The Chances You Take

Jack

3 months later

Jack never did go back home. Even when Iz had been away for one weekend, he'd stayed at hers. His house hadn't felt like his own for a while and he had no reason to go back there. They'd talked about it and agreed that Jack would officially move in, taking over payment of the bills whilst Iz carried on paying the mortgage. Iz's spare room was bigger than Jack's so they were turning it into a joint office. Jack would rarely use it to actually work in but needed a place to keep his paperwork, and Iz sometimes worked from home and it was better to work in there rather than on the sofa. They'd had one incident already where Jack had walked past in the background of a zoom call in just a pair of boxers, so it seemed less risky to have a designated office (although knowing Jack, still not 100% foolproof). Jack had bought a new laptop and Iz was helping him move everything online so he didn't have to worry about losing something important.

They'd spent a blissful few months together, cuddled up on bonfire night at John's school display and celebrating Jack's birthday in December. And then it had been Christmas. Waking up with Iz on Christmas morning had felt like all of Jack's dreams come true. She'd loved the coffee machine he had bought her, along with a signed copy of the calendar, and he'd been touched to receive a diary filled with dates that she had arranged to take place over the next year. They'd been to his parents for dinner (which had delighted his mom, she'd always loved Iz), and to hers for Boxing Day. Iz's parents had even bought him his own stocking and filled it with presents. It had been the best Christmas ever. They'd spent New Years Eve with the gang; Mase and his girlfriend had thrown a party at their new house. Jack finally got to kiss Iz at midnight.

Now it was January and they were both at Jack's house, clearing it out. He was keeping it to rent out, becoming Grealo the Gaffer in a different capacity, but it needed a bit of sprucing up before it was ready for tenants. Iz was packing up his office whilst Jack finished giving downstairs a fresh lick of paint. She'd reassured him that she wouldn't mess with his system, although she presumed it was actually Harry's system. "Jack, can you come up here a sec?", she called down to him. He put down his roller and jogged up the stairs, wiping wet paint on his shirt. She was sat on the floor in front of a box, surrounded by clippings. "Jack, are these all.. mine?", she asked. Jack blushed and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. "Well, um, yeah.. I was so proud of ya Iz, every time you got a story published, so I printed 'em and kept 'em. I'll admit I've struggled to keep up lately, and some might be missing, but all the big ones are there..". Iz looked up at him with watery eyes. "I can't believe you did this", she whispered. Jack couldn't tell if she was happy or freaked out. "Sorry Iz, if it's a bit weird. We can get rid of them if ya like..", he was starting to feel a bit stupid now. He hadn't meant to build up such a collection, it had just become habit. He'd read an article, print it off, and add it to the box. Sometimes he went back and re-read his favourites. Iz stood up, careful not to disturb the paper around her, and stepped over to him. "I love you Jack. This is just.. beyond amazing. I had no idea you even read what I wrote". "Of course bab, every word". She wrapped her arms around him, stroking the short hair at the back of his neck with her thumb, and kissed him. "You're a keeper, Grealish". "Good job, otherwise I'd look like I woz sum kind of stalker..". Iz laughed and pulled away. There was still a lot to do and they had plans this evening so were on a bit of a deadline.

...

The calendar had been a huge hit. They'd sold over 1000 copies in the end and raised a decent chunk of money for charity. It had been a bit strange when it had first been released, people recognised Jack in the street and he was worried that Iz would be upset by it, but she didn't mind. She said she was just happy that she got the real thing. He'd even been contacted by a modeling agency but he'd politely declined to meet them - he didn't belong in that world, he was happy being a plumber.