© Copyright September 2023. Property of Jacko Lantern.
Author's note:
This is something a little different than my usual stories. I hope you enjoy reading it, more on its way soon ;-)
Jacko xx
CHAPTER 1
Ash was wandering the streets of Prague, taking in the view of the river as he headed to his favorite bistro for a coffee. He was going to miss the thrill of exploring but truthfully, he'd seen so much now that the effort of repeatedly packing up and moving was beginning to wear on him. It was tiring to lug around a heavy backpack and not be able to set up his own space exactly as he liked because he was never sure how long he'd be staying.
Ash was ready to go back home and settle down. Find a place of his own and maybe a relationship that had a real chance of a future. He'd had his fun, sure. There was an endless amount of hot, foreign men to play around with. He'd had a couple short relationships that lasted between up to six months when he's decided to make a base for himself somewhere and go on short exploring excursions. But they both knew there was no long-term future.
He pulled his laptop from his satchel, flipped it open and began typing an email to his cousin Donny.
Donny walked into his home office, which was basically a study nook, with his freshly brewed coffee and logged into his computer. Immediately he heard the alert that he had new emails. He scrolled the list of contacts and one of the emails jumped out at him, it was from his cousin Ashleigh. Ash had been travelling overseas for the last few years and even though they'd talked on the phone or via email now and again, he hadn't seen Ash since he was in his early twenties and Ash was 21.
Now at 30 years old, if Donny did the math correctly, that would make Ash 27. He opened the email:
New Email From: Ash
Hey Donny!
Long time no see. I've been traveling around Prague recently, it's so beautiful! The gothic architecture is amazing.
Anyways, guess what ... I'm coming home! I've been traveling so long and while it's been amazing, I miss you all and am ready to settle down. Travelling is fun but you can't do it forever.
I was hoping I might be able to crash with you for a while when I get back? I love mum and dad to bits, but if I stay with them, they would drive me up the walls lol, so I was hoping it wouldn't be too much trouble for you if I crashed on your couch until I find a place of my own?
I've really missed you and can't wait to catch up in person.
Love Ash xx
Donny felt a surge of excitement, he and Ash had been very close when they were young as neither had any siblings so, when they were kids and the family would get together, they played together. They also often went to each other's house for after school care so their parents could alternate their work days.
Truthfully, he'd really missed him. They'd kept in contact via email and the occasional phone call but it wasn't the same. Now, six years later he was finally going to be able to see him in person and hug him again. Ash knew Donny was gay. Donny had told Ash when he was 19 and Ash was 16, before he'd even told his parents. He was totally cool with it and treated him no differently, still hugging and play fighting the way young guys do, but shockingly, Ash came out a few years later. While overseas!
He quickly hit reply:
New Email To: Ash
Hey Ash,
It's so good to hear from you! I bet Prague is amazing, I've seen your photos online and it's stunning.
Of course, you can stay with me! I'd love to have you here. I've missed you so much and I can't wait to see you again.
Send me the details of your flight arrival and I'll pick you up from the airport.
Love Donny
A week later Donny was standing at the arrival's terminal at the international airport, waiting for his beloved cousin. He was watching people pour through the door, running into open arms of their loved ones. He anxiously looked for him then, like a ray of sunlight, there he was. It was like time slowed, he looked phenomenal.
Long wavy blonde hair framed his gorgeous face, sitting slightly above the shoulders in a lived-in shape and falling toward his blue eyes. His backpack straps pulled his sweater tight over his firm, prominent pecs. He had muscle now too, Donny could tell. His adult body had filled out, giving him a presence that was all man. Nothing like the awkward lanky teenage body he remembered.
Ash looked around and when his eyes landed on Donny he paused, losing his breath for a moment. Donny was still totally and utterly gorgeous. Maybe more so. He'd had a little crush on him in his later teenage years and all the way up to the day he left to go travelling when he was 21. It had partially motivated his decision to travel. Yes, he'd wanted to explore the world but it also helped to put some distance between them. They'd been close and he knew nothing could come of the crush.
Ash grinned widely, dropped his backpack and took long strides to pull Donny into his arms. It was an instinctual reaction; he'd missed him so much more than he realized, "Oh my god, it's so good to see you! I've missed you so much!"
Donny was taken by surprise when Ash grabbed onto him but he was not complaining. It felt good to have him in his arms again. He breathed in and Ash's smell made him almost weak at the knees. How could someone who'd been on a plane for 20 hours smell so delicious?! He'd missed him so much and squeezed Ash tightly, "I've missed you too!"
Ash let go and went to pick up his enormous backpack but Donny stopped him and picked it up. "No, I'll get that! You must be exhausted from the long flight," he said and picked up the backpack. It was heavy! He had no trouble because he worked out regularly but Ash was still a fair bit smaller than him.
"You've been lugging this thing around for years?!" Donny asked in astonishment.
Ash laughed. "You get used to it. You build up the strength over time. And I'm actually not tired, I managed to sleep during a lot of the flight so I feel fine."
"That's good. Are you hungry, did you have dinner on the plane? I bet there's things you miss from home, want to go anywhere in particular?" Donny asked.
"Oooh I'd love a beef pie! I didn't realize it was so much of a local thing till I went overseas," Ash said with a dreamy, hungry look on his face.