ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ｆｏｒｔｙ

Everyone seemed to be crammed into the Balm's residence, the twenty-one year old couldn't walk through the house without bumping into someone he knew. It wasn't bad, but he was just trying to chill and relax somewhere quiet. Down in the basement there were groups of relatives as well, so there wasn't a good spot either. So, that's why Mikey walked to the front yard and laid down on the macadam, next to his grandmother's car.

His eyes flit to the dark sky, it being around ten p.m. and Mikey wanted to fall asleep already. His day at work was crushing and now he had to be around his loud family. It tired him out more than he thought would. Thankfully a wanted face found him a little bit later, eyes closed and hands folded together on his sternum.

The footsteps stopping beside his head caused him to open his eyes and strain to look up at Jasper Kirk who was staring down to him. They stared at each other for a moment's time until Jasper laid beside Mikey and let his boyfriend curl into his side. The hard ground beneath them wasn't comfortable, but they made do with what they were given.

Jasper gently played with the hairs behind Mikey's ear, his warm pinky brushing over the edge of his ear occasionally. It sent shivers through Mikey's body, but he laughed them off and brought his jacket towards him more, pulling the flaps to overlap and warm him up. He absentmindedly played with his lip piercing, tongue poking at the stud in his mouth and mentally making an image of it by the feeling.

He was mid thought when Jasper said into the freezing air, "I love you."

Mikey's actions halted and he stilled in Jasper's hands. There was nothing bad about his statement, Mikey was just not ready for it. He knew he loved Jasper as a friend, but as a boyfriend or romantically, he wasn't sure. It'd only been a few weeks of them dating and it seemed rushed.

"As a best friend," Jasper clarified and Mikey turned in his spot to see if he had a hurt look on his face that he'd just cover up per usual. He didn't, but Mikey kissed the corner of his mouth and reassured him,

"I'm not discouraging you, Jasp, but I'm not sure if I love you romantically yet. Yes, I love you as a best friend and would die for you, but give me a lil' bit for a dating 'I love you'."

His boyfriend's hair whipped in his face and Mikey softly brushed it away. He straddled Jasper's thighs and gazed down at him, a gentle look in the latter's eyes and his hands trailing the seam of Mikey's jeans.

The older one admitted, "no, I understand. I was just telling you that strictly platonically, honest to God."

Fuzzy gloves pressed against his sides inside his jacket but atop of his shirt, and Mikey leaned down to warm his own mouth with Jasper's. They met together and Jasper breathed into the kiss, and Mikey could tell he was trying to get rid of stress. Mikey's heart constricted inside his chest when Jasper's tongue dipped in his mouth, plus his head tilted to the side a little for a deeper kiss.

They could've sat there kissing for however long they pleased, but Mikey's toes started to go numb and his ears stung for the nipping air. He pulled away from his boyfriend with a low groan, then stood up with his hand outstretched to Jasper who laid back on the black macadam and sighed dreamily. His teeth showed from his smile and Mikey unknowingly gave him an affectionate look.

"C'mon, lets go inside so I can feel my dick and toes; it's cold as shit out here."

.

..

...

As the countdown on the tv climbed closer to zero, Jasper stepped closer to him, slotting a leg between Mikey's who was leaning against the wall in the kitchen. There were enough relatives around to hide them from Marlene, but doing so would make it obvious to those who would catch them kissing. Neither boy cared and Mikey was willing to sacrifice his time with Jasper afterward than not kiss his boyfriend at the new year.

Before the clock hit midnight, Jasper was connecting their equally tinted lips and smirking into it when he felt the stares from the older relatives. His hand slipped under Mikey's sweatshirt and another found its way to the side of his neck. He brushed his thumb over Mikey's Adam's apple and succumbed to the extreme butterflies.

On the other hand, Mikey felt normal pressing his thumb into the skin on Jasper's hips and smiling from so. He massaged the skin and created small goosebumps on Jasper's skin, prickling the hair up as well.

Somewhere around them older relatives yelled, "happy new year!" While the younger ones kissed or made out with their significant other.

Jasper stayed between Mikey's legs and an imagine impure for the kids he was surrounded by flashes behind his eyelids, and on his own he lightly bit the bottom lip of Mikey. The latter which dug his nails into Jasper's skin and pulled him closer by his hips until they were flush against one another.

They were forced apart by Marlene's voice traveling closer to them. Each's hair was fine and in place, but the looks on their faces said otherwise. Mikey was winded and his hands were still on Jasper, he didn't want to let him go just yet. But, Marlene stepped near them too quickly for the courage he needed to build up and tell her of his relationship with Jasper, halted. He slipped his hands from his best friend's body and acted as normal as he could with his grandmother and boyfriend next to each other.

"Oh, Mikey!" Marlene gasped and asked if he could help her start cleaning up even if it just hit midnight not too long ago. But, he agreed and helped clean up the bowl of chips and cheese curls while she scraped away the unused guacamole and salsa on the plastic platter tray they'd used for the night.

The whole time he cleaned Jasper was in his eyesight somehow and it bothered him. He hurried along and in the end Mikey was clasping his hands in front of Marlene with a pleading pout.

"Can I go to my room now?" He asked, hoping he'd be fine to. But, Marlene shook her head and asked about Cadence. The oldest Balm shrugged and that was her answer: he couldn't leave until he finished this project.

Marlene finally told her grandson, "make sure Aiden isn't doing anything in your guys' room, but be subtle."

Mikey and Jasper left, sure to close the door behind them and give Aiden a knowing look. He cocked an eyebrow, but Mikey teased him by telling him what their grandmother had said about them. It was sickening sweet, and Marlene Balm deserves the world.

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This chapter is WILD. It's all over the place and I apologize for that. But I'm home for Easter so I might update each day because we're getting down to the end of chapters now. I hope you all enjoyed this book so far, even with the gaping holes sometimes.

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