Two Worlds Collide (1/2)
Title: Two Worlds Collide
Author: Emma emmameatsix
Pairing: Jalex
Rating: PG-13
Beta: My lovely fag Cerys who's LJ I don't know laughs oops.
Summary: 'I've gotta hand it to you Alex, I never would have thought you could ever work with someone like him.' At that, Alex smiled a small smile. Not a fake smile, however. No, a very genuine one. The kind of smile that's only small because you're trying not to burst with happiness. 'Me neither,' Alex admitted, looking at Sierra with a twinkle in his brown eyes. 'It works though, doesn't it? We're good for each other.
Disclaimer: Never happened. Title belongs to Demi Lovato.
A/N: So for anyone who didn't see on alltimefanfiction, I'm putting my current fics on hiatus until I'm pulled out of my writers block. In the meantime, I'll be posting oneshots and whatnot. Anyway, I hope you like this!
By no means did Jack and Alex have a perfect relationship. They had as many petty fights as any other couple out there. They had overcome their fair share of obstacles. Neither of them were the perfect partner. But they were perfect for each other. They loved each other so much. Nothing mattered to them other than that fact.
***
Alex was running a little late. No, fuck that, he was running extremely late. Stumbling over his own two clumsy feet, Alex barged through the vast crowd of people, not even casting an apologetic glance in their direction whenever they would cry 'hey!' or 'watch where you're going!' Adjusting his flimsy beanie, he kept running, picking up his pace and having no consideration whatsoever for those around him that he was most definitely bothering. Nothing mattered apart from getting to work on time. That was the important thing. Caught up in his thoughts, he didn't bother to look where he was going, until he found himself on his ass on the ground, a shuffling pair of feet standing awkwardly before him. Irritated, Alex looked up, taking in the unhealthily skinny man who seemed to be a couple of years younger than he looking down at him, scratching absently at his arm and appearing frightened, if the look in his eyes was anything to go by.
'Wanna watch where you're going, buddy?' Alex somewhat yelled, jumping up from the ground and brushing himself off, glaring at the other man as he picked his briefcase up from the pavement
'I, I'm so sorry. Really. I, fuck. I'm such a fucking idiot. I'm really sorry,' the other man rambled on, looking cautiously at Alex with fear written all over his gaunt face, tugging forcibly at his raven hair.
'Hey, woah,' Alex rested a gentle hand on his shoulder, causing the other man to look at his hand in shock. Alex made a face in discomfort, as he thought the man might be one of those people who really hates to be touched, but otherwise ignored the look. 'It's okay. Honestly, don't stress yourself out over it, okay? I'm sorry I snapped at you, I didn't mean to get angry and frighten you or whatever,' Alex apologised, looking at the other sincerely.
'I'm sorry for stressing out,' the raven-haired man mumbled, emitting a chuckle and a shake of the head from Alex.
'No worries, okay? It's fine. What's your name, kid?'
'Um, Jack. Jack Barakat,' Jack gulped, looking down awkwardly at his feet.
'Hey Jack, I'm Alex Gaskarth,' Alex smiled warmly, comfortingly rubbing's the other's man's arm before letting his own drop and instead drumming his fingers against his thighs, finding the silence they had fallen into incredibly awkward.
'So, Jack,' Alex began, loudly clearing his throat and looking up at the other with a slight blush tinting his cheeks. 'You, uh, you wanna grab a coffee sometime?'
Miserably, Jack looked down at the filthy ground beneath him, sighing.
'I can't. I, uh, I've not really got the money.'
At that, Alex let out an awkward laugh. 'Jack, it's only a coffee. Doesn't cost that much, man.'
When Jack just looked at him, Alex realised just how little money the other must have had.
'Oh,' Alex mumbled, looking anywhere but at the other man's face. 'Well, you know, I could always buy you one. My treat.'
'Nah, it's fine,' Jack smiled weakly, waving off a hand at Alex. 'Don't waste your money.'
Slightly taken aback at Jack's blunt words, he shoved his hands in his pockets and frowned. 'Well, uh, I should get going. I'll see you around Jack.'
***
'I, uh, I saw Zack today,' Rian admitted, casting a hesitant glance over at Alex, who just nodded from his spot on the couch, his lips settling into a frown.
'Oh yeah? How's he looking?'
'He, uh, he's looking good,' Rian replied, setting down the plate he had been washing and giving his hands a quick dry before sitting next to Alex.
'Hm. That's good,' Alex muttered in a monotone, his eyes never leaving the television.
'Lex,' Rian sighed. 'Its obvious you're still not over him.'
'What are you talking about?' Alex asked, knitting his eyebrows together and shaking his head. 'I'm fine.'
'You don't have to lie to me, Alex. I'm your best friend. The guy fucked you over.'
Dejected, Alex stared down at his thumbs, nose twitching slightly in sadness.
'That he did,' he whispered, looking sorrowfully at Rian, who smiled sympathetically at him before pulling him in for a hug.
'You don't need him, Lex,' he reassured, gently rubbing his arm up and down Alex's back in consolation. 'The guy's a prick. You can do better.'
Closing his eyes and hugging his friend a little tighter, Alex sighed heavily.
'I really hope so.'
***
'Sierra, could you hurry up and fucking choose a pair of jeans?' Alex complained, plonking himself down on one of the chairs in the changing rooms and rolling his eyes.
'But Alex, you need to give me time,' he heard Sierra call out from her changing room.
'You've been in there for like a half hour!'
'You exaggerate.'
'I do not. Hurry the fuck up and get out.'
'Swear at me one more time and I'll fucking slap you.'
'You just swore at me.'
'That's different.'
'In what way?'
'It just is, Alex.'
'Sorry.'
Unlocking the door and kicking it open wide, Sierra sauntered out of the room, raising her eyebrows at Alex.
'Happy now?'
'Yes. Thank you for your consideration of my feelings,' Alex replied sarcastically, glaring at the girl standing in front of him.
'You're very welcome,' Sierra retorted, playfully shoving Alex out of her way and strolling up to the till.
'Why are you so moody today anyway?' Sierra asked curiously, handing $30 over to the woman behind the till before turning to face Alex.
'I keep seeing Zack everywhere,' Alex confessed, looking miserably into his friend's eyes. 'Rian saw him too a few days ago.'
Sighing, Sierra thanked the woman for the jeans before dragging Alex out of the shop and pulling him into a tight embrace once they were outside, pressing a gentle peck to his cheek.
'It's okay, Lex,' she stated. 'You've just gotta get on with your life, you know? Move on. He wasn't any good for you anyway.'
Pulling away, Alex smiled at Sierra gratefully, turning and walking down the road with her beside him all the while.
'So,' Sierra began cheerily. 'Anyone else you got your eye on?'
'Nah, not really,' Alex lied, shrugging his shoulders unconvincingly.
'Don't fucking lie to me,' Sierra smirked. 'Come on, there must be some hot guy you've seen somewhere!'
'Fine, there is one guy,' Alex admitted exasperatedly. 'He, uh, he turned me down though.'
'Must've thought you were too good for him,' Sierra mused.
'Shut up, Sierra,' Alex chuckled, looking at her fondly. 'I wasn't the best boyfriend in the world either, you know.'
'Oh Alex, don't give me that,' Sierra scoffed, shaking her head in a determined manner. 'You were fucking amazing to Zack. And what did he give you in return? Nothing. He slept with someone else. He didn't treat you right at all.'
'Hey, he fell out of love with me. It's understandable.'
Sadly, Sierra stopped and looked at Alex, causing him to do the same. 'Alex, I'm sorry but he was never in love with you. He was just stringing you along. That bastard is only interested in one thing, and you gave him that and so much more. But he didn't appreciate you, and he never will. And that's not your problem. It's his. The sooner you realise that, the better.'
Chuckling bitterly, Alex shook his head and walked away, leaving Sierra behind and ignoring the consistent calls of his name.
Scuffing his shoes off of the concrete as he walked, he scowled down at the ground, scuffing his sneaker more violently each time, earning him irritated looks from those around him, and he glared right back. Feeling his body collide with another, he stumbled slightly backward, frowning until he looked up to find Jack standing before him.
'We gotta stop meeting like this, Barakat,' he joked, smirking up at the other boy. 'What you up to?'
'Nothing,' Jack shrugged.
'Well,' Alex grinned. 'Seeing as you're not doing anything, how about we go for that coffee? I'll pay.'
'Alex-'
'Oh, come on, Jack!' Alex persuaded. 'It's a free cup of coffee! Who doesn't like free coffee?'
Hesitating, Jack frowned at the other boy, just staring at him for a few seconds before huffing out a defeated, 'Okay.'
'Thank you,' Alex smiled, leading Jack to the coffee shop and asking what he wanted before going up to get their drinks whilst Jack grabbed a booth.
Sighing, Jack rested his chin against his hand and traced his finger absently against the wood of the table. It had been a while since he'd done anything like this. Not specifically 'dating', if you could really call this a date. Just socialising in general. He had always been a bit of a loner, and that was the way he liked it. To actually, properly spend time with another human being had become a foreign concept to him.
'You're really stubborn,' Alex stated as he walked back over and set their drinks down, flopping down into the chair and taking a sip.
'I know,' Jack retorted nonchalantly.
'Why did you seem so reluctant to come out with me?' Alex inquired, looking expectantly at the other.
'Not really a people person,' Jack muttered, frowning down at his cup.
'Me neither,' Alex sighed, tapping his foot on the ground. 'But you never get to know someone unless you give them a chance.'
'You really wanna get to know me?' Jack glanced up at Alex, clearly unconvinced.
'Yeah,' Alex nodded. 'So, I'm gonna ask you a few things about yourself.'
Inside, Jack was nervous as fuck, but he brushed it off as best he could and simply replied,
'Shoot.'
'Okay,' Alex said thoughtfully, remaining silent for a few seconds. 'Date of birth?'
'June 18th, 1988.'
'Hometown?'
'Baltimore.'
'Oh, what made you move to New York?'
To get away from my family.
'Just wanted a change of scenery, I guess.'
'Yeah, I get it. I'm originally from Essex, so...'
'Where's Essex?'
'England.'
'Oh.'
'Favourite movie?'
'Home Alone, definitely.'
'Cool. Any siblings?'
'A brother and a sister.'
'Oh, names?'
'Joe and May.'
'Favourite band?'
'Blink-182.'
'Dude, you've got great taste,' Alex grinned. 'I fucking love Blink.'
'Who doesn't love Blink?'
'True, true,' Alex laughed, smiling up at Jack. 'See? This isn't so bad.'
'It isn't,' Jack admitted, giving Alex a small smile in return.
'We should do something like this again sometime.'
'Yeah. We should.'
'Do you have a phone?'
'Yeah, I can't top it up though and it's out of credit.'
'That's fine, I'll call you. Give me your number.'
Taking Alex's phone, Jack quickly entered in his number, handing the phone back to Alex.
'Right, well, I should get going. This was fun. I'll call you.'
'Yeah, okay,' Jack smiled.
'Bye, Jack,' Alex grinned, waving at the other boy before walking off.
***
When Alex arrived back at his apartment, his grin matched that of a little kid receiving a brand new toy, as he looked at the new contact added to his phone, trying desperately not to just squeal and kiss goodbye to any manliness he may have possessed.
'What are you so happy about?'
'Jesus christ!' Alex jumped, startled at the sound of his roommate's voice interrupting his thoughts. 'Fucking hell, Rian!'
'Sorry,' Rian sniggered, closing his bedroom door behind him and walking over to the boy who was glaring at him in annoyance. 'What are you so happy about though?'
'Nothing,' Alex shrugged, setting his phone on the kitchen counter as he began to raid through their fridge.
'Who's Jack?'
Groaning, Alex stood up straight and internally cursed Rian for being such a nosy bastard.
'Just a friend.'
'You went on a date with this guy, didn't you?'
'No,' Alex scoffed, though his pink cheeks gave him away.
'Yes you did!' Rian exclaimed. 'You're finally moving onto other guys. Thank God.'
Rolling his eyes, Alex grabbed a Coke from the fridge and sat down on the couch.
'So,' he heard Rian begin as he put Friends on and opened his can. 'Is he hot?'
'Yes, Rian,' Alex sighed. 'He's hot.'
'What's he look like?'
'Tall, skinny, black-haired, brown-eyed, just kind of awkward, really.'
'Sounds sexy,' Rian commented sarcastically.
'You haven't seen him, man,' Alex laughed, tearing his eyes away from the television to look at his friend in amusement. 'It works on him.'
'So, he about the same age as you?'
'Yeah, I'm taking it. He looks it.'
'And you're sure he's a good guy?'
'I don't need you supervising my relationships, Ri.'
'I just don't want you to get hurt again.'
'I'm not gonna.'
'You don't know that.'
'So, what? You expect me to never take that chance? I should just never go out with anyone again?'
'Alex, I didn't say that-'
'You didn't have to,' Alex grunted, rising up from the couch and instead moping off to his room.
***
One hour had been spent trying to resist the urge to call Jack since Alex had stormed away from Rian. One hour that felt like a year. There were no good distractions around. Television wasn't distracting him. Music wasn't distracting him. The internet hadn't distracted him. There was nothing. It wasn't that Alex didn't want to speak to Jack. Of course it wasn't. It was that he didn't want to come off as desperate. Even though he clearly was.
Rolling his eyes, he let his eager hand grab his phone, figuring he'd end up going insane if he didn't just give up and call Jack. Nervously, he dialled the other man's number, bringing the phone up to his ear and quietly clearing his throat as he heard a familiar,
'Hello?'
'Um, hey, Jack,' Alex stuttered, resisting the overwhelming urge to just slap himself in the face.
'Oh, hey Alex. How you doing?'
'Eh, I've been better. Got into a fight with my roommate. You?'
'That sucks. I'm pretty good.'
Shifting uncomfortably on his bed as they both fell silent, Alex racked his brain for something to say.
'So, uh, Jack?'
'Yeah?'
'Do you wanna go see a movie on Friday or something? I'll pay.'
'No, Alex, you can't keep paying for me,' Jack sighed. 'I'll find the money from somewhere, don't worry about it.'
'So, is that a yes then?'
'I suppose so,' Jack groaned playfully, earning a small chuckle from Alex in response.
'Okay. I guess I'll see you Friday, then.'
***
'This movie's shit,' Jack complained, turning to face Alex with a look that conveyed annoyance.
'Stop complaining,' Alex smiled. 'Its not that bad.'
'Alex, are you kidding me? It's fucking awful.'
'Fine. We can leave, but what do you suggest we do once we've left?'
'I don't know.'
'Exactly.'
Frowning, Jack focused his attention back to the movie for a mere few seconds before coming to the conclusion that this movie was unbearably shit.
'We could go to the park. Just go for a wander, you know?'
'The park?' Alex repeated, raising an eyebrow at the other and smirking slightly. 'Jack, how old are you?'
'21.'
'And I'm 22. And you expect us to be able to have fun in a park?'
'Pretty much.'
Simply staring at Jack for a few seconds, Alex shook his head fondly whilst rising up from his seat and making his way out of the cinema, Jack following suit.
'You're pretty childish, Jack,' Alex commented as the two entered the park.
'It's more fun this way!' Jack squealed, running happily over to the roundabout and plonking himself down.
'Push me!' Jack demanded, sending Alex the biggest grin Alex had seen on the man's face as he came to a halt in front of the roundabout.
'Jack, honestly?'
'Push me!' Jack yelled excitedly, tapping his hands repeatedly off of the metal bar as Alex sighed and gave in to his commands. Shrieking, Jack yet again smiled widely up at Alex, who couldn't help but return it as he continuously spun the boy around.
'See?' Jack squeaked, laughing as Alex began to spin him faster. 'Aren't you glad we came to the park now?'
'No,' Alex giggled. 'I don't get anything out of this.'
'Fine then,' Jack began. 'Stop pushing me.'
Raising his eyebrows slightly, Alex did as he was told, watching as Jack dizzily jumped off of the roundabout.
'Let's just sit on the swings then,' Jack suggested. 'We don't have to swing, we can just talk.'
Smiling slightly, Alex nodded his head. 'Yeah, that sounds alright.'
Less enthusiastically but still just as happily, the two made their way over to the swingset, taking a swing each and swinging back and forth just slightly as they both pondered what to talk about.
'So,' Alex began. 'Does your family live here in New York?'
You had to ask that, didn't you?
'Nah,' Jack answered. 'Came here to get away from them actually.'
'Oh,' Alex frowned, scrunching his nose up a little as he did so. 'How come?'
'There weren't really the best parents in the world. My brother and sister moved away because of it too, but I got the most shit.'
Alex looked at Jack sadly, struggling for something to say.
'What did they do? If, you know, you don't mind me asking.'
'My dad beat me because I was gay. My mum would always tell me how much of a disappointment I am, how much she regrets having me... And, you know, it's caused a lot of problems for me.'
'I'm not surprised,' Alex whispered. 'I couldn't handle it if my parents acted that way towards me.'
'Oh well,' Jack chuckled sadly, staring down at the ground below him and shaking his head. 'Just need to get on with things, I suppose.'
Cautiously, Alex hooked a finger under Jack's chin, turning the boy's head so that they were looking at each other.
'You don't deserve shit like that, okay? Not at all.'
For a few moments, they just sat there. Alex with one single finger hooked under Jack's chin. Jack just staring at Alex nervously. Neither of them were sure who had initiated it, but before they knew it, Alex's lips were pressed against Jack's, both pairs of lips working slowly and smoothly together with not a lot of movement, but just enough all the same, The soft, slow, gentle kiss that would mark the beginning of their relationship. The simple press of lips that would change everything.
Smiling, Alex pulled away, both of them keeping their eyes closed for a few seconds before letting them lazily flutter open, looking at each other happily.
'Jack,' Alex whispered, giving the other boy a small smile. 'Will you be my boyfriend?'
Alex took the second kiss Jack gave him in response as a yes.
***
Alex still wasn't talking to Rian. He knew it was pathetic. He knew that. But he was just so fucking sick of Rian trying to dictate what he could and couldn't do with his life. He's been fucked over. Who hasn't, though? Everyone's been back-stabbed at some point or another. Everyone's had someone they thought they could trust, but they couldn't. It's just a part of life. You cut that person out of your life and move on. It's all that you can do.
Until Rian realised that, Alex wasn't going to speak to him. He was fed up. So fed up.
'Alex,' Rian tried. 'Alex, look, I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions about this guy.'
Sighing as Alex continued to make his dinner and ignore what was being said, he walked over to stand next to Alex whilst trying to reason with him, Alex not once glancing up to acknowledge the other.
'You know how much I hated it when Zack hurt you. I hated seeing you so crushed. And I just don't want that to happen again. But I'm sure it won't.'
As Alex took in what Rian was saying, he started chopping the peppers for his dinner with more force, irritated expression on his face.
'Rian, you don't really mean what you're saying, you just want me to stop ignoring you- Ah, fuck!' Alex hissed, dropping his knife on the counter and waving his finger before sucking slightly at the cut as though it would numb the pain.
'You see what you made me do?' Alex yelled. 'This fucking stings!'
'Well, maybe this wouldn't have happened if you'd just listen to me.'
Looking at Rian hesitantly for a few seconds, Alex shook his head and ran his finger under the tap.
'I'm sorry, Ri,' he sighed, glancing over to the other boy. 'It just, it feels like you're suffocating me, you know?'
'I know, and I'm going to stop that,' Rian reassured. 'So, can you stop being pissed off at me now, because to tell you the truth, it kinda sucks.'
Turning the tap off and drying his hand, Alex smiled slightly and nodded.
'Yeah, I guess I could do that.'
'So,' Rian grinned, hopping up onto the counter and looking at Alex expectantly. 'When do I get to meet this guy?'
***
'Lex, I'm nervous,' Jack whispered, tugging anxiously at the hem of his red v-neck, which he was wearing along with a black leather jacket and black skinny jeans, as Alex led the way to his apartment. 'This guy looks like he could fucking break my jaw.'
Alex couldn't help but laugh at that, looking at Jack and shaking his head as he grinned. 'Nah, Rian's one of the nicest guys I know. Trust me, he's not like that.'
'If you say so,' Jack muttered, clearly unconvinced, but Alex just shrugged it off. Everything was going to be fine.
Coming to a halt outside Alex's apartment, said boy turned to Jack, looking him in the eye and saying, 'Just relax, okay? Rian's gonna love you.'
That in mind, Jack tried to brush off his anxiety as he and Alex entered the apartment, Rian sitting on the couch and smiling up at them.
'So, you're Jack?' Rian grinned, walking up to the boy and giving him a quick hug, which you know, kind of completely invaded Jack's personal space, but he could shrug it off. He wanted to make a good impression.
'Yeah, that'd be me,' Jack smiled somewhat awkwardly, offering Rian a small wave before turning to Alex and quickly sending him a look that clearly meant, 'Help me.'
'I just ordered pizza because I'm a shitty cook, I hope that's okay,' Rian explained, scanning both Alex and Jack's faces as they both nodded.
'So, Jack,' he began, flopping back down on the couch and gesturing the the other two to do the same. 'How long have you been going out with Alex?'
'Um, officially, a couple weeks,' Jack muttered, avoiding eye contact.
'And unofficially?'
'I don't know, maybe about a month?'
'You don't know?' Rian repeated, raising a sceptical eyebrow at Jack, ignoring the look that could only mean, 'Stop that right now' that he was receiving from Alex. 'You clearly haven't been paying much attention to the relationship.'
Shaking his head angrily, Alex stared intensely at the ground, biting his lip to keep any remarks from slipping out just yet. Out the corner of his eye, he could see Jack shift uncomfortably, itching lightly at his arm and avoiding eye contact with Rian.
'Rian,' Alex said as calmly as possible, glancing quickly toward the boy. 'I wouldn't be able to tell you exactly how long we've been dating either.'
'How old are you, Jack?' Rian questioned, glaring icily at Jack as he ignored what Alex had just said.
'21,' Jack mumbled, nervously playing with the sleeves of his jacket.
'What do you do for a living?'
Of course this question would crop up. After all, Jack wasn't lucky enough a person to avoid it.
'I-I'm unemployed.'
When he heard Rian scoff ignorantly, that was when Jack decided he had had enough. He and Alex both. With a bitter smirk and disbelieving shake of the head, Jack glared at Rian, resisting the overwhelming urge to punch the smug grin said boy was wearing right off of his face. Because as much as this guy was pissing both him and Alex off, he didn't want to risk anything.
'Do you have any idea how hard it is to get a job right now?' Jack exclaimed, using hand gestures as he spoke for emphasis. 'Pretty much everyone is struggling right now. I'm tight for money, I really am, but that has nothing to do with you.'
'Do you really think it's a good idea to talk to me like that?' Rian smirked, crossing his arms and he sank further down into the couch, looking triumphantly at Jack all the while. Any momentary confidence Jack had was now gone, and had been replaced with that initial fear he had when he had first stepped foot in the apartment.
'Rian,' Alex cut in irritatedly, as Jack just awkwardly cleared his throat and stared down at his shoes, opting to just keep his mouth shut.
'I'm just saying, Lex,' Rian replied calmy, looking at Alex and shaking his head in determination as he half-heartedly motioned over to Jack. 'He's no good for you.'
'I'll be the judge of that, thank you very much,' Alex hissed, glaring darkly at Rian before rising from his seat on the couch and looking expectantly at Jack. 'Come on, Jack. We're leaving.'
***
'Alex, it's one in the morning,' Jack announced softly, looking toward the other boy, who's eyes were heavy with fatigue and who's body would soon fail to carry him. 'You need to go home. Get some rest. You need it.'
Scoffing slightly and smirking somewhat bitterly, Alex shook his head and looked up at Jack. 'I'm not going back there. I'm sick of Rian.'
Lips settled into a frown, Jack loosely grasped Alex's hands and bent down slightly in hopes of getting Alex to look back up at him, after the boy's eyes had dropped back down to the pavement. 'You need to sleep, Alex.'
Making a face in hesitance, Alex stared into the distance for a few seconds, then looking up at Jack and opening his mouth to speak, letting his mouth simply hang open for a moment before he actually let any words flow out. 'Can I stay at your place? Just for tonight?'
Debating with himself in his mind, Jack just looked at his boyfriend for a moment before nodding unsurely. 'Yeah, I guess so. It's a fucking dump, though.'
'Jack, it's fine. I'm not that shallow.'
Which was a lie. A filthy lie. However, at the same time, it wasn't. Usually it would be a lie. But there was just something about Jack. Something different. A certain quality that made Alex want to stay with him. For as long as possible. So, that's what he intended to do. Look past the superficial things that would bother him with any other person, and just focus on Jack.
***
Okay. So, it was a bit smaller than he'd expected. And a bit dirtier than he'd expected. And not as well-decorated as he'd hoped it would be. As soon as these thoughts entered Alex's mind, he shook them off, internally scolding himself. It shouldn't matter what Jack's house is like.
'Right, well, hopefully the thought of sharing a bed with me already doesn't make you uncomfortable, because you're gonna have to,' Jack whispered, stripping off so he was just in his boxers, before grabbing a pair of sweats, quickly shoving them on and clambering into the bed. He tossed Alex a pair before lying down fully, only just catching the quiet 'thanks' Alex gave him.
'No, I'm fine sharing a bed,' Alex reassured, tugging on his sweatpants with ease before practically collapsing into bed beside Jack, having an internal debate with himself over whether it's too soon to snuggle up to Jack.
Fuck it, he decided, hooking an arm over Jack's waist and shuffling closer to him, letting out a faint sigh of relief when he felt Jack's fingers intertwine loosely with his own.
***
Alex awoke groggily to the sound of Jack banging cupboards, swearing loudly and irritatedly. Sighing, he dragged himself out of bed, moping lazily to the kitchen, wanting to know what all the fuss was about.
'Fuck!' Jack groaned, slamming yet another cupboard shut and banging his fist off of the counter.
'Jack?' Alex asked sleepily, rubbing at his eyes as Jack looked up at him and sighed.
'I've, uh, not got any food,' Jack admitted sheepishly, staring down at the tiles as he absently tapped his foot.
'Well, that's okay, we can just go buy some,' Alex shrugged, letting out an almost inaudible 'oh' when Jack just looked at him, waiting for him to catch on.
'Jack,' Alex sighed, walking over to the boy and hooking his arms around his neck, pressing a feather-light kiss to Jack's slightly chapped lips. 'Jack, I want to help you.'
Shaking his head, Jack scowled and pushed Alex off of him a little more roughly than he had intended, but he didn't bother to apologise when Alex looked up at him, a hurt and confused expression on his face.
'Its just charity, Alex!' Jack proclaimed, arms flying up into the air as he made his point. 'That's all it is! I don't want to be some pity case!'
'You're not some pity case, Jack,' Alex reassured in disbelief, moving his arms to wrap back around Jack's neck, his eyes which conveyed nothing but care locking with Jack's own. 'You just need help. I can't bare to see you like this.'
Playing with the small hairs on the nape of Jack's neck, Alex nudged his nose with his own. 'Please, Jack. Just let me give you a bit of money to get you back on your feet.'
Having an internal battle with himself, Jack considered it for a few seconds before sighing heavily, giving in to Alex's requests and giving him a reluctant nod.
'Okay.'
***
Guilt ripped through Jack like a heavy wave tearing away from the minuscule ripples which followed in it's wake as it crashed to the shore. How ironic that he should tell Alex he doesn't want his money, and then use it on something that he knew for sure Alex wouldn't be happy about. Jack needed it though. It had been too long, and he was going crazy.
Speaking in hushed tones with his dealer, he quickly snatched his fix and stuffed it hurriedly in his pocket, making sure his hood covered his face a decent amount and hid away his identity, legs trembling beneath him in his rush to get home.
A brand new dot had been pierced into his skin as he inserted the needle and leaned his head back against his wardrobe, breathing deeply and letting a small smile appear on his tired face as he pushed down on the syringe, letting the drugs flood calmingly yet dangerously through his body. All sense of calm was soon lost when he heard a sad squeak come from his doorway, needle still lodged in his arm as he looked up to see the one person he really wished it wouldn't be staring at him with tears in his disappointed eyes.
'Jack?'
Author: Emma emmameatsix
Pairing: Jalex
Rating: PG-13
Beta: My lovely fag Cerys who's LJ I don't know laughs oops.
Summary: 'I've gotta hand it to you Alex, I never would have thought you could ever work with someone like him.' At that, Alex smiled a small smile. Not a fake smile, however. No, a very genuine one. The kind of smile that's only small because you're trying not to burst with happiness. 'Me neither,' Alex admitted, looking at Sierra with a twinkle in his brown eyes. 'It works though, doesn't it? We're good for each other.
Disclaimer: Never happened. Title belongs to Demi Lovato.
A/N: So for anyone who didn't see on alltimefanfiction, I'm putting my current fics on hiatus until I'm pulled out of my writers block. In the meantime, I'll be posting oneshots and whatnot. Anyway, I hope you like this!
By no means did Jack and Alex have a perfect relationship. They had as many petty fights as any other couple out there. They had overcome their fair share of obstacles. Neither of them were the perfect partner. But they were perfect for each other. They loved each other so much. Nothing mattered to them other than that fact.
***
Alex was running a little late. No, fuck that, he was running extremely late. Stumbling over his own two clumsy feet, Alex barged through the vast crowd of people, not even casting an apologetic glance in their direction whenever they would cry 'hey!' or 'watch where you're going!' Adjusting his flimsy beanie, he kept running, picking up his pace and having no consideration whatsoever for those around him that he was most definitely bothering. Nothing mattered apart from getting to work on time. That was the important thing. Caught up in his thoughts, he didn't bother to look where he was going, until he found himself on his ass on the ground, a shuffling pair of feet standing awkwardly before him. Irritated, Alex looked up, taking in the unhealthily skinny man who seemed to be a couple of years younger than he looking down at him, scratching absently at his arm and appearing frightened, if the look in his eyes was anything to go by.
'Wanna watch where you're going, buddy?' Alex somewhat yelled, jumping up from the ground and brushing himself off, glaring at the other man as he picked his briefcase up from the pavement
'I, I'm so sorry. Really. I, fuck. I'm such a fucking idiot. I'm really sorry,' the other man rambled on, looking cautiously at Alex with fear written all over his gaunt face, tugging forcibly at his raven hair.
'Hey, woah,' Alex rested a gentle hand on his shoulder, causing the other man to look at his hand in shock. Alex made a face in discomfort, as he thought the man might be one of those people who really hates to be touched, but otherwise ignored the look. 'It's okay. Honestly, don't stress yourself out over it, okay? I'm sorry I snapped at you, I didn't mean to get angry and frighten you or whatever,' Alex apologised, looking at the other sincerely.
'I'm sorry for stressing out,' the raven-haired man mumbled, emitting a chuckle and a shake of the head from Alex.
'No worries, okay? It's fine. What's your name, kid?'
'Um, Jack. Jack Barakat,' Jack gulped, looking down awkwardly at his feet.
'Hey Jack, I'm Alex Gaskarth,' Alex smiled warmly, comfortingly rubbing's the other's man's arm before letting his own drop and instead drumming his fingers against his thighs, finding the silence they had fallen into incredibly awkward.
'So, Jack,' Alex began, loudly clearing his throat and looking up at the other with a slight blush tinting his cheeks. 'You, uh, you wanna grab a coffee sometime?'
Miserably, Jack looked down at the filthy ground beneath him, sighing.
'I can't. I, uh, I've not really got the money.'
At that, Alex let out an awkward laugh. 'Jack, it's only a coffee. Doesn't cost that much, man.'
When Jack just looked at him, Alex realised just how little money the other must have had.
'Oh,' Alex mumbled, looking anywhere but at the other man's face. 'Well, you know, I could always buy you one. My treat.'
'Nah, it's fine,' Jack smiled weakly, waving off a hand at Alex. 'Don't waste your money.'
Slightly taken aback at Jack's blunt words, he shoved his hands in his pockets and frowned. 'Well, uh, I should get going. I'll see you around Jack.'
***
'I, uh, I saw Zack today,' Rian admitted, casting a hesitant glance over at Alex, who just nodded from his spot on the couch, his lips settling into a frown.
'Oh yeah? How's he looking?'
'He, uh, he's looking good,' Rian replied, setting down the plate he had been washing and giving his hands a quick dry before sitting next to Alex.
'Hm. That's good,' Alex muttered in a monotone, his eyes never leaving the television.
'Lex,' Rian sighed. 'Its obvious you're still not over him.'
'What are you talking about?' Alex asked, knitting his eyebrows together and shaking his head. 'I'm fine.'
'You don't have to lie to me, Alex. I'm your best friend. The guy fucked you over.'
Dejected, Alex stared down at his thumbs, nose twitching slightly in sadness.
'That he did,' he whispered, looking sorrowfully at Rian, who smiled sympathetically at him before pulling him in for a hug.
'You don't need him, Lex,' he reassured, gently rubbing his arm up and down Alex's back in consolation. 'The guy's a prick. You can do better.'
Closing his eyes and hugging his friend a little tighter, Alex sighed heavily.
'I really hope so.'
***
'Sierra, could you hurry up and fucking choose a pair of jeans?' Alex complained, plonking himself down on one of the chairs in the changing rooms and rolling his eyes.
'But Alex, you need to give me time,' he heard Sierra call out from her changing room.
'You've been in there for like a half hour!'
'You exaggerate.'
'I do not. Hurry the fuck up and get out.'
'Swear at me one more time and I'll fucking slap you.'
'You just swore at me.'
'That's different.'
'In what way?'
'It just is, Alex.'
'Sorry.'
Unlocking the door and kicking it open wide, Sierra sauntered out of the room, raising her eyebrows at Alex.
'Happy now?'
'Yes. Thank you for your consideration of my feelings,' Alex replied sarcastically, glaring at the girl standing in front of him.
'You're very welcome,' Sierra retorted, playfully shoving Alex out of her way and strolling up to the till.
'Why are you so moody today anyway?' Sierra asked curiously, handing $30 over to the woman behind the till before turning to face Alex.
'I keep seeing Zack everywhere,' Alex confessed, looking miserably into his friend's eyes. 'Rian saw him too a few days ago.'
Sighing, Sierra thanked the woman for the jeans before dragging Alex out of the shop and pulling him into a tight embrace once they were outside, pressing a gentle peck to his cheek.
'It's okay, Lex,' she stated. 'You've just gotta get on with your life, you know? Move on. He wasn't any good for you anyway.'
Pulling away, Alex smiled at Sierra gratefully, turning and walking down the road with her beside him all the while.
'So,' Sierra began cheerily. 'Anyone else you got your eye on?'
'Nah, not really,' Alex lied, shrugging his shoulders unconvincingly.
'Don't fucking lie to me,' Sierra smirked. 'Come on, there must be some hot guy you've seen somewhere!'
'Fine, there is one guy,' Alex admitted exasperatedly. 'He, uh, he turned me down though.'
'Must've thought you were too good for him,' Sierra mused.
'Shut up, Sierra,' Alex chuckled, looking at her fondly. 'I wasn't the best boyfriend in the world either, you know.'
'Oh Alex, don't give me that,' Sierra scoffed, shaking her head in a determined manner. 'You were fucking amazing to Zack. And what did he give you in return? Nothing. He slept with someone else. He didn't treat you right at all.'
'Hey, he fell out of love with me. It's understandable.'
Sadly, Sierra stopped and looked at Alex, causing him to do the same. 'Alex, I'm sorry but he was never in love with you. He was just stringing you along. That bastard is only interested in one thing, and you gave him that and so much more. But he didn't appreciate you, and he never will. And that's not your problem. It's his. The sooner you realise that, the better.'
Chuckling bitterly, Alex shook his head and walked away, leaving Sierra behind and ignoring the consistent calls of his name.
Scuffing his shoes off of the concrete as he walked, he scowled down at the ground, scuffing his sneaker more violently each time, earning him irritated looks from those around him, and he glared right back. Feeling his body collide with another, he stumbled slightly backward, frowning until he looked up to find Jack standing before him.
'We gotta stop meeting like this, Barakat,' he joked, smirking up at the other boy. 'What you up to?'
'Nothing,' Jack shrugged.
'Well,' Alex grinned. 'Seeing as you're not doing anything, how about we go for that coffee? I'll pay.'
'Alex-'
'Oh, come on, Jack!' Alex persuaded. 'It's a free cup of coffee! Who doesn't like free coffee?'
Hesitating, Jack frowned at the other boy, just staring at him for a few seconds before huffing out a defeated, 'Okay.'
'Thank you,' Alex smiled, leading Jack to the coffee shop and asking what he wanted before going up to get their drinks whilst Jack grabbed a booth.
Sighing, Jack rested his chin against his hand and traced his finger absently against the wood of the table. It had been a while since he'd done anything like this. Not specifically 'dating', if you could really call this a date. Just socialising in general. He had always been a bit of a loner, and that was the way he liked it. To actually, properly spend time with another human being had become a foreign concept to him.
'You're really stubborn,' Alex stated as he walked back over and set their drinks down, flopping down into the chair and taking a sip.
'I know,' Jack retorted nonchalantly.
'Why did you seem so reluctant to come out with me?' Alex inquired, looking expectantly at the other.
'Not really a people person,' Jack muttered, frowning down at his cup.
'Me neither,' Alex sighed, tapping his foot on the ground. 'But you never get to know someone unless you give them a chance.'
'You really wanna get to know me?' Jack glanced up at Alex, clearly unconvinced.
'Yeah,' Alex nodded. 'So, I'm gonna ask you a few things about yourself.'
Inside, Jack was nervous as fuck, but he brushed it off as best he could and simply replied,
'Shoot.'
'Okay,' Alex said thoughtfully, remaining silent for a few seconds. 'Date of birth?'
'June 18th, 1988.'
'Hometown?'
'Baltimore.'
'Oh, what made you move to New York?'
To get away from my family.
'Just wanted a change of scenery, I guess.'
'Yeah, I get it. I'm originally from Essex, so...'
'Where's Essex?'
'England.'
'Oh.'
'Favourite movie?'
'Home Alone, definitely.'
'Cool. Any siblings?'
'A brother and a sister.'
'Oh, names?'
'Joe and May.'
'Favourite band?'
'Blink-182.'
'Dude, you've got great taste,' Alex grinned. 'I fucking love Blink.'
'Who doesn't love Blink?'
'True, true,' Alex laughed, smiling up at Jack. 'See? This isn't so bad.'
'It isn't,' Jack admitted, giving Alex a small smile in return.
'We should do something like this again sometime.'
'Yeah. We should.'
'Do you have a phone?'
'Yeah, I can't top it up though and it's out of credit.'
'That's fine, I'll call you. Give me your number.'
Taking Alex's phone, Jack quickly entered in his number, handing the phone back to Alex.
'Right, well, I should get going. This was fun. I'll call you.'
'Yeah, okay,' Jack smiled.
'Bye, Jack,' Alex grinned, waving at the other boy before walking off.
***
When Alex arrived back at his apartment, his grin matched that of a little kid receiving a brand new toy, as he looked at the new contact added to his phone, trying desperately not to just squeal and kiss goodbye to any manliness he may have possessed.
'What are you so happy about?'
'Jesus christ!' Alex jumped, startled at the sound of his roommate's voice interrupting his thoughts. 'Fucking hell, Rian!'
'Sorry,' Rian sniggered, closing his bedroom door behind him and walking over to the boy who was glaring at him in annoyance. 'What are you so happy about though?'
'Nothing,' Alex shrugged, setting his phone on the kitchen counter as he began to raid through their fridge.
'Who's Jack?'
Groaning, Alex stood up straight and internally cursed Rian for being such a nosy bastard.
'Just a friend.'
'You went on a date with this guy, didn't you?'
'No,' Alex scoffed, though his pink cheeks gave him away.
'Yes you did!' Rian exclaimed. 'You're finally moving onto other guys. Thank God.'
Rolling his eyes, Alex grabbed a Coke from the fridge and sat down on the couch.
'So,' he heard Rian begin as he put Friends on and opened his can. 'Is he hot?'
'Yes, Rian,' Alex sighed. 'He's hot.'
'What's he look like?'
'Tall, skinny, black-haired, brown-eyed, just kind of awkward, really.'
'Sounds sexy,' Rian commented sarcastically.
'You haven't seen him, man,' Alex laughed, tearing his eyes away from the television to look at his friend in amusement. 'It works on him.'
'So, he about the same age as you?'
'Yeah, I'm taking it. He looks it.'
'And you're sure he's a good guy?'
'I don't need you supervising my relationships, Ri.'
'I just don't want you to get hurt again.'
'I'm not gonna.'
'You don't know that.'
'So, what? You expect me to never take that chance? I should just never go out with anyone again?'
'Alex, I didn't say that-'
'You didn't have to,' Alex grunted, rising up from the couch and instead moping off to his room.
***
One hour had been spent trying to resist the urge to call Jack since Alex had stormed away from Rian. One hour that felt like a year. There were no good distractions around. Television wasn't distracting him. Music wasn't distracting him. The internet hadn't distracted him. There was nothing. It wasn't that Alex didn't want to speak to Jack. Of course it wasn't. It was that he didn't want to come off as desperate. Even though he clearly was.
Rolling his eyes, he let his eager hand grab his phone, figuring he'd end up going insane if he didn't just give up and call Jack. Nervously, he dialled the other man's number, bringing the phone up to his ear and quietly clearing his throat as he heard a familiar,
'Hello?'
'Um, hey, Jack,' Alex stuttered, resisting the overwhelming urge to just slap himself in the face.
'Oh, hey Alex. How you doing?'
'Eh, I've been better. Got into a fight with my roommate. You?'
'That sucks. I'm pretty good.'
Shifting uncomfortably on his bed as they both fell silent, Alex racked his brain for something to say.
'So, uh, Jack?'
'Yeah?'
'Do you wanna go see a movie on Friday or something? I'll pay.'
'No, Alex, you can't keep paying for me,' Jack sighed. 'I'll find the money from somewhere, don't worry about it.'
'So, is that a yes then?'
'I suppose so,' Jack groaned playfully, earning a small chuckle from Alex in response.
'Okay. I guess I'll see you Friday, then.'
***
'This movie's shit,' Jack complained, turning to face Alex with a look that conveyed annoyance.
'Stop complaining,' Alex smiled. 'Its not that bad.'
'Alex, are you kidding me? It's fucking awful.'
'Fine. We can leave, but what do you suggest we do once we've left?'
'I don't know.'
'Exactly.'
Frowning, Jack focused his attention back to the movie for a mere few seconds before coming to the conclusion that this movie was unbearably shit.
'We could go to the park. Just go for a wander, you know?'
'The park?' Alex repeated, raising an eyebrow at the other and smirking slightly. 'Jack, how old are you?'
'21.'
'And I'm 22. And you expect us to be able to have fun in a park?'
'Pretty much.'
Simply staring at Jack for a few seconds, Alex shook his head fondly whilst rising up from his seat and making his way out of the cinema, Jack following suit.
'You're pretty childish, Jack,' Alex commented as the two entered the park.
'It's more fun this way!' Jack squealed, running happily over to the roundabout and plonking himself down.
'Push me!' Jack demanded, sending Alex the biggest grin Alex had seen on the man's face as he came to a halt in front of the roundabout.
'Jack, honestly?'
'Push me!' Jack yelled excitedly, tapping his hands repeatedly off of the metal bar as Alex sighed and gave in to his commands. Shrieking, Jack yet again smiled widely up at Alex, who couldn't help but return it as he continuously spun the boy around.
'See?' Jack squeaked, laughing as Alex began to spin him faster. 'Aren't you glad we came to the park now?'
'No,' Alex giggled. 'I don't get anything out of this.'
'Fine then,' Jack began. 'Stop pushing me.'
Raising his eyebrows slightly, Alex did as he was told, watching as Jack dizzily jumped off of the roundabout.
'Let's just sit on the swings then,' Jack suggested. 'We don't have to swing, we can just talk.'
Smiling slightly, Alex nodded his head. 'Yeah, that sounds alright.'
Less enthusiastically but still just as happily, the two made their way over to the swingset, taking a swing each and swinging back and forth just slightly as they both pondered what to talk about.
'So,' Alex began. 'Does your family live here in New York?'
You had to ask that, didn't you?
'Nah,' Jack answered. 'Came here to get away from them actually.'
'Oh,' Alex frowned, scrunching his nose up a little as he did so. 'How come?'
'There weren't really the best parents in the world. My brother and sister moved away because of it too, but I got the most shit.'
Alex looked at Jack sadly, struggling for something to say.
'What did they do? If, you know, you don't mind me asking.'
'My dad beat me because I was gay. My mum would always tell me how much of a disappointment I am, how much she regrets having me... And, you know, it's caused a lot of problems for me.'
'I'm not surprised,' Alex whispered. 'I couldn't handle it if my parents acted that way towards me.'
'Oh well,' Jack chuckled sadly, staring down at the ground below him and shaking his head. 'Just need to get on with things, I suppose.'
Cautiously, Alex hooked a finger under Jack's chin, turning the boy's head so that they were looking at each other.
'You don't deserve shit like that, okay? Not at all.'
For a few moments, they just sat there. Alex with one single finger hooked under Jack's chin. Jack just staring at Alex nervously. Neither of them were sure who had initiated it, but before they knew it, Alex's lips were pressed against Jack's, both pairs of lips working slowly and smoothly together with not a lot of movement, but just enough all the same, The soft, slow, gentle kiss that would mark the beginning of their relationship. The simple press of lips that would change everything.
Smiling, Alex pulled away, both of them keeping their eyes closed for a few seconds before letting them lazily flutter open, looking at each other happily.
'Jack,' Alex whispered, giving the other boy a small smile. 'Will you be my boyfriend?'
Alex took the second kiss Jack gave him in response as a yes.
***
Alex still wasn't talking to Rian. He knew it was pathetic. He knew that. But he was just so fucking sick of Rian trying to dictate what he could and couldn't do with his life. He's been fucked over. Who hasn't, though? Everyone's been back-stabbed at some point or another. Everyone's had someone they thought they could trust, but they couldn't. It's just a part of life. You cut that person out of your life and move on. It's all that you can do.
Until Rian realised that, Alex wasn't going to speak to him. He was fed up. So fed up.
'Alex,' Rian tried. 'Alex, look, I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions about this guy.'
Sighing as Alex continued to make his dinner and ignore what was being said, he walked over to stand next to Alex whilst trying to reason with him, Alex not once glancing up to acknowledge the other.
'You know how much I hated it when Zack hurt you. I hated seeing you so crushed. And I just don't want that to happen again. But I'm sure it won't.'
As Alex took in what Rian was saying, he started chopping the peppers for his dinner with more force, irritated expression on his face.
'Rian, you don't really mean what you're saying, you just want me to stop ignoring you- Ah, fuck!' Alex hissed, dropping his knife on the counter and waving his finger before sucking slightly at the cut as though it would numb the pain.
'You see what you made me do?' Alex yelled. 'This fucking stings!'
'Well, maybe this wouldn't have happened if you'd just listen to me.'
Looking at Rian hesitantly for a few seconds, Alex shook his head and ran his finger under the tap.
'I'm sorry, Ri,' he sighed, glancing over to the other boy. 'It just, it feels like you're suffocating me, you know?'
'I know, and I'm going to stop that,' Rian reassured. 'So, can you stop being pissed off at me now, because to tell you the truth, it kinda sucks.'
Turning the tap off and drying his hand, Alex smiled slightly and nodded.
'Yeah, I guess I could do that.'
'So,' Rian grinned, hopping up onto the counter and looking at Alex expectantly. 'When do I get to meet this guy?'
***
'Lex, I'm nervous,' Jack whispered, tugging anxiously at the hem of his red v-neck, which he was wearing along with a black leather jacket and black skinny jeans, as Alex led the way to his apartment. 'This guy looks like he could fucking break my jaw.'
Alex couldn't help but laugh at that, looking at Jack and shaking his head as he grinned. 'Nah, Rian's one of the nicest guys I know. Trust me, he's not like that.'
'If you say so,' Jack muttered, clearly unconvinced, but Alex just shrugged it off. Everything was going to be fine.
Coming to a halt outside Alex's apartment, said boy turned to Jack, looking him in the eye and saying, 'Just relax, okay? Rian's gonna love you.'
That in mind, Jack tried to brush off his anxiety as he and Alex entered the apartment, Rian sitting on the couch and smiling up at them.
'So, you're Jack?' Rian grinned, walking up to the boy and giving him a quick hug, which you know, kind of completely invaded Jack's personal space, but he could shrug it off. He wanted to make a good impression.
'Yeah, that'd be me,' Jack smiled somewhat awkwardly, offering Rian a small wave before turning to Alex and quickly sending him a look that clearly meant, 'Help me.'
'I just ordered pizza because I'm a shitty cook, I hope that's okay,' Rian explained, scanning both Alex and Jack's faces as they both nodded.
'So, Jack,' he began, flopping back down on the couch and gesturing the the other two to do the same. 'How long have you been going out with Alex?'
'Um, officially, a couple weeks,' Jack muttered, avoiding eye contact.
'And unofficially?'
'I don't know, maybe about a month?'
'You don't know?' Rian repeated, raising a sceptical eyebrow at Jack, ignoring the look that could only mean, 'Stop that right now' that he was receiving from Alex. 'You clearly haven't been paying much attention to the relationship.'
Shaking his head angrily, Alex stared intensely at the ground, biting his lip to keep any remarks from slipping out just yet. Out the corner of his eye, he could see Jack shift uncomfortably, itching lightly at his arm and avoiding eye contact with Rian.
'Rian,' Alex said as calmly as possible, glancing quickly toward the boy. 'I wouldn't be able to tell you exactly how long we've been dating either.'
'How old are you, Jack?' Rian questioned, glaring icily at Jack as he ignored what Alex had just said.
'21,' Jack mumbled, nervously playing with the sleeves of his jacket.
'What do you do for a living?'
Of course this question would crop up. After all, Jack wasn't lucky enough a person to avoid it.
'I-I'm unemployed.'
When he heard Rian scoff ignorantly, that was when Jack decided he had had enough. He and Alex both. With a bitter smirk and disbelieving shake of the head, Jack glared at Rian, resisting the overwhelming urge to punch the smug grin said boy was wearing right off of his face. Because as much as this guy was pissing both him and Alex off, he didn't want to risk anything.
'Do you have any idea how hard it is to get a job right now?' Jack exclaimed, using hand gestures as he spoke for emphasis. 'Pretty much everyone is struggling right now. I'm tight for money, I really am, but that has nothing to do with you.'
'Do you really think it's a good idea to talk to me like that?' Rian smirked, crossing his arms and he sank further down into the couch, looking triumphantly at Jack all the while. Any momentary confidence Jack had was now gone, and had been replaced with that initial fear he had when he had first stepped foot in the apartment.
'Rian,' Alex cut in irritatedly, as Jack just awkwardly cleared his throat and stared down at his shoes, opting to just keep his mouth shut.
'I'm just saying, Lex,' Rian replied calmy, looking at Alex and shaking his head in determination as he half-heartedly motioned over to Jack. 'He's no good for you.'
'I'll be the judge of that, thank you very much,' Alex hissed, glaring darkly at Rian before rising from his seat on the couch and looking expectantly at Jack. 'Come on, Jack. We're leaving.'
***
'Alex, it's one in the morning,' Jack announced softly, looking toward the other boy, who's eyes were heavy with fatigue and who's body would soon fail to carry him. 'You need to go home. Get some rest. You need it.'
Scoffing slightly and smirking somewhat bitterly, Alex shook his head and looked up at Jack. 'I'm not going back there. I'm sick of Rian.'
Lips settled into a frown, Jack loosely grasped Alex's hands and bent down slightly in hopes of getting Alex to look back up at him, after the boy's eyes had dropped back down to the pavement. 'You need to sleep, Alex.'
Making a face in hesitance, Alex stared into the distance for a few seconds, then looking up at Jack and opening his mouth to speak, letting his mouth simply hang open for a moment before he actually let any words flow out. 'Can I stay at your place? Just for tonight?'
Debating with himself in his mind, Jack just looked at his boyfriend for a moment before nodding unsurely. 'Yeah, I guess so. It's a fucking dump, though.'
'Jack, it's fine. I'm not that shallow.'
Which was a lie. A filthy lie. However, at the same time, it wasn't. Usually it would be a lie. But there was just something about Jack. Something different. A certain quality that made Alex want to stay with him. For as long as possible. So, that's what he intended to do. Look past the superficial things that would bother him with any other person, and just focus on Jack.
***
Okay. So, it was a bit smaller than he'd expected. And a bit dirtier than he'd expected. And not as well-decorated as he'd hoped it would be. As soon as these thoughts entered Alex's mind, he shook them off, internally scolding himself. It shouldn't matter what Jack's house is like.
'Right, well, hopefully the thought of sharing a bed with me already doesn't make you uncomfortable, because you're gonna have to,' Jack whispered, stripping off so he was just in his boxers, before grabbing a pair of sweats, quickly shoving them on and clambering into the bed. He tossed Alex a pair before lying down fully, only just catching the quiet 'thanks' Alex gave him.
'No, I'm fine sharing a bed,' Alex reassured, tugging on his sweatpants with ease before practically collapsing into bed beside Jack, having an internal debate with himself over whether it's too soon to snuggle up to Jack.
Fuck it, he decided, hooking an arm over Jack's waist and shuffling closer to him, letting out a faint sigh of relief when he felt Jack's fingers intertwine loosely with his own.
***
Alex awoke groggily to the sound of Jack banging cupboards, swearing loudly and irritatedly. Sighing, he dragged himself out of bed, moping lazily to the kitchen, wanting to know what all the fuss was about.
'Fuck!' Jack groaned, slamming yet another cupboard shut and banging his fist off of the counter.
'Jack?' Alex asked sleepily, rubbing at his eyes as Jack looked up at him and sighed.
'I've, uh, not got any food,' Jack admitted sheepishly, staring down at the tiles as he absently tapped his foot.
'Well, that's okay, we can just go buy some,' Alex shrugged, letting out an almost inaudible 'oh' when Jack just looked at him, waiting for him to catch on.
'Jack,' Alex sighed, walking over to the boy and hooking his arms around his neck, pressing a feather-light kiss to Jack's slightly chapped lips. 'Jack, I want to help you.'
Shaking his head, Jack scowled and pushed Alex off of him a little more roughly than he had intended, but he didn't bother to apologise when Alex looked up at him, a hurt and confused expression on his face.
'Its just charity, Alex!' Jack proclaimed, arms flying up into the air as he made his point. 'That's all it is! I don't want to be some pity case!'
'You're not some pity case, Jack,' Alex reassured in disbelief, moving his arms to wrap back around Jack's neck, his eyes which conveyed nothing but care locking with Jack's own. 'You just need help. I can't bare to see you like this.'
Playing with the small hairs on the nape of Jack's neck, Alex nudged his nose with his own. 'Please, Jack. Just let me give you a bit of money to get you back on your feet.'
Having an internal battle with himself, Jack considered it for a few seconds before sighing heavily, giving in to Alex's requests and giving him a reluctant nod.
'Okay.'
***
Guilt ripped through Jack like a heavy wave tearing away from the minuscule ripples which followed in it's wake as it crashed to the shore. How ironic that he should tell Alex he doesn't want his money, and then use it on something that he knew for sure Alex wouldn't be happy about. Jack needed it though. It had been too long, and he was going crazy.
Speaking in hushed tones with his dealer, he quickly snatched his fix and stuffed it hurriedly in his pocket, making sure his hood covered his face a decent amount and hid away his identity, legs trembling beneath him in his rush to get home.
A brand new dot had been pierced into his skin as he inserted the needle and leaned his head back against his wardrobe, breathing deeply and letting a small smile appear on his tired face as he pushed down on the syringe, letting the drugs flood calmingly yet dangerously through his body. All sense of calm was soon lost when he heard a sad squeak come from his doorway, needle still lodged in his arm as he looked up to see the one person he really wished it wouldn't be staring at him with tears in his disappointed eyes.
'Jack?'