The Beach (Mimmy)

Chapter Two: Warm Welcomes

“The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach - waiting for a gift from the sea."

 -   Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Matt did not go to the bar that evening. He decided Zacky was right, but Bella needed some of his undivided attention, and he was going to give it to her. It was a chilly afternoon, and the wind still hadn’t let up, but Bella loved the beach, so that’s where Matt was taking her.

He brought a towel and her favorite ball, and trudged down the rickety wooden stairs between his house and the shore. Bella was ecstatic, running and leaping, and when they reached the sand, darting towards the water. Matt laid out the towel he brought to dry her off afterwards, sitting on it and watching the dog romp.

The beach was completely empty. It was too cold for any tourists or townsfolk to build sandcastles or play in the water. The occasional seagull cried, landed and studied Matt through beady eyes, before deciding he was harmless and went about its business. Matt sighed and lay back, closing his eyes. He was happy he had worn a hoodie, the wind was still billowing about, chilling the air around him.

He was finding that he was just about able to doze off even in the cool air, when Bella made her grand reentrance, shaking frigid ocean water all over Matt and jerking him from his unawareness. “Bella!” he cried, groaning and shivering in his jacket. She was holding the ball they had brought in her mouth, and dropped the slimy toy at Matt’s side.

Matt stood, taking the ball and chucking it down the beach as far as he could, and the dog shot off after it. He dried himself off as best he could as she went, throwing the ball again when she brought it back. He saw a figure coming down the beach, ball stopping near his feet when Matt threw it again. Bella took off after the ball, but Matt noticed she disregarded it, leaping up instead on the man and attacking his face with licks. Matt jogged over towards the two.

“Bella, get down!” he shouted harshly, then to the man, “I’m sorry, she’s not usually like this with strangers…”

“No, it’s fine.” The man replied. “In fact, I used to have a dog just like her.”

That voice.

The man looked up from Bella, and Matt was greeted with a pair of stunning blue eyes, a pair of eyes he had fallen in love with.

It couldn’t be.

Matt staggered back from the man, jaw agape. The man looked at him quizzically, blue eyes sparkling with amusement, and asked, “Is something wrong?”

“N-No, it’s just…”

It wasn’t. There was no way.

“You just remind me of someone very close to me.” Matt whispered, looking away. “He passed away a couple years ago.”

“Oh?” the man asked, chuckling a little, “And what was his name?”

“J-Jimmy.” Matt choked out, and as he looked up into those eyes, twinkling with mischief, and something clicked.

“Jimmy!” Matt cried, tackling the man, tears streaming down his cheeks as he kissed him over and over. He clung to the life form before him, he had to make sure this was real, he wasn’t dreaming. A pair of lean arms snaked their way around his waist, holding him securely.

“Hey, Mattie.” Jimmy chuckled, kissing the top of Matt’s head gently as he clung to the older man.

Matt wanted to speak. He wanted to tell the man how much he’d missed him and how he loved him and how he never wanted him to leave, but he couldn’t find his voice. He just kissed him, and kissed him again, and kissed him again. He was overwhelmed with emotion, unable to think, unable to speak. Jimmy waited patiently, meeting every one of Matt’s kisses, smiling against chapped lips. His cheeks were wet with Matt’s tears as well as his own and he looked so happy. Matt clutched the drummer in his arms. He had missed this so much.

He cried all his tears for the second time that day, but for a very different reason. Jimmy held him, rubbing his back soothingly and murmuring into his ear softly. “I love you so much, Mattie, I’ve missed you.”

Even though Matt couldn’t speak, it was understood that the words were reciprocated. His breath had a hitch in it every so often as he buried his face in Jimmy’s neck and just inhaled his scent.

“Why are you wearing my jacket?” that beautiful voice sounded out, and Matt attempted to chuckle.

“I-I…” why had he worn Jimmy’s jacket? He didn’t know. He didn’t know anything at the moment, except that his husband, the one person he cared about more than anyone else in the entire world, was with him, and he was happy.

Eventually, Matt peeled himself off of Jimmy, but only in order to stand back and look at him. It was the same James, looking like a caveman with his shaggy brown beard. He was wearing the same Rancid tee he was wearing when Matt found him, same faded jeans. He was only wearing socks, which were getting dirty in the sand. Jimmy smiled, chuckling softly. “Miss me?” he asked.

Matt just nodded, taking Jimmy’s arms and running his fingers over the tattoos. He cupped the older man’s face in his hands, and asked softly. “I-Is this real?”

Jimmy smiled and nodded, licking Matt’s cheek, making the younger man grin. “It’s really really real.”

Matt let out a strangled sob and buried his face in Jimmy’s neck. “I-I thought I lost you, I…” he kissed his lover’s neck repeatedly whispering, “I thought you were dead, J-Jimmy.”

Matt couldn’t get enough of Jimmy. He felt him all over, the same hands, same nose, same shoulders and lips and chest. The same hair, feet, fingers. Matt tugged Jimmy’s shirt off his head, causing Jimmy to shiver. “Matt, it’s cold!”

“B-But I…” Matt examined the tattoos, the “FICTION,” the deathly wraiths. Everything was the same.

“Oh, Jimmy…” Matt whispered, crashing his lips against the older man’s. “Oh god, I missed you so much!”

Jimmy gasped as lips traveled down his chest, teeth biting flesh rather harshly. “F-Fuck, Matt, not now! It’s cold and we’ve gotta go in… I’ve gotta talk to you… Matthew, this is important.”

Matt looked up at Jimmy and nodded dumbly. “Y-Yeah, okay.”

Neither spoke a word on the way back. They walked hand in hand, Bella romping at Jimmy’s side. The towel was forgotten, along with the tennis ball.

Matt had received something so much better.