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‘Can you come over quick?’
Leo frowned as he read the text that had just come in from Jim. He was headed back to Mississippi in the morning, and Jim knew that. It must have been something important for Jim to call him over, so he grabbed his keys and told Eleanora that he would be back soon. He just hoped it wasn’t sex again, as he recalled how uncomfortable sitting on a train for two hours with a sore ass and the strange looks he got as he winced every few steps crossing the campus. He shook that thought out of his mind as he noted Winona’s car in the driveway, and knocked on the door. Winona opened it and smiled.
“He’s upstairs, Leo. He’s waiting for you.”
“Uh, thanks, Mrs. K,” Leo said, utterly perplexed. He pulled his boots off and hung his coat up before following the all too familiar path to Jim’s room.
“Jim?” The door was cracked, and Leo knocked lightly before entering, finding Jim sitting cross-legged on his bed and clutching an envelope. “Jim, darlin’, what’s going on?”
“I applied to Ole Miss for early consideration,” Jim said slowly. “And I got a letter back today.”
“Oh, Jim,” Leo whispered, prying the letter out of Jim’s hands and clasping them in his own. “Darlin’, whatever they said, it doesn’t matter. We’ll find a way to be together, I promise you. We’ll always find a way.”
Jim leaned forward to bring his forehead to meet Leo’s. “I just want to be with you, as much as possible. I want to spend every remaining moment of my life with you, as soon as possible. I want to go to college with you, and live with you.”
Leo pressed a kiss to Jim’s forehead, leaving his lips there longer than strictly necessary. “Open it, darlin’,” he whispered. “Open it, and we’ll figure it out.”
Jim let out an extremely shaky breath. “Okay,” he said, reaching for the letter and slowly opening the envelope. Pulling the folded piece of paper, he began reading, and the smile that broke out onto his face was all that Leo needed to see to know- Jim had gotten in. And of course he would- having scored a 33 on his ACT and having a cumulative 4.0 GPA and graduating as a junior, any college would be absurd to turn him down. Laughing, Leo pulled the blond into his lap and wrapped his arms around Jim.
“I knew you’d get in, darlin’,” Leo murmured into Jim’s ruffled hair. “I just knew. Any college would be lucky to have you.”
“If you say so,” Jim mumbled, but he was still smiling. “I’m just happy I still get to stay with you.”
“Me too, kid,” Leo said as Jim yawned. He checked the clock and was surprised to realize it was already after 11 o’clock, and his train left in twelve hours. “Want me to stay here tonight?”
Jim nodded and snuggled closer to Leo, barely able to stay awake any more.
“At least get under the covers,” Leo grumbled. “It’s freezing.”
“Is not,” Jim mumbled, but he crawled out of Leo’s lap and pried the blankets back far enough for them to slip under, nestling back into the crook of Leo’s body as soon as they were situated.
“Love you,” he whispered as Leo’s hand gently removed his thick glasses and then slipped around his middle.
“I know, kid. Now go to sleep.”
Jim slept with a smile for the first time in several days.