Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

When Angie heard the sound of the revolving door of the automat, she instantly knew who it was. The diner was empty safe for a couple of patrons at the odd hour of eight in the evening. There could be only one that was here at this hour.

“Hey, Angieee,” came the voice of one Jack Thompson, who was extra sickeningly sweet today.

She was working behind the counter, she didn’t even look up at him when she gave a noncommittal hum, barely knowledging his arrival.

He slid onto a stool and leaned forward. “Come on, Angie, you can’t stay mad at me forever,” he said, putting a box on the counter and giving it some light taps. “I brought you cookies to say sorry.”

That caught her attention, enough for her to slowly turn her head in his direction, peeking at the paper box that she assumed contained cookies inside. “You bought them?” she asked with narrowed eyes.

Jack sighed and hung his head. “Ugh, yes…” he admitted and looked back up at her. “You know I don’t know how to bake and- I don’t have time to do stuff like that!”

Angie clicked her tongue and approached the counter where Jack was, waving her hand around. “Tsk tsk, excuses, excuses- let me be the judge of this. You probably have bad taste in cookies too.” Jack let that jab go through, just letting out a heavy breath as Angie grabbed the cookie box, opening it and picking up a piece to inspect before taking a bite. Jack was looking at her with hopeful look but it soon shattered when Angie’s expression quickly twisted into distaste. She shook her head, put the piece of cookie down and dusted off her hand. “Nuh uh- This is ass.”

“What?? Goddamnit!” he frowned.

That made Angie snort. “Are you ready to admit that you’re wrong?”

“Yes, fine. I am sorry, Angie, I was wrong. Musicals are not stupid and pointless, I just have bad taste,” Jack deadpanned.

Angie put on a judgmental expression and moved to turn away. “I find it hard to believe that you were being genuine.”

“Agh- No, no, Angie-” Jack leaned over the counter to bat at her. At least he knew better than to grab her. Peggy’s wrath was nothing to scoff at. “Angie, seriously, I’m really sorry. And I really, really need your help… You know what, I… I’ll let you take me to a show. I’ll see what the fuss is about with these shows you love so much myself.”

Angie turned back towards Jack slowly, considering the deal. “That’s…” she nodded, “that sounds good…” She trailed off like she hadn’t finished speaking yet. She tapped on her chin. Let’s see what else she could get out of him. “And you have to let me teach you to bake too, cause you ain’t getting a man with these shit cookies.” She glanced down at the box of cookies and waved a hand, as if wanting to shoo the cookies off.

“Ugh, fine, whatever,” he rolled his eyes but they both know he didn’t mean anything by it, just annoyed at Angie’s antics as usual. “So will you help me now? Please?”

Angie returned with an eye roll of her own and asked, “Alright, what stupid thing did you do this time?”

Jack stared at Angie, offended. “Why did you assume I did something stupid.”

“Well, did you?” she said, raising a challenging eyebrow.

Jack’s face dropped, looking away. “Maybe…” he mumbled. “I panicked, okay!”

Angie chuckled. “Thought so.”

“Don’t be so smug,” he said, sneering at her. Then he sighed and explained, “So… Sousa might have said he liked me. I thought he was joking so I kinda blacked out and laughed it off and punched him in the arm and… ran away.”

Angie bursted out in laughter.

Jack pouted, crossing his arms. “Why did I even come to you for this…”

“Ok, ok so-” Angie said, in between laughter still as she started to calm down a little. “So, is he actually joking or?” She knew that there was no way on Earth Sousa was. She could see how smitten he was with Thompson but a girl gotta make sure.

“Well, I- I don’t know! Maybe- maybe not?? What if I totally fucked up my chance?” Jack whined.

Angie sighed at the utter incompetence of her friend. “Knowing him, I don’t think you have. Jack,” she said, her gaze piercing him. “You like him too, right?”

“That’s a dumb question, of course I do! Why would I be freaking out otherwise?”

Angie rolled her eyes. She swore one of these days her eyes were going to roll out of her skull if she kept hanging out with this man. “Then go. Tell. Him. Tell him you like him too and… maybe add that you were a dumbass and thought he was joking before.”

Jack furrowed his brows. “It can’t be that simple,” he said, ignoring Angie’s jab.

Angie crossed her arms, standing with a confident stance. “It really is,” she nodded. “I took my own advice and I landed the hottest gal ‘round here, didn’t I?” She smirked.

“I guess you did,” he admitted. “Alright, so- what? Should I buy flowers and go to his place right now?”

“Uhh yes! Obviously! Now, get off your ass before the flower shop closes,” Angie said, giving him an encouraging smack on his arm and chuckling. “Oh, and ditch the cookies,” she added.

“Thanks, Angie. You’re the best,” Jack said, getting up from his seat and started to run out of the automat.

“Hey!” she called out before he could leave. “See you Thursday for baking at my place?”

“Yep, yep,” he said, throwing a wave and not even looking back as he hurried out into the night.

Chapter Text

Jack practically sprinted out of the automat, trying his best not to look deranged. He stopped at a flower shop on the way to Daniel’s place. He had to beg the vendor to arrange something simple for him before they closed, but he tipped them well enough.

He arrived at Daniel’s door a bit out of breath, so he took a second to gather himself before ringing the doorbell. He didn’t have to wait long for Daniel to answer the door. The man was dressed casually, wrapped in a cozy robe like he was ready to call it a night.

With a nervous smile on his face and the bouquet clutched to his chest, Jack said, “Hey.”

“Hey,” Daniel returned the greeting, his face unreadable. “W-why are you here? It’s late.”

“I came here to talk cause you know… I didn’t really give us a chance to earlier,” Jack chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. “And about that, first, I’d like to say I’m sorry.” He reached out, offering the bouquet to Daniel. He could’ve sworn, even in the dark, Daniel’s cheeks grew a bit pink.

“Oh, um, thanks. I appreciate that,” Daniel said, accepting the flowers. “Do you want to come in? I have wine.”

Jack nodded and stepped over the threshold as Daniel stepped out of the door way and back to the couch. He took a seat next to him.

“I really thought we were gonna snitch on me back there,” Daniel said as he poured another glass of wine.

“What? No, why would I-” Jack started, a bit at that assumption.

But Daniel raised an eyebrow with a little quirk of his lips, giving Jack a look that shut him up.

Jack sighed, his expression softening. “Well, I didn’t. I would never do that to you.” He leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees, wine glass in his hand and turning to look towards Daniel, making sure he knew he was being genuine.

Daniel stared into his wine glass like it was the most interesting thing in the world. “Then why did you run off like that?”

“I… I don’t know,” Jack averted his gaze.. “I panicked, I didn’t know what to do at the moment- and I didn’t wanna fuck everything up, which I think I did, because I really liked you too,” he rambled on before looking back at Daniel, who was now looking back at him as well, a bewildered expression on his face for some reason. “Well, I mean I still like you, I really do- And I-”

Jack didn’t get to finish his sentence, however, when Daniel leaned forward suddenly, grabbing Jack’s face in his hand, kissing him. Jack froze there for a second before his brain registered the situation, kissing Daniel back like he had been wanting to for months now.

When the kiss came to its natural end, they part and just stared at each other, both flushed and speechless.

Daniel’s hand remained on Jack’s cheek when he finally said, “Was- was that okay?”

On instinct, Jack nodded rapidly, “Y-yeah, that- that was amazing,” he said, giggling like a school girl. What the fuck was wrong with him?

Daniel seemed to like it though as he let out a little laugh of his own and his blush deepened. “Okay, good.” Then he maneuvered himself to snuggle into Jack’s side, tucking his head in the crook of his neck.

Jack gladly wrapped his arms around Daniel, letting out a happy hum.

“I’m so mad at you, you know?” Daniel said softly, the words holding not much conviction.

“What for?” Jack chuckled, knowing Daniel didn’t really mean it.

“For making me spiral about this all day long, asshole,” Daniel gave Jack a good punch on his side. It was most definitely lighter than anything he would’ve given any other criminal but still.

“Ow! That hurts!” Jack knew he was being dramatic but whatever.

“You’ll live, tough guy,” Daniel chuckled, smirking playfully.

“You’ve been hanging out with Peggy way too much.”