written w/ @MrSoundlessVoice in the beginning but we kind of got distracted and I'm only finishing this now
Jael tossed the keys to the apartment onto the small table beside the door and shrugged off his jacket. August had just gotten cool enough that he needed an extra layer for the walk home. He raised one hand to flick the light switch, before pausing. It was a gut feeling (the kind you get after watching too many Supernatural episodes) that he was not alone. He slipped off his shoes and plodded softly down the hallway, to the kitchen door. Jael ducked into the shadows and squinted at the darkness, trying to make out each silohuette. There, sitting at the kitchen table, someone had their legs crossed leisurely and was resting their chin on their hand. They hadn't noticed that he'd come in. He took his opportunity to dash inside and grab the stranger's wrist, yanking them from the chair and slamming them against the opposite wall. "Who are you, what are you-- A-Axel?!"
"Shit." Axel groaned. "Fuckdammit, you are too strong for a twink, you know that, Jael who works in a jail?" He pulled his wrist from Jael's vice like grip. "Here I was, planning to surprise you, and yet, I get bullied. Nice." Axel fixed his bracelets-- he was wearing big chunky ones, and the feeling of those pressed against his slightly scarred wrists wasn't exactly pleasant. "That hurt." He pouted.
Jael took several steps backwards and scratched the back of his head, going pink. He'd been rather close to Axel there. "Well it's your fault for sitting in the frigging dark, wait who are you calling a twink--" He flipped the light switch. "Don't pout, you'll wrinkle."
Axel's face didn't shift in the slightest, until he replied, "I won't get wrinkles. I'm attractive, we know how to deal with the minor set backs of appearances. Besides," He shrugged, "Sex makes you look younger. Scientific fact." "I know how to avoid wrinkles." He gave a smile.
Jael gulped, trying to hide the fact that his stomach had just flipped tremendously. "Narcissistic b-bastard." He fumbled with his fringe. "What are you even doing here?"
"That I am, Jael who works in a jail, that I am." Axel circled Jael as he answered honestly. "Got bored. Harlo gave me an idea." He grinned as he looked at Jael. "Wanna hear it?"
"Oh shit," he murmured. If Harlo was involved, this was not going to be fun at all. "You're bored and Harlo's got an idea. And I'm part of it?" Jael sighed. "...what is it?"
"Well," Axel stood still. "Y'know how couples always do stupid shit like going into haunted houses?" He looked at Jael, almost as if he was silently saying 'are you ready? Brace yourself.' "Retention after Dark! C'mon, let's do it!"
Jael blinked once, twice, three times, before choking out, "Couples?"
Axel scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "I didn't know how else to word it. Anyway, retention after dark. Yeah? Yeah." He groaned, "C'mon, Jael. Retention after dark. It'll be fucking awesome."
"No." Jael turned around and flicked on the kettle. "I'm not bringing you to Retention after dark." He shuddered. "Why would you want to do that anyway, it'd be so...creepy."
"Jael, you pussy, that's the fucking point," Axel sighed. "We're supposed to get scared shitless while in slight peril and then laugh our asses off about it later. So come onnnnnnnnnnn~" he whined. Jael massaged his forehead.
"Okay. Okay! Fine. Just let me get some coffee first. I had a ten hour shift today," he mumbled, fumbling around the cupboards. He didn't want to look at Axel, who probably had one of two expressions; he was either very smug, or he was grinning goofily. Either way, he was going to make Jael red as a beetroot.
"Jael you are SO cool when you finally take that stick out of your ass, you know that?" Axel stretched and sat back down at the kitchen table. Jael chanced glancing at him from the corner of his eye. "Y'know in like an hour you're probably not going to be thanking me for this."
Axel's eyes flashed in response.
