Author's Note:
So yeah once again I have not physically reunited the boys yet. I started writing that but I realized it would move the story faster than I wanted to, which would result in the story being shorter than I planned. But they are reunited in a way. You'll see.
Christmas morning: Ben felt better about it after having shared his thoughts with Hal. He kept watching Hal, waiting to see signs of the awkwardness or tension he expected, but he never saw any. Hal was acting completely normal. A little nicer maybe, but the disgust and rejection he had feared never materialized. Matt was also normal. Which meant: he was yelling at mom for some perceived slight that probably had been an innocent mistake. Dad was in his study, grading finals. He would emerge when it was time to open presents. Ben sat at the kitchen table, eating a cinnamon roll. Their mother made them every year on Christmas morning. It was just normal. The undeniable change he felt in himself was not borne out by circumstances, and he must have looked the same to his family. His mother walked into the kitchen.
"Ben you got a package yesterday, I forgot to tell you. You can open it before we do presents I guess. Your dad won't be ready to come out of his sanctuary for another half-hour I think." Ben blinked. A package? Who would be sending him something? If it was from a relative his mom would have put it under the tree with the rest of the gifts. She put a box on the table; a card in an envelope was taped to the top. It wasn't a very large box. There was no return address on it. Ben opened the envelope.
To Ben: Thanks for your awesome friendship. I am glad we met; it made school so much easier to handle. Merry Christmas. –Jimmy. P.S. I got your address from your roommate, no stalking, I promise. Ben grinned widely. He was so thankful that Jimmy had been so much more discreet in the note than he was in that text from the night before. What if his parents had read the note, to see who it was from? Hal knowing was nerve-wracking enough. He quickly ripped the brown paper wrapping off the box. He stared at the box.
"Holy shit. That is a sweet phone dude! Who gave you that?" Matt said as he walked into the kitchen with Hal, doubtless in search of cinnamon rolls for breakfast. As their mother chided Matt for his language, Hal gave Ben a knowing smirk. He could obviously guess who it came from. And Matt was correct. Ben couldn't believe it. This phone must have cost hundreds of dollars. It was one of the ones that had everything. Internet, video, mp3 player, camera, everything. Damn it. Now I have to get him something. Of course I don't have the money to buy him anything as cool as this. Have to make it good, though…
"My friend from school sent it to me. He probably got it on clearance or wholesale or something." Ben hoped his voice was as casual as it seemed to him. The last thing (OK, second to last thing) he wanted to do was explain how his "friend" was the son of the biggest auto dealer in Boston. Like so many things, that could wait. Ben quickly swapped out the sim card into his new phone and headed into the living room to wait for presents. On his way in, he shot a text to Jimmy.
GOT YOUR PRESENT. THIS IS AMAZING. CALL YOU LATER, SO MUCH TO TELL YOU :)
Opening presents was…opening presents. He got socks and clothes and all the other stuff that you always got on Christmas but you hoped you wouldn't. He got some video games from his brothers and books from his father (of course). Instead of throwing the wrapping in the trash bag, his brother would ball it up and throw it at his head, just like every year. He would get his revenge by throwing boxes towards Hal and Matt's heads. Hal complimented him on his aim and new muscle strength. It was all just so normal. And yet it all felt wrong somehow. Like a piece of him was missing. That feeling of not being able to come home again hit him like a wave, almost physically rocking him back. What had once been so familiar was like a stranger to him. He was no longer the same person he had been when he came home for spring break in April, let alone had boarded a plan to leave for college a year ago. He wondered if Hal had felt the same way his freshman year. He realized Hal must have, especially when that knee injury had ended Hal's college sports career forever. He suddenly felt out of breath, like he had to leave the room right now.
Thankfully the presents were done, and everybody else was either getting up to go off to another room or sitting there looking at their presents. Quietly, Ben slipped up to his room. He pulled out his new phone and punched Jimmy's number in. He smiled when he saw Jimmy had already programmed his own number in there. It rang a few times and he heard, "Hey! Did you get my package?" Just the sound of Jimmy's voice raised his spirits and he lay back in his bed, propping his head up with a pillow.
"Yeah I did. Dude, this is like so expensive. How am I supposed to top this? I can't give you like a card with like a $20 Amazon gift card in it or something. You set the bar way too high. Are you busy? You have time to talk?" Ben responded, the pressure in his chest completely gone.
"Yeah sure man, what's up? And don't worry, I'm sure whatever you get me will be great." Jimmy could even smirk with his voice, an impressive accomplishment to Ben.
"Well for starters, you kind of…outed...me to my older brother last night. This caused me to have an asthma attack and cry and break down right in front of him. That's the word, right, outed? I don't know any of this shit."
"Outed…yeah that's the word. What do you mean I outed you? Oh shit. The text message. He saw the text message didn't he? Jesus Christ Ben, I'm so sorry. What happened? Did your brother beat you up? I'll kill him if he did. Did your parent's freak out? Holy fuck!" Jimmy was blurting out. It was actually really adorable. Usually Ben was the one who babbled and said um a lot. He shushed Jimmy.
"Thanks for the offer, but what's one more beating from Hal after a lifetime? And no, he didn't. It was so weird. He was super supportive and understanding. He like a different person. Like a friend, not my crappy older brother. And he said he wouldn't tell my folks. I believe him I think. I just wanted to hear your voice…I miss you." He winced at the admission. I miss you? So stupid. Even if Jimmy had admitted it first in last night's text.
"I miss you too. When are you coming back? You're not spending the whole break at home are you? That's like weeks. When are you getting back, I'll pick you up at the airport if you want." Jimmy's voice had a pleading quality to it that Ben didn't want to examine right now. He smiled wide.
"I was going to spend the whole break here. But I think I may tell my parents I have to study for the new semester, and head back a week early…"
Reviewers(s): You guys are the best. Once again I am so glad that everybody seems to like the story. Whispermaw: I don't think it was Jimmy's intention to trick Ben into a date or to get him drunk. I could be wrong, since these darn characters seem to have a life of their own and sometimes I have to chase after them before they play in traffic. I think he just wanted to get to know Ben better and his friends ruined that for him. Biebfan: That is a lot of praise. And all I can say is thank you. Yeah, as a non-hetero person myself I hate when stories, fanfics or otherwise, have characters who in the first chapter just go "Well I guess I'm gay now. Let's have sex somewhere and be gay from now on." Obviously I'm trying to establish Jimmy as the more experienced and confident one, without trying to make him a player. I'll try to justify your faith in my ability to write sex.