An American Homo in Paris

Pere Lachaise Cemetery

Jesus, Zili was actually nervous.He hoped he was right about playing this challenge, and if he was wrong, he would keep blaming himself, because when he saw Benjy standing on the subway in his underwear, the blood in his brain rushed to his lower body.The thought of Benjie teasing him with that sexy pose made his cheeks heat up uncontrollably.He had to admit—the American knew how to catch the crowd's attention.

Ziri was looking into Benjie's face when they came to the glass-enclosed tombstone.Lipstick marks and scrawled words were all over the glass.Benjie's jaw parted slightly, his hands clenched into fists at his sides, and he looked at Ziri.

"Little Zi, this is—" The intimate nickname spit out from Benjie's mouth stirred Zili's heart, but when the surprise on Benjie's face showed, he knew he had done the right thing, "This It's Oscar Wilde's tombstone."

"J'aipensé①—" Ziri hesitated to speak.Many Americans go directly to Jim Morrison's grave.Why don't they go there?But the person he brought was Benjie!He's also not sure how Benjy felt about the late Doors frontman, but he's also sure that for the man who titled his blog Gay America in Paris, Wilde was more or less At least it will make him feel good. "I think that's why."

①French: I think.

②Jim Morrison, a veteran American rock star and lead singer of the band The Doors, died in Paris in 1971 of a drug overdose.

He took a few steps back, watched Benjie approach the tombstone, and looked at it quietly.The expression on the American's face fluctuated like a pendulum clock from surprise to sadness.His lips moved as if he were reading an epitaph, and his jaw quivered slightly as he said "Grief for the Forsaken".Finally, he wiped his eyes, turned to Zili, and hugged him tightly, "Thank you."

③From Wilde's "Song of Reading Gaol" written during his exile in Paris.

Zili put his arms around Benjie and hugged him back. "Yes, it's a place of mourning. But it's also a place of celebration. He enjoys a respect here that he never enjoyed in his lifetime."

Benjie leaned on his shoulder and nodded, then let go of him, "Where are you going now?"

Zili looked at the time on his phone, "Go eat." He made a decisive decision.

***

They savored their dinner and uncorked a second bottle of wine.Neither wanted the night to end.They left the restaurant and found a quiet bar by the Seine, not far from the apartment where Benjy and Alan once lived together.They changed back into their trousers—this time in the privacy of the bathroom—thank goodness—and Ziri told Benjy about his childhood, in a predominantly Algerian neighborhood in the Saint-Denis district, and Benjy’s Talked about his experience growing up in a small rural town in Idaho.

Benjy found himself staring at Zili's lips as he spoke; Zili's honey-brown eyes seemed to sparkle when they realized they had something in common.Every inch of Benjy's skin shuddered and tingled, and he couldn't help thinking that the warmth of his pants came from Ziri's skin.Ah, Zili's muscular thighs stretched the trousers, and Zili's penis was once wrapped under this zipper.Who knew letting someone else wear your pants could make you feel like you were surrounded by that person?

For the first time in eight years, Benjie was in such a dilemma. He wanted to take this man home, but he didn't know how to do it.It was almost midnight now, Zili took out his mobile phone, and said with a frown, "I'm going back to Saint-Denis by car. We don't have time to get your bag back, but Elaine's cafe opens at seven in the morning."

Benjy tastes the sour taste of disappointment and lost opportunity. "I'll get it myself tomorrow morning. Come on, I'll take you to the car."

They walked quietly, after getting along like that during the day, now they suddenly became shy.

"Well, I guess it's coming? I should have said aurevoir[-] to you, but... I feel more like an adieu[-] tonight, don't I?" Zili smiled and blinked, and Benjie felt suddenly frustrated when he tried to shake his hand .

④ French: Goodbye.

⑤ French: Farewell.

He didn't know if he wanted to stay or go.He also doesn't know what the hell is going on with his YouTube page.All he knew was that he wanted to say goodbye, that he didn't want Ziri to leave.

"Ellen."

Ziri flinched at the name, his eyebrows drawn together in pain.

"Alan, Alan, Alan. I said this name, you must give me a challenge." Benjie approached him, "Give me a challenge, let me do something embarrassing, or something impossible— — just give me a challenge."

"The game is over, Benjie. You should go home and tidy up. You will be returning home tomorrow."

"Give me a, damn, challenge."

Ziri's nostrils flared slightly—Benji was irritating him.Well, he was going to piss off Benjy too, and he broke away from his hand, as if the day meant nothing to them.

"Pack up your things and go home. This is my challenge to you." Ziri turned around and started walking towards the ticket gate.

"I choose punishment," Benjie called after him. "I choose punishment. I will not accept that challenge."

Zili turned and took two big strides towards Benji.

Benjy's back hit the wall, and Ziri's hand was covering his head.Their foreheads touched, Ziri clutched his shirt with his other hand.Zili's warm brown eyes were fixed on Benjy's face, and their chests heaved with the rapid breathing.Zili's lips moved closer to Benjie, and everything was unimportant.

It's a challenge, it's a punishment, it's a fantasy, it's a possibility.

The kiss started rough, like they were desperate to prove something, but grew long and sweet as Ziri pressed Benjy against the wall.Benjy's hands clutched Zili's clothes helplessly, their tongues tangled in playful pursuit, seducing each other.Zili stiffened down against Benjy, and Benjy's legs clamped tightly around Zili, bringing them closer.

Zili suddenly left Benji's lips, nibbling his way along his chin, and Benjy moaned.God, that's exactly what he wanted.He wanted to kiss, to make love, not to forget Ellen, but to remember Ziri, to remember today.Benjie lowered his head and tilted his head to one side. Zili understood his hint and kissed the sensitive zone on Benjie's throat with his lips.His hand came up to stroke Benji's cheekbone softly.Benjie vaguely felt the vibration from the wall behind him, and his reason came back, telling him that the vibration was important.

"Train..." he muttered, "Damn it, Xiao Zi, you missed the train."

Zili raised his head from Benjie's neck, looked at him and said, "I can take the bus." They kissed again, Benjie smiled and stroked Zili's back lightly.He loves his muscular body and the smell of his body, and the fact that he wears his stubble.

"Come home with me!" he begged, and the two of them calmed down. "You made my last day in Paris unforgettable, and my last night was so good."

Ziri shook his head, looked Benjy straight in the eye, and they kissed again, his hand gripping Benjy's arm.

"You say I'm crazy." He whispered against Benjie's lips.

"We're all crazy." Benjie laughed, "Come with me!"

They kissed wildly again against the wall, and laughed again tremblingly.Then they ran away together, holding hands, towards the house.