Top and Tail [boyxboy] [slash]

Chapter 4: Please Stop Apologising!

When I woke up, I was strangely comfortable. My bed was a cheap IKEA number, with a thin mattress and an even thinner duvet, so most mornings I woke up either freezing or aching. Or, on occasion, a combination of both. Yet today I was nestled into something warm and comfy. Needless to say, it was an enjoyable change.

And then the images of last night flooded my mind. Mashed up images of hospitals and tidy bedrooms and parents and... Jay's arms around me.

"What the-"

"Boys? Are you up yet?"

My mum's voice interrupted my would-be cursing. I shot up, suddenly alert, jerking Jay awake. We could both hear my mother's footsteps getting louder and louder. Getting closer and closer to my door... When the faulty stair creaked I knew she was half way up the stairs and jumped into action. I mean, she'd jump to all the wrong conclusions if she walked in and saw her surly son and her perfect godson wrapped up in bed all limbs entangled.

"Jay!" I hissed, roughly shoving him down the other end of the bed, top and tail style. "Get your ass down there. Dude!"

He hurriedly complied, obviously sharing my thoughts. Yet I felt strangely cold without his arms around me...

But I was saved from these embarrassing thoughts when my door swung open to reveal my mum, dressed in her usual Sunday get up of a formal blouse and skirt. Her attire could only mean one thing. I groaned.

"Are you ready to get up for Mass?"

"Mum, think back to yesterday," I snorted. "What bombshell did I drop on you?"

Mum frowned. "Um... I was slightly preoccupied yesterday, Ash."

"Whatever, my answer's still no."

Mum rolled her eyes, just blowing off my grumpiness as typical teenage morning issues. Because I was a single child I don't think she realised that I was much grumpier than most kids my age. A hell of a lot grumpier. But I was also kinda miffed that she'd forgotten as well. Or rather, than she hadn't even been paying attention to me in the first place. I know that she was stressed out because of Linda, and we'd always had an estranged relationship, but you'd think you'd remember your only child telling you that they don't believe in your religion.

"What about you Jay? Do you have some formal clothes you could wear? Because I don't think Ash has any..." Her voice trailed off as she got lost in thoughts of tailored trousers and bowties.

"Um, no thanks," mumbled Jay, surprising everyone. Mum looked at him, slightly shocked.

"Sorry?"

"Um, I mean, thanks for the offer, but Church isn't for me. Sorry."

Mum looked a little shocked, but shook her head and smiled at us brightly. "That's ok. I'll light a candle for your mum, eh? Help yourself to breakfast; me and Steven are on coffee duty today so we won't be back for a few hours. Ash will look after you, yeah?"

I responded with a noncommittal grunt and pulled the covers over my head, exposing Jay's torso in the process. Mum sighed, said her goodbyes and went back downstairs calling on my dad to get the biscuits from the cupboard. Two minutes later I heard the door slam, leaving Jay and I alone in the house.

"Have fun!" I called after them, not caring that they couldn't hear me. "Enjoy serving coffee to crabby old people!"

Maybe they couldn't hear my sarcastic comments, but I could hear Jay stifle a laugh.

"What?"

"N- Nothing."

"Nothing my ass. What're you laughing at?" I probed, poking him with my foot repeatedly until he sat up to face me.