* ✰. — young and dumb.

“ed sheeran is a little intense, i think maybe she should’ve started with bazzi or something.” 

“agreed! ed sheeran is for when you’re getting married or proposing, not for a first time date. bazzi’s pretty great. i haven’t heard many songs of his, though. got any recs?”

( *✰ ░ &. — jackson & mckenna. // @mckennxbrew

he’d gotten her tiger lilies, a toolbox stuffed with new tools, and an amc gift card to a nearby movie theater.

it was a small bouquet of lilies, the feverish reds and oranges a contrast to the unsaturated wash of the brown paper bunching them together. the florist had said lilies were great for one particular reason: they smelt amazing. she hadn’t lied, the scent of the pollen was sweet with hints of spice like summer fruit sprinkled with nutmeg. they smelt like beige rooms and warn down olive rugs, a family home with an open plan. a corridor leading to a concrete patio, weeds bursting out from the cracks like sunlight. their beauty came from familiarity; every sense -- sight, touch, smell -- saying home. security. exhale. inhale. repeat. keep going, keep going.

the problem with lilies were the stamens. it seemed to jack that they were determined to leave a bright yellow stain on everything they touched; his hands, the table cloth, the floor. in his head, he made a mental note of how he’ll send the janitor of the apartment building an apologetic message in a card when they have to clean up his mess; already in the midst of calculating how he’s going to bring his other gifts to mckenna. logistics had never been jack’s forte but he wasn’t willing to fall back on his usual solution of making a few trips down the stairs -- at least not with mckenna waiting. he’d carry the wrapped toolbox in one arm while hopelessly trying to keep the fallout of the stamens from the lilies to a minimum. 

with all his gifts in his arms, jackson bounded for the front door of mckenna's apartment, nerves assembling in the pit of his stomach. he didn’t really know what to get her, making his cheeks rather flushed, but he hoped that she would enjoy the variety of gifts he got. he had made it to mckenna’s floor pretty quickly, but once he was there, he took a moment to collect himself before knocking. not only was he anxious about the gifts he had bought her, but he was worrying himself to death about whether or not mckenna would be upset that he was a few days late. though after about a minute or two of simply standing there, he pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind, taking a deep breath before allowing his knuckles to rap against the door.

DORY: let me just say this

DORY: whoever decided that coffee causes ulcers is my enemy

DORY: god, probably. god is my enemy.

JACK: coffee causes ulcers? yikes

BABE: would you rather pay for icing or sprinkles?

BABE: double stuffed always

JACK: i mean, if it's premade, then yes

JACK: but you have a point!

ALE: you came to the right guy

ALE: both.

JACK: dude, you're a genius!!

JACK: this is a big dilemma i hope you're ready for it

“hmm, probably a few too many times, but i enjoy it, so shush,” he replied with a chuckle while shaking his head a little in amusement while taking the bowl of popcorn. he flashed him a soft smile and shrugged. “oh yeah, i’ve definitely seen it more than two times, i’ve lost count of exactly how many times, though.”

"hey! i don't mind watching the lion king, it's a heart-warming movie. it's just not what i pictured you watching." a sheepish grin presented itself upon his face, shoulders lifted into a shrug to attempt a semblance of nonchalance. "we should do a disney movie marathon one of these days. not gonna lie, but i know all the words to frozen."