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It’s his time to do the groceries for the Kollektiv. And obviously, obviously, that would happen in the middle of the lockdown. Obviously. That’s just Isak’s luck.
Ok. He had it coming. Eskild has been telling him for over a week that he was the next one to do the groceries and that he shouldn’t do it on the last day possible, when all his food (and probably of all the other residents of the flatshare) were almost over. And before everything got even more restricted than already was because of this virus. He heard it, but not apparently clear enough.
So, again, obviously that is just Isak’s luck.
Anyway, here he is. In front of the supermarket. Looking at his cellphone for the gigantic list Eskild, Noora and Linn gave him. Since the quarantine began, he didn’t shop, so he gets it. They’re trying to stay inside, so when one of them goes shopping, they all take advantage and put all the items possible on the list. Yet again, maybe they’re a little bit of rascals and putting more stuff than necessary just because it’s Isak’s turn and he hates grocery shopping, especially alone . Since they’re avoiding going out, there’s not much he can do. And of course Isak is the one responsible for shopping when the list is practically twice bigger than the usual.
Just his luck.
Isak takes a deep breath, knowing it’s gonna be one of those days, with long lines and lots of waiting and lots of searching for the very specific brands Eskild required. Deciding his items would be the easiest to shop for, he takes his list and the shopping cart and starts checking everything he needs, occasionally adding more things he doesn’t really need but knows he’ll want in the future. Then, Isak starts getting all the things Linn and Noora want, knowing Eskild’s would be the one he would have to put some effort into.
Sighing, he knows it’s time for Eskild’s list. He reads once again and sees that there is even fucking fish cakes and tissues written down. Eskild doesn’t even like fish cakes. And Isak didn’t want to know what the tissues were for. Isak is sure Eskild did this on purpose.
So after checking every other item of Eskild’s demand, the only thing left was the goddamn tissues. He headed to part of the store to search for it and be over with all this shopping already. Standing on the aisle, searching for the specific brand Eskild wanted, it was not the place he expected a middle-aged woman to look at his shopping cart and say the words he knew changed everything.
“Wow” she starts. “I hope you have your car with you. I mean, you seem strong but I don’t think you’ll be able to carry all your groceries if you don’t have a car.”
As awkward as that was, Isak smiles politely and shrugged, “I’ll just call an Uber.”
The woman smiles sympathetically at him, like he’s a hopeless child and adds, “Oh sweetie, haven’t you heard?” Isak frowns and shakes his head no. “You can’t call an Uber if you’re not with your significant other. Only couples can share an Uber now. The mayor decided on that this morning.” and with that she took her shopping cart away from him. Just like that. Just like he hadn’t made Isak’s mind shortcut for a bit.
Ok, Isak, breathe.
He was frozen and couldn’t even think properly. What the fuck was the going to do to get home?
Clearly he wouldn’t be able to carry everything by himself. Shopping for four people alone, for god knows how long, and getting home walking with this amount of groceries was out of the question.
He just wanted someone to come with him but no one wanted because they said ‘ we always have to shop alone, too, Isak’ . And before quarantine he always had someone with him, because the boys loved hanging out at the Kollektiv, so they didn’t mind shopping with him.
Maybe this is the first time Isak is shopping all by himself for everyone.
Obviously, just his luck.
He stops staring at the products in the aisle, not even noticing he didn’t even pick the tissues Eskild wanted, and fishes his cellphone from his pocket, immediately trying to see if one of his roommates can help him. He tries texting, but within five minutes without any reply he gives up and calls Eskild.
“Hi, Isak. What do you want? Are you almost home, I’m hung-”
“Shut up, Eskild” cutting his friend off before he says anything, and sighs before continuing. “I need you to come to the shops, I need your help to carry all the groceries.”
There’s a pause. Then, there’s laughter . What the fuck?
“Oh, baby Jesus. That’s not gonna happen.”
“What do you mean it’s not gonna happen? ” Isak knows his voice is getting louder, but he couldn’t care less. Eskild stays silent, pissing the other boy off. “Eskild, I’m fucking serious.”
“So am I, Isak,” he adds. “You never shop alone. We always have to buy things for you and carry them home.”
“Eskild” he starts, taking a deep breath, noticing more people gathering in the aisle as he paces around. “I’m not asking because I can’t carry them. I mean, I probably can’t do it all by myself, I’d do it a little by little once I got to our building, but this is not the case. I can’t bring them home.” He waits, because he knows his friend will ask him why, but the question never comes. “You won’t ask me why?”
Another pause. Again. Followed by laughter. AGAIN.
“Oh, Isak,” Eskild begins, chuckling. “I know why.”
Isak takes two or three seconds to let that information sink in. He closes his eyes because he’s in a public place and he can’t lose his shit when he’s in public, he knows that. He counts to ten in his head and exhales probably the biggest puff of air he ever did in this life.
“You fucking knew I wouldn’t be able call an Uber home and you didn’t tell me?” he can’t help but to raise his voice a little bit, getting some unwanted attention.
“Yes,” Eskild says, proudly. “I’m sure you’ll find a way, baby Jesus. I have to go now.” and before Isak can add anything else, he hangs up.
Isak can’t believe his luck. His life is a fucking joke right now. Somewhere, there is someone laughing at his misery, he knows that.
Closing his eyes again while rubbing his face and trying to breathe normal again, he senses someone approaching him as he continues to pace around the aisle. He stops and turns to his shopping cart, because he doesn’t really want to talk to anybody right now, and tries to calm down just by thinking of a solution.
“Hey,” someone interrupts him. And it’s clear the person is talking to him because he can practically feel their warmth. Weren’t they supposed to keep a certain distance? Why is this person so close? Isak starts to get really annoyed before he turns around to face this person.
“Can I help you?” he tries not to sound so bitter, but once he looks at the person’s face he knows he made a mistake for two reasons.
Reason number one: the guy grimaces at his tone and frowns a little, before offering a sympathetic smile.
Reason number two: the guys is a fucking god . The most beautiful person Isak has ever laid his eyes on. Tall, blond, deep blue eyes and a quiff that defies gravity. And the smile. Fuck, that smile. The most amazing and soft smile he can think of.
And again, it’s just his luck that he meets someone looking like that when he’s pissed and doesn’t want any conversation.
“Uh, I’m sorry,” the guy mumbles, taking a step back and distancing himself from Isak, who feels like complaining but refrains to do it and nods, so the other boy knows it’s ok to keep going. “I couldn’t help to overhear” yeah, Isak knows he was loud, thank you, dude. “But you mentioned not being able to call an Uber home?” he asks, confused.
“Oh yeah.” Now Isak is sympathetic because ten minutes ago he was in the same position as the person standing in front of him. “Apparently the mayor declared that only couples can share an Uber. But if you’re not alone, then you’re safe” he continues, seeing the boy starting to realise what it all means. Isak decides it’s his queue to continue his shopping and tries to figure out how to head home.
He gets back to his phone, eyeing his list and the shopping cart. The only thing missing is still the fucking tissues . Just out of spite, Isak decides he will buy the cheapest brand (because Eskild had chosen the most expensive one, clearly) and with the spare money he’ll buy a new backpack he doesn’t really need just so he can maybe get home with his groceries. He notices the guy he just told the unfortunate news is still a little shocked, fumbling with his phone, and gives him a small smile while going to the cash register.
Since people are avoiding leaving their house too often, there’s obviously a huge line, which makes Isak a little bit more frustrated, because not only he has so much groceries to try to get home somehow, he’ll have to wait god knows how long until it’s his turn in this infinite line. Trying to entertain himself, he gets his phone to play some game and maybe listen to some music. He fishes his earphones from his hoodie pockets and plays some N.W.A so he can try and chill for a bit.
The line is moving slowly, but he’s lucky no one else is getting on his line, because 1) he doesn’t want anyone near him, for obvious reasons ( yes, Mrs. Rona, I’m talking about you ) and 2) he wants to avoid any possible chit-chat, that he knows sometimes people don’t give a damn about someone ( him!!! ) hearing earphones.
“How the hell am I going to find a way to go back home with all this stuff?” he mumbles quietly to himself, still trying to figure out a way back to the Kollektiv. “Or better yet, why aren't there any stores closer to Kristparken?” He finishes his train of thought and is about to go back to his game when he feels someone tapping his shoulder, making him jump and turn around.
It’s the same dude from before. Oh god, can’t Isak get a break?
He’s not in the mood for small talks. Well, the world isn’t in the mood for them right now, but Isak is already having a bad day without having some stranger approach him. Twice.
With a heavy sigh, he eyes the other man up and down. “Can I help you?” he repeats his words from earlier, raising his eyebrows, trying to look a little bit annoyed (which isn’t hard, because he really is annoyed).
The guy seems nervous and takes a step back again. “I’m sorry to overhear,” the blond hot stranger states. “Again.” and he chuckles. And that sound sends a shiver down Isak’s spine that he does his best not to show how affected he is by it, so he gives him a very small grin. “But you were mumbling not so quietly” well, damn you, earphones. “And you said something about Kristenpark?” the stranger adds, unsure of the statement was really true and making it sound like a question.
“Yes, I live nearby” Isak replies. “Why?”
He notices the guy biting his lip and fidgeting his fingers. He is definitely nervous.
“Uh, I also live nearby” he’s not making eye contact with Isak as he was before.
“And?” Isak can’t help but question him, confused to what this dude was talking about.
This time, it was the stranger's turn to sigh, as if Isak was slow to catch up to what he was talking about. “And I thought we could pretend to be a couple so we could share an Uber that would leave us at least closer to our houses” he responds, shrugging, like what he just said wasn’t the weirdest thing Isak heard all day.
Widening his eyes and clearing his throat, Isak looked around to see if anyone else had heard this nonsense, but there was no one around.
“You gotta be kidding me.” Isak snorts.
“I’m deadly serious.”
“I don’t even fucking know you!” Isak whisper-yells to him. “We don’t even know each other's names, dude!”
“I’m Even,” he stands out his hand, smiling ( a fucking beautiful smile ), while Isak keeps looking between his face and his hand. As soon as he - Even! - noticed that they shouldn’t greet each other like that, he retreats his hand but keeps smiling.
“Listen, Even, ” Isak begins, now knowing the name of the stranger. “I don’t know you and thank you for the offer” he adds with a frown, to be clear how weird the proposition was for him, “but I’m good.” With that, Isak turns around to wait his turn in line and he’s secretly glad a woman is now behind him, so Even can’t bother him.
But that doesn’t really seem to bother the other boy.
“Well,” Even stops, and makes a gesture with his hands and raises his eyebrows, as if asking for Isak’s name without saying the words, and he knows the dude won’t give up so he just gives in.
“Isak.”
“Well, Isak, I think you’re making a terrible mistake. You won’t be able to get all of that alone” Even points to his shopping cart and smiles again, not so kindly this time and leaves to find a spot in line in some other cash register.
Isak is more frustrated than before now, and as time passes, he notices he’s getting closer to the cashier but still has no solution as to how to get home with all his groceries. Luckly, he sees another person ask an employee for some cardboard boxes and he knows that that will help a bit, if he can just put half of the things he’s buying in one of them and some of them in this backpack he’s being obligated to buy to help a bit more. So, he tries searching for an employee and asks for a box, which the girl is happy to help him with.
Ha! Suck that, Even, who’s not gonna be able to carry it all now?
Well, apparently, Isak.
He placed so many things in the cardboard box and the backpack, and still had like four plastic bags and now he was standing at the exit of the store without a clue of what to do next.
He tries juggling with all the things he has to carry but is failing miserably when he hears someone chuckling behind him. Isak doesn’t need to turn around to know the source of the sound.
"Told ya you wouldn't be able to get all of that alone." Even says, stopping right next to Isak. "Too bad you declined my offer." And once again, he walks again from Isak, leaving him more desperate than before.
Isak was getting more and more impatient, still trying to manage how to carry all his groceries and in the meantime, he watched as Even organized his own shopping in three cardboard boxes and piled them. Guess that was a smart move. Isak wishes he would've thought of that before grabbing plastic bags.
Even pulled out his phone and looked like he was about to call someone when Isak sighed and came to terms with what was his best solution to get home.
“Ok, I’ll do it” Isak approaches Even, startling him but he recovers quickly and, again, Isak is met with that kind grin he thought was so out of this world.
Without wiping the smile of his face, he stepped closer to Isak, “I knew you’d agree, eventually, Isak.”
“Don’t flatter yourself, I just can’t think of any other way to get home.”
“Ah, I will flatter myself though” Even responds, looking at his phone and Isak sees his opening the Uber app. Yes. He is finally getting home and he’s making a silent promise to himself to be better prepared next time he goes shopping (which he knows he’ll forget in no time).
“How will we do this?” Isak questions, before Even is able to type any address on the app.
Even stops to think for a minute, because he didn’t really think Isak would agree to doing this, so he probably didn’t think this far. “I live here” he shows Isak his address, already automatically filled out on the app. And luckily, it is pretty close to Isak’s apartment. “Would it be ok if we just stop by my place first and then, I don’t know, I can help you carry all of your stuff to your place?”
“Yeah, we don’t live far from each other” Isak eyes all of Even’s groceries and thinks he must also have flatmates for the amount of stuff he just bought. Since he’s doing this, he might as well make small talk. “We should talk a bit before you call a driver” Even snaps his head up, confused. “Just in case, you know, so they believe we're a real couple” Isak says, cringing at the sound of the last words.
“Oh, ok” Even nods. “That’s smart. Let’s do that.”
However, both of them stay silent for another minute. Neither of them knowing how to start a conversation about a fake relationship that will probably last ten minutes.
“Did your roommates also make you buy an unbelievable amount of things?” Isak asks, pointing to all the cardboard boxes Even had at his feet.
“Uh” Even stutters and runs a hand through his hair and Isak thinks that is just the most unfair thing he’s ever seen. Goddammit good looking people. “No. I live alone.”
“Why do you have so much stuff, then?” Isak can hear the frustration in his voice and hopes it doesn’t come off rude.
But Even’s chuckle is reassurance enough that it’s ok. “My building has a lot of elderlies, so I offered to shop for them,” he says with a shrug.
Of course the cute, handsome and totally his type boy he meets during a pandemic is also caring and sweet. It’s just Isak’s luck.
Isak sighs internally and hates this virus a little bit more than he was hating before crossing paths with Even.
“What about you?” Even questions, bringing Isak back to the real world.
“I have three roommates, but one of them made a list bigger than the other two and mine combined” Even laughed at that and Isak couldn’t stop the smile that grew on his face knowing he was the one that made that sound come out of the other boy’s mouth.
Get it together, Isak. Ten minutes ago you were very wary of this dude. He thought to himself.
“So I win the kindness contest today” Even jokes, bumping his shoulder to Isak’s and the latter swears there's electricity there where they touched.
“Seems like it.” he says, just to fill the brief silence. He wants to ask more things but he doesn’t even know what. Right now, he just wishes there’s a miracle and the scientists found a cure to this virus so he can be sure he’ll see Even again. But Isak knows his luck. And it's never on his side.
“We should get that Uber now, is it okay?” Even looks at Isak, as if asking for permission and he can’t do anything but nod, seeing his plan to have a longer chat with Even slip away because he didn’t ask anything else.
Isak shoots a quick text to Eskild, who was constantly asking about his whereabouts, saying he would be home soon and that he’d probably need help to carry everything upstairs, almost begging his friend to help him. For a change, Eskild replied saying he was waiting for him already. Isak sighs in relief.
Even is concentrated on his phone, minding his own business and Isak has no choice but to do the same. He’s focused on seeing endless instagram stories when suddenly he feels a pull on his shoulder, turning him sideways.
“What the hell are you doing?” he yelps, looking at Even, confused.
“The driver asked for a picture of my partner and me, so he can see we’re really a couple. Apparently it’s an Uber policy right now” he shrugs and tries to pull Isak closer again, and he goes with it. “Smile, boyfriend” Isak rolls his eyes and Even sticks his long arm out to snap a picture of the two of them.
They’re both smiling and they’re close enough not to be suspicious. Isak can’t help but notice how good they would look together.
“That should be a good one,” Even says, hitting send on the chat app and waiting for the driver's reply, which comes seconds later. “YES!” he exclaims, excited and because he still has his arm around Isak’s shoulder, he squeezes it a little bit. “He’s on his way. He’ll be here in five.”
The five minute wait is rather fast, Isak doesn’t even notice the time passing, because Even was talking to him about his neighbors and their odd requests, like 2 kilograms of cheese from a man he knew was lactose intolerant.
A black sedan suddenly stops and the driver rolls down his windows and quickly asks “Even?” startling the two boys, Even nodding and heading to the car with his three boxes, while Isak struggles to get his single one and his plastic bags all in one go.
“I’ll be right there to help you, babe” Even says, surprising Isak, who has to fake being used to the endearment term, even though he can feel himself blushing.
Even comes back and picks up Isak’s box, leaving him with only his plastic bags to place it in the trunk of the car.
“Are you blushing?” Even asks, once they’re inside the car and the driver is closing the trunk and heading back to his seat.
“Shut up” Isak tries to fight the warm feeling increasing in his face, but notice the smirk that is now on Even’s.
“You’re lucky, boys” the driver starts, pulling both of them out of their own bubble. “You have no idea how many people try to pretend they’re dating but forget they have to have the same destination for me to accept their ride.”
Isak glances at Even quickly, sharing the same worried yet relieved look, and thanking whoever was the reason they lived so close.
“No way people do that! That’s absurd” Even continues to small talk, once again pulling Isak closer by his shoulder, letting his arm rest on them. “I’m so glad to live with this one” he adds, beaming at Isak, who looks down smiling a bit. “We moved in together a week before the lockdown”.
The driver laughs a little before speaking again. “Well, good thing then. I’d hate to have to ask you guys to leave the car because you were lying.” That makes Isak choke on his own saliva, coughing slightly and Even, as the good actor he seems to be, puts on a concerned face and starts gently patting and rubbing his back.
“Babe,” and there it is, this fucking pet name again. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” Isak clears his throat and turns to face Even, giving him a small smile. “It’s all good.” and he can’t seem to stop staring at Even’s blue eyes, spotting his mouth mirroring his grin and reaching his eyes.
“Good” he repeats. And then he does the last thing Isak was expecting from a stranger who just agreed to share an Uber because they didn’t have any other option.
He leans in and pecks his lips, leaving Isak astonished and with wide eyes,watching the other boy with a silent question in his eyes that probably said what the fuck did you just do?
To continue his act, Even lifts his hand and caresses Isak’s vivid red cheek before placing a quick kiss there too.
If the driver and Even keep having a small talk, Isak’s brain stops paying attention to it. Because, right now, his brain cells apparently only know how to replay the scene that just happened to him. He’s still staring at Even, he knows that, and he hopes the driver can’t notice how shocked he truly is and just takes that as someone who’s admiring his partner.
It doesn’t take long for them to get near Kristparken and soon enough, the car stops. It takes a couple of seconds for Isak to catch up on what’s happening and to get out of the car to help Even with his boxes and with his own groceries. They get everything from the trunk and Isak vaguely listens to Even wishing a good afternoon and a ‘stay safe’ to the driver.
“Here” Even hands Isak a keychain, bringing him back from his daydream. “The blue key opens the front door. Can you do it for me?” Isak simply nods, still trying to get his head around the events in the car.
He opens the door of the building and Even steps inside with both of the shopping. He puts everything down and turns to look at Isak, who’s still holding the door open.
“Wait here. I’ll just leave this in front of my apartment and I’ll be right back.”
But before Even can leave him alone, Isak is grabbing his arms, and for once, it’s Even who is surprised.
“I’ll help you” he grabs one of his cardboard boxes, leaving his groceries at the entrance and climbs up the stairs behind Even. And Isak doesn’t know why, but he’s never been so nervous going up a stranger’s stairs. Not even when he started having one night stands with random guys he met at some club. He couldn’t place why this dude he met at the supermarket and was kind enough to shop to all his elderly neighbors and offer to be his fake boyfriend so he could take all his shopping home was making him so damn nervous.
He didn’t have much time to dwell on it, because Even was now heading to a door and getting the keychain from Isak’s fingers, after putting down the two boxes he was carrying.
“I’ll be quick, I’ll just leave this at the door, because I usually shower after coming back now. But I have to help you, so that changes things.” he states, unlocking his door.
“Oh, it’s okay, I think now I can get home with my groceries,” Isak replies, shrugging and handing Even the box he has in his arms.
“Nonsense” Even turns around and before Isak can protest, he’s already closing his door and heading to the stairs. “You even helped, I have to help you now too.”
After letting his words sink in, Isak goes down the stairs again and picks up the four plastic bags, because Even was stubborn enough to pick the cardboard box and ignore his request to change them.
They truly live close. It’s not even a ten minute walk. Isak can’t help but think that if the circumstances were different, this short walk would be very convenient, and something he would really like to do on a regular basis.
But, of course , it was in this situation, while the world has a deadly virus around, that he has to meet someone he’s attracted to that lives close by.
Just his luck.
After staying silent for a minute of two, Even continues rambling about his neighbors, and Issak sees how much he cares about them and smiles while listening to him telling how Ms. Andem from downstairs was upset that now that they were in lockdown it meant their weekly dinner dates were cancelled.
Sooner than Isak wanted, they got to his building. And even after Even putting down the box and Isak putting down his plastic bags, none of them made a move to get on with their lives.
Even also seems nervous, not that confident guy who suddenly kissed him during an Uber ride. Isak smiled, glad that he wasn’t the only one that didn’t want this to end and that he was making Even equally nervous.
And then his phone was ringing, bursting their bubble. It was Eskild.
“Yes?” He answers the phone and Even looks at him, intrigued, kind of like he wants to know the conversation. “Yeah, I’m almost there. Come down in two” and Even smiles, because he knows Isak just lied to his roommate about being home and he knows that he can only mean one thing.
“Two minutes, hm?” It’s his question as soon as Isak hangs up.
“Shut up” it’s the answer he gets, plus an eye-roll. Even laughs and soon Isak is joining him. “How much do I own you for the ride?” Isak says once the laughter dies down and they’re both staring at each other again.
Even stops and thinks for a minute, “I don’t remember, and I left my phone with all of the boxes at home”, then he points to Isak’s pocket, where he left his phone. “Give me your phone” and Isak doesn’t even question why, he just hands him his phone, unlocking it in the process.
He sees Even typing something and hands it back to Isak, who looks at the screen and is met with Even Supermarket as a new contact.
“I’ll text you once I get home, I already called my number, so I’ll know it’s from you” he says, probably noticing the puzzled look on Isak’s face. “But don’t worry about it. I know how I want you to pay me back.”
“I mean, I’ll probably just make a deposit for you,” Isak says, still confused.
“Oh, no!” Even states, stepping closer, so close to Isak he can feel his warmth again, like when he approached him in the supermarket. “That’s not what I had in mind. I mean, we already broke quarantine, Isak” and he leans in, placing a small kiss in the corner of Isak’s mouth before smirking and turning around to go back home, leaving a dazed Isak behind.
As if on queue, Eskild opens the front door of the building, startling Isak and picking up the plastic bags, and obviously he notices Isak staring at Even’s back as he walks again.
“Who’s that, baby Jesus?” he asks and it takes a few more seconds for Isak to face him and pick up the box before entering their building and heading upstairs to their flat.
“Probably the only good thing that will happen this quarantine” he vaguely answers, and for once, Eskild doesn’t pester him about it.
Twenty minutes later, after sanitizing all the groceries and putting them in the designated shelves, Isak’s phone buzzes in his pocket. And he smiles before seeing the text he got, because he knows who it is from.
EVEN SUPERMARKET
Do you mind sharing lots of Ubers for the rest of quarantine?