A/N: Chapter 2. I wasn´t completely sure how to describe Stark and his 'sport', but I did my best with that one x) Oh, and for the record, with football, I mean soccer. To any Americans who might be reading this =)
Disclaimer, btw(I remembered this time!): Neither House of Night, nor its characters belong to me.
As Jack made his way down to the sports hall, he thought about the events of the previous week. He thought about Stark and his apology. He wanted to believe Stark would begin to put him first, he really did. He just found it hard to believe that this man who had been obsessed about his bow and arrows ever since he had met him seven months ago, would change just like that. For him. It had gotten worse and worse over the past month and Jack seriously doubted it would stop. He entered the sports hall expecting to find it empty, save Stark, endlessly training as always, only to find a fencing session going on. He stood in the doorway for a few moments, barely seeing the fencing trainees, scouring the room for his boyfriend. Spotting him, he made his way over to him to say hello. He hoped he wouldn´t be too bothered with Jack watching for a minute or two.
"Hi..." Jack said softly as he approached Stark. He got no reply. "Stark?" he asked waving at him, feeling slightly foolish. "Stark!"
Stark jumped, causing his arrow to fall short. "Jack!" he pulled out earplugs Jack hadn´t seen he was wearing. "For Christ's sake, don´t scare me like that!"
"Sorry..." Jack leaned in to give Stark a greeting kiss, but he turned, making it only a kiss on the cheek. "I didn´t mean to," he said a little confused as to why he couldn´t kiss his boyfriend hello.
"Not here, Jack," Stark said, looking around them. "There are people who are very narrow-minded about stuff like this. I just think it´s better we´re a little careful at least."
"But we are a little careful," Jack protested. "We are more than a little careful."
"I know, just... leave it will you?" Stark sighed and turned back to shoot another arrow. This one went straight into the middle of the circular target.
"Yeah... Sure," his mood was dropping rapidly, but he thought he´d still stay and watch Stark for a little while. "You don´t mind if I stand over there," he pointed to the left wall, "and watch you a little bit do you?" he attempted a smile. "I won´t broadcast our relationship to any jocks, I promise."
"Alright," Stark smiled and squeezed Jack's hand for a moment, before putting his earplugs back in and turning his focus back to his sport.
Jack walked over to the wall and leaned against it, suddenly noticing he was a bit tired. He soon slipped into his own little world, watching Stark flex his bow, and release the arrow to reach the target perfectly center. Every time. Jack really didn´t understand why Stark had to practice so much – he obviously didn´t need it. His head tilted to the side as he admired his boyfriends figure, and he was so wrapped up in his thoughts he didn´t notice the arrival of the football guys, not particularly happy to find the sports hall filled with fencers and such.