Page 62 of Find Me Again

"Oh, I will," Ryan assured him. "I can't see this working in the long run without proper communication, so I'll tell you whenever there's something wrong, and I hope you will, as well. And since we both need to make an effort, we're both making the trip whenever our schedules allow. Simple as that."

Neil breathed out slowly.

"Okay. That sounds… It all sounds good to me."

Hell, he was already planning to come to DC for a longer stay after the end of the season. He didn't say it, though. Not yet. They were only beginning, and he didn't want to overwhelm Ryan with long-term plans.

Still, there was one thing that needed to be said, no matter what.

He sat up and put his hand around Ryan's calf.

Communication is important, he told himself.Not easy, but important.

"I want you to know that I feel like I've fallen for you already. I know it's fast, but… That's the truth."

Ryan sat up as well and then pressed forward until Neil was on his back and Ryan was leaning over him, his eyes clear, and bright, and beautiful like always.

"I've fallen for you, too," Ryan whispered, right before kissing him.

And here it was, the moment Neil had thought would never come—he finally had everything he'd ever dreamed of.

EPILOGUE

A few months later

"Noo," Ryan moaned when the covers were unceremoniously tugged off of him. "We're staying in."

Neil snorted. "No, we're not."

"I'll blow you if we stay in."

The few seconds of silence let him hope he might have won, especially when his partner pressed himself against his back a moment later.

"Tempting, I have to admit." Neil dropped a kiss on the back of Ryan's neck. "But I'm pretty sure I can convince you to blow me anyway. Missing your friends' engagement party, though, you might not forgive me for, even if it would have been your idea."

"What if I sign a waiver that says otherwise?" Ryan asked, leaning back into Neil's embrace. This was how he should've been woken up in the first place.

"Nope," Neil told him after sucking what would end up being a mark on the top of his shoulder. "I may, however, be willing to blow you in the shower as long as you get up on time. Which means right now."

Ryan sighed, hopefully making it clear how much of a sacrifice it was. Then he sat up, disentangling himself from Neil.

"Fine. Come on, then."

After the prolonged shower—where they both got to come, because Ryan was nice like that—they still had time to eat their breakfast in peace, as they always tried to.

It had become one of their things, a custom established months ago—whenever they were in the same place, breakfast was their time and their time alone. Only later could they go outand spend time with other people.

And with this being the first weekend since Neil had come to DC for the prolonged stay, it was doubly important to make it right.

Logically, Ryan knew they were now going to have a lot of mornings like this one, but for now, it was all still new.

Neil had unpacked his suitcases this time, for one. And there wasn't going to be a goodbye later tonight.

"You're smiling at those eggs harder than you did at me after I gave you a blowjob," Neil complained, dragging him back to Earth. "Something is terribly wrong here."

Ryan grinned. "Well, now that you mention it—"

"Don't you dare."

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