Aren't you happy for me?

22) I missed you

Dec remembered that phone call as if it had just happened. 9 months ago, he had called Ant and had told him about his plan in moving to Newcastle and taking a job there. And again, Ant had understood. Dec had noticed he was very sad about it, but he had understood.

Now he stood in front of Ant's house yet again, it was the weekend after Ant's birthday and they hadn't seen each other in 9 months, had only spoken over the phone and over the last 3 months quite frequently.

Dec had realised that he needed Ant in his life. He had missed him terribly, but he knew it had been the right decision to keep his distance for a bit.

Stephen had tried again once to win him back, but even that attempt had rather been an order from him than anything else and Dec had turned him down once again. Since then, he hadn't heard from him, he had dropped his things off at Ant's and Ant had told him how devastated he was, but Dec was only relieved. And he didn't even miss him. Dec knew Stephen was a nice guy and he maybe didn't deserve any of this, but he just didn't feel it anymore.

But in contrast to that, his feelings for Ant had grown and grown over the weeks and months, on realising how amazing Ant was and what he had done for him and how he respected and loved him. But he hadn't wanted to rush things and that was why he was standing in front of his house now, 9 months after everything had happened.

He was sure Ant was also nervous as hell. Over the months, their relationship had changed, it had gotten somehow more serious. They had started from square one in a way, had gotten to know each other once more, in a complete different way.

Of course they hadn't changed as a person, but in a way their way with each other had. They had been shy at first, as if there had been a sudden barrier. But it wasn't in any way bad, it was good it had been there. It had been necessary for them to start all over again.

Ant heard the bell ringing and he felt his pulse starting to race. He took a deep breath and went to the door to open it with shivering fingers.

He couldn't remember ever being that nervous before. He would finally be able to take Dec into his arms again, after all those months. He knew it had been the right decision to do it this way, to wait this long and to build their relationship up again.

And when he saw Dec standing there, in flesh and blood, smiling at him, he couldn't help but smile back at him and wrap his arms around him immediately.

"God, I missed you" he beamed and Dec chuckled against his chest.

"Aye" Dec sighed and took in his best friend's familiar scent, it hadn't changed a bit and he wouldn't want it any other way.

With Dec lying in his arms again Ant was totally overwhelmed with feelings of love and affection, he was so happy to finally feel Dec again, to be able to touch him, to hold him, and it felt even better than he had imagined all this time. He held him tight and smiled the widest he had ever smiled in his life. Dec was finally here.

They stayed like this for at least a minute, just holding each other and breathing in each other's scent, feeling those familiar arms around each other and yet it was all so new and different and exciting.

When they finally broke apart, Dec smiled at Ant and reached inside his jacket and fetched out a little envelope.

"What's that?" Ant asked curiously when Dec gave him the envelope.

"Your birthday present" Dec said and before Ant could say something he added: "From last year."

"What?" Ant laughed.

"I never got the chance to give it to you because of all that happened" Dec grinned. "Open it."

Ant opened the envelope and gasped. "Really? Is that why you wanted to wait for so long to meet up? That's today!"

"I know, I exchanged the tickets for newer ones, but we still had to wait until today, so happy birthday" Dec smiled sheepishly. "So if you still want to spend more time with me, we have to get going."

"Of course I do" Ant grinned and then he couldn't hold himself back anymore and hugged Dec as tightly as he could, lifting him up at the same time. He was over the moon and threw Dec through the air. Dec giggled and God had Ant missed that sound.

"Okay then, let's go" Dec said and blushed when Ant let him down again because he realised how fast his heart was beating in his chest.