23. "I've seen the way you look at me when you think I don't notice."
Jack had been staring at Davey Jacobs since the day he met him.
From the moment Jack turned his head when he heard a voice saying "I paid for twenty. I only got nineteen," until now, Jack had been looking at Davey. Glancing up at the shy boy when someone else was talking, peeking up at him through eyelashes and heavy, half-lidded lids. He wasn't sure why Davey was the first he would look to in any situation, when he needed the brains or counsel, but Jack was sure of one thing.
He had committed every line and shadow of Davey's face to memory. Every wrinkle, the way his dimple buckled in, the small grin that would come out when a dirty joke was told. But Jack didn't have to just remember Davey's face, he could look through his sketch books and see all of the stills of him. Davey running, selling papes, munching on an apple, sleeping. A thousand different looks into the life of Davey Jacobs, and Jack wouldn't have it any other way.
Jack was taking note on how Davey's hair swept almost perfectly to the left when he suddenly met Davey's accusing eyes. They were narrowed, hostile, and Jack suddenly felt uncomfortable when Davey pointed to the roof. Of course, Jack broke apart from the card game he was playing and slowly followed him up the stairs onto the roof of the Lodge. When he finally stepped onto the brick surface, Davey pushed him, catching Jack by surprise.
"Why's you always staring at me? What're you plannin'?" Davey ran his hands through his hair, causing his perfect swoop of hair to stick straight up into the air. Jack would have laughed if Davey weren't so angry.
"Dave, it's perfectly normal for friends ta look at eachotha. That's how you's see 'em, ya know." Jack hoped the dumb joke would lighten the mood, but Davey only rolled his eyes and leaned in closer. He stuck a finger in Jack's face, and waved it around.
"Not like that, they's don't! What could possibly be so important Jack, what?"
Jack sputtered for a second, trying to come up with an appropriate response other than, I like the way your face looks. He had a feeling Davey wouldn't take that lightly. "I-I's don't know, Dave. Haven't gota clue." Davey sighed deeply and stepped away, leaning against the railing and looking out at the bright city.
"I've seen the way you look at me when you think I don't notice. Like you are trying to figure something out, like you're planning somethin'. I don't wanna get roped into anything dangerous here, Jack! I've gotta family to take care of, and I can't be risking anythin' anymore." While Davey was yelling into the wind, Jack came and stood beside him. He closed his eyes and let him finish, letting the silence cloak them.
I can do this.
Jack cleared his throat, and tried to keep his voice from shaking. "Maybe I am trying to figure somethin' out, Davey." He slowly reached down, and laced his fingers with his own. He heard Davey gasp quietly and felt his hand go limp. Jack opened his eyes in disappointment and found Davey facing him, inches apart.
For the first time, he could see every detail of Davey's face with complete clarity. A spatter of freckles across his nose, his long eyelashes, the small scar he had under his eye. Everything that Jack had been staring at for months now, and yet they never seemed real until right now. And when Davey squeezed his hand and smiled softly, Jack swore he could see the stars in his eyes.
