Fireworks. [Chapter Thirty]
Title: Fireworks
Author: Harriet, a.k.a masokisstiic
Rating: R
Pairing: Alex and Jack, if the kids don't believe, make them believe.
POV: Third
Summary: So it's true what they say, if you love someone, you should set them free.
Disclaimer: Totally fictional, soz.
Credit: Title to YouMeAtSix
A/N: Oh, jeez, another update. Baha, this is what happens when you have no work to do and tumblr stops working. But anyway, I hope you like this, another cute chapter. I promise that something dramatic will happen in the next chapter though, okay? I don't want you getting too bored with all this lovey dovey crap<3
Tumblr.
Masterpost.
It was strange how fast everything was moving; Alex almost wished it would slow down so he had time to catch his breath.
First, there was his mother breaking the news of Alex’s relationship with Jack to his father. That was... awkward? Sure, let’s go with that.
Peter refused to believe it at first, well, that was until Jack crept up behind Alex, whilst they stood in the living room, and wrapped his arms around his waist. Of course, the idiot completely forgot. Alex could have hit him, but he knew that he’d pay Jack back for that later.
“But what about if you wanted to get married? Or have children? I mean, can you even do that? Sure there's always adoption, or you could find a surrogate mother, but still, I just...”
If anything, Peter was more worried about whether Alex would carry on the family name or not. He didn’t have any siblings, so if Alex didn’t pass on the Gaskarth name, that would be the end of that generation, and that wasn’t what he wanted at all.
“We can have a double barrel name or something...?” Was all Alex could suggest, though the both of them knew that Alex Gaskarth-Barakat sounded utterly ridiculous.
Jack decided to not offer his own input; he was cringing at the thought of marriage and children, at least for the moment. Fuck, he was too young to be even thinking about this shit.
Peter soon realised though that he couldn’t control his son’s decisions, emotions, whatever he’d call them. Jack seemed to make Alex happier than he’d ever been before, and after such a rough family past, the kid deserved it. It would be difficult to accept the constant touching, kissing, all of which breached normality, but this was the twenty-first century, nothing could be considered normal anymore.
It was quite difficult to avoid the affection, however, especially since Jack had permanently moved in, the second thing which seemed to speed up the boys’ relationship.
Alex had been correct in knowing that his parents wouldn’t deny Jack residence, in fact, the moment Isobel spotted the suitcase lying in the hallway, she seemed to figure it out. Alex would never understand how she managed to do that.
“He can sleep in the spare room if that makes things easier.”
“Or, he could stay in your room if you would bother to tidy it.”
Alex had never been in such a rush to make his room clean before.
He hadn’t expected his parents to be so... understanding. Yet, these kind gestures just made him feel guilty. Jack didn’t have this comfort in his own home. His mother, his flesh and blood, had chucked him out because she was bitter, and the boy didn’t have a dad to turn to. Alex just hoped that his own mum and dad would be a good enough substitute for the boy, at least until Joyce realised what she’d just done.
He supposed that’s what his parents expected, Jack’s own mum to realise she’d made a mistake. It wasn’t as if she couldn’t see her son, either. I mean, he was literally a mere few minute walk away, and she knew where Alex lived. Maybe if she saw how Alex treated Jack now she’d change her mind about the boy.
Alex had tried to talk to Jack about this, but he told Alex to shut up and threw a pillow at him. Touchy sod.
Oh well, it was actually good for the two boys to practically be inseparable, though. The first couple of days had been difficult, Jack was still a little upset over leaving his mum, and he wasn’t used to the different changes in the household. The changes were nice, though.
He liked how the Gaskarth family would sit at the kitchen table for dinner every night, and they would just talk. Even when his own dad was around, Jack never really sat and ate a meal with his family. He’d always be off in his room, hiding away, or when Rian came along, he’d be stuck to the older boy’s hip.
But it was nice to sit down and reflect on his day at school, and then listen to Peter and Isobel’s anecdotes from their school lives many years ago. Jack couldn’t help but to feel accepted in such a loving family.
Alex and Jack’s relationship had dramatically improved, too. Not that it needed any improving, but they were certainly closer than they’d ever been before. By living with each other, they recognised each other’s daily habits and quirks, their flaws, and what made them tick.
Alex learnt about Jack’s allergy to peanuts, he know knew how many times a day the younger boy required to take his anti-depressants, and he realised that by giving Jack a colouring book and felt tip pens, the boy would be amused and quiet for hours.
Jack learnt that when Alex can’t sleep, he turns on a nightlight and listens to Michael Bublé until his drifts off. Also, that Alex is deathly afraid of gory movies, (their Saw marathon the other night went out the window), and the boy is obsessed with watching the Crime and Investigation Network channel on television.
But it was these little, pointless things that each boy simply adored about each other. Everyday they were taught something new, they were both just books which were needing to be read, and gradually, as the days passed, each page was turning.
- - - -
Today happened to be Tuesday, the fourteenth of December, ten days since Jack moved in, and a very special date. Alex’s eighteenth birthday, in fact.
Jack was growing impatient as the large hand of the clock ticked past eleven a.m; Jack was dying to give his boyfriend his gifts. Alex had been fast asleep since ten o’clock the night before, so the American boy honestly couldn’t understand how he was able to sleep for so long. It wasn’t as if Alex needed it.
The only option that Jack had left was to wake the boy up on his own accord, and so he leaped upon the sleeping male, his knee landing directly onto the other’s crotch.
“Argh!” Alex cried, suddenly awakened from his rather wonderful dream. “Jesus, fuck... Oh God, I think they’re in my stomach.” He moaned, shoving Jack off of his body and onto the space in the bed next to him. His legs curled up into his chest, his hand shoved down into his boxers, massaging himself. “I hope that’s not my fucking birthday present from you...” Alex whined, his face buried into his pillows, eyes shut tightly as the pain began to subside. That wasn’t exactly the wake up call he’d expected. “Why couldn’t you be normal and nice and just sing happy birthday to me to wake me up?”
Jack shrugged his shoulders, before opening his mouth and belting out his own rendition of ‘happy birthday’. The boy was totally off key, and he sounded worse than one of those cats screeching in the middle of night, but Alex just had to love it. “Mm, I suppose that’s why.” He teased, drawing his hands from his boxers, happy enough that everything down there was a-okay.
Jack beamed, “Happy birthday, darling.” He spoke in his normal tone, “Sorry for uh... crushing you, by the way. It was a total accident, but at least you woke up, lazy git.” He grinned.
Alex pouted at the name the boy called him, before wiping his hand over Jack’s mouth, “Mm, nice and sweaty.” He smirked, as Jack wrinkled his nose in disgust.
“You’re vile.” The younger boy huffed.
“Sh, I’m the birthday boy, you’re supposed to be nice.” Alex giggled, amused by the fact he could use his birthday to his advantage today.
Jack sighed, “I know, come ‘ere.” He murmured, pressing a kiss to Alex’s lips, the other boy’s arms wrapping around his thin frame. “Come downstairs and open your presents from me, okay?” Jack asked, “Your mom and dad have gone to get your- to uh...” The boy was so bad at hiding secrets. “To get a cake...” Was the best he could come up with.
Alex had chosen to brush off Jack’s slip up, he decided that it would be much easier that way, and Jack would feel better with himself for not spoiling whatever the surprise was.
Alex hated surprises though, he’d stated that the night before when Jack was bragging about the gifts he’d bought for the boy. “You’re probably going to hate me for one of them, but oh my God, I can’t wait to see your face.” The younger boy had giggled, though making sure to not reveal anything.
But today, right now, he was able to find out what his boyfriend had been on about.
“You didn’t have to get me anything.” Alex whined as he sat down on the couch in the living room, Jack sitting on the floor in front of him.
“Of course I did, I’d be a shit boyfriend otherwise.” Jack chuckled, handing three poorly wrapped parcels towards the boy.
Alex raised his eyebrows at the gifts, “Remind me to never get you to wrap anything ever...” He remarked jokingly, before attempting to peel away at the vast amount of sellotape covering the bright pink paper.
Eventually the paper tore, and Alex managed to pull out a pair of black, slim-fitting, denim jeans.
The boy glared upon his boyfriend. “I hate you.” He grumbled.
“Right, I have never, not ever seen you wear anything but sweatpants, so it’s time for a change.” Jack spoke smugly, “Put them on for me now, please?” And he batted his eyelids as a method of persuasion.
Alex couldn’t exactly refuse, especially when Jack had been pouting at him with his large, glossy brown eyes. He didn’t think he’d ever be able to risk that look.
The jeans weren’t even that bad as Alex pulled them on, though Jesus Christ, they were tight. “How are you expected to breath in these things?!” He gasped, his hand rubbing at his crotch. “I’m sorry fella, Jack doesn’t seem to like you at all this morning.” Of course, he had to make a dick joke on his birthday. Eighteen, classed as an adult, able to vote, but no, he was still as immature as the next fourteen year old boy.
“Turn around.” Jack commanded, eager to see how Alex looked from all angles.
Alex followed instructions, twirling on the spot, “I feel so gay.” He whined.
Jack started to laugh, “You look it, too.” He winked playfully as he pulled Alex onto his lap on the floor. With his arms wrapped tightly around the older boy’s waist, Jack gently nibbled at the back of Alex’s neck, “Mm, they suit you, darling. You look gorgeous.” He sighed, “You’ll get used to them.” He added, after he heard that sneaky groan escape Alex’s mouth.
Alex wriggled in his boyfriend’s lap as he reached over for another present, “I’m really worried at what this could be now, though.” He muttered, hesitating to pull apart the wrapping paper. “And did you really have to use pink paper, seriously?”
Jack shrugged his shoulders, “It was the only paper your mom had left, and I couldn’t be bothered to go to the shops and get a different roll.”
Alex tutted as he ripped open the parcel, Jack’s fingers curling around his hips.
The English boy’s head cocked to the side as he pulled out what appeared to be a large book of some sort. Opening to the pages in the middle, Alex noticed that they were blank. Flicking through to the back of the book, every single page that followed was pure white, not a single picture or word. “Jack... I don’t get it?”
The younger boy sighed, typical Alex. “Read the first page.”
Curiously, Alex flicked back to the first page, and there he noticed was a little message scrawled in black felt tip onto the first page. The words were barely readable from the appalling handwriting, but Alex could just make out:
“To my beautiful Alex,
Happy eighteenth, babe!
I bet you don’t know what this is, so I’ll tell you.
It’s a scrapbook. Our scrapbook.
You are the best thing that’s ever been mine, and I want to cherish the memories we’re gonna share as we hopefully grow old together, so what better than sticking photos in a big ol’ book and writing about them?
I’m such a romantic ;)
Forever yours, Jack xxxxxx.”
“Oh... Jack...” Alex whispered, his finger lightly stroking the page, tears filling his eyes. “It’s beautiful.” The boy placed the book down onto the carpet so he was able to turn to face the most amazing male in his life. Cupping Jack’s face with his palms, Alex leant in, pressing their lips together passionately. “I’m so lucky to have you.” He murmured against Jack’s mouth. “I don’t deserve you, I really don’t...”
The younger teen chuckled lightly, his hands adding pressure to Alex’s hips as he slowly pulled himself back. “But you do, Alex.” He hushed, “Don’t you ever think different, because I know you don’t see it, but you’re simply wonderful.” Jack pushed his lips to Alex’s forehead affectionately, “You put me first all the time, beautiful, and this is my chance to return the favour. This book, this is going to be filled with pictures of us. Special times we share, memories that we want to capture forever, they’ll be put in these pages so we don’t ever forget them. And if we ever feel upset, maybe if we fight, we can just look at how happy we are and know that we’re meant to be together, Alex.”
A tear rolled down Jack’s cheek, meeting with Alex’s own as they softly kissed once more.
Jack threaded his hand through Alex’s hair behind his ear, cold fingers curling around the other boy’s warm nape.
“I hope this proves that I’m serious about us, Alex.”
And Alex nodded, “You didn’t need to prove me anything, baby, but I’m so glad you did.”
Gradually pulling apart from each other, Alex’s brows furrowed, “But how are we supposed to take pictures...?” He finally asked. “I don’t have a camera.”
Jack smiled warmly, his eyes glancing towards the final package lying on the sofa.
“A-are you joking? J-Jack...”
“Just open it, Alex.” The American chuckled, sniffing to hold back anymore tears.
Gingerly, Alex pulled apart at the paper, a small brown box becoming exposed. Opening the lid, Alex’s glistened eyes lit up. “But how...?” He asked, lifting the Polaroid camera from it’s packaging.
Jack simply adored the look on his boyfriend’s face as he marvelled the camera in his hands, “Google helped.” He chuckled, kissing Alex’s cheek softly. “Mm, happy birthday, Alex.”
Alex placed the camera on top of the scrapbook, before linking his hands around Jack’s back. Burying his head into the boy’s neck, he thought for a moment. “Sh-should we take a picture now? The first one for the book?” He asked hesitantly.
“I thought you’d never ask.” Jack beamed, reaching for the camera and turning it on. It was a good thing that he’d done his research, for he knew the ins and outs of this thing now.
“What should we do though?” Alex asked. “I want it to be special.”
“Just kiss me.” Jack smirked, and Alex didn’t need telling twice.
Planting his hands on Jack’s cheeks, he pulled the boy into a gentle kiss, their mouths moulding together perfectly.
Jack managed to position the camera in front of them, and closing his eyes, he pressed the shutter button.
A whirring noise startled both boys, causing them to pull apart, both staring at the camera as they waited for their picture to develop. “Is it gonna work?” Alex asked quietly, “I hope my hair’s okay-“ He paused, “Aw, fuck, I forgot I have bed hair.” He whined, “Can we just take another picture?” He asked hopefully, but Jack shook his head firmly.
“Nope, even if we look like complete dicks, we’re gonna keep it because it’s the first ever picture we’d have taken together.”
A few moments passed before the picture was finally released from the camera, grasping the classic discoloured white border between his finger and thumb, Alex shook the picture lightly until the colours soon settled in, their photograph finally becoming clear.
“Hey, Jack?”
“What?”
“Oddly enough, I love this picture...” Alex said softly.
Jack leant over the boy’s shoulder to take a look for himself, “You know what? So do I... Let me get the sellotape.”
Jumping to his feet, the boy sauntered into the kitchen to fetch a roll of tape, and also a black pen.
Once grabbing what he needed, he shuffled back to the living room, watching as Alex lined the photo as best he could on the first clean page of the book.
Crouching down beside the boy, Jack picked at the tape, before tearing off a piece with his teeth. Carefully, he stuck it over one of the corners of the picture. He then copied his action with the rest of the corners, and there, the first picture was complete.
Removing the cap off the pen, Jack began to scribble beneath the photo, his tongue poking from his mouth through concentration. Alex noticed the boy appeared to be drawing something.
“What are you...?” And he trailed off as Jack sat back, revealing what he’d written.
“02/12/10 - ∞“ and following the hyphen was a carefully drawn symbol. To Alex, it looked like an eight drawn on it’s side.
“What’s that mean?” He asked, completely clueless.
“It’s the symbol for infinity, Alex.” Jack stated, “And the second, well, that was the day we got together, I mean, for real.”
Alex pondered for a moment, before a smile broke out across his features. He understood now.
“The second of December, two thousand and ten, to infinity.” He read from the page, “You think we can make it to infinity?”
Jack began to chuckle, “Just call me Buzz Lightyear, babe.”
And Alex would have playfully shoved the boy’s shoulder, hadn’t it have been for the sound of a horn coming from outside.
“What the...?” This birthday was certainly full of unexpected events.
Scrambling to his feet, Alex padded out of the front door to look at where the noise had come from. As he hobbled down the pavement, his bare feet were becoming sore, yet all thoughts of pain vanished as his parents greeted him.
“Happy birthday, son!” His father called, from the inside of a black Peugeot 106.
His parents got him a car. A motherfucking car.
Alex could proudly say that this was the best birthday he had ever had, and it was only twelve in the afternoon.
And to think, he still had a messy weekend in front of him.
Author: Harriet, a.k.a masokisstiic
Rating: R
Pairing: Alex and Jack, if the kids don't believe, make them believe.
POV: Third
Summary: So it's true what they say, if you love someone, you should set them free.
Disclaimer: Totally fictional, soz.
Credit: Title to YouMeAtSix
A/N: Oh, jeez, another update. Baha, this is what happens when you have no work to do and tumblr stops working. But anyway, I hope you like this, another cute chapter. I promise that something dramatic will happen in the next chapter though, okay? I don't want you getting too bored with all this lovey dovey crap<3
Tumblr.
Masterpost.
It was strange how fast everything was moving; Alex almost wished it would slow down so he had time to catch his breath.
First, there was his mother breaking the news of Alex’s relationship with Jack to his father. That was... awkward? Sure, let’s go with that.
Peter refused to believe it at first, well, that was until Jack crept up behind Alex, whilst they stood in the living room, and wrapped his arms around his waist. Of course, the idiot completely forgot. Alex could have hit him, but he knew that he’d pay Jack back for that later.
“But what about if you wanted to get married? Or have children? I mean, can you even do that? Sure there's always adoption, or you could find a surrogate mother, but still, I just...”
If anything, Peter was more worried about whether Alex would carry on the family name or not. He didn’t have any siblings, so if Alex didn’t pass on the Gaskarth name, that would be the end of that generation, and that wasn’t what he wanted at all.
“We can have a double barrel name or something...?” Was all Alex could suggest, though the both of them knew that Alex Gaskarth-Barakat sounded utterly ridiculous.
Jack decided to not offer his own input; he was cringing at the thought of marriage and children, at least for the moment. Fuck, he was too young to be even thinking about this shit.
Peter soon realised though that he couldn’t control his son’s decisions, emotions, whatever he’d call them. Jack seemed to make Alex happier than he’d ever been before, and after such a rough family past, the kid deserved it. It would be difficult to accept the constant touching, kissing, all of which breached normality, but this was the twenty-first century, nothing could be considered normal anymore.
It was quite difficult to avoid the affection, however, especially since Jack had permanently moved in, the second thing which seemed to speed up the boys’ relationship.
Alex had been correct in knowing that his parents wouldn’t deny Jack residence, in fact, the moment Isobel spotted the suitcase lying in the hallway, she seemed to figure it out. Alex would never understand how she managed to do that.
“He can sleep in the spare room if that makes things easier.”
“Or, he could stay in your room if you would bother to tidy it.”
Alex had never been in such a rush to make his room clean before.
He hadn’t expected his parents to be so... understanding. Yet, these kind gestures just made him feel guilty. Jack didn’t have this comfort in his own home. His mother, his flesh and blood, had chucked him out because she was bitter, and the boy didn’t have a dad to turn to. Alex just hoped that his own mum and dad would be a good enough substitute for the boy, at least until Joyce realised what she’d just done.
He supposed that’s what his parents expected, Jack’s own mum to realise she’d made a mistake. It wasn’t as if she couldn’t see her son, either. I mean, he was literally a mere few minute walk away, and she knew where Alex lived. Maybe if she saw how Alex treated Jack now she’d change her mind about the boy.
Alex had tried to talk to Jack about this, but he told Alex to shut up and threw a pillow at him. Touchy sod.
Oh well, it was actually good for the two boys to practically be inseparable, though. The first couple of days had been difficult, Jack was still a little upset over leaving his mum, and he wasn’t used to the different changes in the household. The changes were nice, though.
He liked how the Gaskarth family would sit at the kitchen table for dinner every night, and they would just talk. Even when his own dad was around, Jack never really sat and ate a meal with his family. He’d always be off in his room, hiding away, or when Rian came along, he’d be stuck to the older boy’s hip.
But it was nice to sit down and reflect on his day at school, and then listen to Peter and Isobel’s anecdotes from their school lives many years ago. Jack couldn’t help but to feel accepted in such a loving family.
Alex and Jack’s relationship had dramatically improved, too. Not that it needed any improving, but they were certainly closer than they’d ever been before. By living with each other, they recognised each other’s daily habits and quirks, their flaws, and what made them tick.
Alex learnt about Jack’s allergy to peanuts, he know knew how many times a day the younger boy required to take his anti-depressants, and he realised that by giving Jack a colouring book and felt tip pens, the boy would be amused and quiet for hours.
Jack learnt that when Alex can’t sleep, he turns on a nightlight and listens to Michael Bublé until his drifts off. Also, that Alex is deathly afraid of gory movies, (their Saw marathon the other night went out the window), and the boy is obsessed with watching the Crime and Investigation Network channel on television.
But it was these little, pointless things that each boy simply adored about each other. Everyday they were taught something new, they were both just books which were needing to be read, and gradually, as the days passed, each page was turning.
- - - -
Today happened to be Tuesday, the fourteenth of December, ten days since Jack moved in, and a very special date. Alex’s eighteenth birthday, in fact.
Jack was growing impatient as the large hand of the clock ticked past eleven a.m; Jack was dying to give his boyfriend his gifts. Alex had been fast asleep since ten o’clock the night before, so the American boy honestly couldn’t understand how he was able to sleep for so long. It wasn’t as if Alex needed it.
The only option that Jack had left was to wake the boy up on his own accord, and so he leaped upon the sleeping male, his knee landing directly onto the other’s crotch.
“Argh!” Alex cried, suddenly awakened from his rather wonderful dream. “Jesus, fuck... Oh God, I think they’re in my stomach.” He moaned, shoving Jack off of his body and onto the space in the bed next to him. His legs curled up into his chest, his hand shoved down into his boxers, massaging himself. “I hope that’s not my fucking birthday present from you...” Alex whined, his face buried into his pillows, eyes shut tightly as the pain began to subside. That wasn’t exactly the wake up call he’d expected. “Why couldn’t you be normal and nice and just sing happy birthday to me to wake me up?”
Jack shrugged his shoulders, before opening his mouth and belting out his own rendition of ‘happy birthday’. The boy was totally off key, and he sounded worse than one of those cats screeching in the middle of night, but Alex just had to love it. “Mm, I suppose that’s why.” He teased, drawing his hands from his boxers, happy enough that everything down there was a-okay.
Jack beamed, “Happy birthday, darling.” He spoke in his normal tone, “Sorry for uh... crushing you, by the way. It was a total accident, but at least you woke up, lazy git.” He grinned.
Alex pouted at the name the boy called him, before wiping his hand over Jack’s mouth, “Mm, nice and sweaty.” He smirked, as Jack wrinkled his nose in disgust.
“You’re vile.” The younger boy huffed.
“Sh, I’m the birthday boy, you’re supposed to be nice.” Alex giggled, amused by the fact he could use his birthday to his advantage today.
Jack sighed, “I know, come ‘ere.” He murmured, pressing a kiss to Alex’s lips, the other boy’s arms wrapping around his thin frame. “Come downstairs and open your presents from me, okay?” Jack asked, “Your mom and dad have gone to get your- to uh...” The boy was so bad at hiding secrets. “To get a cake...” Was the best he could come up with.
Alex had chosen to brush off Jack’s slip up, he decided that it would be much easier that way, and Jack would feel better with himself for not spoiling whatever the surprise was.
Alex hated surprises though, he’d stated that the night before when Jack was bragging about the gifts he’d bought for the boy. “You’re probably going to hate me for one of them, but oh my God, I can’t wait to see your face.” The younger boy had giggled, though making sure to not reveal anything.
But today, right now, he was able to find out what his boyfriend had been on about.
“You didn’t have to get me anything.” Alex whined as he sat down on the couch in the living room, Jack sitting on the floor in front of him.
“Of course I did, I’d be a shit boyfriend otherwise.” Jack chuckled, handing three poorly wrapped parcels towards the boy.
Alex raised his eyebrows at the gifts, “Remind me to never get you to wrap anything ever...” He remarked jokingly, before attempting to peel away at the vast amount of sellotape covering the bright pink paper.
Eventually the paper tore, and Alex managed to pull out a pair of black, slim-fitting, denim jeans.
The boy glared upon his boyfriend. “I hate you.” He grumbled.
“Right, I have never, not ever seen you wear anything but sweatpants, so it’s time for a change.” Jack spoke smugly, “Put them on for me now, please?” And he batted his eyelids as a method of persuasion.
Alex couldn’t exactly refuse, especially when Jack had been pouting at him with his large, glossy brown eyes. He didn’t think he’d ever be able to risk that look.
The jeans weren’t even that bad as Alex pulled them on, though Jesus Christ, they were tight. “How are you expected to breath in these things?!” He gasped, his hand rubbing at his crotch. “I’m sorry fella, Jack doesn’t seem to like you at all this morning.” Of course, he had to make a dick joke on his birthday. Eighteen, classed as an adult, able to vote, but no, he was still as immature as the next fourteen year old boy.
“Turn around.” Jack commanded, eager to see how Alex looked from all angles.
Alex followed instructions, twirling on the spot, “I feel so gay.” He whined.
Jack started to laugh, “You look it, too.” He winked playfully as he pulled Alex onto his lap on the floor. With his arms wrapped tightly around the older boy’s waist, Jack gently nibbled at the back of Alex’s neck, “Mm, they suit you, darling. You look gorgeous.” He sighed, “You’ll get used to them.” He added, after he heard that sneaky groan escape Alex’s mouth.
Alex wriggled in his boyfriend’s lap as he reached over for another present, “I’m really worried at what this could be now, though.” He muttered, hesitating to pull apart the wrapping paper. “And did you really have to use pink paper, seriously?”
Jack shrugged his shoulders, “It was the only paper your mom had left, and I couldn’t be bothered to go to the shops and get a different roll.”
Alex tutted as he ripped open the parcel, Jack’s fingers curling around his hips.
The English boy’s head cocked to the side as he pulled out what appeared to be a large book of some sort. Opening to the pages in the middle, Alex noticed that they were blank. Flicking through to the back of the book, every single page that followed was pure white, not a single picture or word. “Jack... I don’t get it?”
The younger boy sighed, typical Alex. “Read the first page.”
Curiously, Alex flicked back to the first page, and there he noticed was a little message scrawled in black felt tip onto the first page. The words were barely readable from the appalling handwriting, but Alex could just make out:
“To my beautiful Alex,
Happy eighteenth, babe!
I bet you don’t know what this is, so I’ll tell you.
It’s a scrapbook. Our scrapbook.
You are the best thing that’s ever been mine, and I want to cherish the memories we’re gonna share as we hopefully grow old together, so what better than sticking photos in a big ol’ book and writing about them?
I’m such a romantic ;)
Forever yours, Jack xxxxxx.”
“Oh... Jack...” Alex whispered, his finger lightly stroking the page, tears filling his eyes. “It’s beautiful.” The boy placed the book down onto the carpet so he was able to turn to face the most amazing male in his life. Cupping Jack’s face with his palms, Alex leant in, pressing their lips together passionately. “I’m so lucky to have you.” He murmured against Jack’s mouth. “I don’t deserve you, I really don’t...”
The younger teen chuckled lightly, his hands adding pressure to Alex’s hips as he slowly pulled himself back. “But you do, Alex.” He hushed, “Don’t you ever think different, because I know you don’t see it, but you’re simply wonderful.” Jack pushed his lips to Alex’s forehead affectionately, “You put me first all the time, beautiful, and this is my chance to return the favour. This book, this is going to be filled with pictures of us. Special times we share, memories that we want to capture forever, they’ll be put in these pages so we don’t ever forget them. And if we ever feel upset, maybe if we fight, we can just look at how happy we are and know that we’re meant to be together, Alex.”
A tear rolled down Jack’s cheek, meeting with Alex’s own as they softly kissed once more.
Jack threaded his hand through Alex’s hair behind his ear, cold fingers curling around the other boy’s warm nape.
“I hope this proves that I’m serious about us, Alex.”
And Alex nodded, “You didn’t need to prove me anything, baby, but I’m so glad you did.”
Gradually pulling apart from each other, Alex’s brows furrowed, “But how are we supposed to take pictures...?” He finally asked. “I don’t have a camera.”
Jack smiled warmly, his eyes glancing towards the final package lying on the sofa.
“A-are you joking? J-Jack...”
“Just open it, Alex.” The American chuckled, sniffing to hold back anymore tears.
Gingerly, Alex pulled apart at the paper, a small brown box becoming exposed. Opening the lid, Alex’s glistened eyes lit up. “But how...?” He asked, lifting the Polaroid camera from it’s packaging.
Jack simply adored the look on his boyfriend’s face as he marvelled the camera in his hands, “Google helped.” He chuckled, kissing Alex’s cheek softly. “Mm, happy birthday, Alex.”
Alex placed the camera on top of the scrapbook, before linking his hands around Jack’s back. Burying his head into the boy’s neck, he thought for a moment. “Sh-should we take a picture now? The first one for the book?” He asked hesitantly.
“I thought you’d never ask.” Jack beamed, reaching for the camera and turning it on. It was a good thing that he’d done his research, for he knew the ins and outs of this thing now.
“What should we do though?” Alex asked. “I want it to be special.”
“Just kiss me.” Jack smirked, and Alex didn’t need telling twice.
Planting his hands on Jack’s cheeks, he pulled the boy into a gentle kiss, their mouths moulding together perfectly.
Jack managed to position the camera in front of them, and closing his eyes, he pressed the shutter button.
A whirring noise startled both boys, causing them to pull apart, both staring at the camera as they waited for their picture to develop. “Is it gonna work?” Alex asked quietly, “I hope my hair’s okay-“ He paused, “Aw, fuck, I forgot I have bed hair.” He whined, “Can we just take another picture?” He asked hopefully, but Jack shook his head firmly.
“Nope, even if we look like complete dicks, we’re gonna keep it because it’s the first ever picture we’d have taken together.”
A few moments passed before the picture was finally released from the camera, grasping the classic discoloured white border between his finger and thumb, Alex shook the picture lightly until the colours soon settled in, their photograph finally becoming clear.
“Hey, Jack?”
“What?”
“Oddly enough, I love this picture...” Alex said softly.
Jack leant over the boy’s shoulder to take a look for himself, “You know what? So do I... Let me get the sellotape.”
Jumping to his feet, the boy sauntered into the kitchen to fetch a roll of tape, and also a black pen.
Once grabbing what he needed, he shuffled back to the living room, watching as Alex lined the photo as best he could on the first clean page of the book.
Crouching down beside the boy, Jack picked at the tape, before tearing off a piece with his teeth. Carefully, he stuck it over one of the corners of the picture. He then copied his action with the rest of the corners, and there, the first picture was complete.
Removing the cap off the pen, Jack began to scribble beneath the photo, his tongue poking from his mouth through concentration. Alex noticed the boy appeared to be drawing something.
“What are you...?” And he trailed off as Jack sat back, revealing what he’d written.
“02/12/10 - ∞“ and following the hyphen was a carefully drawn symbol. To Alex, it looked like an eight drawn on it’s side.
“What’s that mean?” He asked, completely clueless.
“It’s the symbol for infinity, Alex.” Jack stated, “And the second, well, that was the day we got together, I mean, for real.”
Alex pondered for a moment, before a smile broke out across his features. He understood now.
“The second of December, two thousand and ten, to infinity.” He read from the page, “You think we can make it to infinity?”
Jack began to chuckle, “Just call me Buzz Lightyear, babe.”
And Alex would have playfully shoved the boy’s shoulder, hadn’t it have been for the sound of a horn coming from outside.
“What the...?” This birthday was certainly full of unexpected events.
Scrambling to his feet, Alex padded out of the front door to look at where the noise had come from. As he hobbled down the pavement, his bare feet were becoming sore, yet all thoughts of pain vanished as his parents greeted him.
“Happy birthday, son!” His father called, from the inside of a black Peugeot 106.
His parents got him a car. A motherfucking car.
Alex could proudly say that this was the best birthday he had ever had, and it was only twelve in the afternoon.
And to think, he still had a messy weekend in front of him.