CW: Vomit
Jack groaned as he pulled into his drive to see Alex leant casually against his bike.
He hadn't seen or heard from him since the party and it had been the most peaceful month of his life. He'd actually started to get his life back on track and had even managed to get through all of their shared classes without incident.
"What do you want?" He asked as he made his way round to the trunk to get his groceries. "What makes you think I want something?" Jack rolled his eyes as he started grabbing bags. "Because you're here."
Alex followed him up the porch steps and to the front door as he unlocked it, dumping the bags just over the threshold. "What's with the attitude?" Jack turned to him with disbelief.
"You're joking." Alex just looked confused.
"Jack we've been best friends for like ever, now all of a sudden you're acting like you want to rip my dick off. What's going on?" Jack had to take a breath to calm himself enough to speak.
"Did you forget the bit where you cheated on me?" Alex just rolled his eyes. "Are you still going on about that?"
Jack gritted his teeth together as he grabbed the last of his shopping. He really shouldn't be surprised to find that Alex didn't give a shit about their relationship, or that he'd just assumed they could go back to normal like none of it had happened. Jack clearly didn't mean all that much to him after all.
"You may not have given a shit about us but I did." He slammed the trunk harder than necessary and made his way back towards the house. "What's the big deal? We screwed, things didn't work out, life goes on." You've got to be fucking kidding me.
He wheeled on Alex furious. "'Life goes on'. Are you fucking serious right now?!" Alex took a step back startled.
"Jack-"
"Alex I was in love with you. While I was busy planning our future you were busy screwing Lisa behind my back and you're acting like it's not a big deal! You hurt me worse than anyone ever has and you think I can just be your friend?" Alex rolled his eyes.
"Stop being so overdramatic."
"I wasted the last three years of my life on you! That may mean nothing to you but I can't just pretend it never happened. I'm not interested in being your friend you assholes, so leave me the hell alone."
He couldn't deny it felt good to slam the door in Alex's face. He ignored Alex's shouting and banging in favour of putting away his groceries.
"You know what? Fuck you, Jack! If you want to behave like a child then go ahead. Don't come crying when you realise what a moron you're being."
He waited until he could no longer hear his retreating motorbike before deflating and slumping into one of the dining chairs. He buried his face in his hands and groaned. He was so angry and frustrated he wanted to cry.
He hadn't even gotten to discussing him collecting his stuff or giving back Jack's key. Then again, Alex hadn't mentioned it either.
Clearly, he didn't give a shit about his stuff and Jack could easily change the locks. So why was Jack still even bothering to hold onto it?
A terrible idea occurred to him and he pulled out his phone, a small grin tugging at his lips.
"Hello?" Zack answered on the first ring.
"Wanna help me burn the assholes stuff?" There was no doubt about whose stuff Jack was referring to. "Hell yes! Bring it over to mine I know the perfect place."
It was Brendon who answered the door when Jack arrived. "Hey man!" Brendon greeted, pulling Jack into a hug.
It was funny to see him without the white face paint or fangs. His hair was messy and he wore large glasses that sat slightly crooked. Jack had the feeling he hadn't been up very long.
"For the record, I think this is a brilliant idea. No better way of removing negativity from your life than to burn it away, metaphorically at least. Not sure actually setting the bastard on fire would be looked upon too kindly." Jack couldn't help but laugh at that.
"Probably not, still tempting though."
The other two were sitting at the kitchen table. Ryan was in his pyjamas and had a mug of coffee held close to his chest whilst Zack was fully dressed in a muscle tank and jeans. A bottle of lighter fluid sat on the table in front of him.
"You are a terrible influence." Ryan was saying and Zack rolled his eyes.
"Oh give it a rest Ry," Brendon muttered as he led Jack in.
They both turned to them as they entered and Zack smiled. Ryan didn't look impressed.
"I'm only going to say this once." He began. "But Jack, you really need to think about this. I know he hurt you and right now you are angry, you have every right to be, but is burning all his stuff really the answer? You guys were friends before right? Doing this is going to pretty much guarantee that you'll never be able to get back to that. It's malicious and petty and it's not going to fix anything. You have to be sure."
He knew Ryan was coming from a good place but really he wasn't interested in a lecture on morals. "Noted. You ready?" He asked as he turned to Zack who grinned. "You know it."
They stuck Alex's stuff in Zack's trunk before he drove them towards the edge of town. "The woods?" Jack asked confused. "This isn't serial killer-ish at all." Zack laughed.
"Trust me, there's this little clearing with some log benches and a fire pit so we won't set anything alight that we shouldn't or disturb people."
They gathered the boxes and Jack followed Zack through the trees. It was eerily quiet, the only sound the crunching of the dry autumn leaves under their feet. The bare trees seemed to loom over them as they made their way through to the clearing.
"So how'd you want to do this?" Zack asked as he dropped his box in the surprisingly cosy setting. The place seemed more suitable for watching fireworks and toasting marshmallows under a shared blanket than revenge burning your ex's stuff.
"You want to start a fire and throw his shit on bit by bit or use his stuff to start the fire?" Jack couldn't really say he'd thought about it. He looked over the random items as he thought. "How about a bit of both?" He suggested. "Set the clothes alight to start it off then throw the rest of it on top." Zack nodded in agreement, eyes glinting with glee.
"There's some stuff here we won't be able to burn though, couple mugs and... Vodka?" He pulled the clear glass bottle from the box for closer inspection. "We can't let this go to waste!" Jack couldn't help but laugh.
"Take out the stuff we can't burn and we'll worry about it after. That Vodka is like eighty per cent proof, his dad brews it in their basement." Zack shrugged as he removed the lid and sniffed at the bottle's potent contents. "Should make for a good night then."
They sorted through the stuff before piling all the clothes in a heap. Zack soaked them in a healthy amount of lighter fluid before offering Jack a box of matches. "You want to do the honours?"
He struck the match and was surprised by how easily the flames took. Guess they call it lighter fluid for a reason.
He took a step back from the flame and pulled out his phone. "What are you doing?" Jack just grinned.
"I want to remember this."
Zack pulled his own phone out with a grin. "Wait, wait, wait. I have the perfect soundtrack for this." There was a moment's pause before Ring of Fire started playing through the tiny speaker and Jack instantly cracked up.
He honestly hadn't expected to have so much fun burning his ex's belongings. Then again he'd never expected to be the kind of guy who burned his ex's belongings either.
He was glad he'd asked Zack to come along though, his seemingly never-ending list of songs about fire and his constant jokes and commentary had made Jack laugh so much his stomach ached.
He managed to stop long enough to take a photo and add it to his Instagram story with the caption Starting afresh with fire. He'd gotten a few confused messages in response but hadn't bothered to explain.
"What in god's name is this?" Zack pulled out a very poorly assembled knitted bear in a t-shirt that read be mine in felt. Jack's stomach twinged a little with fondness despite himself.
"For our first Valentines day, I suggested we make the presents. He got his mom to teach him to knit. I think that might actually be the most effort he ever put into our relationship." Zack eyed the toy suspiciously.
"You sure he didn't get a kid to make this?" Jack laughed a little.
"How many sixteen-year-old boys do you know who can knit?"
Zack's eyes widened in surprise. "You were with that asshat for three years?" Jack nodded as he retrieved the toy and threw it onto the fire before he could think too much and talk himself into keeping the damn thing.
His phone began to vibrate violently in his pocket as multiple texts came through at once.
Rian: Do I want to know what the hell you're up to?
Asshole: You're burning my stuff?! What the hell is wrong with you?!
He ignored them both.
"There much left?" Zack bent down to check.
"Uh... We got a blank envelope, a postcard from the Poe Museum and a few movie tickets." Jack grabbed the box and upended it over the flames. "And it's done."
They sat for a while in silence watching the flames as they slowly burned down. Jack shivered a little in the late afternoon sun, winter was definitely on its way.
"You okay?" Zack asked, watching him wearily. Jack nodded, turning to him with a smile. "Yeah, I am. I actually feel really... peaceful. Like I've been so all over the place lately, it's nice to feel like I've turned a corner." Zack nodded but didn't say anything.
"Thank you for coming today." He casually flung an arm over Jack's shoulder with a smile. "Any time Jack, I'm glad I could help."
"What would you say to going back to yours and celebrating with that Vodka?" Zack laughed.
"As long as you don't mind sharing with Bren and Ry. There's no way they'll be turning down free booze." Jack was pretty sure he could handle that.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ･───
"My toes are happy." Brendon giggled from where he lay on the floor. None of them had had that much but it was potent enough to knock anyone on their ass no matter how much of a heavyweight they claimed to be.
Ryan rolled his eyes at the comment but continued to ignore the rest of them in favour of reading. He'd heard Brendon complain that his first sip had made his tongue feel numb and tingly and had refused to touch the stuff. Jack didn't blame him, his whole body felt completely boneless at this point. There was no way he was getting home tonight.
His phone began to ring and he groaned. It had almost rung off by the time he managed to get his arms working enough to get it out of his pocket and answered.
"This Jack." He slurred. Zack instantly started laughing and Jack aimed a kick at him but missed.
"Jack?" He grinned at the voice on the other end.
"Hey, Ri!" He giggled as he watched Brendon glance between the phone and Ryan in the armchair looking utterly baffled.
"Are you drunk?"
"Likkle bit." Brendon made a disgruntled sound as he attempted to sit up, still clearly trying to work out what was happening.
"Jack where are you?" Jack frowned.
"I don't know." He turned to the rest of the room. "Where do you guys live?"
Ryan gave a frustrated groan and dropped his book on the arm of the chair. He pulled Jack's phone from his hand, ignoring the protest.m"Hello this is Ryan, I am the sober baby sitter. How can I help?"
Brendon looked like his head was about to explode as Ryan headed towards the kitchen. "He's... he's talking to himself."
Jack started laughing so hard he gave himself hiccups, which set Zack off once more.
"Stop laughing! He's literally on the phone to himself." Brendon insisted.
"He's talking to another guy called Rian relax."
Jack was doing his best to hold his breath because every time he hiccupped it made the room spin.
Ryan walked back in and handed over his phone and a glass of water. "Your friend is on his way to pick you up." Zack let out a groan.
"Ry you're so boring!" Ryan looked like he wanted to argue but just shook his head instead.
Jack had just managed to stop hiccupping and drink half the glass of water when there was a knock at the door.
"Ooh pizza." Brendon cried excitedly.
"No one ordered pizza." Brendon pouted at the sad news.
"But I want pizza."
"You are not having pizza. I am not cleaning up pizza puke." Ryan warned as he went to answer the door.
"It's like eight pm how the hell are they this drunk?" Jack heard from the hallway. "Rian!" He cried excitedly, belching slightly halfway through the word. "They've been drinking some bathtub moonshine shit." Ryan sighed, showing him the bottle.
"Really?" Rian groaned, instantly recognising it.
"We celebrating," Jack explained.
He leant across the arm of the chair, reaching for the bottle in Ryan's hand only to lose balance and slip off the couch. Zack cracked up, nearly falling off himself in the process.
"You thought the best way to get over him was to mainline his dad's lethal Vodka?" Jack shook his head vigorously as he attempted to get to his feet. The room had decided to make its slow-spinning a permanent feature which was not helping.
"We celebrating." He repeated. "We burned his shit and now we celebrating." Rian stared at him in disbelief before turning to Ryan who just shook his head.
"Do you need a hand getting him to your car?" Rian shook his head.
"Nah. Just get rid of this stuff, yeah?" He patted Ryan on the shoulder before approaching Jack and helping him to his feet. He slipped an arm around his waist to keep him upright before slowly walking him to the car.
The ride back to Rian's passed in mostly a blur where Jack concentrated on staying upright.
"You okay?" Rian asked, glancing sideways at him nervously.
"I'mma throw up." Rian screeched to a halt at the side of the road and was shoving Jack out the passenger side door faster than he could blink.
Jack landed on his knees with a jolt, the shock only fast-tracking the inevitable. He felt Rian's hand on his shoulder as he retched. "Better out than in." He muttered. That was not helping.
Once he was finished Jack sat back on his heels. "Here," Rian said offering him a tissue and a half-empty bottle of water. "Sorry, it's a little warm." Jack accepted them both, washing the taste from his mouth before cleaning his face.
"Feeling better?" Jack just shrugged. He still didn't feel good but he didn't think he was going to throw up again. He wasn't ready to get back in the car just yet though.
"So you wanna tell me what happened tonight?" Jack rolled his eyes.
"I already told you." Rian sighed heavily.
"You burnt Alex's stuff?" Jack nodded feeling a little dazed.
"Not the mugs... those don't burn. We're gonna smash those." Rian didn't share Jack's enthusiasm for the idea.
"Why are you destroying his things?"
"He's an asshole. He deserves it. He showed up at my house like nothing happened and told me I was overdramatic for having feelings like some dick, and he was all life goes on, we screwed it's fine we're friends. Like who does that?" Rian sighed, rubbing at the bridge of his nose.
"So you decided you'd burn things in order to get back at him?" Jack shrugged. "Not really, he didn't ask for it back so I figured he didn't want it anyway. It was fun; I got some freedom and power back. Who cares about him anyway? He's an asshole! I hope she gives him crabs." That at least made Rian smile.
He gently patted Jack's back before getting to his feet. "We'll see how free you feel tomorrow morning once you've sobered up."