Ain't It A Fine Life, Carrying The Banner!

JackCrutchie "Things You Said Over The Phone" Part Two

Crutchie's phone buzzed in his pocket as he walked back to his apartment, groceries carefully in hand. He leaned against the wall of the apartment building and picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hey love."

"Hi, Jack. It's a lot earlier than you usually call, everything alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, everything's fine. Just missed your voice. I'm excited to see you soon."

"I know, I'm glad you're coming home tomorrow," Crutchie said happily, tucking his phone between his ear and his shoulder and making his way to the elevator. "I'm actually just headed home from the store, bought ingredients to make dinner tomorrow night."

Jack hummed happily. "Well ain't you just the sweetest," he said. "You almost home or should I let you get back to what you're doing?"

"I just made it to our floor," Crutchie replied, stepping out of the elevator and arriving in front of their door. "Just gotta find my key..." He trailed off, patting his pockets. "Oh, no..."

"What's wrong, baby?"

"I think I locked myself out of the apartment," Crutchie said, sighing in frustration. "I must've left my key on the counter. Now I'll have to call Davey or Kath and see if they still have our spare, or the landlord to let me in, and I've got groceries to put away..."

"Nah, don't bother with all that," Jack said, a rustling on his end of the line like he was moving.

"Well, what do you want me to do, kick the door down? I don't think that's going to work," Crutchie said wryly, feeling a little of his frustration dissipate when Jack laughed, sweet and bright.

"No, I just meant I'll get it for you."

"What?"

The apartment door swung open, and Jack was leaning on the doorframe with his phone in one hand and a grin on his face.

Crutchie promptly dropped the groceries and his phone, eyes widening. "Jack!"

"Hey, Crutchie," Jack said happily, stepping forward and wrapping him up in a tight hug that swept him right off the ground. "Surprise."

"But you- how- I thought tomorrow- you're home!" Crutchie stammered, practically incoherent.

Jack laughed again softly and kissed the top of his head. "Finished everything up yesterday. I was sitting around late last night and I realized I didn't want to be away a minute longer than I had to. Booked the first available flight back to New York and hauled my ass to the airport, paint stains and all," Jack said with a self-deprecating grin. There were indeed, Crutchie noticed, several colors of paint on his hands and his jeans.

Lacking a verbal response, Crutchie pulled Jack down by the collar of his shirt and kissed him. Jack made a quiet noise of surprise in the back of his throat, but immediately placed his hands on Crutchie's hips to steady him.

Crutchie couldn't believe he was back. A summer, an entire summer, without seeing Jack except through a fuzzy video call or the ridiculous selfies Jack would occasionally send, and here he was again, warm and solid and happy in their apartment.

Jack broke away, resting his forehead on Crutchie's and smiling. "Maybe we should get inside and close the door, yeah?"

Crutchie blushed. He wasn't usually the impulsive one.

Or the exhibitionist.

"Yeah, let's do that," he said, picking up his phone. Jack picked up the groceries in one arm and Crutchie in the other, stepping inside the apartment and nudging the door shut with his foot.

"Put me down!" Crutchie laughed.

Jack set him on the kitchen counter and kissed him again, leaning up against the counter and smiling.

"So," Jack said once they parted, absentmindedly putting the groceries away, "I miss anything around here? Anybody get arrested? Wildly drunk? Back with an ex? Engaged? What'd my merry band of lunatics get up to?"

"It was mostly pretty quiet around here. We were starting to think you were the bad influence, Cowboy," Crutchie said, giggling a little at the theatrical offended scoff Jack gave.

"You're gonna look me in the eye and tell me that in the course of an entire summer Race Higgins and Spot Conlon did not get at least reprimanded for public indecency again?"

"...There was an incident in the park and they were asked not to come back."

"At least it's not as bad as the Pancake Incident."

Crutchie shivered. "That's true. Is that why we never go to IHOP for group breakfasts anymore?"

"I blame Conlon."

"Let me guess, he blames you?"

"Yeah, but he's lying, and I'm your boyfriend and you love me so you blame Conlon, too."

Crutchie laughed again, sliding down off the countertop. "I missed you."

Jack's expression softened into something sappy and fond. "I missed you too, darlin'. You oughta come with me if I ever get commissioned again, I don't know if I can go that long apart again."

"Me either. Come on, you must be tired. Did you catch a late flight?"

Jack nodded, stifling a yawn. "Caught a layover in Denver and another one in Chicago, but it was still the flight that got me home the earliest."

"I love you," Crutchie said simply, taking Jack's hand and collapsing onto the sofa with him. He didn't know what else to say.

"I love you too."

Crutchie snuggled into Jack's chest, smiling at the steady heartbeat under his ear. Jack was home. He had come home.

"Lord, I missed holding you," Jack said softly, voice low and happy. "I kept thinking about coming home."

"I thought you loved it out there."

"I do," Jack replied. "It was gorgeous and it woulda been perfect except for one thing."

"One thing?"

"Yeah. I didn't have you. And if you ain't there, it ain't worth staying."

Crutchie was almost flustered by the sweetness in Jack's voice. He kissed him again, wrapping his arms around Jack's neck and keeping him close.

Crutchie privately reflected that their kiss and wandering hands had likely replaced his previous plans for a lazy afternoon of napping on the couch.

Jack didn't seem to mind.

A/N: @ the people who wanted a part 2 to this AU: here you go!