All the Little Things

Chapter Ten: Jamie

He can't believe that he said that. What was he thinking? Luca needed him, and he had to go and run his mouth about feelings? God, now things were just going to become even more awkward.

Jamie's hands clenched around his coffee mug. He was just finishing up some paperwork, and then he had to call in an order at the Thai place.

And then, it was straight back to Luca's.

His eyes close in embarrassment and he can feel his face flushing. Already he was dreading having promised to go back over to Luca's for dinner. He had less than an hour to pull himself together, but he was seriously doubting that he could.

How could he possibly face Luca after what happened this afternoon? Luca had looked so shocked at his words, not saying a word. He was probably trying to think of a way to let Jamie down gently in order to avoid hurting his feelings, Jamie reasoned.

All he wanted to do was go back to his own place and ignore the feelings stirring in his chest. But he knew he couldn't. He honestly didn't think that Luca would notice his absence. The other man was downright oblivious most of the time. So hearing that he had noticed made his heart clench.

A knock sounds on his office door. "Jamie, I know you're in there brooding, so I'm coming in." The door opens before he has a chance to respond, and Matilda steps in. Her eyes rove over his face, and she raises a questioning brow, hand on her cocked hip. "What did that man do this time?"

"I don't know what you mean," Jamie tries, just as he always does when Matilda tries to bring up Luca.

She shakes her head, closing the door behind her as she moves to sit on the small couch that sits against the wall. "Oh please, don't try that shit again. You're wearing the Luca face." She looks up at him, legs crossed. "So, what did he do to make you brood this time?"

Jamie sighs, reluctantly setting his mug of coffee down. "Nothing." Matilda opens her mouth to protest but he shakes his head, cutting her off. "No really, this time he didn't do anything. It's my fault."

She looks at him with a calculated gaze before standing up and walking over to the coffee pot and pouring herself a mug. She takes a long sip, letting out an equally long sigh. "Alright, I'm ready. Tell me what happened."

It takes a minute for Jamie to form the words, and then an awkward five minutes stammering out the story. Matilda just watches him with knowing eyes, letting out hums of encouragement whenever needed. She has just taken a sip of her coffee when he gets to the part about his confession, and she chokes on the drink, coughing.

"You told him?" she asks after she finally stops coughing. "Oh my god, I never thought I would see the day. What did he say?"

"Nothing," Jamie says, lips turning down into a frown. "He just looked too shocked. And then I told him I had to get back to work and I would see him at lunch." He groans, letting his head fall into onto his desk. "Why did I do that?"

"Oh hush," Matilda says, and Jamie hears her walk over to his desk, stopping on his left. Turning his head, he rests his cheek on the desk, looking up at his friend, who is leaning against the desk. "It's good that you made that promise, now you can't avoid him anymore."

His lips turn down into a more severe frown. "I- I wasn't..."

Matilda rolls her eyes. "Yes you were, and stop your pouting."

"I'm not pouting!" Jamie exclaims, sitting up and fixing his so-called friend with a glare.

"Yes you are, and there's no reason to be. You're acting like this is the end of the world."