Kiss and Sell

When Alex woke up the first thing he did was throw up everything in his entire stomach. He threw up so much he thought he was actually throwing up his guts and maybe even his lungs because they hurt so bad. He felt like something was sticking into them and twisting with every move he made. When he threw up everything (which wasn't a lot) and could no longer throw up stomach acid he began dry heaving. His eyes stung and began watering because he felt like someone was squeezing his balls and trying to rip them off or something. When he finally stopped dry heaving he laid down beside his puke in what he assumed was someone's yard or maybe a ditch or something and began crying as he looked up at the dark, starless sky.

He didn't know where he was and that was terrifying. He wasn't familiar with wherever he was, didn't know how he got there, didn't even remember what happened after Jack had dropped him off at his house. All he could think of was Jack. He needed him. He needed comfort, protection, and caring arms to hold him through the agonizing pain he was feeling. He wanted to throw up again, wanted to stop breathing to stop the pain of every time his lungs filled with air and his vision darkened and blurred, but most of all he just wanted Jack.

He dug through his pocket -trying not to move too much because his side and lungs hurt so much (and his nuts ow ow ow) and hurriedly dialed Jack's number into his phone. He called him and the boy didn't answer. He sighed and bit his lip -clutching the phone to his chest before looking back down and calling again, and then again, and then again.

He had called him at least eleven times and each time he got more desperate and called right after he was sent to voice mail and hung up. The twelfth time he called and it had rung at least five times. He was sure Jack wasn't going to answer and was about to just hang up and throw the phone down -figure something else or maybe just wait until some wild pack of dogs came and ate him or something -but he picked up on the last ring. Alex's heart clenched at the sound of his voice -his sweet, sweet, familiar voice that rang through his ears and made his breathing get caught in his throat -but then again that might have been the pain.

"H-hello?" He asked and Alex closed his eyes as he sucked in a deep breath of air (okay maybe not a deep breath because his rib was literally inside his lung) and just savored the sound for a minute -savored how Jack breathed into the phone without even realizing it before Jack asked again, "Hello?" a little louder and a lot more worried -like maybe it wasn't Alex on the other side of the phone -he was just imagining it or something.

"Jack. Jack I ne-" Alex began but was being cut off by a frantic, near-in-tears Jack, who was crying, "Where the fuck have you been?! I've been running around looking everywhere for your ass and I even went to your house and you scared the shit out of me! I thought you were fucking dead! Why haven't you been answering your phone?! Do you know how worried I was?! I can't believe you'd just run off without fucking telling me or at least texting me for a fucking second is it really that goddamn hard to text me, "Hey Jack don't you worry I'm all fine and fucking dandy"?! Really?!" His voice gradually grew into hollering making Alex cringe and wince as flashbacks flashed at the back of his eyes.

He felt tears pricking his eyes as he whimpered, "I-I'm s-so-orry. I-I j-just n-need y-you to c-come pick m-me u-up, b-but if you can't I-I c-can w-walk." Alex could hear his own voice cracking and scratchy and his breathing wheeze just as much as he knew Jack could. The other end was quiet as Jack listened to how horrible Alex sounded -he probably wouldn't be able to stand seeing how broken he was.

"Where are you?" Jack finally asked -seeming to regain his composure and keeping his voice soft.

"I-I don't kn-know..." His tears were falling now -streaking his cheeks with invisible lines of pain as his placed a gently hand on his side and winced. He just wanted to go home. He wanted to go to Jack. He looked around -the dark engulfing him until he noticed a street light at the end of the street he was on the side of. There was some type of park that looked to be in the middle of downtown which he was to the side of -off more in the wilderness than in the actual city -but he was slightly soothed by the fact he knew it was still Baltimore. "I-I-I'm rea-really sc-scared, J-Jay, ple-please he-elp me." He whimpered -closing his eyes as the sharp pains to his crotch returned when he shifted slightly. "It h-hurts so m-much." He hissed -biting his lip that was healing from being busted still. He could taste the old, crusty blood on his lips and figured he still had some on his face.

"Alex! Alex! Just calm down, okay?" Jack said as Alex's breathing became shallow and shaky -the wheezes getting sharper and painfully catching in his throat, "Can you tell me anything at all? Anything about whats around you?" He kept his voice low -nearly a whisper -hoping it'd sooth the elder.

Alex gulped down air at this point -shaking his head as he looked around and stuttered, "A-a park... I'm n-near a park."

"Okay, good, anything else?" Jack didn't want to push the poor boy but he needed more that just a park because there had to be at least four in his neighborhood -as if that'd really help if Alex was still even in Baltimore, "I just need something else. A street name? Anything to tell me where you are, 'Lex."

Alex began sobbing -his breaths now cutting short and hurting his chest. He felt like he was suffocating. "I-I ca-can't. I d-don't know, J-J-Ja-ack... I c-can't I f-fucking ca-" He cut himself off with another pitiful breath -his lungs barely filling with air anymore.

Jack could tell he was choking so he quickly and firmly said, "Yes you can, Alex. Now, just take a deep breath and look around and give me a goddamn name."

Alex did as he was told -taking what deep of a breath he could and wiping his face as he tried to listen to what Jack had told him and looked up. He could see a street name -squinting at it to get a better look and instantly knew where he was, "Thames Street." He whispered, "I-I'm o-on fucking Thames St-Street."

Thames Street had a park that Alex went to all the time. Behind the brush -where no one really went -sat a tree with a tree house. Alex used to go all the time when he was young to escape from his fears and pains. He probably still had comic books and candy up in the abandoned tree house. The tree was in a yard (that's probably why no one goes back there, Alex) of an abandoned house. Alex always told himself he'd by that house and fix it up. He hadn't been back there in years, though. It was his comfort. He felt dumb for not recognizing it, but it was dark so he wasn't all that surprised he didn't.

"Okay," Jack breathed -relieved it wasn't far from his house, "I'll be there in like, twenty minutes. Just stay there."

Alex nodded -despite Jack not being able to see it and said, "Okay," before Jack hung up. He tried to stand -knees buckling under him and making him fall back down and cry out in pain as his rib seemed to stab further into his lung -and never wanted to have that happen again -but he stood up again anyways. This time his legs shook and he could waddle for about five minutes down the street until he got winded and had to pause. He was trying to get to the street light so Jack could actually see him, but everything was so sore and hard to move. He felt like he had been in a coma. His body hadn't been used properly for so long that the muscles were weaker than usual. He clinched a fist though -determined to get under the light -and continued his exhausting and long trek across the street and to the light.

He stumbled on the curb and tripped forward -catching himself on the light and nearly throwing up again as his body shook and his stomach flipped. He felt so nauseas. He looked up -squinting at the light and hugged the pole for a moment -trying to calm his breathing since it was becoming irregular again. Soon, everything was calm and he slid down to sit under the pole. He had to kind of half-lay half-sit -so his head and upper back was really the only thing sitting up -because his ribs and lungs couldn't be sat properly until he wanted to stop breathing and pass out. He thought he was going to anyways. His eyelids got heavy until they snapped open from the sound of an engine zooming by him. He looked up and saw Jack and his bike slowly to a stop a few feet away.

Alex stood up slowly and moved away from the light. He could hear Jack walking up to him and bowed his head as he did. He itched further into the darkness -closer to where Jack parked halfway up the road -until Jack was right in front of him. He could see his feet -see his pajama pants -and slowly looked up to see his loose fitted shirt and jacket. His hair was either wavy or wet and it was pushed back so Alex could see his forehead and face completely. Jack couldn't see Alex equally as well as Alex saw him, but he could see the crimson blood through the darkness, could see the greasy, messy hair stained with sweat, and the puffy eye and cheek to his left. It wasn't clear enough to see exactly how bad it was and Alex kept bowing his head as if he was ashamed of it and looking away, but Jack knew he had gotten beaten.

He sighed a little as he listened to Alex's breathing -the wheezes coming in tiny but still there -and the sniffles of his nose as Alex kept silent. Jack reached out to touch him but Alex winced making him retreat and shove his hands in his pockets.

"What happened?" He asked slowly -careful of his tone as not to upset Alex anymore than he already pretty much was.

"C-can we ju-just go? I-I want t-to go h-home." Alex whispered. He looked up to see Jack frowning so he moved closer until he could rest the right side of his face on Jack's shoulder. Jack wrapped his arms around his shoulders as Alex whimpered, "Just ta-take me home, ple-please..."

Jack nodded a little, "You can come home with me." He said as he pulled away slightly and Alex simply nodded and followed Jack to his motorcycle. They climbed on and to say it was hard to hold on was an understatement. Jack was pretty much speeding home and Alex felt like he was going to pass out the entire time.

When they finally got home, though, Alex was more than relieved. Jack led him upstairs -which was pretty hard to walk up -and to his room. He went to turn on the light but Alex stopped him with a blush and said, "C-can you keep it off? I-I don't want you to... see... me." He felt dumb asking Jack not to see him because he'd have to eventually, but he knew he had blood all over him and he didn't want Jack to see anything unless he had to.

Confused -Jack turned around and cocked an eyebrow through the dark, "Why?"

"I lo-look horrible... I d-don't want you t-to see me like... this..." He motioned to his face and body. He sniffled a little making jack sigh and nod as he walked into the room rather blindly -Alex grabbing the back of his shirt because he'd rather Jack walk him through the room that he knew slightly then go tumbling around when he had never even been in it. Jack obviously hit something because he said, "Oof!" And doubled over making his butt pretty much stick into Alex's crotch making Alex suddenly cry out in pain and place a hand over it, "Owwy, fuck, ow." he whimpered as he half-heartedly pushed Jack's ass away. Jack blushed -feeling Alex's hands on his ass -and turned around quickly as he asked, "Do you want to take a shower or anything?" and trying to completely ignore the whole situation even if he was curious as to why Alex's crotch hurt so much when that probably should have felt good.

Alex nodded and Jack quickly walked to his dresser and opened the drawers, "Can I turn on the lamp? I can't see." he asked as he felt around the clothes.

Alex nodded a little and bit his lip, "Just... Don't look at me."

Jack sighed and mumbled, "Okay." As he turned on his lamp by his bedside and went back to grabbing clothes. He grabbed a pair of bright red boxer-briefs, a pair of Christmas pajama pants that were red with green and white candy canes printed on them, and a loose white shirt. He turned the light out again before turning to Alex and handing him the clothes. He grabbed his arm and led him to a door in his room before opening it and saying, "Bathroom. You can just leave your clothes in the floor, okay?" Alex nodded and Jack turned away.

Alex entered the bathroom and looked up at his self in the mirror. He gasped and let the clothes fall into the floor as he leant forward and looked at his face. He had crusty, dried blood all over his face -splattered dots all over his cheeks and even a little on his forehead and in his hair that was pushed back and matted horribly -sticking up in all directions with mud and grass and leaves stuck in strands -while his cheek was swollen and puffed along with his black eye that was only healed enough he was squinting and his jawline was blotched with a sickly yellow bruise. His lip was busted -or healing from the bust -and had dried blood that looked as if it dribbled down to his chin. He wiped at it before moving and seeing finger-shaped bruises on his neck. They were dark purple. He traced them with his finger for a moment -a slightly green color overlapping the purple from where his father had only squeezed slightly.

He felt tears weld up in his eyes as he stripped his shirt carefully -throwing it to the floor and looking up to see his entire side a dark, unnatural shade of black and blue. His ribs -as he could still see them poking through his skin from how skinny he was and always had been from lack of actual food at his house and he hadn't eaten in the last however long he was gone (it felt like years) -were all normal except for one that looked as if it was under the others. He wanted to poke it but knew it'd just hurt so he quickly unzipped his pants and dropped them to the floor. He bit his lip and dropped his boxers -looking down to see his penis almost completely red. It looked infect or something. He lifted it carefully -looking under at his balls to see them pretty swollen -much bigger than usual.

He whimpered a little and pulled his socks off as he climbed into the already warm shower. He was showering for a long time until he looked down and noticed blood swirling with the water. At first he thought he had some cut that reopened somewhere and searched his body for it, but when he didn't find that he shrugged and got out.

He stood in front of the toilet -aiming to take a piss -and looked down as he did to see blood mixing his urine. He gasped a little -suddenly feeling pain in his genitals -and bit his lip in worry. It was definitely not normal to piss blood. No.

He got dressed in Jack's comfy clothes -the boxers slightly uncomfortable because they were tight, but they were supportive and helped sooth his swollen parts -and kicked all of his clothes to the side of the bathroom where Jack's dirty clothes lay messily. He had a hamper as well, but it was full and obviously wouldn't fit anymore, so, he was just going to put his clothes next to them.

He turned off the light, took a sort of deep breath, and opened the door to leave. Jack was sitting in his bed against the head board. Alex knew it was probably a very bad idea because Jack wasn't a touchy person -towards him anyways -but he went for it and walked over to the side of the bed Jack was sat at. Jack looked up at him -preparing to scoot over just for him -but Alex climbed into the bed and wrapped his arms around Jack's middle as he buried his face into Jack's side -prohibiting him from moving even a little. Jack was surprised and almost pushed away but Alex began crying into his side -face kind of close to his armpit while still sort of being on his peck -so he stopped himself and looked down. Alex whimpered into his shirt and let go so Jack could slide down and turn to face him as he quietly asked, "What happened?"

"P-Pe-Peter." Alex stuttered -tucking his head under Jack's chin as he cried a little louder and suddenly raised his voice to say, "He fucking b-b-beat me a-and le-eft me i-in the mi-middle of th-the str-street like t-trash!"

Jack shushed him -not wanting to disturb his family and hissed, "I'm gonna fucking kill him, Alex. He can't do this to you. He can't get away with this." Alex shook his head and sobbed as he fisted his hands in Jack's shirt. Jack wound his arms around his shoulders carefully and said, "Let me see what he did to you, 'Lex. I want to see what he did to you."

"No!" Alex choked, "I don't wa-ant you to see how ug-ugly I am! I d-don't want you to e-ever see me l-like this!" He cried making Jack sigh and rub his shoulder blades as he whispered, "You'd never be ugly to me, Alex. Just let me see how bad he hurt you, please."

Alex shook his head stubbornly and Jack internally groaned as he said, "Fine, then tell me what he did to you."

Alex whimpered -flashbacks running through his head and pain shooting through his body at the thought. He shivered a little as he whispered, "H-he was m-mad at m-me for so-something..." The drugs, Jack thought, "A-and grab-gabbed me and ch-choked me... He ke-kept throwing m-me around a-and pu-punching me.... I th-think I got so-some hits in t-too, b-but the-then he ki-kicked me in the ba-balls, like, o-over and over a-and-" He began sobbing again making Jack shush him until Alex shook his head and said, "I d-don't re-remember a-after th-that..."

"Maybe... Maybe we should take you to the hospital, 'Lex, that could really hurt you. Are... are you hurting?" He asked carefully.

Alex shook his head, "I d-don't want to go to the hos-hospital."

"You have to. What if something's wrong?" Jack said -trying to keep his voice down because firstly he'd get in big ass trouble for leaving in the middle of the night and then suddenly having this friend over that all he's doing is yelling at.

Alex whimpered, "No-nothings wrong! I'm fine!"

"Shush, okay, sh." Jack said as he closed his eyes and sighed a little. He reached up and ran his fingers through his hair stressfully and said, "How bad is it? How bad is... everything?"

Alex shrugged and Jack groaned softly before sighing and saying, "Let's just go to bed and we'll figure this out tomorrow, okay?" He asked as he rubbed Alex's back again -trying to sooth the boy out of his slowly dying sobs.

Alex shook his head, "I-I can't sleep. I-I'm sc-scared."

"Nothings gonna happen. I'm right here, okay?"

Alex fell silent and for a moment Jack thought he had fallen asleep but suddenly he was speaking up -voice scratchy and croaky as he asked, "Are you scared of anything?"

Jack thought for a moment -humming to show he had heard him and was thinking, "Spiders and bugs, I guess."

Alex giggled a little -it slightly stopped by a sudden hitch in his breath from his earlier crying -and said, "Bugs?"

"Hey, sometimes those things are fucking scary. Some have claws and others have those weird mouth things that look like fucking hooks and they open and close. Its fucking gross and weird and I do not want them anywhere near me." Jack said -jutting his bottom lip out even if Alex couldn't see it as he continued to giggle quietly. Jack smiled a little at the sound -like heavenly music to his ears that made his heart flutter slightly.

"I meant, different kind of fears... Like... I dunno, fears that make you not able to sleep at night..." He said softly.

Jack again thought -sighing a little as he shrugged and said, "I dunno. I've never been able to not sleep at night because of fears. Unless it was a nightmare when I was a kid, but it only woke me up from already sleeping and stuff..." He felt Alex shift beside him and his cold nose press into his Adam's apple, "What are you scared of?"

"People..." He breathed, "I'm scared of people and what they're capable of. I like animals better. They don't try to backstab you. If you feed them and love them they are content and will always love you. I like that. Having something to always rely on you and love you."

"Thought you didn't love or date or even crush?" Jack asked -tilting his head slightly as he felt Alex pull away and rest his head on his pillow. Their faces where pretty close now -noses pretty much brushing and Jack could see Alex's eyes closed as he shrugged and said, "I like you, and it's not like things and people don't change, Jack."

Jack gulped, "Wait, what?"

Alex hummed, "I. Like. You." He saw Alex's eyes open and look at him with a soft, playful smile on his lips as he said, "Sometimes, things change, you can't be too scared when they do and not let them change because then you'll regret it." He leant forward just enough to brush his lips against Jack's. Jack's breath caught in his throat -butterflies exploding in his stomach while fireworks were set off in the back of his eyes that were still wide open. Alex titled his head slightly, but Jack pulled away -overwhelmed with the sensation Alex suddenly put him through. He didn't realize how much the boy would effect him. That wasn't even a real kiss and his whole body felt like jelly. He scooted away -cheeks turning a bright red that Alex probably couldn't see through the darkness and stuttered, "I d-d-didn't k-know that h-how you f-felt."

Alex sighed a little -biting his lip to keep back the ever threatening tears from spilling and hissed, "Yeah, that's how I feel." He knew Jack didn't feel the same. He felt dumb for having just messed up their entire friendship because he let his emotions get in the way. He saw Jack's awkward body as stiff as always huddling as far from him as possibly.

Jack didn't know what to do. He felt dumb but he had no idea how to cuddle or kiss or anything. He wanted to show Alex how he felt because he couldn't tell him because he was fucking stupid and would stutter and mess it up and make him bad, but his body refused to move. He was so overwhelmed and internally freaking out because, wow, the guy he fuckinglovedjust kissed him and he didn't even have to do anything really. He didn't even know what he did right, but now it was all wrong and he could feel the tension from Alex but he had no idea what he was supposed to do. So he just laid there awkwardly -waiting for something -but all he heard was Alex's soft, wheezy breathing -knowing he was probably asleep now -and he was too late.

Notes

IT SORT OF HAPPENED DONT HATE ME BECAUSE JACK IS DUMB AND DOESNT KNOW HOW TO SHOW ALEX HIS LOVE OKEY AT LEAST I GAVE YOU A KISS.

Mwahahahhaha

Its happening. Its happening.

Slowly but surely I promise <3