Abandoned Tracks

Chapter Twenty Two: The Realization

Alex woke up slowly, his eyes fluttering open to the soft morning light streaming through the curtains. For a moment, he thought everything he experienced yesterday was a dream. The unfamiliar room, the vintage decor, and the sense of being in a different era made him doubt reality. But as he looked around, he realized it was all real. He turned his head and saw Ethan sleeping beside him, his presence reassuring.

Not wanting to wake Ethan, Alex carefully moved closer, wrapping his arms around Ethan in a gentle embrace. To his surprise, Ethan tightened his hold, showing he had been awake all along. They lay there for a while, savoring the closeness, until they both stirred awake.

"Good morning," Ethan murmured, placing a tender kiss on Alex's forehead.

"Good morning," Alex replied, smiling. As he looked at Ethan, he noticed a bite mark on his lips—the one he had given him yesterday. Alex tried to tell Ethan about it, but Ethan cut him off.

"We should freshen up first," Ethan said, getting out of bed and heading to the bathroom attached to his room. Alex sighed, knowing he wouldn't get a chance to mention the bite mark just yet.

In the bathroom, Ethan looked at himself in the mirror and was shocked by the visible bite mark on his lip. "Alex!" he called out, his voice filled with urgency.

Alex, still on the bed, quickly got up and went to the bathroom. "What's the matter?" he asked.

Ethan pointed to his lips. "This!"

Alex chuckled. "That's what I was trying to tell you, but you didn't listen."

"Do you think anybody will notice?" Ethan asked, concern evident in his eyes.

"Of course, they would," Alex replied, smiling reassuringly. They exchanged a few more words, talking about Alex's outfit and their plans to buy clothes later. Ethan handed Alex some of his clothes, which fit Alex not perfectly but well enough.

As they got ready, Ethan tried to hide the bite mark but couldn't. They decided to just go with it and hoped no one would make a big deal out of it.

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Downstairs, they saw Ethan's father reading the newspaper on the couch, his brother James getting ready for work, his mom and sister-in-law Sarah preparing breakfast in the kitchen, and his sister Emily getting ready for college. The sight made Ethan feel happy to be home again, and Alex felt warm seeing how lively and welcoming the house was.

"Good morning, Dad," Ethan said cheerfully.

"Good morning, Ethan," his father replied, looking up from his newspaper. Alex greeted him as well, receiving a polite nod in return.

They greeted James, Sarah, and Ethan's mom, who all responded with warm smiles. Emily greeted Ethan and Alex, and they returned the greeting.

When breakfast was ready, they all gathered around the dining table. Ethan's mom turned to Alex. "Do you prefer tea or coffee, Alex?"

"Either is fine, thank you," Alex replied.

The table was filled with a variety of breakfast dishes: scrambled eggs, bacon, fresh fruit, pancakes, toast, and an assortment of jams and spreads. As they started eating, the conversation flowed naturally.

In the middle of breakfast, Emily noticed the bite mark on Ethan's face. "Ethan, what's that on your lip?" she asked, drawing everyone's attention.

Ethan's mom looked at him with concern. "Are you okay, dear?"

Alex felt a wave of nervousness. Ethan noticed and, under the table, took Alex's hand in his, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Oh, it's nothing. I bit my lip while brushing my teeth this morning," Ethan explained smoothly.