[Old Version] Playing for the Other Team [Old Version]

Chapter 13

When the two boys came back downstairs Jennie smiled brightly at the both of them. They ate together during a comfortable silence, but Jennie was obviously too curious not to start something. "So." She said, gaining the attentions of the teens. "Jonathan, are you in the same class as Nathan?" She asked.

Jonathan shook his head. "No, I'm not." He said. "We met by accident a few days ago."

Jennie gave a surprised smile. "And you're already good friends." She glanced at Nathan. "That's nice to hear." She finished her breakfast, and her coffee. "Nathan, honey. I'm going downtown for a few hours, you boys will be fine on your own, right?"

Nathan nodded. "We'll be fine." He said. "Drive safely." He added when Jennie grabbed her things and left the house, but not before giving Nathan's cheek a kiss, and Jonathan's shoulder a soft pat.

"Your stepmother's really nice." Jonathan said once Jennie had left.

"Yeah, she is." Nathan smiled. "Have you heard anything about your mom?" He asked. "She spent the night at the hospital, right?"

Jonathan nodded slowly. "Yeah, I'm gonna go and get her this afternoon." He smiled to himself.

"How do you plan on getting home?" Nathan asked.

Shrugging, Jonathan hummed thoughtfully. "I usually rent a cab, sometimes we take the bus."

"You're not taking the bus." Nathan furrowed his eyebrows. "I'm driving you." He stated, crossing his arms over his chest.

Jonathan sputtered, and turned red with embarrassment. "No, no." He shook his head. "I couldn't ask you to-"

"Jonathan. I'm going to drive you to the hospital, and then I'm going to take you and your mother home." Nathan interrupted him. "I won't let you take the bus if she just spent the night at the hospital."

Jonathan pouted his lips. He wasn't very keen on accepting Nathan's offer, since it was embarrassing enough that he'd fallen asleep on his couch the night before. He suddenly came to a realization, and grinned up at Nathan. "You don't have enough seats in your car." he stated, thinking of the two-seat Porsche he'd been going around town in lately.

"I'll take my father's car." Nathan said, watching Jonathan's eyes widen, and his mouth drop open. Nathan chuckled at that. "That's a funny look."

Snapping his mouth closed, Jonathan gulped. "Y-Your dad's car?" He stuttered out, gawking at Nathan.

Nathan nodded. "The new Ford's got enough seats for all of us." He said. "I'm driving you." He repeated, and got up to clean off the table before Jonathan could protest further. After a while Jonathan rose and helped out, but he didn't say anything.

"I'm gonna hop into the shower real quick." Nathan said once they were done. "I hope you don't mind."

"I don't." Jonathan shook his head. "I wouldn't mind taking one either, and I would, if I had clothes."

Nathan looked away. "You could... um... you could borrow mine." He offered carefully. Jonathan hesitantly agreed. "Just... y-you know... make yourself at home, and I'll be right back." He said, when they were both in his room.

Nathan's room had a smaller bathroom connected to it, and he quickly shut himself in and locked the door. Once he was safely inside, he leaned against the door.

Holy shit, he thought. Jonathan Meade was in his house. Jonathan Meade had just spent the night. Jonathan Meade had eaten breakfast with him, and met his stepmother. Jonathan Meade was in his house in that exact moment, waiting for his turn in the shower.

Nathan's heart raced in his chest, banging painfully against his ribcage. Nathan put his hand over his heart, worried that he was having some sort of heart attack. He looked at himself in the mirror, leaning over the sink. He leaned so close his forced breaths fogged up the mirror. What if he was having a heart attack?

He gulped, and decided that he needed a cold shower. He stripped down and stepped into the shower, standing still under the cool spray until he could breathe properly again. When he stepped out of the shower he wrapped a towel around his hips, and cracked open the door to his bedroom and peeking inside. His wardrobe was on the other side of the room.

"That only took forever." Jonathan piped up, and Nathan's head snapped to look at him. Jonathan was in the middle of shedding his shirt, and reached for the button of his jeans.

"J-Jonathan!" Nathan blurted out. "T-There you are!" He laughed stiffly. "I-I-I was just going to call you a-and... um..."

Jonathan chuckled. "Yeah, okay." He nodded. "Can I take my shower now?" He asked.

Nathan nodded without looking at him, stepping out of the bathroom, and letting Jonathan go inside. "S-Sure! G-Go ahead! Towels are on the rack by the shower, take whatever you want." He mumbled, hurrying across the room and opened the door to his wardrobe. He shut himself into the wardrobe and slapped his hand over his mouth to hold back a scream.

Had he, or hadn't he just seen Jonathan close to naked? "Holy shit!" he cursed under his breath. He blushed by the very thought of Jonathan being without clothes, and turned around to try and find clothes for both himself and Jonathan.

He yanked on a dark blue shirt, and a pair of washed out jeans before pulling a white t-shirt, and another pair of jeans out for Jonathan. Nathan had outgrown the jeans, but he was fairly sure they'd fit Jonathan.

Nathan had barely put his clothes on properly when he heard the bathroom door open. He flinched, grabbing the clothes he'd gotten for Jonathan and hurried out of the wardrobe, throwing the pieces of clothing on the bed.

"Hey, Natha-"

"Clothes are on the bed. I'llbedowninthelivingroom." Nathan blurted out and darted out of the room, without so much as glancing Jonathan's way. He was certain he'd die if he did.

Nathan sat down in the couch, pretending to watch TV when Jonathan came down the stairs. "Hey, Nathan. Why are you in such a hurry?" He asked. Nathan looked up at him, eying him once quickly.

"I-I-I-..." He stuttered. "I was... um..." He blushed, knowing he sounded ridiculous.

"Never mind." Jonathan shrugged, sitting on the couch. "When are we leaving?" he asked.

"W-Whenever you want," Nathan said.

Jonathan sighed. "I... I don't think I want to go just yet." He confessed, sinking further down into the couch, and putting his feet up.

Nathan liked that. He liked how comfortable Jonathan seemed to be. It was as he slowly allowed himself to relax around Nathan, even letting him in a little. Nathan liked how Jonathan actually did make himself at home, instead of sit stiffly on the couch like any other person would.

He smiled to himself. "We leave when you say the word." Nathan said, turning to actually watch the TV, and succeeding.