Denny
Stockholm was okay, like it had been on other visits in the past. He didn’t have any more time to check out the city than he normally would, so he concentrated on doing his job and getting the hell out of Sweden.
He had a weird feeling in the pit of his stomach. It was an unease that he couldn’t explain by being away from home, away from Josiah and from Sammie. It felt more ominous in an undeterminable way.
Because of the time difference, he didn’t bother messaging Jo and Sammie much. On Friday night, he went to the pre-event and got a bit drunk, then talked to a Finnish record producer about how much he missed his best friends. The woman had laughed in a good-natured way and patted his arm while she told him he was so obviously in love it was adorable.
Saturday was the day of the whole big event and he had fun, sort of. It was much nicer to talk to industry professionals and other record label owners than it was to try and rub elbows with the pretentious investor types. He’d never liked them much.
When he sat on the plane heading back home, he felt exhausted. It had never felt like this before. The event had been a success and there had been some awesome things he’d accomplished, new professional friendships had been forged, but he was so, so ready to get home to his people.
He napped for most of the flight, but by the time he was on the last two hours of his travel time, he started to feel… excited. He felt like he was going to see his crush again, and wasn’t that a peculiar feeling at his age?
He managed to get himself off the plane with excitement coursing through him. Seeing Josiah as soon as possible felt mandatory, as though he could breathe again but only if he’d see the man he was in love with. Jo would likely be at work and get home a few hours after him, but at least he was on familiar soil now.
The flight landed late Sunday evening, so he was jetlagged and anxious while the Uber took him home. The itchiness under his skin was getting worse, thrumming with the butterflies stampeding in his stomach. He twitched when the car turned onto his street, and did his best not to run to the door when he got out.
The lights were on so Josiah was there instead of at the Hare which, welcome as it was, made Denny feel a sliver of worry.
When he unlocked the door and went in, he saw Josiah on the couch, wrapped in a blanket. Without a thought, Denny kicked off his shoes and dropped his stuff by the door, and didn’t bother to hang up his jacket.
“What’s wrong?” He went to Josiah, sat next to him, and reached his arms out.
Instead of leaning into the hug like Denny expected, Jo leaned away, barely making eye contact.
“I….” Tears spilled from Josiah’s eyes. “Can you promise me you won’t be mad?” he asked in a quiet, fragile voice.
“Sweetheart, of co—” Denny stopped himself, for honesty’s sake. “I can’t promise that, but I’ll listen. What’s wrong?”
“I got a call right after you left for the trip,” Jo choked out. He reached for a tissue from the box on the coffee table and blew his nose. “My parents are dead.”
Denny felt two things at once: relief that nothing was wrong with Jo or anyone else he loved, and a tiny sliver of anger that Josiah hadn’t called him immediately. But the anger vanished as fast as it had appeared, because Denny knew this man better than he knew himself.
“I’m so sorry you had to deal with that without us here,” Denny said gently. “Now can I hold you?”
Snort-laughing, Josiah dove into his arms, and they sat in silence for minutes, soaking in the fact that they were together.
The tenderness Denny felt was like nothing he’d felt before. This person in he was holding was everything to him in a very profound way. Being apart for a few days had made the understanding crystallize in his soul. This washisperson. Sure, there was Sammie who was also his person, only in a platonic way. What he’d started to feel for Josiah was not platonic. At. All.
Denny cleared his throat. “Uh, I think I’m going to find a drink and something to eat. Have you eaten?” He pulled back as he spoke, and got to his feet only to stretch when his body realized that it had been cooped up on a plane for most of the day.
“A little bit. I got anxious.”
Denny leaned to kiss Jo’s forehead. “That’s okay. You want me to make you something, too?”
“There’s mac and cheese I made earlier, just didn’t eat a lot.”
“Oh, that sounds awesome right now. Come, let’s go eat.” He held out a hand and pulled Josiah up, and they somehow ended up walking into the kitchen hand in hand. It felt domestic and cute and romantic.
The silence between them felt like a favorite blanket as they fixed plates of food and went to eat at the table. With Josiah’s legs tangled with his own, Denny enjoyed the comfort food and company.
Eventually, Josiah started to talk. He spoke of the call he’d gotten, of the way he’d almost gone into shock and how Dr. Jarvis had made a house call to keep him afloat.
“I need to call her tomorrow,” Josiah said as he got up and rinsed his plate.
“I’ll be here for you. Literally. I won’t go to work until Tuesday.” He’d made the executive decision and he knew Josiah could tell. He didn’t want Jo to feel like he would have to make the call in the morning if he didn’t feel like it. Josiah was all about not bothering other people with his shit, and he would suggest Denny went to work after the call.
“I slept in your bed while you were gone.” Jo stood with his back to Denny, his hands still as if he was tense admitting such a thing.
