Nothing Personal

When Jack first invited Alex to his apartment he didn’t think anything of it apart from elation at getting the confidence to ask him on a date and for him to actually say yes. So when he got home the next day from work at three, expecting Alex to come round at six, he cursed himself for not clearing his apartment earlier.

The apartment consisted of a living room with a small kitchen coming off from it, a bathroom and a bedroom. To make it worse he had been sleeping on the couch recently as his sister, May, had come to visit him. His clothes, also because of this, were littered across the living room and bathroom. The kitchen was lacking food as he had not been grocery shopping in a while and the bathroom desperately needed to be cleaned as it wasn’t used to being used by more than one person.

Jack wanted to cry as he looked over the mess, contemplating calling Alex and cancelling. Soon realising that wasn’t really an option Jack got himself together and planned what he was going to do. He grabbed all the dirty clothes that littered the floor and chairs, sorting them into piles on the kitchen floor and then started a load. He then set to work on taking the clean clothes and stuffing them back into his cupboard and dresser, un-ironed as there was no time. Next came the blankets and pillows still residing on the couch where Jack had been sleeping. He hauled them into his bedroom and dumped them onto the unmade bed. He’d make sure the door was closed before Alex arrived. Jack opened the window because after moving all the dirty clothing and sheets he realised that living in his living room which was directly off from the kitchen made the place smell... interesting.

Jack tackled the no-food-in-the-apartment task next. He dug around until he found two pizza’s in his freezer. They were, luckily, still edible. He hoped Alex liked pizza. He had beer in the fridge too, plenty of it, and a nearly empty bottle of wine as his sister didn’t like beer.

Food crisis sorted Jack turned his attention to the bathroom. He removed the dirty towels and clothes, putting them in the piles by the washing machine, and quickly wiped everything with a sponge soaked in Ciff. He wiped it all down with one of the dirty towels and then replaced the towels with clean ones. The kitchen wasn’t dirty, thanks to May, and so he didn’t bother doing anything about that. He shoved the laundering that was yet to be done into his bedroom and then, with an hour and a half still to spare, he took a shower and changed into a fresh pair of skinny jeans and a black dress shirt. Then he took the dress shirt off and put on a light blue t-shirt instead. He did his hair but gave up after ten minutes because it was never going to do what he wanted, however hard he tried and then he sat back with the television on. The Raven’s game was on soon so he stuck to watching all the parts before that. He hoped Alex didn’t mind sports because he was not missing this game.

***

Alex arrived a few minutes early and he had brought a six pack of beer with him which made Jack smile. He must have been at least a little eager to be coming over to see Jack. He was fine with the plans of the evening and even helped Jack unwrap the pizzas from the packaging because that stuff is hard to take off, okay? Jack was too nervous about making himself look like an idiot to notice the way Alex was looking around his small apartment, taking in the askew pictures hanging on the wall and the way that the utensils in the kitchen didn’t seem to be in any sort of order. Nothing really matched and it was all so… unorganised. All so Jack. It made him smile.

Jack didn’t have a table to sit at to eat, only a coffee table covered in magazines and course work from the college the pair attended, so they ate with their plates on top of cushions on their laps. Conversation between the two had been easy, finding they had a lot more in common than they had first thought. Alex knew they had a similar taste in music as he had seen Jack wearing band shirts with bands he too listened to and there was a stack of CD’s and DVD’s by the television that Alex also owned which confirmed it.

“I hope this is okay.” Jack spoke after he had finished his first half of pizza. He sipped at his beer, watching Alex out of the corner of his eyes.

“Are you kidding? Pizza, beer and the Ravens? A date doesn’t get much better.”

Jack blushed and nodded, though he wasn’t sure if Alex was too focused on the game to notice it. “I’m glad. I got home and suddenly realised I didn’t have anything because my sister has just been visiting.”

“Is that her in the picture above the TV?” Alex asked curiously, pointing with his head to the mentioned picture.

It made Jack happy that Alex had noticed such a small detail. “Yeah, that’s May on the right. Joe, my older brother is on the left and I’m the scrawny kid in the huge blue winter coat and red scarf.”

“It’s cute.” Alex commented turning his head to look at Jack. “You were cute.”

“I think you mean I am cute.” Jack responded, putting his beer down and starting on his second slice.

“Well yeah, you’re still cute. Even with pizza sauce down your chin.” Jack’s eyes widened and he wiped desperately at his face to remove the embarrassing mess.

Alex chuckled and put his plate on the coffee table, turning to face Jack more and leaning over. “Here,” He brought his hand up to swipe at Jack’s chin, removing the sauce, “you were completely missing it.”

“Thanks.” Jack choked, breath catching in his throat at how close Alex had been. Jack watched as he licked the sauce from his finger, mind wondering to the other things that his tongue could be on- no. He shouldn’t be thinking about that because this was their first date and he was not messing it up by getting a boner from watching Alex lick sauce from his finger. The sauce that was previously on his chin… Oh fuck. “Um, I’m just going to the bathroom, won’t be long.” Jack rushed out as he stood and left Alex confused on the couch.

Alex wasn’t stupid, however, and he recognised the awkward walk Jack was making to get out of the room. He smirked and rose to his feet, following Jack quietly to the bathroom. He grabbed the handle before Jack could close it behind himself which made Jack turn, wide eyed, to look at him. “I know that walk.” Alex spoke accusingly.

“Excuse me?”

Alex rolled his eyes and pulled Jack out of the bathroom and towards what he presumed was Jack’s bedroom. “I’m not stupid Jack.”

He opened the door to the taller boy’s bedroom and didn’t seem fazed by the mess he was greeted with. Jack, however, was. “Oh God I didn’t think you’d come in here so I dumped everything in it I’m sorry I’m a mess I don’t do the whole living on my own thing well I’m sorry.”

Alex waited until Jack was done ranting to speak up. “I honestly don’t care how you live your life Jack. I’m messy too, no big deal.”

Jack groaned and pulled his hand out of Alex’s grasp, his ‘problem’ forgotten about. “I need managing I’m such a mess, though. It’s awful.”

“Then let me manage your mess.” Alex responded, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.

“Are you sure you’re up for that challenge?” Jack queried, unsure whether or not Alex knew what he was getting himself into.

“I’m here aren’t I?”