Chapter Text
“Oh you’ll love him, His fridge is green!” Cory practically squealed to Eric. Cory didn’t actually care what the fridge looked like, he'd do absolutely anything to get Eric out of his hair. “I don't know, Cory. He sounds kinda weird..” Eric paused the thought for dramatic effect. “Naw I'm just kiddin’ lets meet this guy, Jack Right?” Eric asked. “Yea, you can check out the apartment tomorrow.” Cory explained. Eric nodded, he hasn't gotten his hopes up. Eric fully expected this was just gonna be another dead end when it came to his odd housing situation.
Nonetheless, the next afternoon Eric mentally prepared himself to meet some total freak. He found his way over to the apartment with Cory to meet Jack. The walk over was actually not bad, chubbys was like a 10 minute walk away. Eric also found that the park was on the way to what might become his apartment. The building looked alright, the brick wasn’t brand new but Eric really wasn’t looking for anything pristine. He also loved elevators so that's always a plus.
Cory knocked on the apartment door, (conveniently close to the elevator) And after about 20 seconds (the perfect time to answer a knock on the door in Eric's opinion) A man, a tiny bit shorter than Eric opened the door. He had dark brown eyes that felt very welcoming yet at the same time daring and bold. Jack also sported a clean short haircut that spiked up at the front accentuating his sharp facial features. Eric came to one conclusion while seeing his possible new roommate in front of him. He's hot…
“Your hot.” Eric spoke his mind.
Jack, in return, granted Eric a very strained and uncomfortable, “Thanks?”
“Hey, don't take all the ladies if I move in, pretty boy.”
Eric walked right past Jack while patting him on the back. Jack was much more flustered than he was willing to openly admit, although one look at his face would reveal the truth as he found his cheeks turn beet red.
Eric quickly glanced around the apartment, “It's pretty nice!” He had his hands on his hips, nodding in approval. Eric let his eyes wander around the apartment until, “Wait.” Eric pinched his nose bridge in disapproval. “Uh yeah, hey cor remind me again what color you said- No no no, promised the fridge was?” Eric called out and turned to his younger brother.
“...green..” Cory practically whispered.
“Hm…” Eric drew out his response again for dramatic effect only in hopes he'd scare Cory. “I’ll let this slide but I believe this white fridge has to be the first to go.” Eric nodded to his own decision, proud of his authority.
“So Jack, What's your favorite color, on three?” Eric interrogated, turning to the guy.
“1 2 3” “blue” they answered at the same time.
This went on for many other random subjects unrelated to housing, all of which they had in common.
“Well, are you any good at cooking?” Jack asked extremely hopeful.
“Yeah I'm alright at it, I havent burnt a house down yet so that's a win.” Eric stated, this made Jack eager for Eric to move in. Jack was so bad at cooking he couldn't be within a five foot radius of a spatula without starting a grease fire.
After Jack excitedly showed Eric a tour of the rest of the apartment. Eric smiled and promised to give it some thought and that at some point within the next week he'd give him a “yes” or “no” to wether he’d move in. “Well I'll see ya around?” Jack asked patting Eric on the shoulder, the gesture became quite a bit more intimate than he intended. “Yeah I’ll see ya around man.” Eric nodded and he and Cory left the apartment. Jack waved goodbye until the elevator doors slid shut.
As soon as the doors closed Eric turned to cory. “Eh we didn't really click yknow?”
Now this, Cory wouldn't let slide. He gasped dramatically and practically fell to his knees begging, “Please Eric! Move in with Jack! You guys are so perfect for each other you should get married!” To this Eric looked completely flabbergasted. “I'm not ready for that kinda commitment! He could at least buy me dinner first.” Eric explained. “Fine you dont gotta be married just live with the guy! That's all im asking Eric please.” Cory couldn't lose this amazing opportunity (being the matchmaker he is.) After a bit of coxing (and probably black mail) Eric reluctantly agreed to move in.
Cory had told Jack about Eric's decision the second he had access to a phone. Jack sounded just as, if not more excited than Cory had been to the news. “Oh my god, Yes! That's great! He can bring his stuff over any time to move in!” Jack ecstatically informed Cory. “Sounds terrific!” Cory laughed in his extremely Cory way.
In a week Eric was pretty much settled in. Of course with the tremendous help of his new friend Jack, his dad, and a bit from Cory but he mainly just shouted commands at the others carrying boxes. In another week Shawn ended up moving in too. Jack and Eric had already begun to click, they had since the moment they met. They would often hang out while working on school, watching Tv, going to parties, attempting (and failing) to pick up girls. They had grown close, although, quickly after Eric had moved in Jack came to the horrifying realization the man could not cook like at all.
“I thought you said you could cook!” Jack argued staring at a burnt, and colorful mush of what eric wanted to be rainbow pancakes. (he had stumbled upon a bunch of food dye and got a little too excited.)
“I am an abstract artist! Now back away and let the artist focus!” Eric added a little hiss at the end to make his words more official. He grabbed the handle of the frying pan that held a particularly gross green pancake, Eric attempted to flip it by jolting the frying pan up. At one moment Eric was holding a frying pan with a pancake, next thing he knew he was only holding a handle as the recently deceased frying pan (and pancake) flew through the air.
“Take cover!” Eric yelled ducking under the counter, Jack ran a few feet back and watching the frying pan hit the ground with a large thud.
Shawn opened his bedroom door and groggily walked over to the two idiots hiding underneath the counters and table staring at a very broken pan.
“It is 9 in the morning, why on earth are you already breaking all of our cooking supplies?” Shawn rubbed his eyes in an attempt to wake up. “Also what the hell is that green thing on the floor?” Shawn would have sounded more concerned if not for waking up two seconds ago.
“Rainbow pancake extravaganza?” Jack attempted to justify that offensive excuse for a pancake.
“I think it just moved, Jack.” Shawn lightly poked a blob of scrambled, burnt, yet somehow very gooey and raw pancake. Shawn decided he was not ready to deal with whatever shit they were getting into this early in the morning, he stood up and turned on his heel back to his bed.
“Cereal?” Eric suggested.
“Cereal.” Jack walked over to the (still very white) fridge and grabbed the milk.