Trophy Eyes.

It takes Aled several (hundred) cups of tea to calm Jack down. Even then, he’s still pretty hysterical. He’s cussing himself, and all Aled can do is force tissues into his hands and hug him gently.

Aled’s mumbling little phrases of comfort into Jack’s ear when the American picks up on something he’s saying.

“I know what it feels like.”

Jack stares at him, mouth resting open and chocolate eyes teary.

“How do you know what it feels like?” Jack asks in a watery voice.

Aled sighs quietly and pulls back, hauling his legs up onto the bed. He pushes his bouncing brown curls away from his face - he didn’t straighten it today - and looks over at Jack.

“Last year, when I was just barely fifteen, some arsehole took advantage of me.”

Jack looks at him expectantly.

“He was eighteen. Told me he loved me and all that crap, made me fall for him like I’d never fallen for anyone else. He had me right where he wanted me, then he just used me.”

Jack stares at him wide-eyed. The Welsh boy swallows uneasily.

“I ended up losing it to him. Because I fell for every last thing he said to me. It was my own fault, really, but I guess I was so happy for someone to actually be interested in me. Turned out he was just interested in sex.”

Jack looks at him, and it’s more than obvious that this is a hard topic for Aled. He’s blinking back tears and keeps twisting the duvet between his fingers.

“Nothing knocks your confidence more than some bleach blonde whore telling you you’re worthless.”

Aled gets up on shaking legs and goes to make himself a cup of tea. There’s more sounds of objects hitting others than usual and Jack imagines it’s because his hands are trembling.

“Does anyone else know?” Jack asks quietly, standing and walking to him. Aled shakes his head.

“You’re the first person I’ve told.” Aled replies, taking a long sip from his cup of piping hot tea “Please don’t tell anyone.”

“I won’t.” Jack says quietly, enveloping the younger in a hug.

Jack sits back down on the bed and Aled stands in front of him.

“Bet it sucked to be you for a while.” Jack says, a small smile on his lips.

Aled laughs, nodding slightly and burying one hand in his pocket. He drinks the last of his tea and sets the cup down on the counter. He sits down beside Jack and looks at him.

“So, what was Alex like?” He asks. Jack looks at him, and it suddenly clicks that Aled’s asking him how good Alex was in bed.

*

Several hours later, Aled’s walking Jack back to his house.

“How come you came to me and not Andrew?” Aled asks, throwing a little bounce into his walk for good measure. Jack shrugs.

“You like cock. Andrew doesn’t. Made sense at the time.”

Aled bursts out laughing and almost falls over as he walks.

“Couldn’t have put it blunter if you tried, could you?” Aled giggles, a smile seemingly permanent on his face.

“Nope.” Jack laughs, popping the ‘p’ sound as they take the turning onto Jack’s street.

They find Jack’s driveway in the near dark and he embraces the Welsh boy in a hug.

“Thanks for today. I really appreciate it.”

“No problem.” Aled nods.

As soon as Jack shuts the front door, May and Joe are upon him, drenching him in questions they don’t give him time to answer.

“Where have you been?” May shrieks.

“Hanging out with Aled. Daniel was busy and Andrew was at a Bat Mitzvah. We thought we’d chill together.”

“So why were you crying when you left?” Joe asks, narrowing his eyes. Jack swallows nervously. He’d forgotten about that.

“I wasn’t crying.” He replies quickly, but it’s too hesitant for Joe’s liking.

“Yes you were.” He contradicts his brother swiftly “You seem to forget that I’m your brother. I can tell when you’re upset. It’s like, brotherly psychic or something.”

Jack glares at him and pushes past him to get to the stairs.

“Jack, I know something’s wrong! Just tell me already!” Joe demands, glaring up the stairs at his younger brother.

“No!” Jack shouts back, tears brimming in his eyes again.

“Dammit Jack! I’ll find out eventually!”

May notices the tears swimming in Jack’s eyes and attempts to drag Joe away from the scene.

“It’d be quicker if you just told me!”

Jack starts to cry.

“Joe, just leave it!” May screams at her twin, successfully pulling him into the kitchen as Jack runs for his room.

She glares at Joe and he stares guiltily at the floor.

“I know something’s wrong with him too, but just don’t badger him. He’ll tell you if he wants to.”

Joe doesn’t look at her.

“You made him cry.” She says simply, pushing him down into one of the chairs at the breakfast bar “Now think about how you’re going to apologize while I go talk to him.”

May really knows something’s wrong when she can hear Jack’s Mannequin blasting from three steps up the staircase.

She pushes open the door to her little brother’s room and sees him curled up in a ball on his bed, sobbing.

Something’s definitely wrong.