Pocket Full of Dreams

Alex hadn’t always been one to analyze every single thing he did. Usually, he’d say, he was pretty good at doing things and forgetting them immediately after. Normally, that’d seem a bit worrisome, but Alex could now say it was better than the storm currently whirling around in his mind.

Day after day, he’d think about whether or not he was doing the right things, mostly regarding his weekly visits to the laundromat. It seemed stupid to over think something as simple as laundry, but the trips were all Alex looked forward to during the week, and he didn’t want to send the wrong impression to Jack. Alex didn’t want to come off as desperate, nor did he want to seem uninterested. It frustrated the brunet to no end when he considered why he was playing games, and why he couldn’t just be straight up with the other boy.

At the same time, Jack’s actions fully confused Alex. Although they’d only met twice, Alex knew for a fact that the employee was expecting him again. No doubt he was read to go back, but it still sort of irked Alex that he was pacing around his apartment worrying over a simple laundromat visit, while Jack just waited for him.

Sighing to himself as he finished up separating the laundry that’d he’d wash that day, Alex decided that it was most definitely not Jack’s fault. Glaring at the printed jeans strewn out on the floor that he’d destroyed a couple days prior, Alex realized that he was the one who knew where to find Jack, and not the other way around. Besides, he could totally understand how Jack would be too nervous to make such an advance and ask where Alex lived or something like that.

Not too far away, Jack was having nearly identical thoughts to Alex’s. Well aware that it was once again the weekend, he was jittery all morning, annoying his co-worker to no end.

“Jesus, would you sit down?” Matt urged, rolling his eyes as he spun around in his chair next to Jack.

“Sorry,” Jack mumbled, plunking down next to his friend with a sigh.

“So, what’s this about?” Matt asked, “You haven’t acted like this in the entirety of the time that we’ve known each other here.”

Jack merely blushed in response, a knowing smile forming on Matt’s face. “He’s coming today, you think?”

“I, uh,” Jack stammered, before deciding to nod instead. “I hope so.”

“Well,” Matt began, “I think you need to actually do something this time, in case one day he doesn’t come back.”

“I don’t know about that,” Jack countered, tapping his fingers on the arm of his chair, “He does seem pretty interested. At least, I think he does. Besides, I have done something.”

“And what might that have been?” Matt asked, raising an eyebrow as the doorbell went off, and Jack raced to the balcony of the floor they were on.

Slouching in defeat when he saw that it wasn’t Alex who had entered the shop, Jack answered Matt. “I’ve left little notes in his pockets. He didn’t get the first one, I know for a fact. But maybe he got the last one.”

“You better hope so,” Matt mumbled under his breath, getting up and leaving Jack when he noticed the customer below them having a bit of trouble with one of the machines.

Several hours later, and Alex finally made his way to his destination. Fumbling around with the bags in his hands to open the door, Alex was surprised to find someone else opening it from the inside, instead. Jack swung open the entrance quite hurriedly, trying to hide the rather large grin on his face as he motioned for Alex to enter.

“You seem rather happy today,” Alex laughed, as Jack followed him to a washing machine. The darker haired boy shrugged, hopping up on to the machine next to Alex’s as they talked.

“So, how are things?” Jack asked, keeping an eye out for the certain pair of jeans that he’d put all of his trust in last week.

“If you’re talking about me, I’m fine, I guess,” Alex responded, “If you’re talking about my laundry, not bad. One of my favourite pairs of jeans got totally fucked, though. I ripped a hole in the pocket, and I lost, like, four dollars.”

“Which jeans, might I ask?” Jack questioned, trying his hardest to dance around the subject.

“The American flag ones. Sucks,” Alex sighed, before turning to Jack. Cocking an eyebrow at the disappointed look on the employee’s face, Alex asked, “When do you get to take a break?”

“Any time now,” Jack replied, “Why?”

“Come out with me for a bit?” Alex mumbled, eyes trained to the floor as he waited for a response.

“Sure,” Jack’s voice rang out, as he leapt down and landed on his feet. Making the quick decision to take Alex by the hand before he made his way toward the door, he smiled as the brunet squeaked in surprise.

“Where are we going?” Jack asked, breaking the comfortable atmosphere that he and Alex had been walking in for quite a while now.

“I’m not really sure,” Alex answered, “Let’s just go find somewhere to sit down. I’m tired,”

Jack nodded in response, and soon enough, they came across a bench bordering a small park.

“I haven’t actually left that place for my break in so long,” Jack chuckled, looking down at where Alex had positioned himself rather closely to himself, their hands still connected from earlier.

“How come?” Alex blinked, as Jack answered, “I don’t really know,”

“Well, that’s a shame,” Alex smiled, winking as he added, “The world deserves to see your face more.”

Jack chuckled at that, marveling at the boy next to him. Reminding himself to slip Alex one more note later, Jack checked the time on his phone. It was about time for the two to head back to the store, and Jack wondered if placing two little pieces of paper in two separate pairs of pants would insure that Alex would, in fact, find them. Unsure of why he was so set on making it work that way, Jack shook his head. That definitely wasn’t an option. If Alex found both, he’d seem quite excessive. Besides, third time’s the charm, right? It’d surely work this time. Jack also decided that he’d bury the note inthe pocket of a pair plain-looking pair of jeans, as Alex’s more outrageous ones hadn’t been treating him right.

“What’s up? Alex asked, in response to Jack’s movement.

“Nothing,” Jack sighed, “ We should get back, now, though.”

Looking down the short distance to meet Alex’s eyes with his own, Jack found himself to be oddly speechless. Alex’s eyes were so big, and so golden, and he couldn’t help but lean over and place a kiss to Alex’s cheek. Alex’s eyes fluttered close as he did so, reopening slowly as Jack pulled back. Cheeks tinted pink, Alex figured Jack had initiated enough for that day. Leaning over in the same fashion that Jack had only moments prior, Alex pressed his lips to Jack’s, catching the other young man by surprise. Jack’s lips quickly melted with his, though, before Alex pulled back this time, lifting himself off of the bench and reaching a hand out for Jack to take.

Reveling in his complete idiocy, Jack reminded himself about the note he had to write when they got back. Surely, even if it didn’t work, Jack knew he’d see Alex again. It was baffling to him how he continued with such a risky means of communication, though. Promising himself that it was the last time, because he’d much rather see Alex more than once a week, Jack smiled to himself as he let Alex lead him back to the small shop.