Bucket List | Jack Duff

t w e n t y - o n e

ARIA

"Have fun!" Mikey shouted to us before we closed the door. "And be careful"

"Use protection!" I heard Rye shout and I rolled my eyes.

"Rye, shut up" I shouted, before closing the door on them, me and Jack descending onto Slough train station. Jack laughed as we walked along together, hand in hand, ready to catch our train to Devon. We were completing goal sixteen today, just the two of us.

'Go to a love-lock bridge'

We were originally gonna go as a pack, me and all of the boys, but then the lads turned around and formally agreed that me and Jack went together, for our first outing as a proper couple. We didn't hesitate to agree, wanting to be alone together.

It was a simple first 'couple' date, but it was a cute one.

"So" Jack said suddenly, as you reached the train station. "How do you feel?"

"Feel about what?" I asked him, although I knew exactly what he was about to say.

"About us being an official thing" he said. "Because I think it's pretty cool"

I chuckled, having heard that question too many times to count since yesterday.

"I think it's pretty cool too" I said as our train arrived into the station. "Even though, technically, we haven't even been a couple for a full day yet, just a few hours"

"Don't go all technical on me" he said. "You know I can't be dealing with that"

I held my hands up in surrender as we grabbed a table, me shotgunning the window seat and him sitting beside me. We were only heading towards Paddington where we needed to get a GWR train to Devon, so he didn't make much of a big deal, whereas he would usually fall out with me for shotgunning it before he could.

Little does he know, I'm having window seat the whole way there. Whoops.

The journey to Paddington was stress free and me and Jack spoke a lot about what we were intended to do today before and after we descended on our love lock bridge. We got off at Paddington and found our platform. Once we got on our train, it was then a 2 hours and 44 minute journey to Devon, so I plugged my headphones in and blocked the world out. But, I kept my ear closest to Jack free so I could hear him if he needed me.

It wasn't long before Jack did what he always does, and fell asleep on me, his head lying in my lap as he was complaining that 'sitting up sleeping was giving him a crick in his neck'. He most honestly looked adorable, so I took a photo and decided to tweet it.

OKAY SO BASO, THIS OBVIOUSLY ISN'T JACK BUT LET'S JUST PRETEND THAT IT IS FOR THIS SAKE OF THIS LITTLE PART. I BET YOU CAN IMAGINE JACK DOING THAT CAN'T YOU?

@ariamichaelsxo: Jack doing what Jack does best, except this time it's on me?? @RoadTripTV he's a little love bless, at least this'll keep him quiet. Lots of love☺️❤

I tried not to make it so obvious that we were together as the whole fandom didn't actually know yet because we haven't straight out told them, but I think the majority of them have figured it out; we've been giving them subtle hints that we have feelings for each other since the beginning, just so, if it ever came down to it, they wouldn't be as hurt.

I decided to FaceTime Andy, bored and alone now Jack was asleep.

"Hey darling" he said as soon as he picked up the phone. "Jack left you lonely?"

"Have you seen the photo?" I asked him, surprised he caught on so quick.

"Nope, not yet. The others have, but I just guessed considering all Jack ever does is sleep" he chuckled and I chuckled along with him. "I'll keep you company love"

"Thanks Andy" I said, looking down at Jack briefly. "I need it"

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"Is that okay?" Jack asked me as he showed me what he'd written on the padlock. It said our names, and the date we'd gotten together, and he surrounded it with little hearts.

"It's very cute, I love it" I said. "You got the key?"

He took the key from his pocket and handed me them both as I attached the padlock to the bridge and locked it shut. I held the key in my hand and I felt the metal against my palm.

"Make a wish" Jack said. "Make it special"

I closed my eyes and took a breath, wishing for something mentally.

'Jack's happiness, always. No matter whether I'm here or not, allow him to be the happiest he can be, and allow him to keep that happiness forever'

I kissed the key before throwing it into the water, and me and Jack both watched it as it floated to the bottom of the lake, among all the other rusty, metal keys. It was a special moment we shared just now as I felt we'd just locked our love in, and nothing was going to break it. Just us two, alone with now public and no boys, together. And that's how I liked it.

"I love you" Jack said softly as we walked hand in hand to find a cafe. "I hope you know that. Like, I really, really love you and it's nothing like I've ever felt before"

I smiled, giving his hand a squeeze.

"I love you too, like so much" I said in reply. "I've never seen you be this cute or cheesy in my life, not even with fans. Am I turning you soft?"

"Like I said" he chuckled, giving me a smirk. "You have such a control over me"

"Which means, in your language, I'm making you go soft" I pointed out.

"Okay, okay, maybe you're making me go soft" he finally gave in and I giggled. "But that doesn't mean you don't have a control over me. You can be soft AND have a control over me"

"I just wanted to hear you admit I was making you soft" I said, raising my eyebrows, and he smiled at me, putting his arm around my waist as we walked.

"You're cheeky" he chuckled. "But that's one of the many reason why I love you"