The apartment is dark when Jesse hurries up the stairs to Chazz's front door, which means Chazz is in bed. He supposes it is almost two in the morning. Jesse's phone had died hours ago, and he was supposed to be there long before that. He looks around the porch for a hidden key, hoping Chazz had thought to leave one out since he absolutely hates (and is highly unpleasant) when he's woken up by anything except his alarm.
It doesn't take Jesse long to find it on top of the door frame, and he sneaks in, gently closing the door behind him. However, that's the quietest he manages to be the rest of the way to Chazz's bedroom. He trips over his own shoes, falling back into the door, then he manages to hit every creaky floorboard all the way down the hall.
Despite an audible 'ow' as Jesse's shins connect with something near the bed, Chazz doesn't stir. Jesse tosses his bag into the corner of the room and hobbles over to the bed. He crawls under the covers and buries his face down in the pillow, where he falls asleep within minutes.
After everything, it's the sound of Jesse's soft snoring that wakes Chazz.
Jesse had been out of the country for the past two weeks and had said he'd come visit as soon as he got back. His flight was meant to get in during the early evening, but after several delays and Jesse's phone dying, Chazz decided not to wait up. He'd assumed Jesse would have gone home and they could meet up later the following afternoon. They hadn't actually discussed anything else, especially since Jesse had never actually slept over before.
But as Jesse rolls over and curls up against his side, Chazz can't think of any reason to complain about the surprise. He shifts a little to hold Jesse a little closer and quickly falls back asleep.
Somehow Jesse is out of bed before Chazz. It's barely past ten in the morning when Chazz rolls out of bed, not quite awake. He briefly wonders if he'd dreamt Jesse came in last night, until he finds him on the couch. He grins at him over a cup of coffee, his hair damp and he's wearing Chazz's pajamas.
"There's food on the stove," Jesse tells him.
"Why are you in my clothes?"
"Mine are dirty," Jesse explains. "I started a load of laundry, so don't worry, I won't leave without changing." He gives Chazz a thumbs up. Chazz shrugs and heads into the kitchen.
He has never kept much of anything in his fridge, so he's surprised to find a fully cooked breakfast waiting for him. Chazz doesn't make a plate, however, just pours himself a cup of coffee and goes back out to the living room. Jesse frowns when Chazz sits down on the couch beside him.
"You're not hungry?" he asks.
"I don't eat breakfast." Chazz shrugs, leaning back to get comfortable.
"That's silly," Jesse says. "Breakfast is the most important meal!"
"I've survived this long without it."
"You'd probably be less grouchy if you started the day off with a proper meal," Jesse says.
"I'm not grouchy."
"Of course not, you got to wake up to me! But you sure do scowl a lot," Jesse says, poking Chazz between his eyebrows. Chazz does his best to keep his expression neutral as he swats Jesse's hand away.
"I'll eat it because you made it for me," Chazz says, setting his coffee down on the table and getting back up.
"I reckon I'll just have to make you breakfast every morning, then!"
"That's ridiculous, you live an hour and a half away."
"You're right," Jesse says, pursing his lips and tapping his chin thoughtfully. "I guess I'll just have to stay over more."
"Starting tonight?" Just as he finishes saying it, Chazz realizes it sounded more like a suggestion than he had meant for it to. Jesse shrugs and smiles.
"I got nowhere else to be."
It has been nine months since they started dating, seven since they labeled it a relationship, but sleeping over hadn't come up once in that time. Chazz is suddenly anxious, though he isn't entirely sure why.
"I have to work tomorrow," Chazz says, trying not to sound like he's taking back the invitation. He can hear the slight panic in his tone, but Jesse doesn't seem to notice.
"That's ok! I have stuff to do, too," Jesse says. "But it can be done anywhere. I can just hang around here until you get back."
"Oh," Chazz says, unable to think of any other issue with the idea. "Well, if you want to."
Chazz knows the expression he's making is not the smile he was going for. Embarrassed and suddenly aware that he's just standing in front of the couch, he turns and goes into the kitchen to get breakfast. He groans quietly when he hears Jesse's footsteps following behind him.
Jesse stops next to the stove and leans against the counter and folds his arms. Chazz avoids eye contact as he reaches around him to grab a plate.
"Would you rather I didn't?" Jesse asks. "We can just make plans to go out when we're both free, I don't have to stay-"
"No, I want you to," Chazz says quickly. "You just never have before. Excluding last night, I guess..."
Chazz knows it shouldn't be something to fret over. They've been together for almost a year, they've been saying 'I love you' for over a month now. Yet these facts didn't ease his anxiety.
"You seem uncomfortable," Jesse says.
"I'm not! I want you to stay over," Chazz insists, because he does. He's pretty sure he does, at least, and that's good enough as far as he's concerned.
Jesse doesn't say anything for a moment. He has a feeling he knows what Chazz's problem is, but anytime the topic came up, it never went in a productive direction.
"We don't have to do anything," Jesse says, deciding that maybe today was the day.
Chazz frowns, not quite sure what he means. "What?"
"If you're worried about sex-"
Chazz turns red. "I'm not!"
Or not. Jesse starts to say something, but changes his mind. They'll have to talk about it eventually, but he doesn't mind waiting for Chazz to initiate the conversation, so he doesn't push it.
"We'll have fun," Jesse says with a smile and bumps Chazz's hip with his own. "You're not busy today, right?"
"No," Chazz says, relieved by the subject change. "I made sure my day was cleared for you."
Jesse whistles and gives Chazz a quick kiss on the cheek. "Let's go out! I have some fun ideas." Jesse heads back into the living room with a bright smile.
Chazz is left alone with his half-full plate. He finishes getting his breakfast together then joins Jesse in the living room.
Jesse places his legs over Chazz's as soon as he sits down, and Chazz feels a little silly for worrying about anything to do with Jesse. Jesse holds his phone and scrolls with a very serious expression.
"Did you get this email?" Jesse says, showing Chazz his screen. "It's an invitation to a tournament."
"Cool," Chazz says, skimming through it. "It looks like they're putting us on teams."
"Maybe we can be on the same team! I wonder how signing up for that works. Who else do you think was invited? I'm going to call people!"
Jesse starts to sit up, but Chazz puts his plate down on his legs before he can move.
"Calm down, it's six months from now. Weren't you coming up with ideas for today?"
Jesse snaps his fingers and leans back against the cushion and closes his email.
"How about horseback riding?"
Chazz almost says no. He's not a big fan of horseback riding, but Jesse looks excited by the idea and it had been probably twelve years since he'd been on a horse so he shrugs and says sure.
That night, Chazz sits in bed, anxious as Jesse showers. When Jesse comes out, Chazz presses his face into his pillow and shuts his eyes. Jesse flops down on the bed beside him. He lightly taps Chazz's temple until he opens his eyes to see Jesse smiling at him.
"Goodnight," Jesse says, planting a chaste kiss on Chazz's lips before rolling into his back to get comfortable.
"'Night." Chazz smiles and closes his eyes again. He doesn't know why he got so worried, but as they lay there, he feels a lot more relaxed than he had been afraid he'd feel. He definitely wouldn't mind sleeping next to Jesse more often.
The following night, however, kissing and cuddling quickly turns into something more heated and just as Jesse's hands start making their way under his clothes, Chazz pulls away.
"I think my phone is ringing," he lies before Jesse can say anything, then hurries out of the bedroom.
Jesse doesn't hear anything. He considers going after Chazz, but he doesn't want to make him feel like he has to talk about something before he's ready to, so instead he waits. After about ten minutes, Chazz still hasn't come back so Jesse decides to just go to sleep.
Chazz sneaks back in when he notices the lights in the room have been turned off. It takes him over an hour to fall asleep, as he worries what Jesse might say in the morning about his behavior.
The next morning, Jesse comes into the living room dressed for the day and carrying his mostly packed bag.
"I have to prepare to for my first ice duel-"
"I forgot you were doing that," Chazz says, frowning. He thinks ice skating and dueling is a silly concept, and he doesn't really understand how Jesse made it pick up traction after it failed in its first few attempts.
Jesse rolls his eyes, sure that Chazz's complaints about it are rooted solely in never quite getting the hang of skating.
"If you drive me home," Jesse says as he gets his things together, "we can spend a little more time together before I have to fly out."
It doesn't take Chazz long to be convinced. The drive is long, which he hates, but he isn't ready for Jesse to leave. Especially after the previous night, it eases his anxiety to know that Jesse isn't ready to be away from him.
The drive is a little over an hour. They don't talk much, mostly listening to music and holding hands occasionally whenever Jesse isn't fiddling with the radio stations.
As soon as they reach the apartment, Jesse hurries inside, leaving Chazz to carry his belongings for him. Chazz grumbles the whole way up the stairs. When he finds Jesse inside, chatting with his fish as he feeds them, his annoyance disappears.
"Too bad you live all the way out here," he says, setting Jesse's things down near the door.
"If you stay you won't have to miss me," Jesse says as he puts away the fish food.
"You're not sick of me?"
"Nope."
Chazz feels like he should question that, but he also hasn't gotten sick of Jesse, so there's not much he can say even if it sounds absolutely unbelievable to him.
"I'd still have to leave eventually," he says as Jesse pulls him close and kisses him.
"Not necessarily."
"You don't have enough room for me here," Chazz says. He hadn't been expecting the topic of living together to come up. Was nine months long enough? He liked the idea though, especially with how their schedules usually worked against them spending much time together.
"True," Jesse says with his same smile, but Chazz is pretty sure he can see disappointment hiding behind it.
"And I don't have room for your fish at my apartment."
"I suppose not." Jesse pulls back, but Chazz moves with him and wraps his arms around his waist.
"I didn't mean I was ready to leave. You know, my lease is up soon."
"Yeah? How soon?"
"Two months," Chazz says, pleased to see Jesse's expression brighten up. "Maybe we can look for something with room for the both of us?"
"I like the sound of that!" Jesse says, then kisses Chazz again.
Jesse is back at Chazz's within the week, and the inconvenience of having to say goodbye again in less than a day dominates most of their conversation. They spend most of the evening cuddled up on the couch or in bed looking for places to live together. They settle on a few places that they plan to call in the coming weeks, before switching on a movie.
Chazz wakes up the next morning before Jesse with hunger pain. They had gotten so caught up in their movie that they had forgotten to eat dinner.
On his way to the kitchen, Chazz hears noise from the living room. Frowning, he sneaks down the hall only to find Jaden sprawled out and snoring on his couch. Chazz marches across the room, snatching a pillow from a chair on his way over and slaps Jaden directly in the face with it. Jaden startles and sits up, nearly tumbling off the couch.
"Hey Chazz," Jaden says, rubbing his eyes and yawning. "What's up?"
Chazz swings the pillow at him again, but Jaden covers his face just in time.
"What are you doing here?" Chazz demands, as Jaden pulls the pillow out of his grasp.
"I got bored at Syrus's. There's always something happening, and it's rarely ever dueling," he says, giving Chazz a sleepy smile. "And I don't have any money for a hotel."
"So you just broke in?"
"Of course not," Jaden says with a laugh. "I have a key."
"You were supposed to give me that key back."
Chazz had completely forgotten Jaden had a key, it had been so long since he's used it.
"Why?" Jaden wrapped his arms around the pillow and leaned back. "What if you're not here and I need to get in?"
"Why would that ever be the case? You don't live here."
"But-"
"Why haven't you found your own place yet?"
"It's much cheaper to just hang out with you."
"You can't stay here."
"Aw, Chazz," Jaden whines, grabbing Chazz by the hand with both of his. "Pleeease?"
Chazz glares at him for a long, silent moment, before sighing.
"You will do chores," Chazz tells him as he pulls his hand out of Jaden's.
"Hey Jaden!" Jesse's cheerful voice comes from the hall behind Chazz, startling him. "What are you doing here?"
"Moving in!"
Jesse's smile disappears instantly, and he gives Chazz a confused look.
"No!" Chazz says, holding his hands up defensively. "You're just staying while you find somewhere to live."
"Should you really be living here?" Jesse asks, and Chazz notices the emphasis on the last word.
"Why not?" Jaden doesn't seem to notice, as he puts the pillow down and lays back trying to get comfortable again.
There's a brief pause and Chazz glances at Jesse, who still looks uncharacteristically serious. This isn't his usual expression when interacting with Jaden, for sure. Chazz even thinks that he seems to be a little annoyed.
"I think you should find a different friend to stay with, Jaden."
Jaden stares up at Jesse. Finally noticing the mood, he frowns and sits back up.
"I don't understand. Chazz doesn't mind, though. Right, Chazz?"
Chazz shrugs. He sort of does mind, but he's already given in and if it was only for a few days, a few weeks at most, it wouldn't be so bad.
"Okay," Jesse says, sighing a little right before putting a friendly smile back on his face. "Jaden, can we talk outside?"
"Okay…" Jaden gets up and glances at Chazz, but he's too busy watching Jesse head for the door as he walks past.
"Jesse-"
"We'll be right back," Jesse interrupts and holds the door open for Jaden to walk out first. He smiles at Chazz and closes the door behind him.
"What's up?" Jaden leans against the railing across from the door.
"You need to find a different place to crash while you apartment hunt."
"What? Why?"
"Look, I know you don't really get it, but it's not really appropriate to move on to your ex-boyfriend's couch, especially when his current one doesn't even live here."
"Chazz doesn't mind-"
"But I do."
"Oh."
The look on Jaden's face was hard for Jesse to read, but he wished he'd been a little more gentle. They hadn't talked much since New Years and when they did it was always a little stilted, as if something had changed, and Jesse wasn't quite sure how to talk to Jaden anymore without awkward pauses or, in this case, hurting his feelings somehow.
"I'm not trying to be mean, Jay-"
"It's fine," Jaden says, raising his hands and making an expression that may have been intended as a smile, but just made him look irritated. "I'll go."
"I'm not telling you to leave, Jaden. We can still hang out-" Jesse says, taking a step forward, but Jaden turns and starts heading for the stairs.
"No. You're right. I shouldn't keep barging in. I'll see ya later."
Jesse sighs, rubbing the back of his neck as he watches Jaden disappear from sight. He considers following after him, convincing him to stay a while, but he isn't sure he actually wants to do that. After a moment, he heads back inside and finds Chazz fidgeting anxiously with a piece of toast in the kitchen.
"Where's Jaden?"
"I'm not sure, he didn't say."
Jesse sits down across from Chazz, and leans on his hands. Chazz frowns and pushes a plate with a second piece of toast on it over to him.
"What happened?"
"I told him he shouldn't live here, and he just took off."
"I only said he could because-" Chazz begins, but Jesse raises a hand to cut him off.
"I'm not jealous."
"Okay. Then-"
"Jaden doesn't have boundaries," Jesse explains. "And you aren't used to saying no to him."
"I know how to say no."
"Should I have not said anything?" Jesse asks. "I might be able to catch up with him-"
"No, that's not what I meant."
"Jaden has enough friends' couches to stay on," Jesse says, but he reaches out and takes Chazz's hand as he talks, feeling a little guilty. "Considering everything, it just seems a little… inappropriate. I haven't had him show up at my place since Christmas, but he's always poppin' in over here. I- Did I overstep?"
Chazz shakes his head and sighs.
"No, you're right. I didn't want him to stay anyway, and I should've just told him that."
Jesse smiles softly, realizing as he begins to feel just a little better knowing Chazz didn't want Jaden to stay, that maybe he was feeling a little bit jealous. He pushes the toast into the middle of the table and stands up.
"We should go get us some real breakfast," he says, tugging on Chazz's hand to get him to stand as well. Chazz looks at the toast he'd been playing with and not eating for several minutes, then shrugs.
"Okay."
On the way back home, Chazz checks the mail and finds an unmarked envelope with Jaden's key inside. He frowns, wondering how long it'll be before he hears from Jaden again after this.
