I'll Love You Forever

Marco pushed his chair back, stood, and collected the dishes, stacked them gently into the sink then sat back down across the table from Jean, "I know it's snowing but," he paused for a second looking out the kitchen window," do you maybe want to go downtown?

Jean, smiling while admiring how cute Marco is replied, "Sure."

Marco turned to look at Jean and they both held their glare smiling at each other other then Marco shaped his hand into a heart mouthing the word "love," then pointed at Jean mouthed "you." Jean smiled more then he, too shaped his hand into a heart mouthing "love," pointed at Marco "you" then put up two fingers "too." Both smiled profusely then Marco stood and walked to the other side of the table, kissed Jean on the forehead, "I'll make us some hot cocoa." 

"Alright." 

Marco got out two cups and poured milk into each cup, then emptied a packet of hot cocoa into each, putting them into the microwave for two minutes. As the hot cocoas were in the microwave Jean got up and hugged Marco from behind, resting his head on Marco's shoulder. Marco passionately kissed Jean's cheek and the microwaved beeped and Marco retrieved the two cups, handing one to Jean. 

"Thank you, I'm going to go get warmer clothes on." Jean walked into the bedroom to get changed.

Once Jean left the bedroom, he and Marco left to go into town.

"What do you want to do while we're there?" Jean had his arm wrapped around Marco as they walked through the snowy sidewalks while fragile snow flakes fell around them.

Marco leaned his head against Jean, "I just want to be with my favourite man in the world." He smiled and took a sip of his hot cocoa and smiled.

At the end of their time downtown, Marco and Jean were sitting at a table outside a restaurant when Marco looked up and stared at Jean, smiling. After a few minutes Jean looked at Marco directly, "What?"

Marco formed his hands into a heart, mouthing the word "love," then pointed at Jean mouthing "you."

Jean, too, formed a heart with his hands and mouthed "love," then pointed at Marco, "you," then held up 2 fingers, "too." They both smiled and after a moment of silence Marco said to Jean, "Hey, I have a challenge for you."

Jean looked to Marco, "Yeah?"

Marco waited a second to respond, "The challenge is to live a day without me. No communication at all. If you pass, I'll love you forever." Jean nodded and replied, "Challenge accepted."

Marco smiled for a second then added, "I love you, Jean," he then stood, set the check for the food down on the table and walked away.

"I love you too Mar," Jean whispered back.

The next day Jean woke up and made some coffee. It was New Years Eve and he promised not to text, message or call Marco, but regardless he held his phone and was in the message app, but didn't message Marco as much as he wanted to. Once the sun went down Jean went into town to view the fireworks, "I wonder if Marco is going to watch them from our usual spot too," he trailed off remember this is the first time he and Marco wouldn't be meeting there for New Years, but remained optimistic, unable to wait to see his boyfriend again.

The buildings in downtown had lights strung across the street from one building to the next. The stores lining the streets were lit up oranges and yellows. Everyone was ready for the new year and had bought all their fireworks and whines and some had already started setting off a few crackers here and there. About ten minutes from New Years, Jean went to the sea wall to view the fireworks. As the fireworks went off he stared up at the bright flashes in the sky and remembered the previous times he and Marco had met here, each burst bringing back a different memory.

The fireworks had ended and it was a new year, Jean ran to Marco's house and burst in the door, "Marco, I did it!" Jean was excited to see his boyfriend again but didn't hear a reply. The only closed door was the door to the main bedroom. He slowly opened it and saw some flowers and a folded slip of paper on the bed next to some flowers and a teddy bear. Jean walked over and picked up the paper, on the front it said "To my wonderful boyfriend, Jean." He unfolded the paper and read it, "You did it Jean, now please do it every day. Love you, Marco." Tears streamed down his face as he hugged the stuffed bear.