Larry feels a beam of sunlight...but it isn't sweltering. It's soft and delicate. He slowly opens his eyes and it's been so long since he's had a good night's sleep that it takes him a minute to remember where he is. He looks around the room and it doesn't take long for a beautiful smile to form as he remembers meeting Laurent. Sweet, life saving Laurent who he never knew about but so glad he does now. A big part of him still feels so bad about how they met as it wasn't ideal, but the fact that Laurent isn't holding it against him and was so generous to offer him to live in his home while they go through the journey of putting the early years of their lives together. It's really quiet and he remembers Laurent telling him that he has to work early in the morning so it's just him for now. He's about to get out of bed when he notices a folded piece of paper that he's certain wasn't there before he went to sleep so he reaches over for it then slowly opens to read...  

I'm happy you're sleeping so peacefully. I will be home between 5:30 and 5:45, depending on traffic. Help yourself to the food in the fridge and I'll see you tonight.

~Laurent

Larry smiles, probably bigger than he ever has, then softly refolds the letter to place back on the nightstand. He stretches then gets out of bed to go to the bathroom before going to the kitchen to see what's in the fridge that he can have for breakfast. There's typical breakfast foods such as eggs and breakfast meats. There's also a variety of fruits that will pair well, but it's the fresh pineapples and mango that he wants. He takes everything out then searches for where the pots and pans are kept. When he finds them he gets right to work on frying up some bacon then cooking the eggs last. With fresh fruit on the side he takes a seat at the table and digs right in. He has an idea of something that he wants to do for Laurent, but will do so closer to the time he's supposed to be home. For now, he finishes his breakfast and because it's Monday he has to get ready to report to Harold. He didn't have much of an update for him, but now that Laurent has come into his life he's feeling more hopeful than ever and can finally inform Harold that he has an address as well as being able to search harder for work...

~meanwhile~

Since arriving at work, Laurent has been in a great mood. His assistant, his staff have all noticed the glow on his face. He's always been a very positive person, but he just seems to have an extra pep in his step. Laurent's door is always open but anyone who comes to his office still knocks so they don't startle him and while he's in the middle of paperwork there's a gentle knock on his door so he looks up and sees Greg standing there...

Laurent: *smile* "Come in".

Greg: *smile* "What's up with you bro? You're extra happy today".

Greg takes the seat in front of Laurent's desk and waits for an answer...

Laurent: *smile* "I found him".

Greg: "You mean the guy who...."

Laurent: "Yeah".

Greg: "Wow. So where does he live"?

Laurent: *smile* "With me".

*silence*

Laurent is stunned by the sudden silence, and more so, the look on Greg's face so his smile slowly fades away...

Laurent: "What"?

Greg: "I guess I'm surprised since he tried to...."

Laurent: "Yeah but that's all forgotten now because he is my twin Greg. Besides it being obvious we went to a restaurant so we could talk and I was right. I can't share what he told me, but he's had a hard life. He isn't a gang member or someone who just looks for trouble. He's a bit guarded because of what he's been through, but he's really sweet. He's really soft spoken and isn't afraid to show his emotions. I know in my heart that he has a good heart and I don't want him living the street life anymore. He doesn't want to live it anymore and now that we've found each other we're going to find out what happened and why we were separated".

Greg: "I hear you bro. I just wasn't expecting you tell me that he's staying with you knowing what happened, and especially so soon after meeting, but I trust your judgment and I would love to meet him".

Laurent: *smile* "My parents said the same and you will. All of you will soon".

Greg: *smile* "Alright my brother".

Greg extends his fist for their customary pound then tells him that he's going to get back to work and he will see him later. Laurent happily agrees and when Greg leaves his office he gets back to work too though he can't resist thinking about what Larry is doing now, and that brings another smile to his face...

Laurent normally stops work at the usual time of 5 pm, but today he shuts things down about fifteen minutes prior. On his lunch hour, he ran a couple of errands that were all for Larry and he can't wait to get home to share. He and Greg walked out of their offices at the same time so they walk to the parking lot together. Greg told him that he still has a glow and he loves to see it. He was about to suggest they pick a day and time so he and Larry can meet, but since Laurent was so excited to get home he decides he will mention it the next day when they're at work. They give each other a bro hug then get in their cars to take off in separate directions. It only takes fifteen minutes to get home and he notices the living room light on when he pulls into the driveway so he figures Larry is in there waiting for him while watching TV. He grabs the items he ran the errands for and he's at the front door in five seconds flat. He walks inside and he stops dead in tracks because the lemon scent in the air tells him that his home has been thoroughly cleaned. Before he can call out for Larry he enters the living room and already has a smile on his face...

Larry:  *smile* "Hey".

Laurent: *smile* "Hey".

Larry: *smile* "I wanted to thank you for forgiving me then welcoming me into your home so I found your cleaning products and cleaned the whole house".

Laurent: *smile* "I don't think it's ever been this clean. Thank you".

Larry: *smile* "Welcome".

Laurent steps closer to him and Larry notices some clothes in one of those plastic bags after clothes have been taken to the cleaners...

Laurent: "I know you're looking for a job so I took a few of my suits to the cleaner and now you can wear them for interviews".

Larry: "Thank you".

Laurent: "Welcome, but that's not all".

Laurent carefully lays the suits across the couch and is now showing him a box containing a brand new phone. Larry raises his head...his eyes wide as his mouth falls slightly open in shock...

Laurent: *smile* "I also noticed you didn't have a phone and since you're looking for work you will need a way of contact so, here you go".

Larry gently takes it from his hand then slowly looks up at him...

Larry: "You really, really didn't have to do this. These are expensive".

Laurent: *smile* "Nothing is too expensive for the other part of me".

Larry is extremely touched by all of this, and also completely speechless, he just steps forward and hugs him. Laurent knew he would be appreciative and while he wasn't expecting this form of gratitude he certainly receives it. He slowly raises his arms and wraps them around him. For several sweet moments there's a beautiful silence as they share their first hug. When they break apart Larry whispers, "thank you". Laurent smiles as he whispers, "welcome" in return. Since it's dinner time he asks...

Laurent: *smile* "Do you cook"?

Larry: *smile* "I can't cook anything more than bacon and eggs".

Laurent: *smile* "So that's what you had for breakfast".

Larry: *laugh* "Yeah, and fruit".

Laurent: *smile and wink* "Good". *pause* "Well I'm going to change so I can get dinner started. How about you join me and I'll show you what I know".

Larry: *smile* "Yeah oki".

Laurent walks to his room to change while Larry sits on the couch to open his new phone that he still can't believe he was gifted, but so incredibly grateful. He did need a phone, but he was perfectly willing to try and make it without one. He's just thankful that this beautiful soul is in his life now. He has to put the charger together so the phone can charge to 100% and as soon as he plugs it in Laurent is back so Larry smiles then gets up to follow him to the kitchen. Laurent washes and dries his hands then retrieves something wrapped in a thick white paper from the fridge...

Larry: *smile* "So what are we having"?

Laurent: *smile* "Beef tenderloin, risotto, grilled asparagus and a garden salad".

Larry: *smile* "That sounds amazing".

Laurent: *smile* "It's one of my favorite meals to cook".

Larry watches him pull out a large skillet to place on the stove then turns on the burner. He throws a small kitchen towel over his shoulder then unwraps the tenderloin to begin giving it a generous seasoning...

Laurent: "Now the key to cooking a protein like a tenderloin is giving it a good sear first".

Larry: "What does that mean", he asks sweetly.

Laurent: "The meat is browned on all sides until it develops a nice crust. It adds great texture and flavor. After searing it will go in the oven to finish cooking".

Larry: "Oh oki".

Laurent then reaches for a glass bottle filled with olive oil...

Laurent: "I'll drizzle about two tablespoons of oil in the pan to let that get nice and hot. While we're waiting for that I'm going to begin slicing the vegetables for the salad".

Larry follows him over to the kitchen island and watches in amazement how Laurent slices all the vegetables perfectly. He then retrieves a salad bowl from the cupboard to dump all the veggies in then asks Larry to get the bottle of balsamic vinaigrette out of the fridge while he retrieves a set of wooden tongs out of the drawer...

Laurent: *smile* "Would you like to add the dressing to the salad and mix it together"?

Larry: *smile* "Sure".

Laurent hands over the tongs and smiles as he watches him do exactly that. The whole salad is generously covered in dressing now...

Laurent: *smile* "Looks good".

Larry: *smile* "Thanks. I like helping you".

Laurent winks then tells him that the oil should be good and hot now so they go back over to the stove. Laurent places the tenderloin in the pan that begins sizzling. Minutes later he's using another pair of tongs to flip it over, but first he shows Larry what a sear looks like. As he told him it's a nice, golden brown with a slight crust...

Larry: *smile* "Did you go to cooking school"?

Laurent: *chuckles* "No". *smile and wink* "YouTube is free".

Larry: *laugh* "Yeah I get that". 

After all sides are seared to Laurent's satisfaction he places the tenderloin in a round dish then pours in about a cup of beef stock, adds some fresh thyme stems, and sliced baby potatoes...

Laurent: "I like my beef cuts medium well so it only needs to go in the oven for fifteen minutes to get it to that temperature".

Once he puts that in he begins on the risotto. Larry continues to watch and all he can think to himself is that Laurent is a magician in the kitchen. He said he didn't go to cooking school, but he's like a chef from the way he slices the vegetables to the handling of the beef. It's like a cooking show. As the risotto cooks he's about to lick his lips at how creamy and delicious it looks. He then notices Laurent looking at him again...

Laurent: *smile* "You know you have a good risotto when you run your finger down the middle of the spoon and the sauce stays separated".

Larry: *smile* "It looks really good".

Laurent: *smile* "Thank you".

Larry: *smile* "Welcome".

Laurent finishes the risotto with freshly grated parmesan cheese and butter then places the asparagus on the grill pan, tosses them in olive oil then finishes with butter and seasoning as well. The meat is done, but since it has to rest for ten minutes before slicing into it Larry helps him set the dinner table then they bring all the food over before Laurent goes back to get the pitcher of fresh tea out of the fridge then brings it over. When the meat is finally ready to be sliced Laurent cuts about one inch rounds then places a few on Larry's plate then his. He also allows Larry to scoop his helping of sides first and with both plates now full they dig in. Laurent loves to see Larry taking his time eating and not fast as he did last night in the restaurant because he didn't have the means to eat often or as much. Since they're still learning things about each other Laurent goes more into detail about what his career entails and they discover that Larry was at the food drive which is why Greg thought he was Laurent. They both found it astounding that they were so close but didn't cross paths that day. Larry also explained the terms of his release and how he's required to see Harold every Monday to keep him updated on his job search. Halfway through dinner Laurent decides to get some water and asks Larry if he would like a glass. When he answers yes Laurent decides to bring a pitcher of water and when he's back at the table he accidentally spills some, and it only reminds Larry of having water poured on him by Michael. It's upsetting how something as small as an accidental water spill can be so triggering. Laurent grabs some napkins to clean up and that's when he notices Larry's demeanor has changed even though he tries to appear fine so he stops wiping the table down briefly to put his attention on him...

Laurent: "You oki"?

*brief pause*

Larry: "Yeah...yeah I'm fine. I'm just getting full. Everything was so good".

Laurent: *smile* "Thank you, and thank you for helping me".

Larry: *smile* "No problem. I would love to help you make more meals and maybe I can cook for you when I learn".

Laurent: *smile* "I would love that". 

Dinner came to an end so they took all the dishes to the kitchen where Laurent is about to get started on washing them, but he's stopped by Larry who insists on washing them. He accepted the offer and told Larry that he was going to take a shower who told him to take his time and enjoy it. He finished setting up his phone and also took a shower after finishing up in the kitchen. When he gets out he hears the sound of Laurent's TV so he goes to change into his bedclothes then goes to softly knock on the door. He can hear the smile in Laurent's voice as he says, "come in" so Larry gently pushes the door open...

Larry: *smile* "The kitchen is clean".

Laurent: *smile* "I appreciate you offering". *laugh* "I hate washing dishes".

Larry: *laugh* "It's not my favorite thing either, but since you made such an amazing meal I wanted to wash them for you. I also finished setting up my phone so I want to give you the number".

Laurent: *smile* "Oki. You need mine too".

Larry agrees and they plug in each other's number then Laurent has a great suggestion...

Laurent: "It's still early. You want to sit by the pool and talk"?

Larry: *smile* "That would be nice".

Laurent gets up so Larry turns around and leads the way to the french doors that lead to the large pool in Laurent's back yard. It's slightly windy tonight so there's the sound of a gentle rippling of the water that's the perfect element for their chat. There are two reclining pool chairs that are super comfortable and as they lay back and relax they pick up from their dinner conversation to learn more about each other. They discovered that they loved playing with the same toys as kids, and they also went into the deeper parts such as discovering when they knew something was different about them and their families. Everything they discussed only confirmed what they already know...and also realized how they had a connection without even knowing the other existed. Laurent could tell that certain parts were hard for Larry to talk about so he extended his hand over to take his hand just as he did in the restaurant and sweetly listened as he released everything. It was very cathartic for him and Larry made sure to thank him for a listening ear and genuinely caring. Larry also lights up when Laurent talks about his life and he's so happy that he's had such a good one. If Laurent didn't have to work the next day they could have talked well into the late hours, but decided to call it a night around 10 so they went inside and to their rooms. Roughly thirty minutes later the entire home is quiet and they're sound asleep...

~2 am~

Larry has been tossing and turning, unaware that he's also crying out. He's having a nightmare and he didn't realize Laurent heard him and came to his side. As to not alarm him he quietly slipped into bed and now Larry is feeling his head being cupped with a pair of strong yet gentle arms and a body close to his. He jolts out of the terror to see he's in Laurent's arms then looks up and into his eyes. When they went to their rooms after their poolside talk Laurent took out his cornrows so Larry sees him adorning a glorious fro and it's a beautiful sight. What's also beautiful is the concerned look in his eyes and in a gentle voice he tells him, "it's oki. You just had a bad dream. I'm right here". Larry continues to look up at him with a heaving chest and tears in his eyes as Laurent whispers again that it's ok. He then asks, "do you want to tell me about it"? Larry replies in a shaky voice, "I don't think I can talk for that right now" so Laurent softly nods and continues to comfort him. Larry has never felt safer...such solace so it doesn't take long before he falls asleep again...

*****

The following morning is also a sunny one. Larry begins moving a bit as he's waking up and when he comes to he sees Laurent next to him. He never left his side. Still blown away by his fro and extremely touched by his comfort last night he takes a few moments to gaze at him. He then turns his head to check the time and it's an hour before Laurent has to be at work so he turns back to him then takes his hand to gently shake him awake. He softly calls his name and a second later Laurent's eyes flutter open. Laurent gives him a groggy but incredibly beautiful smile as he greets...

Laurent: *smile* "Good morning".

Larry: *smile* "Good morning. It's 7 o'clock. You should get ready for work. I don't want you to be late".

Laurent appreciates Larry wanting him to get to work on time, but with the terrified look he saw in Larry's eyes last night and the trembling he felt from his body he can't think of leaving him without asking...

Laurent: "Are you oki"?

Larry: "Yeah I'm much better".

Laurent: "Are you sure"?

Larry: "I'm sure", he replies softly. 

Laurent: "Oki then I'll go to work, but I want you to call me if you need me. I'll come home to be with you".

Larry: *smile* "Oki. Thank you".

Laurent smiles and winks at him as a response then gets out of bed to head for his room to get ready. Larry would love to cook breakfast for him, but he won't have time to sit down and eat it or he'll be late. He does have another idea so he gets up to quickly wash his face and brush his teeth then heads for the kitchen. Laurent has an assortment of deli meat and cheeses in the fridge so he takes out the turkey, roast beef and ham along with the muenster cheese then grabs the bread to begin building a delicious sandwich. He wraps it in parchment paper then removes the grapes, pineapples and strawberries from the fridge for a small fruit salad which he places in a plastic bowl with lid. Finally, he grabs a bag of chips out of the pantry to include. He finds a lunch pail so he neatly packs it and Laurent comes out of his room just in time. He calls out that he's leaving for work so Larry turns around with a big smile and when Laurent notices what he's holding he looks up at him...

Larry: *smile* "I knew you wouldn't have time for breakfast so I made you a lunch".

Laurent: *smile* "That's really sweet".

Laurent steps forward to gently take it from his hands and gives him a soft, "thank you". Larry smiles and nods as he looks in his eyes then tells him to have a good day. Laurent appreciated that sentiment too but also reminded Larry to call him if he needs to. With that, Laurent heads out the door for his car. Now that it's just Larry he decides to give Harold a call to ensure he has his new phone number then it's off to the computer to continue job searching. He expected a callback from Harold to confirm that he received his number and has it saved, but what he wasn't expecting is a job lead. Since Larry told him he loves working with his hands he tells him about an HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) position that just opened up and he thinks he would be a great fit. It also provides certification and paid training so he would get paid shortly after starting. Harold knows the manager of the job so he's already aware of Larry's record but believes in second chances and would love to do that for him. Larry is elated and asks for full details including the location. With all pertinent information now he thanks him and they release the call. Now he can't wait for Laurent to get home so he can share the news...

~evening~

Laurent's pool is becoming Larry's favorite place here. He's relaxed in one of the chairs just as he and Laurent were last night as they talked. It touched his heart when Laurent called him to make sure he's still ok and now that he'll be home in any minute he has more angst in telling him about the job lead. He also decides to tell him about the reason for his dream since he really is concerned, but they're also honing in on a strong relationship already and he wants to talk to him about absolutely anything just as he wants Laurent to do the same. He hears the door open so he turns around and they immediately smile at each other. Larry asks him about his day first which he's told it was nice and productive. When Laurent asks about his day Larry tells him about the job in which Laurent replies that he's happy for him then Larry goes into what else he needs to talk about...

Larry: "I'm ready to talk for the dream I had last night".

Laurent: "I'm listening", he replies softly.

Larry: "Before I was kicked out, I had a fight with my dad. I was trying to understand why he hates me so much but he wouldn't answer me. I got so mad that I told him if he had been a father to me maybe I wouldn't have been as bad as he says I was. He attacked me, punched me and that night came back to me in a dream". *pause* "I wasn't going to talk for that, but I know I can talk to you and I know if I talk for things like this it will help and I won't have dreams like that anymore".

Laurent: "You should talk for that, and I'm here to listen anytime".

Larry: "I know", he whispers.

Silence falls briefly then Larry says something Laurent isn't expecting at all...

Larry: "I also have these visions. I hear babies crying and screaming. I don't know where these come from and it's so strange".

He then notices the shocking look on Laurent's face and in a soft voice he asks, "what is it"? It takes him a few seconds but...

Laurent: "I have them too. Now I know they're connected to us".

Larry is also shocked to hear this, but he reaches over to grab Laurent's hand and as he looks in his eyes he essentially repeats what Laurent told him...

Larry: "We'll figure this out too...together".

*brief pause*

Laurent: "Together", he whispers.

--------------

A/N: They're slowly but surely discovering things so it's only a matter of time with what they find out. Hope everyone enjoyed. Thanks for reading. :)