Victory Is the Only Thing That Can Keep You Alive

“I can't wait to get rid of those disgusting green walls in the lounge room,” I spoke up as we wondered through about the fifth furniture shop trying to find the perfect sofa.
“You not like colour?” Geno stepped passed me letting his hand brush my back before continuing to sit down on a large chocolate brown 'L' shaped sofa.
“No it's an ugly green,” he chuckled as I wrinkled my face in disgust and sat down on the matching ottoman.
“Well what colour you want instead?” he relaxed back into the sofa.
“I was thinking just a simple light brown, makes the room feel warmer maybe the same for my bedroom too,” I shrugged as I laid back across the ottoman.

I would have loved to have curled up right next to him but we couldn't do that not with the chance of someone recognizing us. I knew making the decision to keep this to ourselves was going to be hard but we could do it, at least until we were ready to tell everyone. I mean I had more to lose in this then him, like my career. If Ray or Dan got a hold of such knowledge we would both be in some serious trouble.

“This is actually a really nice sofa,” I felt the soft material and knew this was definitely the sofa for me.
“Is nice,” Geno agreed.
“Do you think I should get this one?”
“Is up to you,” he shrugged.
“Geno,” I sighed and rolled over so I could look at him seriously, “do you like it or not?”
“Yes, I like it,” he nodded.
“Good,” I climbed to my feet, checked the price and saw that it was in my price range and decided there and then that it was the sofa for me.

“Alright so all my lounge room furniture is getting here on Monday which means we have today and tomorrow to paint,” I fished out my list of things to buy and finally crossed off sofa.
“We go home depot?” Geno smiled as we walked back to my car.
“Yes we can go to Home Depot.”

It took every ounce of my being to not snuggle into Geno's side as we looked at all the different paint colours. He kept reaching out for me, putting his arm out to led me to where he wanted me to look or when I bent down he was right there next to me looking at all the different cards.

“How about this crimson red in my lounge room?” I shoved the tiny card into his hands.
“Red,” a mischievous grin crossed his face and he took the card to hold it up against me, “you should wear red.”
“Shut up,” I snatched the card back but found myself smiling none the less, “maybe if your lucky one day. Now seriously though do you think it would look good in the lounge room?”
“Think look good on you,” he said quiet seriously.
“Geno,” I sighed, “if you're not going to help...”
“No, no, is good, look good in room, look good on you too,” he smiled but I let him get away with it for now otherwise we would just keep going in circles about it all morning and we had some actual painting to do.

I settled on a very elegant chocolate brown to paint my room, a much lighter brown to paint the hallway, foyer and dining room and I managed to stumble across a chalkboard paint to do in the kitchen like I had always wanted before we could finally escape the shops and return back to the privacy of my house.

Geno carried the paint tins inside for me while I struggled with all the other necessities piled up in my arms; rollers, paint brushes, trays and drop sheets.
“Make sure Nemo doesn't get out,” I yelled as I ran up the footpath and into the house before I dropped it all.
“Nemo's fine!”

I made it into the lounge room and found Geno cradling my not so little anymore orange fur ball in his arms.
“Need help?” he smiled watching me struggle.
“Nope,” I dropped the things straight on the floor before going over to him to steal my cat back.

“I think we should start in here and then maybe do my room later,” I suggested looking around the empty lounge room.
“Ok,” Geno came up behind me wrapping his arms tightly around my waist and resting his head on my shoulder as he let out a sigh.
“Everything ok?” I frowned as I craned my neck to see him.
“Hard hiding feelings about you.”
“I know but one day we will be able to tell people, just not yet,” I leaned back into his embrace and soaked up being there.
“Can't wait,” he kissed my cheek before going back to just holding me for awhile.

I never really expected Geno to be this kind of guy, the one that wears his heart on his sleeve and isn't afraid to show affection. In fact he loved to cuddle, he probably loved it more than I loved it. He was definitely the most affectionate guy I had been with and while that probably would have worried me if it had gone any other way, with him in Russia for three months I didn't care I wanted all the attention and love I could get from him.

I was only brought back from my thoughts when Nemo began wriggling his way out of my arms and I had to let the flailing cat go before I got scratched.
“Come on, we should probably start painting,” I reluctantly pulled away from him, “did you bring your spare clothes?”
“Yes,” he nodded and pointed to a plastic bag in the corner which I assumed where his things before darting off to get changed myself.

I came back and Geno was shirtless wearing a pair of old looking black gym shorts. That was what he was going to wear painting? I could do with that.
“So you're just not going to wear a shirt?” I smiled at him as he hunched over pouring the paint into one the trays.
“No shirt not matter,” he shrugged and stood back up.
“Well I like it,” I looked him up and down right there in front of him not even bothering to hide how much I appreciated the sight before me.