Horseshoes and Hand Grenades

The next day, on a Tuesday afternoon, Jack found himself in the same situation as Alex had been in the day before. The couple were now standing in Jack's front lawn, holding hands as Alex looked up at Jack pleadingly.

"All of a sudden, this feels a lot harder than I thought it would be." Jack admitted, and Alex squeezed his hand with a smile.

"I thought so, too, at first. But it'll be really easy, I promise." Alex murmured, and Jack would only wish his words were true.

"I don't know, sweetheart. I don't think my mom has any idea that I like boys. Besides, I'm sort of still tired from the game last night."

"So?"

"So, she might not react to it like your mom did. She's not going to care that I'm dating someone, she's going to care that it's a boy."

"From what I can tell, "Alex said, "She loves you very much."

"She does," Jack agreed, "But she grew up around different things than us. I'm scared it'll be hard for her to understand."

"Help her understand, then." Alex spoke, wrapping his arms around Jack's waist and leaning his head on his chest. Jack nodded, but just when Alex thought he was ready, he spoke up again.

"She's going to tell my dad, too, though. I don't think that's going to go over well. It's going to be even worse."

"Relax," Alex instructed, "Just take it one step at a time. Let your mom know first, tell her that you're happy and safe in your relationship, and ask her if she can withhold telling your dad until you're ready. Is that so hard?"

"No," Jack groaned in reply, "Fine."

"That's my boy," Alex smiled, his pleasant expression not leaving his face, even when Jack pulled him into his house with a grumble.

Unlike Alex's mother, Joyce was a bit harder to find. The couple looked all around the house for her, calling her name, until they came to the conclusion that she was not home.

"Weird," Jack mumbled, "She answered the house phone just a few minutes ago."

"Maybe she's outside?" Alex suggested, grinning once he saw a lightbulb go off inside Jack's head.

"Yeah, that makes total sense. She's been into gardening quite a bit, lately." Jack realized, guiding Alex to the back door. "Mom?" He called out into the yard, relieved when he received a call of his own name as a reply. Asking if she could join him for a moment, Jack noticed Alex begin to shrink in on himself, and he lifted the shorter boy's chip up with his finger.

"Regardless of me, she's going to like you." Jack spoke. "You have nothing to worry about. Come on, I need you to help me with this."

"Right," Alex nodded, preparing himself to greet Alex's mother once again. Soon enough, she appeared on the back porch, tossing some gloves onto a table.

"Alex! It's nice to see you again," Jack's mom waved at the teenager, smiling at her own son. "How were your guy's days?"

"Good," Alex nodded, while Jack settled with, "Fine."

"Listen, mom," Jack started, not wanting to waste anyone else's time. "We came here to let you know something."

"And that is?" Joyce prompted Jack. She was curious as to what Jack had deemed to be so serious, so she listened intently as her son spoke up again.

"Alex and I are dating."

It was much simpler than the way Alex had explained it to his mother, cleaner and to the point. This obviously showed on Joyce's face, though, as Jack was looking at Alex, and Alex did not look so joyous.

"Are you sure?" Joyce asked, when Jack met her eyes again.

"Am I sure about what?" Jack responded, annoyed, "That we're dating? Definitely. I asked him out, and he said yes."

"No, Jack," Jack's mother shook her head, "Are you sure you like other boys like this?" After Jack nodded slowly, she continued, lips pursued. "How long have you known?"

"Ever since I've known I like girls, too."

Joyce nodded, seemingly trying to take in and sort all of the information she was being given. "Alright."

"Alright?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I can't choose who you date," his mother sighed, "I'm here to talk with you about this whenever you want, though."

Nodding at his mother, Jack turned to the side and asked Alex in a whisper if he would meet him upstairs. Once Alex was gone, Jack turned back to his mother once again.

"Can you leave telling dad up to me?"

"Of course, Jack." Joyce agreed, fixing a stray hair on her son's head.

"Thanks, mom."

When Jack entered his room, he found Alex sitting patiently on his bed.

"Hey, Lex." Jack said, too breathy and too awkward. That was when Alex decided to get up off of the bed, walking over to Jack and pulling him into a hug.

"Are you alright, love?"

"Cute. Yes, I'm fine."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Alex mumbled, reaching up to kiss the underside of his boyfriend's jaw, "Or do you want to go out?"

"Go out where?" Jack asked, looking down at Alex.

"Marissa invited me over to her parent's bakery to hang out. Sam and Natasha are there, too. I told them I was with you, but they said you could come, too."

"Sure, okay."

"Are you positive?"

"Yes, Alex," Jack smiled a small bit, "I appreciate your effort, but everything's going to be perfect, as long as you're around. Let's not focus on that anymore."

Nodding his head, Alex gave Jack a kiss on the lips before heading down stairs. Jack soon followed, and together they walked to the bakery.

The little shop was pretty empty when they arrived, so it was basically impossible to miss the three girls seated at a booth near the back of the bakery. Taking Jack's hand, Alex lead them over to the table, giving the his friends a small wave once they noticed their presence. As the pair sat down on the same side as Natasha, with Alex in the middle, Marissa asked from in front of Jack,

"So, what have you guys been doing?"

Alex looked over to Jack immediately, humming when he got a small nod in response.

"We told our parents we're dating."

"How'd that work out?" Sam asked, taking a bite of her donut.

"Brilliant for me, but Jack's mother was just a tiny bit uncomfortable with it."

"She didn't know you like guys?" Sam questioned again, this time directing her voice to Jack specifically. When Jack just shook his head the tiniest bit for a reply, Natasha sighed loudly.

"That's rough."

"Yeah, it is," Marissa agreed, "Do you want something to eat?"

Alex shook his head as a reflex, and Marissa smiled warmly and knowingly at him before turning her attention to Jack.

"I'm good."

"Come on, Jack." Alex nudged him, "It'll make you happy."

"Fine, but only if you go pick for me, baby." Jack compromised.

"Okay," Alex agreed, sliding over Jack's lap to get out of the booth and following Marissa.

"I'm sorry," Natasha told Jack, "But it's not all bad, though. He's good for you."

Jack could not just leave a comment like that hanging in the air, so he simply said, "I know."

Alex and Jack left the bakery about an hour after they got there, so it was still light out as they made their decision where to go next. Jack did not want to go home, so Alex invited him over for dinner. He called his mother to see when that was, though, and Isobel informed her son that they would not be eating for a little over an hour. With no other ideas in sight, the couple found themselves at their fort in the woods once again. This visit was a little different, though.

From outside the miniature cabin, nevermind the nearest trail, no sounds could be heard. Regardless, Jack kept shushing Alex, pressing his lips to the blond's whenever possible. He moved his lips to his boyfriend's neck once and for all when he realized Alex's jaw would not be able from falling slack at any given moment.

"Oh, jeez," Alex groaned, rutting up against Jack as said boy laughed against his skin.

"You enjoying yourself?"

"Yeah, oh my-" Alex threw his head back onto the beanbag he was laying against as Jack began to move his hips faster.

Jack surely ended up enjoying himself too, even though it was Alex's first time doing anything with anyone. For him, it might as well have been his first time, too, because right then, it was the only time that mattered. It was full of fumbling and giggling, but it was nowhere near uncomfortable. There were pauses and decisions made, both boys suggesting what would feel better, which made it nowhere near the average first time getting off with someone else. Even though Jack was not able to get Alex naked, which he was not even sure he would want to do in the middle of the forest anyway, he was perfectly happy, because it was what Alex was comfortable with currently. That was all Jack wanted for Alex, and he was glad to be able to deliver such an experience.

Notes

hihihihihi sorry i'm so late but I'M ABOUT TO UPLOAD ANOTHER CHAPTER so go read that and also don't forget to comment, rate, and go check out my 2 new one shots alrighty bye bye thanks for reading