* Okay guys i'm back! But i have deleted the chapter that was prior to this cause I really hated it and I am replacing that chapter with what will follow. I know this is also written a little differently but enjoy anyway*



Alex held the younger sleeping boy in his arms gently nuzzling his face into Jacks sleep dishevelled hair, enjoying the way it tickled his face. The end credits to some movie they had put on were rolling across the screen of the TV, creating a gentle light that filled the otherwise dark room and provided some music for Alex to listen to as he savoured a sleeping Jack. For the first time since Jacks attack Alex felt somewhat peaceful and content for he knew that whilst the younger boy was here in his arms, wrapped up in bed sheets that nothing bad could physically happen to him.

Jacks peaceful sleeping appearance however did not resemble what was going on in the dream he could not wake himself up from. In his head he must have relived his attack, six or seven times. Each time the dream would become more violent and gory and Jack would find himself immobile and mute completely unable to scream and run away from the horror in his head. Jack was powerless to the memories that plagued his mind and the visions that appeared every time he closed his eyes to rest. He may have looked peaceful but he was truly far from it.

Alex’s eyes were fluttering shut as he gently manoeuvred himself and the sleeping boy in his arms into a more comfortable position with Alex able to lie down with Jacks head nestled into the crook of his neck, warm breath setting the sensitive skin on fire and sending tingles down Alex’s spine. He could not lie to himself; he knew he was entirely under Jack’s spell, he had been bewitched by those brown eyes, and that blonde patch of hair and just everything about the boy he held protectively in his arms. Alex fell into a peaceful sleep, with Jack in his arms and also on his mind, with images of the pair, happy and in love flickering behind his eyelid.

The younger woke up soon after Alex fell asleep, still holding him protectively. The tears that would usually fall after Jack’s sleeping torment did not come for here in Alex’s arms he felt safe and loved, a happy feeling radiated throughout his body rather than the fear he had felt all too often recently. Jack untucked his face from the elders’ neck and struggled to sit up a little so he could admire the peaceful look on the boy he adores face. Alex’s caramel hair was splayed out across Jacks pillow as small pieces also fell onto his face, his long lashes were splayed out across his cheeks casting small shadows as a little bit of dribble trickled out of the elders slightly parted lips. Jack couldn’t help but let out a tiny giggle as he used his thumb to gently wipe the dribble away before it could get onto his pillow, as much as he liked Alex he wasn’t really liking the idea of sleeping with his dribble till he could next be bothered to wash his sheets.

‘Mornin’’ the still half asleep caramel haired boy mumbled as he caught the younger boys hand in his own gently intertwining their fingers and letting them rest on the pillow as he tried to wake himself up so he could at least string together a coherent sentence.

‘Hey you’ Jack giggled quietly, gently squeezing Alex’s hand and mentally wondering when he started acting like a twelve year old girl with her first crush. His heart almost collapsed at the little smile the elder boy gave him in return as he relinquished his struggle and he let his eyes flutter shut again and went back to dribbling onto Jack’s pillow.

The younger boy, however, did not want to face another round of nightmares so crept off to the bathroom to for the first time since he was attacked truly check out the damage that had been left on his body. A deep purple bruise was evident under his eye, a less prominent but still pretty visible bruise was located across his cheek bone along with a number of cuts, grazes and scrapes. If this was just his face, Jack knew he didn’t want to see the rest of his body. With trembling hands he gently poked at the bruises, part of him believing this was all a nightmare and he truly didn’t look this awful but the pain the action caused reminded him that this was real life. Small whimpers passed his lips as he desperately tried to stop the tears that were forming in his eyes as he turned away from the horrific sight in the mirror and stumbled, noisily, with blurred vision back into his room and closer to the person who would make him feel better.

Alex was awake again by the time Jack half stumbled and half walked back into the room, where he was currently lying on the bed trying to gather his thoughts and courage for there was something he desperately needed to say and a question he needed to ask. The small whimper that came from his friends throat snapped him out of his thoughts as he opened his arms and let the crying boy fall into them, neither caring that he had landed directly on top of Alex’s body.

Neither of the two said anything for a while, there were no words that needed to be said. Jack just needed to cry and Alex knew he just needed to be there, gently rubbing the boys back whispering to him sweetly and holding him close until he was done. Jacks tears ran out fairly quickly, he’d cried a lot the past few days and if he hadn’t known better he might’ve thought his tear ducts would have dried out completely. The silence that followed was filled with a mix of Alex’s gentle voice and sweet words and Jack’s snivels as he tried not to get snot and tears on the elder boy who was caring for him so well.

‘Sorry’ Jack snivelled into Alex’s chest, not daring to look up knowing he’d look worse than he already did.

Alex didn’t know why Jack was apologising for being upset, he understood completely why the boy would be so upset and he had been expecting the tears to have come a lot sooner than they had.

‘Don’t you be sorry’ He whispered, letting his fingers trail soothingly up and down Jack’s spine for a moment before asking, ‘Want to talk about it?’

Jack didn’t want to sound stupid and admit that he was upset because now he looked uglier than usual, he didn’t want to admit that he was scared Alex wouldn’t like him as much anymore cause he was weak and unable to defend himself so he settled for shaking his head gently but enough that Alex would feel the gesture.

The elder didn’t push him any further, and allowed them to fall into a peaceful silence. Both boys were thinking of the other as they lay there chest to chest, enveloped in darkness. Jack thought of the reasons why Alex wouldn’t want him anymore whilst Alex thought of all the reasons he wants Jack and so much more. He knew he needed to tell Jack how deeply his feelings for him went but the question was when? And how?

Notes