Hell Above

Alex wakes up the next morning as he’s falling off the couch. Just as his sleep-clouded brain registers that his face is going to eat the rug in less than 2 seconds, he feels a strong arm grip his middle, pulling his body back onto the cushion and away from certain death.

In the process of keeping Alex from tumbling off the side of the couch, Jack had repositioned, resulting in the younger’s back flat against the couch cushions, Alex laying half on top of him. He can’t help but chuckle at the elder, laughs flowing into sleepy giggles when he hears Alex groan on top of him.

The elder reaches a hand up, blindly searching for Jack’s face. When his fingers meet Jack’s cheek he pushes his hand over, effectively covering Jack’s mouth. This just causes the darker-haired man to laugh harder against his best friend’s hand. Alex lifts his head, pulling his hand down, tucking his elbows in and resting his chin on top of his folded hands to look at Jack from his place atop the younger’s chest.

Alex can feel Jack’s heartbeat underneath his fingertips from where his hands are laid against the younger man’s chest. He watches as Jack pulls his bottom lip in between his teeth, trying to stifle the giggles that are still slipping out at Alex’s expense. Jack’s cheeks are pink, pulled tight from smiling in a way that Alex finds really adorable. The younger is unshaven, sporting slight stubble across his jaw that makes him look much older than he really is. Alex smiles, trying to ignore the heat that’s spread across his cheeks, both from embarrassment at the situation and adoration for the man beneath him.

When his giggles cease, Jack reaches a hand up to brush his fingers along Alex’s cheek, smiling up at the blonde. “Morning sunshine.”

“Mornin’ babe.”

Shit. Where had that come from?

Alex doesn't wait to see Jack’s face change, completely misses the little grin that Jack shoots him. Instead, the blonde just ducks his head down, pressing his cheek flat against Jack’s chest to hide his burning face. He’s so utterly embarrassed right now. He can’t even believe he let that slip out. He’d been so wrapped up in admiring Jack that he wasn't even thinking.

Alex sits up, getting off of Jack completely and resting on the edge of the couch, eyes glued to the floor. He senses Jack shift beside him, and then feels a feather light press of lips to his cheek. When he looks up he’s met with Jack’s lanky figure retreating towards the kitchen.

-

The blonde finds himself in the bathroom a few minutes later. He’s not even sure why he’s in here, but figures now that he is, he may as well shower. Alex turns the shower on, adjusting the temperature to his liking before peeling Jack’s t-shirt and boxers from his body. The man avoids his reflection in the mirror adjacent, instead stepping into the shower and directly under the hot spray of water.

He notices immediately that the water doesn't sting the wounds on his back, not nearly as bad as it had the past few times he’s showered since the incident. He dips his head down, letting the water run over his shoulder blades and down his back, feeling his muscles relax into the heat.

He takes his time showering, washing and rinsing his hair thoroughly while humming quietly to himself. When he gets to his body, hands foamy from Jack’s beloved Bath and Body Work’s body wash, Alex pauses when he reaches his lower half, looking down at himself. His hand stalls against his stomach as he contemplates if he should or not. After a few moments of silent deliberation, he decides there’s no harm that could come from it, and lets his hand dip down.

A nearly inaudible sigh slips past the man’s parted lips as he closes his eyes, tilting his head back into the shower spray slightly. He slides his soapy hand along his length as he grows harder, gripping and tugging in different places, at different angles, to try and get a feel of what he likes. He hasn't touched himself since he was 17, and it’s almost like new territory, having to discover himself all over again.

It’s when he feels that pleasant burn in his gut, a low moan trailing from his mouth, that he allows himself to picture someone else touching him like this. He lets his mind wander, images of Jack from the night before flashing across his closed eyelids as he pulls himself through his orgasm, several noises and slurs falling from his lips as well.

He takes a few moments to come down from his high, turning to face the shower spray before rinsing away the mess on his hand. He finishes washing, and then just stands there, letting the water run over him as he thinks.

He just jacked off to thoughts of his best friend – the same best friend he’d accidentally called babe earlier.

Alex turns off the shower, getting out and trying to ignore the nagging realization in his brain.