Come Back To Us - 26. Chapter 26

Christmas 1941

Karl couldn’t believe he was finally back.

He smiled as they reached the front door of Mrs. Hopkins’s parents’ house. The streets were growing dark by that time and the cold made them undesirable. But Karl’s excitement that was bubbling up in his chest and stomach was enough to keep him warm. Arthur didn’t even have time to knock as the door opened. It looked like they had been watching out for them. Karl’s smile only widened.

No greetings could be exchanged as Mrs. Hopkins engulfed him in a warm hug. He didn’t hesitate to hug her back. He had missed her hugs. They pulled away after a while that seemed to last only a few seconds.

“It’s so good to see you again after so long. Oh, you’ve had you hair cut, I see. It looks good on you too.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

She contemplated him silently with that smile of hers still on her face.

“You look much more like a man with this uniform. Even though you haven’t changed a bit in one year.”

Karl glanced at Arthur who was still stoic. He was the real man there. And he was feeling bad for him because he was being completely ignored. That’s not what he wanted. But he didn’t dare say anything about it, not that he feared her reaction. He didn’t want it to sound like some reproach. That was all.

Anyway, Mrs. Hopkins soon turned her full attention to him. She observed him carefully as well. And next thing he knew, she embraced him. He looked like he was taken aback. Karl just smiled again.

“Arthur…” she whispered his name softly. “it’s been so long since the last time we saw you. You are even more handsome than what I remember.”

He looked like he was somewhat embarrassed by her words.

“I am not that handsome, you know…”

She let go of him only to stare at him with a disapproving look.

“Do not say such silly things. I’m sure every woman your age or around it thinks the same thing.”

“But this is not something that helps you find true love,” he countered.

She replied nothing as she kept staring at him.

“But a heart like yours does,” she said as she took his hands in hers.

They stared into each other’s eyes for a bit longer before she let go of his hands.

“Come on in. We are not going to remain standing like this for too long.”

They followed after her as she went inside. Arthur let him go first.

“Let me get your stuff,” she said as Arthur had just closed the door. She took from him the small bag he had with him and helped him remove his jacket. She did the same thing with Arthur then.

“Thank you.”

Karl saw Mrs. Hopkins’s parents, Paul and his father standing in line in the hall, ready to greet them.

He smiled. He smiled so much that it could have hurt his cheeks. But he didn’t care. He got closer to them. He was too overwhelmed by emotion to utter a single word.

Instinctively he hugged Mr. Hopkins. He must have looked almost desperate.

He had no idea what had been really happening during this whole year. He was sure Mrs. Hopkins wrote in her letters only what she wanted to write, so as not to worry him if there were still problems. But he hoped they were all fine for real, especially Mr. Hopkins. Even if he had only had a glimpse of it, he had known too much suffering already. He had known the war, lost his little brother; almost lost his nephew.

He felt the man’s arms wrap around him as if he could read his mind.

“The war is not over yet, but at least you are fine as of now.”

“He looks like he is in good shape.”

“I have never seen someone so young, yet so tall.”

He wondered when they would have a new house. They couldn’t stay at Mrs. Hopkins’s parents’ house forever. Had they been waiting for the war to end to buy a new one?

“Welcome back home.”

Karl could feel that feeling again in his stomach, but it wasn’t anything bad. It was dizzying, but he didn’t want it to stop.

It felt good to know you could come back to a place that you could call home.

As they were still hugging each other, he froze at the sight greeting him after opening his eyes. His heart skipped a beat and started racing uncontrollably. He felt his breathing was becoming shallow too.

George.

He was standing in the doorframe, staring at them.

George.

The last person he had expected to see.

It was like the first time they had met each other, he couldn’t help thinking.

His whole body was on fire, his heart was pounding wildly, making his body twitch and shiver, his hands became sweaty and his throat awfully dry. And the worst thing of all was that he couldn’t even look away from him.

What…what was he doing there?

He slowly let go of Mr. Hopkins who did the same. He wished it could have been only a dream. A dream from which he would wake up soon.

“Well, we are not going to stay in the entrance hall either, are we? We can celebrate this reunion properly in the living room.”

But he didn’t move. George didn’t either.

He could feel Mr. Hopkins hand on his shoulder briefly. They stared into each other’s eyes. Karl was overwhelmed with too many emotions to think straight anymore. Anyway, a few moments later, George broke the eye contact and turned around to leave; to go into the main room.

But Karl still didn’t move. His body wouldn’t allow him to do so. Once George was out of sight, he looked around the room and saw that only Mrs. Hopkins was left. She gave him what looked like a sympathetic smile, but he wasn’t so sure. She got closer to him and wrapped one arm around his shoulders.

“Come,” she said softly as if she knew what was going on but didn’t want to talk about it. “This is going to be a much better Christmas Day compared to last year, you will see.”

He envied her optimism. She took him to the living room where everyone was gathered.

It was merry. It seemed that conversation wasn’t awkward anymore. But he was just so out of it. There were too many questions and doubts on his mind.

At some point, when Paul went to help in the kitchen, he stood up swiftly, probably surprising everyone and before Paul could reach the kitchen, he grabbed his arm and led them in one of the empty rooms, far from the prying eyes.

Paul didn’t say a thing as they were face to face as if he were waiting for him to speak. He needed to learn to breathe normally again before he opened his mouth.

“George…”

Calm down.

He took a deep breath.

“Did…did he know I would be here?”

“Yes, he did. I told him about your coming home.”

His shivering became worse, his hands sweatier.

What was the meaning of this?

He thought he never wanted to see him ever again…

“Hey, no stress. He’s just a twit.”

Paul was the one to lead him out of the room.

He didn’t get it. He really didn’t, no matter how hard he was trying to figure this whole thing out.

But…why…?

*
It’s true that this Christmas Eve dinner was nothing like the previous one. But he couldn’t even rejoice and enjoy it. He was sure he wouldn’t enjoy the one they would have the following day either. How could he?

He tried to stop thinking about George and the short conversation he had had earlier with Paul, but it wasn’t easy when George was sitting right across him.

“This is absolutely wonderful that he can learn how to fly a plane!”

“Yeah, to kill tons of Boches.”

“I did not mean it this way. I am only saying that this is a great opportunity for him to learn new things, especially something so interesting. This can only help him integrate………”

The talking became a whole blur. It was too hard to listen anymore. He was too focused on George as he couldn’t look away from him again. He still couldn’t understand. He knew George was unpredictable…but…

The feeling in his stomach and his shivering intensified and his heart skipped another beat. It was brutal, electrifying, almost too much for him to take anymore. George’s foot brushed against his. Whether it was intentional or not, he couldn’t tell. He felt his mind was about to short-circuit.

He had to fight against it, but realised he couldn’t.

Why did he have to make him feel this way? Why had he fallen for him so hard? What did he really want? Was he just playing another game with him? Hadn’t he made him suffer enough already?

All these questions were slowly driving him crazy. He needed answers.

No, he needed this to stop.

He didn’t want to talk to him anymore. He felt it would make things even more complicated.

He sighed out of desperation.

Why hadn’t they let him know he would be there?

Asking himself a stupid question was all he could do.

*
Once dinner was finally over, he went directly to the bedroom he had already occupied before leaving, claiming he was too tired to stay on the bottom floor with the Hopkins. He wished it could have happened otherwise, but he just didn’t want to have George near him anymore.

But when he thought he would be finally alone, left confused and overwhelmed with his emotions he couldn’t deal with to overthink, he saw George enter the room.

Neither of them moved or said anything. They didn’t have to share a room any longer, not in this house. So why was he here? Did he have something to tell him? Then why wasn’t he speaking?

Having him so close where it was just the two of them just made things worse.

How many times had he wished he could kiss him again, hold him close and comfort him? He couldn’t count.

No. George didn’t like him; didn’t love him. And if he did that, he would most likely regret it later. George was too much trouble. But…His heart thought differently. His body moved all on its own, attracting him to George with a force that was too great for him to resist. He was too close. He decided to shut off all thoughts. Thinking too much made his head ache.

Before he knew it, it was happening.

That feeling. He had been missing it even more than he had thought.

George didn’t push him away like he had the last time he had tried kissing him. If anything, he wrapped his arms around his neck and pulled him closer to him.

He didn’t want to let go of him. The more they kissed the more he wanted this to continue.

Karl ran his hands through George’s so nicely styled hair and disheveled it. He took great pleasure in it. He wanted to hold him close and show how much he loved him all night long. Even if it was only one-sided.

Now that he could put a name to his feelings, he made the difference that Kristian had explained to him. He knew he wasn’t just doing this to ejaculate, but because of that deep connection, he had missed so much. He rediscovered his body in a new light.

It was magical. He felt alive again, complete. That invisible thread binding them for the best and the worst. He knew it was real. He couldn’t be mistaken. The intense fire in his soul couldn’t lie.

“There is a myth from Ancient Greece that dates back to Antiquity which could account for this quest of the one and true love. During that time, legend has it that there were three species of beings. Males, females, and another race called ‘androgynous’, who were neither male or female but a mix of the two. But they were not like males and females like we have known them for centuries. Those three species were double. Two men, two women, and the androgynous, male and female to make it simpler, but they shared the same body. They all had two faces, four arms, and four legs, ears, and hands as well. Their body was spheric, round, like the Moon and the Sun, thanks to which they were made. Male was shaped after the Sun, female after the Earth, and androgynous after the Moon. But those species were said to be arrogant and conceited. And because of their feeling of omnipotence, they challenged the Gods. So, as a punishment, the Gods cut them in half so they would learn to become humble. Hence why we have been shaped like this from that day onwards. And that’s also why people have been looking for their other half, the one that can make them feel complete.”

Kristian’s words were the only thing his mind could think about. He was sure George was his other half. He really couldn’t be mistaken. The visions he had had only confirmed his hypothesis.

It ended just like it started, with lots of kisses. Karl’s body rested on George’s, his hot breath hitting his collarbone softly. He suddenly shivered. George’s finger traced the skin of his back up and down, and the other way round.

He felt more than complete. It was a sensation he could never define, let alone explain. How couldn’t have he realized he felt so much love towards him before?

They fell asleep into each other’s arms wordlessly, because if they said just one word it might have ruined everything.

This was the best night he had in ages. Just the feeling of George's body against his own was enough to soothe him and make him fall into a dreamless slumber.

Only he apprehended the moment when they would both be awake. They couldn’t keep making love continuously. They would have to face each other eventually, talk to each other, face the harsh reality. Unless they chose to ignore each other instead and pretend that nothing had happened. It was so much easier to avoid what was complicated and what you didn’t want to do.

As long as George was still sleeping it was okay. It seemed that he needed even more sleep than him. He was relieved to see that he hadn’t tried to hurt himself again. Well, at least not recently.

He had to wait for a long while before it happened. George looked for his glasses, and he was thankful for that. He left the bed and found them for him, putting them on his face.

Time to face reality now, he thought as he stared straight into his eyes.

Once again, neither of them said anything. They just kept contemplating each other as if there was nothing to be said anymore. He didn’t look like he wanted to be aggressive, but his unpredictability made anything possible with him. It could happen all of a sudden.

But he didn’t have this stoic face either. He looked distressed, embarrassed.
Should he just leave him there all alone and join the Hopkins family downstairs?

He didn’t want to be the first one to break the silence. He felt it wouldn’t be a good idea.

“I…” he ended up stuttering, sounding as distressed as he looked. “I thought you’d be angry with me after what happened last time we saw each other, that you’d never want to have anything to do with me again…”

He sounded sincere. Why would he be lying anyway?

“I…I swore I tried living without you…I really did! I’d thought it would go away once you were far away, but it only became worse each day without you…”

“It”..What "it”? What was he referring to?

“I…I just…I just…I…”

His stomach hurt seeing him so desperate, so distressed. He needed it to stop. He grabbed his face and kissed him to make him shut up. George wrapped his arms around his neck and didn’t hesitate to kiss back. And then they did it again. It felt just as good as that night.

It ended up with Karl’s back against George’s chest, the latter kissing and nibbling his neck in such a way that he never wanted it to stop. Slow, sensual. Everything he could ask for. He had his eyes squeezed shut and his lips parted, forgetting absolutely everything he knew, even his own name.

His hand found George’s mechanically and he entwined their fingers together, giving his hand a light squeeze. George didn’t seem to mind the sudden contact. It rather seemed to be the opposite.

They knew they would eventually have to go downstairs because otherwise, they would find it weird if they stayed in bed all day long. So they showered, got dressed but when they got downstairs, no one was anywhere to be seen. They were all alone.

He caught George smirking from the corner of his eye.

“I think we still have time before they come back.”

Hello everyone!
It's been a while and I hope you're all doing well
So...what are your thoughts about this reunion? Let me know in the comments!!
Have a good weekend and take care! ❤️