Sunday afternoon found Becky laying with her legs dangling over the arm of the sofa, her head in Jacks lap while he idly played with her hair watching a true crime documentary on Netflix, something else they apparently had in common.

Becky was wearing leggings that belonged to Jack's sister, she'd been incredibly dubious when Jack had said one of the spare bedrooms was full of stuff belonging to his sister "your sister? Yeah right!?" She'd said.

"Nah I promise ya, look...."

He'd given her a tour of the spare bedroom, which was a tip, and definitely looked like it was shared by a couple, complete with photos of the couple....."does her boyfriend look a bit like you Jack?"

"Wot? Nah? I don' see it?"

Apparently the boyfriend had been working in Manchester and Jack thought it would be cool for him to stay over and they could hang out and play FIFA, but his sister had tagged along and trashed his spare room.

So Jack had decided Becky should borrow whatever she needed "I bloody paid for most o'it anyways!"

Becky had borrowed some leggings and worn her own knickers (which she had hand washed and chucked in Jacks tumble dryer while they had shared a bath and had sex, again) and opted for one of Jacks t-shirts which was massive on her, but she liked it.

She had borrowed a hair tie, deodorant and some moisturiser as well and figured in a girls together way, his sister really wouldn't mind.

They'd found themselves discussing anything and everything, favourite board games growing up (Jack cluedo, Becky Uno - which Jack claimed he'd never played) rating ice cream flavours (both mint first, banana last)

Favourite films, best holidays, favourite animals.....

Becky started to feel sleepy, she was so cosy and relaxed in Jacks lap and his hand at her head was so soothing.

"Hey sleepy don' go to sleep" he poked her in the ribs

"Ow! Why?"

"Cos.....hang on I got anotha surprise for ya!"

He shoved Becky into a sitting position and ran back out of the room into the hall.

He was gone for several moments. Becky wondered if she should find him.

Suddenly the lights went off and Jack started singing a very out of tune rendition of 'happy birthday' as he entered the room carrying a chocolate birthday cake. His face illuminated by what Becky assumed was 27 candles.

Becky started crying.

Jack nearly dropped the cake with how quick he dumped it on the kitchen island and rushed to her side, kneeling in front of her.

"Oh no, I'm sorry bab, wot 'ave I done? Is it too much? Ova the top? It's a bit much innit? Ya not allergic to chocolate are ya? Shit, it's jus', well ya can't not 'ave a birthday cake on ya birthday......."

Becky looked at him all red eyed and blotchy and laughed at his ramblings.

"I'm crying because I'm happy you twat! It's amazing, I can't believe you've done all this, and you didn't even know for sure I'd even be here! You've done so much and it's not like we even really know each other"

"Nah will ya stop sayin' that? I feel like I know ya! We've been messaging total shit to each other for almost a year Becks......I mean I know ya cat hates fish..... an' did ya book ya MOT?"

Becky laughed and wiped her eyes "spoken like a true boyfriend"

Jack's eyes went wide.

Shit.

"I didn't mean, I mean I know, I know this isn't...." Now Becky was rambling.

Jack was still on his knees Infront of her, still staring at her.

"It could be though couldn't it? I mean wot else is it?"

"Friends with benefits?" Becky offered, knowing how stupid it sounded to say it out loud.

Jack sighed and sat himself on the floor, bringing his knees to his chest. It made him look very vulnerable.

"Not bein' funny Becks, but I've waited months to get ya here with me like this, an' ya can't deny how well we get on...... an' fuck me the sex is fuckin' hot, I already can't wait to do ya again"

Becky swallowed "yeah to be honest, I probably would have agreed to go out with you sooner if I knew it was going to be that good" she raised an eyebrow to him.

"Friends with benefits ain't gonna cut it for me bab" he said, putting it on the line. "I've had my fill of friends with benefits an' not even gonna lie I've even pretended to be with you sometimes" he tilted his head coyly.

"Jack, I think you've had waaaaay more sex than me"

"Na doubt it, ya went to uni....."

"I was very studious"

"Have ya seen old photos of me? I didn't hit puberty till I were 22 I swear!"

"And then you made up for it though right?"

"Nah, it ain't all true wot ya read about me y'know. And anyways, life experiences jus' help ya know wot ya want, an' I know I want you"

"That's pretty deep for you Jack"

Becky watched him rest his chin on his knee. "I just think, don't you think it's just a bit, I don't know, us, it's incomprehensible?"

Jack stared at her "that means not suitable, or matched togetha right?"

"Yeah...."

"Right, so why ya sayin' that? We've jus' literally said we are good togetha?"

"But Jack, look at this place! I live in a fucking student bedsit compared to this!"

Jack screwed his face up "why does where ya live matter?"

"Ok, you googled band 6 nurses yeah? So you know how much I earn Jack?"

"Well it were on there yeah"

"Less than £34,000 a year Jack. I work 12 hour shifts sometimes 10 days straight before I get a day off and

you're a fucking millionaire!"

"Please don' make this about money Becks. Please because I fuckin' agree that it's not fair we get paid wot we do for wot we do, an' ya get paid peanuts for savin' lives, but that's why I don' even keep most me money, ya fuckin' know I do stuff cos ya been chattin' to me for nearly a year an' I've told ya!"

He looked down "an now I feel shit for argueing with ya on ya birthday. I jus' think we both do wot we love don' we, I'm sure ya didn't start bein' a nurse for the money an' I didn't think when I were six that I'll be a footballer for the money"

"Don't feel shit, it's not an argument and I started it. I just think, is it not going to be an issue?"

"Only if ya make it one" Jack knelt up and kissed Becky's head. "Yeah, ya know Peter Andre?"

"Yeah?" Becky grinned, where the hell was this going.

"Well his wife is a Dr" Jack flashed her a grin, and there it was the simplicity that she adored, if it was good enough for Peter Andre and his wife, then it was good enough for them. And it basically came down to did she want to be with Jack or not, and she knew she did.

"Ok" she said simply.

"yeah? Ok?"

Becky nodded.

"Right, then we're both off tomorrow, let's get your fuckin' MOT done!"

"Fine, but right now can we have some cake?"

"Oh moy goid! The cake!!" Jack rushed to the kitchen island.

Becky hadn't blown the candles out and there was now a layer of wax covering the top of it. "Oh no!" Jack moaned.

"Was it expensive?" Becky poked at it, "I think we can just take the top layer off?"

"It's Asdas finest that!" Jack grabbed a spoon and started trying to scrape the top off.

"Fuck sake" he giggled at the mess.

"Ah stop cocking around" Becky grabbed another spoon and a plate and scrapped what was still edible onto the plate before tucking in with the spoon. She offered a spoonful to Jack.

"How many candles were on the cake?"

"Thirty"

"THIRTY?!" Becky squealed.

"Haha I bought two packs of fifteen and jus' thought I'd use 'em all!" He shrugged.

"Fuck sake, you took a year off me earlier, now your adding them on.......reckon you owe me another orgasm for that Grealish"

"I love it when ya bossy" he said as he held another spoonful of cake to Becky's mouth.

-

"So tomorrow, shall we go to yours, get ya car an' drop it off, then I'll take ya somewhere?"

They were laying in bed drinking tea and eating the last of the cake that they had salvaged.

"Yeah, but go where? I mean how much of a problem is it to just go somewhere? Do people recognise you?"

"If I keep me head down an' cap on I'm mostly left alone, it's Manchester innit, there's footballers an' famous people everywhere, unless ya draw attention to yaself no one cares"

"Speaking of football, can you let me know when you play? So I know?"

"I can give ya the print out they give me if ya want......ya could put ya shifts on me calendar, but in all honesty, if ya not at work ya can jus' come 'ere wheneva ya want........do ya sleep all day when ya on nights?" He kissed her head.

"I need about six hours really, if I go a couple of shifts without getting at least six hours it gets difficult"

"We'll suss it won't we?" He took the empty plate from her and put it on the side. "Feel free to leave stuff here too, me sisters clearing out soon"

"Jack, this has been my best birthday so far"

***

The next day Jack drove them back to Becky's.

"Make yourself at home, I'm just going to get changed"

"Put some kickers on that ain't soggy ya mean?"

"Fuck sake" she moaned at him.

Her flat was tiny. Proper tiny. The kitchen was just a sink oven and couple of cupboards along one wall of the lounge.

The lounge was only big enough for one two seater sofa.

The bathroom was so small it couldn't even hold a bath, and her bedroom was so small that you could barely even walk between the bottom of the bed and the wall.

She sensed him.

He was stood in the doorway looking fucking gorgeous and he didn't fit in with her crappy flat at all.

He walked past her kicked his trainers off and laid on her bed.

"Wha...what are you doing?"

"Ya told me to make meself at home in the other room, but then I thought hang on, she's gettin' naked in 'ere, so here I am"

She pouted at him, he looked so fucking smug with himself.

"Jack as much as I would love to jump on you right now, I don't think my shitty bed would take it and I thought we had to drop my car off by 10?"

"Wots wrong with ya bed?" Jack started bouncing himself on the mattress.

"No please don't!"

There's was lots of creaking, Jack froze.

"Ok.....maybe not...."

Becky shook her head "no, my beds just for sleeping, one person sleeping...."

Jack sat up looking disappointed. He looked around the room before his eyes settled back on Becky.

"Please stay at mine tonight?"

"I start work at eight in the morning"

He shrugged "an' I've gotta be at trainin' at seven, I don' see wot it matters?"

"Jack, is this not moving a bit quick?"

"Nah, I don' think so it's not like we jus' met for the first time on Saturday is it?"

Becky closed her eyes.

There it was, that simplicity again.

She felt a knot in her tummy.

She took a deep breath and jumped straight in with both feet.

"Shall I pack for a few days then?"