Poison (Jalex)

Hellish Christmas Presents

Three months and two dances go by and Jack doesn't go home for the holidays.

He could, his mom asked him to, but he doesn't like the cold empty towers of his bedroom at home the same way he likes the warm colors and posters all over his dorm walls.

Rian went back to see his dad which of course makes sense. Rian even offered to let Jack go with him, but Jack declined.

Most of the villain kids and a few of the royals with now dead parents stay at the school.

Alex offered to stay with Jack, but Jack told him to go home. It'll only be two weeks and the two of them still haven't even kissed yet. It wouldn't have been that big of a deal to not see him anyway.

Then again, Jack had to say he was more than a little sad to wake up in an empty room in a mostly empty castle/school.

He spends the days leading up to Christmas reading in his dorm. He's not stupid enough to walk around school grounds where all the villain kids are hiding. Even on Christmas, Ronnie is still a dick.

Meals have been rough considering Ronnie's taken Jack's absent friends as an opportunity to beat him up every chance he gets.

Jack tries not to let that get to him though. He still likes this better than home.

On Christmas Eve, Jack sits by the windowsill, looking out over the snow covered grounds of the school. He likes the stark contrast of the cold glass and the warm fire. It's nice.
Well nice until he hears someone knock on his window.

He falls out of his chair in surprise, dropping his book and losing his page.
Jack also manages to knock his glasses askew.

He sits up and fixes his glasses and then looks out the window to see a familiar someone.
He opens the window quickly and helps Alex inside. "What are you doing? It's freezing out there!"

Alex doesn't seem to notice that his skin is ice cold as he inspects Jack's black eye and split lip. "What happened to you?" He asks softly. Alex reaches up to brush his fingers along the edge of the bruise on Jacks face.
"Just Ronnie. I'm okay." Jack forces a smile and then the scab on his lip reopens. "Fuck," he mutters, walking over to the tissue box on his dresser.

"Jack, you could have called me," Alex says. "I would've come back, you shouldn't have to deal with this just because we're not here."
"I'm fine, Alex. Still better than my mom's place."

Alex just looks at Jack sadly. The he furrows his eyebrows. "You wear glasses?" Jack nods. "Since when?"
"I dunno. I was pretty young."
Alex smiles at him. "You look adorable."
"I have a black eye."
"Still cute." Alex kisses him on the cheek.
Jack shrugs. "What are you doing here?" He asks. "You should be with your parents. It's Christmas Eve."
"I wanted to be with you. No one should be alone in Christmas."
"I'm not alone. Rian left his rat here."
"Mouse," Alex corrects.
"Same difference." Jack shakes his head. "You didn't have to come back for me," he tells Alex.
"I know. I wanted to."
"Do your parents know you're here?" Jack asks.
"Yeah. I took my father's carriage back."

Jack studies Alex for a long time. Alex yawns. "Are you tired?" He asks finally.
"Just a little." Alex then spits the book on the floor. "Whatcha reading?" Alex asks, picking up the book.
"Wait, Lex-"

"Alex smiles when he sees the cover. Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. "Aw you're reading about your parents."
"And, well, us. Technically this is just as much our story as it is theirs.
"Your story would be called Snow White and Prince Charming."
"Jack White," Jack corrects.
"Your mother's name is Marianne. Snow White is a nickname because she's pale."
Jack shrugs. Then he yawns.