Sorry for the delay. Life got in the way.
Thanks for sticking around, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please let me know.
*
Jon hit the road, anxious to get home. Yeah... this week was fun - reconnecting with his friends was fun - but he missed Jim. This was still a foreign concept for him... liking his Brother. It's been weeks and he still couldn't wrap his mind around it.
Feeling lost without Jim, almost disconnected - this period of regrowth and rediscovery they've spent together - left Jon bewildered. They were Brothers, not lovers. They were still relating, not dating.
Jon realized he was beginning to develop feelings for Jim... an emotional bond. He had never been in love, but he thought this is what it would feel like. Missing the person when they weren't near, a sensation of longing for the other - joy when you're together.
"Holy fuck! I... I.. I'm in love with him" he said out loud to no one. The car was empty - Jon was alone with his thoughts.
-
He drove home in silence. His music mix was on, but it was just background clatter. Jon wasn't even in the mood to listen. He couldn't help but think about the hookup he had with Nick, and how ashamed of himself he felt now. That wasn't him, not any more at least. Sure, casual sex had always been his go to - especially on vacation - but something about this felt wrong. He felt guilty. He felt like he cheated on his boyfriend, only he didn't have one... he was single. He played the events of the week over in his mind, trying to pick out the moment things turned. He finally came to a conclusion... everything was fine until he thought of Jim.
That was it... Jim. Jon felt like he cheated on Jim.
-
About half way home, Jon pulled into a rest area. He never stopped on his trips, but right now he felt like he needed to stretch his legs and his mind. He grabbed a cup of coffee and sat outside at an empty table. He stared into the distance, taking a sip of coffee every so often. He was far enough away from the highway that he couldn't make out the sights of traffic, but he still could hear it whiz by. He felt the same way about Jim. He was far enough away from these stirrings that he could ignore them if he tried, but not so detached that he was able to just turn them off.
He sat there trying to convince himself that these thoughts were nothing more than regrets from a night of drunken partying with his friends, but he wasn't dumb enough to buy it. He ran his hands thorough his hair several times, like he was trying to comb out his frustrations.
What the hell was he going to do now?
-
Around seven that evening Jon walked through the front door - home after a grueling eight hour drive. Still, all that considered, the trip to Cape Cod, with glaring exception, was worth it.
Jon dropped his bags in the living room, not in the mood to drag them to the third floor. He walked through the house not finding anybody - until he saw a light on in the backyard. He made his way through the kitchen to the back patio where he found Jim at the grill cooking burgers.
"And who do we have here? Iron Chef Wolfe slaving away over a hot grill?" He laughed.
"I thought you might be hungry after that drive." Jim pointed to the burgers.
Jon looked at the food and then back to his Brother "thank you so much! I'm starving right now! I hate to stop for food along the way... just makes the drive longer."
"Sit, let me put together a plate." Jim had the burgers ready - along with warmed baked beans - pickles, olives and all the condiments ready to go "sorry there's no potato salad, didn't have time to hit the store."
Jon dove into a burger like a man possessed. "Jimmy, who cares about potato salad. These burgers taste amazing!"
Both Brothers seemed to be of a like mind in this second - they were beginning to finally appreciate one another.
-
After dinner Jon cleaned up the table and dishes. Jim made an amazing meal, and as worn out as he was, it was only right he pitched in.
"Where's Mom" Jon asked
"Spending the night at Aunt June's. They're going to the flea market tomorrow and wanted to get an early start." Jim replied.
"You know, Mom certainly goes out a lot for a woman Aunt June says is sitting at home moping and not having a life." Jon laughed.
Jim nodded in agreement "I know, right" laughing too.
-
The guys settled in for the night, relaxing downstairs in the family room. Jim on the sofa, his make shift bed for the last week plus, and Jon on the recliner - his feet raised as he wound down.
Jim turned to look at Jon "hey, can I ask you a question - about something from earlier today?"
"Earlier today?"
"Yeah, about your text" Jim continued "the one you sent before you left the Cape."
"What about it?"
"Well, I noticed you said "luv u" at the end" Jim was tiptoeing lightly "did you really mean it?"
Jon looked Jim in the eye. Did he really say that? Was that something real or just an instinctive cover of a guilty conscious. "Yes, Jimmy, I guess I do love you. Things have changed... you've changed."
A wide grin spread across Jim's face "Maybe we've both finally grown up."
-
Jim mindlessly flipped through the tv channels, looking for something they'd both enjoy watching, when he stumbled across a Philadelphia Union soccer game.
"Mind if we watch just a little?" Jim asked "I just want to get psyched up for my game tomorrow."
"Oh, shit! Your game! I forgot all about it... I'm sorry." Jon was genuinely apologetic.
Jim glanced at him, taking his eyes from the tv for only a moment "that's OK, maybe another time."
"NO! NO! I promised you I'd be there. Can I still come?"
Jim gave Jon his full attention, turning away from the television screen and looking at him "seriously, it's really alright. It's just a regular game."
"Let me ask you something... is the reason you don't want me there is you're afraid I'll embarrass you in front of Levi?" Jon replied in a mockingly swooning tone.
Jim chuckled out of nervousness "Jon... stop."
"My best behavior, I swear" Jon held up two fingers as if he was giving the Boy Scout oath.
Jim relaxed a little. He wasn't fully onboard with Jon entering this portion of his life, but if his Brother promised he'd behave Jim believed him.
"What times the game?"
"2:00... so I think I'm gonna turn in... Get a good nights sleep." Jim stretch and yawned.
As Jim stretched, Jon looked at his Brother's toned abs... also stealing a glance of Jim's bushy armpits - untamed and untrimmed like his crotch.
"Alright, well, I'll get out of your way."
Jon watched as his brother finished undressing. Jim was reserved at first, almost embarrassed, but then realized Jon has seen - and touched and tasted - everything there, so he continued.