You || Krii7y

6. Breakfast

Jaren is fast asleep when he feels a weight lunge against his body.

"DATE NIGHT FUCKER," John bellows in his ear. Jaren feels his heart stop at the unexpected loud noise and bolts upright.

"You're a dick. I just had a heart attack." He lies back down and stares at the ceiling, regaining his composure. He hears nothing from John, who remains sat beside him until he shifts himself to lie on top of Jaren.

"Smii7yyy," he cooes. His weight isn't unbearable but Jaren is half a head shorter than John and feels overwhelmed.

"John. John, I can't breathe dude. Get off me," he gasps, half serious. John scrambles to remove himself from Jaren by rolling over, resulting in him thudding to the floor. Jaren lets out a laugh and looks over his bed to find his friend clutching his wrist.

"Owie," he pouts when he sees Jaren peering over.

"Do you want me to kiss it better?" Jaren mocks as he gets up to go to his wardrobe.

"Yes."

"Alright, you baby." He blows a kiss in John's direction from across the room. He turns back to his clothes and feels John's presence apparate behind him.

"No, really, I want you to kiss it better. You're the one who made me fall so you gotta make it better." He thrusts his wrist out towards Jaren, who rolls his eyes.

"You're such a child," he huffs, lifting his friend's hand closer to his face. The pit in his stomach seems to think he shouldn't do it but he can't stop himself and he's not sure he wants to. As he's about to kiss his hand, John lifts his palm and pushes Jaren's face with it.

"That's for yesterday, bitch!" he hollers as he runs out of the room. Jaren just scowls, remembering when he pushed John's face for calling him adorable, but is too groggy to get him back. He makes his bed and showers before he jogs down the stairs. He can smell something drool-inducingly good and rounds the corner to his kitchen to find John at his stove, his back to him. The sight of him makes Jaren's stomach flip as he watches him sway slightly, humming to himself as he cooks them breakfast. Jaren is reminded of his stay at John's house and of the moment that made him fall for his friend. He looks so at home and at peace, just quietly humming and cooking. Jaren smiles softly.

He seats himself at his breakfast bar and is grateful for the opportunity to observe an oblivious John. He ponders on the two sides of his friend - the goofy side and the caring, helpful side. He can be so unbelievably funny and stupid but then there are times like this that he'll do something thoughtful and kind. Jaren can't tell which side of him it was that had made him fall for his friend so hard. He's leaning towards believing it was his caring nature until John turns around.

He's somehow managed to fish out the apron he'd gifted Jaren last Christmas. It is a perfectly normal apron - save for the print of a very tanned, very muscular man's body on it. He remembers when John had given it to him, he'd lobbed it at him and told him to 'Open it, retard'. Jaren had obeyed and had been blessed with the most exquisite gift of his life. According to John, it was an apron with 'a photo of my body, so when you're cooking you can think about how hot I am and your food will cook faster." It most definitely isn't John's body and does not help his food cook any faster. Not that Jaren thinks of John's body while he cooks.

Jaren giggles at the memory, eyeing 'John's' body in front of him as he lifts pieces of bacon off the pan and onto two plates. John shifts his gaze to Jaren's as he works and raises an eyebrow.

"What are you laughing about?"

"How fucking ridiculous you are," Jaren replies without missing a beat. He gets up to help John, getting glasses out to fill with orange juice. John comes over to him and bumps his shoulder, making Jaren turn his face towards his friend. The taller of the two remains working but the most captivating smile plays on his lips and Jaren finds himself wanting to grab John's face and kiss the beautiful thing right then and there.

But he won't because that'd do no one any good. It'd just complicate everything. And so he buries those thoughts and instead focuses on the food in front of him as they sit to eat.

He takes a mouthful of scrambled eggs and hums in delight. John looks up at him expectantly. "This is really good, John."

John smiles at him, his eyes lighting up. "Thanks babe. Means a lot." He blows Jaren a kiss before returning to his own food. Jaren blushes slightly but luckily for him, John isn't looking.

Jaren clears his throat. "So, what's the plan for today?"

"My date's at eight. I'm meeting Kasey at that one restaurant in town. You know, the one we went to with Scotty, where he got completely wasted and started flirting with that old man."

Jaren feels his heart drop at the reminder of his friend's date but snorts as he remembers what John is talking about. "Yeah, I know the one." He changes his facial expression to imitate intoxication and quotes fourzer0. "'Sir, I just wanted to let you know I really like your gums. And those dentures are just divine. Mm-mm.'"

It's John who laughs now, quietly chuckling to himself as he eats. Jaren smiles at the sound, a soft tinkly music. After they finish eating, both men tidy away.

"Hey Smitt, I think I'll get going now," John calls out to Jaren as he comes out from the kitchen. "I've got a couple things to do before I head out for my big date."

Jaren feels himself deflate slightly, having momentarily forgotten about John's date. "No worries, John. Let me know how it goes, yeah?"

John gives him a confused look. "Well duh, who else am I going to tell?" Jaren didn't know it was possible for his mood to deteriorate this much in such a short span of time. Of course John would tell his best friend how his date with a pretty girl went. Everything was great five minutes ago, before John had reminded him again of his stupid date.

Jaren sees him out, promising to keep an eye on his phone in case John needs him later. Jaren doesn't do much else during the day, sitting around his house until he realises he has no milk and pops out to get some. His thoughts wander to John as he walks. He hopes he's having fun. Without him.

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This is the last 'calm' part in a while. Get ready for the bumpy ride!

Thanks for reading :)

~LC