Joe lay in bed that night. In that cool balinese hotel room, the only sounds were the faint hum of a vent and his heart beating about a million times a second. Just outside his curtain, Joe could peek at a nearly blinding coruscations of traffic lights, cars, and hotel rooms. They all blinked, each telling their own story if only one paid attention.
But Joe wasn't preoccupied with them. He had bigger things on his mind. That hot steamy night with Xi Jinping was unforgettable, a day of scandalous pure lovemaking and shared bliss. His old cheeks blushed. He was a married man, Xi was a married man, and the world had their spotlight on the both of them. They loved each other, but deep inside his heart he ached, for he knew the two of them could never be together. Here comes something floating about. A memory.
Xi's burly arms were wrapped around Joe's leathery hips, a smile shared together. A few more faint flashes of memory. Passionate love. Biden moaned "M-Malarkey!". A knock came at the door.
"Mr Xi, are you all right?"
Xi pulled out faster than the U.S did from Afghanistan and answered behind the door.
"I am all right. Thank you." The guard promptly walked it off, but between the men and their short, wheezing breaths, they shared a glance. They had loved each other so, willing to sacrifice their own nations to be with each other. But they couldn't. Decades of experience with people betrayed both of the men a few vulnerable feelings. This warmth would not last.
They embraced each other briefly, and shared a kiss.
The next day, during a conference, the both of them sat next to each other. They were close, but at that moment they were the furthest away from each other. Xi and Biden stared forward, paying close attention. They knew they couldn't even let a small glance or genuine smile slip through. Full professionalism all the way was the only path to go. Every interaction, fake. But if you looked at both their eyes, the lights reflected in them told a story. And if you looked close enough and paid attention, you could just barely make out small tears and broken hearts.
