Situation Overload

"Mornin' Jack darlin'! We made breakfast!" Sally called cheerfully to Jack who had just dragged his tired ass out of bed to spend Saturday with his children, wife and oh, that's right, Alex Gaskarth.

"What's for breakfast?" Jack mumbled, grumpily.

"Pancakes! Pancake day!" Dean shouted excitedly, bounding over to his father, and jumping onto Jack's thin legs.

"The fuck is pancake day." Jack muttered and groaned, his child's hyper yelps were murder to his hungover head. "And where's Alex?" Jack prayed that Alex had gone, he prayed so hard to not have to deal with this awkward situation ever again, in all honesty he prayed he never saw the man again, so he could get on with pretend to be straight in a typical lovely American family.

"Little Deany learnt 'bout it in school! Didn't ya Dean?!" Her tone was coming across as incredibly patronising, and Jack couldn't help but think how he'd hate to have to deal with her on a daily basis, but then he realized that yes in fact, he did, and he had no clue how he'd been doing it for so long. Just. That voice! Urgh! It was nothing compared to the beautiful harmonic melody that escaped Alex's perfectly soft lips every time he sung, even when he simply spoke it was music to Jack's ears. Fuck. He hated this. He hated being in love. It's so fucking shit. He hated being controlled by his emotions, well, and his dick, let's be honest.

"Helloooo? Earth to the Barafag? In answer to your question, I'm right here." Alex waved right in Jack's face.

"Ugh fuck offfff." Jack swatted Alex's hand away, and plonked himself down on the sofa.

"Whydya call him that, 'Barafag'?" Sally opened her eyes wide.

"Joke from high school, he's Gayskank." Jack answered matter of factly, searching through the television channels before settling on an episode of Breaking Bad.

"I don't understand! How could you joke about such a thing?!" Sally honestly looked like she was about to cry. "The Bible says it's wrong! Sinful! Y'all shouldn't joke about it!"

"Oh yeah, forgot to mention, she's homophobic." Jack made eye contact with Alex, who blushed red. Jack smiled at how there was still a bit of the socially awkward Alex underneath, but he was genuinely happy that Alex had been able to overcome most of his anxiety.

Later that day, Sally took the kids to the beach, and Alex and Jack said they'd catch up with her soon, they just had a few things to talk about.

"Jack, in year 10, I got overly jealous of a guy you had detention with. About 8 years ago, I ran away from two serial killers, and didn't tell you where I was, you were worried sick, hating yourself and I was completely fine. You saved my 3 half brothers- and I still don't think I've thanked you. Then I didnt show up to our wedding. I fucked up immensely, and you still love me. Why?"

"I don't give a shit about what happened in high school, I don't care anymore that you didn't come and find me, all that matters is you're safe. And come on, what was I meant to do, let them die? Even if I wasn't six feet under in love with you- I wouldn't have let Oli and Josh murder them, and the wedding, not gonna lie, it did put a massive dent in my self esteem, and my ability to trust, but Lexy, baby, when you love someone, it doesn't just stop. Ever. And if it does, then it's not love." Jack said sincerely, getting through a sentence without cracking a sexual joke was tough for him, let alone a paragraph. "And that's why last night when you didn't say 'I love you too' I went to the bathroom and cried."

"Cried? Oh Jacky I'm so sorry I didn't know!"

"It's alright, not your fault you never loved me." Jack looked at the floor, embarrassed and fighting back tears.

"Never loved you?! Where'd you get that from?!" Alex asked in shock.

"Well you don't love me now, which means you never did, because love doesn't just end, like I explained.."

"Jack, I- I didn't want to tell you, because I know it'll make things harder for you, but of course I still love you. I love every inch of you. But you're married, okay? Even if you don't love her, you gotta stay together for the kids." There was pain and even jealousy in Alex's eyes as he spoke. He wanted to raise kids with Jack, he wanted to make him breakfast, he wanted to greet him with a kiss when he stumbles home from work with a migrane and with half the patience he had when he left in the morning. He wanted the fights that tested their love, and he wanted to feel like he and Jack could get through anything together- he wanted everything all over again.

"I can't Lex! I can't put up with her! She drives me mental, when I'm with her all I think about, all I've ever thought about is you. Fuck 'we can live like Jack and Sally'- it's bullshit. It needs to be 'Jack and Alex'."

At the beach Jack and Alex made their way over to where Sally was lying on a towel her tan skin absorbing the pertinacious rays. The two children were sitting next to her, looking particularly bored with the one green bucket they had between them. Jack and Alex decided to step in, and make the day worth remembering.

Jack pulled Mikaylah onto his back, and she giggled indescretely, and Sally opened her eyes to see Jack spending quality time with his daughter, she smiled, and put her far-too-big-for-her-face sunglasses on again. Alex hauled Dean onto his own back, and the child laughed loudly. Jack and Alex shared a glance, before running as fast as they fucking could, towards the calm blue sea ahead. Mikaylah and Dean screamed between their fits of laughter, each gripping the older men's shoulders with all their might. When Alex and Jack felt the cool waters surround their ankles, they both stopped, and fell flat forward into the water. When they each felt their child disembark their backs, they resurfaced their heads, laughing at the concerned frowns on Mikaylah and Dean's faces.

The four mucked about in the shallow waves for a good few hours, sharing laughs, throwing sand and water at one another, and the two children especially liked the playful banter between the grown men, not that either child really knew the sincerity beneath the blatant flirting.

The day was unforgettable in itself, but when Sally and Jack finally dropped Alex off at his apartment at the end of the day, well, that was the bit Alex adored the most. Jack followed Alex inside to say a goodbye, and to exchange contact details, while Sally waited in the car with the kids. As soon as the men were indoors, Jack pushed Alex against a wall and kissed him hard and breathily, Alex kissed back just as eagerly, granting Jack access to his 8-years-untouched mouth. When Jack pulled away and muttered a 'fuck I have to go', Alex wasn't the least bit worried. He knew he'd see him again soon.

Jack got back into the car, and they all waved to Alex (leaning out the third floor window) and Jack didn't miss hearing Dean question- "when do we see him again mummy?" That's the thing with Alex, you can't stop yourself from wanting, needing, to be with him at every moment.