jaylos fic
title: my old sweatshirt never looked better
just a fluff piece because i’m so ready for it to be autumn
Carlos had a habit of forgetting his sweatshirt. He had plenty, in all combinations of black and white and red, but he never seemed to remember them. They’d be out, doing whatever outdoor or air conditioned activity had caught their fancy, when Jay would feel a light tapping on his arm and look over to meet Carlos’ puppy eyes.
“Jay,” Carlos would smile, blinking steadily. He wouldn’t even have to say another word; Jay already knew what he wanted.
“I told you to bring a sweatshirt, de Vil,” he’d groan, already sliding off his own hoodie and passing it over. “I reminded you like seven times before we left. When did I become the responsible one, huh?”
“Dunno.” Carlos would always smile brightly and wriggle into the oversized sweatshirt, the sleeves covering his hands. “I’ll remember next time, I promise.”
That day, they’d agreed to help Ben with some special apple-picking event, but none of the villain kids were really being that helpful at all. They were supposed to be assisting with handing out caramel apples or helping weigh the apples picked by Auradon citizens coming from far and wide, but the four of them had taken to chasing each other through the orchards and drinking way too many cups of hot apple cider for their own good. Ben didn’t really seem to mind; maybe he thought it was rather nice to watch the four of them drop their newly acquired manners for once.
The air was crisp, almost cold, with a bold blue sky above the bright and perfumed apple trees. The picturesque location combined with the steaming paper cups of cider should’ve been enough to draw out the chill, but Jay noticed Carlos hugging his bare arms to himself several times.
“Jay…” came the familiar half-whine.
“Dude!” Jay folded his arms. “Come on, I’ve told you like a hundred fucking times to bring your own jacket!”
“Jay!” Carlos blinked up at him, just like he always did. “I’d share mine with you…”
Huffing, Jay pulled his (favorite) yellow and rust hoodie - the one with the snake on the back - over his head and handed it over. A chill washed over him almost immediately as Carlos gratefully tugged the jacket over his curls. He looked so cute wearing it that Jay almost forgave him.
“‘Los!” Evie was running towards them, motioning with her hands excitedly. “They have hot chocolate over here, too!” She raced away, and the freckled boy took off after her, leaving Jay and Mal standing alone among the apple-laden trees.
“He does it on purpose, you know,” Mal remarked as half of their squad sprinting off in search of the hot chocolate.
“What?” Jay had been watching Carlos run, feeling a little spark of something as he stared at the snake on his back. It was almost like Carlos was wearing Jay’s crest, like he was his.
“You’re an idiot.” Mal just shook her head.
“He’s like, the most organized person I know.” Sometimes, Jay would hear Carlos up for hours past midnight, organizing his books and binders and papers until he had to practically force the freckled boy to lie down and close his eyes. “Never forgets his homework, never forgets anything!”
“And he’s clever as shit,” Mal grinned, and Jay suddenly got the feeling he’d missed something.
He played back her earlier words and raised an eyebrow. “Wait, you said he’s doing it on purpose?”
But Mal just smiled, arching her eyebrow until Jay tickled her. She fought him some, growling playfully, but there was no heat to their sparring - not like the days when they had to fight something, hit something, just to see straight here in this too-bright place. For now, they were comfortable, standing there just the two of them. In fact, Mal even laughed, snorting a little, and it made Jay’s heart swell. She only showed this side of herself to him on rare occasions.
“Fine, fine, asshole.” She pushed away, dusting herself off. “Your boyfriend likes the way your jackets smell. He likes wearing your crest. He likes how warm they are when you give them to him.”
“He’s not my boyfriend.” Jay studied her intently, trying to figure out what she was trying to tell him.
“Did he tell you that?” Jay gaped in the direction where Carlos and Evie had disappeared.
“He didn’t have to,” Mal shrugged. Sometimes, her observation skills weren’t only skin deep.
Jay didn’t quite know what to do with the information she’d given him, so he just tucked it safely away to deal with later. Over the next few weeks, he began to notice things, like Carlos’ sweatshirts folded neatly in their drawers - untouched. He noticed how the boy’s cheeks sometimes flushed when he stared too a little too obviously, and the way he would tuck his head in and inhale deeply when they embraced. So the next time the four of them went out for the day (this time to help Doug with his Christmas Tree delivering fundraiser for the band), Jay did a little experiment.
He waited for Carlos to tap him on the shoulder, waited for the familiar pleading stare before producing one of Carlos’ own sweatshirts from inside his backpack.
“I knew you’d be cold,” Jay said lightly, offering the other boy the black and white hoodie. “And I knew you’d forget. So this time, I packed one for you.”
Just like Jay predicted, Carlos’ face fell just a little bit, and his shoulders slumped a fraction of an inch. “Oh. Thanks.” He reached out slowly to take the jacket, but Jay pulled it back, a small grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“‘Los, why do you like wearing my sweatshirts?”
Carlos blushed, his cheeks growing even redder in the cold. “I - uh - I guess - I didn’t - shit.”
But Jay just smiled, slipping off his own hoodie and handing it to Carlos. “Take it.”
Carlos stared at him. “But - you brought mine.”
“I’ll wear yours.” Jay tugged on the black and white hoodie and realized that, yes, it did smell like Carlos. It was comforting, almost overwhelming - like getting a hug from his favorite person in the world. It was a little snug, but Carlos tended to wear oversized sweatshirts anyway, so it fit alright.
Carlos bit his lip, like he was trying to keep from laughing. His eyes were bright now and his nose red. “You look good.”
Jay laughed, ruffling the freckled boy’s curls. “I always look good. Or hadn’t you noticed?”
And if Mal turned back and spotted the Jay and Carlos walking hand in hand and lagging street behind everyone else, wearing different sweatshirts and bright smiles, she didn’t tease them about it until they got home.
