Horseshoes and Hand Grenades

"I think we're going to need some sorts of tools, eventually," Jack said, as he surveyed the small hut in the forest that he and Alex had been working on for the last few hours. It was Wednesday evening, and Alex's mother would be expecting him home soon. They were nowhere near finished, and both of them were aware that their progress could have been easily mistaken as a pile of twigs.

"And what would we do with those?" Alex asked with a laugh, taking a seat on a nearby log.

"I don't know," Jack shrugged, "We could make it better."

"Well, if we did do that, we would need nails and stuff, too."

"You're a smart one,"

"Hey!" Alex frowned. "I'm just saying, we would need to buy things, too. Not just take tools from our parents."

"I'm just messing with you," Jack leaned into Alex, "We'll deal with it when we have to." He lay his arm down on top of his own leg, palm up and hand open, inviting Alex in. Alex raised his own hand slowly, lightly fitting his own fingers between Jack's. "You're a sweetheart, y'know."

"Shut up," Alex giggled, voice muffled by Jack's shoulder, which he had nuzzled his face into. "No."

"Whatever you say," Jack said, looking down at Alex. His eye's chased the slighter boy's own brown ones, trying to maintain eye contact. Once Alex was aware of Jack looking at him, he continued to smile, laughter bubbling up from within him once again.

"What? Why are you looking at me?"

"Do you mind, uh, if I-"

"Hmm?"

"Y'know, if I- Um," Jack's eyes fluttered down from Alex's, to his lips and back up again, and only then did Alex realize how close their faces really were.

"Oh,"

"So?"

"Yes."

"Yes? So, you do mind?"

"Yes," Alex whispered, "That's what I mean."

"Oh," Jack mumbled.

Alex punctuated Jack's comment with a, "Yeah." He got up off of where they were sitting, dusted off his pants, and walked over to wear his and Jack's backpacks were leaned against each other. "I should really get going."

"Let me walk you home," Jack offered, following in Alex's footsteps.

"Sure."

"Great."

Their walk home was quite silent, but not the type of silent Jack had taught Alex to embrace. It was the type of silent where neither boy knew what to do with themselves, and where they were both praying for the walk to be over as soon as possible. Alex felt bad, he wanted to escape. He felt guilty for leading Jack on, even though he knew that was not what was going on at all. He felt like he was playing a game with Jack, though, and he could only wish Jack would want to put up with him if he knew the source of the problem.

Jack felt empty, he felt too much air surrounding his bare hand. He thought about holding hands with Alex at lunch that day, and after school, as well, and he wondered why it was so hard for him to just reach out and do what he wanted to. He knew the reason, though, he was not kidding himself. He felt like he was pushing Alex, so far it even felt wrong to just want to hold hands with the blond. It was stupid, he knew it was stupid, but it was all he could think about. The sensible thing would be to talk to Alex about it, but Jack felt like doing that could possibly bring up something he was only imaging at first, and that would make everything thousands of times worse. Before they knew it, Jack was walking Alex up his front steps, to the relief of them both.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Alex asked, voice small. Of course he would see Jack the next day, he always did. Alex was not asking about that, and Jack as aware of the fact. He was asking if they would see each other in the same light, with the same feelings, and nothing in between them.

"Yeah," Jack nodded, "Definitely." Alex wrapped Jack up in a hug at that moment, and Jack could only smile into the shorter boy's shoulder at the display of affection. Kissing him on the top of the head as they each pulled away, Jack murmured, "Later, sweetheart." Alex waved Jack off from the top of the stairs, each boy glad to leave the other with a confirmation that they would be together for the next.

The next day at lunch, Jack was the first person Alex saw. He walked to his locker with his head down, only to look up at the grinning teen once he reached his destination.

"How's your day going?" Jack asked, as Alex unlocked his locker, "How were your classes?"

"Alright," Alex hummed, "We did bugger all in history as usual, and math was good, because I got to sit next to you."

Jack beamed at Alex's answer, linking their fingers as they headed toward the cafeteria. "I like it when you say British things."

"I don't do it that often," Alex observed, "I'm doing pretty well, I'd say. I even said 'math' right on my first try."

"How could you say it wrong?"

"Maths. It's not wrong, though. Mathematics, maths. It makes sense."

"It sounds stupid," Jack joked.

"You wouldn't be saying that if I were to say it," Alex pointed out, and Jack simply shrugged in response.

"Probably true."

Jack decided to join Alex and his friends for lunch that day, as they had all made it known Jack was always welcome at their table. Discussions were kept casual, as the girls were somewhat even more familiar with Jack than they were with Alex. There was no questioning to be done, so topics of interest stuck to other people they all knew. Jack and Alex were still holding hands, and they did so all throughout the break underneath the table, with each of the girls grinning to themselves once they realized it. Jack left a bit early that day, letting the rest of them know he had to go into his next class to ask his teacher something. He made Alex promise not to leave after school before speaking to him, which put Alex in a good mood.

"I think I know what this is about," Sam thought out loud, realizing her vocalization was a mistake when Alex immediately looked up at her.

"What? Tell me, Sam." Alex whined, and Sam laughed in response, waving him off.

"Fine. Jack came to talk to me this morning," Sam spilled, "He told me not to tell you. Obviously I'm going to tell you, though, because you're my friend. Plus, if I do, it'll make it better for both of you. He asked me if I knew why you won't kiss him."

"Oh," Alex breathed.

"Yeah, he seemed quite concerned about it. This is where I come in, and make it better for the both of you. You have to tell him, Alex or nothing's going to be normal. In addition, it'll generally be safer for you if you do, too." Sam looked at Alex, and he immediately knew she was right.

"She's right, Alex." Marissa said.

"I know."

"Now," Sam continued, "I don't know what he's going to say to you later, but I suggest you start planning around this once you know."

"I know," Alex repeated, "I will, I promise."

"Don't you want to kiss him, though?" Sam asked suddenly, seeming almost bewildered she had not realized that fact yet.

"Um," Alex responded, his cheeks heating up.

"That's what I thought," Sam giggled, "Think about that, too, then."

Alex literally ran into Jack after school. He was about to apologize, eyes started and mouth open to defend himself, when he finally looked up at the boy he was more than familiar with. Jack chuckled as he could see Alex visibly relax. He figured Alex was not used to seeing him dressed for soccer practice, his multi-coloured cleats and tall, white socks much different from the usual sight of skinny jeans and sneakers that Alex would see when he had his head down. Alex was probably going to avoid who he thought was a stranger, but Jack sidestepped right in front of him, expecting Alex to look at up at him in the usual way he did. Alex never paid attention, though, his head was always looking this way or that, taking in the details nobody else ever noticed.

"Hey, even though I don't want to, I have to make this quick, because I have to go." Jack began, and Alex nodded along.

"Sure," Alex offered, antsy and curious as to what Jack was about to say.

"So, I think you know that I really like you. I was wondering, then, if you want to go on a proper date? With me? On Saturday, if you'd like? Also, it'd be really cool if you came to my game again on Monday, too, and then maybe a party afterwards, if you don't hate me by then." Jack tried his best to deliver the question, shaking his head and smiling at himself as he butchered the question.

Alex's heart leaped at the gesture regardless, and he nodded his head yes in affirmation. Standing on his tippy toes, he pressed a kiss to Jack's cheek.

"I'd like that."

"Nice."

The pair bid each other farewell after that, Jack going to his soccer practice, and Alex running off to find his friends, hoping they were still hanging around so he could tell them what just happened.

Notes

i think i finally know where i'm going with this story which is good!! sorry for the late updates but i have a bunch saved up so i'll never be too late :^) please leave me your thoughts!!