Kiss and Sell

Alex was watching the television in Jack’s room when he heard the door open and saw Joyce and Bassam enter. He stood up slowly and walked over to the woman and hugged her quickly. She whimpered into his chest, but he could tell it was happy as he stepped out of the way and allowed her to pass him and go straight to Jack. She hugged her son as best she could without hurting him (since he still had a fractured back) and without pulling out any of his hospital wires. He didn’t hug her back, just examined her as she pulled back and kissed all over his face. He seemed to be attentive to both the man and woman in front of him. Bassam kissed his hair and told him he loved him, and Alex actually felt a tinge of jealousy at that. Jack had such a nice dad (one that wouldn’t dump his unconscious body in the middle of the street).

Alex sat down in his chair he had somewhat claimed beside Jack’s bed while asking, “What did the doctors say?”

“They can’t make anything out.” Joyce mumbled, “He doesn’t appear to have anything wrong with his brain, but he acts as if he’s mentally challenged. They’re unsure what to say, really.” She grabbed Jack’s hand and ran her thumb over the back of his. He glanced at her before turning to look at Alex who was biting his bottom lip as he asked, “How can that be? Obviously something’s wrong! They need to do something!”

“They wouldn’t be able to do anything anyways, Alex.” Bassam reasoned as he sighed and sat down in one of the empty plastic chairs. Rian and Danny had left half an hour ago which meant Alex was going to have to go home with Joyce and Bassam though he wanted to stay the entire weekend with Jack, “If he has brain damage all any of us can do is learn to manage.”

“That’s bullshit.” Alex uttered, “They could do something! They c-could have brain surgery or… s-something! I-it just… it can’t be this way.” He bit his lip and squeezed his eyes shut while tugging his caramel brown hair practically out of his head. He felt someone’s hand gently touch his that was tightly gripping Jack’s bed sheets and looked up to see Jack staring at him. His hand stroked the back of his gently in comfort making Alex grab it.

Bassam watched for a moment before saying, “He’s coming home in a week, Alex.” Making Alex nod slowly, “We wanted to know if you could possibly take care of Jack when he comes home.” He said softly.

Alex nodded again, “Of course I’ll take care of him. What does he need?”

“He’ll need help getting up and dressed for one.” Bassam said, “Because of his back and he won’t be able to walk downstairs alone either, so you’ll have to bring him food.”

“And he’ll need help with using the bathroom and the shower.” Joyce added. “I think Jack would appreciate you helping him with that over me.” She chuckled.

Alex bit his lip, “I guess I could do that.”

Everyone fell silent before Bassam and Joyce informed Alex they were staying at a hotel a few blocks away and that if he wanted he could stay with them, but he said he was going to stay in the hospital though he wasn’t really allowed to stay all night. Though it was a long time, the two Barakat’s soon left Alex alone in Jack’s hospital room, and the lights were shut off by a passing nurse. He was holding his head up with his hand as he played on his phone in the darkness. Danny had text him to ask how he was doing, but he mostly ignored the boy. He didn’t know why but he suddenly hated Danny. Maybe because he reassured him that his feelings weren’t true, but they were still present and telling him they were.

He glanced over at Jack who was watching the television even though he really should be sleeping before reaching over and taking his hand again. He felt Jack squeeze his fingers gently making him smile. He had missed Jack so much it was almost painful for him to think of the days when he didn’t have him. He mostly blocked the memories out, even the memory of the day Alex told Jack he hated him, but that would only work for so long.

He heard Jack yawn making him look over to see the boy reaching up to rub his eyes tiredly which had him stifling the urge to coo at him instantly. He stood up and stretched while asking, “Do you want to go to sleep?” Jack stared at him blankly making him sigh and scratch the back of his head while saying, “Um, okay, blink once if you want to go to sleep and two times if you don’t.”

Jack simply stared at him before he bit his lip and looked away. Alex sighed in frustration and clicked the buttons on the remote to adjust the bed anyways, letting it slowly lower to a flat position, before leaning down and kissing Jack on the head. Jack’s big brown eyes fluttered shut as Alex sat back down in his seat. He stared at the young raven-haired boy as he slept silently before he felt his phone begin to vibrate in his pocket. He fished it out and groggily answered, “Hello?”

He heard hesitant breathing, like whoever had called didn’t expect him to answer, before a voice was saying, “Alex? Where are you?”

Alex groaned internally at the sound of his mother’s high-pitched voice ringing through his ears, “I’m at the hospital.”

“Oh my god, what happened?!” She worried frantically. Alex rolled his eyes as he rubbed his eye with his free hand and yawned, “Nothing. Jack has been in the hospital for a month now. I went to go see him.”

“Jack?” She asked. Of course she didn’t know Jack. She didn’t know anything about her son who sighed exasperatedly and muttered, “The biker?”

“Oh, Jack.” She said coldly, “The one your father wants dead?”

Alex bit his lip, “He… He never said he wanted him dead, did he?”

“Yes, Alex.” Isobel answered almost matter-of-factly, like Alex should already know the answer to his own question, “He said he was going to kill that boy for what he did to you.”

“And what did he ‘do’ to me exactly?” Alex asked, biting back a snarky tone. He already knew the answer, and when she said it, it was not going to be pretty.

“Give you drugs.” She said easily. She was such a liar that she actually believed her own lies.

Alex bit his lip so hard he pierced the skin. He stood up instantly and nearly shouted, “He didn’t give me the goddamn drugs, you fucking did, and if Peter comes anywhere near him I’ll kill him myself. And you can fuckin’ tell him that. I know you’ve been talking to him behind my back, and frankly I don’t give a rat’s ass that you do, but if you tell him one more goddamn lie to save your own ass and put my friend in danger so help me I will hunt you down, mother.” He hissed into the phone coldly. All he saw was red at the moment. He didn’t regret how much he sounded like Peter towards the woman who birthed him and raised him, he was almost proud he was standing up for himself.

Isobel scoffed, “I hope you burn in hell, Alexander William, for talking to your own damn mother that way!”

“I’ll fucking see you there then, you filthy bitch.” He spat before hanging up angrily and throwing his phone across the room. He heard it bang against the wall and its pieces shatter, but he couldn’t care less about his cheap phone at the moment. He stumbled backwards and fell into his chair, letting his head fall in his hands as he sighed stressfully.

Alex would admit he was disappointed his mother hadn’t changed for better like she said she would. It seemed like she was holding on, it seemed like she was getting better, but slowly and surely she was becoming her old self again, and Alex was dubious she’d ever become the mother he deserved and needed. He had trusted her for a moment and like always she betrayed him, yet his loyalty kept him coming back with the sliver of hope she would one day be who she once was maybe even Peter too.

He glanced over as he felt eyes on him and saw Jack staring as best he could lying down on his back. The boy blushed and turned his head away as Alex sniffled and said, “Parents, right?” With a weak chuckle. Jack didn’t say anything, of course, and continued to look up at the ceiling. Alex sat down on the chair closest to Jack’s bedside then making Jack turn to look at him once more. Alex sighed sadly, “My dad’s an asshole, my mom is a compulsive liar… Seems like the only good person in my life is you, Jack.” He admitted, looking up at the boy who turned his head away again, “You’d never lie to me, right? Never beat me or… or tell my secrets…” He reached forward and gently brushed the bangs from Jack’s face away making him blush and turn completely away so he was looking at his IV, pretty much anywhere but Alex who was running his fingers through Jack’s hair at the back of his head. He sighed quietly as Jack ignored him and sat back, biting his lip as he thought.

Jack turned back to looking up at the ceiling while Alex said, “The only good person in my life, and he ignores me.”

Jack looked back over, almost looking apologetic and hesitantly took Alex’s hand that was resting on his knee in his, running his thumb over the knuckles, and watched as Alex smiled softly and whispered, “Thank you.”

Notes

Alex has mommy issues.

I cant really taunt you guys with killing Jack anymor ebecuase obvs hes okay.

soooooo

We're just gonna torture you all with no jalex relationship.

Halla. \o/