Love Story

Jason came bursting into the house, face flushed and grinning ecstatically. Eduardo smiled, Jax greatly resembled his grandpa, Jonathan. Same sharp blue-green eyes and all American features. 

But instead of smugness, there was humility.

Instead of glittering charisma, there was sincerity.

Instead of laughter, there was calm.

Suppose, and Eduardo wasn’t trying to flatter himself, that was his doing.

Of course, it’s physically impossible for him and Jonathan to have a baby or a genetic grandchild. Eduardo and Jonathan adopted Jonathan’s niece after Jonathan’s sister died.

Her name was Marie. Marie is such a sweet child, well a mother now.

Marie, who could have dumped her charming papa and daddy at the retirement home, kept them all with her. 

She was Eduardo’s Princessa.

Unlike his snarky good-for-nothing husband (who Eduardo loved and respected greatly).

Jonathan came striding in a few moments after with the smuggest most infuriating grin plastered all over his face. 

Speak of the devil and he appears.

Eduardo scowled at him, “What did you do to the boy? He looks like someone injected his bloodstream with unicorn poop.”

“You can say ‘shit’, you know.”

“Grandpas don’t cuss,” said Eduardo.

Jonathan hugged Eduardo, Eduardo kept his arms crossed but let his husband kiss him, “I miss you cursing me out. Remember when you used to in high school?”

“That was you, Jonathan.”

Jason bounded out of his room,” I’m going out!”

“Have fun, Jason!” 

Jason made a whining noise, “My name- is Jax!”

“Jax my as-astronaut,” Eduardo coughed.

He received a suspicious look from shi husband.

“Where’s my daughter?” Eduardo covered, “Why isn’t she home yet?”

“She’s on a date.”

Eduardo frowned, “How come she didn’t tell me?”

Cheerfully Jonathan said while hanging his coat, “Because she knew you’d investigate the chump.”

Eduardo hummed, non-committedly. Jonathan walked back to him.

“Happy Valentine’s day, mi Amor,” said Eduardo, squeezing his husband's hand.

Jonathan sat down on the couch beside him, they were both facing the snow. Hands loosely knotted.

“Happy Valentines Day, my handsome husband,” Jonathan smiles sweetly, youthful fun still in his eyes, “remember our first Valentine’s Day together?”

 “As a couple?”

Jonathan smiled, “Senior year.”

“But we got together before spring break.”

“Well, I remember.”

--

Jonathan, Ed knew, was an obnoxious pompous idiot. Those people thrived off attention. Best to give a non-committal laugh and make an escape. Except that Jonathan wasn’t letting him off that easy today.

“Oi, why are you in such a rush today?”

Somehow, ‘to avoid you’, didn’t seem like a good response.

“I have plans.”

Jonathan, who kept up with Eduardo’s long strides easily, simply laughed and said, “What? Nerd finally got himself a girlfriend?”

“If I say ‘yes’ will you leave me alone?”

“That’s not ni-”

“Oi Nathan, good luck tonight!” “Can’t make your game but good luck, man!” 

Jonathan paused to yell back a response and Ed took that as an escape. Maneuvering through the crowd was a skill Ed has learned to master. He was sure he heard someone calling his name but he only took that as a sign that he wasn't walking fast enough. 

Jonathan didn’t bully Ed, per se. It was just that Johnathan took a sick amusement of annoying Ed. Whether it was laughing at Ed’s every action, calling him out in the middle of the hall, or, as he is fond of doing lately in the week of love, reminding Ed of his lonely existence.

Truly if Jonathan had a different personality Ed would have found him attractive. Jonathan had a lean strong build, strong jaw, piercing deep eyes, and a lovely voice. Not to mention his behind. But Jonathan was Jonathan, and his personality was too much for Ed on a good day. 

Anyway, Ed truly did have something to do. He hadn't talked to his best friend, her name was Paula and she was an amazing girl who was letting him copy her homework in exchange for the donuts he had in his bag.

Ed faced the lockers, taking out the donuts so that he can present them to Paula nicely. The donut box was heart-shaped, for Valentine's Day, and inside were all of Paula’s favorites. So basically every single donut has pink or red or white. 

Hey! Ed doesn’t judge.

Ed keeps his gaze on the locker, leg bouncing crazily, every second he waited was another second wasted when he could be copying his best friend’s homework. 

“I LOVE YOU!”

Ah, reason #3000000001 he couldn’t befriend Jonathan. He already had one high-maintenance friend that used up all of his energy.

He called her Paula.

“Mas cayada,” he admonished as she all but shoved her bag into her locker, “People are looking.”

“Let them,” she thrilled, “you got me donuts!”

He crossed his arms and leaned against the locker next to Paula’s, “Donuts don’t come cheap, you know.”

“I can’t hear over the sound of my eating the donuts you bought me.”

He lunged for her, willing to shake her so that she’d relinquish the answers, but a body got in the way. His face crashed into a hard chest, and his glasses pressed painfully against his nose.

“Puta madre, ” he hissed, rubbing his forehead (Paula gasped at his cursing) “What- Jonathan? What do you want?”

“My name is Nathan,” scowled Jonathan.

Paula, who was prepared for Ed’s attack, looked confused. At Jonathan’s mood or on why Jonathan- captain for the soccer team- was interrupting their mock fight he wasn’t sure.

He raised his eyebrows at Paula, like ‘yikes’. She raised hers back, nodded a bit; ‘yep’.

Jonathan was only a few inches taller than him, still at their proximity and due to Jonathan’s broadness, Ed had to tilt his head back a bit, “Okay, man. Whatever.”

“We were in the middle of a conversation.”

Ed furrowed his brow, “What?”

Jonathan crossed his toned arms, “We were talking, I paused to respond to someone else and you,” he pointed a finger at Ed, “``left.”

That was half of their interactions in the hall.

“So…”

“It’s rude.”

“I’m sorry I hurt your feelings.”

The throb at the bridge of his nose caught his attention, “But was that, uh,  blocking necessary? Couldn’t you just bothe- scold me at class.”

The glare Jonathan sent him made it a clear ‘no’.

“I’m sorry,” Jonathan said, sarcasm dripping off his words, “did I interrupt your date?”

Ed scowls.

Paula walks around Jonathan to stand beside him, wrapping her arms around Ed’s arm, her box of donuts still in hand. 

Paula squeezed his bicep, a signal to hold his tongue, “Who goes on a date at school?”

Jonathan’s face goes slack.

Heh, bet the dude didn't expect him to have a friend.

The air felt tense and Paula seemed to be glaring at Johnathan. Jonathan seemed to be glaring back. 

Were they...were they battling for his friendship?

That was a fruitless fight.

Pauls wins, hands down.

“Woah,” Ed murmurs, trying to break the tension, Paula looks up at him, “you finished all of those?”   

The heart-shaped box was visibly less full, the plastic on top counted 5 out of 20. 

“You bought the small ones,” she tugs him away from the lockers, “bite-size, really.”

What did he say earlier? Amazing? Nope, she was an ungrateful brat.

“So I can buy you variety,” he argues, offended. Remembering Johnathan he looks up and waves, “See you around, I guess.”

Later down the hall, Paula whisper hissed, “Are you being bullied?”

“No...he was just being weird.”

“Well, if he’s weird one more time you come to me, alright?”

After that Jonathan became more unbearable. He was everywhere, constantly asking about Paula, laughing at his every single move, picking at him in every class they shared (which was a lot, Jonathan was unfortunately not a complete idiot). 

Oh.

He gets it now.

Jonathan was annoyed. Because of the time Ed told Jonathan off for being a manwhore. 

He was talking trash, pointing out the girls he fucked, and giving his ‘recommendations’ when Ed snapped. Ed had whirled on him and told him off for being a misogynistic slut (in front of his friends). Saying how you shouldn't rate girls because they are humans and well everything that had to be said.

That was no reason to be an annoying ass though. Not in the least. It was a terrible reason. If anything Jonathan should be apologizing for speaking so crudely to every single one of those girls. 

But no- he bugged Ed instead.

Ed turned the other cheek, determined to be the good guy in this situation. He arrived to class as late as he dared (ten seconds before the bell) and left as soon as the bell rang. Soon it no longer felt like being teased and bugged, it felt like running from a bully.

Something that truly grated on Ed.

Because Ed didn’t run from his problems.

But he did from this one. 

Which pissed him off.

There were even a few days, a short span of time when Jonathan's friends tried to make Ed the little guy. One of them, Mike, tried to trip him and the other stole his gym clothes. He has to call Paula to bring him his sweater and sweats from her locker. (He knew she had them, she was a clothes thief).

It was less than a week though. Mike and the other dude came back with a bruised cheek each the next week. Didn’t say a word or even look at Ed. (Ed would have thought it was Paula’s doing but Paula was too short to be able to reach.)

Nothing that was happening made sense. 

And that pissed him off too.

--

Ed was having a crap day, for one he woke up late so he only had time for a much-needed shower and to shove on whatever was clean. One of his older sweaters and jeans. He didn’t even get to do his hair, which soured his mood whenever it kept slipping into his eyes.

It didn’t help when he was grabbed and all but thrown into a classroom. Ed was ready for a beefy guy to come at him. He may be a bit on the skinny side but he can throw a good right hook! He deflated and let out an audible sigh when he saw who it was. It was Jonathan.

Jonathan, with shadowed red-rimmed eyes and a feral snarl on his lips.

He still looked handsome. It is unfair.

Jonathan was a good person. A good teammate, a good student.

He didn't have to go around looking so depressed and acting like a major asshole.

“What?” Ed sighed, “In case you didn’t realize I’m not in a good mood for whatever you have planned today.”

“You look like shit.”

Ed glared, “You don’t look much better, asshole.”

Johantaht gritted his teeth but Ed didn’t feel threatened. Jonathan was all bark no bite. But seeing him so...messed up.. set a pit in Ed’s stomach.

Ed sat on the desk, “Are you okay?”

“...what?”

“You’ve been weird lately,” Ed ran his hands through his hair, “I’ve noticed. More of an ass than usual.”

Jonathan took a few steps forward, “Stop that.”

He looked exhausted up close, “stop what?”

“Being…” Johnathan waved one of his hands around Ed’s face “that.”

“I don’t-”

“Ugh! I hate it,” Joahnatha seethes, eyes narrowed on Ed, glaring down, “I hate your brown eyes. I hate your skinny ass body. I hate your voice. I have everything about you.”

Ed didn't like the guy but damn that hurt like a bitch.

“...then leave me alone. I’m not coming to you.”

Jonathan ignored him, “the hell. I don’t get it. What’s so special about you? I don't see it.”

Ed grit his teeth, a few seconds from giving the idiot a punch-

“Are you dating her?”

The hell.

“Who?”

Jonathan growled, “Don't play dumb. The chic that’s always hanging around you. Short, long dark hair. Great ass-”

Ed grabbed Jonathan’s shirt and pulled him at eye level, temper flaring “Don’t talk about her with your filthy mouth.”

Jonathan slumped, “You are dating her. Fuck- the hell, I don’t care. I don’t like you. So why- why the hell can’t I stop thinking about it?”

Ah.

“Do you like Paula?”

Something felt tight in his chest, strangling his voice.

Jonathan looks like he's been punched, “No.”

Ed couldn’t help his skepticism.

“Are you sure?”

“Fuck,” Johanata huffed, “no. Shit dammit. I don’t. Hell.”

“Stop cursing and speak- or I can leave if you need a minute.” Ed was about to slip around the blond and make his way when Jonathan grabbed his sleeve.

“Don’t go. I don’t get it. Well, I do, but I don’t get why.” Ed faced the dude, he looked like he was on the verge of a meltdown, Ed placed his hands on the blond’s shoulders.

“You need to breathe.”

Jonathan stilled, looking at him with complete confusion, “I tried so hard.”

Ed nodded and guided the athlete to a seat, “I bet you did.”

“I screwed so many girls,” murmured Jonathan.

Ed fought his flinch.

“But I kept going back to you.”

Wait.

“I thought I wanted to be your friend, I thought annoying you would be enough to satisfy whatever it was. I thought I just liked the way you laughed or wanted you to pay me attention, the complete attention you seem to give everyone else.”

Hold up.

“But then your annoyance wasn’t enough. And you were giving someone else donuts and- damn fuck my life, I like you. Damnit. I like your dark soulful brown eyes and the way you speak in Spanish. I like your legs and the way you push the glasses up your nose. Fuck my life, I’m bi. And- this is pathetic.”

Something in Ed cracked.

His voice was cold, “Being bi? Liking me? Is that what's pathetic?”

Jonathan glared up at him, “I’m confessing to someone who has a girlfriend. Man, you’re right I’m the biggest douche in history-”

Screw it.

Ed grabbed Jonathan’s collar, forcefully as the last time, and Jonathan closed his eyes- like preparing for a punch-, and Ed crushed his lips against the rude pompous confident fool with ridiculous honesty and thoughtfulness.

Against the handsome athlete who couldn’t help being so obnoxiously exhaustingly loud.

Against someone, he’s grown fond of.

Ed pulled away first, glaring at the stunned pink-cheeked blond. Jonathan looked utterly flustered. Like Ed did more than lay a kiss on him. Ed couldn't help his smirk.

“I’m not dating Paula. I’d date you but you look like a hot mess. Get it together then ask me out.”

Then, like the cool guy Ed knew he was, Ed walked out of the empty classroom.

Before having to rush back in and grab his forgotten backpack.

----

Ed scratched his cheek, “No recollection whatsoever.”

“Liar,” his husband glared, grey eyebrows furrowed, “you are grinning.”

“You smell of pie.”

“You're changing the subject!”

“Of course I remember, tonto.”