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AU where Cole and Jay were childhood best friends
~~~~
Cole closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He was going to be okay.
"You're gonna be okay!" A loud voice broke through his thoughts.
Cole's eyes snapped open to glare at his best friend. "Hey! You interrupted my mental preparation session." He accused. "Not that it would've worked anyway." He muttered to himself.
Jay rolled his eyes. "Sorry Your Majesty." He said sarcastically. "Please accept my humble apology for this grievous wrong-doing. I beg for your forgiveness."
Cole sniffed, looking down his nose at Jay "Hmmm. Your apology is accepted." He said in an overly posh voice.
"I am not worthy. Truly." Replied Jay.
Both boys burst into peals of laughter, the joyful noise ringing out through the air.
"Hey! Is that any way to behave around royalty!" Cole exclaimed, trying and failing to keep a straight face.
Jay sniggered, "No, Your Majesty, I'm ever so sorry."
Cole's laughs died down and he peered down into the valley below. "We're pretty high up." He gulped. Why, oh why had he let Jay convince him to go bungee jumping?
"Don't worry!" His best friend responded, "It's perfectly safe."
"Yeah, sure. We're totally gonna die. And it's all your fault." Then he looked around properly. "Though the view is quite beautiful."
Below them, a canopy of trees stretched out, going on for what seemed like forever. Lush green leaves and brightly coloured flowers filled his vision as Cole took in the view beneath him. Way above, puffy white clouds, like candyfloss, fanned across the cerulean blue sky. The epitome of a perfect day.
Except it wasn't perfect. Because they were gonna die.
Cole glanced at his friend, who was also admiring the view before them. Bright sunlight bounced off of his aurburn curls and lit up his cobalt eyes.
"You." Cole said, pointing a finger at Jay, "Are going to be the death of me."
Jay was always dragging him along on his wild adventures. The two had first met when they were little, in nursery. Jay was on a quest to find and keep a frog from the pond and Cole had tagged along. By the end of the day, the two 4 year olds were soaked in pond water, but perfectly happy all the same. From then on, the two were inseparable, Jay going off and getting himself into some sort of trouble, and Cole always there to bail him out. The two were as close as brothers. Their dynamic was strange, but it worked.
Jay snorted. "Please. Cole, you'd be lost without me. Face it, you need me."
Cole rolled his eyes. He would never admit it, but it was true. "Right back at ya. You'd probably be dead without me. All the times I've had to save your sorry hide. Remember that time when we were 7? Our chase in the forest?"
Jay sighed, "Ah, yes, The Great Kite Escapade of 2012. How could I forget?"
"We were in the forest all day chasing after your stupid kite! We were covered in mud and leaves when we returned to my house, my dad was furious." Cole said, exasperated. He and Jay had been grounded for a month! Not that it wasn't a common occurrence.
"Hmm. I remember that. Uncle Lou didn't take too kindly to us returning home at 8 in the evening."
"No, you think?"
"Hey it wasn't my fault we got lost!"
"You claimed you knew were you were going! I followed you for hours until I realised we were going in circles. Honestly, I swear you have no sense of direction."
"Ah, good times. To be honest, I think the saddest part was not finding my kite."
Cole rolled his dark brown eyes. "Sure. I'm sorry for your loss."
"Thank you. Now come on, let's get this over with."
Cole took one last deep breath and followed his best friend over to where they would be strapped in, giving himself a pep talk as he went.
"I can do this!"
~~~~
"Ready?" Jay asked giddy with excitement.
Cole glanced down. The sheer reality of his situation hit him like a brick. "Oh no. Nevermind! I can't do this!"
"Oh don't be such a baby." Jay said, rolling his eyes, but taking his hand anyway. "3, 2, 1, let's go!"
And then he jumped, pulling Cole along with him.
Cole screamed at the top of his lungs as they plummeted down towards the ground. Great. They were totally gonna die.
~~~~
"That was - exhilarating!" Jay cried, cheeks flushed, hair tousled and azure eyes bright with adrenaline as he and Cole started walked back to the Junkyard.
"More like terrifying." Cole grumbled, though he had to agree it was kind of thrilling.
"Oh, come on." Jay stopped and turned to face Cole.
Cole continued walking until Jay's pale hand reached out to catch his tanned wrist. He allowed himself to be pulled around and he looked at the ground, avoiding Jay's eyes.
"Hey, what is it?" Jay asked. "You're not still scared of heights are you?" His face was suddenly flooded with horror as he started stammering. "Oh-my-gosh- I'm so sorry- I should've asked- completely forgot- I can't believe-"
"Jay!" Cole cut him off, laying a hand on Jay's arm. "You're blabbering, slow down. It's okay-"
"But it's not okay! You're scared of heights - and I just made you go bungee jumping!" Jay shrieked, his voice going shrill.
Cole sighed, this was gonna take a while. "Look Jay, it's completely fine! I didn't mind - really!" He exclaimed when he saw Jay about to protest. "I know what will calm you down."
~~~~
Ten minutes later, the best friends sat in their treehouse, Jay licking a bubblegum ice cream while Cole had a rocky road.
"I'm so sorry Cole," Jay started, his voice quiet and guilty. "I didn't know you were still afraid of heights."
Cole heaved a sigh, "I know, Jay, I know - you don't have to apologize."
The two sat in silence for a little longer.
"I wish I wasn't though - afraid of heights, that is. I wish I could climb a mountain, without the fear of looking down and falling."
Cole saw Jay turn to face him, his piercing electric blue eyes advising.
