The Two Men Lying Down In The Pasture, Under the Magnificent Night Sky

      Alejandro is walking back to the hostel he's currently staying in. He has finally decided to end his entire day of strolling within this new municipality. He is on his first of a two-day trip to this nearby province.

As he walked on the empty dusty road illuminated only by old wooden lamp posts, he saw an entrance with a sign hanging beside its rusty gate: do not enter. 

It caught his curiosity and jumped on the low fences. Behind the gate and the fences is a narrow rough road, there are no lights, only mango trees on both sides. He was able to see it thanks to the bright full moon. 

He walked the path until he reached the end of it. The rough road is headed to a vast pasture with a view of the nearby much more lively town. He smiled, for him it is the perfect spot to rest, even much better on his cheap rented room in the town proper. 

He removed his classic denim jacket and laid it on the grassy spot. He lay down and immediately felt in awe of the enormous mesmerizing night sky: a peaceful view of the vast galaxy above, embellished with a full yellow-colored moon and countless stars. He felt humbled, he felt peaceful, he felt so lucky to have experienced such a beautiful place, view, and state of mind.

He almost had a heart attack when someone spoke nearby, "Can I lay down next to you?" the stranger said. 

"S-s-sure," Alejandro replied in a low hesitant voice. 

The stranger walked towards Alejandro, lay himself down next to him, and smiled. 

Alejandro felt weird. The stranger has made his heartbeat fast. 

"I'm Charlie," the stranger said. 

"Nice meeting you, Charlie" Alejandro replied with a little smile. 

Charlie has a very masculine look: thick eyebrows, thin lips, defined facial bone structure, and wavy hair. Alejandro couldn't resist but admire his face. 

Alejandro on the other hand is the opposite of Charlie physically. He has very soft facial features. You can categorize him as androgynous. 

They stopped introducing themselves to each other and started to observe and appreciate the hypnotic beauty of the galaxy above them. No other sounds can be heard, but the whistling of the fresh rural winds, the grass, and the crickets. 

Suddenly, Alejandro felt at ease. All his worries have faded. He closed his eyes and listened to his surroundings. 

"This is my favorite spot in the town," Charlie whispered. "Every time I would want to take a break from everything, I would go here at night and take a nap." 

"You live near this area?" Alejandro asked while looking at the stranger's parted lips.

"Yes, what about you? You're not from here I suppose." Charlie asked back. 

"I live far away from here... I wanted to discover another place and be inspired for my future writings," Alejandro replied, still focused on the man's face. 

"Oh, so you write. You're probably a very deep and sentimental person," Charlie assumed. 

"I guess I am," Alejandro answered followed by a small giggle. 

Charlie, charmed by the little laugh Alejandro did, turned his head. He noticed how the moonlight emphasized the tourist's pale face and full red lips. He also noticed his straight earth-colored hair. 

He released a smile, thinking how fortunate he is to lay beside such a charming mortal, in the middle of a grassy field, under the stars. These thoughts made him feel excited. A feeling he thought he lost when he became stuck in a particular situation that involves commitment a few years ago. 

They talked about everything: their problems, their rants, their goals, their lives, even the jokes one of them have heard earlier. The long conversation has made them feel emotions: sad, empathetic, mad, happy, loved, funny, comfortable, and more.

Suddenly, big raindrops started to fall from the sky. The men's long deep conversation has turned them oblivious of the heavy clouds that invaded the town, in a span of only an hour. 

They're too astonished by each other's features, stories, and company. 

The unexpected downpour caused panic to Alejandro. He couldn't let his jacket be wet. It's thick and would be hard to dry out, same on his shoes. He doesn't want to walk around tomorrow with wet sneakers and smelling like shit. 

Out of rush, he unconsciously grabbed Charlie's hand and drag him as fast and hard as he could to find somewhere that will protect them from the sudden heavy rain.

Due to the lack of light in the area, Alejandro slipped and fell on the muddy narrow road. 

"Arghhhhh," he screamed out of frustration. 

With the loss of hope of escaping the situation, he decided to just accept his current state and sat down in the mud. 

"Are you okay?!" Charlie asked in a genuinely concerned tone when he noticed that Alejandro has remained seated on the dirt.

"What else could I do? I'm already wet and dirty," Alejandro responded, still anxious. 

Charlie, with his genuine attempt to lift Alejandro's morale, sat down beside him, in the mud. 

"What are you doing?" Alejandro asked while trying to stop his laughter. 

"You're wet and dirty, but at least you're not the only one," Charlie replied grinning. 

Alejandro laughed so hard, and so Charlie. They are aware of how foolish they look. 

"You're beautiful," Charlie suddenly uttered while staring at the stranger's soaked face.

Alejandro, feeling conscious, stood up and said, "I guess, I should go now. I still have to dry out these clothes." 

"Let me accompany you to your hostel," Charlie said with an embarrassed expression. 

They walked out of the private property. Finally, the rain had stopped. The roads have turned almost like a mirror. It reflected the yellow-orange lights of the wooden lamp posts, giving the entire area a bright yellow tint. 

The road and the area beside it are quiet and empty, only the footsteps of the two men can be heard. None of them dared to speak until Alejandro felt a little tired and decided to walk towards an old broken rusty waiting shed beside the path. 

"Can we just stop here for a while?" Alejandro asked in a low tone. 

"Sure," Charlie replied. 

The deafening silence of the spot is giving the both of them a hard time ignoring the compliment Charlie gave to Alejandro earlier. 

"Do you really think I'm beautiful?" Alejandro nervously asked while looking directly at the other man's intense masculine gaze. 

"I do," Charlie said while slowly taking steps toward the nervous androgynous tourist. 

"I find you really really really really beautiful inside and out," Charlie whispered that almost gave Alejandro teary eyes. Nobody has told him these words as genuine and as romantic as how Charlie uttered the words.

In that old worn-out rusty waiting shed beside the empty wet road, illuminated by the orange lights of obsolete wooden lamp posts, Alejandro committed the most stupid and dumbest decision he ever made from his recent past: falling in love with a stranger. 

But, it didn't bother him that much, at least at that moment... because that night, he doesn't care about the man's story: if he's in a relationship, if he's broken, if he's not what he seems to be; because that night, the moment is between him and the stranger, and the intense emotion they both feel inside towards each other. 

Nothing matters anymore, only their hearts, at least at that time. 

And Alejandro decided to finally kiss the thin soft lips of Charlie. He kissed him so passionately, so intensely that he decided, regardless of him being shy most of the time, to take the initiative and asked the man into his cheap rented room.

That night, they shared a bed, they shared their warmth to each other: a generous act of the two men who randomly met in the pasture of a forgotten rural town, under the magnificent sparkle of the enchanting night sky.