The Battles of Your Youth

Jared's face lit up with laughter as the story flowed through my lips. Happiness caused my heart beats to skip as I leant against his frame, the smile on my face actually genuine.

"And then-"

My sentence stopped as Jared did, his arm falling to his side so mine was no longer looped through it.

"So, you made up then?" Chris' unimpressed tone caught our attention and I glanced up, following Jared's gaze "I thought I warned you."

I frowned as Jared bowed his head "I...couldn't."

"But I told you to!" Chris exclaimed, that anger he showed on the football pitch resurfacing.

"What's going on?" I demanded with a confused frown "Chris? Jay?"

"What did you expect me to say when she came to apologise?" Jared snapped, I'd never seen him so worked up, both him and Chris ignoring the fact I'd spoken.

Chris shrugged, his jaw clenching in annoyance "I don't know Leto, I thought you were creative."

Anger burned the baby blues I loved so much at Chris' words "I couldn't just drop her Eckles!" He growled through gritted teeth "You saw what we're like when we're apart!"

"What?!" I exclaimed, standing to the side so I could see the both of them.

Again neither of them acknowledged I'd uttered a syllable as Jared continued "You can't control her Eckles, no matter how much you claim to like her, you can't keep us apa-"

And that's when his sentence was cut off. Apparently Chris' anger on the football pitch carried on after he stepped off the grass.

Once he pulled his clenched fist back everything seemed to go in slow motion and I was unable to do a thing to stop it, to help my best friend.

I ran before Chris' fist connected with Jared's face.

*

I stared mindlessly ahead of me, my knees tucked up against my chest, my chin leant on them as I wrapped my arms around my legs.

What had just happened?

"So, I hear my brother had a black eye because of you."

"How did you find me?" I mumbled, not even looking in Shannon's direction as he sat beside me, definately ignoring his tease.

"Jared said you'd be at 'The Bench'," Shannon shrugged.

I winced at the sound of his name "Is he okay?"

Shannon chuckled and I nearly punched him "You severely underestimated my younger brother Lauren."

I frowned, finally looking in his direction "What're you going on about?"

"Sure, that boyfriend of yours got a good one in - caught him off guard - but your 'JayJay' isn't completely useless."

My eyebrows raised as relief cleared the worry from my veins "W-well where is he?"

"He thought you'd be mad at him so e stayed away," Shannon explained as I shuffled over to him, snuggling against his side "But he wanted me to come find you."

"I can't believe it," I breathed, he placed his arm around me "Can we go see him?"

He looked at me suspiciously "Are you gunna match his right eye with his left?"

I smiled, just wanting to know what was going on, had Chris really tried to keep me and Jared apart? "No."

We got to our feet, him wrapping his arm around my shoulders and pulled me comfortingly close "He's okay Hough."

"I know, I just worry about him y'know? Chris seemed so much bigger than him."

I felt Shannon sigh "Well I was taking about Chris," He explained "But if you want to blab on about my brother, feel free."

I blushed, my mind swimming at the mix of confusing feelings rushing around my body. I forced a chuckle "Thanks Shan."

He squeezed me into a half hug with a soft chuckle "It's what friends are for."

*

I burst into the Leto household, Constance was out at work so I headed straight down to the basement.

Although Shannon - who was strolling in after me - had reassured me Jared was fine I couldn't help but worry. Chris was a football player and Jared's a slightly skinny guitarist. But of a difference.

Swinging the basement door open I spotted him straight away - though he didn't see me. Annie was practically forcing ice on his left eye and right knuckles.

Putting a finger to to my lips I took her place on the sofa beside him, pushing the ice against his eye.

"Where's Shan?" He mumbled with his tone set to worried "She's mad at me isn't she An? Why else wouldn't they be here yet?" The amount of emotion in his voice shocked me and I slowly removed the ice, wincing at the mark already showing "Angel?" He breathed, turning in the seat so he was facing me "I'm sorry."

"What happened?" I whispered as he removed the ice from his already bruised knuckles, flexing his hand a couple of times before replacing it.

"He didn't like how close we were," He explained, wincing as I placed the ice back on his eye "You ignoring me worked so well for him but he knew it wouldn't last so he," Jared paused, a small sigh passing through his lips "He asked me to make sure we never made up but I couldn't," His sparkling eyes searching my own "When I was away from you...I felt weird like I wasn't fully alive."

I almost couldn't believe my ears "That was my exact feeling."

I took the melting ice pack away from his face once more, my fingers gently brushing his hair away from his injury. As I did so his own hand reached up, swiftly ducking beneath my hair and cupping the back of my neck.

Then, bringing my face to his own, he pressed his lips against mine.