Calendar Boy (HiJack) - March

March - “I’m gonna march you down the aisle”

“Just a few more things, I promise!”

Hamish rolled his eyes in mock irritation, failing to hide the broad grin spreading across his face. “We’ve already got enough stuff for a picnic, what else do you need?”

“No picnic is complete without Oreos, or Skittles.”

They were currently navigating the 7-Eleven on Weybosset Street that Jack had insisted they pop into en route to the park, and Hamish was now being marched up and down the aisles in search of some last-minute additions to the ad hoc picnic basket his snow-haired boyfriend had assembled.

The green-eyed man looked extremely sceptical. “What kind or picnics have you been going to?”

Jack tilted his head up and cupped his chin, striking a post that Hamish assumed was Jack’s attempt to look ‘cultured’. “Only the best kind.” They reached the cashier, and Jack dumped the Oreos and Skittles on the counter. As the items were being scanned by the staff member (who regarded their purchases and conversation with some bemusement), Jack suddenly slapped his forehead. “I knew there was something I was missing! Could you go back and see if they’ve got any candy rings?”

The other young man levelled a look bordering on incredulous at his companion. “Candy rings? Are you serious?”

“Pleeeeease.” Jack pleaded, flashing him with his biggest smile.

Hamish could feel his resolve crumbling under the weight of that earnest look. “Ugh… Damn you to Hel, Jackson Overland.”

The smile shrunk into Jack’s trademark grin. “Aw, I love you too, babe.” For extra emphasis, the pale-skinned man pressed a kiss against Hamish’s cheek.

Muttering half-hearted frustrations under his breath, Hamish set off in search of the candy rings his boyfriend and occasional source of exasperation had requested.

The search was ultimately fruitless, not only were there no candy rings, there weren’t even any spaces for them in the candy section.

Jack did look a little disappointed at the coming up empty with that particular treat, but he shrugged off his disappointment.

“Nuts, I would’ve liked to have had some for a few extra bits of awesome.”

“I can hear Anna from here thanking you for not buying any more 'bits of awesome’ that’ll rot your teeth.” Hamish quipped as they left the 7-Eleven.

“The trick is to brush properly and often. But then I wouldn’t expect you to appreciate that with all those crooked teeth of yours.” Jack smirked as he playfully nudged his boyfriend.

Hamish glowered for a moment. “You’re a real jerk.”

“Hey, would it make you feel better if I said I was happy to be your indentured slave?”

The other man returned the pun with an unimpressed stare. He then extracted his phone from a pocket in his cargo pants. “Hello, Police? I’d like to report a crime. My boyfriend’s murdered a joke with his blunt wit.”

Jack simply laughed as they continued walking.

The trip to Jack and Hamish’s picnic destination saw them cross the Providence River via the Crawford Street footbridge, and come within a stone’s throw of where they’d first met back in 2017. From there, they progressed north-east along the sidewalk towards Memorial Park.
Passing the curved, rust-coloured sculpture at the entrance to the Park, Jack led them along the brick pathways beneath the bare branches until they reached the World War I memorial. The white-haired man then steered them toward a low wall in front of the memorial, which overlooked the Providence River Greenway.

Jack set the picnic basket down on the wall, and he gestured for his boyfriend to take a seat. A moment after sitting beside Hamish and the basket, Jack began to dig through the container of food.

“Nice spot.” The green-eyed man observed. Across the river, the buildings of Downtown Providence towered over them, whilst on their site of the river, behind the statue-topped column of the memorial, stood the brick building housing the Superior Court.

“Yeah. It’s not WaterPlace Park, but it’s pretty neat in the summer, and they light some of the WaterFire braziers along the river there.” He pointed towards the prominent stone island that rose out of the river, topped with upturned metal dishes.

“Do you know when the first WaterFire event’s taking place?”

“I think it’s in April.” The blue-eyed man answered as he extracted some sandwiches from the basket. “The last time I checked the website all it said was 'coming soon’. I’ll let you know once they’ve posted the schedule, and we can try get to it.”

The other man smiled as he accepted a peanut butter sandwich. “Cool. You doing much for Easter?”

“Loads. Nick and Anna usually put on a cooked meal on Easter Sunday, with Aster bringing a few things from down under to make it a little more unique. Then after that there’s an Easter egg hunt for some of the neighbouring kids and friends of the family.” Jack detailed between mouthfuls of a BLT. “Does Berk put on much for Easter?”

“A little.” Hamish shrugged. “There’s stuff in the town square for the kindergarteners, and a special church service, but it’s all kinda small compared to what you’ve got on here in the city.”

“Do you do anything with your friends? Your Dad?”

Hamish shrugged again. “Not really. My family’s never been very religious… Though Gobber usually insists on inviting us over for a cooked lunch at his house, which is nice.” He remembered with a fond smile. “The most religious we get is we buy each other chocolate eggs.”

Jack broke out into a broad grin. “And what would Easter be without chocolate eggs?”

The green-eyed man flashed a wicked smirk. “Less commercial, more respectful and holy?”

Jack responded with a challenging look. “And where’s the fun in that?”

The freckled man let out a soft chuckle. “Some might say religious holidays aren’t supposed to be fun, that they’re meant to be about reflection and piety.”

“Are you saying that?”

Hamish considered the question as he took a sip of his can of Fanta. “I’m not… Specifically saying that… Just pointing it out.”

Jack chuckled, the sound was warm and bubbling, like a brook in summer. “Whatever you say, babe.”

Jack watched leisurely as a group of canoeists navigated the river, heading north. They’d polished off most of the picnic over the previous half hour, and they now sat in comfortable silence with Hamish’s head lying in Jack’s lap.

“I could get used to this.” Hamish admitted contentedly.

“You are used to this.” The blue-eyed man countered.

“True enough.”

“Though I never get bored of having your head in my lap.” Jack flashed that 'butter wouldn’t melt in my mouth’ smile, and Hamish gave him a half-hearted thump.

“We’re in public!”

“Hey, don’t pretend you wouldn’t be tempted to do it in the bushes over there.”

“Not in March.”

Jack paused in exaggerated thought, before asking: “So you’re up for a little public indecency once summer rolls around?”

Hamish favoured his boyfriend with a somewhat withering look. “Jack, no.”

Jack shrugged. “Can’t blame a guy for trying.”

“Yes, I can.” Hamish smirked.

They lapsed into silence again for a few minutes, before a frown tugged at the red-haired man’s features.

“Uh-oh.” Jack observed. “What’s with the serious face?”

“Just thinking.” Hamish admitted.

“You do enough of that for both of us.”

“True enough.” The green-eyed man smirked. “I think maybe it’s time I showed you Berk.”

Jack’s dark brows rose a little. In truth he had realised the locations of their dates had been pretty one-sided until now, although his companion had stated early in their relationship that Providence had more to offer than his own home town.

“Sure.” Jack nodded. “You’ve seen plenty of what the city has to offer, it’s only fair I got to see what the countryside has.”

“Pfftt.” Hamish chuckled dismissively. “It’s hardly the country, not like rural Wyoming or Montana. Rhode Island isn’t that big. But I’d like to show you around.”

“I’d like that.” Jack knelt down and kissed Hamish on the forehead. “I could even ask my Mom if I can stay overnight, maybe make a weekend out of it.”

Hamish smiled. “A weekend together sounds good. Berk doesn’t have much of a nightlife, but you have to check it out what it has got.”

Jack smiled, and placed a kiss on the tip of Hamish’s nose. “It’s a date.”

“Yeah.” Hamish agreed. “It’s a date.”

“Thanks for this.” Hamish smiled as Jack walked him back to the bus terminal at Kennedy Plaza. They passed the ice rink from their first official date of the year, which was now dry with the end of the winter season.

“I was just doing my civic duty.” Jack smirked, his left hand grasped in his boyfriend’s, whilst his right hand carried the picnic basket. “Anyone would’ve done it.”

Hamish made a playful snort. “Yeah, sure.”

They arrived at the stop for Hamish’s bus home, and the freckled man turned to face his boyfriend. “I’m serious.” Hamish laughed out loud that time, and Jack shook his head, unable to contain his own laugh. “I know, I know! But I’m trying to be serious.”

He set the picnic basket down and dug out a bag of watermelon rings that Hamish hadn’t noticed earlier. “I’d wanted to give you that candy ring… If they’d had any… But these will have to do.” He explained as he tore the bag open, pulled out a single ring and slipped it onto the ring finger of Hamish’s left hand. “So we’ve been dating… What? Nine months now?”

His boyfriend nodded. “Yeah, hasn’t felt that long, though.”

“So I was thinking, I really like you, and I think you like me back, so I kinda wanted to make this really official and this ring is like my promise.”

A few emotions swam cross Hamish’s face. “What are you promising?”

“I’m promising that I’ll be the best boyfriend that I can be, and that if this isn’t too sappy or creeper-stalker for you; I’d like to make this an on-going thing… What did they used to call it? 'Going steady’?”

Hamish laughed in good nature. “I don’t know Jack, there’s this guy at the soda fountain that’s caught my eye lately, and my homeroom teacher tells me my 'duck and cover’ practices need work.”

They both laughed at Hamish’s flippancy. Trailing off into a more breathy laugh, Hamish rubbed his thumb against Jack’s hand. “I’d like that.” He smiled. “Although I think after seeing each other for three quarters of a year, we’re already pretty 'official’.”

Jack chuckled. “I know, but I felt I still needed to say it.”

The green-eyed man smirked. “Guess I’m in this for the long haul.”

“Thanks, good to know I’m a chore.”

“You are. You’re like babysitting an overgrown toddler… But you’re my chore, and I’m happy with that.” Hamish responded with a playful shove.

They kissed on the lips this time, and as they waited for Hamish’s bus out of town, Jack let out a satisfied sigh. “Who’d’ve thought getting hit in the face with a protesting bigot’s sign would lead to the best thing to happen to me?”

“Nobody… And maybe that little concussion knocked a bit of sense into you.”

Jack looked playfully shocked. “Ouch! Is that how it is? I had no idea I was dating such a jerk.”

“I have my moments.” The other man shrugged.

They spent the remainder of the time until Hamish’s bus arrived alternating between poking fun at each other, and sharing tender kisses.