Disclaimer: Glee and its characters are still Ryan Murphy and his co writers'. All other characters and all the action in Chicago, it's mine. But if someone has a nice pencil stroke and wanted to draw what I write, go, enjoy yourself.
This chapter and the next were written to be one chapter. But given the length and it was taking and to make you wait a little less since I have to rewrite the ending for some reason, I decided to split it in two parts. This means that the wait will be shorter for the next chapter that it was for this one since it's almost finished.
So unless I have to do the same with a following chapter, I proudly announce that this story will end with 31 chapters. I had planned to do longer, but I know many are waiting that the work is completed to read (I often do) and I don't know if you've noticed, I'm kind of impatient. I hope by then I'll nevertheless succeed in doing something finished to not leave you wanting.
What you missed on The Rose and The Fox (this is the last time I write this, the next time, I will throw directly the sum, for such a long time, you got the idea right?)
Sebastian rejected Dave the first time he came to talk to him at Scandals, and then came to apologize to the hospital after the suicide attempt of the footballer. No doubt it reminded him of bad memory when he ended up in hospital after an overdose of painkillers when he was fifteen years old and was rescued by his sister who gave him one of her kidneys.
From there, they sympathized, made applications for universities in Chicago where they live now, Dave at Loyola University and Sebastian in an apartment that one of his relatives gave him. They lost sight a while because of Dave's boyfriend at the time, but now they are reunited, they are dating, they go to romantic dates.
And we learned that contrary to popular belief, Sebastian has only had sex with one man (two now that he had sex with Dave) once and it was just not a good memory for him. Fortunately, now he has Dave who doesn't seem to mind if penetration is never part of their sex life.
"Remind me just how your family is rich?" Dave asked as they were lounging in the hot tub on the terrace of Sebastian.
"A little too much. Most of them have forgotten money can't buy everything." Sebastian replied, leaning against his boyfriend's shoulder.
"What it's going to cost me to accept that they pay for my ticket to go with you in France?"
"Nothing at all because it's Mary who pays. And technically a little Chloe. A part of your ticket is her birthday present."
"So it's going to cost me something although."
"No, nothing. Well, yes the jet-lag. But since we stay three weeks, you'll still have time to enjoy in between. "
"It makes me still not very comfortable."
"If you want that it costs you something ... arrangements can be made." Sebastian murmured silkily straddling Dave's lap.
"You think I'm a gigolo now? I'm deeply hurt."
"I keep it in mind for when our sex life will become very boring."
"Pervert."
"Yes, but that too is what you like in me, right?"
"I admit."
"I bought a whole box of cherry flavored condoms for this vacation."
"Cherry? I don't like too much cherry." Dave said with a frown.
"I know, but I like it." Sebastian replied with a smirk.
"You ... you ... Oh, oh, okay. You're sure about this?"
"No, not really, I'll probably suck at it."
"Good thing it's a little the principle." Dave said with a laugh.
"Stop making fun." Sebastian protested by giving a pat on Dave's shoulder. "I'm scared stiff okay?"
"I don't make fun, I'm just trying to lighten the mood a bit."
"How was it, your first time?"
"It depends, which one? The first blowjob I gave; the first one I received or my first time at all?"
"Oh, wow, I hadn't thought you had had so many first times."
"Life is full of firsts, it leaves us a lot to live together."
"So your first time? The first at all."
"I would say ... embarrassing. Virtually nothing had happened it was already over. And I went back to Scandals, I drank too much and the end of the story, you know better than me, I woke up in your bed the next day."
"And the other two?"
"One of the two was the same in fact. And the other, let's say I have improved my skills since then, but it went well because it was with someone who counted."
"Logan?"
"Yes, it was Logan."
"So he counted anyway?" Sebastian asked in a small voice.
"I don't know if you remember but I stopped to see you because he asked. You were the best friend I've ever had. If he hadn't counted, I wouldn't have let it happen. I would have stood up to him, I wouldn't have accepted his blackmail. In fact, if I hadn't had feelings for him, I would certainly have dumped him."
Sebastian put his arms around Dave's neck and pressed himself against him, his head on his shoulder.
"You still have? Feelings for him I mean."
"I think so. Not the same as before. I mostly feel sorry for him, he's not bad in the end, he never wanted to hurt us, I think he was just trying to protect himself. And he knew something I hadn't realized."
"What?"
"That you and I were never really just friends. That my feelings for you were already stronger than those I had for him."
"Probably yes."
"What if we came out of there? I feel like I'm getting all wrinkled and I still have to go back to my little room to finish packing my stuff."
"You're right, I'll see you tomorrow anyway and we don't part for a month. I'm looking forward."
"Me too."
Dave went packing his last stuff. And the next day, as planned, Sebastian was waiting Dave in front of the dormitories tower, casually leaning against his open-top Porsche.
"Wow, nice car. You must have all the girls you want with it." exclaimed a boy leaving the building.
"I can't complain, it's fine." Sebastian replied.
"I guess there's no way you let me take a ride at the wheel of this jewel."
"Today, no, I came to pick up a friend to go back to Ohio together."
"Oh yeah? Who is the lucky guy who will have the right to get into your racing car for several hours?"
"David Karofsky. You know him?"
"What? You certainly don't want to travel with him."
"Oh yes, and why not?"
"Because he's a fag."
"Oh, that." Sebastian said, thoughtfully. "In fact, that's exactly why I want him in my car for long hours." he added, approaching and putting his hands on the boy's shoulders. "Maybe you want a ride one of these days." he finished with a seductive tone, approaching the ear of his interlocutor.
"Oh dear god, don't touch me. What horror, I want to especially never get in your car dirty fag." the other screamed, drawing back hastily.
"One, this is what we call a turnaround. Two, what a broad vocabulary, you amaze me. And three, it's good, I wasn't going to let you ride, I have a boyfriend and you can't compete with him. Have a good day."
"Scar, does he bother you?" Dave who had just arrived with a cardboard box in his arms asked.
"No baby, don't worry, he was leaving." Sebastian replied, taking the box from the hands of his boyfriend to put it on the back seat. "You have something else?"
"Yes, Jenny comes up with my bag and I go back to get the second cardboard right after that." Dave replied before kissing tenderly Sebastian. "Hello you."
"Hello."
"When you have finished you two, someone will tell me where I put that bag which weighs a ton?" Jenny complained.
"Oh yes, sorry, well, there is room in the trunk."Sebastian said bypassing the car and opening the trunk.
"Thank you. And hello anyway." Jenny said with a small pout.
"Yes, hello." Sebastian exclaimed, taking her in his arms.
"I'll get the last box." Dave interjected.
"So, what are you doing this summer?" Sebastian asked Jenny leaning against his car waiting for Dave to come back.
"Huuummm I'll take advantage of your tremendous loft to party with Lisa and Tyler." Jenny joked.
"As long as I find my apartment as I left it when I get home, enjoy yourself."
"Uh ... I was joking, you know that?"
"I know, but not me. The neighbors are pretty cool and, most of them won't be there. Frankly, Tyler and Lisa ... What's going on between them, exactly?"
"I think for now, this is something like, just friends but who have sex together from time to time. But since to my knowledge neither had sex with anyone else for months, I wouldn't be surprised if they eventually regularize if you see what I mean."
"Regularize?"
"Yeah, you understood me. They'll end up opening their eyes and eventually dating officially."
"Oh okay, regularize. And just like that, you know them from what? Four months? How do you know all this?"
"A little bird told me. As he told me that Logan and Dave, it certainly wasn't going to last. Call it women's intuition."
"I'm getting scared. It tells you what your intuition for Dave and me?"
"Only good things ... As long as you always remember that it's never won."
"Holy shit, you know that sometimes, I don't understand anything about you're talking about."
"OK, let me rephrase. You could live together 'until death do you part' but for that, you shouldn't take each other for granted, ever."
"Okay, well we'll start with vacation I think." Sebastian said moving away from the car to let Dave who arrived with the next cardboard.
Dave put the box on the back seat and the two boys said their goodbyes to Jenny. Sebastian then handed the car keys to Dave who looked at him in surprise.
"What do you want me to do with it?"
"Generally, you put it in the small slot next to the steering wheel and you turn it to start the engine. How did you get your driver license?"
"Wait, you mean you want it to be me who drive."
"I hoped so, the first two hours. It will save time if we take turns, otherwise we'll have to make longer pauses."
"You want me to drive your car? Your car that must have cost a fortune."
"It's just a car David: four wheels, bodywork, seats, steering wheel."
"But this is a very nice car, I know a lot of guys who would kill to drive it."
"For pity's sake, don't kill anyone, just take the keys. And by the way, I've already entrusted you with far more valuable than my car, my love."
"Oh yeah, what it is?"
"Use your imagination my heart." Sebastian replied with a smirk.
"Okay, okay, let's go then."
Dave walked around the car and sat behind the steering wheel while Sebastian was sitting next to him. As they entered Lima, Dave driving, a little over five hours later, Sebastian sent a quick text to Paul.
Sebastian to Yogi: Be there in five minutes. See you right away.
Paul was waiting on the doorstep when the car pulled into the driveway.
"David, how did you pay this car? You don't deal drugs at least?"
"No, I only sell my body."
"What?" Paul asked horrified.
"He's kidding Paul, that's my car. Gift from my dear father for my 18th birthday."
"And you let David drive it?"
"Yes, why not? I feel that you're dying to take a ride with it too."
"Oh no, I don't want to damage it."
"What's going on with you all today? It's a car, not a collection figurine that should be kept in its original packaging."
"Don't fight dad. Just take the keys."
"Another time, perhaps. For now, there is ... someone I want to introduce you." Paul said awkwardly.
"How that?" Dave asked puzzled.
"I know the divorce wasn't uttered a long time ago but ... It's not your fault, David. It had been a while with your mother, that it was not it anymore. Her reaction was just, you know, the final straw."
"Daddy, breathe. So you met someone. And if I understand correctly, we're making her wait."
"It's a little that."
"Okay, well let's go, I look forward to know who is the pearl that gave you back your smile." Dave said cheerfully.
"Actually ... you already know her, try to keep an open mind okay?"
"Why? You're dating Sue Sylvester?"
"Well, let's go inside instead of allowing the anxiety get you both? I'm sure there's nothing to worry like that." Sebastian interjected.
Dave and Sebastian each took a cardboard on the back seat and headed home, preceded by Paul who opened the door. They put the boxes in the lobby to have free hands to meet the mysterious guest.
"Hello, you've had a good drive?" Shannon Beiste asked getting up from the couch where she was sitting.
"Coach Beiste? I must admit, I'd never have imagined."
"We either actually." Paul admitted. "We talked a little at Finn's funeral. And then we met again several times and gradually it evolved."
"I'm happy for you both. I mean, Kurt told us a little about what happened with your ex husband ... You deserve to be happy, and you too Dad. If it's together, then great." Dave said, hugging his new stepmother.
"Well, I'll let you with your family." Shannon said shyly.
"If you're not part of the family, so neither do I." Sebastian interjected.
"He's right, you should invite her to stay for dinner dad." Dave said to his father, who sent him a big smile.
"I think you have no choice, it would be rude to refuse the invitation of my boys." Paul said to his girlfriend, sliding an arm around her waist.
Dave smiled a little to hear his father call them ''my boys'' while Sebastian was his boyfriend for only a few months. He felt a little guilty since the divorce of his parents, thought he was guilty of destroying their family, but that night, he realized something: a family, it's people who care about each others and make the effort to accept themselves as they are. So yes, that night, they had all four a family dinner.
Paul recounted childhood memories of his son, Dave and Shannon talked about the year they shared at McKinley High School, Sebastian told a little about Dalton Academy and France, the two students shared some details of their lives in Chicago. They laughed together heartily and to the general opinion, it was a great evening and it's quite naturally that Shannon was invited to stay for the night and agreed.
The next morning, Dave found his former teacher in the kitchen when he went down to prepare breakfast.
"Hello. Already up coach?"
"Oh yes, the habit of football training. Your father is still sleeping. I made coffee, you want some?"
"No thanks, that's nice but I don't drink coffee." Dave said, opening the fridge to get a bottle of orange juice. "You want some?" He asked, pointing to the bottle.
"Thanks yes, I'm willing to have a glass."
"Sebastian's struggling to imagine how I can not drink coffee while as often as I taste, I can't get to like it."
"He's still asleep?"
"Oh yes my little marmot doesn't open one eye before ten o'clock in the morning if he has a choice. No wonder he gets along as well with my father."
"How long have you been together?"
"A little over three months now."
"Really? I would have thought more, seeing you together."
"It must be because we know each other for much longer in fact. We've been friends since the end of my first senior year."
"Hello. There's coffee?" Sebastian muttered as he entered the kitchen, wearing only a gray jogging pants, eyes barely open, messy hair.
"Yes, you sit down, I'll bring it." Dave replied, pouring a cup of coffee and putting sugar and milk just to the taste of his boyfriend. "Here." he added, kissing the top of of Sebastian's head and sliding the cup in front of him.
"Thank you."
"Good morning everyone. I'm the last one awake?" Paul asked, not much more awake than Sebastian, wearing pajamas.
"Looks like yes dad, since everyone else is here."
"Don't make fun of me." Paul said, kissing blindly his son's temple. "Did you sleep well?" He asked, affectionately ruffling Sebastian.
"Yes, well Paul, thank you and you?"
"Perfectly. Thanks." Paul said, taking the cup of coffee Shannon handed him and kissing her.
He took a sip and grimaced. Dave handed him a sugar smiling. Paul put it in his coffee and stirred it before taking another sip, smugly.
"It will come coach, don't worry. It's that I know him for twenty years anyway. "
They all settled down at the table and ate in an atmosphere that now seemed familiar.
The coach then went home but they met her regularly throughout the week. So one day, Dave slipped quietly to his father that he should propose to his girlfriend they live together and Paul blushed, though smiling. And Sebastian, true to his promise, let Paul drive his car. In fact, he offered even to take a ride with Shannon and let her drive at least once. To the protests from the coach, he pointed out one more time it was just a car.
On Sunday, they were to leave for New York the next day very early to take their planes to France. And since Kurt would travel with them to sit with Sebastian at the airport waiting for him to take his plane after Dave left, it was decided that they would sleep at Burt and Carole that night.
That's why they were left to spend the afternoon with Kurt, Sam, Artie and Puck along with video games.
"Kurt, I'd really never thought that you knew how to play video games." Sebastian joked while the New Yorker settled the game
"What, nobody warned him that I'm the king of Mario Kart since I was three?" Kurt falsely wondered.
"Except it's not really Mario Kart you installed there."
"Oh yeah? Oops, too bad. Call of Duty, it's fine with everyone?" Kurt asked.
"You bet it's fine with me, Puck still owes me a rematch." Artie shouted.
"Well, if you think you can beat Puck, good luck, nobody has never managed." Sam said to him wedging against Kurt's bed.
"Nobody huh?" Kurt asked, raising an eyebrow at Puck.
"That is what Sam thinks, he thinks that if he can't beat me no one can. But actually there is still a person I've never been able to beat." Puck replied with a smirk.
"Seriously Puck, what guy can although keep you in check to Call of?"Sam asked
"Who said it was a guy?" Kurt asked.
"Girls don't play Call of." Artie replied as if It was obvious.
"Why not? After all, Kurt plays it; it's just the same right?" Sebastian joked.
"Scar, please." Dave scolded.
"Watch what you say, man, I can still punch you in the face. It's not want that I am missing since you almost blinded Blaine." Puck interjected.
"Calm down, it was just a joke. However by the way, my sister plays this kind of games and she could totally beat you all."
"That's it yeah." Artie and Sam said in unison.
"I swear, you don't know her, she can be fierce." Sebastian said with a shudder.
"David, it looks like you didn't realize what you were getting yourself into." Kurt teased.
"No, but the rest of the time she is adorable, but with a gamepad in her hands, she makes carnage." Sebastian said with a look of nostalgia.
"Hey, it's okay, I know you miss her, but we'll see her in less than two days." Dave reassured, getting closer to Sebastian and squeezing his hand gently, earning a smile from the other boy.
"OK, that's enough, you'll make me sick to be so adorable you two, grab a controller so we can play." Puck protested for form with even a tiny smile.
"What? You're jealous?" Dave teased.
"Try to beat me and we'll talk later."
"Be careful Puckerman, you take risks, nobody is unbeatable." Sebastian said to him while Dave took a controller.
"Yeah, except that I've never beaten him." Dave said.
They played for hours, changing adversary to each game. And so far, Puck had really won all the games that he had played. Sebastian also won all of his games, even against Dave after they had sworn it was only a game and that whatever the outcome of the fight was, wouldn't change what was between them. To the surprise, Kurt also won all his duels. So they prepared to compete for the first place, even if the other three boys were sure that Puck would be the winner.
Puck and Kurt settled in front of the screen, controllers in hand. They stared defiantly.
"Ready to bite the dust Hummel?" Puck asked.
"Hit me with your best shot Puckerman." Kurt said, raising an eyebrow.
To everyone's surprise, Kurt won and looked his nails casually.
"Oh, by the way. The guy who keeps Puck in check... It's me." he dropped as if it was nothing.
"No way." Sam and Artie said, completely stunned.
"I had warned you. Kurtsy is my worst nightmare at Call of. Especially since he broke up with Adam."
"What?" Dave shouted.
"Oops, sorry baby, I had no idea they didn't know." Puck said guiltily.
"Not yet, but it's fine they'd have finally known."
"Baby? Really Puck?" Sam asked
"What?" Puck replied defensively.
"Oh nothing, just in general, it's the girls with whom you sleep you call baby." Artie remarked.
"Nt. Way." Sam exclaimed, seeing Kurt blushing to what Artie had said.
"It's nothing, he needed comfort, I was there, that's all." Puck defended himself.
"You really had sex?"
"Depends on what you call having sex." Kurt said, blushing a little.
"But so you're gay Puck?" Sam asked
"No way dude. I'm 99% straight and the remaining 1% is for Kurt."
"So you're together?" Dave asked.
"No, we keep company until the end of the vacation. Then I go back to New York." Kurt said.
"And me to LA. End of story." Puck finished.
"OK, that's all well and good, but now it's my turn to beat you both, in place." Sebastian interjected, taking a controller.
Kurt moved between Puck's legs, back against him and Puck took the remaining controller. They launched the game again and Sebastian won the game. Which earned Sebastian a kiss of congratulations from Dave and Puck a kiss of consolation from Kurt. And whistles from Sam and Artie who felt somewhat apart suddenly.
Kurt took the controller from the hands of Puck and turned his head to Sebastian.
"Ready meerkat? You'll know what it is to lose."
"If this is the case, I put you in my suitcase, maybe you can learn to the defeat to Chloe."
"I hope that's a promise."
But again, it's Sebastian who received the kiss of congratulations from Dave and Kurt and Puck who shared the kiss of consolation. This is how Puck lost his legendary title of King of Call of Duty. Kurt, he, retained his title at Mario Kart.
Puck stayed the night too and followed his summer boyfriend in New York to accompany Dave and Sebastian the next day.
"I'll miss you." Dave said enclosing Sebastian's waist.
"It's just for ten hours silly. And you'll sleep most of the time." Sebastian lectured him, his hands on his shoulders.
"That I don't believe too much. It's the first time I go to Europe; I don't think I can sleep."
"Marie and Chloe will pick you up at Roissy. And anyway, I arrive just three hours after you." Sebastian said in a tone that was meant reassuring.
"It's gonna be okay. But I'll still miss you."
"I'll miss you too."
"You two are cute together but David you should go if you don't wanna miss your plane." Kurt interrupted.
"I entrust him to you. You take care of him until the time of his plane." Dave said to Kurt and Puck.
"They will keep me company but otherwise, I'm a big boy, I can take care of myself."
"Yes, you are." Dave whispered while leaning to lay a light kiss on his boyfriend's lips.
"Well, go, go, see you in Paris."
"See you in Paris."
"As long as you take your planes." Kurt said impatiently.
"Fine, fine, I'm going." Dave said. "I love you." He whispered in the ear of Sebastian who briefly squeezed his hand, smiling at him in response.
After that, Dave went to check in his baggage and passed security checks. Meanwhile, Kurt, Puck and Sebastian were debating what to do during the two hours they had before boarding time of Sebastian's plane.
"You don't love him?" Kurt asked innocently to Sebastian as they settled for a coffee.
"Who?"
"Your boyfriend. He said you 'I love you' before leaving and you didn't reply."
"It's not because I didn't say him that I don't feel it."
"Why don't you tell him if you love him?"
"I don't know, it's just not some words I say easily."
"But we're not talking about one of your hookups after a night at Scandals. We talk about your boyfriend, who's just flying to meet your family."
"In fact, it is not yet boarded the plane, he is passing security."
"Sebastian, don't change the subject."
"I can't ... I can't explain why but they're just words, it proves nothing. It's so easy to say them, but it means nothing."
"I think if he's telling you so is that he means it. He didn't say 'I think I love you' as he told me, he said 'I love you'. You doubt his word."
"No, of course not. I can see he's sincere, but say it in return, I can't."
"You'll have to get there though, he needs to hear it, don't you think?"
"Maybe not. Maybe he has no need to hear the words; maybe he just needs to feel that you love him too. He didn't seem to expect an answer. At least not verbally." Puck interfered.
"I hope so. I don't want to lose him because I'm an idiot who just can't say how much I'm crazy about him."
"I've observed you this week and at Finn's funeral. I think I've never heard you say I love you and I haven't heard him telling you so much more. But you have that thing between you; I don't even think that you're aware of it. This is like a small squeeze of the hand, just enough time to think 'I'm here, I love you.' And the message must go through well because there's always a smile that seems to say 'thank you, I love you too.' "
"You've seen it all you?" Kurt asked surprised.
"The privilege of my age." Puck teased.
"Silly, we're the same age." Kurt reminded him.
"Not at all, I'm three months older than you."
After that, the conversation flowed; they talked about everything and nothing. But mostly Dave, Sebastian who hoped his flight would go well, that he could get some sleep on the plane, that he could eat a bit the awful food served on airplanes and especially that his encounter with Marie and Chloe would go smoothly without him. In short, Sebastian was completely anguished at the idea that something could go wrong and that he wouldn't be with Dave at that time.
A few hours later, at the scheduled time, Dave's plane landed safely at Roissy airport. The boy got off the plane, waited patiently his travel bag to come on the conveyor belt and went to the hall where he was to meet Chloe and Marie. He sought his boyfriend's sister with eyes, he had seen her only in pictures or on Skype but didn't need to look long, and Chloe was already heading towards him with a big smile.
"David? All of you are that tall in USA?"
"No, not all. We have some scale models."
"Hey, I'm not a scale model."
"Sorry, I wasn't saying it for you."
"I hope so." The girl said with a grin. "You managed to get some sleep on the plane?"
"Not really. It's the first time I've been in Europe, the seats are so tight that I would barely sit and I'll deny the whole thing if you say it to your brother, but I admit I'm a little worried to know if he's having a good trip."
"I'll deny the whole thing about doing this confession to you if you tell him, but he is worried about you too. As soon as he was alone, that is to say when he had passed the security, he called me and he hasn't hung up before he was in his plane. He can pretend, but I know him, I quickly stopped counting the number of times he has asked me to take care of you waiting for him."
Dave said nothing, but he had a kind of goofy smile he often had lately when someone told him he noticed all the little things that proved Sebastian cared about him.
"Hello? Earth to David? Come back with us." Chloe said, waving a hand in front of Dave's eyes who realized that he hadn't listened to what she had just said.
"Oh, sorry, I was a little elsewhere."
"I saw it yes. I was saying that mom is parking the car, we need to wait her. Then you have the choice between going to the apartment together by metro so you can take a shower if you want. Or else we all stay here waiting for Sebastian and we all come home in the car with mom."
"I think I'd better wait here. I look forward to take a shower but I want to wait less time to see Sebastian. Well, if you don't mind of course."
"Are you kidding? I secretly hoped that it'd be your choice, I remind you that me, it's been a year since I haven't seen him."
"That's right, I forgot that detail. It must be hard being away from him like that."
"This is hell." Chloe said losing a little her smile. "But this is not the time to think about it, we have three weeks together, isn't it awesome?"
"Yes it's true."
"Come, since we stay here, I suggest we go sit down for a coffee."
"As long as I can have something else than coffee, that's fine."
"What? You don't drink coffee? And you get to date my brother? How do you do that?"
"As long as you don't want at any price to convert me, I accept that people don't have the same religion as me. It's just the same for coffee. As long as I let him drink all the coffee he wants, we get to get along. I don't know in France but in the U.S., there are tons of places where you can drink coffee or anything else."
"In France too, so let's go." Chloe said, taking the direction of one of the cafés populating the airport.
"We don't wait your mother? How will she find us?"
"Thanks to this revolutionary thing they invented a few years ago." Chloe replied taking her cell phone. "I'll send her a text message to tell her where we are."
"Indeed, it is revolutionary that thing, how do you call it?"
"Un telephone portable"
"What?"
"A cell phone." Chloe repeated in English.
"Say it again"
"A cell phone."
"No, I mean, in French."
"Ah. Téléphone portable. But most of the time we just say portable."
"Portable." Dave said articulating property.
"Yes, that's it." Chloe said, drawing a smile to Dave.
"And how would you say 'I have missed you'?"
"That much? He's lucky my brother to have found you."
"No, it's I who am lucky."
"OK, so we say, 'tu m'as manqué'." Chloe said, articulating well each syllable so that Dave can clearly understand.
"Tu m'as manqué?" Dave repeated.
"Yes, exactly."
"Tu m'as manqué." Dave repeated with a little more confidence.
"I finally managed to park the car. Bonjour David, right? You had a good trip?" Marie said happily, sitting at the table.
"Bonjour ma'am."
"Oh no, not this between us, call me Marie."
"Okay, Marie. It was a bit long and tiring but I'm glad to be here and to finally meet you. Sebastian told me a lot about the two of you, he really loves you a lot."
"I hope he loves us very much, that really would be the end." Chloe shouted.
"Chloe, be polite please."
"What? I said nothing wrong."
"We also love him very much."
"In any case, welcome to the family big brother."
"Oh, it may be a little fast, I mean; we've been together for only three months." Dave said, blushing.
"Yeah but I have a good feeling about you." Chloe said happily.
The conversation flowed easily between them, as if they had known for a long time and as if to tell their entire lives was nothing more than to tell a week without seeing each other. On several occasions, Dave asked again how to say 'I have missed you' in French, to be sure he remembered and tried to learn a few words in French, which never failed to bring a smile to Marie and Chloe every time.
He remained nevertheless a little tense, until it was finally announced that Sebastian's plane had landed. They searched at what gate Sebastian had to come out and waited patiently until the other boy had reclaimed his luggage and finally came out.
The last arrived looked around through the doors of the reserved area and quickly found his boyfriend whose head was over the rest of the crowd. He threw himself on him and kissed him passionately, leaving his suitcase a few steps behind him.
"Tu m'as manqué." Dave articulated when their lips parted.
"Tu m'as manqué aussi." Sebastian said without realizing that his boyfriend had just spoken to him in French.
"Vous êtes adorables tous les deux. Mais pour information, tu m'as manqué aussi." Chloe moaned, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Mais oui, tu m'as manqué aussi Boucle d'or." Sebastian said happily, turning to her and lifting her from the ground to twirl her in the air holding her by the waist.
"Ah repose-moi, je vais être malade." the girl shouted despite her laugh that betrayed that in fact she was perfectly happy with the place where she was.
Sebastian laid his sister on the floor and turned to Marie with always the same smile.
"Maman." he muttered before hugging her. "I have missed you all. I hope you didn't say too much silly things about me while I wasn't there."
"Sebastian Onesto Smythe, could you start by realizing that your boyfriend has made the effort to learn a sentence in French just to greet you?" Chloe exclaimed.
"What?" Sebastian asked, genuinely surprised.
"I stopped counting after ten times, he spent three hours asking me how to say that he had missed you in French and you didn't even bat an eyelash. I warn you, I already consider him to be family so you better make a little more effort than that to not scare him away."
"Okay, Chloe breathe, I get it." Sebastian said before turning to Dave. "Sorry I haven't realized Pooky. At the same time, it's because you have learned it well that I haven't realized that it was in French."
"No, it's nothing, don't worry." Dave said, taking his hands and approaching him to whisper in his ear "Je t'aime."
Sebastian tightened his hands around those of his boyfriend tilting his head on the side, a big smile pasted on his face.
"I don't know you, but I'd be really up for a good shower. Maybe a nap too. We go?"
"The car's waiting for us in the parking lot."
They fought the Parisian traffic jam to reach Marie and Chloe's apartment, the two boys in the back seat, huddled against each other half asleep. When they arrived, they took a shower in turn while Chloe and Marie were preparing lunch. After eating, they settled in the living room all together, Marie and Chloe on two armchairs, Sebastian lying on the couch, one hand stroking Dave's nape, the other hand around the waist of his boyfriend who was lying, his back against him. Dave was stroking Sebastian's wrist and quickly, it didn't seem important anymore that Dave didn't understand a word of what the TV aired because they both fell asleep for the rest of the afternoon.
Chloe didn't miss to take pictures and tease them about it for several days. One of the pictures ending obviously on Facebook with the caption ''The new member of the family; isn't he cute?'' Which attracted many comments from the friends of the two boys.
They left in the evening after eating for the apartment in Montpellier, where they would spend three weeks of Dave and Sebastian's vacation. This way they drove all night and avoided the inevitable jams they would have had if they had drove in the day. Marie and Sebastian took turns driving and they arrived at the apartment in the morning.
*Translations (since there were a lot, I only translate what is not translated by the characters during the story and only once for the sentences that come back several times)
Tu m'as manqué aussi. = I have missed you too
Vous êtes adorables tous les deux. Mais pour information, tu m'as manqué aussi. = You two are adorable. But for information, I have missed you too.
Mais oui, tu m'as manqué aussi Boucle d'or. = Yes, I have missed you too Goldilocks.
Ah repose-moi, je vais être malade. = Ah, put me down, I'll be sick.
Maman = Mom
Je t'aime = I love you
