CHAPTER EIGHTEEN:
THE COPING

[It might have been some time since I've updated and I'm putting this SUMMERY here if you guys forgot which tua fanfic this is-cause it happens to me all the time-so read this if you don't know what's going on:

Alex is number eight and he's in love with Klaus. he pretended to be dead until he was sent to the past along with Klaus and there they met Dave and later on, Robert who is Dave's boyfriend. Dave was saved and the duo came back. when klaus and Alex went to the veterans bar they were surprised when Dave and Robert showed up, a little- read a lot- aged but still kicking ass.

okay so that was it. continue on reading]

"So, let me get this straight. You guys went back to the Vietnam war, served in it, and then he nearly died and you guys came back after a year?! Did I get it right?" Diego asked the four men sitting in front of him.

After the shocking appearance of Dave and Robert Young- yes Dave Young is sitting next to his husband Robert Young, yes it happened- the four explained their situation to a very confused Diego.

Alex thought for a second and then nodded, "yeah, sounds right."

And then took a sip from the martini he had ordered only to spit it back in the glass and make a face. God, that stuff is disgusting.

Klaus quietly laughed next to him knowing from the moment Alex had ordered his drink that this would happen.

Dave had a wrinkly hand around his beer and Robert was studying Diego with sharp eyes.

"When did this happen exactly?"

"Well," Klaus counted his fingers, "technically it was yesterday but like a year ago."

"Ha!" Alex shouted, making the others flinch at his loud and sudden action, "This means I'm a year older than you guys now, I'm the oldest! Take that you fuckers!"

"No."

Alex turned to Diego mid victory dance, "what?"

"You are not the oldest."

"Well, It certainly ain't you kiddo."

Klaus answered this time, "No he's right."

Alex turned to Klaus with betrayal, "et tu Klaus?"

"It's five, He's the oldest."

Alex opened his mouth to argue only to close it again, "dang."

Robert and Dave were laughing as the trios bantered.

"Have you guys seen it?" Alex suddenly asked the older couple, making their laughter to come to a stop.

"seen what kiddo?" Robert teased.

"That pic right there." Alex pointed at the old photo on the wall. Diego got up, ignoring Klaus' who was tugging his sleeve like a kid and went to see the photo.

"well someone had to put it there," Dave said with a smile.

Alex smiled, "I really missed you guys, It's been like what, not even twenty-four hours?" he turned to Klaus who shrugged, "but still, we really missed you."

"Awww, kiddo," Dave said and ruffled Alex's hair and got a hiss in reply.

"Now I hate you."

that got a laugh out of everyone.

⋇

After an hour of catching up with the Youngs, Klaus and Diego said their goodbyes- Klaus was hugging Robert with everything he had and wouldn't let him go until Robert and Dave promised to see them again when they were free and all the apocalypse stuff was over- Dave had asked to talk to him privately so he stayed behind to see what the old man wanted.

from where he was standing outside the pub, he could see Diego and Klaus bickering like children and he sighed when he saw Klaus putting his hands on his ears and saying something loudly, which made Diego huff with frustration and then comically, banged his head on the steering wheel.

he snorted at the sight of them and then turned to look at Dave and Robert.

"soo...?"

Dave smiled, "How are you guys coping with coming back from war?"

Alex shifted on his foot, "Why don't you ask Klaus?"

"Cuz he would lie and say everything is fine," Robert said grimly.

"And everything is not okay." Dave finished.

Alex looked between them, a bit creeped out, "That's so weird. stop doin' it."

"But it's true, isn't it?"

Alex felt uncomfortable, "Well, yeah. We were just on a battlefield not even twenty-four hours ago and everything being quiet after a year of too much noise and guns and everything makes me feel uneasy. it's like the enemies are hiding and waiting for me to drop my guard so they can attack me. and the flashbacks- I know I have PTSD, who wouldn't?! but still everything is so...diffrent."

He took a deep breath, not looking the other men in the eye, "And you know what bothers me the most? is that all this," he waved his hands around, "The war and stuff, that was a year ago for me but for these people, it's been a day and I can't cope with it. every person I knew is either dead or old, no offense guys, but they were the first friends I've made since I've been 'dead'."

no one said anything for a while. Alex looked over his shoulder to see Klaus and Diego arguing over something and then Klaus blew a raspberry.

"Klaus has nightmares, so do I. but I don't know how to help him." he sighed and stuffed his hands in his jacket's pockets. "He's going to do drugs again just to forget everything that happened, And I-" He looked in Dave's eyes for the first time since he opened up, "I want to keep him safe, last time he did drugs was because of me and now it's because I can't help him."

he tilted his head backward taking a shaky breath, "I don't know what to do."

Dave smiled painfully and laid a hand on Alex's shoulder, "You're a soldier. you were one since you were a kid and that dad of yours made you guys into his own little army. We've seen you guys grow up knowing who you would turn into and every time you guys did something, I would turn to anyone who was beside me at that time and tell them 'These kids are gonna be great one day. They're gonna save us, Just you wait.' I didn't lose hope in you when the academy went their separate ways. I didn't lose hope when they said you and your brother were dead. I still hoped that everything would go as you had told me. I didn't lose hope cause I know you, you would do anything for the ones you love and you have given up so much for them already. you pretented to be dead for years, not being able to tell the truth to your family. It's okay to break down Alex, You've gone through so much and it's okay to cry. to scream and ask for help. you can't blame yourself for everything that happens, not everything is your fault. But you can make them better. you can make klaus feeling better by just being there for him. that's all he needs from you. don't leave him and he won't leave you. you guys love each other too much to do that. so don't worry, everything's gonna turn fine because when the wind blows the clouds away, the sun will shine on you."

Alex looked at Dave, "When the fuck did you get so wise?"

Robert started laughing and Dave smiled.

Alex gave them a hug and a 'thank you' before walking towards the car.

as a wise man once said, "Take the free advice from the old men."

it's him.

he's the wise man.

★彡WORDS:1500★彡

FUCK. I'm so sorry this took so long but I've been busy with school and every other stupid thing.

but here it is. the eighteenth chapter. As I promised.
next we're really back into the show. hopefully. unless my brain decides to do something crazy.

next update will be hopefully soon but if it isn't I have a Halloween kind of one-shot for you guys.

we're currently at 36k which is super awesome and almost at 2k vote!

cool right

have fun and get spooky!