Shelter

A few mornings later, Alex woke up with Jack’s arms wrapped around him. Jack was just beginning to wake up too, eyes fluttering open. This was one of the few times that they hadn’t woken up alone in the morning – usually whoever woke up first would quietly leave the bunk and let the other boy sleep.

“Good morning,” Alex said, smiling tiredly.

“Morning,” Jack mumbled back, yawning.

Alex sighed softly, leaning his head against Jack’s. “You know, you don’t have to come in here every time I have a nightmare. It’s not like I haven’t dealt with them by myself before.”

“I don’t mind. I’d rather have you feel safe instead of scared,” Jack said with a shrug.

Alex smiled, “You spoil me.”

“Anything for you, Lex,” Jack murmured, rubbing his nose against Alex’s. Alex blushed slightly and Jack untangled himself from the older boy. “I’ll be up front. I’m starving.”

Jack rolled out of the bunk and headed up front, leaving Alex alone. Alex sighed to himself, running a hand through his hair. He was starting to feel bad. Jack does so much for him, and how does he repay him? He turns Jack down every time he tries to ask him on a date or do something sweet for him. Why did Jack even continue to like him? Alex was such an asshole.

But maybe he could change that.

Alex got out of his bunk and headed up front, where most of the others were hanging out. “Morning!” he greeted, walking over to Jack happily. Alex pecked him on the cheek before walking over to the fridge to get some breakfast.

Jack dropped his water bottle in surprise, scrambling to pick it back up. The others stared at Alex, wide-eyed.

Alex glanced back at them and pouted, “What? Jack can kiss me, but I can’t kiss him?”

The others just shook their heads at him and returned to what they were doing, not wanting to get involved in whatever he was up to. Jack walked over to the counter and ripped open a package of poptarts, looking at Alex curiously. Alex was putting leftover pizza into the microwave.

Alex glanced up at Jack, bumping his hip against the younger boy’s. “I have a question.”

“What’s that?” Jack asked.

“Would you like to go to dinner with me later tonight? Just me and you? We don’t have a show and the bus will be parked for the night...”

“Like… a date?” Jack’s eyes were wide.

Alex nodded, “Yeah. A date.”

Jack looked surprised, but he nodded. “Um. Sure, that sounds great, Lex.”

“Great. We’ll go around seven,” Alex smiled happily. He took his pizza out of the microwave and walked away, leaving Jack looking bewildered.

--------------------

Later that evening, Alex and Jack headed out to dinner together. Alex had grabbed Jack by the hand, pulling him out of the bus.

“So where are we going, exactly?” Jack questioned, walking beside Alex.

“You’ll see. It’s definitely the classiest place around,” Alex said with a mischievous smirk. Jack laughed when he was pulled into a Taco Bell a few minutes later.

“I see your idea of a classy dinner is Taco Bell,” Jack teased, letting go of Alex’s hand.

Alex pouted, “It’s the only decent food place in the ghost town we’re in! And you love Taco Bell anyway.”

“It’s fine. They probably have better food than any restaurant would,” Jack chuckled. They got up to the counter and both boys ordered their food. Jack reached for his wallet to pay, but Alex was faster than him. He was already handing money to the cashier by the time Jack had pulled his wallet out.

Alex saw this and chuckled as they moved down the counter to wait for their food. “I asked you come to dinner with me. I planned on paying.”

“I could have at least paid for my half,” Jack protested, and Alex rolled his eyes. Their food was ready within a few minutes and Alex picked up the tray, heading into the far corner of the restaurant to sit down.

“Burritos are way better than anything we’d get at a regular restaurant,” Alex said after a few minutes, swallowing his food.

Jack nodded in agreement, “Much better. Plus, I can eat five of these things and no one will judge me.”

Alex laughed, covering his mouth so he wouldn’t spit out his food by accident. He finally swallowed the food and said, “Yeah. At a restaurant you can’t eat five helpings or you’ll seem fat. Here, five burritos is nothing.”

“Exactly,” Jack grinned, unwrapping his second one. They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Jack spoke up. “You know, I’ve been trying to get you to go on a dinner date – or any date – with me for the most part of two years, and you’ve never accepted. Now you suddenly decide to ask me out on a date? What gives?”

“I dunno. I was thinking to myself earlier, and I started feel bad about always turning you down,” Alex said, shrugging.

Jack’s eyes lit up. “Does that mean you’re finally ready for a relationship?”

“No,” Alex chuckled at the eager look on Jack’s face. “But I’ll compromise. I’m willing to try out some dates with you and see how it goes.”

“That sounds great to me,” Jack said happily.

“Don’t get your hopes up, Jack. Just because I want to go on dates doesn’t mean I’ll actually be ready for a relationship. It might be a while,” Alex cautioned him.

Jack smiled, “That’s okay. You know I’d wait my whole life for you. I’m not giving up any time soon.”