At Least Pretend You Didn't Wanna Get Caught

The next day found Jack at his new job as Sous Chef of Jonquille. His boss, Lee, was good friends with his sister, which made it an easy transition for Jack since he had know the guy and much of his staff for years. When the position suddenly became available, Jack was the first person Lee thought of to fill the spot.

He had been working at a Pizzeria in Chicago at the time. Not really fulfilling the potential his Culinary Degree and training classes had provided him. So, when he got the call for a job offering in his home state, he didn't even hesitate to accept.

Jack had moved to Chicago a couple of years after he finished high school. Those first free years had been spent partying his nights and sleeping his days away. When that became too routine he decided to make the move to Illinois, where he found his passion for the kitchen and signed up for courses to extend them. He had taken countless hands on seminars over his time spent there, learning different techniques and basics for all kinds of cooking and baking aspects.

But now he's back home with a better head on his shoulders and a job that he used to only dream of working at.

"Hey, Rookie! I said medium rare not medium well! Cook it again and this time do it right!"

Too bad his Executive Chef was a fucking prick.

---

"There you go, Nacho. Whose a good boy?" Alex praised the golden Chihuahua after he had carefully injected the dog's hind leg with a heart-worm shot.

So far it had been a rather easy day for Alex at the City of Baltimore Veterinary Office. Most of his clients had been regulars just in for their by-monthly check ups or their annual shots. Standard tasks that a Vet Tech, like himself, could easily administer in their sleep.

"So, it appears that Nacho is at a healthy weight for a dog of his size and all of his vitals are looking good. Dr. Thompson would just recommend that you change your current dog shampoo to something with oatmeal in the formula. It'll help ease the irritation of his under-belly rash and get him to stop scratching at it." Alex advised Nacho's owner as she nodded along.

"Okay great, I'll be sure to do that," When Alex finished rattling off all the check points his superior, Dr. Thompson, asked him to educate their clients on, he walked Nacho and his owner out to the front desk receptionist to get them signed off.

After he cooed over the little dog one more time, Alex made his way back into his examination room. He went about re-sanitizing his work space and washed his hands for about the 12th time that day, before he looked down at his watch and noticed that he was due for a break.

Alex poked his head into his lead Vet's office to let him know that he was taking his 'lunch', then continued down the hallway to the break room.

At this time it was vacant of any other people and the only noises heard were from the ice machine restocking itself. He doesn't really mind the eerie feel of it all. It's to be expected when you work the night shift at an animal hospital. As the day goes by less and less people show up, unless it's an emergency. Then things can get pretty hectic again.

Alex poured himself a cup of black coffee and walked over to one of the three empty tables to sit down. It was nearing 8 o'clock so he figured he'd call Rian and tell him goodnight. Knowing that he wouldn't get a chance to use his phone again until he clocked out.

"Hello?"

"Hey, babe," Alex gulped at his bitter coffee.

"Hey! Guess what movie is on right now?" Rian asked excitedly which made Alex chuckle.

"I have no idea."

"The Shawshank Redemption!" Alex had to fondly role his eyes because his boyfriend was a dork.

"Oh yeah? Well I know what you'll be doing tonight."

"Yup!," Rian said before his voice got a bit more gentle. "I just wish you were here to watch it with me."

"Rian..." Alex sighed softly before he continued. "Please don't start this right now. You know I wish I was there too."

"It's just kind of bullshit that we never get to have dinner together anymore, and I always have to go to sleep without you. I haven't even seen you since last night."

It's true. Alex had opted out of staying at Rian's last night, so that him and Jack could catch up without someone else being in the way. It had seemed like a good idea at the time, but clearly the after effects weren't holding up very well for either of them. They don't usually go whole days without seeing each other, as silly as that may sound.

"Yes, Rian. I know. What do you want me to do about it though? I can't just...," Alex was interrupted by Rian's apologetic voice trying to diffuse the situation before it got out of hand.

"Okay, I'm sorry. You were right, I shouldn't have said anything just... please come back to my place when you get off. Please? I hate when I don't get to wake up next to you."

Honestly, Alex hated it too. Since Rian and Alex's work schedules are extremely different, they often times have to just rely on whenever they're both not busy to see each other. Which has recently become whenever Alex gets off, which Rian is usually already asleep by, or in the mornings before Rian goes to work. Which is doable, because even though he's still exhausted at that point, after Rian leaves, Alex can get in a few more hours before he has to start getting ready as well.

It wasn't always like this, the crazy schedules and the constant petty arguments. But since Alex's hospital had to lose some employees, he's been needed to take on one of the more inconvenient shifts. Just a step down from the graveyard, but still, inconvenient.

Of course Alex feels bad but there's not really much he can do. He loves his job and if he has to work ridiculous hours for now to keep it, then he will. He's just tired of getting guilt-tripped by Rian over it.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yes, okay, I'll see you later," Alex's replies were short, but he was frustrated now and he still had a few hours left until he could leave. They exchanged 'I love you's' before Alex hung up. He rubbed his hands over his face before he stood to walk over to the vending machines in the corner of the break room. Alex eyed the choices, even though they never changed, and contemplated.

Which bag of chips will it be tonight?

---

Jack hadn't been home for too long from his irritating day at work, when he realized that he was starving. Whenever he's around all that food he tends to forget that he needs to feed himself as well and not just his customers.

He hung up his chef jacket in his room, leaving him in a plain white t-shirt and his black work pants, which were surprisingly comfortable. Then, made his way into the kitchen to find something to eat.

Jack loves cooking. He does, but after doing it for the majority of the day with the newly added benefit of being screamed at and forced to recook perfectly fine entrées, thanks to his new head chef, Jack just wants something quick and easy to fill his stomach. And that jar of peanut butter sitting in Rian's pantry seemed to be calling out for him to grab.

Just as he was applying his final layer of blackberry jam to his bread, he heard the front door being unlocked and pushed opened. Alex shuffled inside, re-locking the door behind him, before he noticed that the lights in the apartment were still on.

"Alex?" Jack quietly called and said boy stepped into the kitchen, setting down the items he held in his hands.

"Hey, Jack. What's up?"

"Just making myself some dinner, have you eaten?" Alex looked down at what Jack was making and couldn't help himself.

"Um, not really no. But hey, if you're supposedly this ultra amazing cook then why are you making the least complex sandwich in the world for dinner?" Alex questioned with a laugh. Jack just shook his head and got out two more slices of honey wheat bread.

"Probably because I got yelled at all day by my dumbass Head Chef, for stupid shit that I didn't even do wrong."

"Oh, really?," Alex asked as he rested his elbows against the counter top. "That sucks, man."

"Yeah, he was purposefully telling me contradictory things and no matter what I gave him, he bitched about it. Dudes a dick," Jack vented as he continued to slather more peanut butter on the bread.

"I'm sorry your first day was bad," Alex sympathized.

"It wasn't all bad. Everyone there is pretty cool, except for him. He just does not like me for some reason but whatever, I'm not gonna let him ruin this for me."

"Yeah! Fuck the haters," Alex cheered before he stood straight again and extended out his fist for Jack to pound. Which he did with a smile.

"Here," Jack held out the other sandwich he had made waiting for him to take it, but instead Alex just kind of stared at it with a surprised expression.

"Oh. You didn't have to make me anything."

"You said you hadn't eaten," Jack started to slightly wave the sandwich back and forth. "So, eat."

Alex hesitated for a moment before he finally grabbed the food from Jack with a soft "thank you" and took a bite. A moment passed before he then dramatically rolled his eyes back into his head and made an obnoxious 'mmm' noise.

"You know, this is probably the best thing that I have ever eaten," Alex started to sarcastically recite before Jack just rolled his eyes and began to put away his ingredients. He will not be mocked for this.

"You wanna know why I think it's so good?," He asked when he began to follow Jack around the kitchen while he continued to chew happily.

"Not really, no,"

"Maybe it's because it was hand crafted by the infamous Jack Barakat," Alex was being annoying on purpose, trying to get back at Jack for making fun of him and his little mishap the day before. "Sous Chef and firefighter extraordinaire!"

"I'm done listening to you now," At this point Jack had picked up his own sandwich and was making his way out of the kitchen flipping the lights off as he went. Alex still trailing close behind.

"A true hero to all he encounters!,"

Alex had now stopped in the living room as Jack continued on to his bedroom, trying not to laugh at what Alex was rambling on about. "Seriously! I'll tell my grandkids about this sandwich!"

When Jack turned back, standing in the doorway to his bedroom he just smiled fondly at the idiocracy that is Alex Gaskarth before he said "Goodnight, Alex" and softly closed his door. Leaving Alex alone to laugh to himself in the now empty living area.

Alex couldn't help but smile at what just happened and he finished the last bite of his beloved sandwich before he quietly entered Rian's room.

As expected Rian was already asleep which had Alex's face faltering a little bit. It's then that he remembers just how tired he is and quickly decides he can shower in the morning. So, he strips down to his boxers and carefully slides his way into the bed. Scoots close to Rian, who subconsciously pulls him into his side, and snuggles into his chest.

Before he drifts off to sleep, Alex can't help but think how nice it was to not come home to dark and silent apartment for a change.