little talks [ sweet pea ]

━ fifteen

( 015 ) promise

"Jacko, Jackson- I saw your eye open you little shit."

"piss off," Jackson swatted Sweet Peas hand away from his face and rolled over onto his gut, face burying itself into the pillow.

"wake-" Sweet Pea was cut off when Jackson threw his phone at him. it nailed him in the gut causing him to hunch over slightly.

"piss. off," Jackson grumbled out once he heard his phone hit the floor. thankfully, his room was carpeted so his father wouldn't have heard a thing.

Jackson flinched back when Sweet Pea slapped his cheek, "Jacko!"

"what?" Jackson spun around, gaining eye contact with Sweet Pea. "what is so important that you have to wake me up at ungodly hours?"

"it's only four," Sweet Pea noticed Jacksons glare and immediately got to the point, "i want you to meet someone."

"now!?" hissed Jackson, now sitting cross legged on the bed. his shoulder length hair was a mess and his eyes looked dopey. Sweet Pea found it rather adorable. he then frowned to himself, the fuck did he think that for?

"yes, now," Sweet Pea threw a pair of ripped black jeans and a bright yellow hoodie at Jackson and said, "get dressed, i'll be on the footpath. i have the boards."

Jackson sleepily nodded. he was too tired to be angry with the serpent. once he heard his bedroom door close he got up off of the bed and dressed himself in the clothes Sweet Pea gave him. glancing at his hair in the reflection of his tv he frowned.

it was quite literally everywhere.

he yanked Cheryls scrunchie from his wrist, reminding himself to return it to the redhead tomorrow and tied his hair up messily on top of his head. a few strands fell out around his face and neck but he couldn't have cared less. grabbing his phone, he left the flat. being quiet so Josh didn't wake up.

steam left Jacksons mouth as he padded across the carpark towards Sweet Pea.

"it's fucking freezing," Jackson muttered out, snatching his skateboard from Sweet Peas hands. "could this not have waited until, i dont know... daylight?"

"nope," Sweet Pea shook his head, eyes moving up to Jacksons bun. he fought back a smile. "nice bun, Jacko."

"shut up," Jackson dropped his board down after Sweet Pea dropped his own and skated down the road after him. Jackson ended up following the serpent through the southside. he still had no idea where they were headed but he couldn't find himself caring much. he trusted that Sweet Pea wasn't going to murder him.

they stopped in front of a small run down house. if it wasn't for the single light in one of the bedrooms, Jackson would've though it was abandoned. Jackson followed Sweet Pea through the overgrown grass towards the backyard soon coming to a gate. Sweet Pea pushed it open and Jackson quickly slipped through, jumping when Sweet Pea let it slam closed with a bang.

the serpent then whistled.

"Hotdog!" he called and Jacksons eyebrows creased in the middle as he frowned at the serpent. had he officially lost it? "here boy!"

Jackson jumped when a dog came barreling out of the small lawn locker tucked away in the corner of the yard. it bounced around as it ran towards the two boys. Sweet Pea smiled, bigger than Jackson had ever seen and sat down cross legged with the dog laying on his lap.

"Jacko, meet Hotdog," Sweet Pea smiled up at Jackson, though, the Doherty boy could barely make out the smile due to it being dark. but despite the dark, Jackson could still tell the breed of the dog. English Sheepdog.

"he's a pretty boy, isn't he?" muttered Jackson as he crouched down to pat the dog. he loved English Sheepdogs. Jackson glanced around them, wondering where the hell they were, "um, Pea, where are we?"

"Old Earls house."

"who?"

"a serpent who has been around since thirteen. almost ninety two. extremely deaf and blind in one eye. he houses Hotdog here when no one needs him," Sweet Pea explained to Jackson, eyes never leaving Hotdog.

"what do you mean 'when no one needs him'?"

"he's a Serpent dog, Jack. to be accepted into the Serpents, when you're a male, anyways, you have to do a initiation. first, you take care of Hotdog. then you must know all six Serpent laws, retrieve a knife from a rattle snake tank, no fear, and then you get the living daylights beaten out of you. but, let me tell you, its so worth it."

Jackson nodded, glancing down at his hardly visible hands and taking in the information. he sighed and sat in the same position as Sweet Pea, minus the dog on his lap. he decided now would be a great time to catch Sweet Pea up on his life seeing as the Serpent seemed so interested in it.

"can i tell you something? well, a few somethings," when sweet pea hummed in reply, jackson started speaking, "i found out that i'm related to the Coopers. like, not even twenty four hours ago. i also found out that my mother was a Serpent."

even if Jackson couldnt see it, Sweet Peas eyes widened, "that makes you a full blood serpent."

"i know," Jackson frowned. did this mean he'd have to become a Serpent? he hoped not. he liked not being one. Sweet Pea noticed the mood drop and finally looked away from Hotdog to look at Jackson. worried was practically written out across his forehead.

"whats wrong?"

"i feel like i have to become a Serpent," muttered Jackson. he pulled his legs to his chest, chin leaning against his knees as he hugged his legs to his body.

"Jack, you know you don't have to become a Serpent, right?"

Jackson nodded. he did know that. he was just being a baby. he knew Joshua well enough to know that the man wouldn't even let him think about joining the serpents and, to be frank, he didn't want to.

"i'm also pretty sure i'm gay," Jackson blurted out. he didn't mean for that to come out. it was clear he didn't when his hand flew to his mouth, eyes wide. he was just in the confession mood, but, obviously, that mood left him as soon as he said that. "fuck. shit. ignore i said that."

"why?"

"because i didn't mean it," Jackson pulled his hood over his head, wrapping his arms back around his legs and burying his face between his knees.

"i don't think any less of you if thats what you're worried about," Sweet Pea placed a hand on Jacksons shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. he was speaking softer now. "it wont change anything, either, i promise. you're still you, i just know more information about you now."

Jackson finally decided to look up at Sweet Pea when he noticed a light get turned on. Sweet Pea had turned his phone light on. Jackson thought over his words. 'it wont change anything, either, i promise'. promise. feeling his inner ten year old take over, Jackson held out his pinky after kissing his thumb.

"promise nothing will change between us?"

Sweet Pea smiled softly and kissed his own thumb, hooking his pinky with Jacksons, "i promise."

a/n it's actually not even thursday yet as i post this but oh well.
only twenty minutes till it is so whats the difference?