Two Birds, One Stone

31. Forging Fate

finally here, almost five months later. told yall it was coming

eventually

honestly, this is more like a few bonus scenes thrown together than an epilogue,,, hope you enjoy

also heads up, whenever i preview the chapter some bits just disappear? so if it seems to cut off or jump in the middle of a scene, just hit refresh and it should come back

++++

My Dearest Liam,

We tried. We really did.

We wanted to stay up for you to make sure you got here safely and all. But my man, it is late, even for western time.

Sorry I can't welcome you with open arms, but I'm pretty sure I'm only half awake as I'm writing this, and Vanessa gets downright scary when she's sleepy.

She just smacked me. My point exactly.

I hope you got whatever closure you needed. I know this isn't easy, but I think this summer is going to be really good for you. If you need to vent or whatever, I'll be all ears tomorrow. I'll kick Vanessa out of the room and everything. For when we're overcome by our emotions and start spontaneously making out, of course.

She smacked me again. In the same spot.

Okay, I'm going to go to bed now. Make yourself at home. I'll give you the full tour tomorrow. Just one request: this place has four bedrooms. Vanessa and I are at the furthest end of the hall. If you love me at all, you'll take the one at the opposite end. Help a brother out.

Third smack. I think my bicep will be bruised tomorrow. This is a cry for help.

Goodnight, and welcome to California.

Your faithful lover, Bryan

p.s. Vanessa keeps asking me why I don't say all this in a text. I think I have to break up with her. Clearly she doesn't understand the bond we share. Maybe romance truly is dead.

p.p.s. I'm definitely gonna bruise.

I rolled my eyes at Bryan's note, taped to the inside of the front door. Jamie laughed under his breath as he read it, but his eyes were drooping, and I figured he would just about fall asleep on his feet if he didn't get to bed soon. You'd never guess he had just slept for most of the 8 hour flight to Long Beach.

     The sun had just begun to rise, and judging by the silence in the house, Bryan and Vanessa were still soundly asleep. I took Jamie's bag from him, afraid the extra weight might just topple him over, and guided him through the house to the bedroom we would be sharing. Or, well, I guided him to the kitchen, then the guest bathroom, then a storage closet, before I found the bedroom opposite Bryan's.

      Getting ready for bed in the en-suite managed to wake Jamie up a little. He sat himself on the edge of the comforter in just a t-shirt and boxers, and by the look on his face, he was only now processing that we were in California.

     "You're funny when you're tired," I teased. Jamie looked up from his lap to glare at me, but he couldn't hold it. He scoffed, mostly to himself, and said,

     "Well, fuck."

     "Very well-said, James. So eloquent, so nicely worded."

     Pressing his fingers to his temples, he blew out a bewildered puff of air and fixed me with wide eyes. "I'm in California," he said.