Fic: Pocket Poetry (Bones, Wendell/Hodgins, PG)
Title: Pocket Poetry
Fandom: Bones
Pairing: Wendell/Hodgins
Rating: PG
Summary: Every couple has their first fight eventually.
A/N: Commentfic gone wild! Or, the answer to cinderlily's request for Wendell/Hodgins and awkwardness in the lab after a fight, which got too long to remain a commentfic. Because this conversation had to happen sometime, so I might as well get it over with.
He's still mad. Wendell can feel it, like, radiating off him from all the way across the room. Which is bullshit, because he's the one who should be mad. Jack's the one living in complete denial, but if he can't see that Wendell can't make him.
He knew going into this thing that he was probably going to get his heart broken. He's the first guy Jack's ever dated, sure, but he's not the first guy Jack's ever had feelings for. Before they ever went out Wendell could see that, because he'd seen the way Jack talked about Zack and the way Jack looked at him that one time Zack broke out of the hospital.
It's fucked up, is what it is, and he should just cut his losses and move on. It would be easy to do, because Jack hasn't said so much as 'good morning', and all Wendell has to do is let the silence stretch out until they forget they ever meant anything to each other. If he ever did mean anything to Jack, that is. He doesn't even know, and that's even more fucked up, because he knows exactly how Jack feels about Zack.
And Jack can think whatever he wants, but he's not jealous. He's not, and that's not why he left Jack's place last night and went back to the dorm room he hasn't seen in so long he's starting to forget where it is. What he is is pissed, and if Jack doesn't understand why, then he guesses he's been fooling himself this entire time.
Wendell rolls his neck in a vain attempt to ease the tension in his shoulders; he didn't sleep much on his thin university-issue mattress, not after almost a solid month of sleeping in Jack's expensive bed. What little sleep he did get left him with a sore neck and a headache he hasn't been able to shake all morning, and that's not fair either, because Jack probably slept like a baby.
Jack rounds the table to consult something on the monitor and Wendell steps back out of his path automatically, making himself as small as possible so they doesn't accidentally come into contact. And it's not that he cares whether Jack touches him, but he doesn't want Jack mistaking it for an attempt to declare a truce. Because he's not, and he's not going to take back what he said, either.
As soon as he moves Jack looks at him, mouth twisted into that exasperated expression Wendell's seen a million times. It's usually not directed at him, but he figures there's a first time for everything. "What?" he says before he can stop himself, regretting it the second Jack rolls his eyes.
"Really? Don't you think that's a little childish?"
"Me?" Wendell says, voice creeping up half an octave. "I'm not the one with a shrine to my ex-boyfriend in my attic."
For a second Jack closes his eyes, breathing deep and Wendell can tell he's trying not to lose his temper. And granted, this isn't the best place to rehash this conversation, but he's the one who brought it up. Finally he opens his eyes and looks at Wendell again, but if he was going for calm, he's still got a ways to go.
"First of all, Zack is not my ex-boyfriend. Second, it's an apartment, not an attic, and third, it is so completely not a shrine."
He can say it as many times as he wants, but Wendell's not an idiot. And it's not like he ever thought Jack's just been waiting around for Wendell to stumble into his life like some virgin in a tower, so he doesn't care if Jack had feelings for Zack. Well. He cares, but he could deal with it if Jack would just own up to it.
"Whatever. It's none of my business," Wendell says, turning his back on the table and Jack and the entire conversation. Which, okay, probably is a little childish, but he's not going to invest any more in a relationship that started out weird and just keeps getting weirder.
The worst part is that this is all his fault, because he's the one who asked what was up there. He'd laughed and made a joke about what Jack was hiding up there, but he hadn't expected it to be true. He sure as hell hadn't expected a fully furnished apartment with clothes still in the closet and books on the shelves, a million little signs of the life Zack had lived before he went crazy and teamed up with a serial killer.
It's creepy, if he thinks about it too hard, and that's all he's been doing since Jack showed him the place.
"You're being ridiculous." Jack lets out an exasperated breath, and Wendell's tempted to turn around and look at him. But he doesn't have to, because they've spent enough time together for Wendell to know exactly how he looks without having to see his expression. "So I haven't packed up his stuff and shipped it back to his family. It's not like I'm planning to move anybody else in there."
"Obviously."
When Jack doesn't answer he looks up, but as soon as he registers Jack's smile he wishes he hadn't. "You're jealous," Jack says, grinning like he just solved some big case and it's the first time Wendell's kind of wanted to hit him.
"I'm not jealous."
"Yes, you are," Jack says, and he sounds way too happy about it for some reason.
"I'm not," Wendell says again, and he's just glad they're not out in the middle of the lab where they'd have an audience made up of all their coworkers and Jack's ex-fiancée. "I'm just trying to figure out how this is going to work when you won't tell me the truth."
"I did tell you the truth," Jack insists, and the worst part is that he actually believes it. "You asked what was up there and I showed you. It wasn't like I was hiding some big secret."
"It's not about you keeping Zack's stuff," Wendell says, and even saying that name makes him cringe a little. "It's about the fact that you won't admit how you feel about him."
And okay, maybe he's a little jealous after all, because he pretty much hates Zack right now. He hates that Zack's still this big presence right in the middle of their lives, and he really hates that he's going to be the reason they break up. If it was Angela maybe he could handle it, because at least then Wendell could tell himself Jack's little experiment with dating guys just hadn't panned out. This, though...this is going to drive him crazy, because Jack is in love with a guy, only he's starting to think it's not him.
"You're crazy."
Wendell doesn't answer that; he just looks at Jack, holding his gaze even though he'd rather cut his losses and find someplace to be alone until he can pull himself together. But if they're going to call it off he wants to get it over with, and if pushing until Jack finally lets Wendell push him away is what it takes, at least he'll know.
He's starting to think they're just going to stand here and stare at each other all day when finally Jack sighs, shoulders falling and he's still looking at Wendell, but now he just looks a little sad. "I don't know what you want to hear. Zack's my best friend, of course I love him. Maybe there was more there, I don't know. I never thought about it until you asked me out. Then it didn't matter, because I fell in love with you."
It takes a second for the words to sink in, and when they finally do he doesn't know if he should believe them. He wants to, because he's been head over heels for Jack since practically day one. But trusting this means leaving himself open for an even bigger heartbreak when Jack decides that it really is Angela or maybe even Zack he wants, and Wendell has no idea how he's going to deal with that.
Then again, they have a good time together, and when they're not fighting about the skeletons in Jack's closet, they fit together really well. So it's possible that Jack really does love him, and maybe he's already made his choice.
"I love you too," Wendell says, and it's the first time he's said the words out loud, but he's been thinking them for so long that it's easy.
Jack smiles and ducks his head a little, and if they weren't at work Wendell would be kissing him until he couldn't breathe. But they're stuck here for a few more hours, and Dr. Brennan's going to show up any minute, so Wendell keeps his hands to himself and grins instead.
"So can we finish this conversation at my place later?"
"Yeah," Wendell answers, stops himself from saying 'please' or anything else embarrassing. And he's not sure how much actual talking they'll be doing, judging by the way Jack's looking at him, but he figures they've said most of the important stuff already.
He turns back to the bones they're supposed to be cataloging, reaching for a fresh sample at the same moment as Jack. Their hands brush together, and when he starts to pull back Jack's fingers curl around his and squeeze for a second before he lets go again. A second later his hand's gone, but Wendell can still feel the warmth where Jack's fingers were pressed against his skin. He smiles down at the bones in front of him, and he knows he probably looks like an idiot, but he has a feeling Jack doesn't mind.
~
Other comment fics so far: Nick/Greg, post 9x07, "Woulda Coulda Shoulda", for rabidfan. There's also Deadliest AU fic, but I know you don't care about that.
ETA: Also, the beginning of the CM College AU which I may or may not ever get around to writing.
Fandom: Bones
Pairing: Wendell/Hodgins
Rating: PG
Summary: Every couple has their first fight eventually.
A/N: Commentfic gone wild! Or, the answer to cinderlily's request for Wendell/Hodgins and awkwardness in the lab after a fight, which got too long to remain a commentfic. Because this conversation had to happen sometime, so I might as well get it over with.
He's still mad. Wendell can feel it, like, radiating off him from all the way across the room. Which is bullshit, because he's the one who should be mad. Jack's the one living in complete denial, but if he can't see that Wendell can't make him.
He knew going into this thing that he was probably going to get his heart broken. He's the first guy Jack's ever dated, sure, but he's not the first guy Jack's ever had feelings for. Before they ever went out Wendell could see that, because he'd seen the way Jack talked about Zack and the way Jack looked at him that one time Zack broke out of the hospital.
It's fucked up, is what it is, and he should just cut his losses and move on. It would be easy to do, because Jack hasn't said so much as 'good morning', and all Wendell has to do is let the silence stretch out until they forget they ever meant anything to each other. If he ever did mean anything to Jack, that is. He doesn't even know, and that's even more fucked up, because he knows exactly how Jack feels about Zack.
And Jack can think whatever he wants, but he's not jealous. He's not, and that's not why he left Jack's place last night and went back to the dorm room he hasn't seen in so long he's starting to forget where it is. What he is is pissed, and if Jack doesn't understand why, then he guesses he's been fooling himself this entire time.
Wendell rolls his neck in a vain attempt to ease the tension in his shoulders; he didn't sleep much on his thin university-issue mattress, not after almost a solid month of sleeping in Jack's expensive bed. What little sleep he did get left him with a sore neck and a headache he hasn't been able to shake all morning, and that's not fair either, because Jack probably slept like a baby.
Jack rounds the table to consult something on the monitor and Wendell steps back out of his path automatically, making himself as small as possible so they doesn't accidentally come into contact. And it's not that he cares whether Jack touches him, but he doesn't want Jack mistaking it for an attempt to declare a truce. Because he's not, and he's not going to take back what he said, either.
As soon as he moves Jack looks at him, mouth twisted into that exasperated expression Wendell's seen a million times. It's usually not directed at him, but he figures there's a first time for everything. "What?" he says before he can stop himself, regretting it the second Jack rolls his eyes.
"Really? Don't you think that's a little childish?"
"Me?" Wendell says, voice creeping up half an octave. "I'm not the one with a shrine to my ex-boyfriend in my attic."
For a second Jack closes his eyes, breathing deep and Wendell can tell he's trying not to lose his temper. And granted, this isn't the best place to rehash this conversation, but he's the one who brought it up. Finally he opens his eyes and looks at Wendell again, but if he was going for calm, he's still got a ways to go.
"First of all, Zack is not my ex-boyfriend. Second, it's an apartment, not an attic, and third, it is so completely not a shrine."
He can say it as many times as he wants, but Wendell's not an idiot. And it's not like he ever thought Jack's just been waiting around for Wendell to stumble into his life like some virgin in a tower, so he doesn't care if Jack had feelings for Zack. Well. He cares, but he could deal with it if Jack would just own up to it.
"Whatever. It's none of my business," Wendell says, turning his back on the table and Jack and the entire conversation. Which, okay, probably is a little childish, but he's not going to invest any more in a relationship that started out weird and just keeps getting weirder.
The worst part is that this is all his fault, because he's the one who asked what was up there. He'd laughed and made a joke about what Jack was hiding up there, but he hadn't expected it to be true. He sure as hell hadn't expected a fully furnished apartment with clothes still in the closet and books on the shelves, a million little signs of the life Zack had lived before he went crazy and teamed up with a serial killer.
It's creepy, if he thinks about it too hard, and that's all he's been doing since Jack showed him the place.
"You're being ridiculous." Jack lets out an exasperated breath, and Wendell's tempted to turn around and look at him. But he doesn't have to, because they've spent enough time together for Wendell to know exactly how he looks without having to see his expression. "So I haven't packed up his stuff and shipped it back to his family. It's not like I'm planning to move anybody else in there."
"Obviously."
When Jack doesn't answer he looks up, but as soon as he registers Jack's smile he wishes he hadn't. "You're jealous," Jack says, grinning like he just solved some big case and it's the first time Wendell's kind of wanted to hit him.
"I'm not jealous."
"Yes, you are," Jack says, and he sounds way too happy about it for some reason.
"I'm not," Wendell says again, and he's just glad they're not out in the middle of the lab where they'd have an audience made up of all their coworkers and Jack's ex-fiancée. "I'm just trying to figure out how this is going to work when you won't tell me the truth."
"I did tell you the truth," Jack insists, and the worst part is that he actually believes it. "You asked what was up there and I showed you. It wasn't like I was hiding some big secret."
"It's not about you keeping Zack's stuff," Wendell says, and even saying that name makes him cringe a little. "It's about the fact that you won't admit how you feel about him."
And okay, maybe he's a little jealous after all, because he pretty much hates Zack right now. He hates that Zack's still this big presence right in the middle of their lives, and he really hates that he's going to be the reason they break up. If it was Angela maybe he could handle it, because at least then Wendell could tell himself Jack's little experiment with dating guys just hadn't panned out. This, though...this is going to drive him crazy, because Jack is in love with a guy, only he's starting to think it's not him.
"You're crazy."
Wendell doesn't answer that; he just looks at Jack, holding his gaze even though he'd rather cut his losses and find someplace to be alone until he can pull himself together. But if they're going to call it off he wants to get it over with, and if pushing until Jack finally lets Wendell push him away is what it takes, at least he'll know.
He's starting to think they're just going to stand here and stare at each other all day when finally Jack sighs, shoulders falling and he's still looking at Wendell, but now he just looks a little sad. "I don't know what you want to hear. Zack's my best friend, of course I love him. Maybe there was more there, I don't know. I never thought about it until you asked me out. Then it didn't matter, because I fell in love with you."
It takes a second for the words to sink in, and when they finally do he doesn't know if he should believe them. He wants to, because he's been head over heels for Jack since practically day one. But trusting this means leaving himself open for an even bigger heartbreak when Jack decides that it really is Angela or maybe even Zack he wants, and Wendell has no idea how he's going to deal with that.
Then again, they have a good time together, and when they're not fighting about the skeletons in Jack's closet, they fit together really well. So it's possible that Jack really does love him, and maybe he's already made his choice.
"I love you too," Wendell says, and it's the first time he's said the words out loud, but he's been thinking them for so long that it's easy.
Jack smiles and ducks his head a little, and if they weren't at work Wendell would be kissing him until he couldn't breathe. But they're stuck here for a few more hours, and Dr. Brennan's going to show up any minute, so Wendell keeps his hands to himself and grins instead.
"So can we finish this conversation at my place later?"
"Yeah," Wendell answers, stops himself from saying 'please' or anything else embarrassing. And he's not sure how much actual talking they'll be doing, judging by the way Jack's looking at him, but he figures they've said most of the important stuff already.
He turns back to the bones they're supposed to be cataloging, reaching for a fresh sample at the same moment as Jack. Their hands brush together, and when he starts to pull back Jack's fingers curl around his and squeeze for a second before he lets go again. A second later his hand's gone, but Wendell can still feel the warmth where Jack's fingers were pressed against his skin. He smiles down at the bones in front of him, and he knows he probably looks like an idiot, but he has a feeling Jack doesn't mind.
~
Other comment fics so far: Nick/Greg, post 9x07, "Woulda Coulda Shoulda", for rabidfan. There's also Deadliest AU fic, but I know you don't care about that.
ETA: Also, the beginning of the CM College AU which I may or may not ever get around to writing.