little talks [ sweet pea ]

twenty

(unedited)
a/n my dog broke my finger and I cant type properly. so in advance, if this does not make sense, i'm sorry and will eventually get around to editing it.

Jackson pulled the cigarette from his lips and handed it to Sweet Pea as the smoke slipped past his cold lips. he hugged Sweet Peas denim jacket closer to his body as the cool wind whipped past in a rush.

"how often do you smoke?" Jackson asked Sweet Pea when they neared the tracks leading to the northside of Riverdale. Sweet Pea dropped the cigarette and squished it under his boot.

"I've been on this pack for like three weeks," answered Sweet Pea and he pulled the back out from the pocket of the jacket Jackson was wearing. he opened it and looked inside, shaking it and showing the contents to Jackson, "only six gone."

"so not regularly?" an amused smile was on Jacksons face as he grabbed the pack from Sweet Peas hand and slipped it into the jacket pocket.

"yeah," Sweet Pea nodded and pointed ahead of him at the bright red diner coming into view, "want to get Pops first? i'll pay."

Jackson looked up to the diner and smirked at it. he quickly shouted out a "beat ya there" over his shoulder as he started running towards the red and blue lit diner. Sweet Pea laughed at the Doherty and started to run after him.

the two made it into the diner and ordered their food to take away both out of breath from their run even if it was a short distance. they waited ten or so minutes until their food was ready, paid and then set off just a few blocks down the road to the Dohertys flat.

Jackson unlocked the flat door with the key that Josh now kept on the small ledge above the door specifically for his son. he pushed it open and went to check the flat for his dad whilst Sweet Pea got himself comfortable on Jacksons bed now changed into a extremely loose shirt and some shorts he took from Jacksons drawer.

"we should watch Octonauts," Jackson said as he entered the room. Sweet Pea had his mouth full of cheese burger and a frown on his face.

"what?" the word was muffled due to the food filling his mouth but Jackson understands what he said anyways.

"we should watch Octonauts," Jackson repeated and grabbed his food from the Pops bag. he settled on the end of the bed his jean clad legs crossed.

"isn't that a kids show?" Sweet Pea asked after he'd swallowed his food.

"are we not kids?" came Jacksons reply and he shoved some cheese fries into his mouth. Sweet Pea stared at the boy in front of him and soon realised he was serious about watching Octonauts.

"okay. alright. lets watch Octonauts," Sweet Pea agreed and Jackson smiled happily. he jumped up off the bed and stripped off the denim jacket and his shirt. he was about to pull down his pants but Sweet Pea gasped loudly from the bed. Jackson looked at him to see he was looking at Jacksons laptop with a slack jaw.

"did you take these? I mean, I knew you took photos but I didn't expect them to be this good," Sweet Pea said and he looked up at Jackson. he swallowed thickly as the boy pulled down his jeans, back now facing him. he tilted his head slightly and his eyes scanned over Jacksons back and down over his ass and legs.

Jackson grabbed a overly large Led Zeppelin shirt from his drawers that reached just above his knees. he was sure it was his dads or maybe even a shirt he borrowed from FP when he was forced to stay there because of his forgetfulness.

"so you didn't think my photos were good before you saw them?" he asked and spun around. Sweet Pea immediately moved his eyes from Jacksons lower area and they met Jacksons.

"no no. I did," Sweet Pea said quickly as Jackson settled himself at the end of the bed with his food. "I just didn't expect them to be the theme that they are."

"theme?"

"yeah. like... dark and uh... dark...?" Jackson snorted at Sweet Pea who had flushed a beet red. the two sat in an uncomfortable silence, Jackson eating whilst Sweet Pea fidgeted with his fingers.

"so... can I have my laptop back now to put on Octonauts?" Jackson suddenly asked and now it was Sweet Peas time to snort. he handed Jackson his laptop back and got comfortable.

"this is my last night staying here," Sweet Pea told Jackson as the boy settled down beside him with his naked legs crossed. "my father leaves again tonight."

Jackson just pressed play on Octonauts and settled down beside Sweet Pea. the boys watched at least three episodes before they got bored and started watching Wild Child. two hours later they were laying side by side in a dark silent room. the only sound was the ceiling fan above them and the occasional barks of the neighbourhood dogs.

"I have a brother- half brother but a brother nonetheless," Jackson muttered out into the silence of the room. he knew Sweet Pea was still awake. he would not stop huffing and fidgeting around the bed.

"have you met him?"

"no," he whispered and then he broke out into a smile as he remembered his fathers reaction to him coming out. "I told my dad that I'm gay. he accepts me."

he felt Sweet Pea move around beside him and soon the boy was slowly intertwining their fingers together under the blankets as he laid on his back. he gave Jacksons hand a small squeeze and Jackson felt his heartrate pick up.

"that's great, Jacko," Sweet Pea kept his voice in a whisper much like Jackson did. Jackson wondered if Sweet Pea could hear his heart race. maybe even feel it beating through the shitty mattress Jackson called a bed. "i'm proud of you."

silence washed over them again and Jackson carefully started to mess around with Sweet Peas rings. his heart calmed a little but soon picked up again just as quick when he asked a innocent question that'd been waiting to be asked for days.

"why are you so nice to me?" he whispered out and continued to play with Sweet Peas rings.

"what?" Sweet Peas voice was a little higher than a whisper this time and it made Jackson rethink his question, hoping it wouldn't ruin their friendship. he thought about just answering with 'nothing' but he knew Sweet Pea and the boy wouldn't give up easily. so he sighed and said,

"i mean, Toni said that you aren't usual this warmed up to people after only a few weeks of knowing them. we've known each other for not even a month and you're in bed with me watching Octonauts and tell me about your past. i was just wondering why i'm different, i guess."

"oh," was all Sweet Pea said for a while and Jackson didn't even try to fill the silence that filed out over them in a wave. Jackson jumped when Sweet Pea moved his hand around to intertwine their fingers again. he rolled over onto his stomach and buried his left cheek into the pillow. he rested their locked fingers on Jacksons clothed stomach and Jacksons other hand moved up to rest on top of Sweet Pea and his hands, sandwiching Sweet Peas hand between his own.

"i trust you," was all Sweet Pea whispered out and he squeezed Jacksons hand again. Jackson felt a small smile tugging at his lips and he relaxed onto the bed, his heart slowly going back to normal.

"i trust you, too, Pea."

"can you promise me something?" Sweet Pea sounded so small and vulnerable in that moment it made Jacksons heart beat faster, a-fucking-gain, knowing he had that effect on the serpent.

"anything, Pea."

"promise me that you wont ditch me anytime soon. i've lost too many people and i dont want to loose another," Jackson could only just hear Sweet Peas words they were so soft spoken. he nodded and squeezed Sweet Peas hand so tightly his rings hurt from pressing against his skin too hard.

"i promise i wont leave you."

"thank you," Sweet Pea whispered, "can we pinky promise it in the morning?"

Jackson let out a breathy laugh and said, "course we can, Pea Brain."