Ed followed after with the help of Oliver’s hand and then collapsed on top of him. Both of them a sweaty, sticky mess.
Oliver closed his eyes and let out a happy sigh as he basked in the warmth of Ed’s embrace.
Yeah, they were so totally worth it.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
After a quick shower, Ed dove under the covers to avoid the chill in the room.
Oliver was already in bed, having raced across from the bathroom a couple of minutes before, and Ed reached out to pull him close, tucking him under his arm.
How can your feet be so bloody cold?” Oliver hissed as Ed put them on his calves. “You only just got out of the shower.” He didn’t move them away though, instead accepting it with a sigh and settling with his head on Ed’s shoulder.
The air seemed heavy with anticipation for a conversation they needed to have.
Ed wasn’t exactly avoiding it. Admitting that their relationship was worth the effort it took to maintain a long-distance one had been freeing. He hadn’t realised just how much it had been weighing on him until Oliver had lifted it. But talking about it meant acknowledging the fact that it was happening. Meant accepting the fact that moments like this would be confined to weekends only for... well, Ed had no idea how long.
“So,” Oliver began, fingers tracing a pattern on Ed’s stomach but staying way above his waistline. “We want to do this, yeah?” His hand stilled, and Ed reached out to wrap his fingers around it.
“Yes. I don’t want to lose what we have.” He tugged him closer still, kissing the top of his head. “Don’t want to lose you.”
“I don’t want to lose you either.” Oliver sighed, warm breath tickling the hairs on Ed’s chest.
“How do we do it?” He drew his bottom lip into his mouth, wanting to explain himself better but not sure how. “I’ve never had a relationship where I had to travel more than half an hour if I wanted to see them.”
Oliver slotted their fingers together, then pushed up on his elbow to meet Ed’s eyes. “We talk,” he murmured, leaning in for a kiss. “See each other as often as we can, but above all we need to keep talking. About everything.” Another kiss. “No matter whether it’s about having second thoughts or that we miss each other or how hard it is.”
“Or how much we’re looking forward to seeing each other?” Ed offered, and Oliver smiled down at him.
“Yeah, or that.” He kissed Ed again, lingering a little, then resting his forehead against Ed’s. “We just need to keep talking.” In contradiction to his words, Oliver covered Ed’s mouth with his own again, pulling Ed into a deep kiss that stole anything else he was going to say.
But they’d said enough for one night.
THE NEXT FEW days were far more hectic than Ed was comfortable with. Last minute present shopping, food shopping for Christmas day, coupled with the fact Oliver was busy with family things now his mum was back meant they hadn’t seen each other since Friday morning when Oliver left for work.
It was now Christmas Eve.
Since Ed would be leaving in the next couple of months—he’d agreed to set a definite date after Christmas was over and done with—his sisters had insisted that they should have two family meals this year. Christmas Eve at Ed’s, then Boxing Day at Sarah and Ian’s.
Leaving Christmas day itself for immediate family.
Ed had been invited round to Betty’s for lunch, which he’d happily accepted. Especially since Oliver would be helping his mum and Claire cook, and Ed loved watching him with his family.
But today he had his own meal to prepare.
Cooking wasn’t his favourite thing in the world, but he wasn’t bad at it. It still came as no surprise when his sisters arrived at just gone twelve to help him. What did surprise him was that they knocked first.
“Wow,” he said opening the door. “You do have manners after all.”
Sarah swatted him on the arm, then pulled him in for a hug. “You don’t seem shocked to see us?”
Ed laughed, letting go of her and hugging Ruth. “Like you expected me to be.”
“Ian’s bringing Mum, Jack, and Ruth’s two a bit later,” Sarah said as Ruth squeezed him so tight it started to hurt.
“I’m glad you’re here.” Ed gently unhooked her from around his waist and led them both into the kitchen before any of them got sniffly. Ed included. He pointed at the stack of potatoes on the draining board, hoping to lighten the mood. “I was dreading peeling those.”
It had the desired effect—both Ruth and Sarah fixing him with a look that told him he’d be doing it anyway, but the tension morphed into the easy companionship he was used to, had been looking forward to.
