[Six questions and a future]
+{Noah's Starship}+
-+-[Ch. 16]-+-
+++ Noah +++
"Son," a strange voice said to me and a hand found my shoulder. I blinked up at a police officer with a yawn. I realized what I was looking at and jumped in the car seat. Navid had been the one to touch me, but the officer was looking at me strangely from the driver's side window.
"Everything ok, son?" he asked with a look of concern.
"He is fine, he sleeps," Navid said softly with a deflated tone.
"Yes sir," I nodded and felt my heart racing.
"Ok... well the detour isn't too far out of the way, and it'll put you with a nice view of San Simeon," the officer said, his concern softening.
"Thank you," Navid said and then added, "I am sorry your world is on fire."
"Thank you... you enjoy your trip," the officer said and went towards the car behind us. Navid did a turn around and headed back up the small mountain road.
"Were we in trouble?" I asked and laid my head back against his shoulder.
"We are avoiding trouble with detour... There is wildfires and he makes us on a detour around them. I hope to get soon to the resort. We have much planned," Navid said and slid a warm arm around me. It was a cold June afternoon, the kind unique to the California coast. I wasn't sure where we were, but the Pacific Ocean was now to our left to indicate we were headed north.
"Did he make you wake me up? He sounded concerned," I noted.
"It is nothing, sweet Noah. You don't need to know of the ugly things," he said dismissively and turned up his music again.
"But he asked if I was ok. Why did he do that? What was wrong?" I asked, prodding past his admonishment. I didn't understand what we had done.
Navid sighed. "Nothing was wrong, Noah..."
He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel a few times before continuing, "When they see a strong Persian man with a beard, dark skin, an accent, a nice car, and a well-kept blonde boy passed out in his passenger seat, they think the worst."
"Oh... they thought... Oh that's not right! That's racist! I should report him! Did you get his name? My dad knows highway patrol captains!" I got suddenly angry. We'd had a few, small incidents before, but never in our safe bubble of Los Angeles. It was those little things that I wouldn't have thought twice about before I met Navid and saw those things for the first time.
"He is your people, sweet one. They do not need to be fair when protecting their own. It is not to feel good... It is passed. Finished. I never want you to know of these things. It is between men... We have beautiful weekend, let us not be upset by this. His world is on fire... in many, many ways," Navid noted.
I saw a plume of smoke off in the distance. It looked like a gray funnel that went up to the ceiling of clouds and then took a sharp left.
I let it go. He was right, we were here to enjoy our weekend. I didn't want to ruin what he had planned for our romantic weekend. I settled into his chest as he took on the winding mountain roads.
I opened his phone to the questions app we liked to use at night when we were together in bed in the dark. His phone has all the best apps organized into neat folders. He is a very organized and precise businessman.
"Oh! They have questions for lovers! Should we try it?" I asked excitedly.
"Sure, Noah... we can try this," Navid said with one raised eyebrow. I noted the tension had left him.
"Ok! First question! How do I make you feel strong?" I read number one and turned to see his eyes focused intently on the curvy, narrow road.
"I feel strong when... I know you are safe, when you have problem and I can fix this for you. I see you happy making food or nap in bed or see you at ease in our home I provide for you. You are safe and without concerns. It makes me feel like protector, my baby is ok... I am strong. What about you?" Navid turned to me quickly and gave my shoulder a squeeze.
"When I'm in your arms I feel strong... When we're out with your friends, like just your Persian friends and me. You're so happy and they all look up to you. I'm with the leader of the group I feel like nothing can hurt me. I used to hate running into people from the past who didn't like me or made fun of me in school. But when I'm with you I don't even think about it... nothing can hurt me," I said.
"I will never permit that anyone shall hurt you, Noah," Navid assured and ruffled my hair. This was helping him relax.
"Number two... What do I do that makes you feel special?" I asked.
Navid just laughed.
"And don't say suck your cock!" I yelled and poked his side.
"No? But I love it... ok... special... Oh! You get this smile, this look when I come home and tell you I make a sale or close a deal. Is a look of pride like you are always on my team to cheer me on... or like I just slay a beast who is terrorizing your village. It makes me to know you are on my side. Also when I have bad day and you can tell before I even say something. You come to me, put your head on my chest and let me hold you to recharge my dead battery. You make me special dinner or insist I watch the soccer games or sports shows I like. You make it just about me... You know me and always know what I need so I can feel better... And when you beg for sex.. What man does not like this from his love?," Navid laughed.
"I'll always want sex from you. It's... amazing," I laughed.
"You will always have it. And most importantly, my love... you make me feel special because you always believe in me. You look to me like I am great man who can do anything," Navid said and rubbed my leg.
"You're the strongest man I know." I said with total honesty.
