The Leather Jacket

When Alex woke up it wasn’t to the sound of an alarm, or to a phone ringing or the normal traffic outside his apartment. No it was music... And not just any music, it was his own. He sat up, one hand running through his very messy hair as he remembered he was in Jack’s house, sleeping on Jack’s couch and that meant the music must be coming from... Well Jack. Alex wasn’t sure Jack even knew he was still there as he got up in search of the music’s souse. His head pounded and his stomach felt sick with lack of food but ignored both as the closer he got to Jack’s room the louder the music got. It wasn’t any recording though, Alex’s voice didn’t fill the room it was just the same guitar track over and over. He quietly pushed the door to Jack’s room, Jack was sat facing away from Alex with a guitar on his lap. A little amp sat at his feet as he played the same bit of the song over and over.
“There’s more to that song ya know”
Jack stopped, the guitar nearly sliding off his lap in surprise.
“Shit Alex, I didn’t know you were...”
“Sorry I didn’t think you’d be awake, you were pretty drunk last night”
“Yeah...”
“Music though? Not the normal hangover cure” Alex said.
“Don’t get hangovers”
“Lucky”
Alex sat down next to him as he went back to playing the song, the chorus of Dear Maria over and over.
“Let me” Alex put his hand over Jack’s and guided him to play the rest of the song.
“See it’s not that hard”
“Thanks”
A few more times and Jack could just about play the whole song on his own, a few mistakes here and there but otherwise he picked it up pretty quick.
“So... What are we going to do?” Alex asked, the question felt like it’d been hovering over him ever since he got up.
“You’ve got to go” Jack replied.
“Are... Are you sure? I mean do you want me to?” Alex asked, surprised by Jack’s answer.
“I don’t want you to but I know that you have to and that you want to. Last night as I drunk way too much I remembered the first night we met and how much you’ve always breathed music, I could never keep you from that. I’m sorry I even tried”
“Oh Jack, if you’re sure I’ll go but I don’t want to make things awkward between us. If you asked me to I’d give it all up in a heartbeat just to have you by my side”
“No, I’d never ask that of you”
“Thank you”
Alex hand traced Jack’s cheek until their lips touched again, it had been too long and Alex felt the explosions inside again. The moment was only interrupted when Alex’s stomach made a loud noise and he realised he hadn’t eaten since lunch the day before.
“I’m starving, got any food?”
“Try the fridge”
Alex got up to go make them some breakfast and probably some coffee too, two nights sleeping on couches didn’t give the best sleep in the world. As Alex moved around Jack’s kitchen, opening cupboards as random as he tried to find the things he needed he could hear Jack playing again, the sound of his electric guitar filling the small home. Alex thought up an idea as he put their breakfast on the table, two bacon sandwiches from a pack he found in the fridge and a pot of coffee.
“Jack food!”
The music stopped and Jack patted into the kitchen, now wearing a Ravens football shirt that was slightly too long on his thin body.
“Bacon is always the best way to start the day” Jack said, taking a big bite.
Despite how hungry he was Alex didn’t touch his straight away, he just sipped at the coffee letting the bitter liquid wake him.
“How long have you been playing guitar?” he asked.
“Since I was 13 so what 10, 11 years”
“When did you start learning my stuff?” Alex asked.
Jack blushed at that, swallowing his bite of sandwich before answering.
“Hmm just after I met you again, I started listening to your stuff and I thought it might be fun to try and learn some of it”
A light bulb was going off in Alex’s head, maybe it could actually work. Oh god please let it work.
“Jack, can I ask you something?”
“Yeah”
“Bear it might I don’t know if this would work and I’d have to make a lot of phone calls and shit but please say yes”
“Just ask me already”
“Will you come on tour with me? Play guitar with me”
“You want me to play guitar for you on tour?”
“Not for me, with me but yes”
“Doesn’t someone do that already? Don’t fire anyone for me” he said.
“Brain? It’s more a sound guy than a guitarist, he just does it because we’ve got no one else but if we got you...”
“You really want me to do this?”
“Only if you want to” Alex said.
“You’re asking me if I want to stand on stage with the person I love and play music? Why did you even think that was a question?”
Alex’s face lit with a smile but Jack mirrored with his own. Alex pulled on the front of Jack’s shirt so he could kiss him, he tasted like bacon and the reminisce of alcohol but knowing it was Jack’s lip pressed against his sent a shiver through Alex’s body.
“I love you” he whispered.
“I love you too” Jack replied before kissing Alex again.

Less than 48 hours later and they’re standing on the stage in London. The lights of gone down, the crowd was calling his name. Alex never felt as alive as when he stood upon the stage, his guitar in hand and the mic in front of him already for the curtain to drop. Jack stood beside him, a brand new Ravens purple guitar in his hands as he shook from nerves.
“You can do this” Alex whispered.
“I hope so”
“You’ve been practising not stop for 2 days and nailing it every time. If all fails just imagine you’re playing to me”
Jack smiled and nodded just as the curtain dropped and the sound of his guitar filled the room.
Three songs in and Jack was doing amazingly, just like Alex knew he would. He looked over at the boy he loved as he danced across the stage, listened as the crowd sang his lyrics back to him and decided that his life was pretty damn perfect. All thanks to the leather jacket Alex was still wearing, he’d vowed never to stop wearing it and even though Jack was now by his side he’d keep his promise.

The End?