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“There you are Jack-a-bell,” Shitty cried from where he was lounged on Jack's unmade bed. “I wondered what time you would get in.”
Jack levelled him with a blank look.
“And by that you mean that you got here sometime in the last couple hours, dumped your shit in your room and then laid about on my bed waiting for me to get here.”
“Pretty much,” Shitty shrugged.
Jack dumped his things at the end of his bed. He would still have to haul up all his things from the car before his parents leave later in the evening, but he's sure that Maman would be able to help, encourage Shitty to help him with that.
“Fine,” Jack sighed and started to pull open drawers, “How about while I put my stuff away, you regale me with whatever nonsense happened over your break.”
Shitty fake gasped and clutched both hands to his chest, “How dare you think that I wouldn't have shared every moment of my break with you over text already, we're the best of friends, I wouldn't do that to you Jack.”
“But your texts don't have the same dramatic flare,” Jack insisted and that's all it took for Shitty to start with a dramatic retelling of his break. Including the five (FIVE!) whole arguments he'd had with his dad about how he was wasting his time at Samwell playing hockey, when he could be at a high end university already and “'-actually doing something with your life.' God! It's like all he wants is for me to suffer.” Shitty sighed heavily having thrown an arm over his eyes and slumped back on Jack's bed.
“I think you just haven't let go of being a teenager.” Jack surmised, “Most people feel like that about their parents at that age.”
Shitty moved his arm just enough to glare at Jack, “I know you think you're being helpful, but fuck you.”
“I'm good Shits, it's bad enough that you invite yourself to lay in my bed whenever you feel like it.”
“You're very funny Jack, you know that I'm just here because I love you and sometimes you need to know it's okay to express the love that you have for me.”
Jack is interrupted from replying by a commotion downstairs.
“Are Maman and Papa Zimmermann here?” Shitty asked and he looked way too excited by the thought; like a kid on Christmas morning.
“No.” Jack said and watched as Shitty face and shoulders slumped before he continued. “They were going to Annie's for a coffee and then waiting out the front for us so we could all go out for a late lunch.” Shitty launched himself at Jack before Jack could finish speaking.
“Really?”
“Yeah, they seem to like you for some reason.” Jack shrugged, “I guess they've never had you and your junk laying all over their bed.” Shitty laughed.
“I know you love me Jacky-boy. Now just hang on here a moment, I'm sure I can find suitable clothing to spend time with our parents.”
Jack nodded before his brain had processed what Shitty had said.
“Hey! They're my parents.” Jack called.
“Are trying to suggest that they don't love me like a son?” Shitty demanded as he walked back into Jack's room and tugged on a shirt.
“It wasn't a suggestion.” Jack started, “Although I suppose you're right.”
“When am I not?” Shitty asked as he lead the way down the stairs.
“Well,” Jack drawled, “I'd write a list, but who has the time?”
“Oi!” Shitty yelled and turned to give Jack a shove, but Jack had seen it coming and taken a couple steps back up the stair case, just enough to put him out of range of the worst of it.
“Boys!” Maman called, “Are you planning on joining us anytime soon, or do we have to leave without you?”
Shitty didn't even give Jack a second look before he took off towards the front door.
Jack stared at the spot where Shitty had been for a long moment, before he realised what had happened and that given the chance Shitty would definitely throw him under the bus about what he had just said to Shitty, even though they both knew it was in jest.
Shitty was still in the middle of a hello hug with Jack's parents when he got outside.
“So where are we going for lunch?” Papa asked once Jack joined them. “We're trusting your judgement of the restaurants in this area.”
“We don't really eat out a great deal in Samwell.” Shitty said. “Although the pub is usually a good bet.”
“The Italian place on the main street isn't bad, neither is the Thai.” Jack added.
“Thai sounds good.” Maman said and when no one voiced any objections they headed for the car and Papa drove them all into town where they found a park and then walked the rest of the way to the restaurant.
All the while Maman asked questions about what Shitty had done over his summer break.
It mostly consisted of seemingly boring dinner parties and speeches of how Samwell was a waste of time and that Shitty should do something with his life, either at a proper university or doing real work, but Shitty left out some of the more, disparaging, things that he'd told Jack.
“'Internships at community help centres aren't going to do you any good in life my boy'.” Shitty sighed, “The whole break was a struggle, I'm so glad to be back.”
Jack smiled at Shitty in the back of the Audi. Jack loves his friends and with people like Shitty around he doesn't care who knows it.
This is going to be a good year.