#And also kleinsen getting together in stupid ways my beloved <3

[sochilll]

October 17 - “It’s not even that cold!”

Day 16 Day 18 All Days (Prompt list)

Evan was that kind of cold where your fingers go numb and trying to warm them up just hurts. If it rained right now, it would probably snow. But Jared’s car was a piece of shit, so they were outside anyway.

“You’ve put more money into fixing that thing than it would cost to just buy a new car.” Evan huffed.

“Don’t ever speak ill of Doris again.” Jared held up a finger. “She’s a trooper.”

“She just fucking died on a ten minute drive.” Evan pointed out. Luckily, they were only a few blocks from Jared’s apartment when Doris gave out on them.

“She just needs a little TLC and she’ll be fine.” Jared assured him.

“She needs to go to the scrap yard for making us walk home in freezing temperatures.”

“It’s not even that cold!” Jared rolled his eyes. “You’re such a baby.”

Evan glared at him.

“It’s nice out.” Jared went on.

“It’s like ten degrees!” Evan yelled. He rubbed his hands together.

They came to a stop at a crosswalk, waiting for the light to change.

“Here.” Jared took Evan’s hands in his and rubbed vigorously. It did bring some of the feeling back but it faded as soon as Jared let go.

“Thanks that did nothing.” Evan grumbled, sticking his hands into his pockets.

“Well sorry.” Jared rolled his eyes. “Remind me never to help you again.”

They crossed the street and then, thankfully, Jared’s apartment building was only a few feet away. Evan was immediately enveloped by warmth from the heater blasting in the lobby.

“Yes. Warm.” He stood there, being slowly roasted.

“Come on.” Jared shoved him toward the elevator.

They rode up four floors. It wasn’t nearly as warm inside Jared’s apartment but it was enough that Evan stopped shivering and was starting to get the feeling back in his hands. He sat on the couch, rubbing his hands together while Jared went to the kitchen to turn on the coffee pot.

“How long are you staying?” He called.

Evan shrugged. “I work in the afternoon tomorrow so… I don’t know. I was gonna-“ He faltered as he felt a blanket being settled around his shoulders. Jared didn’t acknowledge it, just kept walking like that was a normal thing to do. Evan struggled to continue talking like that hadn’t completely and totally thrown him off. “Gonna, um, I was gonna leave around five or six so I can make dinner when I get home.”

“You can eat here.” Jared offered. “But you have to pay for half since we’ll have to get something delivered.”

Evan nodded, pulling the blanket tighter around him. “Sure. That’s fine.”

“Cool.” Jared dropped onto the couch. “What do you want?” He pulled up the maps app so he could see what was nearby.

“It’s like three. We don’t have to decide now.”

“Well it’s gonna take us at least two hours of arguing to pick a place.” Jared said.

That was true. Evan scooted closer so he could see Jared’s phone. Jared scrolled through the list, reading off restaurants and fast food places. Occasionally one of them would say “maybe” or “anything but that.”

Jared stopped suddenly.

“Run out?” Evan asked.

Jared started slightly. “No. I was-no.” He cleared his throat and continued reading.

Evan was about to ask what had happened when he realized it for himself. They were sitting too close together. As in, Evan’s legs were almost on top of Jared’s. As in, their shoulders were pressed together. As in, the blanket plus Jared’s body heat was making Evan start to sweat.

He shifted away casually, meaning: he violently flinched away from Jared.

Jared looked at him. “The fuck? What?”

Evan just stared at him, unsure how to explain his reaction. “There was a spider.”

Jared continued to stare. “What?”

“There was a spider.” Evan repeated.

“Where?”

“On… you.”

Jared squinted. “Why are you talking like a robot?”

“I am not.” Evan said like a robot. He ignored Jared’s pointed look. “I’m being normal.”

“You’ve never been normal in your life.” Jared shook his head, turning back to his phone and releasing Evan from his interrogation. “I’m ordering from the Thai place.”

“Now?”

“No. At like six.” Jared zoomed in on the menu. “I’m assuming you want fried rice? You can get a zero on the spice meter.” He teased.

“I like a little spice.” Evan kicked him softly. “Give me like… a four.”

“Embarrassing. I’m getting a nine.”

“You’re gonna regret that.”

“I am not!” Jared leaned toward him. “I can handle the heat.”

Evan’s face flushed. “Well I guess I can’t.” He ducked his head.

Jared looked at him for a minute. “Hey look at me.”

“Why?”

“Look at me.”

Evan looked at him.

Jared studied him for a moment. “I’m getting you a three.”

“What? No! I want a four.”

“So you now you claim you can handle the heat?” Jared shook his head. “You need to get your story straight.”

“You fluster me.”

“What?”

“What?”

“You just said I fluster you.”

“No.” Evan’s face was on fire. “Frustrate. I said you frustrate me.”

“You definitely didn’t.” Jared was grinning. “Aww do I make you nervous?”

“No! You make me full of violent rage.” Evan grumbled, kicking him a little harder than before.

“And that’s what the best relationships are built on.”

“Shut up.” Evan pouted. The embarrassment was fading and the argumentative annoyance was back. “We’d be the worst couple ever.”

“I’m sure there’d be worse couples.”

“We’d be top five at least.”

“With a little effort we could beat the other worse ones.” Jared flipped his position suddenly. “We could be the world’s worst couple!”

“Is that… something you want to achieve?”

“Kind of. It’s nice to be the best at something.”

Evan laughed. “I don’t think we’d actually be that bad.”

“No?”

“No. We’d be okay. We might even be good.”

“Is that… something you want?”

“Being in a good relationship? I mean-“

“Being in a relationship with me.”

Evan froze. He could feel Jared’s eyes on him.

“Is it something you-“

“Nope. I asked you first.”

Evan sank down in the couch. “I don’t… not want it.”

“Cool.” Jared turned back to his phone.

Cool? That was all he got? Cool? That was bullshit. That wasn’t fair. He should say something. He should punch Jared.

“So fried rice spice level four.” Jared said. “And I guess I’ll buy.”

“I thought I had to buy half?” Evan’s anger was undercut by confusion.

“Implying I’m not a gentleman? That I wouldn’t pay on a first date?”

“First… date.” Evan repeated dumbly.

“Yes.” Jared said. And that was that.

“Can you get me a drink too?” Evan tested the waters of this strange situation.

Jared huffed. “Jesus you’re an expensive date.” But Evan saw him add Evan’s favorite soda to the cart.

Evan smiled. Jared bumped his knee into Evan’s. “You’re buying on the second date.”

“That’s fair I guess.”

Jared looked over. “I’m going to be a very expensive second date.”

“Then I’m going to be a very expensive third date.”

Jared grinned. “Correct response.” He patted Evan’s knee and turned back to his phone.