Craving (JJ x James)

13.

James: hey Justin, do you mind coming out?

Justin read the message and looked outside the window. The sky was already dark and it was almost 10pm, his parents wouldn't let him go out that late. Besides, it was school the next day. What the hell was James even thinking? 

Justin was thinking of a reply when another message popped up.

James: I'm outside your window, I'll wait.

Justin had no idea what to do now, how was he going to say no? Besides, he didn't want to say no. He walked over to the window and saw James standing just beneath it. He slowly opened the window and looked down at him.

'Are you coming?' James raised his voice enough just for Justin to hear but not for his parents to.

Justin wanted to say no, but he couldn't resist being around James. Instead, he found himself nodding. He grabbed his hoodie from his wardrobe and put it on, then walked out of his room. His father had already fallen asleep on the couch, and his mother had went to bed. There was no need to ask anyone. He slowly opened the door and shut it softly. He felt guilty going out past his curfew and without his parents' permission, but he had found himself doing it anyway.

He walked over to James who was still standing beneath his bedroom window. Justin put his hands in the pockets of his hoodie and stared at him, waiting for an explanation as to why he was there.

James grabbed Justin's hand. 'Geez I got so bored at home. My sister is playing a gig at a pub and I was left all alone and she doesn't have cable.' 

'So where are we going?' Justin asked nervously. 'Not the club right?' 

He chuckled. 'Don't worry, not the club. Let's just go to the park or something.' 

'But we have school tomorrow.' he said timidly. 

'So what?' 

Justin wanted to go back home, but he felt silly as he continued to follow James. They made their way to the park which was a few blocks away; a place which Justin rarely visited. It was beautiful, but he always preferred the comfort of his room.

They were the only two souls there and James was the first to take a seat. Justin slowly sat next to him and looked forward.

'How do you feel about starting the new semester tomorrow?' James asked him. 

'Stressed, basically,' Justin didn't want to say much about it. He still didn't know how people were going to react now. The issue still hadn't died down, simply because it had happened a few days before summer break and that didn't give people enough time to react. Why was he even hiding it? James was October_rooster, he knew about his predicament at school. 'Do you think people will get over it?' 

'Over what?' 

'That stuff I told you about. That I'm...never mind.' he shut his mouth. Probably, talking to James about what he had said to him over Instagram was inappropriate when the guy didn't show any signs of wanting to be known behind the screen. 'What about you? How are you feeling?' 

'I left all my friends behind, feels pretty bad.' he admitted. 'Actually, very bad...sorry for making you go out of your house this time. I'll try to make new friends and stop bothering you, I was just super bored.' 

'No it's fine, I guess friends need to be there for each other.' Justin smiled at him. 'You're gonna be there for me at school too right?' 

'Yeah...are people at your school nice?' 

'I don't know,' he looked down at the grass. 'They're not mean, but I just don't feel like I'm one of them. They're either cool or average, and I'm the outcast who can't seem to get along with any person.' 

James stared at Justin. 'I don't get it, you're cute though.' 

'You're saying that for the 100th time!' Justin laughed. 'If you keep saying that, I'll think you have a crush on me. Stop.' 

'And what would you do if I did?' 

The question sent shivers down Justin's spine. He looked at James who seemed quite serious. He wasn't able to find the appropriate response except for staring at James with his doe eyes. 

'Hey I was just joking!' James laughed. 'I scared you didn't I?'  

Justin shook his head. James gave him a smile then shut his eyes and leaned his back on the chair. 'Anyway, what will be, will be.' 

Justin found himself moving closer to James and leaning on his shoulder. James didn't react, but Justin found it more comforting being in James' warmth. 

'I think you have a crush on me.' James joked, his eyes still shut.  

Justin chuckled. 'No, you do.' Of course you do October_rooster. 

All Justin cared about was being with the person he had fallen in love with that moment. His parents told him having an internet friend was useless, how he would have loved to prove them wrong by showing them that the person is now his actual friend. And perhaps they could be more than that.

Now Justin didn't care that he was breaking his curfew, he only cared that he was with James. 

craving.