Dex doesn’t know what rides him to ask Jack out to Winter Screw.
It happens one Thursday evening after practice, after everyone else has already left and Jack hangs back to talk to the coaches.
Dex takes a while longer to shower and when he comes back, Jack is still there, packing up.
“Good job today, Poindexter,” Jack says with a clap on his shoulder after they leave Faber. Dex feels himself flush with the warmth of appreciation. Jack is so different in person than Dex had always imagined him before coming to Samwell. Sure, the others call him weird and quiet, but Dex appreciates the focus and the studiousness with which he approaches things. Jack is prudent and efficient in a way Dex really relates to.
As they walk towards the Haus (Dex has a study date with Chowder and Bitty promised cookies), something strange starts welling up within him. He just finally wants to be happy, wants to have a shot with a boy. f*ck it, if Chowder can ask out a random girl he stumbled over, he can ask his hockey crush.
“Jack?” he starts and slows his walking.
Jack takes a second to notice Dex is no longer walking by his side and turns around. “Hm?”
“I was wondering if you wanted to be my date to the Winter Screw.”
The words are out before he even knows it. Dex feels blood rush to his ears in an instant. Whatever reaction he’s about to get, he realizes now that he really didn’t think this through. Is Jack gonna laugh at him? Is he gonna say yes out of pity and they’ll go as bros because that’s a buddies thing to do between straight guys? The multitude of possible timelines spread out before Dex’s eyes, but the longer the moment lasts, the more Jack’s face takes on a confused look.
Eventually, he tilts his head to the side slightly, and mutters so quietly that Dex almost doesn’t hear, “How’d you know I was into guys?”
“Uhm.”
Uhm. Did Dex know Jack was into guys? He’s heard Nursey talk about his gaydar/queerdar before, which Dex thinks is rich coming from someone who insists that people cannot be put into neat little boxes, but Nursey had explained that it was more about vibes of solidarity among queer people, so maybe Dex had just picked up very queer-solidary vibes from Jack? Especially since Dex isn’t out himself. He and Jack must be exactly on the same wavelength, in fact.
“Lucky guess,” he concludes. “So is that a yes or a no or…?” Dex is surprised at his own boldness, but he’s already come so far, he has to see this through.
Jack looks around the empty sidewalk they’re on, as if he’s afraid they’re being eavesdropped on. “We should go to my room,” he concludes, his expression unreadable.
When they get to the Haus and pass the kitchen, Chowder immediately jumps up from his chair in excitement. “There you guys are! Bitty and I were wondering what took so long.”
Jack spares as much as a glance towards the kitchen and just says “I’m gonna borrow Dex for a minute. Captain business.”
Bitty and Chowder share the most confused glance as Dex shrugs past the kitchen and follows Jack up the stairs.
He’s never been in Jack’s room with just Jack and it’s intimidating as f*ck.
Jack sits down cross-legged on the bed and motions for Dex to come sit across from him.
Dex swallows and hesitantly approaches. Once he’s sat down, Jack levels him with his gaze. “You absolutely can’t tell anyone that you know.”
Dex nods slowly. So that’s a No on Winter Screw date. “I promise I won’t tell anyone.” Then, with a tremble, he adds, “Actually, I’m not out to anyone either, so I get it.”
Something softens on Jack’s face then. He smiles warmly and muses, “What is it sh*tty always says? ‘Thank you for trusting me with this moment, brah’”
Dex cackles. “Does he really? That’s ridiculous.”
Jack shrugs but he’s still smiling. “Seems to work though, he’s the only other person at Samwell that knows.”
Dex raises his eyebrows, impressed. “Honestly? You hide it really well. I only asked because I was desperate for someone to be my date.”
A small line forms between Jack’s eyebrows. “Don’t sell yourself short, Poindexter, you’re a catch.”
Other than a part in the back of his mind commenting on how old-fashioned that expression is, to the point where it reminds Dex of something one of his aunts would say, he gets completely caught up on the fact that this is the second compliment Jack Zimmermann has given him within half an hour.
Astonishment and self-deprecation wrestle in his heart for a moment, but then the latter wins out.
“You really think so?” he says, the words coming out way sadder than he had intended them to.
Jack smiles again and nods. Then suddenly, he shuffles to sit closer next to Dex. “In fact, I could show you,” he says and gently touches Dex’s chin with his thumb.
What the f*ck what the f*ck what the f*ck
Dex stares up into those, frankly, dreamy steel-blue eyes, and decides to let himself fall. He ever so slightly nods and leans in.
Jack is an incredibly gentle kisser, nothing like Dex had expected at all. Not that Dex has thought about this a lot.
He lets Dex go at his own pace, giving him the room to really get into it and find his rhythm.
When Dex breaks away eventually, he’s sure he has stars in his eyes or something. “Wow,” he whispers.
Jack just shrugs lazily, in a way that momentarily reminds Dex of Nursey. “Been a while since I’ve kissed another guy,” Jack says.
Stupid sexy hockey teammates.
