Star Light, Star Bright

The Lebanese boy wakes up with a pounding headache and a sore throat. Curse that drunken idiot that knocked him into the pool. A cough escapes his throat. More follow, and they don’t seem to stop. This causes an older brunet to stir in his slumber. His eyes start to open and look over at the poor coughing boy when they are fully open. His eyebrows scrunch together, and he sits up slightly to look at him.
“Jack?” Alex frowns. The younger finally stops coughing. “Are you sick or was that a random coughing fit?”
“I’m fine.”
The hand of the elder touches Jack’s forehead. “You’re burning up.”
“OK, I don’t feel good.”
“I’m going to stay home today to take care of you.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I want to though. I’m going to nurse you back to health.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Alex gets out of bed and makes his way out to the kitchen. The taller teen watches him leave and just stays in place. It’s been forever since he felt this ill. He coughs again. It isn’t as bad as before, but it still bothers him. To think that he got this sick overnight. It isn’t unheard of, but he can’t remember that ever happening to him. Wait. Maybe he does. Maybe...
“Mother,” the young boy groans whines, “I don’t feel good.”
His mother kneels down next to his bed and feels his forehead. She frowns at the temperature. It’s obvious that he has a fever, and that is not a good thing at all. He can’t get sick. He just can’t. She has to go and get his father. The woman stands back up and tells him that she will be right back. Young Jack waits in his bed as his mother goes to tell his father about his condition. The man comes into the room and feels his son’s forehead.
“Don’t worry, Jack,” he tells the young boy. “I’ll get you back to your old self.”
The older teen makes his way back into the room with a bottle of water and a bottle of something that Jack assumes is medicine. He makes his way over to the side that Jack is on and sits down next to him. He sets the water down onto the bedside table and starts to open the bottle of medicine. Alex pours some of the liquid into the cup that comes on top of the bottle. He then motions for Jack to sit up, which the younger does. Alex gives the small cup to him and grabs the bottle of water before opening it as well.
“This should make you feel better. It tastes terrible, so I brought you a bottle of water too.”
Jack gives Alex a smile for his kindness before downing the foul substance as fast as he can. He gages slightly and grabs the water from Alex. He gets as much of the disgusting taste out as he can. It’s just as bad as he remembers it from when his father gave him some in order for him to get better. Jack makes a face at the cup before handing it back to the elder.
“That wasn’t so bad.”
“It was terrible.”
“Well, it could be worse. You could be sick forever.”
“True.”
“I’m going to make you some chicken noodle soup.”
“Thanks.”
“You don’t have to keep thanking me.” Alex smiles and starts to get up in order to go to the kitchen and start the meal.”
“I didn’t know you were a doctor.”
The slightly shorter teen smiles at Jack’s... What would that be? His innocence? He is innocent like a child. It’s absolutely cute. Well, he’s just cute in general. It’s cute how his eyebrows move in that certain way when he doesn’t understand what’s going on around him. It’s cute when his eyes fill with joy when he gets something right. It’s cute when he questions everything. Yes, Jack is cute.
“I’m not a doctor,” Alex tells him.
“Oh, I just assumed that because you had that medicine.”
“It’s just over the counter.”
“Oh.”
“I may not be a doctor, but I know how to get you back to your old self.”
Jack’s face falls slightly. “My dad said that to me when I was very ill.”
“You remember being sick?”
“Yes, I just did.”
“Well, that’s wonderful that you remembered something, but I’m sorry that it had to be when you were sick.”
“It’s fine. I have you here to make me all better, and I couldn’t ask for anyone better.”
“I’m flattered. Now, I’m going to start your soup. Just stay right here, and I’ll be back with it.”
Alex gets up and leaves, and just like before, Jack watches him leave. He was telling the truth. He’s happy that the one taking care of him is Alex. There is just something about that boy that just makes him want to smile all the time. He doesn’t know what it is, but it’s there. Jack was so glad when Alex was the one that came to his rescue the night before. He was able to get over it a lot faster than if it was someone else. He wouldn’t really know because that has only happened a few times and Alex was there the whole time, but Jack just knows that it helped because Alex was the one that was holding him.
The thoughts make his face head up.
Why did that just happen? Why did he get that feeling? He doesn’t understand it. It feels like it’s a good feeling, but it doesn’t make any sense. It doesn’t fit the thought, right? Maybe he got it because he’s sick. Yes, that has to be it. It couldn’t have been because of the thought that he was in Alex’s arms.
There it is again...
What’s going on? This is crazy. It doesn’t make any sense at all, but yet, it’s still happening. What could this mean? Now that he thinks about it, this isn’t the first time that this has happened. He just doesn’t know why it is happening. Why would those thoughts cause such a reaction in him? Why would his face warm up and butterflies enter his stomach? Why?
Jack starts coughing again. Of course the medicine of this time isn’t quick acting like where he is from. Does that mean that it’s the same? It tastes the same too. Is it the same stuff? Hopefully it’s not. Medicine can’t always prevent what was destined to be. That terrifies Jack. It... it makes him remember something else as well.
A young Jack looks down at the wooden casket as he holds his mother’s hand. He found it hard to believe that just a little cough turned into this. Lydia was a good friend of his. She always had this playful smile on her face. She was known for getting into trouble and wanting to hang with the boys. She mostly just wanted to hang out with Jack. He thought that they were going to be friends forever. In fact, one time he heard his mother talking about how they would make a cute couple when they were older. Jack didn’t think so because girls are gross, but he wouldn’t mind it. She was kind of boyish, and Jack liked that about her. He liked that she was kind and gentle but could still do all of the things that he could do. Lydia wasn’t just a good friend. She was his best friend.
Alex comes back into the room with the soup and hands it over to Jack. The younger teen looks rather upset, and Alex doesn’t know why. He sits down next to him, but Jack doesn’t seem to even notice as he starts to stir it with his spoon. He takes a couple of sips, but it’s slowly.
“What’s wrong?”
“Alex, am I... am I going to die?”
Alex’s eyes widen. “Oh, course not. You just have a little cold.”
Jack starts to sniffle and his eyes start to water. Alex quickly takes the bowl from him and puts it on the bedside table. He takes the younger teen into his arms and holds him as he starts to cry. Jack hates that he is crying. He shouldn’t, but he can’t stop. He grips onto Alex’s shirt as the tears fall.
“I just don’t want to end up like Lydia did,” Jack sobs.
“Who was she?” Alex asks as he rubs the taller teen’s back comfortingly.
“She was my best friend. One day she wasn’t feeling well and had a small cough, and I couldn’t see her. I didn’t get to see her for a week, and the next thing I knew, I was at her funeral. I don’t want to die! I don’t want to! I want my mommy! I’m not ready for this!”
“Jack, it’s OK.”
“But I’m not ready for this! I shouldn’t have done this!”
“What are you talking about?”
“I... I don’t know. I don’t remember.”
Alex frowns at the broken boy in his arms. “Well, how about I stay in here with you today to keep you comfortable.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I want to. Besides, I have to study for a test anyway. I’ll go grab my stuff.”
Then Alex does something that makes Jack question everything even more.
He kissed him on top of the head...

Notes

Sorry this is late. I was busy last week, and Skyrim started to try to take over my life again...
Hopefully this chapter made up for it. I was just going to have them do something simple, but then I thought "wouldn't it be cute if Jack was sick and Alex made him soup?" I couldn't turn that down. Plus, I got to put some more flashbacks in there. (It's hard to believe that I came up with them on the spot... Good job brain!)
I hope ya liked it! It looks like it's getting closer to actually Jalex. I can't wait! :)