*
When they eventually get back toThe Evergreenit’s getting darkand both are slightly buzzed from the two pints of Guinness they enjoyed during dinner. The salty, greasy pub food was the perfect companion while they warmed up after their trek through town.
Reality sets in when James steps into their room and his eyes land on the suitcase he took out of the closet earlier. He sits down on the edge of the bed, eyes locked on the case and heart heavy. Gabriel takes a seat next to him.
“Hey,” he says softly, “I’m sure there will be more adventures.”
James sighs. “But this one’s coming to an end.” He leans against his boyfriend, putting his head on his shoulder.
“It has to, in order for it to become memories,” says Gabriel. James snorts at the cheesy line. It’s enough to break the melancholy he's in, easing some of the sadness and filling his heart with hope as he stands up.
47 [Gabriel] From Limerick to London
January 3rd
The train will be leaving after midnight, which means that they’ll be arriving in London by morning. It’s also the perfect excuse for an early night in. The bags are fully packed by now, cabin cleaned of trash and the last of their toiletries waiting to be taken out of the bathroom in the morning.
It’s with mixed feelings that Gabriel thinks about returning to London. The freedom he experienced during the trip was new and welcoming in a way that he hadn’t expected. He hadn’t known how stuck in the daily grind he had been until now.
The trip has given him insight into some changes he’ll be implementing into his life. Starting with trying to find a balance between finding the time he wants to spend at home and the interactions he might need outside of it. There’s also the change of asking James how he feels about sharing oneroom, and turning the other into an art studio of sorts. Both of which will have to wait until they’re back in London and settled back in.
The packed bags next to the bed seem to scream at him that they’re sad to leaveThe EvergreenAdventurer behind. He can’t say he can’t relate. With a forlorn sigh he picks up his book from the nightstand and relaxes back into his pillow as he listens to the rhythm of the shower. His tablet lies on the duvet next to him, having just one more movie on it to be watched before the pre-downloaded list is empty.
With a smile he thinks back on those first few weeks, with the pillow barrier acting as a tablet stand and creating space between them that Gabriel didn’t want there in the first place.
The fake dating farce obviously didn’t last, wasn’t anything to start with really, but he’s glad that it got the both of them across that invisible hurdle they set. In a way, he figures there’s something to give Paul credit for - being such a big asshole his ex needed to invent a relationship to protect himself from him.
When James emerges from the bathroom he’s in his pajamas, a pair of his signature fuzzy socks on his feet and towel drying his hair. Moments like this feel homely, special in a way that he didn’t realize domesticity could be. He’s excited to see how it translates to the world outside of the train.
“Only one movie left,” Gabriel says. He can feel his eyes crinkle as he watches James shuffle around the room with slow, languid movements. The walk around Limerick was fun, but proved challenging and tiresome. The cold and slight dampness still lingers, even if the steam coming from the bathroom provides a nice bit of warmth. The little electric heater in the corner helps as well, having been on since their return to the cabin.
“Did we really go through them all?” James arches an eyebrow. With a happy sigh he settles down under the covers and leans back against Gabriel. He worries his bottom lip in between his teeth, and utters, “You think we spent too much time lazing around then?”
“Lazing around? I’ve never walked this much in my life.” Gabriel reassures him, faking a whiny tone. “Besides, you’ve got your notebook that proves otherwise.” He arches a brow, a small smile on his lips. James hums in thought and reaches for said notebook that’s next to him on the nightstand.
The black cover is a little weathered. He can see marks from snow, water droplets that left smudges on the text and wrinkled the pages. He smiles at the sight of it. That little book has been with them during the whole trip, marking all their stops and activities.
He has to give it to James. Not only did it work in keeping track of the cities, of what to do where and when. It’s nowalso a memento of the journey. Little check marks lining the pages, reminding the both of them of everything they got to experience.
James hesitates on the Stockholm pages. There’s a sad little smile on his face as his fingers trace the written-out instructions and details. The thought of taking James there in the near future strikes fast, the start of a plan taking shape in his mind and settling in with a content feeling.
He grins at the discolored marks on some of the pages. Food stains, from either sugary treats or savory bites. The back of the book is empty, the page count far too high to fill it with just this trip entirely.
The blank pages feel like something hopeful, another trip he can see the two of them make. Another way to help James with his anxiety and Gabriel with escaping the suffocating feeling London sometimes brings.
James closes the notebook with a content sigh. There’s a content smile lingering on his lips, a satisfied gleam in his eyes. He whispers, awed, “I still can’t believe I actually did this.”
“You did.” Gabriel nods, caressing James’ cheek. There is no denying the proud feeling brewing in his chest as he sees the pride settle over James. “I’m so proud of you. Always knew you could do it, though.”
James’ smile is watery as he replies, “Thank you for joining me. I can never truly say how much that actually means tome.”
The kiss they share tastes like salt, from the tears that both of them shed. Both overcome by emotion at the end of this remarkable experience.
“Hey, I got you something,” Gabriel says when they eventually part for air. With great hesitance he leans away from James, reaching out for his nightstand and gathering up the little bundle of drawings. He managed to finish the last of the sketches for James’ frame while he showered, only having London left to do.
James flips through them with reverence. Earnest glee and wonder filling his face. Gabriel tried to pick a monument - or activity - to portray that they can look back on with fondness.
For Cologne James insisted on wanting the Cathedral, Gabriel chose the canal houses for Amsterdam, and for Trollveggen he outlined the view from the window, James standing in front of the Aurora Borealis.
