Horseshoes and Hand Grenades

"Jack, I'm scared."

"Of what, your mom?"

"No, but-"

"No 'but's,' baby. You told me to not let you back out of this, so I'm not going to." Jack sighed, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend. The two boys were standing on the lawn in front of Alex's house, just as they had been for the last ten minutes or so. Alex tucked his face into Jack's neck, slumping into the taller boy and letting out a whine.

"But I don't waaaaant tooooo..."

"But you have to."

"No, I don't." Alex mumbled, smiling slyly at the affirmation in his own voice.

"Fine, then we're breaking up." Jack countered, not needing long to gage Alex's reaction. The blond pulled back from Jack quickly, with a pout on full display.

"...What?" The English boy asked, voice unsteady and heart racing.

"If you don't do this, I'm breaking up with you." Jack repeated, crossing his arms. Alex could tell from the small smile on his face and the glint in his eyes, though, that he was not at all serious.

"Don't be stupid."

"If I shouldn't be, then neither should you. Come on, please? You're going to have to eventually, at least, I hope." Jack tried again, taking Alex's hands in his own and swinging them back and forth lightly. "Please, baby?"

"Don't 'baby' me." Alex muttered, letting go of Jack's hands and turning away from said boy. He then marched up to his house, opened the front door, and went inside. Jack watched all of this from out on the lawn, until Alex gave him a look, basically asking they the hell he was still standing there like an idiot.

Alex did not say anything to Jack as the older boy followed him into his home for the first time. Jack looked around a bit, as a first time guest would usually do, while he also kept an eye on Alex. He followed said boy into the kitchen, where a woman who he assumed was Alex's mother stood. Jack had never met Isobel before, this would be his first time. They had just finished school, and had the rest of their Monday afternoon to do whatever they pleased. School had been in session for a month now, and Alex and Jack had been officially dating for a little over a week. Jack decided it would be important for him to meet Alex's mother, and, boy, did Alex regret not introducing Jack as his friend, first. If he had, he would not have had to introduce Jack as his boyfriend for at least a little while more. Now, though, he could not lie to his mother, and he also knew Jack would feel incredibly crappy if he heard Alex refer to him as his friend. Nevertheless, Alex persevered, because he cared about what Jack wanted.

"Hi, boys," Isobel greeted, busy washing the dishes.

"Hi, mom. This is Jack," Alex introduced the two. It was only then that Isobel really realized the other teenager standing in her kitchen, and she looked up much quicker this time to take a look at him.

Smiling, Alex's mother said, "It's good to finally meet you, Jack. Alex has told me so much about you, it's good to finally meet what sounds like my son's best friend."

This was when Jack looked at Alex. He stared at him intently, wondering if Alex would take the opportunity. He looked at him with urgency, but at the same time, with complete comfort and understanding. Alex knew Jack was too good to disappoint.

"Um, actually, mum," Alex started, catching the woman's eyes before looking straight at the ground as he spoke, "Jack's my boyfriend, now."

"Oh, Alex," Isobel hummed, wrapping her son up in a hug. "I knew you'd never tell me if you didn't have to, but I've been waiting for you to date somebody so I could finally see if I was right," she mumbled into Alex's shoulder.

"Really?" Alex gasped, shuffling backwards to look his mother in the eye. His jaw hung open as Jack stifled a laugh, and Isobel chuckled.

"Well, obviously I didn't ask, because assuming is just plain rude." Alex's mother explained, "But I had a feeling. Mother's intuition, you could call it."

"So, you're not going to say anything about Jack?" Alex asked to change the subject.

"Oh, right." Isobel grinned, turning to the other boy. "Welcome!"

"Thanks, Mrs. Gaskarth," Jack laughed.

"Call me Isobel, Jack," Alex's mother waved him off, and Jack smiled at her.

"Alright."

"Okay, we're going now." Alex interrupted their exchange, grabbing Jack by the hand and pulling him in the direction of the stairs.

"Ah ah ah! Wait a second, Alex."

"What now, mum?" Alex questioned, huffing in response. He was bored, embarrassed, and he just wanted to take a nap.

"You know the rules, but I think I'll give you a quick debriefing, with Jack here."

"Oh, no."

"Oh, yes." Isobel laughed, "Don't worry I'll be quick. No sleepovers, nothing you don't want me walking in on, and be home by nine on school nights and eleven on weekends. Sound clear?"

Both Alex and Jack nodded, and Alex threw Jack an apologetic look.

"Now, Jack," she continued, "You know about Alex's allergies, so you have to be as safe as you possibly can around him. Take care of my son."

Jack gave Alex's mother a strong salute in response, and both she and Alex laughed at that.

"Come on, let's go now." Alex tried again, relieved when his mother actually let him and Jack run off upstairs.

"Y'know, babe," Jack said later on, as he and Alex both lay on the latter's bed, "I don't know about this. Do you really want your mom to walk in on this?" Alex was on his back, staring up at Jack, who was on his side beside him. Propped up on his album, Jack smiled down at his boyfriend, fixing his blond locks where they made contact with the pillow beneath his head.

Alex could tell Jack was joking, but the thought of his mother walking in with a boy he had only met four weeks prior on top of him was a bit nerve wracking.

"Go check if the door's locked."

Jack chuckled, but got up to check, anyway.

"Just as locked as it was when we came in an hour ago and you told me to lock it," Jack supplied, and Alex rolled his eyes.

"Whatever, get back over here."

Jack took long strides back to Alex's bed, hopping on once he got close enough, and resuming his previous position. He smiled at the way Alex's grabby hands attached themselves around his neck, and he lowered himself down slowly to slot his lips between his boyfriend's. It was not long before he was pulling away once again though, a smile on his lips, and a laugh escaping his throat.

"Are you laughing at me?" Alex asked, his head cocking to the side.

"No, no," Jack shook his head.

"Then what?" Alex hummed, tracing his fingers over Jack's jaw distractedly.

"It's just, you're very eager, and it's really cute." Jack chuckled, and Alex 'humphed' in response.

"Whatever, keep kissing me."

Instead of going back to Alex's lips, however, Jack instead pressed his lips to the blond's cheek. He traveled downwards, spending more time in some places over others, as he then littered Alex's jaw and neck with kisses. He could hear tiny gasps leaving the boy's throat and he could not help but to comment on them.

"You're so cute."

"Shut up."

"Why?" Jack raised an eyebrow. "It's true, baby."

"What we're doing, this isn't supposed to be cute." Alex breathed, his eyes still closed, and his hands still playing with the hair at the nape of Jack's neck.

Jack chuckled again for the dozenth time in response, shaking his head.

"It's going to be cute if you're present."

Truthfully, Jack was just as curious around this subject as Alex was. They had been dating each other for only a week, but they had known each other with a romantic interest for a month. It was hard for Jack to gage how fast Alex wanted to go. Besides the concerns to his safety, Alex seemed to have no problem letting Jack do whatever he wanted to him. Since they had only gotten up to making out, though, Jack was still unsure. Kissing was a lot different than having sex, whatever type, and Jack knew he would be Alex's first time if they were to continue in that direction. He wanted to make sure Alex was completely sure of what he was doing, and he wanted the other boy to trust him fully. Jack had done stuff with people only hours after they had met, but he had also waited months until another person was ready. To him, the action only meant as much as the feelings which came along with it did. With that thought, he decided to just go with whatever Alex wanted for the time being. Currently, that was making out, and who was Jack to deny his boyfriend that?

Notes

here u guys go plz leave me comments lol