Chapter Text
Like the previous night, it was surprisingly warm the following morning, and Jonas was able to leave the house in a jacket rather than his heavy coat. The clouds left with the night to reveal a golden sun, and he appreciated it more than anything. It shrunk his worry a little and gave him an automatic good start to the day.
It was just after noon when he left his house, so hopefully, Isak would be awake. Jonas had sent a text earlier, but he got no response, and while he was pretty sure that Isak was still asleep, it was also possible that Isak was ignoring him as a half-assed way to run and hide from his problems. However, he knew from experience that that particular solution never really ended well, last night being a prime example, and he wouldn’t allow his friend to fall back into that isolation if he could do anything about it. It was that reason that he was here, trudging up the stairs to his best friends apartment, and knocking on the door.
“Oh, Jonas! What brings you here on this fine Saturday morning?” Eskild smiled widely at the brunette before having him inside.
“I wanted to make sure Isak was okay after I left him here last night.” He responded.
“Wild night, huh?”
“You could say that,” he mumbled as he took his shoes off. He lifted his head just quick enough to see Noora walk out of the kitchen.
“Hey, Jonas. I didn’t expect you to be here so soon.”
“I wasn’t really sure when to come over.”
“Well, he’s not awake yet, but if you want to stay, I made pancakes.”
“Yeah, sure,” He beamed at her unusually cheerful enthusiasm. “Was he okay last night?”
“I didn’t hear a peep from him.”
“Really?”
“Slept the whole night through,” she confirmed as they made their way to the table. Even if Isak slept like the dead, he thought for sure he would’ve stumbled to the bathroom at some point. He wasn’t a particularly stealthy person.
“And he’s not awake now?” He questioned again.
“If he is, he hasn’t peeled himself out of that stinky pile of linens he calls a bed.” Eskild chimed in from the corner.
“Could I go and check?”
“I don’t have a problem with it, although I don’t think he’s too fond of being woken up,” Eskild warned. He had a point, but he’d be careful.
Jonas opened the door quietly, cursing softly as it creaked. Like on the couch, he has sprawled out awkwardly. Isak was lying spread eagle on his stomach with his mouth open. His blankets were mostly on the floor after likely being kicked off in the night, and he had drool all over his face and pillow.
“Lovely,” Noora whispered from behind him. He didn’t even hear her come up.
“He’s quite the handsome guy.” She laughed quietly at that.
Most of the water was empty, and the wrappings of a couple of Advil were open right next to it, so Isak must’ve been up at some point to take them. He was just about to take the trash and leave when Isak’s phone lit up from where it was plugged in. Noora looked at him and shrugged.
“I didn’t plug his phone in.”
They made their way back to the kitchen, and Noora dished him a few pancakes, to which he greatly thankful for. This particular hangover wasn’t too terrible, but it made him hungrier than usual. Eskild sat at the chair across from him, and he was watching him carefully.
“It’s nice that you’re checking up on Isak. You’re a good friend.”
“Thanks.”
“Though, I can’t help but be suspicious over the fact that you’ve never done this before?” The older boy finished it off with a question, one that Jonas definitely didn’t want to answer.
“He just seemed upset last night. That’s all.”
“It is because of a certain boy-toy that seems to have captured our little kitten’s heart?” Jonas gaped at him for a second, wondering how he already guessed Isak’s big secret, but then he remembered what his friend said to him last night. Eskild already knew.
“That may have been part of the reason.” He conceded.
“I’m so glad he told you.” Eskild smiled. “Poor boy’s so far in the closet he’s starting to combine with the wood.”
From what Isak told him, there was a certain aspect of truth to that statement, and Jonas didn’t like that one bit. Isak wasn’t really one to hook up at a party, but there were instances that he did. It didn’t seem like a lot, but considering he wasn’t into girls, he supposed that it was a lot of keep up.
“I still can’t believe he never told me,” Jonas confided.
“People do crazy things because of fear.” Jonas nodded before taking another bite of pancake. “But besides that, I need you to tell me everything about this Even.”
“I know he has a girlfriend.”
“Oh, baby gay.” He frowned.
“I don’t really know anything. I’ve never even met him.” He wasn’t about to tell him about their little rendezvous from last night. Isak would probably kill him if he did.
“He’s gorgeous, and it’s unfair. It’s his first time being gay, and he already hit the jackpot.”
”Who hit the jackpot?” All three heads turned quickly to the voice in the doorway of the kitchen.
“Me, Magnus accidentally sent me a dick pic.” He blurted. Isak’s face scrunched in disgust.
“Why is that the jackpot?”
“It’s not. Eskild was being sarcastic.”
“That’s so fucked up, though.” They all watched him as he poured himself a cup of coffee, but he didn’t notice the extra attention. “Why are you here so early?”
“It’s noon.”
“Exactly my point.” He grumbled back. He knew Isak wasn’t a morning person, but he’d think he’d at least be awake now.
“I came by to see you, and to make sure you didn’t choke on vomit in your sleep.”
“What the hell did I do last night. I just remember screaming at something.” Jonas was taken back by that. Did Isak not remember? That wasn’t good.
“Well, it’s kind of a long story, but—.” Thankfully, Eskild came to his rescue.
“Damn, baby Jesus, you reek!”
“Not so loud would you?” Isak winced at Eskild’s voice.
“I’ll be quiet if you go shower.”
“Fine, fine, I’m going.” Isak gave an incredulous look to Jonas before Eskild shoved him down the hall. They waited for the door to close before resuming their conversation.
“Magnus? Really?” Noora deadpanned.
“What? It worked, didn’t it?”
“Whatever.”
They sat in friendly conversation after that, bonding over how disgusting Magnus and Vilde were. Apparently, Vilde also had some interesting thoughts on Magnus, and he wasn’t sure how he felt about that. On one hand, he was happy his friend’s feelings were reciprocated, but on the other, they were already the PDA couple, even if they weren’t together.
Sure enough, a few minutes after one door opened and another door closed, Jonas heard his named called.
“Shut the door,” Isak commanded. His eyes were wide and inquisitive, and he looked shaken. Although, he didn’t speak for a minute.
“What exactly did I tell you last night?” He asked quietly. Once again, Jonas is at a loss of words.
“I thought you didn’t remember?”
“Something jogged my memory.” He raised his thick eyebrows at him, and Isak glared in response before pulling down his shirt to reveal a dark purple bruise on the side of his collarbone.
“What’s that supposed to tell me?”
“Cut that bullshit, Jonas. Tell me what I told you last night.” He could practically feel Isak’s heart beating faster, but he still couldn’t make any sound. On one hand, he wanted to scream out to him that it was okay to be gay, but on the other, he thought that maybe the lighter the approach the better.
“I..” He started.
“Wait, no. Don’t answer that.” He didn’t think he wanted to hear the answer. “I need you to forget everything about last night.”
Jonas tried to argue. He couldn’t let his best friend fall back in his cycle of fear and hate, but Isak interrupted him.
“Look, I was drunk off my mind, so don’t listen to it. It’s not true.”
It was painfully obvious that it was true, and they both knew it. Isak was skating around the topic without actually addressing it, and Jonas wasn’t here for it.
“What’s not true?”
The next minute or so was strange. Isak stood up from his place on the bed, walked over to his desk, pulled on a grey hoodie, and collapsed back on the bed again. Only this time he faced the other way. It didn’t escape Jonas that he never answered his question.
“Isak, I’m not going t—.”
“I said forget it. Now, I’m going to go back to bed. Shut the door on your way out.” Jonas watched with a frown as Isak pulled the blankets over his body and curled up into a ball.
“I know that’s not true, and that’s okay Isak. Seriously.”
“It is true!”
“Isak,” He said a little more sternly.
“It is.” For a second, Jonas considered leaving him there. Maybe he wasn’t ready to come out, and maybe that was true, but Isak already came out. He told Jonas everything, and he warned him that he would never bring the topic up again. Drunk Isak did the hard part, and now, it was time for Jonas to do his.
He yanked the covers off of his best friend. Isak looked at him in shock before he got pulled off the bed too.
“C’mon, we’re going for a walk.”
“What? No.”
“You need to air out, and it’s nice out.”
“I’m not going for a fucking walk, dude.”
“Well, your opinions are bullshit. Go get your shoes.” Jonas shoved him towards the door.
“Alright, alright. Jesus, I’m going! Why is everybody forcing me to do stuff this morning?”
He couldn’t let Isak go on hating himself like this, and he’d be damned if he did. He had a stake in this boy, and he couldn’t risk losing him. He let them stay quiet on the walk for a few minutes, gathering his thoughts together before Isak spoke.
“Jonas, Seriously, I—“
“No,” he interrupted. “I need you to hear this first.”
“Last night, I saw you more broken then I’ve seen you in a while, and as much as you may hate it, drunk you told me everything, so please don’t deny it. I know about Even, and what happened with Emma last night, and I know that you were incredibly scared to tell me.”
Finally, he remained quiet. His eyes were glued to the road ahead.
“And here we are this morning, and even though I already know these things, you’re equally as scared. I may not be the most observant person, but dude, I can practically see your heart racing. I’m not going to leave you, Isak, and especially not for being gay. That doesn’t make you any different. I swear to that. You’re my best friend, and you’re a bonehead for thinking that I wouldn’t support you.”
“A bonehead, huh?”
“The boniest.” He said with a small smile, but he still wasn’t done. “I’m also here to apologize.”
“Apologize? For what?”
“For everything I’ve ever said and done that made you think being gay would make you different. And for keeping Elias around.”
“Yeah, he’s an asshole.”
“I should’ve realized how terrible he was, so I’m sorry about that too.”
“All is forgiven. Besides, I think you proved yourself a good enough friend last night when you listened to me rant and cry and puke.”
“That’s what bros are for.”
“Thanks, though, seriously.”
“Alrighty, now that the deep shit is out of the way, can I ask questions about that whole situation?” Jonas asked. Isak nodded in return, but they fell into silence after that, breathing in the cool autumn air as they walked through quiet streets. Isak looked deep in thought. He was still staring ahead of him, but he didn’t look as worried anymore. That was all Jonas could have hoped for.
He had so many questions about Even, and Isak’s sexuality, but he still didn’t know how comfortable his friend was at talking about it. He wasn’t sure if subtly was the best route.
“You know, we’re going to need to change the bro code now,” Jonas said.
“The fuck?”
“Like it can’t be bros before hos now, right?” Subtle. Isak looked thoughtful for a second.
“You’re right,” Isak said. “But bros before bros is just eh.”
“True. So no girls at all?” Isak shook his head. “Not even those hot dancer girls?”
“I was bored out of mind while you guys practically had raging hard-ons.”
“We didn’t have raging hard-ons!”
“You were practically drooling. I should have gotten a picture.”
“I should’ve gotten a picture when Even walked up. That was him, right?” He fired back.
“Oh yes. That was him.”
“You look like you saw a ghost. It was funny,” Jonas mocked, causing Isak to playfully slap at his arm.
“I know you’re like in love with this Even, which by the way, more questions will come of that later, but who have you liked before?”
“Like, liked-liked? I’m not going to answer that.”
“Oh, come on, Isak! All the crushes you’ve told me about over the years were fake! Don’t leave me hanging.”
“Most of them weren’t fake, they were just confused. But yes I have had other crushes, and I’d rather die than tell you,” It had to be someone embarrassing then. Julian Dahl? A teacher? A penetrator? One of the guys maybe? He’d have to ask later.
“Fine,” He conceded. “How long have you known?”
“I’d say a few years now, but I was definitely confused and in denial.” Naturally.
“How did you meet Even?”
“At Kosegruppa.”
“Tell me about him.”
“Do I have to?”
“Last night you said you were in love with him, so I need to know all the details.”
“He’s really hot for one thing.” He started. It didn't escape Jonas how he didn’t deny the first statement. “Blond hair, blue eyes, ridiculously tall.”
“I always thought tall and blonde was your type.”
“You also thought girls were my type.”
“Whatever. He’s handsome, though.”
“The fuck?”
“From an objective viewpoint!” He yelled loudly, attracting weird looks from people around them. He didn’t mind. It had them both laughing again, anyway.
They talked all the way back to the apartment about how to diffuse the time bomb that was the Emma situation. There was no doubt that Isak got himself into a mess, and it would be hard to get him out unscathed, but luckily, Noora was nice enough to give them pointers on the best way to apologize to a girl. Lord knows he’d need them.
Two hours and six pancakes later, they had a plan. A plan for apologizing to Emma, and a plan to come out to the boys. And finally, a plan for Even.