Chapter Two
Their first night as a couple they had slept in the same bed like always. This time, however, rather than each staying far to opposite sides, they both slept in the middle. Alex's head on John's chest, arms wrapped around him.
When they woke up the next Hercules was standing in the doorway and staring at them.
John sat up first. "Whoa, Herc. Creepy."
Hercules just shook his head. "I fucking knew it." Then he lumbered over to his room, presumably to sleep off his hangover.
"Do you have classes today?" Alex asked John.
"Yeah, why?"
Alexander stuck his bottom lip out in a pout. "I don't. I was hoping to spend the day with you."
"Why don't you go hang with Maria and Angelica?"
"Third-wheel it?" Alex scoffed.
"Invite Eliza. You'll be fine." John said, ticking a strand of his boyfriend's hair behind his ear.
Alex sighed. "Okay..."
-
"ANGIE!" Alex called as he met up with his friend in front of a restaurant.
"Alexander, how many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?" She groaned as she walked up to him, holding hands with Maria.
Maria just chuckled.
Alex studied her features. "You know I've heard people say it, but I hadn't noticed. You look a lot like Peggy."
"Gross!" Angelica cried. "Shut the fuck up, man. You've already got me annoyed."
"I know you love me." Alexander shrugged.
"Me too, right?" Eliza suddenly said. Her heels clicked as she approached them. Eliza and Alexander had dated in high school, but it didn't work out because Eliza didn't like dating and Alexander didn't much like women.
"Of course. How's Peg?"
"Great. How's John?"
"Great." Alex sighed dreamily, staring off into space.
Eliza wiggled her eyebrows. "I always knew you two were hot for each other. Even when we were dating in high school he was always staring at your ass."
"ELIZA!" The man scoffed, hitting her shoulder.
"And you stared back at his."
"HEY!" His face turned red.
"Okay, okay." Maria giggled. "Why don't we go eat lunch?"
-
A fall drizzle began sometime in the afternoon when Alexander got home. Lafayette and Hercules were both in classes and would probably go to the bar after. And John wouldn't be home until late. The skies were becoming dark and Alexander prayed with his whole being that it didn't turn into a storm.
He could handle rain, but not storms. Before he immigrated, a few years after his mother died, a devastating hurricane had hit the island. It had nearly ruined him. Hearing people screaming in the streets and being able to do nothing to help them wrecked him. Not having the comfort of his mother with him made it all the worse. Ever since then whenever there was a storm he found himself huddled in a corner, shaking, hyperventilating until it was over. He had never been with John when this happened and that would be extremely embarrassing. So he hoped there wouldn't be a storm.
But once he arrived home the rain began to get progressively heavier. It pounded on the roof and the skies were black. There was a crack of thunder.
-
John stepped off the bus and cursed under his breath. The walk home was nothing more than five minutes, but in this pouring rain he would get soaked for sure.
He grumbled all the way home. He was already in a bad mood from learning he had failed a test, and now the rain was pissing him off.
A large crack of thunder sounded as he walked up the stairs to his apartment.
John huffed and took off his wet coat, shoes and socks. "Baby?" He called down the hallway.
There was no response.
The tall man frowned. "Hmm..." He walked down the hallway and into the bedroom he shared with his boyfriend.
"Alex?" He spoke softly, entering the bedroom. What he saw both broke his heart and confused him.
Alexander was huddled in the corner, his knees pulled to his chest. His head was down in his knees and his hands were over his ears. He was rocking back and forth slightly.
A loud crack of thunder sounded and the small man jumped.
"Alex." John spoke loudly and firmly.
He looked up, his face terrified.
"What's wrong." John walked over and sat next to his boyfriend.
"I-I-I..." Alex was afraid to say it. He didn't want John to think bad things of him. Deep down he knew that John would never do that, that he was head-over-heels for him, but storms brought out irrational things in him.
"Baby..." John spoke softly, rubbing Alex's back. "It's okay. What is it?"
Alexander whimpered and then burst into tears. "I'M AFRAID OF STORMS, OKAY?"
John frowned. "That's alright, honey. But there's nothing to be afraid of."
Alex just shook his head. "When I was 15 or 16... A hurricane hit the island I lived on. I-I had to listen to people scream. S-See them d-die. With no one t-to comfort m-me. And I survived, but I h-had to watch others d-die. So I don't l-like storms."
"Oh, honey." John sighed, hugging the younger man tightly, trying to make him feel secure. His heart broke. "I'm so sorry. It's okay. No one is going to die."
Alexander clutched at his boyfriend's shirt and buried his face in his shoulder as he cried. He was always embarrassed by his fear so he was always alone during storms, like in the hurricane. Having someone to comfort him was so much better. "Please don't leave me." He said between sobs.
John squeezed his body in tighter. "I will never leave you, Alexander. I promise."
AN: CUUUUUUUUUUTE