Chapter Twenty

Tortured Paradise had done five song in total; three covers and two originals that were surprisingly very good for a first time. There was two other bands after that and an acoustic player which Daisy fell a little in love with and James and Casper had stuck close most of the night when he came out after they had finished. Casper had all but jumped on him, hugging him tightly before he realised where he was and let him go like he was given an electric shock but James smiled all the same, unaffected by it.

“You were,” Casper gushed, unable to find words,” amazing. Just amazing.”

Casper hadn’t been able to keep his eyes off James the whole time he was playing, not even when Darla had cackled in his ear when Andrew almost tripped over the wire – he spared a glance and that was all. They had a few slip ups, Logan’s face always made it obvious as he visibly flinched the few times it happened and stumbled his words but all in all they had done spectacular for their first gig, even the owner of the bar, who made it so that he saw ever act that played there, said so and Logan and James didn’t stop grinning the whole night afterwards.

“It was alright, wasn’t it?” He said modestly but his face betrayed him when a childish excitement broke out on his face. Casper wasn’t the only one struck and strongly attracted to them actually being good. Darla had been hanging all over Logan, glaring at any of the girls that were watching them before, came up to talk to him. Casper thanked God James was a little more intimidating in the looks department and girls eyeing him up had lost their nerve to try and talk to him.

The group had left the bar un-intoxicated drunk happy, hanging all over one another as they sang their way down the streets to the train station and parted ways at the other end. Casper learned that Avery was actually older than him by a year and was in a steady relationship with Andrew.

“It isn’t healthy or logical for the band,” she explained,” but he’s too cute to resist.” She pinched her boyfriend’s cheeks for emphasis and they burned underneath her fingertips, Casper and Avery had laughed at his expense.

He and Jessica had gotten along better after her statement of not being a threat, not that Casper was a hundred percent off his guard with her but he couldn’t resist to enjoy her company as she was funny and her and Casper had always just gotten along before and slowly slotted back into the beginning of their old relationship, even swapping numbers before she left.

Avery, Andrew and Logan all went the same way from the station and Casper, James, Hedgehog, Daisy, Darla and Daniel the other. Daisy had hastily walked quickly at her turn, Hedgehog had went to follow, probably out of habit since she always walked her to her door, stopped and then went ahead with it anyway. The four left stared after them in a pitying sort of way, Daniel and Darla didn’t have a clue what had happened between them either.

Soon it was just James and Casper as Daniel and Darla were the last to part ways.

They walked under street lamp to street lamp, the synthetic orange glow washing over them. The stars twinkled after them in a dark blue sky, the moon shining bright in a crescent that resembled the smile of a Cheshire cat. The street were empty and as quiet as a ghost town and Casper didn’t even have to reach that far as James slipped his own in his. James’ hand was slightly cold against Casper’s clammy one and it made him shiver slightly but held on anyway and smiled into the collar of his hoodie.

“You were very popular tonight,” Casper said, his breath escaping through the material of his hoodie and he ducked the bottom half of his face into it.

James looked down at him,” how so?”

“The girls,” Casper said, trying to sound casual about it but winced as it came out a little high pitched, “they were all staring at you and saying how hot you were.”

“Oh,” James laughed.”I didn’t even notice.”

He was a liar, he had noticed them. Hard not to when they squeal and made it painfully obvious, but James had never lingered his gaze at them and was most likely trying to cover up ever seeing them to make Casper feel better. It had sort of worked. Casper snuggled more into the neck of his hoodie, a goofy grin breaking out and squeezing James’ hand a little.

 “Daisy didn’t look at Hedgehog all night.”

“While Hedgehog stared at her for the most of it with a look that belongs on a kicked puppy,” James sighed.

“She hasn’t told you anything?” Casper asked.

“Nothing,” James shook his head.” She was never the one to share what she was thinking with us, always been too proud or too strong for anything to affect her.”

Casper shrugged in a way saying that yeah that was true. Hedgehog was one tough son of a bitch, probably the one with the most balls of the whole group.

“You’ve stopped biting your thumb,” James observed suddenly. Casper looked to his thumb instantly and noticed the skin was more healed than it had ever been and his nail longer than he’d ever allowed it to be. He hadn’t even painted it in a while so what remained of it made it clear to how much it had grown from the obvious line between painted and not painted.

“Well it’s hard not to since you started whacking me every time I tried.”

“It was a bad habit,” James shrugged but with a smirk.

“You’re just squeamish of blood,” Casper said nonchalantly,” that’s your problem.”

“Am not,” he protested weakly and wondering how in all hell Casper had managed to figure that out. Casper didn’t say and just turned with a knowing smirk. They both walked in a comfortable silence, walking close so they could purposely brush against one another, each feel still an electric buzz; a spark and a thrill that made those small touches tingle and produce goose bumps. They did it almost unconsciously now- just being as close as they could get away with and neither of them giving any mind to it when they finally noticed an arm or a thigh pressed to theirs, they just smiled and moved closer still.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” James said as he waved at Old Betty across the street who was looking out of her window, nosy as usual. “Bright and early.”

“And by early you mean half one in the afternoon at the latest.”Casper raised his eyebrow.

“I can’t help it if I don’t wake up at the crack of dawn like some freaks,” he pushed Casper’s head away and Casper gave a muffled cry. James chuckled and jogged away before Casper could retaliate with his fists.

“Until tomorrow, my love!” he called, blowing a kiss at his door.

“Oh Romeo, oh Romeo,” Casper mumbled sarcastically but smiled anyway and waved then went into his house.

                                                                              ~*~

Casper was the one that went in for James the next day near about twelve but predictably he was still in his bed, James’ mother had told him at the door with a roll of her eyes and Casper laughed before she let him through. He walked into the room as he had done so a million times before, the place becoming so familiar to him; the DVD shelf, the small, black flat screen in the corner with a Playstation 3 at the bottom of it, the corner of guitars, the posters of bands and naked woman on the walls, the occasional shoe lying about and the double sized bed which Casper was more familiar with that most of the room. Even the great lump occupying the bed was becoming a reoccurring sight.

Casper didn’t even hesitate to cannonball onto the bed and heard a pained ‘oof’ as he landed followed by groaning Casper grinned and clambered off of him before James grabbed him like he had done the first time this had happened, Casper had learned better that to just stick around. Still, James followed him lumbering out of the hall hot on Casper’s trail as he cackled into the bathroom. His laughter echoed around the tiled room as he was tackled by James, his bare chest slamming against his as he squeezed him in retaliation. Casper wriggled around without force, still laughing into his chest until James slacked his grip and Casper was able to wrap his arms around James’ waist and leant against that glorious naked chest of his.

“You need to stop waking me up this way,” James slumped against his shoulder.

“Only when it stops being funny,” Casper smiled, kissed his cheek then slapped his arse and let go.” C’mon, get dressed! We are catching the next train in half an hour.”

James groaned but made his way over to the sink anyway, turning the tap on and washing his face. Casper let him get to it and went down to the living room and saw Maureen hanging over a cup of coffee looking rough and James’ mum watching Elementary.

Maureen looked up as he entered, her face looking a bit gray, shadows under her eyes and her usually perfect hair resembling a birds nest under a quilt blanket. She brightened up when she saw him anyway.” Casper, fancy seeing you here.” She drawled and then,” Oh wait, I’m not. You’re always here.”

“Good afternoon to you too, Maureen.” Casper answered.

“Afternoon? Already? “ she moaned, clutching her head,” I’m off to bed.”

With that she got up and left, shuffling past Casper and up the stairs.

“That’s just her back from god knows where,” James’ mum said, her head turned towards him but eyes still on the TV.” I wish she’d be more careful.”

Casper nodded although she couldn’t see him and took a place where Maureen just was. They sat there watching Elementary until James coming down the stairs was audible.

“Mum, have we got any cereal bars left?” He asked, heading into the kitchen.

Casper saw her shrug.”There was some when I last looked.”

“Got’em.” James re-entered the kitchen with a bottle of water and two cereal bars, one of which he tossed to Casper who yelp at the thing hurtling towards him, only saving his face at the last minutes and jumbling it about before dropping it on the floor with an annoyed sigh. James chuckled at his usual misfortune and next to no hand eye co-ordination.

Casper didn’t really like breakfast bars, he’d eat them if he was late or if there was nothing else in the kitchen but overall he thought they were just nasty but he didn’t say anything and instead clutched the thing between his hands as his arms leaned over his thighs.

James, half way through his already, tapped him on the arm and beckoned with his head to the door to leave. Casper got up and followed James.

“Where are you two going?” His mother called after them.

“Into town,” James answered,”be back later.”

She gave a goodbye and just as they were about to open the door James grabbed Casper by the arm and pressed his lips to his. Casper let out a muffled noise of surprise and didn’t have time to lean into it before James had let go and was already out of the door.

Casper stared after him in disbelief because really? His mum was just in the next room!

Casper didn’t even have the time to get mad as James turned around, half way across the lawn and gave a dazzling smile full of achieved mischief and excitement. Casper gigged and followed him, a smile of his own plastered on his face wanting nothing more than to just reach out and take him again.

                                                                                ~*~

In town James and Casper wandered about the usual shops, laughing at the most ridiculous things that they found and buying the even weirder for a laugh. They only really bought something when Casper spotted a t-shirt with the face of Heisenberg. Both boys had bickered over who actually got to buy it until Casper discovered a Kick-Ass T-shirt and all was compromised.

They came across a guy painted in silver in the streets, surrounded by people, that seemed to be levitating off the ground. Both boys stopped and looked over in awe as the guy seemed to defy the laws of nature, floating there almost effortlessly and only holding a long stick at his side.

They stood there for about two minutes before James spoke up.”Any money it’s a magnet.” He beckoned his head to the thick platform where the stick was attached to. Casper nodded in  agreement as he noticed his shoes were suspiciously curling at both ends, obviously too big a size for the guy and something forcibly held in the middle of them. Still they stood there as the guy was discovered to be a phoney because as the crowd grew around them and they stepped closer, their fingertips brushed and the smiled, keeping them there until there were fingertip to fingertip, even curling their pinkies together until the crowds thinned and they moved apart and moved on until they came across a jamming on his guitar wildly. Casper stopped and grinned at James and back to the guitarist.

James looked at him and shook his head slightly. “No way, Cas.”

But Casper just grinned wider, yanking him by the sleeve until they were in front of the guy, who smiled and Casper and he smiled back before moving his arms in front of his chest to the beat and splaying his legs apart and pinching his face in a weird fashion and looking at James. James laughed at him, looking around slightly embarrassed at some people walked past and looked on and laughing at the strange boy that resembled some sort of swaying seaweed beside him.

Of course James couldn’t do anything but join in, his arms moving much more fluidly but more or less looking just as ridiculous as Casper, their embarrassment practically non-existent as they cackled at each other and their moves becoming much more ridiculous as onlookers started to form a small crowd. When the guy stopped, they clapped while laughing and shouting on praise and Casper and James bowed shamelessly, their faces bright red but huge smiles on their faces and turning to the guitarist who was clapping at them too, his guitar swung round his back, shaking his head and laughing. He shook their hands and thanked them as they chucked a few quid they had in their pockets along with others in the crowd that was quickly dispersing. Casper and James bolted out of there as soon as they did that, their laughter echoing in the busy street.

They both ended up in McDonald’s, still laughing as they entered and heaving through it in a high of hilarity as they waited in the queue, catching some people’s attention as they giggled and gasped. Casper was still smiling when he ordered his Big Mac and it fell dramatically, his stomach clenching when he realised he had nothing left in his pockets.

Shit, he must’ve dropped his remaining fiver in that guitarists hat by accident. He fumbled around his pockets in hope that something would appear magically. His server was getting restless as his acquired customer service smile started to twitch with the hundredth apology Casper put his way, his face burning and then there was an arm passing from his shoulder with a tenner in hand.

“I got it,” James said and then followed up to tell the server his order too. Casper sighed at him gratefully and eagerly snatched the tray over to the ketchup counter once their orders were put on top with a thank you over his shoulder, to his server and James. Casper may be an independent high school boy but there was no way in hell he would’ve gotten out of that situation than a full walk of shame and for that he let it go that James was paying for his food. But also hey, free food right? Sort of.

They got a table upstairs in the corner and they sat across a small table and ate in content silence.

He looked at James and he looked up and smiled, a corner of his mouth smeared with tomato sauce and Casper ducked his head, smiling at just how freaking hilarious and adorable it was at the same time. He couldn’t unsee it as he kept trying to ignore it but at the same time indicate to James that he had dressing on his face but James wasn’t getting them at all and so he took a chance. He leaned over and flicked his thumb over his mouth, catching the sauce and leaning back and popping it in his mouth.

James stared wide eyes at him, his cheeks colouring as his fingers came up to the spot he wiped at and looked around for onlookers in a slight panic. Casper just shrugged and picked up his own burger but actually was laughing excessively on the inside at James’ face. That was pay back from what he pulled in his house.

James quickly recovered though as Casper felt a weight being pressed into the side of his ankle and then a kick at his other foot. James’ smile was teasing as he gave another tap of his foot on Casper’s and Casper retaliated by hooking his around his ankle to stop him but remained there even when the small attempts of fighting back stopped and just sat there with their legs pressed together and mingling their body heat together.

He could see today coming to an end and Casper didn’t really want it to. Today had been a great day. From yesterday to today it had been the best days of his life and he’d never felt happier and he’d want nothing more than to have more time like this – more time with James.

James was the most interesting and the one person that filled his mind all the time. Casper couldn’t even remember the last time James wasn’t invading his thoughts, even before the kiss all those months ago. James had probably always been a main factor his Casper’s life since the beginning and the way there were now was always going to happen. That’s what Casper believed anyway because there was no way this was going to be anything else. This was too real, to intense feeling-wise and too fantastical to have never happened. Casper couldn’t even think about not having this, not being with James like this.

He really didn’t want this day to end. From the casual shopping, slow walks about town, the laughter and dancing and the game of footsie they were still playing under the table, and even the whole James saving him out of a whole situation of pure embarrassment and shame by paying for his food...

Suddenly realisation hit him and he wheezed in a big bit of lettuce from his burger and choked. James thrusts his drinks over to him and Casper took long grateful sucks through his straw before he was able to gasp out, “is this- “ he started out loudly and looked around, seeing a few people in hearing distance with their gazes on them. He tried again but more quietly.”Is this, like... a date?”

James froze chip in hand.

“This- This is totally date, wasn’t it?” Casper said in a sort of awe.

James then gave him a look,” well, yeah,” he said heavily.”That was the whole point of today.”

“Holy shit,” he breathed,” you’re my boyfriend and this is our first date.” Casper beamed at him.

James huffed in amusement but his cheeks taking a slight change in colour,” glad to know you’re finally catching up.”

Casper punched him in the arm, making James drop his chip in surprise. “Shut up, you dick,” he smiled.” You know what I mean... this just makes it sort of... official, you know?”

Casper looked up at James shyly, shifting in his seat.

“Yeah,” James sighed softly, eyes on Casper intently who was still shifting, not out of being uncomfortable but to just distract him from James’ gaze.” God, I really wish I could kiss you right now.”

Casper was struck with James’ bluntness. His whole body suddenly felt as if it was on fire and looked anywhere but to James. Jesus, you couldn’t just say things like that. Fuck. Especially when you were in a place where you could to nothing to quench the need to suddenly attack and give him what he wants and more, so much more.

“You... you can’t just say things like that!” Casper cried quietly.” I’ve told you!” Not just because people were in dangerous proximity of hearing but for his own sanity.

“I can’t help it, Casper.” James said honestly, his arm around his neck nervously.”I look at you and everything you do to me and I just want you close. I don’t... I can’t – I’m scared Cas. I’m afraid of what you do to me and - and how you’re making me feel but I can’t stop... And I don’t think I ever will.”

His green eyes pierced through Casper, pure and honest and the boys stared at each other across the table.

Casper groaned and put his arm up and over his head, nearly planting himself into his burger.” What is with you and confessions in public spaces?” Casper demanded softly, no real edge to his words. James laughed, “I guess I just like to make a scene and live on the edge.”

“Woah,” Casper leaned back, his hands in the air and his eye brows rose,” We got a bad ass over here.”

James shook his head at Casper’s bad humour and put his hand on the table which Casper took and quickly moved to under the table to give it a squeeze to convey that he wasn’t brushing of that confession that James had given him because he knew how much guts that must’ve taken and Casper wasn’t just going to blow it off as a joke.

“I...” Casper’s voice shook slightly and he stopped and cleared his throat.” I think I’m ready.”

With those words James shot up so quickly, almost toppling over everything on the table but paying no mind, grabbing Casper’s hand and dragging him out of there. Casper couldn’t do anything but let himself be pulled, laughing happily as he noticed James’ whole face had gone bright red, even his ears and it stood out perfectly from his hair.

Yeah, he was definitely ready.

Chapter freaking Twenty! I never, ever thought I'd get this far. I'm so good at just giving up and I'd like to thank you guys for keeping me going with this with your support through votes, comments, PMs and follows - it means everything for me and this story. Let's hope for a finish! 

Date scene yes! What some of you wanted, yeah? Or are you horribly disappointed because I have no sense to this dating business and I suck and should've asked for advice? I can't say I didn't enjoy writing it though and some of you Larry shippers (even just directioners in general) out there can probably tell I got the whole dancing bit from our secret lovers ;) there's me giving you an image of sorts then, you're welcome. This is actually like 1,000 words out of what I usually write now... weird. And I realise these guys seem to just not go to school anymore, or just don't go to lessons. Would more school time be a thing that should come into play? I seem to actually be going nowhere closer to the ending anyway...

I got a few comments on these two sickeningly, adorable idiots getting it on and well... yeah that shall be happening next chapter so stay tuned! It may or may not suck and be incredibly non-descriptive as this is just a PG-13, and I am a ridiculous cringe that can't even write fluff without dying from embarrassment, but it's something right? 

Thank you all again for the support, you are all wonderful and each have a dear piece of my heart (ew, stop it Megan)! And for me, goodnight, my darlings~