Fate Meets Destiny: Chapter Eighteen
Title: Fate Meets Destiny
Author: bbmgirlfan
Pairing: Ennis/Jack (AU/AU)
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: just playing with the boys, they don't belong to me
Summary: Jack and Ennis grew up together and even went to the same college before moving back home to take over each family's business. They became roommates but that's all they were! Or, is it?
Chapter Eighteen
The next night, Ennis came home at the regular time, and sat across from him in the light blue easy chair. There was a moment of silence as each considered what he wanted to say.
"I know I've been kind of pushing you." Jack admitted.
Ennis grinned. "Nothing wrong with two people being attracted to each other." he said. He rolled his eyes. "And apparently, we even love each other!" Though he meant to say that with sarcasm, Ennis's voice faded to a whisper at the end there and he looked away.
"Anyway," he continued after a moment, "the problem is not how we feel about each other." He met Jack's eyes and flinched a little at the love he saw there. "The problem," he said softly, looking once again at his hands, "is that I don't want to be gay! ... Not even for you."
"So I don't know what to do about this!" Ennis said, gesturing between them.
"What would you want to do, if you could do whatever you wanted?" Jack asked.
"I'd say goodbye to my parents, find us an uninhabited island, build us a house and we'd fuck, kiss and hold each other all day long!"
"Won't take me long to pack!" Jack replied. Ennis smiled at him and they were silent again for a moment.
"I don't know what to say, Ennis."
"Will you stop torturing me?"
Jack sighed. "Okay. ... For a while, anyway."
Ennis laughed. "I'll take that!" ...
There was a bit of an awkward silence after that. Neither one really knew how to get them out of The Talk and into just hanging out.
Finally Jack thought of something that might work. "Let's go get something to eat!"
~~~~~~~~
A month of "friendship" went by. With movie nights and pizza nights, sweet hugs that lingered a little and the occasional kiss on the cheek, tension and heat and electricity shimmering in the air between them like bright rainbow colors.
The beach quieted down and it got colder at night. Movie nights began to include apple cider and a fire blazing in the fireplace. Pumpkins began to appear everywhere, including Jack's and Ennis's front steps.
And the Sweet Orange Coffeehouse began to make plans for their annual Halloween party.
Jack spent a Saturday afternoon "supervising" while the coffeehouse staff decorated and teased him about sitting around drinking cinnamon apple tea. He had stayed late the previous night at his own store to decorate for the season.
After the decorating party was over, Jack spent the rest of the afternoon shopping. He had decided to wear a cowboy costume to the party and went looking for black boots and a black hat. Later that night, he showed Ennis his costume but Ennis refused to show him his.
"You'll just have to figure it out when you get to the party!" he told him.
Another week of mystery dragged by and then, finally, Jack was dressed and ready for the coffeehouse party. He couldn't wait to find out what the costume was and he walked as quickly as he could toward the coffeehouse.
When he got there, he was told that Ennis had left to go to another party, but had said he'd be back in a couple of hours. "You should have seen his Joker costume!" Joey told him. "People could hardly tell it was him--even our regulars. In fact, they made him promise to come back so they could take pictures."
Jack was feeling really disappointed. Ennis hadn't told him he was going to leave the party!
But then Joey told him something that made him lightheaded. "Several people have come in since he left and we can't tell who they are. So we're kind of keeping an eye on them. There's a gorilla, a clown and a kissing bandit."
Jack knew immediately that Ennis must have come back as the kissing bandit and felt his heart race. He had a feeling Joey knew, too, but if he did, he wasn't saying.
The lights were dim but Jack had been able to spot the gorilla and the clown. And several other interesting costumes. The place was packed! But he didn't see anyone who looked like a kissing bandit.
"The kissing bandit's been coming in and out. After he kisses someone, he dashes out again. And so far, he's been an equal opportunity kisser." Joey explained and grinned.
Again, Jack felt a little dizzy and prepared himself to wait for the kissing bandit to appear. He grabbed a glass of wine and began to mingle, munching on cheese and crackers as he moved from group to group.
About half an hour later, Jack was yelling a little to be heard over the sounds of laughter, music and other people, talking to a group of musicians who sometimes played at the coffeehouse, when he heard a gasp. Followed by a bit of a hush. He stopped himself in the middle of a sentence and began to look around.
There he was, the kissing bandit. Jack knew, he just knew that that was Ennis, although all he could see was his eyes as he came into the room. Everything else was completely covered by the costume. Their eyes met and then, the kissing bandit headed elsewhere, grabbing one of the waitresses and bending her back for a quick kiss and then, grabbing a guitarist Jack had listened to there one night.
Jack hadn't thought that the guy was gay but as the kissing bandit put a gloved hand along the side of his face, he leaned into the kiss.
That happened a few more times. A dash in, a kiss here, a kiss there and then a quick exit. And then suddenly it was Jack's turn. Jack had been so engrossed in conversation with one of the other people at the party--a girl named Wendy dressed as a French maid--that he missed the sudden quiet. But he felt a presence behind him and stood up as he felt the gloved touch on his back.
Again, their eyes met briefly and Jack saw the smile crinkle Ennis's eyes as he stepped forward, still hidden from everyone else behind the kissing bandit costume. Jack opened his arms and the kissing bandit stepped in, raising his hands to bracket Jack's face as the most passionate kiss of the evening began.
It had been so long! To Jack, this kiss felt like the world had righted itself. His head was spinning and he held him tight, not wanting to let go. As if from a distance, a few comments drifted their way...
"I guess they know each other!"
"I'd say so!"
"You think this means the kissing bandit is gay?"
"Well, he's not straight!"
Someone laughed in response just as the kiss was finally coming to an end. "I love you!" Jack whispered before they were fully apart. The kissing bandit startled at that but didn't respond and was quickly out the door.
Jack looked over to where Joey was standing behind the bar and smiled when Joey winked at him. He decided to head over there and ask for a beer.
"Do you think the kissing bandit will come back?" he asked as he leaned on the counter.
After looking around to make sure no one would hear, Joey answered, "No, but I bet we'll see the Joker!"
But Ennis didn't come back.
Eventually, Jack gave up and decided to head home, walking back with a bright, full moon for company. It had been stuffy and warm in the coffeehouse, but once he got outside, it was cold enough for his black leather jacket.
Once he got home, Jack decided to take a quick shower and then, get into bed. He was just beginning to drift off to sleep when he heard the front door open. He stayed awake but barely as he heard Ennis's shower and then, a short time later, footsteps headed toward him. He turned over as the covers were lifted and Ennis got into bed.
"Hi."
"Hi."
"Did you like the kissing bandit?"
Jack raised his hand to Ennis's face. "I love the kissing bandit!"
"He loves you, too!" Ennis responded and covered Jack's hand with his own.
"Can I sleep here tonight?"
"Of course!" Jack wondered what had changed, if anything, but figured there'd be plenty of time for talking in the morning. And he knew he'd never turn down a chance to hold Ennis in his arms.
He leaned in and kissed Ennis soflty on the lips. They went to sleep facing each other, lying on their sides in each other's arms.
TBC