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“Can you please tell me where we’re going?” Rich tapped his fingers impatiently on the inside of the car door.
“Nope.” Jake popped the ‘p’ as he took another turn down a residential street.
Rich groaned and leaned back in the passenger seat, watching the streetlights flash overhead through the sunroof. He hated surprises. Well, that wasn't necessarily true; surprises could be fun. He just hated waiting for them.
“Relax, babe,” Jake took his eyes off the road for a second to smirk at the small grumpy boy. “We’re almost there.”
“Better be,” Rich grumbled.
Jake drove in silence for a few more minutes, the calmness of the late evening relaxing him. Tonight was going to be perfect, he could tell. He finally arrived at his destination, pulling into the parking lot. “We're here,” he announced, putting the car in park and shutting it off.
Rich stared blankly through the windshield at the brick building in front of them. “This is the surprise date? You’re taking us to your apartment building for our six month anniversary?”
“No. Well, yeah. Kind of.” Jake chuckled, unbuckling and opening his door. “You'll see.”
Jake hopped out of the car and made his way to Rich’s side of the vehicle, frowning when he got there just as Rich was swinging his door open. “Rude,” he stuck out his lip childishly. “I was gonna open your door for you like a gentleman.”
Rich snorted as he stepped out and slammed the door behind him. “I can open my own door, thanks.”
Jake rolled his eyes and led the way up the walk, digging his key card out of his pocket and scanning it when he got to the front door. He pulled it open and stepped aside, beckoning for Rich to go in. “Ladies first.”
Rich scoffed but obliged, punching Jake’s arm lightly as he passed him. Jake smiled and followed, letting the door close behind him as followed Rich up the stairs.
When they got past the third flight Rich started opening the door leading to the apartments on that floor, but Jake stopped him. “Nope, we’re not going to my apartment.”
“Oh… okay.” Rich was confused but didn't question it, letting go of the handle and following as Jake led them all the way up to the top floor.
Jake took them to the end of the hallway and Rich stared in disbelief as Jake pulled down to the door leading to the roof.
“Shouldn't that be like, locked or some shit?”
Jake winked before jumping up and pulling the ladder down as well. “I might have pulled a string or two to get it left open for us.” He secured the latter and beckoned for Rich to climb up.
Rich widened his eyes and stepped back a few feet. “Oh fuck no, I'm not going up there first.”
Jake rolled his eyes. “I’m letting you go first so I can hold the ladder and make sure you don't fall.”
“Fine.” Rich walked back and grabbed the sides of the latter, slowly starting to climb the steps and hoping he didn't look as terrified as he felt. When he got to the top he finally allowed himself to look around. He nearly shrieked upon seeing how far down it was to the ground, and it felt like the slight evening breeze would be enough to send him tumbling off the edge. “Jesus Christ Jake, if either of us fall off this thing I'm suing you.”
Jake snorted as he followed Rich up the latter. “In that scenario you're either dead or suing a dead guy, so good luck with that. Besides, nobody’s gonna fall.” He rolled his eyes when Rich shot him a disbelieving look from above. “I promise.”
Jake got to the top and pulled himself onto the roof next to Rich, pulling the ladder up after him before shutting the door. He stood next to Rich and grabbed his hand reassuringly when he saw the other boy staring down, still slightly petrified at the height they were at.
“Don't worry,” he smiled, speaking softly. “We won't even be close to the edge anyway.” Jake carefully led Rich to the middle of the rooftop, where there was a blanket laid down with two pillows and another blanket balled up next to it.
Rich stared down at it, surprised he hadn't noticed it before. “Did you put this here or are we like, stealing some homeless dude’s bed?”
“I set it up before I went to pick you up." Jake chuckled. "Is it really that hard to believe I prepared for something?”
“Kinda,” Rich joked, settling down on the blanket.
Jake laid down next him, draping the other blanket over them. His feet stuck out the bottom, but he didn't mind much. He could always curl his legs up if he got too cold.
“So… what's this all about?” Rich asked after a few minutes of them lying together in silence.
Jake stared up at the now dark sky, which was clouded by the pollution from the house lights and streetlamps below. “I remembered how much you love the night sky and I thought this would be a good spot for some romantic stargazing.” He laughed softly. “Guess I failed to think through the fact that I live in the middle of suburban New Jersey.”
Rich laid back and looked up as well. “Hey, if we squint we can still see a few stars through the light pollution. Or helicopters,” he noted as one of the ‘stars’ started moving. Somewhere in the distance a police siren started going off, really adding the romantic atmosphere.
Jake sighed as he held Rich’s hand under the blanket, rubbing circles along the back it with his thumb. “Sorry this isn't quite as perfect as I thought it would be.”
Rich turned his head to the side to look at him. “Don't worry about it, seriously. As long as you're here with me it's always perfect.” He scrunched up his nose after saying that. “Okay, don't ever let me say some cheesy shit like that again. I'm turning into you.”
“Is that such a bad thing?”
“Yeah, kinda.” Rich snickered and then shrieked as a pillow was flung down onto his face.
Rich pushed the pillow back to Jake and scooted closer, wrapping his arm around the taller guy. “Happy anniversary, you dork.”
Jake rolled his eyes but pulled him closer, planting a kiss into his hair. “Happy anniversary to you too, Rich.”