Lips of an Angel

Currently it was 12:45 A.M. and Alex was curled up with his girlfriend on the couch, the t.v. giving the room a soft dim glow. They had been watching movies all night, and were currently watching the newer version of Spider-Man. He was interested in it, so when he heard his cell phone start to ring--loudly may I add-- he was startled.

"Who's calling you this late?" Dakota, his girlfriend of now 6 months asked confused.

Alex with just as much confusion shrugged his shoulders "It must be important though, or it'd be able to wait for the morning." And with that he got up and jogged to the kitchen counter where his phone was charging and picked it up. He didnt even glance at the caller I.D.

"Hello?" He asked, a slight worry to his voice.

"I..uhm hi I uh. S-Sorry for bothering you s-so late." A too familiar voice said on the other line. Alex's heart dropped to his stomach. He hasn't heard this voice in a little over 6 months. But it wasn't hearing the voice that hurt him so much. It was the fact that he could hear him basically sobbing into the phone.

"Jack." He whispered into the receiver running his fingers through his hair. "Honey why are you calling so late? What's wrong why are you crying?" And in the moment he was back in time about 8 months, and was only worried about keep Jack safe and okay. But he realized that wasn't his job anymore and sighed. "I can't be too loud." He hints, in a hushed tone moving farther away from the living room as he can.

"Eve-everything is so wrong. It's so-" and then Jack stops himself realizing why Alex is talking so quietly. "You have someone over." It's not a question, because Jack knows that he has someone there; he isn't wondering.

Alex scratches the back of his neck and wonders shit, what did I ever do to deserve this. But then the little voice in the back of his head says, 'you broke his heart asshole. The least you can do is this.'

"Well. My girls in the next room." He says almost scared to hear Jacks reaction. There's silence for a few moments and then he can hear, he can fucking hear Jack choke back a sob.

"Oh." He says and it came out struggled. "I uhm. I miss you." He's whispering, half-heartedly hoping Alex doesn't hear it. But he does and it almost breaks his heart to hear.

"I miss you too." Alex whispers back, because he's already in deep shit so he shouldn't hold back now should he? "I guess we never really moved on, eh?" He chuckles but it's dead and lifeless. There's nothing funny in this and they both know that. "I've missed your voice." He admits, biting his lip. "It's ...nice to hear it again."

Jack mumbles something that Alex can't really understand and then he hears Jack blow his nose and take a deep breath and it all really tugs at his heart because he knows just how fragile Jack is. His eyes dance around the room and land on the digital clock that's telling him it's now 1:03 on June 23rd and his heart really breaks then because really for fucks sake today would have been him and Jack's 2 year anniversary and maybe that's why he called him in such a vulnerable state.

"It's funny you call actually. Seeing what today is and all." Alex isn't good at this kind of talk and he feels uncomfortable and awkward wanting to just hang up and go back to cuddle Dakota but he doesn't have the heart to do to Jack.

Hearing Alex say that makes Jack find a gadget of some sort to tell him what the date is. Once he does he wishes he hadn't and the tears are spilling over again. He called Alex because he had missed him. He's been missing Alex since the second he walked out on Jack, and tonight was one of those nights that the feeling came twice as hard where he was hit with tsunami tides of memories and the face of the man he loved haunting his dreams. He didnt call to make Alex feel like shit about not making 2 years.

"Oh wow. That uhm. Strange." Jack says and then blurts out "I've been dreaming of you." And before the sentence is even out of his mouth he's already cursing himself for even calling in the first place.

"I've dreamt of you too." Alex says, and he isn't lying. For the first few weeks Jack would be the star of his dreams whether they be good or bad. He just hasn't had a dream about Jack recently, but Jack doesn't have to know.

And then, Jack hears the door slam from downstairs and he gets scared. A gasp escapes his lips and he's holding his breath. But then he hears the shower go off and let's the gulp of air out of his lungs. He knew it was his boyfriend Oli, and he also knew if Oli found out he was talking to Alex, that Jack would be sure to get a beaten. That wasn't anything new to Jack, because it seemed like the way Oli showed his love was through flying fists and too loud yells. It wasn't anything like how Alex had showed his love, with kisses and cuddles and random little gifts to say I love you. Thinking about it made Jack miss it even more because, fuck what did he do so badly that got him from a loving caring boyfriend to a man who got a kick out of making him a punching bag? A quiet sob escaped his lips.

Apparently Alex had heard the door slam too and asked. "Is that.." He paused and swallowed before continuing "is that your new boyfriend?" And he's taken aback honesty because he didnt know that Jack had found somebody else, and he couldn't find it in him to be happy for Jack.

"I uh. I guess yeah." Jack responded quickly not wanting to waste the precious time he had on the phone with Alex over talking about Oli.

"Does he know you called?" Alex asks skeptically, as he feels the jealousy begin to boil inside of him.

Jack mumbles "I hope not.." Softly but loud enough for Alex to hear. That gets Alex's blood boiling even more because, what was he not good enough to not be kept a secret? But then he remembers that he himself is keeping this phone call a secret. And then Jack says "does she know what's going on.. I don't mean to cause any trouble." But Alex shakes his head even though Jack can't see him.

"She's watching a movie. Told her the phone call must have been important. I don't think she has a clue." He's hoping she doesn't have a clue, because he's almost positive that she wouldn't appreciate her boyfriend talking to his ex at 1 a.m. instead of watching movies with her. Alex sighs and timidly admits "I'm serious. It's really good to hear your voice again. I just wish you weren't crying."

Jack sniffles as he agrees. "It's nice talking to you too Alex. I've uhm. Missed you. Your everything. I uh." And he's about to say I love you, but he hears the bathroom door slam open and a very angry Oliver Sykes yell out. "Jack you fucking piece of shit GET DOWN HERE." His tears start to flow all over again and he mumbles a quick "I gotta go shit bye Alex." And hangs up before rushing down the flight of stairs not ready to face another beating.

Alex stares at the phone as it tells him that the phone call has ended, and there's a feeling in the pit of his stomach that's worried shit. There was no denying that Jack was in trouble, but Alex couldn't do anything about it. He didn't know where Jack was, and he most certainly couldn't call back either. He bit his tongue holding back tears that threatened to spill. Before returning to the living room he glanced at the digital watch. 1:23 AM. He comes to the conclusion, that those twenty minutes had to be one of the most heart wrenching painful twenty minutes he's been through. But there's a part of him that wishes it were longer.