Chapter Text
„I still can’t believe I get to do this.”
„Jasper Jordan, it has been five years-„
„-outrageous!”
„You’re only holding my hand.”
„I’m just happy with what I can take,” Jasper hums.
„Well you know what? You can take me-„ Jasper wiggles his eyebrows. Monty rolls his eyes. „- on a road trip.”
„When?”
„This summer,” Monty muses. They’re walking up to the small house on the edge of town Monroe and Harper had bought the previous summer, hands intertwined. Jasper’s buzzing. Last time they went on a road trip was after graduating high school. It somehow feels right, though, to go on a road trip again. They finished university, and life was heading their way fast.
„You think you’ll manage to get two weeks off of work?”
„I have my way of persuading people,” Monty smiles slyly. Jasper snorts.
„Baking cakes with my help to offer them to your superiors does not count as persuading people,” Jasper comments.
„Yes, legally the term would be ‚bribing’. But we’re not criminals,” Monty says, then thoughtfully looks into the void. „Actually, I’ll consider being a criminal if it means I can finally take off a few weeks.”
Jasper gives Monty’s hand a small squeeze, then gently tugs him forward until they’re standing in front of the Monroe-MacIntyre household’s front door. He takes a look upon Monty’s face, lazily tracing the outlines of his eyes and nose and cheeks with his own eyes. Jasper softly sighs, contently, still not able to fully believe that this face belongs to a person who wants him to be his, has wanted it over the course of the last five years, still wants him to be his significant other. Quickly Jasper presses a soft kiss to Monty’s cheek, still making him blush, before knocking on the front door and grinning his sharp, mischievous smile. He looks Monty in the eye.
„So let’s be criminals.”
Harper is the one who opens the door, hugging both of them before letting them in. She swings close the door painted in a soft yellow, revealing several friendly faces crammed together on two tiny couches. Monroe’s running around offering everyone cake, drinks, everything. When the boys enter Fox is opening the back door, letting a breeze of air in and a lot of warmth out. Clarke has found a place on the armrest of one of the couches and is currently chatting with Miller, who’s sitting next to Bryan. The place is packed, but it’s in a way they’re all familiar and comfortable with.
„What a snazzy little place you got,” Jasper says, smiling.
„Snazzy?” Monroe raises an eyebrow.
„It’s looking nice,” Monty nods, agreeing.
„Well thank you, Monty,” Monroe smiles. „We just need to redecorate a bit, but that’ll come with time.”
„And money,” Monroe adds, shrugging. „Want anything, gentlemen?”
„I’ll have some tea,” Monty says, still holding Jasper’s hand.
„How domestic, Montgomery,” Jasper teases. Monty raises an eyebrow. Jasper smirks. „I’ll have some tea as well.”
„How domestic,” Monty mimics Jasper’s voice, causing him to laugh. Jasper gives Monty a small shove, but doesn’t untangle their hands. They manage to find themselves some space on the couches, wriggled in between the others.
„-really, everyone was saying how they liked the flowers. Even my granny told me she liked the flowers- and she only ever loves succulents!”
„Of all the plants,” Murphy mutters, and Bellamy starts to laugh.
„It’s the only plant you’re able to keep alive,” he states, earning a slight punch to the bicep.
„Ow,” he mutters, still laughing.
„It’s true,” Miller says, earning a burning glare from Murphy.
„I hate you,” Murphy says. Miller shakes his head, in a ‚not the way I meant it’ fashion.
„We want your flowers at our wedding too,” Miller says, and for a moment the room falls silent. They all freeze, collectively holding their breath. Bryan squirms nervously.
Three weeks ago, Harper and Monroe had gotten married. It had been a whole affair, with bouquets and banquets and strange vodka and wine aunts. Harper and Monroe both had looked absolutely stunning, taking everyone’s breath away. The wedding had taken place in a small wedding chapel, while the wedding reception had mostly taken place out in the open, sunlit and bright. It had been a phenomenal night.
„So you’re getting married?” Clarke concludes. Bryan nods reluctantly, a blush spreading across his face. Fox squeaks and lounges Bryan into a hug, while Clarke half hugs and half falls on Miller. The others start to chatter excitedly, bombarding the two with questions.
„When are you getting married?”
„Where is it going to take place?”
„HOW- WHEN- Tell us all about the engagement!”
„How long have you been- ?!”
„So did you guys have any flowers in mind or-„
„We’ll be in contact,” Miller answers a riddled Murphy, who’s now frowning, counting on his fingers, then turns to Bellamy.
„We kinda need to start figuring out the expenses if everyone wants you to fix their flowers at their wedding,” he says, furrowing his brows.
„We’ll think about that later,” Bellamy smiles, pulling Murphy in for a one-armed hug. Murphy hugs.
„So-,” Bryan says, sipping his drink, clearly overwhelmed with the enthusiasm of everyone. „Great house!”
„Well, great-„ Jasper starts, a grin spreading across his face. Murphy’s growling shuts him up, preventing him from making one of his lame jokes.
Harper chuckles.
„Thanks,” she says. „You’ve been living the better life, though.”
„While I love my parent’s house, I think it’s time to move out,” Bryan smiles.
„Ahw babe,” Miller says, „but it’s not like you’re home often, isn’t it?” He raises a very suggestive eyebrow. Jasper turns to face Monty in a ‚really?’ fashion and furiously hopes he won’t end up making those kind of comments.
Except he pretty much already is.
Monty chuckles.
„It is nice to have a place to call your own though,” Monroe smiles. „It’s just- different.”
Monty smiles knowingly.
So they’re really doing this. They’re going on their second road trip- completely unprepared. Jasper breathes in deeply, shaking of the nervous feeling he gets whenever he has to get behind the wheel to drive long trips. Sometimes he still wakes up, covered in sweat, ragged breathing echoing in his ears, ribs hurting and the taste of blood on his tongue, with a false memory of dead parents and a not-so-false memory of a wrecked car. In those moments -even in his sleep- Monty will mumble something incoherent yet comforting, snuggle a bit closer, burying his nose in Jasper’s neck, arms swung tightly around his warm body.
When Jasper has to cover miles with his car, he tries to think of his first road trip, when everything had been fine, good, sometimes even glorious. He can still remember all the dinosaurs.
„I’m gonna be very disappointed if we don’t do something dinosaur-themed,” Jasper says after swallowing, turning towards Monty. Monty scans his face but smiles, nodding.
„Me too,” he laughs, putting the suitcase in the back of the rover. Then, softly, he adds, „are you okay?”
Jasper nods.
„I will be,” he answers, getting behind the steering wheel. He fastens his seatbelt, and when Monty sits next to him, he says: „otherwise, it’s your fault. You thought me how to drive when we were sixteen.”
„Ten years ago.”
„You’re making us sound old.”
„We are old,” Monty retorts, snorting.
„Whatever you say, grandpa,” Jasper scoffs, but it comes out more like a laugh. „With your record player. What’s next, a walkman?”
„For all the mix tapes I secretly made you?” Monty retorts, raising one eyebrow.
„You made me mix tapes?” Jasper sounds surprised and amused at the same time, then starts to smile. „Secretly.”
His eyes wrinkle. There’s a light in them that Monty undeniably loves.
„Did not,” Monty mumbles, denying everything, realizing he might’ve let his tongue slip. That wasn’t part of the plan.
Four years ago Monty had discovered that his new dusty second-hand car still had a cassettedeck. First he only bought some stupid cassette and put it in the cassettedeck, hoping Jasper would accidentally turn the installation on in some kind of way, the way Jasper almost always managed to do. Then a plan unfolded, the most stupid yet vaguely romantic plan Monty had ever come up with. Well, not ever, but close.
The plan was to present the mix tapes for their five year anniversary. Or just for Jasper’s twenty-sixth birthday- Monty hadn’t decided yet. The mix tapes were a variety of songs Jasper’d started listen to, songs which he loved, and spoken messages, words of encouragement. Something to calm him down whenever he got anxious driving alone, or sitting in his room watching the world slip by.
„You totally did,” Jasper accuses Monty, able to see through the lie without the blink of an eye. Monty’s ears turn pink. Jasper smiles to himself, savoring the knowledge, but not commenting. The highway’s looking fine.
„We only have a double instead of two singles, is tha-„
„We were kinda counting on that.”
„You know, we could always save some time and shower together.”
„I doubt that would actually save us time,” Monty smirks. He can see Jasper turn red, embarrassed.
„Only if you can’t keep your hands to yourself,” Jasper huffs, throwing off his shirt.
„Well, can you?” Monty retorts, taking off his own shirt. Jasper turns a deeper shade of red, turns towards the shower.
„One of us will be out of warm water if we shower individually,” Jasper says, „this super deluxe motel has a grant total of fifteen minutes of hot water for taking a shower.”
„How do you know?” Monty questions, looking at the bathroom for any clues. Jasper points to a sticky note next to the bathroom mirror.
Only fifteen minutes of hot water.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
-Jay
„Hm,” Monty says, considering the note. „Well, let’s make the most of those fifteen minutes then,” he says, pressing a kiss to Jasper’s shoulder. He gets the water running, jumps into the shower first. The water’s nice, tender upon his skin. Jasper joins him a few minutes later, putting shampoo in his hair like there’s no tomorrow. Jasper starts to laugh, and Monty still hasn’t managed to rinse all the shampoo out of his hair when the water starts running cold. Jasper flees the shower immediately.
„Oh, I’ll get you,” Monty warns, rinsing out the last of the shampoo. By the time he’s done he’s shivering, towel wrapped closely around his body.
„I’d like to see you try,” Jasper calls cockily from where he’s standing in the doorway. Monty wraps his towel around his waist, then hooks his fingers through the belt loops on Jasper’s jeans and pulls him closer.
„I bet you’d like that,” Monty smiles, pulling Jasper closer to kiss him. When their noses are almost touching and Monty can feel Jasper’s breath hitch, Monty releases the belt loops and pulls Jasper into a giant wet hug. Jasper starts to squirm, trying to escape his embrace, but Monty hasn’t stopped swimming all those years and still has quite some muscles on him. His once dry t-shirt is now soaked.
„If you wanted me to take off my shirt you could’ve just asked,” Jasper says, pulling at the hem of his shirt. Before he can take off his shirt Monty stops him, leaning in.
„Let me,” Monty says, looking up through his lashes, making Jasper’s breath hitch again. He will never get used to that look. There’s a slight smile on Monty’s lips. Jasper dips in to kiss it. „After all,” Monty continues after the kiss, „I’m the one that caused it.”
In one swift motion Monty takes off Jasper’s shirt.
„You’ve gotten good at this,” Jasper comments, eyes traveling across Monty’s face, resting at his lips.
„Would’ve hoped so after five years of practice?”
„Only five years?” Jasper laughs. „I didn’t know you didn’t undress yourself until you started living with me.”
„You know what I mean,” Monty says before deciding Jasper has said enough for now. He leans in, connecting their lips. Apparently Jasper agrees with him, because he kisses back, hands coming up and resting on Monty’s waist. He leans back against the sink, letting out a small breath when their lips aren’t touching, heads rested against each other’s. Jasper’s thumb gently caresses that one spot where Monty’s jaw meets his skull, just below his ear. Monty feels his heart thud and Jasper dips in for a small peck on the lips.
„We should get going,” he says, turning them around so that it’s Monty who’s leaning against the sink. Monty places his right hand on the back of Jasper’s necks and pulls him in for one last kiss.
„Yeah,” he says when he’s released Jasper, who’s practically glowing. „We should.”
He’s so entranced by the way Jasper’s looking that he doesn’t notice him stealing his shirt until Jasper’s suddenly not in front of him anymore, but in the doorway, grinning at him like he’s won a Mario Kart battle.
„You coming?”
Somedays life is just life, which means that it just sucks. Today is one of those days. While Jasper’s doing his cool temporary barristah thing, Monty’s trying to find a job that will actually earn him some money, something to pay off his student loans. It’s not that there aren’t any jobs out there- it’s just that there aren’t any interesting ones, not ones in which he can grow, learn, something which will allow him to continue studying aside from working. Monty wants to keep studying.
Today’s job interview had gone horrible. Not only did he manage to mess up saying his own name, words tumbling out at the wrong pace and wrong time, with a certain surname not belonging to him following his own, but he also managed to give the interviewee the absolute wrong impression, somehow insult his cat, and shatter one of the photo frames decorating the ugly grey-steel desk. Really, who has a grey-steel desk?
At least Monty knows he won’t be expecting a callback.
His muscles ache as he walks up to the front door of the apartment, where they still live after all these years. It’s getting crowded, too small for his liking. It was nice for when they were students, but now-
Monty sighs.
When he opens the front door, the apartment is covered in total darkness. Monty frowns, trying to turn on the lights, but failing. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he sees something glisten. There’s a small candle lit on the table behind the door. Then he sees one on the kitchen counter, a small lamp on one of the kitchen shelfs, and another one on one of the higher shelves. A path of light trails upward, until he sees the glow in the dark stars trailing across the ceiling, glowing faintly in the direction of his room. He follows the path, opens his door, and is welcomed by an insane amount of stars covering his room. For a moment, Monty lets his eyes wander, his mind marvel at the universe contained in his room. There’s a note waiting on his bed.
“Second star to the right and straight on 'til morning. ”
That’s what it reads. Monty looks around, wondering what the second star could be, what it will be. Then it occurs to him. He walks out of his room and straight into Jasper’s.
He grinds to a halt when he opens the door.
Jasper’s room is not filled with the stars of the galaxy lamp Monty owns, but somehow it still looks like he’s pulled the stars down and let them loose in his room. Little lights twinkle all around them, as well as the plastic comets that light up, planets that dangle from the ceiling. And then there’s Jasper, sitting cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by candles.
The first thing Monty says is: „Jasper Jordan, you’re a fire hazard.”
Jasper laughs, delighted.
„Monty Green,” he says, stretching out a hand for Monty to take, not moving. Monty walks towards Jasper, taking his hand and sitting across him. Jasper gently rubs his finger across the back of his hand, making Monty relax instantly. It’s silent for a moment. There’s a flicker of the candles, and Monty breathes out slowly, humming contently, letting his heart skip that one beat it always does whenever he’s reunited with Jasper again, the one he’d never noticed until five years prior, but now so vividly there that he wonders how he’s ever missed it. „I made all of this for you.”
„Explore the galaxy,” Monty muses, returning the gesture and rubbing his thumb across Jasper’s. „It starts in your room,” the words are merely a ghost on his lips, nothing more but an impression. Monty hears Jasper inhale sharply.
„You remember,” Jasper whispers, and he sounds surprised. He is surprised. He hadn’t thought that- well, maybe Monty would get the reference. But he hadn’t expected to remember the exact words Jasper had said when Monty’d seen his starry ceiling for the first time.
„Well, yea-„ Monty is interrupted by Jasper’s on his own, kissing him deeply, taking him by surprise, before releasing him again. „-h,” Monty weakly finishes, panting slightly. He resists the urge to kiss Jasper again, just waits patiently holding his hand. There has to be a reason for all of this- the lights, stars, candles.
Jasper swallows, shifts, then takes Monty’s other hand in his other hand, following his own movement with his eyes.
„Monty Green,” he starts, eyes still trained on their hands. He shifts again, then lets his eyes travel upwards, meeting Monty’s eyes. „Will you move in with me?”
Monty’s dumbfounded for a moment.
„B-but we- we’re already living together,” he states, confused, eyebrows knitted together. Jasper’s head moves, nodding, then shaking. Jasper fumbles, retrieves something from his pocket, folds Monty’s hand open and closes it off with his own hand. Monty feels a cold metal moving against his own skin, recognizes the shape.
„Monty Green,” Jasper says again, eyes on their hands again, then his eyes. „Will you move in with me?”
Monty’s heart races. One heartbeat. He answers.
„Yes,” he breathes. Jasper lets out a sigh of relieve, then starts to gleam. He wraps his arms around Monty, holding him tightly. Monty moves to sit in his lap, cupping Jasper’s face with both of his hands, looking him in the eyes.
„Jasper Jordan,” Monty says, „you weren’t actually afraid I was going to say no, were you? Not when we’re already living together and have been for seven years- and I was the one who asked you to.”
„Exactly,” Jasper mumbles. Monty surges in to kiss him on the mouth, then his forehead, nose, cheekbones, until their lips reconnect and his lips start traveling down Jasper’s throat. Jasper gasps, then presses his lips against Monty’s forehead, and smiles.
„Nerd,” Monty mumbles affectionately.
„Your nerd,” Jasper smiles. „Dweeb.”
Jasper had seen the house a few weeks before, but couldn’t muster the courage to ask Monty to buy it with him. In an instance, he knew it would be perfect for the two of them. A few blocks down Harper and Monroe’s new home, sandwiched between the city and the suburbs, not isolated but still calm and easily accessible. Definitely bigger than the apartment they were living in.
So he came up with something. It wasn’t much of a plan, really. He’d make an appointment, go in, see if it really was what he was looking for, what they’d be looking for. No harm done. And if he’d like it, he would talk to the landlord, rentmaster, whoever he needed to tell, that he had serious interest, but that he’d have to convey with his partner. He’d ask if they’d come back for a second viewing. It so happened that he’d gotten the spare key to the house for one day.
The real estate agent had thrown him one look and said: „Son, I’ve been in this business long enough to know that when a young man like you says he has to ‚convey with his partner’ he actually means he still has to ask his sweet to move in with him. Do you your thing. I’ll give you one chance to show the house to your love privately, have a walk through. If it don’t work out you bring back the key alone, and I’ll know to go lookin’ for another buyer- if there is one,” that last part had been mumbled. So the date had been set, and Jasper’d made sure he’d gotten off of work. He just needed a plan.
Of course, simply asking was an option, even though in Jasper’s mind it wasn’t really. He and Monty had been through much together, shared their lives for the most part, would hopefully continue sharing their lives. In a house. Maybe with a cat and a dog and a blender and a decently working oven and stairs.
So it deserved something bigger. Better.
Like Monty deserved the universe.
That’s of course when the idea had come to mind. It only took a week of careful planning and buying unsuspicious amount of candles a time. And then it’d happened, and Monty had said ‚yes’ very convincingly.
Monty’d agreed. The house was perfect for them.
So here they are, moving into their new home. Admittingly, they will be missing grumpy-neighbour-Murphy, and landlady Indra, but they figure they can always visit when they want to.
„Where do you want this?” Joseph Jordan asks, looking at the two of them.
„Just get it inside dad,” Jasper says, walking past his father towards the truck. Norah passes him on his way, smiling brightly at her son.
„Will do, son,” Joseph beams.
„So you want this wall painted yellow?” Clarke frowns.
„Like, a lemon yellow?” Maya’s nose wrinkles as she tries to imagine a whole wall in a bright yellow. She thinks she’s just discovered what she doesn’t want for her home- bright colors. Neon orange. Bright yellow, pink, red. No, just- no. Maya thinks she’ll have to keep it simple. It’s not that she’s likely to be home many time, if things work out the way she’s planned them. So far, they have- med school is hard but worth it, she knows. She’s only managed to get a weekend off, decided to pay everyone a visit, inviting them for a NYE in NYC.
It’ll be great.
Jasper seems to consider painting the wall the color of lemons. Monty sighs.
„It’s more of a crème color,” he says. „It’s pretty neutral, but not that cold modern white I grew up with.”
„Oh,” Maya laughs, „well, I like that. Clarke?” she asks.
„Let’s get to work,” Clarke smiles. They start painting the wall, a cheap radio blasting pop music through the speakers. All is well until someone- definitely not Jasper- accidentally drops his brush and splatters the others with paint, which in itself startles Clarke, who playfully splatters Jasper. It’s not long before they’re almost covered in more paint then the wall. Monty sighs.
„Let’s take a break,” he says, putting down the brush.
„Sounds good to me,” Clarke says before putting down hers too. Maya just nods, and Jasper’s still laughing from their paint fight. Monty makes them milkshakes, two little ones and one big. In the tall glass he puts two straws, with a little curl in them. Jasper insisted on getting them, seeing as they used to be Monty’s favorite and it was their first token of friendship. Monty had just smiled, blushed slightly, and put them with the rest of their things.
„Aw, you made us milkshakes!” Jasper cheers as he walks into the kitchen, finally done laughing. „Thanks.” He presses a quick kiss to Monty’s cheek before taking a sip. „Banana!”
„ To match the walls?” Maya asks, smiling. They laugh and chat a bit, catching up, before going back to work.
It’s a habit still, Jasper cooking, Monty sitting on the kitchen counter. Jasper is glad it stayed that way. When he starts cooking in their new home for the first time, Monty hops onto the counter, watches Jasper move.
„Maybe I should learn how to cook,” Monty says, thoughtfully. Jasper raises an eyebrow.
„Why?”
„So you can catch a break sometime,” Monty smiles.
„But I like cooking,” Jasper protests. „Also, if you’re cooking I won’t be able to do this.” He puts down the knife, walks over to Monty. Standing in between his legs Jasper loops his fingers through the belt loops of his jeans, pulling Monty closer, leaning in to kiss him, doing as he imagined all those years ago. Monty closes the distance between them, grabbing a fistful of Jasper’s shirt and pulling him closer, causing Jasper to stumble.
„Not very safe,” Monty mutters against Jaspers lips. Jasper’s too lost in the moment to care.
„Hmhm,” he vaguely mumbles, making their lips meet again. Their bodies meet and Monty gasps, not willing to let go.
„Convinced me there,” Monty breathes eventually, eyes resting on Jasper’s lips, now slightly swollen and red from kissing. He leans in closer. „Imagine if I could cook like that,” he whispers, and he hears Jasper swallow very loudly. Jasper pulls away, slowly, Monty’s fingertips burning against his skin, warming his joints and muscles, setting every artery in his body ablaze.
„Then there wouldn’t be much cooking,” Jasper answers, a small smile twisting on the corner of his mouth, voice husky.
„If it were up to me, there wouldn’t be much cooking now either,” Monty responds, moving ever so slightly. He can see how Jasper tenses up, starting to turn around, and then his stomach starts to grumble.
„Your stomach is telling me otherwise,” Jasper laughs, turning to swiftly kiss Monty, then continues chopping up the food. Monty softly hums, watching Jasper do his magic, and notices while little has changed everything has changed. He thinks he can get used to it.
„So what about that cat?”
„What cat?”
„We should totally get a cat”
„We really shouldn’t.”
„Aw come on, you know how much I miss Newton!”
„Well, I doubt he’s been missing you,” Monty teases.
„Unfair!” Jasper calls, shoving Monty playfully.
„Plus,” Monty continues, „I thought I was your Newton now, waking up beside you, being all cute and cuddly.”
„You’re way more irresistible,” Jasper says. „But no cats then?”
„How about a goldfish?”
„No,” Jasper decides. „Maybe- a guinea pig?”
„Maybe,” Monty sighs. „We don’t have to get a pet. Though I suppose a dog would be-„ he looks up at Jasper, knowing this slight distaste for dogs
Jasper’s always had.
„-good,” Jasper finishes. Monty bats his eyelashes a few times before the words sink in.
„Really?” he asks, astounded, and Jasper starts to nod, slowly.
„Yeah, yeah, sure,” he sounds like he’s trying to convince himself, and Monty finds it hard to keep his heart from melting. „If Murphy can get a Golden Retriever, we can get a dog too. We’ll need to prepare the garden first, though.”
„I’m on it,” Monty smiles, leaning back against Jasper. They’re lying on their couch, entangled, watching some stupid show on TLC. Monty starts to play with Jasper’s hand, touching his fingers lightly one by one.
„So how about marriage?” Monty offers, eventually. He has been thinking about it a lot, sometimes looking down at his finger and wishing there’d be a ring on it, something to show the world- he wasn’t ever going to be anyone else’s.
„What about it?”
„Would you marry me?”
„Monty Green, are you asking me to marry you while we’re lying on the couch watching some sloppy TLC show?”
„It’s Say Yes To The Dress, Jasper. It’s appropriate,” Monty says, and Jasper chuckles. „But no, I asked would. Hypothetically.”
„Well, I would,” Jasper says, smile audible through his voice. „Hypothetically.”
„Good,” Monty says, intertwining their fingers. „Because I would marry me too.” He laughs. „And you. Hypothetically.”
„Hypothetically,” Jasper hums, snuggling closer.
They walk past Fox her little shop on their way to Bellamy’s and Murphy’s recently opened flower store. Turns out Murphy is a merciless business man, able to keep everything going while Bellamy charms every customer into buying flowers. They already had something of a name before they opened because of the story that spread through the suburbs about their flowers at Harper and Monroe’s wedding. On opening day, there’d been so many customers they stayed open three more hours than they’d planned. Murphy and Bellamy had been exhausted, but delighted all the same. Glowing with pride they met the others when the shop closed up, hosting a small party in their apartment above the shop. Octavia had returned with Murphy’s golden retriever, who wagged his tail at the side of him and almost pulled Octavia across the street to get to Murphy. Wells, who now was working at a law firm, had been there, just like Lincoln, Fox, Bryan, Murphy, Raven -who was kicking ass in all sorts of ways, Fox- just everyone from their childhood really, and Mbege. Even Atom had showed up for a bit, even though he had to go at some point because his shift at the fire station was starting.
„You know what?” Jasper asks while they’re walking towards the flower shop. Monty raises an eyebrow.
„Hit me.”
„We should build a tyre swing,” Jasper muses. „I miss the old one.”
„Yes,” Monty agrees, „me too.”
„That’s settled then,” Jasper smiles, entering the shop. A bell rings.
„Good afternoon,” they hear Bellamy greet from the back. When he appears around the corner his face lights up in recognition.
„Hey guys!” He embraces both of them. „Anything I can help you with?”
„Just looking for some garden plants,” Jasper shrugs.
„Did you have anything in mind?” he looks at Monty, seeing as he’s still the one -after all these years- with the most knowledge about plants and gardening. Monty starts to list of a few plants, easily slipping into a comfortable conversation with Bellamy, of which Jasper quickly loses track. He walks around the store, looking at the flowers. If they were to marry, which flowers would he like?
„Jordan,” Murphy’s grin’s still sharp like a shark’s. „Come to admire our flowers?”
„Come to admire your dashing face?”
„You flatter me, Jordan. But I’m not gonna cheat on my sexy as hell piece of boyfriend charming your man into buying plants.”
„We’re not married.”
„Yet,” Murphy smiles. „Any plans yet? Let me know. I want to win a few bets.”
„Which bets?”
„The one I’ll be starting when I hear when you’re planning to get engaged. Let me know when the question is popped so I can make money.”
„Only if you’ll do the same for me,” Jasper smirks, knowing Murphy doesn’t mean anything by it. He expects a snarky comment in respons, a ‚phfsh’ or some kind of other distasteful sound, but Murphy starts to splutter and turns very red instead. Jasper’s eyes are going wide.
„Wait, you’re actually- cons-„
„Hush Jordan,” Murphy whispers sneeringly, then sighs. „I’ve been thinking about it, yeah. Damn me if he isn’t the best thing that’s gonna happen to me.”
„Is happening,” Jasper corrects with a soft smile. „You’re dating. Running a business. Hell, you even have a dog.”
„I had that dog before we -„ Murphy gestures towards the shop. „I rescued her.”
Jasper only hums in response.
„John,” Bellamy beams, noticing his boyfriend standing beside Jasper. „Figured everything out?”
„Oh, I’m sure he’s figured everything out,” Jasper grins, sending him a look Bellamy doesn’t quite understand.
„Yeah, I did,” Murphy says, ignoring Jasper’s comment. Jasper turns towards Monty.
„You got everything?”
Monty nods.
Jasper Jordan has always been an excitable kid. Monty has not. But when Jasper, all tall and handsome, lanky and doe eyed, asked him to be his, Monty’s heart skipped a beat, and he felt like he’s flying. He’d looked him straight into his eyes, finding nothing but fondness.
That had been five years ago. Five years ago, in the amusement park, and yet, every time Jasper walked into the room Monty knew he was where he needed -wanted- to be. Currently he’s standing in the garden, smiling as Bryan’s standing behind the grill, Miller at his side, like the first time he was introduced to them when they were seventeen. Jasper’s in the tyre swing they made, resting while he’s chatting with Raven and Wells. Monty sees the flowers surrounding the tree, the ones he planted with his father; the first flowers in the garden.
Jasper let’s his thoughts wander for a minute, just looks at the way Monty’s standing there, shoulders down, guard down. He hasn’t changed much since high school, in all honesty, just has gotten slightly more muscle definition, a bit taller, a bit older. The biggest change is in the way he carries himself.
Jasper hasn’t changed much either. His hair’d grown out again after the accident, curly and dark. He’d switched jobs a few times, graduated. The biggest change had been in the way he was allowed to look at Monty. Is to look at Monty. Jasper doesn’t really think the way he looks at Monty has changed, but it feels different. He is allowed now.
Monty is making his way towards Jasper.
„Food’s almost ready,” he says. „Come help serve the salad?” He presses a quick kiss to Jasper’s lips under a chorus of ‚aaaaaaw’s before walking towards their kitchen.
„Duty calls,” Jasper smiles before getting up. „I hope you’ll enjoy the salad ladies.”
Raven smirks at him before he follows Monty into the kitchen. They return just in time. Bryan announces that the first things from the grill are ready. They gather around, cup in one hand, plate in another.
„To Jasper and Monty, for gathering us here today and hosting this beautiful barbecue,” Fox start. „To their five-year anniversary, even though they’ve been a three-legged creature for so long it’s sometimes hard to remember when it became official.”
„And that, people, is exactly why we have to organize barbecues like this,” Jasper retorts, causing laughter to rise. Fox smiles at him.
„To a friendship that may never fade,” she continues, raising her cup.
„To the small town kids,” Clarke nods. Slowly everyone starts raising their cup.
„May we grow old together,” Monty says, and Jasper wraps an arm around his waist, pulling him closer.
„And may we meet again,” Clarke concludes, raising her cup. „To the kids from the block!”
„To us,” it echoes, everyone toasting before scattering, filling their plates with food and chattering.
Monty Green’s scared of how familiar he’s grown to the feeling of being in love with Jasper Jordan. He’s scared of the way Jasper manages to sweep him of his feet, again and again. Monty Green’s scared of being in love, but with Jasper, he feels nothing but at ease.
Everyday when Jasper wakes up, he’s greeted by the sight of his best friend next to him, often sleeping peacefully, eyes fluttered close. He lets his heart calm down and tells himself how happy he is to be where he is now. Jasper Jordan doesn’t think he’ll ever get enough of the kisses, the arms swung around him, the feeling of their bodies locking, the scraped knees and the bike rides and the starry skies and the galaxies and universes and movie marathons. He doesn’t think he’ll ever get enough of being the little spoon and the cooking and the way Monty’s eyes crinkle when he smiles, of that one laugh he has when he sees something on the internet he doesn’t really want to think is funny but does think his funny. Jasper Jordan had been scared of loving once. He will not make that mistake twice- not when it concerns Monty Green.
Monty tugs at Jasper’s tie, which he has chosen to wear on his first official day of work, pulling him in for a kiss. Jasper’s breath hitches before connecting his lips with Monty’s. He’s still unsteady and wobbly, trying to stand on this new legs of being allowed to love Monty Green the way he’s longed to for a long time. He doesn’t think he’ll get used to it. They hope they’ll never get used to it.
Jasper presses a kiss to Monty’s forehead before he’s off to work as a chemistry teacher. He turns out to love the job, tells Monty in flying colors about his day, giddy and exited, the way he would when they were kids.
Monty decides then and there that he wants to have kids someday, and that those kids are going to have the most dedicated, loving parents and grandparents they could ever imagine. And aunts and uncles, for that matter.
Jasper doesn’t protest.
„We should probably get our dog first, though,” he adds. Monty nods.
„And get married.”
„Legitimately,” Jasper smiles.
„Legitimately,” Monty agrees.
Jasper Jordan has always been an excitable kid, but Monty Green is what makes the world exciting.
Jasper Jordan lives with his best friend, lover, and a dog in a detached house in the cool suburbs of a quiet American town. His parents live a half hour drive away. His father still teaches at the town’s college, and his mother works a part-time job in the library. There is room between the houses, a space Jasper and Monty have vastly explored as kids. They’re not kids anymore, officially, but mentally
- well, somethings will never change.