Long Live Us

*Jack POV*

A few weeks later, Easter half term had rolled around. Everything had been going fine, Jack was still on top of the world, with Alex standing next to him. The group had pretty much guessed they were dating, although the pair hadn't outright told them, but they didn't really need too. Everyone was up to their Easter plans, and it was Easter Sunday tomorrow. Rian was taking Cass out for a meal, as was Vic with Jenna "because she helped him with his music and promised this to repay her." Zack was, as usual, hitting the gym, claiming that being allowed three hours free was an offer to good to let down. Tay had been dragged out of state by her parents to visit family, which she wasn't overly happy about, and Alex and Jack were spending the weekend together. Jack had set out a little Easter Egg hunt around his house, which he hoped Alex would like, with cute little clues to find them. The prize was just a larger egg than the rest, which he felt might be an anticlimax, but whatever. The doorbell rang, signalling Alex's arrival, and Jack made a mental note to get him a key cut because it would save him a lot of energy. Stretching as he walked to the door, the lanky boy smiled at just the thought of Alex, which in turn made him blush. Opening the door revealed his boyfriend, stood there with a cute grin on his face. From within the midst of his brunette locks were two bunny ears, and he had an Easter egg box in his hand.
"Easter bunny for Jack!" He said happily, his grin widening. Jack shook his head and laughed, motioning for Alex to come in. The brunette skipped in happily, his hips swinging in a way that made Jack's head go fuzzy. Setting the egg on the table, he then turned around, and the younger boy walked up to him. Placing his hands on his hips, Jack brought Alex closer to him, gently resting their foreheads together. He couldn't fight the smile that formed on his face as he gazed into Alex's brown eyes. Marveling in the way the shades of brown mixed together, he would happily stare at this boy for hours. He admired the smile that was glowing back at him, the way it caused dimples to form on his pink cheeks. His dainty little nose, his bushy eyebrows. Jack sighed happily, gazing at his boyfriend. He still couldn't get over that this incredibly beautiful creature was his boyfriend.
"You do know you're perfect, right Lex?" Jack murmured gently, rubbing their noses together. Alex let out a giggle, his cheeks turning from pink to red.
"Not as perfect as you." Was his reply, before he pushed up onto his tiptoes and pressed their lips together. As always, the kiss sent electricity buzzing around Jack's body, the usual butterflies fluttering away as his skin tingled where they touched. He wondered if him and his body would ever get over Alex. Would he ever not react like this to the brunette? He hoped not, because although the feeling was slightly terrifying, Jack loved it.

"Hurry up Jay gimme the first clue!" Alex whined, bouncing excitedly at the front door.
"Calm down, hang on one sec!" Jack replied with a soft chuckle, quickly taking the first clue out of his pocket. Alex had decided he wanted to do the Easter egg search first, and there was no persuading him otherwise once he had made a decision. So here they were, starting out. Jack handed the first slip of paper to Alex, who snatched it eagerly, his eyes scanning the words, reading out loud.
"This place is where we shared our first kiss... Well duh the dining room!" The brunette immediately dashed into the room, Jack following him with a small smile on his face. Alex found the first small Lindt egg in the corner where the Christmas Tree goes, the next clue tucked behind it.
"What did I persuade you into on out first date?" The shorter boy cocked his head to one side, thinking this one over for a moment, while Jack chuckled softly at the look of concentration on his face.
"Ice cream!" He yelled when he figured it out, quickly dashing out of the room and into the kitchen. Flinging open the freezer, he scrabbled through each draw, soon revealing another egg and a third slip of paper.
"You got annoyed at this because it stopped you seeing the star thing. I just remember thinking about Dorritoes." Alex laughed, looking up at Jack with raised eyebrows.
"The Big Dipper and The Little Dipper. Why is your mind so food orientated? The stupid blossom tree!" He rolled his eyes at Jack before darting through the house and into the garden, heading towards the tree where the pale pink petals were beginning to blossom. Alex reached up to the branch and grabbed the next egg and clue, his eyes glowing brightly.
"Let's see, do you remember where I put the rose you brought me?" The brunette grabbed Jack's hand this time, pulling up the stairs into his bedroom, squealing happily when he saw the rose still in the vase on his bedside table, an egg and clue in front of it.
"It's cute you kept it." He commented shyly, gazing up at Jack.
"Like I would throw it out!" The taller boy replied, pushing his lips into Alex's temple before he reached for the next clue.
"My most prized possessions." Alex instantly turned around and opened the cupboard, revealing where his guitars were stashed away. He searched around for the egg and clue for a minute, finding them tucked away behind his acoustic, before the brunette stood up again.
"The fantastic movie that you're mad enough to be sick of. How the hell can you be sick of it?" Alex groaned and rolled his eyes, Jack just plastered a cheeky yet innocent grin on his face.
"I knew you would sneak Home Alone I to this!" The older boy said, rolling his eyes once more before skipping down the stairs and into the living too. Where the DVDs were kept.
"What you smell of. You adore this stuff. I don't quite get it, but you're addiction is cute. Milk, two sugars." Alex blushed at this one, as did Jack, a small smile creeping onto the brunettes delicate features. The pair walked to the kitchen, Alex searching around the kettle and in the pot where Jack kept the tea bags, before finding the next clue.
"I can't use one of these... DISHWASHER!" Alex answered immediately, turning around the opening it, eyes scanning the inside before pulling out what he was searching for.
"That was so cute that day." He muttered, looking at Jack with a cheeky spark in his eyes.
"Shut up, it wasn't." The taller boy replied with a pout, his cheeks heating up. Alex just chuckled, leaning up to kiss his cheeks before carrying on with the search.
"What's my favourite thing about you?" Alex frowned and looked up at Jack."How am I meant to know that?!" He whined, a sad frown forming on his face.
"Shall I try and help you?" Jack suggested, wanting the boy near him. Alex walked up to him, wrapping his arms around his neck.
"Go on, tell me." He demanded. Jack shook his head and brought them closer together. Running his nose through Alex's hair, he breathed in the scent of the brunette locks he loved so much. He had told the shorter boy how much he adored his hair, not very often, but he had said it. Sometimes he wished there was more of his hair so he could just lie in it, smothering himself in the soft feeling and enticing smell.
'Is that weird?' He asked himself, laughing quietly as he pressed his lips into Alex's hair, the boy still quietly thinking. Jack wondered how else he could hint at it without making it really obvious, but couldn't think of anything. Luckily, the boy worked it out a few moments later.
"My hair?" He questioned, pulling back to look up at Jack, who let a smile creep onto his features, silently telling him he was right. Cheering happily, proud of himself, he looked around the room, before heading to the bathroom. Alex dived over to the unit, pulling the drawer open, revealing where Jack kept all his hair products. Hidden away at the bottom was the last clue.
"You're great at making these. I'd happily wake up to you cooking me these, every day for the rest of my life. Mmm." Alex giggled, blushing, before setting off down the stairs. The brunette knew it was pancakes, and he knew where everything was to make them. He went straight for the frying pan, squealing loudly when he discovered the much larger Easter egg. Jack smiled as he watched Alex pull it out of the cupboard, and then grin even wider when he saw it had his name on it. The shorter boy laughed happily, before skipping the short distance over to Jack and leaping into his arms. Laughing back at him, Jack caught him, gleefully wrapping his arms around the petite frame he adored so much. Getting lost in the moment, he admired his boyfriend for the millionth time, falling in love with each of his features over and over again.

Later that day the two were curled up on the sofa, limbs tangled together as they lay pressed together on Jack's bed. They had been watching a movie, but it ended and neither could be bothered to start another, which is how the pair had ended up staring deep into each other's eyes, happily tucked up in one another's embrace. Jack hummed happily as he rested their heads together, closing his eyes and breathing in the faint smell of tea that clung to his boyfriends breath. He smiled as he acknowledged the tingles that spread across his skin, and the small fluttering that was still occurring in the pit stomach. Nothing felt more right. Nothing ever had, and he doubted anything would. Lying here with Alex was just right. Jack couldn't find another word to describe it.
"You're so beautiful." The brunette murmured quietly, making Jack open his eyes. A small smile spread across his face as Alex's hand was brought up to his cheek, sending sparks flying around his body once more. A blush crept onto Jack's cheeks, he could feel it, as he placed his own hand on Alex's hip.
"Words can't even explain how beautiful you are." Jack replied, softly nudging their noses together as Alex smiled, his white teeth poking out from behind his soft, pink lips. Jack briefly thought back to how he used to be, before Alex. He was never truly happy, his smile always being fake. Now? He couldn't wipe this stupid, real grin off of his face. This brunette had walked into his life and made everything better. Life seemed great where it had previously been awful. Nobody had ever had that effect on Jack, not to the extent Alex did. It was crazy. People have their own descriptions of love, and what Jack felt with Alex seemed to fit most of them. Was he in love with the English boy? He had no idea. But it sure felt like more than any emotion he had ever felt before.
"I'm glad you moved here." Jack then confessed to his boyfriend, the sentence holding more truth than he knew was possible in five words. Alex grinned, his dimples forming and eyes glowing happily.
"I'm happy I moved here too." He replied, an equal amount of adoration and truth being spoken in his words.
Slowly, the boys brought their faces together, their lips slotting together like the two final pieces of a jigsaw. The kiss was short, soft and simple, but oceans worth of emotion flowed between the teens as they lay there together, happier than they ever thought they would be. And maybe, just maybe, this was what love felt like.

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That Wednesday the group all got together and decided to go down to the beach. The sun was shining, the girls wanted to show off some cute clothes, and the boys were willing to go along with it to spend time together. They had spent most of the morning on the docks, playing in the arcade and mucking about on a few of the rides that were going. Now, they had retreated to the beach, bathing in the sunlight. Alex and Jack were lying together, nestled into each other despite the heat. Cass and Rian had pranced off to frolic in the shallow waters, whilst Zack and Tay were seeing who could build the best sand castle. Vic and Jenna had been sent off to buy everyone cheese toasties from the small cafe just along from where they sat, both more than willing to go with the other.
"Do you think Vic and Jenna will get together?" Alex questioned from Jack's side, showing they were thinking the same thing.
"We'll see." The younger boy replied simply, leaning his head back and letting the sun warm his neck. The tickling of the sun was then joined by the tickling from Alex's breath and the tip of his nose as the brunette softly ran his lips along the skin just below Jack's ear. The dark haired boy hummed contently at the feeling, before turning his head round and lifting Alex's face by placing a finger on his chin. They grinned at each other briefly, before their lips locked in a soft kiss.
"Eurgh would you guys get a room!" Rian's voice broke the pair apart as he jogged up the beach back to them, Cass following close behind him. Rian reached into the bag and pulled out a towel, drying himself off before hanging it to his girlfriend for her to do the same.
"Maybe we don't want to get a room." Alex retorted, putting on his sassy voice, before planting sloppy kisses over Jack's cheek to get his point across. The younger boy almost grimaced at the wet noises, but he was happy having Alex all over him, so just shot Rian a cheery grin. The short haired boy flipped them off, before sitting next to them, beginning to form a circle. Cassadee sat down next to him, her damp brown hair pulled onto one shoulder, her freckles in full bloom as a result of the sun making an appearance. Tay and Zack reappeared soon after, both red in the face and sweaty, but laughing nonetheless. The short brunette flopped down next to Cass, while Zack flopped next to Jack. A few minutes later, Zack let out a wolf whistle, and the group turned to look, and saw Jenna and Vic walking back together, their fingers linked. Or they were linked, until they were spotted, and they sprung apart, blushing furiously.
"Well well well Vincent's making himself one of us isn't he?" Zack teased when the pair reached them. The Mexican made a face at him before starting to hand out lunch, and sitting between Zack and where Jenna had sat next to Tay. Jack could see the blonde squirm under the comments being thrown back and forth, so stretched out loudly to try and take people attention away from the pair. Jenna noticed this and chuckled at him, so he shot a wink in her direction. Cass had her legs stretched in front of her as well, so Jack gently tapped his foot against hers repeatedly, making the girl shoot him a fake dirty look.
"Hey Barakat, stop flirting with my girl." Rian warned jokingly with a raise of his eyebrows.
"I've got my own girl, actually." Jack retorted sarcastically, wrapping his long arms around Alex's shoulder.
"Hey!" The brunette let out, acting offended, making the group laugh.
"So when are you two going to make it official?" Rian questioned, slotting his arm around his girlfriends waist and looking at Jack and Alex. The dark haired boy laughed loudly, even more so when Alex leaned in and whispered "have we seriously not told them?"
Their laughter was met by silence and confused faces. So apparently they had managed to go the past two months without telling them. Whoops.
"Er, we already are official." Jack told them.
"And have been for two months." Alex added with another chuckle, before biting his lip to stop himself laughing anymore. The way his white teeth dug into the soft pink skin sent Jack close to insanity.
There was a chorus of unimpressed voices from the rest of the group, making the two boys laugh again.
"I'm glad I'm not the only one that didn't know. That makes me feel slightly better." Tay said, bringing her hand up and putting her fingers close together, indicating how tiny that slight was. Rian tipped his head in agreement, Jenna grinning happily when she realised she was the only one that had known.
"You'd all guessed anyway." Alex responded, shrugging, looking up at Jack who nodded along with him. They all seemingly admitted defeat at that point, usual chatter then taking place.

It had gotten late, so late it was dark enough for the beach to have the flood lights on, and the eight teens were pretty much the only people there. They'd been lying together for hours, curling up with each other to steal any morsel of heat. Jack, however, was getting bored. As much as he loved spending time cuddled up with Alex, his legs needed stretching and his sugar levels were quickly going through the roof. Which probably would explain his mad idea.
"Let's get naked and go swimming." Jack said to Alex, who slowly turned his head to look at him. His bushy eyebrows formed a frown, and his eyes were filled with sheer disbelief.
"Excuse me?" He questioned, making Jack laugh.
"Come on. Take your shirt and trousers off. Let's go swimming." Jack told him, sliding away from him, before pulling his own shirt over his head. Alex seemed to think the younger boy was joking, and just watched him with the confused frown remaining on his features. Jack kicked off his shoes and put his socks in them, before standing up to wiggle out of his jeans.
"Oh my god you're serious?" The shorter boy said from on the ground next to him, his eyes now wide with disbelief as a next to naked Jack stood in front of him.
"Yeah obviously, come on!" Alex laughed, and a bright, cheeky look came to his eyes, and he quickly stripped off, just in time for Jack to grab his wrist and drag him towards the water.
"FAGS!" Zack shouted as they ran past, everyone laughing as their attention was focused onto the pair.
They reached the water, squealing as the cold water his their legs, but Jack kept going until they were waist deep before letting go of Alex and leaning into the water.
"Jay it's freeeezing!" The brunette complained, swimming over to him. Jack ignored his complaint and sent a small wave of water in his direction. It hit him square in the face, causing him to stand up and splutter, desperately trying to get the salty taste off his tongue whilst Jack hysterically laughed at him.
"Oh you're gonna get it!" Alex growled, a jokey spark in his eyes as he leapt towards Jack. The lanky boy screamed and bolted away from him, dragging his legs through the water in a desperate attempt to run. He could hear the splashes of where Alex was chasing him. Jack didn't get very far before his energy ebbed from his body from the effort required to drag his legs through the sea. The gap between them was closing rapidly, and Jack squealed as he felt Alex directly behind him. Next thing he knew, the older boy had leapt onto Jack, making his legs fall from underneath him and his head was successfully dunked into the water. Alex jumped back with a cheer, and Jack emerged. He frowned at the brunette, leaving his black hair plastered to his forehead as he grimaced at the taste of salt.
'Damn.' He thought, knowing it would take hours before he could feel like his tongue wasn't being attacked by the salt.
Alex giggled like a child who was in trouble and attempting to get back in the good books. He paddled up to Jack and attached himself to the taller boy. Jack welcome his touch, dropping the fake annoyed act, setting his hands on Alex's hips as the brunette wrapped his arms around his neck and legs around his waist.
"I hate you." Jack muttered when they were both comfortable, gently swaying with the motion of the waves.
"You're so romantic." Alex replied, fiddling with the wet pieces of hair at the back of Jack's head.
"Oh I do try." The dark haired boy replied, pushing on the base of Alex's back, pressing their bare chests together. The brunette just hummed, before closing his eyes and pressing their lips together. Jack smiled into the kiss, enjoying the feeling of Alex's lips moving against his own. The taste of salt overrode the taste that usual clung to his lips, but this time he didn't mind. Alex's wet hair was pressed against his own as they both ran away to their little bliss land that only they knew about. Jack liked it there. He felt safe. It was always warm, no worries existed there. And Alex took him there. And that was what kept Jack connected to this brunette. That, and all the crazy feelings he felt. He'd never been this happy, and he wouldn't ever let anyone or anything take Alex - and therefore his happy place - away from him. They pulled away from their heated kiss, pressing their foreheads together and just smiling at each other, before re initiating the kiss. And there they stood, attached by the lips with their bodies moulded into one, until they were shouted at to go home.

Notes