The Sickness Is the Cure (Jalex)

25 - Call You

*August 31*

"Jack, seriously, I've leaving for work in, like, ten minutes, I can't," Alex insisted, having a stare down with the contents of his front hall closet. Ratty Converse that he couldn't remember buying or lace up boots so new they'd hurt his feet?

"C'mon, baby, I'm horny," Jack argued, Alex rolling his eyes as he decided on his old, trusty shoes. No one could see them from behind the bar, anyways.

"You're always horny!" the blond exclaimed, pressing his phone against his shoulder and craning his head to the side uncomfortably to keep it in place. Was it cold enough to merit a jacket? Probably. But then the club would be hot and he'd just have to carry it around all night...

Alex pushed the hangers across their rack, looking for something suitably light that he could roll up once drinkers started flowing in, body heat guaranteed to cause the temperature to sky rocket while sweat stifled the humid air. Club atmospheres lost their appeal for Alex long ago, being sober and isolated with only a bunch of bottles and idiotic customers to entertain himself having gotten old fast.

Everything was always sticky and reeked heavily of stale booze, although that, at least, did something to cover up the disgusting body odors. Then again, on most nights, Alex loved his job. It suited him perfectly, but there were also those nights when he'd rather be any but Catalyst. Like, for example, that exact night.

Pulling out the sleeve of a fairly thin denim jacket to separate it from the sea of fabric, and judging whether or not it would be suitable for his current ensemble along with the night, Alex heard, "What about when you get off work, can you come over then?"

Stifling an irritated groan and grinning at the same time, the man awkwardly slipped his arms through the sleeves, careful not to drop his phone. He could barely afford it in the first place, let alone a replacement.

"I'm a fucking bartender, I get home at four in the morning," Alex replied, curious as to just why, exactly, Jack was pushing the subject so hard. Obviously, he wanted to get off, but that was basically a personality trait for him.

Alex smiled when he heard a sigh as his response, gripping his phone to his ear once more while his fingers hooked through the heels of his sneakers. He wandered into his living room, slumping down onto the couch and bending over to tug his shoes on.

Fingers tangled through the laces of his black Converse that were literally starting to fall apart at the seams, Alex asked, "We've been fucking for months, and fooled around, like, every other day last week. Why the sudden obsession?"

With a final tug on the loops, the blond stood back up and slipped into the kitchen, checking the time on the microwave. Five minutes 'till he had to get in his car or be late. The man had never been one to be punctual, and Matt, his only coworker to be at the club once he got there, really could not give a shit. But he'd had enough half hearted reprimands from his boss for one life time.

"I'm not sure," Jack mused, sounding as unsure of the answer to his question as Alex himself, "I think it's your hair. You're a fucking hot blond, Gaskarth, and I can't get enough of it."

Alex giggled, tugging on the bottom of his jacket with his free hand and sitting on the arm of his couch. His legs swung back and forth, heels rhythmically tapping the fabric behind them. Biting his lip, he felt a blush stain his cheeks, eyes automatically dropping to the floor. Jack wasn't actually there to see the effect his words had, but still, it happened nonetheless.

There weren't many things that boosted Alex's confidence more than compliments from Jack, because, hell, he was Jack fucking Barakat. That man was the walking epitome of sexy, and if a guy as hot as him found Alex good looking, than he couldn't be all that horrible to behold. Sure, the blond had always had good self esteem, but who doesn't love some flattery?

"Maybe I should dye it back so you'll leave me alone," Alex teased, fingers of his left hand ruffling the back of his hair. It had been almost two weeks since he'd gotten it done, and the man still got confused when he looked in the mirror that morning. He'd been a brunette for almost twenty years, though, so he wasn't too ashamed to have taken a few moments to remember why the reflection staring back at him was tipped with yellow instead of brown.

"Like you really want that," Jack shot back, former cocky ass hole persona leaking into his voice. It was a side of the man that Alex was seeing less and less frequently, but that man with the huge ego that he'd originally known was still alive and healthy. Well, it was who Alex fell for in the first place, although those rare moments of sweet Jack were just about his favorite thing in existence.

Laughing, Alex quietly wished that he had complied to the other man's wishes earlier and could kiss him to shut him up right about then. But he was sure he'd see him soon enough, and the pair rarely spent a second together without their lips attached.

"True," Alex admitted, craning his neck in a futile attempt to check the time once more, "but, seriously, I'm pretty sure I was in your bed less than twenty four hours ago. You can't have blue balls already."

Hoping onto his feet once more, the man ambled back towards his microwave, conversation producing a spring in his step. His eyes focused on the clock, causing him to realize that, shit, he was supposed to leave five minutes ago.

"I like getting laid, and maybe I've got a thing for blonds, what can I say," Jack confessed, still apparently hoping that Alex would drop all his plans, quit his job and show up at his door. Hey, he could dream.

"Right, good for you, but I really have to go so I don't get fired. I'll see you soon!" Alex chirped, word rushed and fumbled as tried to shove his key in the lock after slamming the door closed behind him. Sticking the metal in on his fourth try, Alex clicked the burglar halting mechanics into place, turning and trotting down the hall of his apartment building.

Jack barely had time to choke out a farewell before the line cut off, his lover hanging up. The dark haired man sighed, falling back onto his bed across the city, trying to figure out what the fuck he was supposed to do with the rest of his day, alone. Of course, there was that ever growing list of chores that needed to be done and bills that were borderline over due, but Jack loved using that 'life is short' cliché to justify his procrastination.

He scooted up his bed, back hitting the head board and sheets tangling against his back as he reached for the remote. Maybe something decent was on TV, and he could entertain himself with a comedy. Or one of those crappy action flicks that he'd always been a sucker for - Jack knew they were shit, everyone hated them, but the cheap thrills from twenty dollar chase scenes were fun every now and then.

He had just flicked on Premium Rush, a film which Jack had heard was downright horrible, with excessive bike chases and total lack of entertaining plot, when his phone rang. He raised an eyebrow, pulling the shiny device out of his pocket with a sly grin in hopes that it was Alex and a change of heart. He seriously needed to get off, so what if it had barely been a day since his last release?

His smile fell with the caller ID, realizing it was just May. Well, there were a lot people he'd rather talk to less at the moment, he supposed. Jack slid backwards, lying down and swiping the acceptance button, pressing the phone to his ear through his hair once more.

"Hey, sis," he greeted, ankles hooking over each other on top of the comforter. He heard what sounded like footsteps and rustling on the other end, wondering what the hell his sister was doing and why she wasn't replying after five seconds of silence. Pocket dial?

"Jack," May began eventually, the man's forehead crinkling with worry at her wobbling, worn out tone, "Gram's gone."

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This is actually quite short, but the next two will definitely be much longer, and more exciting! Thank you guys for commenting, you're all amazing and I love you. Please comment and vote. Also, FALL OUT BOY JESUS FUCKING-

xoxo

Rose