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Jay was incredibly excited, he had a beaming smile on his face and was fidgeting with glee. This made Jon smile, for the majority of the time they had known each-other Jay was hardly ever relaxed, he was always on edge, always waiting for something to happen.
But in the past month, with Bendix gone and Sara on the road to recovery Jay had finally managed to get some peace. When it initially hit him that the conflict was over, that everything was fine Kay immediately collapsed. He slept for most of the day and spent the rest lying on the balcony of the Gammora hotel that he was using as a apartment until a permanent residence could be found.
But after that week Jay had recovered an incredible amount of energy, and today he decided that he wanted to show Jon the whole island, to show him every store, every delicacy, every attraction, to show Jon all of it, to show him the place where he grew up so fully and completely that he would lay his very soul bear in front of Jon.
And so they did, they spent the entire day moving from place to place taking in the wonders of the island.
And it was amazing, Jon loved every second of it, loved breathing in the now free Gammora air, loved eating the local cuisine, loved holding Jay’s hand as they walked through the streets. But Jon also noticed something, he noticed that Jay was no longer as enthusiastic about the day, that as the day went on he started to become increasingly despondent. Jon was concerned but couldn’t quite place the reason as to why, and didn’t know what to do, so he waited till he could figure it out and than take action, until than he would do little things to bring a smile to Jay’s face.
They ended the day at the beach, they sat on the cool sand as the orange sun slowly kissed the horizon and sink into the clear ocean. The moment was perfect, and Jay squeezed Jon’s hand as he relished in the beauty of the moment, basked in the perfection of it.
Jay’s gaze fell and scanned the beach till he saw something reflect the Rosie sunlight.
“Obsidian” he said, as he picked up the black rock. “The volcanoes here produced a lot of it a while ago, the last outbreak was in 19…27 if I remember correctly. And since then pieces of obsidian are pretty common on the island. This piece seems to have been smoothed by the ocean.” Jay’s voice sounded wistful, full of memories of childhood discovery that Jon wished to one day hear in full.
“Wow!” Jon replied, amazed both by the beauty of the black shard of glass and by Jay’s knowledge “that’s amazing, this place is absolutely stunning!” Jon quickly looked over at Jay expecting some sort of radiance only to be met by a melancholic glint in his eyes as Jay stroked his thumb over the smooth surface.
“At least this didn’t change.” Jay whispered softly, so quietly it would be almost inaudible to anyone with human ears, but Jon didn’t have human ears.
“So that’s the issue.” Jon said running his hand over his face at the realization.
“What?” Jay responded in faux confusion, not really wanting to acknowledge the feelings inside of him, because they felt dirty and selfish.
Jon shoot Jay a knowing look, one that told him that Jon could see right through his facade. He knew that it was better to get these things out there, and he wasn’t about to let his boyfriend languish in this despair alone, never alone.
“You’ve been upset all day Jay, and now I know why.” Jon said as he moved closer to his boyfriend.
“Am I that obvious?” Jay responded with small smile.
“Yes, well to me you are.” Jon said squeezing Jay’s hand.
“It’s just…” Jay started to say before pausing to gain his words as an emotional static filled the warm pacific air, “weird how much everything has changed for the better, but it’s still weird how different it is.”
“I see.” Jon responded as he readjusted himself so that he faced Jay. “That sucks.”
“I don’t even know what I was expecting!” Jay said exasperated as he let go of Jon’s hand in order to hold up his head. “After everything that’s happened, how couldn’t it be different here? What did I think I was gonna find the same Gammora I had left? After everything that’s happened?” Jay fell back, exasperated at the whole ordeal, at his emotional turmoil.
“I get it.” Jon said as he rolled onto his side and laid his head on Jay’s chest, lying perpendicular to him. The two of them looking up at the night sky as it gradually darkened at the suns retreat.
“You do don’t you?” Jay said, leaning up momentarily to look the man of steal in the eyes, before falling back and running his hand through Jon’s hair.
“It’s strange how much the world can change, or how little it can change without you.” Jon said reflecting on his own feelings of otherness in his home. “You’ll get used to it, it just takes time” Jon paused for a second as he rolled onto his belly to face Jay. “And help.” He said softly as he cupped Jay’s face.
“Help…” Jay said softly, he had accepted help before to deal with Bendix to free his home. But he knew that this help would be different, it would be more intimate, it would make him vulnerable, it was scary but it was also…good, “Help, would be nice.” He said as he looked into Jon’s purple eyes, the sky now as black as the obsidian in his hand, but with millions of stars strewn across it.
Jon smiled back at him, “I’m also there for YOU.” Jon said, with particular emphasis on the last word. Jay leaned back up so that know Jon was laying across his lap, holding himself up like one of Leo’s French girls.
“How did I manage to get someone as amazing as you?” Jay asked with a calm smile and utter love in his eyes.
Jon smiled back, his own eyes returning the affection, “That’s my line.” He replied lightheartedly as he moved his head closer to Jay’s, and carefully kissed his lips.
It was gentle, and Jay loved that. Everything about it was gentle, even the way Jon held Jay’s head. Jay loved how gentle Jon was, how in spite of his tremendous power he was always so gentle with Jay, so loving. To Jay Jon’s hands where the epitome of gentle ness, his whole being was.
As the two realized from there embrace, untangled themselves from each other, Jon looked Jay in the eyes and whispered “It will be fine, the world changed but you also changed, for the better.”
Jay held Jon’s hand to his cheek as he returned Jon’s gaze. “For the better?” He responded, unsure of the validity of the statement.
Jon kissed Jay again before responding “For the better.” With absolute confidence. And at that moment Jay knew that Jon was right, because Jay had changed for the better, not through the suffering, not through Bendix. But through Jon, through love. Because that is what love does, it changes us, for the better.