Coffee and Aspirin

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Yay, new cover ^^^

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Jamie drove to an Italian restaurant near Henry's apartment and Henry had trouble with his seatbelt. Except for this time, he couldn't find the button to release it.

"I'm sorry." Henry apologized again. He had been apologizing since Jamie had to step out of his side and go over to where Henry was and unbuckle it for him. "I told you, it's not a big deal, Henry."

But it felt like a big deal to him.

Jamie, having noticed this, reached his hand over to Henry while they sat inside the restaurant and said, "What if I did it for next time? Would that be okay?"

Henry didn't want to admit it and he most certainly wouldn't (especially on the first date) but he always disliked cars. Mostly for their seatbelts. If he were to be in a car, he'd prefer to be in a car seat for toddlers. Yeah, definitely not first-date material.

Henry nodded, feeling comfort run over his head to his feet. Jamie didn't know it, but he made Henry feel secure and safe.

The waitress came by and asked for drinks. Jamie had ordered a sweet tea and Henry quietly ordered a green tea.

"Coming right up!" She promised, putting her notepad away and walking back to the kitchen.

"What's your hobby?"

"Huh?" Henry asked, not sure if he had heard right.

"Your hobby," Jamie explained. "What do you like to do?"

"O-Oh! Um... I-I don't do much." Henry said. "It's usually every day is the same. I get up and go to work, leave at five and go home."

Jamie chuckled, "Surely there must be something you like to do." He then began listing off examples, "Cooking, baking, reading or writing, drawing -"

"I-I like t-to color!" Henry interrupted. His face grew hot as he processed what he had said. Color? Seriously? Why couldn't he of said drawing like an adult? And why did he yell it out happily, as if the mere mention of coloring was fun (although yes, Little Henry loved coloring and often had trouble not interrupting.)

"Cool," Jamie said, making Henry confused. "My mother is an artist, she likes coloring as well."

Henry gulped when the waitress returned. She placed each drink down gently and then took out her pad, asking if they were ready to order.

"I'll take the fettuccini, Alfredo." Jamie gave her his menu and the lady looked at Henry. Henry had been panicking the whole time that he hadn't been thinking about what to eat much less registering the fact that Jamie had been looking at the menu while speaking to him.

So he picked the most basic of foods at an Italian restaurant: spaghetti and meatballs; also the most messiest of foods (he had to pay extra for vegetarian).

Then she walked away. Jamie opened his straw from the restricting white paper and plopped it into Henry's glass, earning him a thank you.

"So what about your parents? What do they do?" Jamie asked, sipping on his tea.

Henry messed with his jacket's sleeves, very hot all of a sudden. He attempted to answer the question without error or mistake. "My p-parents and I don't talk an-anymore." Eventually, he had just taken it off.

Jamie frowned, apologizing immediately but Henry told him it was okay, "They just don't support me and my um, lifestyle," Henry said thinly.

"As in... because you're gay?" Jamie inquired. Henry shook his head, shrugging. "It doesn't matter. But for the record, I'm bisexual."

"Well, it's a good thing I got to you before some chick."

Henry laughed, nodding along. "Yes, I suppose so."

^^^
After dinner, Jamie drove Henry home and walked with him up the steps to his apartment. Henry faced him, back to the door.

"Thank you, for today."

"Anytime, Henry." Jamie smiled.

Henry smiled back at him, nodding and lightly laughing also. "Well, I'll see you later, then?"

"Definitely." Promised Jamie.

Jamie said goodbye before Henry slipped into his apartment and then made it back to his car, driving home.

On the way, he saw Henry's jacket sitting in the passenger's seat. Smiling, Jamie picked it up, deciding that he could just give it to him tomorrow after his shift.

•••
Note: This chapter has been edited to fit Henry's character. Previously, when I had first published this chapter, I had forgotten that Henry was a vegetarian so there may be comments questioning him ordering meatballs before I added the vegetarian part.