[EN] For you are mine at last - JeffBarcode

Chapter 13

Jeff never thought he'd be in a situation like that. He doesn't even know where this idea of ​​an indoors picnic came from, but now, coming to think of it while he's lying on Barcode's legs with the younger one stroking his hair, surrounded by food and drinks, the low light and music as background, he knows he has certainly reached the highest level of being cheesy.

The silence is comforting. Occasionally he accepts something that the other offers to feed into his mouth, but he has stopped eating for a while, unlike Barcode, who still nibbles on a little bit of everything.

From where Jeff is, he just watches him with a smile and he has never felt so at ease just being able to look at him. Not that he hadn't done that a lot before, but it's different now to feel like he can.

"Thank you." He says simply after some time, eyes still on Barcode.

The boy's attention turns to him and he smiles with a frown.

"What for?"

"For...being here?" He suggests, shrugging. "For being you, just like the way you are."

"Hmm, P'Jeff!"

Jeff ends up laughing when he grunts embarrassed and teases him by poking his waist. Barcode squirms and Jeff sits up, grabbing him affectionately as he continues to touch him, also placing small kisses all over his face and neck.

Amidst giggles and grunts, Jeff holds him by the back of the head and looks at him intently for a moment before moving closer and pecking his lips, in a soft and lingering way. One more exchange of glances and this time Barcode is the one who closes the distance and starts a slightly more heated kiss.

It's not that Jeff doesn't want to, but when the air gets heavy and he feels his lips become numb in Barcode's mouth, he pulls away little by little. Barcode's hands seem to be all over his body and he needs to take a few deep breaths to stay focused.

"Can we go slowly?" Jeff asks in a low voice, caressing his face.

"Sure." He nods and seems to control himself.

Then Barcode runs his hands down Jeff's arms until their hands are intertwined.

"I think I need to apologize again." Jeff brings the conversation back, having his attention all on himself. "I was...I'm scared."

"Scared?" In a surprised tone, the younger squeezes his hands even tighter.

Jeff only nods.

"It's like you said, I'm afraid of what others will think and say, even though I know we don't owe anyone anything." Now, Jeff decides to put his heart on that picnic blanket. "And I'm also afraid that I have somehow lured you into doing something because I'm older and..."

"P'Jeff." He cuts him off, and Jeff nods for him to continue. "I'm here because I want to. I also think about what they're going to say and that people still think I'm a kid, but I'm really here because I want to and... Well, and because I like P'Jeff."

With a chuckle, Jeff lifts their clasped hands and places a kiss on each of his, sighing when their eyes meet again.

"I like you too, if that wasn't already clear."

"More or less." Barcode makes a disdainful face and looks around, but ends up laughing.

Watching him, Jeff wonders how he could have suddenly become so unsure about something that was right there in front of him. And how, unlike himself, Barcode always seems so sure about it, without any doubt that Jeff likes him too. It must have something to do with the freshness and impulsiveness of youth.

"Seriously though, please, if any uncertainty, any doubt at all, crosses your mind, will you promise to talk to me?" He asks, looking right into his eyes.

"I promise, but P'Jeff needs to relax a bit." He laughs and widens his eyes.

Dropping his shoulders in surrender, Jeff can almost hear Jesse's voice telling him not to freak out or get too emotional. He ends up laughing lightly and nodding, pecking his lips once more.

*_____

"Am I sleeping here?"

The question catches Jeff a little off guard, because it's not something he's really thought about. Barcode insisted on helping him put everything away before they went to the bedroom and it never crossed his mind that maybe he prefers to sleep in the guest room. Which he doesn't even know what condition Jesse left it in, by the way.

"Do you mind? The guest room might be..."

"No." He is interrupted. "I was ready to say I want to sleep here if you were thinking about sending me somewhere else." He says as he settles down on one side of the bed.

With a soft laugh, he thinks about how he's no longer surprised by how blunt Barcode is, and allows himself to just watch him for a while when Jeff decides he looks good on the left side of his bed. When turning off the light and occupying the vacant space, Jeff doesn't hesitate to pull him close by the waist, kissing him once more.

"I want to apologize in advance for the discomfort. I'm not exactly used to sleeping with someone else."

"It's fine, I've never even slept with anyone."

Barcode beams as he settles better in Jeff's arms, who tries and fails to suppress a big smile as he buries his face in his hair. Not in a million years could he have imagined basking in the scent of Barcode without hiding or feeling guilty. And then he realizes that until now he hasn't really known what it was like to sleep so well.