Long Distance

Long Distance - Part 1

He was so very nervous.  His right leg wouldn't stop bouncing as he waited.

"Stop it," he whispered, glaring at his vibrating knee.  "He's gonna show up."

James looked around the bus station.  He was one of three people there.  He was also the only one wearing a mask.  He had gotten his second shot a month ago.  But he was still cautious.  Especially since he was meeting his boyfriend for the first time.

"So what are you up to tonight?"  Those were the first words Caspian ever said to him.

In the thick of his loneliness, James got onto a radio app called Paper Plane.  Like most apps, it started newcomers off with a set of people to follow.  Caspian was in that first set of five he was suggested.  He was playing some classical piano in the background.  There was the sound of a fork scraping a plate.

"Sorry for the eating ASMR everyone," Caspian said.  "I have not had dinner yet.  And I am absolutely starving."

People in the chat were chatting about their day.  James typed, "Is your name really Caspian?  As in Narnia?"

Caspian started laughing.  "Yes, my name really is Caspian.  I know, not a lot of people believe me right off the bat.  But my mother was a huge fan of C. S. Lewis and her favorite character was Prince Caspian.  So, when she found out she was having a boy, she named me Caspian."

People sent laughing emojis.  A few connected over a love of Lewis.  And James asked what he was eating.

That was how it started.  James started coming to Paper Plane every time Caspian was streaming.  Like other streamers, Caspian had started a Discord server and James finally gathered the courage a month later to finally join in.

"What took you so long?" Caspian said in a private message.

"Just... I'm cautious."

"No worries.  Do let me know if someone makes you feel uncomfortable here."

"It's fine."

"I'm serious.  I don't like it when people pick on others.  Let me know if you need anything."

James smiled.  How was it that a man he had never met was making him feel better than anyone else in his life?

Quarantine had been tough.  He was one of the lucky ones.  He worked as an editor for a programming company so working from home was easy.  But being out of the office and away from all those he tried to impress was liberating.  For once he didn't have to walk into the office in a contracting suit and tie.  He didn't have to play like he was normal.

"What is your sexuality?" said Caspian on the stream.  "I am a very fruity man."  He giggled at his own joke.

James felt his stomach flip.

"Yes.  I am a gay man.  I like men.  I like a lot of men in fact."

Someone else asked his type.

"My type?  Oof.  It varies.  But in general, I am attracted to the brainy type.  The body doesn't really matter that much.  I have dated skinny men and muscular men and chubby men and men who are in between.  A muscular man who has a little bit of chub on him, that is the sweet spot.  Trust me."

James left the stream.  He threw his phone across the room.  He started talking to himself.  "Calm down.  Just calm down."

He heard his laptop chime.  It was the Discord notification sound.  He sighed.  Crap.  He walked over and there was a message waiting for him.

"You okay?"  It was from Caspian.

"Yeah, no problems."

"You left the stream without saying goodbye."