Complement, page 16
part #3 of Connectivity Series
“That’s what you do when you cover your eyes.”
“Babe, we’re not playing hide-and-seek here.”
“Thirteen. Fourteen. Maybe we should play hide-and-seek after you’re done, then. Fifteen...”
Nick shook his head, chuckling at his adorable boyfriend. How he had ever gotten so lucky to tumble down a mountain and into Ash’s arms, he’d never know. But he set to work bringing out what he needed, trying to be quiet as Ash did a good job of covering any noise with his own counting. When Ash got up to forty-five, Nick came up to him and startled him with a kiss to quiet him down. Ash smiled against his mouth as he lifted him up, encouraging him to wrap his arms and legs around him. Carrying Ash slowly back to the house, Nick kept their mouths connected the whole time and gently pressed Ash up against the back door, lingering longer than necessary.
Finally feeling like he needed to get busy, Nick slowly lowered Ash down and backed off the door so he could help his guy inside. He positioned them so Ash had his back to the glass door and kissed him once more.
“If you don’t quit kissing me, you’ll never get my surprise done,” Ash murmured against his lips.
“Are you sure it’s me who’s kissing you? Cause it feels a lot like you are kissing me,” Nick said as Ash grinned again, pulling him in by grabbing his butt. Nick grunted as his seemingly permanent semi rubbed against Ash’s waist.
A devilish look transformed Ash’s face as he rubbed their bodies together a little more. Nick’s eyes bored into Ash’s but he quickly withdrew and sank down to the floor, casually picking up his tablet and headphones without a care in the world.
“You are an evil little temptress, you know that?” Nick groused as he adjusted himself. Ash batted his big brown eyes and smiled coyly up at him. “Ugh. Not cool.”
“I’ll just be in here watching some gay porn while you go to work on my surprise, ‘kay?” Ash chirped and slipped on his headphones.
Nick’s eyes about bugged out of his head and Ash busted up laughing, angling his tablet so he could see the image on the screen.
“Are you watching anime?” Nick asked.
Ash nodded and shooed him away with the air of someone too consumed to be bothered. Nick chuckled and gently ran his fingers under Ash’s chin. When he looked up, Nick whispered, “Love you.”
Ash’s smile softened. “Love you too.”
He quietly closed the back door and crossed the patio to gather his supplies. It didn’t take him long to set up the tent and his little cook stove, but he wanted Ash to get the full effect when he came out, so he gently opened the patio door again and asked Ash to close his eyes one more time. He packed a bag with their s’mores items and stopped in the living room to grab their pillows. When he passed Ash again on his way back out, he tapped him on the shoulder, indicating he could uncover his eyes and continued on his way.
He arranged everything just so and when he felt satisfied that everything was in order, he went in to get his guy.
He placed both hands softly on Ash’s shoulders and sank down behind him, peering over his shoulder to see what he was watching. Ash reached up with his left hand and cradled the back of his head as he nuzzled into his neck. He placed kisses along his neck and shoulder, gently biting him where the two met and Ash shivered. He turned his head and looked at Nick affectionately.
“It’s ready when you are, boo.”
Smiling, Ash pressed a soft kiss to his lips then turned off his tablet. Nick helped him up and covered his eyes as he led him outside and across the patio. He stood behind his boyfriend with one hand covering his eyes and one hand around his waist.
“Ready?” he asked, hoping Ash liked it.
Ash nodded and Nick removed his hand.
A few feet off the edge of the patio, on the grass, sat Nick’s forest green tent with its flap open and their pillows inside. He’d set up his camping stove on the concrete and had a plate piled up with their s’mores fixins sitting next to it.
“Aww, babe,” Ash cooed. “You did all this? Are we camping out here?” he asked excitedly, grabbing Nick’s hands.
“I thought we could if you want to. When we were shopping, we joked about doing one last camping trip and I figured, why not just camp at home? Is it okay? Do you want to?”
“Of course it’s okay. I haven’t been camping since I was little,” Ash enthused and pulled Nick over to the tent and climbed inside. His eyes were lit up like it was Christmas morning and he messed around on the crinkly tent floor, goofing off and hugging his pillow like it was his first time ever being in a tent. “Come in here,” he called up.
“I have something I want to do first if it’s okay with you, but you need to come back out for a minute,” Nick returned.
Ash poked his head out, looking at him curiously. He clambered out and Nick kissed his hand then led him over to the big tree in the back of the yard. Nick pulled out his pocket knife and opened the blade.
“Can I carve our initials into your tree?” he asked, looking at Ash and feeling the weight of his question as it hung in the air.
Ash’s face took on that “aww” look again as he brought his hand up to his mouth, then quickly threw his arms around Nick, nodding the whole time. He drew back and took Nick’s cheeks between his palms, placing the softest kiss to his lips that just about turned him into a pile of goo. “Can you possibly get any sweeter?” Ash garbled out and had to clear his throat as his voice had gotten a little wobbly.
Nick smiled softly at his boyfriend and tenderly kissed him on the cheek. Ash huffed out a choked laugh and swatted at him. “Why do I feel like you’re always purposefully trying to make me cry?”
Nick laughed. “I dunno. You’re just so loveable that it’s easy for me to be sweet to you. I like making you happy because it makes me happy to see you happy,” he explained easily.
Wiping his eyes, Ash groaned out a laugh again. “God, babe. You’re too much sometimes.”
Grinning, Nick took up the knife and stepped up to the tree. He pressed the blade against the rough surface of the bark and began to carve out their initials. “Hey, babe? Uh, what’s your last name? After all this, I don’t even know what it is.”
Ash chuckled and wrapped his arm around Nick’s waist so he could check out the scene. “It’s Weaver.”
Nick made a sound of acknowledgment and finished off their letters, then got to work carving a heart around them. His fingers were a little sore from holding the small knife, but he stepped back to admire his work and Ash leaned against him, holding his hand.
They stood there for a moment, just looking at the carving but Ash stepped forward and ran his hand over the little declaration. When he turned back, he grinned and right before he kissed Nick on the lips, he said, “I love you. Thank you for this, it means a lot to me.” Nick smiled and kissed him right back, then led him back to the tent and while Ash was relaxing inside, he started the camp stove.
“Hey, babe? Do you have something we can use for the marshmallows? I didn’t even think of that until just now,” Nick asked and Ash thought for a minute.
“No, probably not. Can we just use a stick or something?” Ash climbed out of the tent and went back to their tree. He searched the ground for a minute and came back with two decent sticks and held them out. “Good enough?”
“They should work. You want yours right now?”
“Heck, yeah. It’s been way too long since I had s’mores.”
They each took a stick and prepped it for their marshmallows, then sat next to each other as they roasted their mallows over the small flame. Nick liked his just lightly golden all the way around, while Ash liked some char and blackened edges. They assembled their treats and Nick took a selfie of them taking their first bites together. They both groaned and fully appreciated their tasty little treat and after polishing off two more apiece, they finally went inside to wash their hands and faces.
The sun had begun to set by that point and they gathered up some blankets and a few more pillows to make their little nest on the floor of the tent. Ash laid everything out and they ended up grabbing Nick’s comforter as well to add an extra layer on the ground. But once Ash was satisfied with their set up, they cleaned up the s’mores and camp stove, then grabbed Ash’s laptop to watch a movie.
After a while, they heard Stevie come home and she waved and smiled at them as she passed through the yard. “Camping in the backyard?” she asked with a smile.
“Nick surprised me with a last minute camping trip before school started. Isn’t he the sweetest?” Ash gushed as they looked out at his mom through the open tent flap. He squeezed Nick’s hand before he continued on. “We went for a hike earlier that was really cool and we barbequed hot dogs and we even got what we needed to make s’mores. It was such an awesome day. Now we’re just watching Star Wars on my laptop.”
“Sounds like a busy day. I hope you were careful hiking and that you took some sunscreen,” she said, looking pointedly at Nick.
“It was fine, Mom. Nick was adamant that we bathe in the sunscreen before we even hit the trail. It was a pretty cool spot, actually; just out toward Hastings a bit and right off the highway. We ran into a girl from my school and I invited her to study sometime. She seemed kind of down. I don’t know. Anyway, how was work?” Ash asked.
She smiled again. “Same old, same old. Patients and patience, you know.”
“Hey, Mom? We were trying to think of something we could do for a job since we really liked the hiking and stuff, and might try out this camping thing. But I’ll probably need to get a few things to start out like boots and socks and stuff. But we talked and talked about possible jobs we could do but nothing seemed like it would work for us. What did Grandma and Grandpa do for work? I can’t remember that much about them.”
Stevie set her bag down and knelt on the ground. “They worked for themselves. Your grandma was an artist and after they found each other, your grandpa took up woodworking. They made all kinds of things, from pottery to tables to baby cradles. They also painted and did a little work with sculpting. They traveled a lot because they needed to take their pieces around to different cities to sell, you know since this was before Etsy and the internet? But they made it work. They did everything together from their home. They had a studio, that was really more like a barn, but they loved it. The traveling got to be a bit much for your dad, I remember, because they would work during the week on their pieces then need to drive around on the weekends, trying to sell everything. But they made it work.”
“Wow, I didn’t realize the extent of it. I thought they just did that for fun, like as their hobby or something. I didn’t know their hobby supported them,” Ash commented.
“Yeah. It really did. I know you boys are struggling to find something that will work for you, but sometimes you just need to create something to fit you. Find your passion and make that work for you. If you guys like the hiking thing, figure out a way to earn some money doing it. But also remember,” she pointed at them, “that you’re both so young yet. Your grandparents were in their late thirties before they needed to think about any of that. You boys have lots of time to figure things out. And I can certainly get you some boots, Ash. I appreciate you trying to work to help pay for your own things but you and Nick need this time to be together. That’s what the whole bonding phase is about, remember? You’ve worked all summer trying to save up for your surgery, let me handle getting you some boots, okay?” She patted Ash on his sock-covered foot and stood up. “I’m going to head in and grab something to eat. You guys have fun and enjoy your camping. Maybe cinnamon rolls in the morning?”
Ash groaned. “You have to try her cinnamon rolls. Oh my God. They take forever to make but they are so worth the wait.”
Stevie chuckled. “Good night, guys. See you in the morning.” She waved and headed inside, leaving them to resume their movie. Ash curled up right against Nick’s side and he slid his arm under Ash’s neck and wrapped it around him, pulling him in and pressing a kiss to his head.
They pulled their blankets up when it got chilly and ended up spending half an hour stargazing after the movie had ended. With one last trip into the house to change and brush their teeth, they finally settled down and chatted quietly long into the night, about the future, school, jobs, hikes, and a dozen other topics. When conversation eventually diminished, they shared long tender kisses where hands roamed freely and when those loving caresses slowed, they finally gave in to the pull of the night.
-X-
Saturday and Sunday passed by just like any other weekend. They played video games, ate cinnamon rolls, watched Netflix, and finally moved Nick completely out of his apartment. They both ended up stopping in a generic shop for haircuts and they picked up some last minute items to be ready for the new school year.
But Sunday afternoon, as they were hanging out on Ash’s bed, Nick got a text from his dad asking if things were alright and how his apartment was before school started.
“I can’t believe I forgot to tell them I moved out,” Nick commented as he read the text over again. “Not that they’re going to care, I guess. But we should probably try to explain what’s going on with us. We’ll probably need your mom in on it too so they understand we’re not making it up and that your mom is protecting you from me. Wouldn’t want me moving in with some unsuspecting minor and causing them any trouble. I’m sure it was inconvenient enough when I ended up in the hospital.”
Ash gave him a sad smile and kissed the back of his hand. “Well, I’m pretty glad you moved in with this unsuspecting minor. He loves you to pieces and wouldn’t have it any other way.” Moving his attention up to Nick’s lips, they teased each other for a moment before Ash pulled back and took his hand. “Let’s see if my mom is around so we can talk to your parents.”
“A video chat might be best if they’re up for it. Let me text my dad back and see if they’re both home or what time would be better.” Nick shot back a text while Ash went in search of his mom.
His dad replied saying they were all home and could chat any time. So, Nick left the bedroom and met up with Stevie and Ash in the kitchen. “Okay, they’re all there if we can chat now,” he commented.
“Sounds good,” Stevie replied and nodded toward the table. “Should we set up over there?”
“Yeah, that looks good. Let me grab my laptop real quick,” Nick said and was back a moment later. He set it up at one end of the table and got up his video program. He’d only used the program one other time, but oddly enough, it was on his parent’s suggestion that they’d all downloaded the program before he left. He sat in the middle seat with Stevie on his right and Ash on his left. Ash laced their fingers together and gave him a reassuring squeeze before he hit the call button and the line rang out loud.
His dad appeared on the screen a moment later, slightly sideways and rather jiggly. The sound kicked in and lots of rustling and static followed as well as his mom’s voice and a few mumbled words of exclamation by his father. Finally, the image straightened and settled and it appeared his parents were seated in a couple of chairs on their patio.
“Nick? Can you hear us?” his dad asked.
Nick nodded. “Yeah, Dad. I can hear you fine. Can you see us okay? Do you have the video image up?”
His dad’s floppy brown hair nodded along as his father replied, “Yeah, we can see you. Who all is with you there? Doesn’t look much like an apartment.” His father’s critical eye was ever watchful and always ready with a sharp look. He’d been taught early on that that look was not something to be ignored. Even after Sydney had been born, though his parents hadn’t spent nearly as much time with him, one look from the gruff mountain of a man had been enough to keep Nick in line.
“Yeah. Where are you, Nicholas? You’re not in any trouble again, are you?” his mom commented, piggy-backing along with his father’s statement. Nick had gotten his thick black hair and blue eyes from his mother and even though his mom usually abided with whatever his dad wanted, she spoke up with obvious censure in her voice.
Nick had never been one for trouble. He’d been kept in line by his father throughout his mother’s struggles with miscarriages and infertility, and after Sydney’s miraculous arrival, he’d learned that it was easier to just do his father’s bidding than to be on the receiving end of one of his dad’s “talks.”. His father had never been abusive, but his commanding presence and stern nature had always worked to ensure Nick never tested any boundaries. And in exchange for his compliance and wallflower persona, his parents had given him a fairly long leash and an allowance to match.
“No, Mom,” Nick replied. “I’m at my boyfriend’s house. This is Ash,” Ash waved, “and this is his mom, Stephenie.”
“Boyfriend?” his parents questioned at once, not unkindly but not allowing Stevie to reply with a greeting of her own. “Is this the boy who was with you in the hospital?”
“Yes. And Stevie is a nurse and made sure I was being taken care of. Ash stayed with me the whole time too and drove me home,” Nick replied.
Both of his parents faces softened and their sharp looks of “you’d better not be causing any trouble” faded. “Well that’s real nice then,” his mother spoke first. “Thank you, Stephenie, for looking after Nick. You understand that we would have come out to be with him, but the doctor had assured us his injuries were minor and he just needed time to come around. I’m glad he’s finally taken a liking to someone, as well, Ash. He’d never seemed to care about any of the other people in his life to introduce them to us, so it’s nice to meet someone who’s important to him. Though, I don’t mean to be rude, but you do look awfully young.”
Ash nodded and Nick could see the tangle of emotions in his eyes as he tried to figure out who his parents really were. “Yes, I’m only seventeen, Mrs. La Velle, but your son has been a perfect gentleman and knows exactly where the lines are.”
His parents nodded and Stevie spoke up for the first time. “Yes. It’s nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. La Velle—”
