Chapter Seventeen

“Are you really sure about letting me go like this?” Jessica asked from his shoulder as they embraced. “Because this hug is the friggin’ best."

James huffed.”You only want me ‘cause I’m taken.”

Jessica leaned back and laughed, exposing her throat at his reference to her One Direction days where she made him listen to them hours on end, he still found himself singing ‘Gotta Be You’ in the shower sometimes. Her laugh was one of those ones that showed all of her perfect teeth, the one that made her brown hair be thrown back in waves, her hazel eyes sparkle and the way she crinkled up her nose that he once found endearing but now he just noticed a beautiful girl that was way behind him.

“So who’s the lucky girl?”

James coughed awkwardly, wondering if he should tell the truth or not, not looking her in the eye and turned his head in no particular direction.

“Oh my God!” she exclaimed.”So you two finally got over your mass amount of sexual frustration and finally got together? Well done.”

James was taken aback.”Who?”

She rolled her eyes with a teasing smile and punched his arm lightly.”You and Casper? You realise that’s why I was cheating on you in the first place, right? You paid no attention to me whatsoever when he was around, always finding ways of touching each other even if it was punching or whatever. And God, he hated me at the start until I won him over with how awesome I am.”

“Yeah I’m sure that’s what is was,” James teased to which she punched him again. “Wait you cheated on me because you thought I was in love with Casper?”

“I didn’t think,” she said.”I knew. Both of you idiots making eyes at each other all the damn time and both of you too stubborn to make anything of it. Jesus, it was horrible for me, I felt like shit all the time now that I think of it... why did I ask you to get back together with me again? Forget that ever happened. You were the worst boyfriend ever.”

James laughed,” Me? Who was the one obsessed with One Direction and Black Veil Brides? It’s a wonder why I put up with you at all.”

“Hey! I am totally over my One Direction infection but say one more word about my babies and I will cut you!” She warned him with a black talon she called a fingernail.

James put his hands up in surrender but laughing all the same, he forgot how fun she was. But God, had Casper and him really been that bad for so long that it made an amazingly strong girl like Jess turn away? James couldn’t remember feeling anything but annoyance for Casper and the need to annoy him because he liked getting a reaction out of him, liked that he got so pumped up with the smallest of things James would say to him and... oh.

Fuck.

“Well, I’ve got to get over my ex and what better way that go on the prowl? And to this song! I love this song. It was nice seeing you again James.” Her smile was bright and genuine that James couldn’t help but smile back. “Now go back to your man!” he yelped as she slapped his ass and slipped away with a grin.

James chuckled, shaking his head as he returned to the booth and then frowned a little when he noticed Casper was missing.

Before he could ask Daisy she gave him a smile so wide that James just stared at it grow even more impossibly wide for a moment  until she opened her mouth “So...” she said quizzically with a glint in her eye,” how did it go?”

He looked at her, confused.”How did what go?”

“Oh, you know what I am talking about,” she pouted.”Stop being a tease, where’s Casper? I’ll get it out of him.”

James had no freaking clue what Daisy was talking about, he looked to Hedgehog with wide eyes asking what she was talking about but she just rolled her eyes. Big help there.

“That’s what I was about to ask you.”

Daisy face dropped. “You mean he hasn’t talk to you yet?”

“...I haven’t seen him since I left the booth, Daisy.”

“Crap.” she muttered in annoyance.

“What, why? What was he going to talk to me about?”

Daisy gaped as if she was about to say something and quickly shut it with wide eyes.

James laughed at her,” seriously Dais, tell me.”

“No way, Casper will ask you when he is ready,” She dismissed determinedly

A warm feeling spread through James’ chest as he thought of the possibilities and he smiled. It was obviously something big, something enough to freak Casper out about and get Daisy high on it was something good and probably something James himself was thinking of bring up with Casper but didn’t know how. Or maybe it wasn’t, maybe it was something entirely different but good, it had to be good right?

“C’mon Daisy,” James urged,” tell me.”

Daisy glared,” Don’t you dare turn those green eyes at me, I am not telling you any-“

“James!”

James turned at his name finding Daniel.

 He hadn’t really spoken to Daniel since he met him, still didn’t like him all that much either, he was just squirming his way into the group and everyone was always talking about how good a person he was, especially Casper. Casper was always “Daniel said this” and “Daniel said that” and James wanted to sometimes make Daniel never say anything ever again, just for a moment, but he had to settle for shutting up Casper by slamming their lips together and making not have any other thoughts but of him.

James may or may not be a little jealous of Daniel and somehow Casper hadn’t picked up on, thank God, and he hope would never will because it was embarrassing and Casper had this bloody sadistic side to him that sprung out every time James even remotely changed a shade of pink.

“It’s Casper.”

A cold feeling struck through him like a knife.

“What about Casper?” James said urgently, edging closer to Daniel in a slight panic.

“He’s just... did you say or do something to him? He’s a mess.” Daniel eyes him accusingly.

James gaped at him in shock,” me?”

“He was sitting crying outside how stupid he was and there’s no one else here that would make him feel like that except for you, what did you do?”

Anger boiled inside of James.”I haven’t seen him at all since I left after you, I was talking to Jessica before I-“

“Jessica?” Daisy repeated suddenly.

James gave her a look like she was crazy, what did Jessica have do with any that she suddenly had to call out her name. “Yes, Jessica Denner, my e-

“No, I know who she is,” Daisy shot him down but keeping eye contact with him, “you mean you were with her this whole time after you left the booth?”

James had no idea where she was getting at.”Yeah I was, she wanted to-“

“Oh my god!” Daisy cried in disbelief, “James!”

James’ eyes shot up in surprise, “what?”

“You stupid bloody idiot!” she cried, getting up from the booth in haste and pushing past him.

James looked after her perplexed, “what have I done?”

He looked to Hedgehog, seeing from the corner of his eye Daniel shaking his head – the prick - , and lifted his hands in question to which Hedgehog completely ignored him. Some help she was, his friends were great, honestly.

“What you’ve done is probably ruined everything for Casper!” Daisy said with a huff as she turned back to shout at him and then again to go through obviously to Casper.

“Wait, Daisy!” James ran after her and grabbed her arm.”What do you mean?”

She gave him the most heated glare James had ever seen that he retracted a bit.”What I mean, James,” she spat.”Is that Casper was going to make you two official and now he probably is thinking everything was just a...” she waved her hand about him looking for a phrase. “ A casual gay hook up that meant nothing to you!”

James looked at her in shock and then he grinned.”He was going to ask me to be his boyfriend?”

Daisy gasped.” NO! You aren’t supposed to know that!” She cried and slapped her hand to her forehead multiple times.”You did not hear that from me, capiche?” She eyed him in warning.

James nodded frantically. She could be damn scary is she tried.

“And that isn’t even the point you moron, stop bloody smiling. This is serious, “she continued.”Casper is hurting!”

And she was off again is search of Casper, Daniel nudging past James as he mulled over what she had said.

Yes, this was serious. Casper had probably gotten the wrong idea of him and Jessica because he always jumped to conclusions before getting the full story and was killing himself inside and was probably mad at him for nothing. But at the same time Casper liked him. Casper was going to be the one to ask him first if they wanted to go out for real. Casper the one to usually run away from his problems was taking the initiative – for him!

James had been thinking for the past week to bring that up but chickened out each time or got distracted – or made himself get distracted – but  the fact Casper was thinking of the same thing, that between them was something that could be taken seriously – was serious, well it made James’ heart pound and feel a thousand times lighter and shit – he was just so friggin’ happy as he stepped out of the club room to the hall.

“Where is he Daniel?” Daisy asked anxiously looking around.

“I left him right here, I don’t know!”

Daisy turned to him and he backed away. “You left him here, by himself?”

Daniel looked hesitant to answer. “...yeah?”

“Idiots!” she exclaimed, making both boys flinch.” You’re all idiots! He could be anywhere by now.”

But James knew exactly where, he knew that Casper would try and get out of James’ radius as far as possible, for as long as possible.

With that thought he ran, ignoring Daisy’s calls knowing she would give up by the corner and he wasn’t going to wait for her not when Casper was running away – running away from this relationship they had going at the rest of it. He knew that if he explained it would be fine, if not without a fight but they’d be together.

And the faster he got there the better.

So he ran, ran as fast as his legs could take him and thanked god that he took up football and his coach was a total hard ass that made them train till they were practically crawling their way home 3 times a week because although Casper was lazy and didn’t do any kind of exercise unless necessary he had a surprising heavy endurance and was seriously fast when he wanted to be, which was usually just running away from his problems.

                                                                              ~*~

Casper was still running, as far and as fast as possible from the Fishbowl. He ran with what he thought was controlling breathes and swinging his arms for momentum of sorts with his hair flying behind him. He felt sweat breaking out on his back and his forehead and the wind rushing through his shirt. He ran through the crowds, felt the stares at his back as he passed person after person but going too fast to make out a face. He felt the tightness in his chest as he pushed himself becoming almost painful but he didn’t stop until he was at the train station.

He paused on the floor, almost sagging into his knees and gasping for breath as he looked up at the time table. There was a train leaving in 3 minutes. His hands went to his back pocket, shoving his hand and yanking out his return ticket he hand got coming in and ran to the gates to platform 2.

“Casper!” He heard.

Shit. Casper started to almost run to the open train.

“Fuck sake Casper,” James cried quietly, panting, before running through the gates once his card went through and after him.  He watched Casper jump into the third carriage and the whistle blow for the train doors to close, he ran faster towards the doors. He was so close, he could see Casper now staring at him running towards him, the doors started to close just as James reached them and leapt through them with a,”oh, fucking shit!”  and barely getting through.

“Woah...” James breathed as he tried to regain his balance and pivoting right into Casper, causing him to topple a bit into the crowded train and causing a chain of moans. James ignored them, looking down at Casper, breathing in hard and making the top of Casper’s hair move with it. His heart was pounding so loud in his ears he could barely hear anything.

 Casper was panting almost in painfully, his fringe almost dripping with sweat as much as his face. James could feel his own perspiration building on his body and his hair sticking to the back of his neck but as soon as he god is breathing down to a normal enough level where he could gasp out a word. “Gotcha,” James smirked.

Casper didn’t acknowledge him, or tried not to as he screwed his brain trying to find a way out of there, away from James. He noticed a gap between two people’s legs. Maybe if she just crawled-

“Stop trying to run away from me Cas, seriously.” James interrupted his thoughts with a plea. “You can’t just run away every time something goes wrong because I can’t keep running after you, you need to speak to me Cas!” And the end James’ speech had when up a few notches, causing everyone to look around and stare at the two boys. James this time took to be embarrassed and avoided the carriage of eyes on him by trying to make himself as small as possible while being squashed into Casper who was doing the same, ears burning.

After James felt the attention had subsided he looked up again. “look I know what you were going to ask me in the Bowl.”

Casper’s eyes shot up. “What!?” he looked at James in shock before retracting them to the ground again.”Fucking Daisy,” he cursed under his breath. “Oh and I bet you and Jessica had a right good laugh at it, eh?”

“What?”

Why was everyone getting worked up about Jessica?

“Well you two are going out again aren’t you?” he mumbled.

“Why would you even say that?” James sighed, “Look, I don’t know what you saw but me and Jessica are not-“

“Don’t fucking lie to me James,” Casper hissed. “I can’t deal with it, not right now.”

“I’m not lying. Casper listen to me I-“

“Just stop stringing me along and go out with bloody Jessica, I don’t care any-“

“I don’t want to go out with her!” James shouted gaining glares off many of the crowding passengers again, and again both boys faces burned.

“I don’t want to be her boyfriend,” James started again quietly, leaning close to Casper until their foreheads were touching, he felt Casper lean away slightly but James moved with him and never broke eye contact.”I want to be yours.”

James felt the intake of breath on his face.

“Oh you bloody prick!” Casper gasped out.”Couldn’t you have just said that in the first place instead of invading my personal space – unwillingly on my part as I didn’t want to be anywhere near you, you bastard! And if that is even true why were you with Jessica tonight? You haven’t talked to her in a whole year and now she shows up and your hugging it out?”

“Jesus Christ, Casper,” James looked at him incredulously,” I just asked you to be my boyfriend and your still going on about Jessica. For fuck’s sake, if you really want to know why i was talking to her it was because I was rejecting her – for you, might I add, you utter cock. She wanted to get back together after the guy that she left for me cheated on her and looked back and regretted breaking up with me or some crap – anyway, I told her no because I was already in a relationship.”

Casper’s eyes shone with emotion, he blinked at James. “Why – why were you hugging her then?” He whispered, clutching at James’ top with both hands now.

“She was actually congratulating me, actually and  apologised for being a heartless bitch for not realising a guy like me wouldn’t move on from her.” James smiled weakly.

“’A guy like you’, huh?” Casper smiled back teasingly, uncurling his hand on James’ shirt and placing them flat on his chest for a lingering moment and then flopped them by his sides wanting nothing more than to embrace him.

James through his head back dramatically, “oh you know, devastatingly handsome-

“I wouldn’t say devastatingly-“

“-incredible body built like a god –“

“-I would hardly say like a god-“

“-luscious locks-“

“-maybe the first time you dyed it, now it’s like dead straw-“

“-absolutely hilarious -“

“-okay, now I know your taking the piss,” Casper said but laughed all the same.

“-with a boyfriend that also has all of these traits and who he really, really likes.” James’ left hand found its way to Casper’s right, the two hands hidden from everyone and he gave it a squeeze then proceed to stroke his fingers along Casper’s to convey the deep need to kiss him, but on a train full of people was not the best place... it wasn’t even the place they should have had that conversation at all but god, all Casper could think about was getting his lips on James to tell him that he forgave him and yes, of course he would be his boyfriend but all he could manage at that point was a look through his eyelashes, a sincere smile playing at his lips and a returned squeeze of the hand then moving it so that their fingers threaded together.

They spent the rest of the train ride with heir hands like that, hidden to the world by the wall and got off on the second stop not letting go until they were all the way home and even then it was only to pass James’ parents and up the stairs until they were a tangle of limps on the bed, lips on lips, hands in hands.

Each kiss was needy but sweet, both boys pressed into them as if their life depended on it until they became longer, more pulled out until they separated for a breath.

“Stay here tonight,” James rushed out between kisses.

Casper froze mid way to his mouth.

“No, no, no,” James said even more quickly realising what he had said,” not like that, just stay over. To sleep? I’ll lend you my pyjamas and get a spare toothbrush?”

Casper looked at the boy beneath him, his sides trapped between his thigh as he straddled him, his lips red, his hair sexy mess and the ends still curling around his forehead and his eyes bright with assurance and hope. Casper grinned and leaned back into take James’ mouth showing that he was saying yes before rolling off him and pulling out his phone from his pocket and texting his mum that he was staying.

When he had done so he dropped his hands down on the bed near his head and they both lay there for a moment. Casper could feel his shirt sticking to his back and his jeans.

“Ugh I feel so gross,” he complained.

James chuckled turning over to meet his eyes,” why don’t you go take a shower and I’ll get you a pair of pyjamas and put your clothes in the washing.

Casper blushed at the caring tone of James’ voice, like this was an everyday thing. “Don’t you need to shower too?”

James froze, eyes wide.

“I- uh..”

Casper was struck with realisation. “NO! Shit. I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant that I was – and you were – and I was just trying to be considerate not like... fuck. I was inviting you in with me or whatever beause that’s like – uh – it’s your house and I didn’t want to-“

James burst out laughing causing Casper to break his embarrassing attempt at amends.

“You’re such a dick,” Casper stated in a huff.”You knew what I meant.”

“Doesn’t mean i can’t get any ideas,” he laughed, edging up to the moody Casper and hugging him to his side, kissing the top of his head and let go when he felt Casper lean into his touch and got off the bed. He went through his drawers, pulling out a simple black top and gray pyjama bottoms for Casper. “Come on, you’re starting to stink.”

Casper gave out a bitter scoff of surprise at James, who was smirking and walking out of the room. Casper scrambled after him,” like you’re one to talk.”

James was waiting at the bathroom door and handed him the pyjama set when he approached. “Just throw your clothes out after you get in.”

Casper nodded, going into the bathroom and quietly locking the door behind him. It felt weirdly intimate, using James’ shower and wearing James’ clothes to sleep in James’ bed.

For a few moments, Casper just breathed, clutching at the soft fabrics in his hands, his face flushed and his eyes wide with slight panic. And then he shook himself, mostly because his shirt was seriously uncomfortable and exercise was just gross that made you feel gross.

He placed James’ pyjamas on an empty space on a shelf and pulled his shirt from over his head followed by his jeans, nearly toppling over as he did so. He was distracted by movement at the corner of his eye and turned to meet his reflection and his face fell into a scowl.

Not only did he feel gross, but he looked it as well. His hair was curling into his sweat on his forehead, his face was still red and blotchy. At least James still looked fucking attractive in a grossed out state while Casper looked like a red jelly baby. How James had managed to still want to make Casper his boyfriend he had no idea.

Boyfriend.

Casper smiled, his cheeks becoming even redder in the mirror.

He went back to stripping himself, taking off his batman underwear and his socks and bundling them up with his jeans and shirt and unlocking the door, making sure his lower half was hidden behind the door and handed then over to James who was waiting patiently outside.

“Just use whatever’s there.” James said, nodding in the direction of the shower. “Here’s a towel, forgot to give you one before you went in.” He handed him a light blue towel.

“Thanks,” Casper said as he took it and closed and locked the door again.

In the shower Casper mostly stared at his feet, sometimes smiling at today’s events because he had a boyfriend but then it would turn into a purse of the lips and a conflicted brows because he was staying in his boyfriend's house for the night.

Casper used as little shower products he could, feeling like an intruder, and got out wrapping himself up in the blue towel and shaking his hair a little. When he was dry he put on James’ pyjamas and frowned at the trousers as they rippled at his ankle, almost covering his feet and he had to keep pulling them up because they were too big at his waist and the top nearly went to his knees.

He grabbed the towel at the last minute to dry his hair as he walked out, James wasn’t in the hall, not that he thought he would wait around outside for Casper but there was still that strange awkward feeling he had with being alone in someone else’s house.

He went to James’ room, that being the obvious place he would be. He opened the door and gulped as he walked in on James’ naked back.

Although the boys had been basically friends with benefits for the past months or so it didn’t mean they had gotten all that naked with each other. Okay so they usually ended up shirtless after a heavy make out session but they never actually looked, to busy just locking lips and feeling the arches and dips in James’ abdomen and chest and scraping blunt fingernail down his back.

“Oh,” James said as he turned around, “I’ll just jump in, I’ll be two minutes.” He grabbed a change and a towel that was lying on the bed and made his way over to the door where Casper still stood.” Just uh... pick a movie and we’ll go watch it when I get out. I’ve ordered pizza by the way, pepperoni okay for you?”

Casper smiled.”Any pizza is okay for me.” Because pizza.

James returned the smile, his green eyes lit up as he looked down at Casper and kissed him softly, like he had missed him and couldn’t spend time apart from him again and Casper melted into it.

“Two minutes,” he reminded Casper, and Casper nodded as he disappeared into the bathroom to amuse him. He stood at the door way, staring at the close bathroom door until he heard the water run and turned around, flapping his hands at his sides and puffin up his cheeks awkwardly as he looked around the room then walked towards the rack of DVDs.

James didn’t really do variety, he noticed as he scanned the shelves, just filled mainly with mainstream comedies that mostly everyone had watched a thousand times over. He looked around for the typical ones that Casper thought everyone should have or you didn’t deserve to be in this world. When he didn’t find Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter he contemplated ever agree to this relationship then he spotted most of the marvel movies on the top shelf with Back to the Future and all was forgiven. But they would be having words later.

He ended up picking out The Internship with Vince Vaughn in it, he liked Vince Vaughn. Owen Wilson was okay, he only really liked him because he played Jedediah and Lightening McQueen. James still wasn’t out of the shower, he could hear the water running so he sat down on the bed , tapping the DVD repeatedly on to the palm of his hand and waited.

James found him still on the bed but sprawled out and making weird noises with his lips.

“You are so weird.” James chuckled fondly.

Casper shrugged uncaringly, getting of the bed and taking in the sight of freshly showered James, his skin looked soft and his hair was all over dark red. He looked delicious. Casper took James’ hand in his and they made their way downstairs “because the TV is bigger”.

They waited till the pizza came till they settled down to watch it, Casper curled up to James, James’ arm around his shoulder and through the film. James told Casper that it a decent movie, not many girls in it but it was cool. Casper found himself not caring as he found himself following the actor playing a guy named Stuart.

“What happened with Logan by the way,” Casper asked with uncertainty as he remembered yesterday’s events.

James tore his eyes of the screen for a moment and just stared at Casper, Casper thought he wasn’t going to tell him until he sighed, “Logan and Darla have been hooking up a lot lately...”

Casper’s brain went into shock, he couldn’t believe Darla had hooked up with a friend.

“... He had always fancied her,” that made it even worse,” and it just kept happening and Logan thought it was turning into something because we all know Darla doesn’t really do seconds never mind multiple times.” James gave a small side smile that had Casper nod in agreement. “And then she started hanging out with Daniel all the time and stopped calling him and he just got really jealous and felt that you were taking me away from him, but it was only because he was really upset about Darla and was really upset yesterday when she blew him off for Daniel again. So he didn’t mean what he said about you and he was really sorry.”

Casper was mad at Darla but at the same time surprised that she had been with Logan more than once. Maybe because they were friends for a long time it made her sort of loyal to him? Casper wasn’t sure. He felt for Logan, Darla was a hard woman to love.

“I saw them together at the Fishbowl when I was looking for you,” Casper said without thinking.

James blinked in surprise. “Really?” he asked without really wanting an answer but Casper nodded anyway.”Then they probably worked it out, maybe.”

“Yeah..” Casper agreed with a sigh and shifted a little to get back into a comfortable position to watch the film.

They didn’t see the end of the movie. The last thing Casper remembered was that Owen and Vince had taken their team to a strip club or something. It should have been the part Casper perked up at but he was too far gone and had fallen asleep still curled up to James. Then there was a bright flash and he was tousled awake, followed by James squirming beside him “Fuck off Maureen!”

“You guys are so adorable!” She squealed and Casper flinched, snuggling into James again just wanting to go back to sleep.

James groaned, and nudged Casper who moaned back at him.

“C’mon Casper, it isn’t comfortable here. I’ll take you up to bed.” Casper doesn’t open his eyes even when James moved carefully so he doesn’t fall over on his face on the couch, nor when his wrists are pulled on to stand up and then dragged upstairs.

He does open them a little when a new blue toothbrush is shoved in his hand, tooth paste ready on the bristles and he stares in the bathroom mirror, blearily eyed as he brushes his teeth half-heartily with James beside him who is smiling at him, amused, through his froth. 

Casper guesses its better that he fell asleep and was so tired to even worry about James and him sharing a bed as they got in together. At first both of them at opposite sides until Casper rolled over and made James the little spoon as he snuggled into his back making James smile into the darkness.

 And when Casper woke up with James in his arms, he’d never been happier. 

Woah, what is this? An actual chapter on time and not even a week has gone by? Freaky.

So... BOYFRIENDS! Finally. I like fluff and drama as you can see. I think this is a cause for celebration.. or bed, for me anyway.

Running again, I like the running. DRAMATIC! .. I should stop the running, it exhausts me even writing about it. My poor boys.

And I wasn't planning on giving Jessica a personality at all but I feel a bit in love with her and she happened. I think I might bring her back, I like her. Also Daniel has reappeared as a saviour. I really love Daniel. 

I have a thing in my head that James does in fact own Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter but Maureen has stolen them and they are in her room. Siblings, what can you do?

A few of you have voiced your annoyance for my infrequent updates for which I am ashamed form you have every right to be upset. I never thought that people would actually read my work never mind like it and I really should take advantage of that, I promise I am trying to change because I have realised that I put off things a lot, like everything in my day to day life and it's becoming a problem. I wonder if there's like a procrastination rehab centre or Procrast anonymous or something...

Thank you all so much for reading, voting and commenting. You're the best. I even had quite a shock when I noticed a little #880 Romance under Gay Chicken the other day, it's gone now but doesn't mean I am not freaking ecstatic about it still!

P.s. Question: I know a lot of authors on here keep up to date with their lives, just little things mind you, like a movie they liked or a book they read or to share music or... whatever, would you guys like that? I feel like there's a sort of barrier between me and you, my readers, and I don't know if I should fix that or not or just leave it be? Also (to followers), another question, do you like getting messages as well as the other email that send you a notification that I have updated or does that annoy you?

Frick, I have talked to much again. Eh, goodnight, good morning, good afternoon, good evening... whenever and wherever ever you guys are! Toodles~