Morgan had added Julian back to the group chat with the guys. It amazed him how so much had changed, yet somehow, nothing at all had. It made him smile.
Being back in the chat felt a bit awkward at first, even though Morgan had assured him that the guys were eager to reconnect. Julian still hadn't spoken directly to Ethan. It felt like the elephant in the room, and he hoped things really were okay between them.
Julian lay on Owen's bed, watching through the window as Owen and Mrs. Miller enjoyed some time outside. Mrs. Miller had been asking to spend more time outdoors each day to listen to the birds, a simple pleasure she remembered from her time at the cabin.
Julian had noticed that Mrs. Miller had been reminiscing more than usual lately, and it seemed to be taking her longer than expected to recover. He was worried, but Owen hadn't brought it up, and Julian was too afraid to ask. It was clear that her health wasn't improving as hoped.
Since moving back home with Owen and Archer, Julian had moved into the Miller house next door, along with Archer and her kittens. The kittens were a few days old now, healthy and thriving. Julian helped care for them and Archer since he worked from home part-time, while Owen juggled his work and caregiving responsibilities.
Julian's decision to move next door had upset his dad greatly. His father still struggled to understand Julian's sexuality, despite his attempts to be supportive. He also thought Julian was trying to replace his family with the Millers. Julian's mom found it sweet and thought Mrs. Miller needed the extra help. Neither of them seemed to fully grasp the depth of Julian and Owen's relationship.
In reality, Julian didn't think his parents ever really understood him. They never bothered to try. That's why he spent so much of his childhood feeling isolated and why communicating with others had always been a challenge. Being with Owen and Mrs. Miller made Julian feel like he was finally in the right place.
So moving next door had been an easy decision. While it wasn't technically his house, everything inside it was close to his heart.
Owen reentered the room and joined Julian on the bed, picking up one of the game controllers. Julian smiled and reached for his controller, too.
YOU ARE READING
𝕋𝕙𝕖 ℂ𝕒𝕓𝕚𝕟
Romance🌈【𝒶𝓃 𝓂𝓂 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒 𝓈𝓉𝑜𝓇𝓎】 You know what really sucks? When you're the couple everyone calls "the perfect pair," and then you break up, only to find your world shattering into a million pieces. Suddenly, you're the villain in everyone's story...