Two of a Kind | Grethan

VIII

"You're leaving already? But you just got back yesterday!" Ethan complained. Whether he wanted to believe it or not, he always misses his mom while she's gone. Even with Grayson's company, nobody can compete with a mother's love.

"I know Ethan, but an emergency came up with the company all the way in Texas, and they're sending me out to get everything in check. I know it's lonely, but my job is on the line. You know I can't lose my job, honey." Ethan's mom explained calmly, her hand on his cheek to try and calm him as well.

"When will you be back?" He asked sadly.

"I'm not so sure, bud. I'll check up on you, I promise." Lisa sighed and kissed her son on the cheek before walking out the door.

"Oh, hey Mrs. Dolan. Where you going with those suitcases?" Grayson asked as he approached Ethan's home, seeing Lisa struggle to carry all of her bags.

"Emergency work trip. Why?" Lisa replied abruptly.

"I can help bring them to your car if you need it." Grayson suggested. A small smile appeared on Lisa's lips.

"Thank you, that'd be really helpful." She said sweetly and handed a suitcase to Grayson.

"Not to be nosy, but didn't you just return from your last business trip?" Grayson asked curiously, closing the trunk of Lisa's car.

"Yes, but something really important just came up with work. My job's on the line if I don't go." Lisa sighed and tucked her hair behind her ears. "I really hate to leave Ethan alone for so long. Would you please look after him for me?"

"Ethan's my best friend, I'll make sure everything's alright with him." Grayson grabbed Lisa's hand and squeezed it softly, smiling at her in a kind manor.

"Thank you so much, Grayson. You know, I was a little unsure about you at first. I guess it was just really strange to see someone who looks exactly like my son, but still really different. That was wrong of me." Lisa sighed, sitting in the driver's seat in her car and turning the key in the ignition.

"It's perfectly okay, Mrs. Dolan. My mom was a little weird about it too. Don't worry. Please, try to enjoy your trip." Grayson closed Lisa's car door and waved as she departed.

"Knock knock." Grayson said as he entered the unlocked front door of Ethan's home. Ethan was slumped on the couch, elbows rested on his thighs and head in hands. "What's wrong?"

"She's always gone." Ethan trilled his lips in an agitated sense.

"It's okay. My mom's gone a lot too. It's just the downside of being a single parent." Grayson sighed, looking down at the beauty in front of him, petting his hair softly. "She asked me to look after you."

Ethan's head perked up, making eye contact with his boy.

"She did?" He asked quietly. Grayson nodded, sitting himself next to Ethan on the couch, wrapping his arm around Ethan's shoulder and rubbing it softly.

"Uh huh." Grayson rested his head on the crown of Ethan's. "Are you okay, Eth?"

Grayson knew Ethan wasn't okay. He knew Ethan was hurting. And that made Grayson worried.

"I'm sure you know my answer." Ethan huffed, staring blankly into the distance.

"I do, baby. But it's nice to hear it from your mouth instead of going off of assumptions." Grayson sighed, wanting nothing but the best for his love. "Ethan, we're getting out of the house."

"Like in the yard?"

"Like outside of the neighborhood. You're cramped up in either of our houses 24/7, and not that I don't enjoy spending time with you alone, it's just that you gotta get some fresh air every once in awhile." Grayson grabbed Ethan's hands and stood up, making Ethan stand up with him.

"I don't want to." Ethan groaned, jerking his head back in annoyance.

"I'm not taking 'no' for an answer this time." Grayson smirked and pulled Ethan out of the house. He lead him across the street to Grayson's and opened the garage door. He pulled a set of keys from his pocket and unlocked one of the two cars: a black SUV.

"You have your own car?" Ethan asked, circling the car in wonder.

"Got her for my 16th. Her name's Skaberchlyn." Grayson said, opening the door for Ethan.

"What a gentleman." Ethan laughed sarcastically with an eye roll and got in the car.

"If you cooperate, I'll take you out for pizza." Grayson sang. Ethan nodded. "That's what I thought."

"And then... and then, the soda just projectile squirted out of her nose and it got all over me!" Ethan explained in between hysterical laughter. The two boys were sitting outside of Grayson's favorite pizza parlor, telling funny and embarrassing stories with one another. Their laughter knocked the breath right out of each other because of how ridiculous their tales were.

"Who knew your mom was such a good shot?" Grayson joked, wiping his eyes, ridding the tears from his hard laughter.

"She complained about the burning sensation and I was like 'it's carbonation. If it'll burn your stomach, it'll burn your nostrils.' She got so sore at me." Ethan snorted.

"I bet." Grayson chuckled, staring at his pretty boy as the smile on his face radiated when he laughed. The little snorts he would make if he laughed hard enough.

As Ethan caught his breath, he looked at Grayson, who was stirring his drink slowly, looking straight at Ethan with a smirk on his face.

"What?" Ethan asked. "Is there something on my face?"

"No, you're just adorable." Grayson chuckled, looking down at his drink.

"You're one to talk." Ethan raised one eyebrow. Grayson continued to smile.

After paying the bill for their lunch, Grayson took Ethan's hand and they left.

"Where are we going now?" Ethan asked meekly as Grayson dragged him along.

"You shared your special place with me. Now it's my turn." Grayson replied, looking back at Ethan with a mischievous grin.

What seemed like hours to Ethan was only about twenty minutes as the two boys walked in silence, hand in hand, before they actually arrived where Grayson wanted to be.

In a local forest, they approached an area that Ethan had yet to explore. Grayson fought through the tangled tree branches, and they reached a small lake. The tall trees circled around this body of water, and a large, flat-topped boulder sat on the left side. Grayson led Ethan to the boulder and they both sat down, dangling their feet off the edge.

"I come here to let my frustrations out. I like to be surrounded by wildlife. It calms me down." Grayson took a deep breath and tilted his head back, feeling the warm breeze blow against his face.

Ethan marveled the area. It was natural perfection. A flock of two adult geese and five baby geese swam in the water, honking at each other every so often. Other birds called to each other in many different forms of tweeting. The leaves rustled with life, from the wind and the creatures amongst them.

"It's nice." Ethan smiled softly, watching the geese swim around the lake. Grayson looked at Ethan, replicating Ethan's small grin and moving in, grabbing his chin and kissing him softly. He could feel Ethan's smirk against his lips. Ethan placed his hands on Grayson's cheeks, kissing back tenderly. They pulled away, neither boy being able to wipe the smiles off of their faces.

Neither could deny their love for one another.

Neither could even begin to explain how happy they made one another.

Being together made every problem seem nonexistent as they shared a long and romantic embrace in that forest, the nature concealing their secret. Their love would always be their little secret between one another, for nobody could ever share the intense, loving bond that these two radiated.