an:/ well would you look at that, she is back from the dead with more than one update, hope you enjoy it loves!
'that was not long lived'
Jacob’s POV
Since Bruno was declared healthy by the vet I had never seen Troye so… I don’t even think happy is the word to use, elated only comes close.
However that was not long lived.
I am meant to be at his apartment in two hours. We are supposed to have a movie night again, my phone buzzes with a text.
Hey Jacob, could we take a rain check on the movie thing tonight?
I instantly hear warning bells go off in my head. Troye never texts like that, he only used to use so much punctuation when we didn’t know each other that well, something must be off. He also didn’t make use of any of the nicknames he has given me, yup, something must be wrong.
of course T, but why? are you okay? Is B okay?
We’re both fine, just something came up and I can’t make it.
And there’s another thing. Troye would never cancel anything without giving me some sort of valid reason but I know him well enough to know that if you try to push the truth out of him it can only end up with him closing off more and more.
that’s absolutely fine Tro there’s always a next time
sleep well tonight xx
Okay. You too Jacob, sorry xx.
no need to be sorry T it’s alright
…….
“Hello mom,” I greet with a huge smile, happy that I will be able to see her in person in two days.
“Hey, honey, I’m so happy I get to see you so soon!” she chirps.
“Me too,” I can’t help but smile even wider. It has only been months, but I miss her so much. I miss her warm hugs, amazing lemonade, and my childhood bedroom and, of course, properly cooked food.
“How are you though, you’re doing alright since we last spoke?”
“Yeah just, I uh, I haven’t spoken to Troye for a while and I’m a bit worried about him.”
“Oh, but he went back to Perth to see his family, right?” the gears in my head turn a bit, that is a very good point. Something is not quite adding up, Troye would have left by now.
“He was supposed to yes… but I saw him go into his apartment just this morning. Then he hasn’t been on his phone so I have gotten no calls or texts,” I think out loud, frowning slightly.
“Strange, maybe he is leaving later than planned? Mixed up flights or something?”
“I don’t know,” I say, biting my lip in thought.
“Well don’t you just sound like such a worried boyfriend,” she teases. I can’t help but smile at that a bit, just the thought is- nope not the time to daydream.
“Shut up, we are not boyfriends.”
“If you say so, oh I better go. I have some friends over for dinner soon.”
“Okay, enjoy it mom. I love you.”
“Thank you. I love you too, sweetheart.”
I hang up and think for a while longer. How bad will it be to just knock on his door and check up on him right now? I look at the clock up on the wall.
20:38
It’s not that late at all. I don’t even bother putting on my shoes or changing out of my t-shirt and sweat pants, just strolling over to his door as I am.
I don’t like just walking in when he isn’t expecting me, so I knock twice, waiting for him patiently, knowing he takes a while if he is upstairs. Soon, I hear Bruno scratching at the door on the other side; I smile in thought, happy that he is at least okay.
The door opens not long after and even before I open my mouth Troye can tell it is me.
“Jacob? What are you doing here?” it still sometimes catches me off guard at me how he does that, with some people he can recognise them by scent and pure intuition.
“Hey Tro, I just wanted to check if you are okay,” as I say it I notice his features. Fuck. He has definitely been crying, and I wasn’t there.
“I’m perfectly fine,” he attempts to reassure me with a smile but it falls flat, quickly going back into a frown.
I don’t say anything more as I step inside and hug him gently. He also doesn’t say anything, just melting into the hug while Bruno sits behind him, watching us. I close the door gently with my foot and then run my hands up and down his back.
“You have been crying,” I state. All Troye does is nuzzle his face deeper into my chest and sighs sadly. “You don’t have to tell me why, okay?”
“I want to,” he tells me, his voice small, muffled into my shirt.
“Let’s sit you down first, yeah?” he hums in agreement. I hold his one hand to take him to the sofa. We sit down; he snuggles into my side, bringing his feet up from the floor and curls up right against me.
“I can’t go back to Perth, I can’t go and see my family,” he says, my heart clenches as I can hear how much it pains him to tell me that.
“Why is that?”
“My mum and dad are going to Melbourne, one of their close friends is very sick. I can’t get to Melbourne, plus, Sage and Steele won’t be there so Tyde is going with my parents. There is no point, so I cancelled the tickets and will just have to visit them later in the year.”
“Oh, Troye,” I say, hugging him a bit closer to my side.
“It’s fine Jake-”
“It’s not fine T; I don’t want you to be here alone when I leave.”
“Its fine I have Bruno and Lisa, also some other friends I have made in my classes-”
“Come to Pennsylvania with me, my mom won’t mind. It’s just the two of us anyway, she would love for me to bring someone else along, especially someone that I care so much about.”
“Jake that is too much to ask of you and your mom,” he says reluctantly.
“No it is not. I can show you my home town. It will be so fun!”
“Really?” he says, smiling a bit now, probably at how I am speaking like an enthusiastic child to be honest.
“Of course really, I don’t want you to spend break alone in the same old place, let's have an adventure,” I say wistfully, making him chuckle lightly.
I look down at him again, he is pondering over it now.
“Okay.”
“Yes!” I say, triumphantly fist pumping the air, making him laugh.
That settled that at least.
We fall asleep on the sofa that night together, I may have woken up with an aching neck, but it was worth it to wake up to a soft sleeping angel on top of me, his eyelashes displayed beautifully on his rosy cheeks and his curls messy upon his head and cascading onto my chest.
I could get used to waking up to that.
