Third Person

John glanced worriedly at Alex, concerned in the least. He had been sitting, typing at his computer for a solid 3 hours tonight. Ever since they got back from the beach he had spent every night at his desk, typing away into the early hours of the morning. Nearly a week of this had passed, today being Friday, and John was feeling Alex slowly slipping away.
"Alex, you shou-"
"I have so much work to do," Alex muttered, not even flinching from his position at his computer, in his bed for the first time tonight. It was 10pm and all John wanted to do was cuddle up beside Alex and never let go, but instead they were in seperate beds while Alex buried himself in his work.

John decided to act, after 3 days of being ignored he couldn't let this go on for any longer, especially after the last time John left Alex untouched for 3 days.
"Alex," he spoke.
No response.
"Alex," He called out again, a little louder. Still not even earning a glance.
"Alexander Hamilton." John spoke firmly. Alex looked up from his computer briefly and John met his eyes, horrified at the lifeless orbs that stared back at him, boring into his skull. Alex's eyes were bloodshot, heavy bags drooping underneath them. When John said nothing he turned back to his computer, continuing to type.

John stood up and stopped beside Alex's bed. Alex continued to type furiously. John reached down and snatched the computer away, slapping it shut. Alex reached after it in dismay, tugging at John's shirt to reach it.
"N-no John, I have so much-"

"Alex shut up you're currently the number one student in all your classes." John groaned, leaving his computer on one of the chests of draws. Alex closed his eyes and sunk into his bed in defeat, opening them in shock when John climbed into Alex's bed, straddling him. After crawling over Alex John noticed how thin he was.
"When was the last time you ate?"

"I should really be working," Alex replied, avoiding the subject and looking away.
"What- What's going on with you Alex? I know we just had an insane, wild, weekend, but there's something you're not telling me." John spoke softly, concern laced through his voice while his hands ran along the sides of Alex's body.
"John I'm fine, just let me get back to my work," Alex sighed, still not meeting his eyes.
"Alex, we both know that's a lie-" John began to lecture, his hands sliding up Alex's thighs before he stopped at the feel of something unusual on Alex's skin. Alex gasped and threw John's hands off of him, yelping in horror.

"Alex!" John almost yelled, grabbing Alex by the shoulders. Alex tried to throw John off of him but he stayed put, holding Alex down.
"Stop fighting me! I want to help! Whatever you're going through, let me help you!" John cried, trying to hold Alex down as he squirmed and kicked.
"What if I don't want your help!" Alex spat, his voice scratchy and strained.
"Alex! You need my help," John said quietly, on the verge of tears as Alex stopped trying to push John off of him. John's hand trailed down Alex's leg before sliding up under his shorts. Alex flinched and squeezed his eyes shut tight, a tear slipping down his cheek as John's hand rested over the cuts he had inflicted on his own skin.

"Alex, if what we have is going to work, we both need to be honest with each other. I think it's time we had a talk about how you 'fell' into the pool." John sighed, trying to make eye contact with Alex but he refused to look at him.
Alex coughed up a sob and threw his hands over his face, hiding the tears that flowed from his eyes. John pried away his hands and pulled Alex up, hugging him tightly. Alex didn't hug back, he simply sat limp in John's arms.
"Alex, talk to me, please." John cried, tears prickling in his own eyes. Alex leaned back, out of John's arms, and sucked in a deep breath.

He grabbed John's hands and placed them on the hem of his shirt, pulling it up. He raised his arms to let John pull his shirt off of him and once it was off John gasped in horror, slapping a hand over his mouth. Dark blue and purple bruises splattered Alex's porcelain skin along the sides of his torso. John reached out a shaky hand and traced the bruises ever so gently with the tips of his fingers, causing Alex to flinch and shiver.
"W-who-" John began to stutter helplessly, gazing at Alex with a distraught fear. Alex never met his eyes, opening his mouth to say something before closing it again.  

"I didn't know my dad well, he left when I was young." He began to mutter, clenching his fists tight. John leaned forward and wrapped his hands over Alex's supportively.

"I can't remember my mom well, but I do remember when she died holding me in her arms." Alex's voice cracked at the thought of his mom. John rubbed his thumbs over Alex's knuckles soothingly.

"When I think of my brother I don't cope well, after watching him drown ahead of me. And after my cousin committed suicide, well, that was everyone I had left." Alex's voice had dropped to a barely audible whisper now. John ducked his head down and rested his forehead on Alexander's. "Everyone I loved died. And I just, couldn't seem to die." He coughed, John choking back a sob.

"But then I met you, and Laf and Herc, and the sisters, and I thought 'hey, things finally might be going well,'." Alex laughed half-heartedly, shrugging a little. John's arms snaked around Alex's waist gently, careful to avoid any bruises. "John, you have been the most amazing man to me, but even you haven't been treated well." Alex sighed, tracing his fingers along John's shoulder blades now. John closed his eyes and just focused on listening to Alex's quiet voice.

"You know, I haven't attended a class this week where Thomas Jefferson or one of his goons didn't shove me into a wall, or smack over my books. And sometimes when I remember him and his friends throwing me into that pool I wish you hadn't come and brought me back. I wish I had just drowned so I wouldn't have to live with this shit." Alex cried, balling his fists in John's shirt. As soon as John heard it was Jefferson, his eyes grew dark and he snapped a little inside.
"Don't say that," John pleaded quietly, referring to Alex's willingness to die.

"John, this constant fear of losing someone else, of losing you. I don't want to be scared of every large body of water I face! I don't want to be struck with a panic attack every time a thunder storm strikes! I'm so sick of being pathetic! Maria Reynolds was crawling all over me at the beach, ready to give me head because she thought Peggy had cheated on her with you, and I just stood there because I was so afraid to say no!" Alex spat, a concoction of anger and pain swept across his features, his shoulders hunched as sobs wracked his body.
"She did what?" John choked, looking up at Alex.

"It wasn't her fault, she didn't realise it was when you guys were in high school, but I should've stopped her sooner! I knew you wouldn't cheat! But after how Thomas reacted when I said no to him, I was so afraid of what Maria would pull." Alex openly cried, pushing John off of him. "You can break up with me, I'll understand why. You wouldn't be the first to leave, it's fine." Alex spoke sincerely, genuinely expecting John to stand up and leave, or maybe hurt him before he did.

John raised his hand and Alex cowered, expecting a slap to strike across his face, but instead he felt a hand caress it softly. John noticed Alex wasn't expecting that and he began to cry harder than he was before. Alex heard John cry with him and opened his eyes, seeing John absolutely broken sitting in front of him, Alex leaned into the hand that rested along his face. Their eyes finally met, blurry and tear-filled. John shook his head and threw himself forward into a deep kiss with Alex. Alex tugged away John's shirt and they broke apart briefly while Alex pulled John's shirt over his head. They fell backwards so John hovered over Alex in bed.

"You're... staying?" Alex breathed, tear stains streaked down his cheeks. John propped himself up on one elbow over Alex and a smile cracked onto his features.
"I'd be insane n-not to," John sighed, slipping his hand behind Alex's neck before pecking his lips quickly. "And the first chance I get, I'm killing Jefferson," he growled, diving back into the sea of kisses.
"John y-you don't ha-aah have to," Alex sighed as John sucked and licked at his jaw.

"Alex, that man, and his followers, will never lay a finger on you again." John panted, lifting from his kisses on Alex's jaw and flexing as he held himself up. "You deserve the fucking world, and even if I can't give that to you, I'm going to give you everything I have," John whispered. Alex gazed up at him in awe, grateful and wondering how he got to have the world's most amazing and understanding boyfriend.

"John, you mean the world to me," Alex smiled. "I love you," He muttered, kissing him quickly on the lips. "I love you," he repeated with another kiss.
"I love you," John purred, kissing him.
"I love you," Alex moaned against John's lips in the kiss.
"I love you so fucking much Alex," John finished, rolling off of Alex and wrapping his arms around him. Alex flinched with a small hiss and John pulled his arm away quickly.

"Sorry sorry!" John yelped as he noticed he had rest his arm on a bruise. Alex grabbed John's arm and guided it to rest over a part of his torso that wasn't bruised.
"You shouldn't be apologising," Alex whispered softly, leaning into his pillow tiredly. John pressed his lips against the top of Alex's spine as his bare chest pressed against Alex's back.

Jefferson will be sorry when I'm done with him, John thought to himself as he quickly felt Alex's body relax. After almost a week of staying up until 3am typing, he was finally getting the rest he deserved. John reminded himself to make sure Alex got breakfast the next morning, before he fell asleep holding Alex tightly.