To Fall in Love With a Musician (boyxboy)

Chapter 29- Osmond

"It feels good to be back in Florida," Carmen mumbled, nuzzling his face into Osmond's neck and he couldn't help but to laugh at him.

"Carmen, we haven't even gotten off the plane yet".

They were curled together in the last seat, as they had been throughout the entire flight. Osmond was proud to say he no longer had an issue with flying, but that didn't mean he didn't want to be as close to Carmen as feasibly possible.

"Aren't you happy?" Carmen asked, gripping Osmond's hand tightly and kissing his knuckles. "We only have one more flight and then we're done".

This was true. Even though they were back in Florida, they weren't home. They had flown to Tallahassee for one final performance before they had to return.

But Osmond wasn't happy. He didn't really want to go back yet. They still had months left of school, and honestly, Osmond didn't want to have to wake up without Carmen on the other side of the bed from him ever again.

"Why don't you look happy?" Carmen asked, brushing his fingers over Osmond's jaw, turning his face towards him.

"I'm going to miss you," Osmond said honestly, ignoring how vulnerable he felt and instead focusing on the look of absolute adoration that passed over Carmen's face at the words.

Vulnerability. Osmond absolutely hated the word, the meaning, but here he was. It seemed that he was always vulnerable when he was with Carmen, but he didn't really care when it was the other boy seeing it.

Osmond thought about before, when he would use sarcasm and anger to mask his real feelings.

He didn't know if this was better (it felt better) or worse (he could get hurt very easily his way).

"It's not like we're going to stop seeing each other," Carmen pointed out, and then he suddenly looked upset, "right?"

Instead of answering, Osmond cupped the others face and pressed their lips together in a sweet loving kiss, which was almost immediately interrupted by the young flight attendant who was ushering them out of their seats.

Osmond stood first and moved out of Carmen's way.

"Of course we'll keep seeing each other". Osmond began to walk down the aisle, turning when he got A few feet away to watch Carmen scramble after him. "I couldn't stop seeing you if I tried".

"Why would you want to stop seeing me?" Carmen asked quietly, and Osmond smiled at him and reached his hand back behind him for the other to take.

"I'll never want to stop seeing you". Carmen hooked his pinky into Osmond's and his heart damn near broke at innocence and gentleness in the gesture.

"Promise?" Carmen asked, sounding as if he was standing directly behind him and Osmond wanted to turn, but there were still people walking behind them trying to get off the plane.

"I promise". He wanted to kiss him, and swore he would the second they were completely off of the plane, but when he turned to do so, Carmen had already slid his arms around him from behind, hugging his body tight.

"I love you," was mumbled into his back, and Osmond slipped his hands through the smaller ones that were clutched against his chest.

This is who I belong with, Osmond thought, and not for the first time, but this time, he had to add something to the end. Forever.

***

"It was my grandpa's, you know?" Carmen said, brushing his fingers over the strings of his violin. They had completed their final performance, and that night they were going to drive home.Carmen's mother had gotten them plane tickets, but the drive wasn't long, and both of them were sick of flying at this point.

They were packing up their hotel room, and had finished a few minutes early. Osmond was laying on the bed, and he watched as Carmen shut his violin case and came to join him.

"How would I know that?" He asked and Carmen chuckled, dropping into the bed on his stomach and turning a little so his lips pressed against Osmond's arm.

"I love it when you're angry sarcastic Osmond. I mean, I love you all the time, and when you're being sweet it's adorable, but it reminds me of when I first met you when you're being short with me".

"Well I suppose that's good," Osmond said, trying to sound neutral about it, even though he was grinning. "It is a part of who I am". It was silent for a second, but not uncomfortably so. It was one of the many things he loved about Carmen, that he could be silent around him and not have to worry about it ever getting awkward. "It's your grandpa's violin".

Carmen hummed in agreement. "It is".

"Is that why it's so important to you?"

Carmen nodded against his chest. "He was a good man, my grandfather. I have eight adopted aunts and uncles, some of which are from places in the world where it's not fit for children at this time, and some have disabilities, and some of them were adopted as teenagers, far past the age when anyone would want them. There's so many kids who no one wants, and he took care of some of them".

Osmond briefly thought about asking Carmen about them adopting children some day, but it didn't seem to be the right time.

Also, realizing how serious he was about Carmen scared him a bit.

"We were really close," Carmen added quietly.

"Were?"

"He passed away two years ago". Osmond looked down at Carmen, and the boy hid his face in Osmond's arm. "That's when I got the violin. I had always loved playing because he did, and he always told me that when he died, I could have it". Osmond didn't know what to say, so he didn't say anything. "He was the only one besides Keith who knew about me".

"Knew about you?"

"That... that I never liked girls. And it didn't bother him at all. He just accepted me and treated me exactly the same." Carmen swallowed loudly. "My parents won't act that way. They'll freak out".

"Are they homophobic?"

"I'm not sure. I just know that the idea of me not having my own children will kill my mother".

Screw it. "I want to adopt kids," Osmond said quietly, looking towards the ceiling as Carmen shifted to study his face.

"You want kids?"

"I-" Osmond swallowed. He did. More than anything, he had always wanted them. "Yes".

Carmen smiled. "Me too".

***

Ten were ten minutes into the drive, Carmen fell asleep against the passenger seat window. Twenty minutes in, and Osmond's phone buzzed with a call from Adrian.

"Hello?"

"Hey Oz," Adrian greated, and the , "what's up?"

They hadn't spoken since the night the week previous after Osmond had gotten his heart broken, but they had exchanged text messages upon occasion. Last Osmond had heard from him, whatever had gone on between him and Ezra was still unsolved.

"I'm fine," Osmond said silently and Adrian hummed on the other end. "How about you?"

"You know. The usual as of late". But then Adrian asked, "when are you coming back?" before Osmond could ask any questions.

"Soon. We're just driving back now. We'll probably stop and get a hotel for the thing though since our hotel check out time was so late".

"I can't wait to see you," Adrian said, absentmindedly and Osmond raised his eyebrows.

"You'll be home?" He wondered why Adrian would pay to fly back if it weren't for Ezra, who he was still mad at, from Osmond's understanding.

"I-" Adrian cut himself off, sounding rather sad. "I should be back, yeah".

"Why are you coming back?"

"I've got to go," Adrian said quickly, and before Osmond could apologize and ask him to talk to him a bit longer, the line dropped.

He discarded his phone back into the cup holder, and let out a soft sigh. Talking to Adrian no longer had the effect on him that it used to. Even when listening to his smooth voice, all Osmond could think about was Carmen.