Ignite

"I never thought you could ever feel for me the same way I feel for you,"

"Is that why you left? Because you thought I'd realise you were in my bed and kick you out?"

Jack just nodded, making Zack frown.

"I would never do that to you. Not you,"

*

Jack felt like he was in a dream. A wonderful beautiful dream where everything was perfect and nothing hurt anymore. After his emotional confrontation with Zack, and the subsequent unexpected hand-job, he’d spent that entire day in a nervous flutter, grateful for Alex’s silent smirks (because he knew Rian had told Alex and he didn’t want anyone else to know…) rather than teasing out loud. And their dinner date that night had been amazing, Zack having made reservations for a French restaurant that Jack would never have thought of going in, and the older man had been a perfect gentleman all night, their night ending with no more than a slow sweet make-out.

Jack had been kind of glad that their date ended like that – while he wanted to sleep with Zack again (obviously), he didn’t want to just jump into bed with him all the time. Like Zack had said to him, he wanted more than just sex. He wanted the whole damn relationship, and he was glad that Zack was on the same page. A beautiful older man wanted him – Jack wasn’t going to waste this chance.

And Zack had continued to be so sweet afterwards. He brought Jack coffee every morning, because Jack was usually in the office 15 minutes before he was, and they’d gone to lunch together a few times, and they’d stayed late after work a few times before going out for more dinner dates…and Jack couldn’t be happier. He really couldn’t.

Today was New Year’s Eve. Saporta and Wentz, the company directors, had enforced a mandatory day off work tomorrow on New Year’s Day for all employees, which Jack was kinda grateful for because he did not want to work with a New Year hangover. Not that he had any plans yet, but he assumed he’d be getting drunk somewhere because hello, New Year’s Eve. Zack was in meetings this morning, as was Rian, leaving Alex and Jack alone with very little work today other than fielding the rare calls.

After submitting a couple of holiday requests for the days after New Year’s Day for his team members (Jenna because her boyfriend had surprised her with a last minute vacation, and Danny K because his brother was coming up to visit), Jack and Alex went to the kitchen, where they had complete privacy.

“So…have you talked to Zack yet?” Alex asked, pouring water into the kettle.

“Talked to Zack? About what?” Jack frowned.

Alex rolled his eyes slightly, but smiled.

“Rian told me that Zack declined his invitation to go out drinking with us two and the Matts plus their girlfriends tonight. I was going to invite you today because you haven’t told me your plans, but I’m assuming you’ll be with Zack now,” Alex shrugged.

Jack’s cheeks heated before he could stop them. “He hasn’t said anything to me,”

“Maybe he thinks you already have plans,”

“Then why did he say no to Rian?”

“I…you…huh. Maybe you should just ask him,”

“Can I though? He hasn’t called me his boyfriend, we only confessed our feelings five days ago. Is it too soon to make plans like that?” Jack frowned.

Alex frowned too. “No, I think you can definitely assume he wants to be with you tonight, because Zack would never say no to Rian otherwise,”

Jack frowned a little more. He just…he didn’t want to assume, okay? He didn’t want to seem too clingy and drive Zack away.

“You could just ask him subtly, right? Just like, so what are your plans tonight? That doesn’t force the idea that you should be doing something if that isn’t what he wants? But it’s forward enough to suggest that you do want to spend time with him if that’s what he wants to?”

“God, why is this so complicated? Why can’t he just ask me?”

“Because he’s a guy?”

“We’re guys too,”

“Yeah, but we’re just as awkward as they are. You know how long Rian and I danced around each other. Neither you or Zack talked about your feelings which would’ve saved a lot of trouble. I say, just be honest with him. I think the line I said will work, and then you can go from there. You’ve got to take what you want, Jack,”

“Can I just take what I want though?” Jack asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Of course you can! You are a young hot gay guy in the middle of New York, with an equally as hot older guy who wants you around – I say, take it all,” Alex grinned.

Jack blushed slightly. Could he…could he really do that?

“I guess I could ask him?” Jack eventually said.

“That’s the spirit. And if he does have other plans, then you are coming out with Rian and I, and we’re all going to get merry and pass out on Rian’s floor. Simple,” Alex shrugged.

Jack couldn’t help but laugh. It was sweet that Alex was willing to give up New Year’s sex for him.

The kettle finally boiled (slowest kettle ever), and Alex made them both a strong coffee, handing Jack his mug with a smile.

“They’ll be back soon from their meeting, and then won’t have another one until after lunch. You can talk to Zack then,”

“Thanks mom,” Jack mused.

Alex just laughed.

*

As always, Alex was right, and Zack came back from his meeting with Rian only 10 minutes later, enough time for Jack to panic and subsequently calm himself down. He could do this. He could totally be confident and calm and just ask Zack what his plans were. Without emailing, Jack headed straight for Zack’s office, knocking twice before entering. Zack looked up at him in surprise, but a smile immediately spread across his lips. Good start.

“Hey, um, are you busy right now?”

“I’m never too busy for you,” Zack smirked.

Jack groaned, shutting the door behind him, making Zack laugh. That was awful.

“You look like a man on a mission,” Zack mused.

Was he really that easy to read?

“I have something I want to ask you,” Jack said, smiling as he sat down opposite Zack.

“If it’s, can you please blow me Zack, then I am happy to oblige,” Zack grinned.

Jack blushed furiously. “You are so inappropriate!”

“Sorry, sorry. I presume that’s not what you wanted to ask?”

Jack shook his head, taking the time to swallow nervously.

“Uh, no. I just wondered what you were doing for New Year’s Eve tonight, that’s all,” Jack said as calmly as he could.

“I have a few things up my sleeve. Why?” Zack replied.

Oh God. No, Zack wasn’t meant to ask why! Damn it!

“Uh, it’s just that I was speaking to Alex and he said that Rian said you weren’t going out with them anymore and I was curious about what you were doing instead and…”

Fuck, fuck, he needed to stop rambling! This was embarrassing!

“Alex said that?” Zack interrupted, frowning slightly.

Jack’s breath hitched in his throat, grateful for the interruption, and he nodded. He really hadn’t meant to blame Alex, but it just slipped out so…yeah. That happened.

“Damn it, Alex! I wanted it to be a surprise!” Zack groaned.

Jack chewed his bottom lip, aware that Zack’s gaze directed straight to that movement.

“Wanted what to be a surprise?” Jack asked quietly, only a hint of hope in his voice.

It was Zack’s turn to blush now, and he ran a hand over his perfectly-coifed hair.

“I was going to surprise you with a romantic night in, just the two of us. I hadn’t heard you mention any plans for tonight, so I wanted to do something nice for you,” Zack murmured.

Jack felt his stomach fill with butterflies as a smile spread across his lips. Wow. Oh wow. This was the last thing he was expecting. A romantic night in?

“What did you plan?”

Zack swallowed nervously. “I, um, I was going to cook for us, and we were going to eat on my balcony, and then we were going to drink wine and snuggle while we watched the fireworks, and then I was going to ask you to stay the night so I could make love to you like I’ve been wanting to all this week,”

Jack gasped slightly, making Zack blush. That…that sounded perfect. Each and every part of it.

“Yes,” Jack murmured.

Zack’s eyes widened slightly. “You still want to do that, even though the surprise is ruined?”

“Of course I do! I, um, I think it sounds wonderful,” Jack admitted.

Zack’s hesitant smile turned into a full blown grin, making Jack grin back.

“All of it?”

Jack laughed, nodding. “I want nothing more than to spend the first hours of the new year in your bed, Zack,”

Okay, woah. Maybe Alex was rubbing off on him more than he realised.

Zack’s eyes darkened slightly in response, a shiver running through Jack’s body at the smirk that spread across Zack’s lips. He loved that smirk.

“When did you become so blunt?” Zack teased, standing up from behind his desk.

Jack swallowed heavily, that previous shiver turning to heat that zinged through his blood.

“I, um, don’t know?” Jack offered.

Zack’s eyes ran up and down Jack’s body, pausing on Jack’s crotch where he was starting to harden, before he smirked a little more. Jack could only watch as Zack crossed the room to lock his office door, biting his lip as Zack strode back over to him. And Jack couldn’t hold back his whimper as Zack slid to his knees between Jack’s legs.

“You have no idea what you do to me,” Zack murmured, hands sliding up Jack’s thighs.

Jack just gasped as his thumbs rubbed over the bulge at his zipper. So not fair!

“I think I’m going to have to give you a taster for tonight. To show you what’s to come,” Zack grinned, “pun fully intended,”

Jack just groaned, in anticipation and dismay, making Zack laugh again.

“You’re going to have to get used to my bad jokes as my boyfriend, y’know,” Zack mused.

Jack froze slightly. “Boyfriend?”

Zack swallowed heavily but nodded, fingertips resting on Jack’s belt. “Yeah, boyfriend,”

“Okay. I can do that,” Jack breathed.

Zack smirked, fingers getting to work with Jack’s clothes, and Jack just closed his eyes. He really did have everything he could ever want.