Another Day, Another Chocolate
A little something I wrote recently for the Anonymous Chocolate Challenge on BBM Drabbles. You can find all the entries here; http://bmm-drabbles.livejournal.com
AU/AU - High School Jack and Ennis
Words - c2,300
Warnings - None. The usual fluff from me!
Feedback - Would love it :)
Ennis keeps finding things in his locker...
Another day, another chocolate
Ennis swung the door open and there it was. Another one.
It was starting to freak him out a little. For the third day this week there had been a chocolate inside of his locker after fifth period. Today was no exception and he was the lucky recipient of a Heath bar. Yesterday it had been a Baby Ruth and on Monday, a Mars Bar. Not knowing quite what to do, but never one to turn down free chocolate, Ennis quickly tucked the bar into his backpack and dug his books out for the last class of the day.
“You alright, bud?” Jack asked as Ennis sat down next to him at the back of class.
“Sure. Shouldn’t I be?”
“You just look… funny, I dunno.”
Ennis shrugged. “You see anyone go into my locker after lunch?”
“Uh… no. Why? You missing something?”
“No. Gained something.”
Jack’s eyes widened dramatically. “Seriously? Someone put some shit in your locker? Can I see? Was it kinky?”
Ennis shoved Jack’s shoulder. “Get your mind out the gutter, not everything has to do with sex you know?”
Jack rolled his eyes, “I’m seventeen, everything is to do with sex.”
Ennis opened his backpack slightly to show Jack the Heath bar inside.
“Cool.” Jack said. “Can I have some?”
“No.” Ennis zipped the bag back up and dropped it next to his feet.
“Someone left that for you? In your locker?”
“Yeah.”
Jack smiled and tapped his teeth with his pencil. “I reckon someone likes you.”
“Huh?”
“Was there a note?”
“Nope.”
“Come on, Ennis. It’s gotta be a gift from a secret admirer. You love the stuff, that’s no secret. I’ve known you since third grade and I’ve never seen anyone eat more chocolate than you, except maybe Mandy Myers.”
“Her dad owns a candy shop. That doesn’t count.”
“Whatever.” Jack looked around the class and pointed his pencil at a pretty blond girl. He leaned closer to whisper in Ennis’ ear. “What about Jenni? Could be her. She’s cute, right?”
Ennis shrugged. “She’s ok.”
Jack pointed at another girl, a petite brunette. “What about Amelia? She likes you. I heard her tell her sister she thought you were hot.”
Ennis blushed and shifted in his seat. “Jack, shut up.”
“Hmm.” Jack tapped his pencil against his teeth again and pointed at a third girl,. He leaned closer so that his shoulder brushed Ennis’. “How about Sarah? She’s got the best tits in our year. Not afraid to show them either.”
“Jack, will you shut the fuck up!” Ennis growled.
Jack grinned and leaned back in his chair, hands clasped behind his head. “So, you still coming over tomorrow, right? To watch Big Bang?”
“Sure. I’ll be there around seven.”
Jack nodded in satisfaction and Ennis was left wondering if Jack was right. Had someone been leaving him the chocolate as a gift? How would he find out who it was?
***
Thursday afternoon and more chocolate appeared in his locker. This time it was a large bag of M&Ms. Ennis’ mouth drooled. He couldn’t help it, he loved M&Ms.
He looked around to see if anyone was watching. Maybe the anonymous chocolate giver was still lurking around? He slid the bag of chocolate into his backpack just as Jack’s head appeared over his shoulder.
“Hey there Casanova. You get some more goodies?” Jack asked, peering into Ennis’ locker.
“Yeah.” Ennis let Jack’s chin rest on his shoulder for a second before shrugging him off. “M&Ms.”
“Mmm, lush.” Jack smacked his lips. “Aren’t they your favorites?”
Ennis shook his head. “Almost. I love them, but you can’t beat Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.”
Jack made a gagging sound. “Dude, those are gross.”
“You are so wrong. Second best selling chocolate in the country, you know.”
“What’s first?”
Ennis jiggled his backpack. “These bad boys.”
Jack laughed and slung an arm over Ennis’ shoulders. “No one can accuse you of not knowing your chocolate.”
“Uh huh.”
“Bring some snacks to mine later. But leave your peanut flavored shit at home, got it?”
***
Later that evening Ennis turned up at Jack’s house with bags of tortilla chips and popcorn. He leaned on the door and rang the bell with his elbow. Twice. There was no answer but the door was unlocked. Ennis pushed the door open with his shoulder and headed for the den where the big flat-screened TV was.
“Jack?” he yelled.
“Fuck!”
Ennis heard Jack curse, followed by a crash as something fell over. Ennis dumped the chips and popcorn on the sofa and hurried towards the noise. “Jack, you ok?”
“Yeah. I’m fine. Just broke… fucking thing!”
Ennis pushed open the door to Jack’s bedroom to see Jack on his hands and knees picking bottles of cologne and cans of toiletries off the floor.
“What the hell are you doing down there?”
“Fucking shelf broke.” Jack stood up and placed the bottles on his desk.
Ennis raised an eyebrow, “well you do have a ton of crap on there. What’s with all the hair products?”
“Hey! It takes a lot of effort to look this awesome, you know.”
“Uh huh.”
Jack looked down and suddenly blanched, quickly kicking a drawer closed with his foot, a drawer that had only been open about an inch or so. He cleared his throat and started preening in the mirror, running his fingers through his hair, smoothing the black strands down so they almost reached his chin. It did look cool, Ennis gave him that. Jack always looked cool.
Ennis’ eyes dropped and lingered on Jack’s chest , only then did he notice the splatters of gel on his t-shirt. “Uh Jack...”
Jack followed Ennis’ eyes. “Shit. Hang on, let me change.” He faltered for a split second before whipping his t-shirt up and over his head. “I… I’m outta shirts. Let me just grab one from laundry. Back in a tic.”
Ennis sat down on the bed while Jack ran from the room. He loved Jack’s room. He’d spent so many hours in here playing games and watching TV. Jack was always so tidy and kept everything neat, unlike Ennis’ pit. He just threw everything in a pile and hoped he could find it again the next day.
His gaze fell on the drawer that Jack had closed in embarrassment, just before leaving the room. Ennis was curious, what was Jack hiding in there? He could see the tiny corner of something poking out - something orange. He knelt down to get a closer look, but Jack’s rapid footsteps in the hallway made Ennis guiltily spring back to sit on the bed. He didn’t want to be caught snooping.
But as Jack had said, Ennis knew his chocolate, and he would put money on that tiny strip of plastic being the same orange as the wrapper on a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.
***
Friday was Valentine’s Day. As predicted, school was a madhouse, the popular girls squealing in delight and flaunting their gifts to their minions - and anyone else who cared to look.
Ennis hadn’t given out any Valentines. He didn’t really want to think on why that was. His mind was also occupied by the mysterious chocolates that kept appearing. Was he going to get another one today?
He finished up his lunch early so he could lurk around the hallways, aiming to catch anyone trying to stuff treats into his locker.
He was standing, half concealed, in an alcove by a storage closet when a hand on his shoulder made him jump out of his skin. He swung around and almost knocked Jack flying. Jack’s backpack went skittering across the floor.
“Jack! What the hell are you doing! Trying to give me heart failure?”
Jack rubbed his shoulder where Ennis had accidently hit him. “No, dude. You were spaced out. What you doing hiding here?”
“Watching. My locker.”
“Ah ok. See anything?”
“Not yet.” Ennis said, bending to retrieve Jack’s bag. The zipper on top of the backpack had come half open and Jack snatched the bag back, holding it close to his chest, zipping it firmly shut.
Ennis eyed him curiously. “What you got in there? Have you been ‘borrowing’ stuff from stationery again?”
Jack swung the bag onto his shoulder and avoided Ennis’ eye. “Course not. Haven’t done that since seventh grade.” He pushed his hair out of his face and looked up and down the hallway. “Well I don’t see anyone suspicious lurking here. Let’s go,” and he manhandled Ennis back out of the alcove and towards their next class.
Ennis didn’t get the chance to check his locker again until the end of the day. He swung open the door, fully expecting there to be something waiting for him, but… nothing.
No chocolate.
Ennis frowned, feeling somehow let down. He hadn’t realized how much he had come to like the anonymous gifts. It was fun to think that someone in school liked him, knew him well enough to give him his favorite chocolates. Had they given up on him? On Valentine’s Day of all days? He couldn’t quite work out if he was relieved or disappointed.
He met Jack outside after last period, to walk home together like they usually did. Jack was also unusually subdued.
“You get any Valentine’s today? Give any?” Ennis asked him.
Jack’s head snapped up and he looked a little startled. “No. Why do you ask?”
“Well, hello! It is Valentine’s day and all that.”
Jack shrugged and pulled his backpack further onto his shoulder. The movement made him stumble and the bag slid to the floor.
Ennis immediately stooped to pick it up.
“Hey! Hands off… stop!” Jack grabbed at his backpack at the same time as Ennis, causing the zip to open and something to fall out with a thud. Something small and orange. “Shit!” Jack scrambled to grab it back and shove it into his backpack without Ennis seeing.
But Ennis had seen it. “What is that?”
“Nothing.”
“Bullshit. I know what I saw.”
“No you didn’t.”
“Yeah. I did.”
“Ennis…”
“What are you doing with that in your bag? After all the crap you gave me about liking them?”
“It’s not for me. I… um…”
“Jack?”
Jack stood and looked around at the milling students. “Look. Can we go somewhere? To talk?”
“Sure.”
They walked around to the back of the deserted sports hall and Jack pulled Ennis into a recessed doorway, checking first that no-one could see them.
“Jack? You’re starting to worry me. What’s all this about?”
“Crap. I… um… fuck.” Jack scrubbed his hands over his face and leaned back against the wall. He looked at Ennis, clearly trying to say something - but failing. He finally dug into his backpack and pulled out the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. He grasped Ennis’ hand and put the chocolate in his palm.
Ennis curled his fingers around it, blinking in confusion. “For me?”
“Yeah.”
“Did you get this from my locker?”
“No.”
“So why are you acting all weird?”
“I… I don’t know. Fuck! I’m so fucked.” Jack groaned and turned away.
“Did you buy this for me?”
“Yeah.”
“But why all the secrecy and stuff back there?” Ennis gestured over his shoulder. “Why didn’t you want me to see it?”
Jack turned back to look at him, with such raw longing on his face that Ennis felt his guts twist in response, his own stomach starting to flutter.
Jack liked him? He never had a clue that Jack felt anything more for him than friendship. How the hell had he missed it? The guy talked more than anyone he knew, but he’d never spoken a word about his feelings - or about any girl he was seeing, now that Ennis thought about it. And all that shit about a secret admirer? Realization suddenly hit him.
“You. It was you. All that chocolate in my locker?” Ennis said.
Jack closed his eyes and nodded.
“But why? Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I couldn’t. I was scared. I didn’t know if you’d want… this.”
Well yes, there was that.
“You like me? I mean, like ‘that’?”
Jack smiled and ran a finger gently across Ennis’ jaw. “Ennis, I’ve always liked you like ‘that’. For as long as I can remember.”
“You have?” Ennis was surprised, but in another way he wasn’t surprised at all.
“I have.”
They looked at each other as Jack continued to caress Ennis’ cheek. It felt really nice and Ennis’ didn’t feel like he needed it to stop.
“So… do you… do you think you might want to go there - with me?” Jack asked him quietly, his blue eyes luminous under the dark fall of hair.
Ennis hesitated for a second before nodding. “Maybe. I guess I could try.”
Jack smiled and ran his finger down Ennis’ chest before smacking him in the gut with the back of his hand. “Dude, I really wanna hug you right now!” Jack burst out.
Ennis laughed and pulled Jack close, enveloping him in his arms. He could feel Jack’s face buried into his neck as Jack sniffed his hair.
“Mmm, you smell so damn good.” Jack’s voice was muffled against his neck.
Ennis let himself rub his cheek against Jack’s hair, inhaling his scent. “You too.” He let his hand slide down Jack’s arm to clutch at his hand, winding their fingers together. “Come on, we’ve got some serious talking to do. I’ll walk you home.”
They left the doorway and headed off across the parking lot, wrapped up in each other and thoughts of their future. Neither of them noticing the small orange packet that lay forgotten on the dusty floor.
-END-
AU/AU - High School Jack and Ennis
Words - c2,300
Warnings - None. The usual fluff from me!
Feedback - Would love it :)
Ennis keeps finding things in his locker...
Another day, another chocolate
Ennis swung the door open and there it was. Another one.
It was starting to freak him out a little. For the third day this week there had been a chocolate inside of his locker after fifth period. Today was no exception and he was the lucky recipient of a Heath bar. Yesterday it had been a Baby Ruth and on Monday, a Mars Bar. Not knowing quite what to do, but never one to turn down free chocolate, Ennis quickly tucked the bar into his backpack and dug his books out for the last class of the day.
“You alright, bud?” Jack asked as Ennis sat down next to him at the back of class.
“Sure. Shouldn’t I be?”
“You just look… funny, I dunno.”
Ennis shrugged. “You see anyone go into my locker after lunch?”
“Uh… no. Why? You missing something?”
“No. Gained something.”
Jack’s eyes widened dramatically. “Seriously? Someone put some shit in your locker? Can I see? Was it kinky?”
Ennis shoved Jack’s shoulder. “Get your mind out the gutter, not everything has to do with sex you know?”
Jack rolled his eyes, “I’m seventeen, everything is to do with sex.”
Ennis opened his backpack slightly to show Jack the Heath bar inside.
“Cool.” Jack said. “Can I have some?”
“No.” Ennis zipped the bag back up and dropped it next to his feet.
“Someone left that for you? In your locker?”
“Yeah.”
Jack smiled and tapped his teeth with his pencil. “I reckon someone likes you.”
“Huh?”
“Was there a note?”
“Nope.”
“Come on, Ennis. It’s gotta be a gift from a secret admirer. You love the stuff, that’s no secret. I’ve known you since third grade and I’ve never seen anyone eat more chocolate than you, except maybe Mandy Myers.”
“Her dad owns a candy shop. That doesn’t count.”
“Whatever.” Jack looked around the class and pointed his pencil at a pretty blond girl. He leaned closer to whisper in Ennis’ ear. “What about Jenni? Could be her. She’s cute, right?”
Ennis shrugged. “She’s ok.”
Jack pointed at another girl, a petite brunette. “What about Amelia? She likes you. I heard her tell her sister she thought you were hot.”
Ennis blushed and shifted in his seat. “Jack, shut up.”
“Hmm.” Jack tapped his pencil against his teeth again and pointed at a third girl,. He leaned closer so that his shoulder brushed Ennis’. “How about Sarah? She’s got the best tits in our year. Not afraid to show them either.”
“Jack, will you shut the fuck up!” Ennis growled.
Jack grinned and leaned back in his chair, hands clasped behind his head. “So, you still coming over tomorrow, right? To watch Big Bang?”
“Sure. I’ll be there around seven.”
Jack nodded in satisfaction and Ennis was left wondering if Jack was right. Had someone been leaving him the chocolate as a gift? How would he find out who it was?
***
Thursday afternoon and more chocolate appeared in his locker. This time it was a large bag of M&Ms. Ennis’ mouth drooled. He couldn’t help it, he loved M&Ms.
He looked around to see if anyone was watching. Maybe the anonymous chocolate giver was still lurking around? He slid the bag of chocolate into his backpack just as Jack’s head appeared over his shoulder.
“Hey there Casanova. You get some more goodies?” Jack asked, peering into Ennis’ locker.
“Yeah.” Ennis let Jack’s chin rest on his shoulder for a second before shrugging him off. “M&Ms.”
“Mmm, lush.” Jack smacked his lips. “Aren’t they your favorites?”
Ennis shook his head. “Almost. I love them, but you can’t beat Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.”
Jack made a gagging sound. “Dude, those are gross.”
“You are so wrong. Second best selling chocolate in the country, you know.”
“What’s first?”
Ennis jiggled his backpack. “These bad boys.”
Jack laughed and slung an arm over Ennis’ shoulders. “No one can accuse you of not knowing your chocolate.”
“Uh huh.”
“Bring some snacks to mine later. But leave your peanut flavored shit at home, got it?”
***
Later that evening Ennis turned up at Jack’s house with bags of tortilla chips and popcorn. He leaned on the door and rang the bell with his elbow. Twice. There was no answer but the door was unlocked. Ennis pushed the door open with his shoulder and headed for the den where the big flat-screened TV was.
“Jack?” he yelled.
“Fuck!”
Ennis heard Jack curse, followed by a crash as something fell over. Ennis dumped the chips and popcorn on the sofa and hurried towards the noise. “Jack, you ok?”
“Yeah. I’m fine. Just broke… fucking thing!”
Ennis pushed open the door to Jack’s bedroom to see Jack on his hands and knees picking bottles of cologne and cans of toiletries off the floor.
“What the hell are you doing down there?”
“Fucking shelf broke.” Jack stood up and placed the bottles on his desk.
Ennis raised an eyebrow, “well you do have a ton of crap on there. What’s with all the hair products?”
“Hey! It takes a lot of effort to look this awesome, you know.”
“Uh huh.”
Jack looked down and suddenly blanched, quickly kicking a drawer closed with his foot, a drawer that had only been open about an inch or so. He cleared his throat and started preening in the mirror, running his fingers through his hair, smoothing the black strands down so they almost reached his chin. It did look cool, Ennis gave him that. Jack always looked cool.
Ennis’ eyes dropped and lingered on Jack’s chest , only then did he notice the splatters of gel on his t-shirt. “Uh Jack...”
Jack followed Ennis’ eyes. “Shit. Hang on, let me change.” He faltered for a split second before whipping his t-shirt up and over his head. “I… I’m outta shirts. Let me just grab one from laundry. Back in a tic.”
Ennis sat down on the bed while Jack ran from the room. He loved Jack’s room. He’d spent so many hours in here playing games and watching TV. Jack was always so tidy and kept everything neat, unlike Ennis’ pit. He just threw everything in a pile and hoped he could find it again the next day.
His gaze fell on the drawer that Jack had closed in embarrassment, just before leaving the room. Ennis was curious, what was Jack hiding in there? He could see the tiny corner of something poking out - something orange. He knelt down to get a closer look, but Jack’s rapid footsteps in the hallway made Ennis guiltily spring back to sit on the bed. He didn’t want to be caught snooping.
But as Jack had said, Ennis knew his chocolate, and he would put money on that tiny strip of plastic being the same orange as the wrapper on a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.
***
Friday was Valentine’s Day. As predicted, school was a madhouse, the popular girls squealing in delight and flaunting their gifts to their minions - and anyone else who cared to look.
Ennis hadn’t given out any Valentines. He didn’t really want to think on why that was. His mind was also occupied by the mysterious chocolates that kept appearing. Was he going to get another one today?
He finished up his lunch early so he could lurk around the hallways, aiming to catch anyone trying to stuff treats into his locker.
He was standing, half concealed, in an alcove by a storage closet when a hand on his shoulder made him jump out of his skin. He swung around and almost knocked Jack flying. Jack’s backpack went skittering across the floor.
“Jack! What the hell are you doing! Trying to give me heart failure?”
Jack rubbed his shoulder where Ennis had accidently hit him. “No, dude. You were spaced out. What you doing hiding here?”
“Watching. My locker.”
“Ah ok. See anything?”
“Not yet.” Ennis said, bending to retrieve Jack’s bag. The zipper on top of the backpack had come half open and Jack snatched the bag back, holding it close to his chest, zipping it firmly shut.
Ennis eyed him curiously. “What you got in there? Have you been ‘borrowing’ stuff from stationery again?”
Jack swung the bag onto his shoulder and avoided Ennis’ eye. “Course not. Haven’t done that since seventh grade.” He pushed his hair out of his face and looked up and down the hallway. “Well I don’t see anyone suspicious lurking here. Let’s go,” and he manhandled Ennis back out of the alcove and towards their next class.
Ennis didn’t get the chance to check his locker again until the end of the day. He swung open the door, fully expecting there to be something waiting for him, but… nothing.
No chocolate.
Ennis frowned, feeling somehow let down. He hadn’t realized how much he had come to like the anonymous gifts. It was fun to think that someone in school liked him, knew him well enough to give him his favorite chocolates. Had they given up on him? On Valentine’s Day of all days? He couldn’t quite work out if he was relieved or disappointed.
He met Jack outside after last period, to walk home together like they usually did. Jack was also unusually subdued.
“You get any Valentine’s today? Give any?” Ennis asked him.
Jack’s head snapped up and he looked a little startled. “No. Why do you ask?”
“Well, hello! It is Valentine’s day and all that.”
Jack shrugged and pulled his backpack further onto his shoulder. The movement made him stumble and the bag slid to the floor.
Ennis immediately stooped to pick it up.
“Hey! Hands off… stop!” Jack grabbed at his backpack at the same time as Ennis, causing the zip to open and something to fall out with a thud. Something small and orange. “Shit!” Jack scrambled to grab it back and shove it into his backpack without Ennis seeing.
But Ennis had seen it. “What is that?”
“Nothing.”
“Bullshit. I know what I saw.”
“No you didn’t.”
“Yeah. I did.”
“Ennis…”
“What are you doing with that in your bag? After all the crap you gave me about liking them?”
“It’s not for me. I… um…”
“Jack?”
Jack stood and looked around at the milling students. “Look. Can we go somewhere? To talk?”
“Sure.”
They walked around to the back of the deserted sports hall and Jack pulled Ennis into a recessed doorway, checking first that no-one could see them.
“Jack? You’re starting to worry me. What’s all this about?”
“Crap. I… um… fuck.” Jack scrubbed his hands over his face and leaned back against the wall. He looked at Ennis, clearly trying to say something - but failing. He finally dug into his backpack and pulled out the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. He grasped Ennis’ hand and put the chocolate in his palm.
Ennis curled his fingers around it, blinking in confusion. “For me?”
“Yeah.”
“Did you get this from my locker?”
“No.”
“So why are you acting all weird?”
“I… I don’t know. Fuck! I’m so fucked.” Jack groaned and turned away.
“Did you buy this for me?”
“Yeah.”
“But why all the secrecy and stuff back there?” Ennis gestured over his shoulder. “Why didn’t you want me to see it?”
Jack turned back to look at him, with such raw longing on his face that Ennis felt his guts twist in response, his own stomach starting to flutter.
Jack liked him? He never had a clue that Jack felt anything more for him than friendship. How the hell had he missed it? The guy talked more than anyone he knew, but he’d never spoken a word about his feelings - or about any girl he was seeing, now that Ennis thought about it. And all that shit about a secret admirer? Realization suddenly hit him.
“You. It was you. All that chocolate in my locker?” Ennis said.
Jack closed his eyes and nodded.
“But why? Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I couldn’t. I was scared. I didn’t know if you’d want… this.”
Well yes, there was that.
“You like me? I mean, like ‘that’?”
Jack smiled and ran a finger gently across Ennis’ jaw. “Ennis, I’ve always liked you like ‘that’. For as long as I can remember.”
“You have?” Ennis was surprised, but in another way he wasn’t surprised at all.
“I have.”
They looked at each other as Jack continued to caress Ennis’ cheek. It felt really nice and Ennis’ didn’t feel like he needed it to stop.
“So… do you… do you think you might want to go there - with me?” Jack asked him quietly, his blue eyes luminous under the dark fall of hair.
Ennis hesitated for a second before nodding. “Maybe. I guess I could try.”
Jack smiled and ran his finger down Ennis’ chest before smacking him in the gut with the back of his hand. “Dude, I really wanna hug you right now!” Jack burst out.
Ennis laughed and pulled Jack close, enveloping him in his arms. He could feel Jack’s face buried into his neck as Jack sniffed his hair.
“Mmm, you smell so damn good.” Jack’s voice was muffled against his neck.
Ennis let himself rub his cheek against Jack’s hair, inhaling his scent. “You too.” He let his hand slide down Jack’s arm to clutch at his hand, winding their fingers together. “Come on, we’ve got some serious talking to do. I’ll walk you home.”
They left the doorway and headed off across the parking lot, wrapped up in each other and thoughts of their future. Neither of them noticing the small orange packet that lay forgotten on the dusty floor.
-END-