written for kindertines day 7: Casual date!
Jerome and Monty go on a "casual," first date, Jerome doesn't seem to understand the meaning of the word.
Casual. That’s what this was, It wasn’t anything big, not anything to blow out of proportion, or to stress over your appearance in the mirror until you feel the tingle of want run through your knuckles to turn the glass that is reflecting you and make it a tangle of spiderwebs. Of course not.
Jerome had never given a damn about his appearance before, and he wasn’t going to start now. He had been on plenty of dates before, pretty girls from school, girls from camp, basketball girls, but he had never actually cared too much about those. He showered, shaved, and used the shitty cologne that his mother bought him for his 21st birthday.
But now, he felt dirty even after the shower, he physically didn’t feel well shaven enough to be seen outside, and the cologne was the nastiest thing he had ever smelt. He was sure that by the time he was supposed to leave, he would have sweat through the deodorant that he stressed over the smell of for a full thirty minutes before he decided that pine was a fine smell, and he didn’t have any other flavors.
His hair was unruly, the obviously repulsive top he had on didn’t match his pants, and he was sure that Monty would puke at the smell of the girly perfume he had found under his sink from his ex-girlfriend.
He felt the feeling he hadn’t eaten anything before he took his medication this morning, but he remembered burning the first round of toast and eating it anyway. Stress. Something he promised he wouldn’t have was coming back to attack him when he was at his lowest.
He let out a deep groan, and slammed the medicine cabinet he had been digging through, catching himself in the mirror before he walked out. The tingle came back.
It was currently 3:26, Monty would be at the book store at 4o’clock, punctual because his roommate Carla would be driving him. Jerome had wanted to be there before the pair arrived, and wanted to be driving by 3:25. God he needed to break that damn mirror.
Jerome’s car keys made a comforting jingle as he grabbed them, the slight pressure of the ridges on the keys grounded him. He took a deep breath, gave his dog Randall a pat on the head, and walked out of the ground floor apartment he lived in.
The roads were as clear as they always were, no events in the town square meant that the small Floridian college town they lived in was as empty as always, most people working, or at school.
The bookshop he wasn’t familiar with came into view far earlier than expected. He was still in the car when his eyes flicked down to the car clock and saw it read 3:54. He hurriedly leapt out of the car, locking it behind him, and checking his reflection in the car window. Maybe he needed to break this one too.
Clara’s oldish car pulled up into a handicap parking spot with a very familiar red haired boy sitting next to the scowling woman. Monty seemed to be annoying her, even as she exited the car and went around to get his wheelchair from the backseat.
Jerome only thought later that he should have assisted in some way, maybe met them outside and walked in - or wheeled in his date’s case- with Monty, thanked Carla, anything but sit there and stare at Monty from a window like a damn creep.
Next thing he knew, the two were gone from the front, and Jerome’s head snapped to beside him, seeing Monty in deep conversation with Carla, who was impatient and irritated from the ride there.
“Hiya Jerome.” Monty’s false Boston accent rang through the other’s ears. Jerome didn’t know how to respond, so he stood, and stared.
Monty’s eyebrow went up slightly, and he chuckled at the sight. “You okay Brennon?”
“Yep.” Jerome let out fast, and stiffly, he cleared his throat, and smiled at the other. “How are you doing Monty?” Jerome felt sweat build on his brow, he was screwed.
“I’m good, great even, just scammed over Ozzy-boy for lab equipment.” Monty lowered his tone, and leaned over to Jerome. The man laughed at this, he had always enjoyed making fun of Ozzy back in school, and thinking about him spending his mommy’s money on shitty equipment made him even more than happy.
Monty’s eyes squinted as he also laughed. “Happy you’ve come around Jer, thought you’d gone crazy or something in the past week we ain’t seen each other.”
“Oh, shut it Montgomery. I’m perfectly fine.” Jerome put on a false expression, and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Yep.” Monty said, copying Jerome from earlier.
Jerome snorted at this, and proceeded to inform Monty that wasn’t nice, which he was met with a shrug of the shoulders.
Carla had fallen into the back of his mind, as if his entire world revolved around the redhead in front of him. “Okay, call me when you two are done with….whatever the hell this is, and I’ll come pick this thing up.” She pointed to Monty, who scoffed in faux insult.
She left after mentioning something about going to go see Penny at work.
“You prepared to carry books for two hours?” Monty asked, looking up at Jerome.
“Of course.” Jerome stated, beginning to walk at a similar pace as Monty’s wheelchair.
They ended up spending three hours walking around, looking at books. Jerome wasn’t really a book guy, but he did read the occasional horror novel. He wasn’t shocked at the plethora of books Monty read, given the glasses he was bound to be a nerd.
Monty had actually told Jerome to read a certain book that he thought he’d like. Jerome felt warm as he thought of Monty reading a book and thinking about him, what his reactions would be, what he’d like about it, it was a nice feeling.
Jerome ended up carrying a pile of books ranging from horror to sci-fi to nonfiction, and of course his one Stephen King book and a book named ghost stories that Monty recommended.
He felt as if he never wanted to end this casual date of theirs, laughing over corny book covers, silly displays, and manga in plastic on the shelves.
But as the four hour mark hit, they had paid, Monty for the both of them, and Monty had called Carla.
“This was nice,” Jerome started, fiddling with his bag, and smiling. “We should do this again- I mean it doesn't have to be here really we could go anywhere, the mall, a coffee shop, I’d be happy with anything as long as I’m with you-”
Jerome was cut off by the strap of his bag being pulled downward. His lips meeting with Monty’s in a quick smooch. Jerome kissed back after a second of shock.
Monty smiled as they separated, “I would also be happy as long as it’s you.”
He waved as he rolled outside of the shop, and Jerome waved back.
It was casual, nothing big to be blown out of proportion, he definitely didn’t scream into his hands when he entered the car, or slept with a smile on his face that night.
Because he couldn’t wait to stress over cologne, deodorant smell, and the sick feeling in his stomach. Because nothing was casual about love, and he would be damned if that mirror made it through this, because he wasn’t sure he would.
