Cheap Thrills

Galileo is floundering.  He'd wanted to keep this under wraps but that's all gone now.  Turns out that Eustass coming to mediate had been a dead give away.  
Of fucking course.
Gally is watching Jett's face, waiting for the boy to laugh or tease, say something scathing at the very least.
Except there is none of that. It's so much worse.
There are tears welling in Jett's eyes.  
And Galileo is shocked by how cold it makes him feel, like someone dumped ice down his back.  He remembers days where he was vicious and hateful, how he wanted to make Jett cry out of spite.
Now the boy is standing here with glassy eyes and Gally can't breathe because of it.
"No,"  Someone whispers, and its difficult to realize it's him. "Ahw no, Jett."  He takes a step forward out of instinct, something inside of him desperate and demanding he get closer, take action to stop the tears before they have a chance to fall.
His legs feel wobbly when Jett speaks, so small and shaken.  He's not supposed to sound like that.  He's never supposed to sound like that.  Jett should sound smug and confident, throwing around insults or handing out orders.
By the time Gally swallows back the lump in his throat Jett is gone.
And he'd be absolutely pissed to know that even though Oleander and Eustass started after him, Galileo beats them to it.
The beta plants himself in front of the staircase, and doesn't move even when his alpha growls and demands that he step aside.
"No sir.  No can do."  He knows he is stubborn, but its news to Eustass. The man looks confused, just long enough to give Gally time to continue, "Look, he's got his panties all in a bunch because of me right? I get to go an' explain myself. Yall can do what you want after, but I aint gon' have him up there thinkin' he's done hurt my feelin's."
For a moment Eustass looks like he might argue.  It's instinct for him to protect Jett.
Oleander is the one who ultimately stops him, taking his hand and leading him back into the living room with promises of going to check on Jett soon.  He might not understand the late nights his friend spends with Gally but at this point he knows they have their own little world.  Its better to let them work it out.
Gally makes his way up to Jett's room, boots heavy on the staircase to let the boy know he's coming.
He can hear the boy sobbing, so hard and violent he sounds as though he's choking on the tears.  The sound of it makes something inside of Gally howl.
He searches the deep recesses of his mind for something to say, a witty retort something snappy that will drive Jett mad and make his tears stop, but he can't set his heart to it.  He fucking has to make them stop though, even if comfort isn't one of his strong suits.
"Jones? My god, don't- Please don't cry.  You're givin' people the wrong idea.  They gon' start thinkin' you actually care."  He tries to sound light hearted, tittering on the edge of teasing.  There's no actual sting to his words though, only an undertone of desperation.
"You ought to know by now that I don't do a damn thing you say. In fact, I might just live forever just to spite you. How's that sound?"
He wants Jett to open the door, but doesn't know how to ask. Just the night before he'd been kicked out, sent embarrassed and frustrated back to his own room. And no matter how badly he wants Jett to let him in, it can't be because the boy feels sorry about telling him to go off himself.  Gally doesn't want this new information to change them.

Deep down, Jett knew someone would come after him. He planned on telling them to fuck off, that he needed a second to himself.
But he hadn’t planned on it being Gally.
His blood runs cold when he hears the man’s voice just outside his door, telling him not to cry.
Gally was never supposed to hear him cry.
But he supposes it’s pointless to pretend he wasn’t. It’s too late now.
He listens to what the man says and tries to compose himself, goes completely silent in the hopes that maybe Gally will forget he was ever there at all. He stays that way for just long enough to make Gally question whether he will ever answer or not.
Then he stands and opens the door just a crack. Setting eyes on the man soothes something inside of him but he elects to ignore it. Something he can’t ignore though, is that in place of the usual urge to either slap or kiss the other man, there is something else. Terrifyingly, he just wants to hug him, maybe just lie in bed with him for a while, until he can pretend everything is fine again.
Unfortunately, it’s still daytime, and he’s already about to break too many of their rules. It’ll have to wait.
Jett stares at the man through the crack in the door with red rimmed eyes. He wants to say a lot of things but instead, he says nothing. He merely steps back and takes his seat again slumped against the wall, leaving the door wide open as an unspoken invitation.
“I didn’t know.” When he finally speaks it is quiet, that same small voice that he doesn’t recognize as his own. “No one told me. You didn’t tell me. How many nights were you going to let me rub that scar and not tell me how you really got it?” His words are accusing by nature, but he isn’t speaking harshly. His eyes are downcast and he’s started his bad habit of picking at his nails.

Everything goes silent on the other side of Jett's door, gives Galileo time to realize that he might've made it even worse by coming up here while the boy is having a moment of vulnerability. It's too late to back out now though, so Gally waits.
By the time Jett finally cracks the door to peer out at him, Galileo had almost convinced himself the room was empty.  His head hurts, and he wouldn't be surprised if his mind was playing tricks on him again. Visual and auditory hallucinations are nothing new.
He knows this is real though, because Jett's eyes are swollen and red. He's never seen them like that before.  His broken brain could never make that up.
Gally half expects the boy to scowl, tell him to fuck off. He remembers the night before and shuffles his feet, wishes he could be thinking about dancing instead of the searing burn of rejection.
Jett leaves the door open for him, a clear invitation.  Galileo follows the boy inside wordlessly, knowing an opportunity when he sees one.  If Jett was truly serious earlier this might be their last real conversation. He wants to make the most of it.
Gally watches as Jett slumps down against the wall, shocked by how small the boy suddenly seems.  When he finally speaks it's nothing like what Galileo is expecting.  It's that same quivering voice, the one that makes Gally's heart clench uncomfortably.
The boy says he didn't know, and Gally is at a complete loss.  He is surprised when Jett mentions his scar, fingers absently moving up to cover the spot. Galileo hadn't expected Jett to notice it.  It seemed as though the boy was only ever touching him while they were trying to get off.  Gally thought it was his secret pleasure, having his temple rubbed.  He'd never brought it up, always afraid to let Jett know he had the power to take Gally's pain away with just a touch of his hand.
He hadn't realized that Jett would take this so seriously.  The boy sounds accusing, and this would be so much easier if Jett would just look at him.
"I didn't want you to know, Jones. Jesus, why would I? It could only go two ways.  You'd either feel all sorry for me or you'd hold it over my head."  
Gally doesn't know what to do.  No one's ever confronted him about this, and Jett's the last person he'd expect to be upset over it.
He almost wants to try laughing it off again, but at this point he owes the boy honest answers.
"An'..Well there was never a good time to tell you anyways.  I don't like thinkin' about it.  With you around its always the last thing on my mind. An' really, it aint such a big deal as you all make it out to be. I aint fragile.  This shouldn't mean anything." Gally stresses the last part, slowly moving to sit on the floor.  He wants to reach out and swat at Jett's hands, knowing that if the boy keeps on picking at his nails he'll eventually cause them to bleed-
And Gally doesn't want that.  There is no defining moment of when it happened, but he's coming to realize that he doesn't want Jett hurt anymore.  He still likes to see the boy riled up and red in the face, but not from pain.  
Jesus, he's even more whipped than he thought.

“You’re right.” Jett sighs heavily and the words are even more shocking than if he’d just confessed to a murder. Jett Jones admitting defeat is unheard of, even to Gally. “I guess it’s not just something you go around telling people. I just... I’m apparently the only one who didn’t know. Now I feel... so stupid for not putting the pieces together. And in case you hadn’t noticed I don’t particularly like feeling stupid.” He’s speaking softly, honestly. It’s like a completely different boy, not the one who fights with Gally until he’s red in the face and not the one who finds his way into his bed every night either. This is someone else entirely. He’s being vulnerable for the first time in a long time. In a way, this is someone not even Boyd or Ollie have met.
“I get it though. Even I’m not so heartless as to make fun of you for it but I can’t blame you for thinking I would. I guess I didn’t exactly make it easy for you to tell me.” Suddenly, an overwhelming feeling is rising in his chest and it takes him a while to place it.
Guilt.
He doesn’t like it.
The room is silent for a long time. Jett hopes Gally doesn’t notice that he has let his leg fall over towards the other man so their knees are knocking against each other.
Finally, he breeches the silence with words that he knows he can’t take back.
“I didn’t mean it, you know. I don’t want you to die, not really. Not anymore.”

"Oh,"  Gally says, almost dazed.  "Oh." His brain can't comprehend everything he feels in this moment.  There is something warm spreading throughout his chest, a feeling he is unable to place.  It's almost comforting, makes his heart beat faster.  He mostly tries to ignore it though, staring at Jett with a slack jaw.  It is a shock to his system just hearing the boy admit defeat so easily. But then Jett kept on going, like he actually gives a fuck that he was the last to know.
And then the little shit says outright that he doesn't want Gally dead, and the entire world tilts on its axis. This is a feeling he will remember, a moment he will store away with his memories of ocean waves and his mother's laughter,  the way Raleigh smiled with his feet propped up on the dashboard of Roxanne. His life's greatest hits.
"I uh, I reckon I really appreciate you sayin' all that.  Lord knows it probably almost killed you."  His palms feel sweaty.  He swipes them across his jeans and hopes to God that Jett doesn't notice.  
"You ain't got to play nice with me though."  His voice is low, unsure.  He doesn't know how to talk with Jett seriously. They've never done this before and Gally can't ever seem to say what's important.  He always winds up insulting the boy instead, but not tonight.  Some things just need to be said.
"I'm glad you don't want me dead no more, but don't let me in your room jus' cos now you know my dirty little secret."  Galileo has no idea how he will function without their nightly visits, the thought of sleeping alone makes his skin crawl in something akin to dread, but he wont allow himself to be some bastard who stays just because Jett feels sorry for him.  The boy had thrown him out, and Gally sees no reason why this should change that.

“I’m not.” Jett speaks immediately, not even stopping to consider the vulnerability in his next words. “I’m letting you in here because I wanted you in here in the first place.” He sighs, resting his head back against the wall. There’s no use in pretending right now, is there? He’s already been more vulnerable with Gally in the past five minutes than he has with anyone in the past twenty years he’s been alive. Why stop now?
“I fucking hate you but I hate sleeping alone even more, surprisingly. It was just supposed to be about fucking but turns out I like having someone to sleep next to, even if it is you.” Jett sits defensively now, his knees hugged to his chest and his muscles tight. “And I messed it all up because I’m starting to get dependent on that even though I never thought I was that stupid.” Jett avoids eye contact, tips his head back and stares up at the ceiling instead. If he stops to think too hard, realizes just who he is talking to, he might run and never look back. So he breathes, reminds himself that they’re okay right now. And besides, he’s telling the truth but he’s still conveniently leaving out the big, embarrassing parts, like the way he’s been feeling lately when Gally smiles at him or how he had whined in disappointment when the man hadn’t been at his side that morning.
Those things he can keep to himself.
“And then when you kept giving me that smug fucking look... I thought you knew.” The words sound physically painful to get out, like Jett was actually struggling to say them, to breach their unspoken rule of only being allowed to say hateful things. “I thought you were fucking making fun of me and believe me when I say I’d rather die than stand there and let you make me look like an idiot in front of everybody. That’s why I got so pissed and said what I said. I just wanted you to know.” Finally Jett finishes, letting out a huff of relief before slumping back against the wall in exhaustion. Thank God that was over.

Jett's entire body is tense and defensive.  Galileo notices how the boys muscles are pulled taut.  And he knows he definitely should not touch.  He knows this.  But Jett is saying all these things, vulnerable in a way Galileo has never seen before.  And he isn't trying to invade the boys safe space but he can't help himself.  He has to know this is real.
Gally scoots closer, enough that he can reach out and brush his fingers over Jett's knee.  It hardly counts for touching, hardly even lasts a second. That's all he needed though, to feel the boys skin and know he is solid.  Jett is here and this is real.
The shock works his jaw loose, and Gally starts babbling before he realizes the weight of his words.
"Sweet Jesus Jones, I was only being a smug asshole because you went and hurt feelings I didn't even know I had."
There is a hole in his jeans.  Galileo wouldn't have noticed it but he can't look at Jett while saying these things that he can never take back.
"Now don't get me wrong, I like to tease you an i'd do that any chance I got.  But earlier I was bein' a dick on purpose jus' so you'd have to pay attention to me." Gally's cheeks are colored red with embarrassment, and he doesn't know what to do with his hands. They fidgett uselessly in his lap, so he busies them by tugging at the hole, unravelling a thread.  He has more to say but his tongue feels heavy, mouth tastes like ash.
Gally swallows it back and talks anyways.
"That sounds a lot more pathetic out loud than it did in my head. What im trying to say is that i'm already dependant on having you to come home to.  I don't know when it happened, I just figured you oughta know. There ain't no sense in me playin' pretend no more. I hate your guts but the days that I see you are better than the ones where I don't.  And I found out today that missin' you makes me a spiteful mother fucker." Galileo steals a glance at Jett.  He isn't sure what kind of reaction he's hoping to see, but just looking at the boy gives him a certain level of comfort.

At first, Jett merely swallows hard, contemplates Gally’s words and how they make him feel. He’s unsettled by the way warmth seems to spread through his entire body. But he can’t help it. It’s nice to know he’s not alone in this. Gally has grown dependent on him too. Whatever is happening between them, whatever weird truce they seem to have reached, they’re in it together.
Jett finally manages to relax slightly, letting his arms fall back to his sides. Their shoulders brush and he pretends not to notice, but he does. He leaves it there anyways.
He tilts his head and meets Gally’s gaze.
“So... you’re saying you missed me, huh?” A teasing little smirk twists its way onto his lips. His eyes fall downwards then, to where the man is toying with the hole in his jeans. “And now you’re doing this whole awkward fidgeting thing. This is like a different person here. If you ask me, it’s actually pretty c-“ Jett stops abruptly in the middle of his sentence. Of course, he’d been about to say the word “cute.” But cute is not a word you use to describe someone you’re just fucking. Cute is for relationships or even friends. But Gally is neither of those things to him, and it’s getting annoying to have to keep reminding himself of that. “Hot.” He finishes, smirk never fading. “You should try not acting like a prick more often. It suits you.”

Galileo stares at him for a moment, blinking almost owlishly as his brain tries to process this new side of Jett, the one who teases without malice and talks to him like a person instead of a dog. It hardly seems real, but then their shoulders brush and its all the proof he needs.
Galileo is grateful for the contact, it keeps him grounded in the moment, lets him know that his mind isn't playing tricks on him as it so often does. Gally would be humiliated for the boy to know just how many times he's been seen as an apparition in the dark.  A side effect of his broken brain.
"Did I say that? Reckon I musta misspoke."  They both know he didn't, but Gally tries to save face anyways.  He's already been more open with Jett than he can remember being with anyone in his life besides Raleigh, and that's a luxury he cant afford.
The boy mentions his fidgeting hands and they still immediately, fingers flattening out against his knees. He's almost surprised the boy noticed.
"I like to keep my hands busy, keeps me from choking you when you're in one of your shitty moods." His lips twitch, and his smile is almost fond.
 What he said is true, but mostly it keeps him from reaching out and touching Jett in general.  His fingers are always itching to stroke their way through the boys hair, or wander along the curve of his back. Sometimes, when the other beta is being especially cruel, those very fingers want to curl around his neck or cross his cheek with force.
Gally knows he should be more ashamed of his wandering hands, but fails to actually feel the emotion.  Instead he mirrors Jett's smirk, playing along with their little truce.
"But yeah, I reckon I could consider being nicer.  Jus' so long as you make it worth my while." Regardless of how it sounds, Gally isn't referring to sex.  He just wants the company, but that's too humiliating for him to ever admit,  to himself or anyone else.  Jett can believe whatever he wants, just so long as he keeps coming around.

Jett listens as Gally speaks, hating it as he realizes just how much he’s comforted by the man’s presence. This is... nice, just sitting here, talking without fighting. He almost wants to do it more often.
Almost.
“I mean, I wouldn’t mind you choking me so much. If you need to do something with your hands.” Jett chuckles lightly to himself as his eyes trail down to Gally’s hands, now flattened against his knees. He is more familiar with those hands than he could have ever imagined. He knows just where every callous is, how they feel against his skin. He is more fond of those hands than he’d like to admit.
He is almost relieved when Gally says he’ll be nicer, so long as Jett makes it worth his while. This is something he knows, something he is good at. Being nice, especially to Gally, is a foreign concept to him. But sexual innuendos? He can do that in his sleep.
“Well then I think we could work something out. But I plan on holding you to that, Leo.” The nickname tumbles past his lips before he thinks about it. And then it just sits there in the air between them, neither of them knowing what to do with it.
Galileo was too formal sounding. And everyone called him Gally. Jett needed something all his own and somehow Leo felt right. This wasn’t Gally, the prick he hated with all his heart. This was Leo, the obnoxious fucker that he for some strange reason wanted to spend time with anyways.

Oh.
Gally's mind shorts out the moment Jett mentions his hands again, says he wouldn't mind the choking.
For a moment he wonders if the boy had actually said that, wonders if he'd imagined it.
Jett is laughing though, light and almost teasing as he looks down at Galileo's twitching hands. He definitely said it.
Gally's palms suddenly feel sweaty. Or maybe that's just the heat creeping up his neck at the idea of his fingers closing on Jett's throat.
The thought turns him on more than it should.
Jesus, he is so fucked.
Galileo's attention drifts to Jett's face for the first time since entering the room.  The boy is talking again, but Gally can't remember anything he'd said beyond the little nickname tacked onto the end.
Leo.
Jett had just called him Leo.
And holy shit, its Gally's new favorite sound.  Better than ocean waves crashing into rock, or rain falling against a tin roof.
In a way he fucking hates it.  Jett isn't supposed to give him all these warm feelings that he doesn't know what to do with.  Hell, even his sternum feels like its on fire.  And fuck the fluttering in his stomach, he doesn't believe in having butterflies for this tall boy with the short temper.
And yet-
His smile is so wide it makes his eyes crinkle at the edges, a dimple appearing at his cheek. Galileo does his best to dial it back, tries biting the inside of his cheek, but even then it doesn't disappear entirely.
Leo.
Gally wants to hear him to say it again.  He knows better than to mention it though, doesn't want to risk making the boy shy away and stop altogether.  
The man sets his jaw and forces his lips to drop into a sly smirk, as though the smiling never happened.
"Easy there Jones, you keep talkin' like that an' im gon' have to take you back to my room."  He doesn't want to invite himself to stay in Jett's bed, but he sure as shit wants Jett to come stay in his.
Now would probably be a good time to start calling the boy by his first name, but Gally still hesitates. He could probably count on one hand the number of times he's actually called the other beta by his given name, most of them not even to his face. He isn't sure how to cross that line, not that Jett would want him to anyways.

Gally smiles that stupid dimpled grin of his and Jett feels his heartbeat speed up. He can’t help himself then, jolts forward and grabs the man by the chin, tugging him forward for a teeth clanking kiss. It’s forceful, but still ten times softer than any other they’ve shared. It takes a moment for Jett to realize this and he leaves Gally with a bite to his lower lip before pulling back.
“Shame they’re all downstairs probably waiting for us to come back down or I might just let you.” Jett smirks, licks a drop of blood off his lips as he leans back to his position against the wall. He remembers that it’s still daylight outside, that he’s just broken one of their rules but for the moment it doesn’t matter. “For the record, not wanting you dead doesn’t mean I don’t hate you. I’ll still knock you on your ass so don’t get too cocky.”
There is another silence but it is almost a comfortable one this time. A moment later and Jett speaks again, in a gentler voice.
“Do you still want to? ...Kill yourself, I mean?” He averts his gaze as he asks the question, hating that some part of him cares enough to want to know the answer.

Gally would have been less surprised if Jett had lashed out and slapped him.  This kiss is the last thing he'd been expecting.  They have rules in place and this is breaking them, but Jett's lips are warm and his teeth ache and he can't bring himself to give a single fuck about their rules.
Jett nips his lower lip before pulling back, and it's all Gally can do to swallow down a disappointed whine that rises in his throat.
The boy is smirking at him, licking blood off his lip.  It's by far the hottest thing Galileo has ever seen, his mouth still tingling.
He can taste coffee on his tongue.
Jett settles back against the wall and Gally watches him, hating his guts because damnit, now his pants feel like they're suddenly too tight. The boy is mouthing off though and thats enough to distract him from his current restrictions.
"An' I believe you would, so I s'pose i'll have to keep that in mind."  The boy had just threatened him, but Gally is smirking.  He knows Jett wouldn't hesitate to knock him on his ass. He should be more annoyed by it but in this moment he's just happy-
Happy to know this boy who is more fierce than any beast, with his pretty lips and sinful tongue.
The next question catches him off guard, wipes the silly little smirk off his face in record time. He hesitates, hands coming together in his lap. They twist around each other as he considers the tone of Jett's voice, if he'd imagined how soft it was.
"I used to."  He'd think about it often, when he found himself dreading knock off time because it meant he had to go home. When he found himself awake in the night, hallucinating his mother voice and Raleigh's smile. He'd think about that dark alley and the stone's scraping his back, the cool of metal against his temple.
It only dawns on him now that he hasn't had one of those moments in months, not since Jett started barging into his room at night, giving him better things to think about.
"But I ain't thought about it in awhile now."  He doesn't want to tell Jett when the thoughts stopped.  The boy doesn't deserve to have that pressure on his shoulders.  Gally knows though, and he isn't sure what to do with the information now that he has it.
"You keep me pretty busy these days. An' works been good. Malakai takes me out every Saturday.  I reckon I got enough to live for." Gally tries to look at Jett, but he is a coward and instead his eyes flicker to the discolored circle on the wall, where he'd put his fist through the concrete and sealed it a week later.
Gally clears his throat.
"Besides, without me around there would be no one here to stop you from getting too full of your damn self. "

Jett tries not to let the relief show on his face as he considers Gally’s answer, nodding his head.
“Well, good. If you weren’t around I’d have no one to bother and then I’d have to pick fights with someone else. They should all be grateful you’re here, really. If I didn’t have you to take it all out on, I’d be a monster.” Jett laughs, telling himself that this isn’t a lie.
It’s not.
It’s just not the whole truth. Because he wants Gally around for more than that now. More than for sex too. But God help him if the asshole ever figures that out.
“And I mean, just cause I’m a bitch doesn’t mean everyone else hates you.” He doesn’t mean to comfort the man, really. But he can’t seem to stop himself. The words just keep coming. “I might hate your guts but Thatcher? I’m pretty sure he’d never stop bawling if you left. And don’t get me started on Mal. Jesus, I’d never be able to deal with the whining. You’re already all he talks about.” Jett places a hand on his hip before starting to speak in a higher pitch that mocks Malakai’s tone. “‘You shouldn’t be so mean to Gally, Gally is my best friend, why are you such a bitch all the time, blah blah blah.’” He rolls his eyes more dramatically than he needs to before glancing over at the man. “So yeah, I guess some of these fuckers like you even if I don’t get why.” His version of comforting sounds a lot like insulting but he had never claimed to be good at it. Being nice has never been his strong suit. “You’re kind of a part of the family now, there’s no getting rid of you. Believe me, if there was I would have done it by now. Ollie and I tried our hardest.” The tiniest hint of a smirk plays on his lips although he’s only half joking.

"Awh shucks Jones, I never knew you cared." Galileo drawls the words softly, teasing even despite his tone. He has to tease the boy, otherwise Jett might see right through him, might know he's caused something to swell behind Gally's ribcage. He can't define the feeling, isn't sure he's ever felt anything quite like it in his life.
No one besides his mother had explicitly told him he should live, because he's wanted or loved or whatever.  It only happened once.
After she died, Gally never expected to hear anything like it again.
But now Jett's standing here, awkward and lanky and rattling off about how important he is to Thatcher and Malakai, saying he's part of the family.  Galileo doesn't mean to laugh, but it slips out anyways when Jett imitates Mal's voice. It's almost spot on, and maybe that is his way of covering the nervous pressure building in his chest. It feels weird, being wanted.
At any rate the man presses scarred knuckles to his mouth in an attempt to stop anymore sounds from escaping.
Jesus, he can hardly believe this is real.  Is this real?  Gally can't risk trying to touch him.
Jett's still standing there though, troublesome and smirking and maybe he did say all that.  
Gally hopes he did.
Bones creak as he pushes himself up from the floor, pointedly ignoring the few inches Jett has over him.  Its sexy when the boy is naked in his bed, but otherwise it's a pain in his ass.
He  could have already left, but the beta is purposely dragging around.  If Jett called him out he'd deny it though.
"So does that mean I might jus' find you in my room tonight?" He sounds cocky, and much more confident than he actually feels.   The man shoves restless hands into his pockets, acts like he has somewhere else to be even though the only place he wants to be is here.
Fuck, that alone is an impossible thought to process.  He wants to be around Jett.  Gally had always known this was a dangerous game they played, but it's only now occurring to him just how actually screwed he is.

Jett merely stares at Gally for a moment, unsure if he wants to punch him or kiss him.
Probably both.
“Don’t go getting cocky on me. I’ll take that all back faster than you can say some stupid Southern shit like aw shucks again.” Jett speaks warningly but his expression isn’t harsh. It’s almost teasing, in fact.
“If you’re lucky, I think I might just fit you into my busy schedule. But don’t hold your breath.” There’s a pause and then Jett smirks. It’s not quite his usual sly grin though, almost a bit sheepish. Almost as if he’s embarrassed because they both know he’s bluffing.
And sure enough, when night time rolls around he finds himself creeping out of bed and into the other man’s room.

Night after night, their routine continues. By all means, it should feel exactly the same as it did before. Nothing has really changed.
Except something has. Something neither of them can place and both try desperately to ignore.
But it’s there.
Maybe it’s the way they linger in each other’s presence now, basking in silence instead of constant bickering. Maybe it’s the way when they do fight, the words feel empty, all the malice gone. Maybe it’s the way the only time either of them feel truly at home is when they find themselves tangled up underneath the sheets.
One night, part of their routine finally does change. Gally is headed out the door for work in the morning and instead of pretending to sleep until he’s gone, Jett has accompanied him downstairs to start his morning coffee.
If Gally thinks anything of it, he doesn’t voice his concerns. Jett has already planned his excuse if he were to be questioned, though. Gally’s noisy ass had woken him up and he needed his morning coffee immediately before he murdered him. Sounded believable enough.
Jett had plopped himself down on the couch with his mug in hand, eyes subtly following Gally as he moved towards the front door.
He’s got one foot outside and Jett isn’t planning on saying anything akin to a goodbye until the man stops and glances back at him.
Gally says something to him then and Jett merely blinks several times, trying to comprehend the man’s words.
Had Gally really just tried to ask him out for drinks?
He had said something about going out by himself after work, saying there might be a free drink in it for him if he were to show up.
It is such a wild difference from their usual feigned hatred that Jett is left reeling for a moment.
He sees Gally’s Adam’s apple bob in his throat, realizes this means he’s nervous right now.
So he had really meant to ask that.
“Sorry I think I’m busy tonight. Try me again sometime, like maybe when hell freezes over.” He speaks the words nonchalantly before sipping his drink once more, as if his mind isn’t still racing wondering what the hell has gotten into Gally.
The other man leaves the home without another word.
Morning after morning, Gally continues to throw out the offer casually, letting Jett know that free drink is still on the table. It seems like they’ve added a new morning after routine to their rocky relationship. Each morning, Jett rejects the offer although his response isn’t always the same. He likes to get creative with them. If he’s particularly tired, a simple “fuck off” will suffice. But on other days Gally has gotten anything from “I’d rather literally burn to death” to “sorry I’m not in the business of doing things that make me want to vomit.”
One response he has considered often but never spoken aloud is a simple yes.
It’s too risky, he had thought to himself many times. What the fuck would the other pack members think if they learned he and Gally were going out for drinks together? That meant taking their relationship one step above enemies with benefits. Everyone might start thinking they were friends or something.

It's almost become a habit.  Every morning Gally asks the same question, and while the answer isn't always exact, it never really changes.  There was a point where he'd considered stopping, because of pride and some strange sense of disappointment he tries to ignore. That hadn't been enough to stop him though. What's a little rejection compared to the possibility that Jett finally beaks down and tells  him yes one of these days? It would be one hell of a pay off, all his efforts worth it in the end.
And even if that faithful yes day never comes, Galileo gets to walk away knowing he's tried at least.
This morning happens to be a Saturday.  He only works until noon, has promised to take Malakai for drinks afterwards.
He doesn't ask Jett to come with him that morning. Gally leaves silently, as if he hadn't waited around an extra minute, enjoying just how peaceful Jett could be in his sleep.
He's not really all that peaceful actually.  He hogs the covers and occasionally lashes out with his long limbs, throwing arms in Gally's face and kicking the mans shins at random. He doesn't talk though, and that's peace enough.
The man chases himself from the room that morning, annoyed with the fond ache at his sternum.  He tries to recall all the recent things Jett's done to piss him off, but none of the anger can hold up against the damn feeling in his chest.
Gally doesn't try talking to Jett when he gets home. He does shove a small bag into his hands though, grunting as he sidesteps into his room. He's bought Jett a new shirt, the only way he could think to tempt the beast.
Malakai is already waiting for him downstairs, but he can wait a moment more.
Galileo appears in Jett's doorway a second time, dressed in a blue long sleeved flannel shirt. It's button's are silver and it's tight around his biceps, clinging to the broad of his shoulders.  His jeans look new, too. No holes at the knees, a dark denim color. Even his boots seem shiny tonight, steel toed and black as coal. The man looks like a fine southern gentleman, all except for the downward curve of his mouth.
He doesn't look hopeful in the slightest, but he shoves his hands into deep pockets and asks anyways,
"Im goin' to the bar with Malakai. I figured i'd see if you wanted to tag along."  Gally starts off by looking him in the eye, but his gaze progressively falls to the floor.  He looks entirely out of place, all dressed up for no one.  
Galileo feels embarrassment pooling in his gut, tries his best to shrug it off.
"Ya know, jus' for the free drink an' all." The man finally meets his gaze, just waiting for Jett to go ahead and get this over with so he can go drink beer and sulk about it.

Jett refused to admit that he had been the tiniest bit disappointed when Gally left that morning without speaking to him. For a while he had even gotten in his own head, wondered what he’d done to fuck up their little routine.
No matter how hard he tried to go about his day like normal, he couldn’t seem to shake thoughts of the other man from his head. As always, Gally was on his mind. It wasn’t until he caught himself staring at the clock that he realized he might actually be missing the bastard. He had been subconsciously counting down the minutes until noon.
It was eleven when Malakai had begun getting ready. With his big mouth, Jett knew immediately just what he was getting ready for; going out with Gally.
This time Jett is aware of the way he deflates, sighing as he realizes that Gally is still not going to be home for him to bother.
He sulks in his room until noon rolls around, up and in the doorway when he hears Roxanne pulling in out front.
Boots thud up the stairs and he begins to think of what he can say that will be rude and nice all at the same time. Something he can do to check that they are alright.
Gally doesn’t give him a chance, though. Instead, he grumbles something under his breath as he shoves a bag into Jett’s arms.
Then he’s gone.
Jett watches him go, merely blinking several times as he takes the bag back into his room.
As he looks at it properly, he recognizes the clothing store name printed on the front of it.
Gally was giving him clothes?
Mr. “I only wear flannels and dirty jeans” was buying him something to wear?
This should be good.
Then again, he figures it’s probably a joke. Some ridiculously gaudy thing or a shirt with an insult written across the front.
He peeks in the bag only to pause as the garment is revealed to him.
It’s kind of perfect.
He pulls out the shirt, holding it out in front of him to examine it.
He immediately tries it on and stands in front of the mirror.
It’s a simple shirt but it seems to fit him perfectly and it’s in his favorite shade of red. It’s exactly the kind of thing he would wear normally. And it’ll go perfectly with the jean jacket he’d been wearing lately.
It’s then, as he’s admiring his reflection, that Gally enters the room.
Jett turns to face him and his stomach is in knots immediately. He’s suddenly got a lump in his throat and his palms are clammy.
God, Gally looks good tonight. He’s never seen the man so handsome and it seems to be turning him into a little girl with a crush. He hates it.
Jett’s so busy eyeing the man up and down that he almost misses what he’s saying entirely. He tunes in just in time to catch most of it.
Today, he doesn’t even have to think twice. Between the shirt and the way he had missed the man’s company all morning, the words almost come out on their own. He manages to catch them, though, and at least makes himself sound nonchalant.
“Yeah, sure.” Jett speaks casually, as if he hadn’t spent the past several weeks turning the other man down. “Ollie’s coming too, though.” It’s a statement, not a question. Ollie coming is not optional. He hopes the boy doesn’t have plans because he needs a buffer tonight. If Mal and Ollie are along, it doesn’t have to mean anything.
Right?
“And this shirt,” Jett pauses, glancing back over at the man. “I think you got me a size too small. But thanks, I guess.” Of course, the shirt isn’t too small. It does cling tightly to him, but he’s always preferred it that way. He’s sure Gally knows that, too since the man has certainly taken enough clothes off of him by now to know his preferences. But he couldn’t simply thank the other beta without throwing something negative in there too. It wasn’t how they worked.
“I’m gonna go tell Ollie to get ready.” He informs Gally before slipping past him and heading for Ollie’s room.
He can already hear his friend scolding him for agreeing to go out with Gally in the first place.
“Ollie.” He calls as he knocks on the door to the boy’s bedroom before swinging it open anyways. “I hope you don’t have any plans because I need you to come out with me.”

Galileo had known that red was Jett's best color but still found himself awed by how good the boy looked wearing it.  Jett comments on the garment being too tight.  Gally gives him a scrutinizing once over before finally deciding that
A. Jett is full of shit and-
B. The shirt looks fucking amazing on him.
He asks his usual question and awaits the usual answer.
Gally already has a smartass remark on his tongue, something to combat the rejection.
But then he realized there was no rejection.
Jett had said yes.
Well slap his ass and call him Sally. This was a damn unexpected turn of events.  Of course Gally wanted Jett to come, but he never actually thought the boy would.
The beta grunts in reply, and if not for Jett brushing past him he might've started thinking he'd imagined the entire exchange.
The boy disappears to tell Ollie, but Gally takes an extra few minutes to gather himself and his headache before trudging off to alert Malakai of the new arrangement.
Oleander was sprawled across his bed, taking shirtless snaps that he would surely be sending to Carter.  The boy doesn't look up immediately. He poses once more, captures a last picture before allowing his sharp eyes to flicker towards Jett. They land on his friend knowingly, his mouth already puckering as if he'd tasted something sour.
"I might be free. Depends."  Oleander props himself up on slender elbows, asking questions he can already guess the answer to.  "Where might we be going? And with who?"  
It's no secret that Malakai had been getting ready to go out with Gally tonight. And he knows that the inbred bastard fumbles his way through asking Jett out for drinks almost every day.
Ollie had known Jett would cave eventually. Just not when.

Jett wears an almost sheepish smile as Ollie finally looks at him, fixes him with a judging stare.
“Don’t look at me like that.” He whines, covering his eyes. “I’m just... bored, that’s all. So we’re going out with your brother and uh, maybe whatever company he has for the night.” Jett practically holds his breath, tries to seem as nonchalant as possible. He knows it’s obvious he’s lying, but he can only hope Ollie doesn’t know his real reason for saying yes to Gally tonight. Sure, the boy probably has an idea that Jett is getting a bit more attached than he lets on but if he knew the full extent, Jett was sure he’d never let it down.
The truth was that he only seemed to be happy these days when Gally was around. Even when they were fighting, it was better than when the man was gone. He was growing dependent on their nights together and the bad part was he seemed to be helpless to stop it. Maybe the worst part was that he didn’t really want to anymore.
“Look, this way it doesn’t have to be a date or anything. You and Mal are there too. It’ll just be an excuse for us to party and you can make fun of him all night. Sounds like a good time, right?” Jett wears a soft smile as he pleads with his friend, just hoping his motives aren’t questioned any further.

"Well," Oleander gives Jett plenty of time to sweat it out, his lips curved into a sly unapologetic smile. "I do really like giving him hell. It would be kinda fun to ruin his good time." Jett might not have noticed any changes in Gally but Ollie has. The backwoods bastard is practically in love at this point. He always stays longer in the mornings when he's spent the night in Jett's room. He comes home earlier too, much to Ollie's disgust. It was better having him gone all the time. Even putting all that aside, Gally has been showing his face down stairs more often, something he'd rarely done before. Ollie catches him occasionally, watching Jett with some strange longing in his eyes.
It makes Ollie sick to watch. Jett seems to be enjoying himself though, at least for now. And he really deserves that, especially after the blow up with Boyd.
"I'll go. But you owe me one." Oleander rises from the bed, all airy and graceful. He really is doing the boy a favor. God knows spending a night with Galileo is the last thing he wants. But at least this way maybe he can keep Jett from flirting with the fucker. It doesn't take him long to get ready.
Gally was waiting for them in the hallway, hair pushed back and flannel sleeves rolled up. Oleander regards him with contempt, almost tempted to spit on the mans black boots. He looks so southern one might think he's married to a cousin.
Galileo ignores him for once, completely sidestepping Ollie to offer Jett his arm. Its an awkward thing, and he is fully prepared to have the boy swat him away. Worth a shot though.

Jett is caught off guard by the gesture. He merely stands there and gapes for a moment, looking as if Gally had just punched him instead of innocently offered him an arm. But then again, a punch would have been less shocking with the way their relationship worked.
He stares a moment longer, as if hoping Gally will put it down and act as if it’d never happened.
He doesn’t.
Fuck, he has to make a choice.
If they were alone... maybe, just maybe he’d take it without another word. They’d go back to fighting like normal in a moment but they could share one silent moment of peace.
But they’re not alone.
These things can’t happen when others are around.
“I wouldn’t hold your arm like that even if I liked you, Leo.” Jett scoffs, pushes past the man before stopping in his tracks.
He’d just called the man Leo in front of everyone else. That’d been just between them until now, one more weird thing that only happened when they were alone together in their own fucked up little world.
Red threatens to creep up his neck as he prays Ollie hadn’t taken notice. He is already planning his response if the boy questions him about it later.
For once in his life, he is thankful for Malakai as the boy comes to his rescue by acting like the nickname never happened.
“Well, good. Then he can be my escort.” Malakai chirps happily as he hooks his own arm through Gally’s.
Jett doesn’t like the way his stomach rolls at the sight of the two of them so cozy. He knows there’s nothing romantic going on there but still, his wolf seems to be staging a silent protest within him.
Hell, he’s really losing it if he’s going to start being jealous over Mal. What is the world coming to?

"Alright then sourpuss, have it your way I reckon." Gally exhales a deep sigh, like he'd known beforehand that Jett was going to be so proud as not to take his arm. He wasn't expecting the pet name though. The man goes rigid at the sound of it, stomach flipping because he's never heard Jett say it so casually before.
Leo.  
He knows the boy didn't mean to say it though, eyes quickly darting around the circle to see if Oleander is going to bring it up.  The beta had heard them no doubt, he'd been bluntly scowling at them as Gally offered his arm.
Of course it was Malakai who came to his rescue.  It's always Malakai.  Galileo is absolutely grateful for that. Without Mal there would be no one in his corner. It shows on his face as he reaches to take the boy's arm. Gally's smile is all tender and appreciative, a callused hand gently patting Malakai's.
"That would be my pleasure, sugar." He is ever the gentleman, leading Malakai to Roxanne and even opening the passenger side door for him.  This is nothing new though, Galileo always treats Malakai with the utmost respect.  He makes it a point to set an example, so that hopefully Mal will never accept anything less from his actual dates.
"Ya'll gon' ride with us?"  Galileo is still holding the door open, almost hopeful that a the very least Jett would ride in the same vehicle as him.  Oleander is already shaking his head though, impatiently waving his own set of keys around.
"As if.  It probably smells like sweat and cow shit in there. Like you." Ollie is waiting for Gally to take the bait, but tonight he merely bows his head, a small smile playing on his lips.
"That's too bad.  Thought the cologne had that covered."  The man is grinning now, like a proper smartass.  Nothing Oleander says or does can bring him down tonight.  Jett might not want to take his arm but he showed up, agreed to come.  Ollie can't possibly take that away from him, no matter how he tries.
Gally can play these games too after all.
"How about I walk y'all to the car then? Least I can do."  Oleander is trying to protest but Gally is already walking, intent on opening Jett's door like a nice southern beau.  Fuck whatever Oleander has to say about it. Galileo has no reason to think that Jett will ever say yes again.  He has to make the most of what he's got.

Jett hates himself for it but he can’t help but let out a chuckle at Gally’s smartassed reply. Another thing that seem to have changed between them. While a month ago he found Gally’s witty retorts infuriating, now he kind of enjoyed the man’s sense of humor.
He covers it up with a roll of his eyes, acted as if he had merely been scoffing at how stupid the other man was.
They head towards Ollie’s car, looking like an unlikely trio. Ollie with his face clenched in hatred so powerful Jett feared it may get stuck that way, Gally with a sly grin, and Jett, his expression somewhere in between genuine happiness and faked disgust.
Jett reaches for the passenger side door handle but of course, Gally beats him to it. He considers yelling at the man. He also considers just giving a simple thank you. But he settles on something in between.
“Hmm,” Jett looks thoughtful as he glances down at his hands. “Funny, I didn’t think my arms were broken. I’m pretty sure I can open things for myself.” He slides in the car anyway and makes no move to shut the door himself. “I guess I should thank you though, since you’re such the gentleman tonight.” His voice is dripping in sarcasm but he hopes Gally takes the thank you anyways.

"No, I suppose your arms work jus' fine." They sure as hell seemed fine last night. Gally tries running a hand across his mouth, as if that would wipe the goofy little smile off his face. It's impossible to get rid of once Jett slides into the car, never once trying to reach for his door. It's a small victory, but a victory all the same, makes his heart swell up until he feels tight in the chest.
He wasn't expecting any sort of gratitude, even in the form of sarcasm.
Jett is just full of surprises tonight.
"Hell Jones, I really appreciate that. Nice that you noticed." Gally even goes so far as to tip his hat at the beta. It's a stupid little gesture, something for the boys to laugh at on their way to the bar. He hasn't been drinking but he sure feels drunk anytime Jett smiles at him.
Fuck, he'll probably hate himself for this tomorrow, but he won't let that affect tonight.
Gally follows up with a wink, all nice and charming like a bonafide cowboy.
Oleander chooses then to honk the horn. He is absolutely delighted when Galileo jolts, nearly falling over on his ass at the sudden blast of noise. For just a moment the man looks livid, like he wants to walk around and give Oleander a real piece of his mind. But instead he takes one look at Jett and breaks into a smile, even joins with Ollie in laughing at himself. So what if Oleander has just embarrassed him in front of the person he is trying so hard to impress? Jett has surely seen worse at this point.
The cake fight they'd had suddenly comes to mind, and Galileo laughs harder.
Who'd have ever thought they'd come so far?
"I reckon i'll see y'all back at the bar then." Gally is brushing himself off, the brim of his hat pulled low to hide the faint burning in his cheeks.
"Yeah. Reckon you will." Oleander mocks relentlessly, already starting the car up. If Gally doesn't move soon, Ollie might just run his ass over.