The Beach (Mimmy)

Chapter Thirty: A Petty Wish

“Wish on everything. Pink cars are good, especially old ones. And stars of course, first stars and shooting stars. Planes will do if they are the first light in the sky and look like stars. Wish in tunnels, holding your breath and lifting your feet off the ground. Birthday candles. Baby teeth.”

-          Francesca Lia Block

The morning of Jimmy’s birthday dawned bright and warm, sunshine filtering through the slats of the blinds and invading their closed eyes. Matt woke first, pressing himself into Jimmy’s sleeping form, feeling relaxed and lazy and comfortable and home. Jimmy tightened his arm around the vocalist, and Matt kissed his jaw.

His eyelids fluttered open to reveal shining aqua adoration, hazy with sleep. “Morning, beautiful.”

Matt grinned, kissing Jimmy gently despite the morning bitterness he knew lingered there. “Hi, birthday boy.” He replied softly, nuzzling his face in Jimmy’s neck.

Jimmy’s face lit up, and he stretched, “Oh, yeah. It is my birthday, isn’t it?”

Jimmy loved birthdays more than anyone Matt ever knew. He always threw the biggest parties, served cake and sang songs and played games. Matt had always loved them, no matter who they were for. Jimmy never planned his own birthdays though, and if no one did anything to celebrate it, he would let it go by unannounced. Matt had made plans, though. He had something special in mind this year.

Matt snuggled close to Jimmy and murmured, “Yeah, and I’ve got something fun planned. But I’m not quite ready to get up yet…”

Jimmy sat up, causing the vocalist to whine in protest. “Jimmyyyyy…” he reached out sluggishly to stop the drummer, but Jimmy was already standing up.

“I’m gonna get a shower.” He said, “Do you wanna come with me? Shower sex and birthday sex both at once…”

Matt’s eyes snapped open, and he shot out of bed, making Jimmy laugh. “Eager are we?”

“Hell, yes!” Matt shouted, scooping up his husband and carrying him to the bathroom.

~*~

One satisfying and exhausting shower later and the pair were on the road. Matt had managed to discretely text Arin and tell him that they were on their way. He wouldn’t tell Jimmy where they were going, much to the older man’s dismay. Instead he synced his phone to the car’s speakers and they listened to Rancid and Oingo Boingo and Mr. Bungle and sang along to all the words. Well, Jimmy did, while Matt tried his best to sing even though he didn’t know the words.

Matt watched Jimmy’s expression as they pulled into the parking lot of Huntington Beach Central Park. He looked at Matt, a wide grin on his face. “Now what could we possibly be doing here, Mattie?”

Matt just grinned and got out of the car, going around to open the door for the older man. “After you, sir.” He bowed as the door opened, and Jimmy rolled his eyes.

“Oh, Matt, please.” Jimmy joked, hopping out of the car and lacing his fingers through Matt’s.

Memories flooded back to the pair as they walked through the park, memories of getting drunk with the guys and throwing Johnny into the lake. This was where they had their first kiss, and where the band brought the crew when they were filming All Excess.

“And remember when Zacky climbed that tree and fell and broke his finger?” Jimmy asked, pointing to the oak with wide branches reaching for the sky.

Matt laughed, “We were afraid to call our parents because we weren’t supposed to be out in the first place. And then he had to play a concert the next night.” Matt shook his head at the foolishness of it.

They walked and reminisced in the nearly empty park until noon, and then Matt led Jimmy to the cluster of trees beside the pond. Arin hadn’t failed him. The picnic basket sat on a checkered blanket, bottle of wine resting in a bucket of ice, birthday cake resting on a platter and waiting to be devoured.

Jimmy’s jaw dropped, eyebrows arched as he looked at the display. His expression worked its way from surprise to joy as he turned his gaze to Matt. “How’d you do this?” he asked.

“Oh, I have my ways.” Matt winked at the drummer, and Jimmy rolled his eyes.

“That was nice of Arin to come out here and do this for you.” He rolled his eyes playfully as they sat down on the blanket and Matt ‘humphed’.

“How do you know it wasn’t me?”

“Because this ice is still ice and you were with me all day.” Jimmy kissed Matt gently and grinned. “But thank you though, babe, I really appreciate it.”

They ate lunch, courtesy of SubWay, and laughed and kissed. It was honestly one of the best days of Matt’s life, and it wasn’t even his birthday. Matt lit candles and sang “Happy Birthday” and they ate cake and sipped their wine and had a screaming match. Jimmy was in his element, and Matt just watched him talk, the way his hands would move animatedly as he spoke, eyes alight as he spun up some tale. He was absolutely beautiful.

They curled up together on the blanket afterwards, Matt resting his head on Jimmy’s chest, and began to doze off. Jimmy ran his fingers through Matt’s hair soothingly, and Matt hummed Iron Maiden softly, tracing over the patterns on Jimmy’s forearms lazily. “Jimmy?” he asked quietly, turning so his chin rested on Jimmy’s chest and he could look at the older man.

“Hm?” Jimmy replied, sleepy blue eyes roaming over his husband’s face.

Matt frowned slightly, nervous of what the answer to his next question would be. “Will I ever see you again?” he asked finally, teeth nipping at his bottom lip as he waited for the drummer’s reply.

Jimmy’s expression changed to something soft and sad as he cupped Matt’s face in his hands. Sapphire eyes searched Matt’s hazel ones, and he leaned in to kiss him gently. “Of course you will.” He said, but his expression gave himself away. “I promise this won’t be the last time I’ll see you. I’ll figure something out. Besides, I couldn’t leave Bella behind without needing to come and see her again.”

They both forced a chuckle at this, and Matt smiled softly, kissing his cheek. “You know what?” he asked, and Jimmy kissed his nose.

“What?”

“I think this is the best birthday you’ve ever had.”

Jimmy smiled warmly lips parting to reveal pearly teeth as he replied, “I think so too.”

They fell into a comfortable silence again, and Matt asked, “If you could have anything you wanted for your birthday, what would it be?”

“This.” He replied quickly. “I don’t want anything else. I’m happy just cuddling with you and kissing you and being around you.”

“Is that what you wished for when you blew out the candles?”

Jimmy’s smile wavered, becoming a sad one as he sighed, “No.”

“Then what’d you wish for?”

“I can't tell you!” he laughed, “If I tell you there’s no possibility of it ever coming true!”

They both knew what Jimmy had wished for, and they both knew that there already wasn’t a chance of it coming true. But Matt stayed silent, and eventually, Jimmy sighed. His voice was a whisper as he gave in, “I wished for forever.” He pressed his lips against Matt’s temple as they looked up at the sky together. “Forever is all that I want.”