I Don't Care If You're Sick, I Don't Care If You're Contagious - One
Title: I Don't Care If You're Sick, I Don't Care If You're Contagious
Author: ”sayhelloyasmine”
Rating: R
Pairing: Jalex
Summary: Alex had never really been one for 'Living for the moment,' but with death knocking on your door, you have to make every second count, and Alex wanted those precious moments to be shared with his stupidly goofy best friend, Jack. When the time comes, Jack's not sure he's ready to do all these things and just let go.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, the storyline is original, blah blah blah, title credit to Pierce The Veil, cut title credit to Kids In Glass Houses
Dedications: gayhomos (Imogaygen)
Author Notes: This is also on Mibba and Wattpad
Jack stared up at the plain, blank, white ceiling, fiddling with his quilt. He'd never been so restless before. He figured it was because there was a full moon lurking over Baltimore, and it was known to send everyone a little crazy in some form. For Jack, that was being unable to sleep. He'd never had problems sleeping before. It was well known that, as soon as his head hit the pillow, he was already asleep. Tonight, though, he couldn't help but feel like he shouldn't sleep. Like something was about to happen that he just couldn't miss.
It was safe to say that nothing happened. Jack watched his room slowly grow ligher, shade by shade. Sunlight eventually flooded through his window, although it was blocked by his white curtains. That sunlight, however, soon turned into storm clouds, and those storm clouds soon turned into a storm, rain battering against the windows as thunder clashed in the near distance.
Jack had never been a fan of thunder. He never saw how people could enjoy storms, like his best friend, Alex. If there were a storm, Alex would be the first out there, soaking up the rain and the sharp flashes of light.
The thought of the older boy brought a smile to Jack's face. He definitely loved Alex, with all his heart and more. He wouldn't have done half the things he had if it weren't for the English blonde boy leading his way. Jack had always admired the way that Alex was so fearless, so careless, so reckless. Anything he wanted at the click of his fingers. It was natural for Alex to be extremely popular at school, and with that came Jack's popularity too. They tended to get a lot of attention from girls, especially since they were whizzes at the guitar and Alex had a beautiful singing voice.
They weren't horrible with it, though. They hadn't let their popularity change them. They were still the lovliest guys you'd ever have the privelege of meeting, and to everyone, they seemed like average teenagers who went about their normal lives, which mainly consisted of being sneaky little pricks, pulling pranks on one another, farting, burping, playing video games, eating, sleeping and masturbating. Things every other teenage boy did.
By the time Jack's parents were awake, it was nine am. For Jack, it was the first week of Summer break, and it was only the first weekend. Ten weeks of freedom from his shithole of a school. He decided to join his parents downstairs, and his sister soon joined them, and later his brother. They sat round the kitchen table, tucking into the various foods laid out before them for their breakfast. Jack currently had two slices of toast, an egg, some bacon and then pancakes smeared in syrup on another plate.
"Jack, don't you think you have a little too much food there, sweetie?" his mother sighed lightly. He simply shrugged, taking a large bite of toast.
"I'm a growing man," he spoke with his mouth full.
"Jack Bassam Barakat, how many times do I have to tell you? Don't talk with your mouth full."
"Sorry, ma."
He swallowed his food, eyes drifting to his plate, and just the sight of it made him feel nauseous. Yeah, he had too much food.
"Jay, how's Alex?" his father piped up. Jack met his father's gaze, shrugging.
"Don't know. He wasn't in much for the last couple days, which isn't like him. He said something about having doctor's appointments or whatever."
"Well, Jack, darling, aren't you concerned?" his mother worried, "If Alex has taken all this time off to see the doctor then maybe there's something seriously wrong."
"I doubt it, ma. He had a week off once because he had a mosquito bite on the end of his nose and he swore it was infected, but it's only because he kept scratching it and it kept bleeding. He's pathetic when it comes to being ill."
"Well, if you say so."
Jack spent most of his day lounging around, not really doing much. The weather was shitty and he didn't fancy getting soaked through and ill on the first official day of the holidays.
He was planning on just sleeping from around five onwards, considering it was dark enough, but the person ringing the doorbell seemed to have other plans for him. He jumped up to answer the door, grinning when he saw Alex there, a cheeky smirk on his face, arms crossed over his chest, hood pulled over his messy blonde hair to keep away the cold.
"Can't I come in?" the older boy teased, pushing his way past Jack's pathetic attempt at blocking him out.
"Who is it, Jack, honey?" Jack's mother cooed, sauntering in from the kitchen, "Oh, Alex, hello, dear," she kissed his cheek as he pulled her in for a one-armed hug.
"Hey, Mrs B, how are you?" he concerned, shrugging his jacket off and hanging it up on the coat pegs in the hallway as Jack closed the door.
"I'm very good, thank you, sweetie. How've you been? Jack mentioned something about you going to the doctor's and taking time off school. That doesn't seem like you at all, honey, are you okay?"
"I'm fine, they're just running some tests because I haven't been myself lately. They think it's Anaemia or something, but I don't know. I'll be fine, Mrs B, don't worry about me."
"Well, come in, you know where everything is, make yourself at home, my darling, stay as long as you want."
"Thank you."
Alex did exactly that. He sat on the sofa, well, lay on the sofa, feet dangling off the edge, head doing the same. He grabbed the remote, flicking the TV on. Jack stood, towering over him, eyebrows knotted together in a frown.
"Do you mind?" the younger boy scoffed.
"Not particularly," Alex teased, wrapping his hair around his forefinger. He didn't even meet Jack's gaze, just pushed his hips sideways with a sharp smack.
"What was that for?!" Jack yelped.
"Can't see the TV."
"Could have asked."
"And I know you wouldn't move, so there'd be no point."
"You're a dick sometimes, Alex."
Then Jack decided it was time to pull a dick move on Alex, so he stood in front of the blonde boy, facing away from him, and he jumped on him so he was sat on his stomach.
"Ow! Jack, you fucking dick! Holy shit! You're a bony little shit, you know that right! Ow!" Alex cried out.
"Serves you right, dickhead."
That's when they both cracked up laughing.
"Oh, Jack, it's so good to see you again, man," Alex held his arms out for a hug, and Jack took the offer, where he ended up lying across Alex's chest, head tucked under his chin.
"It's good to see you too, Lex."
"How was the last day of school?"
Jack still lay across Alex's chest, hands tucked neatly under the boy's sides.
"Kinda shitty without you."
"You mean you didn't pull anyone?" Alex joked.
"I did, actually."
"Who?"
"That Vicky girl from English."
"You boned her?"
Jack nodded, proud of his achievement.
"And?" Alex asked excitedly, looking down at Jack.
"Why would I share secrets with you, fat lump?"
"Because I'm your best friend and I'm amazing?"
"Fine. She was nothing special."
"Really? I always thought she looked like a good fuck."
"Well she wasn't."
"Something else happened, didn't it, Jack?" Alex deciphered.
"N-No," Jack lied, trying to play it cool, when, in fact, yeah, something had happened, but he didn't really want to discuss it.
"What happened, Jack?" Alex pressed on, shifting himself into a seated position.
"I-I might have said a name that wasn't hers..."
Alex burst out laughing, eyes becoming watering slits as he clutched his stomach.
"Oh, oh, Jack, I-" he was cut off by more fits of laughter, "I-I, how c-could you even do that? O-Oh, Jack," laughter still bubbled past his lips, "This is why you're my best friend."
Jack chuckled nervously, thankful that Alex hadn't asked for any more details, like who's name he'd shouted, because that would have made everything instantly awkward.
The one major detail that Jack had missed out was that Jack had yelled "Alex!" in the middle of sex. It was propostorous, he knew it, and he wasn't entirely sure where that shout had come from, but it just kinda... did. It's not like he was thinking of Alex, or anything, but he just... happened to shout Alex. He would never think of Alex in a sexual way; he never had, so why start? He was into girls, it was pretty obvious that he was straight. He mentally cursed himself every day for shouting his best friend's name. How could he be so careless? Naturally, Vicky had slapped him, telling him to get his 'faggot hands' off her. They talked it out, though, Jack telling Vicky that he genuinely didn't know how Alex's name even got onto his mind, and she promised not to tell anyone. Jack hoped.
"Anyway, Alex, why were you really at the doctor's? Is it serious?"
This made Alex silent. The blonde boy hung his head, picking at his nails.
"I don't know."
"Don't know what? Don't know why you were at the doctors?!" Jack could feel his temper rising already, and he wasn't exactly sure why. He thought it was, maybe, the thought of his best friend being ill.
"No, Jack, I-I know why I was there, I just don't know if it's... serious, or not."
"Well why were you there?"
"Because I've been so tired lately. That's why I quit the football team, Jack, I couldn't keep up with anything. I got so out of breath, dammit, I don't know why!" Alex pulled his hair out in his hands with despair before running his slim fingers through his locks, letting his head roll back.
"Probably nothing," Jack assured him, although he wasn't sure if that was directed at Alex or himself.
"I know, but I just... I want to know."
"When do you find out what it is?"
"Monday. Lab's closed on Sundays."
"You'll be fine, Alex. I know you will."