Jack

Alex was nestled around me as I woke up, his arms curled protectively around my thin frame. I sighed in contentment, and his arms tightened slightly, only pressing me against him even more. He was always so protective, even when he was injured.

"Jack," he whispered breathily, slowly waking up and nuzzling into my neck, gently kissing the bare skin there, "I love you." The words were mumbled, running together into an almost incoherent sentence.

I smiled into the pillow, glad to hear those words grace my ears again. "I love you too, Lexy," I replied, my voice almost as slurred. I rolled around in his arms, hugging him back, letting my fingertips trail up under his shirt and brush the welts on his back. He grimaced as I did so, his brown eyes locking on mine and flashing a darker colour.

"Stop that," he said, pulling away slightly.

"I'm getting you more ice." I said, placing a kiss on his temple. "Stay here and don't move too much." I hid the few drops of blood from his sight; he had broken a few of the cuts in his sleep. I head him groan before shoving his face into the pillow.

Padding downstairs and into the kitchen, I heard my siblings talking in the lounge room. I ignored them for the most part, grabbing the ice packs out of the freezer and wrapping them in tea towels. I retrieved a plastic bowl as well and put some ice cubes in. As I started on my way back, May appeared at the archway.

"Jack, we need to talk about your... situation here." She didn't sound very pleased. I nodded understandingly; I knew Leeyh wanted us out of his hair.

"I'll be back," I replied, holding up the bowl and wrapped ice packs. She returned the gesture with a tight lipped smile. Back upstairs, Alex was lightly snoring, his arms stuck at awkward angles. I pulled back the covers and pushed his shirt up, rubbing some of the ice along the most inflamed areas. I was sickened at how hot his skin was, even after a few days of being out of Dan's neglect. It was bruising now, deep shades of purple -- and in some cases black -- decorating his back like an abstract painting. His sides and the back of his neck were painted yellow, with finger marks decorating the base of his throat.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, pressing more ice to him and letting it melt. He was still snoring, oblivious to my movements. I heard May's footsteps on the floor downstairs and I put the ice packs on Alex's back, knowing that she, and no doubt Leeyh, were growing impatient.

Descending the stairs for the second time that morning, she surprised my by asking if Alex was okay. "I saw the edges of the bruising the other day and it looked terrible," she remarked, leading me to the lounge. I only hummed in agreement.

"Earlier Leeyh and I were talking," she began, "sit Jack, about you and Alex staying here." I nodded, taking a seat on the couch across from my brother, May sitting next to him. I knew this wasn't going to end well for us. "As you know, Alex and I have history. Dan and Josh know of us, no doubt, and Dan has also seen Leeyh talk to him. That makes us a target for where he would have escaped. We're already suspecting that they're planning on coming here. We want to get you out of here before that happens. I don't want him to take you." May paused, and I looked towards Leeyh. He didn't like my sexuality; he made no secret of it.

"Neither do I." Leeyh finally said, the words slow. "As much as I am disgusted by your choice of love, it is love all the same. I don't want any love to be broken."

May smiled, proud of her brother. "Here's our plan." She discussed the details, but I held up a hand to stop her.

"Why don't we just send them to jail?" I stated, my voice dripping in seriousness - I didn't want them to think I ws joking. May and Leeyh turned to each other. It was clear this hadn't crossed their minds.

"Oh," May uttered, the single syllable falling from her lips quite harshly.

"There's enough evidence. We've got Alex's back! There's a few lines on my back, just not as harsh. We need to lock them up." The desperation was clear in my voice.

"But to do that, we need to be able to get them to stay long enough for us to call the police." May said, stating the obvious. I smiled, ideas clicking into place like a puzzle.

"That's where Alex and I come in."

- - -

Our plans discussed, I walked back upstairs and into the bedroom. Alex was lying on his back, the ice packs under him. The was a loud crunching noise and I shook my head, a playful smile at my lips.

"Morning, again." I greeted him, sitting at the foot of the bed.

"Good mornign sunshine." He chirped, his hair tousled from sleep and a bright, cheery smile slapped on his face, stretching from ear to ear. His hands were in his lap and the ten o'clock sun was lighting the room quite substantially.

"You seem happy." I told him, only widening his grin with my words.

"I'm here with you; why wouldn't I be?" He replied, beckoning me forward with a finger. I inched up the bed and he leaned forward, giving me a chaste kiss before pulling back, his hair flopping neatly over his eyes.

"Hey Lexy, guess what." I murmured, staring into his chocolate orbs.

"What?" He played along, brushing a few strands of my hair out of my eyes.

"We're going to take Josh and Dan down. We've planned it all out." I whispered, before pressing my lips to his, for a fraction of a second longer than our previous kiss.

"Really?" I nodded.

"Together." A few seconds' silence. "With the help of May and Leeyh."

Notes

c0l0urfultears

Born for This - Paramore

Sorry for taking so long. I couldn't write this. It was hard.