Connectivity

by Whitney Cannon

  “Would you mind if I let the food coma settle in?” Josh asked, kicking off his shoes. “All that deliciousness is affecting my eyelids, and if I take a quick nap, I’ll be better off for tonight,” Josh said, as he tucked the pillow beneath his head and curled up on his side facing Cory.

  Cory shook his head. “I don’t mind. Can I join you? I’m not much of a napper, but I could probably sleep if I was snuggled up next to you.”

  Josh patted the spot in front of him as he scooted back to make room for his boyfriend. Cory set his phone down after checking it was on silent and padded over to Josh. He kicked off his own shoes and snuggled into the space Josh made for him. Cory turned slightly and pressed a sleepy kiss to Josh’s lips.

  “Love you,” he said, looking at Josh like he was everything.

  “Love you too, baby,” Josh murmured and pulled his amazing boyfriend tightly against him with his arm draped over Cory’s waist. They settled in together, sharing Josh’s pillow, just as he hoped they would for the rest of their lives.

  ~

  When Josh woke up, he noticed immediately that Cory was gone, and there was a slight edge to the bee magnets in his stomach and chest. The house was quiet, but Cory couldn’t be too far away. Checking the time, Josh was shocked to see that he’d slept for almost two hours.

  He sat up quickly and swiped a hand through his hair, twisting a little to crack his back. He yawned and stood up, going to the door. That was when he noticed a note taped on the door.

  Josh,

  I know it may be kind of corny, but I wanted to do something nice for you. I realize we can’t be very far apart, but please don’t come looking for me. I want you to have a nice afternoon to relax and just know that I’m nearby and thinking of you and the amazing night we’re going to have together. I put a snack on my bed, just in case your food coma wore off early. Please go across the hall to the bathroom and relax.

  I love you, more than I ever thought possible.

  Cory

  Josh turned the note over, checking the back, then looked at Cory’s bed. Of course it was empty, except for the first time Josh realized, not entirely empty. As he said in his note, Cory had set out a tray with cut up apples and strawberries, crackers, Josh’s favorite candy, and a bottle of water.

  If it hadn’t already melted, Josh’s heart turned to mush. He couldn’t help it and read the note again, smiling at the thought of Cory putting all this together for him.

  He laid the note on his bed and quietly opened the bedroom door. As it seemed, the house was quiet, and Josh walked over to the bathroom, curious about what Cory had been up to while he was sleeping.

  Flipping on the light, Josh was stunned to see candles and a small bottle of vanilla bubble bath sitting on the counter. When he looked around, he noticed a lighter and more candles set out on the ledge surrounding the bathtub. On the back of the toilet, Cory had plugged in his iPod dock and had Josh’s iPod sitting in the cradle. There was a note sitting next to that too.

  Sorry for all the sap, but I made you a playlist.

  Just some songs that remind me of us.

  Love you

  Josh shook his head in astonishment. He couldn’t believe what Cory had done for him. It was the most thoughtful thing he’d ever experienced. He set the note on the counter and closed the door to relieve himself after his long nap. He washed his hands and went back into the bedroom. Grabbing the tray of snacks Cory left for him, he brought it into the bathroom and set it on the counter next to the bubble bath. After turning on the bathwater and adjusting the temperature, Josh closed and locked the door. He grabbed the lighter and lit each of the candles, then turned off the light. The warm flickering glow cast off by the flames gave the room a romantic feel, and Josh wished Cory was really there to enjoy it with him.

  The bottle of bubble bath smelled strongly of vanilla when Josh uncapped it, but the aroma softened as he poured a generous amount into the bathwater and watched the bubbles quickly form on the surface. Josh hadn’t taken a bath in years, and even though the idea of it seemed slightly silly, he loved that Cory had thought of it for him.

  Setting aside his childish notion, he moved to the iPod and turned it on. The screen loaded to the playlists, and Josh selected the newest one titled J&C. When he hit play, the soft sounds of the country song, Slow Down by Brandon Stansell filled the air.

  Josh smiled. It was totally Cory to put together a playlist of love songs by queer artists.

  Turning to check the bathwater and adjusting the temperature once more, Josh moved the tray of snacks to sit on the closed toilet lid and stripped down. He gingerly entered the water realizing it was hotter than he’d thought it would be and as the water level rose from his body mass, he leaned over and turned off the spout.

  Josh settled down in the bath, listening to the music Cory selected for him and sighed a deep relaxed breath. The smell of the vanilla scented water and the dancing flames set Josh at ease, and he reached over to take a few crackers from the tray.

  It was a little weird to be eating in the bath, or be in the bath at all, but he pushed that feeling aside and just tried to enjoy himself.

  The songs that Cory had chosen were mostly sappy as heck, with professions of love and being together forever, but a few were upbeat, and when Josh felt as though he would turn into a prune if he stayed in the water any longer, he pulled the plug and got out.

  He wrapped the towel around himself and blew out the candles around the tub, but when the water finally drained out, he took a quick shower to rinse off the remaining bubbles and soap.

  As he dried off, he turned on the light and blew out the rest of the candles, hit stop on the iPod and with the towel wrapped around his waist, opened the door to cross back into their bedroom.

  Josh spotted Cory lying on his bed as he entered. He closed the door behind himself and went over to his amazing boyfriend. Cory turned onto his side and laced his fingers with Josh’s when they were close enough to touch.

  “Thank you, Cory. That was the sweetest thing ever,” Josh said and bent down to kiss him softly.

  “You’re welcome. I just thought it might be nice for you to have some alone time to relax. Things have been crazy for both of us, and we still need to remember to take some time for ourselves. I was just in my parents’ room doing almost the same thing. They said they’d stay away from the house for a few hours this afternoon so we could relax. I told them what I had planned and Mom helped out a little. They should be back soon, though.”

  “It seems a little early to get dressed for tonight. Should we just dress casually for now, then change?” Josh asked.

  “Probably. Did you eat any snacks?”

  “I did, thanks. You're so sweet. And that playlist? God, Cory. I think you might be sappier than me,” Josh chuckled.

  Cory stood up and hugged Josh tightly. “I just wanted it to be special. All those songs mean something to me, and they remind me of you,” Cory said as he pulled back.

  Josh kissed him again. “I love you. Thank you, Cory.”

  Cory nodded. “I'm going to go clean up the candles, and you can change, okay?”

  “You sure you don’t want to help me get dressed?” Josh said and waggled his eyebrows.

  Cory laughed. “You’re trouble, you know that? Maybe later I'll help you undress, though,” Cory teased and Josh swatted at him as they bantered around.

  “Now who's trouble?” Josh laughed. “Go already before I change my mind about you helping me,” Josh said, shoving Cory out the door. When his Complement was gone, Josh shook his head again, smiling to himself. He had to be one of the luckiest guys ever to be meant for someone like Cory. His man was everything.

  ~

  Josh checked his reflection in the mirror one more time. He’d used some of his styling paste to help keep his hair tamed, and so far it seemed to be helping. Running his hand along his jaw, he didn’t feel any areas that he’d missed shaving, and he thought he smelled pretty good with his aftershave on.


  He tugged his shirt into place once more and finally felt satisfied when all the buttons lined up with his belt. Aside from his bowtie, which he would need to look up how to tie, and his jacket, he was ready to go. He clicked off the light and stepped into the hallway, just as the door to Cory’s parents’ room opened and Cory stepped out.

  “Holy shit,” Josh breathed, frozen in place. He’d just gotten butterflies in his stomach for a completely different reason. Cory looked gorgeous. They stood there staring at each other, eyes roaming and wide. Even though Josh knew Cory’s suit wasn’t custom, it looked just about perfect to Josh. The satin lapel of Cory’s jacket gave just a hint of shine to his already glowing skin and he’d tied his bowtie perfectly. Cory’s hair was styled back with the longer pieces that he usually swept aside, styled high and over the top loosely in a partial pompadour. Josh swallowed. “You look amazing.”

  Cory smiled shyly and Josh watched him swallow as well. “Thank you,” he said and cleared his throat. “You look incredible, too. God, you look so hot. We’re never going to make it through the night,” he groaned and came up to Josh, who was still stuck there staring.

  Josh could hardly speak. His brain seemed to have stopped functioning, and all he could think about was wanting to skip the damn dance and lock Cory away in their room all night to consume him. His mind had one-hundred percent hit the gutter and he was pretty sure, if anyone were to look, they could tell exactly what he had been thinking.

  “Damn,” was all he could mutter, as Cory gave a soft laugh.

  “Rendered to single syllables, I see. Must have done something right,” he teased.

  Cory lifted his hand and cupped Josh’s cheek. Josh stared at his gorgeous Complement, and when his brain reminded him this amazing person in front of him was his to claim, he did. He took a step and crowded into Cory space, one more, and he had Cory pressed up against the wall. Cory’s eyes had gone wide as he looked back at Josh with longing.

  Josh grabbed his hand and quickly ducked them both into their room and had Cory pinned against the door in seconds. They both swallowed and when Cory licked his lips, it was over. Their lips crashed together in an urgent meeting. Josh gripped onto the back of Cory’s head and held him close while Cory grabbed his butt and plundered his mouth. They attacked each other with abandon and the only thing Josh was capable of remembering was not to dig his fingers into Cory’s hair.

  They kissed for long minutes, and when Josh finally moved on to Cory’s neck he moaned a guttural sound in the back of his throat. “Damn you smell so good. Do we really have to go to the dance? Can we please, please, please stay home and do this all night?” Josh begged.

  Cory made some sound in response and then pulled Josh back up to his mouth, while he ground himself against Cory, letting him feel their excitement rubbing together through their clothes. Cory whimpered, but unfortunately, he pushed Josh just enough to get his attention and Josh backed off. Cory held him back at arm's length, and they stared at each other, breathing heavily.

  Cory’s hair still looked okay, but his eyes were wild and his lips were swollen, shiny, and red from their kissing. Josh took a huge breath and with some superhuman strength he didn’t know he possessed, he took a step back.

  Cory’s arms dropped to his sides and he too, took a shuddering breath. “Holy hell,” he sighed and moved a hand up to his forehead, then laughed a slightly unhinged laugh.

  Josh chuckled too, finally grasping onto reality outside of his Cory induced haze. “Yeah.”

  Without another word, Josh returned to Cory and helped him straighten his clothes. Cory helped Josh in return and then pressed a soft kiss to his lips, a contrast to their primal mating of just minutes ago. They grabbed their wallets, phones, tickets, and jackets. Cory deftly tied Josh’s tie and made sure it was straight. When he was through, Josh pecked him on the lips once more in thanks. He put on his jacket and asked quietly, “Ready?”

  Cory nodded and took Josh’s hand, giving it a squeeze.

  They opened the door and could hear the sounds of their families chattering away in the living room.

  When they walked in, conversation hushed and all eyes were shining with happiness. Diane had her hand over her mouth and her eyes were already welling with tears.

  “I told myself not to cry, but I can’t help it. You both look so handsome,” she spluttered.

  Ben, Brian, and Jim all stood and came over to them giving them handshakes and hugs. Maggie and Diane clutched each other and moved in on them when the men moved aside.

  Josh took a moment to spend with his father, and he could see Cory doing the same as well.

  “Hey, Dad,” Josh said as his dad looked at him.

  “Can you believe the change between two weeks ago?” he asked with a smile. He shook his head and pushed his hands into his pockets. “Remember how miserable you were? Pathetic really. Who would have guessed that very same day was the day your life changed forever. I’m proud of you, Josh. You’ve handled yourself so well through all this, and I couldn’t be happier for you. Cory is an amazing match for you, and I know you guys will be happy together.”

  “Thanks, Dad. I appreciate that. It has been a crazy two weeks, but I wouldn’t give him up for the world. He is my world now, and you helped me get there, so thanks for that.” He wrapped his arms around his father and they slapped each others’ backs affectionately.

  When they separated, he saw his dad rub his chest slightly and raised an eyebrow at him, silently asking what was up.

  “Tomorrow. Enjoy your night tonight, Josh. Live it up for once.”

  Josh smiled at his dad’s good-natured ribbing. “I’ll see what I can do,” he promised. He looked over at Cory and saw that Cory was already looking back at him. He smiled and went over to take his hand.

  Diane came up to them both and held out two small cardboard boxes. “I hope you guys like these. Cory gave me some direction, so I hope they came out like you imagined they would.”

  They each took a box and together they opened them. Inside, resting in a small nest of shredded paper, was an elegant burgundy boutonniere. Josh looked over at Cory and he smiled, hopefully remembering their talk about black suits and burgundy flowers.

  Diane explained. “They’re burgundy ranunculus with seeded eucalyptus and lily grass loops. Robin made them, Cory.”

  “They’re perfect, Mom,” Cory stated, giving her a side hug. “Thank you for doing this for us, they look amazing.”

  “You’re welcome, sweetie. Now put them on, we need pictures,” she urged.

  The next ten minutes were spent arranging and rearranging their bodies to suit their parents' wishes. They posed inside. They posed outside. They held hands. They hugged. And finally, when Josh was about to protest any more photos, he saw something he had not been expecting to see: Jersey drove up to Cory’s house, in his grandfather’s black Porsche Boxster convertible.

  “Jersey?” Josh asked just to be sure. His friend had a huge smile on his face and looked like someone who was rather proud of himself. “What are you doing here? And why are you in your grandfather’s really expensive car?”

  Jersey didn’t say anything, just walked right up to them and dropped the keys into Cory’s outstretched palm. Cory pocketed them and hugged his friend. They whispered a few things into each other's ears, and when they separated, they each had significant looks on their faces. Jersey nodded once and came over to hug Josh too.

  “Say yes,” Jersey whispered into Josh’s ear and then he moved away and went to stand next to his dad. Josh had no idea what was going on.

  Cory moved closer and grabbed Josh’s hand, lacing their fingers together. Everyone else stood around them, but had moved back to form a loose semicircle. Cory turned them around and they stood there facing their family members. His grandma and Diane each had a hand up to their chins, looking like tears could fall any second, and his grandpa had one hand up on his dad’s shoulder in a supportive manner.

  Josh looked aro
und at everyone, then he looked at Cory. “I suppose you planned this, too?”

  Cory nodded at him with that devastatingly shy smile and asked, “Ready?”

  Josh swallowed, then nodded his head. Finally Cory gave him a genuine smile and tugged his hand. Turning slightly and heading over toward the car they were apparently riding in, they waved over their shoulders. Everyone called out well wishes and farewells, and Cory opened the door for Josh to climb in. Once he was settled, Cory walked around and got in the driver’s seat. He adjusted the mirrors and the seat, then buckled his seat belt, and started the car.

  Josh couldn’t help but stare at the guy next to him. When Cory looked over at him, Josh leaned in and pressed a soft tender kiss to his wonderful boyfriend’s lips. “Thank you, Cory. You are truly the most amazing man I’ve ever met.”

  Cory smiled lovingly back at him. “Ditto, babe.” Then he pulled out of the driveway and they were off.

  ~

  Dinner had been amazing. Cory had made a reservation at a small, intimate little Italian restaurant his parents liked for their special occasions. The darkened interior and candlelit table made the setting entirely romantic. Each booth had a high back, and there were only a few tables out in the open, so they really got that sense of privacy. They’d held hands on top of the small table, talking softly the whole time, and Josh couldn’t be sure, but he suspected their waiter was probably gay as well. He kept smiling at them and telling them what a lovely couple they were. Maybe he was just working them up for a bigger tip, but Cory assured him they were fine and that Matteo was one of his parents favorite waiters.

  With dinner out of the way, they had a forty minute drive to the prom location. Cory had explained that their prom was being held at a vineyard next to a small lake. The location had been a little controversial within the school since it was a winery, but, the venue was supposed to be really beautiful with the wine barrels and grape vines draped with fairy lights.