Fool's Holiday (Jalex Oneshots)

5. Seven Minutes In Heaven

Rian has a plan.
A terribly, horrid, very poorly thought out plan.

Rian Dawson, being best friends with both Jack Barakat and Alex Gaskarth, knows that the two idiots have been mutually pining for years, and no amount of convincing could ever get either of them to admit it to each other.

So this Christmas, Rian's loss of ideas on what to get Jack just might be the thing to end all their frustrations.

"Seven minutes in heaven. With Alex. And Jack. Together."

Zack just frowns, raising and eyebrow at his friend. "You're kidding."
"It's the perfect gift!" Rian argues. "I mean, you and I don't have to hear about how 'aw man Alex looked so hot in those jeans today' or 'shit, Zack, I think I love him.' It would end all of our bands problems!"
"Locking our best friends in a closet for seven minutes?" Zack sounds bored, and very tired.

"Think about it," Rian continues. "They make out, admit their feelings, seven minutes, problems are gone!"
"You're an idiot."
"A smart one!"

So when their annual Christmas party rolls around, Rian and Zack lead their friends upstairs.

"Dude, I don't understand what's so interesting about your room," Alex complains. "We've been there a thousand times."
"Yeah, and I was just talking to this hot girl a few seconds ago!" Jack lies.

Rian saw him earlier sitting alone on the couch watching Alex dance around like an idiot. Jack is seriously not helping his situation and the whole group is sick of it.

"Well," Rian says, "maybe that's where I'm keeping your Christmas gifts this year."
Jack and Alex exchange a look.

Alex received his gift from Rian on Monday at school. It was the phone case he saw at Hot Topic but didn't buy because of the new Blink shirt that was Way Cooler.

"And it's in your room?" Jack asks skeptically. "What are we having an orgy?"
Alex snickers.

Tired of their shit, Rian ends the conversation as they walk into his small bedroom.

"Aw man," Jack whines, "I was expecting sex toys."
Alex can't hold back his laughter as Rian and Zack internally groan.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Rian mumbles. "Stand here." He points at the floor in front of his closet.
"Oh wow, I get to stand for Christmas? And to think, I got Rian New Found Glory tickets."
"You didn't get me concert tickets," Alex grumbles as he moves to stand next to Jack.
"I got you concert tickets last years!"

"That's great! So anyway Rian got you seven minutes in heaven with Alex," Zack says, much to his friends confusion. He pushes them into the closet with nothing but the words "Merry Christmas!"

Jack and Alex protest loudly as Rian and Zack leave the room.

Seven is a bit of an understatement. They're actually planning to leave Jack and Alex in there for probably closer to twenty minutes, which is probably more like kidnapping. But, Rian's parents are serving desert soon, and they don't want Jack to eat it all.

Meanwhile, Jack and Alex are still pounding on the closet door, demanding to be let out. They don't stop until they hear the door to Rian's room slam closed.

Alex steps back, into Rian's laundry hamper, and groans. "He could've at least cleaned."
"Yeah," Jack agrees. He's silently thanking whatever god is out there for just how dark it is in Rian's closet.
"Seven minutes in heaven, huh?" Alex mutters.
"Look, we don't have to do anything." Jack isn't sure what to say when Alex doesn't say anything. "It's- uh, it's not that I don't want t-to do anything. I-I I just- well." He sighs. "Sorry."

"For what?"

What a question. Is Jack even sorry? For all he knows, he's just filling empty silence. Who wouldn't want to fill empty silence? This is awkward, this is so damn awkward.

"Well... I- this is weird," Jack blurts.
"Really weird," Alex agrees.
"Yeah."
"So why me?"

Fuck, Jack thinks, I'm gonna fucking kill Rian.

Jack laughs nervously. "What?"
"Well" Alex starts, "obviously there's a reason it's seven minutes in heaven with me, and not, say, hot girl you were talking to earlier."

Caught in a lie. Whoops.

"There, uh, there actually wasn't... a girl."
"Really?" Alex asks in a tone implying that he totally knew that already. "No!"
Jack laughs mockingly. "What's it matter anyway?"
"Why are you avoiding my question?"
"What?"
"Why me, Jack?"

Oh, Alex totally knows.
Alex caught on so fast. He'd have to be so fucking stupid to not know.
But you think Alex's going to let Jack know that? Oh no, watching him struggle like this is so much more fun.

"W-well, um... uh-"
"It wouldn't have anything to with that crush you've had since middle school?" Alex is getting real close now and Jack really isn't sure what to do now. "The one you refused to tell me anything about?"
"W-What- What crush?" Jack tries to laugh it off, but he's so busted. His back is pressed against a wall, and Alex's fingers are brushing over the fabric of Jack's t-shirt.
"Oh, I dunno," Alex barely whispers, "the one you have on me?"

Jack doesn't even have time to think about that before Alex's lips are on his. Sadly, Jack's never done this before and he doesn't know what to do, so he tenses up and Alex pulls away too quickly.

"S-Sorry!" Alex exclaims. "I-I must have read the situation wrong or-"
"No! No, no, it's okay. I- I'm just nervous."
"You?" Alex laughs. "Nervous? No fucking way."
"I've never done this before."
"You're joking. You're not joking! Jack fucking Barakat's never been kissed!"
Jack taps his foot uncomfortably. "Look, I was waiting for some perfect guy to come around-" he can hear Alex's smirk.
"Oh really?" Jack feels Alex's hands on him again. "Was it someone I know?"
"Oh, cut the bullshit, Gaskarth, it was you."
"Cute."

Alex presses a kiss to Jack's cheek. Then he pulls away quickly.

"It's been ten minutes, where the hell are Rian and Zack?"
"That's what you're worried about?"
"I wouldn't say worried-"
"For fucks sake, Alex, kiss me already!"