[Samuel x Roman]

j a c o b

Actually putting the label boyfriend on each other honestly hadn't really changed their relationship all that much. They still sneaked around with it at school seeing as Jacob still wasn't ready to tell anyone. And when they hung out it was kind of like before too, they made out a lot. But they also hung out more. Always at Harper's place, Jacob was starting to feel comfortable there, especially after coming back to school and finding that there still wasn't anyone who knew, despite Harper's siblings knowing, meaning they had't told anyone. And sometimes when they hung out, they'd just... hang out. They chat, or watch soccer, or play FIFA. Harper was just great to be around, he was funny, and nice and always got competitive about video games and sports in a way that was really fun. And that was why he liked him, and liked the fact that they were boyfriends.

He knew Harper didn't really like hiding it though. Jacob really appreciated that he was being patient, but he knew he couldn't expect him to be that forever, and so he had kind of brought up going on a date sometime. It'd be nice, just the two of them, chances were they would't meet anyone they knew and they would just get to try being together in public for once, without hiding. It sounded scary, and when Jacob had suggested it his cheeks had been warm and his eyes had been glued on his feet. But Harper had, of course agreed.

They had kind of planned it together, so it wasn't one of them taking the other out really. And it was nothing fancy, just going to the movies. But it would be fun and Jacob and spent a lot of time picking out an outfit that looked just the right amount of casual and stylish and really hoped that Harper would like the look of a flanell layered over a basic white T and with a pair of ripped black jeans-- it was kind of similar to what he had worn at the party they hooked up the first time though, so he had to somewhat like it.

Jacob had insisted that they'd meet up at Harper's house, so he had taken the bike there, despite the risk of him getting a little sweaty. He had taken it easy though, so it wasn't really an issue, and it was better than Harper coming to his when his parents already suspected he was going on a date with someone. Nervously he walked up the now familiar path to Harper's door and knocked.
 
h a r p e r
Harper just loved being in relationships. Even if the time he spent with Jacob now wasn't that much different to what they had done before giving one another that lovely label, he just loved the label itself. He loved being affectionate with his boyfriend, he loved texting him and talking to him on the phone, he loved leaving cute little notes for him in his locker and walking home with him after school. He just loved spending as much time as he could being with and thinking of Jacob.

And now, they were about to embark on their first official date. They were kind of doing everything in reverse, hooking up first and going on dates later, but Harper didn't mind. He wouldn't change what they had for the world. They planned to see a movie and then go and get something to eat and even if it was a pretty simple plan that didn't involve anything extravagant, he was still looking forward to it.

Harper had thought long and hard about what to wear, even if it was pretty useless considering Jacob was a fashion novice, but in the end, he was happy with his outfit. He chose a short-sleeved black button-up shirt with pink flowers on the collar, pink skinny jeans, and black high-top sneakers. When he heard the knock on the door, he yelled out, "I'LL GET IT!" and practically bounded down the stairs to open it.

He did so and smiled when he saw his lovely boyfriend. "Hey," he said, before looking Jacob up and down and smiling even broader. "You look great."
 
j a c o b

Luckily Harper was the one to open the door. Jacob had become quite friendly with the Hemlock-Ortegas by now, but he still much preferred his boyfriend opening rather than one of his dads because that'd be awkward. Or Stella, because she was mildly annoying compared to his other siblings and from what he had gathered she was just the type of person who would have tried to open the door before Harper just to get chance to embarrass him a little.

But it was his boyfriend and he looked really nice. Really nice. Jacob, while not always getting it, found himself kind of really liking that Harper wasn't afraid to dress in more feminine outfits. It wasn't like he was dressed in a skirt or anything, but his shirt had flowers on it and his jeans were pink. It was very him, and on top of that it showed how confident he was, and Jacob really liked that about him.

"Thanks, you too," Jacob grinned, and made sure to add, "like real good," to make sure Harper knew. He then motioned for Harper to come with him. He kind of wished he could have kissed him as a greeting, or take his hand as they walked to the bus, but he lived too close by so it felt risky. He liked holding Harper's hand though, they did that all the time when just chilling and hanging out so it was a shame he couldn't do it.

"You know, I think I was bad at hiding how excited I was because I think my parents just kind of knew I was going out on a date with someone,"
he said as they walked, hands in pockets but with a soft smile on his face. It was kind of a reminder why he wasn't holding Harper's hand.
 
h a r p e r
Harper smiled happily when Jacob complimented his appearance, and then that smile broadened when Jacob told him how excited he had been. Harper knew that Jacob was happy in their relationship but the reminders of this never failed to make him smile. "You're so cute," he said, reaching over and taking Jacob's hand before kissing him on the cheek.

He pulled away just as they walked into the kitchen where Harper's two parents were sitting. Roman was yet again drawing, this time, a photo-realistic sketch of a kitten. "Hey," Harper said when they stood in the doorway. "Jacob's here."

"Hey, Jacob,"
Roman said with a grin, looking up to smile at him. "I like your outfit, very suave."

"We'll probably get dinner while we're out,"
Harper informed them, so they didn't worry about making anything for him.

"Alright. Jacob, you make sure that our son is home at a reasonable time,"
Roman said sternly, as if he was a dad in a movie warning the homecoming date of his daughter to toe the line. "I don't want any shenanigans. Curfew is nine-thirty, so make sure you're back by seven."

Harper rolled his eyes and looked to his other dad pleadingly, as if begging him to pretty please make sure Roman behaved himself.
 
j a c o b

Jacob got a little nervous the moment Harper dragged him inside to take him to say bye to his dads. It wasn't too mad though, until Roman started acting all stern. He wasn't sure if he was joking or not until he added that part about the curfew and Harper rolled his eyes and looked at his other dad for help.

"Don't listen to Roman, he likes to pretend to be all stern, but he's actually the fun dad and will probably be way less angry than me if he's home past curfew-- which is nine-thirty," Only the last part of Mr Hemlock Ortega's statement matched the sternness of his husband. Showing that he also was probably joking about it all, but that he really did want Harper home when he was supposed to.

"Nine-thirty it is," Jacob confirmed, not too awkwardly. Sure he felt a little odd about the fact that he was talking to Harper's dads and they knew he was taking their son out for a date, but Harper's dads were pretty chill, and obviously they were understanding people so he felt like he could joke around with them.

"And if you get any left over popcorn feel free to bring it back to us," Samuel joked as a final goodbye and gave them a little wave goodbye. As much as Jacob felt okay with Harper's dad by now he didn't really want to linger and risk more awkwardness, so he waved to them and dragged Harper with him out, mumbling something about not wanting to miss the bus. When they got outside Jacob let go of Harper's hand to pocket them, "your dads are really cool you know,"
 
h a r p e r
"It is true, they are quite cool, that must be where I get it from," Harper joked, elbowing Jacob as they walked to the bus stop. He was joking around but it was true, both of his dads were exceptionally cool in their own ways. Harper liked to think he had adopted good traits from the both of them, while still being his own person. Being your own person was something that was considered very important in the Hemlock-Ortega household.

He didn't mind that Jacob had let go of his hand. He wasn't going to push for these sorts of things, and he felt like a broken record for repeating this so many times to himself and to his boyfriend, but it was true. Jacob's comfort was of the utmost importance. And Harper feared that if he tried to rush him into things he was not ready for, their relationship would be ruined.

Soon they arrived at the shopping centre and they were making their way through the doors. The cinema was in the same area as the food court so they didn't have to worry about trekking across the establishment. "Did you want to get dinner before?" he asked Jacob. "I feel like that would be better so we don't overdose on snacks during the actual film." He said this with a cute chuckle, his cheeks dimpling up as he smiled. Harper was often cute without even intending to be.
 
j a c o b

"Wow, no I want popcorn for dinner," Jacob joked but then nodded and decided to actually answer Harper's question properly, "But yeah okay, I can do dinner that sounds nice actually,"

It did sound nice. But also a little scary. Just sitting in the dark watching a movie and holding hands was one thing. having dinner felt like such a date thing to do. But they were on a date and on dates you did things like that. Yeah people could see them, but he wanted to be there. He looked at Harper for a second. He was cute, and he was sweet, and he did deserve a boyfriend who didn't want to be seen with him.

He smiled, "Where do you wanna go then?" if Jacob got to decide he would probably just go with a fast food place or something, because it seemed casual and friendly. And maybe Harper wanted to go to a fast food place or something, but then he'd rather it be Harper's decision because he wanted it, and not so it was motivated by Jacob's fear of them looking like they were on a date.
 
h a r p e r
Harper was pleased to learn that Jacob wanted to go to dinner, purely because it was a very date-like activity, and while they were on a date and they both knew that, it was nice to have the reminder of it. Harper was also aware that Jacob was a bit nervous about how they would be perceived, which saddened him a little. But that just tied into the issue of waiting until his boyfriend was comfortable, which Harper was absolutely willing to do.

"Hmm ..."
Harper took a look around and read all the signs to the various restaurants that were available to them. "Let's go to Nando's. It's a nice mix between a restaurant and a fast food place, and you can get spicy chicken which I know you'd love." Harper didn't like spicy food all that much at all. But Jacob did and he was happy to facilitate that.

So they went to Nando's, got seated at a small table, and ordered their food. Harper's meal consisted of a quarter piece of chicken with mild basting, and a side of chips. He also got a lemonade. Sitting across from Jacob, he felt comfortable and happy. "Let me guess, you got the basting that'll make my eyes bleed from here."
 
J a c o b​

Nandos was a good idea it was the kinda place you could go to with your mates if you wanted but it wasn’t as trashy as just going to McDonald’s. And Harper was right in that he loved spicy food so he definitely wasn’t complaining, in fact, he found it kind of sweet that Harper willingly was going for the option around them with the spicy food. So he nodded eagerly and soon they found themselves there.

Jacob got the spicier option and snickered quietly at Harper’s choice of mild food. He was still a little nervous, but right in that moment he was pretty certain they just looked like two friends hanging out so he was getting a little more relaxed.

They got seated and Jacob laughed a little at what Harper said, “I might or might not have,” He said jokingly. He liked spicy food and could definitely handle it but he also didn’t want to risk getting sweaty by getting something too hot so he hadn’t actually gotten the spicest option. It was definitely spicier than what Harper had gotten though and a slightly mischievous smile appeared on Jacob’s face as he said, “but you’re still going to let me feed you my food all adorably,” his statement was of course accompanied with a bit of a blush. It was mostly a joke, it wasn’t like he wanted to be all sappy and couple-y and feed Harper anyways. Or well, it did sound kind of nice, but it also would definitely make it look like a date, so it wasn’t that bad that Harper probably would die or something if he had food that had even the slightest bit of spice to it.
 
h a r p e r
The suggestion of feeding one another food was very much the kind of thing one would see on a romantic date. And, well, they were on a romantic date. But Jacob didn’t want it to look like that. So he was obviously joking, but Harper made a mental note to actually try to do that when they were eating alone one time. He had a feeling that if it was in private, Jacob wouldn’t protest.

“Of course,”
he said sarcastically, but his smile was kind and playful. “If I explode because of the heat, then you’ll have to explain it to my dads. Though, they’ll probably both blame me for being weak.”

He chuckled, and then they settled into polite and sweet conversation like always. When their food arrived Harper leaned back so the waitress could place his plate before him. It looked very tasty.

He looked over at Jacob’s and chuckled how angrily red it looked. “You can just tell that that chicken does not want to be eaten," he said with a chuckle. "Look at how violent it looks."
 
j a c o b

"I highly doubt any chicken wants to be eaten. Mine is just about a hundred times more badass than yours and has developed a defense system that you are way too weak to handle," Jacob snickered and shoved a piece of chicken in his mouth. It was spicy hot in a very good way. He didn't even want to imagine the blandness of Harper's food. Sometimes he really didn't get him, but he was glad that was more about things like food than his identity at this point. Though, he sometimes didn't get Harper's fondness for flowers and other girly things, he supposed, it was just that he kind of accepted that as a part of him now. And he kind of liked that part of him.

He could not accept the flavourless food though. That was practically a crime against all good food in the world.

"Yo know, you really should taste it," He said with a bit of a smirk. He wasn't intending on feeding him as he had joked, instead he pushed his plate a little towards Harper, offering him to eat from his plate, "You know, unless you want to admit to being a total weakling and to the fact that I'm the stronger one out of the two of us."
 
h a r p e r
Harper rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out in response to Jacob's teasing, but he'd be lying if he said he didn't love it. The young couple quite often poked fun at one another, not because there was any type of genuine animosity but because they just liked to play about in that way. Harper felt that it was affectionate and fun, and he loved that he and Jacob were comfortable enough with each other to do that.

When Jacob suggested he try the spicy chicken, Harper looked up at him in outrage. He was a known spice weakling, because while he understood that some people liked it, he couldn't comprehend how. How did people like their food to hurt? Harper had no idea, and his first instinct was to refuse to try it, just because he knew he wouldn't like it.

But Jacob did, and Harper knew that part of a healthy relationship was finding balances in differences. He didn't want to shut Jacob down, and who knows, maybe Nando's spice was better? So, Harper reached over and took a small piece of chicken on his fork. And he popped it in his mouth.

"Oh my God,"
he said after a few seconds, as the spice started to burn him violently. He lifted a hand to cup his mouth, not wanting to let any slip out, but once he had chewed and swallowed he washed it down with a large swig of water. His fair skin was flushed red, and his eyes were watering. But he had eaten it.
 
j a c o b

Jacob was a little surprise to see Harper pick up a small bite on his fork after some hesitation. He had mostly just been teasing like they normally did. He should have totally expected him to take on the challenge though, either because the guy was competitive or just because he was sweet because Jacob had asked him to taste it. Now that he had Jacob was a little excited to see his reaction though, and quietly waited to see how he would handle it.

For a moment or two he seemed like he was dealing with the hit just fine, but then all of a sudden he was downing his drink with tears in his eyes and Jacob couldn't stop himself from laughing it his boyfriend's reaction. It wasn't like he was actually suffering, it was just a bite of moderately spicy food, so he figured it was okay.

"Oh man I didn't expect you to actually eat it," he laughed. It probably wasn't s funny as he was making it. But it was funny because it was Harper, he was trying to be sweet by trying it and it still had just the reaction Jacob would have expected him to have if he actually did try it. Jacob grinned and put a bite of chicken in his own mouth, chewing it without issue. It was hot, yeah, but it also tasted very good and not bland, "Honestly I can't believe you? It's not that bad? Are you sure you're not exaggerating?"
 
h a r p e r
"Why would I be exaggerating? Do you think I want to look like a wimp?" Harper's voice sounded petulant and whiny, like that of a little kid, but he was having a good time. He didn't like the spice and he doubted he ever would, but he had tried it so it couldn't be said that he had chickened out. Maybe his father wouldn't disown him now that he had bitten the bullet.​
After dinner, they left the restaurant and meandered their way to the cinema, where they bought their tickets and snacks before filing into the room where the film would be screened. "My dad insists that the best seats are in the middle and three quarters of the way up," Harper said, leading his boyfriend there. And sure enough, they could see the entire screen perfectly from where they were seated.​
Harper sat down and discreetly took Jacob's hand. The lights were still on but there weren't too many people and Harper wanted to show his lovely and handsome boyfriend some affection. "How are you feeling?" he asked, though, because if Jacob was uncomfortable Harper wanted to know so he could readjust his behaviour.​
 
j a c o b

The rest of dinner was nice, but Jacob was admittedly kind of excited about going to the movies. Because dinner had been kind of purposefully friendly the movies felt more like the actually date part of the evening, and even if Jacob had been nervous he did want this to be a date. They got their sacks and found the 'best seats' Jacob chuckled and said he couldn't really argue with the position of them.

When Harper took his hand Jacob instinctively tensed a little, looking around them to see who might have noticed. Of course no one did, and even if one of the few people there had they probably wouldn't have even reacted to it. So he relaxed again and thought about the feeling of Harper's hand in his, about how it made him happy that they were on a date and that they actually did kind of act like they were even if it was were discrete.

"Nice-- I think," he finally answered Harper's question. His cheeks felt warm, but it probably wasn't enough to show and he shrugged a little to try to play it all off as no big deal. He knew Harper asked because he knew it was a bit of a big deal, but Jacob was slowly getting used to it and part of him also wanted to not be uncomfortable for Harper's sake. Harper was always being really considered even if he probably wanted to be more out about their relationship than he actually was, so the least Jacob could do was make a big deal out of something small. Plus he letting go of Harper's hand would kind of feel like losing.

So he kept it in his as the commercials started and chatted with Harper as normal. And a little while after the lights went out and the movie started he even dared to lean a little closer, letting their shoulders touch, the dark making everything a little bit easier.
 
h a r p e r
If course, if Jacob had indicated that he felt uncomfortable Harper would have rectified his actions but he would be lying if he said he didn't like being close with his boyfriend in public. And as the lights dimmed and Jacob moved forward, Harper just felt so happy. He felt like they were slowly progressing in a more comfortable direction, and he was willing to wait, but he was looking forward to that moment.

They watched the movie and greatly enjoyed it, and then they ventured home on the bus together. Harper didn't make Jacob hold his hand when on the public transportation, that would have been unfair. But they sat close together and when they were on the front porch of the Hemlock-Ortega household, he said goodbye to his boyfriend via a brief kiss to the lips.

"I had a really nice time today,"
he told Jacob, speaking nothing but the truth. He had loved the date he had shared with the cutie he was privileged to call his boyfriend, and he was greatly looking forward to many more to come.
 
J a c o b

By the end of the date Jacob felt really happy. He said goodbye to Harper, telling him he had had a really nice time too and even daring an extra kiss on his cheek right before he left. It was nice to know that what really was his first proper date had gone well, and he was happy it had been with Harper.

When he got home his parents acted all knowing, asking him if he had had fun with smiles on their faces that clearly stated 'we know you were on a date', It worried him a little, and he used the words 'my friends' when talking about the outing to try to get them to stop. He was probably overcompensating a little too much and it didn't really help. When he finally got to his room again he felt worried about what else they might now. Logically they didn't know he had been on a date with a guy, but still. And he wondered what would happen if they did know. They never really talked about that kind of stuff so he wasn't even sure how they'd react. Even so, he tried to think about Harper and how he made all the worrying worth it, because he honestly kind of did.

That first date ended up opening the door for them to go on more dates. It was just like they were hanging out, really, though sometimes they held hands. Jacob felt himself being more and more comfortable with the idea that people around them knew they were on a date and no one commented on it. Itwas easier because they were all strangers, but it did feel kind of good. But that didn't mean he didn't worry when July suddenly rolled around and thus also Harper's birthday which would be celebrated along with his friends.

Jacob hadn't had much to do with the planning at all and had really just been invited to tag along. He had been really hesitant at first, because it kind of meant people would have to know and he was paranoid that it'd spread further. But beyond the soccer team it wasn't like their circles of friends overlapped much. And all of Harper's friends knew Harper was bi and were cool with it and wouldn't go spreading it around, at least that is what Harper had said to reassure him. And Jacob trusted Harper so it was probably true. Plus he'd be a really shitty boyfriend if he didn't show up for his boyfriend's birthday.

Jacob wasn't completely sure of what they were doing, something about just hanging out had been said so he had dressed pretty normally that day. But he had asked Harper if it'd be alright if he could come over early. Maybe it wasn't completely fair on him, it was Harper's birthday so he shouldn't have to worry about him being worried about what his friends would think. But he just kind of needed a moment with Harper to prepare himself, because Harper was much better at thinking rationally about this kind of thing than he was. So a while before the others would get there he rung the bell at the Hemlock-Ortega house, shifting awkwardly, small gift that he embarassingly had had to ask his mum to help him wrap, hoping that it wasn't someone other than Harper who would open the door.
 
h a r p e r
Things were going really well with Jacob and Harper couldn't have been happier. He was still more than willing to wait for whatever period of time Jacob needed, but he got the feeling that things were progressing between them and that was very exciting. He was excited for the day where Jacob felt comfortable enough to be out and open with the world. He didn't know when that would happen, but Harper was willing to put in the effort to make sure his boyfriend was comfortable.​

They had been together for a few months and today was Harper's birthday. He was turning sixteen, an age he had always been looking forward to. He felt like fifteen and below were the formative teen years, the ones that were strange because people considered you to be mature enough to make your own decisions, but still placed many restrictions on what you could actually do. Sixteen, however, seemed like the year where you were gifted with far more responsibility and autonomy. It wasn't as if Harper had lived in an environment where he had really been governed by lots of rules -- of course they existed in the Hemlock-Ortega house, but he had a lot of freedom, too. Nevertheless, Harper was excited to turn sixteen and gain more of a sense of autonomy and maturity. And he was excited, because his friends had planned a surprise for him.

Presently he was in his bedroom, picking out an outfit to wear to the celebrations. His dad had complained that he wasn't coming, and Harper had had to politely remind him that this was a friend party and therefore it would be super lame to bring his father along. He was still wrapped up in that discussion so he didn't protest when Letha called out that she'd get the door, even though he knew it was Jacob.

The sweet girl dashed down the stairs and opened the door with a big and kind smile on her dainty, angelic face. "Hey!" she said to Jacob kindly, standing aside to let him in. "Harper's up in his room trying to convince Daddy he can't go out with you guys." She looked at the gift in his hands as she led her brother's boyfriend up the stairs. "Ooh, what did you get him?"
 
j a c o b

It wasn't Harper who opened the door, but at least it wasn't Stella or one of Harper's dads. Letha was really sweet so it was pretty impossible to be annoyed with it being her, no matter what Jacob had preferred. He greeted her and got in inside, laughing a little at the description of what Harper was doing. He had learnt the difference between who the Hemlock-Ortega kids meant when they said "daddy" or "papa" by now and it did sound a lot like something the more eccentric of the two dads would do.

He wasn't sure if he should answer about the gift. For one, he didn't want Harper to hear, and also, he was a little embarrassed about the whole thing. Ultimately deciding not to make a big deal about it he lowered his voice a little and awkwardly said, "Just some nail polish and stuff, I'm not very good at gifts," he shrugged. There was also one of those flower crowns with fake flowers. He had just decided to go for something he knew Harper would actually like and use rather than to risk it with something more sentimental.

His mom had helped him wrap it and she one hundred percent now believed he had a girlfriend, which technically was great because it meant she wouldn't suspect anything, but thinking that someone close to him believed he was straight also felt really off. He didn't want people to know he was gay because that was scary, but at the same time he didn't want people to think he was straight because that was incorrect.

Mr. Hemlock-Ortega -- Samuel -- peaked his head out of the living room to say a quick hello before Jakob headed up the stairs. He knocked on Harpers door but stepped inside, figuring it was alright. He did indeed find both Harper and Roman there, which made things a little awkward. He stayed in the doorway and said, "uh hello?" and then turned more towards Harper and said "Happy birthday" birthday hugs and kisses would be saved until Roman wasn't
 
h a r p e r
Harper looked up with excitement when he heard Jacob's voice -- the presence of his boyfriend never failed to make him happy, his heart never failed to sparkle. Jacob was standing there looking all cute and sweet, and with a present to top it all off. He knew that presents were customary when it came to birthdays but still, he wouldn't have been mad if he had received nothing from his boyfriend. He was an understanding person.

"Aww, thank you, handsome," Harper said sweetly.

Roman's eyebrows waggled mischieviously and he hopped off the bed to leave. "Hey, Jacob. Alrighty kids, I'll go downstairs and leave you to it." He ruffled Harper's hair and murmured to him, "Wear the star shirt," before making his departure.

Harper waved his dad off, before stepping closer to Jacob and wrapping his arms around the other boy's shoulders. "Hey, cutie," he said mischievously, going in for a swift kiss to the soft lips. "Thank you for coming, I'm really excited for tonight."