Honorary Grump Protocol

Part 5: Wake Up Call

A/N: I'm sorry for the long wait with this fic.. I kinda lost my spark for it for a while. I lost my spark for just about everything for a long while, actually. But I'm starting to feel better. I don't know when I'll get around to updating again, but for now I can offer you this small filler chapter. At least we're getting somewhere with it. Maybe. 

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Jack wakes up feeling too warm. There's something tickling at his nose, an arm wrapped around his torso, a growling stomach nagging him, and he's way too fucking warm.

"Danny~" He murmurs, groping at the arm over his chest. Dan only hums and nuzzles in closer. Jack sighs, wiggling. "Please, I gotta get up, man."

"Not yet.." Dan slurs his response, clearly not quite awake. He tightens his grip on Jack, blindly pressing a kiss to what happens to be his bicep. Jack melts a little at the gesture. However inconvenient it may be, he couldn't really complain.

With a gentle "fine," Jack gives in. But that only lasts for a short moment, before he gets impatient. "I'm too warm."

Dan groans. Then huffs against Jack's chest. Then whines softly and finally lets go, rolling to lay on his back as Jack does the same. They're still pressed up close, shoulder to shoulder. But finally having Dan's hair out of his face makes Jack feel like he can really breathe again, and immediately helps him cool down. 

There's a silence between them, then. Hanging in the air. Not uncomfortable, but... Well, ok, it is a little uncomfortable. Jack has to admit that much. He opens his mouth to fill the silence with something, anything at all, but no words will come to him. His brain stubbornly refuses to provide. 

Dan's phone buzzes, and they both turn to look at it where it's placed face down on the nightstand. Dan takes a moment before reaching out to check it, and Jack watches as his brows furrow and then as one slowly raises while he reads.

"So, uh. Arin is here I guess." Dan says slowly, like he's still processing it as he speaks. "We're supposed to come out for breakfast."

"Was he supposed to come here?" Jack asks, partly to stall for just a little more time. 

Dan lets his phone plop down on his chest and turns his head to look at Jack, shrugging lazily. "Apparently. I think it was on the schedule, I just never really looked."

Jack hummed, a bit embarrassed. He should actually take a more thorough look at that thing. But... not yet. Right now he needed to get his ass out of bed and find his pants.

-----

He didn't find pants.

Or, more accurately, he was feeling much too lazy to put any on, opting instead to go for a shirt and boxerbriefs look. Because why not. 

However, it isn't until he pulls a shirt over his head and looks up to see Dan's bemused expression that he realizes that it was not, in fact, his own shirt. A glance down reveals a faded Rush logo on age-softened fabric. It's unjustifiably comfortable, and the slightly tattered hem rests just above the middle of his thighs. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

Dan cuts him off with a kiss. Abrupt but sweet, smiling as he pulls away. "Don't worry about it. You look fucking adorable, dude."

Jack blinks a few times, a little slow to process the last few moments. A shy smile finds its way to his face, and he plucks at the hem of the shirt. "You sure you don't want it back? What are you gonna wear?"

"You know I could walk out there buck naked and no one would even question it." 

Jack stares at Dan, waiting for him to laugh. Nothing. Of course he's serious. Why wouldn't he be. All things considered, it makes sense that that would seem somewhat normal. After all, they'd all seen each other naked. An understatement perhaps, but still... That whole concept was something Jack would need to get used to.

------

"Finally!" Arin groans, spinning around to jab a wooden spoon at Dan. "You are a menace."

"A menace..? Really Ar?"

"Yes. Really. I've been waiting for so long.. and you and I both know damn well it took that long because you were being a clingy little shit." Arin's tone is teasing, and the smirk on his face keeps any doubts about it at bay. "You're lucky I kept these eggs warm."

"Thank you." Jack speaks up as he hops onto one of the stools at the breakfast nook. The seat swivels under him and he has to grab the edge of the counter to stay steady. Mark is already hunched over a plate in the seat next to him, chuckling at Jack's struggle. 

"You are super welcome, dude." Arin says, grinning as he plates their food. A hearty pile of eggs, and a side of bacon and toast. He slides one plate in front of Jack, the other to Dan. "I mean, neither of you have tried my eggs yet, so I figured.. two birds, one stone."

Arin seems a little nervous. More than likely, he's just anticipating how they will react. Jack offers him a little smile, then takes his first bite. The sound he makes is involuntary, but he can't even find it in himself to be embarrassed. He never thought he'd be caught moaning over eggs, and yet...

"Holy shit." Dan mutters, mouth still full. Jack hums in agreement. Arin grins at them, looking more than pleased with himself. 

"I told you they were amazing!"

"And you did not disappoint." Dan says, after finally swallowing his first mouthful. 

Jack can't even find words himself, too busy enjoying the food. He's halfway finished the whole plate before he can even think of anything to say; and even then, just a long, drawn out "fuck dude."

Arin leans against the counter, smirking. "If you're making sounds like that over my cooking, I can only imagine how noisy you'll be about my cock." 

Jack chokes. He coughs, splutters, and hits his chest. Finally he manages to swallow his mouthful, and by then his face is red as a cherry, his eyes red and watering. Dan seems concerned, one hand resting on Jack's shoulder. Mark's just giggling like a maniac behind his hands, and Jack wants to smack him for it but holds himself back.

"You know you shouldn't say shit like that to someone while they're eating." Jack says, his voice quiet and rough.

Arin only laughs, and it might be infuriating if he wasn't so beautiful. Jack stares, unabashed; at the way Arin's arms flex, how his hair falls around his face, and how his eyes crinkle when he laughs. Shit.

"You're right, man. I'm sorry." Arin says, all sunshine smiles and sincerity. And then he winks, exaggerated and obnoxious, "I'll save that for later."

Jack sighs, going back to his food in an attempt to keep it unclear just how flustered he really is. Surely the burning of his cheeks gives him away, though. He can already tell, today is going to be a long one.