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He's in the kitchen when his cell phone rings, finally. They've been texting that morning, but he's been waiting for the call. He knows his boyfriend's busy, though, and it's not like he's been bored in the meantime. “Hi! Jack?”
“Hey, Bitty. Happy birthday!” Jack's voice . . . gosh. Just the sound of it is enough to make his knees weak sometimes.
He smiles so widely he can barely talk around the words. “Aw, thank you, sweetheart.”
Jack sounds like he's smiling too. “How does it feel, being twenty-one?”
Eric leans back against the kitchen counter, crossing his ankles, laughs. “You should know, you've been there a while ago, old man.”
“Oh, haha.”
“No, but. It's been good, so far. Chowder made everyone sing Happy Birthday to me before breakfast this morning. And apparently they tried baking me a cake while I was out yesterday, but they burned it or something, so I got a store-bought cupcake with a candle in it instead. It was great.”
“You actually ate a store-bought cupcake? Really?” Jack sounds amused.
He shrugs. It was a sweet gesture. He loves that they did this for him. “. . . I also made a pie, of course, for later. Got it out of the oven just now, actually. It's still cooling on the counter, I just hope they'll keep their greedy fingers from it until later, it's meant to be dessert for tonight.”
“I'm sure they will. It's your birthday, after all.”
He grins. “Yeah, and it's a good one at that. I mean, nothing really beats that time y'all got me the new oven, but -”
“Ah, yes. That was a surprise, eh?” Jack sounds smug, but then his voice goes soft again. “We kind of owed that to you after all the baking you'd already done for us at that point.”
He sighs dramatically. “You say that now, but really, you just wanted to make me cry, didn't you?”
“It worked, didn't it?”
“Haha. So, anyway. How's your day been, honey?”
Jack's voice goes low, quiet, gentle. “I miss you.”
His tone cuts right to Eric's heart, making it clench in his chest. “Oh, sweetheart. I miss you too! But as soon as I'm done with the semester I'm coming down to Providence, right? For a whole week.”
“A whole week. Yeah. I can't wait, Eric.”
“Me either. I really – I really do miss you, you know?” He does. Oh lord, he does. But it's not Jack's fault he's busy today. He has a career to think of, and no one can know about them. Yet.
Jack sounds like he's smiling. “I – yeah, I know. I – I really -”
He imagines Jack's smile, remembers it, remembers how it feels to kiss it, the press of Jack's lips against his own. “Oh god, Jack. The things I wanna do to you once I have you right in front of me again...”
“Bitty – Eric,” Jack pauses. “Are you at home?”
He frowns. “I'm at the Haus, yeah. Why? Ohh!” He feels his face light up, skin buzzing with excitement as he catches on. “You have any ideas?”
“Um.” Jack suddenly sounds hesitant. “I – Kind of. Just -”
“Because – hold on. I think everyone's out right now, but I don't wanna -” He quickly leaves the kitchen, strides out into the living area, but no, it's deserted. He knows the upstairs is clear as well. “No, looks all good. But I can go up to my room just in case, wait just a minute -”
“Everyone's out?” Jack asks.
He nods, even if Jack can't see him.“Yeah, looks that way. End of semester rush, you know? It's all a bit crazy 'round here -”
“Eric.”
He pauses, hand on the banister, one foot on the first step of the stairs.“Huh?”
“Don't go up to your room.”
He drops his hand. “I – what?”
“Don't go up to your room. Can you -”
He squints his eyes in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“Where are you?”
His pulse speeds up, but no, no, he can't mean . . . “Down by the stairs, what do you -”
“Open the front door.”
“Jack -”
“Bits. Come to the front door.”
“Are you – Oh lord.” And suddenly his heart is racing, face flushing, and he almost trips over his own feet as he turns around hastily, rushes off toward the door. Because, this can't mean, it can't . . . can it? “Jack. You didn't, did you – hold on, I – oh no, oh my gosh, oh my -” He yanks the door open and there he is, in the flesh, Jack Zimmermann, standing right in front of him, lowering his phone from his ear and grinning so widely Eric just kind of wants to punch him, or – or . . . “Jack, you – oh my god I can't even, come here, you -”
Jack's cell phone clutters to the floor as Eric jumps into his arms, unable to contain himself, happiness flooding his body until all he can do is laugh and cry and cling to this amazing, amazing man who surprised him on his birthday and then...
And then Jack's arms are around him, firmly, securely, and they're kissing. Jack's holding him and kissing him and Eric knows he's getting both their faces wet with his tears but he doesn't even care because his boyfriend drove all the way here to surprise him on his birthday and he's living the best life, no one's ever been luckier in the entire history of ever.
It takes a while until he's ready to pull away, he's back on his feet at that point; still clinging to Jack, though. And Jack still clinging to him.
“Hey,” Jack says, a bit breathless but otherwise sounding like this is no big deal at all. “Hi. Good to see you too, Bits.”
“Oh gosh.” He lifts one hand from the back of Jack's neck to slap his shoulder instead, lightly, and then wipe the remaining tears from his eyes. “Oh my – I can't . . . Happy birthday to me. Oh lord. Jack, you sneaky son of a -”
Jack's smile is a little lopsided but undeniably proud. “I wanted to surprise you.”
“You did.” He laughs. “Oh my god. You definitely did.”
“I love you,” Jack says. Just like that. Because this is Eric's life now. A boyfriend who surprises him and kisses him and tells him he loves him.
“Jack.” He draws in a breath, tries to keep his voice from shaking. Sometimes he doesn't know where to go with all of these emotions this silly stupid perfect man makes him feel. “I love you too. So much, oh gosh, I can't believe this.”
“Good surprise?” Jack asks.
He laughs again, a little hysterically. “Are you kidding? This is the best birthday gift ever.”
Jack leans their foreheads together. “Next time I'll tie a bow around my chest, eh?”
“No, you're perfect like this.” He sighs. “Gosh, you're actually perfect.”
Jack has the decency to at least blush a bit at that. “Aw, Bits.”
He tightens his arms around Jack's neck, squeezes his eyes shut. “You seriously came here, I just – Jack -”
Jack cards a hand through his hair, so, so gently. “Don't cry, Bitty. I –”
He kisses his lips, whispers there, a little breathlessly, “Then stop being so perfect, I can't -”
Jack kisses him again, deeper, and this one does take his breath away for a moment. “You're perfect, Bits.”
He opens his eyes again, can't hold back the smile; he feels so content. “And there you go making me cry again. I – Ugh, Jack. I can't believe you're here. Thank you!”
Jack looks pleased, and a little mischievous. “So, while everyone's still out -”
He nods enthusiastically, at last letting go of Jack to take his hand instead and lead him toward the stairs. “My room?”
Jack squeezes his fingers. “Please.”
“How long can you stay?” He doesn't want to sound desperate, but he probably does, a little. “Won't everyone know?”
Jack shrugs. “Nah. They invited me. I mean, I had already planned to come up here anyway, but . . . They invited Shitty too, but he couldn't get away. I talked to him earlier though on the phone and he said to tell you that he, and I quote, really fucking loves you, man, and he hopes you have a great day.”
“Aw.” Eric covers his heart with his free hand. “Tell him thanks. He's already sent me a rather inappropriate selfie with a birthday message though this morning.”
Jack scrunches his nose. “In the nude?”
“Yeah.”
“Haha.”
Eric shrugs, then bats his lashes at his boyfriend. “Not the person I really wanted to be looking at today -”
“Oh, really?” Jack blinks back at him, the corner of his mouth twitching in a half-smile. “Well, who would you rather be looking at?”
Eric rolls his eyes at him, tugs him up the final steps and down the hallway and into his room. “Jack Zimmermann, stop fishing for compliments and close the door behind us instead. No, first answer my question. How long can you stay? Can you stay for dinner?”
Jack nods. “And breakfast. I can stay all night.”
“Wait!” Eric feels his eyes widen, excitement bubbling up in his chest. “Seriously?”
“Yup. Don't have to be back before lunch tomorrow.” Jack kicks the door shut behind them and pulls him back into his arms.
“Yes!” Eric buries his face in Jack's chest, feels safe and warm and so, so right held close like this. “Best! Birthday! Ever! Best boyfriend ever.”
Jack kisses his hair. “I love you too, Bits.”
He laughs, pulls back to look up at him. “Just a fair warning, I plan on making out with you from right now until dinner time. No interruptions.”
Jack grins. “I have to say, I like that plan a lot.”
Eric grins back. “You and me both, honey. You and me both.”
Dinner is a bit late, that day, but that's okay.
Eric falls asleep that night with his head resting on Jack's chest, their legs tangled under the blanket, and yes. He's had many good birthdays in the past. But this one is definitely his favorite so far.