Enigmatic Emotions

(xv) The King & The Prince

"Each time my heart is broken
it makes me feel more adventurous,
but one of these days there'll be nothing
left with which to venture forth.
Why should I share you? Why don't you
get rid of someone else for a change?"

-Frank O'Hara

Alan would never get used to the bomb alarm. As much as he wanted to forget that a war was raging, that thousands of people were dying every day while he was having a party, the alarm always brought him back to reality. He got goosebumps all over his body.

Like trained students, they obediently left the room, some more shaky than others. Alan looked back hastily when he heard Robin bawl.

"Pigou," he tugged on the sleeve of a drunken boy, who was pulling the beer bottles left behind towards him, "for once, don't be so stubborn and come with me to the safe room."

Pigou shook his head stubbornly. "I refuse to make concessions to the Luftwaffe."

Robin exaggeratedly rolled his eyes and let go of the sleeve. He pulled Alan out the door. "Suit yourself then." He muttered something more about foolish biologists before they ran down the corridor together.

They had not yet taken two steps before Alan slowed down. His gaze had strayed to the red flower bed and the dazed person standing there.

"For Hilbert's sake, now is not the time to admire the flowers." Robin turned to him while continuing to walk backwards.

"Go without me, I'll catch up," he called above the siren. Robin frowned, but eventually ran on.

Alan started sprinting in the other direction. Panting, he got outside, his long-distance training not helping him much when his whole body seemed to be moving on adrenaline.

His suspicions were soon confirmed when he ran towards the man. James' worried face filled his field of vision. Staring at the ominous evening sky, he stood like a statue among the cheerful poppies. He had not been on campus for several years and certainly had no idea where the bomb shelter was.

It was only when he came to a stop right in front of it that James noticed him. "Alan," he began. He opened his mouth and closed it again, almost unaware of the approaching danger. For one moment, the sound of the alarm seemed to ebb away, along with the rest of the whole world. It was just the two of them, staring at each other. "What happened to you?"

Alan blinked, allowing the surroundings to come back into sharper focus. He grabbed James by the wrist and dragged his protesting friend inside.

"My train got delayed," he sputtered. Completely irrelevant.

Alan turned his head away so James could not see the smile on it.

It was only when they reached the shelter and he locked the steel door that he allowed himself to take James completely in. As far as that was possible in the poorly lit basement.

Both men were out of breath, he felt the adrenaline coursing through his body. Alan put his hands on his knees and threw his head backwards.

James had changed, though the sight of his face felt like coming home. His black locks had lengthened so that he could wear it in a tiny bun. A beard made his once round, bulbous face more masculine.

Recovered from the hasty encounter, James wrapped his arms around him. The way he held him assured him he was still the same boy. Firm, as if he would never let go.

"I missed you so incredibly much," Alan heard him whisper, before Champ and Robin also joined in the hug.

"The trinity of mathematicians is restored!" They had formed a group since their first year at university, as the only three scholarship students in their year. "And Robin," Champ complemented.