Mkay. Y'all are getting three fluffs in a row because I made the delightful mistake of consulting AzzOnTheOutside for story ideas. Thanks, love <3

Storytime: I accidentally threw myself into Falsettos, so you can expect references in the near future.

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~ Hamlet's PoV ~

I grinned a lovesick grin, hearing my phone buzz against the wood of the coffee table. My boyfriend was working himself to death and I had to savor any interaction I got.

Hoe-ratio: Hey! Just about to go to bed. Ik it's afternoon there, but still thought I'd say goodnight :3

I chuckled to myself. Horatio was too romantic for his own good. Being a blessedly fast typer, I gave him a response immediately.

Bitch boy: Damn right you are! Baby, it's almost midnight there!

Bitch boy: You know I wouldn't be able to do anything from across the ocean if you collapsed from exhaustion

Hoe-ratio: Good thing, too

Hoe-ratio: I've seen you attempt to place a band-aid on a minor scratch

Hoe-ratio: The thought of you handling anything more than that terrifies me

Bitch boy: Fuck you

Hoe-ratio: I wish

Bitch boy: Me too. Just one more excruciating year of this, then I can come see you

Hoe-ratio: Can't wait <3

Hoe-ratio: When are you free to facetime?

Bitch boy: Next week and a half, something about a local holiday nobody's ever heard of plus the usual break

Hoe-ratio: Damn. Good to know

Bitch boy: As much as I love talking to you, you need sleep now

Hoe-ratio: s l e e p i s f o r t h e w e a k

Bitch boy: Exactly. Have you seen your twig arms honey

Hoe-ratio: Low blow, Ham

Bitch boy: Love you too

Hoe-ratio: Goodnight, my lord

Sighing contentedly, I laid back on the armrest of my couch. I couldn't help fantasizing about the day I finally got to see him in person again.

We'd met in freshman year at my current college, but he had to transfer due to some family complications.

Across the ocean.

Thousands of miles from me.

But we were managing... kind of. The first few months of figuring out contact methods and schedules was rough, but we got it down after a while.

Lately, though, he's been busy way more often than usual. I'd ask his other contacts about it from time to time, and all I'd ever get is the vaguest possible "he's probably just studying" sort of shit.

Whatever. I only had to last one more year, and then I could ask him myself, face to face.

I startled slightly at an aggressive series of knocks on the door. I hopped off the couch and ran to answer it before she busted through the wall.

"Hi Ophelia."

"Ham! Get your jacket, we're going to the airport!" the girl barked.

Not having anything better to do (and not having the energy to argue with her), I quickly pulled on my shoes and grabbed a hoodie.

Seeing my outfit choice, Ophelia scoffed. "What is this, wash-and-wear?"

We exchanged an eye roll before climbing into her car. She turned up the radio somewhere along the highway, hearing a song she liked.

I recognized it a little, so I hummed with the melody as she screeched the lyrics. This passed the time nicely until we reached the giant parking lot of the airport.

"You still haven't told me why we're here," I remarked as she dragged me by my wrist into the building.

"Laertes was supposed to pick up Osric today, but he had a class he couldn't miss. I think he was just lazy, but whatever."

Ophelia scanned the crowd with a mildly annoyed look on her face. She huffed and turned back to me.

"Dammit, I can't find him. You stay here, I'm gonna go look by baggage claim," she said, disappearing into the crowd before I could protest.

I sat down in one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs, hoping that this would be over soon so I could get back to missing Horatio on the couch by myself.

My mood immediately brightened when I heard what had become my favorite notification sound from my pocket.

Plugging in my earbuds, I accepted Horatio's facetime call.

"Hiii baby!" I called over the noise of the people around me.

"Hey! Where are you? It's really loud!" he asked, seemingly shouting over a crowd himself.

"Airport," I responded. "Ophelia dragged me along only to abandon me. I'm currently sitting in one of the sketchy airport chairs at-" I glanced at the sign nearest me. "-gate nine, waiting for her to retrieve me. But I fear I may waste away before she returns."

"Please don't waste away," he chuckled. "I'd be lonely." Horatio seemed half-invested in the conversation. He kept looking up from the camera and scanning, but not finding what he was searching for.

"What about you?" I asked. "The background noise on your end isn't minimal either."

He laughed again, pointing his phone away from him and instead toward a set of suspiciously familiar chairs. In one of them sat a person with my bedhead, my earbuds, my phone, and my hoodie.

In what felt like less than a second, I was out of the chair and throwing my arms around his waist. He wrapped his around my neck and pulled me as close as physically possible.

When we finally pulled back, I cupped his cheek and felt a tear roll down my face.

"No no no, Hamlet, don't cry!" Horatio murmured. He smiled and wiped the tear away, lacing his fingers through my hair to pull me into a kiss.

I felt sparks fly as soon as our lips touched. I sighed into the kiss, realizing just how much I had missed him. I drank in every little detail. How he was still a few inches shorter than me, how he gradually moved his hands through my hair, how he opened his mouth ever so slightly against mine...

Remembering that we were in public, I pulled back and rested our foreheads together as an equally sweet (if not as exciting) way of maintaining contact.

"How? How in the hell are you here?" I breathed, still not quite believing it.

"I've been working two jobs to get enough money. I quit the bad one after I reached the goal, and my boss for the better one is a hopeless romantic. She wanted me to be able to see you. I'm here for the entire week!" Horatio squealed.

He looked like he was about to say something else, but I pulled him into another kiss. This one, to my great displeasure, was interrupted by an "Aww!" from behind us.

I shot Ophelia an annoyed look as she halfheartedly whapped Osric in the arm for ruining the moment.

"C'mon, lovebirds. Other people missed Horatio too," she said, dragging me by the wrist again. We piled into the car with Ophelia driving, Osric in shotgun, and my boyfriend and myself in the back seat.

Horatio was partially in my lap for the entire ride home. He'd reach up and place a kiss on my neck or collarbone from time to time, each one earning a low growl from me.

"Ah- dammit," I muttered as he gently nipped at my ear again. "You realize that there are people in the front seat, right?"

The smaller boy looked up at me, biting his lip ever so slightly.

"I know, but..." he trailed off. I gave him a reassuring look and tilted his head to face me.

"I missed you too much for my own good. Now that you're here, I'm just-" he cut himself off, burying his face in my neck. "Holy shit, I missed you so much."

I laughed, running a hand through his messy hair. I leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

"Jesus Christ, Horatio! I missed you too, but I think this should wait until you've at least recognized that other people want to see you too," I chuckled.

Even without seeing his face, I knew he was smiling deviously.

"No promises."

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I don't like the texting format, but I can't bold or italicize with the app combination I use. Sorry if that bugs you as much as it bugs me.
Later on: it looks so much better now.

On a happier note, a friend of mine just came out to her family and it went really well! I'M PROUD OF YOU, HONEY :D

Farewell, faeries. May you never be separated from those you love.