Tibur's part-time job at the marina was simple enough. When 'The Playful Tiger' was docked, he'd be tasked with taking inventory of their supplies and loading the neccessary items into their rightful places. He was thankful he didn't need to clean. Even wiping the toothpaste from his bathroom sink at home had led him to think about Michael.

Stocking shelves and heaving boxes was close enough to his work at Mr Melik's supermarket; with the added bonus that he'd be on a significantly higher wage per hour.

"Not too bad right?" asked his friend Kawen, "Mr Aster is pretty generous to the staff. He throws a lot of parties onboard so he appreciates the amount of work we have to do to prepare for them; not to mention the clean-up afterwards."

Kawen was leading him around the super-yacht, and Tibur was doing his best to remember the way. If he only got lost the first handful of times, he'd feel incredibly proud of himself; the interior was like a labyrinth.

"Doesn't Mr Aster have a permanent crew to do all this work?" asked Tibur.

"He does, then he hires extra people wherever he goes. Not only in Modesh, I think he docks in Cabi, too."

Tibur was grateful for the work, and thankful that Mr Aster had chosen to dock in Modesh for the summer. Even if Michael refused to give him a repayment plan, he was going to ready as much cash as he could to pay him back.

"This is the pantry" said Kawen, "I'm going to check out the bathrooms so I'll leave you to start in here."

The system of pull-out drawers, fold-out cabinets and lift-up hatches was a journey of discovery. Tibur worked his way through from left to right, trying to make sure he'd covered every nook and cranny, and listed every item.

"Are you new?" asked a young blonde man, poking his head into the cramped space.

Tibur nodded.

"Great! Don't mind me, just stopping by to grab something."

The stranger reached past him and tucked two bottles of champagne under one arm, another pair held between his fingers. Tibur had a sudden concern, that he'd be accused of taking whatever had gone missing.

"Um... would you mind waiting for my friend to come back before you take them?" he asked, "Since I'm new... I don't really know what the protocol is supposed to be."

"The protocol...?" laughed the blonde man, "You really are new."

He was about to leave with his haul when he was struck by Tibur's large and pleading eyes.

"Oh fine" he said, "hand me your little list."

At the bottom of the inventory the stranger wrote and signed a declaration:

'Don't fire the new guy. The champers was mine anyway -

-  Carver'

"If the old man gives you any trouble just show him this" he said, "Though by the looks of you I shouldn't think you'll have any problems. Just flash those big eyes at him and he'll be eating out of your hand."

Carver smirked at the nonplussed student, and left him to finish his job in peace.

When Kawen came to see how he was getting on, Tibur showed him the note and he seemed unfazed.

"Don't worry about it" he said, "The whole pantry could be decimated and he wouldn't bat an eyelid. The amount they drink at those parties... They don't care what's been drunk, only that everything's restocked by the next one."

Kawen didn't seem to know who Carver was, but if it didn't matter then Tibur didn't care. With the supplies successfully loaded onboard, he accepted the money for his hours and headed home to study until he fell asleep.

He'd just started to snore when his phone rang.

"Hello..?" Tibur answered, waking up from a dream about champagne and expecting the yacht people to be calling with questions.

Michael hadn't realized the time, he just wanted to hear Tibur's voice.

"I've been doing some research" he began.

"Good..." said Tibur, "Have you figured out the installment plan? You can just text it to me."

"No" said Michael, "Not that. I think I'm ready."

Tibur was in no mood to play guessing games. He was tired, and his arms were aching from carrying boxes all afternoon. When he didn't respond, Michael finally explained himself.

"I'm ready to see you naked" Michael told him with conviction, "I think I can handle it now. No weirdness, no freaking out. I think we should arrange a time to meet."

Despite the sheer number of stupid things that Michael had said to him, Tibur still found himself surprised by the levels of idiocy to which he could sink.

"So what?!" he asked him, "You want to see me naked, so you think I'll just show you? Keep dreaming! Oh, and just for your information, I happen to know that my penis is fucking lovely!"

Tibur hung up the phone and Michael was left reeling. How did he 'happen' to know exactly? He hoped no one else had told him as such; hadn't he already staked his claim on Tibur's virginity? Michael wasn't about to let someone swoop in and steal it from him. He tried calling back, but found that Tibur's phone had already been switched off.

As a result of avoiding his nuisance caller, Tibur had no alarm and was late to his classes the following morning. His bad mood continued all day, until at last he arrived home from his shift at the supermarket. Michael was waiting outside his building.

"What did you mean?" he asked him, continuing their phone conversation right where it was left off, "How do you 'happen to know' your penis is lovely?"

Tibur frantically covered Michael's mouth with his hand. His peers were nearby, and he didn't want his private life exposed to the entire university.

"You waited here to ask me this?!" he questioned incredulously.

Michael's eyebrows furrowed. He stuck out his tongue and licked Tibur's hand.

"For fuck's sake!"

As he was busy wiping his palm on Michael's T-shirt, Tibur's phone started ringing.

"Oh" said Michael as Tibur quickly answered it, "I see you bothered to turn it back on then!" 

"Yes, Kawen?"

Michael tried his hardest, but failed to listen in on their conversation.

"Okay" said Tibur, "I'll get changed and meet you there."

"Who's Kawen?" asked Michael suspiciously.

Tibur ignored him, swiping his ID on his building's entry system and running inside before Michael thought to follow him. There was no clueless student to grant him entry like the night his door was broken. He was forced to wait outside until Tibur came back out.

Fifteen minutes later, he left the building dressed in a plain white shirt and a pair of black pants.

"You look nice..." said Michael, momentarily distracted by Tibur's neat figure in his button down, "Do you have a date or something?"

"Work" said Tibur, "I've been offered a part time gig for the evening."

Mr Aster was throwing an impromptu party and needed wait staff at short notice. Kawen had recommended him immediately.

"Well what are you doing for work?" asked Michael, "Maybe I can take you there."

"You don't have a car" Tibur pointed out.

"Oh. Should I get one?"

While Michael pondered which convertible he should buy, Tibur walked to the bus stop, intent on paying back the 6000 MD he owed.

"Why don't I order you a taxi?" asked Michael.

Tibur folded his arms and glared at him.

"The price of the taxi would cost as much as an hour's work. I'll take the bus."

When the little local bus pulled up and Tibur got on with his student card, he was surprised to see that Michael had followed him onboard.

"Move over" he said, "I want to sit with you."

Squeezing in beside him, Michael squared his shoulders and began to spread his legs in an attempt to get comfortable. Tibur was getting annoyed, squished up against the window with his thighs pressed together.

"Is this your first time on a bus?" he asked him, "Where are you even going?!" 

"With you of course" said Michael, "I don't trust this Kawen guy."

Tibur banged his head against the window, wondering what he'd done to invite this idiot into his life. Ah yes, that was it... he'd thrown a paperweight through his terrace door.

They got off at the stop closest to the marina, and walked down to meet Kawen outside the security office.

"Friend of yours?" he asked, eyeing up the antagonistic foreigner dressed in shorts and a T-shirt.

"No need to worry about him" said Tibur, turning to Michael and attempting to wave him off, "This is where we part ways." 

The idiot stood there resolutely with his chest puffed out, until he was spotted by a group of partygoers making their way to the boat.

"Is that Michael..?!" cried a shrill middle-aged redhead, "My goodness I haven't seen you around in weeks! I thought you must have landed yourself in hospital! Are you here for Coryn's thing?" 

It was not a name that Michael recognized. Despite his propensity for mingling in every corner of the island, he knew far more women than men; and didn't quite measure up to the social status of Coryn Aster and his millions.

Tibur's countenance turned cold.

"Renne, it's been too long!" said Michael, "Is there a party or something going on? I can't say I got the invite, or I would have dressed up a little."

Nehrenne had lived in Modesh for twenty years. Having lost her husband early and been left with a small fortune, she'd been making up for her 'lost youth' by spending her time and money in every high-priced wine bar across Modesh. She'd often spot Michael out and about, and while she'd yet to experience his skills firsthand, he'd been on the top of her 'to-do' list for quite some time.

"Oh don't bother to stand on ceremony!" she said, "If it's one of Coryn's things then it's a very casual affair. You lend me your arm, you big strong man, you can help me get aboard in these damn high heels!"

Michael didn't really want to leave Tibur with Kawen, but Nehrenne seemed to be his only ticket onto the boat. Without her help he'd be forced to watch Tibur set sail and leave him behind.

"It would be my honor" said Michael, offering his arm as Tibur averted his gaze.

"Well" said Kawen, "I think your friend's been claimed. Shall we get to work?"

Tibur followed Kawen to the galley and was briefed about his duties for the evening. Namely passing around glasses of champagne, collecting empties, and trying not to spill everything when the boat started moving.

"Understood" said Tibur.

Out on deck, the railings were strewn with fairylights, and an assortment of Mr Aster's nearest and dearest were assembled. But the man of the hour was below deck... powdering his nose. 

"Hello..." he said, running into Tibur as he exited the bathroom, "You look brand new."

Tibur nodded and tried to pass him.

"Welcome aboard The Playful Tiger. Nice to see a fresh face... I'm Coryn Aster. Your name is?"

"Tibur."

Coryn burst out laughing.

"Are you the 'playful' Tibur?" he asked him.

Tibur laughed politely. It was fortunate that one of Mr Aster's friends had come to find him, before Tibur was forced to fake his enthusiasm any longer.

"It's time for your toast!" they called out to him.

"You should join us on deck, Tibur" said Coryn, "I'm counting on you to keep my glass full all night!"

His task assigned by the host, Tibur was handed a bottle of champagne by another member of staff, and quickly followed Mr Aster onto the deck. A short ways across from them, Michael was drinking with Nehrenne and her circle of friends. The flirtatious glances were fired at him from all directions.

"Good evening my nearest and dearest!" said Coryn through the microphone. "I'm sure you must be wondering why I gathered you here with so little warning."

"We can guess!" cried a voice from the crowd.

Coryn laughed along with his guests, but as he smiled, his eyes grew fixed.

"It would be no surprise to any of you, if I were to finally do the decent thing and make an honest man out of our beloved Carver. But as you may have noticed... he isn't present tonight."

"He's not pregnant is he?!" shouted a drunken guest from the back, the crowd erupting in good natured laughter.

"If he was, it wouldn't be mine!" Coryn declared to deafening silence, "That cheating little weasel has upped and left. And in honor of my newfound single status, it's only right that we should celebrate! Prepare yourselves, we're not going back to shore until the sun comes up!"

Coryn handed the microphone to an attendant, and shook his empty champagne glass at Tibur. Even with Carver gone, at least there was a pretty young waiter to serve him drinks.

"What did you say your name was again?" he asked, sniffing and wiping his nose.

"Tibur."

Coryn laughed as he sipped his champagne.

"And are you the 'playful' Tibur?" he repeated, slapping him on the back.

Oh shit. 

Between having to humor the coked up little millionaire all night, and avoiding Michael's deathstares as he did so, Tibur considered if it wouldn't be better to throw himself overboard and swim for shore. As the lights of the dock twinkled in the distance, he realized he might have already missed his chance.