𝙎𝙄𝙏𝙏𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙊𝙉 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙎𝙃𝙀𝙇𝙁 | Marcus White

Coffee and Peaches {sub part}

Rolling over and stretching out, you slowly started to open your eyes, blinking out the sleep that hazed them. Sinking your head into the well-fluffed pillow, you were met with the heavy scent of fresh linen, laced with spearmint and morning coffee - so different from what you were used to, yet, comforting all the same.

Sitting up from where you had lain, you found yourself in a foreign living-room, the noise of the TV a low buzz as the mid-day news played. Looking around, you absorbed the new scenery; your eyes lingering on the looming oak bookshelf that pressed against the wall furthest from you. Pushing the thick, worn, red knitted blanket away from you, you stood from the couch, crossing the length of the room cautiously. Running your fingers along the spines of the books you noticed that many of them were classics: some old and worn by time, others unread and in pristine condition - and those that weren't had modern relevance: politics, cookbooks, theology, the list seemed to be endless. It felt all too fitting for what Jonah's place would look like.

Jonah's apartment. That's where you were.

"Hey there peach, what you looking at?" Startled by Jonah's sudden appearance, you placed a hand over your chest and another on the shelf, steadying your movements before you responded.

"Oh, um, nothing much." You replied, pushing away from the shelf and closer to him. "Is that coffee?"

Taking the warm mug of liquid from his hand, your fingers brushed against his, both unsure of what the right thing to do or to say was. Jonah nodded silently towards the couch, the two of you moving to sit there in union. Sitting back down, you pulled the blanket over your bare knees, suddenly feeling very exposed in just your baggy t-shirt from the day before.

"Nice blanket." You commented, shuffling under it slightly so your knees were pulled up to your chest, your arms resting across them. Taking a long sip of coffee, you smiled at Jonah over the brim of the mug, tasting it was just how you liked it.

"Everyone round here know how I like my coffee?" You teased, smiling at Jonah as his face flushed pink.

"Actually, I asked Garret one time. Back when I first started, I, uh, I wanted to get on peoples good sides, and it seemed like every time I saw you, you were drinking coffee. And then I began to notice that Garret made it for you sometimes - so I asked him to teach me how you liked it, in case he was ever, like, sick or something." Jonah sheepishly admitted, tracing the rim of his mug with his finger, before gently bringing the mug up to his lips and taking a sip.

"You- You asked him so you could do it?" The rhetorical question lingered between the two of you, a wide smile forming on your face at the realisation of what Jonah had just admitted. "That's too cute J."

A brief moment of silence settled over the two of you like the red blanket that covered your laps, though this time it was comforting and warm.

"We should probably talk about where we go from here." Jonah suggested, "Maybe over the breakfast I just finished cooking?"

At the mention of food, your eyes lit up and your stomach started to rumble. "You made breakfast?"

Jonah nodded at you, an amused smile creeping up onto his face at the excitement that suddenly filled your words.

"Dude, what are we waiting for?" Discarding the half-drank mug of coffee on Jonah's coffee table, you grabbed his hand, dragging him through the set of doors he had previously entered through, in hopes of the kitchen waiting behind it. Jumping into a seat at his dining table, you immediately tucked into the food, happy to finally be consuming something that wasn't alcohol for the first time in almost 24 hours.

"So..." Jonah started, unsure of how to start the conversation you both felt you needed to have.

"So..." You repeated, unsure of what exactly the right thing to say would be. "We kissed last night."

"Good observation peach." Jonah smirked, cutting up some of the hash brown on his plate and shovelling it into his mouth.

"Oh, I see that's not going away." You laughed out, picking up the glass of orange juice that Jonah had poured out for you and taking a big gulp.

"Oh that old nickname? Never, never." Jonah continued, laughing to himself as you had turned a light shade of pink at the nickname. "Is that... is that ever going to happen again?"

"Is what? Oh- like, like the kiss?" No answer seemed appropriate for the moment that was being shared between you.

"Yeah, like the kiss. I mean, I know I wouldn't mind... if it happened again." Jonah was being brave, asking all of the difficult questions, trying to spare the torment of dragging this conversation out longer then needed.

"Me either." You admitted, pulling one of your legs up onto the chair and wrapping your arm around it. "But-"

"Oh the dreaded 'but'." Jonah teased, the sarcasm clear in his voice. You were thankful for that, otherwise you may have just broken down at the idea of hurting someone who'd only ever been kind to you.

"I was drunk, I think. And while I enjoyed it then, things feel different - more complicated - now." You looked sheepishly to the floor, hoping you could avoid looking into the coffee warmth of Jonah's eyes. "I don't want to lose you as a friend because of something like a kiss."

"So you think it was a mistake?" He asked, his tone careful as to not cause tension between the two of you, however his choice of words failed to do so.

"No." You reassured, reaching across the table and holding Jonah's hand in yours. "I don't regret it either. I just don't want things to change."

"I don't blame you, the friend-zone is a pretty comfy place." Jonah teased, taking another bite of his breakfast, your worried look dissolving as you realised he was joking with you.

"Oh shhh." You laughed, flicking some egg at him with your fork. After the laughter between the two of you died down, you spoke up again. "Are you actually okay with that? I know it probably makes things weird now."

"Yeah, of course. I once read an article that said that people reject nice stuff all the time because they can't afford it." Jonah smirked, laughing to himself as your jaw dropped open in shock.

"Oh shush you, eat your breakfast or it'll get cold!" You joking threatened, glad that despite how awkward you'd worried things may be, the two of you had fallen back into your same old ways.

After a few beats of silence, a couple more mouthfuls of food eaten, and some small talk shared, you finally looked at each other again.

"You're a really good kisser - like really really good - for what it's worth." You admitted, your face suddenly becoming hot as you probably just boosted Jonah's ego even more.

"Why thank you, peach, you're not so bad yourself." Jonah smiled, a wide smile, that filled you with hope that things would easily fall back into their usual place, just like they'd been before last night.

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Hey guys!! Cheeky Sunday update to tide y'all over till Wednesday ;)

As we come to the end of season 1 there will be a week hiatus between seasons so I can prep from season 2 and everything I want to include, so instead of a chapter that week it will be like, a season 2 teaser :D

I hope you have a lovely Easter if you celebrate and have a lovely week as always <33