After arriving home from the park, Jake and Alex kicked off their shoes and flopped onto the couch, exhausted but happy. The afternoon had been fun, and they were looking forward to a relaxing night of gaming and food.
Just as they settled in, Jake's mom came into the living room, her purse slung over her shoulder. "Boys, I need to talk to Alex for a second," she said.
Jake raised an eyebrow but didn't question it. "Alright," he said, grabbing the remote and flipping through the channels while Alex followed Mrs. Faulkner into the kitchen.
Once they were alone, she knelt slightly to meet Alex's eye level. "Sweetheart, I have to head into work early, and I won't be back until morning. Would you be okay if I got you into your diaper now, so you don't have to worry about it later?" she asked gently.
Alex hesitated for a second but then nodded. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea."
Mrs. Faulkner smiled warmly. "Alright, let's go get you sorted."
A few minutes later, Alex returned to the living room, now in his pajamas, with his protection on beneath them. Jake barely noticed as he was too busy deciding what to order for dinner.
Mrs. Faulkner grabbed her keys and placed a couple of twenty-dollar bills on the counter. "I left some money for dinner. Order whatever you two want. Just make sure to lock up before bed, okay?"
Jake nodded. "Got it, Mom. See you in the morning."
"Bye, Mrs. Faulkner!" Alex called as she headed out the door.
Once she was gone, Jake turned to Alex. "So, pizza or Chinese?"
Alex grinned. "Definitely pizza."
Jake smirked and grabbed his phone. "Good choice."
As he placed the order, Alex leaned back into the couch, feeling comfortable and safe. With no parents around, it was just two best friends hanging out, and the night was theirs to enjoy.
After Jake ordered the pizza, he put his phone down and glanced over at Alex. That's when he noticed his friend was already in his pajamas. A thought crossed his mind, and he hesitated for a second before asking, "Hey... was that talk with my mom about what I think it was about?"
Alex shifted slightly, then gave a small nod. "Yeah... she wanted to make sure I was taken care of before she left for work."
Jake wasn't sure why, but hearing Alex confirm it made him feel a little less alone. "Oh," he said simply, not wanting to make a big deal out of it. "Well, at least now you don't have to worry about it later."
Alex chuckled. "Yeah, I guess that's one way to look at it."
The conversation lingered in the air for a moment before Jake smirked. "Alright, enough of that. Pizza's on the way. What game are we playing while we wait?"
Alex grinned, grabbing a controller. "How about some more Minecraft? I still need to finish my enchantments."
Jake rolled his eyes playfully. "Fine, but we're going exploring after. No more hiding in your cave all night."
Alex laughed as jake loaded up the game. "Deal."
As they got back into their world, the awkwardness of the conversation faded, replaced by the familiar comfort of just being two best friends having fun.
About 25 minutes later, a knock at the door signaled the arrival of their food. Jake paused the game and got up to answer it.
As he opened the door, the delivery guy stood there, holding two large pizza boxes and a bag filled with two dozen wings.
"That'll be $45.67," the pizza guy said, shifting the boxes slightly.
Jake took the cash his mom had left and handed it over, counting out the total plus a 25% tip. "Here you go, keep the change."
The delivery guy gave a nod of appreciation. "Thanks, man. Enjoy your food."
Jake took the boxes and bag, closing the door behind him before heading back into the living room. "Alright, food's here!"
Alex perked up from his spot on the couch. "Yes! I'm starving."
Jake set the food down on the coffee table, grabbing some plates and napkins while Alex started opening the boxes. The smell of fresh pizza and wings filled the room, making both of them even hungrier.
As they started digging in, Jake grinned. "Alright, now this is how you do a sleepover."
Alex chuckled, taking a big bite of his slice. "No arguments here."
With a great night of gaming and food ahead of them, the two friends settled in for another fun evening.