Summary: Swan and Mason share a small charming moment together. The more Mason learns, the more enrapt he becomes.
Author’s Note: Pre-relationship, but only just. Might be a few small mistakes here and there.
“What are you writing, Mr Swan?”
“You think me firm enough to keep a journal, Mr Crane?” Jackie chuckled in return. His shoulder was pressed into Mason’s, notebook perched on the shared space of their laps. Mason peered over in an attempt to glimpse any part of Jackie’s curling handwriting.
“Personal space.” A simple incline of the head was enough to lean on Mason’s, and Mason pulled back. He adjusted himself as if to compact himself into as small a space as possible, but a small laugh was followed by a hand moving around and up to cup the side of his face.
“It was only a joke, sugar.” Jackie told him before removing the hand to pick up the pen again. Mason brushed his fingers over his cheek where Jackie’s touch had been moments before, then shifted to lightly grip the side of his own neck.
“I don’t wish to offend you.” It was intended as an apology, but he was craning his neck in another attempt to see the book, “I am just curious as to what a god writes about.”
“Birdwatching.” Jackie joked, flicking quickly to a blank page, and glancing in Mason’s direction, “My language is not meant for mortal eyes, not even yours.” Mason jerked his gaze up to Jackie, biting back a smile.
“You have your own language?”
“Of course.” Jackie laughed, “You didn’t think we spoke French, did you?” Mason shook his head as he bit down on his lip in barely contained excitement.
“No of course not I thought- I mean I didn’t think about it.” Mason scooted closer, that familiar spark in his eyes, “Could you show me?”
“What part of ‘not even yours’ did you not understand?” Jackie placed the pen on the book’s inner spine as he gave Mason a near-patronising look, “I would love to entertain your never-ending thirst for knowledge, sugar, but not if it would mean being forever without your wonderful company.”
“How bad could it possibly be, dear Jackie?” Mason returned. The extra sweet tone he used for the pet name was almost enough to win Jackie over. He opened his mouth to respond, but decided against the mischievous but harmful impulse before it could fulfil itself.
“No.” He finally spoke, tone remaining amused despite the finality to it. Mason frowned, disappointed, and Jackie patted his cheek before flicking his nose playfully. Mason recoiled and Jackie took the opportunity to return to his previous cursive. Mason rubbed his nose before crossing his arms, leaning far enough so that he was lightly propped against Jackie’s shoulder.
“Mason…”
“Yes?” His gaze was silently pulled down to the pen in Jackie’s hands, moving languidly across the page. It wasn’t until he was able to pick out a few select words he had learned that he realised Jackie was indeed now writing in French.
“Amazing.” Mason remarked, sounding impressed but with the addition of a verbal roll of the eyes.
“Is it?” Jackie smirked, moving further down the page, “If French is not to your liking there is always Latin, Russian, Chinese. Take your pick.”
“How long did it take you to learn all of these languages?” Mason questioned, staring as Jackie shifted from one language to the next.
“Less than you would think. The change is involuntarily if you happen to be in that language’s home country. I-”
“But what if you were-“ Mason stopped himself and breathed out an apologetic chuckle as he gestured with his hand, “I’m sorry. Finish what you were saying.”
“Demons are the difficult ones. However you speak to them, ensure that they listen.”
“You’ve seen demons?” Before Mason could launch into more questions - and he was indeed about to if his expression was anything to go by - Jackie patted his arm.
“Never fear, I would never let any of them hurt you.” He closed the notebook and nestled both it and the pen in his lap, ignoring Mason’s reach for it.
“Good.” Mason pulled his hands back into his lap, eyeing the notebook once more before moving on, “I trust you to keep that promise.”
“I never promised anything.” Jackie corrected, balancing his chin on his hand, before that smirk returned, “But you are too precious to lose.”
“Truly?”
“Truly.” Jackie confirmed. A small, misleadingly tight smile flickered across Mason’s face momentarily, which sent an equally small feeling of warmth through Jackie’s chest as he leant back. Silence settled over the two of them, not unwelcome as they watched clouds and the occasional bird pass by overhead. Though Jackie had shifted, he and Mason remained sitting with no accountable space between them, each partially leaning against the other.
In tandem with the light clouds the sun moved on as well, lower and lower as time passed by. It wasn’t until the sky began to darken into evening that Jackie spoke again.
“I was thinking…”
“A dangerous opening.” Mason smiled. Jackie hummed and nodded, a similar smile twisting his lips.
“I was thinking about having dinner together. Not at my home, of course, since they may be fatal to you.”
“Seeing your domain would be completely worth the harm.” Mason replied, looking at him with eyes blown wide in wonder. Jackie shook his head and reached out to capture Mason’s hand. Mason’s shock now turned itself downward to the touch, and the light pink colour that dusted his face was a sight Jackie committed to memory.
“I’ll cook, and you can provide the kitchen.” Jackie leant forward, squeezing Mason’s hand affectionately, “If you would be alright with that, of course.” Mason’s breath was warm, hitting Swan’s face in a sighed puff.
“Of course.” Mason nodded as if he had forgotten how to move his body smoothly. An amused sound hummed in the back of Jackie’s throat before he leant back again, granting Mason temporary relief as he stood up.
“Then shall we, Mr Crane?” Jackie bowed and he extended his hand. Mason smiled once more as he rose to his feet and took Jackie’s hand. He took the last moment to take another look at the view from the unreachable roof of the library, before the both of them vanished into thin air.
From becoming England’s youngest legspinner to a forgotten man, Mason Crane has, by his own admission, endured a rollercoaster start to his professional career. But, after two back fractures and a nine-month stretch out of the game, he is more than ready to resume with Hampshire, a little…
