Notes: Alright, here it is. I'm sorry if some of the writing isn't very good in this chapter. I had some difficulty with it, the first half in particular.
Jake had spent the morning grocery shopping, ensuring that the house was well stocked with actual food, not the tasteless imitation of it. He had bought a cake, Dirk apparently hadn't had chocolate cake, real chocolate cake, in about five years. Plus, all of the good trash food, Cheetos, chips, Twinkies, some beef jerky, and a slew of relatively healthy food. The menu was all set for the next week. The two boys had been getting along, Dirk showed Jake his hobby of mixing music, he was actually quite the musician, ten different instruments in his room and he could play them all with ease and skill. He thought fondly of it as he drove home.
Dirk was as enthusiastic as ever, lighting up as he talked about his passion. "And this is a sitar, it has a really interesting sound that's sometimes hard to work in, it can easily go badly or sound off, if you do it right though, it takes the music to a new level."
Jake gave an affirmative noise, letting Dirk know he was listening. He watched as the blonde picked up the next instrument, a violin, feeling for the bow as his hair swept down covering his eyes, he hadn't styled it yet today. Jake reached forward to move the hair out of his way, so he could see the lovely structure of Dirk's face. It was so often blocked by his shades.
Just as his fingertips were to make contact, Dirk found the bow and sat up. The brunette, realizing what he almost did, quickly retracted his hand and asked Dirk to play something for him. The blonde immediately began playing one of Beethoven's sonatas as Jake watched in awe.
The blind male's natural beauty came out when he played, his features melting into a dreamy fantasy where the details of his form were made of unicorn tears, collected into an enchanted bowl and mixed with honey from the eternity of wonder, shaped in human form. Jake was whisked away, to soar in the clouds of splendor and see the world as beauty rather than the unending struggle.
When the song finished Dirk smiled, different from before, like he meant Jake to see it. "Playing like this, it makes me feel…. I don't know. Alive." He asked if his caretaker would like to hear something else, when Jake said no, the scrawny male proceeded to play the entire Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack on violin, insisting Jake dance the Time Warp. Surprisingly, he was able to tell when Jake wasn't giving it his all.
He looked unseeingly through his glasses and reflected on how easily Dirk's opened up to him, a swell of satisfaction settled in his chest. He pulled into the driveway, unloading as many bags as he could carry. He ended up overestimating his own strength, barely holding onto the items as he negotiated the doorway. Calling out, "I'm home! The shopping is a little heavy, could you help me with it?" Dirk was far from helpless and stronger than he looked, plus he seemed to like it when Jake asked him for help with simple chores. "Dirk? Dirk?"
An arresting sight lay before him, his heart stopped and everything moved in slow motion. The bags dropped from his hands as he rushed to the collapsed pale form in their living room. His voice echoing in his head and throughout the room "Dirk!"
The world suddenly hit fast forward, his heart beating out of his chest, his mind racing as he lifted the limp form. "Oh my god, what happened? Are you okay?! I'll call an ambulance!" The words spill so fast out of his mouth they were barely understandable. His mind couldn't even process his own thoughts, patting himself blindly, running on an ingrained routine, drilled into him from childhood. Help, help, help.
"Jake?"
"Yes, I'm here." He's breathless and pure adrenaline is running through his veins. Dirk needs him.
"I'm cold…. My limbs feel numb." A weak voice with a feeble attempt to reach out and find his guardian.
Jake dropped his phone, grasping Dirk's hand tightly, desperate to give some comfort. The words sinking in and bringing tears to his eyes. He fucked up. This guy, this wonderful, amazing, stunning guy had lived with his family for twenty-six years, less than a month with Jake and he is ready to meet his maker. Shit.
God, he shouldn't have left for so long. He shouldn't have allowed that woman to cut in front of him. Every second he wasted on his shopping trip was a moment Dirk had laid here, suffering. "Hang in there chum." His voice shaky and strained. Lips about to give a kiss of comfort on the blonde's forehead.
"Everything is getting darker. I can't see anything."
"…Wait."
"Ha ha"
Jake dropped the blonde immediately. That cheeky bastard, playing Jake like that. The brunette stepped away, half relieved, half furious. He walked slightly unsteadily back to the groceries, hoping that none of the fruit was bruised. His hands shook from the excitement moments before, tears still wet on his face. He took a silent shuttering breath as he let the truth of the situation flood into him, pleading his nerves to calm down. Dirk was okay.
"Shit dude, you can't take a joke, can you?!"
Jake chose not to respond, the blonde could get himself off the floor.
Jake opted not to tell Dirk about the chocolate cake. Petty? Yes. He didn't care, pettiness was all he had in that moment. It took forty-five godforsaken minutes to really calm himself. Even at that moment, there was a phantom worry pressing on the edges of his mind. He ended up checking on Dirk and returning to the place living room to make sure the body wasn't actually there anymore, several times before dinner was finished. Dirk thanked and complimented him on the food, he accepted the compliment and the gratitude. Things returned mostly to their normal rhythm after dinner. The caretaker stayed close by during his charge's shower, a little lingering worry that Dirk might slip and fall. Nothing came of his anxieties and soon both were in bed.
Little did Jake know, Dirk was a light sleeper. He could tell Jake had checked on him three times, the sound of soft feet on carpet was clear. This wasn't anything new to him. Roxy sometimes did this, but it was weird coming from Jake. He was about to speak up, when he heard Jake whisper to himself "He's fine, stop worrying. It was a joke." A pang of guilt hit him. Of course Jake was worried, it was his job to take care of Dirk, and the blonde made him think he had failed.
He should apologize tomorrow.
Dirk awoke with the apology on the tip of his tongue. He searched out Jake to make amends. He made his way to Jake's room, and the kitchen, his music room, and the backyard. "Jake?" He was getting nervous. Did one stupid fucking joke chase his caretaker away?
A faint "Over here, Dirk." Reached the blonde's ears and he made his way to the living room, his stick instantly hitting something that wasn't supposed to be in his walk way. He felt it, it was the coffee table. He maneuvered his way around it, acutely aware, searching out the sofa, after several steps he had yet to find it. He had zero bearings, Jake had moved the furniture. Bastard.
"Jake, you are the biggest asshole in the story of the whole universe!"
"Can't you take a joke?"
"You- "
"I can be quite the actor, can't I? Tell me, what did you think of last night?"
Oh my god…. he'd been fucking played. Dirk couldn't help but laugh a little as he continued to sputter "asshole," "bastard," "prick," and the occasional "smart ass fucker." Jake was constantly moving around the room, from the sound of it he was jumping on things as well. Dirk wasn't about to let up though, he continued his pursuit, twice stumbling over his own feet and catching the corners of the furniture.
At one point he realized he couldn't even tell where he was in regards to the exits, the momentary cognitive distraction resulted in him finally tripping, no clue of where he would land. As he braced himself for impact a strong arm wrapped around his torso, pulling him into a warm embrace. The scent of fresh cut grass and the sea filled his nose, along with an underlying scent that made him dizzy. "I got you. You okay? Sorry, I should have stopped my little prank sooner. You're not hurt, are you." Dirk was left speechless, his arms trapped between his body and Jake's, he could feel his cheek awkwardly resting against Jake's neck, the contact doing something to him that he hadn't really experienced before. He felt the heat rise to his skin, and a layer of enchantment rest along his body. "Dirk?" The deep oddly comforting sound next to his ear inciting more physiological activity, approaching irredeemable levels.
"I'm fine."
"Here, let me help you." Dirk was carefully maneuvered to the couch, hands giving his shoulders a friendly rub. "You sure you're all right?"
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. You got me good bro."
Jake chuckled. "Yes, well, you didn't know what you were getting into. I had a sister that loved to play pranks, you learn quite a few ways to enact revenge. Perhaps I went too far with this though."
"No, I deserved it. Equal levels, man. It was funny."
"Yes, well, it wouldn't be right to leave things like this. I'll move the furniture back right away. I should help you out of the room first. Don't want you to be disoriented further with all the movement."
Dirk realized at that moment his sight stick had dropped somewhere, "Uh…where's my stick?"
"Oh, it's…. ah! Right here!" Jake took Dirk's hand in his, placing the stick into his charge's palm, lingering just a little, before he let go. Dirk noted the warmth of his hands and the smoothness of his skin. "Would you rather go into the dining room, or into the hall?"
"Hallway, please." His voice more distant than he'd like. Jake's confounding sunshine on his skin making him infuriatingly docile. His mind quieting to the point of idiocy and his interiority quietly building into an embarrassment hurricane that threatened to completely overcome him. Jake left him in the hallway, chipper and focused on his new task. Dirk stumbled in a way that had nothing to do with sight or lack of it, towards his room, closing and locking the door behind him.
He laid out on his bed, thinking and replaying the event in his head. Looking at how Jake acted and if it meant anything. His body reacting on its own as he felt no need to stifle the longing that grew in him anymore. He didn't indulge himself though, it just didn't feel right, even though he wanted it to, very badly.
Once he was sure any outer reflections of his feelings were under control he made his way to the living room once more. Jake had already put the furniture back and the smell of bacon filled the air. Sizzling could be heard a few rooms away. Dirk sat in the dining room, listening to the faint sounds of Jake singing to his favorite song, one that he thought Dirk didn't know about. It's out Jake, Dirk smiled to himself, the truth about the brunette and his N'SYNC guilty pleasure.
"It ain't no lie. I want to see you out that door. Baby bye bye bye" Slightly off key, but endearing nonetheless.
Dinner went by as usual. Jake made no indication of any knowledge of Dirk's feelings from earlier. It must not have been noticeable. The years of stoicism worth a billion dollars for the singular fact that Jake remained oblivious.
"I have something special tonight!" Dirk listened as Jake shuffled back into the kitchen before setting a plate in front of Dirk. "I bought it yesterday." Gently placing a fork in Dirk's hand. The fire of body heat mildly distracting for the blind boy.
Dirk was very happy to find chocolate cake on the plate, eating it with enthusiasm. He reached for his napkin, sure there was chocolate somewhere on his face. He wiped he face, doing his best to ensure he removed any remnants of food.
Jake watched, amusement playing on his countenance. "You missed a spot old sport."
"I did?"
"Yep, upper lip. No, over, other way. Here." Jake reached across the table, grabbing Dirk's chin and wiping away the offending stain, his impossibly hot fingers burning the blonde's flesh.
Heat spreading down his jaw and along his throat, settling in his gut as there was some discomfort in his pants. "Thanks."
"Your welcome chum!" Mercifully, Jake was back in his own seat, in seconds.
Dirk was forced to sit there for a good twenty minutes, chatting with Jake, waiting for his boner to disappear. Ever unobservant, the jungle eyed boy made animated conversation with his admirer, babbling on about his favorite, if awful, movies.
The outward signs left him for a while, but the heat remained under his skin. Dirk had no choice, but to give into his base desire in the shower that night, thankful for the small benefit of no longer having someone in the bathroom with him while he bathed and his fist and the sound of the water to muffle his sounds.