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Jack has poked Lux awake at the ungodly hour of like, 10 on this Sunday morning. Because look, IKEA is a whole day adventure. He even bought them a coffee drink and breakfast on the way there, and is now draining the last of his oversized take-out cup of coffee right outside the doors 'cause I'm pretty sure outside food isn't allowed in. He's left his hair a little unstyled today, and it falls away from his face in soft waves, and his jeans and t-shirt are equally casual.
"Alright." He tosses the cup in the trash can next to the door. "Ready?"
This is indeed an UNGODLY HOUR and Lux is still kind blurry eyed and drowsy even as they arrive. They also take the time to chug down coffee, tossing it aside into a trash can with a yawn. "I'd planned on dressing up for our first date, you know..." They squint up at the building. "...I guess getting dressed up to go to IKEA is kinda sad, though..."
"Eh." Jack slides an arm around their waist and pulls them into his side. "Fancy dinners and shit are nice, but this feels like it'll be a more fun time. I do wanna see you dress up someday, though..." He eyes them with a smile, and plants a kiss on their cheek. "I started a list on my phone, somewhere, of shit we could look at, but I...mmmph..." A few seconds of scrolling through his phone and he grimaces. "I maybe deleted it."
"I'll dress up for you whenever you want, babe." Their arm drapes around his shoulders as they lead the way inside, looking around with a lost expression. Clearly having no idea where to even start. "On accident, or like... you freaked out and deleted it?"
"Nono, just accidentally, or I'm just not seeing it..." he's a little distracted, looking through his phone, but a few seconds later he gives up with another grimace and sticks it back in his pocket.
And blinks at Lux. "Have you...been here before?"
"Ummm... Nooo...?" They grimace. "You saw my place. I just got stuff at Goodwill and shit..."
"Oh - okay so the nice thing is that there's kinda only one way to go through the place." And indeed, that is how IKEA be. Jack actually looks excited, to be here while Lux experiences it for the first time. "It's basically a big showroom, and everything's got labels for which section of the warehouse it's in, so you can easily find it there. It's all basically self-serve. It's not like...fancy, lotta particleboard and shit, but the price is right. And - oh fuck." He's distracted, by one of the bedroom setups, and grabs Lux's hand to pull them toward it.
Lux listens, nodding distractedly as they look around. "I don't mind cheap. I mean... I don't really... have much money." They pause, as if they had just realized this--and grimaces awkwardly. "Yeah. Cheap is good." They blink, letting Jack pull them along.
"I mean if it's gonna be for a place I'm spending time in too, I'm not gonna be upset about shoving furniture at you that I've paid for. You know?" He gives Lux another soft kiss.
The showroom is set up in such a way that it's impossible to see how big it is. There's a wide path that winds through the place, and furniture on either side with enough space to walk between to get a better look. Breaking up each category of furniture are small sets that show items in their context - two different sized bedrooms with two different setups, a tiny living room with a loveseat and a much larger one with a sectional couch and multiple armchairs. The prices are clearly stated, and while everything probably costs more than Lux has ever wanted to spend, they're not unreasonable. Bedroom furniture is first, and Jack leads Lux toward the beds.
"And if nothing else, I'm definitely buying you a bedframe. What's it gotta have?"
Lux returns the kiss. "Just... doesn't really seem fair. Usually I just steal all the stuff expensive stuff I need. Don't think I can steal a bed, though..." They stop beside the bedroom displays, looking between them. "Well, it's gotta be sturdy," Lux teases, lips quirking. "And preferably some slats that ropes can be tied to..." A beat pause. "And paintable."
"Might be a little difficult, yeah." Jack huffs out a laugh, and puts a hand on one of the headboards, wiggling it a little. "Wouldn't go so far as to call anything here sturdy," he says with a grin. "But my shit's held up well enough. Mmmm..." He points out a few different options with slats.
"And - it's not about fair, 's about me treating you to shit. 'Cause I wanna."
Lux steps over to examine the headboards, gripping them to also wiggle back and forth. Then plops down onto the bed, bouncing a few times. "Yeah, I'm not too concerned. We've done fine so far. I can always fix shit if it breaks." They look up at him, grinning. "So tonight you're my sugar daddy?" they tease.
That scribbly blush of Jack's spreads across his cheeks. "Yeah - even if being a sugar daddy on an IKEA budget's depressing as hell," he says with a laugh. "What else d'you want for your place? 'Specially now that your apartment's...eeeh."
Lux's brows waggle, smirking widely. "I mean... IKEA budget or not, I'm not going to turn down the extra excuse to make you scream. So I guess I'll just have to repay you later." They reach out to snag Jack by a belt loop to pull in, kissing at his chest. "Hmm... Well, Mearcstapa got me some shelves and storage stuff for my apartment that I can bring over. So maybe... Um. A table or something? So we can eat. I guess eventually getting a couch might be good, but we might need to make the place bigger first."
Jack steps towards Lux with a happy hum and runs a soft hand along their cheek. "I don't need repayment, but there's really only one way to test out a new bedframe, isn't there..." He grins, his scribbly blush deepening slightly. "Table and chairs could be useful. Fuck...getting all this shit up there's gonna be...interesting..."
Another couple playful kisses over his torso, but then they push him away gently and stand before things get too frisky. "We'll have to test everything out." They smirk... then grimace. "...I didn't think about that either. Fuck. Uhh... All this stuff comes in boxes, right?"
"Yeah, flat packed. I'm sure we'd be able to get it up there eventually, but I dunno if I trust that fire escape with the weight...Maybe a pulley system..." He purses his lips as he thinks, muttering to himself. "Honestly it's less about the getting it up there and more about the 'how long is it gonna take before people notice us moving all this shit'."
"That's... true." Lux frowns. "Maybe I should work on making a more accessible door to it. I like having it on the rooftop, but it's not really... helpful. Breaking into the building and getting things inside then carrying it up to the roof might be less noticeable than a pulley system..."
"Mmm...either way, a more accessible door might be nice. I've got an extra hard had and hi-viz vest if we go the breaking-into-the-buliding route, though..."
Lux blinks, then snorts in amusement. "Seriously? Gonna go all construction worker chic?"
"It would stop people from looking at us weird for loading boxes into an abandoned building, right?" He shrugs. "I think I've used the vest for work like...twice, maybe?"
"Oh, hm. Yeah, that's a good point." Their arms loop around his waist to hold as they eye the bed. "So... do you like this bed?"
"Nuh uh, this is a you choice. Not a me choice."
Lux frowns. "But... you're going to be sleeping on it too?"
"Yeah but it's yours." Jack stands on tiptoe to give them a smooch on the forehead. "So your opinion's the important one."
The Bright One looks frustrated, lips twisting to the side. "...Yeah, okay..." They glance back to the bed, hands tucking into their pockets. "Well, this one is good, then."
"...You sure, babe?" He's not smiling anymore, concerned by their obvious frustration.
"Yeah, this one's good. Seems sturdy enough. And big enough that if Mearcstapa does want to sleep over sometime, he can."
"Absolutely. 'F it makes you feel any better, I can try to have opinions on mattresses, unless you're gonna use the one from your apartment." Jack notes the information about the bedframe into his phone and slips his hand into Lux's to continue through the place.
They shrug. "The one in my apartment is kinda gross. But we can bring it over until we can get something else, if you want." They follow along, holding his hand.
"You can get literally everything here." Around the corner, there are, in fact, mattresses, and Jack pulls Lux over to one to flop down. "Yes no maybe? What d'you think? They're all gonna pretty broken in in comparison to a new one, but." He gestures to the multitude of options.
Lux gives a brief glance towards the price tag, then moves to sit down beside Jack. They bounce a bit, then flop backwards to stretch out, staring at the ceiling. "Hmmm... Not bad. A little firm."
Oh, Lux, you probably don't wanna look at the price tag. Even if Jack's footing the bill. "Mmm....If you could have anything in a bed, what would you have?" Jack doesn't stretch out, but looks over Lux with a contented smile. "Like...I dunno, when I was a kid I always wanted one of those four-poster beds with the drapes and shit, and all the pillows..."
Lux considers that for a moment, still looking up at the ceiling. "Hmm... Big enough to sprawl out on. I dunno about... drapes, but... Maybe some things hanging from the ceiling? Like... streamers or shiny things. And lots of pillows and blankets to burrow in."
"So like...the setup you've got going on in the Hollow." He runs a gentle hand up and down their arm.
"I guess, yeah." They look over at him. "But we can get drapes too?"
"Nah I don't need that shit. 'F I did I'd have 'em in my apartment. I just wanna know the kinds'a shit you like, you know?" Jack leans down to give them a kiss. "Downstairs here there's more like...house-goodsy type shit, I bet we can find more stuff to hang from the ceiling. And like...fun stuff in general, not just necessities like bedframes and kitchen tables."
Lux returns the kiss, lifting a hand to toy with Jack's hair. "Are you sure you can afford all this? Especially with the strike going on..."
"Don't worry about it babe. 'M fine with it." He smiles and sits upright again. "C'mon, figure out which mattress you want, 'cause I agree that this one's too firm."
"I like your mattress, honestly. It's soft but doesn't hurt my back sleeping on it." They push up to their feet, then goes to bounce onto a different one. "This one is bouncy. Would be useful." They flash a sly smirk.
Jack snorts and flops down next to Lux. "I mean I could...bring my mattress....? If you wanted?" There's a little hesitation in his voice.
Lux shifts a bit, not quite looking at him directly. "Nah. It's cool. We'll find one that is as good."
"I'm...this isn't me saying I don't wanna, I just...wanna make sure that it'd be something you wanted. You know? I don't wanna get ahead of myself." Even though, you know. His entire wardrobe basically lives in the Hollow, now.
Lux's brows crease, glancing over at him with a suddenly serious look. "What do you want, Jack?"
It's Jack's turn to shift and stare at the floor. "I - I mean. We've been dating for all of what, fuckin....a couple weeks? It feels crazy to say I wanna move in with you. Right? That's...that's not how shit like this works. Right?"
That's sure as hell a way to not actually answer the question...
Lux sits up slowly, looking away from him as well. "...Yeah. I guess it's pretty crazy. If it's... too crazy... I understand."
"...'F it's not too crazy for you, it's not too crazy for me." His voice is quiet. "Like...fuck, Lux, I wanna. I wanna do this shit together, so much, it...fucking scares me, sometimes," he finishes with a small laugh.
Lux puffs out a breath and looks sideways towards him, looking suddenly flustered and nervous. "I... kind of thought that's what this was. I mean... you wanted to pick things out with me. I just kind of assumed. Then you said this was about me, not you, and--that kind of sucked." They rub along their arm nervously. "I'm not saying you should get rid of your apartment, and maybe you shouldn't move the mattress so you have somewhere to sleep if you ever decided you didn't want to be there. But... I want you there."
Jack visibly wilts, and puts a tentative hand on Lux's knee. "I...didn't think that's what you wanted, I...fuck, I'm sorry. It...I just wanted to make sure it's gonna be something you want if...if you change your mind, about me. But I...wanna be there, too. With you."
Lux turns to look at him more head one, frowning. "You think I'm going to change my mind about you?"
"I...I mean I dunno when you're gonna get sick of me not knowing what I want." He says it matter-of-factly, and real feelings locked tightly away, and shrugs.
"Jack... The only thing you have to want right now is me. We can figure out the rest together," Lux murmurs.
"Hope I've made it pretty clear that I want you." He cracks a grin and nudges them. "'F not you gotta tell me how to fix that."
"It's pretty clear." They lean over to kiss him on the cheek. "You don't gotta worry about me changing my mind. I'm not saying that I'm promising we'll be together forever and ever, but... Jack, I can't imagine not having you in my life. I like coming home to each other. Or... even if I'm with Mearcstapa, knowing you're there. Somewhere safe, waiting for me to come home. And--if you ever wanted to stay the night alone with Mearcstapa, or with someone else, I'd be there waiting for you, too."
As Lux talks, Jack's cheeks start to build that scribbly blush, and he leans into them. "I...look forward to coming home now, and not just 'cause it means I'm not working. Whatever this is we've got together, and with Mearcstapa, it...I wanna keep it. I didn't...know it was something I wanted, but dammit if I'm not gonna hold on for as long as I can."
Lux brightens, lips curling into a grin as Jack's face goes all scribbly. "Me too." Their arms wrap around him, pulling him in close. "I never really felt... home? Like, my apartment was just... somewhere I went when I literally couldn't stay awake any longer. I would run around all day, and when I wasn't running I'd hang out on rooftops or whatever. I'd only go home when I was basically dead on my feet cause it always felt so... fucking lonely."
"Yeah - same. I'll probably keep my place 'til the lease is up, just to...have, but...it's never been home the way the Hollow is." There's a beat. "'F I bring any of my furniture over, 's it gonna get covered in paint?" He smiles.
Lux nods. "I think... I'll probably give up my apartment. It just doesn't really feel safe to me. And I'm not really the type to hang out at home for long periods of time anyway--I can just crash cafes to charge my phone and shit when I need to. Or do that when I'm at Mearcstapa's place." They pause, then smirk. "I make no promises, but if you like how something looks already, I won't mess with it."
"Makes sense. I might hang out a little more at my place once this Anna-Marie bullshit is over - I miss my coffeemaker," he chuckles. "But...if you're good with it I might like...move in a little more properly. To the Hollow. And risk whatever furniture I bring getting covered in paint," he finishes with a grin.
They grin. "I guess it's easier for me, since I'm used on living on fast foods. But having access to a real kitchen and shit might not be too bad. Maybe we should look into moving the door, some day? Connecting it to your place, or something..." They trail off, thinking a moment. "I want to talk to Mearcstapa about this. I don't... want him to feel... left out?"
"I don't think he'll be upset, I mean, just... he likes being kept up to date on stuff."
"Definitely we should talk to him." Jack nods. "Or - just you, either way," he catches himself, looking more amused than anything that he's slipped into 'we' and 'us' already.
"I think it'd be good if we're all there, since you two are feeling things out." Their head tilts. "Which I've been meaning to talk to you about..." They poke his side, grinning. "When did you start getting feels for him, huh?"
"I don't knowww." It's a little bit of a pathetic whine, but he's smiling. "He made it pretty clear he wasn't interested to begin with so it...never really crossed my mind. But fuck, it was nice to wake up next to both of you. Like..." he shrugs, the edges of his animation getting the slightest bit scribbly now. "I dunno, I figured I should lean into that, once he changed his mind."
"Ugh, god... Waking up with both of you felt so fucking good." Lux nuzzles into his hair, squeezing around his waist. "I think he just... put up that boundary so he wouldn't feel pressured to hook up, just because you're both dating me? Which is legit. But I can't say I blame him for being into you. Or the other way around. And you two are... so fucking cute together."
"Well. Most days I still think I wanna wake up to just you." Jack kisses their shoulder. "Which means we gotta find a mattress that we both like - 'cause I do like my mattress but it's getting old, like...I had it from Before. And I've never been all that gentle with it." He smirks.
"Mmm, don't mind that either. Are you gonna be okay spending some nights alone, though? When I'm having alone time with Mearcstapa?" They nip a bit at his ear playfully, then push to their feet, grabbing his hand to tug up. "Yeah, let's try that one over there."
"Oh absolutely." Jack swats at Lux playfully and stands. "I still plan on taking people back to my place occasionally, anyway. Ooh this one is nice. Memory foam's so fucking comfy." He flops onto his back onto the mattress with a sigh.
"Oh, hell yeah. I'd love knowing you're out having fun." Lux sprawls beside him, hooking hands behind their head. "Hmm..." There's some wiggling and squirming before they settle in with a content sigh. "I think this might be the one."
Their head tilts over at him, grinning. "So... if you're moving in, does this mean you'll pull out that box of leather clothes from the back of your closet?"
Jack...kinda freezes, though his cheeks and the shadows under his jaw are overwhelmed by scribbles. "...When'd you find that?"
Lux looks so, so smug and amused as they watch Jack scribble. "Hmm... A little over a week ago? When I raided your closet to steal that shirt."
"Ah." He nods and licks his lips. "I mean I don't...really wear any of that stuff anymore. 'S why it's back there."
Their brows lift. "You wore leather pants to the Equinox party..."
A few more scribbles fill in the blush on his cheeks. "Felt like the right sorta occasion for it. I pulled more of it out for pride...two years ago? Right after I got back, but...doesn't tend to see the light of day."
"Do you not like wearing them anymore?" Lux asks, more serious than teasing now.
"I don't really have a reason to wear any of it anymore. Feels like a part of my past that's pretty far gone, you know?"
"Not having a reason to isn't the same as not wanting to..." They roll onto their side, looking him over hungrily. "I'd love to see you in leather more often... Even if its just for me."
That gets a teasing sort of smile. "Oh yeah? D'you look through the whole box?"
"Maaaybe." They bite their lip. "It was... really hot, imagining you in them."
"What other shit d'you get up to in my apartment when I wasn't there?" He's really teasing now, and leans in like he's gonna kiss them, before pulling away with a grin and sitting up.
"Well. I also found that rainbow jockstrap," they reply with a smirk before leaning in for the kiss--only to gasp when they're denied, looking mock-offended. "You tease!"
"You deserve it." Jack gives them a big grin. "That I've worn a little more recently. Like, within the past year. I think."
"I'd like to see you in it." They lean in to whisper, "And maybe fuck you while you got it on." Then leaning back, they pat the mattress. In a more casual tone, "So, this one?"
Squiggly lines of charcoal flicker away from Jack's face, and he coughs out a surprised laugh. "Yes - this one - you're awful."
Their eyes crease with fondness, reaching out to lace fingers through his and squeeze his hand. "So. We got the bed covered. We have to use the sheets that Mearcstapa got me, though. They're fucking amazing. You wanna go look around at other stuff? Then maybe we can go get something for lunch, then come back to buy things and figure out... how the hell to get them into the Hollow."
"Oh, there's a whole restaurant here. I wasn't kidding when I said you could get everything. The meatballs are amazing. And the sheets are a little eye-searing, but I don't mind."
"...Wait, what, really?" They squint. "They really do try to trap you here all day, huh..."
"...And babe... everything about me is eye-searing..."
"They really do - the escape routes didn't used to exist, that's a a recent thing." He points to a small walkway with signs that inform the walker that it leads from the bedroom to the kitchen section, skipping the living room bits in between. "I know. And I love that about you." He pulls them in for a quick kiss on the cheek.
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