At Least Pretend You Didn't Wanna Get Caught

Over the next couple of weeks, things at the restaurant hadn't gotten much easier for Jack. He did his best to get on his Superior's good side, trying to be the bigger person in the situation, and Max, the head chef, continued to bark out commands and insults at him any chance he got.

To say the least it was making going to his dream job every day, quite taxing.

"Hey Jack, can you try this," Zack, who is the resident pastry and dessert chef, called him over.

Zack held out a spoonful of what appeared to be some sort of chocolate mousse.

"Mm, is there strawberry in that?," Jack asked as he tossed the used spoon into their kitchen's industrial sized sink.

"Yup, and it's sugar free," Zack stated proudly. He's big on health and fitness so he's always trying to make his sweets 'lite'. It's a bit counter productive but he does it well so no one complains.

"Woah, really? I couldn't even tell. Nice job, Man," Jack praised his coworker while giving him a friendly pat on the back.

He's been doing that a lot lately. Praising the other cooks. It turns out that Max wasn't just terrorizing Jack's ability to do his job, but the rest of the kitchen's staff as well.

Which was entirely unnecessary because from what he could tell in just the short time he'd been there, everyone was pretty competent in what they were doing and didn't need to be dictated by their Executive Chef.

So, as second in command, Jack had taken it upon himself to compliment the rest of the staff at any chance he could. This kind of worked in his favor because everyone had gained a liking and respect for him rather quickly. Now he just needed to figure out how to stop taking the brunt of Max's tantrums.

It was a slow Tuesday night at Jonquille. Not many patriants occupied the dining room, so Jack figured that he would be able to leave a little earlier than his usual 11 pm clock out.

For the better part of the day Jack had just repeatedly cooked their Tuesday special for the week and supervised or helped out the others in the kitchen. Max had left them to it about half an hour ago, to start preparations for next weeks menu and scheduling.

"Merrick, Smith and Finnley! Finish your last tickets than you can head out!," Max called out as he entered back through the swinging doors of the kitchen. "Barakat, you can go too."

Jack ran a hand through his dark hair, that had drooped from it's original style, due to running around all day. He was basically done here, but needed to finish up a few things. This made Jack relieved that he could just go home, drink a beer, and watch something mindless on Rian's giant flat screen. That sounded ideal to him right about now.

---

At around 8:30 that night, Jack climbed the stairs of his apartment building two at a time. It's the first night since he started working that he's been home before midnight, so he's pretty stoked to have some free time that's not spent sleeping.

He makes quick work of unlocking the door with one hand, while the other holds a rather hefty brown paper sack.

When he gets inside the sight he sees is definitely unexpected. The front door is directly across from the back of Rian's cushioned sofa, which gives Jack the perfect view of two engrossed men making out on the couch.

What he assumes has to be the back of Rian's head is leant against the support cushions. While, who is unmistakably Alex, is sat straddled in Rian's lap. One of his hands are at the back of Rian's neck, messing with the ends of hair that lay there. The other gripping the back of the furniture.

When Jack makes his way fully inside and shuts the door behind him, Alex's eyes snap up and make contact with Jack's. He immediately jumps up from his place atop Rian, eyes wide and face burning.

"Um, hey Jack,"

Luckily, it appears that nothing more than some heavy kissing was happening. Though Jack could tell from the intensity he had witnessed, and the fact that Alex was rushedly trying to re-button his shirt, that If he hadn't of interrupted, things would have progressed.

Rian was still sat on the couch, but he turned his head around to face Jack, giving a nodded greeting.

"Sup, Jay,"

Jack and Rian weren't really embarrassed. Both had accidentally walked in on the other during every base imaginable, throughout the time they had known each other. It was no longer such a big deal. Jack was somewhat surprised though. Considering Alex usually didn't get off till late, much like himself. He wasn't expecting to see the two here at the same time. It was rare.

Jack just smirked at the two and held up his paper bag. "I brought food," he stated before making his way into the kitchen to start unloading it.

It was a perk of working at Jonquille, he had to admit. Leftovers were fair game to all staff so he often got to take home the delicious meals to share with Rian and Alex.

It had started to be a thing that he and Alex were able to do whenever they got off work.

Alex would always come here when his shift at the Animal Hospital ended, so that he could sleep next to Rian and they could have their cute little morning time to do whatever it is that they do. Jack doesn't really know, he's usually still asleep.

But he'll bring home extra food from his restaurant for him and Alex to eat. Since "no" had become a reoccurring answer to Jack's nightly "have you eaten dinner yet?" question.

They would stuff their faces, then save Rian anything that he "just had to try". Some nights they would each open a bottle of beer and catch the overview of any games that they had long since missed hours before. Or talk about how the others day went. How much of dick Max was or how some precious bird a little girl brought in could dance on command. Then they would head to their separate bedrooms for some much needed rest.

It was a nice routine they had going, and they could start thinking of each other as friends now. Which was a good thing.

After Jack had unloaded the many foil and styrofoam containers onto the island counter top, Rian and Alex had made their way into the kitchen.

"What're you doing home so early?," Rian asked as he headed to the cabinet above the dish washer to retrieve 3 plates.

"It was a slow night, Max let a bunch of us out early," Jack replied, pulling out the drawer he was standing in front of to get the silverware for them to use.

"Well sweet dude, now we all get to have dinner together!" Rian noted as he took one if the forks Jack was offering him. "We haven't done that since you first got here."

Jack and Alex looked to each other. Alex was still slightly flushed from earlier activities. He also took the fork Jack was handing him, their hands brushed slightly before Alex looked down at the display in front of them.

"So, what is it tonight?," Alex asked.

Jack cleared his throat a bit before looking to the food and replying. "Tonight we have a garlic and herb rubbed chicken Kiev, with roasted asparagus and white cheddar mashed potatoes," Jack announced as he pointed out each item using the tip of his utensil, "and for dessert, chocolate strawberry Mousse."

"Mm, mousse?," Alex asked as he spooned a healthy scoop of the potatoes on his plate.

"Yeah," Jacked started, taking the piece of chicken Rian was offering out to him, "My friend Zack, who does our desserts, made it. You gotta try it, it's bomb,"

They all grabbed their plates and headed back into the living room to eat. They seldomly ever ate at the table, it was just more comfortable to sit on the couch and watch TV.

Rian and Alex sat back on the couch they were originally at, but not so much on top of each other this time. Jack chose to sit on the adjacent love seat. They started to watch a re-run of Pawn Stars before Jack spoke up again, conversationally.

"You're here pretty early too, Alex,"

"Oh yeah, I usually have Tuesdays and Sundays off actually, but these past couple of weeks I've been having to work through them," he said after he swallowed his mouthful of food. "My schedule is finally starting to return to normal. I still have to work late, but at least it's not all week anymore."

"Hey, that's awesome," Jack took a drink from his glass of ice tea. "What are you guys gonna do tonight?"

"Well, your presence ruined what we were gonna do earlier so," Rian jokingly stated as he shoved a huge chunk of chicken into his mouth before grinning.

Alex back handed Rian's arm while also smiling. The blush returned to his cheeks though.

Jack just laughed, "Yeah, sorry 'bout that, but in my defense you did say no nudity in the living room,"

"I said you couldn't be naked in the living room. I didn't say anything about Alex or myself," Rian replied cheekily.

"Well that's just unfair," Jack started to pout, before he set down his plate on the coffee table and began to lift up his shirt, revealing his bare chest. "You can't keep me confined forever!"

"Whatever, Loser. Go be naked in your own room." Rian said when he and Alex started to laugh at Jack's antics.

"But Rian!," Jack yelled, then he began to rub his hands all over himself.

"Ri, if this doesn't put you in the mood, I don't know what will," Alex's voice was laced with sarcasm.

Rian then pulled the pillow he was sitting against out from behind him and threw it at Jack.

All three were still laughing as Alex stood and picked up all of their empty plates, to go put them in the kitchen.

"Thanks for dinner, Jack," Rian said as he quickly stretched out his limbs before standing as well. Jack just shrugged in response since it truly was no big deal. "I think me and Alex are gonna head out soon though."

"Yeah? Where to?,"

"His place. We haven't had a proper night to ourselves in awhile,"

Jack just nodded his head in understanding. He knew how little they actually got to hang out with each other by themselves. That's why he kinda feels guilty for imposing on them earlier. But it's not like he doesn't live here either.

"Well, I hope you two get lucky,"

"Shut the fuck up, Barakat," Rian rolled his eyes good-heartedly at his friend, then left Jack to go help his boyfriend in the kitchen.

It took Alex and Rian a good fifteen minutes to get their stuff together before they left to head over to Alex's for the night.

When they were gone, Jack sat on the couch with his beer cracked open and some movie starring Jonah Hill playing.

This is exactly what he'd been looking forward to when he had gotten off work. This time to himself spent just doing nothing. He couldn't help but think that something was missing from his scenario though. He just couldn't place what it was.