"So...are we gonna have some fun today?"
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Jasper woke up to his very last day at the farm house. He had gotten used to these early mornings now and he was usually awake to hear Molly's 'knock knock, morning sweetie'.
However this morning Jasper felt deflated. His last full day with Thomas. He knew that whatever they felt for each other and what they had experienced would ultimately come to an end, but it didn't change the fact that his heart pained a little. Jasper was determined to make this day special.
He heads down the stairs to his customary bowl of porridge. He watches Molly as she spoons his porridge in a bowl. Everything felt so meaningful now, Jasper taking in every detail, every action as if to etch in his memory for life.
Molly now sits opposite Jasper with her mug of tea. She watches Jasper as he happily eats up the porridge, ensuring not to leave a patch left in the bowl. "How do you feel about going home sweetie?" Molly asks, slurping some tea in the process.
Jasper puts his spoon down and smiles. "Yeah I'm ok I guess."
Molly is a little surprised by his reaction, expecting him to be more overjoyed about heading back to his normality. "I thought you'd be more excited than that. I mean, Appledore! I've heard it's beautiful there."
Jasper just shrugs his shoulders in indifference as he picks his spoon up again and polishes off his porridge.
Molly shakes her head and grins. She decides that she will never figure out Jasper Jones. "Well..." she adds, "I won't work you too hard on your last day. Just a spot of fence painting, do you think you can manage it?"
Jasper nods. "Is um... is Tom coming over to help?" Molly doesn't even have time to answer when the familiar brunette pops his head around the side door.
"Morning morning." Thomas says in an almost song, making both Molly and Jasper look at him slightly amused.
"Why are you so upbeat this morning?" Molly enquiries, getting up to make her brother a drink.
"Because it's my last day of work with this brat." Thomas jokes winking at Jasper behind Molly's back.
"Yeah?" Well the feeling's mutual." Jasper jests back, sticking out his tongue.
"Now boys. I need you to behave. No fighting! Jim and I have to go to town this morning to see about getting a new tractor." Molly places a mug of tea on the table for Thomas to take. "Help yourself to porridge Tom." She adds. "I need to get ready to go." Molly heads out of the kitchen and up the stairs, leaving Jasper and Thomas alone at the table.
Thomas holds out an outstretched hand across the table, beckoning Jasper to take it. "So...are we gonna have some fun today?"
Jasper glances over his shoulder to see if Molly has disappeared before he connects his hand with Thomas'. "Well if you consider painting a fence fun."
Thomas slowly takes a mouthful of tea, swallowing it so Jasper can see Thomas Adam's apple bob up and down, causing his own mouth to swallow. "I'm sure we can make it fun." He smirks.
***
A short while later, Jasper and Thomas are watching the four by four being driven off into the distance. Jasper stares at the row of six fence panels he and Thomas had been charged with painting in the garden of the farmhouse.
The sun is already getting hot as he watches Thomas run his fingers through his hair before putting a purple bandana around it.
"Hey Jasper. Pass me the screwdriver." Thomas asks, pointing to the tool by Jasper's feet. Jasper picks up the item and gives it to Thomas, who levers open the tin, to reveal some white fence paint. "Ok. The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can have some fun."
Jasper grabs a large bristle brush, which was leaning against the fence. He looks at the panels, wondering how to get it done the quickest way possible. "How about I do top, you go along the bottom."
Thomas snorts out a laugh. "Jas, we're supposed to be painting a fence, not talking sex roles."
Jasper smacks Thomas' shoulder. "You wouldn't last under me."
Thomas turns to face Jasper, smirking as he looks at Jasper square in the eyes. "Oh really?"
Jasper edges close to Thomas, now they are nose to nose. "Yes really!" Jasper can feel himself getting aroused already at the thought of this man submitting to him. He is about to lean in for a kiss, when Thomas pulls away, still with that smirk across his face. Causing Jasper to furrow his brow in annoyance.
"Ok then." Thomas says, with a playful grin. "Whoever finishes first, gets to choose."
Jasper's face turns from frustration to determination. There was not a chance in hell that he was going to let Thomas win this. "You are literally going down!" He chides as they both get into position at the fence. The bet was on.
As the painting begins, both males appear to be even. It seems to be going very smoothly, neither one caving in under the hot sun. That is until the final panel...
Jasper grabs the handle of the paint pot and lifts it to his brush to save his back, causing Thomas to complain. "Hey, that's not fair!" His brush now struggles to get in the raised pot without him having to get up off the ground each time.
Thomas begins to pull at the paint tin, the last bit of contents sloshing around inside. Jasper yanks the tin back, making the paint splat onto Thomas' dark sweaty hair and bandana. "Hey watch it!" He says, half jokingly and half annoyed.
Jasper just laughs at the sight, but that is until Thomas flicks his brush in his hand at the younger, white spots now appearing on his black tshirt. "My top! You're gonna get it." Jasper puts down the pot and attempts to paint across Thomas' chest with his brush. Thomas grabs Jasper's wrists, preventing him from seeing his plan through.
Jasper relaxes his arms, causing Thomas to let go. Jasper seizes this opportunity to grab the paint and hurry back to the fence and complete his part, leaving Thomas a little speechless as he sees his fate unfold.
Jasper finally drops the brush and pot to the ground and confidently walks up to the now not so smug Thomas. Jasper gets close to Thomas, a cocky smile across his face. "Ah look at that...I win."