Are You Having A Good Time, Sweetheart?

Chapter Thirty: Forever

Alex stared at Jack with an incredulous look, sitting up in his bed. 
"Marry you?" He uttered out, his voice a little shaky.

Jack smiled, "Yeah. Marry me." He said again.
Alex raised his eyebrows, "That's how you wanna prove to me that you're not going anywhere?" 
Jack smirked, "I didn't say marry me tomorrow. I didn't say marry me the second I turn eighteen. I didn't say marry me even a couple of years from now if that's what you want. I just said marry me." 
Alex thought about that for a second, "Well...Okay. Yes." He smiled.
Jack smiled back at him.
"I don't wanna wait years though...But definitely a little while." Alex laid back down and shook his head, "You are more insane than I am, Jack Barakat." He laughed a little.
Jack shrugged, "Or maybe I'm just as sane as you are." He tapped Alex's nose with his finger.
Alex laughed again, "Oh that's loads better." 

Marriage. Alex got lost in his thoughts.
Jack really wanted to commit that way? 
He liked it, but he'd never thought of it himself. He'd never had anyone to think about it with.
He thought about marrying Jack back when he was essentially stalking the poor boy before they'd met, but he felt like he was just being creepy.

He glanced at Jack again, who was scrolling Facebook on his phone, occasionally laughing and sharing stupid memes.

He looked up at the ceiling.
Would they keep their last names?
Alex definitely wanted to keep his last name. He knew that for sure. His last name suited him so well.
Jack's fit him perfectly too.

He sighed a little. Why was he planning their wedding right now? It sure as hell wasn't happening anytime soon.

He shook the thought from his mind and looked at Jack, "Where did you wanna go?" 
Jack put his phone down, "What do you mean?"
Alex smiled, "I told you that after all of this was said and done, and I was allowed to go anywhere without the risk of going insane and seeing shadow people, that I'd take you wherever you want to go." 
Jack thought back to that and nodded, "I remember now. I don't know. Anywhere you'll be. New York was fun. Honestly though, Alex... We could go downtown for all I care. I've just..." He paused to get himself together, all of his emotions had been coming through like tidal waves lately, "I've missed you so much, and I've missed seeing you smile all the time, and you're finally smiling again, and all I want to do is see you smile. We could go downstairs and watch some shitty movie and I'd see you smile and that would be enough for me. So, wherever you want to go, I'm there." He leaned over and kissed his cheek.
Alex smiled, a big, genuine, sweet, crooked smile. "Let's start by going to Rita's and getting some ice cream." He laughed a little, "Then, maybe we can figure out where to go. I've wanted to go to Lake Tahoe. Stay in one of their little cabins or inns... There's the most beautiful lakes there. It's quiet. It's calm. I think we need a little quiet and calm in our lives."
Jack kissed Alex's cheek again, then a peck on his lips, "I think quiet and calm is a great idea. Buuut..." He teased, "Let's definitely go get some ice cream first." 

With that, they headed out for the short drive downtown, stopping at Rita's. Alex got mint and chip, and naturally, Jack got some obnoxious flavor that was clearly meant for kids. Birthday cake bubblegum or whatever it was.
Alex shook his head, "How do you like that?" He asked.
Jack rubbed some on his lips, leaned in and kissed Alex so he'd have to lick it off.
Alex licked it off his lips and smirked, "I guess I like it when you give it to me that way." 

Jack laughed and they spent at least an hour talking. Talking about Alex's job that he thankfully still had in his dad's office, and how boring the paperwork all was. Alex complained that it was worse than school paperwork, but still loved it.
They talked about Alex writing more music, which he had, he just hadn't played it or sung it through yet. He'd have to do that.
They talked about how cool Jack's parents had been throughout all of this, when any other set of parents would have made their son run for the hills from Alex.
They talked about what Jack wanted to do, which of course, Jack didn't know. His biggest dream was to be like Tom Delonge from Blink 182. So Alex made a joke about Jack staying home to be a housewife while Alex went to work.

Jack even sort of liked that idea, "If I could cook any form of food that wasn't hot pockets or frozen pizza, I'd make a good housewife." He laughed. "I think we'd at least have to leave cooking for you. I could do the rest though."

Alex rolled his eyes, "Jack you're just as messy and cluttered like I am. How on earth would you do the rest?" He shook his head, that smile never leaving his face.
Jack shrugged, "I'd have to figure it out, huh?" He scooted closer to Alex.
"I love you so much."
Alex laid his head on Jack's shoulder, "I love you too. So, so much. Don't ever go anywhere, okay?" 
Jack kissed the top of his head, "Never ever." 

Once they'd finished their ice cream, Alex decided he needed new clothes, and clothes that weren't covering him up completely anymore. You see, after all the time that's passed, of course he was still littered in scars, especially the long one on his arm, but Peter had a good idea. If anyone asked, tell them there was a little operation on your arm. Nerve damage. Peter had learned that from some medical show he watched. Alex didn't think that was a half bad idea. At least for now. Maybe one day he'd share what he'd done without being ashamed of it.

Alex and Jack left the shop with at least three bags filled with clothes. Alex had bought four pairs of new jeans, some cutoff shorts, brand new shirts, some long sleeved of course, some short sleeved and mostly v-neck, he bought himself a really cool denim jacket, and naturally, Jack being compulsive, bought himself some new clothes too, a cool leather jacket, a few shirts that nearly matched Alex's, some jeans, and a new pair of Nikes that had just been released, all black. 

The entire time they'd shopped, they showed the entire store how incredibly cheesy they were, as they took turns in the dressing room, coming out to model their clothes for the other.
Some people laughed, some people gave them weird looks at their silly, overdramatic model poses, and some posed back. One guy with neon purple hair even shouted "Yes queen! Work!" At Jack while he did his little wannabe Michael Jackson spin and held his new jacket.

By the time they'd gotten home, it was time for Alex to take his second round of meds. He got the first round in the morning, second at night.
He took them out of his mom's hand, popped them in his mouth and swallowed them dry. This stuff wasn't bother him lately, it didn't affect him at all, him at all, and he was perfectly okay with being watched like a hawk. He supposed that it had taken him literally hallucinating himself into a seizure and a two week lockdown to appreciate the fact that he was even alive at all. He'd never appreciated being alive before, but he damn sure appreciated it now.

He looked up at Jack, pressed a kiss to his lips and smiled, "I love you." He whispered. 
Jack wrapped his arms around Alex's waist and pulled him close.
"Forever." He kissed Alex's forehead, then his nose, then his lips.
"Forever sounds like a really good start." Alex laid his head on his chest.

The end.