Something More | Randy

chapter twenty-one | jack

Who needed friendship when we had this? The water gliding over our skin. His body flush against mine. Our tongues sliding together beneath the stream, wet and sensual and delicious. Rye was right; we had taken far too long to get to this point. But I swore the wait made him taste even sweeter. 

I hopped out of the shower first, a little dizzy from the steam- or possibly from the second orgasm Rye had given me on his knees. I couldn't stop smiling like a love-drunk fool as I headed for the kitchen, in search of a drink of water to unfog my brain. 

My arrival downstairs coincided with Jack and Brook's return home from the cinema. They were bickering, only managing to slightly dampen my happy mood. 

"No, get off!" Jack swatted at Brook as Brook tried to grab his phone out of Jack's grip. 

"Please, Jack! I won't post, just give it back!" Brook whined, trying to get past Jack's defences. 

"How was Endgame?" I asked casually, pouring myself a glass of water. 

"Sick mate," Brook answered me, still grappling with Jack "I won't spoil it but-"

"I don't care," I interrupted, turning to head out before I heard Jack exclaim. 

"Brooklyn! You gimp!" I turned back around to see Jack shove Brook away roughly.

"Woah..." I noted the aggression.

"Jack, come on it's just a laugh." Brook made yet another attempt to retrieve his phone from Jack's outstretched arm by wrapping both his arms around Jack.

"Seriously, get the fuck off me, will ya?" Jack snapped, pushing Brook off again, even harder than before. Brook blanched.    

"I'm sorry, I - I didn't think-" Brook stuttered.

"You never fucking do, do you?" Jack retorted cruelly. 

"What's going on?" I demanded, my protective instincts towards Brooklyn bursting through my happy bubble. 

Jack ignored me, simply clicking around on Brook's phone, no longer meeting any resistance. "There, deleted." he said finally, thrusting the phone back towards Brooklyn. 

"Sorry, I was joking about posting it," Brook whispered, looking almost on the verge of tears. 

"You're not funny." Jack said bluntly, turning away from him.

I didn't appreciate his tone. "Jack, what the fuck?" 

Jack swivelled towards me, scowling. I wondered if he would dare to show me the same rudeness he'd shown Brook. Usually the youngest member of our band offered me respect, but it wouldn't be the first time he'd lost his temper. 

"Fovvs?" Rye called from somewhere down the hallway before Jack could say anything. 

"In here," I called back, turning towards his voice. Rye entered the kitchen, modesty covered only by a towel. 

"Oh, hello boys," Rye greeted when he realised I wasn't alone. I became aware of my own wet hair, wondering if it was obvious to the others that I was just as freshly showered as him. I saw Jack regard us both slyly. 

"You're looking clean, Ryan." He remarked, eyes on me. I interpreted the threat, holding a warning gaze over him. 

"Cheers, mate." Rye said, bemused, oblivious to the implication. I saw Brook slip glumly out of the room from the corner of my eye. Shooting a final 'Watch yourself' look at Jack, I followed him out. 

I caught up to Brook halfway up the stairs and caught him by the arm, turning him around.

"What was that about?" I asked him worriedly.