Match

48: Warm Embrace

He scoots up beside him. Feeling his breath on his neck. Jonah makes more room, even though the bed isn't wide enough for two people. It's natural to them both, how they don't need to talk. They just need to embrace each other; Cole wrapping an arm around Jonah, Jonah hugging close enough that his head rests against his chest. Cole needed this. Jonah did, too.

They lay like that for the rest of the night, falling into a deep slumber like cuddling koalas.

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Beep! Beep! Beep!

An alarm goes off, waking Jonah up. He feels the static tickle his nape as he rises up, looking around with slightly parted eyes. His arms search for his phone, until he notices it resting on the desk, completely turned off. Whose alarm was that? he thinks. Cole's? It takes him a few seconds to realize it's just him in bed. His eyes widen in shock, searching around the room. The foam bed is untouched. Cole's phone is gone. Now he goes from confused, to sad.

Was that all just in my head? Never has he felt upset about the possibility of something being just a dream. His hands climb up his naked arms, searching for any remainder of warmth from Cole's embrace. He stops when he hears noises coming from the kitchen.

As he takes a step on the cold floor, he feels a jolt waver up his leg. Shit! He massages his knee to ease the pain.

The painkiller had worn out.

With careful steps, he hobbles to his door and opens it. His nose catches a drift of a greasy scent. The noises are much louder. Could he still be here? He limps to the kitchen entrance and peers around the corner. It's his dad, Greg, cooking bacon on a pan. Jonah raises a puzzled eyebrow.

"Dad?"

Greg looks over his shoulder. "Morning Jones. Want some bacon?"

He blinks. Rubs his eyes. Blinks again. "Is that really you?"

"Well, the G in my name stands for 'Good Golly, it's Greg!'."

There is an awkward pause.

"I thought you and mom were on vacation?"

"Oh, we were. Until a client called in from mom's work and asked her to create a ship's worth of bouquets for his daughter's wedding."

"Ah," he says in a blank tone. "That sucks."

Greg shrugs, turning the raw side of the bacon over with tongs. "It's happened every now and then, I'm used to it. Anyway, were you yay or nay on the bacon?"

"Oh um, yeah, I'll have some." He sits down on a vacant chair, ignoring the soreness in his knee.

He glances from the window looking out to the driveway. Cole's car isn't there. He did mention that he was working this morning.

"So why'd ya look like a deer in the headlights when ya saw me?"

He turns to him. "Huh?"

The grease sizzles and pops every time Greg moves the bacon. "You seemed pretty shocked to see me."

"It's nothing."

"Was there someone over?"

He bites his lip. "Just a friend from soccer."

"Oh, okay. I thought I would have to tell you the whole 'safety first' schtick again."

"The what?"

Greg laughs. "Ya know, the birds and the bees. If you're sleeping with people, make sure it's someone you trust and got tested for STD's, make sure you're wearing protection-"