AN: Valentine's Day special!! Love y'all

John came back to the dorm he shared with Alexander and flopped down on the couch, his headache giving him hell. He heard the door jiggle, and tried to smile, but found it was too much effort to lift his head from his hands.

Alexander walked in and John still didn't look up. "Hey Peaches, are you feeling okay?"

John nodded. "Yeah, just a headache. How was your day?"

"My day was great."

John raised his head at this. Alexander never had a day past 'alright.' "What on earth happened?"

Alex smiled. "I came home and my boyfriend was in my living room,"

John grinned weakly.

Alex's eyes filled with worry. "Are you sure you're okay, love?"

"I'm fine, I promise,"

"Okay, are you in the right mind enough to answer a question for me?"

John leaned back and nodded. "Of course,"

Alex knelt before John and rested his arms on John's knee, pulling something from his pocket as he did. "This isn't incredibly romantic, so I'm sorry for that," He popped open a velvet box. "But would you marry me?"

John shot forward and pressed his lips to Alexander's, pulling him as close as possible.

Alex pulled away with a wide,  toothy grin that John had come to love. "So is that a yes?"

"I don't have enough time to answer, I'm making out with you," John seized Alex's shoulder sand pulled him back into the kiss.

Alex pinned John to the ground and held him there as he pulled back. John reached out, struggling against Alex's grip, but soon relaxed when he saw the concerned look on Alexander's face.

"What is it, Alex?"

"What's your real answer, just to be sure,"

"Of course I'll marry you, Alex, I love you,"

"So that's enough?"

"Yes,"

Then Alex said quieter, "so I'm enough?"

John softened instantly. "Of course, babe,"

Alex laid down next to John and curled around him. "I just love you a lot and I want to be with you but I would never want you unhappy. Do I make you happy?"

John snuggled into Alex's chest. "I'm the happiest I've ever been just laying here. I feel good. And that's amazing,"

Alex started to tear up. "Love you, Peaches,"

John sat up slightly. "Alex, we're engaged. I'm yours now — what's troubling you?"

Alex sniffed and put a tentative arm around John's waist. "Sorry, I just like you a lot,"

John laughed. "Alex, hun, I'm you're fiancé. Chill,"

Alex chuckled too. "Yeah, I guess so,"

•Double fanfic because I can't think of how to continue this one•

New fanfic begins here :) little more angst

John stumbled back into his dorm, clutching the wall in an effort to stay upright. He had returned from his father's hotel — Henry was in town for a week to visit, and he insisted that he see John everyday to prove his son wasn't some gay pansy.

John was gay, of course, but if he told his father the beatings would be even worse. He had almost broke a rib this time, and he wasn't sure how much he could take beyond that.

John shut the door and limped to the bathroom, taking of his shirt and examining his back. It was bloody where it wasn't bruised, and a particular spot over the side hurt terribly. John feared the worst, but then assumed that no permanent damage could be done because he could still walk.

He was right, but the bruise over that place was dreadful. John was so intent on looking in the mirror that he didn't hear the door click as Alex walked in.

"John?!"

John whirled around, dropping his shirt as fear clouded his expression. "Alex, it's not what it looks like,"

"Really?! Because it looks like you went to your dad's and he beat you!"

John started to tear up. "N-no," but the attempt was futile.

Alex reached out and drew his fingers over John's cheek, his touch light and gentle. "John, be honest. We don't have to tell anyone just yet, but you need to tell me,"

John nodded and turned his head down, beginning to let his emotions get the best of him. "My dad, he thinks I'm gay," he began.

Alex said softly, "aren't you?"

John nodded again. "But not as far as he knows. I can't tell him because he'll hate me more. He'll disown me, Alex, and I don't want that,"

"It's okay, John,"

John continued. "He called me a AN: woah there little friends trigger warning for gay slurs. It is never okay to call someone this. fag today before he beat me, and it hurt so bad. It was worse today than it has been before."

"John, I'm so sorry..."

"It's not your fault. It's that jackass,"

Alex took John into his arms, resting his hands on the smaller man's hips so as not to hurt his back. John wrapped himself around Alex in return.

"Alex..."

"Yeah?"

"This is probably a bad time, but I ah e something to tell you," John but his lip.

Alex put his thumb gently over John's mouth. "Don't bite your lip, and tell me what it is,"

"I l-like you,"

Alex's eyes widened. "I like you too, John. Do you wanna be my boyfriend?"

John glanced around for a moment as if nervous, then gave Alex a quick peck on the lips. "Yes,"

"Good, now please don't go back to your father. He'll hurt you even more,"

"I don't know, I think I have to,"

"No, sweetheart. You don't have to. He doesn't know where your dorm is, and he has to leave in two days. He won't find you,"

"But if he does he'll break my bones. I can't risk it. If I go, he won't be as mad,"

Alex shook his head. "I'm locking the doors and taking a few days off work. Lafayette and Hercules can stay at our dorm until he leaves and guard us. Okay?"

"I don't want to trouble anyone, it's only two days. Only two more beatings," John sighed pitifully.

Alex shook his head vigorously. "No, it's final. I'm calling them as soon as I get you cleaned up."

John agreed weakly and Alex led him to sit down on the edge of the bath tub. Sweeping his finger over John's back, Alex grabbed some bandages and a cloth, and began to wash John's back of blood. He could see looks of pain flashing across John's face and could only grit his teeth, knowing that the wound must be cleaned.

He wrapped bandages delicately around John's waist and worked his way up. "Are there any open wounds on your legs?"

John shook his head and Alex moved on to his arms, repeating the cleaning process. When he was done, he pulled John into a hug.

"No one have to do this, John. You're worth more than that,"

"Really?"

"Of course, sweetheart. Come with me, I'll text the guys, and we can watch a movie or something,"

John muttered a small thanks and let Alex lead him to the couch, where Alex pulled John into his lap while he called Lafayette.

"Yeah, can you and Herc come over for a few nights? I know it's a weird time, I can explain later, but I need you guys here,"

John heard a faint 'oui' over the phone and Alex clicked it off.

"It's going to be okay, John, we got you. Do you want to put a shirt on before Laf gets here?"

John shook his head. "It rubs on the bruises,"

"Okay, dear, but prepare for Hercules to go into full mom mode,"

John laughed weakly and laid his head on Alexander's chest, awaiting the arrival of the people he trusts.

AN: I might do a sequel to this second one just so I can write Hercules in mom mode. Also I didn't edit this much so sorry for mistakes/plot holes. Love y'all,

Wolf
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