We Shouldn't Have Met Like This

Jack wakes up, head pounding and back aching. Sound familiar? At least he actually remembers the previous night and knows where he is right now. Zack's couch.
Opening his eyes, Jack turns to see that on the table next to him is a glass of water and a couple of painkillers. Jack smiles, rolling his eyes. Zack is so considerate.
Rolling off the sofa, Jack sits on the floor and gulps down the painkillers, chugging down the water afterwards. He stretches, groaning appreciatively when his back cracks. Looking around, there's so sign of Zack; Jack guesses he's in his make-shift gym which basically means his basement full of gym equipment. Ever since they left college, Zack had become oddly obsessed with staying healthy. An obsession that was lost on Jack.
He's wrong, surprisingly. Zack's not in the basement, Jack finds, so he waits patiently on the couch for the older man to come and find him. Eventually Zack appears, already dressed. He smiles at Jack as he passes, picking up his keys from the table in the hall.
"Mornin'," Jack mumbles, rubbing his eyes.
"Hey, morning. You feel alright?" Zack asks, pulling on his shoes.
"Uh, yeah, fine. Where you headed?"
Zack pauses, hand hovering over the door handle.
"Meeting a friend before I go to work. You'll be okay on your own, right?"
"Oh, uh... yeah, okay," Jack mumbles, ruffling his hair. Zack sighs, rolling his eyes.
"You can come, if you really want. Hurry up and get ready or I'm leaving without you."
Jack grins, jumping up and running off to get ready. He's still dressed in his jeans and shirt from last night so he peels off the dirty T-shirt and dumps it on the floor of Zack's room, deciding he'd just take one of Zack's for now. He sprays himself with Zack's deodorant and fixes his hair before running back downstairs where Zack is waiting.
"'Bout time."

It turns out Zack is meeting his friend in the coffee shop on Thames Street. Jack isn't surprised, considering Zack works just around the corner. But what does surprise Jack, what makes his eyes bulge and his jaw drop, is when Alex saunters through the doors of the coffee shop and Zack stands to greet him.
"Hey, you alright?" Zack laughs, pulling Alex into a half hug. Jack stares, dumbfounded, from his seat at their table as Alex laughs in return, patting Zack on the back like they're old friends or some shit.
It's only when Zack leads Alex to their table that Jack snaps out of his daze, closing his mouth and sitting up straighter.
"Alex, this is Jack, my friend from high school." Zack steps to the side, letting Alex get a glimpse of Jack. If Jack wasn't fuming, he'd laugh at Alex's expression.
His grin disappears, mouth opening slightly in shock, eyes widening. Only for a second, though. His mouth twists into a sly smirk and he grins, holding a hand out to Jack.
"Nice to meet you, Jack."
Jack glares at his outstretched hand before taking it gingerly, giving it a short shake. Jack forces himself not to grimace at how Alex's calloused hand tightens on his. Jack drops it immediately, folding his arms.
Meanwhile, Zack has been ordering coffee while the two get "acquainted" and he now returns, placing the cups on the table and pulling up a chair. Alex does the same.
"So, Jack, this is Alex. He works at Jake's, that store me and you like. That's how we met. He's a cool guy," Zack explains, sipping his coffee. Alex smiles, flashing his teeth.
"Tell me about yourself, Jack," Alex purrs, smirking over his coffee. Jack grits his teeth and tries to sound like he's not about to reach over the table and beat Alex's ass. Not like that. Okay, now he's thinking about sex. Fuck.
"Jack?" Zack nudges him.
"Oh, uh, right. I don't know, there's not much to say," Jack mutters. Zack chuckles.
"Yeah there is!" Zack turns to Alex. "Jack likes Green Day."
At this, Alex raises his eyebrows.
"And he likes Blink...and Jimmy Eat World. And New Found Glory," Zack rambles, ticking off the various bands on his fingers. Jack rolls his eyes.
"Seems like you have good music taste. I probably would have guessed, you seem like a guy with good taste in... most things." At this, Alex winks and gestures to himself with the hand furthest from Zack. Zack doesn't notice, fortunately. Jack glares at Alex as the older male laughs softly to himself.

By the time Jack's finished his coffee, he's just about ready to leap across the table and throttle Alex because the whole time he's been making not-so-subtle innuendos and smirking to himself as Zack sits, confused by the tension between the two.
Jack knows that Alex is aware of what he's doing and he's furious.
"So I was given this exercise plan and it took about five months. It was pretty tough, I guess," Zack babbles, pleased with the fact that the topic of conversation has switched to his workout regime.
"Wow, dude. That sounds really... hard."
Jack snaps his head up, eyes shooting daggers at Alex. The elder raises one eyebrow at Jack, feigning innocence. Zack just nods.
"Yeah, I suppose."
Zack glances down at his watch and sighs. Jack turns his attention away from Alex to glance over at his friend.
"Well I need to get to work, so I'll leave you guys to chill or whatever. You'll be okay, Jack?" Zack asks, drinking the last remnants of his coffee and slipping on his jacket. Jack rolls his eyes at how Zack always babies him like Jack wouldn't survive without him. In hindsight, though, Jack probably wouldn't have lived this long without his best friend looking after him.
"I'll be fine, God. Just go," Jack laughs.
"Alright, see you guys later. Bye, Alex." Zack picks up his phone, waving a goodbye to the two males. Alex smiles and salutes Zack as he leaves.
Now Jack is left with Alex. Fucking brilliant. He isn't going to stick around, obviously.
"I'm heading off too, see ya," Jack mutters, picking up his phone. He notices he's got 3 unread messages from Freya.
"No, Jack. Could you...stay for a sec?" Alex pleads, pouting up at Jack.
"Why, Alex?" Jack frowns.
"I just- I don't know. I'll buy you another coffee?"
Jack snorts. "Give me one good reason I should accept that offer, huh?"
Alex sighs, looking down at his hands. Jack almost feels sorry for him, he looks so pitiful. It's funny, how the older male can switch from arrogant prick to pouting child in no time at all. He confuses Jack, and maybe that's what makes him roll his eyes and sit back down.
Alex looks up, delighted. "So can I buy you another coffee?"

"You like Green Day, huh?"
Since buying their coffee, Jack and Alex have migrated to one of the benches outside the coffee shop, cool air blowing in from the harbour and ruffling their hair. Jack sips his cappuccino.
"I do. You like 'em?"
"Fuck yeah! They're rad. And Blink 182. And New Found Glory. And all the other bands Zack said you like," Alex lists, eyes wandering from his hands to Jack's face. He smiles, a genuine one this time. Not his signature smirk, or his arrogant grin. Jack actually wants to smile back, and he does, just a little.
He and Alex chat about their favourite bands for a little while, Jack arguing that Blink's best album was definitely Take Off Your Pants and Jacket.
"Fuck no, Enema of the State, dude!" is Alex's response.
Jack actually finds himself enjoying their conversation, enjoying being with Alex for once. It feels weird, though.
It's been quiet for a couple of minutes now, both guys just sipping their drinks and watching the people across the street. Jack glances over at Alex, feeling his gaze. Alex is peeking at Jack through his fringe, studying him almost.
"Problem?" Jack asks. Alex doesn't move, just continues to stare.
"I was just thinking," he murmurs.
"About?"
"Don't take this the wrong way, Jack, but you'd be an awesome gay. You look like one."
Jack chokes on his coffee and starts spluttering. He eventually gains composure and swivels to scowl at Alex.
"You fucking what?" he growls. Alex looks taken aback, his eyes wide.
"What? I just think you would..."
Jack stands up, throwing his coffee in the bin beside the bench.
"That's it, I'm done with you fucking hitting on me and making innuendos around my best friend!" Jack hisses. Alex holds his hands up in defence.
"No, I just-"
"No, Alex! Bye."
Once again, Jack finds himself storming away from Alex, only to regret he hadn't. Wait, but he hates him. Yeah, yeah, he hates Alex.