"Yes sir, that's my Davey."
"What are you doing?" Davey asked, staring as Jack sauntered his way over to him from across the room.
"No sir, I don't mean maybe," Jack sang, waltzing closer to Davey.
"Would you shut up before someone hears you?" Davey hissed, looking around the room worriedly.
"Yes sir, that's my Davey now." Jack was now right in front of him, putting his hands on Davey's shoulders and pulling him into a waltz.
"Jack, stop," Davey said, feeling his cheeks begin to warm with embarrassment.
"Yes ma'am, we've decided," Jack continued, swaying from foot to foot. "No ma'am, we ain't gonna hide it. Yes ma'am, you're invited now."
"Jack, what are you doing?" Davey asked again, putting more emphasis into his words.
"I'm serenading you," Jack said simply, as if it were the most obvious thing. He grabbed Davey by the waist and began twirling around with him. He continued singing. "Yes sir, that's my Davey."
"If you're going to sing at least sing the right words," Davey argued, giving in and putting his hands around Jack's shoulders.
"But you'se my Davey," Jack said, laughing. "And no sir, I don't mean maybe. Cause yes sir, that's my Davey now," he continued to sing.
"What if someone comes in and sees?" Davey asked, still looking around the main room of the Lodging House. It was midafternoon, and any boy could walk back in after finishing selling their papers at any moment, catching the two of them in this very compromising position.
"No one's gonna come in anytime soon," Jack assured him. "They'se all going out to Jacobi's after selling their papes like always. Ain't nothing to worry about."
"What if someone comes in looking for us?" Davey questioned.
"Then we'll just tell them we'se having a good time, ain't gotta ask no invasive questions," Jack assured him.
"You're gonna get us caught one of these days with your shenanigans," Davey complained as they twirled around the room.
"But you love my shenanigans, don't lie," Jack said, smiling big.
Davey huffed. "Sure," he muttered.
"Aww, come on, don't be like that," Jack complained. "I guess I'll just have to sing louder for ya, won't I?"
"Oh, please no," Davey groaned.
"Yes sir, that's my Davey!" Jack all but screamed. "No sir, I don't mean maybe! Yes sir, that's my Davey now!"
"You sound terrible," Davey critiqued. "And you look stupid."
"Love makes me do stupid things, alright?" Jack said. "So, a yes sir, that's my Davey now!"
Davey cracked the smallest of smiles. "You're a goof."
Jack grinned. "And you love me for it."
"I love you in spite of it," Davey corrected.
"Oh, so you love me?" Jack asked, grinning more broadly now.
"Oh, shut up," Davey said.
"Aww, Davey loves me," Jack cooed. "That's adorable. I had no idea."
"Would you be quiet?" Davey asked. "I swear you're really gonna get us found out."
"Oh, I don't care, let them find out," Jack said. "Just as long as you stay my Davey."
"If someone finds out you know things won't turn out well, right?" Davey said seriously. "We could get in real trouble."
Jack thought about that. "A little trouble never scared me," he eventually said.
"Yeah, well it scares me," Davey muttered.
"Hey, if we get caught I'll just tell everyone it was my idea, no one has to know you was into it," Jack told him. "I don't mind dealing with the consequences."
"I'm not letting you take all the blame if that happens," Davey said. "Let's just try to make sure that it never does happen."
"And if it does?" Jack asked.
"Well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Davey said. He hadn't noticed, but they were still twirling around in circles, dancing to music that wasn't there. They continued like this for a while, Jack still humming the same tune over and over again, swaying to the music in his own head.
"Hey Davey," Jack said after a few minutes of silence.
"Yeah, Jack?" Davey asked, a little tiredly.
"I love you," Jack said, smiling sincerely at him.
Davey felt his cheeks grow hot. "Shut up," he mumbled.
"I'se serious," Jack said. "I love you. I hope you know that."
Davey could feel himself blushing. He looked down at his feet, which suddenly felt a lot less stable underneath him now. "You're just saying that," Davey argued, not meeting his eyes.
"And what would be the point of saying it if it wasn't true?" Jack asked. "Swear on my life it's true. It's the truest thing I'se said all day."
"Why are you saying it?" Davey asked, confused.
"Because I felt like you needed to hear it," Jack told him. "And you deserve to hear it. All the time. Until you'se tired of hearing it because you'se so used to it. I want it to be so driven into your skull that it drives you nuts. That you never forget it. You hear me, Davey Jacobs?"
Davey smiled. "Yeah, I hear you," he answered, shifting close to Jack and wrapping his arms more tightly around Jack's shoulders.
Jack grinned. "Good," he said. "Cause there's one more thing you need to hear."
"And what's that?" Davey asked, confused.
"Yes sir, that's my Davey!" Jack sang, raising his voice. "No sir, I don't mean maybe! Yes sir, that's my Davey now!"
Davey laughed, shoving him lightly. Jack just pulled him closer, bringing his face inches away from Davey's. They stopped moving for the first time since they started their dance, the silent music coming to a halt in their minds. Jack leaned forward, planting a single kiss on Davey's lips.
Davey grinned. "I love you too," he said. "And your stupid singing."
That was all the prompting Jack needed to lean in for another kiss, the second being even better than the first.
The music returned as Jack and Davey began to sway back and forth again. Davey decided he quite liked that song. Perhaps he could get Jack to sing it for him more often?
Yes sir, that's my Davey.
