Chapter Text
The obnoxious ring of the dismissal bell echoed throughout the halls of Parker Middle School. The classroom doors swung open in unison, teachers calling out reminders of homework as a sea of kids filed into the hallway, making the already claustrophobic area even more cramped.
Squeezing his way through the crowd was Quint Baker, a 14 year old, self-proclaimed scientist on a mission to get to his locker without being trampled. He tried to force a 'pardon' or 'excuse me' every once in a while as he made his way through the sea of pubescent adolescence, which by default- is a very unpleasant experience.
Now that the school day was over, Quint was unsure of what he'd do for the rest of the afternoon. Usually he'd hang out with Jack, but Quint knew he had the Newspaper Club that day with June.
Thinking about her, even for a mere millisecond, caused his brow to furrow, which was quickly followed by regret and some internal scolding.
June was his friend too.
To clear his head, he thought about heading to the library. He helped out from time to time after school, with the librarian turning a blind eye to his late fees and buying him snacks from the teachers' lounge as payment- but unfortunately, the librarian explicitly told him not to join her that afternoon due to some light repairs.
That would then leave the science labs...but Quint was still banned for another week after his previous experiments literally blew up in his face. Somehow he got away with a slap on the wrist- but that still meant he wasn't trusted alone without adult supervision.
...So it wasn't necessarily a ban, but Quint referred to it as one out of spite.
Truly all that was left was to take the bus home-
"Guess Who?"
Quint's world went dark. The grip on his textbooks tightened, and his shoulders stiffened with uncertainty as his world drew to a pause. He soon registered the faux leather of fingerless gloves accompanied by calloused skin.
It wasn't something, but rather someone that had temporarily stolen his vision.
Quint played along, "I've narrowed it down to my best friend, or a chimpanzee with surprisingly soft hands."
The laugh that followed made Quint's heart flutter, followed by butterflies in his stomach when he felt an arm wrap around his shoulder. He tried to still his racing heart through sheer force of will, but Quint knew that wouldn't be possible, especially when he saw the other boys grin.
"So I guess I'm a chimp now?" Jack asked with a light chuckle and a raised brow
Quint rolled his eyes affectionately. "It was only a hypothesis."
Jack laughed once again. If he kept up with that nonsense Quint would experience heart palpitations for the rest of his youth, and potentially adulthood.
"Based off of what?" Jack asked
"Simple. The fact you look like one." Quint joked
Jack's free hand landed over his heart as if he was physically wounded by Quint's words, accompanied by a slacked jaw.
"Wow." Jack chuckled, wearing a smile both baffled and impressed at the other's playful insult.
"I'm only joking, friend." Quint giggled, feeling his heart skip again at the other's grin.
Maybe Quint's perception of the other was altered due to rose colored glasses, but he certainly didn't think the other looked like that. Maybe others saw Jack as an average teenage boy but that wasn't the case for Quint.
He just saw his favorite person.
The boy he was in love with for so long.
Too Long.
Quint couldn't even be sure of when he figured it out- when that joy of finally having a friend after years of isolation shifted into something much more personal, and significantly more complicated. It wasn't even about something as trivial as having a crush on another boy. It was more so about convincing himself that this 'puppy love' would pass, but it was something way more than that.
Something Quint knew he could never let Jack know. He'd be risking everything, and he wasn't proud to admit his fear at the mere thought of rejection, especially when he knew it was anything but certain. Jack liked June. He had liked her since the beginning of the school year; that wasn't gonna change anytime soon.
So Quint simply distracted himself. Fixating on his studies and experiments. The things he was good at, better at than feelings at least.
It's worked for this long.
But of course, every time Quint tried to tug his heart away from Jack, simple actions and conversations such as this would rope him right back to square one.
"So where are we headed?" Jack asked as he stuffed his free hand into the pocket of his varsity jacket. Or as he liked to call it, his "JACK-et". It certainly had some of Jack's flair, with the varsity covered in patches that Dirk had helped Jack sew on. Quint had matching ones on his messenger bag.
"My locker. I need to retrieve my Chemistry notes and the respective textbook, alongside my health textbook." Quint replied
"Well what're we standin' around like dorks for?" Jack asked
Before Quint could comment, the crowd of students grew rowdier, recklessly pushing the two best friends through the middle school hallway.
As the duo weaved through the crowd, Quint felt Jack's loose arm around his shoulder shift into a firm grip, as if shielding him from any possible danger- and guiding Quint through a path only Jack could see. Quint was near-certain he could feel every bone in his body melt completely.
Jack would sometimes talk about wanting to be a 'hero' to June. Not like to treat her as a damsel in distress- June could kick his ass if she wanted; if anything, that would make Jack a damsel. But he did want to protect the people he cared about, potential partners especially.
The effort wasn't lost on Quint, but to him? Jack was already his a hero.
The duo finally arrived at Quint's locker. Quint swiftly turned the dial on the combination lock, cracking open the metal box and beginning to place the current supplies he had been lugging alongside him into it. Jack leaned on the locker beside Quint, waiting for his buddy to wrap things up.
"I thought you had Newspaper today?" Quint queried, trying to still his racing heart through sheer force of will. He cursed himself with shaky fingers after something that was far too simple to get him this flustered.
Jack quirked a brow, "I think you might've mixed up your calendar a bit, buddy."
"Impossible- I-" Quint turned to the pocket-sized calendar he kept taped to the inside of his locker, scanning for the day's date. He had coordinated his, Jack, June, and Dirks schedules so they could find optimal opportunities to hang out together when school wasn't in the way. That day he had scribbled what Jack would be doing after school.
"Oh. Of course-" Quint started
"BaseBall Practice." The two spoke in unison
"Wanna come watch me practice?" Jack asked with a grin
Quint paused, followed by a shrug of his shoulders. "I suppose I don't have anything else to attend to..."
A knowing smirk appeared on Quint's face as he shot a look toward his best friend. "But don't expect me to pay much attention while you gracefully run laps around the field." Quint finished, before swinging his bag off of his shoulder, unzipping it to be able to properly carry his needed materials.
Jack rolled his eyes with a smile. "That won't be happening. I've got time."
Quint wasn't so sure about that. Jack had a late streak when it came to his Baseball Practice.
He was one, if not the only student- that would test Mr Merkin's patience when it came to participation and tardiness. It was a miracle Jack hadn't been kicked off the team. Well- not a miracle but moreso the fact Jack was an incredibly valuable player to have- as far as valuable goes for an underfunded Middle School sports team.
But he trusted his friends' judgement more than almost anything, so if Jack said he had time, he had time.
"Wait- Hey, is that my Butterfinger?" Jack asked, loosely pointing a finger towards the door of Quint's locker.
Quint's attention was turned toward a candy bar he had stolen from Jack's locker months ago. It was plastered there with some scotch tape. Without breaking the others' gaze, Quint pulled the candy off of his locker door and tried to shove it into the pocket of his lab coat.
"HEY!" Jack shouted, trying to dive for the other's hand, with Quint trying to maneuver his way out of Jack's grabby grasp.
"Dude, c'mon!! You don't even like Butterfingers!!" Jack laughed
Quint was finding it difficult to keep up with Jack's rambunctiousness while trying to check the expiration date on the candy bar. Even if it wasn't expired, Quint wasn't going to let Jack eat months old dingy school locker candy.
"That isn't the point!" Quint pushed his palm to Jack's chin, as Jack's roughhousing behavior backed Quint up into his open locker.
Jack's hand found the small metal shelf in Quint's locker, gripping it to balance himself as his free hand tried to grab the candy bar, his actions becoming more about messing with his best friend rather than the actual candy itself.
Quint laughed, dropping his bag at his feet in the chaos. "I swear, you'd eat a candy bar off the side of the road if given the chance."
"God Dammit- Dirk said he wasn't gonna tell you about that."
"What?"
"What?"
The duo paused in their playful fighting, erupting in giggles at the absurdity of the interaction.
It was only then Quint realized the extreme lack of personal space between them. His first thought was to back up, but if he chose to, he'd be forced into the cold, uncomfortable metal of his locker, and while Jack's embrace was more appealing, Quint would rather not risk imploding on the spot.
Instead, he felt encapsulated by the others' expression. Quint found himself to be an enjoyer of Jack's face; unfortunately, feelings of this sort give you an attachment to that. But he never got to be this close to Jack. Well- that wasn't true. But it had certainly been a while.
He adored the way the bridge of Jack's nose crinkled as he laughed. His nose and cheeks were decorated with freckles Quint *knew* could connect into constellations. His face was littered with acne and scars, which Jack wore the one across his nose as if it was a badge of honor. The acne? Not so much.
But the best part of getting to see Jack laugh was the red tint that dusted his cheeks and ears. It was something Jack despised, saying it made him look silly. But Quint couldn't help the fact it was one of his favorite things about his best friend.
Then Jack opened his eyes, those blue depths opening the floodgates for overwhelming panic and uncertainty. Quint's already shallow breaths halted completely, as if someone had punched him directly in the stomach.
For whatever reason, Jack decided it was an appropriate time to continue the conversation.
"Soooo-" Jack trailed off, allowing the two to take a break from society's worst standard: eye contact.
"I was thinking- do you want to go to Joe's Pizza after I finish practice?" Jack asked
"Oh! Of course!" Quint beamed, before beginning to fish through his lab coat pocket in search of his cell phone.
Indeed, Quint Baker was *finally* in possession of a cell phone. It took a ridiculous amount of research and borderline begging, but after his parents came to the realization that this little metal rectangle was practically a legal tracking device? They chucked it at him.
Jack, unfortunately, didn't have a cell phone. So they still used the Walkie-Talkies Quint had gifted to Jack on his birthday. This left Quint in charge of bridging the communication gap outside of school between Jack, June, and Dirk.
After retrieving his phone, Quint spoke
"Allow me to text June and Dirk, and I'll ask if they're-"
"NO!"
Suddenly, Quint's phone was snatched from his palms; the scientist was left dumbfounded at the sheer speed his phone had left his hands.
Quint furrowed his brow in confusion, looking up to see the flash of panic across Jack's face. He saw Jack's cheeks and ears flush with embarrassment.
"I mean- " Jack fumbled. "Just the two of us. Y'know! Kinda like old times..?" Jack asked as he rubbed the back of his neck, offering the cell phone back to his buddy with a shy smile.
Quint's heart fell into his stomach. He gingerly took the cellphone back as he tried to process this sudden wave of emotions. He didn't realize up until this moment how much he missed hanging out with the other one on one. How long had it been..?
Quint gingerly took his phone into his hands, a whisper of a reply leaving his throat, "Okay.."
Quint's heart wanted so desperately for this to be a date, but his brain knew better. He could always count on his head to bring him back to reality, no matter how much it hurt.
"Great!!" Jack beamed.
Jack paused as he realized he had backed Quint up into his locker. Jack immediately backed up, putting his hands up briefly in faux-surrender, then stuffing them into his pockets.
"We're gonna need to celebrate after practice!"
The fluttery feeling that came with seeing Jack's smile quickly turned into a heavy weight. It felt as if he had swallowed a bowling ball that settled right in the middle of his stomach.
"What do you mean?"
Quint sounded pathetic. His voice came out quieter than he had anticipated, but Jack didn't comment on it.
Jack had the biggest, most knowing grin on his face, spinning back on his heel to his friend.
"I am so glad you asked!" Jack beamed, taking a step back, the lack of a crowd allowing him to make such a dramatic act.
"Your best friend, your buddy- the one and only Jack Sullivan- is gonna ask the one and only June Del Toro to wear his jacket at tomorrow night's game!" Jack beamed "And maybe achieve girlfriend-boyfriend status in the process!" He added under his breath
Quint's phone slipped out of his hands
Jack ended up swooping in at the perfect moment to catch the small piece of tech.
"Woah! The butterfinger give you butterfingers?" Jack asked with a quirked brow, handing the phone back to Quint
"I suppose.." Quint trailed off
Jack had been fixated on this whole "tradition" for the past few weeks. He noticed a lot of the people on the various Parker Middle School sports teams would give their varsities to their partners to wear during practice and at their games. Jack didn't see the point at first, but the idea slowly grew on him. One thought led to another, and he ended up with this half-baked plan. The raw half of said plan being that Jack and June weren't exactly dating- but this was the perfect way to break the ice!
"Now Quint, I know this is kind of out of nowhere- but June and I have been getting a lot closer! I mean-" Jack ran a hand through his hair "I'm practically running the school paper beside her, we've been hanging out outside of school more than usual- and I really think she might like me!"
Jack's eyes sparkled as he rambled; God, he loved her. He loved her so much, and it was nauseating. On one hand, Quint had to shove down his innate selfishness and the excruciating heartbreak, but on the other, he couldn't help the smile at the other's joy.
Jack didn't have a lot. He never had a lot. No family, let alone a good foster family; he wasn't considered talented or gifted by any academic means, and he wasn't exactly your local psychologist's definition of "mentally stable"
But now he had something to lose. He had friends. Not the kinda "friends" that you have to walk behind on the sidewalk because you can't fit next to them. Actual friends. And now he had someone he really REALLY wanted to be more than friends with.
Quint sure as hell wasn't gonna take that from him. It would be selfish and cruel, and he was already both of those things by falling in love with the one guy who wanted to be his friend before anybody else.
Quint put his hands on Jack's shoulders, halting the others' rambling.
"You're certain about this?" Quint asked
"Yeah. Yeah, I think so." Jack nodded enthusiastically
Quint offered the other a soft smile. "Then you have my full support."
Jack's eyes widened, followed by a full-fledged grin, his hands moving to Quint's wrists. "Really? Wait- Isn't this usually where you tell me this is a really bad idea and try to talk me out of it?" Jack asked
Quint's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, pulling one of his hands off of Jack's shoulders to scratch his own cheek. "Well- I had only recommended that you hold off due to the fact June barely knew you existed."
Jack blinked. "Yeah, you're right that was kinda stupid."
Quint rolled his eyes with a laugh. "Don't be ridiculous. It was cute."
The words had left Quint's mouth before his brain had even the smallest chance of catching up. He was torn between internally cursing himself out and externally socking himself in the face. He could barely summon enough courage to look Jack in the eye after he said that, and even then it could barely count as a glance. If only he looked a little longer. Since- yes. He would be met with the same shock, but with Jack's eyes sparkling with an emotion Quint wouldn't be able to place.
"Now THAT-" Quint pulled his other hand off of Jack's shoulder. "Can be deemed as stupid."
Jack didn't want to let go. Why didn't he want to let go? I mean, of course he did; who wants to be forced into a hand-on-shoulder hostage situation? Besides, it was just a compliment. A compliment that makes your heart stop and go a million miles a minute at the exact same time. Totally normal.
It's probably just adrenaline.
Or a stroke.
But most likely adrenaline.
Definitely adrenaline.
"Nah, it wasn't," Jack replied a little too fast, his words slurred together
God, maybe he was having a stroke.
Jack's hand started kneading the back of his neck, giving the two enough time to soak up some of the suffocating silence.
"It was sweet." Jack chose to compliment in return, flashing a smile that he had no idea had such a heart-fluttering effect on the other.
Quint gave a small, bashful smile in return, his expression dropping as soon as he looked down at his sneakers.
He was just being nice. That's all it was.
He couldn't- He refused to get his hopes up. He had to shut this down before these inconvenient feelings got the better of him. Nothing good came out of them besides heartbreak.
Quint was pulled back from the static as he noticed a few of his school supplies scattered across the floor from their Butterfinger debacle. He knelt down to begin repacking his bag while he spoke.
"I'll join you outside in a moment." Quint managed.
And of course, Jack Sullivan, self-proclaimed hero, instantly fell to his knees to pick up some of the supplies. It was his fault they were all over the floor anyway.
"I can help!" Jack
"Jack-"
"No, No! It's Okay!" Jack beamed
Damn that smile.
"Jack, you're already late for practice," Quint replied
"No I'm not-? oH SHIT I AM-!!" Jack's eyes finally turned to the wall clock ticking above Quint's locker. He was supposed to be on the field 5 minutes ago.
Jack suddenly rose to his feet, his sneakers squeaking against the floor as his eyes darted between the exit door and to his best friend, he grimaced as he realized he'd have to settle for heading to practice.
"Okay, Okay." Jack pointed both of his hands at Quint
"Joe's Pizza! After Practice! Don't Forget!" Jack smiled before turning on his heels and zipping away. His sneakers squeaked against the floor as he ran.
Quint couldn't help his smile, trying to hide it with his palm, but his grin peeked out behind the tips of his fingers
"I'll be the one reminding you!" Quint called in return, having to raise his voice since Jack was now at the end of the hallway.
He couldn't help but feel like there were eyes on him.
Jack shot another heart-fluttering smile towards Quint as he pushed open the double doors at the end of the hallway. He paused to look back at Quint one more time, and then bolted out the doors.
Quint lingered on the door with a smile, and was pulled back to reality by two girls snickering while they passed him. He knew that it was unlikely they were laughing at him, but he was still an insecure teenager. And insecure teenagers were prone to the 'Spotlight Effect' more than anybody.
Quint's cheeks flushed as he quickly scrambled to pick up his school supplies, throwing them into his bag without much care.
Then everything went blurry. It shortly cleared in the form of water droplets hitting the dingy school floor.
oh no.
no.
Don't cry. Don't cry. Do not cry. Not now.
You're not supposed to cry.
Even at Quint's mental commands, the tears didn't seem to stop. If anything, the tears just kept coming and coming. Quint turned to face his locker, desperately attempting to dry his eyes with his lab coat sleeve.
You're being selfish.
Jack was gonna tell June how he felt from the moment he laid eyes on her. The look Jack had on his face that day would forever be seared into the neurons of Quint's mind.
You knew this would happen eventually.
Quint hiccuped.
You haven't been his number one for a long time.
Quint knew that.
But still, he desperately wanted to be his.
...He was taking too long.
Quint rubbed his eyes furiously; he wasn't sure if that made them more or less irritated. He knew the puffiness around his eyes and the tear burns on his cheeks would clear up by the time he made it to the field.
And so Quint Baker scooped up his messenger bag, swung it over his shoulder, and went to shut his locker door.
Curse his eyes for landing on a photograph taped to the inside of his locker.
He actually had quite a few in there, and Jack had taken every single one. But Quint had plastered this one at his own eye-level, because it was his favorite...usually.
It was from when it was just the two of them. Before June and Dirk became a part of their little group. Jack had taken the photo without Quint's knowledge, and it was right after Jack had said something so incredibly and absurdly stupid that Quint couldn't help but laugh. A laugh that not even his parents could get out of him since starting middle school.
Jack described it as a moment in history he had to record. He only said it that way so Quint wouldn't try to grab Jack's camera and concuss him with it. After their debacle, Jack gave up the photo, saying Quint could do whatever he wanted with it.
He taped it up the next day.
Quint had heard of photos being described as "capturing a moment in time," and this was the only time he had agreed.
He'd give anything to go back to that.
But he had to stay grounded in this moment.
Quint slammed the door to his locker, and swiftly turned on his heel and-
cRACK!!
Immediately crashed into something.
Better yet, someone!