving anything. They are not business friendly, they throw stones over stones over stones in your way if you want to open a new business and start something. I’d rather my nation would be governed differently but that’s not the case. So until they come around and see that this leads to nowhere good I have no other choice than to take this idea abroad. And here I am, offering you this opportunity. Jobs for the high-qualified and low-qualified, a brand in your region, something that upgrades the location. You can take it or leave it, if you leave it, I’ve got contacts in Russia and China as well.’”

 

“I had my staff check this for a possible catch but there was none. None at all. So I took the offer.” the blond stated. “And Jens wants to have the building process finished within a year maximum and the company should start to work and produce right thereafter. So this will be a project that needs some attention.” the governor spoke.

 

“Maybe you could ask Jens if he has a career to suggest or offer there for you? I could arrange a meeting. He seemed to like you better than he liked me that’s for sure.” Devon laughed and then he turned to the TV.

 

The pause from talking was enough for him to feel the tiredness and he was fighting against his eyes falling shut.

[Sathenus]

"I do." Kario said with a smile and a determined nod. He'd love it if Devon helped him out in the kitchen, regardless of whether or not the older man actually proved to be of any help and instead got in the way. It was just having him there with him to share in that time together that he'd appreciate and love. Already Kario could see the fun they'd have in the kitchen, joking around as he cooked and baked for them. Just the thought alone made him eager and excited.

 

A laugh came from him when Devon said that it was good only to add surprisingly so since he had messed with it. "You don't give yourself enough credit." Kario mused with a smile. Feeling as though the blonde really was capable of a lot more than he gave himself credit for when it came to doing things in the kitchen. Resting happily beside his boyfriend he had his mug in his hand sipping from it occasionally while Devon was picking what would be on the TV.

 

When he was asked what he wanted to watch it had him considering things for a moment. Though he had no problem with either of those there was definitely one he was leaning more towards than the other. "Unhappily Ever After could be nice." He finally said. Kario really didn't prefer one over the other and would most likely watch whatever was on. Granted, if he was being honest with himself Devon would probably hold most of his attention no matter what was on and everything else just served as background noise.

 

The arm slinging around him and his boyfriend's words caused a slightly embarrassed blush to appear on his face even if there was also a very clearly pleased smile as well. "You're sweet." He said softly trying to get his blush to go away. Kario definitely liked the idea of Devon considering him one of the best presents life has given him though. Especially when he felt the same way about the older man. No one and really nothing meant as much to him as the politician. His family was of course very important to him, but in a different way Devon was more important.

 

"True..." Kario found himself agreeing to the fact that it had probably been Lelani and what she had said that had influenced the older man's mother into giving a speech about how proud of her son she was instead of the usual birthday speech she gave. He had to also agree that it was a good speech regardless, and it had actually been heartwarming. Even if he wasn't sure if she truly had meant what she had said or not it had still been nice to hear.

 

Still sipping from his mug he wasn't surprised that Devon had finished his so quickly, setting it down on the coffee table before he was moving to lie down on the sofa resting his head on his lap. Instantly Kario moved a hand to run through the other's short blonde strands. A reaction he did without thinking about it just enjoying doing so. After finishing his own drink he shifted carefully to set his own mug down without disturbing the other man before he was leaning back on the sofa and getting comfortable.

 

His mind was brought to Devon and out of his thoughts when he felt the man's hand run through his own hair before it was running along his cheek and to his jaw. Devon confirming that he was going to be extremely busy tomorrow made a soft sigh escape him his features seeming to sadden a bit at the knowledge. It meant a lot to him that Devon was the governor still and that their relationship had not ended his political career, that didn't mean he liked the fact that it often meant long days without Devon. The week he had just spent without him was long enough as it is, and they had only had last night together before the election and birthday party that was today not leaving them with any time for each other either. This meant even less time together which he wasn't looking forward to, not that he'd voice it.

 

What became even more depressing was being told it wouldn't just be tomorrow. Devon was soon telling him that there would be a lot to do, things having piled up because of the campaign. The mention of Jens and the business he wanted to do that Devon and his staff had not been able to find a catch for and thus he had taken the offer didn't make him think anymore highly about how busy his boyfriend was going to be. It took him a moment to remind himself that these things were important and while it did suck that it meant Devon would be extremely busy and thus tired it was necessary. They'd still have their time together and be able to enjoy one another's company. Things would eventually settle down. He could be patient and understanding until that time came. Even if it was still going to suck a little.

 

Devon drew him back out of his thoughts for what had to be the third time that night when he mentioned that maybe he could ask Jens if he had a career to suggest or offer for him with this company. While he knew Devon meant well and sure the blonde could arrange a meeting with the other man for him he wasn't sure this was something he wanted to pursue. "Well... I'm going to have a lot of time on my hands still since you'll be so busy. I can start looking into career options... educational options..." Kario replied. The last thing he wanted to do was be supported or to give anyone the impression that was what he wanted.

 

So while his boyfriend was busy and while he was again alone quite a bit he knew it would be in his best interest to start looking into his future. Even if he'd prefer his future revolve around his boyfriend there was still more that needed to be figured out. Going back to school or finding some sort of career was at the top of the list for things he needed to do. "I'll definitely keep Jens company in mind when I'm doing so." Kario added wanting Devon to know that he wasn't against the idea or pushing it aside. He'd keep it in mind, even if he wasn't sure it was something he wanted to do. At the very least it was an option he could explore while looking into other things as well.

 

Silence seemed to fall between them after that and Kario became aware of the fact that Devon was quickly succumbing to sleep. Normally he'd be quick to tell the politician to go upstairs and to bed, but he didn't feel like doing so tonight. Instead he just kept running his fingers absently through the blonde's hair while leaning back against the sofa and staring at the TV. His mind was trying to figure out all of the ways he could busy himself and remain productive. The stables was still something he could distract himself with, though only temporarily as it really didn't need much attention on his part. Then he could sit down and look at education options, do some job searching on the side and maybe even some research into a career he'd like to pursue in the end. After that would be when he'd encounter some problems, but even then he was sure he could figure out something.

 

Kario didn't even realize how much time had passed or that at some point even his eyes had closed and that he was dozing off himself. The fact that he was sitting up didn't seem to make a difference in the matter. His hand that was running through Devon's hand continued to absently do so until he had fallen completely asleep at which point it stilled in the blonde's hair.

[-Hideki-]

Two months later

 

It felt like the two month after the election day had gone by in a rush without ever resting. There had always been things on Devon’s table and he had barely spent any time at home or with Kario. And when he had been around the other there had usually been other people around as well like when they had gone out with Leilani and his boyfriend’s parents before the Hawaiian woman had left again.

 

But while he had been sorry for the lady to leave them that soon, he had been glad when Jens had finally left after some weeks of having to deal with the other man on a level that felt as though he was back in economics and business now. Not to mention that Jens wasn’t the most pleasant person to deal with for Devon. Thus he felt a lot better with the contact person he was left with once the man had gone back overseas.

 

In addition to his duties as the Governor the aftermath of the Election Day party had left him with other stuff to deal with. He had gone to check for Jason to find the man happy and in good company with the dude from ICE whom he was dating now, meaning that Ashfield and Kario hadn’t exactly been that interesting to the stylist when they had visited because he had only had eyes for his new boyfriend.

 

It had been a little more annoying to untangle the mess Valentina had made when she had signed Kario up for an internship in the IT department of Ashfield Corporation though, what had been the first time Devon had learned about Valentina’s and Kario’s conversation about work options. Knowing that Kario didn’t want to work in his family’s business and that the younger man had no clue about and no interest in technology it had surprised him when a letter from Ashfield Corp. had been in the mail for Kario and it had not been a threat or a weird trick by his father.

 

While Devon understood that Kario didn’t want to work for their business he was glad that the black haired male hadn’t declined the idea to maybe reach out to Jens and keep an open mind about the new business his father’s business partner wanted to open in their region. Not only were there plenty of opportunities it was an international project with people from different cultures involved and he knew how much Kario was interested in different cultures.

 

It was a bummer that the Governor hadn’t found the time for a conversation deep and long enough to tell his boyfriend what the other male’s mum had told him about the black haired man’s heritage and the different cultures and places his ancestors had been from. He had planned on doing so but had suspended that to another time again and again because his work as the Governor had almost completely consumed him.

 

Times had gotten quite hectic and troublesome and he had felt something boiling, an anger, but hadn’t been quite able to keep it from over boiling. Not everyone had been happy with his re-election indeed and some people, those he had previously referred to as thugs but didn’t anymore to not hurt Kario’s feelings, had been so pissed off about it and the Governor’s closeness to the police force, that Devon had had to deal with another storm of riots and aggressive protesting which caused sleepless nights and days in a row in which he hadn’t gone back to his mansion at all and an extremely close cooperation with the police force, the national guard and thus police Commander Mahler as well.

 

Mahler had been incredibly delighted by Devon’s re-election and the policemen had been in general since he was told to be the patron of the police force.

Things had become a little weird between Mahler and him though ever since the handsome Commander had confessed that he had feelings for him and had declared that he would get him and make Ashfield realise that Kario wasn’t trustworthy and now the politician had the feeling the other man was hitting on him from time to time. Not only that, before the drama in their state had started Devon had seen Mahler in the headquarters of Ashfield Corporation and his father’s office extraordinarily often.

 

The police Commander’s presence in his father’s office had also lead to Andrew Ashfield’s secretary whom the old man had named “Dolly” to crush on Mahler who had been acting like a gentleman towards her and had defended her against Smith’s name calling, what had ultimately led to Smith making even more fun of her and her crush on the policeman once Mahler had left the building.

 

During all of this Devon had known that he had been neglecting Kario and his relationship although he had tried to spend some time with him and to be around and he sometimes had worried that their relatively new relationship that would normally be in the honeymoon phase wouldn’t survive his job as a politician. That the other would get fed up about it and that one night Ashfield would return home and see his boyfriend standing in the hallway with packed bags and suitcases telling him that he’d leave because Ashfield didn’t even know what was going on in his life anymore and getting home, eating, mumbling something about politics and then falling asleep wasn’t fulfilling him at all.

 

In these moments he thought that Kario at least had the stables he had had built for him which had gotten beautiful, his horse he had bought for him, the tree they had planted and the therapist Ashfield was paying for Kario to work on the man’s issues with him. He was also glad that his mother was sometimes visiting Kario and going out with him, that the gardener and the other staff were there , that Kario had his parents and didn’t sit all alone in the mansion all the time and that the driver would drive his boyfriend anywhere he wanted.

 

Now the end of November was nearing and for once in months Ashfield felt like he had the time to relax, to take a deep breath, to not be crushed under a mountain of work and trouble and he was looking forward to spend the day together with his boyfriend alone and to go out with the other in the evening.

 

The morning seemed perfect to him. The sun was shining brightly through the windows of the dining hall where the breakfast table was overloaded with all kinds of breakfast foods while happy music was playing in the background, Barney laying on the floor dozing in the warmth of the sun. Devon had told the staff to arrange this breakfast for Kario and him the other day as a surprise for his lover and now Devon was standing there in one of his luxurious suits waiting for the other male to join him downstairs.

 

A smile was spreading across his face when the black haired male walked down the stairs and into the entrance hall. “Good morning.” Ashfield greeted him, stepping towards the other, embracing him in a tight hug before kissing him deeply and longingly. “Breakfast is ready and I have quite some things planned for the two of us.” he told his boyfriend in a promising way, his smile shining as brightly as his golden eyes.

 

Devon was excited to spend the entire day with his lover. No work, no protestors, no business, just Kario and him and what he had in store for the two of them. He would finally get to ask and listen how it was going for the other, share things again as they had done prior to his re-election and the duties and troubles that had followed.

“I don’t have anything else to do today. I am all yours.” the billionaire declared confidently.

 

And then the bell rang announcing that someone was in front of the gate of his property. It took him some discipline to not roll his eyes and just ignore whoever wanted something from him and to instead smile at Kario saying:”One second.” walking towards the door where the security system was showing him who was there. The cameras showed a black Hummer apparently from a rental place and when his golden eyes fell onto the driver the blond male’s jaw was nearly falling down onto his feet. “Sven!” he exclaimed through the speaker leading the driver to grin saying:”Now open the gate, will you.” in the familiar accent.

 

Left completely flabbergasted Devon pressed the button and opened the gates for Sven to drive onto the property up to the mansion. “It’s Sven. Sven is here.” he turned to Kario scratching his beard. How often had they tried to reach Sven now? The dude hadn’t had his phone on a single time and it had always been that same old recorded message informing everyone that the German man had taken a timeout. Not even his brother had known where the artist had gone and now he was appearing at his gate. That much for getting to know each other in Ireland first! And that much for Kario and him getting some alone time!

 

Because Sven was driving like a maniac – in Devon’s opinion – it didn’t take the man long to reach the mansion and his old friend also managed to park the car directly in front of the stairs that led up to the mansion after driving the Hummer in a circle around the large fountain in the front yard.

 

Opening the door before the man had left the car he stared at the image of his best friend whom he hadn’t seen in person for years jumping out of the car a small pot of ice-cream in his hand.

 

Sven was as tall as Devon, with short ash-blond hair and a receding hairline. He looked more trained than Devon remembered him but he was still a lot wirier and less broad than the shorter Jens. The artist was dressed in a black shirt that was hugging his figure and tight black jeans with a black leather belt and silver belt buckle displaying the head of a wolf. The pale blue eyes were hidden behind large black sunglasses and a slight beard shadow was to see on his chalk white skin that stood in a great contrast to the pitch black clothing making him appear even whiter and the clothing even darker.

 

Seeing the man after such a long period of time led Ashfield to stand there staring at him as though he was a ghost of the past and wasn’t actually there right now. Even when he saw the other male smile at him he was just standing there surprised and overwhelmed and he felt how he got torn between two different feelings. One was happiness and delight upon seeing his old friend again and the other annoyance that he would again not spend time alone with his boyfriend today.

 

But when he heard the familiar voice say:” Devon! Long time no see! You look old.” the happiness won the battle and finally he returned the smile, beaming at Sven. “So do you old man.” he returned the favour and when Sven’s arms closed around him, feeling the ice-cream pot on his back, he embraced the other man, hit and rubbed his back before they took a step back and Sven pressed a kiss onto the Governor’s lips.

 

It wasn’t as though this was a common greeting between men in Germany at all. There wasn’t much body contact in the culture in general. People usually greeted each other via handshake, if they were really close a loose hug, and that was it. It had actually always been Sven’s form of protest as he thought that platonic physical contact between men shouldn’t be as frowned upon as it was and Devon had considered that plausible back when they had been in university and had followed along doing the same so they had always kissed each other as a greeting. And when they had been roommates they had even cuddled although they had been just friends.

 

“My stuff is in the car, I’ll get that later.” Sven decided, wanting to take another spoon full of the ice-cream he was carrying when Ashfield recognised the brand. He knew the brand and the company that produced it, he knew the controversy about it and he had been the one who had given the company green light despite their product being a health hazard arguing for free choices. “Don’t eat that stuff.” the Governor said, hitting his old friends hand so that the ice-cream pot was landing on the ground in front of the floor.

 

“What the hell? Why not? It was delicious. Some nice ladies recommended it to me when I was buying sun blocker because I forgot mine. It’s November after all and I forgot that you guys don’t actually get winter here.” Sven complained, some of the ice-cream melting on his black designer boots. “Some ladies, alright. And how did they look? Did they look good?” Devon asked. “They had lovely smiles and were well dressed.” the artist said. “That wasn’t what I meant to ask. Were they fat, ugly and unhealthy?” Devon asked more directly. “Well, they had some love handles I would say…” the artist spoke and Ashfield sighed. “See. You can thank me later. That stuff is basically frozen sugar and molasses mixed with chemicals. It’s not actually ice-cream. It increases the risk for diabetes, heart attacks, cancer and other such illnesses drastically. And I would know, I had to defend the company against all accusations because they had supported my campaign the first time I ran for Governor.” Devon stated.

 

“But that really isn’t those ladies’ fault, they were darling.” Sven said. “And you are too nice.” Ashfield found. “Can one really be too nice though?” Sven asked. “Yes. You are proof of that.” Devon stated and it was true. If Sven and Jens were twins, Sven would be the good and Jens the evil twin, or so they had always appeared to him.

 

Once their guest stepped inside and Ashfield closed the door the man pressed a button on his sunglasses and they turned into normal ones making it possible to look into his pale eyes. “And you must be Kario!” he declared upon seeing the black haired male, approaching him, reaching out his hand, shaking it and kissing each of his cheeks as in a French greeting. “It’s a pleasure meeting you.” the artist smiled and then turned to Ashfield. “And you Sir finally showed that you’re a hypocrite.” he said and Devon raised one eyebrow in question when Sven turned back to Kario.

 

“When I was about your age and dropped out of economics to pursue the arts in university I dated my former economics professor who was maybe three or four years older than Devon is now and your boyfriend couldn’t stress enough how weird and irritating that was urging me to dump him.” Sven told Kario in an amused tone of voice.

“Hold on, that had nothing to do with his age. It was because he was still my political economics professor and you brought him everywhere. He was hanging out with us in the bars and clubs. I basically had to witness your tongue down my strict, conservative economic professor’s throat, you getting him drunk, him reading every wish from your eyes and once I walked in on you guys when you were doing it in our room…” Sven was cutting Devon off. “Well, he wasn’t my professor at that time and I thought you were out that night.” he explained but Devon paid no mind continuing. “And I always had to face him the other morning in class again where he was treating me even worse to reinstall the image of the tough, strict guy that always got completely crushed when he was around you. It was so weird that I switched to another class with another professor.” the billionaire remembered, hearing Sven chuckle in amusement.

 

“Right. Good times back then.” he grinned to himself and then turned to Kario again. “Anyway, I can tell you stories about this guy and all the adventures we went on I am sure you haven’t heard yet.” Sven promised Kario and then looked around in the mansion. “It looks even greater in reality than on the pictures you send me. Amazing. Truly amazing. I could have written my dissertation about this back then.” the artist said before his eyes fell through the open door into the dining hall where the breakfast table was packed full with foods waiting for Devon and Kario.

 

”Wow, you had a breakfast like that made just for my arrival. That is amazing actually and makes up for the lost ice-cream big time.” Sven found, entering the dining hall, where Barney was getting up, greeting the stranger and Sven was totally happy to see the dog. “Hey, you finally got a dog. What a great fellow!” his old friend said and Devon remembered that Sven had seven dogs and had then decided to found some animal shelters because he couldn’t rescue all the dogs who needed help himself.

 

“Well, no, how would I have known that you would suddenly appear out of nowhere. You never announced your arrival to me.” Ashfield told Sven getting another set of dishes out of the cupboard. That however seemed to surprise Sven for some reason. “Well that is odd. Before I departed from the airport I turned on my phone for a sec to call my brother and tell him that I was heading here and my brother asked me to go to your father’s dinner tomorrow in his name and I said I would and he should tell your father and also tell your father to tell you that I was going to visit you. But apparently your dad didn’t do that huh?” the German explained and hearing this Devon’s face went dark and an the all too well known anger about his father was coming up again.

 

“No. Evidentially not.” he said and let himself fall onto the seat opposite to his friend. “I had no clue that you were on your way. Kario and I actually tried to call you a few times as we wanted to suggest spending a vacation in Ireland together with you but we never reached you. Where were you? Who disappears for months turning his phone off.” the blond man wanted to know. “Even your brother was seemingly worried about you and it’s Jens we’re talking about.” Devon made it known that he wasn’t that thrilled by how Sven had handled the entire thing.

 

But the artist just smiled. “Have you ever felt as though your life had become a black hole you were trapped in while around you life continued in all its colour and vividness but you were just falling deeper and deeper getting further away from everything until you can’t see the surface no more. The walls of the black hole coming closer and closer and closer until you finally can’t breathe and move no more and you’re feeling as though you’re buried alive, suffocating. That was how I felt. I felt like I needed to break away, break out of my life, out of the dark hole. So I found myself at the airport, leaving that message in case someone called, turning my phone off, heading to Milan and not turning it on again upon my arrival.” Sven told him.

 

“I rented a luxurious hotel room and I was throwing myself into the pulse of the city as though it was a defibrillator that could bring me back to life after my heart had stopped beating. I was drinking, partying, I even painted stuff again and I didn’t feel like going home again. And one time when I was out and about in some club I ran into a former client of mine, we talked, had a great time and we got an idea for another project and the next day I sat in an airplane to Tel Aviv with him where he lives, where I stayed until I finished the artwork. And it took some time because neither of us were working too hard actually. We were going out to party a lot, we were spending a shit ton of time at the beach and in general together. He said he knows you back from school. He was in your debating team and he said you weren’t all too pleased with his work back then.” Sven remembered and Ashfield raised an eyebrow.

 

“I think I know who you’re talking about but I can’t imagine that he’s become a successful businessman. He was one year older than me but absolutely no good speaker.” Devon doubted that. “No, he became a programmer. We also hung out playing some of his video games together. For research purposes for the statues I was working on. To capture the spirit of the characters.” the artist corrected. “To capture the spirit of the characters…. I see. You probably also hooked-up to understand each other and get to know each other better.” the Governor guessed getting a feeling as though those guys hadn’t primarily had a project in mind when they had met in Milan but had wanted to spend a good time together first and foremost. “How did you know that?” Sven asked laughingly. “We have been best friends since university.” Ashfield answered and Sven chuckled. “Oh yeah, I almost forgot.”

 

“Anyhow, when I completed the statues some time had gone by and I felt like I needed to carry on before those claws would drag me into the hole again and thus I travelled to England to see how Benny was doing and I realised that it was already winter.” he told them and Devon looked into the grey eyes of his friend, knowing that Jens had been right at the election party. Sven had fallen into a massive crisis after his relationship of eleven years with Niko had ended and now his friend was turning back to the lifestyle he had known before that relationship because he felt lost upon his loss and was probably not over it while trying to pretend that those eleven years didn’t matter anymore as was stated in his philosophical self-help book where Sven declared the past as irrelevant and insubstantial, stating that the past wasn’t reality in the present anymore and thus succumbed to the same level as a fiction novel. The man was trying to ignore his loss, pretending as though he had lost nothing.

 

 

“Benny as in the drag-queen you’ve been with back in university?” Ashfield asked and Sven nodded. “Yes. We always stayed friends.” the man answered and Devon rubbed his forehead feeling as though it would be difficult to fulfil the promise he had given Jens which had been to take care of Sven and help to bring the man down to earth again and deal with these issues as Jens’s methods of trying to make Niko’s life a failure in every attempt had apparently failed and probably helped Jens to deal with his anger about the guy having hurt his brother more than Sven himself.

 

“And after having visited Benjamin you travelled here?” Devon wanted to know. “Exactly. And here I am now. All yours.” Sven smiled widely. Clapping his hands together, to then take a pancake with blueberries putting it onto his plate. “But enough of me. What about you?” the man turned to Kario. “So, Kario, what is your deal? What are you doing right now? I don’t know anything about you yet. Well, other than that you’ve apparently been a prostitute but that doesn’t actually interest me although I wouldn’t have thought that Devon would end up with a former sex worker, I thought my brother would. In the end my brother married a doctor though. It’s good that I am not a fortune teller because I apparently suck at it.” he asked and during the last sentence his voice went a little bitter and it was clear to Devon that this had nothing to do with Kario and him nor Jens and Jens’s wife but had probably been about the fact that Sven had thought that Niko and him would get old together.

[Sathenus]

The two months that followed definitely weren't great times for Kario who found himself spending less and less time with Devon. It sucked enough that he was already so busy and he saw him very little that being when he came home and ate only to mumble something about politics and how his day had gone only to end up falling asleep. Kario knew and understood that he had a lot of things to do and was really busy but it didn't mean he liked it. What he liked even less than that was the periods of riots and the violent protests that had kept Devon away completely leaving the mansion to him which always felt so big and empty when he was alone.

 

During the day he tried to distract himself with other matters. His boyfriend's mother for one was a frequent visitor he could expect and truly didn't mind seeing. Especially since it passed some time and he wasn't alone. Granted... being in his boyfriend's home meant he was never truly alone as there was the staff but that wasn't the same thing. Kario did his best to take care of most things that involved them or at least enough to make it easier on the staff. He did occasionally talk to some of the workers but it still wasn't the same. They were being paid to be there and had a specific job to do which Kario always felt like he was distracting them from whenever he talked to them for more than a few minutes.

 

Then there were the visits he made to his parents or when he had invited them to the mansion so he could have some company. It was incredibly nice to spend so much time with them and he found his relationship with them growing again. He had even found the time to invite his sister over who he was glad to reconnect with even if he had hoped that Devon would be there when he did invite her over. It had become clear that just wasn't going to be possible right now.

 

Outside of that he had his appointments with the specialist that Devon had set up and that he always made sure he went to even if there were some times he'd rather do anything but. The man did his best to help him out and keep him going forward with the lack of sex in his life and get control of his body. It was just hard for him to take the suggestions from someone he knew nothing about. That didn't mean he didn't do his best to follow them and though yes there were improvements some days were still much easier than others. Which was to be expected but was no less stressful on him especially with the increasing lack of the person who could actually fix that for him. It left him with the toys and though they helped they didn't help with the fact that he mentally craved more. The toys may ease his body and give it what it wanted but it wasn't doing the same for him mentally. He wanted and needed Devon there, to be the one that made him feel like that. But he kept reminding himself the man was busy, that things would settle down again and Devon would be home more before he knew it.

 

During this time it did allow him to look into school again and figure out what he wanted to do. Kario refused to think along the lines of if he wanted to do something knowing that there really was no option. He'd have to start working, do school, something. All the free time was starting to drive him crazy, making him antsy and hate even a few minutes of sitting around with nothing to do. The completion of the stable and his horse finally being on the property was a huge relief as it gave him something he could distract himself with hours on end. Kario actually found himself down there with his horse whenever being alone in the house became too much. Even with the return of Barney he couldn't stand it. it just wasn't the right company. Kario had started lessons though he seemed to be a natural riding, feeling right at home in the saddle and really liking that he was finally able to start living his dream thanks to the man he really loved.

 

Things didn't end for him there, he had applied for a few different jobs figuring if Devon wasn't going to be home he could at least work himself and get that part of his life on track. Even if none of these jobs were anything he really wanted to be doing it was something for now and even something he'd probably be able to do while going to school too. Kario hadn't made any definitive actions in returning to school since he still wanted to sit down with Devon to discuss the options he had come up with and see if his boyfriend had any insight or opinion. When it came to working he hadn't asked the man -not that Devon really had the time for him to ask him about anything to begin with- and had just gone for it. He had found a part time job at a little family owned cafe which he actually kind of liked. It was nice to be around friendly people and it distracted him for a little while. This was something he wanted to surprise Devon with since he remembered how much the blonde man had been trying to help him find a job even if he had a feeling this wouldn't quite be what he had meant. The owner of the little cafe had already expressed to him that they'd work with him when it came to school as well so he could try to juggle them both even if Kario was a bit nervous about it knowing how he wasn't the best student to begin with. That was another thing he had wanted to discuss with Devon but had yet to have a chance to even bring the subject up. At least he'd have a lot to catch the man up to when his boyfriend did have a few minutes to spare.

 

 

After all of the time he had been spending without Devon he had woken up a bit surprised to see that Devon was not only home but was awake and seemed so bright and happy. It was a really nice change though and he was happy to get into the shower and wash up to spend the day with him. Kario felt it was perfect that his boyfriend was actually able to make time to be with him on a day he didn't work. Maybe he'd finally be able to bring it up to his boyfriend and tell him he had gotten a job something he was both excited and nervous about doing. Though he honestly didn't understand why he was nervous about it to begin with. Getting out of the shower and drying off he was quick to get dressed and leave the bathroom heading to the entrance hall not all that surprised to find Devon waiting for him.

 

"Good morning handsome." Kario greeted with a big smile happy to be taken into his boyfriend's embrace, the tight hug being something he had wanted and not realized how badly he had wanted it until now. The deep and longing kiss did nothing but make his heart race and his body melt. Kario really had missed moments like this. Being told that breakfast was ready had Kario do his best to glance around the man and towards the dining hall where he knew it was all set up. "All mine?" He repeated with a bright smile appearing and taking up his face his eyes definitely sparkled at the idea of that and he was just about to express how he had a lot to catch Devon up on when the bell rang.

 

Instantly he felt his excitement disappear and Kario sighed as they parted so that Devon could go see who it was. Even if his boyfriend smiled at him and send one second Kario knew better than to really believe that it would only take a moment. What surprised him was when Devon had turned to him and said that their unexpected visitor was Sven. It was clear he was surprised by the news himself. Though he was torn with being excited to finally meet his boyfriend's best friend and disappointment that he once again wasn't going to have any alone time with his lover. "That's great." Kario said trying to keep himself upbeat even if his disappointment seemed to be growing with each minute as he realized that fate just didn't want him to have a day alone where it was the two of them.

 

Silently he watched the pair greet each other happy to see Devon so happy. He had known that Devon had tried more than once to get a hold of Sven only to fail and always get the man's answering machine so it really was a nice surprise that he was here. After the two had greeted each other and talked about the ice cream that Sven had been eating -which he apparently shouldn't have been- the new figure turned to him. Kario was more than happy to take the hand in greeting though it turned out to be just a part of the greeting. It was definitely different to him but he didn't mind, "It's nice to meet you as well." Kario replied with a smile.

 

Watching as Sven then turned to the politician and called him a hypocrite which had Kario giving his boyfriend a curious look waiting to learn more about this. He didn't have to wait long as Sven seemed to be more than happy to tell the story. For some reason the dark haired man wasn't surprised about what he was learning but found it rather amusing instead. Especially when Devon chimed in that it had nothing to do with the age gap but the fact that the man was still his professor and that Sven had apparently taken the man everywhere. Knowing that his boyfriend had a thing for older men and that he was actually the first younger man he had date meant he was aware that the age gap really wasn't the problem with the relationship. That didn't mean that he didn't find this any less amusing to learn about. "I'll definitely hold you up to that." Kario replied when Sven said he could tell him stories about Devon and the adventures they went on that he was sure he hadn't heard about yet. Kario didn't doubt that Sven could and he'd end up seizing as many chances as he could get to hear any of those stories.

 

Sven was soon telling them about how Devon should have heard about him coming to visit only for that message to apparently never leave his boyfriend's father. Not that Kario was surprised there. He'd be more surprised if the message had made it to them. Moving towards the table Kario was soon settling himself in his seat and was more than happy to munch on a piece of toast while the older men talked letting his own mind wander a little. This wasn't all that surprising either since Devon and Sven were talking about what the man had been up to since his disappearance and turning his phone off. While he was half listening he was also eating a little bit and sipping at some juice not being a coffee person finding it too bitter and unpleasant himself.

 

He hadn't even realized that the two men had come to the end of Sven's journey up until now until Sven was turning to him asking him what he was doing right now and expressing he knew nothing about him aside from the obvious fact that he had been a prostitute. Well... he figured now was as good a time as any to tell Devon he had gotten a job since it was part of the answer of what he was doing now. "I got a part time job at a little cafe in town." Kario said his dark eyes moving from Sven who had grabbed his attention to Devon to try to judge his boyfriend's response to not knowing this sooner. "I have my horseback riding lessons twice a week which are nice and are going well. Go visit my parents and sometimes they come here... Devon's mom comes by frequently too so I see her quite a bit. I even see my sister once in awhile whenever she has enough time to get away from things." Kario said thinking about what sort of things he was up to right now.

 

"I think I see your mother more frequently than I see you." Kario mused his gaze on his boyfriend. It wasn't him trying to be mean or anything like that but it was a bit amusing to him that he saw the older woman far more than he saw his boyfriend these days. "Not much happens or goes on in my life." He added turning his attention back to Sven and shrugging. Clearly what he had been up too was nowhere near as exciting as what Sven had been doing. At least the older man had been travelling even if it was also quite clear he was in the middle of a life crisis. "Though I have to admit I'm glad you're not interest in the fact that I was a prostitute. If only more people wouldn't be interested." He added wishing that it wouldn't matter to most people but knowing it always would.

[-Hideki-]

When he heard his boyfriend say that he got a part time job at a little caf? Ashfield nearly choked on the coffee he was drinking, trying to not forget the etiquette and to not spit it back into the cup. “You work where now?” he asked. “Why didn’t you tell me?” The billionaire wasn’t thrilled about not getting told important things from his boyfriend’s life like these, nor was this a career or rather job choice he could understand at all either and he would have liked to give his opinion about Kario doing something that wouldn’t grant the black haired male to get his foot into the door somewhere where it mattered, somewhere with influence, somewhere that would get him further in life.

 

“What are you doing at a caf?? Are you a waiter now?” the blond wanted to know. “You know that you don’t have to do this right? It’s a badly paid job for people who don’t have any other options. You have all the options you want, choose anything I’ll get you there. You don’t have to work in the service sector. And what if the media finds out about this? “ the Governor spoke. “’ What will the headlines read again? Governor Ashfield, billionaire and heir to the Ashfield corporation, let’s his boyfriend carry dishes for the middle class? Doesn’t he care about him? Is he stingy? ‘” he expressed his concern as he really didn’t want his private life bashed on the media again additionally as he was under fire again enough for his liking already.

 

Especially after some thugs had tried to destroy the statue of one of Ashfield’s ancestors and the police had felt declined to protect their patron’s honour by throwing the riot down with ultimate force protecting Devon’s ancestor from being smeared , destroyed and torn down. It had brought Andrew Ashfield to the front lines who had asked that the arrested rioters be punished with full vigour of the law and had promised on television that the Governor, his son, would end those riots in their state once and for all and had then announced that he would build a giant, glorious monument of his ancestor on his private property that would shape the skyline of the city anew and that he would hire a private police to protect the historic statue that was already there twenty-four seven and that people could apply for that job. And there had been people applying for that duty who were now proudly patrolling in front of the statue and needlessly aggressive as the protestors were, their presence having the effect as fuel in the fire.

 

That had made the media folks go nuts and had brought Ashfield’s ancestors and his family history back on the table and even more protestors and rioters out onto the streets advocating to kick the Governor out of office because someone with such a family history shall not be allowed to partake in government. Some people even screaming for Governor Ashfield to be thrown into the river together with the infamous statue!

 

It certainly hadn’t been and wasn’t an easy time right now for the blond man but he already regretted his reaction to Kario telling him about his job. If he was mad about someone or something it was himself and that he didn’t have enough time for his relationship and that he realised how they were already drifting apart after such a short time.

 

“Well, I wouldn’t see it that negatively. I worked at a pub for fun once. I wanted to experience a pub from the perspective of an employee instead of the guest’s perspective. It was totally worth it and a great experience that I don’t wanna miss.” Sven declared with a smile towards Kario. “You didn’t actually work there. You paid the owner to let you run the bar for a week and in the end you had to pay for the renovation because that one party got way out of hand.” Ashfield corrected but the smile on his friend’s face didn’t die. “Exactly. Worth every cent! It inspired quite some of my artworks.” the German man found making it unintentionally very clear that his upbringing had been just as privileged as Devon’s.

 

Hearing Ashfield’s boyfriend mentioning horse riding Sven listened up. “You’re a rider? Which sport exactly?” he was interested. “Dressage? Show jumping? Derby? Vaulting? “ Devon’s old friend wanted to know. “Me, I always found vaulting to be very elegant and I envied those who were good at it as I wanted to be good at it too but I evidentially sucked so I gave it up at one point. However I was quite a good dressage rider back in the day. I have won stuff.” the man let the other know.

 

“My uncle owns riding stables where I own a few horses but I am barely there to ride them as I live in Hamburg you know.” he explained. “When did you start riding? Did you grow up around horses too? Does your family own stables? Or did they just buy you a horse and rented a place at someone elses’ stables?” the ash-blond man asked Kario and it was obvious that Sven unlike Devon shared the black haired male’s interested in horses and equestrian sports.

 

The Governor was glad that his mother apparently visited Kario and took the time to bond with his boyfriend and actually cared. That was a lot and nothing to be taken for granted with his mum. On the other hand he hoped that she wasn’t going on Kario’s nerves and didn’t try to press him into a modelling career or some other career revolving around the fashion industry.

 

“Ah, Devlin comes by? She is a remarkable woman isn’t she?” Sven found and this time it really was difficult for Ashfield to not spit his coffee across the room and as he repressed it the black liquid nearly found its way through his nose. “Last time I saw her was at the Berlin Fashion Week some years ago. A friend of mine who is a designer had invited me there. It was a pleasure meeting her again. She has a great sense for bold fashion and the arts and an impressive knowledge about the subjects as well, for a lawyer that is.” the man explained with a cocky chuckle.

 

And Devon was just pouting about his mother having seen his best friend while he hadn’t for years and no one having cared to even tell him, when his lover delivered the final blow stating that he saw his mother more than he actually saw him.

 

“Autsch!” Sven said, which was the German equivalent of ‘Ouch!’ and the politician’s face was blushing in a rosy red, looking at his best friend from university who was looking at them interestedly, as though he was studying the dialog and situation that was to unfold what Devon didn’t like as he didn’t care to end up an inspiration or reference in one of those popular LGBT novels the artist wrote under a pseudonym.

 

The blond man decided to pay Sven no mind though and sighed. “I know and I am terribly sorry about this.” he finally said after he had felt sorry for it since weeks now. “I want to change this but these times are crazy. Considering that you lack interest in politics I don’t know if you’ve followed what’s going on out there. I am under attack from all sides. Left, right and centre, then there are the riots and the usual political business also has to be done in addition to that. “ he explained and it sounded like a justification.

 

“Anyway, I’ll try to make time for the two of us. As today for example.” he nodded towards the table around which they were sitting and then looked at Sven who was… well… there now and whose presence demanded a change of plans. Although it didn’t have to mean that Kario and him would get no time for themselves.

 

“Well, how about this…” Sven chimed in. “We could all go to that awesome club that Devon and I used to go to back when we spent the semester break at his parents’ mansion.” he suggested. “It was awesome.” the man was obviously remembering the time they had spend celebrating in that club.

 

The Governor however looked at the other as if he had a screw loose. “We aren’t in our twenties anymore and I am the Governor of this state. And that club isn’t what it used to be anymore either. The music they’re playing now is awful, I don’t understand why anyone would listen to that crap.” the billionaire wasn’t fond of the idea.

 

“I booked a table for me and Kario in a five star restaurant for tonight and after that I had planned to spend some time together in my Roman bath house here at the mansion.” Devon spoke.

 

“I see. So you are over clubs now. What will you do next? Marry a bloody dentist ?” Sven stated cynically and Devon raised both eyebrows. “Sven!” he exclaimed. “Yes, yes, I know. I am sorry.” their guest sighed deeply. “I will accompany you to the restaurant and then you will go home and I will go to the club.” the man decided and Devon was more than fine with that.

 

“What will we do prior to that though?” Sven asked. And Ashfield hadn’t planned anything other than that he had wanted to spend the day with his boyfriend and ask him what he would like to do. And now they were three people but that didn’t mean that he couldn’t ask Kario what he’d like to do. “I have nothing specific planned before that. Any suggestions?” Devon turned to his boyfriend.

[Sathenus]

That definitely wasn't the reaction that Kario had been hoping for a frown appearing on his face. "You've been busy." He softly responded to the question of why he hadn't told the older man that he had gotten a part time job. It literally came down to the fact that Devon had been too busy lately for him to get a chance to tell him about anything going on in his life. He found himself missing his boyfriend more and more with each day that passed and knowing that there was nothing he could do about it. The politician was busy and it was just that simple. There was nothing he could do about it so there was no point in dwelling on it or letting it get him down anymore than it normally did.

 

What followed didn't make him feel any better about finally telling Devon he was working. Not understanding why it matter where he was working especially since it was a part time job. "I thought you'd be happy that I was doing something productive with my free time..." Kario said as he stared at his plate and absently poked at the pancake sitting atop it. He had thought that Devon would be glad that he had decided to fill his free time with something remotely productive, even a part time job was better than just sitting here doing nothing. He was drowning in free time and felt like he was suffocating in it. Going from having barely a moment to himself in the brothel to nothing but time was driving him crazy especially now that Devon wasn't around to share any of that free time with. "I'll quit if it's that big a deal." He mumbled feeling depressed by the idea.

 

Kario knew that the cafe wasn't a career choice or something he'd be doing for the rest of his life. He didn't want it to be. But it got him away from the mansion, filled a few hours a week with something that made him feel... important. It made him feel like he was worth something and he did like making his own money even if it wasn't very much and being able to possibly get something to surprise his boyfriend even if it couldn't be anything expensive like he knew Devon was used to. But if it really did bother the blonde that he was working at a cafe waiting on other people then he wouldn't do it. Sure the added free time would feel even more suffocating but he didn't want to do something that made his boyfriend unhappy either. Or that'd end up causing him more trouble than he was already going through with everything else.

 

His mind kept getting stuck on how adamant Devon was about him having all the options he wanted and how he'd get him there. As much as he loved that his boyfriend wanted to help him succeed and get him into a good career he didn't want to have to rely on the blonde for these things. He didn't see him working at a small cafe as Devon being stingy or not caring about him. Suddenly he wasn't hungry anymore and though he would have preferred he excused himself for a few minutes to collect his thoughts alone he stayed seated at the table pulling his legs up into the chair with him and leaning back. Already mentally preparing himself to tell his boss when he did go back that he wouldn't be able to keep working there which was something he definitely wasn't looking forward to doing.

 

Being drawn from his thoughts when Sven said that he wouldn't see it that negatively his eyes darted to the artist. Being told about how he had worked in a pub for fun once wanting to see what it was like to be an employee instead of one of the patrons was really interesting to him. Though Devon was quick to throw in that he hadn't actually worked there but had paid the owner to let him run the bar for a week only to have to pay for renovations after a particularly wild party. Still, Kario thought it had been a good idea especially since it seemed that visiting bars was something Sven still liked doing. Having see it from an employees perspective was probably rather eye opening. Hearing that the experience had inspired quite a few of his artworks made him all the more curious.

 

"Only recently. Like... the past couple months." Kario admitted when Sven asked about him being a rider. "Barrel racing actually... I've always wanted to do it." He added when asked about what sport specifically. He didn't do classical riding such things not really being something he was interested in but he had always had an interest in western riding and the sports associated with it. Even if barrel racing was the one he was the most interested in he had to admit that the other western sports were interesting to him and he wouldn't mind delving in a little. "No. Unless you count a tiny plastic horse as a kid I never even saw a horse growing up. They were just as allusive as a unicorn if it wasn't for books and pictures." Kario told Sven rubbing the back of his neck a bit nervously. Though he loved horses and had always wanted to ride he hadn't even gotten the chance to see on in person until the farmers festival with Devon. Until then he had only seen them in books and other pictures or on TV.

 

"She's... definitely an interesting woman." Kario admitted with a small smile. Though he did like spending time with the blonde's mother he wasn't necessarily sure he'd say she was remarkable though she was definitely very interesting. There was never a dull moment around her even if they didn't have anything in common he always did his best to try to see her perspective. Glad that at least one of his boyfriend's parents liked him since he was still well aware of the fact that Devon's father very much hated him. Though for some reason Kario felt that hate may not be a strong enough word for how the politician's father felt about him. Shrugging that thought off since he hated thinking about Andrew Ashfield he decided instead to focus on the conversation at hand.

 

Despite not having meant for his comment about seeing the other's mom more than he saw him coming across as harsh it seemed to end up that way anyway. Or at least brought more light on the fact that he really didn't get to see the blond anymore. The apology wasn't expected though it did make him feel a little better that Devon seemed to know that he was being neglected in this way. Even if there was nothing that could be done about it right now. "I might not be interested in politics but I am interested in you. Paying attention to what's been going on lately is the only way I get to keep tabs on you. You're always so tired when or even if you get to come home lately that I don't even get time with you then." He admitted feeling bad for saying any of this but feeling like it needed to be said. "I'll try to be more patient." Kario added not wanting Devon to think that he was being needy and unreasonable. While he missed the politician he understood that there were more important things right now.

 

The mention about how Devon had made time for the two of them today did have him perking up again but he was distracted at the reminder that Sven was here. Though today would no longer be about the two of them and had now turned into the three of them at least he got to spend time with Devon! That was definitely a huge plus to Kario making anything and everything else feel small and insignificant in comparison. Sven was mentioning them going to a club that he and Devon had gone to when they would spend semester break with the blonde's parents. A club didn't sound interesting to Kario who had never been that type of guy and still wasn't. It seemed Devon wasn't really for that idea either which definitely made him feel better for not liking it. If the older man had wanted to do it though he would have gone and tried to like it.

 

Devon was mentioning what he had already planned for today, a nice dinner at a five star restaurant and then the two of them spending time together in the bath house that Kario still refused to use alone and thus hadn't used yet. This definitely had him interested and Sven saying that he'd accompany them to the restaurant only to go to the club while they came back here after sounded like a good plan too. It meant that they could fit the artist into their plans but he'd still have a chance to have some alone time with Devon before things got busy again and he was back to rarely seeing the man. "I like that idea." He chimed in very much liking the idea of dinner and then them parting ways after not that he wanted Sven to leave or anything and he knew it wasn't like the artist was leaving completely but even an hour alone with Devon would make him incredibly happy.

 

Being asked if he had any suggestions as to what they could do before that had him thinking and though he had an idea he thought it may be uninteresting to the two older men. He was after all quite a bit younger and though he felt like this was something that people of all ages could enjoy he wasn't sure if this was something Sven would want to do not really knowing him. Devon seemed more than willing to do whatever he wanted if it made him happy which had it's positives and negatives so he wasn't too worried about his boyfriend. After a few minutes of considering things he shrugged before finally making his suggestion. "Well... I've still never been to the Zoo and you did say we could do that some time... maybe... the three of us could go?" Kario offered.

 

Kario still very much wanted to go to the Zoo and get to see all of the animals there. Not having the chance to ever go to the Zoo before. Even if he knew that it wasn't the mos exciting thing to do it seemed like a nice option to him. It'd be peaceful and something the three of them could do together. They could walk around and see the animals while talking so he could get to know Sven better. Since it wasn't like he was unaware why the artist was here and knew that eventually their attention would turn to the statue that Devon had told Sven he wanted done. While Kario still loved the idea of the statue he was still blushing just as much every time it was mentioned not being able to stop himself from doing so.

[-Hideki-]

“I sure am happy that you’re working now and are doing something in your free time I am just struggling to understand as to why you chose a job in the service sector over something that would actually make an impression and would be valuable for your r?sum? .” the billionaire phrased it more diplomatically this time.

 

Devon however soon realised that his reaction had probably been uncalled for to start with seeing how his lover reacted to it. It seemed as though Kario had really seen this as something positive and had actually liked to do this whereas Ashfield had always looked at the entire service sector as something that people forced themselves to work in because they somehow had screwed up or as a starting point if they didn’t have a chance to start out from a higher position.

 

He had always respected and been extra nice to his house staff and people in the service sector as he found that they were doing an important but terrible job he wouldn’t ever do and would have never thought about doing. When he had been speaking of getting a part time job or a traineeship he had been imagining entirely different things. But to Kario a caf? was probably an obvious, normal choice and his perspective seemed to be worlds apart from the Governor’s, showing that they came from completely different places even though they had been born in the same city.

 

The blond pressed his fingers against the bridge of his nose and sighed. “No. You don’t have to quit your job if that’s not what you want. If you like to work there by all means work there. I don’t understand it but I don’t have to. Your choices are your own.” Devon made sure to tell his boyfriend when he was stating that he could quit if it was such a big deal, huddling himself together on his chair what made Ashfield feel terrible because his words had apparently hurt the other male and rather embarrassed particularly because Sven was witnessing it and his friend was already engaging with Barney, feeding him something from the table because the situation had gone this awkward rather quickly.

 

The politician was actually grateful for the change of topics to horse riding, something that he knew nothing about, that he didn’t care for and that bored him to death but was much more welcome than their dispute over career choices.

Sven at least seemed incredibly interested in Kario’s riding career or rather learning that the black haired male hadn’t had much of a riding career so far because he was a beginner.

 

“Barrel racing? That’s an actual discipline in horse riding? With tournaments and all that jazz?” Sven asked. “Well, when I was younger we used traffic cones to do similar kinds of races for fun.” he added thinking back on how Jens had thrown a tantrum when he had lost accusing everyone else of cheating.

 

While it didn’t shock him that the other had just recently started horse riding – many may discover the sport for themselves later in life – Sven’s jaw nearly hit the table once he heard that Kario hadn’t ever seen a horse growing up. “Seriously?” the man wanted to make sure he wasn’t fooled right there. “You’ve never seen a horse before? Where did you grow up?” Benninghofen asked finding that nearly impossible. “Didn’t you even – I don’t know – go on vacations on a farm or something? You ought to have seen one.” he stated and Devon felt like he wanted to stop Sven right there in his amazement about the fact that someone could live over twenty years without ever seeing a horse. But the billionaire thought that: ‘He’s grown up incredibly poor.’, while an accurate explanation might make Kario uncomfortable and make himself seem more arrogant than he had probably already seemed earlier.

 

So he chose another approach. “Well, I wish I had never seen one.” he jested and Sven waved him off. “You!” he said. “I have never seen anyone worse in equestrian sports than you and I doubt that I ever will.”

 

The Governor understood where Kario was coming from and he listened to all the complaints the other had to get off of his chest. But the fact of the matter was that he couldn’t not stay at work if the situation demanded it and that his influence on his schedule was little to none. It was simply impossible to just stand up and say ‘Well, I am aware that there is an angry mob looting out on the streets and another mob throwing the head of a statue through the window of the police department in their area that’s under attack but I’ll have to go home and spend a lovely evening with my boyfriend.’ Thus he couldn’t say nor promise much to his lover in response to this other than:” I know and I hope that it’ll soon calm down and that we’ll be able to spend more quality time together again as I’ve been missing that as well.”

 

All the more happy he was when his boyfriend approved of the plans for the evening and then suggested the zoo in regards to what they could be doing before that as it had always been a wish of Kario’s to go there. It was actually something where Devon was certain that Sven would not disprove since much like Kario the German man liked animals and was really concerned with animal rights and such things.

 

“You’ve never been to the zoo either? That is unacceptable and we’ve got to change that.” the artist laughed. “I’ve always loved to go to the zoo. I actually have friends who work in zoos and I cooperate with some zoos in regards to the work of my animal protection organisation and my animal shelters as we sometimes save illegally held animals we can’t keep at the shelter and whatnot.” the man told the other something about his charity work.

 

“I also like to go to the zoo and animal parks to take walks and think. Looking at the animals and observing their behaviour can be really fascinating and inspiring.” he stated.

And with this it was settled that they would spend the day at the zoo together.

 

Ashfield showed Sven the floor on which he would be living while he stayed with them and after that they took Barney and went into the garage and chose one of Devon’s other cars now as they wouldn’t all fit into the Lamborghini. Instead they were sitting in a royal blue Rolls-Royce.

 

The blond had decided to let Sven drive in favour of sitting on the backseats together with Kario while Barney was occupying the passenger seat.

 

While he was driving Sven turned the radio on tuning in at the end of some song before the news coverage. >>…. Only a few people have gathered in front of the Governor’s office unannounced today…. The police states they’ve got everything well under control and that it’s been majorly non-violent…Some protestors are holding signs showing the Governor’s face in one line with Mao, Stalin and Hitler, some are calling for an end to the police state and others are crying out that the Governor got his way into the upper class and into the position of Governor on the shoulders of slaves but that’s nothing compared to what this woman has to say: “Governor Ashfield needs to resign now! He needs to be disowned as none of that wealth is his, none of it! I am sick of him, I am sick of this shit! He’s oppressing us! He’s a dictator! His ancestors were devils and he’s a devil too! The guy is a bigot and a racist and what he’s actually trying to do is installing fucking feudalism and a covered up form of slavery with his racist police! He wants to make himself and his family rulers over the people of this state for eternity, he thinks he’s a fucking king or something but I say, no Sir, not with us! He has to go, now and the police too!” “You think that the Governor wants to overthrow democracy and install a tyrannical dictatorship?” “It’s obvious isn’t it? The police is trying to shut us up and he’s encouraging them. His racist family is openly doing that. I mean the man’s father is completely out of control. He’s letting a bunch of armed racists waving confederate flags loose who are trying to shut everyone down who is protesting the Ashfield family and their disgusting history and goes out of his way calling those redneck hooligans a private police. Andrew Ashfield has also called for his son to give green light to use massive violent force against the protestors and make their lives a living hell in prison as they deserved it, so that no one would dare to riot in this state ever again and dare to befoul the proud history of this state, the nation and his family. That this man, from this family has been elected Governor is a disgrace. No one with such a family history should ever be allowed to hold any kind of power ever again! He’s probably a secret member of the KKK too! Down with Governor Ashfield!”

 

“Turn this off!” a sudden scream coming from Devon rang through the car and one could see that Ashfield had difficulties to stay calm as his carotid was pulsing vigorously. Finally one could see how irritated the past weeks had made him and how this actually effected him. “Huh, why?” Sven asked completely unbothered as though he had come right out of a long session of meditation and the entire stuff said on the radio couldn’t get any other reaction from him than an elaborate yawn.

 

“Oh, I don’t know!” Ashfield started in a sarcastic tone of voice. “Possibly because it’s awful having to listen to such insulting bullshit and being painted like an evil super villain who is somehow cursed by birth over and over again.” the blond added. “Has someone ever bashed your family history publically and announced that your family actually doesn’t deserve anything they’ve got and that all you own shouldn’t be yours because you basically stole it?” he asked his best friend. “Most definitely. My family owns a German steel empire, the business produced arms which were actually used in wars and thus my ancestors were financially benefitted from these wars.” Sven nodded calmly, neither proud nor ashamed by this, with distance in his voice, just stating it as a fact that had been in the past.

 

“Have you ever been called the ultimate evil, racist, oppressor, dictator, slave driver, monster and so forth because of something that people have done who’ve long lived before you, who you have never ever known or met and what you obviously couldn’t have done anything against because you haven’t even been born back then?” the blond yelled and what he had held back for too long now seemed to finally erupt. “Yes.” Sven answered again still calm.

 

“And is it that when you go somewhere, people hear your damn accent and assume you’re evil and racist and associate your entire heritage and your state, your home with something inherently bad and evil and only reduce it to this one thing about it and come at you with animosity not for who you are but for where you’re from?” he stated but already calmer. “Constantly.” his friend said giving him a comforting, warm smile that now finally seemed to calm Devon down too.

 

“So, then you should know what this is like and how irritating it is and that at one point you can’t hear it no more and are unwilling to let yourself be judged by that shit and you don’t even care to distance yourself anymore because you have done it over and over again and at this point people should understand that you’re not a racist and that you do in no way shape or form condone slavery. But they don’t! Because they are morons with the same IQ as fucking crispbread!” Devon ranted and Sven turned the radio off and sighed.

 

“Listen, this will not stop, never. Probably not in our lifetime anyway so you’ve basically got three options dealing with this. You become self-loathing, hate yourself and feel guilty for something that you haven’t done, that wasn’t your fault, that is history and that you’ve got nothing to do with and had no influence on whatsoever and bash yourself. That would be you doing it for them, making their comments obsolete. Then you can defend yourself or even the basis you’re attacked on but there is a chance you’ll end up relativising that glimpse, that part of history that actually isn’t justifiable and defendable alongside. You then project the hate they express towards you back onto them, to counter attack and actually become hateful. Or you stop giving a shit! You stop caring about what they are saying because you know it’s untrue about yourself and you know that you don’t have anything to do with what happened almost 200 years ago, that time is linear, history is in the past where it belongs, it won’t come back and in the end it doesn’t matter anymore in the here and now because what matters is the present and the future and what you actually do and think and feel in the present.” his friend explained.

 

“The two first options aren’t healthy and will damage you one way or the other over time. To stop giving a damn is the best option you have and you’ll realise that it’ll make you feel a lot better once you truly flip them the bird whenever they say shit like that.” he stated. “I mean, when I noticed that when I went abroad some people liked to stab the tires of my car due to my country code plate, I installed cameras I always turned on whenever I left my car parked somewhere abroad and whenever some arse spontaneously decided that he’d like to demonstrate I wasn’t welcome and wanted me to suffer even if it was only effecting my wallet and how to get back home again I took it to court and always won due to the evidence I had.” the man said with a delighted smile.

 

“And that conspiracy theory about your father trying to build a dictatorship with private police and acting as though you were royalty is not even worth debunking.” Sven found shrugging. And Ashfield sighed. “I wish it was entirely bonkers but part of it… well. My dad is actually building a private police having it patrol in front of monuments and he’s totally escalating.” Devon told Sven and Kario and he sounded almost desperate there.

 

“It’s like he’s giving me two fronts to worry about and to try to get under control. He’s dividing the people more, pouring shit tons of fuel into a wildfire. I repeatedly asked him to withdraw the private police, to stop announcing that I was going to use massive violence to cleanse the streets from those thugs by all force if needed, he encouraged the people to protect our culture and heritage against the thugs on their own merit and he’s declaring that he would build giant statues on his private properties across the nation for every smeared historic monument of the South and all that stuff but he’s obviously not listening at all and his social media account is releasing statements at second intervals. I think he fired his spokesperson too. And to me he said:’If you don’t have the balls to do what it takes, I will do it for you so that you won’t ruin the reputation and the name of our family, you’ll thank me later.’ In other words, he’s gone completely nuts and I fear that he’s gotten Police Commander Mahler onto his side.”

 

It was a difficult situation and after weeks of this shit and it not really calming down again Devon felt so worn out, stressed, frustrated and tired by all of this. He didn’t want to hear about this anymore at all and he didn’t deny that he had moments where unprofessional thoughts crossed his mind, especially when he heard the voices of protestors like the one on the radio, where he wished to do what his father was threatening them with. To send the police and the National Guard out and fight the protesters like they were at war and have them all arrested and brought out of his sight. But he wouldn’t ever do this because the right to protest was sacred to him and not all protestors were criminal elements, looters and rioters. And although their views appalled him, he would defend their right to speak their wacky, inane opinions and theories. So he was still dealing with an angry mob of people shouting ‘All cops are bastards!’, ‘Throw the Governor into the river!’, ‘Defund the police!’ and ‘Disown the Ashfields!’ and many other phrases after weeks of turmoil.

 

Since he wanted to speak about something more delightful he remembered what Kario’s mum had told him again and he turned to his boyfriend. “Your mother told me something interesting about your heritage at election day but I haven’t gotten the chance to tell you about it yet.” he started and then proceeded to tell the black haired male about his ancestors and that he had Egyptian and also Native American ancestors and said that his mother had thought that Kario might be interested to get into contact with the tribe of his ancestors.

 

This was something that actually interested Sven who had turned on some classical music instead of the radio. “This sure is interesting. If you go to that tribe, do you get one of those impressive feather headdresses?” the man asked genuinely interested, not knowing much about Native American culture. “One of my ex-boyfriends, who is a drag-queen, actually wore one of those together with a self-made dress to a costume party and on stage once, it looked amazing.” the artist remembered. “The party was great too. We ha d a lot of fun, didn’t we Devon?” Sven spoke feeling happy at the memories. “Ben and I found the photos from this party just recently.” he added and Devon nearly stood up from his seat before he realised that he was in the car.

 

“Where are the pictures? You got to burn them! Instantly!” he expressed feeling his stress level rise again. It wasn’t only the feather headdress although knowing the current political climate and sensitivities in the US that would already be enough. No! Richard Van Deursen one of their friends from the Netherlands had spontaneously decided he would go to the costume party as well but he hadn’t had any other costume than the Zwarte Piet costume he had made for the traditional Dutch Sinterklaas parade in his home town later that year, so he had painted himself completely black and had worn that costume to the party what hadn’t bothered anyone at that time at the party full of Europeans who could not understand why this was a big deal for Americans if someone painted their faces another colour as the perspectives and histories differed.

 

And while Sven had been dressed up as Julius Caesar and Ashfield himself had been dressed like a fighter pilot because he had thought he had looked hot in it a photo like this one wouldn’t only be like fuel in the wildfire, it would be like kegs full of gunpowder in a wildfire. The headlines would title:”Governor attempted racist party in university!” or “Confirmed: Governor Ashfield is a racist with racist friends!”

 

Sven however seemed honestly confused by the reaction as he would have sworn that this had been a great memory for his friend also.

But of course Sven wouldn’t understand, nor would Sven’s ex-boyfriend understand. Sven was a forty-one years old European man. And the Europeans had a different view and history and weren’t as sensitised about this - other than Generation Z who had picked this perspective up from the US maybe – but Sven, Ashfield and the other folks on the picture belonged to Generation X.

 

“Why?” Sven asked confused. “ We scanned and digitalised them and Ben uploaded them on his Instagram page. If you have Instagram he could link you.” the man offered instead, thinking that the reaction might have been a joke because Devon thought he didn’t look good on the picture. “No! Don’t you dare do that! Tell him to take them down immediately!” he ordered and Sven frowned.

 

“You are way too easily irritated and stressed out today. You have to relax. Maybe we should go to a wellness temple instead of a zoo, jeez! Yes, we might have looked all silly on the picture but we had a lot of fun and that shows. It’s a really positive picture and even though we don’t look serious I think that it’ll only make you seem more approachable and human to your voters. They sure can relate as most people have been to costume parties before.” the man totally missed the point.

 

“I mean, you were so drunk and excited and wanting to impress this guy you’ve gotten to know there - what was his name again, I don’t know - that you actually at one point found it was a good idea to literally try to colour Sean’s pool red and threw buckets of paint into it and that was when the party just seemed to get started. It was an unforgettable night.” he reminded Devon and the Governor sighed. Yes, Sven was right, the politician actually loved to remember that party, it had been great but this photo would be yet another exposure like scandal he couldn’t use right now or ever at all. Maybe it would be even worse than the entire brothel thing.

 

“It’s not about the party or looking silly. It’s the headdress ! Well, and the Dutch people’s Sinterklaas traditions!” Devon said. “What’s wrong with the headdress? When I asked my brother’s wife to wear one once because I found the idea of one of the Indians – you know the ones with the dots on the foreheads - wearing a feather headdress of the other Indians really amusing, because both are called Indians you know, and she actually found it was really beautiful and liked to wear it as a costume too and she found the idea funny too. And what is wrong with Dutch people’s Sinterklaas parades and Zwarte Piet, those parades are super fun and friendly, I have been there a few times as a kid.” Sven shook his head in disbelief, not getting it and Ashfield rubbed his hands over his face.

 

“Sven, if you are ever asked anything by an American journalist don’t say anything! For the love of god, don’t open your mouth! Ever! “ he pleaded, took a deep breath and then tried to explain it differently. “Do you remember what happened when your brother recycled the ghost costume he had worn at European Halloween parties before when we celebrated in New York? While the Europeans saw a normal ghost some people here did not see a ghost at all and they threw stuff at him and then he got pissed and got into a fight beating that dude who had thrown an egg at him into a pulp and then we had to find Jens another costume because I assured him he wouldn’t get into any bar with the costume as people would misunderstand it and it had been stained with egg, tomato and blood and the only thing he got in the store was a banana costume and then he was even more pissed the entire evening because he was, well, dressed like a banana?” Devon asked and Sven nodded.

 

“Yes! You were incredibly amused about his misery the entire time!” the artist noted. “Yes, I won’t be denying that.” Devon said and a wide smile appeared for a moment. “Anyhow, same with the feather headdress and Zwarte Piet! It will offend and trigger some people here.” Ashfield explained. “But why? It is obviously not comparable. I mean, I get the misunderstanding with the ghost costume but that? Or is there a terrorist group wearing feather headdresses or curly wigs here as well? Doesn’t make sense to me.” the man said and then shrugged. “But if it bugs you that much I can ask Ben to take it down for you.” he assured his friend and then turned to Kario.

 

“Do you like costume parties or Halloween celebrations too? Any favourite costumes?” Sven then asked the black haired male trying to lighten the mood again as they were reaching the highway and as soon as they were on it the car was going 250kmh.

[Sathenus]

"The cafe isn't suppose to make an impression or be of some huge value to a resume. It's supposed to help me get back into working in an environment that makes me comfortable, that I know." Kario replied wanting to try to help Devon understand why he had made that choice for himself. After living and working in the brothel for as long as he had he needed a normal starting position to help him get back into the swing of things here. Working in a cafe wasn't something seen negative from the area he grew up in, it was seen really positive. It was a normal job that kept them busy and gave them good communication and customer service skills by working so closely with the public. Kario didn't want people to look at him and think -or know- that he had gotten to where he was because of the Governor. He wanted to forge his own path to work for what he had and not have it handed to him. Now he had a cushion for if things went wrong and could fall back on his boyfriend but he didn't want to have to do that either. This was meant to be a very small step in a much bigger and better direction for himself.

 

"I mean... we could count our blessing that I went and found such a normal job. I could have said I got a part time job being a stripper." Kario added trying to make light of the situation but at the same time he wasn't joking. After the brothel a job as a male stripper seemed like nothing and it wasn't like he didn't know men would be happy if he did end up doing that. It wasn't a career choice he wanted to make, not even temporarily but it wasn't like it wasn't an option for him either. A huge part of him finding his place in the outside world again was to start small, start somewhere he was comfortable that wasn't overwhelming and to him that was the cafe. It was still a lot all at once but he didn't feel overwhelmed either. He wasn't presented with a job requiring he learn a whole bunch of new skills that he had never had or didn't do well. Working at the cafe allowed him to work while also letting him fall back into the real world in a way that didn't make him feel as though he was drowning.

 

Devon telling him that he didn't have to quit if that wasn't what he wanted made him give his boyfriend a look as though asking if he was serious. For some reason Kario had prepared himself for Devon to tell him that he absolutely needed to quit and find something else. That he didn't want him working at such a job after his reaction. It became clear to him that he hadn't given the older man enough credit. Sure the cafe really wasn't something he was sure his boyfriend had considered or meant when he had been encouraging him to get a part time job but it seemed in the end he just wanted him to be happy. Which made Kario feel a lot better and he felt himself eased knowing that while Devon didn't understand his choice it was still in the end his choice. While he would have quit if that was really what Devon wanted him to do he would be lying to say he may not end up resenting the blonde politician if he had ended up making him do so. While he didn't want to do something that would negatively affect his boyfriend he didn't want his life and choices to be run by him either. It was a partnership and he'd do his best to remain more aware of the affect on his boyfriend his choices -even simple ones like the cafe- would have on the older man.

 

"I'll... try to be more aware of the affect a simple part time job may have on you next time." Kario told Devon wanting his boyfriend to know that he'd try to be more understanding of his view and how it may look to those on the outside. Even if he didn't feel like it was anyone's business what job he was in or their relationship in general. All he could think about was Stewart and how the advisor had talked to him and treated him and the last thing he wanted was to be scolded again or to be called inconsiderate. Devon's life and world view weren't his, but that didn't mean he couldn't do his best to be more aware of how his actions affected the other. Being in a relationship like this or a relationship at all was so new to him it would take him time to remember such things.

 

Then he remembered what he had really been wanting to discuss with Devon. "Speaking of career and all... I wanted to talk with you more about school options." Kario said his gaze moving from his plate which was still untouched as he was still not feeling hungry to his boyfriend. He had managed to bring down what he wanted to do and learn into a much more narrow selection but he wanted to discuss these options with Devon before making any final decisions. This was a choice he didn't want to make alone and wanted to discuss especially since he knew that the politician had his own views and suggestions that he wouldn't have thought of himself.

 

"Yes." Kario replied with a small nod at the questions about barrel racing. It did have it's competitions and was a real discipline along with a number of other western disciplines that were quite common. At the same time he realized that these probably weren't riding disciplines that Sven or Devon would have previously taken part in or even really given thought to if at all. So he wasn't surprised that Sven hadn't known that it was something that actually had it's own tournaments and such.

 

"Really. I mean... I've seen pictures in books or see them on TV sometimes but I've never actually seen a real horse until recently." Kario replied. "No... I've never been on a vacation... seen a farm... unless you include the farmer's festival I went to with Devon or anything like that. It's not something my family could or can afford." He admitted not feeling the need to lie about it. It was what it was, there was no changing how things were and he didn't think it was worth being ashamed of at this point. It was just how things had been for his family and how things still were. Sure he wanted to help them out and see what he could do to make their lives easier, his parents weren't getting any younger after all. Shaking his head he pushed such thoughts aside. Now wasn't the time to think about it or dwell on what he had no way of changing right now. He could think about such matters another time.

 

Devon was grabbing his attention when saying that he wished he had never see one which Sven responded to with a wave of his hand and saying that he had never seen anyone worse in equestrian sports than the politician. "Were you really that bad? I mean... you told me stories but I find it really hard that anyone would be that bad." He asked not sure he really believed it and that the pair weren't just over exaggerating.

 

After everything else that seemed to surprise people about himself Kario didn't find it surprising to see Sven's reaction to him never having been to the zoo before either. His boyfriend had already expressed how odd that seemed to be and how most kids had gone to the zoo growing up. It just came down to the fact that he never had. Which made him eager for the chance to finally go now even if he was no longer a child. Unable to help the fact that he loved animals and wanted to see all the different kinds from all over the world that the zoo housed. Sven was telling him that sometimes they saved animals that had been illegally held and couldn't keep at the shelter which lead to him working with some zoos. "That's actually really cool. Devon did mention a little about your organisation and animal shelter but not all that much." Kario replied being very interested in the other's work. Devon had mentioned it to him when they had talked about how much he liked animals and such since it was something the two of them seemed to have in common but hadn't given him much detail about it.

 

While his boyfriend showed Sven where he'd be living while staying with them Kario had run off to finish getting ready for a day away from the mansion. Something he was really looking forward too after spending so much time within it's walls the past couple months. Even with the part time job and visiting his parents or the visits and things he did with his boyfriend's mother. It left him quite excited and he was soon waiting for the two men to join him following them and Barney to the garage. It didn't interest him what car they took still not that into such things waiting for the decision to be made before he was slipping into the backseat Devon joining him while Sven would drive. The radio being turned on didn't interest him at first but when he noticed how it seemed to be bothering Devon he took more notice of what was being said. Reaching over and resting his hand on the blonde's leg patting it gently as Devon was suddenly screaming for Sven to turn it off.

 

The exchange of words that passed between the two men once Sven did turn it off was surprising but the artist calmly replied each time and didn't let it bother him. It taught him a bit more about Sven and Devon as well as what both of them had faced in their lives. Not liking it but knowing there was nothing that could be done to change the past and he certainly couldn't change the views people had on his boyfriend and his family either. All he could really do was be there supporting the politician, something he would always do.

 

"That's ridiculous." Kario murmured when he heard that Sven had to install cameras in his car because people liked to slash his tires when he was abroad after recognizing the country code plate. That was so stupid and made no sense to him. The younger man fully agreed with Sven though, Devon needed to just stop caring what everyone else said about his family and the stupid comments they made about him and what they thought he was doing or it was just going to destroy him in one way or another. Even if Kario knew that as the governor he wouldn't be able to ignore such things completely he could at least ignore as much of it as possible and only deal with what was sure to be brought up during any interviews he may have. Feeling like that was much healthier than letting it get to him. Wishing there was a way he could help make this better but Kario had no idea how to do so. He could be there for his boyfriend all he wanted but his love and support could only help the politician so much. There was a lot about being in a relationship and what he could do to make the man's life easier that he still needed to learn.

 

"She did?" He asked giving the older man a curious look as Devon was turning to him and completely changing the subject. Not that he minded since he had no idea what to say about the previous topic anyway and would probably just make matters worse if he tried to comment. What his boyfriend told him really was surprising and interesting not to mention made him incredibly excited and interested. Maybe he should talk to her about it some more, better yet he should talk to both of his parents about it since it had been something he hadn't discussed with them before. Oddly having never felt the need to ask not thinking that his ancestry and heritage was anything special or interesting.

 

"Unfortunately, no. While the war bonnets are gorgeous they're primarily used for ceremonial occasions today. Previously they were a sign of great respect and worn by male leaders of Native tribes who made their homes in the plains of this country. Sometimes they were even worn into battle." Kario replied having a huge respect for the natives of their country and their history. While he loved how gorgeous those headdresses were he definitely wouldn't get one just for being a member of a tribe and there was a good chance that he wasn't even a member of a tribe that had worn them to begin with. This was another reason why he'd have to speak to his parents and try to learn where he should begin looking in regards to his native lineage to figure out what tribe he even belonged to.

 

Learning about the party and how Sven's ex-boyfriend had worn one such headdress with a dress he had made himself sounded impressive as it was. While he knew and understand the history of the war bonnet it didn't bother him that someone would use it in a costume, however, he hadn't grown up as part of a tribe where such an item was important and something truly special either. There was a chance that if he had he would feel quite different about it being used in a manner or he may feel the same way he did now. Learning about the costume that Jens had reused in America it became very clear to him by the story Devon was telling what that ghost costume resembled and he instantly understood why it had gotten the reaction it had. He didn't feel that the reaction was a reasonable one, but he could understand it. The American people were really sensitive to such matters and there was a lot that would trigger and upset many Americans even if such things had never had anything to do with them.

 

"As much as I'd love to say it's not a big deal and that Devon shouldn't be as upset and bothered by those pictures surfacing as he is I have to agree with him." Kario said with a sigh running his fingers through his dark hair. "There is a lot about the American people that don't make sense and that the rest of the world thinks is probably ridiculous and while I agree in many ways that we need to move on and keep the past where it is that's just not how things work here. From what Devon said I can understand the response people had to your brother's costume, while I don't condone the response I understand why it happened. Even without seeing the costume itself." He added as his eyes moved from his lap where it had fallen to Sven and then moved to his boyfriend patting Devon's leg gently. "I'm not familiar with the Dutch or the traditional clothes they wear during Sinterklass or any other tradition they have with it, though I'll have to do my research and familiarize myself with it another time. So I can't really speak for that but I can, however, say that while many Native people may not be upset about the use of their traditional headdress in a costume many others will be quite upset and think that something with such important meaning to them is a joke and not being treated with the proper respect. Which definitely will cause problems."

 

He paused there and thought about what he knew and how he thought -or pretty much knew- how the public would react to such images surfacing. "In the end the best way to put this is that America is such a sensitive country that anything remotely resembling certain periods of our history or race of any kind will ultimately draw negative responses and a lot of backlash." That was the best way Kario could put it. Really it was the simplest way he could put it. It didn't even matter that Devon was the governor in this situation feeling and in a sense knowing that it could and to a degree would be met with the same backlash no matter who it belonged to in this country.

 

Shaking his head he turned his attention back to Devon and leaned over for a quick kiss before settling back in his seat. "Thank you for telling me though. It definitely makes me excited to find out more about my heritage and the traditions of my ancestors. I'll have to meet with my parents some time and see if I can figure out what they know about my native ancestors to give me an idea of what tribes I could possibly belong to. It's a long process including needing to prove lineage to join a tribe even if my ancestors were members since it has been at least two generations that my family hasn't belonged to the tribe. But it could be worth the time and effort." Kario told his boyfriend. He really appreciated Devon telling him this and he was so eager and excited to learn more knowing he'd jump headfirst into it the moment he could. It'd also make how busy Devon was sure to be when he went back to work a lot easier on him with something to busy himself with. Not to mention having Sven here would probably make it easier too.

 

Being asked if he liked Halloween celebrations too and costume parties had Kario thinking for a moment. "Honestly? Halloween is without a doubt my favorite holiday of the year and I do enjoy dressing up for it." Kario replied with a nod loving Halloween more than anything and knowing that he was excited for his first Halloween with Devon for more than one reason. It took a lot of control for him not to smirk with that idea in his head. Pushing it aside though he focused back on the topic at hand. "I've never done a costume party before though, a lot of people really aren't my thing." Kario to this day had anxiety around a lot of people. Though that anxiety was more because of the brothel now than what it had been when he was younger. Of course he knew being with Devon meant social events and a lot of people but he could suck it up and put on a face for others even if he was panicking on the inside.

 

It didn't seem to take them long to reach the zoo once they had reached the highway and like always whenever he was excited and about to do something he hadn't done before Kario was practically bouncing in his seat and ready to run off and see all the animals. More than anything Kario was really hoping there would be wolves that he could see. The animals were his absolute favorite land animals -sharks being his favorite aquatic animal- and he knew quite a bit about them but of course had never seen one outside of TV or pictures in books. If Kario was being completely honest with himself while he loved history and culture his dream job would be one working with animals and conservation efforts. But he knew such a job most likely didn't fall into any category that Devon had in mind for him and that was alright with him. Thinking that he could use some free time to learn what he could about the creatures of the planet while doing a different career that he also found interesting.

 

Slipping out of the car after they parked and the vehicle was turned off he was happy to stretch his legs despite it not having been a very long drive. Turning to Devon when he had gotten out of the vehicle too a bright smile appeared on his face. "I can't wait to see all the different animals." He told his boyfriend though he knew that Devon was already well aware of that. It was also the first time they had gotten to do anything together since his reelection. At the same time knowing that Sven was here with them as well and the work that he did he thought that maybe he could learn even more about the animals they saw from his boyfriend's friend. This was another chance for him to get to know Sven better before things turned to creating the statue. Sven was definitely quite different than his boyfriend in many ways and he was eager to get to know him better. Turning his gaze to the artist he gave him a curious look. "What kind of exotic animals have you run into during your conservation work?" He asked wanting to know what Sven had dealt with before even though they had not been able to have them at his animal shelters and had needed to find other places for them to go.

[-Hideki-]

As the classical music was playing, Ashfield was calming down from his outburst and Sven who was following the instructions of the navigation system to get them to the zoo chuckled when Kario expressed how ridiculous he found it that people had felt the need to sabotage his car due to his nationality. “Most definitely but still more common than one would imagine. I alone know several people to whom that happened as well.” the man told the other while fully understanding that it was one of those things that were a thing but sounded too stupid to believe that they were.

 

After Devon had decided to switch from the bashing of his family and ancestors on the media to discuss Kario’s family tree the mood got a lot lighter and it appeared that the black haired male was quite excited to learn about his heritage despite the fact that he hadn’t taken an interest and had never asked his parents about that subject before. “For what it’s worth my family knows some genealogists and historians who could help you with reconstructing your family tree. We have some ties to the local department of history.” the blond offered and then got reminded of how his father had used those ties for himself and how he had used his influence at his old school to get rid of that one teacher and to have her replaced by a historian he had known from the department of history who sold the version of history Andrew Ashfield approved of.

 

When Sven had asked his questions regarding the headdress the Governor sat back and relaxed as Kario was answering and explaining that he’d not get a headdress by belonging to a native tribe. “A bummer!” Sven found but listened closely to what the other had to tell him about the tribes. “Which tribes had the headdresses then?” the man asked. “I always thought all tribes had those. In hindsight that’s probably like assuming that all Germans would wear Bavarian Dirndls and Lederhosen – what we certainly don’t.” the man remarked. “These pants are heinous. Bavarians may claim that I am just saying this because I am from the North but that’s not the case. They are just objectively hideous.” the artist stated.

 

The time to relax soon passed for Ashfield when he learned that Sven and Ben had taken the liberty to upload a picture from a party back in their university days onto the drag-queens Instagram page that not only featured him next to Sven’s British ex-boyfriend dressed up like a native American woman but much to the Governor’s dismay also a Dutch friend of theirs in a Zwarte Piet costume painted entirely black, with red lips and a wig.

 

With all the tension and the riots and the uproar currently happening this was a scandal Ashfield just couldn’t afford right now or ever at all. This may as well turn out worse than the brothel thing under the particular circumstance they were already in, that could either lead to him having to chain himself onto his chair in the government building or resign and move to the Netherlands.

 

Sven who couldn’t understand Devon opposing the picture once more listened to what Kario had to say about the matter and when the other expressed a lack of knowledge about the holiday of Sinterklaas and what a Zwarte Piet costume looked like the man felt inclined to explain the holiday to him. “Sinterklaas is the Dutch Saint Nicholas Day celebration, celebrated on the 6th December and it’s a holiday in the honour of the Saint who was known for giving food to and caring for the poor.” he started.

 

“In the traditional Dutch holiday celebration Saint Nicholas arrives with a ship from Spain together with his helpers the Zwarte Pieten. Upon their arrival by ship (which is also performed) people cosplaying Nicholas and the Zwarte Pieten then walk in large, joyful parades throughout the cities with the Zwarte Pieten giving candy to the kids and it’s a really nice and inclusive celebration.” he further explained.

 

“The character of Zwarte Piet in the story itself is a Moor from Spain and depicted as such while wearing the clothing that resemble the clothing of Dutch servants that was common in the 16th century. Zwarte Piet is said to be the helper of Saint Nicholas and he is the one who hands out candy to the nice and well behaved while he beats the bad ones with a birch or outright kidnaps them and takes them with him back to Spain.” Sven added.

 

“In Germany we celebrate Saint Nicholas day too but a little differently. In Germany one places one’s boot in front of the door on the 5th December, goes to sleep and if one awakes and has been good one will find candy and goods in the boot given by Saint Nicholas. If however one is bad we have an equivalent of Zwarte Piet called Knecht Ruprecht in the North which translates into Servant Ruprecht. He’ll put coals into one’s boot, beat the shit out of the bad with a birch as well but he at least doesn’t kidnap anyone and ship them to Spain.” Sven said.

 

“Our version also doesn’t resemble a Moor but some versions are believed to have ties to Wotan the Germanic god more commonly known by the Norse name of Odin and sometimes he’s depicted more like the devil just like Krampus who is basically the version of Zwarte Piet and Knecht Ruprecht in Southern Germany, Austria, Lichtenstein and so on. My ex who is Bavarian told me that he used to be scared of Krampus.” he told the black haired and it seemed as though he was finished before something else came to his mind.

 

“You don’t want to confuse Zwarte Piet with the card game Zwarte Piet, also called Schwarzer Peter where I am from. That game got its name after an infamous bandit born in the 18th century. “ the artist stated. “It’s a fun game though. A set has 31 or 37 cards. Each card has a pair except for one, the Schwarze Peter, the card with the black figure or animal or whatever on it. The cards will be distributed amongst the players, when you start you drop all the pairs you already got and put them in the middle. The first one to start then takes a card from the person next to him, if he can build a pair he lays it in the middle too if he can’t he’ll keep the card, then the person next to him will take a card from the person next to him on the other side and see if he can build a pair and so forth. If someone however has the Schwarzen Peter he wants to get rid of the card and hope someone takes it out of his hands because the one left with the black card at the end of the game has lost and will get a line or a point of black paint or coal smeared onto his face. The more one loses the more black paint will be on one’s face. We even have a saying based on the game that says ‘jemandem den schwarzen Peter zuschieben’ which basically means ‘to pass the buck to somebody’.” the man remembered the game. “Schwarzer Peter is great fun at family gatherings or a dorm room full of drunk people for that matter, Devon can tell you all about the latter.” Sven smiled.

 

While at first a smirk was appearing on Ashfield’s face remembering that night which had been absolutely hilarious and fun the smile soon dropped thinking about how he had ridiculed one of his friends for having lost so often that he had looked like a Dalmatian so much so that his friend had then felt encouraged to wrestle him down and smear his entire face with the black paint. “You didn’t upload any pictures of that night by chance did you? I hope there are none but I am not so sure, I was pretty drunk and it’s been a while.” the Governor expressed his concern leaving Sven to sigh.

 

“No. But even if I did… What’s the matter with you today? You’ve never been like this. You liked the costume party, you enjoyed playing that game, there has never been an issue and you never complained and now you’re acting as though there was something wrong with those things. Why do you have a problem with this now?” he wanted to know feeling like they had lost touch so badly that he didn’t quite know Devon anymore. “I do not have a problem with either the costumes at that party nor the game! I don’t care but I am the Governor, not a university student or a businessman anymore and if any of this goes public I will get chased out of office with torches and pitchforks. Too many people think it’s racist to paint your face dark and frankly I think that right now not even the best written apology would suffice.” he expressed.

 

“Bollocks! Racism is seeing a group of people as inferior and another as superior on the basis of real or alleged biological difference often going together with the discrimination and persecution of the group deemed inferior. Painting your face whatever colour or wearing a costume without dehumanising and believing or claiming that this group of people is inferior to you isn’t racism.” Sven said, shaking his head and then turning to Kario again.

 

“I absolutely understand that stuff that has bad historic connotations can be difficult in a nation. People in my nation are extraordinarily sensitive to certain topics. So much so that specific symbols for instance are outlawed. But there is a major difference between getting offended by someone waving the flag of the Third Reich or getting offended by someone wearing a headdress because he likes said headdress and thinks it’s beautiful. The former is a sign that is connected to hatred, eugenics, oppression, suffering and genocide and the latter is simply appreciating something from a culture that isn’t his and is a part of cultural exchange that has always happened between different cultures and people throughout history and often led to great new inventions and innovation and thus brought the species forward.” the artist argued.

 

“I absolutely get the thing about the ghost costume because in your nation there is a terrorist hate organisation using ghost costumes making them a symbol of hate here. My brother, who is lazy and not so fond of dress up and had used that costume for years in a row, had simply not considered it and I hadn’t thought about the existence of this group in the US in this moment either and just got reminded of it this way then and realised we had messed up and should have thought about it. So I think the reaction towards it was justified even though the eggs and tomato thing was pretty nasty for us back then.” he stated. “I however would have not understood a reaction like this towards Ben because he had nothing synonymous with hatred on himself. I honestly have never known anyone who would see that as a bad thing either. I’ve never heard about a Bavarian getting pissed and offended because Africans and Asians were wearing their traditional clothing and wanted to celebrate the Oktoberfest or as a costume, I never saw a Chinese person getting pissed because Europeans bought traditional Chinese clothing at their stores or a Japanese person getting offended because someone wore a ninja or samurai costume and my brother’s wife was actually happy to get my cousin dressed up the same as herself when she took us to the temple to show us her culture. To me this is a positive, appreciative thing not a bad thing and I don’t get why anyone would find this bad! You know what I am saying?” Sven tried to explain his perspective to Kario.

 

Not only Sven learned something new about Kario, Devon did as well when the black haired told them that Halloween was his favourite holiday of them all and that he liked the idea of costume parties. That the other didn’t like large crowds however wasn’t news to Devon but it certainly was to Sven. “You don’t? The two of you seem to be really different huh? Maybe even polar opposites! Devon is an attention whore!” the artist said laughing amused. “And back when he was younger he was an awful bragger as well.” the man added with a grin. “Come on now, I am just rather extroverted.” Devon corrected, knowing that when he had been younger attention whore wouldn’t have been missing the mark entirely and he had definitely bragged a lot as well.

 

Suddenly a phone was landing on Ashfield’s lap. “Just call Ben and tell him to take down the photo. Maybe he’ll pick up the phone, no clue what time it is over there right now.” Sven told Devon as he was busy driving and couldn’t contact the man himself right now. Devon took up the phone but said:” I?” in disbelief. “I should ask him? If I ask him he’ll spread the picture around the world. Ben wasn’t exactly fond of me for how I treated him back then and I doubt that he’s forgiven me.” Ashfield said knowing full well that the other man loathed him because the blond had been a dick to him back then. “I told him that feminine men like him were an embarrassment to the gay community, that he was a walking talking stereotype and that it was his fault the world would laugh at us.” the politician reminded his friend and forgot to mention that he had also told Sven to get an actual man as a boyfriend and had generally been participating in the masc4masc culture, discriminating against femme men in the gay community in general. And while Devon had changed and didn’t believe what he had said back then anymore at all he knew that Ben would still hate him and would certainly not delete the photo to help him.

 

“I don’t think he holds a grudge against you…” Sven guessed. “But he isn’t a fan of yours either.” he admitted and Devon looked at the contact profile of Ben. The man who was older than Sven was wearing a rainbow beanie, had no make-up on, was missing eyebrows as he had shaved them off for convenience purposes and was drinking a coffee from Starbucks on his profile photo and this photo was already transporting a flamboyant vibe. In the contact description Ashfield found a link that led to the Instagram profile and when Devon clicked on it he saw a completely different profile picture where Ben was in drag, dressed up like a glamorous high fashion medusa with a rainbow boa slung around his shoulder the head of the snake looking the drag-queen right into the eyes. Scrolling further through the profile the Governor noted that Ben didn’t merely own multiple LGBT bars where drag shows were performed, had a make-up and perfume line but that he was apparently also on TV and friends with famous American drag queens too.

 

“The guy is famous? He’s on bloody television and has over a million subscribers! ” Devon stated in shock, looking at the picture of Ben from a television set next to the offending picture from the party that had taken place in 1999. “Sure.” Sven answered calmly having thought that Ashfield knew this. “And Richard is an important judge in the Netherlands now.” Sven informed him of how the dude in the Zwarte Piet costume was doing these days too. “Good grief I’m done for. This picture will be found well before it’s deleted. Maybe someone already has! Why on earth did he put this online?” the Governor seemed desperate. “Because it had been a fun memory, we had drunken quite some brandy and he had wanted to share a memory from the old days with his fans.” the man explained and Devon buried his hands in his face.

 

The drive to the zoo didn’t take them that long and since they had been lucky enough that no one had stopped them due to how fast they had been going they hadn’t lost time due to that either. Upon arriving Ashfield realised just how excited and happy his boyfriend was to see the animals what made him happy in return even though he didn’t care all that much about most animals. Most of them made good hunting trophies and would taste well if grilled in the Governors opinion.

 

It was something he wouldn’t say when Sven was around though. The two friends had had quite some arguments about the topic in their lives and had decided that they wouldn’t discuss this with each other anymore as it had risked their friendship each time. Sven was vigorously opposed to hunting as a sport, especially trophy hunting and had massively lashed out on the Republican Governor when he had found out that the man had gone on a safari in Africa and had shot an endangered elephant for which he later had had to pay a fine.

 

Devon being a sport hunter was something that Sven outright hated about his friend. He only approved of strictly regulated and limited hunting of sick animals and for food purposes because it was more humane than the meat industry which the man boycotted, only ever eating bush meat very few times a month while Devon had deregulated the entire meat industry and had gotten rid of as many animal protection laws in his state as possible.

 

So while Ashfield was glad that Kario felt excited about this and was taking an interest in Sven’s animal shelters and his work for animal protection the Governor was mentally logging out of the conversation, just listening in sporadically.

 

“I’m doing this since a long while now and although the usual animals we care for are dogs, cats, rodents, birds, fish and the occasional iguana, gecko, ball python and corn snake there are some occasions where people keep exotic animals, partially illegal to keep or illegally purchased and taken out of the wilderness.” he explained. “We’ve saved a jaguar, an endangered orang-utan, several kangaroos, a koala, a lynx, a panther, venomous snakes (there was one case where a dude held 55 venomous snakes in a 40m2 apartment and lost a black mamba leading to the street in the neighbourhood to get evacuated until the animal had been found), alligators and crocodiles, a hawksbill turtle and other endangered turtles and reptiles taken out of the wilderness, a chimpanzee… let’s just say many over the years. Unfortunately the trade with exotic and wild animals is profitable business and it’s difficult to stomp out. My organisations help as good as possible but the government is doing too little. There aren’t enough resources going into animal protection in my opinion.” Sven stated and Devon who had heard this on the sidelines was biting his lips to keep himself from disagreeing as he found that animal protection laws and regulations were already blocking a lot of business and construction and that he wanted less of those and not more what would cause another of their infamous arguments.

 

“If you’re interested in the work of my animal shelters as well as what my organisation and my partner organisations do all over Europe you’re more than welcome to visit us!” the artist invited Kario. “If you are interested in that important workfield there might be an option you can consider since you mentioned that you wanted to discuss school and career options with Devon earlier on.” Sven started. “You could start a dual education in animal attendance if you’d visit and I saw that you’d be right for the job. You’d work at my animal shelters and in animal protection in the different projects we have and get paid and go to school one or two days a week for three years and the education in the school would cost you nothing so you would be able to keep the money you make. After you graduate you’d be a professional animal attendant and have an education that would be equivalent to a three years degree from an average American college, plus the three years worth of work experience in your field and you can always build on all of that whenever you feel the need to.” the man suggested. “Just think of this as an option. It’s a really popular job many people want to learn. The zoos and the shelters run by the state in my nation have waiting lists and no places available for years to come for this education because so many people want to become animal attendants. Being a private enterprise I personally don’t keep lists like those. My organisations and I choose the people we give the chance to learn this job and we want to qualify usually from our volunteers and from how the people interact with the animals. So this would be an option and an opportunity for you, if you would actually like to work in that field at all.” he explained to the black haired man who seemed so excited about animals and so interested in the work Sven’s animal shelters and animal protection organisations did.

 

When they entered the zoo Devon looked at the map he had taken from the counter. “Where shall we go first? It’s divided by continents and maritime and terrestrial animals?” the blond asked Kario where to go to first.

[Sathenus]

"It may be something to consider and look into." Kario admitted with a small nod. The ties that his boyfriends family had with some genealogists and historians who could help him reconstruct a family tree would be something he would have to think about. At the very least they could give him a good idea of where to start this whole thing since he really wasn't sure how much his parents knew on this. His mother could help him quite a bit on their side he was sure, but his father had never seemed to be that interested in such matters. Then again, he hadn't shown any interest in his own lineage until now either. It caused him to shrug slightly before he realized he had been lost in his own thoughts. Dragging himself out of them enough to hear Sven's remark about the headdress.

 

"Those that lived in the plains area so those tribes were most likely the Sioux and Cheyenne. I am sure there are other tribes that use them as well, just not that come to mind right now. I'm definitely not an expert after all." Kario admitted with a small smile not that Sven would or did necessarily see that. He just liked things like that and in school learning about the natives and all the tribes had been his favorite part of history. Actually, it had been his favorite part of school all together not being much of a fan otherwise. His interest was peaked when Sven started talking about lederhosen and telling him that they were heinous causing him to laugh as he explained it a bit more. "Aren't there Bavarians who would think the same thing though?" Kario asked. He was sure that there had to be some who agreed with Sven's opinion about lederhosen and thought that they were hideous.

 

Listening as Sven explained Sinterklaas to him Kario had to admit that while it definitely sounded like an interesting tradition that all it really ended up doing was confusing him. "How many countries have traditions where good kids get candy or presents while the bad get beaten or kidnapped?" He asked because he was starting to feel like it was more common than he had first thought. Though it was definitely an odd concept and he wasn't entirely sure how he felt about it. At the same time it didn't bother him that these were the stories and tradition of some people or that there were similar stories and traditions. There weren't always going to be traditions that he agreed with or liked but that was just part of life no one could like everything after all.

 

"Sounds like a fun game." Kario admitted liking the sound of it. He knew with his luck that was a game he'd lose pretty often but it still sounded fun all the same. His thoughts on that were interrupted when Devon was asking Sven if there had been any pictures of that night uploaded too. Even with everything else they had been discussing he couldn't understand why it was such a big deal if there had been pictures of that night uploaded. Sven seemed to be thinking the same thing asking the blonde what was up with him today and saying he had never been like this. Devon's response made Kario frown while he understood and agreed that people would see it that way he still felt like it was an overreaction. 

 

"I agree. Unfortunately... a lot of people don't see it that way." He said with a sigh. "People seem to be using any and every chance to claim something is racist even when it's not." That was the best way to state this because it was true. It seemed that people were claiming things were racist at every and any opportunity even if it was absurd and wasn't the case. There wasn't much that could be done about it though so he understood in the end why Devon didn't want pictures of that costume party or that game night on the internet where people could find them. They certainly would claim it was racist even if that definitely had not been the case. It'd turn into a huge scandal and he was sure that his boyfriend wouldn't be able to bounce back from that like he had miraculously managed to come out on top despite being outed as gay.

 

Amusement was once more clear on Kario's face when Sven told him how Devon was an attention whore and how he had also been an awful bragger too. Having heard stories about the politician when he had been younger from the man himself and his mother there was no doubt in Kario's mind that Sven was spot on. "Oh I know. I've been told." He mused smiling as his gaze moved to Devon. Though it wasn't like the blonde had to try for attention when it was the two of them. Kario's attention was for nothing and no one else other than him.

 

"Guess it just goes to show you never know who will end up making it big." Kaine said after Devon and Sven had talked about the other and how well he was doing. The only thing he knew about the guy was the story Devon had told him when Sven had first started dating the man. While he liked to think that he would have gotten over the blonde's words in all these years he had no idea if that was true or not. Some people really could hold grudges after all. At the same time he thought that maybe his boyfriend should just accept the fact that the picture was out there and move past it. 

 

Hanging onto every word that Sven said Kario was rather intrigued to hear all the different types of exotic animals that Sven had encountered only to end up saying that over the years they had encountered many exotic animals that they had helped in rescuing. It was amazing and he loved to know that there were people out there to help those animals out. "You have a point there." Kario agreed with a sigh. Not really feeling like there were enough laws protecting animals either wild or domestic. "Makes you wonder how many animals will be extinct by the end of your lifetime with things going the way they are." He added. At least he did, feeling like there were quite a few species he'd be saying goodbye to in his lifetime. Even if he wished it'd be anything else.

 

His eyes definitely lit up at the mention of their possibly being a chance for him to get an education and experience with working in Sven's animal shelters and in animal protection. That was definitely something he wanted to look into doing and consider but at the same time he understood that this was in Europe and he could recall Devon mentioning local colleges before signaling he didn't really want him to go far away. "That's amazing and it's definitely something to talk over." Kario admitted turning his gaze from Sven to Devon the sparkle in his eyes had disappeared and been replaced with a questioning one. This was an option Kario definitely wanted to fully consider and think through not wanting to throw the chance for this opportunity out the window. Even if it wasn't a guarantee it was still something he wanted to think about pursuing.

 

Entering the zoo meant that their conversation ended up on hold and was changing to the animals and where they should start soon. Kario peeked over Devon's shoulder to see the map he was holding of the zoo and was looking over it to try to figure out where they should go first. After a moment he took his eyes off the map and took one of Devon's hands in his. "Let's go this way." He indicated already pulling Devon along wanting to start with the reptile house in the very beginning since he did love all sorts of reptiles and was curious about how many different species they'd see inside. "We'll start with the reptile house and make our way around the zoo and back to the entrance." Kario added as they were walking entwining their fingers and really happy to have a day out with Devon and even have the chance to get to know Sven. The foreigners appearance may have been surprising but he was still looking forward to getting to know him especially since he was still one of if not his boyfriend's best friend. Entering the reptile house was pretty cool in itself and the first few reptiles they got to see were large snakes and Kario had to admit that while they were pretty animals they weren't the most amazing things he's ever seen. It didn't take too long for him to see an animal that did really grab his attention, it was another long snake but Kario was intrigued by this one because he had always thought they were amazing. The green anaconda was partially on a log in it's habitat but it was clear that the majority of it was in the water that made up a decent amount of it's habitat as well. His eyes were looking over the snake before his eyes moved to Devon and a smile appeared, "There is a certain beauty about large snakes." He told him resting his hand on the railing outside of the snakes home and turning his full attention to Devon and Sven. 

[-Hideki-]

“Yes, but they sure as hell wouldn’t admit it in front of a ‘damn Prussian’ like me.” Sven answered jestingly, laughing heartedly when Kario had asked whether there weren’t any Bavarian’s who’d agree that Lederhosen were hideous. The German man then shook his head though. “No. There definitely are some Bavarians who aren’t a fan of their traditional wear. My boyfriend … I mean ex-boyfriend for example wasn’t. He didn’t find Lederhosen to be fashionable but above everything also incredibly uncomfortable. But he was a rather weird Bavarian to start with. He was a vegetarian, didn’t like beer and found that the Oktoberfest in München had become a shit-show. I sometimes asked myself if the Bavarians had kicked him out of their state and that was how he had gotten to Hamburg.” he laughed again.

“Well, you can certainly count all the Germanic nations…. and some Slavic nations.” the man with the ash-blond hair stated with an amused grin on his face when Ashfield’s boyfriend asked just how many countries had traditions based on tales where good kids got rewarded while the bad got punished. “It’s important to say that neither the Dutch nor the Germans or Austrians dressed up as Zwarte Piet, Knecht Ruprecht or Krampus actually beat anyone with a birch. It’s merely in the tale that is told.” he explained.

“It’s a trope that you’ll find in old, traditional German stories and books a lot as well. Achieving obedience in kids through fear of fatal consequences! Do good and you’ll be rewarded, do bad or misbehave and you’ll end up dead or crippled. From the Grimm Brothers to Struwwelpeter, it’s a concept you’ll notice a lot. That makes our fairytales and bedtime stories that popular …. as references and inspirations for horror movies that is.” Sven said acknowledging that there was something very problematic with this concept.

“My grandmother, she was a great person and I loved her dearly, for example, told my brother and me that if we were to eat rowan berries we would die because they were poisonous. The fact of the matter is that rowan berries aren’t deadly or poisonous but that they can, if you eat them raw, cause stomach aches and diarrhoea. To prevent us from eating something that may cause us pain and her the trouble of us falling sick she planted the fear that we would die from it into our heads to keep us from eating those berries. And we didn’t not only eat these berries, whenever we touched them we would run to wash our hands afterwards and try not to touch anything else because they were supposedly incredibly poisonous and deadly. It took us well into adult age to figure out that rowan berries weren’t deadly and to notice that not only we’ve been fooled like that but that it was common to tell kids that they’d die from the berries. So much so that ‘Rowan berries deadly/poisonous’ opens up plenty of sites on the German internet nowadays. And that isn’t the only thing where my grandma or parents overdramatized consequences to create fear and eliminate an unwanted behaviour just like in the Struwwelpeter books. I jumped on my parents bed, my mother said:’A colleague of mine had a son just the same age as you who jumped on the bed and he stumbled and smashed his head on the wooden corner, the wood broke through his skull and pierced his brain, the bed was covered in blood and splinters of his skull were laying on floor and bed. And another kid fell down and broke his neck.’ I surely stopped jumping. I too slept on the floor for a week because I was scared that the bed would somehow kill me.”

“It is.” Devon’s best friend nodded when Kario expressed the ‘Schwarzer Peter’ game sounded like a fun game. “We could play it together. I could order a pack of cards from amazon and after the dinner party at Devon’s father’s place we can sit down in the mansion with some booze and play cards.” he suggested. “Maybe the two of you could invite some friends who are up for that too?” Sven suggested and Ashfield sucked on his lower lip. “There is no one I could ask.” he answered and it felt embarrassing to admit this in front of his old friend. The Governor had plenty of contacts, knew a hell of a lot of people but most of them were work related. He hadn’t been able to get closer to anyone on a private level and he didn’t really have any friends anymore.

The blond man had been incredibly lonely. And that loneliness had been what had made him desperate enough to end up going into the brothel where he had met Kario. The few friends he had known from high-school had a life that was severely different from his. They had families and were embedded into their neighbourhoods. He rarely ever saw them. They didn’t have anything to say to each other anyway. And the friends he had made in university and during his time as a businessman had mostly been in Europe but he wasn’t in Europe anymore nor had he been able to continue to live the life he had lived before he had become the governor. In moments like those he asked himself whether it had been a mistake to enter politics despite his interest in political science. He asked himself whether he should have rather stayed in economics and living the jet set life he had had. If he had done so he would have stayed in touch with his friends in Europe more, would have gotten to see and experience adventures with Sven more and he would have to answer to nobody!

Heck, he wouldn’t have to think about ridiculous bullshit like black face paint and all the accusations about himself and  about his family and his ancestors would not be his problem at all. He would sit in their European headquarter and run the foreign affairs of Ashfield Corporation and all that other bullshit would be a problem of his father and his father and his new cooperation with far right nationalist militias he called his private police would be the problem of whoever would be Governor if he wasn’t the Governor. Heck, maybe it would even be Theodore Parker or Clarris Miller whom he had run against who’d be stuck in this mess right now.

Ashfield could see Sven’s pitiful, sympathetic gaze in the rear-vision mirror and it was insufferable, he couldn’t stand it.
“I could ask the gardener!” he then said and Sven put on a smile. “Great!” the German expressed a little too enthusiastically and Devon crossed his arms in front of his chest and stirred out of the window.

The politician was almost glad when the drive had come to an end and he could get some fresh air. He was also rather content with the fact that he didn’t have to engage in the conversation much because his old friend and his boyfriend were talking about that entire animal rights and protection kerfuffle that he didn’t care for.

He just took the time to turn off his thoughts and his mind and enjoy being outdoors, not in an office, not in a TV studio or in some car.

It certainly was a topic that was important to Sven and the man left out a deeply sad sigh when Kario speculated about how many species would go extinct in his lifetime. “It’s something that can really make anger about our own species rise within me. We are the worst animal that ever happened to all the other animals and this planet.” he stated. “Then again I’m optimistic enough to think that maybe, if some of us work together for the right cause we can make a difference. If we can even keep one species from going extinct that would be doomed otherwise it is a victory. Every individual animal that’s saved a success.” the man found.

“You know what the problem is? That the world doesn’t revolve around rational solutions and that people don’t strive for what would be the best and most stable and beneficial outcome for every person, every other animal and the planet we live on but that it revolves around short term profits of a few individuals who don’t see that working towards a better perspective for all would actually benefit them too in the long run.” Sven mused.


“The governments are henpecked by the economy and make their rules and laws around the economy. That is not how it should be.” he said. “The governments’ laws should protect the public interests and the corporations and companies should have to respect and play by the laws like everyone else has to as well.” he said.

“I give you an example. My brother and his Corporations’ lobby groups go vigorously against every form of business regulations be they environmental, animal protection, workers rights etc. to prevent those from passing. Everything that would seemingly be bad for his easy profits he wants to shut down. He will try to throw as many rocks in the way as possible. But whenever a law like this passes he will adapt to the rule of law rather smoothly and change his strategy. The market economy is adaptable. They will change their game but they won’t if they don’t have to.” he said.

“Bullshit! The free market always reflects the will of the people. If people prioritised environmental standards, animal protection and the like the market would adapt to this without the government making environmental and animal protection laws because the people would favour products produced under those strict regulation and the other players had to do that as well or disappear from the market. But that is not the case.” Devon said. “Most people buy conventional products by conventional Corporations because they don’t see it through your lens and they actually like those products as they are.” the Governor couldn’t hold onto himself joining the conversation after all.

Sven snorted. “Nice theory! But unfortunately flawed! People do care about those issues, they care about animal rights and their environment – why do you think Jens invests in environmental friendly energies and solutions now, definitely not because he gives a fuck -  but they often can’t support those products on the market because their wages don’t allow them to buy the products that in our societies are still a hell of a lot more expensive than the low quality ones produced on the back of the workers and employees, animal rights, the environment and their health. You and I, we wouldn’t ever buy that stuff you’re defending. You wouldn’t touch those foods with a ten-foot pole, you would never buy meat from the conventional meat industry because the products are unhealthy and don’t uphold the same quality in taste and texture as well and you know it, you are way too intelligent to not know it.” the man who worked in animal protection said and Devon Ashfield mumbled something into his beard stubbornly, shaking his head, clinking out of the conversation again. What bad could he say about the meat industry anyway? They had supported his campaign and he had partaken in the creation of a very nice image film.

Devon’s old friend sighed deeply and smiled at Kario. “It’s pretty obvious that working in business wouldn’t have been for me isn’t it?” he laughed once more. “I studied business finance and financial management and it wasn’t like I was doing bad at it, it was just that I hated it. Profits didn’t interest me. I had always loved culture and art since I had been very young and I had always wanted to create art with meaning and generally do some work, that makes a difference, I can be proud of, to give something back. So I dropped out of business school and went to arts school. And after university I sold my part of the steel empire I was supposed to inherit to my brother, invested in real estate as that was a save investment and founded my animal protection organisation and the shelters.” he told the other. “All of that only possible because I had been born with the privilege to never care or to worry about money, ever! I didn’t have to think: will I be able to make money with my art or how will I survive like low wage workers at the Corporations I have mentioned. What I am doing, I can only do because my family is rich. I am very aware of that.” Sven admitted honestly.

When Sven offered Kario a possible job opportunity in animal protection Devon had logged into the conversation again, listening rather closely and looking at his boyfriend who seemed to glow at the opportunity. He had almost thought so. Especially after the man had agreed with Sven that the government didn’t do enough when it came to animal protection, in their state the government being him!

Yes, the blond had wished for Kario to stay in their state, for them to be close before but he felt like he had to rethink this. How fair was it to talk against this opportunity for his lover, against him to not only get to work in a field that he was truly passionate about but also to see the world in favour of staying in Ashfield’s reach, when he himself had had the opportunity to go to university abroad and even though he was working close by in his office in the city centre not actually being around and available to his boyfriend?

Could he truly say:”I want you to not take this opportunity and to stay here for me” when all Kario got to see of him was an overworked, burned out man who hung in a chair like a potato bag when he returned home more often than in the evening during night-time, would babble something about his work and politics and then fall asleep as soon as he hit the mattress?

There was no refusal of the idea nor support for it in his gaze and body language when his boyfriend’s eyes met him questioningly. There was uncertainty and consideration. At least if Kario took the job at Sven’s animal shelters he felt less likely to lose the other because there would be a connection through Sven as well.

Upon entering the zoo Kario pulled Ashfield into the direction of the reptile house. It was probably the most uninteresting part of the zoo for the Governor but in the end he didn’t exactly care and just followed along, glad that the other was excited about their visit in the zoo.

“Feels a lot like home.” Devon announced when they had entered the reptile house as it reminded him a lot of his parents’ mansion that was full of rare reptiles that his father was collecting. Passing the alligators he was reminded of Paul, his father’s albino alligator whom Ashfield had never liked.

Kario halted in front of the terrarium of Eunectes murinus, staring at the snake in complete fascination, declaring that there was a certain beauty about large snakes. “You think so. I never saw it.” Devon stated as he looked at the snake rather uninterested because his father had an even larger specimen in his mansion. “You’ll probably feel right at home at my parent’s mansion then. If you’re lucky my father feeds a neighbour’s cat to the anaconda that lives in the dining hall again. If you like reptiles you might get along with him well in the end after all.” Ashfield guessed and shrugged.

Sven had fallen behind a little looking into every terrarium calculating whether the home of the animals was species-appropriate and how the conditions of living for them were. When he reached the two other men at the anaconda he said:” Eunectes murinus. The sexual dimorphism in this species is extreme. The males, on average are about 1m shorter than the females and the male animals only weigh about 7 kg on average whereas the females weigh about 32 kg on average. That one’s a female. You know what’s funny, while Eunectes notaeus doesn’t get nearly as large as Eunectes murinus it’s said to be even more aggressive. In the end both anacondas are known for being rather aggressive snakes though. I personally find the colouring of Eunectes notaeus more beautiful though but both are sure as hell equally fascinating. ” he said without anyone asking him. “Are you going to lecture us on all those animals now?” Devon asked, hoping his friend wouldn’t.

 

[Sathenus]

"I definitely wouldn't think that," Kario admitted with a small smile. He knew that those people definitely didn't beat anyone with birch and that it was merely a part of the tale. That said it raised the question of how many people truly believed such tales actually got the behavior they wanted out of children. Apparently enough for those tales and traditions to continue to be shared generation after generation. Still, it made Kaine wonder how many people truly believed it was working. There had to be parents or grandparents who told these tales to their children and grandchildren were those tales did not affect the behavior of those kids. As children got older they were bound to discover -some younger than others- that those were just stories and not let it affect their behavior anymore.

 

"Can't argue there." He agreed with a small nod. Those bedtime stories and fairytales really did make great references for horror movies but that just made Kario question them even more. At least as bedtime stories. "They do make some great horror movies though," Kario added with another smile. While he didn't want them as a bedtime story himself he definitely enjoyed them as horror movies or shows. That was where he felt they fit the best. "I mean... I can see why in those situations lying would or could get you the desired results you were hoping for but it can't work every time either. Surely some kids know better than to believe such tales like what you were told about jumping on the bed since that's not all that different than what I am sure many kids around the world are told to get them not to jump on the bed. Albeit what you were told is definitely more graphic than what most kids are probably told." Kario said as he was thinking about it a little bit. He could understand the berry thing and even what Sven had been told to get him not to jump on the bed. That didn't mean he could necessarily understand the reason why those tales seemed to work so well. He could see why the berries might, especially since it seemed to be something many people learned later on in their life was a lie. The jumping on the bed story on the other hand he thought wouldn't necessarily work as well as it had with Sven. At least Kario didn't think it would. He could recall his own parents warning him about jumping on the bed, how you could crack your head open, break your neck, an arm, and maybe even a leg. Did it stop him from jumping on the bed? Not at all. If anything he was just more careful about it. Sure he hadn't been told something as graphic about what had or could happen when jumping on the bed and yet he couldn't see himself believing that either. There was no way to say if he would have or not since he wasn't a child anymore but it was a bit interesting to think about and see if he thought that he would.

 

"That does sound like fun," Kario admitted with a smile. It was after all just a game and it sounded like a fun one that Kario really wanted to give a try. At the mention of inviting friends who are up for it, he wasn't surprised that Devon at this point was sucking on his lower lip. It didn't really bother him that his boyfriend didn't have anyone that he could invite to play the game with them. On the other hand, he did wish that the blonde had a chance to have a social life. While he knew how busy the politician was, especially since they hadn't even had time for each other until today, he wished that Devon had more time for friends new or old. While his boyfriend made it clear how important friends could be and how he wanted him to make the right friends he didn't hear the older man talking about making friends himself. "I don't either. Guess I need to get out more." Kario mused. Even with the part-time job he had picked up Kario hadn't made many friends not because he wasn't friendly or there wasn't anyone he thought was friend material but because that was the only time he spent outside the mansion and its grounds. While he considered some of his coworkers as friends they weren't the type of people that he necessarily wanted to invite over to play a card game.

 

"That's definitely a nice way to see it," Kario replied his smile bright. Thinking about saving even a single species like that made the whole thing seem like a much more realistic goal. Even if Kario wished that they were able to save every one of the endangered species it was what it was. Even one species saved really was a victory and a great one at that. It meant that species could survive for another generation, maybe even many more. "I'm sure there is no shortage of individual animals to save either." Kario admitted.

 

Hearing Sven talk about how his brother would vigorously go against any sort of business regulations regardless of them being environmental, animal protection, or workers' rights had Kario nodding. He could see why Jens wasn't exactly thrilled by those types of business regulations and would do what he could to stop them or slow them down. Sven was quick to say that when such laws were passed that his brother adapted quickly and business continued as usual. That made sense and it was how it should be. These laws weren't made to make things more difficult for businesses but to protect the planet they lived on and those working there. Kario could see and understand that these laws could be less than satisfactory to businesses, but they were important laws otherwise they wouldn't have made it that far to begin with. At least he saw it that way, and it was easy to see it that way because he didn't work in business or politics.

 

Sure enough, Devon was soon voicing his own opinion on the matter. Kario didn't even have to speak up because Sven was doing so a second later and voicing what he believed as well. He really did have to agree with Sven here knowing that his boyfriend wouldn't buy those products. They didn't meet the standards he upheld. Why then did the older man protect those products and companies? Why did he take their side and not see what was right in front of him? Kario felt like everyone deserved the standard of food and products that his boyfriend held himself too, products that were so out of reach for families like his own, families that already tried so hard, and struggled with other things. He could tell by how his boyfriend grumbled into his beard and was shaking his head that he was being stubborn and didn't like Sven calling him out on such things. It caused a small amused smile to cross Kario's face since he had gotten used to similar responses whenever they had agreed to disagree on things or if he had made a point that his boyfriend didn't necessarily like since it meant he was wrong in some shape or form.

 

Kario had to admit that he admired how honest Sven was and didn't remotely deny that a lot of the reason, if not the only reason, why he was able to pursue his dream without the fear of money was because of his family. The fortune he had been born into definitely did help the man accomplish so much and Kario couldn't deny that either. Still, it paved the way for other people as well, like those that Sven worked with and had hired since then. It wasn't a job the older man could do on his own and following his dreams had allowed others to do the same. Maybe not so much in the art world but Kario truly felt there was no helping in that area. It was up to the artist to let their art speak for themselves and become more than just a hobby. "While I admire your honesty in admitting it thanks to being rich to a poor family you still accomplished a lot. You were able to do what makes you happy and made your own name for yourself. Regardless of how rich your family is that's still admirable." Kario replied.

 

While Kario understood Sven being from such a rich family had made it possible the fact that Sven had taken his own path and done what he wanted to do was still something that should be admired. He didn't give in to what was expected and instead focused on himself and his happiness. Kario knew and understood that there were probably many more kids of rich families grown or still growing who were following the path laid out for them instead of making their own. While Kario wanted to not think of his boyfriend it was hard not to, knowing that the older man while having an interest in political science was the governor because his father basically made him do it. Kario hoped that some day what Devon was doing was because he alone wanted to do it and because it made him happy. Not because someone else was pulling the strings and making him do something for the good of the company or the family. He really hoped Devon would be able to break away from that grip and just be himself. While Kario wished for these things he'd never tell Devon that, instead he'd help him pull away little by little and back up his choices. There was no rushing such things especially since he was understanding the relationship his boyfriend had with his father more and more the more he saw them interact. It definitely wasn't healthy and yet he had already seen Devon become more independent since he had started living with him.

 

Meeting his boyfriend's gaze after Sven had made such an amazing offer showed that while Devon wasn't outright refusing the idea he wasn't really accepting it either. It made him want to get excited that it wasn't an outright 'no' but at the same time he couldn't bring himself to because he didn't want to get excited about something that Devon wasn't okay with him doing. Their discussions about him going to school and furthering his education had made it quite clear that Devon had wanted him to stay in state, better yet in the city. But... at the same time Kario didn't want to pass up a chance to chase after this opportunity either. While he tried to rationalize the fact that Devon cared about him and just wanted him to be close he couldn't help but think that it may be a bit selfish of his boyfriend if the politician did tell him he couldn't do it. Sven hadn't guaranteed anything anyway, he had merely suggested he visit them and that if he saw that he was a good fit he could potentially do a dual education. It could be possible that he went and they discovered he wasn't a good fit in which case he'd be back in Devon's arms not long after he was sure. Kario did his best to understand that while he was excited by the chance for this opportunity that three years was a long time to be apart and he knew that his boyfriend didn't necessarily want to be apart for that long. As a politician it wasn't like he could have Devon go with him and these were all things that had to be discussed and every option considered. Which was one of many reasons why he had not made any education decisions on his own and had told Devon he wanted to sit down and discuss the different paths he had thought of to find one that worked for both of them. One he could pursue happily but that wouldn't leave the handsome blonde in the dust not wanting to do that to him.

 

It took Kario a moment to push his thoughts and worries about his education and following any path from his mind. Now wasn't the time to be thinking and focused on these things. He could discuss these things with Devon another time, hopefully sometime soon but he had no idea of knowing that either right now. The older man was so busy that Kario had often wondered if Devon even knew he was there half the time. Mainly because any little conversation they did have when his boyfriend got home was just the blonde mumbling something about politics before falling asleep. While the dark haired man knew and understood that Devon was busy since his reelection he definitely missed having him around and the older man being more aware. Sure even before he had come home tired but they had been able to at least have an actual conversation and spend some time together before he was coaxing Devon upstairs to bed. These days he had to pretty much usher Devon up to bed right after dinner if he could even get him to stay awake long enough for dinner these days. It made him hope the blonde ate before coming home no matter how unlikely that was sometimes. 

 

 

"I don't think any amount of liking reptiles of any kind will make your father like me." Kario admitted with a soft laugh. While he did think that there was an odd beauty in many reptiles he didn't in any way think that his view on reptiles would remotely make Andrew Ashfield like him in any sense. He just didn't see the blonde's father warming up to him or giving him a chance to begin with. Kario did like to hope or think that once the man's father saw he wasn't going anywhere that he'd change his behavior but if how he treated Devon was any indication of how he'd end up treating him if he did ever accept him then he was more than willing to pass on that. As long as his boyfriend's mother continued to be nice then he was all set, and he was glad that his parents liked Devon even if the man was their age.

 

Turning his attention from his sudden thoughts to Sven who was speaking about the anaconda and giving some interesting facts on it he couldn't help but laugh again when Devon asked his old friend if he was going to lecture them on every animal. "Those are some interesting facts though." Kario admitted with a smile turning his gaze back to the snake. "I know reptiles probably couldn't be any less interesting to you, but that's why I thought we'd start with them." He added glancing towards Devon. It wasn't like the older man hadn't told him how he felt about reptiles before especially since they had discussed his parents' mansion and the reptiles his father kept there. So it seemed like a good idea to start their day at the zoo here that way they could hopefully end with something that interested the older man more. As they made their way through the rest of the reptile house he took a look at all the other animals that were there, finding more interest in a chameleon as they were heading out and back into the fresh air.

 

After the reptile house Kario lead the way towards the jungle section of the zoo where they were able to see gorillas, chimpanzees, jaguars and other animals. These animals were definitely interesting to look at though some were more elusive than others but they ended up seeing them before moving on anyway. As they went he was more than happy to talk to Sven about the different animals liking that he could ask the older man a question about them and learn something new. Though he made sure not to do it all the time since he knew that Devon might not be as interested as he was in these things. They had made it about halfway through another section of the zoo before his attention was more on Devon than the animals. "You know... you asked me what I wanted to do today but other than what you've planned tonight there isn't anything you want to do." Kario said wondering if the politician was even enjoying this or if he was just going along with it because he knew that he had never been to the zoo before. The younger man didn't want his boyfriend to do something that didn't interest him just because he had never gotten to do it before and wanted to do so. 

 

It didn't matter how happy he was to be spending time with the blonde, he still wanted to do something that interested them both. Even if there would definitely be times that they'd be doing something that interested one more than the other. For the first day that he actually got to spend time with Devon since his reelection he really wanted to do something that they'd both like. Even if the three of them would definitely enjoy dinner and Kario was more than excited to spend some one on one time with him tonight after dinner. Just some time cuddling together would make him happy, even if they slept beside him every night it wasn't the same as just relaxing and cuddling up with each other. Not to mention Kario would be lying if he said that he wasn't hoping for them to get a little more intimate tonight. That wasn't something he felt needed to be discussed it'd either happen or it wouldn't.

[-Hideki-]

„That’s exactly the point though.“ Sven said with an amused smile. “If my mother would have simply said: ‘Don’t jump on the bed you can hurt yourself badly and it’s not exactly good for the bed either’ I would have completely disregarded it. The story needs to have shock value, needs to terrify you in that moment and thus be told graphically and dramatically and as specifically painful and horrific, by someone you consider trustworthy. It needs to come across as genuinely worrying and threatening at the same time and trigger a deep fear.” The man told the other.

“Granted, not every story has the same effect on the same person or works with everyone. It always depends on what consequence and storytelling style manages to terrify you in that moment and through that make you stop performing the unwanted behaviour because you associate it with the shocking horror story and in the back of your mind are scared that actually happens to you.” Sven explained.

“My brother for instance who had picked on and made fun of some strangers was absolutely terrified that some dude would appear, stuff him into a pot of black magic ink that wouldn’t wash off and dye his skin black as a punishment for his behaviour as a kid while the same story didn’t affect me at all, not that I picked on anyone in the first place, not in that way anyway. It really depends on the circumstances and what actually manages to scare someone enough. The idea of wood piercing through my brain terrified me, his skin turning black  terrified Jens, a friend of mine was scared of burning into a pile of ashes and kept away from fire and lighters for a while after the Struwwelpeter book had been read to him and Devon wanted to run away from our house after my grandma had read it to him too, although she had made the effort of translating it specifically for him.” He laughed.
 

 

 

 

When Kario and Sven talked entering the zoo something that almost bordered on pride was appearing on the artist’s face. “That’s true.” He agreed. “And that was what I’ve always wanted. To create something of my own, something good, something that would make a difference, something that I stand behind. To use my capital for something worthwhile.” The ash-blond told the other. “When I was younger I wanted to create art that would make a statement, be appreciated and contribute and re-shape culture and I wanted to make a difference in society and on our planet for the better.” Sven explained. “And when I look at what I have done and how my life is now I actually have achieved that as that’s what I am doing, my life is how I wanted it to be.” The man spoke and one could actually see how he was musing and asking himself why it was that he felt like he was missing something, why he even missed having someone in his life. His life surely was great without a partner, certainly better than the life of that bloody, boring dentist who had stolen his boyfriend.

Devon stared into the direction of the anaconda and when Kario expressed that no matter how much he liked reptiles his father would probably never actually like him he knew that it was probably right. But whom did his father actually ‘like’ anyway? Beside himself and his family name that was? Maybe with his father it was better to speak of acknowledging someone rather than liking them or even gaining his respect through success and demonstrated strength.

It was completely different in Kario’s family. Kario’s parent’s loved their son unconditionally and they had accepted and welcomed him unconditionally as well because Devon loved Kario and Kario loved him and even though he hadn’t seen them in a while, the more time he spend with the black haired man’s family the more the grudge against his father and actually his mother as well, grew.

His mother in her old age at least seemed to try in her own way, as far as her narcissism allowed it but his father was the same old guy he had always been. With the exception of having found a heart for far-right militia groups consisting out of people he’d have called ‘losers’ and ‘low-lives’ a month or so ago.

Ashfield didn’t have to think about this any longer though because Sven had caught up throwing his anaconda facts at them and Devon knew the man enough to know that after the visit to the zoo he’d have plenty of useless knowledge about animals he didn’t care to know.

And that suspicion actually got confirmed even when they had finally left the notorious reptile house behind. Sven, who cooperated with zoos and worked with animals was still totally happy and fascinated and even squatted down to interact with a chimpanzee, it almost looked like communication, despite the barrier of the enclosure that separate the man from the monkey.

They made their way through the zoo and Devon didn’t talk much. He tried to enjoy the silent moments and tried to cut out Sven’s and Kario’s chatter about animals and the noises the animals made.

When they came across the elephant enclosure his best friend lit up. “Elephants are one of my favourite animals. They are really majestic and have an incredible memory, they never forget a thing.” He started his lecture again and once he had given them enough elephant facts he went over to alarm them of how endangered they were also thanks to people like Ashfield who hunted the animals as trophies or for ivory in a really disdainful tone of voice.

“Come on now, it’s been over a decade ago and I have paid my fine.” Devon brushed it off, not feeling as though that was worth talking about anymore. “Your money won’t bring back the elephant though, Devon!” Sven scolded him. “You can’t put a price on the life of an elephant!” he added and the Republican Governor thought that one obviously could because they had and he had paid it.

After that Sven went on to tell them about hundreds of elephants who had died in Botswana from toxins in the water. Fortunately for Ashfield who didn’t care much about Botswana or elephants in Botswana Sven got distracted by the animal attendant who was taking care of the elephants and was rushing towards her to start what his friend probably thought was an interesting conversation with her.

The blond Governor stared at the elephants. He didn’t get the hype.

As they were standing there, slowed down by Sven, his lover commented on whether there was anything that the politician would like to do except for dinner because he had only asked what Kario had wanted to do.

Ashfield immediately understood that he probably didn’t make the most joyful expression here. “I’m sorry.” He apologised. “I’m not the most pleasant company at the moment.” He added with a deep sigh.

“I’m fine with this here! I’m not that interested in the animals per se but it’s relatively relaxing and quiet and unagitated and that’s pretty much all that matters to me right now. I get some fresh air and I am walking next to you, the location doesn’t matter. We could have walked through my park at the mansion or through the forest, it would have been fine with me as well.” The blond assured Kario, scratching his beard.

The stubble on his chin had grown into a full-beard, the same beard he had worn before he had gone into politics and his father as well as his advisors had told him to rather not wear a beard and shave it off. He had stayed stubborn about it thus far now though and had ignored his father and his advisers and Jason.

He sighed another time and looked at his boyfriend with his golden eyes that lay in the shadows of deep dark circles. “Look, I know that I’ve been a shitty boyfriend, heck, I am not sure if I have done everything right as the Governor but even though I want to make things better and have more time for the both of us and to be more fun I am not exactly sure how I am supposed to do this at the moment.” He admitted.

“Our people are divided, are rioting, are fighting, I am under massive attack from all sides at this point and apparently can’t do anything right anymore, Mahler is getting more radical and is suggesting more and more radical means and even more power for the police-force and despite all the respect I have for our police even I am not willing to go that far and my father is out of control!” he scratched his neck. “I have dealt with riots before. I have dealt with trouble and uproar and scandals before but this is different as it doesn’t seem to end, is more hostile, hateful and aggressive and people won’t let themselves be persuaded and calmed anymore and whatever move I make, whatever I do can become the next excuse to start another riot and looting session again and my father to send in his violent, armed fascist thugs. It is as though me breathing, eating or sleeping, simple everyday things will already piss people off and I am not sure how I am supposed to bring the people together anymore and bridge the divide, I just know that my father and the militia he hired aren’t helpful at all.”

 
“And now I am boring you with politics again because that’s all my life is at the moment, politics. Politics, politics, politics and politics, everything I do, even if it has nothing to do with politics is political.”he ranted and took a deep breath. “It doesn’t seem to be much of a problem when you’re single but at this point I understand that an office like mine takes a toll on most relationships” Devon said and he would understand it if Kario said he wasn’t up for that shit after all because the higher Ashfield climbed on the ladder the worse it’d get. The less their privacy would be and the less time he’d have and the other wasn’t into politics at all, he wasn’t even a person focussed on careers.

He leaned himself against the elephant enclosure and looked into the dark eyes of his lover and Ashfield smirked his smirk, although it seemed a little more tired, and he slung his arms around the other man’s hips, pulling him closer. “I’m glad that we have today and tomorrow though, not even my father’s dinner party can ruin that for us.” He said. “As long as nothing will burn I won’t set a foot into the office.” The Governor swore, pressing a kiss onto the lips of his black haired lover.

The Governor hadn’t paid much attention to the other zoo visitors hoping that they’d do the same and not recognise him if he was blending in. Thus he was moving his head in surprise when he suddenly heard a loud female voice that came from right next to him.

And when he identified a woman who was about the same age as Kario, with short, green dyed hair and a shirt with a raised fist on it he looked directly into the camera of a phone.

“Have you waited for a reaction?  Wondered why the Governor doesn’t blink, doesn’t move, doesn’t react while people protest for their right of physical integrity and being left alone by his oppressive, fascist Nazi police state? Why he doesn’t have the guts to engage with the accusations made against him and his regime?” she spoke into the device, shoving her pierced face with the tattoo of a rose on her left temple into the picture.

“Well, he doesn’t even hear you! While his police is wiping the floor with the blood of the people of his state, while the people are protesting the violence and the injustice done to them, this man, Governor Devon Ashfield is taking a little honeymoon trip to the zoo not caring about any of this, unbothered by it! The lives of the citizens don’t matter to this ruthless man, only profits concern him!” she yelled into the camera genuinely agitated and furious.

“Don’t waste your time in front of the Government building anymore comrades, bring the protest  directly to Governor Ashfield, make it follow him everywhere he goes, don’t let that bastard sleep at night anymore as long as things won’t change! He shouldn’t get to relax or to rest as carefree as he does, we don’t get to rest either!” she was screaming so passionately and riled up that her head seemed to nearly explode.

Sven had apparently ended his conversation with the animal attendant and was approaching Ashfield, Kario and the yelling lady in a rather delighted mood when the woman who was streaming her appeal to her social media followers suddenly got incredibly wary.

“There comes one of the Governors’ henchmen! Now the Governor apparently has hired rocker gangs for his protection!” she was filming Sven.

Sven was about to walk past her, now looking rather confused, not quite getting what was going on there. “I have done nothing wrong! You have no right to attack or arrest me!” the woman yelled at him.

The artist with the wolf belt buckle and the black clothing looked at the woman in absolute bewilderment. “What? Are you on drugs?” he asked.

“The war on drugs is a racist scam, it’s atrocious! Everyone should be allowed to consume what they want to consume!” she yelled at him and now amusement was added to the confusion on Sven’s face.

Ashfield shook his head, don’t thinking that one could talk about drugs as if they were just food or the like. “I don’t disagree on the controlled legalisation of drugs.”Sven on the other hand said smirking but the woman didn’t even realise that, she was way too angry.

“Stop that with the German accent! It’s very offensive! Are you doing that because of my Sinte heritage? Are you glorifying the Nazis’ persecution of the Sinte people doing the Holocaust by putting on and performing that accent while speaking to me!” she shouted at him. “That Alt-Right Nazi rocker militia is mocking oppressed minority groups by putting on a bad fake German accent!” she told the Internet.

Devon could see how Sven was fighting to not bust out into a fit of laughter. “I’m not a Nazi lady, I’m German. And the fact that you are equating the German accent and ethnicity with the National Socialist ideology and the crimes of the Nazis is not only bigoted and offensive but also racist because you are attesting people bad and evil qualities based on their ethnicity, hence, their genetics, what makes you the racist but not me!” the man countered with absolute glee in his voice.

“You can’t be racist against white people! Saying one could be racist against white people is racist!” she yelled so loudly that Devon feared her head would explode every minute now.
“You apparently neither know the definition of racism nor do you understand the concept and the mechanisms behind it. If you did you’d know that you can very well be racist against white people and that there are racist and Nationalists of every colour and ethnicity.” The artist said, left her standing there approaching Ashfield.

“You have really difficult fans! What now?” he asked looking at Devon and then at Kario and then at Devon again.

“Now we call my security personnel, have to find some zoo staff, tell them that their zoo is going to have a problem with a raging crowd and soon thereafter the far-right thugs’ counter protest any minute now and hope that there is another exit than the front gate!” Ashfield said, suddenly not feeling like going out into the public to eat dinner later anymore.

[Sathenus]

While Kario could see that Sven was glad happy he had managed to achieve what he had wanted to do he noticed what was hidden in the other's face. Clearly something was missing still, just like something had been missing from his boyfriend's life before. He had a feeling he knew what it was considering they had learned that Sven and his boyfriend of 15 years had broken up recently. The older man was lonely, just like Devon had been and just like who knew how many other people still were. It was a shame really. Kario could see Sven being quite the guy and was sure there was someone else out there for him. He just hoped that the older man knew and understood that. While that relationship may not have worked out despite how long they had been together it didn't mean that Sven wouldn't find someone else. There was a strong part of him that wanted to voice that but he was sure with the other man being older than him and everything that he would be aware of that himself. That and he didn't want to step on any toes by bringing attention to the fact that Sven clearly was still missing something now that he was single despite how well things seemed to be going for him otherwise.

Instead his attention went to the animals they were seeing as they wandered the zoo and he spoke with Sven about some of them listening to what the man had to say about the species. Kario was always eager to learn new things when it came to the animals they shared the planet with so he was eager and listened to everything the older man had to offer. As the two seemed to have a little banter about the elephant that Devon had killed years ago and the loss that it had been he zoned out and paid more attention to the large animals in the pen. Mainly because Devon had already told him about the instance and while Kario definitely thought he had deserved to pay the fine and not get the trophy he had gone there hunting he didn't want to get involved in it now. It was the past and he was sure his boyfriend knew he was not a fan of such things and wouldn't back him up on it. No matter how much he loved the blonde politician. Especially since he didn't really feel like any amount of money paid would really make up for the loss of the elephant. Their species was vulnerable just like so many others because of poaching and trophy hunting, it was sad and depressing to think about. No amount of money paid could bring back those lives that had been lost.

Drawn from his thoughts as Sven was making his way off to talk to the keeper who he had spotted with the elephants he turned his full attention from the large creatures to Devon. While his boyfriend was apologizing and saying that he wasn't the most pleasant company right now Kario just remained silent. It was easy for him to see how stressed his boyfriend still was and it just made him feel even more like a day at the zoo was just not pleasant for the man.

That's sweet. Kario thought with a small amused smile being told that while he wasn't exactly interested in the animals that it was relatively relaxing and quiet and that he was just happy to be walking next to him the location not mattering. While Kario liked that Devon wanted and enjoyed spending time with him no matter where they were it wasn't exactly the response he wanted to hear either. Though now that he thought about it Kario wasn't really sure what response he wanted or was expecting. It was kind of obvious that the zoo wouldn't be the most interesting or fun place for his boyfriend and he made a mental not to remember that whenever he was asked what he wanted to do again. Especially knowing he didn't have much time with the man to begin with because of everything that was going on. Shame. He'd figure it out though and try to think of some better things they could do together. Sven included of course, he wasn't sure how long the man would be here visiting but at least it would be some sort of company while Devon was working. Not that he expected Sven to be around all the time either, feeling pretty sure that the man would find or already have plenty of things he wanted to do to occupy his time.

Not having realized that his mind had gotten away from him again until he heard the blonde speaking once more and drawing him from his thoughts. There was no hiding the frown that crossed his face as Devon spoke not wanting him to feel that way. "You haven't been a shitty boyfriend, Devon. I know you're busy and have a lot on your plate... even if I miss you. But I know that when things finally do calm down that we'll have more time to spend with each other so it's okay. You have to do what's best for the state right now and focus on what's important. I'll always be here waiting for you." Kario told the older man. His voice made it plain and clear that he truly felt like Devon was doing his best. While he missed Devon a lot and often felt lonely these past few months there was nothing that could be done about it right now. The state and the safety of the people were more important, the riots and protests had to have his boyfriend's focus right now. But when things settled -and Kario was positive they would eventually- he'd still be waiting for the older man and more than happy to spend whatever time with him they had together.

Then he focused on what else the blonde said about not knowing how he was supposed to make things better and have more time for them. "I'm not sure either." Kario admitted though he was sure that Devon expected this response from him. Clearly if the politician had no idea what to do to makes things better then he wouldn't either. Especially since Devon actually had experience in dealing with these matters while Kario had none whatsoever. Hearing what else Devon had to say about how things were going in the state right now had Kario sighing not liking that his boyfriend was having such a hard time. While he had known and could understand that not everyone would be happy with the blonde man being re-elected as governor he couldn't understand why people would behave in this manner. Surely there had been other people elected to offices across the country that people didn't approve of and they never responded in this manner or if they had it hadn't been quite this bad. It made no sense and he hated knowing the man was going through this. Still, he had no idea what he could do to make things better other than try to help Devon relax today and tomorrow while he had the man home with him.

Shaking his head as Devon said that now he was boring him with politics again because that was all his life was at the moment Kario had to disagree. "You're not boring me with politics, Devon. You're expressing your concerns and worries, your stress. It doesn't matter what it is I'll always be here to listen." He responded before thinking about what the man had said. While Kario really wanted to help the man he wasn't sure how, but there had to be a way to calm people and bring a sense of peace back to the state. Kario wanted nothing more than to help Devon and it was hurting him knowing he couldn't. That didn't mean he couldn't try to help him relax and enjoy what little time he did have for them especially knowing that it could change at any moment. That had been proven before when they had gone to the park after first visiting his parents and that was before all of the rioting from the election.

What caught his attention again though was his boyfriend's comment about how this would take a toll on most relationships. His eyes were worried when they met his boyfriend's golden gaze, really hoping that Devon wasn't regretting them because of everything that was happening. Especially since he wasn't regretting anything himself. He knew that dating the governor would make things difficult but he was willing to fight for it and stick through all the hard times. Kario just hoped that Devon was willing to not give up on him and think that things needed to end just because of how hard things were right now. "I know that things aren't exactly easy right now but I'm not going anywhere. As long as you're willing to share your life with me I want to be here and I'll stick by your side." Kario expressed his voice taking on a tone stating that he really wasn't going anywhere unless Devon decided that things weren't working. Even if it'd hurt for the blonde man to turn him away and end things he'd never force himself on someone who didn't want him around. No matter how great their relationship may have been until that point.

This was different though. Devon wasn't telling him that their relationship was over just expressing that he now knew what kind of toll his job could take on a relationship. This toll was different for theirs though since they were a gay couple and his boyfriend was a member of the Republican party. It was bound to cause more problems than normal. "I just don't get why people are responding like this. I mean... I know you can't be the only gay republican or the only openly gay politician. I know that it's not just the fact that you're gay that is the problem either that it's other things too but it just seems like everyone is blowing things way out of proportion. I can understand people wanting or feeling the need to protest but I can't understand why people think rioting or looting are acceptable or necessary." Kario voiced not wanting to lie about it. While he really wanted to understand and be able to share even the political part of his boyfriend's life he just couldn't! He couldn't understand how other people could behave like this, how being a politician meant every part of your life was under fire not just the political things you did. The more he tried to understand these things the more his head hurt and the more confused he got. No matter how he thought about it such behavior was unacceptable in every sense of that word.

It wasn't like he didn't know politics weren't for him but that didn't mean that he didn't want to stand up for his boyfriend either. He wanted to be able to offer support, help Devon find answers to problems like these but he just couldn't. Kario had no idea what to do, what to say or how to help. All he could do was be there for Devon to vent to, be there for him to talk about what was going on and try to work through solutions while pitching in however he could even if it wasn't in the ways that he wished he could. "I wish I could do more to help you but I can't. What I can do is be here for you to vent to and talk to about these things. Maybe... just maybe talking about everything going on and all the things they're rioting about and upset about with someone not part of your team will help you find answers on how to deal with it." Kario offered. While he never would be a fan of politics he figured this was the least he could do. He wanted to help any way he could and if it meant just listening to Devon vent then he would do so and pay attention as much as he could. Offer any feedback or insights he could and hopefully that'd be enough.

At least he could enjoy being close to Devon right now and the kiss that was pressed on his lips helped ease his own concerns and worry and just let him relax. Even if it hadn't been that long since they kissed he still longed for even the slightest bit of affection from the older man. What he wasn't expecting was for this moment to even be ruined having to fight back the groan and eye roll that he originally wanted to express as he followed his boyfriend's gaze to the woman who had her camera pointed at them and was loudly speaking to whoever was stupid enough to listen. Kario really did want to call her an idiot but he knew saying what he was thinking wouldn't help matters any, if anything it'd make things worse for the blonde politician and Kario felt like he did enough of that just by being with him.

What he didn't like was her saying that they needed to bring the protest directly to Devon. While Kario was fine with peaceful protests he was sure this wouldn't remain peaceful and he wasn't a fan of what little time he actually had with the man he loved being stolen from him by people who didn't understand anything about what his boyfriend was doing. Their day together didn't prove anything and Kario knew for a fact that Devon really did care and was bothered by what was going on. Maybe not in line with her own views but his boyfriend was definitely far from unbothered. Especially considering the conversation they had just had before she had appeared. Shame. Kario felt deep down like he should have known picking such a public place for them to go would have turned into a nightmare scenario but he had really just wanted to do something he had never done before, enjoy the company of the man he loved and get to know and spend some time with the man's best friend. He had never once considered the fact that a trip to the zoo would end like this and considering Devon hadn't protested he didn't think the blonde man had thought that it would end quite like this either.

Sven making his way back to them only seemed to add more fuel to fire. Though even what she had to say about the foreign man was absurd and made Kario realize that she had to be even more deranged than he first thought. While Kario hated their day being ruined he knew that there was no point in arguing when Devon said that they would need to call his security personnel and find some zoo staff to inform them of the problem that was sure to be knocking on their door within the next few minutes. So he just turned and followed his boyfriend letting Devon do what he knew his boyfriend needed or felt like he had to do without a complaint all the while feeling more and more guilty about their day going so wrong. Even if he couldn't have foreseen these things happening it didn't mean that he wasn't feeling guilty about it and wishing that there was something he could do to make things right.

"Maybe a trip to the zoo hadn't been a good idea." Kario said softly after his boyfriend had made the call and they had found the right zoo staff. Which had actually been a bit easier than he had expected not that he had thought it'd be extremely difficult. Now the only thing that they had to figure out was the best way to leave the zoo while drawing the least amount of attention but he knew that the zoo staff would make sure that this ended peacefully since he highly doubted they wanted any trouble here. Kario definitely didn't want any trouble here, or anywhere for that matter.