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Newly engaged couple Angela Moore and Topanga Lawrence were in bed that night discussing their plans for the following day.

“I love you, Topanga, but no. We can’t make tomorrow a foursome thing again. Shawn is the only one invited, okay?” Angela insisted.

“But why can’t we…?” Topanga started to protest before Angela cut her off mid-sentence.

“Because, baby, if we tell Shawn he can invite Cory tomorrow you know Cory will turn around and invite Eric. And you know once that happens Eric invites Jack. Just ‘no’, all right? Tomorrow’s supposed to just be for the two of us and Shawn, so I can, you know, tell him I want him to be my best man,” Angela said. “I mean, I love the guys. I do. But this is a special case. We’ll be doing the same thing when you ask Cory, right?”

Topanga sighed, biting down on her lower lip, her eyes flooding with concern as she looked at her fiancée, mulling over Angela’s words for a moment. “You’re right. Of course, you are. I don’t know what I was thinking. Between the two of us, Shawn and Cory and Eric and Jack…? It would’ve been ‘couple overload’. Just too much unnecessary stress right now,” she agreed.

“Thank you,” Angela hummed in agreement before kissing Topanga perfunctorily on the lips and shutting off the lamp on their nightstand so they could finally get some sleep.

~*~

“Jack! Let’s go, man!” Eric Matthews yelled toward their bedroom as he waited for his roommate and best friend Jack Hunter to make his way into the living room of their apartment.

“Sorry, sorry! Couldn’t find my wallet, man,” Jack apologized as he ran down the stairs, stopping once he reached Eric’s side.

“Finally!” Eric exclaimed in relief as they headed out of the apartment and toward the lone elevator in their building.

Once they’d made it out to Eric’s car and were headed in the direction of the grocery store Jack turned the radio on; Savage Garden’s ‘I Want You’ played through the speakers.

“Ooh, I love this song! Turn it up!” Eric declared happily, flashing Jack a smile.

Jack returned Eric’s grin with one of his own, doing as his best friend asked.

When they arrived at the grocery store Eric grabbed a cart and Jack pulled the list they’d put together the previous night from his back pocket.

“All right, Jack. Are we tackling this list of ours separately or together?” Eric mused aloud.

“Together,” Jack immediately replied, the thought of them doing anything differently not having occurred to him.

Eric broke into a grin. “Awesome.”

The two of them maneuvered through the store, wandering up and down the familiar aisles at a leisurely pace, enjoying the routine of the afternoon and each other’s company as they filled their cart with the groceries they’d need for the next several weeks.

As they reached the frozen food section Jack wordlessly grabbed a container of Eric’s favorite Chocolate ice cream. Eric gave him a small, grateful smile as Jack put the ice cream into the cart. But before they headed any further down the aisle, Eric grabbed a hold of Jack’s arm pulling him back in front of the freezer, glancing up at the top shelf.

“Mint Chocolate Chip, right?” Eric asked him.

“Uh, yeah. But Eric, you really don’t…” Jack protested.

“Shh,” Eric hushed him, reaching up to grab the aforementioned tub of Mint Chocolate. Jack’s hand instinctively shot out in an attempt to steady his friend, landing on Eric’s lower back.

A few seconds later Eric had pulled the tub in question from the freezer and placed it in the grocery cart. “Success.”

“My hero,” Jack professed, flashing a crooked grin at his friend. The laughter he felt bubbling to the surface readily died upon hearing the comments of a man coming up behind them.

“How sweet. That boyfriend of yours seems like a good ‘un,” the man said, winking at them.

Jack swallowed convulsively, his hand tightening its grip in the folds of Eric’s jacket. His mind was screaming at him to release Eric’s jacket, but he just held on all the tighter, his face flushing, stuck in a position of immobility despite his best efforts to move as far away from the scenario he and Eric had unexpectedly found themselves.

Glancing at Eric, he flashed his best friend a look of desperation, nonverbally conveying for the other man to get them the hell out of there as readily as possible.

Eric just smiled and nodded in acknowledgment of the stranger’s comments before dragging a confused yet overanalytical Jack over to the checkout lanes.

“What-what the hell was that?” Jack finally choked out as the two of them began loading the small conveyor belt in front of them with their groceries.

Eric shrugged. “I dunno, man. Must be the Hunter-Matthews thing,” he muttered.

Jack blinked at his friend, unsure how to respond. “And that… that means what exactly?”

“It means people are going to come to their own conclusions when they see us interact. But all that matters is that we know who we are,” Eric insisted.

Catching sight of the color draining from Jack’s face at his statement, Eric rolled his eyes, grasping Jack by the shoulders. “We’re Jack and Eric, right? Relax, man. You’re thinking too much.”

Once they’d paid the cashier and were headed out to Eric’s car again, Jack found his voice again.

“I like that we have a Hunter-Matthews ‘thing’,” he murmured, his eyes soft as he looked at his best friend.

“Me too, Jacky. But don’t start thinking this means we’re gonna get married any time soon. I’m still not ready, baby,” Eric replied, his eyes dancing in amusement.

Jack laughed aloud, relief flooding him as he realized he and Eric were okay. “Got it.”

“Let’s get out of here,” Eric insisted, shutting the trunk as they finished getting all the groceries put in his car. “Pick something good,” he said, nodding in the direction of the radio as they left. He crowed happily as Shania Twain’s ‘Man! I Feel Like A Woman!’ flooded the car as they headed back to the apartment.

~*~

The invitation arrived in the mail on a Thursday.

“Topanga and Angela’s wedding invite came. Congrats, you’re my plus one, Jacky,” Eric said, slapping the opened invitation against Jack’s chest on his way toward the fridge.

Glancing down at the envelope the invitation had come in, Jack’s eyes widened in surprise. “This-this is addressed to us both.”

“Well, yeah,” Eric replied in a manner that conveyed he hadn’t expected any other outcome. “The girls are smart enough to know Jack Hunter doesn’t go anywhere without all of 'this',” he continued, gesturing to himself while giving Jack a pointed look.

Jack sighed softly, his face melting into a look of amused affection at his best friend. He watched in contented silence as Eric made himself a peanut butter and marshmallow sandwich.

Eric, realizing he was being watched, held up the peanut butter jar. “You want one?” he offered.

Jack shook his head ‘no’, returning his attention to the invitation. “You want chicken, beef or fish?”

“Uh, peanut butter,” Eric said, scoffing as he took a bite of his sandwich.

“No, Eric, I mean for the reception dinner?”

“Peanut butter,” Eric repeated as if the answer was obvious. “Speaking of the wedding…?”

“Yeah, what is it?” Jack asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Wear something pretty,” Eric demanded. And then almost as an afterthought… “But stay out of my closet!”

Jack grinned to himself, marking them both down for chicken, knowing Eric would suggest it if he weren’t so fixated on peanut butter.

~*~

“We’re going out tonight,” Eric declared, throwing an arm around Jack’s shoulders as they left Feeny’s class and headed back to the apartment.

“Okay,” Jack said agreeably. “Where’re we going?” he asked a moment later, curious to hear the answer.

“Well, first we’re getting tacos. Boy’s gotta eat,” Eric replied, his expression serious.

Jack did his best to fight back a smile. He knew how important the subject of tacos was to his best friend. “Works for me, man. And after?”

“Cory told me about this club he and Shawn discovered a couple months ago. According to him it’s supposed to be ‘a rollicking good time’ or something like that,” Eric explained, shrugging. “Figured we could check it out for a bit. And if it’s lame we can bail, head home and watch movies the rest of the night, I guess.”

“Sounds good,” Jack replied amiably, smiling at Eric, finding himself really looking forward to what his friend had planned for the evening ahead of them.

Later that same night they entered the club Cory had told Eric about and almost immediately Jack felt something amiss about it all, but he couldn’t quite place the feeling in that particular moment.

So, ignoring the gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach, Jack allowed Eric to grab a hold of his hand and lead him in the direction of the bar.

Once they’d gotten their drinks and settled into an empty booth, Jack finally had the opportunity to covertly take in the club’s surroundings and ‘regulars’ without feeling like he was openly gawking at anyone.

He’d noticed the small rainbow stickers on the doors at the entrance when they’d first come into the club. And he couldn’t help but notice how outrageous some of the other men’s outfits happened to be as the dancefloor continued to ebb and flow with dancers.

It wasn’t until he saw the woman, who clearly still had ‘her’ five o’ clock shadow, walk past their booth that Jack put it all together.

“Eric?! You brought me to a gay bar?!” he hissed in disbelief, turning a distressed expression on his best friend.

Eric looked around the club, taking in the sight of several topless young men dancing together and couples off in corners or secluded areas of the club, if not right in the middle of the dancefloor, making out.

“Huh. I guess I did,” he said, chuckling. “You want to dance?” he asked suddenly.

“What? No, I don’t-don’t want to…” Jack insisted, flustered by Eric’s question.

“Suit yourself, man,” Eric replied, getting to his feet, making his way to the dancefloor, leaving Jack alone at their booth.

Jack sat there in stunned silence for several minutes watching Eric dance with abandon as he struggled to swallow back a lump that had risen unbidden to his throat.

He didn’t understand where Eric found the nerve to insinuate himself with complete strangers, just so he could dance. Jack was jealous. He was jealous of Eric’s ability to be so brazen when it came to new or unfamiliar situations. Normally, Jack admired that trait in his best friend. But right now, he was just, he was feeling off and he didn’t understand why.

“Aww, honey. Is there a reason you’re over here all by yourself and not out there dancing with your boyfriend?” the drag queen Jack had seen earlier had circled back to his and Eric’s booth and was currently shooting Jack looks of concern.

Jack blinked, drawing in a sharp breath, his eyes moving from where Eric was gyrating almost wildly on the dancefloor to the drag queen in front of him.

“I-I… He-he’s not…” he stammered, glancing down at the table in front of him as he drew in another shuddering breath. He could feel his entire body shaking and he couldn’t explain the reasoning behind it.

Swallowing hard he looked upward again to meet the drag queen’s gaze. Before either of them could continue their stilted, awkward conversation Eric joined them.

“You are missing out, Jacky. It’s a blast out there,” Eric said enthusiastically, sliding back into their booth. Noticing the drag queen hovering nearby, he jerked his thumb in her direction. “Who’s your friend, bud?” he asked with a smirk.

“Diana Vernon,” the drag queen said, introducing herself. “Your boyfriend, Jack was it…?, he’s cute,” Diana told Eric, winking at Jack as she spoke.

Jack felt heat rise to his face at the unexpected compliment. “Diana, this-this is…” he choked out, struggling to introduce Eric to his new acquaintance. He had no idea why he was so agitated. Eric was his friend. Introducing him to others should’ve been nothing but a natural occurrence. But then again Jack reasoned these weren’t exactly normal circumstances. And then things proceeded to get worse.

“Eric Matthews. Nice to meet you, Diana,” Eric said, introducing himself, when it became clear to him that Jack was having issues communicating. Side-eyeing his friend, his smirk returning as he casually draped an arm over Jack’s shoulders, Eric gave Diana another appreciative onceover before returning his focus on Jack. “You know who’d love it here, Jack?”

Jack shook his head ‘no’, his gaze growing wary as he looked at Eric.

“Chantel. You should invite her the next time you come. She’d be thrilled. And not just because she’s into you,” Eric replied, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

“Eric,” Jack growled, his eyes narrowing as he frowned at his best friend. He swallowed convulsively as thoughts of Eric dressed up as his female alter ego Chantel DuBois invaded his mind.

“Relax, baby. I’m only kidding. Chantel knows you’re all mine,” Eric said, covering Jack’s hand with his own, squeezing it lightly.

“Eric, I’m ready to go home now,” Jack said in-between clenched teeth, continuing to frown at Eric. The two of them said their goodbyes to Diana, the drag queen wishing them well, insisting they were an adorable couple.

On the way home Jack quietly determined that he wouldn’t be getting any sleep that night thanks to the thoughts of Chantel resurfacing with a vengeance, witnessing Eric’s bewildering yet distracting dance moves and worst of all Diana’s assumptions about his relationship with Eric. It was enough to drive him to sleep deprivation and almost made him miss the nights he shared a room with Shawn. Almost.

~*~

One Sunday morning Jack slowly shuffled into their kitchen, several weeks after the club incident. He still hadn’t been sleeping the greatest, but the smell of coffee had roused him.

He was pleasantly surprised to see his coffee mug, full of freshly poured coffee, waiting for him on their coffee table next to the newspaper.

“Come here, Jack,” Eric murmured, gently hitting the empty cushions next to him on their couch. Jack smiled gratefully at his best friend, sinking into the couch next to Eric. “Up,” Eric instructed softly, patting on Jack’s legs until Jack was stretched out on the couch, his legs resting comfortably in his best friend’s lap.

“Eric…? What’re you doing…?” he asked carefully, unable to escape the feeling that he was walking a minefield, finding himself very tentative in how he phrased his questions, his words.

“Read your paper, drink your coffee and just relax for once, hmm?” Eric suggested mildly, beginning to massage Jack’s feet.

Jack grabbed the paper, automatically opening it to the book review section before picking up his coffee, letting the warmth from the mug flood through him, a small smile gracing his features at Eric’s attentive ministrations. Looking through the paper, Jack suddenly found himself mentally lost in the past as he remembered a conversation he’d had with a young woman by the name of Jill. ‘You want to read the Sunday Times book review section in an unfurnished apartment while you lie on the hardwood floor with your lover massaging your bare feet.’

He’d wanted some form of this moment to be real. Maybe not necessarily between himself and Jill, but he had wanted it. For himself. And here was Eric, unwittingly, making his dreams a living, breathing reality.

“Eric?”

“Too hard? Sorry,” Eric mumbled, immediately easing up, his touch even softer than it’d been mere minutes earlier.

“No. Eric…? I-I…” Jack started, trailing off, all of a sudden feeling as if he couldn’t breathe with the flood of emotion he was currently feeling.

He set the newspaper and mug back onto the coffee table, coming to a sitting position before bolting toward their bedroom, climbing into his bed.

Once under the covers the tears came in a fast, hot torrent, sliding down his cheeks, successfully dampening his pillow considerably.

A few minutes later he heard Eric enter the room. “Jack?” he whispered hoarsely.

Jack drew in a shuddering breath, hoping that Eric would believe he was on his way to falling asleep.

“Jack…? Come on, buddy. Talk to me, please,” Eric begged softly. “There’s no way in hell you’re asleep again already. You just drank half a cup of caffeinated coffee,” he continued, nudging Jack’s blanketed covered foot.

‘No luck. Dammit.’ Jack thought to himself in resignation, sighing heavily. He reluctantly pushed the bed covers off from where they’d been covering his head but refused to move any further in an attempt to communicate with his roommate, his best friend.

“You’re gonna play the ‘stubborn silent treatment’ card? Okay, cool,” Eric muttered angrily, pulling the blankets back on Jack’s bed even further before climbing into the bed next to Jack.

“Hey! What the hell are you doing?!” Jack demanded angrily.

“Spooning with my roommate. What the hell are you doing? Being an idiot?” Eric retorted, maneuvering them so they soon both had the blankets covering them, his arm flung out across Jack’s body, the two of them intertwining like connecting puzzle pieces. “Talk to me, dammit,” he grumbled.

“I don’t-I don’t know how to talk about this, Eric. I don’t understand what’s going on,” Jack admitted, the fear he felt at even conveying this much to his best friend terrifying him in a way he’d never experienced before. He could feel his breathing coming in sharp, unsteady breaths every time he inhaled. And then the tears returned, burning his eyes and the back of his throat as he struggled to rein them in.

“Hey, hey. Jack. Jack? Whatever this is, Jacky, it’ll be okay. I promise. Look at me, man,” Eric pleaded, cupping Jack’s face in his hands, waiting for Jack to meet his eyes before continuing. “It’s cool if you’re not ready to talk this out yet. I’m not going anywhere. We have our Hunter-Matthews thing, remember? That doesn’t go away or die when one of us is freaking out for whatever reason, all right? You hear me?” he demanded, the worry he was feeling inflected in his voice as he spoke.

Jack drew in another shaky breath, nodding at Eric’s words. “Best friends forever, Hunter-Matthews style. I hear you,” he murmured, yawning, the exhaustion from lack of sleep for the last few weeks finally catching up to him. “Don’t-don’t leave me,” he whimpered tiredly, his eyes fluttering closed, reaching out and putting a hand on Eric’s arm where the other man had left it flung out across Jack’s waist.

“Never, baby,” Eric promised quietly, the two of them soon falling asleep.

~*~

Later the same afternoon Jack slowly awoke to the feeling of Eric running a hand leisurely along his back. Jack flashed his best friend a small, soft smile.

“Hey,” he whispered huskily.

“Hey. Sleeping help? You feelin’ any better?” Eric asked, his eyes roaming carefully over Jack’s features.

Jack nodded in acknowledgment of Eric’s questions. “Yeah. Sleeping with you definitely helped.”

It took them both a moment to fully register the hilarious implications of Jack’s statement. Jack blushed; burying his face in Eric’s chest he dissolved into a fit of laughter.

Eric chuckled nervously along with him. “You, uh, you okay, Jack?” he asked uncertainly.

“I just, I really didn’t mean that the way it sounded,” Jack insisted, continuing to laugh.

“Dirty…?” Eric offered, smirking.

Jack snorted, nodding again. “Yeah.”

“Glad you’re feeling better,” Eric told him sincerely.

Jack sighed softly, a look of contentment settling on his face. “I really am. Thanks for your help, Eric,” he murmured.

“It’s what I’m here for,” Eric replied, his lips brushing against Jack’s temple briefly.

Jack watched his best friend get up from his bed and head toward the doorway of their bedroom. He felt a sudden, intense pang of loss watching Eric from across the room. For some reason in that moment it felt like they were miles apart and not just a few feet away from each other. At least until Eric spoke.

“Hey, you coming or what, lazybones? Or are ya just gonna lay around in bed all day?” Eric asked, a teasing note in his voice, his eyes dancing with mirth.

Jack got to his feet, shortening the distance between them and just like that things felt like they were righting themselves again. He was at Eric’s side where he knew he belonged. The rest…? He figured they could discuss it over dinner or something. Try and discover how, when and most importantly why Jack had become such a hot mess lately. He just hoped he’d uncover something worthwhile because he knew he couldn’t rely on Eric to fix every mishap he may experience.

~*~

“I can’t believe we didn’t think to do this earlier, man,” Eric told Jack, practically vibrating in his excitement as the deliverymen brought the Queen-sized bed up the stairs of their apartment and into their bedroom.

Shawn, who’d been hanging out at the apartment for the day helping them move the two singles out of the same space earlier in the morning, just shook his head, grinning at Eric’s enthusiasm.

“Hey, Eric, if you don’t mind I’ve gotta borrow your boyfriend for a few minutes,” he said, nodding meaningfully in the direction of the apartment door while motioning for Jack to follow him out into the hallway.

“Okay, cool, I’m good here,” Eric told them. “See you in a bit, babe,” he made sure to tell Jack, kissing his friend lightly on the mouth before Jack followed after his brother.

Once they’d made it out into the hallway Shawn turned toward Jack. “I know everybody’s had their money on me and Cory getting married next, but I dunno, man. I figured it’d be you and Eric, you know?” he said, giving his brother a happy smile.

Jack’s eyes widened in surprise hearing Shawn’s thoughts. “Me-me and Eric?” he stammered. He’d known for a while that strangers and acquaintances would assume he and Eric were a couple because of the connection they shared with one another. Not everyone understood it so it was only natural that these people would believe that he and Eric were together in a romantic sense. But he’d never counted on their friends or his own brother presuming the same things. It left his mind reeling.

“Well, yeah. I see how happy you make each other. It just seems like the next logical step. But seriously, no pressure, man. Especially if you’re not ready,” Shawn said. “So, uh, we good here? Bed wise and everything? I told Cory I’d meet him and the girls at the tux rental place soon,” he explained, biting down on his lower lip anxiously.

Jack sighed. “Go, go. We’re fine,” he said, giving his brother a tired smile.

“Thanks, Jack. Glad I could help. Hope you guys enjoy that bed,” Shawn said, smirking.

Jack reentered the apartment, letting loose another sigh. He watched as Eric paid the delivery men before thanking them again. He gave them a brief smile, murmuring his own thanks as they left before walking toward Eric, silently taking a hold of his best friend’s hand, leading him upstairs.

“Jack, what-what’s going on, man?” Eric asked, feeling a bit bewildered at Jack’s behavior.

“Isn’t it obvious, Eric? We’re going to bed,” Jack growled, relieved to see that as predicted Eric had premade the bed once it’d been set up because he really was that sweet. Jack truly had the best friend in the world.

“Okay,” Eric said slowly. “Not that I don’t like this idea because I do, I just… Jack, I just want to make sure you’re feeling okay.”

Jack rolled his eyes. “I’m great, Eric. I just don’t understand why everyone in our lives seems to think they know us or knows how our relationship works.”

“Everyone?” Eric asked hesitantly, his brows furrowing and his eyes roaming over Jack, watching as his friend finally sunk into the mattress next to them as he sat down. “Jack, you’re kinda… well, you’re freaking me out, man. Who are you talking about when you say ‘everyone’?”

Jack lifted his head, meeting Eric’s worried gaze with a resigned one of his own. “Are we screwed up, Eric? I feel like I’m losing my mind here. I mean, we replaced our beds and got this one just so we could sleep together. Who the hell does that?” he demanded.

Eric sat down next to Jack, sighing before taking a hold of Jack’s hand in his own. “I thought we decided getting this bed would help you sleep better?”

Jack ran his free hand over his face. “Well, yeah, sure. It’ll help us both sleep better I think since we’ll have more room. And, uh, having you with me at night should help the…”

“Anxiety attacks?” Eric murmured, gently squeezing Jack’s hand in reassurance. It’d been helping so far, Jack had to admit to himself. Having Eric sleep with him. “So… ‘everyone’?”

Jack swallowed hard, drawing in a deep breath. “You’re my best friend, Eric. And like I was saying I don’t get why others think they know us better than ‘we’ know us. Shawn was just telling me…he thinks we should…he thinks…” he trailed off, giving Eric a desperate look. “It’s truly crazy what he thinks. Not worth mentioning. Sorry I brought it up,” he muttered.

“You sure?”

Jack nodded. “Yeah. I’m just overthinking things again.”

“Well, I could’ve told you 'that',” Eric said, nudging Jack’s shoulder with his own, grinning at the other man.

Jack returned Eric’s grin with a small smile.

“Hey, Jack?”

“Yeah?”

“You want to go to a movie? We can share a large tub of popcorn, sit in the back row, make out? You know, the usual?” Eric asked, batting his eyelashes.

Jack snorted, his smile growing. “Sounds great.”

~*~

Jack slowly rose to consciousness several days later, an echo of a voice seemingly reverberating in his ears. ‘You’re a wise man, Jack Hunter’. “Eric?” he mumbled, blinking his eyes open only to see his best friend curled around him, continuing to sleep on unawares.

He screwed his eyes shut, trying to fall asleep again, only to fall back into the same memory, his own words waking him more fully than the memory of Eric’s had. ‘Maybe we have to sit back and let the universe bring our soulmates to us’.

“Soulmates?” he croaked in a hoarse whisper, tears stinging at the edges of his vision as he rapidly blinked them away, openly staring at Eric who looked so peaceful as he slept next to Jack.

Jack rolled over until he was staring at their bedroom ceiling, his tears continuing to slide down his cheeks, making his ears wet as a result. He couldn’t believe it’d taken so long for him to realize what’d been right in front of him this whole time.

He was in love with Eric. And had been for a long time by the looks of it if his emotions were any indication. “Eric?”

His heart fluttered watching Eric gradually come around to wakefulness. Eric, his eyes still heavy from sleep, gave Jack a soft, playful smile, scrunching his nose as he stifled a yawn.

“Mornin’, Jacky.”

Jack wordlessly rolled over again until he was hovering over Eric. “Mornin’,” he murmured, his nose brushing against Eric’s briefly before their lips met.

A few minutes later Eric pulled back, his hand running along the length of Jack’s arm, his eyes running curiously over Jack’s features in an attempt to figure out what was the cause for Jack’s boldness.

“What? Morning breath?” Jack teased, nipping at Eric’s lips, unable to prevent himself from smiling into the kisses they shared.

“Well, yeah. But uh, no. No, I just, I’m just wondering what the hell happened last night that this morning I’m met with an armful of Jack Hunter?” Eric wondered aloud, raising an eyebrow.

“I, um, I figured something out a little bit ago,” Jack told him. “Literally before you woke up.”

“Hmm? What’s that?” Eric asked, his arm moving slightly to wrap around Jack’s waist as Jack maneuvered off of him and back to the other side of their bed.

“Eric, you’re not…you’re not just my best friend. I’m pretty damn sure you’re my soulmate,” Jack explained softly, his hand curling into the t-shirt Eric wore.

Eric raised an eyebrow again. “Only pretty sure? I don’t have any doubt, Jack.”

“How?”

“You remember those girls Jill and Carol we were convinced would be our soulmates? Before we went and switched ‘em around because Jill was so much like you and Carol was so much like me, that first date I went on with Jill…? I think I was drawn to her because she reminded me so much of you,” Eric told Jack.

Jack became lost in thought about Carol, chuckling in amusement a moment later. “Yeah, Carol was a lot like you too. You know, I wonder if they ever got together?”

“Who? Jill and Carol?”

Jack nodded. “Yeah. If they did it probably didn’t take them as long as it’s taken us.”

“Why, because we’re idiots?” Eric asked, laughing.

“Yup. Well, one idiot, one idiot-genius,” Jack said, kissing Eric.

“Thanks, baby. But if I’m the idiot-genius that definitely makes you the wise-idiot,” Eric insisted.

“I love you,” Jack whispered.

“I love you too. Oh, and this means you’re totally my date to Topanga and Angela’s wedding, by the way,” Eric said.

“I thought we already discussed this. But right, I’m your plus one. Hunter-Matthews style,” Jack said, unable to stop grinning.

“Now you’re getting it,” Eric said with a laugh before pulling Jack to him and kissing him deeply.

~*~

“Wait, wait, wait,” Topanga said, watching as Eric and Jack slow danced with one another from across the room. “Shawn, I don’t understand. Jack and Eric just got together a few months ago?! But-but… Look at them! If I didn’t know better I would’ve said they’ve been married for years already!” she protested.

“I’ve been saying…!” Cory chimed in with a mouthful of wedding cake.

Shawn shrugged in response to Topanga; his gaze softly amused as he watched his boyfriend take another bite of cake before thinking to offer him one. He shook his head ‘no’, Cory shrugged before eating the forkful himself. “I don’t know, Topanga. That’s just what Jack told me,” he replied.

Topanga’s brow furrowed. “Well, I just can’t believe it is all,” she muttered.

“Where’s your wife?” Cory asked Topanga suddenly in an attempt to change the subject.

Shawn watched as her gaze softened considerably, her eyes darting around the room until they landed on Angela, who was on the opposite side of the room talking with her father.

Topanga got to her feet, maneuvering her dress, picking it up slightly so she could walk in the direction of Angela. She smiled at Shawn and Cory, giving them a small wave before heading toward her wife.

Shawn turned his attention toward his boyfriend once again. “Dance with me, babe?”

“Of course,” Cory readily agreed, the two of them getting to their feet and heading in the direction of their brothers.

“So, when are we going to do this for the two of you?” Eric asked, motioning at the décor around them, giving Shawn and Cory a pointed look.

“Us?! What about you guys?!” Cory demanded, skillfully avoiding meeting Shawn’s gaze as he spoke. “I told you from the beginning, Eric that you and Jack were so perfect for each other you should be married,” he insisted.

“Yeah, I know. Doesn’t mean we’re ready,” Eric replied emphatically. “Besides, ‘somebody’ hasn’t asked me yet,” he said, sticking his tongue out at Jack playfully.

“Hey! How’d I end up being the one in trouble here?” Jack exclaimed with a laugh.

“Simple. You’re cute, easy scapegoat,” Eric told him.

“Oh, is that how it works?” Jack wondered aloud, amusement flooding his features.

“C’mere,” Eric murmured, the two of them slowing to a stop with their dancing as they began to kiss languidly.

“Cor?” Shawn asked his boyfriend.

“Yes, darling?” Cory replied.

Shawn nodded in their brothers’ direction. “Is that how we look to everyone?”

Cory shrugged before nodding in agreement. “Pretty much I think, yeah.”

“No wonder they all assume we should be married by now,” Shawn responded quietly.

“Someday soon,” Cory promised him.

Shawn grinned in response before kissing his boyfriend.

A few months later Eric invited Jack to Cory and Shawn’s wedding.