Steve J and Jack, backdated to May 1

[om_captain]

In another not-a-date, Jack and Steve watch a movie. ...which leads to singing, kissing, a broken laptop, and - gasp - some discussion of feelings!


"Why is this reminding me of Freshman English?" Steve asked as the credits ran for the movie they'd been watching. They'd wanted the rec room, but everyone had been in there and already watching something and so Steve had come up with the idea of watching the movie on his laptop. Actually, the choice of his movie had been his idea, too, though the actual original idea to watch a movie had been Jack's. But the last thing Steve had expected when Jack had made the suggestion was to be stretched out next to him on Steve's bed with the laptop resting between them.

He'd had to remind himself a few times that this had been his idea and that even with Jack being so close and so tempting, he wasn't going to do anything about it. At least not until the movie was over.

"Wait, I know. Weeks of Romeo and Juliet." And that was what West Side Story was. Romeo and Juliet to music.

Splayed comfortably beside Steve, Jack was contemplative as the credits ran, but quirked an eyebrow in agreement. "Juliet lived this time."

"If you call it living." Steve knew what it was like to lose someone you loved and he still wasn't sure whether it was something you could come back from.

The conversation was now a little too close to home for Jack, but he didn't let on. "A glooming peace this morning with it brings," Jack quoted absently, letting the line sort of encompass his grim thoughts. With a little sigh, he changed position, propping himself on his side facing Steve. "She still has her family, her community. Probably both communities."

Steve grabbed the laptop as Jack moved so that it wouldn't fall off and crash. "I guess that's true. It's better than 'everyone dies in the end'."

Jack couldn't help it, he looked away. It was better than the flinch he'd managed to suppress. It wasn't Steve's fault that the comment swung open the door to his well of guilt. Or everyone dies in the end, then the son whose fault it is wakes up to live with it every day. Which play was that again?

He covered the thoughts by huffing a breath, giving Steve a smile, and dryly asking, "Remind me why we chose such a cheery film?"

"You like watching me hum along to the songs?" Steve suggested. "Livvy and I..." A pause while he swallowed. "We used to dance to Officer Krupke."

That pulled a warm, genuine smile from Jack as he pictured it. He always loved hearing memories like that, and it was enough to soften the effect of his previous thoughts. "I did enjoy the humming, it's true - but give me some credit, I knew 'Maria.'" And then a tease snuck into the smile, in no way diminishing its warmth. "Now, I've gotta make sure I'm picturing this right, what kind of dancing was it?"

"I don't even know that I remember how it went," Steve said, a blatant lie. "Look, I'll make you a deal. You sing to me and I'll dance for you."

Jack's grin only grew - both for the lie, and the deal. "Agreed - better break out your dancing shoes."

"If you say so." Few people Steve knew wanted to get up and sing, so it was a good chance that he wouldn't have to dance.

Jack's face clearly called him on it. "Got a song request?"

"Maria," Steve reminded.

Jack hummed a note, pleased to find his voice relatively ready to go - but no way this was happening laying on his side. He pushed himself up (swinging just a little closer to Steve than necessary on his way to standing), grabbed a desk chair and plopped it in front of the bed and sat down, trying to suppress his smirk.

What Steve didn't know was that this had been Jack's performance song from a musical theater class at his last school. A 'natural singing voice,' they'd told him.

He closed his eyes and took in a slow, deep breath. "The most beautiful sound I ever heard... Maria. Maria, Maria, Maria." Eyes opening, he couldn't help but break character and smile at the look on Steve's face, but it didn't impact his singing, voice soft but clear, and intense, sliding effortlessly from note to note. "All the beautiful sounds of the world in a single word... Maria.

And there it was. Not only had Steve's bluff been called, it had been shattered. Steve shoved the computer over and rolled onto his stomach to watch Jack. What was interesting was that he was good. He was really good. It wasn't the most lyrically challenging song, but just... All the beautiful sounds of the world in a single word . . Amazing.

With an audience like that, no reason not to give the full performance, and Jack stood, playing the role of head-over-heels in love, moving to lean on the desk for a moment, then to stand behind the chair, then close and down on his knees for Say it soft and it's almost like praying.

Of course, without a proper warm up (or, uh, any formal practice in two years), the last, high notes were a real gamble... but Jack was nothing if not lucky. His grin was one of relief as both high notes slid clear and sweet into the air - Ma-ri-a - and in the space the music would normally fill, he turned and then reclined blissfully back onto the bed (and across Steve) before breaking character again with a laugh.

Steve glanced over his shoulder at Jack with a grin. "I have officially been schooled." There was a soft flush on his skin because really, it was pretty much like Jack had been singing to him and while his name wasn't Maria, it was uncomfortably close to things they weren't saying. "I didn't know you sang."

Comfortable where he was, Jack didn't bother moving beyond turning his head to meet Steve's eyes and catch that little blush. "It's okay, you can owe me that dance," he said, with a mischievous flick of his eyebrows. Then he laughed again, just a little chuckle as he looked back up at the ceiling. "I used to go to a fancy private school - nothing like blending a paramilitary environment with musical theater."

"Paramilitary..." Steve shook his head. "Weird, weird person." But he was smiling as he said it.

Jack grinned back at him. "Who, me?"

"Do you see anyone else here?" Steve said, glancing around. "No, because my roommate's pretty noticeable." Not a bad guy really, just a little excitable.

Jack shifted against Steve's back, ostensibly getting more comfortable, but mostly to fluster him a little. Still teasing, Jack asked, "You mean we're all alone, just the two of us?"

The movement didn't do it by itself, but the combination of the movement with the words did it and Steve flushed. "I guess we are, yeah."

"Steve Jinks," Jack said, voice clearly mimicking a reprimand. "How did you end up alone in your room with a weird boy on top of you?" Then he grinned at Steve again, really enjoying teasing him. "And what're you planning to do about it?"

"I let him in," Steve replied. He had to struggle to maintain a straight face. "Do? There's not much I can do. The weird boy is heavy."

"Hey! I'm very fit, thank you," Jack protested. All the same, he rolled off of Steve, opting to flop next to him instead (again, maybe just a little too close... but he liked the warmth of the other boy at his side). He tried to pull a sulk at Steve as he asked, "Better?"

"No," Steve said because he'd been actually enjoying Jack flopped over him. But then he felt and followed that inevitable tug and pressed his lips to Jack's and he just had to change his answer to, "Maybe."

It was kind of ridiculous, really, how much impact that kiss had on Jack - but it was the first time Steve had kissed him. He blinked in surprise, ignored the thump in his chest, and tried to suppress the pleased smile that tugged at his lips. "Maybe?" he prompted, leaning in to catch Steve's lips again.

Steve had to admit that it didn't seem quite as strange as the kiss they'd had in the kitchen. Not that it hadn't been a good kiss, but they'd barely known each other. It wasn't the kind of thing that he did, kissing near-strangers, even when he wanted to. But now he knew Jack better and, even if he wasn't entirely sure where he stood, Jack had at least admitted it was something. Something was good if a little vague.

"Leaning yes," he murmured.

Another light but lingering kiss, then Jack asked, "Mm, how do we make that a solid yes?"

"You don't have any ideas?" Steve replied. He was pretty sure Jack already had at least a dozen.

"A few," Jack replied, then kissed him again, more thoroughly now. Leaning closer, his tongue teased at Steve's lips, asking for access, slightly more familiar than any of their previous kisses. He didn't want to push too far or too fast, but Steve had made the first move, and that made Jack much more relaxed. He may not know exactly what the other boy wanted from him, but one thing was clear: Steve did want him.

Which, considering Jack was the only one who'd mentioned possibly having feelings, was a bit of a relief.

Steve relaxed into the kiss. This wasn't sudden and buried in meaning that might or might not be true. This was just nice. Very nice. And what he wasn't going to do was overthink it, even if a part of him wanted to. "Like?" he murmured.

Jack nipped lightly at Steve's lower lip for breaking the kiss, then sucked gently to soothe it. He brought a hand to cup Steve's face, rolling back and taking Steve with him so the other boy ended up half-sprawled on top of him. Jack smirked, but never gave up the kiss.

Steve gasped and, okay, maybe he hadn't exactly been ready for that, but when would he be ready? Never if he let his roller-coaster emotions rule over his head. Or his head rule over his emotions.

Jack moved his kiss to Steve's jaw at the gasp, pretty sure it was a good sound but wanting to be certain. "Still good?"

Steve nodded and moved just to get a little more comfortable. A crash - and, more importantly, a crack - had him wincing and he rolled off Jack to look down at his laptop. He sighed. "Well, I was good."

Jack's body jerked in response to the sound, and for a second the crash had been something else, a threat - for just a split second, it'd been a gunshot, and he'd had his guard down...

The feeling passed, and luckily Steve seemed to have missed it, too preoccupied with the fallen laptop to notice. He sat up, using the seconds while Steve retrieved the computer to take a few deep breaths as his heart beat slowed down again. "That didn't sound good," he said over his shoulder to cover the moment. Another breath and he turned to Steve again. "Damage report?"

"Bad enough that we're not using it to watch a second movie," Steve said as he pressed the power button and nothing happened. And it looked like one the hinges was damaged. Wonderful. His eyes slid up from the computer and he echoed Jack's question. "Damage report?" Jack's reaction worried him more than the laptop.

Jack gave him an uncomprehending look, reaching for the laptop. "Let me take a look."

Steve held the laptop up and away. "I flinched when I heard the sound of crunching plastic. You did a lot worse."

Jack gave Steve a heavy, measuring look. He knew better than to lie, but wasn't sure how much he wanted to say. Things had been going so well, and dredging up his past... well, it'd probably ruin that. "It startled me," he said, honest and direct. "Thought it was something else. It wasn't."

"Something else," Steve repeated. "The bad kind of something else, I'm assuming." He watched Jack carefully, but didn't ask any questions. If Jack wanted to tell him, he'd say something.

Jack looked away. "Gunshot," he admitted quietly. After a breath, he looked back with a smile, trying to push the dark away again. "And it wasn't. No problem. Can I see the computer now?"

Steve swallowed the urge to start searching Jack's body for scars. Instead, he dropped the computer on the bed between them and grabbed for Jack's hand, running his thumb along Jack's knuckles when he had it. "When you want to tell me," he said softly, "I'll listen." The very corner of his mouth lifted. "You've listened to enough of my bullshit lately."

Jack had been bracing himself to answer questions, to explain about the Facility, the experiments and his failed escape and waking up in an incinerator... But Steve surprised him. And Jack couldn't help it, he leaned across the computer to press a soft kiss to Steve's lips, just for a moment.

Pulling away, he murmured, "Thanks."

Steve smiled. "But I reserve the right to start asking questions if I get worried." Or at least more worried than 'gunshot' could make him, though he didn't see how that was possible.

Picking up the laptop, Jack smiled back, though it was more subdued than usual. He took in the visible damage to the computer - probably something he could fix, although Jensen might do a better job. "Worrying about me?" he asked, just teasing as he assessed the damage.

"You start talking gunshots and yeah, I worry," Steve admitted. He liked Jack, still wasn't sure where this was going and was only starting to realize that might not be as bad a thing as he'd thought.

"I'll try not to," Jack replied almost absently. He was actually surprised Steve hadn't heard that part of the story, given the other things about Jack he'd picked up, but then again Harley wasn't exactly a reliable source of information...

He closed the laptop again. "Not sure how bad it is until we can take it apart and see what runs and what doesn't. I can probably fix it, or Jensen definitely could." He didn't mention paying Jensen, because this was mostly Jack's fault (distracting Steve and moving the bed too much, causing the laptop to fall), so he'd cover the fee.

"I might ask Tony's not-a-minion. I've been meaning to actually meet her in person and this is as good an excuse as any." If only to ask how she managed to put up with the ego.

"Catch the man himself in the right mood," which would probably be 'bored,' "and he might do it for you." Jack turned to look at Steve again, almost surprised by the easiness of the conversation. Between the kissing and then busting Steve's laptop, somehow he would've expected more drama. He fought with a little smirk. "So... does this mean I can kiss you more often? Y'know, if we try to minimize the property damage?"

Steve's face heated. "Well, I thought...you said..." After their shooting lesson, he'd thought...but maybe he'd been wrong.

In the Jack-equivalent of a blush, he crossed his arms over his chest and managed not to look away. "Yeah, I did." He'd 'fessed up to Steve that there was something about him that drew Jack in, that the flirting wasn't just because he was a flirt. But that was all they'd covered. Jack hadn't even been sure until just now, when Steve had kissed him, that Steve was interested in what Jack had said.

Then it occurred to him what Steve was really saying, and a grin started across his face. "Why, what were you thinking?"

Steve's eyebrows shot up. "Are you actually trying to get away with saying you didn't know? If you missed it, it's only because you kiss first and ask questions later. And if you remember, I wasn't exactly putting up a fight." At least he didn't kiss people just for the hell of it, although looking back, he could see how Jack might be confused. He scowled just a little.

Jack frowned, but he probably deserved that bit of hostility. Except... he'd stopped kissing Steve when he thought... But Steve wasn't like the other people Jack usually kissed and hooked up with, people like him who knew exactly what was on the table. And Jack had been so busy trying not to take advantage of that, that maybe he had missed something.

"Then tell me," he said, not willing to screw this up with poor communication (again). He covered Steve's hand with his own, to make his intention clear, and offered him a chagrined smile. "So I don't miss it."

Steve flushed again. "I like you," he said, trying to ignore the way his stomach was tying itself up in knots. "I just don't know what to do with you." He held up his free hand and pointed a finger at Jack. "No innuendo." At least he did know how to learn. Sort of. When it was thrust in his face and he couldn't help but see what was there.

Jack shot him a teasing smile, but had to confirm. "Not just my pheromones, or all those innuendo-y things you do want?" Because he could be okay with that too, if that's what Steve meant, but he didn't think was what Steve was saying. Better to be clear, to make sure they were on the same page. If it was just a physical attraction, Jack could fuck Steve senseless and keep his own feelings tucked away, smooth them over into something more platonic. But if Steve actually liked him, wanted him...

That'd be something else entirely.

"Pheromones wear off," Steve reminded, which was one of the reasons he hadn't had that big of a problem when Jack had first mentioned them. Maybe it had been what had pushed him for that first kiss, but it hadn't caused any of the thoughts after. "And so do hormones." He fidgeted a little, because those hormones were still in effect. Pressed up against him, almost straddling him... He cleared his throat and continued. "And neither are the reason I keep coming back."

With his free hand, Jack reach over Steve to slide the laptop onto the relative safety of the desk, then brought his hand to smooth his thumb over the flush in Steve's cheek. "Me either," he agreed, somewhat embarrassed (but something about Steve's nerves made that manageable). He bit his lip, resisting the urge to kiss the other boy again, and asked, "So... what do we do about it?"

Steve smiled a little. "Well, the usual option is to go on a date, but it seems we might have been on a few already," he said, thinking of all the lunches and things they seem to have done.

Jack nodded, considering. Hell, this probably counted. "No fooling. Man, hope I've been a good date..."

"No complaints from me." And then, almost hesitantly, Steve asked, "So this...we're a thing?" He wasn't going to go too far into what kind of a thing they were, but his mind was on the three names he'd gotten from Harley.

"Yeah," Jack agreed, a little startled by how much he liked the prospect, and it showed in his grin. "We can be a thing." And then there was a serious pang of guilt, because... Curtis. Jack had said 'no' to a similar offer not long ago...

The words were so imprecise and Steve cursed himself a little because he was just so awkward with this kind of thing, but at least he'd gotten his point across. He also knew when there weren't good enough words, so he leaned forward and pressed his lips to Jack's.

Ready this time, Jack caught the kiss readily, much better at this kind of communication. He gave Steve the kind of kiss that said Relax, I get it and Mm, so glad we agree at the same time. He pushed away all thoughts of Curtis for the moment, because something new and important was happening with this kiss, and he wanted to be all here. The hand he had on Steve's tightened, and some of Jack's relief started seeping into the kiss.

Yeah, they could be a thing.