Chapter Text
It’s been a couple months since the two became friends. Or at least, Jacob’s pretty sure they’re friends now. It was now early winter, the weather becoming chilly, as people started to layer up more.
They were at the point where anytime they would go out to study, they would easily get distracted and sidetracked, talking about whatever. Adding each other on platforms they shared together, and this eventually led to them playing games together late at night.
As time went on though… Jacob noticed a slight difference in Barry’s behavior. Barry tells Jacob to drink water a lot, sending videos of cats playing, the caption being, “us?” Whenever they were playing games together, Barry was insistent that Jacob stayed at full health, his character rushing to the French man to heal him.
Jacob didn’t like to assume, he found the way Barry was behaving recently… honestly a bit endearing. But it was borderline flirting, right?
And when Jacob was in front of Barry… Jacob noticed that during their English class, Barry would rush to sit next to him; but Jacob knew that Barry did have friends in that class. So why him? And during their study sessions… Jacob swore in his mind that Barry was just straight up flirting with him. Asking the French man how his day was, his voice got gentler whenever Barry spoke to Jacob. And whenever the English man could, he used his chance to use physical touch on Jacob.
One study session, they sat together outside on a picnic, since the weather was a little warmer that day. The two sat next to each other, as they highlighted and took notes over a book they were reading for their English class.
“Your hair has grown a bit.”
Jacob was honestly staring off into space for a moment, really not wanting to do any work, but since Barry was next to him, his mind subconsciously knew to focus back in and get to studying again.
“Hm? Oh yeah- it has.”
A little bit of dark brown hair was peeking out of the baseball cap, as Jacob twiddled with the strands of hair with his fingers.
“Do you usually keep it freakishly short?” Barry slightly snorted as he gazed up at the taller man. Jacob paused, he didn’t really have a second thought about his hair.
“Uhm yeah. There were a good couple years where I was bald actually.”
“Are baseball caps your thing?”
“I guess so. I never really- thought much about it. I started to wear one when my papa bought me one as a kid, and I don’t really change much about the way I live so- besides, I’m probably gonna cut it all off soon anyways-”
Barry cut Jacob off suddenly, “I sorta like it that way.”
Barry’s casual comment made Jacob’s hair turn.
“You do?” Jacob’s long arms fell to the side as he curiously asked.
Jacob saw as Barry’s brows raised as he raised his hands up defensively “I mean! It’s your hair. But there’s nothing wrong with change. And- I think it looks cute.”
A sheepish smile plastered across Barry’s face, as Jacob in return slightly smiled.
“I’ll think about it.”
_
Okay, Jacob really needed to ask. After a good night of thinking, as well as a call from his papas’ asking for advice… which wasn’t too helpful.
“My son? Interested in an English man??”
Jacob remembered his step-papa, Arnauld, snarling at the idea of his step son being with an English person. Meanwhile his papa was giggling, enamored with the idea of his son being in love.
But seriously, after a goodnight of thinking, he was sure he liked Barry back. Or, if Barry liked him. Which is a whole nother thing.
The two started to go out together, not to study, but to just hang out. And they wouldn’t sit in hours at a cafe or library doing something a bit boring. They… or at least Jacob thought he had a genuinely good time with Barry whenever they went out.
Sort of like a date.
The next time Barry asked Jacob to hang out with, Jacob had a whole plan in his mind to ask Barry out.
First, he would wait until Barry would flirt or whatever. Then Jacob would confront him… as much as Jacob wasn’t a confrontational man, he knew Barry. He hoped that Barry wouldn’t be upset at Jacob for asking if he was flirting.
And if things go ideal, Jacob would tell Barry of his feelings, and they’ll be boyfriends!
And if not, if Barry says no he wasn’t flirting- then Jacob can just pretend he was just making sure or whatever- and then deal with his sad emotions later.
Oh lord.
The two were planning to go out at an amusement park that Saturday. Despite it being a little chilly, this day was the sunniest out of every other day of the week, and it was a Sunday too.
Jacob would wait until Barry finished his service in Church… and then Barry would pick Jacob up from the dorm buildings. They would have a fun day… and of course at the end of it, Jacob would see if he would leave the park with a new boyfriend or not.
Soon, Jacob sat in the passenger seat of Barry’s car, the two slightly joked and laughed among each other, as Jacob felt nervousness fill in his gut. They weren’t even at the amusement park yet and Jacob felt incredibly nervous.
Soon, they arrived at the park, Barry parking as his head turned to look at Jacob, Jacob getting himself together.
“Jacob?”
“Yes?” The French man naively answered, as he unbuckled himself.
“I really like you- romantically I mean. Would you want to be my boyfriend?”
Huh?
Jacob looked up from his seat, his eyes widened, ears already warming. He examined Barry’s face, it was a gentle smile, although Jacob could read that it had a bit of nervousness in it.
“Huh?”
“I’m asking you out hon. May I be your boyfriend?”
“W-wha, yes! I mean yes! Please! I’d- I want to be your boyfriend!” Jacob answered with a slight gasp, surprised as he gawked at Barry.
“Pahaha!” Barry softly laughed at Jacob’s response. The two were utterly giddy, as Barry rushed to open the door for his now boyfriend. Jacob hurriedly left the car seat, as his long arms hugged the shorter man, Barry wrapping his arms out in return as they giggled amongst themselves.
That day- they went to the amusement park as a date. Not to hang out.