When Collier got to work on Saturday, he was wearing his own shirt, one from an anime that he kept at Ian's incase he ever slept over and needed a change of cloths, and for the first time, it felt wrong. Wrong to be wearing something that Henry Stone hadn't ever worn.
Before leaving, he had actually almost changed back into the green shirt, though Ian had taken it from him to throw into the wash before he could. There was no way that Cole would just be leaving Henry's shirt at Ian's until the next time he slept there, so he told Ian he'd stop back after work and pick it up.
"What is it with this shirt," Ian had demanded after hearing Collier's plans to return later that day. "It doesn't even fit you".
"It's comfortable," had been Cole's lame excuse, though Ian seemed to buy it since his shoulders shrugged and he promised to have it washed in time for his return.
Still, Cole wished he was still wearing the shirt, especially when he entered The Gallery and Jake paused to look at him, his eyes dropping to his shirt and narrowing. "Anime?"
"Uh," Collier looked down at himself and then nodded. "Yeah, anime".
"Cool". Jake turned back to his easel and Collier approached him to see what he was working on.
"Why are you always here so early?" Collier questioned, noticing how far along the other boy was on his painting already.
"Nothing better to do in the morning," Jake said with a shrug, chewing his lip as he added blue to the eyes on his portrait.
"Sleep?" Cole suggested, and that got him a smile from the handsome boy.
"I'm an early riser". Jake glanced at him nervously and Collier's eyebrows raised in question, but Jake didn't seem to notice, too lost in his own thoughts.
It was concerning to him that his friend was acting so strange, but assuming it was none of his business (since they weren't that close as friends), Collier continued with his regular routine.
He went into the back room, chose a canvas, a paint brush, and picture, taking his time just in case Jake needed to compose himself before he came back.
But still, when Collier returned, the other boy was the same. Nervous, chewing his lip, glancing at Cole out of the corner of his eye when he thought he wasn't paying attention, but Collier couldn't help but pay attention and notice every irregularity in Jake's behavior.
It was towards the end of their extremely quiet and long eight hour shift (hours went by slowly when there was minimal talking) when Collier finally asked what was going on with him.
Petra had just stumbled down the stairs, drunk off her ass, when Collier had made a joke about how he wondered what he would be like drunk, seeing as he already fell when walking down the stairs without alcohol, as Jake had seen the week before at the end of their shift. It was a really stupid joke, one that few people (Sarah, Emerson, Ian, maybe his mother, Henry if he was in a good mood, most definitely himself, and Jake) would laugh at, but Jake didn't make a noise. "What's up with you today?" Collier asked, lifting his finished painting off of the easel and waiting for Jake to do the same.
He did, and they walked in silence for a moment towards the room where they were to leave their paintings to dry. "Nothing's up with me," Jake claimed, though it wasn't very convincing. Collier smiled at him as he opened the door to the small room.
"If nothing was up with you, you wouldn't have waited so long to answer the question". Once both of their portraits were set down and they had left the room, meaning Collier had no chance of accidentally destroying one of the fresh paintings, he bumped his shoulder against Jake's playfully. "Come on, Jake. What's up?"
"It's nothing..." he tried again, looking down at Collier who returned the glance with a disbelieving expression. Jake sighed. "What are you doing tomorrow night?"
"Tomorrow night?" Cole asked surprised and Jake nodded, clearly avoiding his eyes. "Umm, I'm not sure, why?"
"Come on," Jake coaxed, his hand reaching out to lightly rest on Collier's arm to steer him in the direction of the stairs. "Our shift is up. No reason to stay longer than we have to".
"Says the man who gets here early every day," Cole pointed out, and thankfully, Jake did smile at this.
Collier wasn't done bothering him about if he was okay or not, but he decided it was safe to wait until they were completely out of the store for the day, just incase Petra decided to listen in and Jake didn't feel comfortable telling her. Perhaps, Jake didn't feel comfortable telling him either, but Cole hadn't really gotten that impression. Sure, Jake had said that nothing was wrong more than once, but each time he had looked like he desperately wanted to tell him something.
As they walked down the stairs, Cole remained silent, focusing on his footing, and Jake's arm, which was still resting lightly upon his own.
"You're done for the day?" Petra asked when they reached the landing on the first floor. Surprisingly, she was standing in front of an easel, but it was turned away from them, so Collier's curiosity of what a drunk woman's painting looks like would have to be answered another time.
"It's four o'clock," Jake said and Petra nodded at them before looking back at her painting.
"I'll see you both tomorrow". It was a dismissal, and they both understood that and began to move towards the front entrance without another word to her.
"So," Cole said as soon as they were outside. Jake parked in the the small lot behind the building, so they made their way around the building together, "why'd you ask what I was doing tomorrow night?"
"Because I was wondering if you wanted to do something". Collier slowed to a stop on the sidewalk and Jake continued for a moment without him before turning to face him.
"Well what kind of something?"
"Get dinner with me". Oh.
"Are you...?" Collier trailed off incase he was wrong, but he didn't think he was. "Are you asking me out? Like, on a date?"
"Well, I'm trying," Jake said with a little laugh and Cole blinked in surprise. "Is that alright?"
Was it? Cole didn't know if he wanted to go out with him or not. He liked Jake, sure, but did he like Jake? And what about Henry. The boy kept insisting that everything they did meant nothing, but for some reason, Collier felt as if that had all changed. The way they acted toward one another was becoming more and more comfortable. They were having fun and getting along.
And what if... What if everything actually meant something? Cole wasn't sure he wanted that, but he knew he needed time to think about whether or not going out on a date with Jake would be worth ending everything between him and Henry. Would be worth ruining the chance he may had at a relationship with Henry Stone.
"Give me your phone," Collier demanded, holding his hand out flat between them. Jake looked down at his paint stained skin for a moment before reaching into the pocket of his jeans and pulling out his cell phone, which he placed on Cole's palm. "May I?" Jake nodded.
Collier unlocked his phone, glancing up at Jake when he realized he hadn't set a passcode, and then looking back down to put his number in the contacts. "Text me later tonight, and I'll let you know if I can go or not". Jake nodded and accepted his phone when it was handed back to him. "And, I'll let you know if we'll be going on a date, or if we'll be going out as friends, if that's okay".
"That's perfectly fine," Jake assured, grinning down at him. "I'll respect whatever decision you make. I'd be happy just to spend more time with you". Cole felt his face get hot and Jake's smile brightened.
"Whatever," He grumbled, looking away from the other boy and shaking his head. "I'll see you tomorrow morning, Jake". Cole stepped around Jake on the sidewalk, no longer planning on walking the other boy to his car and setting off towards home. He got a few feet away before Jake was calling after him.
"Hey Cole!" Collier stopped walking, but didn't turn, only threw a look of acknowledgement over his shoulder. "I'll call you!"
***
"Hey," Emerson greeted from couch. Cole had been unaware of his presence up until that word, and jumped about a foot in the air, dropping Henry's (well now his) shirt on the floor at his front door. He picked it up quickly and shook it out. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you".
"I'm fine," Collier assured, tucking the green shirt back over his arm and smoothing out the fabric.
"You know," Emerson began, his voice teasing, "I would have thought that someone who loves horror movies as much as everyone says you do wouldn't be so easily scared. I mean, the tv's on. Why wouldn't there be someone watching it?"
"Ha," Cole said sarcastically, moving into the room more and leaning against the back of the couch. When it was just him and his parents, and the house had been absent of all conversation, the television was typically left on all the time.
"You're interesting Cole. Funny and kind but you also have a little fight in you, which is nice. You're attractive too. I mean, I'm not attracted to you, but you have striking coloring and smooth features, which I can appreciate," Emerson claimed and Collier's eyes widened.
"Um-" For a moment he wondered if his best friend's boyfriend was hitting on him, but then Emerson claimed:
"I can see why Henry likes you".
"What?" Collier asked, rounding the couch and taking a seat on the opposite end of the lounger as Emerson. It was quiet for a moment as Emerson resumed watching his tv show, and out of curiosity Cole glanced at the screen.
The older senior seemed to be watching a cooking show that was teaching him how to make an intricate soufflé.
"He likes you more than he likes most people, and he's only known you a short time. I'm kind of impressed," Emerson praised and Collier, still looking at the television, grimaced.
"I really wasn't trying".
"I know," Emerson said, and out of the corner of Collier's eye he noticed Emerson turn to him, so he did the same. "So does Henry".
"What are you trying to tell me?"
"That I think you're important to him". Collier shook his head.
"I don't". Emerson's eyebrows raised. "You talk to people who are important to you. I know barely nothing about him".
"Do you want to?" Emerson asked in a teasing tone and Cole just narrowed his eyes. "What do you want to know?"
He could ask so many questions. Was Henry good at volleyball? What did he do during his childhood to kill time? Why doesn't he want a relationship? Why doesn't he open up?
But those were questions that Collier wanted Henry to answer in time, so instead he asked, "what is it with his parents?"
Emerson laughed. "What about them?"
"I don't know anything. He's never let me meet them before, and rarely ever talks about them. If it's something you think that he should tell me, or that he'd be mad at you for telling me-"
"It's not bad," Emerson assured. He was facing towards the television again, staring at the screen with a small smile on his face. "They're good people, kind and caring. They mean well-"
"Then why haven't I met them?"
"Now I'm even more sure that he likes you," Emerson said with an easy laugh. Collier just looked down at his hands. How could Henry keeping something from him be a good thing? "His parents embarrass him sometimes. Henry doesn't really do well with embarrassment, especially in front of people he actually cares about".
"How are they embarrassing?"
Emerson sighed. "They're very... interesting. They're really big on conspiracy theories and aliens and stuff. You went to elementary school with us, right?" Collier chewed his lip and nodded. He wasn't really upset that Emerson hadn't remembered him, but there was a bit of an unpleasant feeling since he remembered Emerson and Henry so vividly. "Well, I don't know if you remember, but in fifth grade Henry got taken out of school for three weeks?" Cole did remember- he had always been hyper aware of Henry Stone, even when they were practically babies- but he didn't give any indication of remembering, staring intently down at his hands. "Well, his parents took him to Scotland... to look for the lockness monster".
Collier's neck snapped up in surprise and he looked at Emerson with very wide eyes. "They did not".
Emerson grinned. "They totally did".
Collier couldn't keep himself from laughing, and one he started, he couldn't stop. "Oh my god," he gasped. "That is awesome".
"Awesome," Emerson repeated, a small smile on his face. "It drives Henry insane. He loves his parents, of course he does, but they're always leaving town to go to Find Bigfoot conventions and meet with people who think they've been abducted by aliens".
"Now I want to meet these people for more than just curiosity," Collier said and Emerson turned to look at him.
"Do you like him?"
The question caused Cole to gradually to fall silent. "I do," he said, honestly. "He's good company. He's good at dealing with my klutziness and my, well, my me-ness".
"Good," Emerson praised absently. "Do you like him enough to invite him to family dinner?"
"Huh?"
"I know," Emerson with a snort. "Family dinner. It's gross, right? We're not really a family, but that's what your mom keeps calling it. Since you have been avoiding all things to do with my father, and I've been avoiding things that have to do with your mother, we have yet to all eat dinner together since we moved in, and your mother wants to change that".
"When?"
"Tomorrow night". Collier grimaced.
"Before you make that horrible face, your mother seems to realize that neither of us want to do this, so she said that we can each invite one person to make it more bearable for us". While Collier still didn't want to do this, he guessed it wouldn't be so bad, especially if Emerson was going to bring Henry. "So, I'm sure she was assuming that I'd invite Henry and you'd invite Sarah, but I've already invited Sarah, so you need to invite Henry".
"I'm going to have to ask Henry Stone to do something with me?" Collier asked, horrified and Emerson just nodded as if it wasn't a big deal.
"Why do you call him that?"
"His name?" Collier asked, furrowing his eyebrows. Emerson shook his head, glancing at Collier for a moment, his expression one you would see on someone who wasn't fooled. Cole was even more confused now. "Henry?"
"Henry Stone," Emerson corrected. "Like he's an author or a movie star".
"He kind of always was to me," Collier said without thinking, and then he looked down, flushing red. "Please don't tell him I said that".
"I won't if you elaborate".
Collier took a deep breath, preparing to embarrass himself. "I don't know. I've just always payed attention to him. I was always just aware of him. He was always Henry Stone. It kind of felt like he was famous, actually, unapproachable. I never thought I'd actually talk to him, much less-" did Emerson know about them kissing? "Much less sit next to him at lunch every day".
"Ahh". It was quiet for a moment and Emerson cleared his throat. "Well, how do you feel about inviting this superstar to dinner with," Emerson let out a ragged breath, "our family".
Collier laughed at this. "You were famous too once, Emerson Kace". Emerson's face lit up and he turned his entire body to face Cole, even pulling his legs up into the couch and folding them under him.
"Really?"
"Oh yeah". Collier didn't mention that Emerson was never nearly as big of a deal to him that Henry was. "I never thought you'd be a part of my family. It's kind of hard to believe".
"I thought you were very clear on us not being family," Emerson said with a frown and Cole just shook his head.
"I'm not saying you're family because my mom's going to eventually marry your dad. You're family because anyone who's dating Sarah is family. Unless you break her heart. Then you're dead to me," Cole partly joked and Emerson laughed.
"Well, I-"
Emerson was interrupted by Collier's shrill ringtone. "Oh, sorry". Cole fished his phone out of his pocket, fully prepared to hit ignore, but paused at the words on the screen. Unknown caller.
Jake.
"Do you need to take that?" Emerson asked, noticing the way Collier had paused with his finger over the red button.
"Would you mind?" They were having a nice conversation. Collier didn't want it to end because of him, and then have Emerson resent him for it.
But Emerson clearly didn't care that much, since he turned back to his cooking show without hesitation. "Remember to call Henry!" Emerson yelled after Cole as he quickly fled the room.
Collier, with one last deep breath, answered the phone. "Hello?"
It was quiet for a minute as he began climbing the stairs to get to his bedroom. "Oh, hey," Jake said on the other line, sounding a bit breathless. "I didn't think you were going to pick up".
"Why wouldn't I?" Collier reached the landing and slowed his pace, no longer concerned of Emerson's television watching being disturbed by his talking.
"Maybe you were busy," Jake suggested and Cole hummed, pushing open the door to his bedroom.
"Well I'm not".
"And what about tomorrow night?"
He should have been expecting it. Honestly, Collier was kind of thankful that his mother had planned for him to be at dinner Sunday night. It gave him time to think everything over.
But suddenly, recalling something from his conversation with Emerson, Cole realized he didn't need to think any longer.
I can see why Henry likes you.
"I'm sorry, Jake. I don't think I can go out on a date with you". The second he said it, Collier wondered if he had made the right choice. Jake was a good guy, he was cute and funny and sweet and really liked him, but...
But Henry Stone.
"Oh," said Jake, sounding disappointed but like he was trying not to sound disappointed. "Well, can we still hang out tomorrow? As friends?"
"I'm busy". The line was quiet. "I'm actually busy. I'm not just saying that, I promise. Another night though, we'll go out and do something, you have my word". Jake's sigh on the other end of the phone was relieved.
"Well," Jake began, his voice very even. "I'll hold you to it. Remember, the offer for a date still stands as well. If you change your mind, just let me know".
"Thank you," Collier sighed, feeling some of the tension leave him. "I-"
His phone buzzed loudly against his ear, receiving another call. Cursing, Collier jerked his phone back from his ear and was instantly treated with Jake's beautiful laughter. "Are you okay?" The other boy asked between chuckles.
"Fine". Collier blinked at Henry's name on his screen. "I'm just getting another call".
"I guess I'll leave you to it, then. I mean, I was hoping that we would be able to talk more, but I suppose we have work tomorrow, and then that date- oops- not date," Jake teased.
Cole ignored the last part. "Yes. Work tomorrow. I'm fully expecting you to talk enough to make up for your silence all day today". And then, before Jake could respond, in fear that Henry's call would drop, he said, "I really need to go. I'll see you tomorrow Jake".
The second he switched the calls, Henry's unamused voice was speaking to him, sounding the opposite as Jake had. "What the fuck do you want?"
"You called me," Cole pointed out, still looking at his phone which he had yet to put back to his ear.
"I got a message from Emerson saying you needed to talk to me about something".
"Well of course you did". Henry didn't respond, waiting for him to keep talking. "Wanna come over for dinner tomorrow?"
"Collie-"
"It's not my idea. It was my mother's. She's making us have a family dinner, and said that Emerson and I could each invite one person, but you see, Emerson invited Sarah already, so he asked me to invite you".
Henry hummed. "When you say it like that, it sounds like I wouldn't be your next choice after Sarah. Like you're being forced to ask me because of Emerson".
Collier chewed his lip. "I want you to come".
"You do?" Henry asked, surprised.
"Um..." Cole trailed off. "Uh, yeah. I do". Henry cleared his throat. "You know, I'll probably make a fool out of myself and it'd be nice if everyone going already knows that I'm an idiot. Less embarrassing that way".
"Really now?" Henry asked, sounding as if he didn't believe him- hell, Collier didn't even believe himself- and Cole feared he was about to be teased. But instead, Henry indulged him. "Alright. I'll be there".
"You will?" Collier didn't bother to hide his excitement, and Henry laughed at the sound.
"I don't see why not. I'd never turn down an offer to see you make a fool out of yourself".
"I'll try not to disappoint," Cole promised and Henry sighed, content.
"Good". The pause was short. "How was work?"
"Oh, well-" Jake asked me on a date and I said no because I didn't want to potentially ruin any chance I may have with you, "it was all right".
They spoke for hours about everything and nothing. Collier got Henry to talk about his parents, and Henry got Cole to speak more of his car accident from the year before.
Eventually, when they both grew tired, their voices became low, their answers slower, but still they stayed, talking to one another, too content with the others voice to hang up.
"Are you tired?" Henry asked and Collier yawned, causing the older boy to laugh.
"Are you?"
"No," Henry said softly, but it was clearly a lie. Collier giggled. "Collie, we should get some sleep".
"I like it when you call me that". Henry was silent. "Collie..."
"Good," Henry mumbled. "I don't think I'll be stopping anytime soon".
Collier fell asleep first, his eyes shutting and chest rising and falling to the sound of Henry's voice on the other end of the phone.