AU Fic: Led to the Edge
or maybe not so AU?
Led To The Edge
written for au_bingo, prompt: Alt. History: Canon historical event changed
fandom: the secret circle; pairing: jake armstrong/ adam conant; rating: R; approximately 2,900 words
Disclaimer: This is only fiction and created for non-profitable purpose. Author does not claim ownership or copyright of 'The Secret Circle' and its characters. None of the contents here are related to the TV series or the book.
A/N: I think an explanation is in order.
1) These are the canon historical event(s) changed in this story:
- Nick Armstrong didn't die and was never possessed by a demon
- The parents of the circle's members didn't die in a fire and are still alive
- Jake Armstrong never left Chance Harbor
2) Since Catherine Conant is still alive, I figured Adam and his father would be living in a real house rather than the yacht/ boat/ whatever.
3) Aaaaand… since Sara and Richard Armstrong are still alive, I am guessing Nick and Jake didn't grow up being bitter and misguided.
The title of this story comes from the lyrics of the song, 'Avalanche' by David Cook. The plot is inspired by this video.
My AU Bingo card
Last night was a mistake. It shouldn't have happened if Adam only used his head. There was a thing called cell phones. He should've just called ahead or should've sent Nick a text message to tell him Adam was dropping by his place. Then Adam would've known Nick wasn't around. Then he wouldn't have gone to the Armstrong's in the first place. But he did now, didn't he? And Jake was there.
Things would be different between him and Jake from now on. Hell, his life would be different. He wanted to talk to someone, help him untangle all the confusing thoughts that were swirling in his head. Maybe Diana would understand.
Adam was about to reach for his phone on the nightstand when he heard a light knock on his door, followed by his mom's voice. "Adam? You awake?"
"Yeah, mom."
The door opened and Catherine Conant's head appeared through the gap. "I thought you're supposed to help your father at The Boat House this morning?"
Adam wasn't sure he would be able to face anyone today, especially Jake, not when he felt like crap. "Not today, mom. I uh… I'm not feeling well. " He belatedly regretted lying when he saw worry lines appear on his mom's face.
"What's wrong, sweetie?" Catherine glided over to Adam then touched Adam's forehead with the back of her hand. "You have a fever or something?"
"No. No. My throat just hurts. Probably comin' down with something."
"Well all right. I'll tell you father you need rest." Catherine planted a soft kiss on Adam's forehead. "At least come down for breakfast."
"Okay. Thanks mom."
His phone rang on cue the moment his mom left the room. A smile curved on Adam's lips when he saw Diana's name flashing on the screen. She must've sensed Adam's need to talk to her.
"Hey," was the first thing Adam said. "I was about to call you."
"Really?" came Diana's high-pitched voice. "Well I called to ask if you wanted to car pool. I can drop by your place and we can drive to The Boat House together."
"Not today, Diana. I'm not going to The Boat House."
"Is there something wrong?"
"Could you still come over? I really need someone to talk to right now."
"Sure. Be there in fifteen."
*
"You and Jake did what?" There wasn't any sign of disgust or anything in Diana's expression, only incredulity and maybe a hint of amusement.
Adam felt his cheeks burn from embarrassment. He wasn't entirely ashamed of what happened because Diana knew his secret, told her about it last year when he started having these feelings whenever he was around Jake. He was more ashamed of the idea that all this made him look… easy.
"I didn't know you had it in you," Diana said and Adam could tell she was trying to hold back a laugh or maybe a giggle.
"Are you making fun of me?"
Diana shook his head. "No. Never." Then she burst into guffaws.
Adam couldn't help but join her. It made him feel better, at least. "God, Diana. I don't know what to do." He dropped his head on the dining table with a force causing the cups and plates to skip and rattle.
"Are you and Jake going to talk about it?"
Would they? "I dunno."
"Well you can't hide from Jake forever, you know."
Adam lifted his head. Diana wasn't smiling anymore. Her eyes were clouded with concern.
The sound of the doorbell bouncing off the walls broke the silence that threatened to grow thick between them. "Excuse me." Adam practically dragged himself to the foyer, wincing because he still felt sore. His heart dropped the moment he pulled the door open. "Jake."
"Hey," Jake said casually, lips arched in a smile that sent frissons up Adam's arms. "Your mom said you weren't feeling well."
Adam's insides clenched. "Yeah. Aren't you supposed to be at The Boat House working?"
"Your mom sent me to check on you, keep you company for a while." Jake's eyes swept from Adam's foot up to his head and the assertive gesture made Adam feel like melting.
"I do have company. Diana's here," Adam said, hoping he sounded casual and unaffected.
"Actually," Diana spoke from behind Adam and she wore this shit eating grin when Adam looked over his shoulder. He threw her a don't-you-dare-leave-me-alone-with-him glare but she ignored him. "I need to go. I promised Faye I'd go with her to her grandfather's lake house. So…" her gaze shifted between Adam and Jake, "I think it's a good idea if Jake stays. I'll try to stop by again later."
Diana was out the door and hopping into her car before Adam can even say, "Diana, wait!"
"So are you really sick or are you just avoiding me?" Jake pushed his way past Adam, his hands in the pockets of his jacket.
Adam followed him to the living room where Jake dropped on the couch listlessly then placed his feet on the coffee table. "Why are you here, Jake?"
"You know why I'm here." The resoluteness etched on Jake's face was a telltale sign that it would be futile for Adam to try and fight this seemingly losing battle. "We should talk."
*
It had been a week since the 'talk' but Jake and Adam were in no different place. The awkwardness vibrated around them every time they were in the same place. Jake seemed to give him the space he wanted and Adam was glad for that.
"Can I at least take you out for lunch or dinner?" Jake had asked too many times that Adam had lost count and Adam was running out of reasons to turn Jake down.
"Can't. I have to help mom bake some pies for the fund-raising picnic," was Adam's excuse when Jake called that morning.
"Maybe we can go to that event together."
"You mean like a date?" The thought itself made Adam's heart race and he didn't know why.
"Yeah. You could look at it that way. Or if you're still uncomfortable with the idea, we can go as friends."
Friends. Yeah right. After what happened, Adam doubted he'd still be able to think of Jake as a friend. "Fine. I'll be there at three. I need to help mom set up."
"That's cool. I have to help mom with the registration, anyway."
"I guess I'll see you there."
*
Catherine kept Adam busy during the picnic. Adam was glad he was given the much-needed distraction but that wasn't enough to keep Jake away. Jake would come up to him every so often, asking if Adam needed help. The tension that thrummed between them might have been palpable - obvious enough that Cassie actually asked Adam what was wrong.
Adam figured Diana hadn't told anyone and for that, Adam was grateful. Unfortunately for him, Cassie was persistent. She wouldn't take a lame 'nothing' for a response so she kept asking and asking until Adam finally got fed up and dragged her near the pond.
"Spill," Cassie said, her arms crossed, one eyebrow raised in stubborn determination.
It was easier telling Diana but telling Cassie felt like he was about to confess to a capitol offense. "I uh…" Adam rubbed at the back of his neck, deliberating whether he should make up a lie. But then, Cassie would probably know he was lying. She had this inviolable instinct that unnerved Adam most of the time. "Something happened between me and Jake."
The pursed lips and the flat expression Cassie wore was enough for Adam to know it wasn't enough. Cassie wanted to hear more, probably wanted details.
Adam pushed out a frustrated breath, threw his arms out and said, "Fine. Jake and I slept together."
Cassie remained still and impassive for a few seconds then she started laughing, her shoulders shaking. Adam just stared at her, waiting for her to calm down and when she did, she said, "Seriously?" in a half skeptical and half amused pitch. "Well, it's about time. Now Faye owes me ten dollars."
Adam's eyes grew wide and he blurted, "You were betting on us?" feeling utterly scandalized. He couldn't believe his friends would have the impertinence to do something rude - well, rude in his opinion. "And you're not even surprised that I did it with a guy."
"Why would I?" Cassie says, head tilted to the side. "Oh please, we've known all along." She curled her arm around Adam and led him back to the picnic area. "As if we didn't grow up together. Remember in middle school when you told me and Diana that you think Luke was cute?"
"I didn't say Luke was cute. You did. I just…" Adam tried to recall that incident. Maybe he did say something along those lines, but he wasn't about to admit that. "I just agreed with you, is all."
"Right." It sounded more like 'you're a big liar.' "So… are you two officially dating?"
"What? No." Probably not in this lifetime, Adam thought.
"Oh, come on. You should go out with him."
Adam followed Cassie's gaze and saw Jake playing with the local kids. He felt a twinge in his heart when Jake met his eyes and gave them a jovial wave. It was Cassie who mirrored the gesture, lifting her arms in response. "Jake's been miserable all week," she said. "Nick somehow knows that it has something to do with you."
"Nick knows?" Could Adam be any more obtuse? What else did his friends know that he wasn't aware of?
Cassie caught her lower lip between her teeth and she peered up at Adam through her mascara-filled eyelashes. "I think everyone knows how you and Jake feel about each other but you. I'm pretty sure your mom knows, too, because I heard her talking to my mom about it."
Paranoia gripped his conscious thoughts and Adam wondered if the whole town had been watching him like a specimen under a microscope. His eyes skipped to where Amelia, Catherine, Elizabeth and Sara were huddled. He wondered if their mothers were talking about him and Jake at that moment.
"So… are you going to go out with Jake?" Cassie asked in her singsong voice.
"I don't know."
*
Adam had his head buried in a heap of homework when he heard the light tap on his window. He lifted his head on impulse but saw nothing so he dropped his gaze back to his Algebra text book.
There was another tap and another and when Adam realized that someone was throwing something at his window, he was inclined to take a peek. Jake was on the ground with his arm pulled back behind him like he was about to hurl another object that was caught between his fingers.
"What the hell," Adam spat the moment he lifted the window open.
"Can you come down?" The innocence that framed Jake's face as if he wasn't doing anything weird just seconds ago annoyed Adam.
"There's a front door, you know. And it's not like Mom and Dad are gonna bite your head off."
"Can you come down?" Jake repeated, completely ignoring Adam's snide remark.
"It's late, Jake."
"It's only seven."
"I have to study for a test."
"You have two days more to do that."
"How did you-"
"Nick's in almost all your classes, remember?"
Feeling defeated, Adam sighed. "Fine. I'll be down there in a minute."
It didn't really take a minute. Somehow, Adam found himself skipping downstairs in a matter of fifteen seconds and he was halfway out the door when he yelled, "I'm just going out for a while. Be back soon."
"Wait," his mom called after him. "Where are you going?"
"I'm just going to talk to Jake. It won't be long."
A smile spread across Catherine's lips. "Okay. Make sure you're back before nine. Besides, you have school tomorrow."
Nine? Adam doubted he needed two hours with Jake. He could barely survive being alone with the man for thirty minutes.
*
The first thing Adam saw was the red and white checkered blanket spread in the middle of their front yard. There was a basket on top and a large white candle sitting on a crystal holder.
Adam was torn between wanting to be embarrassed and feeling a bit awed.
"Since you refuse to go out to dinner with me, I thought I'd bring it to you instead," Jake said, face a little too close that Adam could feel Jake's breath against the back of his ear.
It was hard to resist the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth. "This is…" Adam was at a loss for words. "You shouldn't have."
"I want to." Jake pressed his palm against the small of Adam's back, gently leading Adam toward the spot. "I wasn't sure what you like so I brought pasta and salad. I also brought dessert."
Adam just shook his head, unable to believe this. He lowered himself on the blanket across Jake who was busy taking out the plastic containers from the basket. There was a gnawing feeling that his mom and dad were watching through the front window. Now that he had thought about it, his mom didn't say anything about having dinner on his way out.
"So I'm thinking maybe we can do this every week," Jake said as he stabbed on the leafy greens on his plate.
"I think every week is too much. Maybe every other weekend." Adam belatedly realized he had just agreed on a regular date but it was too late to take it back because Jake's face nearly split when he smiled and Adam was too distracted to think.
"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" The spark of enthusiasm in Jake's eyes made Adam's heart stutter.
"Well, you obviously won't take no for an answer," Adam said, teasing. He could feel the heat rise in his cheeks. When Jake's hand slipped into his own, Adam didn't pull away. Instead, he twined his fingers with Jake's, gave Jake's hand a gentle squeeze and said, "Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, Chance Harbor is a small town and people will talk and-"
The pressure of Jake's lips against Adam's pushed the words back down Adam's throat. "I don't care whatever it is people will say or think. I just want this." He dived in for another kiss, this time it was longer, more passionate, like Jake was trying to breath all his emotions into Adam's mouth.
*
"So Dad said he thinks I should be part of the circle," Jake said while on their third date - second one away from Adam's house. They were at this new pizza place in town and surprisingly, they weren't getting the weird stares that Adam expected.
"I can't believe they're letting us bind it in the first place." Adam remembered the day his mom and dad sat with him in the Conant living room and told him about their nature. Initially, Adam was appalled. He was ten. How was he supposed to react in finding out that his parents were witches and he was, apparently, one too? When his own magic started to develop though, he realized it was inevitable and was glad he had his parents' guidance.
"Nuh uh. Not us. I won't be part of it. Nick will." Jake took a sip of his iced tea. "Besides, you guys are of the same age. Almost."
"So just because you're older, you think we're not worthy to be around you?" Adam asked in jest.
"'Course not. I just think that as boyfriends, we would probably be too distracted that it might not be healthy for the circle," Jake said with a shrug.
Adam was still caught up with the 'boyfriends' element so his reaction was "we're what?"
"Boyfriends. And don't say otherwise." The resoluteness in Jake's tone was enough for Adam to bite his tongue and not utter any protest. Adam didn't even bother to point out that Nick and Melissa were dating and they were both going to be part of the circle.
*
Four weeks of dating and they were back to where they started. In Jake's room. Naked.
Jake's breath ghosted over Adam's skin, his tongue gliding down Adam's chest, causing shivers to course through Adam's body. Adam pleaded - begged, actually - for Jake to stop teasing, damn it.
"Jake." The name fell from Adam's mouth like a sacred spell and when Jake's mouth closed in on Adam's erection, lewd sounds escaped through Adam's parted lips. Adam breathed, "Oh god," his fingers tangling through Jake's blonde locks.
The feeling of Jake's tongue tracing the veins along his shaft was driving Adam to the edge. "Jake, please," he said in a strangled voice and Jake made his way up Adam's body, devouring Adam's mouth like he had been hungry for it.
"I want you in me," Adam begged between kisses and Jake finally, finally acceded, slipping one finger, then two, then three before sliding into Adam. Jake was soon thrusting into him in steady rhythm.
After they came, Adam expected for Jake to pull back and lie still with his arms beneath his head like he did the last time. But Jake spooned behind Adam instead, arms wrapped loosely around Adam's waist.
Adam thought, maybe this was it. Maybe he and Jake were meant to be together.
~fin~
Led To The Edge
written for au_bingo, prompt: Alt. History: Canon historical event changed
fandom: the secret circle; pairing: jake armstrong/ adam conant; rating: R; approximately 2,900 words
Disclaimer: This is only fiction and created for non-profitable purpose. Author does not claim ownership or copyright of 'The Secret Circle' and its characters. None of the contents here are related to the TV series or the book.
A/N: I think an explanation is in order.
1) These are the canon historical event(s) changed in this story:
- Nick Armstrong didn't die and was never possessed by a demon
- The parents of the circle's members didn't die in a fire and are still alive
- Jake Armstrong never left Chance Harbor
2) Since Catherine Conant is still alive, I figured Adam and his father would be living in a real house rather than the yacht/ boat/ whatever.
3) Aaaaand… since Sara and Richard Armstrong are still alive, I am guessing Nick and Jake didn't grow up being bitter and misguided.
The title of this story comes from the lyrics of the song, 'Avalanche' by David Cook. The plot is inspired by this video.
My AU Bingo card
Last night was a mistake. It shouldn't have happened if Adam only used his head. There was a thing called cell phones. He should've just called ahead or should've sent Nick a text message to tell him Adam was dropping by his place. Then Adam would've known Nick wasn't around. Then he wouldn't have gone to the Armstrong's in the first place. But he did now, didn't he? And Jake was there.
Things would be different between him and Jake from now on. Hell, his life would be different. He wanted to talk to someone, help him untangle all the confusing thoughts that were swirling in his head. Maybe Diana would understand.
Adam was about to reach for his phone on the nightstand when he heard a light knock on his door, followed by his mom's voice. "Adam? You awake?"
"Yeah, mom."
The door opened and Catherine Conant's head appeared through the gap. "I thought you're supposed to help your father at The Boat House this morning?"
Adam wasn't sure he would be able to face anyone today, especially Jake, not when he felt like crap. "Not today, mom. I uh… I'm not feeling well. " He belatedly regretted lying when he saw worry lines appear on his mom's face.
"What's wrong, sweetie?" Catherine glided over to Adam then touched Adam's forehead with the back of her hand. "You have a fever or something?"
"No. No. My throat just hurts. Probably comin' down with something."
"Well all right. I'll tell you father you need rest." Catherine planted a soft kiss on Adam's forehead. "At least come down for breakfast."
"Okay. Thanks mom."
His phone rang on cue the moment his mom left the room. A smile curved on Adam's lips when he saw Diana's name flashing on the screen. She must've sensed Adam's need to talk to her.
"Hey," was the first thing Adam said. "I was about to call you."
"Really?" came Diana's high-pitched voice. "Well I called to ask if you wanted to car pool. I can drop by your place and we can drive to The Boat House together."
"Not today, Diana. I'm not going to The Boat House."
"Is there something wrong?"
"Could you still come over? I really need someone to talk to right now."
"Sure. Be there in fifteen."
*
"You and Jake did what?" There wasn't any sign of disgust or anything in Diana's expression, only incredulity and maybe a hint of amusement.
Adam felt his cheeks burn from embarrassment. He wasn't entirely ashamed of what happened because Diana knew his secret, told her about it last year when he started having these feelings whenever he was around Jake. He was more ashamed of the idea that all this made him look… easy.
"I didn't know you had it in you," Diana said and Adam could tell she was trying to hold back a laugh or maybe a giggle.
"Are you making fun of me?"
Diana shook his head. "No. Never." Then she burst into guffaws.
Adam couldn't help but join her. It made him feel better, at least. "God, Diana. I don't know what to do." He dropped his head on the dining table with a force causing the cups and plates to skip and rattle.
"Are you and Jake going to talk about it?"
Would they? "I dunno."
"Well you can't hide from Jake forever, you know."
Adam lifted his head. Diana wasn't smiling anymore. Her eyes were clouded with concern.
The sound of the doorbell bouncing off the walls broke the silence that threatened to grow thick between them. "Excuse me." Adam practically dragged himself to the foyer, wincing because he still felt sore. His heart dropped the moment he pulled the door open. "Jake."
"Hey," Jake said casually, lips arched in a smile that sent frissons up Adam's arms. "Your mom said you weren't feeling well."
Adam's insides clenched. "Yeah. Aren't you supposed to be at The Boat House working?"
"Your mom sent me to check on you, keep you company for a while." Jake's eyes swept from Adam's foot up to his head and the assertive gesture made Adam feel like melting.
"I do have company. Diana's here," Adam said, hoping he sounded casual and unaffected.
"Actually," Diana spoke from behind Adam and she wore this shit eating grin when Adam looked over his shoulder. He threw her a don't-you-dare-leave-me-alone-with-him glare but she ignored him. "I need to go. I promised Faye I'd go with her to her grandfather's lake house. So…" her gaze shifted between Adam and Jake, "I think it's a good idea if Jake stays. I'll try to stop by again later."
Diana was out the door and hopping into her car before Adam can even say, "Diana, wait!"
"So are you really sick or are you just avoiding me?" Jake pushed his way past Adam, his hands in the pockets of his jacket.
Adam followed him to the living room where Jake dropped on the couch listlessly then placed his feet on the coffee table. "Why are you here, Jake?"
"You know why I'm here." The resoluteness etched on Jake's face was a telltale sign that it would be futile for Adam to try and fight this seemingly losing battle. "We should talk."
*
It had been a week since the 'talk' but Jake and Adam were in no different place. The awkwardness vibrated around them every time they were in the same place. Jake seemed to give him the space he wanted and Adam was glad for that.
"Can I at least take you out for lunch or dinner?" Jake had asked too many times that Adam had lost count and Adam was running out of reasons to turn Jake down.
"Can't. I have to help mom bake some pies for the fund-raising picnic," was Adam's excuse when Jake called that morning.
"Maybe we can go to that event together."
"You mean like a date?" The thought itself made Adam's heart race and he didn't know why.
"Yeah. You could look at it that way. Or if you're still uncomfortable with the idea, we can go as friends."
Friends. Yeah right. After what happened, Adam doubted he'd still be able to think of Jake as a friend. "Fine. I'll be there at three. I need to help mom set up."
"That's cool. I have to help mom with the registration, anyway."
"I guess I'll see you there."
*
Catherine kept Adam busy during the picnic. Adam was glad he was given the much-needed distraction but that wasn't enough to keep Jake away. Jake would come up to him every so often, asking if Adam needed help. The tension that thrummed between them might have been palpable - obvious enough that Cassie actually asked Adam what was wrong.
Adam figured Diana hadn't told anyone and for that, Adam was grateful. Unfortunately for him, Cassie was persistent. She wouldn't take a lame 'nothing' for a response so she kept asking and asking until Adam finally got fed up and dragged her near the pond.
"Spill," Cassie said, her arms crossed, one eyebrow raised in stubborn determination.
It was easier telling Diana but telling Cassie felt like he was about to confess to a capitol offense. "I uh…" Adam rubbed at the back of his neck, deliberating whether he should make up a lie. But then, Cassie would probably know he was lying. She had this inviolable instinct that unnerved Adam most of the time. "Something happened between me and Jake."
The pursed lips and the flat expression Cassie wore was enough for Adam to know it wasn't enough. Cassie wanted to hear more, probably wanted details.
Adam pushed out a frustrated breath, threw his arms out and said, "Fine. Jake and I slept together."
Cassie remained still and impassive for a few seconds then she started laughing, her shoulders shaking. Adam just stared at her, waiting for her to calm down and when she did, she said, "Seriously?" in a half skeptical and half amused pitch. "Well, it's about time. Now Faye owes me ten dollars."
Adam's eyes grew wide and he blurted, "You were betting on us?" feeling utterly scandalized. He couldn't believe his friends would have the impertinence to do something rude - well, rude in his opinion. "And you're not even surprised that I did it with a guy."
"Why would I?" Cassie says, head tilted to the side. "Oh please, we've known all along." She curled her arm around Adam and led him back to the picnic area. "As if we didn't grow up together. Remember in middle school when you told me and Diana that you think Luke was cute?"
"I didn't say Luke was cute. You did. I just…" Adam tried to recall that incident. Maybe he did say something along those lines, but he wasn't about to admit that. "I just agreed with you, is all."
"Right." It sounded more like 'you're a big liar.' "So… are you two officially dating?"
"What? No." Probably not in this lifetime, Adam thought.
"Oh, come on. You should go out with him."
Adam followed Cassie's gaze and saw Jake playing with the local kids. He felt a twinge in his heart when Jake met his eyes and gave them a jovial wave. It was Cassie who mirrored the gesture, lifting her arms in response. "Jake's been miserable all week," she said. "Nick somehow knows that it has something to do with you."
"Nick knows?" Could Adam be any more obtuse? What else did his friends know that he wasn't aware of?
Cassie caught her lower lip between her teeth and she peered up at Adam through her mascara-filled eyelashes. "I think everyone knows how you and Jake feel about each other but you. I'm pretty sure your mom knows, too, because I heard her talking to my mom about it."
Paranoia gripped his conscious thoughts and Adam wondered if the whole town had been watching him like a specimen under a microscope. His eyes skipped to where Amelia, Catherine, Elizabeth and Sara were huddled. He wondered if their mothers were talking about him and Jake at that moment.
"So… are you going to go out with Jake?" Cassie asked in her singsong voice.
"I don't know."
*
Adam had his head buried in a heap of homework when he heard the light tap on his window. He lifted his head on impulse but saw nothing so he dropped his gaze back to his Algebra text book.
There was another tap and another and when Adam realized that someone was throwing something at his window, he was inclined to take a peek. Jake was on the ground with his arm pulled back behind him like he was about to hurl another object that was caught between his fingers.
"What the hell," Adam spat the moment he lifted the window open.
"Can you come down?" The innocence that framed Jake's face as if he wasn't doing anything weird just seconds ago annoyed Adam.
"There's a front door, you know. And it's not like Mom and Dad are gonna bite your head off."
"Can you come down?" Jake repeated, completely ignoring Adam's snide remark.
"It's late, Jake."
"It's only seven."
"I have to study for a test."
"You have two days more to do that."
"How did you-"
"Nick's in almost all your classes, remember?"
Feeling defeated, Adam sighed. "Fine. I'll be down there in a minute."
It didn't really take a minute. Somehow, Adam found himself skipping downstairs in a matter of fifteen seconds and he was halfway out the door when he yelled, "I'm just going out for a while. Be back soon."
"Wait," his mom called after him. "Where are you going?"
"I'm just going to talk to Jake. It won't be long."
A smile spread across Catherine's lips. "Okay. Make sure you're back before nine. Besides, you have school tomorrow."
Nine? Adam doubted he needed two hours with Jake. He could barely survive being alone with the man for thirty minutes.
*
The first thing Adam saw was the red and white checkered blanket spread in the middle of their front yard. There was a basket on top and a large white candle sitting on a crystal holder.
Adam was torn between wanting to be embarrassed and feeling a bit awed.
"Since you refuse to go out to dinner with me, I thought I'd bring it to you instead," Jake said, face a little too close that Adam could feel Jake's breath against the back of his ear.
It was hard to resist the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth. "This is…" Adam was at a loss for words. "You shouldn't have."
"I want to." Jake pressed his palm against the small of Adam's back, gently leading Adam toward the spot. "I wasn't sure what you like so I brought pasta and salad. I also brought dessert."
Adam just shook his head, unable to believe this. He lowered himself on the blanket across Jake who was busy taking out the plastic containers from the basket. There was a gnawing feeling that his mom and dad were watching through the front window. Now that he had thought about it, his mom didn't say anything about having dinner on his way out.
"So I'm thinking maybe we can do this every week," Jake said as he stabbed on the leafy greens on his plate.
"I think every week is too much. Maybe every other weekend." Adam belatedly realized he had just agreed on a regular date but it was too late to take it back because Jake's face nearly split when he smiled and Adam was too distracted to think.
"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" The spark of enthusiasm in Jake's eyes made Adam's heart stutter.
"Well, you obviously won't take no for an answer," Adam said, teasing. He could feel the heat rise in his cheeks. When Jake's hand slipped into his own, Adam didn't pull away. Instead, he twined his fingers with Jake's, gave Jake's hand a gentle squeeze and said, "Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, Chance Harbor is a small town and people will talk and-"
The pressure of Jake's lips against Adam's pushed the words back down Adam's throat. "I don't care whatever it is people will say or think. I just want this." He dived in for another kiss, this time it was longer, more passionate, like Jake was trying to breath all his emotions into Adam's mouth.
*
"So Dad said he thinks I should be part of the circle," Jake said while on their third date - second one away from Adam's house. They were at this new pizza place in town and surprisingly, they weren't getting the weird stares that Adam expected.
"I can't believe they're letting us bind it in the first place." Adam remembered the day his mom and dad sat with him in the Conant living room and told him about their nature. Initially, Adam was appalled. He was ten. How was he supposed to react in finding out that his parents were witches and he was, apparently, one too? When his own magic started to develop though, he realized it was inevitable and was glad he had his parents' guidance.
"Nuh uh. Not us. I won't be part of it. Nick will." Jake took a sip of his iced tea. "Besides, you guys are of the same age. Almost."
"So just because you're older, you think we're not worthy to be around you?" Adam asked in jest.
"'Course not. I just think that as boyfriends, we would probably be too distracted that it might not be healthy for the circle," Jake said with a shrug.
Adam was still caught up with the 'boyfriends' element so his reaction was "we're what?"
"Boyfriends. And don't say otherwise." The resoluteness in Jake's tone was enough for Adam to bite his tongue and not utter any protest. Adam didn't even bother to point out that Nick and Melissa were dating and they were both going to be part of the circle.
*
Four weeks of dating and they were back to where they started. In Jake's room. Naked.
Jake's breath ghosted over Adam's skin, his tongue gliding down Adam's chest, causing shivers to course through Adam's body. Adam pleaded - begged, actually - for Jake to stop teasing, damn it.
"Jake." The name fell from Adam's mouth like a sacred spell and when Jake's mouth closed in on Adam's erection, lewd sounds escaped through Adam's parted lips. Adam breathed, "Oh god," his fingers tangling through Jake's blonde locks.
The feeling of Jake's tongue tracing the veins along his shaft was driving Adam to the edge. "Jake, please," he said in a strangled voice and Jake made his way up Adam's body, devouring Adam's mouth like he had been hungry for it.
"I want you in me," Adam begged between kisses and Jake finally, finally acceded, slipping one finger, then two, then three before sliding into Adam. Jake was soon thrusting into him in steady rhythm.
After they came, Adam expected for Jake to pull back and lie still with his arms beneath his head like he did the last time. But Jake spooned behind Adam instead, arms wrapped loosely around Adam's waist.
Adam thought, maybe this was it. Maybe he and Jake were meant to be together.
~fin~