A-Z Fanfics

E: Eric/Jack -Boy Meets World

The ceremony, Eric decides, was delightfully beautiful but incredibly boring. 

Of course he's happy that his little brother got to marry the love of his life, but he just wanted to be back in his dorm, curled up tightly on the couch with Jack watching cheesy horror movies.

Eric sighs, looking around the room, feeling the urge to leave as he watches everyone dancing with their partner, friend or otherwise. Everyone is dancing, except him.

Well, him and Jack, but Jack is flirting, rather terribly, with some pretty blonde girl and Eric's stomach coils, unsettling as he watches the blonde giggle at something he said.

His eyes begin to burn and he wants to turn his head away, wants to go dance, go eat, go do something to take his mind off of how stunning Jack was in a suit, how unattainable he was despite being just across the room.

He's jealous.

Eric knows he's jealous, that he wants to be the one that Jack takes out to a nice dinner, to flirt with and dance.

Eric knows he's jealous, but he also knows that it doesn't matter because Jack is so painfully oblivious to his pursuits and Eric could never steal him away from someone so deserving of him.

For all he knows, the blonde could be his soulmate.

He tries to shake away the thought that Jack was his and he can't help remembering when he and Jack were dating Jill and Carol. He remembered how much alike the girls were to them and how he thought they were soulmates.

What he wouldn't give for that to be true, but the two had to go and mess it all up, leaving them alone and Jack to pursue other women in hopes of finding one that sticks, leaving Eric to slowly fall for the man.

And how could he not in all of his glory, shirts getting tighter over the years, only making Eric realize he was even more screwed.

Eric finally turns away from the two of them as Shawn approaches him.

"Why're ya all alone?" Shawn asks, leaning back against the table behind them, surveying the crowd before his eyes land on Jack and a look of understanding seems to cross his face. "Who are you looking at?" he asks, almost sarcastic.

Eric considers lying to him, but ultimately decides that it isn't worth it anymore, to keep lying to everyone about who he is, who he likes, and how he wants to live.

"Jack. I'm always looking at Jack."

Shawn's eyes seem to soften at that a new look of understanding taking over.

"Eric," he starts and Eric finds himself hesitantly looking Shawn in the eye. "How much are you willing to do for him?"

The question takes Eric off guard. He expected to be asked if he liked him, to be told that it was wrong or that Shawn understood how he felt. The question wasn't something he was prepared to answer.

"Eric?"

"Anything."

"Anything?" he asks, almost hesitant and Eric believes this is the moment Shawn will tell him to move on with his life and stop being so weird.

"Anything. Everything. I just want him to be happy and it doesn't really matter who it's with, as long as he is happy, satisfied with his life, then it will bring me joy," Eric answers, just as hesitant.

Shawn grabs his shoulder in a way that he's seen him do with Cory a thousand times.

"A bit of advice," he starts, catching Eric's attention again. "Say something to him. Don't wait around for him to leave, to find someone new, because if you don't let him know, then you'll end up regretting it, even if he's happy with someone else in the end."

It's Eric's turn to look understanding as he brings Shawn into a hug. "I'm sorry it didn't turn out for you guys," he whispers, watching as Shawn stiffens.

"Yeah well... don't make the same mistake alright?"

"Alright," Eric laughs. "Thank you."

"Of course," Shawn mutters, smiling at him, if a little more sad than before, and he takes his leave to go join Cory and Topanga to congratulate them on their wedding and Eric can't help but admire the strength Shawn has to be the best man at the wedding of the man he loves the most.

"What was that all about?" Jack asks, starling Eric out of his reverie.

"Ah, nothing really. He just wanted to give me some company since I was utterly alone."

Jack hums and settles next to him, the two sitting in silence.

Eric bit his lip, debating on whether or not he should say something.

Eric decides that Shawn is right. It's now or never, so he drags Jack to a corner, away from the crowd, into an area that wouldn't be so obvious if Jack decided to smack him.

"I love you, Jack," he confesses, not looking up from his shoes.

"Aww. I love you too, buddy."

And doesn't that sting?

The words trail through his mind, sluggishly shouting that he can never be more than Jack's buddy, that Jack won't accept him, will kick him out.

Eric shakes his head, gathering the courage to look Jack in the eye.

"I love you, Jack. Not in the way that a friend does, where I would have your back in burying a body," he stops to chuckle for a second. "I love you in the way that makes me want to get up in the morning. I love you in the way that I always feel nervous to mess up around you, but am willing to spend as much time with you as possible because nothing could be more fantastic. I love you, the way that when you explain something, you get excited and even if I've already heard the story, I'll let you tell it again because you are absolutely adorable. I love you, Jack."

Eric stops, fiddling nervously with the lapel of his suit as Jack stays silent.

After a few seconds, Eric realizes that he messed up and he needs to leave before he falls apart because the stony silence is worse than he would have imagined. He would have rather had Jack scream at him, slap him, do something.

Eric takes a deep breath, swallowing thickly and tries to blink back his tears, tries to hide the sniffling that is coming as he turns to leave.

He nearly makes it away, a tear silently falling down his cheek, accepting his defeat, when Jack catches his arm.

"Wait," Jack starts, voice thick with some emotion, one Eric can only describe as disgust, but he waits, because he will always wait for Jack.

When he doesn't say anything again, Eric takes another deep breath, trying to school himself, but he refuses to turn around. "Jack, I understand. I'll pack up my stuff, find somewhere else to stay. Sorry." Eric rips his arm away from Jack, surprised at his ability to speak calmly despite his thundering heart and desire to break down.

Once again, Jack grabs his arm, taking a step closer and Eric tenses, certain that he was wrong. That he no longer wanted to get hit or yelled at. He just wanted to leave, to get away, to cry in peace as he packs his stuff up.

He'll be gone before the party is over.

Jack turns him around and pulls him into a kiss, desperate and deep.

"I love you too, idiot," Jack whispers, the word sounding incredibly endearing as he smashes their lips back together.

When they pull away, both men are teary eyed, bright smiles on their faces.

"Does that mean I get to stay in the apartment?" Eric asks, trying to lighten the mood with humor, hoping to alleviate some of the heat in cheeks.

Jack laughs, the sound bright and brilliant, and punches his arm slightly. "Of course, you dummy," he mutters, pressing a quick kiss to his lips and leaving a stunned Eric behind him as he stalks onto the dance floor.

"Care to dance?"

And Eric smiles, stepping onto the dance floor.

He decides, at that moment, that he would follow Jack anywhere that life took them.