Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2016 16:14:04 +0300
From: Cooper Max <lmd4208@gmail.com>
Subject: Diplomacy and Lust Part Six (Adult Friends)

Diplomacy and Lust Part Six

	Nate ducked rapidly as a glass cup flew by his head and smashed
loudly against the wall behind him. Anger surged through his body as he
shot upright quickly and stared pointedly at Dave.

	"Any more outbursts like that and we're done; completely done!"
Nate said in an oddly calm but very terse voice.

	Dave sat in the kitchen looking worse than he had when Dave had
first seen him after the attack. Weeks had past and life had been anything
but easy for Dave and Nate too.

	Understandably, Dave wasn't the same as he had been. All the signs
of PTSD were there. Nate knew it was going to be a long road ahead for Dave
and for the both of them. Nate was eager to help but he began to see that
maybe there wasn't much he could do for Dave. The angry outbursts were
fraying Nate's last nerve and Nate worried about his own safety when Dave
plummeted into the mood like the one he was in now.

	The situation was anything but easy for the rest of the embassy
community too. The community had lost a few of its employees Ð both
Kenyan staff and a few Americans. Sadly, Dave's new friend that Nate had
been so jealous of was one of the Americans that did not survive the
attack. Nate secretly wondered whether the two were there having lunch
together but he didn't dare raise the topic. Besides at this point, as
petty and horrible as it sounded, it didn't matter what had been going on
between the two.

	The atmosphere was subdued, sad, and tenuous with a thick cloud of
stress hanging over what was ordinarily a very happy environment at the
embassy. There were all sorts of rumors flying around about the embassy
shutting down or sending home family members.  An embassy closing wasn't
completely unheard of; the embassy in Yemen had been closed because of
ongoing violence.

	In the weeks since the attack, Al-Shabab had become emboldened and
had continued its violence spree in the northern regions bordering
Somalia. The group had recently splintered with a faction committing to
ISIS. The recent major attack and follow on attacks fueled recruitment of
the ISIS affiliated branch. All the intelligence and news reports said that
fighters were pouring into Somalia to join the group and continue its reign
of terror with the hopes of installing an Islamic caliphate in Eastern
Africa. The atmosphere across the entire country seemed to be one bordering
on panic.

	Fortunately, Dave had survived the attack relatively unharmed;
physically at least. At Nate's serious urging, Dave had agreed to take the
counseling that was being offered to everyone after the attack. Guilt still
surged through Nate that he hadn't been the one to experience such a
traumatic event and that he had felt relief in not being there. Even worse,
Nate felt horrible about the fact that he missed the intimacy that he and
Dave had shared. Nate knew that Dave was in no fit state for the kind of
fun that had been having before the attack but that didn't stop Nate's
urges. He found his eyes wandering at the other handsome men in the embassy
community and felt like the biggest piece of crap for it. Nate knew sex
wouldn't solve everything but he felt like it would sure help in releasing
all his pent up stress, confusion and anxiety.

	`I'm such a shmuck.' Nate thought to himself. `Here Dave is going
through absolute hell and I'm checking out other guys.'

					----------

	"If you're so miserable, you can just leave! Get out!" Dave
screamed angrily at Nate.

	"I never said I'm miserable, we need to talk about how the hell
we're going to get through all of this. I want to be here with you. Do you
think I would have stuck around with the way you've been acting and
treating me if I didn't truly give a shit about you?" Nate fired back.

	"Yeah here we go. It's all about you, isn't it, Nate? You feel like
you have to stick around for poor ole' Dave; broken, emotionally damaged
Dave." Dave yelled seething with fury.

	"If you aren't willing to talk, to actually try to figure out a way
to move forward TOGETHER then maybe I should leave." Nate said quietly with
a tone of defeat.

	"Why don't you just go out and fuck some other embassy stud?" Dave
shouted. "I see the way you've been looking around. I'm not blind. I'm not
stupid. Aren't getting enough from me so you're on the prowl, eh?"

	"No you're not stupid Dave. That's why I know you realize I can
look all I want but I haven't touched. I'd rather be intimate with you but
clearly that isn't going to happen. Lest I remind you that YOU were the one
with a shady and as of yet un-discussed situation going on with Mark. Don't
think I'm blind and didn't see what was happening with you two." Nate
launched back, his own fury building.

	"Don't you mention Mark. He's gone now." Dave said quietly.

	"but maybe your feelings for him AREN'T gone now though." Nate spat
venomously knowing in his mind that he was going to far.

	An awkward silence encapsulated the room as Dave stared pointedly
at Nate.

	"Get the fuck out, Nate. You just get the fuck out. I can't believe
after everything that has happened that you would say that; That you would
take it there. Get the fuck out before I throw something at you and don't
miss." Dave said in a surprisingly flat, unemotional tone.

	Nate stormed out of the house; anger, hurt and confusion pulsating
through his body.

	`Fuck this shit. I need a drink.' Nate thought to himself.

					----------

	Two whiskeys down and Nate wasn't feeling any better. Everything
that had happened between him and Dave replayed in his mind on a continuous
loop. He was at a complete loss on what he could say or do at this point to
salvage his relationship with Dave. The two had never officially agreed
that they were in a relationship but Nate knew that with everything going
on there was no way he could not admit that he loved Dave.

	`Who the fuck puts up with violent outbursts and a litany of
hurtful diatribes if you don't love the person?' Nate thought to himself
painfully downing another shot.

	"Mind if I join you?" came a voice from behind Nate. He whirled
around.

	"Greg!" Nate burst out happily, "have a seat. I didn't expect to
find you here at the Sankara roof top bar."

	"I didn't expect to find myself here either but I need a damn
drink; too much shit going on these days." Greg said flatly.

	"Bartender a shot for my friend!" Nate yelled. "Here have this and
tell me about your woes and I'll tell you mine!"

	Greg launched into his own story about his troubles. A few more
shots in he said, "Nate, can I tell you a secret? I need to get it off my
chest or a may never get my life back together."

	Nate, very liquored up stated, "Greg, you can tell me secret
because I may honestly be too drunk and too damn depressed to remember it."

	"Well, I lost someone in the attack. I haven't talked about it
because no one would understand." Greg muttered quietly.

	"Oh jeez, who did you lose? A friend from the embassy?" Nate
inquired becoming genuinely concerned.

	Greg looked around nervously. He shifted restlessly in his seat and
took another large gulp of his drink.

	"I wouldn't say just a friend. It was someone I was seeing for a
very short time. To be honest, I'm not completely sure what it was." Greg
stated getting red in the face and continuing to glance around nervously.

	"Shit, was it Ashley? I know she didn't make it through the attack;
beautiful girl. I'm so sorry Greg," Nate replied.

	"No it wasn't Ashley though may she rest in peace." Greg replied.

	"Well then who? Susan from ISC? Carol from FM?" Nate said looking
confused.

	"Someone you probably didn't know. He was new to the embassy. His
name was Mark." Greg said looking absolutely nervous.

	Nate almost spit out his drink.

	"MARK!? YOUNG, MUSCLED AND GORGEOUS MARK!?" Nate practically yelled
for the whole bar to hear.

	Greg, aghast at Nate's reaction said quietly, "Yeah, that Mark. How
do you know him?"

	"I know him because I'm pretty sure he was trying to hook up with
my boyfriend who may not actually be my boyfriend now Ð Dave." Nate
stammered.

	"Wait, you're gay?" Greg asked looking shocked.

	"The better question is, you're gay?" Nate shot right back at
him. "Wasn't your girl friend from the states visiting a few months ago?

	Greg's face turned a very bright shade of red. "We're not together
anymore. I was decent enough to end it once Mark showed up and I realized I
had a bit of a problem."

	"Shittttttttt." Nate said taking another huge gulp. "Well, slap my
ass and call me sally. What the fuck is happening around here lately?

	The two launched into a deep conversation about everything that had
happened with Mark, from both of their perspectives. Nate recapped his
issues with Dave and Greg talked about his fling with Mark and his sexual
awakening.

	"I'm not feeling too hot." Greg said, "I think I'm at my limit."

	"You're probably right. It's getting late and I'm way beyond
drunk." Nate replied.

	"Are you going to be ok getting home?  You have a taxi right?" Greg
questioned.

	"Yeahhhhhhhh, I'll call a taxi. DUI is the last thing I need." Nate
stated.

	"Let me walk you out and wait with you. You don't look like you
should be waiting by yourself."

	The taxi pulled up 15 minutes later. Nate spun around to thank Greg
for being a good friend.

	Greg reached out his hand and out of no where Nate thrust himself
at Greg and kissed him.

	Greg pushed away. "Nate, you're drunk and distraught about your
situation with Dave. This is not a good idea."

	"Greg, had I known you were gay earlier, well I guess you didn't
even know, I would have hit on you sooner. You're a damn handsome guy."
Nate slurred.

	"Get in your taxi. You're drunk and you're ridiculous. You'd regret
this in the morning." Greg reasoned. "Listen, I'll come over to your place
tomorrow and check on you to make sure you're not dead or in bed with some
stud."

	"ahhhhh Greg, you're such a gentlemen." Nate slurred, "So handsome,
so chivalrous Ð my knight in shining armor." Nate tipped back and forth
looking like he was going to topple over.

	"Allllllright that's enough of that," Greg said as he opened up the
door and basically shoved Nate inside of it." Greg leaned over to the cab
driver, told him Nate's address and handed him 3000 kenya shilling.

	"I'll see you tomorrow, Nate," Greg said and the taxi began to
speed off.

	I did the responsible thing but Nate is hot! Greg thought. He's in
a bad place now in his relationship and I'm just out of whatever I had with
Mark. I made the right choice. He won't even remember he made a move on me
tomorrow with as drunk as he was and as hung over as he'll be. Fuck,
though, he's attractive. Guilt surged through Greg at the lustful thoughts
he was having.

			----- TO BE CONTINUED ---