Don't Forget About Me.

The pair spent the rest of the day basking in each other’s company, talking over anything and everything. Sure they had spent ninety-nine percent of their time together over the past few weeks that they had been rebuilding their friendship, but that didn’t make a difference to them, they talked about everything from the change in weather recently, to the deepest realms of their minds, which could be known to hold the darkest of thoughts. But no matter what the subject the other listened to what their partner had to say, simply being happy at the normality between them.

Alex didn’t miss the gleam that had recently returned to Jack’s eyes, meaning he was well and truly happy again. It was the look Alex remembered seeing from his best friend throughout their years of friendship, and it wasn’t until that moment when he saw it return that he realised just how much he had missed seeing his best friend boyfriend happy.

They broke conversation very few times throughout the day. They had ventured from the small room eventually to make the short walk to their diner after realising neither of them had eaten since breakfast the previous day. In the time it took them to arrive, eat, and return back to their hide out it had been decided that Jack would retrieve his few belongings from their hiding place and then he would accompany Alex home, where he would live from now on.

Jack had tried to put up a fight, telling Alex that he couldn’t let him support him, but Alex had insisted that it was nonsense, and that was what you did for the ones you love. Jack soon realised this wouldn’t be a battle he was going to win, so instead he reluctantly agreed to move in with promises that he would pull himself together and get a job so he could share the responsibilities of their home.

Alex put all of his self control into not just pouncing on his younger boyfriend right there and then, but instead settled on placing a loving kiss to Jacks his lips before remembering an item he had discovered two days ago now, but had left his mind completely during the events the hours had presented him with. So upon his remembrance he pulled away from the embrace – resulting in a whine of protest to come from Jack, to which Alex just laughed at – and turned on his heels making his way to the spot he had abandoned the object at, where he picked it up and held it behind his back before returning to his lover.

“How much do you love me?” Alex questioned, a cocky smirk plastering itself on his face, to which Jack playfully rolled his eyes and mirrored the smirk, playing along with Alex’s game.

“I don’t know, a bit I suppose, what’s your name again?” Alex’s facial expression turn into one of faux horror as he withdrew one of his hands and playfully shoved Jack’s shoulder.

“Fine! I suppose I won’t give you your present then.” Alex began to walk backwards away from Jack, only to be pulled to a halt by Jack lightly grasping his upper arms and looking into the golden brown eyes he had stared at so many times in the years of their friendship.

“Well when you put it like that, I suppose I love you more than anything else on this crazy little planet we call Earth.” The love present in both boys’ eyes was enough to make even the coldest hearted person smile. At that moment impulse took over and Alex leant forward to press a brief loving kiss that he hoped would say everything for him, so he wouldn’t have to explain that he felt exactly the same and more. He pulled back again and grinned at the taller man for a few moments before speaking again,

“Okay, for starters, you’re too good to me, and secondly, well, if you feel so strongly for me, I suppose I should give you this ‘round about now.” And as the words left his mouth he released one hand from the handle of the object, allowing him to swing it around his side and into the view of Jack, who for a few milliseconds looked dumbfounded, before tearing the item from Alex’s grip and clutching it to his chest with one arm before throwing the other around Alex’s neck.

“I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you!” Alex simply laughed at his boyfriends’ reaction whilst wrapping his arms around his waist and hooking his chin onto his shoulder.

“I love you too, so much.”

They stood in silence for a while, just appreciating each other’s presence before Alex finally spoke up again.

“Jack? Why does that lamp mean so much to you?” He didn’t know how he expected Jack to reply, but a soft laugh was definitely not it. Jack pulled away – moving his hands back to their previous position on Alex’s upper arms – looking straight into his boyfriends eyes, searching for any sign of a joke, when he found none he laughed softly again before replying.

“You really don’t recognise it, do you?” A look of confusion instantly washed over Alex’s face – his eyebrows furrowed and his head cocked slightly as he waited for his boyfriend to continue. When Jack realised that was all the response he suddenly became shy and looked down at his shoes before continuing with a slight smile gracing his lips.

“I may have, perhaps, taken it from your garden shed after you left me... I don’t know how you don’t recognise it, it’s the one we used to take every time we snuck out.” As he spoke he gradually gained the confidence to look up at Alex, who showed no signs of being mad, the only emotions found in his eyes were pure love and adoration, so he decided to continue with his reminiscing,

“Do you remember ‘Lex? How when we couldn’t sleep we used to ring one another and try and coax the other into sleep, and if that didn’t work we just thought what the hell and you used to come and get me with your lamp and we’d go into the woods – into the clearing, and we’d just lay there and you’d put your arm around my shoulder and let me cuddle into your side as we stared at the stars? Wait – did that happen for you? I forget our pasts are different sometimes... please tell me we got to experience that for you?”

A single tear formed in Alex’s eyes at the memory because yes he did remember, and he was so ashamed at himself for forgetting such a precious memory that came from way back in the first years of their friendship, but none the less it was one of the memories that summed up their relationship perfectly – nothing mattered as long as they were with each other.

Upon realising that words would most likely fail him if he tried to say too much, Alex replied with a simple nod and a whisper which Jack was sure said “I remember”.

After a few more moments of silence Alex seemed to shake himself out of his trance, followed by a loving gaze to Jack as he wordlessly grasped his hand and began their walk to the hiding place in which Jack had previously placed his few belongings. Once there Jack bundled his belongings under one arm whilst still keeping his grasp on Alex’s hand as they continued their wordless journey back to the elders’ apartment.

Once there, Alex unlocked the door allowing the pair entrance before re-securing the door behind them before taking Jacks belongings and placing them in the laundry basket situated in the bathroom then beckoning for the younger to follow him into the bedroom.

Continuing with their comfortable silence the pair stripped down to their boxers as Alex passed Jack a pair of baggy sweat pants before pulling on his own and climbing into the bed, where Jack less than hesitantly followed him.

They lay there snuggling for a while, with little to no space between them. One arm draped over the others waist whilst their other hand rested underneath the owners head as they gazed into each other’s eyes, where they lay until sleep had almost overcome both of them, and in their last few moments of consciousness, only 9 words were exchanged between the two.

“I love you, Jack.”

“I love you too, ‘Lex.”