Chapter Text
1. Book thoughts
It has been peachy lately. Lovely even.
Still, it was all a little strange and new. Awkward looks, uncertain touches and intimacy, but also love, first experiences, comfort and passion.
Because of the uncertainty, unpredictable circumstances and shared insecurities, Albert and Jet decided to keep their new relationship a secret. That was silly. Obviously, no one would have been upset or offended, but it was all just something so new, fragile and indeterminate.
Mostly for them.
Jet has never had an official relationship or closeness like that with anyone before. That wasn't really a surprise. Besides being one immature walking timebomb of a person, he wasn't really your average boyfriend material. Hell, he never expected to properly date anyone. Relationships seemed irrational, pointless, exploitative and painful ways to eventually just disappoint, fool and hurt yourself. It felt better to forgive that nonsense and build a firm shield to protect your feelings, safety and balance from the cruelties of the world. It was all new, scary, awkward, ominous.. but exciting.
It wasn't just Jet with his insecurities and lack of experiences. Albert had never thought about closeness, sex, kisses, intimacy or anything like that with a man before. Thoughts like that had never appeared to his mind or if they did, those felt like strange and unfamiliar misconceptions. Still, he had never felt like he had before. It was like he was living his second life, after the first one burnt to the ground, leaving death, grief, memories, disappointment and sorrow behind, creating a new person he wasn't completely familiar with yet. Still, it all felt great. It was quiet living with a sweet secret. Even if there was the presence of awkwardness, insecurity and unsteadiness, it felt nice. Warmth, closeness and awkward affection. Something they both really needed at the moment.
Despite having the dreamy and affectionate new relationship, one thing that really frustrated Jet was a book Albert kept browsing occasionally when he was resting in his room upstairs. When Jet sneaked into Albert's room in order to snuggle, share kisses, caress or just lay against Albert's warm body to chat about something, Albert started to act oddly. Instead of sharing the kisses, smiling, offering him a sarcastic joke about his undone housework, placing his hand under Jet's loose t-shirt or humming at Jet, Albert would act like he was just approached by a disruptive stranger. Instead of friendliness, smiles, hugs and kisses, Jet received mostly just harsh gazes, cold silence, snarls or rude requests about Jet leaving his room or being quiet. All this sudden coldness while holding on to the book as if it kept him alive, owned his soul, hid his deepest dirty secrets or something. It felt impulsive, inconsiderate and annoying. It really made Jet frustrated.
Still, in the end, it was just a stupid old book he kept inside his nightstand. Even if he allowed Jet to be in his presence, it felt like his personality had changed when the book was around. Instead of that sweet, thoughtful, affectionate and caring man, there was this cold, remote and fractious stranger becoming irritated about his presence, asking him to go away. It confused Jet. He could have understood some frustration and bickering if he did something rude or insulted Albert. He would have understood some grumpiness if Albert didn't feel good, was too tired to deal with his crap or had his hands full with other tasks (like he did when Jet bothered him about lost cookie package during the staircase renovation), but that wasn't the case. It was like that book just messed with his head, turning him into a grumpy chucklefuck.
It wasn't just a few times of this oddity. On another day, when Jet would have liked to fool around, maybe wrestle a little before "losing" and letting himself to be controlled by the older man with kisses, fondling and other niceness, he was once again disappointed with the passionless mad gremlin sitting on Albert's bed. He sneaked next to Albert, smiling, giving him little hums and pets. Instead of giving Jet a gentle smile, loving pat to the head or polite suggestion to go bother someone else because he was too tired or sad to entertain him, Albert just snarled something. Something about "not now", "later" or "don't you have anyone else to fucking bother". Jet wasn't sure what it was he said, but the cold and aggressive tone told him enough about his current mood and attitude about Jet's presence. Albert's odd stiffness, indifferent expression.. and that stupid book on his hands again. He barely lifted his gaze from it, muttering something through his teeth. Just like he did before, he held the book like it was about to escape from his hands and run away. It was strange. It felt like that rotten book told him to drive Jet away. It sucked Albert's soul, turning him into one cold, bitter, passionless corpse that needed sudden distance, quietness and isolation. Corpse that wasn't in a new smooth relationship one should treat with silk gloves, but who had to put up with distractions he now wanted to get rid of. It didn't only turn Albert into an asshole, Jet felt like it turned him into some unpleasant annoying heckler instead of a loved partner.
Jet snorted angrily, watching Albert, still sitting stiffly on his bed with his stupid book, holding it in his hands.
Truth to be told, all he knew about the god damn book was that it was owned by his late fiancee Hilda. He wasn't sure what kind of book it was, diary, photo album or just regular story about something, but it seemed to have something to do with Albert's past.
Hilda's and Albert's history was a little unfamiliar topic for Jet. Even though Albert had told them a short version of his sad past and death of his fiancee during the time they all shared their life stories before being captured by Black Ghost, it was still something Albert really didn't like to talk about. That was fair. He didn't demand Jet to open up about his old wounds, traumas and memories. That would have been challenging for Jet as well. It felt better and fair to not bother Albert about his past relationships, but it was still annoying.
Sure, he respected Albert's feelings, sad past, losses and how those affected him, but truth to be told, he wasn't the only one with tragedies, injustice or misfortune in his past life. Heck, Jet himself had one awful childhood full of abuse, neglect, mistreatment, fear and hard lessons that left him with a hard shield, deep cuts and plenty of issues. Still, deep inside, he didn't see people's shitty pasts as justifications or excuses to behave like jerks. Not anymore. When Jet acted like an asshole, no one allowed him to excuse his shit with moaning about his childhood abuse. He was expected to sort himself out, grow up and behave. Was it fair? He wasn't sure, but still, he tried his best and applied the same rule to other people as well.
Lives were complicated and so were the labyrinthine fishnets inside peoples' heads.
Still, Jet didn't expect another day with the grumpy Albert with his dumb book. In fact, this shit had really started to piss him off.
"Fucking whatever", Jet huffed, rising from the bed, lifting his hands up with frustration, walking away from Albert's room where he clearly wasn't wanted. Albert had made that very clear with his behavior.
Seeing the sudden vexation, Albert turned around with a little concerned expression. He didn't follow Jet outside, but let out an annoying sight and turned back to the book with a bitter expression, staring at it as if he was cursed by it.
Jet huffed, stomping down the stairs. If the asshole wanted to spend his rotten shit day with that book, he may as well do so.
After leaving the house, Jet had climbed into a big thick apple tree near the house. Growling quietly, he sat on a branch and sulked. It was perfect and peaceful hideout to keep distance to other cyborgs he wasn't in the mood to chat with, including stupid jerk with his stupid shit book. Jet huffed, resting his back against the tree's trunk, sitting on big branch hissing to himself. He was on nice mood, longing for some comfort, perhaps even for smooth kisses and closeness, but no more. Now he was like pissed off cat growling and hissing at the world.
Soon, Albert walked out of the house. He was obviously looking for Jet, who was still too pissed off to approach him or reveal himself from his apple tree hide. Jet stayed quiet, closing his eyes and ignoring Albert, hoping that he would give up and go away to kiss and hug his stupid old book instead. For real, if he wanted some attention, he can go and talk to that fucking book important enough to make him act like a jerk. Jet was clearly an unwanted disturbance between him and that book.
After some looking around, Albert must have seen the orange haired oddity sitting on the tree branch because he started to approach the tree. Jet hissed quietly, not wanting to talk to him right now. He felt still too pissed off to deal with the grumpy shithead.
"What the heck are you doing there?", Albert asked him playfully, standing on the roots of the tree. It was little bit odd. Usually Al had this certain dominance and self-confidence over him, that was shown with his habit of ordering and treating Jet like some subaltern cyborg and taking over the whole group, if necessary. Now he was like an insecure child: nervous, uncertain, scratching his neck with a nervous gentle smile. There was this respective distance they didn't usually have. If Albert wanted something, was it touch, kiss or closeness, he wasn't scared to enter Jet's personal space to get it. Now he kept little intentional distance to Jet. Jet huffed angrily. He wasn't in forgiving or calm mood yet. Instead of giving meaningful gazes or words, Jet just turned around, showing his back to Albert. Albert sighed nervously, muttering something to himself and looking sadly to the tree and grumpy boy hiding there.
"Hey, umm.. you know.. I was thinking, would you like to go to that ice cream place", Albert said nervously. Man, that was pathetic. In fact, wasn't like Al at all. Little time ago he was like bitch with severe case of mood temper and now he was that gentle and firm man he usually was, trying to make peace with offers of treats like ice cream. Jet huffed again, still too pissed off to get down. Albert looked around nervously, looking confused and helpless till he decided to climb up to the tree to talk to Jet. Jet sighed with frustration. Deep inside, he wanted to stop the petty fighting, but man, he was still pissed off and offended. He didn't enjoy throwing his little tantrums, those didn't feel good in the long run, but he didn't feel like talking right now.
Albert soon approached Jet, pushing him a little to make some space to the branch he had claimed for himself. The branch made worrying sound that shook Jet off his sulking and turning it into mild concern. Sure the tree was big and strong, but that didn't mean the old bastard could take two metallic idiots sitting on its old branches like overgrown children. Sitting next to Jet, who now looked down the grass with sad and annoyed expression, Albert signed quietly, clearly not sure what to say. All promises about buying him games, treats or other nonsense felt empty and artificial. He felt especially bad because Jet didn't look angry anymore. Just hurt and abandoned, sitting quietly next to him, staring at the ground. He could see the hurt in Jet's eyes.
"Jesus, that terrace shed looks crappy when you look at it from here", Albert said, lifting his other hand to protect his eyes from sun while studying the green yard of the house to avoid the awkward silence. Jet couldn't control himself but let out small giggle.
"What did you expect from 006 and 007?", he said with smile he couldn't hide anymore with his irritation. Albert smiled back, letting out small laugh: "They sure aren't renovation experts, I'm amazed that didn't rot off last year". Jet let out another giggle. Sure they had no right to criticize 006 and 007, they tried their best and if they let the job on the hands of Albert and Jet, who knows what kind of piece of shit they would have ended up crafting, but it was something they both needed right now. Making fun of crooked terrace shed felt better than sitting on the branch in uncomfortable silence.
Jet had small smile on his face, till it was gone when the wood under their asses started to make noises. Not the nice pleasant noises that branches make when wind touches them or when apples fall down to the grass end of the summer. This one was one crack and slam when the branch fell down with the two idiots sitting on it. Laying down on the ground, obviously a little sore but generally uninjured, Jet wasn't capable of holding his laughter in longer. He let out one loud laughter. It was all too silly. Stupid skew shed and now the branch fell under their weight. It was too much. Cackling at the grass, holding his stomach, Jet couldn't hold it in. God, how ridiculous it all was. Albert joined to his laughter, laying on the grass top of the fallen branch. He didn't find falling on his ass that funny, but man, seeing Jet cackling on the ground incapable to hold his laughter felt good. The dumb grudge turned into tomfoolery. Neither of them felt the coldness anymore, but laughed on loud, trying to talk about the stupid tree while barely making sense or getting a word out. The grudge was over and replaced with this silliness.
"Oh god, lets hide the branch before anyone sees what happened", Albert said, feeling little bit embarrassed for unnecessarily damaging the poor old apple tree while helping Jet back up. Jet tried to stop his cackle with grin.
"Oh boy, by the way, is the ice cream offer still open?"
Albert groaned, smiling.