Ethan and Jacob: Wish You Were Here
by SalientLane
Chapter 24
The bus rumbled beneath me as the last few miles of Chicago flashed by the window. My eyelids grew heavy and I drifted off, memories of Jacob flooding my mind.
We were lounging on his bed, limbs tangled together as always. "Jake, promise me something," I mumbled into his hair.
"Anything, Ethan." His blue eyes met mine, sincere and sure.
"Promise we'll always find our way back to each other, no matter what."
He grinned and linked his pinky with mine. "Pinky swear. You're stuck with me for life."
The dream shifted and we were at our spot by the river, skipping stones. Jacob's laughter rang out as he managed five skips. "Beat that!"
I selected a smooth rock, feeling its weight in my palm. With a flick of my wrist, I sent it flying. One, two, three... "Six! I win!" I crowed. Jacob tackled me in a hug and we tumbled to the grassy bank, breathless and beaming.
Suddenly, I was jarred awake, the phantom warmth of Jacob's embrace fading away. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. God, I missed him - an ache in my chest that throbbed with every breath. But then it hit me. This bus was taking me home. Back to Jacob. Back where I belonged. A smile tugged at my lips. Soon, mon chère.
Jacob picked at his sandwich, appetite nonexistent. Ethan's absence was a gaping hole inside him, a physical pain that never let up.
"This seat taken?" Alice's gentle voice interrupted his spiraling thoughts. He shook his head and she sat down across from him. "You really miss him, huh?"
"Is it that obvious?" Jacob tried for levity but it fell flat.
Alice reached over to squeeze his hand. "It's okay to miss your best friend. I can't imagine being separated from mine either."
Jacob swallowed hard, fighting the lump in his throat. "I feel like a part of me is missing, Alice. Like I can't breathe right without him here."
"I know, Jacob. For what it's worth, I've got your back, okay? You're not alone."
Tears welled up and Jacob quickly blinked them away. "Thanks. I just... I need him, you know? More than anything."
Alice nodded, understanding in her eyes. "I know. I wish I knew what to say."
Jacob managed a small sad smile, but inside he was in pieces, shattered fragments only Ethan could put back together again. Ethan, he thought desperately. I'm lost without you.
The Detroit skyline glittered outside the bus window as I settled back into my seat, belly full of a hastily scarfed burger and fries. Another long leg of the journey ahead, but I was one step closer to home. To Jacob.
A boy around my age plopped into the seat behind me, his blond hair disheveled from sleep. Our eyes met briefly and I offered a quick grin before turning to stare out into the night.
"Long trip, eh?" His voice piped up a moment later, friendly and warm. "I'm Whit, by the way."
"Ethan," I replied, shifting to face him better. "And yeah, feels like forever. You heading up north too?"
Whit nodded, an easy smile on his face. "Yep, back to Montréal. Can't wait to get off this dang bus." He paused, something flickering in his blue eyes. "Where's home for you?"
"Québec City." Just saying the words made my heart clench with longing. "Got someone special waiting for me there."
"Yeah?" Whit's smile turned knowing. "I get that. Got my own special someone in Montréal."
We traded glances, a silent understanding passing between us. In that moment, I knew Whit and I were more alike than different. Two boys in love, desperate to get back to the ones who held our hearts.
"His name's Cyrus," Whit said after a beat, voice gone soft. "My sweetheart. Can't wait to wrap him in my arms again." I motioned for him to come up closer, and he moved to the empty seat beside me.
I swallowed hard. "Jacob. He's my... everything. Being apart like this, it's torture."
"Preaching to the choir, my friend." Whit sighed, then quirked a wry grin. "Well, here's to reunions and happily ever afters, yeah?"
"I'll drink to that." We mimed clinking glasses, chuckling despite the ache in our chests.
As the miles blurred by, Whit and I talked about anything and everything. Our shared secret, the loves we'd left behind, spilled out like water from a burst dam. By the time his stop came, it felt like I'd known him for years rather than hours.
"Stay in touch, okay?" Whit pulled me into a fierce hug as Montréal's city lights glowed outside the bus windows. "Give that boy of yours a big hug from me."
Laughing, I squeezed him back just as hard. "Same to you and Cyrus. Don't be a stranger, Whit."
We exchanged numbers scribbled on scraps of paper, one final grin, and then he was gone, disappearing into the Montréal night.
Alone once more, I closed my eyes and pictured Jacob's face. Almost there, Jakey. Just a little longer.
Over a full day of traveling left me sore, cramped, and exhausted, but the sight of Québec City's familiar streets wiped all that away. My heart raced as I stepped off the bus into the crisp air at Gare du Palais. Québec City has long winters; it had been snowing when we left for Chicago, and when I came home over two months later, it was still snowing.
Jacob's name beat in my chest like a drum, urging my feet forward. It was twenty-five minutes to his door, but I'd make it in twenty. I'd crawl there on my hands and knees if I had to.
The bustling city passed in a blur, my mind consumed with one thought: Get to Jacob. Every step brought me closer to his arms, his smile, his gentle touch. By the time his building came into view, I was practically sprinting.
Winded and panting, I jabbed the buzzer with shaking fingers. This was it. No more distance, no more borders. Just me and my Jakey, together like we were always meant to be. "It's me," I said.
"Come up." Sophie's voice. My second mother. I scrambled up the stairs two at a time.
My breath caught as the door swung open, revealing the face I'd been dreaming of for months.
"Jacob," I breathed.
His blue eyes widened, shock melting into pure, incandescent joy. "Ethan?"
And then I was flying across the threshold and into his waiting arms, crushing him against me like I'd never let go. Home. I was finally home.
Jacob's arms tightened around me, his face buried in the crook of my neck. I could feel his heart pounding against mine, the warmth of his breath on my skin.
"I missed you so much," he whispered, his voice thick with tears. "I thought I was going to die without you."
I pulled back just enough to cup his face in my hands, drinking in every detail like a man lost in the desert. "I'm here now," I murmured, my voice breaking. "And I'm never leaving you again. I promise."
Tears spilled down his cheeks, but he was smiling, radiant and beautiful. I couldn't resist pressing my lips to his, soft and sweet. It was a chaste kiss, mindful of his mother standing nearby, but it held all the love and longing of our months apart. We were both in tears now.
"Boys," Sophie said gently, her own eyes suspiciously misty. "Why don't you come inside? I'll make some hot chocolate to warm you up."
Jacob laced his fingers with mine, tugging me into the apartment. "Come on," he said, his voice brimming with happiness. "Let's get you out of those wet clothes."
I followed him gladly, my heart so full it felt like it might burst. This was where I belonged, with the boy I loved more than life itself.
As the door closed behind us, shutting out the cold and the snow, I knew I was finally, irrevocably home.
In Jacob's room, we collapsed onto the bed in a tangle of limbs, still clinging to each other. I buried my face in his neck, breathing him in. He smelled like soap and clean laundry and just... Jacob. It was the most comforting scent in the world.
"I can't believe you're really here," he murmured, running his fingers through my damp hair. "I keep thinking I'm going to wake up and it'll all be a dream."
I took his hand in mine, squeezing it gently. "It's not a dream. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere."
He let out a shaky breath, his eyes glistening with tears. "I was so scared I'd lost you forever."
"Me too," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "But we're together now. I've got you, and nothing's going to change that."
We lay there for a long moment, just basking in each other's presence. The last time we'd been in this room, we'd been saying goodbye, our hearts breaking. Now, it felt like we were sealing a promise, one that could never be broken.
"Hey," Jacob said softly, tilting my chin up to look at him. "I love you, you know. More than anything."
My heart swelled in my chest, so full of love and joy that it almost hurt. "I love you too," I whispered. "Forever and always."
He kissed me then, slow and deep and tender. It wasn't like our first time, desperate and tinged with sorrow. This was a celebration, a homecoming, an affirmation of everything we were to each other.
We made love slowly, reverently, mapping each other's bodies with hands and lips like we were rediscovering a treasured landscape. Every touch, every kiss, every whispered word of devotion felt like a prayer, a sacred vow.
Afterwards, we lay tangled together, exchanging soft kisses and gentle caresses. I'd never felt so content, so utterly at peace. This was where I belonged, in Jacob's arms, in this little cocoon of warmth and love we'd built together.
"Hey Jakey?" I murmured, nuzzling his jaw.
"Mmm?"
"Think Maman would mind if I just... never left this room again?"
He laughed, pulling me closer. "I think she'd insist on it, actually. You're stuck with us now, troublemaker."
"Good," I said, smiling against his skin. "That's exactly where I want to be."
"Only one problem. I think Mom wants to feed you." The familiar, welcome aroma of her cooking was in the air.
"I could eat. I'm starving, actually."
The next morning. As sunlight crept through the curtains, I stirred awake, enveloped in Jacob's warm embrace. His arms were wrapped tightly around me, our bare chests pressed together. I breathed in his familiar scent, savoring the feeling of being home.
"Jake," I whispered, running my fingers through his black hair.
His blue eyes fluttered open, a smile spreading across his face. "Ethan? You're really here?"
"In the flesh," I grinned. "Unless you're having an incredibly vivid dream."
Jacob's arms tightened around me. "If this is a dream, I never want to wake up."
I chuckled, poking his side. "Pretty sure you're awake, buddy. I can pinch you if you need proof."
"I'll pass on the pinching," Jacob laughed, his eyes twinkling. "But I wouldn't say no to a kiss."
My heart skipped a beat as I leaned in, pressing my lips softly against his. When we parted, Jacob's smile was brighter than the morning sun.
"So," I said, reluctantly untangling myself from his arms, "shower time?"
Jacob waggled his eyebrows. "Together? How scandalous, Mr. Belanger."
I rolled my eyes, tossing a pillow at him. "To conserve water, you goof. Get your mind out of the gutter."
"Hey, I'm a teenage boy. The gutter is my natural habitat," Jacob quipped, dodging the pillow.
We showered not too quickly and very scandalously, having too much fun to care much about conserving water. Jacob had been right. As we dried off and got dressed, I couldn't help but marvel at how right everything felt. Like puzzle pieces clicking into place.
"Race you downstairs?" Jacob challenged, a mischievous glint in his eye.
"You're on, Teicher," I grinned, already bolting for the door.
We thundered down the stairs, laughing and shoving each other. But as we rounded the corner into the kitchen, we skidded to a halt. My mom stood at the counter, sipping coffee.
"Maman?" I gasped, shock coursing through me. "What are you doing here?"
My heart raced as I stared at my mother, fear twisting in my gut. Jacob's hand found mine, squeezing gently.
"I'm never going back to America," I blurted out, my voice shaking. "You can't take me back there!"
Mom's eyes widened, and she set down her coffee mug. "Ethan, chéri—"
"No!" I cut her off, stepping forward. "This is my home. Jacob is my home."
To my surprise, Mom's face softened. She held up her hands in a placating gesture. "Ethan, please. Let me explain."
I hesitated, feeling Jacob's steady presence beside me. Mom took a deep breath.
"I'm not here to take you back," she said softly. "I'm here to stay."
My jaw dropped. "What?"
Mom smiled, a hint of sadness in her eyes. "I'm getting an apartment in this building, just downstairs. I'm leaving Vincent in Chicago."
"But... why?" I stammered, struggling to process this information.
"If all he loves is money, then he can stay in America," Mom said, her voice firm. "I'm coming home to give you and Jacob a home, because my home is here. I never belonged in the United States, and neither did you."
I felt Jacob's arm slip around my waist, steadying me. "So... we're staying?" I whispered, hardly daring to believe it.
Mom nodded, her eyes glistening. "You'll have a bedroom in both apartments. You and Jacob will never be separated again. I promise you."
Tears welled up in my eyes as the reality sank in. I was home. For good.
I turned to Jacob, my heart pounding. His blue eyes sparkled with joy, a grin spreading across his face.
"We did it, Eth," he whispered, squeezing my hand. "We're home."
I laughed, a sound of pure relief and happiness. "I can't believe it!"
Mom watched us, her smile soft and understanding. "Boys, I know this is a lot to take in. Why don't you sit down?"
We settled at the kitchen table, our legs touching under the surface. The familiar scent of fresh coffee filled the air, grounding me in this surreal moment.
"So, what happens now?" I asked, my mind racing with possibilities.
Mom leaned forward. "Well, first, we need to get settled. There's paperwork, school arrangements..."
"School!" Jacob exclaimed. "Eth, you'll be back at Collège François-de-Laval!"
I grinned, bumping his shoulder. "Think they'll let me back on the gymnastics team?"
"Are you kidding? They'd be crazy not to!"
As we laughed, I caught Mom's gaze. There was something in her eyes – pride, maybe, or relief. I realized how much she must have given up to make this happen.
"Mom," I said softly. "Thank you."
She reached across the table, squeezing my hand. "Je t'aime, mon fils."
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