Something New - [Carl Gallagher x Male OC]

Twelve

Carl told Jack that he named the dog Cherry and Jack's eyes were filled with glee.

"Cherry!" he said, playing with the dog. "You're a cute one, aren't you?"

Cherry barked in response, his tongue hanging out of his mouth happily.

"He has to take a walk." Carl said, looking between Jack and Cherry with a smile. "Wanna wait for me here or--"

"I'll come with you!" Jack said before Carl could even ask the question. "Can I hold the leash?"

"I, uh, don't have a leash. He can go without one."

"What if he'll run across the street?" Jack asked.

"He's been a stray dog for awhile and survived." Carl stated and Jack laughed with a nod.

"Guess he did." Jack took Carl's hand and together they went out with Cherry.

Cherry rarely barked whenever another dog seemed to approach him. Overall, he seemed to be shy, walked straight ahead and looked back whenever he thought Carl and Jack might lose track of him.

Carl wondered if this behavior came from his previous owner; it was as if he'd been abondend once and was scared to be a second time.

He wasn't planning on keeping Cherry forever, but now, he might as well have to. Not that he was complaining much. He loved dogs; always wanted one and this was the perfect chance. Fiona used to be the one who had something against the idea of owning a dog because she thought they wouldn't be responsible enough for one but Carl always knew that he is responsible enough for a dog. Especially for one as cute as Cherry.

Jack and Carl sat onto a bench in the park, looking at Cherry while he did his business under a tree.

"By the way," Jack began. "I have to go to Germany during the holidays."

Carl titled his head and Jack continued.

"Mom and Will are finally gonna marry." Jack's smile was huge as he said that. "And I was wondering, if it's not too much for you, if you wanna come with me?"

Carl thought about it, really, he deeply thought about it. Obviously he'd like to go with Jack but at the same time it was kind of a huge deal, especially money wise.

But then on the other hand Fiona left them a bunch of money and Ian even gave him the half of his part, with the promise of searching a tutor, but Carl has never been outside of the country.

It'd be his first time and he really wants to go.

"I'll think about it." Carl said, smiling back and Jack nodded a little dissappointed.

"I get it if you don't want to." Jack said. "Flights nowadays are really expensive and, well, it's a big deal traveling to another country."

Carl shook his head and held one of his hands up. "It's not like I don't want to." he said. "But I have to think about it. Would your mother want me there?"

Jack nodded enthusiastically. "Definitely! We could, you know, tell her about us then." He offered Carl a big smile and Carl couldn't help but smile back.

*

It's slowly getting darker as they make their way back to Carl's home. Cherry was running happily infront of them and Jack told Carl what he'd possibly gift his mother for her wedding while they were holding hands.

It felt freeing to hold Jack's hand. It was as if every cell in Carl's body couldn't believe his luck. In the past, he used to have bad luck with girls, so the thing he had with Jack felt different in a good way.