On A Night Like This

Chapter Twenty-Three

-Jayce-

Waking up the next day in Dylan's bed felt like a dream. Dylan's arms were wrapped tightly around him, and his face was shoved into Dylan's strong, solid chest. He lay still for a while, listening to the sound of Dylan's heartbeat and thinking about how lucky he was to have this gentle giant as his boyfriend.

They dozed for another hour, pressed closely together, before Dylan got up to make breakfast. Dylan made eggs, bacon and oatmeal for himself and a plate of French toast for Jayce. Ever since he'd mentioned how much he liked sweets, Dylan made a point to cook him all the breakfast foods that were more like desserts, even if it meant making two different meals.

"What do you want to do today?" Jayce asked cheerfully, dragging his last bite of French toast through the syrup on his plate.

Dylan hesitated for a moment, but then looked up at him. "The Christmas lights are up in town," he mumbled. "If you want, we can go this evening to look at them."

Confused, Jayce tilted his head. "I thought you wanted to avoid town, especially now that people are saying stuff about you."

"I don't want to face them, but you were right when you told me I can't avoid people forever. And if you're going to be my boyfriend," Dylan added, blushing, "I want to make you happy. I was going to drive to Seattle after Christmas to visit you."

Jayce reached over and took Dylan's hand. "That definitely would have made me happy. But now you don't have to do that, because I'm here. I'd love to go into town, but only if you're sure you feel up to it."

"I'm sure." He squeezed Jayce's hand. "Will you go for a walk with me? I haven't been outside much lately."

"Of course. It looks like we got fresh snow overnight and I want to get some pictures."

-

Outside, it did look like a winter wonderland with all the cabins and trees coated with snow. Many of the cabins were decorated with Christmas lights that twinkled even in the daylight. "We'll have to get lights for your cabin next year," he said to Dylan. "You need to be festive."

Dylan looked over at him, a strange expression on his face again. "You think there's going to be a next year?"

"I want there to be," he replied, smiling at Dylan. He reached over and took his hand as they continued walking down the road.

Dylan didn't say anything, but his thumb slowly stroked the back of Jayce's hand. Jayce wanted to know what Dylan was thinking, but he decided to let it be for now and enjoy the snowy scenery instead. They made their way past a few other streets, heading closer to the road that led to the highway when Jayce noticed something small in the distance. He squinted, trying to make out what it was. "What's that?" he asked Dylan, pointing at the object. "It looks like an animal."

"Dunno," Dylan replied, starting to head towards it.

There was a tiny orange tabby kitten balled up by the side of the road and shivering in the cold. Jayce's heart sank when he saw an adult cat on its side just off the road. "Oh no. I think its mom got hit by a car."

The kitten ran a bit further away when it saw them approaching. Dylan knelt by the mother cat and laid a hand on her side for a moment before checking her head. "She's gone."

"We need to get the kitten. It's all alone." Jayce made soft noises and slowly crept closer to the kitten, but the kitten only retreated further.

"It's not going to come to us," Dylan said.

"It's getting close to the trees. Let me sneak around behind it and you can approach it to scare it away and I'll try to catch it," Jayce suggested. He walked away from the road and into the trees, circling back behind the kitten.