PICTURE PERFECT // Jack Manifold X Reader

21

hi jack :)) ik its been like a week now but i saw that clip of ur stream

You dropped your phone as the message went through, nerves pooling in your stomach. You should have never listened to the twins - they were terrible influences. You should have phrased it differently, or maybe not said anything at all. Why did you think this was a good idea, again? Any and all curiosity to see how it would go was replaced by regret - he was going to think you were weird, you should have waited until tomorrow morning-

A buzz from your phone made your heart leap into your throat. Where you had dropped it next to your pillow, the screen lit up.

Jack had responded.

In a way, you were a little relieved - it would have killed you if you'd had to wait forever for him to see it. At least now, you would know what he had said.

Nervously, you picked your phone back up and unlocked it again, the screen bringing you back to where you had been before. Except now, there was a message in response to what you had sent.

hi y/n :)) you wouldnt happen to be talking about that mildly embarrassing clip i thought you would never see where i said youre hot would you

because if you are this is my formal apology

And just like that, the nerves were gone and instead you were laughing into your pillow as your eyes scanned over the messages. Even now, he could still make you laugh. Sure, he was good looking, but this might have been your favorite thing about him.

You tapped out your reply and hit send.

that is the clip i was talking about yeah

no need to apologize tho im kind of flattered

You watched as he read the messages, the nerves giving way to some excitement now. This was the part that you had been curious about - Jack didn't know (or at least you thought he didn't know) that you felt kind of the same way, and you wanted to see how he responded. Luckily, you didn't have to wait too long.

oh

wait really?

You laughed again - out of any reactions that you could have gotten, disbelief was not something that would have been high on the list of plausible ones. At least, you would have thought.

?? yes really

It took a little longer for Jack to respond to that one.

wow

um

cool

There was a pause, and you started to type, but then;

i didnt think it would go like this so idk what to do now

You laughed again, deleting what you had begun to type and replacing it with something new.

yeah idk either

honestly didnt think i would get this far

Jack's response was almost immediate.

nice that were on the same page

And then, a moment later;

do u mind if i call u?

Nerves fluttered in your chest again, this time in anticipation as you tapped back a response.

yeah sure

As soon as it sent, you rolled over on your bed, waiting for an incoming call to show up over your screen. It couldn't have taken more than thirty seconds for it to show up, but it felt like an eternity of waiting. You took a deep breath as your phone began to buzz in succession, and answered the call.

"Hello Jack."

On the other end of the line, you could hear some rustling before Jack responded. "Hello Y/N."

For a moment, it was quiet.

"Listen, I'm sorry about the clip-"

"You seem kind of awkward-"

You both stopped mid-sentence as you talked over each other, breaking out into light laughter at the inconvenience.

"Sorry, sorry." You said. "You first."

"Oh, uh, I'm sorry about the clip." Jack said. "I didn't think you would see it, and it was kind of supposed to be funny - not that I wasn't being serious, because I was, uh, I do think you're really attractive, um - but I would have rather not had you found out that way."

"Honestly, I don't mind." You said. "It was a nice surprise. I was a little nervous for a minute 'cause I wasn't sure what I wanted to do about it, but..."

"Here we are." Jack said.

"Here we are." You repeated.

The call fell silent again, this time not as stiflingly uncomfortable as the first. You rolled over so that you were laying on your back, staring blankly up at the ceiling with a smile on your face. The understanding that you both found each other attractive was nice. It felt good that the feeling was mutual.

"This is probably the bit where I ask you out on a date, yeah?"

You laughed at how uncertain Jack sounded, even though if the roles were reversed you were sure you would have been a little unsure as well. "If you'd like."

"Well I mean it seems like the next step." Jack said. "We've established that I think you're hot and for some reason you also think I'm alright-"

You laughed again. "Jack, really? I showered you in compliments at the shoot - you could be a model if you wanted to! Your face structure is something that people would pay for!"

"I'm bald, Y/N."

You laughed again, loud and bright. "We can work around that."

On the other end of the line, you could hear Jack snicker at your comment. "Yeah alright." He paused. "Would you, ah, like to go on a date sometime? We could go get lunch... or something?"

He sounded so nervous that you couldn't help but smile. It seemed so silly that you had been nervous enough that you weren't going to say anything - of course Jack would be just as unsure as you. How he ever thought that you wouldn't find him just as attractive as he found you (if not more so) was beyond you - with how sweet and funny he was, it would have been impossible not to like him.

"Yeah." You said. "I would love to."

Jack sounded considerably less nervous when he spoke next. "Great. Awesome. I'll, uh, let you get to bed now, but we can figure something out tomorrow?"

"Sure." You said, grinning up at your ceiling. "G'night Jack."

"Goodnight Y/N."