Part 2: Underneath the Covers
By Rhia ([email protected])
Author's note: God I love these twotogether. If you�re ever inspired to make any J/T fanart � let me know, coz I�dlove some!
Thanks to: Tams for being such anenthusiastic beta, and Karen for helping me to squidge the two drafts into afinal copy � thanks so much guys!!!!!!
Jen walked over to the bed in the darkened room and pokedat the lump under the covers. When she received no reply she poked harder.
�Come ON Jack. You have to get up sometime you know.You have to eat.�
�Not hungry.� Jack mumbled. �Go �way.�
Jen sighed and stood up. �I really didn�t want to haveto do this, but you leave me no choice.� Saying that she stalked over to thecurtains and yanked them open letting bright sunlight flood the room beforemarching over to the bed, pulling off the covers and dumping them in a heap onthe floor. Jack remained where he was, curled up into a tight ball, his face hiddenin the pillows. Sighing, Jen sat beside him and stroked his hair.
�Look,� she said soothingly, �I know you miss him, buthiding in here isn�t going to make him come back any sooner. Besides, we missyou. We�ve hardly seen you at all in the past week and we�re leaving forcollege this afternoon.�
Jack rubbed his face vigourously before rolling overand looking at Jen through red-rimmed eyes. �Fine,� he grumbled, �I�ll get up. But don�t expect me to be in a goodmood.� Jen grinned and ruffled his hair, then bounced off the bed and down thestairs.
Jack struggled into a sitting position and rested hischin on his knees, staring out of the window. �What�s wrong with me?� hethought miserably. �It�s not like we�re never going to see each other again. Whyam I so miserable?� He let out a gusty sigh and slowly got out of bed. Staringaround the almost-empty room his eyes landed on his copy of the picture Dawsonhad taken of he and Tobey together and tears began to well up in his eyesagain. �I miss him so much!� he began, and gave himself a quick shake. �Stopit.� He told himself stubbornly and trudged downstairs in search of a cup ofstrong coffee.
In his dorm room at college Tobey transferred his gazeagain from the window to the paper in front of him. Just last week he�d takenthe package out from under his bed and done what he�d had to do. Now he wastrying to write a letter explaining his actions. Frustrated, he threw the penat the window and slumped down in his chair, staring sullenly at the ceiling.He�d arrived at college a week early hoping to get to know the place, and thepeople, a little before classes began. Instead he�d spent the week lying in hisdorm room glaring at the empty bed opposite his own and wishing he�d stayed inCapeside with Jack. Jack. Just the thought of him brought a smile to Tobey�sface. Closing his eyes he summoned a memory of their last night together � softwhispers, the feeling of fingers like flint against skin leaving trails of firein their wake. Giving up on the idea of writing the letter he got up, tossedhis latest half-finished attempt in the bin and went out in search of somefresh air and some lunch.
Jack hauled the last suitcase clear of the taxi anddumped it on the floor at Jen�s feet. As the cab drove off he turned to Jen andasked, �What did you pack in these things, bricks?�
Jen grinned at him and picked up the bags she had tocarry. �Well Jack, we can�t have yougetting all out of shape now we�re in college, can we?� she winked at him andbegan to make her way towards the dorms.
�You know, Grams <i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>willbe moving up here in a few weeks. I doubt very much that you needed to bringeverything you own with you now.� Grunting, Jack, hauling the suitcases intothe building.
Jen ignored Jack�s comments, concentrating instead onfinding her room, �119� 119�� she muttered to herself. �Here we go � 119.� She stuck her head inthe door and looked around. �Looks like I don�t have a roommate yet � great!�Dropping her bags on a bed she grabbed her suitcase off Jack, shoved it next tothe wardrobe and hustled Jack out of the door. �C�mon Jackers, let�s find yourroom.�
Jack smiled and shook his head. �What?� she askedsuspiciously. Jack laughed.
�You. You remind me of my sister. I don�t think I�veever seen you so� Bouncy.�
Jen gave him a playful shove. �It�s not every day youstart college you know.� She laughed. �It is kind of exciting. What�s your room number?�
�223.� Jack told her looking at his piece of paper.�It should be just up here to the left.�
They walked down a short hallway and opened the doorto room 223. �Looks like my roommate�s already moved in.� commented Jack,noticing the empty suitcase, schoolbooks, and rumpled bedclothes. �Thanks Jen. Want to meet up in half an hour to take a look around?�
�Sounds good to me.� Jen replied. �Let me know if youmeet your roommate.� She grinned wickedly. �And let me know if he�s cute!� sheadded.
Rolling his eyes Jack shut the door and beganunpacking.
Tobey finished the last of his lunch and looked at hiswatch. It was probably about time to get back to the dorm. �Maybe I can getsome of that reading out of the way.� He thought unenthusiastically. Heobserved the people he passed on the way back to his room. There were plenty ofcouples and groups dotted around the campus. Two girls stood unashamedly lockedin a tight embrace by the door of the dorms. Tobey glanced at the passers-byand was both surprised and pleased to see that nobody took any notice of thetwo. �Maybe this place won�t be so bad after all.� He thought. Opening the doorto his room he noticed his roommate lying on the bed opposite his looking at ahuge map of the college, his face hidden.
�Hey,� he said cheerfully. �I was wondering when you�dget here.�
Jack heard the door to his room open and was about toget up when he heard his roommate�s cheerful greeting. He shot up in bed,wincing as he hit his head on the bookshelf above him in his haste. All painwas forgotten, however, as he stared at the figure standing in front of him,his throat working convulsively. Swallowing hard he managed to regain hisvoice.
�Tobey?� he squeaked. Clearing his throat, he triedagain. �What the� Why� Wh��
Tobey blinked hard and stared again at Jack,comprehension beginning to dawn. �Jack�� he whispered, reaching out to touch thefamiliar face. He sat downnext to the still-gaping Jack, a huge grin spreading across his face. �Ifyou�re gonna hold your mouth open like that I might be tempted to try and putsomething in it�� he teased.
�Shut up.� Demanded Jack huskily, having finallyregained some measure of control of his vocal chords. Pulling Tobey closer hewhispered, �Come and say hello properly.� Hereached out and pulled Tobey into a fierce kiss. Minutes later when they brokeapart both were breathing heavily and Jack had to struggle to get his wordsout.
�Wh.. Wh.. What happened to Stanford?� Jack panted. �I mean, I thought�You�re not� Oh I give up.� He collapsed back against his pillows, one handresting comfortably on Tobey�s leg.
Tobey grinned and pushed his glasses back up his nose, laying a hand ontop of Jack�s. �I decided that Stanford wasn�t really for me. I went to checkit out, and I was all set on going there right up until our last nighttogether. I know we talked about what we�d do, but I�m not ready to give you upyet, Jack. I haven�t felt like this about anyone before, and I thought that Iowed it to myself to give us a chance. Mind you,� he grinned, �I really didn�tthink we�d be moving in together so soon. Not that I�m complaining, of course.�
Jack squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before sitting up and lookingat Tobey seriously. �You gave up Stanford for me?� he asked.
Tobey leaned over and kissed him gently. �I�d give up more than that ifyou asked me to. I need to be with you Jack, I was going crazy without you.�
Jack brushed a stray lock of hair out of the other boy�s eyes. Hefidgeted with Tobey�s fingers for a minute before looking at him again as athought entered his head.
Tobey looked a little worried. �What�s wrong?� he asked.
�It�s notthat big a deal,� Jack tried to shrug it off. �Grams is moving up here in a fewweeks, and Jen and I were supposed to move in with her then.� Tobey�s face felland Jack continued hurriedly, �It�s not that I don�t want to stay here with you� you know I�d love to. It�s just� I�m not� I don�t know.� He finished lamely.�I hate to keep saying it, but I�m just not sure I�m ready to take this big astep yet.�
Tobey nodded sadly but put a reassuring arm around Jack�s shoulders.�You know I�d never force you into doing something that you weren�t ready for.You�re stuck with me for the next few weeks, so why don�t we treat it as kindof a trial. If I�m not driving you completely insane by the end of thefortnight and you�re comfortable, you can stay. If not,� he shrugged. �You canmove in with Jen and Grams and I just won�t tell anyone you�ve moved out. Thatway if we want a place to be alone or you need a place to stay away fromeveryone you�ll still have your bed in here.�
Jack sighed and leaned back into Tobey�s gentle embrace, twisting hishead back to look at him and grinning.
�What now?� asked Tobey, giving him a squeeze.
�I�m just trying to convince myself that this is really happening,that�s all. If you pinch me, will I wake up?�
Tobey winked at Jack as he pinched the other boy�s backside and ranacross to the safety of the other side of the room. Jack wasn�t about to lethim get away that easily and a wrestling match began,
Jack�s hands had just slid underneath Tobey�s t-shirtto caress the silky skin underneath when the door banged open unceremoniously.
Jen stood in the doorway, dumbstruck as she observed the two boys,flushed and giggling, intertwined on the floor, clothing rumpled. She stopped short as the pair broke apart quickly andsat up guiltily. They stared at her, both flushed, breathing hard, lipsswollen.
�Well, well,� she smirked, crossing her arms acrossher chest. �You two certainly didn�t waste any time getting to know each other.Hey Tobey.� The blonde boy ginned sheepishly and waved. Directing her attentionto Jack she added, �I knew you�d get a cute roommate.�
Jack and Tobey took a deep breath, exchanged a lookand burst out laughing.
�Next time, we lock the door.� Chuckled Tobeyruefully.
�Come on,� grinned Jack, climbing off Tobey andhelping him up. They straightened themselves up and Jack turned to Jen who wasstanding in the doorway with her arms folded, one eyebrow raised in question.
�Coffee?� he asked nonchalantly,grabbing Tobey and bundling them all out of the door.�And when we get there,� he breathed in Tobey�s ear, �you can tell me why you�re really here.�
Tobey made a hurt face as he grabbed his wallet. �You don�t believe me?� he asked in a tone of mock hurt.
Jack snorted as he led the way out of the room.�Believe that you can�t live without me? Well��
Tobey grinned and closed the door behind him.
To be continued...