This is Au number 8 with Jack and Wally
Jack was a person who enjoyed most quiet things, like soft music and books. He didn't like loud things, which included some people.
He worked in a lovely little bookstore where people came to read or check out books. He heard they hired a new janitor.
He wondered who it could be, and if they'd get along well. Because he'd see this guys everyday, so he wanted to make a good first impression.
It was early in the morning about an hour before opening time, and Jack was quietly humming to himself while organizing some of the shelves. The door opened.
Must've been the new janitor. Jack glanced over and saw a man with messy hair and bright green eyes. He grinned at Jack.
"Hi! I'm the new janitor here, Wally Franks." He said, holding his hand out to Jack. He was loud. Jack winced at the volume of his voice.
Wally saw him flinch back. "Oh, I'm sorry what did I do?" He asked, his face falling. Jack suddenly felt bad.
"Nothing, I'm sorry I just...it's not you it's just you have a loud voice and I have sensitive ears, I'm sorry." Jack apologized, really trying his best not to seem rude.
"Oh, I can talk quieter then." Wally smiled, lowering his voice to a whisper. "Is this better?" He asked. Jack felt so embarrassed.
"Nonono, it's fine you don't have to whisper." Jack said quickly. "Sheesh, make up yer mind, what's your name?" Wally asked.
Jack noticed he still kept his voice considerably lower than it originally was. "Jack Fain. And Y'know you don't have to talk quietly, I'm just a little bit of a grouch in the mornings." Jack laughed nervously.
"Well, I was kinda shoutin earlier, but I was just excited to meet a new person." Wally shrugged. "Oh." Jack said.
So Wally did talk normally. Jack glanced over at the clock. "Shit the library opens in five minutes!" Jack dashed to finish his organizing.
Wally wiped down all the tables for whoever would use them that day. It was a two story library with a main circular area with four tables that each had four cushy chairs.
In every corner wedged between bookshelves was a cushion or a beanbag chair. It was a cozy place to curl up and read, something Jack loved to do everyday after work.
And there was also a shelf full of a hundred different board games near the centre with the tables. Jack unlocked the door and flipped the sign to say open instead of closed.
Wally went upstairs to finish cleaning things. Jack stood at his counter and continued reading a book he was halfway through.
People would come in and out, checking out books and borrowing, or occasionally buying them. There was always this little girl at around 14 that came here everyday.
Jack had conversations with her because nobody else seemed to understand him. Which, now that he thought about it, seemed pretty sad.
So in a way, she was like a friend. A much younger friend. Like a little cousin. Her name was Allison, and she occasionally brought her boyfriend Thomas, who also enjoyed reading.
After a couple weeks, Wally and Jack got to know each other better. It turned out that Wally loved the same type of books and music as Jack.
They became very good friends, best friends if you will. One day Jack was silently reading at the counter and there was the bell of the door.
Jack glanced up. "Hey Allison, Thomas." Jack nodded to them. "Hi Jack! Got any knew recommendations for books?" Allison asked. "Yeah, I felt in sighed reading this one a while ago, it's pretty cool." Jack showed her a book.
She read the back of it. "Sounds interesting." She smiled. "Would you like to borrow it out or find a different one?" Jack asked.
"It's Saturday so we we're just gonna read here." Allison said. "Alright then." Jack said. As he was talking, Wally snook up behind him, putting a finger to his lips to signal Allison and Thomas to not say anything.
They both smiled, trying to hide in laughter. "What's with the sudden smiles?" Jack asked, confused. Wally jabbed his fingers into Jack's sides.
The man yelped and laughed, cursing mentally at himself for be in g ticklish. Wally kept tickling him, and he eventually fell to the floor, laughing so hard he could hardly breathe.
Allison and Tom laughed at the two. "WA-HA-WALLY! S-S-STAHAHAHP!!!" Jack screeched, twisting around.
"Shh, Jacky yer in a library!" Wally giggled. Jack grabbed his wrists and yanked him onto the floor beside him.
The two laid side by side on the floor, laughing. Allison and Tom peered over the counter at them. "Are you all good? Who's this?" Thomas asked.
"Oh yeah, you two haven't met the janitor yet, this is Wally." Jack said. "Hey, I'm Allison and this is Thomas." Allison said.
"Hi." Wally greeted. He got up and held a hand out to Jack. Jack glared at him but took his hand and was pulled to his feet.
"You are so rude." Jack growled. "I can see right through yer act of anger." Wally grinned, booping his nose.
"Are you two...like...together?" Tom asked. Jack and Wally both flushed a bright red. "N-NO! I-I mean, no, we are not together." Jack spluttered.
Wally didn't say anything.
"I-I uh...gotta finish wipin the tables upstairs." Wally said awkwardly, avoiding eye contact with everyone and going to leave.
"Wait!" Allison said. Wally turned to her. He just wanted to leave. "You like him don't you? Why else would you be all flustered over a joke about it?" Allison asked.
"N-no I don't." Wally blurted out quickly, turning and swiftly walking back up the stairs. Jack didn't know what to think of that, but didn't like the look on Allison's face when she turned to him.
"He liiiikes you Jack." She said, grinning. "You, stay outta my love life for one, for two, no he doesn't." Jack denied.
"You hypocrite! You're the only reason Tom and I are together!" Allison laughed. "W-whatever". Jack muttered.
"You really should talk to him, he definitely likes you by the way he was acting." Allison said. "I'm pretty sure he doesn't. Plus what the hell makes you think I'm gay?" Jack demanded.
"Oh please," Thomas scoffed. Jack huffed. "I have to get back to work there's other customers waiting, I'll talk to you guys later." Jack said.
"Just talk to him, I promise you won't regret it." Allison said as her and Thomas walked over to a table.
The rest of the day, Jack couldn't get Wally off his mind. Well he was always thinking about the janitor before today, but that didn't matter!
What if Wally actually did like him? By how flustered he had become, it was surely true. The end of work came too soon as it hit 6:00pm. Jack found his favourite beanbag chair in one of the corners of the many shelves.
He nestled down and began to read a new book. Not more than five minutes later, familiar messy cinnamon hair peered around the corner.
"Hi Jack." Wally greeted, walking over. He looked nervous, an incredibly rare thing for Wally to be. "I was wonderin if I could talk to ya bout somethin." Wally said.
"Hey, are you alright? You look terrified." Jack said. He went to another corner and grabbed another beanbag chair, dragging it over to his.
He grabbed around Wally's shoulders and gently pushed him down into the beanbag. Jack the sat down in his own.
"Why do you look like you've just seen a ghost?" Jack asked. He wondered what was troubling him. "I-I-I..." Wally trailed off into a small whine.
He didn't know how to tell Jack what he wanted to talk about. Jack was genuinely concerned. He placed a soft hand on Wally's hunched shoulder.
This caused the janitor to blush. "Just calm down, I promise I'm here to not judge you." Jack said. Wally took a breath.
"AllisonwasrightIreallylikeyoualotbutIdidn'ttellyoubecauseIwasscaredto!" Wally blurted out so quickly it was difficult for Jack to understand him.
"Wait...so Allison was right?" Jack asked. Wally gingerly nodded. "I-" Jack started but dropped his book.
It slid over so it was closer to Wally now. Both of them reached to pick it up and instead accidentally grabbed each other's hands.
Wally went to recoil and apologize, but Jack firmly held his hand, not letting him go anywhere. Wally looked over at him in curiosity.
Jack stared back, not having a clue what he was doing. "I...actually really like you too." Jack said, in almost a whisper.
The two absentmindedly leaned forwards ever so slowly. Jack sat up straight and cleared his throat, his eyes trailing off to the side and a light blush spreading over this face.
Wally felt disappointed. So for his own revenge he jumped over to Jack's beanbag chair and started to tickle him again.
Jack burst out laughing and twisted around, trying to escape. He felt tears of laughter in his eyes and he couldn't breathe.
Wally laughed at him, sitting on him so he couldn't escape. "W-WALLY SSSSSTHAHHAHAH!" Jack screamed in laughter.
Wally stopped so Jack could breathe again. "I'm going to smack you." Jack huffed. "Kinky~" Wally replied.
Jack's face flushed again. "No!" He yelped. Wally laughed at his reaction. Jack reached his arms up and wrapped them around Wally's neck, pulling him down.
Wally flopped onto the chair beside Jack. The two turned their heads to look at each other. Wally leaned his head forwards and kissed Jack.
They laid there for hours, talking and kissing, AnD mAyBe OtHeR sTuFf??
