Thanatophobia (H2OVanoss)

Chapter 23

Jonathan woke up in Evan's bed after a long day of cuddling and watching movies. He could barely remember getting into Evan's room in the first place because it was so late.

He turned over to press his face into Evan's warmth, feeling his strong arms wrap around him. Grumbling in his sleep, Evan pulled Jonathan closer to him, shifting when he moved to get comfortable.

  They had a free day this week, no hockey practice or YouTube, and of course Jonathan didn't have a job even though he had been thinking about it. Evan had refused to let him work, and his YouTube channel paid well enough.

  Jonathan wasn't sure what they were going to do once Evan returned to the living, but he assumed they would spend a day on the couch, maybe watching some Star Trek reruns.

  He giggled mentally, looking up at Evan's peaceful face. He supposed most people wouldn't think he was that affectionate, especially since he was six foot and heavily muscular, but Jonathan knew that he was actually softer than a teddy bear.

  For a moment, a sudden picture of a fading blue teddy bear full of stitches came to mind and the thought of an old park...and then it was gone. Startled, Jonathan shook his head to clear his mind. Nothing weird had happened in a while, so it probably was just a careless daydream.

  His movement had shifted Evan, who slowly began to wake up. Yawning, he blinked slowly and gazed down at the awake, but confused looking brunette in his arms.

"Morning, Jon."

He punctuated his words with a soft smile, seeing Jonathan meet his eyes and mirror it. They shared a soft, chaste kiss, just as a greeting before Evan sat up against the headboard, setting Jonathan half in his lap so they could lean back together.

  They say for a while, just enjoying each other's company, looking at the sunlight that filtered into the room from the blinds. After some time Jonathan glanced at the clock and decided he might as well get breakfast started.

  He nuzzled his cheek against Evan's before slowly sliding over him to the door. As he left, Evan grabbed his phone and checked to make sure everything was going according to plan.

He had asked Luke to send him some of Jonathan's nicer clothes up to Canada, which had arrived a day before, and all the reservations were made. Now all he had to do was set the scene.
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The OTP had been eating lunch that Jonathan had cooked in the dining room, chatting and scrolling through meme posts on their phones. They occasionally looked up to show each other posts, but they kept up a comfortable silence aside from the sounds of their forks and plates.

"So Jon."

Jonathan looked up, setting his fork and phone down after seeing the weird determined expression on Evan's face. He made eye contact and tilted his head, silently asking a question.

What's up?

  Evan resisted the urge to laugh at the cuteness; Jonathan never ceased to appeal to him. He supposed everyone in love felt that way, but still, what a lucky guy he was.

"We're going out tonight. I have clothes for you"

He watched Jonathan try to put the puzzle pieces together. He could almost hear what he was thinking. Out...clothes...date?

Evan watched Jonathan's eyes widen and this time could no longer resist the urge to laugh. Seeing Jon's disgruntled expression, he hastily composed himself.

"Sorry, but you're so...you. Anyway, how about you go take a shower and I'll lay out your clothes for you?"

Jonathan nodded, cleaning up his plate and grabbing Evan's while skipping slightly, his anticipation clear in his body movements.

Evan had to give it to him, he had expected Jonathan to hurry but instead he was controlling himself quite well. He sure was special.

He shook his head and went to his room, grabbing the box under his bed containing the freshly ironed suit. He admired Luke's choice, and made a mental note to thank him later. He put everything outside the bathroom door and went to get his own outfit on.

He spent some time in the mini bathroom connected to his room, styling his usual faux hawk to absolute perfection. If only his fans on YouTube could see him now.

He smirked at his reflexion, listening to the sound of water and the occasional bump from Jonathan moving about. Without realizing it, Evan started imagining Jonathan in the water, his hair slicked back so that his eyes were on display.

He abruptly used both hands to slap his cheeks. There would be plenty of time for that later (or so he hoped), and he needed to get dressed still. He went to his closet.

Meanwhile, Jonathan was deep in thought as he took his shower. He and Evan had been together, but he never had expected him to make such a daring move.

  Jonathan had thought about dates, but he could never do anything too bold. His mind would make him too worried, too fearful of rejection. He had this mental block that could consume him and was the cause of his anxiety.

  Sure, Jonathan had been dealing with it for years now without issue, but he had never experienced anything quite like being with Evan. He was everything to Jon, a man he held close. It had been awhile since he had felt this way.

  He sighed and turned off the water. Jonathan has never pictured himself as the hopeless romantic type, but he supposed Luke teasing words were pretty accurate. That was why they were best friends.

He smiled warmly to himself and stepped out of the shower, grabbing one of the fluffy white towels that engulfed him in warmth. After drying off a bit, he covered himself and opened the door to peek into the hallway.

  There were some clothes lying outside, so he quickly grabbed them and shut the door so he wouldn't be seen. He wrapped the towel so he wouldn't have to hold it up and unfolded the bundle.

  He gasped. His was his suit...how had Evan gotten it? He was sure that it was in his closet at home with...Luke. Of course they had teamed up to secretly organize this behind his back. He thanked the world for letting him have such great people in his life.

  He put the suit on with the most care he could, feeling the silly fabric slide on his skin, sending shivers up his spine. It had been awhile since he had needed to dress so nicely, it was a nice feeling.

  As he secured the tie around his neck with one hand, he attempted to use the other one to fix his hair, but was forced to admit defeat. At least he tried. The sound of Evan knocking on the door startled him and he yelped slightly, his face flushing. He heard Evan chuckle behind the door.

  "Meet me in the living room when your ready. Five minutes?"

Jonathan gave him a shy yes before waiting until Evan's footsteps moved down the hall. He creeped to his room, grabbing a small box that was in the dresser. Awhile ago he had gone into town while Evan was away and visited a jewelry store. 

He pulled out the shiny black obsidian and moved his hands up to his ears, putting each one into place. He remembered when Luke had finally convinced him to get his ears pierced, and now he was thankful he did.

  He turned one last time to look in the mirror, looking at everything except his own eyes, and then took a deep breath. Now ready, he mad his way to the living room. It was time.