TW: Mention of Abuse, Panic Attack
Jack woke up to his alarm at 6 am, he must have passed out last night because he doesn't remember falling asleep. His head was pounding, he knew he forgot to take his meds. The purple and green blotches were now visible on his skin and sensitive to touch and movement.
He stood up in front of the mirror and realized the redness across his chest, and the ache that occurs when he moved. He did not want to worry Alex, so he knew he had to keep this to himself. He changed his clothes and took his meds and started walking downstairs in a tired daze. His body hurt with every movement, he just wanted to go back to sleep. His phone rang, and he realized it was Alex.
"Jack? Are you okay? I tried calling you a few times last night," Alex said, sounding worried when he talked into the phone.
"Yeah... I'm fine. I'm so sorry I should have texted you, Lex I just passed out when I got home," Jack sighed.
"It's okay Jacky, you sound tired I'll get you some coffee. I'll be there soon," Alex said, hanging up the phone.
Jack saw his dad was still passed out on the couch, and he assumed his mom left for work because she left him a note saying to take his meds. Jack sighed, and he looked at his father terrified. He ran out of the house, scared to be there if his dad woke up. He sat outside on the steps of his porch waiting for Alex. It felt like an eternity for Alex's car to pull up, but when it did Jack practically bolted to Alex's car. He sat down next to Alex and smiled at his boy.
"Hey," Alex smiled, kissing his lips before Jack had time to respond.
"Morning," Jack smiled slightly.
"Jacky, what's wrong? You look so tired," Alex frowned.
"I fell asleep on the floor of the bathroom," Jack shrugged. That's not completely a lie you did, you just forgot to mention the part about your dad beating you.
"Aw, I'm sorry Jacky," Alex frowned. He had a feeling something was up with Jack, he was worried about his boy. It looked like he couldn't find a place to sit comfortably, or even breathe comfortably.
"Alex I'm really tired," Jack groaned, sipping his coffee Alex got him.
"I know love. You can sleep in class after we do stuff in Photography and Science and I'll let you sleep during English," Alex smiles rubbing his back.
"Mhm;" Jack frowned, squeezing Alex's hand.
"Are you sure there isn't anything wrong?" Alex asked him.
Jack shook his head, he thought it would cause more problems. He didn't want to be home, he was scared of his father. Alex could sense his fear, so he just held his hand.
"Okay Jack," He said, helping him out of the car.
He could see the tiredness under his eyes, and the pain in every step he walked.
"Jack, are you okay?" Rian asked as he walked up to him and Alex.
"Mhm," Jack nodded, he couldn't tell Rian and Zack what had happened. This wasn't the first time something like this had happened either, but now it's more visible to everyone with the way he walked.
Jack and Alex entered the room of their photography class and went into the darkroom to develop the pictures from the day at the park. Jack began to take out the images slowly, and he and Alex watched them develop in the mixture of chemicals. They eventually hung them up, and they were going to let them dry the whole day and pick them up on the weekend.
"You look so handsome Jacky," Alex smiled pointing to the pictures of Jack.
"So do you, Lex," Jack laughed as he held his hand. They never had made things official yet, but Jack had wanted to. He had never been in a serious relationship before, or a relationship for that matter. Jack didn't care what his parents thought of him being gay, he was in love with Alex. The rest of the day went by quickly, and sooner or later Jack and Alex were already walking to Alex's car.
"Alex, can you stay with me tonight?" Jack asked him.
"I wouldn't mind that," Alex blushed.
"Mhm," Jack smiled, as he kissed the brown-haired boy.
"What do you want to do tonight baby?" Alex asked him as he started the car and began driving to Jack's house.
"Just be with you," Jack smiled.
Alex nodded, and he held Jack's hand as he drove just as Jack liked. They pulled up to Jack's house and his father's car was luckily not in the driveway. Thank god he isn't home but he will probably be back tomorrow so I will just have to convince Alex to take me to his house instead. Jack had a feeling his mom was going to be in a good mood, she always loved being home. Yeah, Jack's mom could be problematic but in the end, she wasn't as bad as his dad. Jack takes Alex into his house and walks him upstairs.
"Lex, can I take you somewhere tomorrow?" Jack asked him, he knew Alex could never deny a date.
"Really? Yeah, I would like that," Alex smiled as he kissed Jack on the cheek.
Jack smiled at Alex being so excited about it, and he wanted to impress him. He had never really taken someone on a date before so he was excited about that. He was nervous about Alex seeing the bruises, but he just hoped that Alex would not find that part out. Alex sat down on Jack's bed and leaned back, arching himself up slightly. Jack looked at his boy and caught himself staring. He was a virgin, and it was kind of obvious the way he looked at Alex. Alex had a feeling Jack was thinking the same thing, but he thought it would be a good idea to take things slow with Jack.
"Jack come here," Alex smiled, biting his lip as he extended his hand to Jack.
Jack listened to him and felt Alex's arms go around his waist. Jack blushed, and he sat down next to Alex on his bed. Alex kissed him gently, licking Jack's lips slightly telling him that he wanted more. Jack slipped his tongue into Alex's mouth, and his tongue began to explore Alex's mouth. Alex liked the feeling of it, and he gently started to pull Jack's hair. Jack began to straddle Alex, and Alex placed one of his hands on Jack's hips. Jack unlocked his tongue with Alex's and began to kiss his boy's neck, gently sucking leaving hickeys that were visible to everyone. Alex did not care, he wanted people to know that he was Jack's. Alex flipped the younger boy over, pinning him down on his bed, and began to leave hickeys on his neck and upper chest. Jack moaned as Alex began to suck harder on his skin. He never had been touched or kissed by anyone besides Alex, he liked the feeling of electricity between them. Alex and Jack continued to make out for an hour, taking things slowly as they both wanted to until they heard footsteps coming up to the door. Jack quickly hid his hickeys to the best of his ability and turned on the TV.
"Jack dinner is going to be ready soon," Jack's mom said as her eyes glanced at the boys on Jack's sloppily made bed. "Alex you can stay for dinner if you want."
"That would be nice Mrs. Barakat," Alex said blushing slightly, probably because she almost just caught him making out with her son.
When she left downstairs, Jack laughed at how awkward Alex was around his parents. He thought it was cute, mainly because he loves it when Alex gets awkward but Alex just really wanted to make a good impression.
"Jacky I want your hoodie," Alex smiles as he tugged at the one Jack was wearing.
"Alex I have a bunch," Jack laughed.
"This one smells like you the most," Alex smiled cutely at Jack who ended up giving him that hoodie instantly and changing into a new one.
The boys went downstairs for dinner with Jack's mom, and Jack was hoping she wouldn't pick up that they are kinda a thing.
"It smells good Mrs. Barakat," Alex said smiling.
"Oh Alex, call me Joyce, and thank you Jack loves when I make homemade spaghetti sauce," She laughed.
Alex nodded and sat down next to Jack and he held his hand under the table. The pasta looked delicious, and Jack was hungry so he decided to eat it with Alex and his mom at the table. An awkward silence filled the room slightly since Jack didn't know what to say mainly. His parents didn't know about his sexuality, but he was sure they would react badly because of the way his dad acted when he was drunk. Jack flinched at the flashback and dropped his fork on the floor.
"Jack, be careful," His mom told him.
Jack nodded, and picked it up, and put it in the sink. He suddenly lost his appetite, because all he could remember was his dad hitting him over and over again last night. He stood near the sink frozen for a few minutes, unaware of his surroundings and only in the moment of last night. He snapped out of it, and walked to the bathroom, and saw the blood from last night on the floor. Jack screamed and started crying as he fell to the floor.
"Jack, are you okay?" Alex asked, knocking on the bathroom door.
"Alex," He sobbed, as he rocked himself on the ground.
Alex opened the door, and he frowned at his boy in so much pain but his eyes widened when he saw the blood.
"Baby what happened?" He asked sitting down next to Jack who was crumbling apart in front of him.
Jack shook his head and clung to Alex as He started to hyperventilate more as he sobbed. Alex held Jack on his lap and began to rub his back and hold his hand.
"Breathe baby it's okay I'm here you're safe. Understand?" Alex whispered in a soothing tone.
"Lexy I'm scared," Jack cried holding tightly onto Alex's shirt.
"I know baby and we will talk about it once you calm down to breathe for me okay? In and out you got it, Jacky." Alex said to him, as he began to breathe with Jack.
Jack clung to him, and he began to follow the pace Alex was while crying less now. He was still terrified, and in pain from what happened last night.
"Baby tell me what's going on, where did this blood come from?" Alex whispered soothingly as he rubbed Jack's back.
"He's hurting me, Alex," Jack cried.
"Who baby?" Alex asked concerned but also enraged that someone would hurt his boy.
"Mm..my dad," Jack whispered to Alex as he let out a bigger sob.
"Baby," Alex frowned as he held onto him tighter.
"I'm so scared Alex," Jack sobbed.
"I know Jacky, I'll keep you safe baby okay?" Alex whispered.
"Mhm," Jack silently cried.
"Okay Jacky, I'll clean this up, and then I can make you a bath okay," Alex told him.
"You take one with me?" Jack asked. He hated to ask, but he didn't want to be alone.
"Yeah," Alex smiled kissing his forehead.
Jack nodded, and Alex cleaned up some of the blood on the floor from last night and he noticed the bandages on the floor too so he cleaned those up.
"Jack can I look where he hurt you?" Alex asked him.
Jack nodded, and he took off his shirt showing the bruises along the left side of his rib cage and the other ones in various places. Alex was worried about him, seeing all the redness and the splotches of purple and blue across his chest.
"You can stay with me when your dad is home okay?" Alex said, pressing his hand against Jack's face.
Jack agreed to that, and he let Alex take care of him. He needed someone who would do that. He was broken, he didn't know why Alex would want anything to do with him.
"Alex, why do you want me? I'm broken you don't want to deal with me," Jack sighed as tears filled his eyes. He genuinely didn't want to bring Alex into his mess of a family.
"Jack, I'm not dealing with you. You aren't someone to deal with, you're someone to love and take care of. I want you because you're my Jack, and I like you a lot. You're everything I want Jacky," Alex smiled as he kissed Jack.
Jack nodded, and kissed Alex back, and held his hand. "You're my everything."
Alex smiled, as he kissed the boy's lips again. "Where are the towels, Jack?"
Jack pointed to a cabinet in the hall, and Alex went up and got two for them. He came back into the bathroom and locked the door. Jack was still sitting down, leaning against the cabinet but he looked up at Alex when he came back. Alex started the bath for them, and the bubbles began to appear.
"Alex, can you help me?" Jack asked him. He was emotionally exhausted and almost incapable to move.
"Yeah of course babe," Alex said as he went over to Jack and undressed him. Jack blushed a little, and Alex thought it was adorable. He undressed, and Jack stared at his body a little and got more red.
"You're handsome," Alex whispered to Jack as he helped him up.
"So are you Lex, but you're also fucking hot," Jack smiles laughing a little.
Alex blushed, as he helped Jack into the tub. He sat against the back of the tub and held Jack on his lap with his arms on Jack's chest. He saw some of the dried blood on his face still from the bloody nose, and some in his hair. Jack was light, and Alex could feel his ribs because of how skinny Jack was. Jack was naturally skinny, but he was also malnourished.
"Jack, I'm gonna wash your hair is that okay?" Alex asked him. He wanted to make sure he was comfortable and felt safe around him.
"Okay," Jack muttered as he leaned back. Alex pumped some of the shampoo in his hands and slowly washed Jack's hair making sure to get the dried blood out.
Jack felt relaxed, and Alex saw the relief in his boy's body language. He rinsed out his hair and turned him around to face him. Alex smiled at Jack and kissed him gently. Jack blushed, and he held onto Alex while the brunette lathered him up with soap. Jack did the same to Alex and washed his hair and he loved how soft it was. He loved everything about Alex, he was pure sunshine after all.
"Come on Jacky we can make some tea and then go lay down," Alex smiled and kissed him.
"Mhm," Jack nodded as he held Alex's hand.
They both got out of the tub and walked to Jack's room with the towels around their waists. Jack got into a pair of pajama pants with a long-sleeved shirt, and he gave Alex the same thing since he was usually cold. They went downstairs to the kitchen, and Jack's mom looked concerned when she looked at Jack.
"Jack? Are you okay I heard you scream," She frowns.
"Yeah I'm fine mom," He says as he places the tea kettle on the stovetop.
"Are you sure?" She asked him.
"Mom I'm fine!" Jack snaps. Alex can tell that Jack is under a lot of pressure right now, and he can see how anxious he is.
"Jack doesn't speak in that tone!" His mom says.
Jack sighs and when she walks away, he wipes away a few tears from his eyes. Alex goes over to him and holds his hand, and Jack hunches down and leans on his shoulder. Alex worries about Jack, he can see the tiredness in his boy's eyes. Once they get their tea, they head upstairs and Alex holds Jack when they lay in his bed.
"Alex I hate them," Jack muttered nuzzling against Alex.
"I know Jacky you deserve better you understand?" Alex tells him.
"Mhm I mean I have you that's better," Jack smiles a little.
Alex nods, and he strokes Jack's hair and cuddles with him. Jack moves around slightly and falls asleep on Alex's chest almost instantly. He was exhausted, of almost everything. He was upset at the fact he had to deal with his insane parents, and balance school on top of it. Jack could barely put anything together anymore, he was tired.