May 18, 33 AE

Their first date, if you could even call it that, was underwhelmingly anticlimactic, and Mack knew he was to blame.

After he and Jordan agreed to be "undercover partners", as Mack liked to say, their first order of business was first date ideas. Immediately, Mack launched into a plethora of options; in retrospect, he was probably trying to take his mind off the terrible day he had, and he most definitely didn't think things through by insisting that their first date had to be the next day.

So of course Mack woke up the next morning with his head feeling like an ipu at the Merrie Monarch Festival. Not that he'd ever seen the hula competition before, but he could attest that his head felt like a gourd that's been hitting the ground for a week straight.

He didn't feel any better when he finally managed to stand, and his headache worsened as his body swayed unsteadily. His legs shook from his own body weight, and each step he took to the kitchen put him at risk of toppling over entirely. And even though he made it to the kitchen unscathed, he barely mustered up enough strength to open the fridge door, and he definitely couldn't open the sports drink that he pulled from the door.

His day was going to be fantastic. Jordan was going to stop by at noon so they could drive to the beach and go sailing, stop by Catalina Island and do some other nature things (low crowds permitting, of course), have an early dinner at a fancy private dining restaurant, take a boat back to the mainland while watching the sun set, then stop by a speakeasy arcade bar to end the night.

But just thinking about the day ahead made Mack exhausted. Perhaps he had been a little enthusiastic when he made their itinerary.

The sound of his doorbell even caused him to wince, and he had to drag himself out of the kitchen to answer it. Thankfully, he had enough sense to check the peephole before opening the door because it was Jordan waiting for him patiently outside. His unexpected presence was enough to startle some self-discipline into Mack, and Mack forced himself to feign nonchalance before he opened the door.

"Hey!" Mack greeted, and it took almost all of his willpower to keep from wincing at the volume of his own voice. "You're here!"

Jordan's initially cute smile quickly transformed into one of hesitant confusion. "Uh... hi?"

"Come in, come in!"

After Jordan tentatively obeyed Mack's ushering, Mack had to pause for a moment to force his mind to focus on his new "undercover partner".

As always, Jordan was as fashionable as ever. He wore a short-sleeved button down aloha shirt with a pattern of white palm trees against a gray to black gradient background. His shirt was loosely tucked into a pair of torn blue denim shorts with the hems cuffed to end just above his knees. In his hands, he fiddled with a pair of black and gold clubmaster sunglasses, and Mack found himself entranced by the way Jordan's fingers moved the temples opened and closed.

So when Jordan's hand paused and hid the sunglasses behind his back, Mack was reasonably irritated.

"Hey," Mack grumbled, and lifted his gaze to meet Jordan's.

But for some unfathomable reason, Jordan seemed confused by Mack's protest.

"What?" Jordan asked, as if he was genuinely clueless. "I'm just asking."

Yikes. Mack must've missed something in his delirium, but he wasn't about to admit that.

"Why are you so early anyway?" Mack smoothly switched topics. "Not that I'm complaining--you look unbelievably attractive, by the way--but I thought we said noon?"

Jordan's confusion deepened the furrow of his eyebrows, and he checked his watch--a black sports watch that Mack belatedly noticed.

"I'm... three minutes early?" Jordan said before he turned back to Mack, his expression now filled with concern. "Are you okay?"

Mack was a breath away from saying yes, he was perfectly fine, why wouldn't he be? But he suddenly remembered his previous conversations with Jordan: Jordan making him promise to be open about his feelings, to not lie to him when something was wrong. He remembered the fear in Jordan's eyes, and how it blended seamlessly with his concern. He remembered how he promised himself that he wasn't going to be the cause of Jordan's misery, not if he could help it.

So when Mack let out his next breath, he followed it up with the truth.

"No," Mack replied, and it was a relief to let his smile melt off his face. "I don't think I am."

Jordan must not have expected his honesty, and his expression jumped to surprise before reverting back to worry.

"What's wrong?" Jordan asked, and he looked so anxious that Mack just wanted to hold him and tell him everything would be alright.

"I'm sorry, I feel like shit right now," Mack explained. "I think I used way too much energy yesterday, and I'm finally feeling it. I'm... I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Jordan assured. "Just stay here and rest. Do you want me to go? I can pick up some--"

"No!" Mack exclaimed, his mind belatedly processing that Jordan leaving was the last thing he wanted, and his head throbbed at his objection. "Sorry. I want you to stay, if you can. I'm probably not gonna be much company though."

Jordan smiled softly at him, and the resulting warmth in Mack's chest made him realize how cold he felt.

"Of course I can stay," Jordan said. "But I want to do more than just keep you company."

Before Mack could ask what he meant by that, Jordan took a few steps to close the distance between them. At that moment, there was nothing Mack wanted more than to kiss Jordan right then and there, and he was suddenly aware of how dry his mouth was (he really wished he had that sports drink right now).

Since Jordan was a few inches taller than him, Mack was either going to have to meet him up there (an unlikely feat when his legs were already unsteady) or drag Jordan down to his level (with his arms that couldn't even open a sealed bottle). Thankfully, Mack was saved from his predicament at the sight of Jordan's hand moving upwards, reaching for Mack's face...

Jordan's palm rested on Mack's forehead, checking his temperature, and Mack had to blink a few times to erase his delusions from his vision.

"You feel a little cold," Jordan observed, bringing his other hand to his own forehead to compare. "Is that normal?"

"Um... maybe?" Mack said, his mind still partially stuck in his personal fantasy.

"Maybe?" Jordan repeated as he moved both of his hands to Mack's neck.

"Uh..." Mack was having trouble focusing, but he wasn't sure if it was his exhaustion or attraction. "Something to do with... energy... redirecting? Prioritizing? Something like that. I can't remember."

Jordan unfortunately pulled his hands back and gave Mack an unimpressed look. "You can't remember how your own abilities work?"

Without Jordan's hands on him anymore, Mack felt unusually irritated. "And you remember everything from high school biology?"

Immediately, Jordan opened his mouth to argue, then closed it when no retort came out.

"Point taken," he sighed. "Just... sit on the couch and I'll look it up."

"I just need some rest," Mack insisted. Truthfully, he wanted Jordan to sit on the couch with him, but he had a feeling the internet wouldn't provide that advice.

"Did you eat anything?" Jordan asked instead, clearly not about to take Mack's word for it. "I can at least make soup. Or what about that casserole in the fridge? I can heat that up for you."

Mack couldn't deny that food sounded good right about then. "The casserole is fine. And... there's a bottle on the counter. Could you open it for me?"

He half-expected Jordan to tease him and his muscles for not being able to accomplish such a simple task. It wouldn't have bothered him, but he was surprised when Jordan left to retrieve the drink and handed it unsealed to Mack without any comments.

"Now can you please sit down and rest?" Jordan asked.

An idea came over Mack, and he grinned mischievously. "Only if you promise to join me."

As expected, Jordan blushed immediately and averted his wide eyes to the side.

"Just... go," Jordan stammered towards Mack's front door. "I'll..." He licked then bit his lip. "I'll be right there."

Mack chuckled softly, but he moved to the living room obediently, settling onto his side of the couch with his head resting on the armrest and the TV playing a random show with the volume set just a few notches above mute.

He must have fallen asleep because Jordan woke him up moments later with a soft tap on the shoulder and gently urged him to eat something. Thankfully, Jordan joined him on the couch without needing to be reminded, and he took the center cushion, allowing Mack's legs and the blanket that covered them to rest on his lap while they ate.

While their meal of reheated casserole was nothing like the fine dining they would've had on Catalina Island, nor was the nearly inaudible TV show anything close to watching the sun set into the sea, Mack didn't think it was all that bad. Still, he did feel a little guilty for their change of plans.

"This is fine," Jordan assured when Mack voiced his concerns after their simple meal. He had taken to unconsciously massage Mack's calves, and Mack didn't want to alert him out of worry that he would stop. "Your initial plans sounded fun, but... they might've been a little overwhelming."

"That's probably an understatement," Mack agreed, struggling to keep his eyes open as he watched Jordan work.

"You don't mind this, do you?" Jordan said, pausing one of his hands to gesture at Mack's legs. "Sorry, I should've asked first."

"No, I love it," Mack replied, grinning. "I could probably get used to this."

Jordan frowned. "That doesn't mean you should get yourself in these situations on purpose though."

"I know, I'm sorry," Mack quickly amended, not wanting to worry him any more. "I'll try to be more careful next time."

Jordan hummed in acknowledgement, but he still didn't look convinced. There was still a hint of concern that lingered in his expression, and Mack hated that he was the cause of it.

"Hey," Mack said, extending his arms to Jordan. "C'mere."

Initially, Jordan hesitated with a look of worry. Then, he hesitated with a look of disbelief.

"You can't be serious," he said, looking down at Mack and how his body probably took up the entire width of the couch. "I'm not gonna fit."

Mack grinned at his words; Jordan blushed at his unintentional innuendo.

"That's not what I meant," Jordan stressed.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry," Mack said, but his smile said otherwise. "You'll be fine. I can take it."

Mack almost couldn't get the final words of his joke out since he was laughing too hard, and he only laughed harder when Jordan's thumbs dug into his calf muscle.

"Ow, ow, ow!" Mack exclaimed through his sniggers. "Hang on, my head hurts!"

"That's what you get for laughing so hard," Jordan scolded, but his thumbs thankfully relented their attack.

"I know, I'm sorry," Mack apologized again, then re-extended his arms to Jordan. "Lemme make it up to you?"

Jordan only glared at him for a few seconds before giving in to Mack's request. When he eased himself down into Mack's arms, Mack slid his body outwards as much as he could to make room. Honestly, it was a tight fit (but Mack kept that observation and associated laughter to himself), but they made it work. Eventually, Jordan seemed comfortably wedged on his side between Mack and the couch backrest, his head resting on Mack's shoulder. And when Mack tightened his arms around Jordan, Jordan did the same.

"See?" Mack said. "I told you it would work!"

"You need a bigger couch," Jordan muttered into Mack's shoulder. "And I'm moving as soon as my arm falls asleep."

"Then we can just trade places," Mack promised.

When Jordan simply grunted in reply, Mack chuckled, and he couldn't resist giving Jordan a soft kiss on the top of his head.

"Thanks, Jordan," Mack whispered, watching as his words ruffled Jordan's dark hair ever so slightly.

There was a beat of silence.

"You're welcome," Jordan whispered back, his arms hugging Mack just a bit tighter.

---

NOTES

Friendly reminder to brush your teeth after ALL THIS SWEETNESS.

Additionally, here's a warning that I may resort to irregular updates so I can devote more time to other things, such as other stories and real-life adulting. As much as I don't like to leave things hanging or unfinished, I can only focus on one storyline/life task at a time, and I'd like to concentrate on other things. I have almost five chapters already written that I can post, but it'll be up in the air after that. Hopefully, I can still write chapters every once in a while, but this story will become more of a side hobby to my hobby, if that makes sense.

In any case, thanks for reading and voting on this chapter!