Until The Very End

CHAPTER 16: Warm and Cold Bodies

            Rodolfo fell silent. He remembered everything that Matt had told him while they were riding the Ferris Wheel during the carnival. From how Matt suffered physical bullying, which resulted in being at the orphanage’s hospital for a long time, to Mrs Mindy’s death, an old, caring nurse to Matt. Rodolfo’s eyes began watering. Matt did not tell Rodolfo that he has trauma after his miserable childhood life. After a moment, Rodolfo asked in his normal voice;

            “What should we do?”

            “Before we do something, tell me first what is happening to your friend,” Dr Smith responded.

            “He’s very cold, and his body is weak. He’s coughing earlier, but just a mild cough. I also couldn’t understand his words whenever he talked. It’s probably because of the cold, I’m not sure,” said Rodolfo.

            “Is he shivering, has fumbling hands or confused? Check his heart rate.”

            Rodolfo put the phone on the bed, took Matt’s right hand then placed his forefinger and middle finger on Matt’s pulse. While he waited for one minute, he’s counting his friend’s heartbeat. When finished, Rodolfo gets the phone, and began, “49 beats per minute. He was shivering and has shaky hands before. But when we got to his place, his whole body went steady yet still cold.”

            “Is he conscious? Responsive?”

            “Yes, he’s responsive. But I think he’s half-conscious. I mean, he’s too weak, eyes closed and is not talking this time, but he did make gestures as a response whenever I asked him for something. And he is not coughing this time.”

            “I suspect it is Hypothermia. Sir Williams is going to Stage II Hypothermia. Listen, kiddo. I’ll call my colleague to help you there. In the meantime, while he’s on his way after I called him, apply first aid. He needed to get warm to recover the heat that his body loses. You can do anything for Sir Williams, right? As much as you do, I wanted to get him better.”

            “Okay. So what should I do?”

            “First thing, check the thermostats. If the thermostats are set at a very low temperature, increasing the thermostats’ target temperature will warm the inside of his mansion. These will help – “

            “But I don’t know where the home’s thermostats are. This mansion is huge. This is my first time being here, and I might get lost.”

            “You used Sir Williams’s phone to call me. Use his phone to adjust the temperatures on thermostats. The thermostats can be operated by phone or using virtual assistants. Once finished, apply heat close to his skin. Hot water bottles or heat packs will help but don’t make them too hot. Pack the heat packs on armpits, both sides of his neck, and groin. If he is responsive, not vomiting, and can be able to swallow, give him sweet, non-alcoholic warm beverages like hot milk or hot chocolate drink. Hot soups might work as well but remember, not too hot. Do this to focus warming – “

            “Is there any other method I could do? What if there are no heat packs, hot water bottles, or any hot drinks available here? I shouldn’t leave him just to buy one, right?”

            “Indeed, you shouldn’t. I’ll ask my colleague to buy those. In the meantime, you have to do something to re-warm Sir William’s body. Share your  - “

            “Okay, okay. I’m listening. What is it?”

            “Stop cutting me off, kiddo. I know what it feels like to be in your situation, but don’t rush everything, alright? Calm down and breathe. As I was saying, to re-warm Sir Williams’s body, while help will be on the way, share your body heat.”

            “Can you explain a bit further on how should I share my body heat?”

            “Sharing one’s body heat requires skin-to-skin contact. To do this, remove your clothing, get under the blanket, and lie next to him. Make skin-to-skin contact. Cover the back of his neck and his head, leaving only his face exposed. Remove any wet clothing that he has if there is. The goal is to get him warm. His heartbeat is a bit slow. If you move him in any position on the bed and hug him, do it gently and with care. A few of the signs that we can see on Sir Williams’s body are symptoms of Hypothermia. I really suspect he’s hypothermic. I’m hanging up and call my colleague. I’ll tell him the details over the phone. While you’re in bed with Sir Williams, be aware of the outside of the mansion. What I meant here is, you have to open the gate. Keep an eye on Sir Williams’s phone. I will call to give you an alert that my colleague is near on area. Remember to keep him warm. Donate heat.”

            Dr Smith hanged up after he spoke. Rodolfo did not waste any minutes before he does what Dr Smith had told him to do. Just at the moment that the doctor ended the call, he instantly went to the Smart Home app and, under the accessories of thermostats, he set the target temperature of every thermostat to 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Then he left Matt’s phone on top of the bedside table. After walking past the aquarium, he saw two more doors other than the one that was leading out of the room. One that leads to the bathroom and the other one that leads to the closet room. Rodolfo went and opened the first door. He was stunned to see a living room-like inside. As he continued to walk inside, he realized that he was inside a bathroom. He hoped to look for a wardrobe. But there was none. After roaming around, opening small cabinets and other small doors inside, neither wardrobe nor cabinet that is full of clothes was found.

            Rodolfo ran outside of the door. He gazed at the second door then walk in front of it. The door was sliding-type. And just like the door handle of the mansion’s front main door, the door handle of the closet room was H-type. But it wasn’t as long as the front door has. He firmly grasped the door handle and slid it to his right. When it was fully open, the lights inside automatically turned on. His eyes grew bigger after seeing the arrangements of Matt’s clothes hanging in hangers on those big, black cloth shelves. It came on many sections. As he marched in, he saw those luxury glass display tables stood in the centre of the way, where inside of the tables was different brands and models of watches and smartwatches. The other tables were filled with men accessories, such as sunglasses, necklaces, rings and many more. When he came to the end of those tables, he was greeted by a large wall mirror. It faces straight to the closet room door. He saw his whole body reflection. Shirtless.

            The mirror reminded him of the reason why Rodolfo came to Matt’s closet room. After seeing himself without a shirt, he remembered the skin-to-skin contact that he has to do. He faces the cloth shelves. If he was looking for a bonnet and a scarf, he was in the wrong section because the clothes he saw on the cloth shelves was full of suits and formal wear. He went to the other sections of the shelves. And to the other. Then to other. Until he finally found the right shelves. Succeeding to get a scarf and bonnet, he rushed out of the closet room. There on Matt’s bed, Rodolfo sat. He carefully took Matt’s wrist out of the blanket. He was surprised that Matt’s hands were not as cold as before while they were waiting at the front porch. Rodolfo began counting Matt’s heartbeat once more. One minute had passed, he counted 55 beats per minute from Matt’s pulse. Much closer to the normal heart rate. This was a good sign for Rodolfo.

            Skin-to-skin contact. Rodolfo thought of how should he do it. Then remembered what Dr Smith told him. ‘Remove your clothing, get under the blanket, and lie next to him. Make skin-to-skin contact.’ Dr Smith’s voice played on Rodolfo’s mind. He bowed down and looked at his bare-chested body. Then he stood up, worked on with his pant’s button, and pushed his pants down, revealing his boxers. He sat on the bed then remove his pants completely off on his feet. No second had passed, he covered himself with the blanket. He hugged Matt from Matt’s back, but something bothered him that made him asked himself.

            “Am I doing it the right way? The doctor said skin-to-skin contact. But if Matt is wearing a jacket, then this is not skin-to-skin contact at all. Is this how donating heat is supposed to be done?”

            Rodolfo felt stupid to himself. Unsure at anything. He heard Matt’s slow and shallow breathes. While his arms were around Matt, he took the other arm of Matt and check, for the third time, Matt’s heart rate. The minute after, Matt’s heart rate counted on 52 beats per minute. Lower than the second time that Rodolfo checked Matt’s pulse. Confused and hesitant, Rodolfo sat up and went ahead on sitting kneel position beside Matt then took off the blanket on Matt. With caution, he pulled out the jacket that he gave to Matt. When he looked over at Matt’s back, Matt’s shirt was partially wet. Matt was sweating. Rodolfo immediately removed his friend’s shirt, then wiped Matt’s back using the jacket. Directly after that, Rodolfo’s awkward hands went on Matt’s pants. He took out Matt’s pants and placed his both hands separately on Matt’s hips, checking Matt’s trunks if there are any sweats. Subsequently, Rodolfo moved his hands on the back part of Matt’s hips. Until his hands reached Matt’s buttocks, pressing it firmly while staring at his friend’s crotch. Was Rodolfo still sane?

            The bottom part of Matt’s body wasn’t wet or sweating. Matt’s trunks were dry. Rodolfo’s hands on his friend’s buttocks lasted for a minute. He did feel a bit of pleasure and exhilaration while checking his friend’s trunks, but he focused more on Matt’s condition. He only did it for Matt, not for anything else. Rodolfo wouldn’t like it that much if Matt wasn’t sick. Or would he?

            The scarf and bonnet that Rodolfo take from his friend’s closet room were left forgotten. But after examining Matt’s trunks, Rodolfo saw it. He took first the bonnet and placed it on Matt’s head. Then, he wrapped Matt’s neck with the scarf. Rodolfo slowly put his right hand on Matt’s left cheek while his tears began to run down his own cheeks. His friend’s cheek was still cold. He moved his body forward to face his friend. When done, their faces were really close to each other. The tip of their noses was one inch apart. Rodolfo felt Matt’s cold breathe and gazed at his friend’s lips. Could Rodolfo get out of temptation?

A little moment later, Rodolfo moved again upward, and he gently pressed his lips on Matt’s forehead while he resisted his tears to flow and fall, whispering;

            “Please? Me. I couldn’t.”

            Imprecise. What Rodolfo had said was imprecise. To Rodolfo’s stupefaction, Matt’s hand touched his back and pushed him down. Their chests met. Rodolfo was on top of Matt’s chest. He panickingly attempted to sit up, but Matt’s arm prevented him as it was already locked around him. To his even more surprise, he felt Matt’s strength. It wasn’t strong enough. Rodolfo could still get out of it, but he chose to stay. When he didn’t move a muscle, Matt’s arms lose their force. He didn’t move again for a moment, then he slowly sat up and took the blanket, covering it to them. He arranged the scarf that that was on his friend’s neck and made a full-body skin-to-skin contact with Matt afterwards. They were hugging each other so close. Their body was facing each other like two lovers. Rodolfo wasn’t sure if what he was doing was correct.

            “Be. Mere,” Matt breathed as he moved his head closer to Rodolfos’.

            Rodolfo heard the two words but wasn’t sure what it means. But he did still reply worriedly, “Feeling better? Don’t worry. Your private’s doctor colleague is sure on his way at this time. We just need to wait for Dr Smith’s call, alright?”

            Matt made a short nod.

            While his face was on the bedroom ceiling, Rodolfo made a short smile. He leisurely began to rub Matt’s back. His feelings of trust activated. His body was attracted at the moment. But Rodolfo suppressed himself for many reasons in his mind. He thought it’d be impossible to happen because they weren’t couples. Plus, he mustn’t. He was on Matt’s bed to share heat. As time went by, waiting for the call, Rodolfo fell asleep.

            Hours later, from the start of sharing body heat, Rodolfo’s eyes slowly began to open. There were no lights opened inside the bedroom. He was still hugging Matt and left horrified when he felt that Matt’s body became colder, instead of getting warmer. And his friend’s body did not just become colder, it also became softer. Rodolfo removed the blanket from them and came to the reality that he wasn’t hugging Matt. He was hugging a pillow. He sat on the bed and instantly looked for Matt.

            It did not take Rodolfo a minute to see his friend. Matt was standing steadily in silence, facing the open window. The moonlight and some reflected lights from the outdoor lights reflected on Matt’s body. Like Rodolfo, Matt was still in his underpants. Matt seemed unbothered feeling the cold breeze from the outside. His eyes were looking at random things outside.

            Rodolfo felt strange. While sitting on his friend’s bed, he took the blanket to cover his boxer. He ogled at his friend. His eyes ran from Matt’s hair to his friend’s buttocks. Then he recalled himself while he was pressing those buttocks. It was attractive and was in great shape. When the cold air ran on Rodolfo’s skin, he shooked his head out of his not-gonna-happen desire and remembered that Matt needs to get warm. He called Matt and spoke;

            “Matt? Matt, you shouldn’t be there. That air was cold, and your temperature might drop down again. I need you to get warm. Come back to the bed.”

            Matt did not answer him. He stood like a tall, old oak tree, feeling the impossible thing to see run over his bare body. His eyes were glistering due to reflected lights from the outside lights. A moment later, Matt moved his right hand from his right hip to his left chest. While doing it, he slowly faced the ceiling. Then, he rests his hand on his side, turning to face his friend, Rodolfo. Matt looked at Rodolfo in a lecherous manner. His head was bowing a bit, and his eyes were angry.

            “Hey, uhmm, Matt? Matt, are you alright?” Rodolfo nervously asked his friend. Matt smiled like he had a plan for Rodolfo. Rodolfo gulped and said with his trembling voice, “O-oh, okay. I’m, I’m going downstairs to, to, uhmm – uh, get you a, a hot milk. It’s good for you.  Your private doctor told me an hours ago.”

            Rodolfo hanged back to stand up from the bed. He does not want Matt to see him on his boxer. When he looked at Matt, Matt was still wearing the same face. Because of his friend’s strange behaviour, he stood up and went to the huge aquarium. But before Rodolfo passed the aquarium, his friend spoke normally.

            “You seem… nervous. For what reason it might be?”

            Hearing Matt’s normal voice calmed Rodolfo down. He faced Matt, who was back again at looking outside. Rodolfo gazed at his friend for seconds, then went back to sit in the bed again, covering his boxers with the blanket, talking;

            “How are you feeling? Do you need anything?”

            “I’m not fine." 

            “What can I do to help you become better? Come here, Matt. Dr Smith told me that I have to share my body heat with you while we wait for – “

            Rodolfo stopped. He had forgotten to wait for Dr Smith’s call. He wasn’t aware that he fell asleep. Panicked as he was always, Rodolfo turned around to the bedside table. Matt’s phone wasn’t there. He looked for it in the places near the bedside table. He thought it fell off the table. Matt seemed unbothered again.

            “Matt, where’s your phone? We need your private doctor’s colleague to help you. Did you take it here?” Rodolfo asked while he continued to look for his friend’s phone.

            “No,” answered Matt.

            “Okay?” Rodolfo’s head moved immediately to Matt. “Don’t you want to help me to look for your phone?”

            “No.”            

            “Are you okay? Get out of the window. The air is – ”

            “No.”

            “Well, if you’re not okay, then will need a doctor. I really can’t find your phone. Can you give me the number of your private doctor so I could call him using my phone?” Rodolfo questioned, getting his phone unlocked.

            “No.”

            “No? No? Matt, you kept on saying no. Why won’t you give it to me?”

            “Can’t you guess why wouldn’t I?” asked Matt back.

            “I don’t understand you. What?” Rodolfo asked in bewilderment.

            Matt looked at him for a moment, then back outside. “I’m glad you called Doctor Smith for help. But if he wasn’t and cannot come here, don’t let anyone, any doctor take his place. I don’t care who they are, how good they are, and whatever great thing they already did for this country. Just don’t let a stranger doctor took my private doctor’s place. Even my private doctor himself told you that it has to be.”

            “Why not? You really need medical attention. What if something more even serious and worse happened to you?” Rodolfo responded.

            “And what if those doctors took advantage of my weakness, hurt you, and robbed this mansion? You aren’t listening to me. They are strangers. That is why I don’t want anyone to take Dr Smith’s place because I don’t know them,” explained Matt.

            “That doctor was Dr Smith’s colleague. You need to quit your negativity towards strangers, thinking they are always into something no good, when, in fact, they are trying to help, because not all strangers are bad,” replied Rodolfo, looking down on his phone, checking the time. It was already 1:13 at midnight.

            “Oh, please, I doubt it. It’s good that you fell asleep earlier. And it’s good that my phone is lost. I won’t tell you my private doctor’s contact anyway. I don’t need another doctor,” Matt scratched the back of his neck.

            Rodolfo couldn’t believe what he just heard from Matt. He closed his phone by pressing the power button off. A moment later, he said in his most fretful tone, “This is so confusing. By the looks of it, you don’t need a doctor. Are you sure that you are okay?”

            “I’m okay, okay? It’s my mind and body that isn’t.”

            “Matt!” Rodolfo’s voice began to raise a little higher. “I couldn’t understand you anymore. Tell me in the extremely detailed explanation!”

            “There is this something that I couldn’t get,” Matt said briefly.

            “What was it? Let me help you get it,” suggested Rodolfo. His voice became relaxed and concerned.

            “Do you really want to know it? There’s no taking it all back.”

            “Come on, just tell me.”

            Matt spent enough time once more, gazing outside of the open window that that was in front of him. The night air drove freely outside and some went inside. Matt, for the multiple times, felt it. He watched the leaves of the trees danced around as the wind hit them. It was serene. He breathes deeply in and out a couple of times.

            Rodolfo, who was staring at him, sensed again the same feeling he felt before. Seeing Matt wearing only a trunk made Rodolfo jumped in elation. He hoped that Matt was thinking the same thing as he did – romantic attraction. Rodolfo’s eyes couldn’t get out of Matt’s body. He was a bit sorrowful to know that his friend’s body was already okay –  was already warm. Rodolfo would not be able to feel Matt’s bare skin anymore. There was a little percent in him, hoping that Matt’s body was still cold. In that way, there’s a chance that he could get very close to Matt, making skin-to-skin contact. Rodolfo was acting inside that he’s into his friend.             While he kept on staring at Matt, who was looking outside of the window, Rodolfo waited for his friend’s response.

            In the fullness of time in silence, Matt moved his whole body to face Rodolfo. He was smiling. Rodolfo asked Matt what was that something that Matt couldn’t get, but Matt did not answer. His smile seemed like it has another meaning. He slowly walked to the bed, touching the different part of his body with his both hands. His own touch to his own body created s****l arousal. It excites him, yet he felt nervous. He thought that Rodolfo would not like having s*x with him, and it might be the cause of the end of their friendship. But Matt couldn’t control himself anymore. The chance was already in front of him, waiting. He told himself that he should not waste it. Whatever the result of his desire was his fault and he accepted it already. Matt wanted to express his true self. And he was attracted to Rodolfo, who was his best friend. Matt cannot wait any longer for Rodolfo’s reactions.

            Matt reached the end of the bed and started to crawl forward. Rodolfo's eyes grew bigger, feeling nervous. He already knew what his friend was trying to do. He folded his knees, covering them with the blanket. But as he did so, his friend pulled it out from him. Although Rodolfo wanted it to happen because he felt the same way as Matt, he does not want to do it while he wasn’t sure if his friend was already feeling well or not. He was shivering. Matt dragged his both feet, making Rodolfo’s body straight on the bed. Rodolfo gasped when Matt suddenly appeared on his front, staring at his eyes. He couldn’t resist avoiding it.

            While Matt was on top of Rodolfo, he spoke in almost a whisper while he pushed his lower body to Rodolfo’s and moved his face closer to Rodolfo’s, “It is you that I wanted to get but couldn’t. Your whole you.”

            Rodolfo wasn’t stunned by what his friend said. He already knew the answer to his own question before by just observing Matt’s actions. He felt Matt’s body cold, but he wondered why Matt wasn’t bothered about it. Rodolfo wondered why his friend seemed normal and can talk very well. He glimpsed at Matt’s wet lips and asked, “Are you entirely sure that you are feeling okay? Would you like to have hot milk? Your body is freezing in cold.”

            “I’m pretty sure I’m fine. And I’d like to have nothing more than you,” Matt answered in a whisper. He was massaging Rodolfo’s cheek with his right thumb.

            “But, but, we’re both m– I mean, - you’re still sick. And – and wha- what if your – ” Rodolfo stuttered. His body was burning in hot. He loved the feeling of Matt’s body being on top of his’s.

            “No buts, no what-ifs. I like you. I love you. I want you. It all matters to me, and I do hope you felt the same way,” replied Matt in a whisper again. He touched Rodolfo’s lower lip using the same thumb finger while looking at it.

            Rodolfo waited until his lips were free from his friend’s thumb, “I also do love you. I confess it. But this isn’t the right time to – ”

            “I don’t believe you, Rod,”  purred Matt, placing the tip of his nose to Rodolfo’s nose tip.

            “Trust me. I love you from the fi – ”

            “Why don’t you prove it right now. We’re too close to each other.”

            Rodolfo looked at Matt’s eyes for a moment. Then he closed his eyes, lift his head, and kissed his friend. He kissed Matt for more than ten seconds, but Matt didn’t kiss him back. Matt only closed his eyes, and feel the warmth of Rodolfo’s lips. Rodolfo slowly returned his head back on the pillow, opening his eyes. He stared at Matt, who was keeping his eyes closed. A second after, Matt smiled beautifully with full of pleasure and began to open his eyes. He saw Rodolfo staring at him. Right after their eyes met, Matt tilt his head and kissed Rodolfo normally. Rodolfo responded to Matt’s kiss. While it lasts, the normal kiss turned into a French kiss.

            They both pushed their body to one another. Matt felt that warm heat on Rodolfo’s chest, but Rodolfo did not felt the same way. Rodolfo felt like he was having s*x with a living corpse. Yet it did not stop him from kissing Matt. Rodolfo pushed Matt to the other side of the bed and got on top. He began to smell and kiss his friend’s neck. It was a wonderful moment for them.

            But in the middle of their lovemaking, Rodolfo suddenly opened his eyes. He found himself lying in bed while his arms were around Matt, who was sleeping. He took a look inside the blanket. They were still wearing their underpants. Rodolfo was shocked by his dream. He thought everything that Matt did was real. It was an unexpected dream having s****l activities with Matt. On the bed, while hugging Matt, he tried to recall what he just dreamt.

            Then Rodolfo came to the realization that he just went asleep while making skin-to-skin with Matt when Dr Smith told him not to fall asleep. Without making Matt woke up, he freed his hands and sat. He looked for Matt’s phone on top of the bedside table, but to his great surprise, just like in his dream, the phone wasn’t there. He got out of the bed and look for it silently. He told himself that it was impossible not to be there nor around the table.  Then Rodolfo remembered his dream. He thought that it was lost because Matt doesn’t want to have a stranger inside his mansions. After remembering all, Rodolfo gave up looking for the phone. He went back to the bed, cover himself with the blanket, and hugged again Matt. He was happy that Matt’s body wasn't cold anymore. It was warm.