inkspresso

right. friends.

Two weeks go by exceptionally fast, much to Zach's dismay. They had grown close over the course of time. They even created a routine: Zach studied for a bit while Jack cleaned, and when they were done, they would go up to one another and ask stupid questions.

"Guess what?" Jack sits down by him. "I just got a date."

"What happened to staying single for a while?" He teases. Yet, a pang of jealousy fills his chest. Jack moved on fast.

"My mom got this date for me, I can't say no." He shrugs. "Apparently, it's my mom's friend daughter. She's like two years younger than me."

Zach raises an eyebrow. "So, like twenty-one?"

Jack nods. "It's not much of a difference. I don't really mind it." He taps his fingers on the table.

"When is it?"

"Like on Saturday, I think?" He checks his phone. "Yeah, Saturday." He groans. "I'm so gonna miss the basketball game."

Zach playfully rolls his eyes. "You can rewind it."

"What if it was a formula one race?"

Zach raises his finger. "Do not bring f1 into the conversation."

Jack rolls his eyes. "You can rewind it." He mocks him. "I'm just going on that date because my mom has been trying to set me up with her ever since high school."

"It took you eight years to finally accept going a datr with her?" He raises an eyebrow.

"No, I just happened to have girlfriends while she told me. I thought, why not give her a shot now?"

Then, Jack's phone starts ringing.

"Hello?" He taps the table as he listens to the other side of the line. "Yeah, sure. I'll sign it off now. Yeah." He stands up. "Thank you." He hangs up and turns to Zach. "Gonna accept some deliveries. Be right back."

The brunet nods and opens his computer. He decides to open the file containing the draft for his book. Zach reads the last chapter he wrote in hopes of figuring out how he should continue. He stretches his hand out and starts typing.

"Yo, Z?" Jack calls him. "Would you mind helping me with some of these boxes?"

Zach grabs his computer and sets it on the counter. In case anyone comes in and steals it. You never know.

He hesitantly walks into the back and follows Jack's grunts of effort to meet him. The curly head immediately sets a box on his arms. "Second shelf by the door."

And the two go back and forth with it, carrying heavy boxes of products. Once they are done, they lean against the walk to recover their breaths.

"I'm gonna grab some water. Do you want some?"Jack asks.

Zach nods.

The curly head heads into the counter to fill two mugs with water. Yes, two mugs. Water tastes better that way. His eyes avert to the computer. Jack pauses. He shouldn't, really. But curiosity gets the best of him.

Jack starts reading the bit of chapter he could see.

He despises how much he yearns for his touch. Just an arm over his shoulder suffices. It would sate his despair for a day. After having slept with him on the same bed, he craves his warmth-along his waist, his chest against his back, making the blankets covering them unnecessary. Because there was not a cold thing about Logan. His entirety was warm and reassuring. Because he could sleep through the night, but only if he was there to rest his arm over him, to protect him -

"What are you doing?"

Jack turns around, eyes wide as he is caught. "I-It was open, I didn't -" He pauses, unsure of what to say. "It was open, I- Please don't hate me." He smiles nervously. "I-... I was enjoying it. You write beautifully."

Zach looks away as he blushes. "It's still the first manuscript. It's shit." He moves to close the computer.

Jack grabs his arm, stopping him. Zach feels the warmth of his hand against his wrist. "It's good. I'd like to read more. In fact, I'd like to know everything about it."

The brunet looks at him. Jack would never mock him for his interests. "It's a... love story." He mumbles. "Two men. Gabe and Logan. Childhood friends to lovers. Lots of yearning."

"Tell me more." He releases his wrist.

Zach scratches the back of his neck. "Gabe has to watch Logan fall in love with a girl. And he has to be there, even though all he wants to do is... run away." He looks away. "Logan takes him on dates to see whether the girl he likes would also enjoy them... and I haven't written anything beyond it."

Jack bites his lip, thinking. "They will get a happy ending, right?"

The brunet nods. "I don't like sad endings."

Jack smiles. "You've got your first fan."

Zach feels butterflies in his stomach. That smile will surely be the death of him. He smiles softly. "It's still the beginning of the story. There's still a lot to write. I don't even know what dates to write for them."

"I can help with that." He hands him the mug.

He takes it. "You can't actually, I'm more of a visual person." He sips on some water. "I need to experience it to be able to write it. I can write yearning, I just can't seem to get the loving parts down."

"I don't mind taking you on dates for you to get some realistic references." He shrugs. "We're friends. It's a hangout."

Zach swallows in dryly. Right. Friends. Just friends, because that's all they will ever be.

"Actually, you can't even say no. I am taking you on a date this Friday." He announces. "I'll ask someone to cover for me, and I'll pick you up and show you what a date is like."

"Jack-"

He interrupts him."No saying no." He points an accusatory finger at him. "You're gonna have the best time of your life." He pauses. "Are you allergic to anything?"

Don't do that. Don't give me hope.

"I am not." He confirms.

Jack ruffles his hair. "Great. I'll plan everything."He chuckles. "Now, let's restock the storage room."

They walk to the back, and Jack gives him directions on where to put things. Zach has to tell himself to focus several times. Jack has rolled up his t-shirt's sleeves, revealing more of his tattoos. If there's one thing Zach likes, it's tattoos.

Jack already has big arms, but the fact that they're covered in tattoos only makes them look better. Even his hands. Despite being calloused, they seem soft. And they are soft, is what he gathered from when he grabbed his wrist. Zach can imagine it already. His hands grabbing him, pulling him closer -

"Dude? Are you there?" Jack nudges him.

Zach clears his throat. "I was thinking about something."

"I asked you whether you prefer a movie or a show?"

He hums. "On a show, you can really dive into each individual character and give them depth." He explains. "Movies are like a small door to a whole new universe. I enjoy watching them for fun. So... movies."

Jack nods. "What genre?"

"I like pretty much anything." He shrugs.

"Even horror?"

He nods.

"See? This is why you think there's a killer in the house. You can't watch horror movies and then live alone."

They laugh.